A/N: I will be taking a break for about two months, at the most. There's some real life stuff that I need to take care off that's been weighing me down while writing these stories, and I'd like to get them out of the way ( I thought I could do those, and write these stories at the same time; but my other personal stuff has been suffering). The first being writing another draft of a research proposal for admission to a few PhD programs, and the second being learning SAP and Data Management techniques in a course at the local university. I hope you guys understand the need for this break, and I will get back to uploading the newest chapters at the end of the two months. Any further updates will be on my profile.
New Kobol, 0750 hours.
"What the frack is this?" demanded Commander Adam as he, and the other Colonials jumped up to their feet immediately after Angel vamped out. They screamed in fear while the Commander pushed the President behind him, while the Vice-President jumped over and behind the bed, using it as a shield. The other quorum members ran to the door while Racetrack held her weapon out at Angel. Billy placed his hand on the President's shoulder, but she stood rooted in the spot while looking at the yellow eyes, ridges and fangs that were protruding from Angel. She had remembered the growl from Apollo in her ear earlier, but she didn't see the face.
Seeing angel now in his vampire form terrified her, but she couldn't get herself to move.
"Please, calm down," said Angel after he changed his face back to it human visage. He then took a step back, and held out his hands to his sides with the palms facing outwards. He glanced over at Racetrack whose hands were trembling, and with her finger on the trigger. He then turned to look at the terrified Roslin, and then the Commander and the Vice-President before telling them that they had nothing to fear from him.
"But… but you're like Major Adama," the Vice-President said. The man was trying to soften the quaking in his voice, but he knew a bit of it bled through in what he said, "you're a blood demon, and.. and we're trapped in here with you."
"No we're not," said one of the Quorum members as he opened the door to the refugee unit. He was about to step outside when it was Riley who said that Angel had his soul restored to him.
"He is a vampire," said Riley, "but he's on the side of good."
Despite only a few seconds having passed, Roslin felt as if things had slowed down to a snail's pace for her. She glanced at the Earthers, and noticed the lack of fear on their faces. She looked at Willow and a part of her felt confused when she was speaking to the blonde; the one who said that she was a Slayer, as if this was something they faced everyday. She heard the shouts and screams around her as if she was far away, she felt Billy pulling on her while Commander Adama protected her.
She looked over her shoulder when Angel had said that he had a soul. She saw the door open, and then she turned to Angel again. These people, these Earthers had helped them; this she was very aware.. as was the fact that she believed they wouldn't cause harm to her or her people. Hopeful that she was right, Roslin steeled herself, and raised her voice after she heard Riley say that Angel was on the side of good. Roslin told the Colonials to stay and listen to what was being said.
It was something that surprised both the Earthers, and the rest of the Colonials.
"Madam President," cried one of the Quorum members as he slammed the door shut to the refugee unit shut and then rushed to stand in front of her, next to Commander Adama who was glaring at Angel, and then he turned to look at the President, "you cannot mean we should stay here. He is a monster, just as Major Adama is a monster."
"He doesn't have his soul," said Roslin while she was trying to wrap her mind around this situation, while at the same time dealing with the rest of the quorum members speaking all at once. She sighed and closed her eyes, and then rubbed her forehead. The Commander frowned before telling everyone to keep their mouth's shut.
"Madam President," said the Commander after everyone had quietened down, "you have the floor."
"Thank you, Commander," said the President as she looked up at him, and then over his shoulder at Angel. She gently held ono the Commander's arm before cautiously creeping past him, and towards Angel, "you… you have a soul?"
"A little more than two hundred years ago," said Angel while the Colonials murmured amongst each other, "I killed a girl that was the favourite daughter of a tribe on our world. Before that, I was a letch when I was human. And when I got turned, I became a monster. The first person I killed after rising from my grave was my younger sister."
The Colonials murmured 'monster' under their breathes, to which the President crossed her arms over her shoulder and looked over her shoulder at those making the loudest noises. She stared at them, silently telling them to let her listen. The men and women stopped talking, but the President could see that they were terrified. Sighing, she glanced over at the Commander who was glaring at Angel before she looked back at the ensouled vampire.
She knew that every Colonial in the room assisted the man before them as a monster; first with his physical form as a vampire, and now with his deeds. She was horrified thinking about how someone could rise up from the dead, and then kill their own family; but Roslin also had a feeling that his story would get much worse.
