Chapter Two: For Whom the Bell Tolls
One Hour, Twelve Minutes Later:
Olympica, Jarrell Conference Room:
The representatives comprising the Quorum of Twelve had taken their seats at the long circular table in the cavernous Jarrell Conference Room, awaiting the arrival of Governor David Rush. The large mahogany-paneled room was the centerpiece of the Olympica's corporate suite area. It had been named after Albert Jarrell, the owner of the Colonial Line and the man who pushed his ship designers to create the Olympica class. Aurelia Gilliam, Kurt Eckhart, Alfred Newton, Marian Sanders, Peter Halle, Henry White, Albert Kinlayk, Joseph Percival, Sarah Burdett, Fejga Spring, John Jekyll, and Brooke Bowman were going over the various notes that had been delivered by members of their respective staffs.
The double doors that served as the entrance to the room opened and in walked David Rush along with a Marine guard and a small group of Colonial Fleet officers. The officers took seats near the lectern at the head of the table while the Marines stood behind Rush. There had been an increase in the number of threats against him; now wherever he went the Marines were with him.
"I'm glad you could all make it under such short notice," Rush began as he gazed over the Quorum to gauge how interested the members were.
"As you have heard by now, the Colonial Fleet's task force has returned from Ostarsis and with them are most of the prisoners that were held on the planet."
Rush noted that this particular piece of news had grabbed the attention of the Quorum.
"My head of military intelligence, Colonel Henry Barton, has compiled a report from the intelligence officers onboard the military vessels and the after-action reports from the Commanding Officers involved in the battle. I will now turn the meeting over to him."
Henry Barton was a native of Aquaria by all appearances. His father, Thomas Barton, served on Fleet Admiral Jonas Stryker's staff during the Cylon War and to most people looked just like his father. Henry was of medium build with brown hair that was normally cut close to the scalp. In his twenty-four year career with the Colonial Fleet, he had worked his way up through the ranks and was regarded as a valuable Tactical Officer by his various CO's.
Barton pressed a button on the lectern and a screen descended from the ceiling and came on to reveal a list of ship names, "The ships listed here were lost either during the battle or because of damage received. The more severe losses are those of the Battlestars Ares, Indra, and Athena. Ares and Indra were lost during the battle while Athena has sustained such severe damage that it appears as though the ship is a total loss and will have to be scrapped. There is also another battlestar that we believe could be another casualty and that is the Battlestar Colossus."
Brooke Bowman was the first of the Quorum to say something when she said, "If you don't mind my asking, is there any proof that the Colossus was destroyed?"
"When the Colossus did not make it back from Ostarsis we sent the Battlestar Victorious to the Ragan System to search for it,"Barton said as he pressed a button to bring up a photo of two pieces of debris floating side by side in space, "The images were taken from a Raptor flown by Captain Frederick Lokrum of the Victorious. The larger piece of debris is consistent with a firing director that was known to have been fitted to the Titan class battlestars of which the Colossus was part."
"What about the other piece of wreckage?" John Jekyll asked.
"That was discovered to be a Viper from the Battlestar Hermes," Barton explained.
Before Brooke could stop herself she asked, "Was there other wreckage found from the Hermes?"
Barton looked unsure as to whether to answer or not before he said, "As the Victorious scoured the system for more signs of the Colossus there did appear to be wreckage of Vipers from both the Hermes and the ship that may have been blown away during combat."
"What about the Colossus?" Aurelia Gilliam asked.
"By the time the Victorious had finished its search there were more signs of wreckage that could have conceivably belonged to the Colossus," Barton said.
"It seems rather clear to me that the Colossus should be declared lost in battle and its crew listed as having died in the line of duty," Gilliam announced as she tried to keep her lips from forming a smile.
"That is a bit premature," Brooke countered.
"There is a chance that wreckage could have come from the Titan or that the Colossus managed to escape the Ragan System despite being damaged," Sanders added.
"Admiral Tolan knew the risks going in that there was a strong chance that he would not make it back to us and this is the proof that both he and his crew made the ultimate sacrifice. Personally I think it would be foolish to hold out hope that either he or the Colossus survived the battle with the Cylons," Halle said with the comment drawing an approving nod from Gilliam.
"We cannot just go and declare him dead when there is no conclusive proof that the Colossus has been destroyed," Brooke protested.
