BPRI, Angel's Office1030 hours.
Angel was looking out of his office window, a window that had special anti-UV coating that would reflect away the part of sunlight that was harmful to vampires. The man then went back to his desk and looked at the pile of paperwork on his desk, and sighed. He knew that he was working alone today since Cordelia, Tara, Buffy, and Dawn were having a spa day before Dawn was supposed to leave for the SGC the next day.
Smiling to himself, Angel picked up the first folder on his desk and opened it. It was approval by the NID committee for people from Home World Security to come in and start the installation of a naquada reactor, as well as retrofitting the buildings that the BPRI owned with shield emitters.
"And they'll be coming on Monday" whispered Angel to himself when she put down the folder and picked up another one. He opened it to find status reports on missions being led by Kennedy, as well as teams beings led by the more experienced Potential Slayers throughout the country. He put that folder on one side, resolving to read it later before he went to another file. He then opened it and looked at the letter inside and opened his eyes wide in surprise, "the President wants to come here?"
Angel continued to read the letter that explained that the BPRI was doing work that was just as important as the work that the SGC, and Home World, were doing; and that he'd like to meet the people responsible and thank them personally, particularly the two Slayers. It said that the visit would be two months later, and that in the meantime, Angel was to contact someone from the Secret Service to schedule an inspection.
"So that they could do their thing" said Angel to himself as he put the folder down of his desk before reaching under the metal and glass table and pressing a button. He then turned around while a panel pulled back and then retracted up behind a wall, and then a monitor rolled out and activated to show thee data from the Sunnydale outpost that the SGC managed to connect to his office.
'Everything's normal' though the vampire to himself, 'at least as normal as things get with the Hellmouth.'
Angel was about to press the button again to stow away the monitor when he suddenly heard a girl's laughter, followed by a familiar voice. A voice he hadn't heard in nearly two hundred years.
"Liam" said the voice as Angel looked around confused, "Liam."
"Kathy?" said the vampire with a soul as he recalled his younger sister, the only member of his family that her loved when he was alive, and the first one he killed after Darla sired him… the first one to call him Angel. But she was dead for two hundred years, and as Angel looked around his room and then at the screen which showed that the Hellmouth was still acting normally, before he heard Kathy's voice again.
"You killed me, Liam" said Kathy as Angel stepped forward and vamped out before sniffing the air and growing.
"You're not my sister" said Angel as he looked around.
"Why did you kill me, Liam?" said Kathy's voice which sounded like it was sobbing, "all I did was open the door to you.. I thought you were an angel and.. and when I saw you again my heart jumped with joy. I had my big brother back, but you killed me.. you looked me in the eyes before you killed me, Liam. Why?"
"Are you a demon?" asked Angel as he changed to his human face and looked around, "yes, I killed my sister.. and thanks to my soul, that's the first face I remember… the first whose pain I feel. So you know what… whoever you are can't hurt me anymore that the sorrow I feel right now. And you mocking my sister? That makes me angry… now show yourself, or leave."
"My dear brother" said a cold sounding Kathy as Angel turned around to look through the entire room since it seemed as if the voice was coming from everywhere, "you don't know what's coming for you, or for the Slayers, or for the Potentials."
"Who are you?" asked Angel, "you're not Kathy."
"I am coming, my brother" said Kathy as her voice started to sound demonic, "I'm right beneath you. And I'm hungry."
"Kathy!' shouted Angel as he looked around again, but there was no response, "Kathy!"
Angel looked around the room, and then back at the active screen which showed the readings from the Hellmouth.
'Still steady' thought Angel to himself before looking around the room again, "but what the hell was that?"
Orbit of Cylon Earth, 1100 hours.
The first Colonial vessel that appeared in a flash of white light was the Astral Queen, the seat of Zarek and Porter's 'government' of rebel Colonials who wanted to make their way to Earth, instead of leaving with Roslin and the others to New Kobol. Once the Astral Queen was in orbit over the planet, there were more flashes of light around the craft as the rest of the remaining fleet appeared. With the Astral Queen the only ship in the fleet that was armed with two heavy cannons on the forward saucer section, it was the fleet's only source of protection with the Galactica gone to New Kobol.
