Disclaimer: I do not own Zootopia or any of its characters, they all belong to Disney. I do not own Halo or any of it characters, they are all belong to 343 Industries. I do not own Battlestar Galactica 1978 or any of its characters, they all belong Glen A. Larson and Universal. Rated M for sexual themes.
Just One Small Spark
Chapter 17
Judy's pad signaled as she watched the Halo being dissembled and ignored it. They'd found no Flood on the Halo, but with 2742 Vibrant Contemplation acquiescence it was decided that it be dissembled and its pieces would be dropped into the nearby star. Also, because of this she'd ordered more probes to be built and asked the Monitor to send more Keyships from Shield World 1723 to enlarge the area being surveyed and to do more thorough survey of this part of the galaxy. Her pad quickly signaled a second time and she retrieved it and touched the accept button.
"Admiral Wilde," Nick said and grinned, "we may need to delay our trip to Sanghelios for a day or two."
"Why?" she asked mildly.
"We've found something interesting."
"Such as?"
"A ship named the UNSC Port Stanley," he said and his grin widened, "It's a Sahara-class heavy prowler."
"And just why would this ship delay us going to Sanghelios?"
"We caught it delivering weapons to the Sangheili rebels and I thought you might want to speak to its crew."
"Ah," Vice-Admiral Judith Laverne Wilde said and then chuckled.
Judy entered the room followed by two Spartans and looked at the six humans. They were seated and were handcuffed with their hands behind them which were also bolted to the deck with chain. Their chairs were also bolted to the floor and their legs were tied the chair legs.
"Naomi 010, you might as well stop struggling," she said and smiled. "Even John couldn't get out of that chair."
She looked at the Spartan beside her and he removed his helmet.
"John!" Naomi exclaimed.
"Spartan-117," Rear Admiral Serin Osman began, "I order you to..."
John laughed, surprising the prisoners.
"I don't take orders from prisoners..." John began.
"Who supply weapons to the Sangheili rebels," Judy finished.
"Who are you?"
Her armor split and opened and she stepped out.
"You're a Rabbit!"
"Very observant Professor Phillips," she said and smiled at the man. Then she looked back to Admiral Osman. "I am UNSC Vice-Admiral Judith Laverne Wilde, Serial number 43142-67531-JW, currently in command of the Zootopia sector."
"The UNSC doesn't have..."
"Actual it does Professor Phillips and all of you will soon be visiting there."
"You can't..." Admiral Osman began.
"Or would you rather I turn you over to The Arbiter?"
She watched them all blanch except Naomi.
"But we're under orders!" Professor Phillips blurted out.
"And just whose orders would those be, Professor Phillips?" the other Spartan asked.
"Shut up Phillips!" Osman shouted and then looked at the other Spartan. "What's your name Spartan?"
The Spartan in question removed her helmet.
"Dr. Halsey?!" Naomi said, seeing a younger version of the famous doctor.
"Cortana Halsey," she said and smiled.
"How?" Naomi asked.
"A friendly Shield World Monitor and his Huragok Lifeworkers offered me a deal that I just couldn't refuse," she said and smiled.
"Professor Phillips, I myself would like hear your answer too," Admiral Wilde said and stared at the man, "or maybe you'd like to answer The Arbiter when he asks."
"Shut up Phillips!" Osman shouted again.
"Admiral Margaret Parangosky," he said in a small voice.
"Thank you Professor for confirming that bit of information," Admiral Wilde said and looked back Osman.
"How?" Osman said and then stared at her for a few seconds. "BB."
"Yes," Judy said and nodded. "When 2742 Vibrant Contemplation asked Black Box, your AI told him everything we needed to know."
Command Adama's pad signaled and he touched the accept button.
"Commander, per your request you need to be in Core Command in ten minutes," she said.
"Thank you Ensign," he said and rose. "I'm coming now."
He stepped into his outer office and leaned over to peck the Ensign on the cheek.
"Commander, what would your wife say?"
"I wouldn't know," he said and smiled. "What do you think?"
"I don't know either," Ila said and raised an eyebrow. "Just how many Ensigns have you had?"
"You're the first... and only one," he said and winked.
The Ensign rose, came around her desk, and touched her lips to his.
"Ensign, you shouldn't be doing that on duty."
"Somehow I doubt my superior officer will report me."
"Me either," he said and then took her in his arms and kissed her.
Adama entered Core Command and looked at the main screen – two minutes and eleven seconds until reversion to normal space. The remainder of the screen showed the nothingness of slipspace. Then he sat in the command chair and felt Ila behind him. She rested a hand on his shoulder.
"Ensign, please find a seat," he said and she looked down at him and winked.
He looked around and watched his people busy at their duties. A few had smiles on their faces.
"Communications, let me speak to Captain Apollo," he said and the tech acknowledged. Five seconds later Apollo's face appeared on the main screen. "Report!"
"Commander, twenty vipers are ready to launch as soon as we return to normal space," he said and looked down for a moment, "and twenty more a minute later if necessary."
"Good," he said and smiled at his son. "Please coordinate with the vipers from the other ships too."
"Yes Commander," he said and signed off.
He looked at the countdown – fifty eight seconds. He sat back and waited and soon found himself unconsciously counting down with the timer. Soon enough it reached zero and the main screen shown thousands of distant stars and the darkness of space. Then he felt the vibration through his ship of the vipers launching and the screen split, showing real time images of the Pegasus and Tigh's Keyship, the Leonis as he'd named it.
"Commander Adama, no other ships detected within reach of our sensors," the sensor tech reported.
"Good," he said and turned to the Communications Tech. "Communications, let me speak to Commanders Cain and Tigh."
The pictures of their respective ships disappeared and were replaced with the faces of their commanders.
"Adama, it looks like we made it!" Cain said and grinned.
"Commander Adama, I'm launching the first of my Forerunner Destroyers," Tigh said.
"Tigh... Commander Tigh, please scan the star systems," Adama said and saw his old friend's smile. "Yes, Commander."
"Sir, Captain Apollo," the Communication Tech said and he pointed at the main screen.
It spilt again and Apollo's face appeared.
"Deployment successful and we and all vipers are forming up on their respective ships."
"Good," he said and smiled. "Gentlemen please contact me in thirty minutes or sooner if necessary."
"Commander, incoming message of Commander Tigh," the tech said.