"I understand your personal feelings for Admiral Tolan are strong; after all he and your husband were friends, but I believe that you are letting those feelings cloud your better judgment. It appears that you are letting your emotions get the better of you when you should instead be dealing with these little things known as facts," Gilliam said knowing that her words were undoubtedly going to touch a nerve.
"Perhaps we can have a compromise," Kurt Eckhart said before the argument between the two women could escalate, "I believe that we should not rush into declaring the Colossus and its crew lost. For now we should list those onboard the Colossus as Missing in Action, and after a period of say…six months we can declare them dead if they have not made contact with us."
"I second Mister Eckhart's idea," Sarah Burdett announced.
"The motion carries," Rush announced before continuing, "We shall adjourn for an hour and a half before continuing with this meeting."
Brooke sat back down and let out a deep breath. It felt as though Aurelia Gilliam had baited her and she had fallen for it. There was a hand on her shoulder; she looked to see Fleet Admiral John Kronus looking at her with the kind eyes of a grandfather.
"Admiral Kronus, you startled me."
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Bowman; could you please come with me?"
The two entered the corridor and began walking aft away from the room.
"I don't know if you remember, but I defended your husband four years ago when he was accused of murder," Kronus said.
Four years ago, then-Lieutenant Colonel Artimus Bowman had been accused of a murder stemming from a Raptor accident early in his career. Kronus had come out of retirement to defend Bowman against the accusations and had secured his acquittal on the charges.
"I remember that. Artimus was amazed that the former head of the Colonial Fleet Judge Advocate General would defend him."
Kronus smiled, "Artimus had a friend who called on me to help with his case."
"Must have been a powerful friend to get you out of retirement to take on his case," she said as she remembered the events from that time four years ago.
"It was his grandfather who went to Admiral Stryker about finding help for me," Kronus said.
"Gods I should known he would come to his grandson's aid," she said as she thought about Artimus' grandfather. Archibald Bowman had been a Combat Search and Rescue pilot during the Cylon War. She remembered him telling her and Artimus some of his stories from that time and one of those stories involved a mission on Canceron where he accompanied Stryker and served as the admiral's Raptor pilot.
"Indeed, and that was when Admiral Stryker asked me to help as a favor to him. As you can imagine I was in no position to refuse."
"I imagine he was a hard man to say 'No' to. Not that I want to change the topic so quickly but I take it you wanted to see me about something current?" she asked. It was nice to reminisce about her husband and his family but at the same time it was still a sore wound that had yet to completely heal.
"For starters, you held your own against Aurelia Gilliam in there and that's commendable. The other thing is that I wanted to give you this to hand to Mrs. Tolan," Kronus said as he produced a small video disc from one of the pockets of his uniform jacket.
"What is it?" Brooke asked as she took the disc from Kronus.
"It's Scott's farewell message that he recorded before the Colossus left for Ostarsis. I know that you are a friend of the family and it's probably best that you be the one to hand it to her."
Before Brooke could respond one of the aides from her staff came running up to where she and Kronus were standing, "Delegate Bowman, I was hoping I'd find you."
"What can I do for you…" she asked as she searched to remember his name.
"I'm Adan Xeger; don't worry if you're still having trouble remembering who we are. This is sort of a short notice appointment for you," he offered diplomatically before adding, "Governor Rush is recessing the meeting for six hours. If you have any business away from Olympica to tend to, that should give you the time to do so, or you can get some rest in your new quarters here on the Olympica."
"That's right, I forgot I have a suite here on the Olympica now," Brooke said before adding, "I'm going to head over to the Solace to check on the Tolan family. If anything comes up that requires my attention I'll be in cabin CA-132."
Xeger wrote the cabin number down and promptly left to confer with the rest of the staff from the Caprican delegation.
"You forgot you have one of the luxury suites on this ship?" Kronus asked with a hint of amusement in his voice.
There were a number of luxury suites on the Olympica and twelve of them had been appropriated to serve as quarters and office space for the members of the Quorum.
"I'm still getting used to the whole idea of being a member of the Quorum. If only Artimus could see me now…" she said as her thoughts began to go back to her missing husband.
"I think he'd be proud of you for what you're doing and tell you that there was no way that he could do it. From the short time I had known him it became clear that Commander Bowman had no use for the political game."
"Just between us I have to wonder if he's still out there," she said as she took a nearby seat, "That wreckage from the Hermes may not have been as important to the rest of the Quorum but it meant the world to me."