"Continue," said Roslin.
"After I killed my sister, I killed my parents, and then I went on to killing my village," said Angel with a faraway look on my face, "for a hundred years, my friends and I terrorized a continent. I was known as the deadliest vampire that ever lived. But all that stopped when I killed that one girl I told you about. Her tribe cursed me with my soul… a soul that made me feel the pain of everyone I had ever murdered. All the screams and pains of the men, women, and children still play in my mind as if it just happened yesterday."
Angel then gave his stunned audience a quick overview of his life for the next hundred years of doing all he could not to kill humans. Instead feeding on small animals like rats. He talked about heading to a new continent to begin a new life, and away from the danger of the Whirlwind; Darla, Drusilla, and Spike. He then talked about meeting a good demon who gave him a new goal, to help the Slayer of the time.
Angel looked back at Buffy who had Xander's arm on her shoulders. They two nodded at each other before he looked back at Roslin. For her part, the President, as did Vice-President Hunt, and Commander Adama, notice the look between Buffy and Angel and figured to themselves that there was something between them than just mere friends. But it was the fact that a vampire, a creature of darkness, was even friends with a Slayer that made it strange for the Colonials.
But all they did was listen.
Angel, and then Buffy, followed by Xander, and Willow talked about how they helped prevent demons from taking over the Earth. About how a man intended to become a pure demon and rule their city, and was stopped. The Colonials continued to listen as many of them remembered rumours back on the their worlds of crimes performed by killers that were never captured. Crimes that, at the time, were attributed to deviants. But after listening to what was being said by Angel, some of the Colonials began to silently question what could have happened back on the Colonies.
"Can you help Lee?" asked the Commander as his body eased slightly while he looked at Angel, and then at Willow. He still couldn't believe how familiar she and the woman he had met when he was a boy, Danielle, was so similar in appearance. The Commander then looked back at Angel, and repeated the question.
"I lost my soul again years ago," said Angel to the Commander's surprise, "and I killed people. I hurt my friends, and tried to bring Hell to Earth. But despite what I did, including murdering the love of a friend of mine, they still agreed to try and restore my soul."
"And we did," said Buffy.
"She was the only one in a hundred years to successfully re-ensouled a vampire," said Angel, who avoided looking at Willow so that the Colonials would know who it was, "maybe she, or someone like her, could do it. Restore a soul."
"And he hasn't killed anyone yet," said Xander.
"But your son would have the same fine print with this curse," said Willow, "one moment of pure happiness? He will lose his soul. But it all depends on if you agree, Commander. And we would need to contact someone experienced with magic to not only restore his soul, but do what was done to Angel."
"So that I don't lose my soul," said Angel, "it's been anchored with the woman I love. As long as she is alive, I can have happiness in my life and it would not get rid of my soul. But when she dies, the fine print gets reactivated. It's something you need to think about too."
"But he will remain a blood demon?" asked Billy.
"Yes," said Angel, "but with a soul, he'll be making a conscious decision not to harm humans."
"I will speak to my superiors," said Riley, "we can supply pigs blood for him to drink."
"Commander?" asked Dr. Burke, "this is up to you. He is your son."
"He is a monster," countered a member of the quorum from behind the Commander.
"Commander," said Roslin who was trying to come up with an alternative reason for Apollo to not be killed and turned to dust, "Lee staying on New Kobol represents a danger to the civilian population. And I doubt if the new police force that we're training would be able to handle him as well. Instead, if you agree… if the quorum members here agree, I suggest that he be sent to the Galactica. There, he'll be surrounded by military personal who can take action immediately should he go out of control."
"I agree," replied the Commander almost immediately. He then looked at the members of the quorum who were discussing this new development amongst themselves. They were whispering for ten minutes before turning to the Commander, saying that in the meantime he had to be looked up. That they would only agree with this plan once Apollo was re-ensouled.
"In the meantime," said the member from Canceron, "we believe this would cause panic among the people here. This is something completely new."
"Perhaps not new," said the Vice-President, "we have all heard rumours of occasional strange happenings. Instead, this is something unexpected.. I mean as far as the supernatural being true. But I agree, Major Adama is a danger to the population as he is right now. After he is re-ensouled, I recommend he be sent up to the Galactica; and if he does prove able to control himself and his urges, then eventually he can live among the people. Just as Mr. Angel here has done."