His face appeared on the main screen and he looked excited.
"Adama!" he began.
"Commander, incoming message of Commander Cain," the tech said and Adama raised a hand.
"Cain good to see you," Adama said and glanced a Commander Tigh. Cain opened his mouth. "I think Commander Tigh has something to tell us."
Cain looked at Tigh on his screen and saw the same thing as Adama.
"Ok Tigh, just tell us!"
The man let out a breath and smiled.
"My sensors show two solar systems have three habitable planets each, one with two, and the fourth with four!" he said excitedly. "It's a exact duplicate of Cyrannus star system with even the same number of other planets and moons!"
"And the stars?" Adama asked
"They are almost identical and in the same positions in relation to each other!"
"It's almost sounds like the systems were built!" Cain exclaimed.
"The Forerunners were a very powerful race," Adama said.
"You really think they build this!" Cain said and leaned toward this screen.
"Yes and Cyrannus too," he said and looked at Tigh. "Are there any signs of intelligence?"
"No radio signals or any signs of generated power."
Adama noticed Cain was lost in thought.
"Cain?"
"Tigh, where would Kobol and the Cylon homeworld be?"
For the first day they approached and then entered the closest solar system which was analogous to Helios Delta in the colonies. Since the Leonis had the more sensitive sensors it had shown it was nearly identical to its Colonial counterpart with same number of planets, moons, and asteroid belts. The star itself was only a few percent dimmer and a little cooler. Adama sat at his desk engrossed in the mundane paperwork necessary to run a Battlestar. At least with the updates made to Galactica's computers 'paperwork' was now done with almost no paper. He looked up at the knock at his door and then smiled.
"Enter," he said and the door slid open. "Ensign."
Ila stepped in and placed a folder on his desk. He noted that some paperwork actually still did exist.
"Somehow from your stories I always thought that life on a Battlestar was always exciting."
"It isn't and trust me, we like it that way," he said and went to her.
"Really."
"Ila, went it is, people are more lightly to be injured or killed," he said and took her hand.
She frowned and was silent of a time. Adama looked at his wife and squeezed her hand.
"I guess I never thought of it like that," she said and then hugged him.
He returned it and then his pad beeped. He sighed, laid his head on her shoulder for a moment, and turned to retrieve it.
"Time for the meeting?" she asked.
"Ten minutes."
When he entered the conference room Cain, Tigh, Apollo, Sheba, and Leonis' CAG, and various human and other species scientists were present. With them was a pair of organic Cylons which was something he thought he would've would never see – Cylons on a Battlestar. He looked at them and they bobbed their heads in acknowledgement.
"I'm Ituca and this is my life mate..."
"Bria," she said. "We're both biologists."
"I thought the Cylon... Centurions were keeping you prisoners," Adama said.
"Actually they haven't bothered with us much in the last twenty years," Ituca said and shrugged. "Fortunately we lived underground and raised our own food. Over the years we searched, found some of the old digitized records, and learned our people's history and science."
"We'll certainly need everyone's help studying these new solar systems," Adama said and turned to Tigh. "Please tell us what you've found."
"I know you've received all of our updates so I'll just skim over what we found so far," Tigh said and smiled. "As far as we can tell these four star systems are nearly identical to the colonies, but also as far as we can tell there's no intelligent life."
"Sometimes I thought the same thing about the colonies," Cain muttered and several people chuckled.
Tigh only glared at the man.
"Of course to be positive we'll need to explore the habitable planets," Tight continued as if he hadn't been interrupted. "We've also found all the nearby star systems within a hundred light years are also nearly identical to the ones near the colonies including ones which are analogous to Kobol and the Cylon homeworld."
Adama noticed the Cylons listening more intently, leaning toward the Commander.
"Don't you think it's an interesting coincidence that in a galaxy of four hundred billion stars we just happened to find the few hundred that are nearly identical and also in the same positions as ones back home?" Ituca said and raised an eyeridge.
"I have a feeling that everyone here agrees with you," Adama said and everyone nodded their assent. "I just wonder who it was." Everyone chuckled. "Anyway I've decided to take the Galactica to Cylon unless anyone objects."
"We would like to accompany you," Bria said.
"And I can guarantee that you both will," Adama said and nodded.
"Actually I'd like to go to Kobol," Cain said, surprising everyone.
"Really!" Adama said and smiled. "I really thought you'd want to go to Cylon."
"You're a bit more diplomatic than I am."
"Cain?" Adama said.
"I just have a feeling," he said and grinned at his old friend.
"So then I guess that leaves me here," Tigh said.
In the Ris homeworld's solar system and the others for 20 light years around they'd gathered 212 Keyships. Also several hundred others of local manufacture which had been modified with newer and much faster slipspace engines and new weapons copied from the Keyships.
Now that they knew the Sangheili Civil War had begun they would follow, but would only observe and intervene if and when it was necessary. The bulk of their ships would begin exploring even farther beyond the now expanded space Admiral Wilde's fleet now surveyed. Three days later all the ships had gathered in Ris solar system and then together entered slipspace.
The Pegasus and one of the Forerunner Destroyers dropped out of Slipspace only a billion miles from the duplicate Kobol and immediately set course for the planet.
"So what's the real reason we came here?" Sheba asked, coming up behind her father.
"Oh, I just wanted an easy assignment so we all could relax," he said and Sheba rolled her eyes.
"So who are you and what did you do with my father?" she asked and Cain laughed.
Then he sat back in his chair and turned to face her. He studied his daughter and was immediately reminded of her mother.
"Well from the Book of the Word all humans originated on Kobol," he said and she opened her mouth to interrupt, "but of course now we know that the Forerunners placed us on Kobol. So..."
"You think they may have done something similar here too."
"Or the Forerunners may have changed here minds for some reason..."
"and left something behind."
"You're as quick as your mother," he said and went to put a arm around her. "Let's get back to Core Command."
It took another day and soon after the Pegasus achieved orbit drop ships landed across the world with scientists to begin their studies. The Forerunner Destroyer and Pegasus both turned their sensors on the planet and after a day they finished mapping it. Only one structure was located below ground in a natural cave system. Command Cain, Captain Sheba, along with various scientists, Forerunner AIs, and Huragok walked toward the entrance to the cave. AIs and their drones were sent in first to reconnoiter and map the cave system.
