Chapter Ten: Lurking in the Shadows
Eleven Hours after the events of Chapter Nine:
Olympica, Shuttle Bay E-5:
In the observation room located outside the main shuttle bay, Brooke Bowman watched as the arriving shuttle was maneuvered out of the airlock and into the main bay itself. There were two people onboard that she was going to be happy to see. After the craziness of the past couple of days it was going to be nice to have something to smile about.
Her right shoulder throbbed and she reached over with her left hand to massage it. It was one of many reminders she carried of the attempted coup of Dante Solis.
She observed the crew in the shuttle bay maneuvered a set of stairs into place at the shuttle's hatch so that the occupants could disembark. As the hatch opened and the passengers began to disembark, Brooke saw the two people she had been waiting for.
Quickly exiting the room, Brooke made her way to Emily and Lacey Tolan.
"It is so great to see the two of you," Brooke exclaimed as she embraced both Emily and Lacey at the same time.
"We've been hearing bits of news about what happened here; are you okay?" Emily asked.
"I got dinged up a bit but it's nothing too serious. I was one of the lucky ones," Brooke admitted.
"Here I was thinking I was the only one putting herself in harm's way, I never imagined you'd have to survive a coup," Lacey admitted as she broke the embrace with her honorary aunt.
"It was intense, I was just glad the Marines were able to board the ship and get things under control," Brooke said before deciding to change the subject, "So Em, how does it feel to be off the Solace and back on the Olympica?"
Emily smiled. "It feels good to be somewhere else. I know it may take some getting used to but it's good to be back."
"We heard the report of Kronus declaring martial law. Is that going to have an effect on your being a delegate on the Quorum?" Lacey asked.
Brooke shrugged. "It's all up in the air now but President Fowler has told me that he wants me to be involved in the government in some way when martial law is lifted."
"Looks like I have a friend in high places," Emily said with a grin, "Just think of it as not being all that different from when you were working with the teachers union back on Caprica."
"It's a whole new kind of shark tank I'm swimming in over here; it's one of those times when I wish I had Scott's ability to navigate the political waters," Brooke said and at seeing the looks that came over Emily and Lacey's faces she wondered if it was too soon. "I'm sorry, I'm sure it's still a touchy subject."
"It's okay, I guess it won't be easier until we know for sure whether he's alive or not," Emily said.
"I'm not sure what to think of it either," Lacey admitted before adding, "I'm sure it's the same way regarding the Hermes."
"That about sums it up. Some days I am convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that Artimus is still alive while other days it's a struggle to believe he's anything except gone forever," Brooke said. The feeling she was certain both Emily and Lacey were feeling was something all too similar to what she had dealt with regarding her husband and the battlestar he commanded.
"Tell you what, let's go find our suite and order some room service. I think this may be our best chance to relax; it should help to get our mind off of things," Emily said with a smile. Truth was she felt sick to her stomach. Part of it was from the fact that Scott could very well be lost and the other part was from the fact that setting foot on the Olympica for the first time since the riot where she had been injured gave her an uneasy feeling that she found hard to shake.
Olympica, Night Club Verbeia:
Marian Sanders, one of the three surviving members of the Quorum of Twelve, looked down from one of the private suites that lined the second floor of Verbeia. The club was no longer pulsing with life; instead it looked as though it were as deserted as a ghost town. The employees were going about their duties trying to make the place look tidy. It was as strange sight to behold since the houselights were on instead of the various neon lighting that gave the place its nightclub atmosphere. She knew one day it would return to normal but like everything on the Olympica in the aftermath of the attempted coup there was no such thing as 'normal'.
"Is there a particular reason you wanted to meet me here?" a man's voice said behind her.
"Right now this place is closed and there are no prying ears to overhear our conversation," Sanders said as she turned to face the man who had entered the suite.
"Are you sure about that?" he asked.
Sanders nodded, "I've recently befriended a person with knowledge of these things. He swept the room and informed me that it was clear."
"I see," he said before asking, "Does your friend have a name?"
"Yes he does," Sanders said without offering further information.
