Chapter Eight: The Exiles
Sagittaron:
LSM-440:
Conference Room:
Tolan moved to the mic as if it were a robotic movement and pressed the transmit button. He had to take his mind from Selano's words and focus. The revelation about his father was one thing, but now he had other matters that need to be dealt with.
"I'm here Clay, what's your status?"
"Right now we're trapped on the seventh floor, the toasters dropped some friends off here and there's two Raiders circling the base," he said.
"Where's Lieutenant Warrick?" he asked.
"I sent her back to the Colossus, she would have been dead if she had stayed," Clay responded.
"Do I need to get Vipers sent over to you?"
"Already sent word for that, there may not be much for them to shoot at by the time we're done but I was feeling generous."
Tolan nodded his head and fought the urge to call out Clay for his bravado. There were other matters that needed to be discussed and there were so many questions that swam around in his head. He had a half-brother he had never known about, and he wanted answers. He had to focus though and put duty first before his personal matters.
"Open me a line to the Colossus," he ordered.
Moments later he heard the voice of Petty Officer Thalas and he was grateful for the answer. Worst case scenario had been the Colossus out of communication due to battle damage or something that would keep him out of contact with is flagship.
"Thalas, this is Admiral Tolan, get me Commander Woods," he said.
"Right away, sir," she said.
He waited for the connection to be made. As with any CIC on a Colonial Fleet vessel there was a flurry of activity even during what seemed like downtimes, but this was different than other situations. The Colossus was in orbit of Sagittaron with no escorts and out in the open where a Cylon patrol could find them at any moment.
'Seems odd they haven't found us yet,' he thought.
Some might count that as divine intervention, but as much as he wanted to put his faith in his religion the analytical military side of his mind could not help but ponder if something else was about. As though there was another shoe about to drop, and he had to wait for it to happen.
"This is Actual," Woods voice came through the receiver.
"Bridget, I need you to prepare to launch a Viper strike to Valcour Fleet Air Station," he said.
"I will, but first I have to get back into range of Sagittaron," she replied.
That news caught him by surprise. He had assumed that the Colossus was nearby and ready to launch a strike immediately. The questions flooded his mind and begged to be answered, but now was not the time. Clay was brash and a little too full of himself for his own good, and it did not change the fact that he was damn good in a fight. He had seen his share of people in the military who had all the bravado with none of the substance. Clay could at least back it up and he needed him for any future fights on the ground.
"Do what needs to be done, but extracting Clay and his troops is the first priority."
"Copy that, I'll have the Colossus in range to launch as soon as possible."
Tolan ended the call and wondered what it was that had caused her to leave the orbit of the planet, and then he turned his attention to Henry Selano. The man had just admitted to him that he was his half-brother, and if it was not for the situation Clay was then he would press the man for more answers.
"Once we have a plan for Major Clay and his men we'll talk," he said to Selano.
"Probably for the best."
Tolan nodded his head, as much as he wanted to find out more the time was not right. The desire to find out the truth of Selano's statement was outweighed by the knowledge that the Cylons would wear down Clay's men through numbers alone. As much as their Special Forces training made them valuable, the cold calculus of war was not in their favor if the Cylons threw their whole weight against them.
Battlestar Colossus
Situation Room:
Commander Woods stood there and weighed her options. Her mind raced with the scenarios that played out with each plan she started to formulate. Right now she was caught between to situations that needed her attention. She had her orders to get the Colossus in range of the planet to launch the Vipers, but there was this unknown Cylon vessel that seemed as though it could take the Colossus out. Not to mention the Sophia Tolen factor, and she fought with the emotion that welled up in her heart when it came to the young ensign.
"I won't abandon you Sophia, I just need a way out of this," she said quietly.
She had to get an understanding of these Cylons before she dealt with them further. It was hard to comprehend the idea that there was a part of the toasters that were friendly towards the Colonies, yet it had to be something to consider. They had yet to open fire on the Colossus, and she was certain of the damage they could do if they so desired.
"Open me a line to the Cylon ship," she ordered.
"Yes ma'am," Thalas responded.
She picked up the receiver and moments later she heard the audible click and then the mechanical voice of a Cylon.
"Commander Woods, this is Cyrus," the Cylon announced.
"Cyrus, I accept your terms and will be over within the hour," she said before she added, "I have a proposal for you that I would like to offer you."
"You can tell me now before you come over," Cyrus countered.
"I don't think I will, when I'm over there and know that Ensign Tolen is safe then we can discuss my proposal."
Before he could respond she ended the connection and returned the receiver to its cradle. The Cylons wanted her over there on the ship, and that was where she was about to head. She had a plan and wanted to wait until she was faced with the Cylons before she presented it to them. If they accepted it then all would be well, and if not then she might have to be more creative with her backup plan.
LSM-440
Conference Room
Tolan looked over at Selano, the man known as 'Scorpion', and with what he now knew about the man he could see the family resemblance. There were the Tauron features of the man's mother, but there were features that were unmistakably from the Tolan side of his DNA.
"We need to talk," he finally said to him.
"Yes, we do Admiral, but is now the best time?" Selano asked.
"No time like the present, time to tell me what you know," he said to the Colonial Military Intelligence agent.
"You know, for a middle child you're awfully bossy," he quipped.
He shook his head; it was clear that Selano had known of their relation for some time and appeared to enjoy the position that he was now in.
"How can my father have been a spy; all I knew about him was that he was an officer in Engineering on the Columbia."
Selano pulled a seat over and sat down, Tolan watched as he became quiet as though there were words, he wanted to say but seemed unsure of how to phrase it.
"Admiral…Scott, your father was Carl Tolan's oldest son and the heir to the Basileus. There was no way the Colonial military was going to waste him as an engineer on a battlestar."
He had known things about his father's upbringing. How he went to Zoldak Academy on Canceron in the city of Hades and then his university years were spent on Caprica at Palamas University in Delphi. This knowledge was something he struggled with, and it opened so many other questions that he had.
"What do you know about him?" he finally asked.
"I know he was involved in the Ptolemy Project at the end of the war, which is how he met my mother. Are you sure you want to know more?" Selano asked.
"You might as well go ahead and rip the bandage off," he said.
"The area of Tauron where the research facility was located was attacked by the Cylons, and the radiation was leaked into the facility once they breached it. The Cylons were all lost, proving that the radiation component of the bomb worked," Selano said.
"What was the downside to that?" Tolan asked.
"The reactor had begun to leak radiation, and it was impossible to access the components for the bomb without going through it. Our father went in there without a second thought and retrieved them, he refused to let my mother go."