"I wonder what we'll find," Sheba said.
"After one hundred thousand years I'd say nothing but dust," Cain said, "but with Forerunner tech... you never know."
After an hour mapping of the cave for several miles around was completed and one the AIs led them to the structure. The cavern was a mile underground and a thousand feet across with a ceiling two hundred feet high. The building lay at its center and was perfectly square with only one floor above ground. Cain estimated that it was a hundred feet on each side. He marched to the entrance and looked at the AI.
"Can you open it?"
"Yes," it replied after studying it for several seconds.
The door split and the two halves slid into the wall.
"The Forerunners were impressive engineers," Sheba said and looked at her father, "for this to still work after so long."
"I'm certainly impressed," he said as they walked through the door with the AI, the marines leading the way. "It looks like this could've been built yesterday." He touched the smooth wall.
They waited while the AIs and drones explored the building and after fifteen minutes they were led to central room with a chest high pedestal where a metal sphere sat atop it. As they approached it rose up.
"Welcome to Kobol," it said in perfect Colonial standard.
The Galactica and its Forerunner destroyer came out of slipspace just inside the Oort cloud and activated their sensors.
"Commander, artificial electromagnetic radiation detected!" the Communication Tech reported.
"Commander, three hundred and twenty-two ship detected across the system so far," the Sensor Tech reported, "and they're all are UNSC designs."
"But we're thousands of light years from UNSC space," Adama said.
"Sir, these ships do match the ones in the Far Star's database with only some minor variations."
"What type of various?"
She tapped on her screen for several seconds.
"Designs without more recent upgrades and some are a bit smaller and a few larger."
"Warships?"
"Only one docked in the ship yard of orbit of Cylon."
Adama sat back and rubbed his chin in thought and then turned to Sensor Tech.
"I wonder why there's only one warship," he said to himself quietly. "Where's the nearest ship?"
Captain Johnson sat in his command chair and yawned. Captaining an ice hauler was dull boring work. Wrapping comet heads in a thin metal foil, towing them in-system, and dropping them on the second planet was not what he'd thought he'd be doing when he first joined the UNSC. He lay back in his chair and yawned again.
"Captain!" the Sensor Tech shouted and he quickly sat up straighter. Then he turned and looked at the Tech. "Sir, there was a Slipspace event one light second behind and one one-hundreth to starboard of the comet head."
"Did we catch the event on camera?" he asked and the Tech began tapping his screen.
"Yes sir," the Sensor tech said after a few seconds.
"Put it on the main screen."
The video began with the Slipspace portal opening and after several seconds an enormous ship came through followed by a smaller one. He was positive that both of them were warships and obviously neither were UNSC designs.
"Sir, we are receiving an audio/visual signal from the larger ship," the Communication Tech reported, "and sir, it's using standard UNSC formats and also it's in English."
That, at least, made him feel a bit better. Thank God it wasn't some unknown technically advanced alien race that they'd have to take time to learn their language and establishing communications with, he thought. He stood and quickly smoothed his uniform trying to make himself look more presentable.
"Put it on the main screen," he said and a gray haired man in a dark blue uniform appeared on screen.
The picture also showed most of the ship's bridge and crew working in the background. Not all of them were human, he noted.
"I am Commander Adama of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol," he said, but his words didn't match the movements of his lips. "Who am I speaking too?"
It took a few moments for him to find his voice.
"I'm Captain Able Johnson and this is my ship the Ice Hauler Zeus," he said and Adama smiled. Then he glanced at the communication tech's monitor and noticed that they were only transmitting a close up of his face. "A moment please." The sound was muted and he turned to the Communication Tech. "Please widen the shot to show the entire bridge. Unmute."
"Commander Adama," he said and then he saw the other man's eyes widen.
"A moment please," he said and the sound muted.
He turned and said something. Then he turned back and a few seconds later two Cylons stood beside him. Able felt his jaw drop.
"How..."
"Captain, I think we need to speak face to face," he said and his eyes twinkled, "and please bring some of your Cylons too."
The UNSC Everest was a few hundred feet longer than the Battlestar, but not nearly as wide. The Admiral hadn't taken his ship out of the shipyard for almost a half a year, but it still was well maintained and ready for to defend the system at any time. He always wondered if they should've built several more warships, but at the time it had been necessary to help the Cylons get their economy going. So they concentrated on civilian ship as ice haulers, hydrogen collectors, and miners. As they approached to dock with the Galactica he looked at the Forerunner Destroyer and collection of small one man fighters flying CAP for the two ships.
Then he looked at thirteen UNSC ships that had been drawn to the two warships like iron to a magnet. The information that the outsiders had arrived and had Cylons aboard had gone though the solar system at the speed of light - literally, he thought and smiled. He knew from observation that more Cylons were on their way.
"Sir, we have matched velocity with the Galactica and will be docking in ten minutes."
"Thank you Captain," he said and went back to looking at the monitor.
As the Captain said the Everest came to a halt relative to Galactica exactly on time. A docking tube extended from the other ship and with a clunk sealed itself to the hull over their main hatch. The inner door opened and two Cylon engineers entered. He heard a whistle as air filled tube and after a minute there was silence.
"Sir, the docking tube has a good seal and there's normal air pressure on the outer hatch with a breathable mixture of oxygen, nitrogen, and trace gases," the Cylon engineer announced and then cracked the outer door.
His security detail, a mixture of humans and Cylons, went first and then he and his staff followed behind. Awaiting them were a mixture of human, aliens, Huragok, and AIs. One human stepped forward and waited until they'd all entered the room and the hatch was shut behind them.
"We're doctors and would like to examine you," she said in English and then smiled, seeing the looks on their faces. "Don't worry, it'll only take a few minutes."
Since there were twenty-two of his crew including himself and only ten doctors, lines formed for each of them. He was the first in his line and looked up at the large dragon-like alien that stood before him.
"My name is Haax and I'm a Draco and FEMALE," she said and her pad translated. "I tell you this since I've found that most humans want to know, but are just simply too embarrassed to ask." He chuckled. "Also, you may touch my wings which I've also found humans want to do." Very perceptive, he thought and ran his fingers across the extended leathery wing. She lifted another device and ran it from his head to his feet. Then after a few seconds she tapped the screen and read. "You're in fairly good health for a human of your age." He raised an eyebrow. "There's a few spots of skin cancer, some muscle degeneration, and a some derogation of your nerves and brain tissue. If you would stop by the life center before you leave I can take care of those problems. Also, if you wish I can reverse the symptoms of your advanced age, but that would take several days."