Kronus sat down on the seat beside her, "It gives you that glimmer of hope that your husband is alive."
"Yeah and it's caused a flood of memories to come to my mind after eight months of trying not to think about them."
"Anything in particular?" Kronus asked.
"The day we got married. We honeymooned on Caprica. Artimus and I drove up to Clermont to stay at a hotel and from there we went to Mount Dora and enjoyed a week on the coast. I remember all the hope I felt that this was going to be the beginning of something great. I had a man I loved deeply, a steady career, and the promise of perhaps starting a family some day. The Cylons ripped that away from me and no matter how hard I try I feel so much bitterness now."
"I can relate there was so much suffering during the First Cylon War. Leonis took its share of punishment from the toasters, and I lost family members. My father and older brother were killed in the fighting on the first day. I know it might sound cliché but in times like these, you find the strength to pick yourself up and keep going. What you are going through is something every person in this fleet can relate to, and you need to be strong for the Tolan family. Emily and the kids are going to need you now more than ever."
Brooke took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. "You're right; thank you for the talk, Admiral Kronus, and for everything else you've done. I need to go catch a shuttle to the Solace."
"It was my pleasure, Mrs. Bowman," Kronus said as he stood up and offered a hand to help her out of her seat.
Twenty-Seven Minutes Later:
Olympica, Colonial Fleet Command:
What had once been the gift shop for Second Class on the Olympica had been converted into a command center for the Colonial Fleet. What had once served as a storage area was now a meeting room where the ranking officer could video conference with other officers in the fleet. On a wall that had once been the location for shelves to store boxes of souvenirs was now home to several video screens. Three flag officers appeared on individual screens. Rear Admirals James Brannigan and Antonio Ramos appeared on their individual video screens and Admiral James Jonasson was on another one.
"Admiral Jonasson, I've been going over the reports from the battle. It looks like we took a beating out there," Kronus said.
Jonasson nodded, "I don't think any of our ships escaped from Ostarsis without some sort of damage. I won't lie to you; some of the ships look to be rough shape."
"I agree," Kronus said as he went over some of the highlights from the reports so far.
"The Athena's back broke from the jump away from Ostarsis and it appears she is unsalvageable."
"Any ideas on what should be done with her?" Brannigan asked.
"I'm going to recommend that she be scrapped along with the Sphinx. Both ships are simply too damaged to be repaired. With the material salvaged from them, we can repair the other ships as well as disperse their crews and pilots to replace losses from the other battlestars.
"My concerns involve the integration of our new-found friends into the battle groups," Ramos added.
"We have Rear Admiral Lewis Ware and his cruiser group; my plan is to fold them into your gunnery task force. Nicholas Tattnall was technically still a Commander when the Cylons attacked but was due to be promoted to Rear Admiral. He more or less assumed flag rank when the attacks occurred. Considering we lost Rear Admiral Haddock during the battle, I'm going to make his rank permanent."
"If the Athena is going to be scrapped then where does that leave me?" Brannigan asked.
"I want you here on the Olympica. I decided that a flag officer will be needed to run Fleet Command and since your ship is a total loss you more or less get to take over this department."
"Any word yet on Admiral Cantu?" Ramos asked.
Rear Admiral Alera Cantu had been injured onboard the Marine Battlestar Xanthus during the battle, she and Ramos had known each other earlier in their respective careers.
"She's been moved to the Solace and her condition is still listed as critical," Kronus said as he scanned the report from the doctor who had tended to her on the hospital ship.
"What about Rear Admiral Morton, any word on him?" Kronus asked.
Ramos said, "He's still in sickbay on the Nemesis, he's not as badly injured as Admiral Cantu but he's going to be out of action for some time.
"We should be able to get by without the two of them until they're ready for duty," Kronus said.
"What is going to be the order of importance for repairs?" Ramos asked.
"With three mobile dry docks we can spread the workload enough to get the repairs done quickly. Vestal is going to be tasked with repairing the battlestars, warstars, and battle cruisers. Neosho is going to be used initially for the modernization and overhaul of the battlestar Achilles. Priam will repair the cruisers and smaller escort vessels damaged in the battle once the scrapping of the Athena and Sphinx is completed," Kronus said.
"Has there been a decision made on Admiral Tolan and the Colossus?" Brannigan asked.