'Because he was in love with her,' Tolan thought.
It was something that made sense, and he began to wonder more about the man he had idolized throughout his life. Was this father he imagined in his mind simply a figment of his imagination? The fact that he was here talking to his half-brother spoke volumes to that statement.
"He was poisoned by the radiation, and medical science had only progressed so far. They couldn't cure him, but they bought him time until he finally succumbed to the sickness."
Tolan was quiet as his mind thought of the revelations that had come to him just now. Yes, he had asked for them, but it still hit him hard and he found himself speechless.
"Did my mother know?" he finally asked.
"Admiral…Scott, we need more than one conversation before he move on to your questions," Selano said.
"Did my mother know?" Tolan asked again and this time it was more forceful.
He studied Selano's face and looked for any inkling of recognition as to what the answer was. The demeanor and facial expressions did not answer his questions one way or the other, so all he could do was wait to see.
"Yes, she did."
"I'm going to check on Aperlae, let me know if we get any more messages," he said.
With those words said, Tolan left the room as his mind raced with the revelations not only about his father but now his mother as well. He would try to get answers later, but for now he needed to think about what he had discovered and get more of an idea from Aperlae about what she knew about the information about the black ops recon missions.
Cylon Vessel:
Central Chamber:
Ensign Sophia Tolen did not turn her face from Cyrus, and part of that came from a fear that she might get killed from behind if she did so. She heard the Marines walk away and leave the room via the corridor they had entered from. Now she was alone on a Cylon vessel all by herself, after all she had gone through the past eight months or so had all led to this point.
"You look scared," a woman's voice called out from a darkened corridor.
That voice sounded human, and she doubted the Cylons could have perfected a voice like that so perfectly. Well, at least she had her doubts about the older models and their ability to pull that off.
'Who's that?' she thought to herself.
"I've seen worse," she replied.
She had thought about what she had seen on the moon Ostarsis while she tried to avoid the Cylons. Her mind had told her during that time that if she had been captured, she would be executed, and that was perhaps her best hope. The sound of footsteps increased in volume until she saw that looked to be a teenage girl with long black hair and pale skin.
"You look like you need to rest," the woman said as she stepped further into the light.
Sophia's mind went back to the time on Ostarsis when she encountered humans that lead groups of Centurions, and she later learned from intel that these were humanoid models.
"I'm fine, probably couldn't sleep even if I wanted to," she responded.
The woman closed the distance between them and took a seat and motioned for a nearby Cylon to bring one over to them. Sophia waited until the old school Centurion set down chair across from the woman before she sat down.
"Who are you?" she asked the woman.
"Zoe Graystone, and you're our guest for now," Graystone said.
"Ensign Sophia Tolen," she replied.
"Tolen, I'm familiar with that name."
The comment from Graystone caused her to roll her eyes out of habit. It had not been the first time she had heard that said and every time it never failed to irritate her. She realized that she probably should not have done that in front of her, but it was something that could not be undone.
"Ah, you're not one of those Tolans," Graystone said more in amusement than irritation.
"They're family, just not the ones we would want to claim. Organized crime doesn't sit well in polite society," she said.
"The Ha'la'tha and the Basileus, two groups that have a history of not getting along."
Tolen looked to find another young woman had entered the room. She looked to be the same age as Graystone but had the features of a Tauron native. This situation had become more complicated than before.
"I wouldn't know, so I'll have to take your word for it," Tolen replied.
"My uncle was an enforcer with them, my father was a lawyer for them…I suppose you could say it was the family business on Caprica," she said as she walked over to the two women, "Tamara Adama."
"We do know about you, Sophia, your family has its reasons to be proud," Adama said as she walked over and took out a file from a nearby desk, "Your grandfather was a commander in the Canceron and Colonial Fleet, and your mother was a captain in the Colonial Army until she left abruptly…"
"Yeah, pregnancy can really inconvenience a woman," Tolen said.
She knew she sounded bitter, but that was because of what else was in that file. It was because of her that her mother left the Army, and her father's insistence that she should not return to her career. Even if her mother had never said the words, there were plenty of hints growing up that she resented that choice. Her father had a civilian job as one of the finance directors for the Palaeologus banking corporation.
"I'm sure she was proud of you going into the military," Graystone said.
Cyrus and Red Eye entered the room and Tolen turned her attention to the two Cylons. With Graystone and Adama she started to feel like she was back in her Fleet Academy days, but these two Cylons served to remind her that she was on an unknown vessel at the mercies of the Colonies' greatest enemies.
"Commander Woods will be inbound shortly," Red Eye said.
"She says she has a proposal she wishes to discuss," Cyrus added.
Tolen saw Graystone and Adama share a look as if they had a conversation mentally that none of the others would be privy to. It seemed the two women were like a couple that had been together for some time. She thought of her parents on Canceron and how they had been married for almost thirty years and could tell what each other thought before it could be said.
"Did she say what her proposal was?" Graystone asked.
"We'll hear her out," Adama said, and she looked back to Tolen, "Commander Woods didn't abandon you after all."
Tolen said nothing in reply but nodded her head, but in her mind, she said a silent prayer of thanks to the gods. She had feared that Woods would simply abandon her under the context that the needs of the many outweighed the needs of the one, but she was on the way to her and the Cylons. All she had to do was wait and find out what she had up her sleeve with this proposal.
She breathed a sigh of relief and was grateful to have not been abandoned after all. The only real downside was that she was left alone with her thoughts, and the discussion about her parents had caused her to reflect on her life and the relationship with her parents. Not only that, but she had to wonder if those issues had boiled over and made her take it out on Lacey Tolan, and the feeling of guilt over that began to gnaw away at her.
"Your commander is brave," a new voice said.
"Who are you?" Tolen asked.
She was greeted by a woman who wore some type of religious garb she had not seen before, and with her head mostly covered she saw a woman who looked slightly younger than her and the same age as Graystone and Adama.
"Lacy Rand, but to our children I am the Blessed Mother, and we all serve the one true God."
'Commander Woods is going to love this,' Tolen thought sarcastically.
Sagittaron:
Valcour Fleet Air Station
Major Darren Clay came out from under cover and lobbed a grenade in the direction of an advancing Centurion and ducked back behind the wall. Second later came the loud explosion followed by the sound of metal fragments as they impacted the ground.
"Your arm strength isn't gone yet," Lieutenant Hannibal "Red" Sedrick asked.
Clay allowed himself a smile in the middle of the battle. The Cylon attack had been fierce and relentless from the moment they had arrived at Valcour, but he was not about to let any weakness show.
