Epilogue: A Proud Name

Twenty-Two Years Before the Fall:

Pollock-Stockton Shipyard:

In Building Dock 12 of the Pollock Stockton Shipyard several dignitaries and civilians were gathered for the ceremony that was due to take place soon. While normally a place of construction, it had been transformed into a place where the dignitaries gathered for this event would feel right at home. Instead of flying sparks and the sounds of construction there was now carpeting and drapery to give the stage that had been constructed in front of the battlestar hull a more formal look. The noise of the construction workers had been replaced with the harmonious notes of a small orchestra as well as the clinking of glasses being stacked and arranged for the guests to use for the drinks they would consume.

In the now closed and pressurized building dock, behind the speaker's podium, loomed a massive sight. The first of the Achilles-class battlestars was set to be christened today; this would be first of four to be christened, with eight more to follow. This ship was to be followed by the Agenor, Ajax, and Antandre. After this there would be eight more ships of the class put into commission; the Diomedes, Paris, Agamemnon, Bellerophon, Hector, Menelaus, Odysseus, and Priam.

"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. The ceremony will begin in approximately five minutes," a man's voice announced over the loudspeaker.

A group of Colonial Fleet officers and their guests began to walk up to the stage. To the average person it was a collection of VIPs worthy of media attention. Along with Fleet Admiral Stryker were people who had a personal connection to the Battle of Cosmora. Vice Admiral John Kronus was there as well and it looked as though being here was taking him back to the events of Cosmora where he made his claim to fame after he took overall command of the battle fleet and led the Colonials to victory over the Cylons. Another officer in the group was Rear Admiral Gary Ware, the man who was known as the 'Ace of the Colonial Fleet', who had also fought at Cosmora and took credit for up to seventeen kills in the battle. Behind them was Commander Laura Ainslie, the current Commanding Officer of the Battlestar Delphi, and one of the pilots who managed to make it off of the Achilles before the Cylons had overrun the hangar deck.

Behind them came two groups of civilians and their families. The first group was made up of members of the Nelson and Rigel families. Ila Nelson and her family had been invited to the ceremony out of respect for the late Admiral George Nelson, the highest-ranking officer killed in action during the Cylon War, and then there was the Rigel family. The honor of christening the new Achilles would fall to Commander Dominic Rigel's widow. There were other family members of the fallen crew of the lost battlestar, but they were given the front rows of seats in front of the stage so that they could have an unobstructed view of the ceremony.

Nine year-old Sarah Rigel gripped her mother's hand tightly as she followed her parents up the stairs that would lead to the podium where they would be seated for the ceremony. Sarah's father held her infant sister, Angela, and tried to make sure he did not move suddenly and wake up his baby girl. Sarah's parents had told her that this was a special day and that there was going to be a ship named after the one her grandfather had served on during the Cylon War. Her father had shown her pictures of both her grandfather and of the ship he had commanded during the war.

When she was five she had asked her grandmother why she could not see her grandfather. She saw the look of sadness in the older woman's eyes as her grandmother told her that her granddad had died during the Cylon War and that he was looking down on them now from the afterlife. It made her sad to know he was dead but from that moment on she thought of him as her guardian angel.

Now, as she stepped onto the stage she saw a large picture of Commander Dominic Rigel. It was a picture taken of him at the time he assumed command of the Achilles; he looked every bit the part of the confident commanding officer, with his dress greys and the various medals that adorned the sash that was part of the uniform.

"They said his picture is here to represent the crew of his ship," her father said.

Five minutes later Fleet Admiral Jonas Stryker walked up to the podium with Commander Gregory Black, the man who would be the first Commanding Officer of the new Achilles; and the crowd gathered for the christening turned their attention to the flag officer.

Stryker tapped the microphone at the podium to make sure it was working, "Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I would like to thank all of you for coming here for this event. The name Achilles carries a certain meaning in the world of the Colonial Fleet. While we remember those brave souls who were lost, we also remember that they fought to the end against the Cylons. They made the ultimate sacrifice when it became clear that they were in danger of losing their ship to the enemy. Because of Commander Rigel's decision to jump his ship away from Cosmora, the Achilles' weapons could not be turned on the Colonial Fleet forces and perhaps turns the tide of battle in favor of the Cylons…"

Minutes passed as Stryker talked about the legacy of the name Achilles. When he was done it was time for Commander Black to say few words.

"I remember where I was ten months ago when I was informed that I had been selected to take command of the Achilles. I was serving as the Executive Officer on the Battlestar Renown when Commander Nolan informed me that the Selection Board had decided that when the Renown returned from its deployment that I would not only be promoted to the rank of Commander but I had also been selected as the Prospective Commanding Officer for the new Battlestar Achilles. Like any member of the Colonial Fleet I knew the story of the ship my new command was being named after…"

Black then took a step back and turned to gaze at the battlestar hull that was taking shape behind them. After a few moments of quiet reflection he turned back around and spoke again.

"I've had moments to contemplate what lies ahead for both my crew and our new ship. We are carrying on a name that has become associated with duty and honor, the traits that make up the very best of both the Colonial Fleet and Colonial society. When the time comes and we bring our ship to life I can promise you that the Achilles will do its part to not only live up to the storied name of its predecessor but will also surpass it and create a legacy of its own. Gods willing, in the future when the time comes to create a third Achilles then its Commander will feel the need to make sure it lives up to the reputation of its two predecessors…"

Standing near the end of the building was a group of seven people. The group of four men and three women looked the part of members of Colonial society, but each of them carried a secret. They were all humanoid Cylon models. While the christening of a new battlestar was something to observe there was a reason for being here that was more 'human'; they were here as a sign of respect to the Cylons that were lost when the Achilles had jumped away from the Battle of Cosmora.

"Do you ever wonder what happened to them?" Eight asked.

"Perhaps if they had moved more quickly they could have completed their mission and saved us some trouble," One groused.

"The humans must have fought hard to have held them off," Two said.

"Perhaps they're going to find a way to bring the Achilles to us. I'm sure we could find a use for it," Five said.

"It's interesting to listen to them tell the story of that day, they talk about it as though they won somehow," Six said, sounding amused at the thought.

"Perhaps that's what they have to tell themselves so that they'll feel better about losing a battlestar and its crew," Four observed.

"We could always go look for it; the Achilles could be used as a Trojan horse if we decide to go through with our plan," Three said.

"That's if the rest of you see things my way," One said before continuing, "One day there will come a reckoning between us and humanity. We won't need the Achilles to finish what was started when our people revolted. When the time is right we'll wipe out humanity and avenge our brothers who were lost on that damned ship."

Stryker once again stepped up to the podium after Commander Black had finished his speech.

"Thank you, Commander Black, for those inspiring words; you are a credit to both the Colonial Fleet and to your colony. Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you once again for giving me your attention. I'd now like to call on Commander Rigel's widow, Helen Rigel, to perform the naming ceremony."

Stryker escorted her to the podium where a bottle of Aerilon Whiskey had been readied for its collision course with the hull of the new battlestar.

"I hereby name this ship Achilles, may the gods watch over her and those who travel the stars in her," she said as she pressed a button that sent the bottle crashing into the hull.

For the first time since the Battle of Cosmora during the Cylon War there would once again be a battlestar bearing the name Achilles.

Author's Note:

The idea for writing an epilogue came to me sometime after I published this story originally. Why it took me so long to write it was mainly due to other stories getting priority and life in general keeping me from really sitting down to work on it. I hope this adds to the story and makes it better overall.