Chapter One, Part Two
"Okay . . . let me get this straight," Commander Cain said slowly, lifting his swagger stick and pointing it at Dayton at the command meeting in the War Room, aboard the Galactica. "The intelligence that you're presenting, Commander Dayton, is based on the . . . thehearsay of one missing Empyrean necromancer from a backwater planet . . ."
"And bona fide Council of Twelve member," Dayton added swiftly, as Starbuck bristled beside him.
"Granted," Cain nodded. "But she came by this information from a vision she experienced while being tormented by some . . . demonic count in an . . . an alternate dimension. The same Count Iblis that the Galactica encountered once before, and also apparently Ama's father." He paused, allowing the scepticism in his voice to disperse throughout the room, seeking occupancy. "Is that right?"
"Biological father," Starbuck interjected, sardonically. "He didn't exactly bounce her on his knee."
"That sums it up pretty well, Commander Cain," Dayton nodded politely, keeping his features composed, as he glanced at Starbuck. The young man dropped his gaze, shifting from foot to foot. He was still a bit touchy about the missing necromancer, and today it was showing.
"And she then passed that information on to Captain Starbuck . . . while he was battling demons with his . . . what did you call it? Hisdoubletalker?" Cain pressed, the incredulity in his voice gaining momentum.
Boomer snorted, apparently finding something funny in that.
"Doublewalker," Dayton clarified. "His twin spirit in another dimension, Prince Llewelyn."
"It sounds . . ." Cain shook his head. For a rare moment, it seemed that the Juggernaut was at a loss for words. "Absolutely . . ."
"Crazy. I know. And I'm the first to admit it, even though I am, as you may know, of a somewhat . . . mystical bent, myself. But it's all true, Commander Cain," Dayton averred, briefly meeting the eyes of each of those gathered: Adama, Colonel Croft, and Strike Captain Boomer of the Galactica, Cain, Colonel Tigh and Strike Captain Sheba of the Pegasus, Colonel Apollo and Strike Captain Starbuck from theEndeavour. "Intelligence we received from Malus when we first picked the IL up on Planet 'P' corroborates what we found out through Ama. Three Abaddon-class Base Ships set out from Cylon almost a hundred and five yahrens ago to explore a region of space, roughly that which the Fleet has been moving through for the last four sectars. The capital ship that dropped Malus and his garrison off eventually was hit by and rendered inert by a solar flare, and is now the Endeavour. Another, the Harbinger, ended up in a separate dimension, apparently sent there by Count Iblis to wreak revenge on the Angylions, and has now, along with her entire compliment of fighters and centurions, been destroyed." He momentarily replayed the scans of the enemy vessel being obliterated, as the Covert Operations Ship, Endeavour, recorded her first kill as a Colonial capital ship. "The third, the Ravager, is, according to what we have recently learned, currently in the sector of the galaxy containing Earth. If we don't do something about it now, the Cylons could destroy Earth. Certainly they will locate it, and attempt to relay her position to Cylon, at the very least."
"Well, I hate to play Diabolis' advocate, but what makes you think they haven't already?" Cain countered.
"It seems to me that these beings from the Ship of Lights have intervened on behalf of the Fleet, or mankind, quite a few times." Dayton glanced at Adama who nodded. "Commander Adama?"
"Yes, the first notable time with Count Iblis," Adama filled in.
"And at Terra," Apollo added. "They preserved an entire civilization from annihilation by nuclear weapons."
"Ama told me while near Planet 'P' that she'd had a celestial visitation. That she was to prepare a messenger—Captain Dickins—to journey to Earth," Adama told them. "I'm not certain if it was this John . . ."
"I still believe it was this John who saved my life as a child when I chased a hockey card into traffic . . ." Dayton recounted, as fleeting images of the evil Count Iblis haunted his childhood memories. "Then I found out that I'm . . ." He still had a hard time believing it, despite the linguistic and genetic evidence. "That I'm actually a descendent of the Thirteenth Tribe of Kobol."
"Sounds like fate to me," Sheba inserted.
"Also on Planet 'P'," Boomer contributed. "We found out that the Ship of Lights had contacted a group of people on Earth, trying to get them to prepare for our eventual arrival. And that of the Cylons." He glanced at Dayton. "And Commander Dayton found out that his daughter was the Executive Director of the Worldwide Aeronautics and Space Agency on Earth."
"At a cursory glance it all seems coincidental, yes. But it's just too deliberate, too well planned," Sheba inserted. "It cannot be anything other than a path laid out for us." She looked at her father, as she spoke the last words, knowing he liked to believe he navigated his own course through life, and any departure from that would leave him uncomfortable, despite his early Kobollian upbringing, which he'd largely left behind.