"Since I don't think I'm going to get much further on that line of questioning, what can I do for you?" he asked.
Sanders had taken her time as the Aquarian delegate to the Quorum of Twelve to work on her ability to read people. Even though she had not completely finished reading the man, she felt as though she could come to a mutually beneficial arrangement with Major Arthur Wallace.
"Well, Major Wallace, I'm one of three surviving members of the Quorum of Twelve and when elections are held for the positions on the new Quorum I would like your help in making sure I maintain my position," Sanders said.
Wallace studied her for a moment before he said, "As best as I can remember didn't Admiral Kronus just temporarily suspend the civilian government until order has been restored throughout the fleet. On top of that, President Fowler has agreed with the measure."
"I'm thinking long term on this one," Sanders said before adding, "I'm sure you probably enjoy your status as the Commanding Officer of Amasen. I personally think it's great to see a fellow Aquarian in a position of power, and I can use my influence with both Admiral Kronus and President Fowler to make sure that you do not get replaced."
"Why would they want to do something like that?" Wallace asked, "After all, we're one big happy family that's been reunited. Making a move to replace me may endanger all that goodwill from us finding each other."
"Because Kronus is the only flag officer with the ability to replace you and make it stick, you have to remember just how many people look up to him. The man is a hero from the Cylon War, in case you forgot, and people follow him," Sanders said.
"Not that I didn't forget any of that, but I think we could work together. You make sure I don't get sacked as CO of Amasen and you can guarantee yourself a place on the Quorum," Wallace said.
"I'm surprised you didn't really try to negotiate other terms for our partnership," Sanders said in an amused tone.
"All things in due time; I want to see where this leads first. Good day, Marian," Wallace said as he turned to leave.
"You too, Major Wallace," Sanders said.
"Call me Arthur," Wallace said as he left the room without looking back.
Olympica, Suite B-66:
She took a drink of the Aerilon whiskey and savored the burn as it ran down her throat and caused an explosion of warmness when it hit her stomach. Penelope El-Bay, known to those who knew her well as Penny, looked out the window of her suite into the dark void of space. She remembered the days of the Cylon War and now here she was living to see a second one. Only this time the odds seemed to point to an inevitable Cylon victory.
She glanced over at the bottle of whiskey and noted it bore the emblem of the Palmarin Bottling Company, a brand she had become familiar with during her time on Aerilon during her exodus from her native Aquaria. To those who lived outside of Aquaria she was merely a successful businesswoman who had built her empire from humble beginnings in the city of Fort Hawkins, but those who knew her all too well knew her as the leader of a crime syndicate on the colony. She had learned some time ago that the Ministry of Intelligence had given her the name Nakato, the name given to a female pirate who plied her trade on the oceans of Aquaria back in the days of sailing ships.
The door to the room opened in stepped her two personal bodyguards. Aviv Kidira and Telani Mozano were both former military and as they made a formidable duo.
"Hunter is here," Kidira said.
"Excellent, escort him in," El-Bay said. She had been expecting a meeting with Eli Hunter; there was much that they would need to discuss.
"We have our eyes on you," Mozano said as she opened the door to allow Hunter to enter the room.
"One wrong move is all we need," Kidira said to help reinforce the point.
"I see why you're paid to keep your boss safe, your first instinct is to threaten people!" Hunter exclaimed as he sauntered past the two guards and took a nearby seat.
"How are our plans proceeding?" she asked.
"Dante took the fall as we hoped he would, and Aurelia Gilliam was also killed in the firefight," Hunter said.
"Dante was a useful idiot, though is that a hint of sadness in your voice regarding Ms. Gilliam?" El-Bay asked.
"In the time since I started working with her I came to care about her somewhat. Eliminating her was necessary but it didn't mean I had to like it," Hunter admitted.
"Such truthfulness, it's kind of surprising in a way," she said admiringly.
"You helped to train me to be the person I am, from the moment we were rescued eight months ago you told me about the plan you wanted to put in place and now we are one step closer to making it happen."