"Really!"
"Forerunner technology is far ahead of any of the races we've found so far," she said and looked passed him. Then she looked to either side. "I guess they've almost finished."
"I'd like to come see you later," he said and smiled.
"Certainly," she said and handed him a pad. "You can keep this and use it to contact me. It's currently set to English and has an AI if you need help."
After the doctors had finished and reported their results, the door at the end of the room opened and Adama entered followed by two Colonial Warriors. The Admiral met him half way.
"Commander Adama, permission to come aboard," the Admiral said and Adama smiled.
Admiral Cole's newly acquired pad translated.
"Permission granted Admiral Cole," he said and shook the other man's hand.
Tigh had a larger job than the others – he had dozens of others planets to survey. So he decided that they'd concentrate on the twelve habitable ones first. His first problem was he'd only five ships and he would've preferred to work on all twelve planets at once. Since that was impossible he sent two Forerunner Destroyers to the Helios Alpha star system which had four habitable planets and one each to the Helios Gamma and Helios Delta which had three habitual planets each. Lastly he took the Leonis to the Helios Beta system which had only two habitual planets – one of them being Leonis itself which just happened to be his homeworld back in the colonies. Then he divided his available shuttles between star systems giving more of them to the destroyers surveying the other three solar systems.
He sat in his office and reading the abbreviated versions of the reports from his own ship and the others when the first one came in from Commander Adama. So the Cylon system actual had a Cylon civilization with a UNSC presence too. Apparently Admiral Cole had destroyed a large Covenant Fleet in the Psi Serpentis system about a dozen years earlier and was thought to have been killed. He made a note access the information on the battle from the Dark Star's database when he had time. Oh, just some light reading before bedtime, he thought and smiled.
Apparently Cole was a legend in the UNSC and now he would be a living legend. Of course they already had one of those and wondered what be like when Cain and Cole met. He would definitely make sure he was there when they inevitably did, he though and chuckled. Then his pad signaled and accepted the call.
"Sir, we've completed our initial survey of Leonis," his XO reported.
"So are you ready to command a Keyship?"
"Yes sir," he said and smiled. "Your shuttle is ready."
"You sound anxious for me to leave."
"Of course not sir!"
"You have the ship," Tigh said and smiled.
"I have the ship," he said and smiled too.
"See you in a few days."
"Yes sir," his XO said and he broke the connection.
Tigh picked up his pad and hurried the landing bay.
He stood atop a hill where his parent's house was on Leonis and marveled. Things of course weren't precisely the same, but it was close enough that he would've recognized it regardless. For the next hour he walked around the area, remembering things from his childhood, and finally settled under tree and leaned his head back against the trunk and closed his eyes. After a few minutes his breathing slowed and he fell asleep.
Three of his marine bodyguards kept an eye on him while the others patrolled the area. Some of his crew were also from Leonis they knew and some of the scientists has already confirmed that the same predators and prey animals existed here too. Two of the marines were from this continent and lived not too far from this area.
"Sergeant, I've been thinking," the corporal said.
"That's bad for a marine," he said and bold men laughed.
The corporal looked around the area and then back at his squad leader.
"I thought that was only for Lieutenants," he said and smiled.
The Master Sergeant had been in the Colonial Marines for twenty-six years and had no plans for retirement.
"Mostly the green ones," he said and winked.
"Anyway this planet is almost identical to home."
"So," the Sergeant said, stretching out the word.
About four hundred years ago near that big bay on the other side of continent," he said, motioning with his chin in the general direction. "You know the one." The Master Sergeant nodded. "They found a large platinum deposit and..."
"Just how would you know?"
"Sergeant, my great to the eighth grandfather was there and made a bit of money prospecting," the Corporal said and winked at the Sergeant. He pulled out his pad and after a few seconds the other marine received the information. "So I wondered if you might know someone who might just be over there just now."
He looked at the other man and raised an eyebrow.
"One of these days Corporal you might just make Sergeant," he said and the other man grinned, "when you're my age. But like a broken clock you're right at least twice a day."
He tapped on his pad for a minute and read the email. He made a few searches and smiled. Then he tapped the pad again and made the connection. Then he walked away for a few minutes and returned smiling.
"Corporal today is your lucky day."
Tigh watched for a few minutes as the last of the brush and rubble was being cleared away from the doors to the once hidden Forerunner base. Then he turned and looked at the two groups of marines, standing at attention.
"Gentlemen, please explain to me how this all got started," he said and looked at the three marines from his protection detail first.
"Sir," the Lieutenant began, "the Master Sergeant here," he indicated the man, "contacted the First Sergeant, his brother," he indicated the younger marine in the other group, "and told him about the platinum and..."
"Master Sergeant," Tigh interrupted.
"The Corporal here," he began and put a hand on the man's shoulder, "had a relative here back when the platinum was discovered back home and..."
"Corporal," he interrupted again.
"Sir, my great to the eighth grandfather was here back then," he said and took out his pad. "I have all the information on my pad and I could send it to you if you'd like."
"Please do Corporal," Tigh said and two seconds later his pad signaled an incoming email.
Tigh quickly skimmed though the documents and then turned to the other marines. Then a noise momentarily drew his attention back to the doors where several Huragok and a Forerunner AI had now successfully opened them.
"Lieutenant, please explain how you found this," Tigh said and pointed back to the now completely open doors.
"Sir, the First Sergeant and his squad," he said and indicated the men, "were off duty and they wanted to have a look around. So we..."
"You went with them?"
"Sir, I was off duty too."
"And you knew about the platinum?"
"Not at first sir."
"And later?"
"Sir, since we were already almost here," he said and shrugged, "I thought what could it hurt."
"Please continue."
"Anyway we began searching..."
"With that?" Tigh said and pointed to the large Cylon weapon propped against a bolder.
"Yes sir."
"Where'd you get it?"
"Sir, it's mine," a Corporal said, stepping forward.
"Where'd you get it?"
"Sir, I collect Cylon weapons," he said and smiled. "Well sir, the UNSC marines and ODSTs were allowed to take souvenirs from the first Baseships they captured and I bought that one from one of them."