"And along the way we picked up the Empyreans," Starbuck added. "And just a secton ago, John and his kind used Ama to neutralize Count Iblis, and his plan to use those Cylons to wipe out an entire race of Angylions. After which they could have traversed back into our dimension, and attacked the Fleet." He paused a moment, clearing his throat. "She told me it was her destiny."
"Used, Starbuck?" Adama repeated curiously.
"Yes, sir," the young man nodded, a little defiantly. Yeah, for some reason he definitely had his knickers in a knot. "She didn't exactly go in with a thorough briefing that she'd be taking on Diabolis, himself, when she set out to find me."
"Somehow, I don't think it would have stopped her, had she known, Starbuck," Adama assured him, as always seeming to know the right thing to say. "Ama was well-known for her devotion and selflessness."
"Yes, sir," Starbuck replied soberly. "But it seemed . . . strategic on their part. The Ship of Lights Beings. I can't really explain it . . .it's just a gut feeling . . ."
"You think the entire mission to Morlais was a means to . . . neutralize Iblis? Orchestrated by the Beings of Light?" Adama asked, his eyebrows raised. The very idea gave him a feeling of hope. If Iblis, the very font of all that was corrupt and evil, could be neutralized . . .
"That, and to give us a way to make it to Earth before it's too late, sir," Starbuck replied. He took a half step forward, raising his chin slightly as met the Juggernaut's eyes. "Still sound crazy, Commander?"
"It seems that in this instance, crazy has some sort of plan to it, Captain," Cain returned, stroking his chin thoughtfully. He looked from Starbuck to Sheba. "No denying that."
"Yes, sir," Starbuck nodded.
"Which is why we have to go now," Dayton replied. "Our repairs are scheduled to be completed in less than two centars, my crew is rested, the Clavis is functional . . ." He paused, feeling Starbuck's eyes on him, boring into him in fact. "Did you get Malus' report, Commander?"
"I did," Adama agreed. "Highly technical."
"That's not a report," Cain inserted sourly. "It's a headache waiting to happen."
Adama smiled at the Juggernaut, apparently in agreement. "We looked at it briefly, but haven't had a chance to really absorb it yet, Commander Dayton," he admitted. "Obviously, you've concluded it will get you to Earth."
"Yes, Commander," Dayton agreed. "As you know from my mission report, the Espridians used the Clavis to travel peaceably to other planets, and quietly observe them. Malus found records of a planet in the Espridian data banks that just has to be Earth. The geophysical, geochemical, and geological analyses, as well as documented observations on Earth culture and civilization, even images of the planet's one large moon, all support this." He punched a few buttons, bringing holographic data up. There was the image of a planet, with data scrolling slowly up. They all looked at it, Dayton with a sharp pang.
"Can we use the Clavis to bring more than one ship to Earth?" Cain asked, studying the data. The similarity between Earth, and the basic geophysical parameters of Caprica, Gemon, and Piscon were truly amazing.
"Unfortunately, we haven't as yet determined that, Commander," inserted Dayton. "As we say on Earth, what you don't know, can hurt you." He looked at the others. "For what it's worth—and no offence to Doctor Wilker and his team—we cannot afford to wait until we find out if the whole Fleet can do it. We don't have the leisure of experimenting, as much as we all wish that were so."
"I was actually thinking more in terms of the Pegasus, rather than the whole Fleet, Commander. At least at this point," Cain clarified. "While I realize you're an experienced military man, you're also relatively new to our technology and our ways. Having the Pegasus along might prevent another Morlais."
Sheba frowned, raising her eyebrows at her father.
"Prevent another Morlais . . ." Dayton echoed in disbelief. "I'm proud of the way my crew performed at Morlais. They came together to overcome situations that none of us had any experience with. Unless, of course, you can redirect me to the parts in the manual that deal with interdimensional travel, sorcery, and demons."
Cain smiled wryly, shaking his head slightly as he passed his swagger stick from one hand to the other. "You, your executive officer,andyour strike captain were all off the Bridge, indeed off the Endeavour . . ."
"That's right. And who's in charge of the Pegasus, just now?" Starbuck inserted, pointedly looking at the three senior officers of the Battlestar, as Dayton put a restraining hand on his shoulder, squeezing it hard. "Uh, sir."