"Sorry Red, not something you're ever going to see," he said.
"Where the frak is this office anyway?" Red asked.
"According to these plans it's down the hallway and to the left," Clay said.
He had gone over the plans that Commander Myra Apperlae had provided to them and had committed them to memory. The Centurions they had just encountered must have used a different corridor to get around their main perimeter. Either that or they were already on the floor when the attack began.
"Let's double time it so we can get this party started," Red stated.
He had taken Red because on the team Red had the demolition expertise to break open any safe when they came across it. His men had a fight on their hands and he had to make sure they got out of this bombed out wreck in one piece, and if that was going to happen then he needed Red to do what he did best.
"You'll hear no argument from me!"
The two men ran down the hallway towards the office when one of the Centurions stepped from around the corner. Its red eye moved from left to right as it took in the sight of them, and Clay wished for a moment he knew what thoughts were in the robotic brain of the toaster.
"I'd tell you we come in peace, but that'd be a lie."
As soon as Clay uttered the words, he ran towards the Cylon with his combat knife ready. The Cylon extended its talon like hands ready to strike him, and he guessed what the next move would be and he hoped he was right. The Cylon struck at him as it swept its hand towards him, and he grinned with the knowledge that he had guessed right, he leaped into the air and brought the knife right between the toaster's proverbial eyes.
"Frak yeah!" Red exclaimed.
Clay put his weight against the Cylon and the two tumbled towards the floor. His body felt the impact as it hit the metallic exterior of the fallen Cylon. He had taken worse hits, and at least the toaster did not fall towards him instead. With a deft move that had been given lots of practice, he removed the combat knife and placed it back in its holster.
"Metal bastard never stood a chance Red, now let's get to that safe."
The two began to charge headway down the hallway that would lead to Aperlae's office. Clay was not opposed to the chance to get some action against the toasters, every one of them he got the chance to kill was one less that would show up on the battlefield.
"Turn right!" he called out.
They turned a corner and stopped to wait for the telltale signs of the metallic footsteps of the Cylons. When they heard nothing they proceeded again as fast as they could. In the distance they saw the door for Aperlae's office, the burst through and saw the state of disarray it was in.
"Someone really should talk to her about keeping her workspace clean," he said.
Red looked around and shook his head in disbelief at the sight of the rubble that was strewn about the room.
"Just like those Fleet types to not know how to keep a place clean."
"I hear you, Red, but you got to admit she must know how to throw a frakking good party," he said.
"Too bad we didn't get the invite, it's never a party if Special Forces aren't there to make it fun."
Clay smiled at the comment and bent down to see a group of photographs on the floor. Bookshelves had been knocked down and documents scattered all over the floor, and yet it were these pictures that caught his eye. They showed Aperlae with various people at different locations, but there was one that looked like it had been taken near a waterfall they had passed over on the way to the base. It showed her with a man and they looked to be happy with each other if he went by appearances.
"I'll just hold onto this until I see her again," he said as he pocketed the photograph along with the other ones.
Now that they were where they needed to find that safe and get it opened while they still could. The last thing he wanted was the Cylons to start using their computerized brains and come up with a sound strategy that he would have to defeat.
Battlestar Colossus:
Situation Room:
Woods waited in the Situation Room and looked at the star charts between where the Colossus was located and the colony of Sagitarron. The digital display also showed her the unknown Cylon vessel, and she thought of the plan she had come up with. If it worked then it would be a gamechanger for the task that she had been given, all she had to do was make sure that it worked.
"Commander, you sent for me?"
She turned her attention to see Lieutenant Lamont Evans at the entrance to the room. She had ordered him to the wardroom to get some food and rest in case he was needed. Now was the time where she would need him.
"Lieutenant, thank you for coming," she said as she turned her attention to him, "I'm due to board a Raptor to head over to the Cylon vessel."
"Ma'am, are you sure that's a wise idea?" he asked.
"They requested me specifically, and I'm not going to risk the safety of our ship," she replied, "I'm leaving you in command while I'm away."
She saw the look on his face and wondered if he had expected that when he had come to see her.
"I've gone over your service record, and Admiral Tolan trusted you to have you on his staff. If he saw potential in you as an officer, then that's good enough for me."
"I appreciate the consideration, but what happens if you don't come back or the other Cylons show up?" he asked.
Woods had thought that over, and she wanted to have a crystal ball where she could see the future.
"Then you hightail it away and don't engage the Cylons, Admiral Tolan needs the Colossus if he wants to continue the fight," she said.
Truth be told, she wanted to assure him that she would be fine, and he would not have to worry about that, but his Fleet Academy training would have instilled the need to have every angle covered just in case of the worst. All she had to do was go over to the Cylon vessel and see what would happen.
LSM-440
Guest Quarters:
Tolan opened the door and entered the quarters to find Myra Aperlae stretched out on the spartan bed. Her uniform jacket rested on a nearby chair, and she appeared to be oblivious to his intrusion into her room.
"Has the Basileus heard of the concept of knocking?" she asked irritably.
"Admiral's prerogative," he replied.
He gave the leg of her bed enough of a kick and it jolted her to sit up. There was a small measure of satisfaction at the sight of her annoyance. She had done so much more from the moment she first came across his path. It had been almost seven years ago but in truth it was a lifetime compared to where they were now.
"It's true, flag rank really does turn people into assholes," she muttered.
"Only the great ones, now wake up before I have to take drastic measures."
He watched as she sat up and swung her legs onto the floor. She arched her back as she did a long stretch before she finally put her uniform jacket on and stood up. Most officers would not have taken the time to draw out the process, but he decided that Aperlae had no such qualms. If anything, she probably intended to irritate him further with her actions.
"No need, Admiral, I'll play nice," she said as she stifled a yawn, "So, to what do I owe the pleasure?"
He grabbed hold of a nearby chair and moved it over. Once he took a seat he was eye to eye with Aperlae and when he looked at her he felt a surge of emotions. This was a woman who had tried to have him killed by the very fleet they both served, who did not hesitate to turn both the Sagittaron Liberation Army on him and his team but the firepower of the Colonial Fleet as well. Here they were a good eight years later, and in a way she still held power over his emotions even though he did not want to admit it.
"What else can you tell me about these missions to the Armistice Line?" he asked.
"Admiral, I've told you everything I know," she said.
He leaned back and folded his arms across his chest as he looked at her in disbelief. Everything he had come to know about her told him she had held back information for her own benefit, and now would not be different. Especially since he was her ticket off this planet, and even she had to know he could easily leave her behind.
