The Fifth Race: Chapter 1 V2
12 September 2125, Edge of the Milky Way Galaxy,
The Battlestar Galactica and the remnant of the 12 colonies of Kobol were desperate. Emerging from a jump in the Ionian Nebula, their road to the fabled 13 colony of Man, they discovered an ambush where 4 Basestars awaited them. Deploying its complement of Vipers as to give some time for the fleet to restart their FTL drives and Jump to the next coordinates, Admiral William Adama was sure that this battle was to be the final requiem for the Galactica.
After 3 years of fleeing and barely surviving, after an occupation on New Caprica by the Cylons which resulted in the destruction of the Battlestar Pegasus and 10 000 of colonials on the planet, they were at the end of the journey, without accomplishing their goal.
Even if the fleet was able to Jump to emergency coordinates, their ability to survive without the protection of the Galactica was slim at best.
Preparing to give the order to engage he was stopped from doing so by the voice of LT Gaeta.
"Sir, I have Viper 3 on the line, he wishes to speak with you."
"Who is on that Viper LT?"
"Lee, sir."
"Patch him through. Lee, what are you doing aboard one of my Vipers?"
"Sorry sir but you needed every able person capable of flying a Viper. It's unbelievable but I've got a visual on a Viper Mark II with Starbuck onboard. She says she found Earth Sir!"
"What! That's impossible, you know it Lee, she's dead, and you saw her Viper explode yourself!"
"I know sir but I see her, even if I have no explanation."
"Contact this ship M. Gaeta!"
"Yes sir!"
"This is Galactica Actual, who am I speaking to?"
"This is Starbuck, Actual happy to hear your voice sir!"
"How did you survive?"
"I would prefer to tell you in person, sir."
"Very well. Lee guide her aboard."
"Yes sir."
"M. Gaeta, what is the situation?"
"The cylon fleet did not move since appearing in front of us sir. It's strange they did not even deploy their raiders!"
"What is the condition of the fleet?"
"Half the fleet has already jumped to coordinates, I estimate 10 minutes to complete jump."
"Call our Vipers back, and prepare jump as soon as they land!"
"Yes sir!"
Ordering the marines to bring Starbuck to the brig as soon as she docked, he assessed the situation unfolding in front of his eyes already wondering why the Cylon set up an ambush if they did not try to attack as soon as they appeared.
20 minutes had already passed and still they did nothing which was highly unusual for them. Since New Caprica, their desire to destroy humanity seems to diminish. Their new goal apparently was to discover Earth before them, for reasons unknown. His hypotheses were numerous but none of them rang truer than the other, did they want to destroy Earth? Occupy them? Try to settle with them like they tried to do with the colonials on New Caprica? This hypothesis had merit, as the destruction of the colonies deemed these worlds unfit to inhabit and their original home world was unknown. Arriving in the brig with Saul Tigh, he was amazed to discover that the pilot that talked to him really seems to be Kara Thrace, as unbelievable as it seems.
Unknown to him Saul tigh was asking himself a more dangerous question. He just discovered that Samuel Anders, Galen Tyrol, Tory Foster and he himself were Cylons, probably four of the "Final Fives" that no other Cylons knew. He knew that Lee Adama SAW Captain Thrace's Ship explode and that for a short time before that she seems to be distracted by something, not unlike the distraction that occupied their mind before the truth was revealed to them. Finally he knew that the only thing that resurrected were Cylons. These cold facts were running in his head the entire way to the brig and he was afraid. First that the pilot really was Kara Thrace and that if it was in fact her, she was a Cylon, the Final Five. He knew then and there that if she was a Cylon that he had to do everything in his power to protect the Old Man, even reveal himself to his best friend.
The decision imposed itself when they arrived to a brig and the discussion that took place there.
"Captain Thrace, I'm really happy to see you but I need to know. How is it possible?"
"I don't know sir. One Minute my Viper is on the point of being destroyed by the storm and the next I'm on a ship talking to some people from Earth! I saw Earth sir and I know how to get the fleet there to be reunited with the 13th Tribe. But we need to hurry sir the more time we waste on the Nebula the more the road to Earth will be hazardous for the fleet."
Tigh listened and listened well to Thrace's story but the gleam in her eyes and her demeanor was giving him shills in his spine. While before the Holocaust on the colonies she was spunky with a lot of insolence and a confidence and ego so large it filled a Battlestar, everything changed with the Cylon attack and the hurdles they encountered on the way as she became progressively more focused and intense, jaded in her view like she lost a part of her spirit on New Caprica. The Kara Thrace in front of him did not have any of that acquired ship on her shoulder, seeming too carefree in her attitude with the Admiral. What frightened him even more was the relief he felt in the Admiral at the return of the daughter he never had "Bill I need to talk to you before this continues any longer." Blurted Tigh his remaining eye fixed on Starbuck.
"Now is not really the time Saul, let me finish this debriefing and then we will talk." Grunted Adama, his focus entirely on Kara.
"No Bill this is too important! I think she is a Cylon, one of the Final Five!" Insisted Tigh.
