I do not own Battlestar Galactica
Episodes Featured – The Passage & Eye of Jupiter & Rapture
Chapter 31 – The Temple
After Fleet Admiral Adama had reinstituted the old practice of holding boxing matches on military vessels where rank is discarded and if you have a beef with someone, you work it out in the ring, the fleet discovered a major problem developing. A third of their food stocks were destroyed by a faulty food processor. They were alright for now but that wouldn't last especially as new babies were being born a lot more these days.
But the solution to their problem was currently on its way back to Galactica they hoped.
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A raptor flew its way through the blindingly bright orange star cluster on its way back to its mother ship. The hull is black and scarred from the intense heat and radiation. In the pilot seat, Lieutenant Sharon 'Athena' Agathon manages the controls with her new ECO Ensign Rahab 'Scarlet' the new Six that had arrived in the fleet from the diseased baseship. Both women felt the horrible heat and draining effects of the radiation despite their Cylon physiology due to its intensity. The matches on their flights suits turned steadily from white to black as they exceeded the amount of radiation that a human could stand and began to feel like they were going to throw up. Her own strength starting to fade, Athena hit the jump key and the raptor made its second jump to clear the star cluster.
The raptor jumped and reappeared not far from the Galactica and now free of the constant bombardment from the star cluster, Athena and Rahab began to feel better but still drained of their energy and sick to the pit of their stomachs. With the last of her energy fading, Athena guided the raptor slowly into Galactica's landing bay and landed it before breathing a sigh of relief as the mag locks engaged and she no longer had to focus on flying. She and Rahab got unsteadily to their feet and struggled not to be sick as they slowly climbed out of the raptor once it had been lowered onto the hanger deck where they were thoroughly decontaminated before reporting to their commanding officer.
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"Algae." Seth said disbelievingly. The rest of the group meeting in the Fleet Admiral's quarters were all discussing the solution to their food problem. Doctor Cottle and explained
"Yeah, according to the survey the planet is literally loaded with it. Enough to keep us going from months maybe longer depending on how long we have to gather it. It tastes like crap but it's almost pure protein."
"The problem." Admiral Adama said continuing on. "Is that the only way to it is to do a very densely packed and dangerous star cluster. Radiation is high and there is no way around it and the solar winds buffet and knock ships off course and fry their jump computers. So the question is how do we get through it?" Laura Roslin immediately suggested something.
"Didn't Gina develop some new navigation software and equipment recently?" Hal decided to step in.
"It hasn't been tested, but with the improvements to our FTL drives and Selena calculating the jump we should be able to jump right past it." Seth decided to say
"Well her next job is to try to find a way to make the stuff more edible." Everyone in the room laughed as Seth dreaded trying to get as his children to eat that Algae if it tasted as bad as they said it did.
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On board Telmaya, Selena once again hooked herself into the jump computer and using the instruments provided by her sister Gina calculated the jump past the star cluster. It was only thanks to the Cylon improvements they had added to the drives that they could do this. And when coordinates were calculated, Captain Amelia Adama transmitted them to the other ships by secured laser communication. The jump went perfectly in the arrived in orbit of the algae planet. Seth breathed a sigh of relief as they were saved a very difficult undertaking of having to get those ships through the cluster.
In the Rycon's infirmary though the only sounds that could be heard where screams of pain. D'Anna screamed as another contraction hit. If she had known that being blessed with children had been this painful she would have stayed well clear of it, she thought panting. At a side while the doctor stood at the foot of the bed with her legs were held up by stirrups was Gabrielle holding her hand despite the fact that D'Anna was at the point of crushing it now while the blonde human told her.
"You're doing so well, not long now." And with all her remaining energy D'Anna gave big final push. The pain was excruciating but then she heard the squeal of a new-born child not far from her. She looked down and saw the bloodied baby that the doctor had just delivered as he cut the umbilical cord and handed the baby over to one of the nurses who wrapped it in a warm blanket and handed the child to D'Anna who the moment she saw the baby was entranced. Gabrielle smiled having seen her niece Sarah being born was not so entranced the second time around and noticed the star struck look on D'Anna's face. She did say however
"She's beautiful D'Anna, have you thought of a name?"
"Eve." D'Anna said as she gently touched the baby's nose with the tip of her finger only for Eve's tiny hands to grab and hold on bring tears of joy to D'Anna's face. She broke her gaze away from Eve for a moment to face Gabrielle to ask her something.
"Gabrielle, I know it's asking a lot but given the life we're living, I need to know someone will love and look after Eve if something happens to me so will you be her godmother?"
It was Gabrielle's turn to look dazed as she realised that D'Anna was willing to trust the most precious thing in her life, Eve's wellbeing to her. She managed to choke out though.
"I'd be honoured."
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Two weeks passed without incident as the fleet exploited their new food source, it tasted foul but it would keep them going for a long time and Seth had immediately ordered Gina who laughed at his insistence to find a way to make it taste better. The Battlestar Artemis was on the outer edges of the fleet on picket duty in case anyone showed up. Major Kara Thrace-Adama 'Starbuck' was having her annual physical when the ship's doctor Downs asked her to stay a minute while he did additional tests.