"Did you buy a Centurion too?"
"No sir, I already have one," he said and Tigh started to look around. "Commander, it's back home with my father, he's a retired marine, and we rebuilt it from parts." Tigh closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Sir, we did erase its memory before we reactivated it and my brother's wrote it a new operating system."
"Sir, we also found the vein of platinum," the Lieutenant said, pointing a short way down the valley.
"Then how'd you find this?" Tigh asked, pointing back to the doors.
"Sir, some of the men wanted to try out the Cylon weapon and we just got lucky.
Tigh closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose again. A few seconds later he heard running feet and turned to see a man hurrying down the hill. The man stopped and saluted.
"Sir, we found something!"
"What?!"
"The Forerunner AI was excited and just told me to get you."
"OK."
They started up the hill and he heard the marines following. Then he turned to look at them and they stopped.
"Come on!"
As they reached the doors the rest of his Marine protection detail caught up and followed. They walked through a tunnel for five minutes and then they stepped into a room which was filled with long black tubes. They stopped before the nearest one which the AI and Huragok hovered over. The metal outer skin had been lifted off revealing a transparent tube. It contained a species Tigh didn't recognize. Then he noticed several of the marines looking speculatively at the obviously female alien and then smiling.
"She looks almost human," he said and looked back at the AI. "What species is she?"
"Forerunner," the AI said.
The Pegasus arrived first and entered orbit three hours, ten minutes, and eleven seconds later. Immediately thereafter a shuttle and four vipers launched and set down on the hastily build Colonial base. Cain and his security detail went directly to the Forerunner base.
The Galactica entered orbit two hours, twenty-two minutes, and thirty-seven seconds later and also landed at the base. Adama hurried to the Forerunner base, but for an entirely different reason. Surprisingly he found Cain and Sheba entertaining the Forerunners with one of his many old war stories. Tigh was sitting at other end of the table, looking tensed and ready to jump in if necessary.
"Adama, Ila, Apollo!" Cain said, indicating the empty seats at the table. "Come on have a seat! I was just getting to the best part!"
Only then did Cain notice the group behind them. The six Forerunners stood and faced them.
"My name is Sunsets-Eternal-Beauty," she said in Colonial Standard and took his hand. "Adama, our new friend Cain had been telling us about your adventures."
Adama looked in surprise at the female Forerunner and then looked at his old friend.
"With help of the Hurogok they – the Forerunners – can pick up languages very quickly," Sheba said.
Adama looked back to the Forerunners and smiled.
"He sometimes embellishes his stories," Adama said diplomatically and Cain laughed.
"Don't worry Commander Tigh and I," Sheba said and smiled, "have been doing our best to help him remember the details."
"Excellent work," he said and turned back to the Forerunners. "This is my wife..."
"Ila," she finished and extended a hand to Sunsets-Eternal-Beauty. "And this is my son Captain Apollo."
"Ma'am," Apollo said and smiled at beautiful Forerunner female.
"Sheba tells me that you and she are to be married."
"Yes ma'am," he said and looked at Sheba. "If you'd like to come to the joining ceremony..."
"That would be interesting."
Then Sunsets-Eternal-Beauty looked past them and her green eyes met the brown ones of the tall human behind them.
"UNSC Vice-Admiral Preston Cole," he said and extended a hand.
She took it and smiled.
"Cain, Tigh, and Sheba have told us of the UNSC," she said and squeezed his hand, "and your war with the Covenant and its recent conclusion." Cole looked at Cain and the man only smiled. "He's also told us of the Colonial's thousand year war with the Cylons." She looked past Cole to the tall reptiles standing behind him. "Although that they were fighting their creations that nearly destroyed the Cylon race at least in Greater Magellanic Cloud."
"Adama has also of me of this."
"Now we've also been told of the civil war on Sanghelios and it colonies."
The Dark Star II arrived six hours later, having to backtrack from their journey to Sanghelios. Admiral Wilde's shuttle skipped the Colonial base and headed directly to the newly discovered Forerunner base. As the shuttle began to descend Judy and her Fox looked down at the ongoing cookout at the base of the hill.
"Looks like fun!" he said and licked her cheek.
"Nick!" she hissed and poked him the ribs.
The shuttle settled and of course her marines went first, lining up on either side of the hatch. By this time all eyes were turned toward the shuttle as Vice-Admiral Wilde stepped out with Captain Wilde by her side. One of the Forerunners came out of the crowd with Adama, Cain, Tigh, and several others, hurrying to catch up. The Admiral stepped passed her marines and stopped.
"You must be Judy," the female Forerunner said in Zootopian and then looked at the handsome Fox, "and you must be Nick."
Adama looked at Judy and started to speak.
"I am," he said and gave her his best foxy grin.
"Admiral..." Adama began.
"I'm Sunsets-Eternal-Beauty," she said and he extended a hand, but she had other ideas and hugged the Fox. He looked at his bunny and winked and she rolled her eyes. "You know red is my favorite color!"
"As it happens it's mine too," he said and smiled.
Cain began to chuckle and put an arm around his best friend.
"You must be hungry," she said and took Nick's arm.
Judy caught up and Nick took her hand. The others followed behind.
"You know this is the best first contact ever!" he said and Judy sighed.
Later they'd slipped away from the others, wanting some time alone, and found a secluded spot. Judy sat against a tree and Nick lay down and rested his head in his bunny's lap. He smiled up at her and she ran her fingers through his beautiful red fur. Then they heard voices.
"Since we discovered humans I've done a most extensive study on them," Jasmine said. "I've found they're a most adaptive species. Only the Huragok rival them."
"I did much the same before the Flood invaded the galaxy," Sunsets-Eternal-Beauty said.
"Did you work on the project to destroy them?" she asked and caught a glimpse of red fur. "Oh there they are!" She and the Forerunner pushed though the bushes. "Oh sorry." She looked at the Forerunner. "They were getting ready to mate."
"Please continue," Sunsets-Eternal-Beauty said and Nick began to laugh. Judy swatted him. "Is this foreplay?"
Now Jasmine smiled.
"They always mate in private."
"That's quite different from my people," she said, looking at the couple, and Jasmine raised an eyebrow. "Please come see me later then."
"Please tell me about your people's mating practices," Jasmine said as they turned and walked back toward cookout.