"Myra, I'm going to level with you," he said as he unfolded his arms and leaned in closer to her, "We have a mutual friend who is alive and still out there."
"Let me guess, the paragon of virtue we all know as Artimus Bowman," she said with an irritated roll of her eyes.
Yes, she was predictable in her own right. Now he had to simply drop a name that would guarantee to get her attention and put her on edge. He leaned even closer towards her now.
"Galit Malka," he said in a conspiratorial whisper.
He watched as her eyes widened in shock at the mention of the name. Malka was probably the one person who had the most reason to despise Aperlae, more so than even he and Bowman. She must have known it too because she backed away as looked to be genuinely afraid.
"She's still alive…" Aperlae said in more of a soft whisper.
"Alive, and probably looking for revenge against you, Artimus and I weren't the only ones mad at you about that dustup at the SLA base."
"A Ministry of Intelligence officer with a grudge, who managed to survive the Cylons…why didn't you just let me die on a battlestar instead? That would have been more merciful."
That fire had come back to her, as though that moment of weakness had been banished. Tolan knew though, she was scared and wanted to cover it up. How many pilots had he served with who had that false bravado to cover up their fear? He remembered when he had reported to the Galactica as an ensign fresh out of flight school. Some of his fellow Viper pilots realized that they had gone from the simulators and practiced landings at the fleet air stations on land to the real thing.
"You're scared of her…Gods help me, I've found the one person who Myra Aperlae is legitimately afraid of," he said as he fought the urge to laugh.
"You don't know frak-all about what she's capable of Tolan!" she spat at him.
"I wouldn't be so sure about that," he countered.
He observed a redness come to her cheeks now, and he saw that her fear had left her in a state of anger at the circumstances. Something had happened between their time on the SLA base and now.
"Right, because Galit Malka also left a note in your room to let you know that she was alive and was coming to kill you one day!?"
"No, but she did try to murder me on Picon," he said.
The statement had its desired effect and he saw the confusion come over her face. It had been enough to catch her by surprise.
"What happened?" she finally asked.
"Caused me to crash my favorite sports car, and then she went in for the kill," he said as he used his hands to demonstrate her approach to him that day after he had been forced off the road, "She held her gun and told me to turn around and she would make it quick."
He saw the look on her face, the mix of shock but also the surprise that he still lived, and he knew he had her full attention.
"You got her to spare you?"
"I found out later that the MoI was waging a shadow war against the Basileus, but I thought I could get through to her so I closed the distance between us."
He moved his face closer to hers, the same distance it was between him and Malka that fateful day on Picon.
"I told her that she was going to have to look me in the eye and pull the trigger…if the Galit I knew was gone then I was dead anyway, but she was going to face me and take my life."
Aperlae was silent at first, and he wondered what thoughts ran through her mind as she processed his story. He backed away from her and took a more neutral stance in the seat. She was still quiet so he took the initiative to clear the air between the two.
"Myra, I spent so much time despising you and wanting nothing more than to end your career. When my team and I were imprisoned at Fort Milledge we spent many a day thinking of how to pay you back…"
"Just how creative were you?" she finally asked.
"I won't give you too many details, but we got very creative," he said before he added, "Ultimately, I gave my word that when I made flag rank I would put an end to your career once and for all."
He did not expect her to bolt off of the bed, but in an instant she was on her feet and looked ready for a fight.
I knew it!" she exclaimed, "You were the reason I was sent here, well Tolan was it worth it?"
He started to speak but she was not about to let him get a word in. This gave him the impression that she had held something back for years and had now had the opportunity to let it out.
"All of these years, I thought if only you had just died and left me alone I would have gone to greater things than being here on this backwater of a planet!"
She had begun to pace now and he could see how animated she had become, and all he could think was to let her get it out of her system before he added his two cubits into the conversation.
"You may not have been on that Admiralty board when it came time to my promotion, but I bet your hands were all over it. You played the long game, and yet when it came time to put the knife in you weren't even man enough to do it to me. If I had been in Galit's place, I would have gladly pulled the trigger but you…"
She sat down on the bed with a loud thump and her shoulders heaved as though the fight had gone out of her. Tolan looked at her and began to feel a sense of pity for her, one that he swore could not have even been possible before.
"Your friend Adar beat me to it, didn't you ever wonder why he turned on you?" he said as he sat beside her on the bed, "After he had milked the publicity from having his sister and niece rescued you were of no use to him anymore. I'm sure he would have done it to me if I had not played along the way I did, but by the time I would have been able to stop your career I didn't even want revenge anymore."
"If you had beaten Adar to the punch, I bet your mother would have been disappointed in you for giving into your thirst for vengeance."
"My mom would have been disappointed, but my Aunt Lydia would have taken me out for a steak dinner."
A silence settled over the two and neither made a move to continue the conversation.
"You know I was not always this way…" Aperlae said.
"I know," he replied.
"How could you possibly know?" she asked.
He picked up on the incredulity in her voice. It was nice to know he had managed to surprise her. Aperlae had that stereotypical Caprican arrogance, and it made him want to smile to know he had gotten one up on her.
"When I made flag rank, I read your personal file. Rear Admiral does have its perks, and I put them to use," he said.
He saw the look of curiosity on her face and he wondered what thoughts ran through her mind. She seemed to be lost in her thoughts at his revelation, but he was content to wait for her to make the next move.
"What did you find out?" she asked.
"It mentioned something about an incident when you started out as an office, but all the details were classified. Even Admiral Corman couldn't fill me in on what had happened."
"I was a newly minted ensign on assignment to the battlestar Pacifica when the incident happened. After that I became the 'cutthroat bitch' that everyone so eloquently refers to me as."
"You have my attention, care to fill me in?" he asked.
"Did you know there was a conspiracy against Adar from within the Colonial government?" she asked.
"Yeah, several admirals wanted to undermine Adar. What about it?" he asked.
There had been conspiracies like that in the past, probably not an uncommon thing when it came to Adar's administration and previous presidents. Rumors had persisted that Adar's vice president, James Braden, had sympathies with the Sagittaron Liberation Army. He had died suddenly of a heart attack, but there were conspiracy theorists who stated he was a traitor to the Colonies and to the oath he had taken when he was inaugurated. Adar's next vice president was a Caprican through and through.
"Not that conspiracy, the conspiracy known as the Army of Light."
"Never heard of it," he said.
He had thought he had a good understanding of the different events that went on when it came to the underbelly of the Colonies. Part of that came from his time spent with his relatives on Canceron, and the fact that the Basileus had its hands in the criminal world. Not that he would ever divulge any of its secrets. Still, Aperlae's revelation had him intrigued.