"What for?" Kara asked but he just ignored her and she complied not having a reason not to. He went off to his office and said over his shoulder for her to wait. She got up to leave when he hadn't returned ten minutes later but stopped when Lee came in the door in front of her.
"Lee what are you doing here?" Kara asked him, he was supposed to be on the CIC.
"Don't know, Doc said he needed to see you and me immediately." Lee told her and finally Doctor Downs reappeared from his office looking unconcerned. He was not a man known for caring what other people thought and did things his way in his infirmary. Lee turned to him and asked with Kara at his side.
"What is going on Doctor, I have a ship to run and Kara has a cap to run in twenty minutes."
"Not anymore she doesn't, I've just revoked her flight status." Downs said without expression
Kara looked apocalyptic at that last comment and looked ready to go over there and throttle Downs for this but Lee held on to her arm and she restrained herself to asking him in an anger filled voice
"Why?"
"You're about two months pregnant Major. No sudden changes in pressure for you like flying vipers till you've finished your pregnancy." And without a further word he walked back into his office and shut the door leaving the shell shocked Lee and Kara behind.
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On the surface of the planet, General Hanna Rand was directing the operation that was finally winding down. The planet had become a very popular assignment since it was so hot and dusty aside from the vast sea of green algae. The smell of the algae didn't help either, making the place stink to high heaven, so she had decided to avoid officers trying to duck duty here to do the job herself. Thank god though it was shutting down now and they could get off this miserable rock.
She saw two members of the harvest team approach her out of the corner of her eye; Senior Chief Petty Officer Galen Tyrol and Ensign Samuel Anders approach her. She turned to face them and asked as they saluted.
"Anything I can do for you gentlemen?"
"Just hoping to do some exploring of those hills over there." Galen said pointing over the valley they were nested in. She didn't see any harm in it, they hadn't found anything dangerous on the planet so far so they could indulge after a long day's work.
"Alright, just make sure you check in regularly." She told them and Galen said
"Maybe we might find something more editable than the algae." Hanna laughed before saying
"We should be so lucky chief. I personally would be head of heels if we found the planet of the beef and steak." Sam then laughed himself
"Sounds better than the hot fudge planet."
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An hour later as Galen and Sam journeyed into a slightly mountainous area of the hills when Tyrol felt himself being drawn into a cave at the base. He made his way into narrow opening with Sam just behind when they noticed the walls smooth out and following the wall they discovered a manmade door. Galen pushed it open and the light of his torch revealed a vast chamber with carvings on most of the walls and a set of pillars in the centre that had to be thousands of years old.
"The Temple of the Five." Galen said in pure amazement and reverence.
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Sam reported their find quickly to the General and the Admiral and soon the temple was swarming with people studying the ancient structure.
"Our initial radiocarbon dating suggests that the temple has been here for at least four thousand years, which lines up with the exodus of the thirteen tribe." Galen said into his radio to Hal, Roslin and Adama in orbit.
"You think it is the real Temple of Five?" Laura asked
"Yeah, I recognise it from my father's books, he was a devout priest." Galen explained
"Could this be where the Eye of Jupiter was hidden chief?" Hal asked
"Not sure Chairman Forrest, we'll keep looking." Galen said switching the radio off and he walked over to where Peter, the Model Two that had just defected was working with Boomer and Amelia Adama.
"Find anything yet?" Galen asked, Peter turned to him after taking another picture.
"Plenty." Peter told him. "So far we found a chronicle of the exodus from Kobol, then we discovered this." He said turning towards a series of drawings on the walls. "They seem to be star charts of some kind and references near them to something called 'The Gateway of the Gods.'"
"The Gateway of the Gods, I don't remember that from any of the sacred scrolls I've read." Amelia said
"Well it gives us a map to get there doesn't it" Sam said from the side coming to join them but Boomer shook her head.
"These star charts are four thousand years old, thanks to stellar drift they're no use anymore."
"Maybe Gina and the computers can adjust to account the drift." Amelia said and they nodded it was worth a try but Amelia said "But we still need the Eye of Jupiter to make sense of their position relative to this planet." Noting that they needed the eye to see where they fit into the area around the planet.
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Images from the temple where transmitted to Gina and a bunch of other scientists who eagerly set to work correcting the stellar drift that had occurred over the last four millennia but although the team realised the difficulty of the task, even the most powerful computers in the fleet would take years to accomplish the calculations, now only the Cylon hybrids could do tasks that complex but they would have to try.
In his cell on Galactica, Caprica One sat meditating to the music of Caprica's Opera The dances of Athena. While he did not believe in their gods he could appreciate the rhyme and mathematics within the sounds and the emotions that they evoked.
"Glorious isn't?" A warm and seductive voice said to him, he opened his eyes and there was that Six in the red dress again. "Music speaks to us on a level that is hard to reach."
"It had a certain element of divinity in it I concur." He told her, getting up from his meditation stance and sitting on his bunk. "Why are you here this time?" He asked her and she suddenly lost her smile and told him.