"And Angel is just a call away through the Gate to the Stars," said Riley, "if you have any questions, or if Commander Adama has any questions, then he'll be able to answer."
"Since he hasn't killed yet," said Angel, "he won't be as tortured as me. A soul makes him the man he once was, so if he was a good man.. he'll be that good man again. I wasn't a good man in life.. in fact, I was a lay-about who was drunk most of the time. But regaining my soul, and having the memories of those I murdered playing in my mind changed me. I became different."
"This is a lot to process," said Dr. Burke, "and until we can get someone to perform the ritual of restoration, I say we stop here. We've given you everything we know about the supernatural. The fact is that many on Earth believe in the supernatural, but many do not know that their nightmares are real. You do.. at least now, know the truth. Take a break, all of you."
"We have to return to Earth," said Faith as she remembered she and Willow needed to accompany the President to the BPRI, "we'll talk to someone about restoring the Major's soul."
"It'll take some time," said Riley while nodding his head at the Commander, "but we have people who can do this. And… and like Dr. Burke's already said. Take a break from this for now. We'll have Major Adama locked away for t eh safety of the people. There's no way he can punch his way through. IN the meantime, I'll request a few packs of pigs' blood from my superiors, which can be given to the Major to feed on."
Commander Adama could only nod his head in agreement. He knew what Riley, and the others, had said was right. And he needed a drink to take it all in. Willow, Faith, Buffy, and the others from Earth started to walk past the Colonials; the redhead reassuring the Commander that things would be alright. She gave him a smile before shaking hands, and then left the refugee unit with Faith, Buffy, Xander, and Angel. Riley soon followed them, closing the door behind him, and called out to them. With Dr. Burke answering any remaining questions that the Colonials could have, Riley ran up to Buffy and the others who were walking towards the Stargate.
"Buffy, will it work?"
"The only one we know who was successfully in re-ensouling a vampire is Willow," said Buffy as she looked at the redhead.
"But Tara anchored Angel's soul to Cordelia," reminded the redhead while Faith was walking next to her, listening in to their conversation, "that's something I could never have thought of.. much less do. I know Tara can pull it off."
"I do too," said Buffy as she looked at Willow once again, "just saying a fact, Will."
"I know," replied Willow, "but with me being out of practise for so long in using magic? I don't know."
"Maybe we should ask Tara if she can handle both," said Angel, "re-ensouling the major, and anchoring his soul to someone."
"Riley," said Faith as she turned her head past Willow to the man, "you need to talk to the Commander about this. Who what's to help anchor the poor guy's soul."
"I will," replied Riley as they strolled closer and closer to the Stargate. The sun was already rising in the sky, and Angel could help but enjoy the warmth it provided without him smoking, and then turning to dust. It was something that he knew was a danger as well to the people in the still developing town… that if Apollo did somehow manage to escape, then he would be a problem.
"The question becomes where do we re-ensoul him," added Xander, "I mean… with the spell work here? Do we take him to Earth? Or do we go to Kobol where he turned?"
"Xan-man's got a point," replied Faith, "if we have to go back to Kobol to do the ritual, then we need the planet intact. Any idea if the SGC plans to nuke the place?"
"We don; know," said Willow, "but we'll need to suggest to General Landry to hold off bombing the planet until we know for sure that we don't need it."
"Well, we'll all be there for the President's visit tomorrow," said Angel as Riley dialled the SGC after Willow and the others scanned the immediate area for anyone following them, "we'll talk to Tara then."
"Yeah," replied Buffy as the Stargate activated. The group then said their goodbyes to Riley before walking through the event horizon. And onwards to the SGC.
Kobol, the City of the Gods, 0930 hours.
Starbuck was panting, with the occasional moan escaping her lips, as she found herself in the same dimly lit room on Caprica several months ago when she was on her quest to retrieve the Arrow of Apollo. He felt the warmth coming in through the windows as they hit her bare skin while she rocked her body as she rode Sam Anders, then man she would later learn that he was a humanoid Cylon. She opened her eyes, but just barely, as a wave of pleasure went through her body before she was flipped over; eventually lying under Anders. She looked at the man while biting her lower lip, he moans turning to screams of pleasure as he started to pound into her. Starbuck panted harder while they stared into each others eyes.