She took another sip of her whiskey. "Kronus' decision to declare martial law is not going to go over very well, and we can get enough agitators out there to help fan the flames. When our plan is complete we the rewards will be great."
Hunter nodded. "I can make it happen, but you know the military will fight us on this."
"They will object but if we make it to where they have to clamp down on the civilians even more, then they will do their part to weaken themselves. John Kronus is powerful but at the end of the day he is just a man. We'll find a weak spot and attack it."
Hunter raised an eyebrow. "You think Kronus has a weakness? Then there's the matter of the surviving Quorum members, do they have weaknesses?"
"You have to remember that Kronus is not a god, despite how the media has built him up. As for the Quorum members…Peter Halle and Marian Sanders both have business backgrounds that we can easily exploit to win in the court of public opinion," El-Bay said with a dismissive tone in her voice.
"You're forgetting Brooke Bowman, As the Caprican delegate she technically has one of the most important seats on the Quorum. From the research I did she has about as spotless of a record as anyone," Hunter said.
"You need to remember that every goody-two-shoes has a weakness, it's just a matter of finding it and exploiting it to our advantage," El-Bay said as she savored the thought of what was to come.
Hunter knew something else that El-Bay did not, that there was a person here in the Olympica she would be very interested in. The person in question was a fellow Aquarian and officer in the Ministry of Intelligence by the name of Arthur Wallace. He remembered the times when had come up in their conversations and it was a name that was guaranteed to put her in a foul mood. Everything had gone according to plan so well that he chose not to ruin the moment with a mention of Wallace.
Orbit of Canceron, Battlestar Stryker CIC:
"Admiral, the Cylons are retreating!" Commander Chiuske Shimomura called out as he glanced up at the DRADIS screen.
"Excellent," Sakura said as she allowed herself a moment of satisfaction. Between her task force and the addition of the captured Cylon War era baseship Revenge, they were able to bring decent amount firepower to the fight.
"Admiral, Commander Cyprian would like a word with you," Petty Officer Brandi Perkins announced from the Communications station in the Flag CIC.
Sakura picked up the receiver and motioned for Perkins to connect her. "This is Sakura."
"Admiral, I know you can look at the DRADIS and see where we've managed to destroy three of the baseships. May I recommend we withdraw too?" Commander Jerome Cyprian said.
"May I ask why?" she asked.
"Seems to have been too easy, this has been nothing like what we've encountered so far. I've never known the Cylons to be so cautious," he said.
"That may be but for now let's press the advantage while we have them on, I want the Stryker to focus its guns on the lead Cylon baseship while the Libran and the Gemenon take the flanks. The Revenge can stay behind us and provide backup to whichever one requires our help," Sakura ordered.
"Transmitting your orders, but I would like to advise that we need to keep our guard up," Cyprian said before ending the transmission.
"Do you think he has a point?" Shimomura asked.
Sakura thought it over. "Right now, I just want us to keep attacking; the more we can keep them off balance, the better this battle will go for us."
"Admiral, I have reports of ten Cylon baseships coming up from the surface of Canceron; they must have been hidden this whole time," the voice of the Stryker's CAG, Major Irene Artemisia, announced over the Flag CIC's loudspeaker.
Sakura immediately picked up the receiver to transmit to all ships and pilots, "This is Admiral Sakura; all pilots back to your ships. All Commanders, prepare your ships for emergency jump to fall back coordinates!"
Olympica, First Class Gymnasium:
In the cavernous First Class Gymnasium was a boxing ring set up for those who took advantage of the boxing classes offered by the trainers that staffed the gym. In the ring now were a man and a woman engaged in a sparring contest. The two wore gym clothes but what set them apart were the Colonial Fleet dog tags that hung from their necks.
"You call that a right hook? I think my little sister hit harder than that!" Captain Alisa 'Dagger' Stark said as she took a blow from her sparring partner.
"If it weren't for those injuries I took in that battle you'd be on the mat by now," Major Mark 'Archangel' Hunter said as he mentally gauged where he should strike next.
"Excuses, excuses…you're the one who said you were hoping to get out of that hospital room. You said no matter crazy an idea it was, you would go for it," Stark said teasingly.