"Down, boy," Dayton murmured in English, before turning to engage Cain. The man had all the arrogance of General Patton, but none of his fashion sense, with the gold brocade, swagger stick, and Elvis haircut. He had no idea what Cassiopeia ever saw in the man. "Granted, we debarked the Endeavour, leaving Captain Dorado in charge, an officer that I'm proud to serve with, and who can step into a command role whenever necessary, like hand in glove. His military record clearly shows that from when you, Commander Cain, promoted him to captain on the Pegasus. And again, when he and a skeleton crew aboard a derelict Cylon ship were the first to engage a Hades-class Base Ship near Planet 'P'."
"And survive," added Sheba.
"It was Dorado who first dreamed up the idea of converting a broken down Base Ship to a Covert Operations Ship," Starbuck added, also coming to his shipmate's defence. "He saw the potential before anybody else. And look at the dividends it has paid."
"And look what he overcame when he was almost killed on Planet 'P'." Apollo moved forward to join them. "Sagan, he was practically rebuilt himself, using cybernetic technology, in combination with Colonial medicine. It takes real character not to languish in self-pity, and to move on after something like that, Commander Cain. You, of all men, should understand that." The reference to the brain implant that Cain had received, which had given him a startling recovery from a cerebrovascular incident, was not missed. "Sir."
"Yes," Sheba added, in complete agreement. "Father, you know very well that Dorado did a good job in Morlais. His abilities and leadership were never in question."
"Fine, fine," Cain added, waving a hand dismissively. "Dorado's a good man, I'll go along with that. But you also lost Baltar, Dayton. The traitor of Colonial humanity."
"That was m. . ." Starbuck started to insert.
"And saved an entire race of humanoids in the process, Cain," Dayton barrelled over his strike captain's comment. "Plus, the Fleet doesn't need his mouth to feed, considering. It seemed an acceptable exchange."
"More than acceptable," Adama added, stepping between the two men. "Commander Dayton will be just fine without your . . . tutelage, Cain. I have every faith in his ability as a leader."
"As do I, Commander," Apollo added, reminding the Juggernaut, "As well, our most effective offence is the fact that we appear Cylon at first glance."
"Meaning, the Pegasus positioned off our starboard just might make them suspicious," Starbuck added wryly.
Dayton smirked. The kid had a point.
"Commander Dayton," Colonel Tigh interjected, getting them back on track. "Just to clarify, is this mission's priority making contact with Earth, or finding that Cylon Base Ship?"
Dayton hesitated for just a moment. However, he'd spent enough time clawing his own way up through the ranks in the US Air Force to know what they wanted to hear. "The Base Ship, Colonel. That's Count Iblis' trump card, meant to negate any technological advances we tried to put in place, although the incarceration of Captain Dickins and Technician Hummer on Earth seem to have effectively eradicated any small progress we tried to make. That and the fact that we've run out of time. From what I understand, Earth won't have the capability to defend herself against what I believe to be an imminent Cylon attack. Even from a Base Ship as outdated as this one is." He hesitated just long enough to let that sink in. "I think Commander Adama would agree that any actual contact with Earth would necessitate some kind of bureaucratic or political envoy." He didn't miss Starbuck's look of surprise. "We don't have time right now to bring the Council back into session, for them to endlessly debate how we should approach our first contact with Earth." He glanced at Adama. "As Earth Liaison, I'd suggest that be discussed in chambers while we're on our mission, Commander. Now, while this situation has always been inevitable, I don't think any of us thought we'd be approaching that inevitability quite so soon."
"Agreed," Adama replied. "Just so there is no misunderstanding, Commander Dayton, this is to be purely a military mission. TheEndeavourwill find and destroy the Ravager, but you will do everything possible to prevent being detected by Earthmen. This is, as you have stated, a delicate bureaucratic situation, and I want it handled by those most qualified and suited for it."
"I understand, Commander," Dayton replied.
"Well, if there is nothing else?" asked Adama, looking around.
Cain opened his mouth.
"Even if there were," said Tigh, glancing at his chrono, "we obviously don't have the time for it."
"Yes," said Dayton abruptly. "As another Earth saying puts it, 'Gorunen koy kilavuz istemez' Or, 'A village seen in the distance does not require a guide.' Our course is obvious. We must move."
"Agreed. Stations, everyone," said Adama.
"Countdown has begun," said Dayton, punching a button on his commlink. "Endeavour countdown T-Minus three centars, and counting."
"Lords of Kobol go with you," said Adama, reaching over and grasping his forearm, in a traditional warrior's grip.
"Thank you, sir," said Dayton. He looked at Cain, but the Pegasus commander was just studying the bird on his swagger stick thoughtfully, and said nothing. It was just as well.