IN his office, Zarek looked out of a small window at the planet below. He saw patches of green, and grey on the continents; he saw the oceans that covered most of the planet's surface, he saw the clouds that swirled in the atmosphere. But he couldn't tell if there were people on the surface, at least he couldn't tell if their own people… the people they knew as the Thirteenth Tribe, were down on the surface of the planet or not.
What he, and Sarah Porter, did know was that the people who he, and the others with him, considered to be from a supposed fake Earth was on the surface conduction archaeological digs to find out what really happened.
'And if that is true, that this Earth really is not the one the scrolls have been talking about' thought Zarek to himself as Porter walked in with another man who was wearing a vest, and carrying a sidearm on his hip. Zarek turned and nodded at the both of them before motioned towards two chairs as he turned and looked out the small window again, 'if this Earth really is uninhabitable, then we could always find another way of getting to the real Earth. The Earth that we deserve.'
"Mr. President" said Porter as Zarek turned away from the window once again and smiled before to look at the dark-skinned woman, and then at the taller man next to her who seemed to be ready for battle, "some bits for your thoughts?"
"Madam Vice-President" said Zarek as he looked at the woman, and then at the man beside him, "Mr. Cage, welcome to Earth."
"If this is the real Earth" said Porter as she leaned back on her seat while Zarek sat down across from them, "there was one thing I was thinking about, what if this planet was meant as a ruse… a ruse to protect the real Earth?"
"We've thought about that, Sarah" said Zarek, "if this planet isn't populated like the so-called evidence said it was, then we have the archaeological team down there to.. lean on."
Cage looked at Zarek when he emphasized the words 'lean on' and smiled. He knew exactly what the man wanted him and his people to do. Cage, and a few other allies of Zarek from the black market ship, Prometheus… had placed cases of weapons throughout the Astral Queen and the Prometheus. They were so well hidden that when the crews from the Galactica would inspect the two ships for contra-band, they would never find these cases. Cage had always wanted to strike back at the government, and he believed that the military were Roslin's personal thugs. But it was Zarek who kept him, and in turn the others in his group, in check; telling the man that their time would come soon enough.
'The time has come' thought Cage, veteran of the First Cylon war who made a name for himself in the Tauron militia movement, to himself before he spoke in a gravelly voice, "the Sons of Zarek, along with some factions of the Sons of Ares who came with us, are prepared…. Mr. President."
"What are your plans" asked Porter as she looked at Cage, and then at Zarek, "Mr. President, if we go down there intending to shed blood, then the gods may not look at us favourably."
"But the Sacred Scrolls did say that a dying leader will lead a caravan of the heaven to a new home" said Zarek as, unknown to Porter and to Cage, the man reached into a drawer under his desk and wrapped his hand around the grip of a gun, "true, Roslin claimed that she was the leader, but the Scrolls are always open to interpretation.. right?"
"Yes" said Porter nodding her head, "but then, none of us in this room are dying. We will use the reasoning of the gods to show whoever it is on the surface that Earth is the rightful place we belong, if they refuse.. we will spread our gospel among them and then they will see that we are all brothers and sisters of Kobol."
"Will that work?" asked Zarek as he looked at Porter before glancing at Cage who discretely shook his head. He then looked back at Porter who told him that spilling blood would anger the gods, especially if this is Earth.
"And if it really is not the Earth spoken of in the scrolls" said Porter, "then the gods will have to smile upon us while we convince the beings on the surface of the gods intentions; that the people of Kobol be finally united after thousands of years."
"Or" said Zarek, "we will take over the camp on the surface, and then have the people there take us directly to Earth where we will open negotiations for resettlement on the planet that's rightfully our home."
"I am not saying that Earth is not rightfully our home, Mr. President" said Porter, "all I say is that we need caution. We have many civilians from Sagittaron and Gemenon that have left the clutches of Roslin's lies that depend on us to make the right decisions. And as you said earlier, I do have intimate knowledge of the Scrolls."