"You said we would go and do some light exercising at the gym. What made you think a sparring match was a good idea?" Archangel asked.
"Remember that ejection a few months ago where I sprained my shoulder? You decided it was a great idea for me to be your sparring partner, so naturally I'm returning the favor!"
Archangel rolled his eyes before sending a left jab in her direction which caused a stab of pain to come from his chest.
Stark looked at him and stopped, "It's not fun any more; I guess we're even now."
"When I'm healed we are going to settle this once and for all," Archangel said as he relaxed and started unlacing his gloves.
"I look forward to it, you just aren't a worthy opponent when you're injured," she said as she began unlacing her gloves.
"Still trash talking me even after we're done. Has anyone told you you're a little competitive?" Archangel asked with amusement.
"I'll just remember all those things you said about me being obsessed with Leon Delroy and then we'll see how long you last in a match with me."
Archangel shrugged his shoulders. "Sometimes the truth hurts, that's all I'm saying."
"I think sometimes it would have helped for you to have had a sister, might have made you better-rounded. For all we know, she'd have probably been a fan of Leon also."
Archangel shook his head. "If I had a sister then I'd try to believe in the gods enough for them to ensure that she would never think along those lines."
"In some ways I think it's a good thing I'll be on the Ark and you'll be here for the time being," Stark said.
"Why's that?"
"Because at the rate you're going we'll need a two-out-three type boxing match to work out all this irritation you're causing me," Stark teased before deciding to be serious, "You're not in a lot of pain are you?"
"Trying to spar with you was probably not the wisest move I've made in some time. That guy who got me with the rifle butt left his mark on me. I'll heal but I'd rather be back on the Ark as CAG."
"I'll keep the seat in your office warm for you, but don't be surprised if you return to find the pilots prefer having me as their fearless leader instead of you."
Archangel shook his head. "You'd need a lot of time and blackmail to make that happen. Those pilots love me more than words could ever say."
"Wow, I had no idea I had gone from reality and into the world of fantasy! Just don't rush back, the last thing you need is to come back too soon."
"Alisa, have you ever known me to do something like that?"
"There's a reason why I'm saying it to you, that should tell you everything you know," Stark retorted.
"Did anyone tell you that you worry too much?" Archangel asked.
"You're a good friend; I don't need you to risk your life by being reckless. I think storming that barricade took care of your quota in that department."
"Captain Stark!" a man's voice called out from the entrance to the gym.
"Who's that?" Archangel asked.
Stark looked and recognized who it was. "It's Lieutenant Raven."
Lieutenant Julius 'Rave' Raven jogged up to the ring. "Commander Ortiz has recalled all pilots back to the Ark. I was sent to bring you back."
"Looks like the Ark needs her CAG," Archangel said.
Stark turned and gave Archangel a light hug. "Rest up and I'll pay you a visit when I get leave again."
Olympica, Pineas & Pinius Casino
Wallace looked around the floor of the Olympica's Pineas & Pinius Casino and shook his head. Even in a time of political upheaval and social turmoil the game tables were going strong as were the various slot machines that ringed the main floor of the two floor casino. He had selected this location for his meeting with a certain individual, an individual he had heard Mitchell Cain mention during their brief introduction earlier in the day.
In spite of the hectic pace of the crowd milling about the casino he heard the footsteps coming towards him. He also smelled a familiar scent of perfume that gave away the identity of the person who was approaching him.
"I see you managed to make it. So how are you today?" " he asked without turning his head toward the new arrival.
"I'm fine, if it were possible to be paid then I earned very last cubit for the job I did today. What about you, how did your meeting go with Marian Sanders?" the woman known as the Watcher asked.
"I'd say our meeting was excellent. When it's all said and done she will be a perfect pawn in my plan," answered Wallace. His training from the Ministry of Intelligence kicked in as he saw a beautiful woman enter through the casino's main doors.
"What about Hunter?" The Watcher asked.
"Eli or Mark?" Wallace asked, despite the conversation with the Watcher he was not taking his eyes away from the woman.