"I…. hate…. Argh… you!" Starbuck groaned between screams as Anders changed his speed; her mind agonizing over the man going slow, and then fast, and then slow again. She pulled him forward and scratched his back while wrapping her legs around his waist, and locking him down to her body.
"I.. love… you," grunted Anders into her ear. And a part of Starbuck felt sick, but the other part.. the part that was enjoying he sensations took over, and she yelled at him not to stop. He then bit her ear before making his last effort, and then she felt a feeling of bliss all over her body as the creaking of the bed stopped, and Ander's lay on her body. Starbuck's chest was heaving up and down while the both of them then kissed while Anders slipped a hand underneath, and then held onto her lower back.
He then pulled his face away from Starbuck, and looked down at her.
And her eyes opened wide by what she was seeing.
"Gods," panted Starbuck as she stared at the skin on Anders face melting away, revealing a roving, single, red Centurion-like eye looking down at her. She saw his lips melting away and she screamed, kicking out at the Cylon who was pushed back. He fell off the bed, while a naked Starbuck rolled out and fell on the floor before stumbling to her feet.
"Kara!?" cried a surprised sounding Anders. Starbuck look back at her with tears in her eyes at the thought of what she had just done while rummaging through her clothes until she found the butt of her side-arm. Turning around, she aimed at a the approaching Ander, who suddenly stopped and put his hands up. However, Starbuck saw all the skin on Ander's body peel off… and all that remained was a shorter version of a Centurion. The roving red eye remained, but there was a recess for a nose, it had teeth, and a jaw. Kara's hand shook while she glanced at the human-like fingers, and feet. She saw Anders taking a step back towards the bed before asking, "Kara? What's wrong?"
"You're a Cylon!" yelled Starbuck while she was standing stark naked. She looked around the room, and saw that her clothed had vanished. Shaking her head, Starbuck glared at Anders once again before demanding to know why she kept having this dream, "no… not a dream… a nightmare!"
"Kara," Whispered Anders as he took a step forward, and tilted his head while her hand was shaking, "you've always known who I was… what I was."
"Shut up!" she cried out as she pulled the trigger. The bullet fired out of the weapon and flew straight and true to the middle of the machine's forehead. Kara looked in shock when the bullet hit the forehead, and then simply fell to the floor.
"Oh Kara," chuckled Anders who strode towards her before swinging his arm and swatting away the gun with one hand. He then used his other hand and pressed down onto her chest while pushing her against a wall. The glass on the windows above shook as she hit the wall, just as she heard multiple growls from outside the room. However, she saw that Anders wasn't bothered by the growls as he pushed his body into Starbuck's, "you love me… we're meant for each other."
"No!" yelled the Colonial officer as she pushed Anders away with all of her strength. You are not…. BY THE GODS!"
The glass of the windows shattered inwards as vampires jumped into the room. Starbuck's heart raced as she screamed in terror while more and more vampires streamed in from the windows above her, and from the windows in the far side of the room. Unable to get her weapon in the mass of vampires that were attacking a screaming Anders; the same Anders who was calling out for Starbuck as she ran out of the door into the hallway.
As she ran on the hallway in the second floor that looked out into a courtyard, she glanced around at the vampires attacking and feeding on screaming humans. She saw the vampires also attack a Number One and a Number four… two of whom were with the resistance on Caprica. The young woman then heard a 'squelching sound' as she turned around and saw Anders' bloody head being thrown out the door she just ran out off. And this was a human head, not the robotic head she had seen earlier. Running her hands through her head as her face twisted in anguish over the pale body part that were being thrown out into the courtyard, Starbuck screamed before she turned and ran. She ran past people reaching for her as they were being fed on.
Once she passed a few vampires that were feeding in the courtyard, Starbuck entered the parking area for one of the resistances trucks. She made a dash for it, sweat covered her body form the fear of being killed when he felt a growling body crash into her from behind. She fell on the ground, only feet away from the truck as she screamed, "No!"
She felt cold, clammy hands grab onto her legs and her upper body as she squirmed to be let go. But they held her like a vice. Starbuck found herself flipped to her back, and looked with tears flowing down her face at the pale, yellow eyed, and fanged creatures looking down at her.