At this, the marines got to attention and started to point their weapons on Starbuck taking positions at a respectable distance to cover the room without giving the opportunity of close encounters with a Cylon with augmented force.
Turning to face Tigh, his voice cold "What makes you say that! Where is you proof Saul! I will not have random accusations made in fear seeding doubts in the word of a Colonial Officer."
Resolute to protect the colonials even at the cost of losing all he cared about, Saul replied "My proof is that I am a Cylon!"
"What!"
"I discovered it just before the jump, along as three others. We are like Sharon, sleeper agents that don't even know they are Cylon. The Cylon don't even know who we are, they call us the "Final Five" and are unaware of our identities only that we exist. I have reason to believe that she can be a Cylon."
"And what reasons do you have to believe that she is a Cylon?"
"Lee saw her ship explode right in front of his eyes. I don't know you, but for me, apart from the gods, the Cylons are the only thing I now that can resurrect!!"
"And I'm supposed to trust you, when you tell me that you are a Cylon! What assures me that this is not some plot to make me discard any information that Starbuck gives me? You could just be telling me this so that the road to Earth remains in Cylon's hands!"
"Bill, if I can be a Cylon while being a Colonial Officer for 30 years I think that she can be as well!"
Almost red with rage, Adama could only growl "Very well, for the moment until we jump you both will stay under confinement in the brig. We will discuss this later; I still have a situation to escape from and I don't need any distractions right now."
Returning to CIC Adama couldn't know that the whole situation was going to change radically.
Same Day, 100 light years from the Ionian Nebula, Super Dreadnought "General's Glory", 25TH Fleet
The 25th fleet was patrolling the far reaches of the Federation, scouting under full cloak for eventual pirates. Since the fall of the Goa'ould empires, criminal organizations like the Lucian Alliance polluted the Federation trying to pass illegal drugs, contraband and generally making nuisances of themselves by attacking pleasure cruises and civilian transports. Unfortunately, the looted Goa'ould mother ships used by the pirates while not dangerous for the Terran Navy ships were hazardous for the civilian trade and convoy ships navigating in space. Any pirate ship encountered by the Terran space Navy was to be disabled or destroyed if any opposition was met.
Fleet Admiral Delterre was reading a report on the status of his fleet when a communication from the bridge interrupted him.
"Yes?"
"Admiral, this is Chen, we detected several unknown Ships at the edge of our galaxy, and the frontier pickets picked several engagements between 2 parties. They are currently staying near a nebula and apparently ready to enter Federal Space territory."
"I see, Commander prepare to engage hyper drives to see what the situation is I will rejoin you to the bridge in a few minutes. When we arrive, order the Fleet to engage their cloaking system at maximum power, I don't want to alert their attention until we are able to do a threat assessment of the situation. Delterre Out."
While the Admiral was on the way, Commander Chen ordered a hyper space jump to the coordinates of the nebula. The estimated time of arrival was 30 minutes which gave him time to go manually to his actions station. Federal ships were for their most powerful vessels operated by an Asgard AI who could decide to beam the crewmen to their actions stations if they were too far to make it in time. Since the ship itself was as big as a city it provided a security measure in case of emergency and permitted the crew to live in the central "city" part of the ship but still be able to be ready for action at a moment's notice.
Arriving in the nebula, the admiral ordered a tactical survey of all the ships in the area. The answer the Ship's AI gave him was not one he expected.
The tactical report done via the scanning by the sensors aboard the ship was strange to say the least. On one side a capital ship, the size of a Beliskener Asgard ship, was guarding a fleet of about 30 unarmed ships with FTL capability but with an unknown type of FTL engine. As they arrived ships after ships disappeared, 7 light years away. On the other side, a squadron-size fleet of ships between a Beliskener and O'Neill class ship were preparing to send their fighters, apparently in response to the other side reaction.
What was strange was that while the ships were equipped with FTL technology, they still appeared to use a combustible energy system and did not use any shielding technology and conventional type weapons instead of energy ones.
With this observation the ship's AI, Freya, was able to deduct that these ships may not have developed their FTL technology on their own as their level of development otherwise was only the equivalent of what Earth would have been now if not for the Stargate and Earth's allies. Furthermore this FTL technology was something even the Asgard did not know of as their FTL drive did not open a hyper space window but folded space allowing them to disappear and reappear instantly.
The last of the small fleet of ships finally disappeared away with their protector following them.
"Freya what can you tell us about the opposing fleet of ships?"
"Admiral, the basic technology level of these ships is approximately equivalent of the first ones but they appear to be equipped with AI and advanced computer technology contrary to their opponent. Their FTL drive also appears to be slightly more efficient but of the same type. What intrigue me however is that these ships appeared to be crewed with Cyborgs, robots and some kind of low level life form installed in their fighters while the other ship that disappeared appears to be crewed with humans."
"Humans? That changes everything. With their level of technology the first contact directive does not apply and we can render assistance if we need to. We will monitor the situation from afar and let Atlantis make the decision to contact them or letting them be."