"Eli of course, you know that he had something to do with the fall of Dante and Gilliam."
"I'm aware of that. I'm sure by now it's safe to say that I'm aware Eli and he is aware of me. We have a history that goes back quite a few years. Truth of the matter is archenemies like we are always know each other. Now the only question becomes who is the Hero and who is the Villain? I can tell you, my dear, that what I'm truly planning is magical."
"What are you really planning?" asks The Watcher.
"Wouldn't you like to know," replied Wallace. In a flash he had taken his gun out and aimed at the head of the woman he had been following. A single shot erupted from the barrel of his gun and the woman fell to the floor an instant later. He did not know who she was but he had a plan to carry out and she was a part of it.
Wallace heard screams of the panicked casino patrons running away and the gun fire.
Wallace turned to the Watcher and quickly ordered, "I need you to get out of here now. We don't need to be seen together."
The Watcher gave him a quick nod and asked, "Why did you kill her?"
"It's the beginning of the end," Wallace said as he saw The Watcher flee from the scene with the rest of the panic-stricken crowd.
'Now, let's see how well this goes according to plan?' thought Wallace as he holstered his weapon and ran toward where the deceased woman lay.
"Halt right there!" One of the Olympica Security guards ordered as he and his response team ran to where Wallace was kneeling over the dead woman's body.
"Easy there, big guy, I'm with the Ministry of Intelligence," Wallace said as he quickly produced his Ministry of Intelligence credentials.
"What happened here?" the guard asked.
"Well…," Wallace said.
Battlestar Victorious, Commanding Officer's Quarters:
Commander Andre Graystone looked over the reports that had come in regarding the repairs being carried out over the damaged interior sections of the ship. The work on the outer hull would wait until the ship was put into one of the mobile drydocks, but the interior work could easily be carried until that time arrived.
The hatch to the room opened and in stepped Colonel Celina Cruz. Since the return from the Ark Royal she had been overseeing the Damage Control squads and ensuring that the petty officers were doing their jobs in getting the repairs completed in a timely manner.
"So tell me, are your hands tired from cracking the whip?" Graystone asked.
Cruz let out a small laugh as she took a seat. "I just had to know when to be the good cop or the bad cop. As you can see by those reports from the DC teams we're moving ahead of schedule, so I suppose that's going to get me a pat on the back."
"Unless the work is subpar and ends up making the Vic's problems worse, in which case you get an 'Ah Frak' instead of a pat on the back," Graystone countered.
"Well when you put it like that it does kind of take the wind out of my sails," Cruz said.
"I don't think you'd push the crew that hard; I'm sure the work will be fine. I just can't have my XO getting too full of herself; the last thing I need is for you to let your ego get too big," Graystone said.
"I thought the ego part served me well as CAG on the Atlantia," Cruz said.
"True, but now you're the XO on the Victorious and those qualities may not carry over very well," Graystone said as he shuffled through the reports.
"How do you think Sakura is doing with her task force?" Cruz asked in an attempt to change the subject.
"I'm kind of envious of her," Graystone admitted before adding, "I'd love to take the Vic out and do some damage to the Cylons."
"If she runs into trouble then perhaps you might get your wish," Cruz offered.
"Internally we can shore her up but the Vic needs some serious exterior work done. However, if it is an emergency then we'll be ready to answer the call."
The hatch opened and in stepped the Vic's CAG, Major Rockwell 'Rock' Alston, for his scheduled meeting with Graystone.
"Sorry, sir, is this a bad time?" Alston asked in his thick Caprican accent.
"Not at all, CAG," Graystone said.
"How's the air group?" Cruz asked.
"I've been trying to keep them focused, but they know we're going to be heading into dock soon," Alston said.
"I take it that they're getting a bit complacent?" Graystone asked.
"Just a bit, I think I've talked to them about as much as I can," Alston admitted.
"They do realize they're probably going to be reassigned to strengthen the other air groups in the fleet, right?" Cruz asked.
"They're aware of it, but until then they're stuck here waiting like the rest of us," Alston said.