"Let go of me!" screamed the terrified Starbuck who continued to squirm while one of the vampires got down to her face and roared. Starbuck then sobbed while reciting a prayer to the gods of Kobol while she felt one vampire holding down her left wrist, while another one held down her right wrist. She then felt another pair of cold hands grab the side of her head and roughly twist them to the right. Starbuck hissed in pain before she continued her prayers while tears continued to fall onto the ground. There was a part of her that knew this was a nightmare, and that she hold she would wake up soon.
But she felt everything. From the vice-like grip on her wrists, to the smell of the dead bodies of the vampires, to the shudder of disgust she was experiencing when the one near her head leaned down and sniffed her. She looked at the one that was sniffing her right wrist, and was shaking her head.. begging the creature to stop. She then sobbed when she felt cold hands on her inner thigh, right above her femoral artery.
"Please," begged Starbuck before she closed her eyes, "please help me! Lee! Help me! Help me someone, please! Help me!"
At the end of her scream, Starbuck sobbed just as the four vampires pulled their heads back and growled. She saw them baring their teeth before she screamed at the top of her lungs. But it was no use, the four vampires bit into her; one into her left wrist, one into her right, one into her neck, and then the one that was holding onto her inner thigh while using its anther hand to hold on to her other leg while was struggling to close. The vampire then bit into the femoral artery, and started to suck down on the blood that flowed into its mouth.
Starbuck felt her body getting weaker; her scream getting softer, and her body getting colder.
"Captain Thrace!"
"Help me," whispered Kara upon hearing that unfamiliar female voice. She felt her vision as she heard the voice again in the distance. Then everything around her was dark; and it was then that Starbuck felt someone shaking her body. Snapping her eyes open, she stared into the eyes of a green eyed, blonde haired, middle-aged woman with the other Colonials and Major Neely looking down at her with looks of worry on their faces.
"Captain Thrace," said the woman my name is Dr. Cecily Reyes, attached with the Earth ship Odyssey, "can you understand me?"
"Who are you? Am I alive?" asked Starbuck, a hint of fear on her face as she looked at everyone, and then at the doctor who nodded her head.
She told the Colonial officer that the Odyssey had just come into the planet's orbit and scanned the immediate area. Once scans showed that there was no issues with vampires, a team came down in a puddle jumper to retrieve Major Neel's group. It was then Major Neely who said, with Dr. Reyes translating, that Starbuck was asleep when the Jumper landed. They had already taken in the Cylons, and they were about to tell the Colonials to board the Jumper.
"You looked tired from staying up the whole night eyeballing the vampires," continued the Major, "and then you just started talking in your sleep. You said some choice words.. which I won't repeat, and then you started mumbling for help."
"That's when I woke you up," said Dr. Reyes who was crouching before translating for the Major, who was telling the other Colonials, to board the Jumper. As the Colonials walked away, Starbuck grabbed a hold of Major Neely's offered hand and was brought up to her feet. The doctor then stood up as well, asking the Colonial officer that whatever her dream was, it must have been horrible.
"It was," replied Starbuck, "it was a nightmare where I… never mind the first part. The second part of it was me being attacked by blood demons. It.. it was nothing… what happens now?"
"We're taking you and your people, as well as the Cylons home," said Major Neely who could clearly see that the Colonial officer was still shaken, "I've spoken to the Commander of the Odyssey once they came into orbit, and he said he'll be running life sign scans on the camps that were attacked. We'll know if anyone else is alive on this rock."
Starbuck just nodded her head as the doctor and Major Neely helped her out of the crashed ship, and down the stubby wings to the grass. She was then told by Major Neely, while Dr. Reyes translated, that they will remain in orbit for a while after they were brought back to the ship.
"Even if we don't find any life signs," said the man, "we'll be bringing the bodies back so that they can be buried by their families."
"I'm going to help bring back the bodies too," said Starbuck as she was being helped to the Jumper, "I'm the ranking Colonial officer and.. and I'd be there when my people are being brought back."
"You'll be there," said the Major after Dr. Reyes translated, "so will one from the Cylon delegation. First, all of you need to be checked out.. Captain, you'll go first so that we can return t o the planet."
"Fine with me," said Starbuck as she looked at the ruins in the distance, "I just want to bring my people home. Oh, have you heard any news on survivors? Any news on Lee… I mean, Major Adama?"
"We'll find out if he's alive once we've reached the Odyssey," said Major Neely as Starbuck entered the Jumper. The rear ramp was then raised, and locked before the ship extended its wings and took off.
TBC.