This time Sakura spoke. Keeping her voice as professional as she could she said, "Admiral Tolan and the Colossus are both listed as MIA for the time being. There has been a deadline established and if nothing changes then that status will be changed to KIA."
One Hour, Thirteen Minutes Later:
Solace, Cabin CA-132:
The kids were away for the time being. Andrea, Daphne Sari, and Nurse Brenda Maxwell had taken the triplets to one of the Solace's dining halls. Emily was alone in the bedroom of the cabin with her thoughts, and those thoughts were firmly on the video disc she twirled around with her fingers. Brooke had delivered it to her when the Quorum's meeting had ended. She knew what was on the video; it was a video message from Scott that was to be given to her if for some reason he had died in battle. With the piece of wreckage from the Colossus discovered, it seemed that there was a chance that her husband was, in fact, dead.
"Brooke," she called out in a voice that had lost some of the emotionless tone that had been induced by the shock of the news about Scott.
The door opened and Brooke Bowman walked into the room and took a seat on the bed beside Emily.
Brooke put a reassuring hand on her friend's shoulder, "Did you watch it yet?"
Emily shook her head.
"I've just been sitting here holding this disc for I don't know how long. I want to watch it, but at the same time, I'm afraid of what will come of it. I'm afraid that the finality of it is going to hit me harder than I realize."
"If you want to hold off for now then none of us would hold it against you," Brooke said.
Emily was quiet before she finally said, "Could you put in and play it; and I'd rather you were here when I watched it."
Brooke took the disc from her hand.
"Are you sure, Em?"
Emily nodded.
"I'm sure, Brooke. I would be grateful for the company. Being here alone with my thoughts hasn't been too helpful."
Brooke walked over to the television set and placed the disc into the disc player. The bright blue screen came to life. An image of Scott Tolan came onto the screen. He was sitting in what the she had assumed was his quarters on the Colossus.
"Well, babe," he began with that trademark smile that both women had seen many of times before. His face finally took on a more somber appearance.
"If you're seeing this, then that means that I didn't make it back from Ostarsis. Gods, this is hard to put into words. I'm sure right now you're not sure what to think or feel. If you end up being angry with me for this rescue mission, I won't blame you. Please understand that I had to do it to save as many of our people as I could. There I go again trying to justify why I did this. Let me just tell you this. I love you Emily, from the moment I first met you on Caprica Beach until my dying breath that feeling only grew. The love we shared over the last ten years was nothing short of amazing and having you and our three kids was a greater blessing than I could have ever imagined. When they get old enough to understand, tell them that I lived for them and that I ultimately died for them. Em, I know you have to be strong for our kids and that you will do your best to carry on. With that said, promise me that when the time is right, that you will move on and find your own happiness. I know how you are all too well, and the last thing I want to be is anchor tying you down and keeping you from finding love again. I love you, and know that we will be together again one day in the afterlife."
There was a silence in the room as the video ended and the screen went back to being a solid wall of blue.
"I have no idea if I can do that," Emily said as she wiped away the tears that streamed down her face.
"One day you will be able to, but know that Scott will always be a part of you. I understand what he was saying about not wanting to be an anchor for you, even as he was facing the prospect of dying he still thought of your happiness," Brooke said as she tried to get her emotions under control.
In a way, she envied the fact that Emily was able to hear a farewell message from her husband. Almost as soon as the thought came to her mind, she felt guilty for even letting it enter her mind. Because not only her closest friend had just lost her husband but also because she was starting to let the idea come to her that Artimus was actually dead. The Viper from the Hermes might have been proof enough for some but she should not have let it cause her to doubt that her husband was alive.
Solace, B-Deck Nurses' Lounge:
Brenda Maxwell entered the lounge and saw the single person in the room laying on one of the sofas in the room. She walked over and sat down next to the young woman, "You want to talk about it?"
Ensign Lacey Tolan sat up and pulled her knees to her chest.
"I can't believe this is really happening."
"I know you and Admiral Tolan were cousins, and from what I've been told you were close."
Lacey nodded, "In so many ways he was like an older brother to me. If you don't mind me asking, why are you here?"
"Andrea and Daphne have their hands full with the triplets. Also, I figured you'd want somebody to talk to who wasn't family."
"I know they mean well, but all I can think of is being alone with my thoughts."