"I think we can probably arrange some practice for them. Gods forbid we let them grow soft and complacent until they're reassigned," Graystone said.
"Sounds like a plan, sir; I'll let the squadron commanders know to be ready for it," Alston said.
"You do that, CAG. I'm not about to let people get too comfortable. That's what got us into this mess to begin with," Graystone said before Alston left the room.
Mobile Drydock Neosho:
From his perch high up on the far end of the Neosho's aft wall, Commander Carlos Alfaro looked down at the sight of the work commencing on the dock below. The Battlestar Achilles was secured to the deck with the main difference from the previous day being the miles of scaffolding that was now arrayed along various parts of the hull. As part of the plan to allow the workers better access to the outer hull of the Achilles, the drydock had been pressurized so that the workers could do their job without having to worry about wearing spacesuits.
"They're working at a feverish pace," Colonel Edward Stone Jr., Alfaro's XO, said as he walked up to where the Commander was standing.
"They know what's at stake," Alfaro said as he watched a shower of sparks erupt from where a section of the battered hull of the Achilles was removed to show a series of compartments underneath.
"Yes they do, but we have to make sure that they don't work too quickly. If we make them rush the job then there's a chance that the work will be shoddy and we can't afford to lose any more battlestars," Stone said.
"That's why we have the best foreman on our crew on the job," Alfaro replied.
"Yes, but do you think Keller may push them too hard?" Stone asked.
"I've talked to him before about that, and he told me he's going to work to make sure the job is done on schedule but also done right," Alfaro said.
"She's going to be beautiful when the work is done," Stone said as he took in the sight of the Achilles.
"I've seen the plans, she's going to come out of this a brand new ship for all intents and purposes, and she's going to have some sleek modern lines as well," Alfaro said and he felt a great deal of pride in knowing that the Neosho was the one getting to do the modernization work. A part of him would have felt a bit of sadness at having to scrap the heavily damaged battlestars Athena and Sphinx. Though in some ways their loss was what was going to allow for the work to be done on the Achilles and the Colonial Fleet ships.
Stone took a sip from his coffee cup. "Did you hear about what happened on the Olympica?"
Alfaro nodded. "Yeah, it's a damn crazy world we've been living in for the last eight months and it seems to only be getting crazier."
"Yeah, I suppose we need a new incentive to keep the civilian workers happy until things settle down on the Olympica," Stone said.
"That's the beauty of the types of ships we have, there are other liners we can use for vacations," Alfaro said.
"I'm thankful for that; it can be a challenge to keep these guys happy while they toil away down there in the dock."
Alfaro smiled. "Yeah, that's a problem us drydock commanders have to deal with. Gods forbid the workers try to go on strike."
Victorious, Viper Squadron One Ready Room:
"Okay, here's the plan," Alston said as he stood at the lectern in front of the squadron's ready room, "I've noticed that there seems to be a sense of complacency that has taken over not only this squadron but also the entire air wing."
"Is it really that bad?" Lieutenant Jamaal 'Big Daddy' Powers asked.
"You've seemed pretty laid back lately, there could be something to it," Ensign Charles 'Spike' Tolman teased.
"You're a fine one to be talking, Spike, you've been more concerned about playing Triad than ever before," Ensign Weston 'Riddler' Zimmerman commented.
"It's enough of a concern not only for me but also for both Commander Graystone and Colonel Cruz," Alston said.
"They're always having to worry about something, isn't that part of their job?" Ensign Alejandra 'Grass' Santos asked half jokingly.
"Truth is the CAG wouldn't have really known about these concerns if I hadn't noticed it too," Captain Brant 'Wizard' Martin, the CO of the squadron, said as he stood up from his seat, "Since we came back from Ostarsis it's become more clear to me that you're getting perhaps a little too comfortable. I know the Vic is going in for repair and overhaul in the near future but that is no excuse for any of you to let your skills as pilots dull. You're going to be temporarily reassigned to other battlestars so you need to be at your best or else the Cylons are going to have your number when it comes to the next fight."