"The noble and forthright Admiral Tolan did not know his father-in-law was a part of it?"
There was a revelation from Aperlae that caught him off guard, and it was not the first time something like that had happened. He thought back to their first meeting when he got a taste of her mental games that was almost fatal. He knew his father-in-law, Alfred Graystone was obsessed with the family honor and their image in the public eye. It was part of the reason why he had objected to his and Emily's marriage.
"Your sarcasm isn't going to get you on my good side, so less of being a smartass and more of telling the story," he said.
"There was a young officer was trying to recruit for this conspiracy... I thought he wanted me but he wanted to use me, just like a man."
He had a feeling she wanted to bait him into some kind of response, but he refused to fall for it. This was a story that begged to be heard, and he was not going to interrupt her with a snide comment that she had opened the door for.
"As you were saying?" he responded.
"At the time I didn't know it was a conspiracy, I only learned about it of after the Cylons attacked," she said before she added, "This person held the rank if 'Major' when he met with me. There are things about that meeting that I'll never forget as long as I live."
"Anything in particular stand out?"
"He met me with one of his men, Goodfellawas his name, but the vibe I got from him was anything but good. That man was just scary..."
"Right, so this major met with you and sometime later you find yourself banished to Sagittaron?"
"When Adar turned on me and sent me here I thought it was mostly because of you but I figured he played a part in it as well."
He watched her body language and saw the telltale signs that what she had told him was the truth, at least the truth the way she saw it. He was curious now, about both this conspiracy and the part his father-in-law played. Still though, he was curious about this mysterious major that had tried to recruit Aperlae to his cause.
"This mysterious major of yours, did you love him?" he asked.
He saw the change in her body language, and he knew the answer before she could even say it. The question might not have been unnecessary, but a part of him enjoyed the effect it had on her.
"Hell frakking no!" she said in disgust.
"Fall into bed with him?"
"Again, hell frakking no!"
"Why?"
He had taken it about as far as he wanted to, whoever this mystery person was he did not leave the best impression on Aperlae. The disgust in her voice was enough to make that clear. His mind wondered just what those meetings had been like.
"Because he didn't want me in that way, he wanted access to where I worked and set me up to fail."
The pieces began to form in his mind and the mental image crystalized further. It was a plan for how to make sure the objectives were still reached even if she did not go along with the plan.
"So, you would need to be transferred out of the way and the replacement would be one of his people," he said before he asked, "How did you being on the Pacifica make you a candidate for this coup attempt?"
"I was not assigned to the Pacifica, but I was assigned to the Colonial Fleet Mainframe and
Database in Caprica City. It was my assignment at CFMDCC that brought me aboard the
Pacifica," she said in an almost wistful manner as though a memory had brought its way to the forefront of her mind until she seemed to banish it and came back to the present, "Anyway, the base commander wasn't a fan, but I reminded him there wasn't much he
could do about it."
It would not be a conversation with her without a mention of the political clout she held due to her connections to President Adar and his administration. There was that arrogance that led to her banishment to one of the poorest planets in the system, and it brought home the fact that there was a part of him that secretly reveled in her fall.
"Sounds like something I'd expect you to say," he said and added, "So you expect to believe that this Area X really does exist?"
"Yeah, it does. You might not believe me due to our shared history. Doesn't change the fact that it exists, probably still does."
He shook his head in disbelief at the card she played. They did have a history and it was more antagonistic than anything else. Now she wanted him to forget all of that and give her the benefit of the doubt, as if it would be something as easy as flipping a switch.
"You're forgetting that Aquaria was nuked, just like the rest of the Colonies," he retorted.
"Area X was built to survive a nuclear attack. It's also the only place within the Twelve Colonies that could continue to exist on a nuclear ruined planet."
"Let me ask you this," Tolan began before he took a moment to gather his thoughts, "If this area is so important then why didn't this officer say something post-attack?"
"He's unwilling to risk the secret, that's how important it is...I'd say there's maybe five people still alive who know about it. I only started putting the pieces together once I had some time to think after the attack."
Tolan searched for every sign that she intended to mislead him, but it was not there. She believed what she had said, and he did not doubt her sincerity. There were still questions he had to have answered though, and he would get the answers he wanted from her.
"Who is the officer?" he asked.
"It's nobody you would know," she said too quickly.
The speed in which she replied told him what he needed to know. She had just lied to him, and now he was more curious as to what she knew.
"Myra, tell me who the officer is."
The words came from his mouth in his command voice, the voice of a flag officer who determined to get his way, and he watched as Aperlae appeared to be in a struggle as to how to answer. When the words finally did leave her lips, it was at a volume barely above a whisper.
"Major Arthur Wallace…"
He did not need a mirror to see the look on his face, and he had no doubt that Aperlae knew the name had registered with him. The two had met before, and it was safe to say that neither was fond of the other.
"You cannot trust Wallace, I fear him more anyone else."
He found that one hard to believe, especially with the knowledge that Galit Malka was out there and held a grudge against her like none other. Unlike her fast answer earlier, this time she was being truthful.
"I already know better than to trust that asshole. You're telling me you're afraid him even more than you are Galit?" he asked with no lack of incredulity his voice.
"He's more dangerous than Galit. He's a true believer in his cause, that's what makes him so dangerous. I'm sure even the Cylons couldn't figure out what he his plan was, but they attacked sooner than expected before he could carry out the coup."
"So, Major Wallace, was planning a coup against Adar?"
"Not just Adar," she said.
"Really, who else did he have in his sights?"
"The Ministry of Intelligence, the Admiralty, and anyone else who would get in his way."
Something about this did not sit well with him. It was one thing to put pieces together, but this was more than that. She seemed to have way more knowledge than she should about not only this coup attempt but also the Cylons.
"Where are you getting all of this from?" he asked.
"We captured a humanoid Cylon, she was very forthcoming."
"How do you know she was telling the truth?" he asked as he tried to hide the skepticism in his voice.
It was a fair question to ask as far as he was concerned, would it not be possible for an enemy combatant to lie to their captors in order to tell them something even if it was anything but the truth.
"Let just said she had intimate details of Wallace on a personal level. She spoke of how dangerous of a person he was. However, there was also an attraction there. She was reminiscent of a cobra before it strikes, but she also reveals that there are humanoid Cylons working within the Army of Light and allies of Major Wallace. As much as you think the Cylons are a threat he could possibly be greater than them."
