When two Tribes go to war

by JA Baker

AndromedaBattlestar Galactica RDM. Part 18: the battle between the High Guard, the Cylons and the Drago Kazov draws to a close, but the war may be far from over. STORY ABANDONED: WILL NOT BE UPDATED EVER

14. Part 14

When two Tribes go to war...(Part 14)

"So, you going to tell Lee, or do you want me to?" Colonel Tigh asked as the young CAG made his way into CIC, "They were close, right up until Zack's death…"

"I'll tell him, when the time is right." Adama nodded, "And sooner, rather than later."

"Sir." Apollo and Starbuck saluted, while Beka just smiled and waved.

"We've just picked up the Pegasus, but we still have a way to go before we are in communications range." Adama explained, turning to the main console, "I trust you are finding the quarters we assigned you comfortable, Captain Valentine?"

"Everything's great, we just have a little trouble with the langue barrier." Beka sighed, "Only three of us speak 'Caprican', so it can get a little complicated at times: Harper's down in the launch bays, going other things with the Chief, and I left Tyr babysitting the other pilots."

"If you don't mind me asking, how do you know any of our languages?"

"That's a very good question Commander: the language we're speaking right now is a variation of one known to the Commonwealth as Latin, a dead language from Earth. It hasn't been widely used in over 7,000-years, yehren to you. Harper can speak it because of his data-port allows him to simply upload information. Tyr speaks it because a lot of Nietzschean philosophy is written in it, another way for them to prove their superiority. I only started to learn it a few days ago."

"But you're almost fluent in it?"

"My dad had me genetically engineered as a child: I learn a lost faster than a normal human, among a few other things."

"Interesting." Adama nodded thoughtfully, "Now if you don't mind, I need to talk to my son, in private."

"Certainly." Beka nodded, walking over to the helm to have a look at just how the Galatica was piloted.

"Is something wrong, Sir?" Apollo asked, a worried expression on his face.

"Possibly." Adama searched for the right words, "Lee, Athena was transferred from the Columbia to the Pegasus two days before the Cylon attack…"

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"Well, what was it like?"

"Disturbing: they allow machines to run their lives, treating them like people. They even made an A.I. the captain of their most powerful warship."

"That is worrying."

"The worst is yet to come: they refuse to recognise the Lords of Kobol as their Gods. They claim that humanity originated on Earth, when the Scarred Scrolls are clear that we are all children of Kobol."

"What of the others? The aliens?"

"They have their own faiths. A lot of them fallow something they call 'The Way', and amalgamation of different religions and teachings."

"We must put a stop to this heresy! It is obvious that the Lords of Kobol want us to lead our wayward brothers and sisters back to the path of righteousness."

"What of Adama and Roslin? They seem to be enthralled by the heretics."

"Then we shall cleanse them by fire…"

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"Fleet Marshal, we are in position. All ships report ready, willing and able in all respects."

"Send a probe in by the far side of the system, out of sensor range: I want to know what's going on before we commit."

"You think Hunt suspects something?"

"I think the good captain has the devils own luck: he has proven most remorseful in the past, and we would be wise not underestimate him…"

"Again, my Lord?"

"Do you have a family, Captain?"

"Yes my Lord."

"Do you wish to see them again?"

"Yes my Lord."

"Then never talk to me in such a disrespectful tone ever again!"

"Yes my Lord."

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"You sure about this?" Dylan asked as Trance prepped the transport pod for departure, "Wouldn't you be better off in a slipfighter?"

"Dylan, if my people wanted me dead, we would not be having this conversation." Trance powered up the engines, "This is something I have to deal with myself."

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"So who's Athena?" Beka asked Adama when she found him standing alone.

"Excuse me?" The Colonial leader blinked.

"My hearing is genetically enhanced, like the rest of my senses. Maybe not up to the standard of a Nietzschean, but well enough that I can listen into a hushed conversation across a room if I wish."