"So what's going to happen?" Lieutenant Merlin 'Magician' O'Neill asked.
"In about an hour the Vic is going to leave formation and head out of the nebula where we can carry out launching and landing drills. You will essentially have to requalify as a Viper pilot. This is also going to be a drill for the deck gang to make sure they're also able to carry out their duties in a timely manner," Alston said before finishing with, "I'm about to go have the same talk with the squadrons, so don't think you're being singled out. It's important for all of us that we stay sharp and not lose our edge as a fighting unit."
Olympica, Colonial Fleet HQ:
"I'd say this is definitely not like what we experienced on the Achilles," Colonel Shauna Willis said after taking a seat.
"We never got boarded on the Achilles and engaged in firefights with enemy forces," Commander Benjamin Adar said as he took the seat across from where she sat.
"Gods, this place is a mess," she said observing the overturned office furniture in the lobby area of Fleet HQ. Dante Solis' troops had tried to overtake the facility but had ultimately failed. Now it was time for them to clean up the mess and attempt to get HQ looking somewhat presentable.
"Well it's not like it's our fault that the place got trashed, but it would have been worse if we hadn't won the fight," Adar said as he too surveyed the damage. The sliding metal doors that had served as a barricade had been retracted now a group of six Marines stood guard at the entrance.
"True enough, would you blame me for wishing I was back on the Achilles?" Willis asked.
"I'd rather have my ship under my command again instead of being in the hands of the dockworkers," Adar said.
"I think when they're done with her we'll have a brand new ship on our hands," Willis said.
Adar smiled. "From what I saw of the plans, the Ghost is going to look every bit as modern as a new battlestar."
"Are they still calling her the Ghost?" Willis asked.
"I think to the Fleet she will always be the Ghost," Adar said. The Achilles had been lost since the Cylon War and when it was discovered by the Victorious months ago it looked every bit the part of a ghost ship, hence its nickname.
"Shauna, is that you?" a man's voice called out from the entrance to HQ.
Willis looked at the man but it took a moment for it to register who it was, "Little Tank, is that you?"
"Yeah, it's me. I'm surprised to see you," Derrek 'Little Tank' Robinson as he was allowed to enter by the Marine guard.
"It's been what, almost a year?" she said after giving Little Tank a warm hug.
"Something like that, I had been meaning to call you since that night on Scorpia. I didn't like how things ended between us," Little Tank said.
"I know it didn't end well. I expected to wake up with you still in the bed with me. Instead I woke up and found a scribbled note about how you had to leave suddenly. I understood your job kept you busy but when Arthur called you dropped everything you were doing and left without any kind of explanation," Willis said perhaps a little more heatedly than she would have liked.
"The sad thing is that Arthur still has me jumping to carry out some impossible task whenever he needs me for something," Little Tank admitted.
"Enough about that; how are your brothers?" she asked.
"They're doing well, we were all on here during the coup attempt and we had some firefights with those bastards who were trying to kill everybody."
"We had the same problem here; I thought it was going to end badly for us before the Marines showed up."
"How did you end up here?" Little Tank asked.
"I had been posted to the Victorious when Cylons attacked; we were carrying out a series of weapons tests on a couple of decommissioned battlestars. Admiral Tolan decided to reactivate them and I was assigned to the Athena. To make a long story short, we discovered the old Battlestar Achilles adrift in space and eventually I was made XO. With the Ghost in drydock for an overhaul and modernization I'm here at Fleet Command until then," Willis said.
"Did you hear from your parents and your sister?" Little Tank asked.
"Nothing; my parents were visiting Stella and her husband on Aquaria," Willis said.
"I thought your family was still on Leonis," Little Tank said.
"Brian had gotten a transfer to Monark Springs to take a teaching job at Natoma University, and with her pregnant for the first time they wanted to be close when their first grandchild was born," Willis said as she tried to fight back the wave of emotion that thinking about her family brought. It was something she had made a point of not thinking about since the Cylons attacked.
"What if I offered to make a trip to Aquaria to check on them, would you be okay with that?" he asked.