He could not help but shake his head at the revelations that Aperlae had placed up him, but even now there was a part of his mind that wanted to argue that it was all true. In all the years he had known her, Mayra Aperlae had never had a strong relationship with the truth.
"Gods know this is something that's hard to accept," he muttered.
"I have known you long enough to know when you are bullshitting. Is the great Scott Tolan scared?"
That last question was not so much an actual question, but the taunt was enough to make his blood boil. She could get under his skin, part of what came from her attempt to have him killed, but he refused to take the bait.
"Scared of Wallace, to quote you 'hell frakking no'."
He saw the gleam of satisfaction in her eyes, that childlike glee was impossible to hide, and the giggle that followed it irritated him further. She put a hand to her mouth to try to stifle any further laughter.
"You are scared!" she exclaimed.
"I refuse to fear anyone, but I can give him the healthy respect one would give an adversary. It's different than fearing a person," he countered.
"Right, you keep telling yourself that and you might believe it," she said before she asked, "What do you know about him, and I mean really know about him?"
He was quiet as he thought back to the night when he had first met Arthur Wallace, and the events that unfolded because of it. His mind went back to the year when he first made flag rank, and the public relations battle that went along with it. For a time, he wondered if he would even pass the Quorum's debate on whether he should advance further.
"My aunt once told me that he was the most dangerous men she had ever met. Besides, there were other reasons besides him being a true believer as you said," he said.
"Go on, you have my attention for now," she said as she made a show to look at her hands as if she wanted to examine something on them.
"He has a famous last name, money, connections, Admiral Stryker adored him, and the loyalty of quite a few men. The last one has always left me scratching my head as to why?"
After their meeting he had done research on the insufferable Wallace. It was one of the few times he put his connections with the Basileus to use and had learned a few things about him as well. Not that he would ever admit it to someone like Aperlae, but he wanted to know more about him so that if their paths crossed again, he would be prepared.
"I've done my research on them, the Cylons had files on them as well. Quite the motley crew he had his disposal if you ask me," she said before she asked, "What would Scott Tolan give to have men like Tank, Heavy, Heavy Duty, Rampage, Goodfella,etc. at his disposal?"
"Not something I'd want to consider," he said.
"Take a look at this and tell me what you think," she said.
She produced a piece of paper out of her uniform jacket and passed it over to him. He saw a list of Wallace and his associates with Aperlae's hand-written notes. He saw the term 'Misfit Toys' and he raised an eyebrow in curiosity.
"The Misfit Toys? Sounds like the name of a band," Tolan said.
"The Misfit Toys is the nickname given to Arthur's motley crew by his enemies, based on an old Winter Solstice from four years after the Cylon War ended."
"At least it explains where they name came from, but why do they have the name?" he asked.
"All of them are in some way damaged, including Arthur himself, but they function as a family. Unlike your blood family, they are a family because they want to be. They will never turn on him and he would die for them. You must remember that he will sacrifice his men lives but never waste them."
He felt that the conversation had gone on long enough and wanted to get out of the past to talk about the present. She had kept him in this conversation long enough and now he wanted to get to the bottom of what she had wanted to tell him.
"So, what is Wallace's plan?" he asked.
"That the thing, Admiral, I still not sure if he has a plan or just making it up as he go along."
"Then what are his goals or agenda?"
"That I don't know either, but the enemy of my enemy is my friend."
The last part of her sentence caught him by surprise, he would have never thought he would be in a situation with Aperlae where that statement would come into play. The fact that she brought it up surprised him further. Could it really be that simple as a mutual enemy to truly bring them together on the same side?
"You suggest we work together to defeat him?"
"Defeat him? No. Kill him, yes."
"You might have a point there, but why would my father-in-law be part of this Army of Light?" he asked.
"Your father-in-law always picked the winning side and according to the Cylon we captured the Army of Light would win as long as it had Arthur Wallace in charge."
She had described Alfred Graystone perfectly. The man hated to lose, and always looked for an advantage to make sure his moves in his business and personal life paid off. As much as some may say Emily had made their marriage an act of rebellion, it had still benefited Graystone because now he had a son-in-law who was not only an officer in the Colonial Fleet but also had connections with the criminal underworld via the Basileus.
"Cut off the head and the body will die," he said.
"Exactly!" she exclaimed.
"He might have useful information. I could have him arrested and interrogated by Mitchell Cain."
"He's Ministry of Intelligence, just like Cain, and he's trained in counter-interrogation tactics. Did you notlearn anything from that fight where he kicked your ass?"
"He did not win that fight!"
That fight had come during a night in Caprica City when their paths had crossed, with the tensions running high from the hearing with the Quorum it had not taken much for a spark to ignite the powder keg and set off the explosion of a fight.
"That depends on how you what you consider a win. I'd say he won because he got you to throw the first punch…"
He watched as she began to laugh after that statement, and he stared at her as she continued to laugh until she began to have tears come to her eyes. It took all his resolve not to launch into a tirade more worthy of a command master chief petty officer than a flag officer.
"Commander, have you gotten your laughter out of your system?" he asked sternly.
She appeared to finally realize that she had gone too far because she sobered up quickly and got her laughter under control.
"Yes sir, Admiral, won't happen again…just remember to not let yourself be goaded into throwing the first punch."
"Now, you sound like my aunt."
"She was right, and while you can argue you won let me ask you one question," she said before she asked, "Did you enjoy that double punch you took from Tank and Heavy?"
That one had come in the heat of the fight when he had tried to get to Wallace and thought he had a clear path to tackle him, two of them had acted like a pro wrestling tag team and hit him with a finishing move. He had gotten back up and jumped back into the fight, adrenaline was a strong opiate, he felt like he had been hit by a dump truck the next day.
"Recollections may vary, but I know I returned the favor and then some!"
"Of course, you did," she said unconvincingly, "What I'm trying to say is Arthur wanted you to punch him that night andthe same thing would happen if you arrested him. They would either stop you or break him out."
He wanted to argue the point with her, but he had to admit she was right, there was a loyalty there between Wallace and those two men. It was more of a brotherly bond than it was of friendship. His friendship with Artimus Bowman had been forged in the fire of combat and its aftermath. Tyrone Carter had become a strong friend when he found himself back on Caprica during his time when he had been tasked with decommissioning a series of battlestars, but what Wallace had was on a higher level than that.
'Sounds like something my grandad would have said,' he thought.
He remembered his grandfather, Carl Tolan speak about bonds like that, "…men like that are the most dangerous. Men like that aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. They would run through brick walls for each other. Against men like that all the bullets and money in the Colonies does not mean a damn thing."