"You're right" said Zarek smiling before he took out his gun and aimed it at a shocked Porter, and shot her between the eyes as two guards, members of the Sons of Zarek, rushed in to find Porter's body falling onto the floor. Cage then calmly told the guards to take her body away, and then eject it out of the airlock on that level.
While the guards were taking away the woman's body, Zarek coughed before activating the wireless in his office that connected him to the entire fleet.
"Ladies and gentle of the fleet" said Zarek in a broken voice while Cage just sat there smiling, "I regret to inform you that Sarah Porter, our vice-president has died. She came to speak to me hysterically about a vision she received from the gods, that she is the real leader who will lead the caravan of the heaven's to Earth. She said that her vision showed that the gods weren't pleased with their progress, that Zeus himself contacted her demanding a sacrifice of the people to ensure we be able to make our home on Earth. And that is what she did, she told me about her vision.. and it's implications. She said that if it came down to a choice of sacrificing people of this fleet, or herself… she would always choose herself; she then shot herself. I know that many of you believe that she is residing in Hades due to her actions this day.. I know many of you from Gemenon will be outraged at what she did… do not be. She assured me that this was the will of the gods, the will of Zeus himself… and now she is sipping ambrosia on Olympus with Athena, Hera, Artemis, Poseidon.. she is up there will all the gods. Send her our thanks as we reach for a new home."
It was then that a voice came through another speaker in Zarek's office. Zarek quickly told the felt to make preparations to land on the planet before he answered the Astral Queen's pilot by pressing another button that turned on the communications system in his office, and turned off the fleet wide wireless system.
"Mr. President" said the Captain, "we're receiving a message from the surface."
"Put it through" said Zarek, "I want to be able to answer them."
"Understood" said the Captain as another voice came through the wireless system in his office.
"I repeat this is Major Dylan Thompson of the Earth encampment on the planet below; unknown vessels.. identify yourselves."
"Major Thompson" said Zarek who was leaning forward with his arms on the table in front of him while Cage locked his jaw and started to grind his teeth at the mere thought of them talking to a member of the military, "I am President Tom Zarek of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol, I am requesting permission to land on the surface for talks between us."
Zarek then looked up at Cage and nodded his head as the man quickly got up, and then ran out of the office.
Cylon Earth, Earth encampment, 1110 hours.
Major Thompson looked at Captain Stevens who was sitting next to him, and who was the one who noticed the ships in orbit on their scanners. The Major told the Captain that the other Colonials had gotten to the planet sooner than they thought they would, which led to the Captain saying that they probably wanted to see if Roslin and the others were telling the truth, or not.
The Major then turned behind and told Webb, the pilot of the Jumper, to pick up the science and archaeological teams that were in their immediate area and then take them to the Stargate. He then turned and radioed the other teams that were further away on their continents, and to the Marines that were with the Cylon teams on the other continent about what was happening. He told them that he'll give the Colonial ships coordinates for their camp, so the other should be safe since Webb, once he was done with transporting the scientists to the Stargate, would be cloaked while watching over them. It had a few minutes for the Jumper to ferry the scientists who were close to the encampment. He then told the other military personnel to get ready in case the Colonials tried anything funny.
It was only then did Major Thompson gave landing coordinates to Zarek so that he could land. The Major was hoping that nothing would happen, but he knew he was right in having the military personnel be on the ready.
It was a few seconds later that he and the others looked up, while the clocked jumper ferried the last of the scientists back to the Stargate and was now hovering over the encampment. Major Thompson spoke into his radio as three ships, leaving streaks in their wake, flew through the atmosphere while the Earth officer reminded Webb to keep the Jumper cloaked.. that if they were attacked, he was to retrieve the scientists that were far away from the encampment and take them to the other continent where the Cylons were conducting their examinations of ruins.
It wasn't too long before the three ships landed in the distance, a few kilometres away from the Earth camp. In the Astral Queen, Zarek had already ordered one of the Sons of Zarek's commanders to take over the weapons console and fire only when told to. The President knew that he had to land the ship in such a way that the two barrels would be aimed towards the Earth camp… and that's exactly what he did before he, Cage, and twenty others… all wearing vests, and armed, headed to one of the doorways where they took a ladder down to the lowest level of the Astral Queen and then opened the bay doors.