Willis smiled at him. "I certainly wouldn't complain; in fact, I'd be very grateful to you."
"It's good seeing you, Shauna, you sit tight and when I know for sure they're alive, I'll make sure you'll be the first to know."
Willis gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you; it will be nice to know for sure one way or another."
Olympica, Olympica Security Main Conference Room:
Fleet Admiral John Kronus stood at the lectern and surveyed the group of flag officers assembled for this impromptu meeting. Admiral James Jonasson was present along with Rear Admirals Albert Morton, James Brannigan, and Antonio Ramos. While Morton was still not officially back on active duty he had recovered enough from his injuries at Ostarsis that he could attend the meeting. The other flag officer, Rear Admiral Alera Cantu, had awakened from her coma recently but would not be ready to return to anything close to active duty until sometime in the future. They were also joined in the meeting by Brigadier General Otus Maxwell of the Marines and Major General Alice Hyde of the Army.
"As you know, the civilian government has been temporarily suspended until we are able to maintain the peace within the civilian fleet as well as allow for a new Quorum to be elected," Kronus began.
"I take it this isn't going to be a popular move," Hyde said.
"At this point, it doesn't really matter what the people think," Maxwell said before adding, "My Marines have put themselves in harm's way on more than one occasion."
"That may be, but you know there's going to be some resentment upon us turning this into a police state," Brannigan said.
"I've talked this over with President Fowler, and he can see where I'm coming from. He's not happy with it but he's shown a great deal of understanding about it. As a compromise, I have allowed him to stay in office and he can select a Vice President. So far over these past eight months the civilian government has been slightly incompetent at best. This will give us a chance to establish peace among the civilian population and hopefully get a better Quorum than we had before," Kronus said.
"What's the plan for dividing up the fleet?" Ramos asked.
"I'm going to sort out the fleet among the Admiralty and Generals Maxwell and Hyde, you will essentially have a military district that you will have control over. The Army and Marine forces will be stationed among the vessels to serve as peacekeepers; we can't allow another Dante Solis to rise up and destabilize us more than we already are now," Kronus said.
"What about Amasen?" Jonasson asked.
"I'm going to meet with Major Arthur Wallace later today to discuss that; I think it's important that we share both resources and personnel with our newfound friends," Kronus said. He knew how he would like things to work out but with Major Wallace the whole thing was going to be a complete unknown.
"I believe my troops will be ready for whatever you need," Hyde offered.
"You know how dedicated my Marines are; whatever you need them for they will happily do," Maxwell said.
"How long do you foresee the need for martial law?" Morton asked.
"No telling, but I'm willing to do this for however long is needed. I know it's not going to be popular but we will be better prepared for the Cylons should they find us again," Kronus said.
"Do you think that's going to be anytime soon?" Ramos asked.
"I'm not positive, but right now we're hiding and licking our wounds from Ostarsis. If I know the Cylons, they will hunt for us and probably tear Colonial space apart until they find us," Kronus said.
"How certain are you?" Morton asked.
"I have someone who I believe can answer that question," Kronus said before ordering a nearby Marine to open the door.
The newly-promoted Commander Henry Barton, the head of Colonial Military Intelligence, entered the room and took Kronus' place at the lectern, "My department has been combing through Cylon communications thanks to a series of communications buoys that were tapped by the Battlestar Stryker during its time before the Battle of Ostarsis. I can tell you that the Cylons have shown a singular purpose in hunting us down and killing us. I have countless examples of various ships that managed to escape the Cylons in the initial attacks just to be found later and destroyed. I had received word from both Admiral Sakura and Commander Cyprian that the Stryker would continue to do this while they were away from the station."
"That's going to complicate things, we're not really going to have time to catch our breath," Ramos said.
"Thankfully this nebula provides the same level of protection that the Pallas Nebula provided the Eastern Alliance. The only drawback is that if the Cylons investigate close enough then there's a strong chance of them being able to detect us," Barton said.
"They may very well find us if they look close enough then," Hyde said.
"Exactly, right now it's not a matter of if they find us but more of a matter of when," Barton said.