"The time has come for the Final Five to be revealed, the end of the journey is close at hand and if the children of Humanity are to be at last at peace with their parents then they will be needed."
Caprica One immediately rejected the idea out of hand. "They will be in danger if the humans learn their identities. They will be air locked and if my brothers have yet to learn the error that they have made by destroying the colonies then they will be confined or boxed."
"Have you not seen anything that has been happening over the last two years? The humans are not the barbarians they might have been to Cylons before, yes they might be confined at first but they won't harm them and you know that." She implored him and told him "Their awareness of themselves will return soon anyway if not their memories. You can make it easier on everyone by cutting to the chase." She said and then disappeared as quickly as she had arrived, leaving One deeply troubled as he considered what to do.
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Seth reported to the CIC after an urgent call from Kendra, he arrived there to see her looking particular anxious and he asked her.
"What's wrong?" She turned to the lieutenant manning the tactical station in Amelia's absence and nodded before the young man spoke.
"Sir, the sun in this system has begun to show increasing instability. I believe sir, that a supernova is imminent, it could go any time."
The entire CIC was shocked into silence as they all overheard the report. Seth could not believe this was happening but it only lasted a moment before he reacted to the news.
"Recall our people from the surface immediately, no excuses and no delays. Get me a direct line to Galactica." He said, giving his orders. The crew immediately went to work and Seth picked up the phone on the centre dradis console and waited for Galactica to respond, he didn't have to wait long.
"Adama here." The Fleet admiral said and Seth told him.
"Sir the system's sun is going to go supernova soon, we need to get our people out of here."
Adama wasn't surprised "My own tactical officer just gave me the same conclusion-"
But they were both interrupted by an alert from the dradis console.
"Sir two Cylon fleets incoming." The deputy tactical officer shouted and the actions stations alarm sounded.
The two Cylon fleets surprised them all however when instead of attacking the Colonial fleet, they went straight at each other, raiders and baseships. Seth and the rest of the humans observing the battle were shocked but discipline took over and Seth told them.
"All military ships form a defensive line around the civilian ships, keep them out of the line of fire." All ships responded to his order and on the still open communication line Adama said.
"Looks like the Cylon Civil War is true after all."
"And we're stuck right in the middle of it." Seth said grimly.
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On the planet's surface. General Rand was organising a very hasty retreat of personnel, piling people and any equipment they could carry haphazard into raptors. She knew time was of the essence, that sun could go any minute and she had to get nearly a hundred people off world now. She saw Galen Tyrol and Sam Anders helping Peter and Amelia direct people to the raptors when they heard a roaring from overhead. Everyone looked over to see heavy raiders rush overhead at the Temple and landed. The Centurions quickly disembarked and although one group split into two, half heading for the Colonials, the other half charged straight at the other robot foot soldiers, firing wildly. Even as her people took cover and began firing back the centurions still fought each other.
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In orbit, the two Cylon factions fought each other fiercely, then two baseships from the larger faction broke off and headed straight for the Colonial Fleet. Pegasus and Telmaya broke off from their own fleet which tightened its ranks to cover as the fleet began to jump away, both ships opened fire on the two baseships. On the CIC of Pegasus, Commander Sheba Cain ordered
"Flanking speed, co-ordinate attack with Telmaya tactical officer." Sheba ordered her well drilled crew.
Both Mercury class battlestars opened fire with their main batteries trained on the same baseship and their high explosive shells tore into the Cylon vessel reducing it to a blazing hulk, before it detonated it a great fireball.
As the last raptors flew at top speed to the nearest Colonial ship, Telmaya's tactical officer reported to his CO.
"Sir the star is going." He yelled terrified as the star finally went nova.
Fighting stopped as all the ships present began emergency jumps to safety, Rycon collected the last raptor before jumping. On the telescopes of the military ships however the mandala formed by the nova was recorded. Only later would they realise that it was the nova was the Eye of Jupiter.
Making only just in time, the last ships arrived at the emergency co-ordinates and everyone breathed a sigh of relief at their close escape, but then they were distracted from their breathing a sigh of relief when the dradis alarm sounded. The military leaders looked up to see seven Cylon baseships had jumped close to the fleet. With weary devotion to duty the crews stayed at their battle stations, vipers that hadn't had the chance to launch in the previous action, launched while the guns and missiles of the larger ships were aimed at the enemy capital ships.
Gearing up for another fight the colonials were interrupted by a voice on the comm system that stopped everyone in their tracks
"Well it's nice to see you all again. How's my old friend Boomer doing?"
Seth knew in an instant who it was. People who knew; Gina, Selena and Rahab recognised the voice as belonging to a Six, but only Seth and Boomer knew which specific Six.
"Caprica." Seth said confident enough to put his cards on the table. People looked at him surprised but his hunch was right on.
"Give the man a medal, and boy Commodore." She said not aware of his promotion to rear admiral. "Do we have a story to tell, if we might be permitted to meet." She said leaving the question hanging in the air.
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Next chapter…the finale