"It's personal…"

"It affects the parameters of this mission, thus the safety of my people. I need to know I can trust you to make the right decision in a tight spot, not let some hidden personal agenda cloud your judgement. Tell me who Athena is, or I'll take my people and go back to the Andromeda."

"About twenty-five yehren ago, not long after my second son was born, I had an affair with a fellow officer. The relationship didn't last, but it produced a child, Athena, my daughter…"

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"We have received orders from High Command."

"And the orders are?"

"Exterminate the Galatica and the ruminant of the Colonial fleet. The Systems Commonwealth will be dealt with later."

"And what does our 'guest' have to say about this?"

"They say to carry out the orders: leave nothing alive."

"By your…"

"A transport craft has left the Andromeda Ascendant and is headed this way."

"Life signs?"

"One."

"Classification?"

"Alpha."

"My God! Open the landing bay; let the transport dock. Inform our guest that they will have company."

"By your command."

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"Dylan, we have a problem." Andromeda's holographic form appeared in the middle of the corridor as her captain was making his way back to command, "A large group of Colonials have managed to overpower the crew on the Kingfisher while it was docked alongside the passenger liner Rising Sun and taken them hostage."

"What!" Dylan stopped dead in his tracks, "Have they said what they want?"

"Not in so many words: 'The Lords of Kobol have lead us to our fallen brethren to teach them the error of their ways. By the sword and the flame, we shall purge the darkness from their harts and set them on the path to true righteousness.' They just keep repeating the same message over and over again."

"Have you been able to contact the Kingfisher's AI?"

"Kingston. He was forced to transferee himself to the Achilles after the Colonials started to rip apart is AI core and destroyed his Avatar. Dylan, the other ships, they are getting a little nervous: they are asking Ryan to send Lancers over to the Kingfisher and restore order, what ever it takes."

"Why don't they ask me? I'm the Commodore of the fleet."

"You are also an organic, where as Ryan is an AI: they feel he can understand their concerns better."

"And you?"

"I agreed that I'd tell you what was going on, in the hope that you could find a non-violent way out of this. But the other ships fear a return to slavery, as they were when the Nietzscheans captured them after The Fall."

"How bad is it?"

"Zoë, the AI on the Zion's Victory, has suggested that we ask the Cylons for assistants…"

"She must be joking!"

"Dylan, the Colonials ripped Kingston's Avatar apart with axes: she is deadly serious!"

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Rommie looked down at the Colonial uniform she had taken from an unconscious guard and straitened it out. "How do I look?" She asked Halo.

"You should pass, provided you don't run into anyone who knows the marine you took the uniform off of." The pilot pointed at the name-patch, "That's a very uncommon name."

"It'll do." Rommie opened the hatch and looked out into the corridor, "Now, which way to the brig?"

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Trance opened the transports hatch without looking at the atmosphere outside. The others would know she was coming, and she knew that they were eager to learn just what had happened to her.

Killing her first would only make her more stubborn than she already was.

A familiar shape moved in the gloom, and she pounced without a moment's hesitation, knocking the other person down and pinning them to the deck.

"It's good to see you again, old friend." Flux smiled weakly.

"Don't you 'old friend' me!" Trance snarled, "You are going to tell just what you've been up to, or I'm going to get angry."

"You mean your not angry now?"

"You've seen me angry, you've seen the thins I've done. Do I look angry?"

"No…"

"Do you want to see me angry?"

"No…"

"Then start talking before I skin you alive you little piece of filth!"

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"Dylan, I'm picking up multiple slip points opening on the edge of sensor range." Andromeda reported as Dylan entered command, "Ship's are of Nietzschean design."

"Would the extra reinforcements we were promised be too much to ask?"

"Way too much: they're Drago-Kazov, and entire assault fleet."

"They must have heard about the Colonial Tesseract technology and want it for themselves!" Dylan slammed his fist into the control panel, "Order all ships to Battle stations!"

"And the Kingfisher?"

"I'm afraid he'll have to wait."

To Be Continued…