"I told you that this would the best first contact ever," he said and smiled as her blush began to spread from her ears to the rest of her body.
Sunsets-Eternal-Beauty led them to the Forerunner base's largest conference room and took the seat at the head of the table. 2742 Vibrant Contemplation hovered at her shoulder.
"I'm assuming that you still intend on traveling to Sanghelios," she said and Admiral Wilde nodded. "We will travel with you and hopefully our presence will calm things."
"I think it will," Professor Phillips said and looked at Judy.
"And you're the human expert on the Sangheili," the Forerunner said.
"Myself, Spartan 117, and Cortana," he said and indicated the others. "They have actually worked with The Arbiter – Thel 'Vadam – the current leader of the Sangheili. I too have met with him."
Then she looked at Admirals Wilde and Cole.
"From with we've learned from the crew of Port Stanley and their AI, Black Box, the UNSC Office of Naval Intelligence intended on rendering the Sangheili to be weaken so they'd never be a threat to the UNSC again or better yet at least in their eyes extinct. I intend to see how far this rot goes in the UNSC."
"And I intend on helping her!" Admiral Cole said with iron in his voice. "Defeating an enemy is one thing, but committing genocide is another!"
She looked at the Colonials.
"We're human too and we intend on stopping our brothers from doing such a thing," Adama said and the other Colonials nodded. "We fought the Cylons," he looked at the Cylons seated by Admiral Cole, "I meant the Cylon robots for a thousand years and thought all the organic Cylons were extinct by the hand of those robots, but we were mistaken." He put a hand on Ituca's arm. "We were glad to find that we were – twice."
"So after we try to stop the Sangheili civil war you intend on going to Erde-Tyrene – Earth."
"Yes," everyone said simultaneously.
"Then we would like to travel with you to Earth too."
Captain Thomas Lasky watched as his ship, the UNSC Infinity, made short work of the rebels on Sanghelios. Then he looked across the bridge and saw his sensor tech jerk. He leaned closer to his screen and watched the man's jaw drop. The tech turned to him.
"Sir, a massive slipstream portal has opened thirty light seconds out and so far forty-two Keyships have come through," he said and blanched. Then he looked back at his screen. "Fifty-four, sixty, seventy-two, eighty-one, ninety, ninety-seven, one hundred-two, three unknowns, and one UNSC ship. The portal is closing."
"Sir, incoming message," the Communication tech reported.
"In my office," he said and soon sat behind his desk.
He signaled the tech and a face appeared on his screen.
"You're in command of the UNSC warship in orbit of Sanghelios."
"Captain Thomas Lasky, commanding the UNSC Infinity," he said and swallowed. "You're a Forerunner."
"Yes, Captain Lasky," she said and smiled. "My name is Sunsets-Eternal-Beauty."
"May I ask why you are here?"
"Many reasons, but ending the Sangheili civil war is at the top of my list," she said and he swallowed again. "I've also brought other interested parties some of which you'll recognize when you arrive. I wish to meet with Thel 'Vadam and yourself and anyone else you deem necessary aboard my ship. Would six hours from now be acceptable? I shall contact Thel 'Vadam myself."
"Yes, ma'am," he said.
Once the connection was broken he leaned back in his chair, shut his eyes, and let out a ragged breath.
He looked down at the area around 'Vadam Keep and sighed. He hadn't really wanted help from the UNSC to defeat the rebels, but had no choice. It was live, owing the UNSC, or die, putting his people through yet another pointless and possibly war final with the humans. So he chose survival for himself and the entire Sangheili race. Soon afterward the Keyships arrived and he transferred himself and his command to one of his loyal ships in orbit. Then as he watched the Keyships captured every rebel ship attempting to flee the star system.
"Sir, incoming message from one of the Keyships," the communication tech said and looked at The Arbiter.
"On the main screen," he said and turned to faced it. Then two Spartans appeared. "Demon!" Then he heard a chuckle as John removed his helmet. "How did you..."
"I heard you needed some help so brought some friends," he said and actually smiled.
Then the other Spartan removed its helmet.
"Cortana!"
"In the flesh!" she said and laughed.
A moment later both Thel 'Vadam and John joined her.
"Why else are you here?"
"The people I brought want to speak to you."
"About the civil war?"
"That and a number of other things too," Cortana said, looking serious. "It's good to see you, but I wish it were under better circumstances."
"It is."
"In four hours aboard this ship?" she asked and transmitted their ship coordinates.
"Certainly," Thel said.
"We'll send a very stealthy shuttle for you and whoever else you wish to bring."
Thel 'Vadam, also known as The Arbiter, Leader of the Sangheili race and his staff arrived completely unobserved by the UNSC Infinity. As they stepped aboard the Dark Star II they were met by John and Cortana both without their armor, wearing only standard UNSC uniforms.
"Thel!" Cortana said and impulsively hugged the Sangheili. For a moment he didn't know what to do and looked at John. First the Spartan smiled and then chuckled at his friend's predicament. Finally he very carefully returned it. "Come on Thel, you can hug me tighter than that. I won't break." Thel laughed. "John, I told you he has a sense of humor!"
Then John laughed too and some of the other Sangheili actually smiled. Eventually she released him and the Thel looked at his old friend and fellow warrior. John smiled and the Sangheili cocked his head.
"Thel, don't worry I won't hug you."
Then the entire group broke up with mirth. Somewhat later John put his arm around Cortana.
"As I said there are some people who want to meet you," John said and turned. "Please follow us."
As he entered Thel bent, his head just missing the top of the doorframe, straightened up, and stopped, blocking the door. He looked around the room and his gaze came to rest on the person seated at the head of the table.
"You're a Forerunner!"
She smiled, rose, and went to him.
"You're quite correct," she said in perfect Sangheili and smiled. "My name is Sunsets-Eternal-Beauty and you must be Thel 'Vadam, Leader of the Sangheili."
"I am," he said still a bit stunned.
"John and Cortana have told me so much about you and your adventures together during the war with the Covenant," she said and took his hand. "There are some other people here with quite a story to tell you."
Two hours later Captain Thomas Lasky, Captain of the UNSC Infinity, and other UNSC personnel stepped aboard the Dark Star II and were met by Sunsets-Eternal-Beauty with 2742 Vibrant Contemplation hovering over her shoulder.
"Welcome aboard the Far Star II," she said, looking over the crowd and finding the person she'd been looking for. "There are some people here that want to meet you and have quite a story to tell."