The first thing that Zarek and the others saw was a desolate landscape of ruins while a gentle breeze flowed past them; and it was them that Zarek realized that the evidence that they were presented with was the truth. A few of the remaining Quorum members who didn't leave with Roslin wanted to head to the surface with Zarek, but the man told them that it would be safer if he went down to the surface by himself, with a security detail.
"For safety, of course" said Zarek as he tried to pretend to be sad over the death of Porter, "there.. there is no sense in putting the rest of the people in danger. I'll go with my security, we'll get the lay of the land and then.. once… once everyone's satisfied that these people are from this supposed Earth, only then will we call the rest of the Fleet to land."
Zarek smiled as he and the others walked down the ramp and onto the greying ground which had patches of grass growing in random areas. He then walked towards the group of people in vests, and carrying weapons, who were walking towards them led by a tall dark haired man.
"Greetings" said Zarek as his security team, led by Cage, surrounded him while their hands were on their weapons, "I am Tom Zarek, President of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol."
"Mr. Zarek" said Major Thompson as he placed his hands on the butt of his P90 that was hanging from his vest, "I'm Major Dylan Thompson. We've already spoken to our superiors back home and we were told to expect you. I'm authorised to bring you back to our camp, and then you and any of your people are welcome to see what we've found. But I can tell you that there is no other human life left on this planet."
"Thank you, Major" said Zarek as he glanced over at Cage. Major Thompson had caught a glimpse of the nod by Zarek to Cage before telling the six officers with him to raise their weapons. However, it was six of them against twenty of Zarek's security team who raised their weapons against the Earth officers. The Major knew that another four teams, including the two SG teams sent by the SGC for added security during a meeting with a Colonial delegation, were stationed at the camp after a majority of the scientists had been sent to Earth through the Stargate. He made a count in his head of the possible scenarios that could happen, especially with four officer's, and two Marines who were with the teams doing work further away from the camp. Not to mention the total of six Marines who were with the three Cylon archaeological teams in the other continent.
'Seventeen officers in the camp, and six Marines for a total of twenty three combat ready personnel' thought the Major while they were being surrounded as he and the other members of his team armed their weapons at Zarek's people until they were standing back to back. The Major then told them that they were making a big mistake.
"We want a way to Earth" said Zarek, "your Earth."
"Like we told your President" said the Major while he was aiming his weapon straight at Zarek, "Earth is off-limits to you, to the Cylons, and the other Colonials. We have New Kobol ready to…"
"What an insult to a name that is the home of humanity" said Zarek as Cage stepped forward with his weapon pointed straight at Major Thompson, "I am the President of the real Twelve Colonies of Kobol. We are the ones who will find Earth, and…"
"If you don't want New Kobol" said Major Thompson, "we can find your group of Colonials a new world, but whatever it is… Earth is off-limits until we can trust your people, and the Cylons. And right now, you are not helping your people's cause."
"Sir" said Webb as he spoke into Major Thompson's ear piece, "I have a weapons lock on the ship. They seem to have weapons armed, and aimed at the camp; the ship's got maybe six hundred life signs, but about half of them seem to be armed. The other ships have approximately a thousand people each, and I read weapons on a few hundred of them. What are your orders, sir?"
"You have civilians on your ships?" asked Major Thompson as he looked at Zarek who gave him a small smile.
"Give us the location of Earth" said Zarek, "give us the coordinates and… and we don't kill any of you. My ship's weapons are armed, and ready to fire on your camp."
"Sir" said Webb who was hovering over the group that was surrounding the Major, "what are your orders?"
"Plan C" whispered Major Thompson, "call for reinforcements and then…"
It was then that a shot rang out as Cage fired his weapon at Major Thompson, the bullet ripping through his shoulder as he dropped his P90. It was then that the other officers were ready to fire at the people surrounding them when the Colonials stepped forward and prepared to fire.
