Author's note: I've gotten a lot of feedback on Jessica, both good and bad. It is a compliment to me as a writer to create a character that stirs up the emotions of my readers. Also, it may be a couple of weeks before I post another chapter as I have to get ready to attend a writer's conference next week and need to polish up several manuscripts to pitch to editors.
Contact
Dragonlots aka Dana Bell
Chapter 4
"How dare you." Commander Adama's feelings of outrage rolled over Jessica. She pushed back against her chair as if she'd been physically struck. "Do you think you're the only one who has had to do that?" His dark eyes blazed. "I've officiated over more empty helmets in my life time than you ever will! AND, I had to tell their families." His hands clenched and unclenched. "Or have you not bothered to visit our Hall of Memories?"
Jessica slowly stood up. "Sir, I toured your site as well as one of our own back home." She took a deep breath and her voice dropped an octave. "I lost friends and family during 9-11. It was a horrible sneak attack on our country, much like what the Cylons did to you."
"They you should understand our plight."
"Yes." Her hands were shaking and she placed them on the table so the Colonials wouldn't see.
Lee Adama glanced at her and rose. His gaze shifted to the head of the table. "Madam President, I think this would be a good time to adjourn. I'm sure everyone needs to time to think about what we've just learned."
"I couldn't agree more." Her eyes narrowed slightly. "We'll adjourn until O eight hundred tomorrow." She looked straight at Jessica. "You'll understand if I insist you be my guest."
"Afraid I'll vanish into the fleet and you'll never find me again?" She couldn't resist baiting the woman.
"I'm more afraid of a fringe group finding out about you and," she smiled, "I'm sure you understand."
"I do."
"Tory," Roslin turned to her aid. "See if you can find some quarters for our guest."
"Yes, ma'am." The dark haired aid met Jessica's eyes. "If you'll follow me." She headed for the door.
Jessica leaned over to speak to Lee Adama. "How many models of skin jobs were you told there were?"
"Twelve."
"Interesting choice. The same number as your colonies."
His startled expression rewarded her observation. She joined the aid standing at the door and allowed the woman to escort her to a small cabin near Roslin's normal quarters when she wasn't on the Galactica.
"So you can keep an eye on me?"
"For you own protection." Tory started to walk away.
"Who protects you?"
She noticed the odd expression on the aid's face. "I need no protection."
"We'll see." Jessica closed the door and was glad there was an internal lock. She made sure it was engaged and glanced around the sparse room. "At least there's a bed." She sat on it. From another pocket she pulled out her head mic and put it on. "Hey, Kit or Mason, either of you listening?"
"I'm here," Mason replied. He was hard to hear with all the noise in the background.
"Back on the refining ship?"
"I fit in here. " There was a pause before the noise level dropped. "What is it?"
"Think I found a Cylon."
She heard him sigh. "You sure?"
"As I can be."
"Be careful. We know what they can do."
Jessica didn't want to remember how most of her team members died. "We do at that."
000000000000000000000000000
Tory slipped into the area where they'd all agreed to meet. Tigh was already in the small dimly lit room, and a few seconds after she arrived, Tyrol came in closing the heavy metal door behind him.
"We've had contact with Earth." Tory wasted no time on explaining why she'd called a meeting.
"How?" Tigh demanded. "There have been no ships, no unknown communications."
"They were already in the fleet. Joined us at New Caprica."
"If they found us there, why didn't they identify themselves?" Tyrol sounded puzzled.
"They were studying us." Her eyes held theirs. "The woman, Jessica Collins, claimed they came through the Eye of the Gods."
"Ahhh," Tigh made a dismissal motion with his hand. "Legends."
"She calls it a Stargate."
"Wait a minute," Tyrol took a step forward. "Did you say Jessica Collins?"
"I did."
"She's one of the deck hands."
"You sure?" Tigh wanted to know.
"They seem to be very good at blending in." Tory frowned. "Maybe a little too good."
Tyrol asked, "You sure she'd telling the truth?"
"She has some sort of device that projects a holographic star chart. We don't have anything like it."
Tigh gave a low whistle. "They're that advanced?"
"I'm not sure. She spoke about being from something called the SGC and told us most of her people know nothing about traveling in space."
"How's that possible?"
"I don't know."
00000000000000000000000000000
Bright blue and white blazed a path into normal space revealing the planet below. Colonel Caldwell leaned slightly forward as if he could see the surface from their orbital position. "Report?"
"Scans negative, sir." The soldier turned to face the Colonel. "No life signs."
"There as an entire colony down there," Daniel Jackson muttered in disbelief. He walked around the command chair to stand closer to the front window. "Where did they go?"
"We are picking up residual radiation."
The archeologist spun around on his heels. "Oh, they couldn't have."
Caldwell scratched his jaw. He had a number of options, he just needed to decide which one to use. "You're sure there aren't any life signs?"
"Sorry, sir," the soldier replied. "Nothing."
"Colonel," Jackson pleaded. "We need to know what happened."
"I'll have one of the pilots do a fly over."
"But,"
"It's the best I can offer Dr. Jackson. I won't endanger anyone needlessly."
"And if we don't find anything?"
"We continue on to Atlantis."
00000000000000000000000000000000
Laura Roslin pushed the papers aside and took off her glasses. She tired easily anymore but there were nights she couldn't sleep at all. Normally, she'd continue to work, but tonight, she couldn't concentrate.
The words of the Earther kept echoing in her mind. Accusations, a total lack of respect for their beliefs, an arrogant attitude as if Jessica Collins had the right to sit in judgement of them. Problem was, scattered among all her statements were truths that Roslin hated to admit to.
Tiredly she rubbed her eyes. More and more she felt her grasp on the world was slipping away. What lay beyond frightened her, although she'd never admit to it to anyone. There was precious little time to do the things she needed to in order to secure the future of humanity. Contact with the Earthers had destroyed her one chance to accomplish that.
"Can't sleep?" Adama stood in the bedroom door. He'd decided to stay on Colonial One so he wouldn't have to take a shuttle back over in the morning.
"Why now?" She put her glasses on the nightstand. "Why did she wait until now to tell us?"
"I talked with Lee after the meeting. May I?" She nodded and he took the chair near her bed. "We wouldn't know about them at all if he hadn't overheard them talking."
"There were three?"
"Yes."
"Did he see the other two?"
"Not clearly."
"If we knew who they were we'd have some leverage." Suddenly chilled she pulled the blanket over her legs.
"He did say something about an Earth colony called Atlantis."
She snorted. "Atlantis is a myth."
Adama tapped his fingertips together. "Maybe, Laura. But you can't deny Jessica Collins had technology even we don't have."
"I got the impression she's a spoiled little brat who should never been allowed a position of responsibility."
"She's a powerful woman who could very easily decide the fate of our fleet."
"If I had my way I'd throw her in the brig." She shifted trying to get comfortable. "We're going the right way."
"She's right about planetary drift."
"The compensate for it, but double check to make sure she's not misleading us." She shivered. "I'm still not sure she isn't a Cylon."