"First let me introduce myself, I'm Brenda Maxwell and I'm one of the nurses here on the Solace. Something else you don't know, my father is General Maxwell."
"Your father was at Ostarsis, how did you not go crazy worrying about him?"
"I remember being a little girl when my father led his Marines into the Demeter Jungle on Scorpia back during the Green Army uprising. My mom told me that my father was going to do fight against some bad people but he'd be back in no time. I had asked her if he was going to get hurt and she told me that being strong for him and not worry about him getting hurt would help him to get home safely."
"So when he went to Ostarsis you did what your mother told you back then?"
She nodded, "Yeah, and one of the first things he did was let me know that he was safe."
"Scott was my last living blood relative and I don't know if I can even begin to tell you how much this hurts. It's scary to think that he won't be here for the rest of this way. I remember how scared I was when the Cylons attacked. I was on Picon at the time assisting a group of freshmen cadets. I did what I could to be the kind of leader I felt I needed to be. Truth was though I was terrified…of the Cylons, the war, and everything that went along with it."
"I think people see some of Admiral Tolan's attributes in you," Maxwell admitted.
"That's the other thing that's been eating at me since the day the Cylons attacked. Everyone is looking at me as if I know what I'm doing because I'm Scott Tolan's cousin. I've had to deal with that from the moment I first started my Viper training. I've done everything I can to do my part to help win this war…and I don't know if it's enough."
Maxwell could have let her wallow in her pity but that was something she had learned over the years never to do and she did not want see Lacey Tolan lose herself in this misery that she was in, "There's so no way to sugarcoat this, so I'm just going to come out and say it. Lacey, you're smart, you're lucky and if you are anything like Admiral Tolan, I'm sure you're not afraid to bend the rules if needed. More important, you need to pull yourself together and be strong for your family and for your shipmates back on the Athena. So suck it up, princess. You're in the military now, and you're going to be just fine."
"Believe it or not Scott did mention you once, he said you could be quite bossy."
Maxwell let out a slight laugh, "It's the price I pay for being a nurse that patients love to hate."
"Thank you for coming by, I'll just get some rest before I head back to Emily's cabin."
"Glad to hear it, I have some rounds to make but I'll be back by to check on you."
Olympica, First Class Dining Room:
"I'm surprised you wanted to meet me on such short notice," Danya Wright said as she took a seat at the table with Aurelia Gilliam.
"I hope your friends didn't mind me taking you away from them," Gilliam said after taking a sip of wine from her glass.
"I was editing my interview with Leon Delroy, Alex Remneas, and Vito Tamulis about their morale boosting efforts here on the Olympica when you called."
"Ah yes, how are their efforts going? I assume it helps them feel useful since there's no more professional pyramid to be played."
Wright shrugged and said, "It gives them a purpose, I suppose. Now can you tell me why you wanted to meet with me and stop wasting my time with small talk?"
Gilliam took another sip of wine and put her glass down.
"You like to get to the point, Mrs. Wright. I can respect that. I have a story for you that have yet to break and I want you to be the one who gets the head start."
Wright eyed her suspiciously, "What might this news involve?"
"You have heard by now that the task force has returned from its mission, am I right?" Gilliam asked.
"People saw the ships leave and return so it's not like that is breaking news."
"One of the ships did not return and is currently presumed lost with all hands."
"That is newsworthy; can you tell me what ship this is?"
"It was the battlestar Colossus; it was Admiral Tolan's flagship."
"You're telling me that the Colossus was lost and Admiral Tolan along with it?"
Gilliam nodded, "The Quorum has been debating it but ultimately it was decided to list the ship and crew as having been lost in the battle."
Wright did not seem quite convinced.
"You have to have an angle with this."
"I know the kind of person Governor Rush is. Now we need our leaders to be transparent with the public so that they know exactly what kind of situation we are in. He is going to keep it quiet and make sure that the people don't know that they lost the flag officer who led the military."
"So I will be doing a service to the public by going ahead and revealing this information?"
Gilliam smiled, "Yes that is exactly what you'll be doing. I'm more than willing to be a confidential source."
"A story like this requires more than just the word of a member of the Quorum," Wright pressed in hopes of getting something more concrete that she could use.
"Very well then, I have something you can use but if you try to pin this to me or my staff I will deny any knowledge of it. I had a member of my staff record the proceedings, I'm afraid some parts of it did not record well but there is enough on there to back up my claims that Admiral Tolan is dead and the Colossus has been destroyed."