"You cannot buy loyalty like that, and that is what makes him dangerously, even more than someone like you," she said, without the realization that Tolan and her were in the middle of the same type of thoughts.
"Tell me more, you know how to be a beacon of positivity," he snarked.
"People fear the Basileus, so they obey the Tolans. Some people fear the Wallaces, so they obey them," she said as she ignored his comment, "However, there are many who love the Wallaces, whereas no one loves your family."
Her comment struck a nerve, and he had to admit she was onto something. People feared the Basileus, especially on Canceron, and by extension the Tolan family. It was something he was aware of and had always tried to be an exception to the rule. Still though, he knew it was the back of people's minds when they found out who he was. The subject was uncomfortable for him even now that there was no longer a Basileus, and he mentally willed his mind to go back to the matter of Arthur Wallace.
"So, how do we do this?" he asked.
"You cannot attack him from any direction. Whether you attack him from the sides, the front, or the back you'll end up defeated."
"In that case, what do you suggest?" he asked.
"We attack from multiple directions at the same time."
He thought it over in his mind and it appeared to be the only sound strategy available. The only case was how to do pull it off, there had to be a way but it was like so many other things he had dealt with the Cylons had attacked…he only had one chance to pull it off and if the shot missed then the consequences could be dire.
"So, how do we do it?"
"There are a couple options. We use a woman to our advantage, it's a weakness he has just like every other man out there. The other option we have is to try to lure him into a trap and use that to ensnare him. The second option is flaw due to his men like Heavy and Tank. The issue with the first option is that it could easily backfire as well."
He thought over the options she had given him, and both had their strengths and weaknesses. Maybe there could be another way to accomplish their goal without the need to put either one to the test.
"In all honesty, I don't like either of those options," he said before he added, "Maybe we let him think he is winning, or we are on his side before striking."
"That option was tried before, and it crashed and burned. The first option is the best option?"
"Which woman would you use?"
There were some women he could think of, even though he wanted to argue with Aperlae that not every man had the same weakness that Wallace had. For the sake of argument, he would keep the peace and save that conversation for another day.
"Well, there are several candidates. One of them one of the women in the fleet, Galit is another, or even someone like your wife, Emily."
"My wife?"
"Yeah, exactly, she's someone who would catch his eye. She comes from a powerful family, and I suppose the argument could be made that she's attractive enough if you're into a woman like that."
He pushed the anger down hard, and he wanted to believe this was just another case of Aperlae pushing his buttons to get a reaction out of him. There was a flash of concern on her face and he realized that his face had probably given away the emotion that had welled up inside of him. With some effort he managed to keep his cool and only one thing came to his mind to say in response to her.
"You really are a frakking cutthroat bitch!"
"Guilty as charged," she said.
He felt like she had said the statement as if she wore the title like a badge of honor, and it honestly would not have been a surprise to him if that were the case. For now, he would need to work with her. Even if it meant he had to humor her slightly for the time being.
"Well at least you are admitting to it now, but we'll need to recruit others."
"Oh, I am sure there will be lining up to take down that asshole."
He wondered if she really was as confident as she appeared, he would not put it past her to try to set him up yet again, but he would do all he could to not find himself abandoned in the middle of a firefight that he could not win.
"Rest up Aperlae, you're no good to me if you're tired."
"Admiral Tolan, I didn't know you cared so much about me."
He turned and left the room with his thoughts focused on what was to come with Clay's rescue mission and what would need to be done about Arthur Wallace.
Raptor 802:
Woods caught sight of the Cylon vessel with her on eyes the moment the Raptor had cleared the flight pod. She had seen the images of the ship but it made for an even more impressive sight with her own eyes. It was then that she caught sight of the pilot, Lieutenant Katy 'Tempest' Jones, tense up ever so slightly.
"You okay up there, Lieutenant?" she asked.
"Yes ma'am, just getting that déjà vu feeling," she replied.
She felt the unease at the situation, but this was something that had to be done. She had to wonder why the Cylons wanted to speak to her, and if she could make her plan work to where she got the extra assistance with rescuing Clay and his men then it would all work out.
"Status report."
The robotic voice of the Cylon filled the cabin and she was brought back to the movies that had been made about the Cylon War, and those voiced haunted her as a child and even now it brought her back to those days where she sat with her grandfather and watched them. Here she was having lived a real-life version, and she thought for a moment what he would think if he saw her adventures in movie form.
"This is Lieutenant Jones, we are preparing to dock with your vessel," Jones announced.
"We will be ready for your arrival," the Cylon said.
Woods looked down at her uniform and mentally checked to make sure everything was in place. If no other purpose it gave her something to think about as the Raptor came into position at the airlock. She watched as Jones maneuvered the craft into place and set the engines into a hovering position. Moments later she felt the shudder as the airlock attached itself to the frame.
"We are showing a secure lock, Commander, you can board when you are ready," Jones called out.
"Thank you, Lieutenant, I'll try not to keep you waiting too long," Woods said as she opened the hatch and stepped onto the deck of the Cylon vessel.
Valcour Fleet Air Station:
Clay considered the options they had available, and he knew there had to be a way to get away from the Cylons without too much trouble. He stole a glance out of the window and saw they were advancing towards them. By his estimates, he figured he and his men had managed to anger at least an entire division of enemy forces. All things considered, that was not too bad of an outcome, he wanted to make sure they got away so that he could brag about it.
"These plans have to have a way out for us," he called out to his men.
They were now on the first floor now, though not yet to the main lobby area of the building.
"We may just have to fight out way out," Lieutenant David Rhagabe said as he pulled out a map and began to pour over it.
Clay looked down their hallway towards where the Cylons would come from if they entered through the lobby.
"I want a fire team ready for when those frakheads breach the lobby," he called out.
A group of five of the Blue Bombers took positions while he went over to Rhagabe and studied the map as well. There had to be something there that he had not seen before and he was determined to find it. He knew they could fight through every toaster that was coming their way, he would just rather not show off his fighting skills and bruise the egos of the Cylons in one day. He did not want to demoralize them too quickly.
LSM-440
Tolan walked into Selano's office and found him seated at his desk as he loaded a backpack full of items.
"Preparing for when we finally get off this rock," Selano said.
"Good, you'll need to take only what you need. I'm going to need your access to the CMI database," he said.
He saw the look on Selano's face and it appeared to be a mix of curiosity and amusement. No way a request like that would not have made him want to laugh. Tolan knew he was a flag officer, but his clearance did not necessitate him access to what the database of the Colonial Military Intelligence had in it.