Then someone else entered followed by four Spartans in full armor.
"Admiral Cole!" Captain Lasky said before anyone on else could.
The Admiral looked at the Captain for a moment and then looked passed him and smiled.
"Admiral Margaret Parangosky, you're under arrest," he said and grinned.
Two of the Spartans simply pushed passed the UNSC security personnel who hurriedly stepped aside and then they frog marched the ex-Admiral to Vice-Admiral Cole.
"What are the charges!" she yelled.
"Supplying weapons to the Sangheili rebels and plotting the genocide of the Sangheili race," he said and smiled again.
"You can't prove anything!"
"We caught the UNSC Port Stanley red handed and some of the crew were more than happy to tell us everything including the ship's AI," he said and watched the woman blanch. "The Arbiter is already aboard and we've already shown him the evidence. He really wants to speak to you one-on-one and I think I'll let him."
"You can't!"
"You wanna bet."
The Arbiter stepped through the door with Sunsets-Eternal-Beauty and 2742 Vibrant Contemplation following behind. He looked at Captain Lasky.
"Just where does the UNSC find people like her?" he said and then looked around the room. "Most humans I fought and fought with were honorable." He looked at John and Cortana for a moment and then at Vice Admirals Wilde and Cole. "If she were one of my officers I would..."
He just let the words hang in the air and then sat heavily, making the chair creak.
"We've shown Captain Lasky and the other UNSC personnel the same evidence of her conspiracy and plans while you were gone," Admiral Wilde said, "and they agree with our actions. Now we need to plan what we do from here."
"I want to speak to Admiral Hood," Thel said.
"Then we're going to Earth," Admiral Wilde announced.
Fleet Admiral Lord Terrence Hood had really wanted to go with Captain Lansky and UNSC
Infinity to Sanghelios, but he was just too busy and simply didn't have the time. He instructed Captain Lansky to do anything he could to help the Arbiter. He hoped the Sangheili leader would accept the UNSC's help without any strings attached. Then his terminal signaled.
"Sir, a large slipstream portal had opened near Neptune and one hundred-two Keyships, three unknowns, two Sangheili ships, and three UNSC ships have exited," the Chief of the Solar System's Sensor Section reported. "The portal has closed."
"What are names of the UNSC ships?" he asked.
"Sir, the UNSC Infinity, the Everest, and the Far Star."
"The Everest!"
"Sir, it matches the configuration of Vice-Admiral Cole's ship and it's squawking the correct, but somewhat older friend/foe information."
"And the Infinity and Far Star," he said, unfamiliar with second ship.
"Yes sir, they are too as are one-hundred and two of the Keyships."
He frowned.
"And the one other Keyship and the three unknowns?"
"They identify themselves as UNSC allies."
Admiral Lord Hood felt his eyebrows rise.
"What of the Sangheili ships?"
"Just sitting there, sir," he said. "Orders sir?"
"No one is to fire on any of those ships without my express orders regardless of the circumstances," he said and paused for a moment.
He was torn between contacting Captain Lasky, the Sangheili, or Admiral Cole if he was still in command of that ship. A moment later the decision was made for him when another box opened on his terminal.
"Sir, the Arbiter wishes to speak to you," the head of the communications section reported.
The meeting would take place aboard the saucer shaped unknown which had entered Mars orbit and now oddly enough squawked as a UNSC ship. It currently had one UNSC destroyer preceding it and another following behind. Captain Lasky had contacted him and used the code words which proved that he wasn't under any type of duress. He told him that Admiral Cole was here with the Arbiter and others to discuss the current galactic situation. That in itself raised several questions in his mind, but he didn't press Lasky any farther and agreed to participate the meeting.
A dozen smaller shuttles had lunched from various other ships and had already entered one of the saucer shaped ship's landing bay. The one Keyship that squawked as an ally had launched a destroyer sized ship which now wasn't far behind his shuttle. The other two unknowns which to his practiced eye looked and acted like a combination of battleship and carrier had launched small one man ships as CAPs and later shuttles which like the others entered the saucer shaped ship. That ship launched its own combat air patrol and then several other larger ships which began a mission to survey the solar system. He reinforced his order not hinder any of the ships without his express orders.
An hour later his shuttle entered the unknown's landing bay and they were quickly directed were to set down. He'd heard the engines power down and then the flight engineer entered the cabin to open the outer hatch. Then he'd heard the word Spartan from the flight deck as the hatch opened. His security went first and was met with several dozen Spartan IIs standing in formation with one standing at its head. The armor had 117 stenciled on its chest.
"John," he said without thinking.
"Yes sir," the Spartan said and removed his helmet.
Admiral Lord Hood stepped forward and extended a hand and John carefully took it.
"You look younger."
"The Admiral found a Shield World and its Monitor and Huragok Lifeworkers make some changes," the Master Chief said and smiled.
Just that small thing surprised him.
"Admiral Cole?"
"No sir, her name is Vice-Admiral Judith Laverne Wilde," he said and again smiled with that somewhat odd smile. "Sir, I think you'll find this meeting to be quite interesting. We've made a great many new allies in the last few years and you'll meet some of them here today. Please follow me."
He looked at the assembled Spartans.
"There are more Spartan IIs here than the original thirty-three."
John motioned and three Spartan stepped forward.
"Please remove your helmets," he said and a moment later Admiral Lord Hood could only stare."
"Sir, I assume you recognize Fred-104 and this is his wife Lynne," he said and smiled again. "And sir, she is a Rabbit." Lynne winked. "This is Ben Clawhauser and he's a Cheetah. They with only minor augments can exceed the abilities of any of the original Spartan IIs at least according to Doctor Halsey."
"You found her?!" Hood said.
"Yes sir, she's currently in the Zootopia system at the Spartan training base with Chief Mendez," John said. "He's currently in command of the base."
"Spartan training base," Hood repeated and looked at John.
"Sir, please follow me," he said and started to the exit.
The Spartan honor guard broke up and seven of them followed Admiral Lord Hood, his staff, and security team. One came up and walked beside John.
"I don't remember any high ranking UNSC officer named Wilde," Hood said.
"Sir, her species is one our new allies from the same world as Ben and Lynne," the Spartan beside John replied and looked back at him.
Her voice sounded familiar and after a few seconds it came to him.