The recording was in fact an edited version; the parts that would have given the appearance that the battlestar was simply missing had been deleted.
Gilliam reached in a pocket, retrieved a small audio disk, and deftly moved it under the table where she placed it in Wright's hand.
"Fair enough, Ms. Gilliam. If there is a story to be made out of this then I will do everything I can to make sure that your identity is kept secret.
"You're doing the right thing, Mrs. Wright. It's important that the people of this fleet know what is really going on before Rush can make the truth go away."
Wright did not say a word as she got up and left the table.
Gilliam watched her go; she pulled out a cigarette for what she felt was a well-deserved victory smoke. Governor Rush and others wanted to give Admiral Tolan a reprieve from being declared Killed In Action but she was going to have none of that. The sooner he was thought of as deceased by the people in the fleet, the better she would feel.
'Tolan, you bastard, I won after all. If there is an afterlife I hope that not only you're fuming at me but you're also mad about the fact that you can't do anything to me,' she thought as she lit her cigarette and took a long satisfying drag.
Aurelia Gilliam was unaware that there was a person in the room with eyes firmly locked on her. The person took in the sight of the Sagitarron representative on the Quorum and carefully thought about what was to come. She had proven to be a pain in the side of the military and her political foes but she could not possibly know that plans were in place that would put events into motion that would ultimately lead to her downfall.
Olympica, Kronus Family Quarters:
Kronus entered the suite where he and his family had been staying. His son and grandson were sitting on a nearby couch watching the television. Arthur Kronus was sound asleep with his head resting on his father's lap. Cecil Kronus' eyes fluttered open at the sound of the door open and he looked over and saw his father enter the room.
"I see you're back in uniform," he said once his eyes had adjusted.
"Long story, what were the two of you watching?" Kronus asked as he took a seat in a nearby chair.
"We were watching Rhodri's Escape but when he fell asleep I changed it to the news before I started dozing off. Now before you can change the subject, why are you in uniform?"
Kronus thought about how to break the news to his son but decided to simply come out and tell the truth, "The Colossus didn't return from Ostarsis. Both the ship's crew and Admiral Tolan are officially listed as MIA for the time being. I volunteered to return to active duty to take command of the fleet."
"But you had a heart attack and were ordered to retire," Cecil said after the shock wore off.
"I know that at my age and health it may not be the best choice but it was still my decision. I've worked out the details with Governor Rush and the medical staff here on the Olympica and whatever ship I use as my flagship will keep a close eye on my heart to make sure I'm fine. I'm going to take every precaution I can."
"That may not be enough. You were there before when the Colonial Fleet needed you, can't they just let you have a normal life?"
"This is the best chance we have for us to have any type of life. Looking at who has come back from Ostarsis, it's not an encouraging group. Let me tell you what I think of the Admiralty; none of them can handle the task of being the military leader of a fleet. I've been there and know what it takes, and while there are some flag officers that could eventually take overall command it will take time and that is a commodity we simply don't have. I know this isn't fair to you that I'm doing this, but at a time of war we all have to make our sacrifices. I've dedicated my life to the Colonial Fleet, and I can't turn away from it when it needs me most."
"You're forgetting the time you were a civilian after Adar sacked you, you have some experience as a civilian."
Kronus' mind went back to the early days of his retirement.
"That was scary for me, after all those years of being an officer in the military and it came to such an abrupt end. I actually felt as though I no longer had a purpose in life."
"Is that how you feel now that you're back on active duty, are you useful once more?"
"This time I was starting to feel content with being retired. It appears fate had other plans for me though, all I can do is follows this road and see where it leads."
Cecil let out a short sigh, "Yeah, I guess that's really all we can do."
Kronus looked at his watch, "I need to go meet with a group of officers. If you want to, get a nap and we'll talk more whenever I get back."
Cecil nodded, "Let me put the little man here to bed and I'll get some sleep. I'll see you when you get back."
Jarrell Conference Room:
Seven minutes later Kronus entered the conference room and the four officers from the Stryker, Libran, Ark Royal, and Gemenon stood up and came to attention.
"At ease," Kronus said as he walked over to where they stood, "There's a few more hours to go before the meeting with the Quorum starts up again.
"Permission to put a muzzle on Gilliam," Tattnall requested.