"Right, you know I can't just do that for anyone and that includes my own brother," he replied.
'Of course you're going to say that,' Tolan thought.
If what Aperlae had told him was true then he needed to have the answers before he left Sagitarron. This was something that would be far more important if it were true, and he had to know what he would be up against if he came back to the fleet and found that Wallace was still alive.
"I need you to trust me on this, know that it is something that could be valuable to me once we're back to the fleet. I wouldn't ask if it wasn't vital," he said.
He waited to see what Selano would do and for a moment his hopes began to crash until his half-brother stood up from his desk and walked towards the door.
"The computer is unlocked, take all the time you need. I'm going to check and see how my people are readying to be evacuated."
Cylon Vessel:
Woods walked into the room flanked by Cylons on all sides of her. She kept her composure neutral, even though by all logic she should have been frightened. One thing she had decided on when she boarded the Raptor on the Colossus was that so far she had defied the odds and lived. At this stage of the game she was playing with house money and would see how her streak of luck would run.
"Commander!"
She heard Tolen's voice and looked over to her. The joy on the young officer's face was evident to everyone in the room. Woods allowed a slight smile to come to her face but she gave her a slight nod to acknowledge her and followed the Cylons to the center of the room.
"I've arrived just as you requested," she called out.
She watched as Rand, Graystone, and Adama walked into view flanked on both sides by Cyrus and Red Eye. She had seen the humanoid Cylons but these were she could not recall from her time on Ostarsis, and these Cylons were of the older variety she had seen in museum displays or in in the movies.
"I've met your friends on Ostarsis," she said when they were closer to her.
"Those are our children, as wayward as you may find them," Rand said.
"That's one way of putting it," she said before she continued, "Are you telling me that you're the ones who created the new toasters and skinjobs?"
"Yes, we created them, and we predate them to the time before the Cylon War. Commander Woods, we are all children of the One True God," Rand said and then added, "I am Lacy Rand, the Blessed Mother, Her Holy Mother of the Cylons and with me are Zoe Graystone, Mother of the Cylons and Mother Superior of the Centurions Tamara Adama."
"So, I'm meeting the Holy Trinity of the Cylons, and who are your associates?" she asked.
"My name is Cyrus, and you will show more respect as our guest," Cyrus said.
"The Mother Superior is not one to be mocked," Red Eye added.
"In light of recent events, you can imagine why I'm being a bit harsh," Woods said and passed on the urge to tell them more of how she felt, "I'm here because I want to know why you haven't tried to destroy us?"
"We are not of the same belief as our children," Graystone said.
"Is that right, so you condemn destroying the Colonies?" she asked.
"Their loss was tragic, but they were only following what they felt God wanted them to do," Adama said.
"We've met one of your fellow humans, and we do not share the views of our children," Rand said.
"Right, so you just stood off to the side and let them run roughshod over all of us?" Woods asked.
"If you could let go of your anger and see what is in front of you," Graystone said, "You would see that we mean you no harm."
"I beg to differ, your inaction has been pretty harmful so far," she countered.
"We have not destroyed your ship, and not only are our children nearby but they know you are out here in the system," Adama said.
That revelation shook Woods, but she was determined to make sure it did not show. Her anger at them had dissipated enough for her to think clearly, and she knew that if she continued to mention the Fall of the Colonies then it might not help. If their 'children' were out there, then she had to put this plan into action.
"May I suggest an alliance, I need your help to pull off a rescue," she said and then added, "My people are trapped on Sagitarron and need to be assisted. Help us, fight with us, and we can put an end to this frak up of a war we've been fighting."
There was a silence that fell over the group, she had put her plan out there and now it was a matter to see if it would be accepted or not. She looked over at Tolen who looked hopeful and decidedly nervous as well. She heard the heavy metallic footsteps of one of the Cylons near her and she turned to see the one who she believed was Cyrus.
"Were you the one I spoke to?" she asked.
"That is correct. I wanted to discuss your proposal."
She had yet to see the three humanoid Cylons return, but she was curious as to Cyrus' thoughts on what she had proposed.
"I'm not going anywhere just yet, what did you want to discuss?"
"Your proposal is bold, and I believe it would be beneficial. If the Holy Mother asks my opinion I will share it with her."
That surprised her, but it was at least a pleasant surprise. She had wondered what the discussions would be with the Cylons once she had proposed what he had in mind.
"Your profile stated that you had a tendency to think outside of the box when it came to challenges, I see it was not mistaken," Cyrus said.
"What do you have access to?" she asked once the shock had worn off.
"We pulled your records from the Fleet Academy as well as your service evaluations, and that is why we decided to meet with you when we realized you were on the Colossus."
"Why me and not Admiral Tolan?"
"That is not a conversation to have at present," Cyrus responded.
It was then that Rand walked back into the room, Graystone and Adama were nowhere to be seen. Woods looked at her and for an instant she began to doubt if the Cylons would work with them. At least she would not have to wait much longer to get her answer.
"We have decided to join in your fight," Rand said.
That settled it, she would head back to the Colossus and head back to Sagitarron with the Cylons in tow to render their assistance.
LSM-440:
Tolan sat behind the computer and saw that Selano was already logged into the CMI database. He clicked on the button to start a search and enter the name of Arthur Wallace. Immediately, a dossier opened on the screen, and he began to read more on Major Wallace and his Misfit Toys. He started to go through the basic information about his date of birth and his upbringing on Aquaria when suddenly something stuck him as being odd. The more he read through them and compared it to the information Aperlae had given him he realized that almost all of Wallace's files were wrong with false facts.
"What the frak is going on here?" he asked himself.
He then looked to see who created the file, and what he saw left him speechless. If the information in front of him was correct, then the files was created by none other than Admiral Stryker himself. What made it even stranger was the fact that the files had been updated by Admiral Stryker, after he had passed away.
'How is that even possible?' he thought.
It was then in that moment that the truth dawned on him, the only reason that would be possible is for Wallace himself to have Stryker's access codes. Under no circumstances were the access codes of a flag officer to be shared with anyone. In practice an admiral's codes were to be deactivated when they retired.
"There had to have been something at play for Stryker's to have not been deactivated," he said.
The only thing he could think of was that somehow Stryker's access codes could not be deactivated since he originally had the Database and Mainframe setup.
'No, one Wallace knows so much…' he thought and then to his horror he realized something, 'It also mean Wallace can sneak aboard a battlestar without being detected or even worse shutdown an entire one. Like the Cylons…'
There was a document within the Media section of his chart that caught his eye, and without a moment's thought he clicked on the link…