"Very well."
"Sir, the last fleet just jumped away, our sensors tell me that they are following the first fleet."
"Helm, Plot a course to their destination."
"Aye sir."
"Let's see how the situation pans out."
Colonial remnant fleet, same day, safe rendezvous point, 7 light years away from the Ionian Nebula
Now that their life weren't in immediate danger of destruction by the Cylons the Admiral decided to proceed with the interrogation with Athena of the "supposed" Cylon Kara Thrace and Saul Tigh. After talking with Tigh, he revealed the name of the 3 others who discovered their identity with him: Sam Anders, Galen Tyrol and Tory Foster. He was horrified to think that Saul Tigh, his friend for 40 years, a colonial military man for 30 years while in the middle of the original Cylon war could be a Cylon! How where they able to attain human form so soon and keep it a secret so long.
From what they could gather from the interrogation of the Final Five, their identities were so secret that no one not even themselves knew their identities. They assured the admiral that like Athena they were still colonials and that their discovery of their Cylon origin would not change that fact. This revelation and their voluntary surrender was everything he needed to allow them the benefit of the doubt and at Tigh's suggestion he conceded to his presence during Starbuck's interrogation.
He was however still weary of Kara Thrace. As Saul said if Kara was a Cylon, and there was a good chance she was since it seems to be the only logical reason behind her surviving the explosion of her Viper, then her claims of discovery of Earth were highly suspicious. Moreover who said it was their Kara Thrace and not a copy since the Cylons had the habit to come in series.
Knowing that the goal of the Colonials was to find Earth, the Cylons may have plotted a trap to destroy them once and for all.
Entering the brig to interrogate Starbuck with Tigh in tow he noticed her reaction to his presence. Her jaw was clenched and she seems to regard Tigh with a hateful glare so powerful that if her looks could have killed him she would have done so. This more than anything else put the Admiral on tension: it was not the regular hateful glare that used to be between them but a stare that told him that his intervention and presence here was a betrayal both to her and her plans. And it was time to find out what those were.
"Hello Kara, or is it Kara? I wonder? You did not seem to like that we did not follow through with your plan or did not count on the fact that the others Final Five woke up on their own and decided to remain faithful to the colonies."
She seemed to struggle to formulate a response before she gave a resigned sigh "Yes I seem to be in a difficult position."
"So now tell us? What were your plans? Are you a copy or our Kara Thrace?"
"Since you have the others at your side I think my game is up. I was ready to spin you a tale of discovering Earth and how the 13th tribe was ready to accept us with open arms but you are right, my time is up. I already transmitted my coordinates to the Cylon fleet and am waiting for them to show up. One way or another, the 12 colonies of Kobol will not remain a problem for long."
Adama turned toward Tigh and gave him his orders "Saul go to CIC and prepare everyone for the arrival of the Cylon fleet, tell M. Gaeta to compute new coordinates for the FTL drive and if needed, Athena, go help him."
Thrace approached the cell doors, like an animal stalking its prey, a confident gleam in her eyes "Originally we planned to lure you to a distant planet, making you think that you were finally finding Earth. I was then to launch a tactical weapon we developed that would have destroyed the FTL capabilities of your ships, leaving you stranded in this system, viable yes but without the basic minerals necessary to build FTL drives. You would have survived but not be able to retaliate against us in the future, answering by this the goals of the 2 groups that formed inside the Cylon decision making: 1 group wanted to annihilate you finishing the cleaning we did in the colonies while the other thought that the attack on the colonies was a mistake. With that plan, both goals would have been attained and we would have been free to discover Earth on our own. Now you left us no choice, we will destroy you."
With that she spun around and kicked him away through the cell bars, then pressed a hand on the side of her arm and plunged her fingers inside her forearm to activate a hidden mechanism. The moment she did that a wave emitted from her which destroyed the FTL drive of the Galactica. For a minute, Admiral William Adama was ready to kill her here and there, something he never thought he would have to do to Kara Thrace, a woman he loved like she was his own daughter. However he did not need to as the release of the FTL weapon seemed to have killed her judged by the still and shocked looks she sported on her face. He left in a hurry in direction of the CIC hoping that everything was alright, shouting orders as he passed to the marines guarding the door to tie her up and send her body to Cottle in case she was faking it.
Unfortunately, the worse had happened, as the moment he appeared in the CIC 4 Basestars appeared and LT Gaeta informed him of the FTL and navigation computer failure.
Explanation on the Asgard AI: With the Asgard Computer finally installed in the moon base they were able to explore its contents at their leisure. What they discovered is that some of the Asgards, the ones overruled by their council concerning the decision to give their knowledge to Earth, decided to leave a copy of their mind inside the databanks. With this discovery the technicians decided to give them a chance to still live and have a function by becoming the AI of the Terran Fleet more powerful ship: the Super Dreadnoughts, Dreadnoughts and Heavy Carriers. They have a complete citizenry inside the Federation since they are not strictly AI but REAL minds.