"Denied, but grudgingly," Kronus admitted, which served to draw a round of laughter from the group.
"If you don't mind me saying, it's good to see you back in a Colonial Fleet uniform," Rear Admiral Ware said.
"Thank you, it's good to be able to command once more," Kronus said.
"I was wondering if you had heard anything about my father or my daughter," Ware asked.
"I can speak about your father. We came across the Basilisk not long after the attacks, and your father had taken command of the ship. He had been placed in overall command but sadly he was killed when the Basilisk was lost in battle," Kronus said with a look of sadness on his face.
"Thank you sir, my father always spoke highly of you and I know that if he were to meet his end he'd rather go out fighting against the Cylons."
"As for your daughter," Cyprian said, "She is alive and well. Since the war began she's more than held her own against the Raiders and has become a squadron leader on the Stryker."
"Thank you Commander Cyprian, I'm glad that she's still alive. When things get settled I'd like to visit the Stryker and see her," said a very relieved Ware.
"Once we're at Amasen I'll make sure it happens," Cyprian said.
"Not to change the subject but I think we'll be able to fit these new civilians comfortably at the base," Melati said.
"The base is named Amasen?" Kronus asked.
"Admiral Stryker named the base after the mythical lost continent of Aquaria, I think he felt the name appropriate," Melati said.
"Knowing Jonas, that doesn't surprise me," Kronus muttered.
"If I may offer," Melati said and when Kronus nodded his approval, she continued with, "I believe Commander Cyprian has the right idea. Here in this system we are exposed and vulnerable to an attack from the Cylons. What we should do is jump the fleet to our base of operations to continue this discussion. We should be able to more effectively regroup at Amasen."
"It may pain me to say it but Colonel Melati is right," Tattnall said as though the words were painful for him to say.
"I admit I have no love for the either the Erebea or the Eastern Alliance but the fact is that we have to leave our old grudges in the past."
"Speaking of old grudges, will Magnus Ah-Mun be at the meeting whenever we reconvene?" Melati asked.
Kronus nodded, "I've already sent word to the Revenge and I have been assured that he will be here as soon as possible."
"I do not see what good could come of having the Eastern Alliance take part in this meeting. They were a legitimate group of pirates, even if they said they were in the 'private security' business," Melati said.
While it would be necessary to put their old differences aside, the Eastern Alliance had been a rival to the Erebea and the rivalry was proving to be harder to put to rest than she had imagined.
"For what it's worth, Magnus Ah-Mun was a Viper pilot back during the Cylon War before his time with the Eastern Alliance. He at least gives his people some credibility as a military force. He's helping to defend this fleet as much as we are, and if we want his continued help we'll have to include him in matters such as these," Kronus said and was glad to see that Melati seemed willing to drop the matter.
"I think it'd be best if we get to Amasen as soon as possible," Tattnall said.
"Agreed. Commander Cyprian, how did you even find this base of operations?" Kronus asked Cyprian.
"There was a Ministry of Intelligence officer onboard the Stryker for the decommissioning ceremony and he somehow knew that this base was located near the Little Big Horn Nebula."
"Would this officer's last name be Wallace?" Kronus asked even though he was sure of it.
"That would be correct. Major Arthur Wallace, who is an insufferable jackass, if you don't mind my honesty," Cyprian said.
"I know he was like a son to Admiral Stryker, but how does that explain him knowing about this base?"
"From what we've gathered is that Stryker had it built over time after the Cylon War ended and told very few people about it. Somehow Arthur…I mean Major Wallace knew about it and directed Commander Cyprian there in the aftermath of the attacks," Melati said.
"If we hadn't have come across the Stryker we wouldn't have known about the base and wouldn't have survived," Ortiz added.
Kronus was concerned about this secret base that he felt he should have known about but was not about to let these officers know about it.
"I'll discuss the matter with Governor Rush and see what he says. I doubt it will present a problem."
"I know the civilians we have on our ships will be glad to have a place to take shelter," Ware said.
"You didn't have any civilian ships with your cruiser group when you arrived at Ostarsis, are they in another system?" Tattnall asked.
Ware shook his head, "We came across a small group of civilian ships. Their FTL drives were shot from the constant jumping they had done. We offloaded the people and anything useful we could salvage onto the Queenstown and they've been there since."
"Admiral Ware, how have you and your ships been able to avoid the Cylons?" Kronus asked.