Meanwhile Webb was looking at all of this from his cloaked Jumper. The man knew that he could fire two or three drones into the ship that had the two weapons on the saucer section, but then he also knew that the explosion would take out Major Thompson and his team, as well as the hostiles; including any innocents that were in using the ship as shelter. Shaking his head, he checked on the Major's life-signs, and other than rapid heart rate, and a bullet wound through the shoulder.. the man was going to be alive. Webb then reluctantly turned his Jumper around and went to follow the Major's orders, while telling him through his headset that he was heading back to pick up the other teams and take them to the other continent; and he ended by saying that he didn't like leaving them there.
Making his way past the camp, and then landing at the entrance to the cave that contained the Stargate, Webb ran as fast and he could down to the circular structure and dialled Earth. Once the Gate activated, the officer informed General Landry of the situation, and that they needed extra personnel.
"I'll have SG-2, SG-29, SG-15 suited up and ready to go" said General Landry over Webb's radio before he rushed out of there as the Stargate deactivated and headed back into the cloaked Jumper. Webb then took off before he did what the Major told him to do, take the scientists that were still in the field to the other continent. However, when picking up the scientists, the military personnel with the groups told Webb to take the civilians to the other continent where the Cylon camps were located while they'll head stealthily back to the Earth camp and see if they could do anything. Webb told them that back up was on the way, but they were currently outnumbered.
"What else is new" said one of the SG team members before he told Webb to go.
Cylon Camp three, 1120 hours.
Giles was looking at a section of a piece of well preserved paper, that was found building under layers of broken concrete. He, one of the Leoben's and another Six, named Angela, were looking on as the man tried to make out what the letters on the piece of paper were trying to say.
"I cannot make anything of it" said Angela as she stood next to Giles, with Leoben on the other side.
"I can just make out… Tara… Traat… Tratat… Tarath" said Giles as he stood up straight and looked at Angela and Leoben confused, "what's a…."
"Mr. Giles" said one of the Marines as he ran over to him while listening to a man on his radio, "Mr. Giles."
"Captain Stevens?" asked the older man as he walked out towards the worried man, "what's wrong?"
"The Colonial delegation that just arrived?" said the Captain as Giles nodded his head, "they just attacked Major Thompson, he's injured but alive according to Captain Webb. Some of the plan's been changed, Captain Webb will be bringing the scientists to the three Cylon camps… it seems as if they don't know about us.. at least not yet. He's already called General Landry at the SGC and he's sending three teams. In the meantime, Captain Webb will be acting as air support once the armed Colonials have been taken down.
Giles had been translating for Angela, Leoben, and Karyn - an Eight, who overheard what they were talking about.
"Even against people who'd help them" said the Number Eight as she shook her head before turning around and headed back to one of the other tents, "maybe it's a good thing we nearly wiped them out."
"She didn't mean that" said Leoben as he looked at the retreating figure of the Eight and then turned to Giles, "but I understand why she said it."
" I…" said Giles when he suddenly stopped talking and looked towards movement in his peripheral vision. Turning his head, he looked stunned at the figure in the distance that was walking towards them from the cover of trees in the distance, "oh dear lord."
"What?" asked Leoben as Giles, Captain Stevens, Angela, and then finally Leoben who was calling out to Karyn to follow them. The group then ran towards the figure who was limping towards them in a cream coloured shirt that was stained with what seemed like rust, and some dirt. They saw that her face was dirty, as were her trousers with seemed to be torn at the bottom of the legs.
"Hey" said Captain Stevens as he got closer to the woman who was looking at him and then at the people behind him. He then raised a hand while holding on to his rifle which was at a lowered position, "I need for you to hold it right there, and identify yourself."
"Miss, stop… stop" said Giles as he ran up to Captain Steven's while the other Cylons ran up and stood behind Giles while staring at the woman, and then at Angela… their Eight who herself was looking at her dirty doppelganger in shock, "I need you to stop. Please, identify yourself."
"You know my language?" said the woman excitedly with a smile on her face, "are you from the Twelve Tribes? From Kobol?"
She then looked at Captain Stevens and asked him the same thing. The Captain looked over at Giles who translated for him, before he looked back at the woman and asked her who she thought they were.