"Cortana?!"
The Spartan in question reached up and removed her helmet."
"Yes sir," she said and chuckled. "In the flesh!"
Then they both stopped and turned to face Admiral Lord Hood.
"I'm going to be a father," John said and put an arm around Cortana.
"I think I need a drink," Hood said, rubbing his temples.
He'd expected a conference room, but when he entered the room was setup for a social gathering with food and drinks. He was faced with, he guessed, over two hundred people – humans and non-humans. Of course he recognized the Sangheili, but there were other Earth animals that he recognized too, walking upright and in conversation with others humans and nonhumans.
"Sir, please let introduce you to Admiral Wilde and Admiral Cole," Cortana said and took his arm.
As they approached he recognized a somewhat younger looking Admiral Cole was a in deep conversation with blond man in a blue caped uniform. He wondered what a Battlestar was and thought of the two unknown Battleship/Carrier hybrids. Around them we're several other humans in similar uniforms, several tall upright lizards, a six foot tall Rabbit in an UNSC Vice-Admiral's uniform, a eight foot tall Fox in UNSC Captain's uniform, several even taller feline's, and a single robot in robes. This was definitely going to be an interesting meeting, he thought.
"Admiral Hood," Cole said, walking toward him along with man in the blue uniform, and extended a hand. Everyone in the group also turned in his and his staff's direction. "It's good to see you Terrence!"
"And you too Preston," he said and they shook hands.
"News of my death has been greatly exaggerated," he said and smiled.
"I suppose you're right," Terrence said and both men chuckled.
"Please let me introduce to everyone," Preston said and indicated that the other Vice Admiral should join them. "This is Vice-Admiral Judith Laverne Wilde and she is commander of the Zootopia Sector."
"And you're a Rabbit," Admiral Hood said and smiled.
"Yes sir," she said and returned his smile, "and to be honest with you you're not the first human to tell me this." Hood raised an eyebrow and then heard a chuckle from behind her. She turned and ushered the tall Fox forward. "This is Captain Nicholas Piberius Wilde, Captain of the Far Star II, and my husband."
She looked at the Admiral's face and grinned. Then two other men also in blue uniform's stepped forward followed by the robot.
"These are Commanders Cain, Adama, and Tigh," he said, indicating each man in turn as they shook Admiral Hood's hand. "They are from the Twelve Colonies of Kobol in the Greater Magellanic Cloud."
"Human colonies that far out!"
"Apparently the Forerunners placed us there as they did you here on Earth," Adama said.
"and this is..." Cole began, indicating the Robot."
"By your command, I am Lucifer, an IL series Cylon Robot," he said and came to attention. "I and my Centurions are now under your orders."
"We fought the Cylons for a thousand years," Cain said and saw approaching organic Cylons. "Cylon Robots."
"And my Cousin Mary defeated them and took the entire Cylon Empire intact with the help of Forerunner AIs," Judy said and put a hand on Lucifer's arm. "As he said they're under your command and this ship is now yours Admiral Hood."
"How many ships like this are there?"
"Perhaps we ought to have a seat," she said and grinned. "This is going to be a long story."
Then she looked passed him. "Oh good! The Forerunners are here!"
After Vice Admiral Wilde's somewhat lengthy report which began with UNSC Far Star's arrival in the Zootopia star system and ended with their arrival here in the Sol star system. Admiral Hood sat down with Sunsets-Eternal-Beauty.
"To be honest with you I never thought I'd meet a Forerunner face to face," Hood said and glanced up at 2742 Vibrant Contemplation hovering over her should. "Or a Monitor either."
"After we fired the Halos and later returned the all the intelligent species to their various homeworlds I thought we Forerunners were leaving the galaxy," she said with a human-like shrug.
"And so we thought you did," he said and sighed. "What are your plans now?"
"Apparently from what 2742 Vibrant Contemplation's told me a large number of Forerunner installations are still active, having been maintained by the various monitors and Huragok," she said and as Admiral Hood's pad signaled. "We need to take control of them."
"A moment," he said and tapped accept.
The face of the Chief of the Sol System's Sensor Section appeared.
"Sir, two more unknown ships have arrived."
"Hold for a moment," he said and contacted Admiral Wilde. The screen spilt and the Rabbit's face appeared. "Can you identify these ships?"
She looked down for a moment and frowned.
"One is Ris and the other is Mellin," she said and her frown deepened. "What are they doing here?"
"I was just going to ask you," he said.
"Let's put this up on the screen we used for my presentation," she said and looked down again. Then after a ten seconds what was on her pad was mirrored on the other screen which now included the faces of the two commanders of the new ships. "I'm surprised to see you here."
"Judy... Admiral Wilde we thought you might need a little help with the humans and Sangheili," the Ris said and smiled. "So we brought a few more ships."
"How many?"
"Two hundred and twelve Keyships and five hundred and eighty-seven of our own designs from various species," the Mellin said and smiled too. "Of course they all have the upgraded Slipstream engines and copies of the weapons from the Keyships."
"Of course they have," she said and rolled her eyes.
"We've been 'keeping an eye on you' as the humans say," the Ris said and sat back in his command chair, "and you've been doing quite well."
"Thank you," she said and heard a very familiar snicker behind her.
"Anyway since you were doing so well we decided to do a bit of exploring on our own," the Mellin said and cocked his head, "and we found a number of interesting things."
"No Flood!"
"No!" the Ris said, leaning close to the screen, "or we would've immediately contacted you!"
"So what did you find?"
Both of the Ris and Mellin smiled and the picture of a blue and green planet appeared. Then the picture zoomed in to show a city which looked somewhat familiar. One more zoom showed a large square with various Animals walking along and talking.
"That's Zootopia."
"No it's not," the Mellin said and grinned.
Then she remembered when she'd first met 2742 Vibrant Contemplation he said that she was from Experiential World Two and there were one hundred and four others still viable. She looked at the Monitor.
"That is Experiential World One," he said.
"Also, we found this," the Mellin said.
The mouth of a glowing tunnel filled the screen.
"A naturally occurring wormhole!" the Monitor said excitedly.
"We sent several probes through and found this," Ris said.
A familiar blue planet filled the screen.
"That's Earth!" Nick said.
"Yes and no," the Mellin said and grinned. "That's another Earth currently in the early part of the twenty-first century."
