Part 7
"Captain's log, Stardate 3113.4. The Enterprise is still far from home. But after our wild ride across the galaxy we have made peaceful first contact with the Twelve Colonies of Man in the Sagitarius Arm of the galaxy. Incredibly, despite the distance between the Colonies and the Federation, there is a possible historical connection between the humans in the Colonies and on Earth. I cannot deny the possibility that the same agency that created a duplicate Earth where we barely survived our encounter with the Onlies was involved somehow. Only time will tell."
0
The Council Press Briefing room in the Colonial Capital, Caprica City was filled to capacity with eager reporters from all across the Cyrannus system. Much Tylium was expended with priority flights from each colony for the news conference with the crew of the Enterprise. Now, the reporters were waiting for he arrival of Captain Kirk and some of his officers.
Presently, Council President Adar, followed by Commander Adama mounted the stage and stood before the microphone.
"Ladies and Gentlemen," Adar began. "In a few centons, Captain Kirk and some of his officers will be here to brief you on their accidental arrival in the Colonies and to tell you about themselves. Now, if you are ready, we'll call for them to come in." Adar looked around the room and saw both eager expressions and nods from those who were paying attention. Adar and Adama stepped away from the podium and stood together on one side of the stage.
Presently, a whistling sound began in the room surprising all the reporters. Then six pillars of light formed on the stage. The news camera operators did their best to record the scene as the pillars of light formed into six human and alien figures. A moment later the whistling began again as, like the day before a portable computer and view screen were beamed onto the stage.
Like they did the day before at the Council meeting on the Galactica, Kirk and his officers introduced themselves and stated their home worlds. Then McGivers replayed the overview presentation on the Federation. Again, Spock, Thellen, and Grad added their comments when their worlds were presented, McCoy did so for the Earth.
"Now, we are available for your questions," Kirk said to the assembly when the presentation was completed.
One of the front row reporters stood up. "I am Apollos for the Sagitara Planetary News Service. We were informed that your arrival here was accidental, please explain how that happened."
"Mr. Spock," Kirk said while surrendering the podium and translator.
"We were en-route to one of our bases for resupply after completing a mission for the Federation. When we traveled too close to a black star or singularity that required emergency reverse speed from our Warp Drive to pull away from. The break-away maneuver launched the Enterprise along a random vector across the galaxy at very high warp speed."
Another front row reporter stood up, one that the Enterprise's crew recognized. "I am Serina for the Caprica News Network. You've mentioned your Warp Drive, can you please describe what it is and how it works?" Spock remained at the podium to answer this question.
"Our main propulsion is a matter-antimatter reactor. The power from our reactor is used to warp the Space-time continuum propelling the Enterprise to high multiples of the speed of light," Spock explained, without going into classified details on the actual operation of the drive. The science journal reporters in the audience frantically wrote notes on what they heard from Spock.
"A am Castor for the Leo Media Organization, Captain Kirk, you have all told us about the Federation and your worlds. Now, please tell us a bit about yourself."
"Well, I grew up in a small town in Iowa," Kirk began. "Life was pretty simple there, Riverside was a farming town, but the call of space was always around me, I couldn't wait to get out of there. My family emigrated to a colony world, Tarsus IV. My parents both died there from a famine. I then returned to Earth to live with my uncle. Later I joined Starfleet Academy. Where I was commissioned and posted to the Starship Farragut. After that, I was given command of the USS Alexander. Finally, I received command of the USS Enterprise.
"Are you sealed," Castor asked quickly as a follow-up.
"No, but I've had a couple of close calls," Kirk quipped elicting chuckles from the assembled reprters and from Adama, who was standing on the wing of the stage.
"I am Hera of the Aeries News Service," the next reporter began, "Doctor McCoy, have you had a chance to review Colonial medical technology and compare it to Federation medical technology?"
"No, but I think we can both learn from each other should the opportunity arrise," McCoy answered with an expectant look at both Captain Kirk and President Adar who moved to replace McCoy at the podium.
"While the Enterprise is here, we welcome the oportunity for cultural and technological exchanges as they are agreed to between Captain Kirk and his officers and the Council."
As the press conference continued and Spock, Thellen, Grad, and McCoy all took turns answering questions, Kirk resolved to authorize escorted shore leave for his crew.
0
Elsewhere, a Colonial fast courier ship, with Council of the Twelve markings, just decelerated into Carilon orbit. A highly anxious Colonial Counselor was being flown by his private pilot, and co-conspirator, Karibdis, to Carilon. They were flying in Balter's Council courier ship. During the day long voyage, the centars passed by slowly for Baltar as he contemplated what he was to say to the Cylon Imperious Leader.
Presently, Karibdis, brought the ship to a landing near the casino Baltar had established as a cover operation. He left Karibdis inside the ship with instructions to be ready to depart at a moment's notice. Baltar then took a radio set to the ship's frequency and disembarked. In the casino he greeted his workers and many of the guests, some of whom would find themselves guests of the Ovion miners living deep underground below the casino. At the elevator, Baltar put in his special keycard and pressed the lowest button. A short while later doors opened to the Tylium mine level. Another short walk led him to a cavern where the characteristic whine of Cylon soldiers stood guard around a communications terminal.
"Call the Imperious Leader," Baltar ordered. The Cylons placed the call and the image of the Cylon leader appeared on the viewscreen.
"Baltar," it began with it's smooth voice.
"I bring important news."
"Yes, go ahead."
"A couple of cycles ago, a ship from the Thirteenth Tribe accidentally arrived in the Colonies. I'm here to warn you about them. They have established friendly relations with the Council. They also have great power. They use anti-matter in their main propulsion system where they actually warp space to move their ship at high multiples of light-speed. They can also teleport. I witnessed this several times myself. They even displayed this capability before the assembled news organizations at a news conference."
"You are concerned that the presence of this ship will disrupt our plans for the defeat of the Colonials?"
"Yes."
"They are only one ship. How big is this ship? How is it armed? Where is their planet?"
"The ship is called the Starship Enterprise. It is much smaller than a Battlestar, about half the length and less than a quarter the mass. My spies have told me that they only have a pair of beam type weapons and a set of missile launchers for weapons. Their Captain made mention of their ship being shielded, but didn't further describe what that meant. Their planet, Earth, is far across the galaxy in the next spiral arm."
"Baltar, the answer to this dilema is simple. Invite them to accompany the Colonial Fleet to the Armistice signing. They are so far from home that it is impossible for them to call for aide from others of their world. Here, they will join the rest of the Colonial Fleet in destruction."
0
The next day, Baltar had returned to Caprica. There he related the news to the rest of the Council of the Twelve, that the Cylons have asked for the Enterprise to accompany the Colonial Battlestar Fleet to the Star Kobol space station to observe the signing of the armistice between the Twelve Colonies and the Cylon Empire.
Adama continued to protest that the entire Battlestar fleet had to attend the signing. Adar assured him that sufficient force would remain behind to defend the Colonies should the unthinkable happen and that the whole peace offering was a ruse.