"You are all the Tribesmen from Kobol" said the woman excitedly, "I had my doubts, I thought you could be Alterra but given that you speak my language, I am pleased that you are Kobolian. And…"
The woman then looked behind Giles and Captain Steven to the Cylons who were standing in shock.
"And you are the creations of Saul, and Ellen" said the woman, "my God, they created you based on people they knew… did they succeed? Did they succeed in convincing the Tribes to treat their A.I. creations well? I mean, that's the only reason I would happen to find Kobolian and Artificial Life together, here."
"That's not possible" said Leoben as the woman looked at him and smiled.
"They made you after my father" said the woman as she approached Leoben who looked at the young woman in surprise as she limped towards him. Captain Stevens was about to stop her but Giles told him that she didn't mean any harm, that she was injured… and tired. That she'd be asking for help soon after the adrenaline fades.
"I'm sorry?" asked Leoben confused, "I…"
"They never told you about him?" asked the woman before shaking her head and then looking at Angela, her doppelganger, "just like they made you to look like me."
"I don't.."
"Where are they?" asked the woman excitedly, "they should be still alive especially since they should have used the Cryo-tubes on the ship that took them away from here. To them it should have been only a few years, relatively speaking. Did Saul and Ellen have any children? I mean they must have tried since Resurrection was just an experiment that was supposed to get us off world before everyone died."
"Miss" said Giles as he looked back at the Cylons when the word Resurrection was mentioned before looking at the woman again, "perhaps you would like to drink some water, and have some food. I'm certain that we have many things to talk about."
"But what's your name?" asked Angela.
"Triana Connors" she said as she looked Angela, before she turned her focus to the Number Eight called Karyn, "I don't recognize you however. But maybe you could have been one of their lab technicians, or maybe someone they met when they reached Kobol. Either way, you must have made an impression on them to be chosen as a template. I'm sure Ellen made one that looked like her father.. did she?"
"You're confusing us" said the Karyn as she shook her head, "who's Ellen, who's Saul?"
"Dr. Saul and Ellen Tigh" said Triana as the Karyn, Leoben and Angela looked at each other while Giles looked at the three Cylons and then at Captain Steven's who shrugged his shoulders.
"Saul Tigh?" asked Leoben as Triana nodded her head excitedly, "it's not possible, that.. that's the Galactica's executive officer. There's no…. no… we have information on him, Adama, and a few of the VIP's from that ship. There's no way that he could be a Cylon."
"What is a Cylon?" asked Triana as everyone looked at her while Giles translated, "you are scaring me. What is the Galactica?"
"Triana" said Giles as he approached the young woman who so looked like the Number Eight behind him, "there are some things you need to know, but I can tell you are hungry, and tired."
"I am" said Triana as she held her stomach, which grumbled, "I have been in cryo-sleep for all this time. It feels so… different from the way it used to be."
"We would like to know what happened" asked Leoben shaking his head in disbelieve before he approached the young woman who smiled at him, "but as Mr. Giles has said, we must eat."
"I am so glad to see that all of Kobol has once again been united" said Triana, "I would so much like to see our original home once again."
"There is something you should know, Triana" said Giles as he pointed to himself, and Captain Stevens, "the two of us? We're not from Kobol."
"Oh?" asked Trianna, "where are you from? The only planets that my ancestors have known of was Kobol, and then Earth… which is where we are. The home of the Alterra."
"We" said Giles as he pointed to himself, and then to Captain Stevens before deciding hat it would be too much for the young woman to know the truth, "well, it's hard to explain. But I think we should get you fed first before anything else, and then we should speak. But I can tell you that we are not Kobolian."
"Very well" said Triana as she was helped to Camp Three just as the Jumper piloted by Captain Webb arrived to drop off some of the scientists. Triana saw in amazement as people got off the Jumper before it took off into the air, flying away with almost no sound. She then excitedly looked at her doppelganger who was looking back at her with confusion n her face, "amazing technology. Kobolians must have advanced much since our peoples last saw each other."
"We really need to talk once you've rested" said Giles as he looked at Trianna, and then at Captain Stevens while Triana was looking at them excitedly; particularly at Leoben.
TBC.