"We've been able to keep our FTL drives well-maintained and we have never stayed in the same place for long. I had no idea how long we would have lasted, but when we heard Admiral Tolan's distress call it seemed jumping to his aid was the best road for us to take."
"Considering time isn't exactly on our side, I'm going to go meet with Governor Rush about getting the entire fleet jumped to Amasen before the Quorum meets again. Get word to your ships to prepare to jump as soon as the order is given. Until then feel free to walk around the Olympica until it's time for the meeting to resume."
Olympica, Nasmus Lounge:
A man sat alone at a corner table, hoping that he looked inconspicuous enough that nobody would notice him or give him a second glance. It was a different situation than what he was normally used to. He had quickly gone from being the hunter to the hunted and he was certain he disliked the reversal of roles.
He looked up and saw the person he had been looking for walking towards him. He motioned for the man to take the seat opposite him and waited before he spoke.
"I'm surprised you were able to make it off of the Jauron," Henri Faustin said as he withdrew a cigarette and lighter from his one of his jacket pockets.
"It was close," Dante Solis admitted as he allowed himself to relax slightly.
"Do you know who it was behind this?" Faustin asked.
"I'm sure Governor Rush has something to do with this. I would wager he authorized the move against me, but I saw Mitchell Cain on the video footage. Having a Ministry of Intelligence operative coming after me was unsettling."
Faustin gave Solis an appraising look, "You seem quite calm for having Cain on your trail."
"You were both intelligence officers, so you probably know him better than anyone else who works for me. Just out of curiosity, how well do you know Mr. Cain?"
"He was held in high regard by the higher-ups in the Ministry, and his skills were said to be second to none. All I can really say is that he is a formidable opponent."
"It's said that you can judge a man by the quality of his enemies, considering who is out to get me…I think it's safe to say I'm an important man."
Faustin nodded, "Between myself and those who got off of the Jauron you will be protected."
"That's what I like about you, Mr. Faustin, your loyalty and dedication to your job. I will need your people's expertise to accomplish a mission for me."
"What can I do for you?"
"I need a bomb made for use against the Quorum of Twelve. I need to send a message to Governor Rush that I am not amused by the course of action he has taken."
Faustin did run the proposal around in his mind to come up with a plan to accomplish what Solis had requested.
"I'll get my people on this; it will not take long before we can start on making an explosive device."
Solis could not help but smile.
"That is excellent!"
"I have to ask," Faustin said before asking, "Just how were you able to get off of the Jauron after Cain's team boarded?"
Solis' smile did not leave his face.
"I have a friend in Olympica Security who alerted me in time. I know my ship better than Cain did and it gave me the advantage I was looking for."
"How were you able to get an inside source like that?"
"The thing is that with the Colonies destroyed there are commodities that are either limited or near impossible to find. The Jauron was stocked with items that my friend desired and that allowed me to buy the necessary loyalty."
"Can your source help us with this bomb?"
Solis paused and considered it before replying, "I believe so, I want you to head to the Tourist Class Gift Shop and hang around the area. If my friend is able to help then you will be contacted, if not then put your improvisational skills to good use."
Faustin stood up and turned to leave, "Your wishes will be carried out, I give you my word."
'I expect nothing less,' Solis thought.
Governor Rush may not have realized it but he had made an enemy with his raid. Now it was Solis' turn to return the favor and make him pay for it.
Just as Aurelia Gilliam was being watched so was Dante Solis. Much like Gilliam, Solis had been useful so far in stirring discord among the people in both the military and civilian sectors. Some might have even referred to them by the term 'useful idiots'. The group planning to rid the fleet of Gilliam and Solis dated back to the Cylon War, and had even then they had managed to help the Cylons in their campaign against their fellow Colonials. Now the pieces were coming together for the group to come to power within the Fleet. They were simply known as Serpents' Servants or S.S. While other groups, such as 'Demand Peace', had sought to bring an end to the war in hopes of stopping the fighting it was the belief of the members of the S.S. to actively help the Cylons to win the war. With their assistance the Cylons would look on them favorably and spare their lives. They rejected the idea that the Cylons wanted to wipe out all of humanity, in fact humanity needed to attone for the injustice done to the Cylons in the years leading up to their revolt. The truth of the matter was, if what they were planning came to fruition then the landscape would be radically changed.