Chapter Eleven: Somewhere in the Ashes
Olympica:
Olympica Security Conference Room B:
Arthur Wallace, a Major in the Ministry of Intelligence and now Commanding Officer of space station Amasen, leaned against the counter and swirled around the water in the paper cup he held in his hand. It had been a couple of hours since Olympica Security personnel had brought him from the casino where he had been apprehended. He tried to keep his mind mentally sharp as the room was starting to close in on him.
"I'm getting bored, and even I know that when I get bored trouble tends to happen," he muttered to himself as he downed the water in one long drink.
A man stepped into the conference room. Wallace may not have ever met him but he was familiar with by reputation alone. In the world of the Ministry of Intelligence the man was considered a legend.
"Mitchell Cain, I presume," Wallace said.
"You would presume correctly," Cain said as he closed the door and sized up the man standing on the other side of the room.
"Is this the part where you pull out a weapon and end my life?" Wallace asked with a mix of curiosity and mockery.
For a moment it looked as though Cain was going to take the bait but he chuckled and shook his head. "It's a new day in the Ministry Major Wallace, we don't go around shooting people for no reason…something I wish you had been aware of."
"That's the thing, I went out there and did you a favor and you repay me by having me arrested and thrown in this conference room. Do you realize I found at least eleven ways to escape?"
Cain looked around the room and nodded his head, "I could see where you'd find eleven, but I see fifteen easily."
"I think your reputation in the MoI should have been as an overachiever," Wallace retorted.
"My reputation, as you so eloquently put it, was never something I put a lot of stock in; sure it helped in some ways but I wasn't always trying to toot my proverbial horn," Cain said.
"I'm sure that was easier for you to do after your last mission," Wallace said and for an instant he wondered if he had gone too far when he saw a brief flash of hot anger come over Cain's cool exterior.
"Galit always said you could be an ass," Cain said as he took a seat and motioned for Wallace to do the same.
"She told me that you taught her everything she knew; I think she was good enough to take that and improve on it," Wallace replied as he took a seat across from where Cain was sitting at the table.
"So you're telling me that you're the perfection of the lessons I taught Galit, who by proxy taught you?"
"Well maybe not in so many words, but if that's how you want to look at it then I promise I won't stop you," Wallace said.
"You have quite the ego; are you sure you're not a Viper pilot?" Cain asked with a tone of amusement in his voice.
"I thought you knew that I was trained to fly a Viper when I attended Aquaria Military Academy," Wallace said.
"Color me surprised," Cain muttered.
"Enough small talk, Major. I want to know why you shot that woman in cold blood," Cain said after a moment's pause.
"That woman was known as 'The Watcher' and I thought I'd save you the trouble of eliminating her. You were a top assassin, Cain, you know as well as I do that would have been your course of action," Wallace said and he was pleased to see a knowing look come over Cain's eyes, his ruse was checking off the right boxes.
"I think you should have passed along a report of some kind to me," Cain said as he shuffled through the notes the arresting Olympica Security officer had provided him.
"I don't know if you've realized this or not but we've become more of a paperless society these past months so a report wouldn't have made a lot of difference. Enough about me doing you a favor. I'd like the chance to meet with Admiral Kronus and President Fowler."
Cain shot him a quizzical look. "You're surprisingly well-informed. I wouldn't have thought you'd know about Fowler taking office."
"I was a credit to the MoI; gathering intel was an asset. I heard the news reports when the information was broadcast. It's not like I went straight to a casino and shot a woman the first chance I had. I did pay attention to what was going on around me."
Cain was quiet for a few moments as he thought of what to do next. "I'll see what I can do about Admiral Kronus and President Fowler. Until then I'd like for you to stay here at Olympica Security."
"Come on, Cain, you can at least let me out of this room," Wallace said.
"You can leave the room but you can't leave the area, I'll come back for you when I know something," Cain said as he left the room.
Wallace looked around the room and after a minute shook his head. "How did he see fifteen ways to escape?"
He gave it more thought and pointed to the first of the ways he thought about for escaping, "One…"
Wallace knew he had time on his hands, and he was determined to see if Cain was telling the truth or if the man was telling him a lie.
Olympica Medical, Hospital Wing, Room 09:
Brooke Bowman, the delegate for Caprica on the Quorum of Twelve, was having a dream. She was back on Caprica and was on her honeymoon with Artimus. They had driven from Clermont through Leesburg and ultimately ended up at their destination of Mt. Dora and she had fallen in love with the picturesque town. Her mind remembered their trip down the Dora Canal, the wooded area being so overgrown that it looked as though they had been transported from Caprica to the Demeter Jungle on Scorpia. They were floating along with the boat's pilot gently maneuvering the craft through the water so that the trip along the canal would not feel rushed. She had her camera and was taking pictures when she felt the warmth of a hand grab hers, it was enough to end the dream and send her back to reality.
Brooke's eyes fluttered open and it took her a moment to realize who was there with her. "Emily…"
"Sorry to wake you, but I when I heard you had been hurt I wanted to find you," Emily Tolan, one of Brooke's dearest friends, said with a warm smile on her face.
"I was remembering Mt. Dora; that was a memorable honeymoon," she said.
Emily stifled a laugh. "I take it you were remembering one of the times when you actually left the hotel room."
"Yeah you could say that," Brooke said with a laugh before grimacing and putting a hand on her head, "I think I took a pretty big knock on the head."
Emily nodded understandingly. "I can relate to that, just be glad you weren't hit as hard as I was."
Brooke felt bad considering that Emily was almost killed by a severe head injury but she kept it to herself. "It does give me some perspective, now that you mention it."
"Just so you know, you're in good hands here; if I wasn't Admiral Tolan's wife I don't think I'd have gotten through your Marines outside the door," Emily said with a nod of her head towards the Marine guard was stationed outside of the hospital room.
"I swear I don't need them and I don't need to be here either," Brooke said as she thought about how someone else probably needed this hospital room and bed more than she did.
"From what I've been told there aren't exactly many Quroum of Twelve members left, so you're kind of a rare find nowadays, and I'm sure there's no safer place to be than here in the hospital," Emily replied.
Brooke shot her a quizzical look. "You do realize that in every movie ever made, when someone says that it usually ends up badly."
"When the situation calls for it, I'm really not afraid to go against the convention," she countered.
"I have to ask, why did you want to come back here to the Olympica?"
Emily shrugged her shoulders. "I was tired on the food on the Solace and from what I hear this place has much better views."
"You have a unique perspective on things," Brooke said before adding, "On the Solace you didn't have to worry about people trying to kill you."
Emily was quiet for a moment before she said, "True, but you didn't have a team of physical therapists pushing you like you'd never been pushed before."
"You may have had it harder on that front, and I am grateful to have you here. Where's Andrea and Lacey?"
"Andrea is settling into our new suite and Lacey is probably visiting Chris and Lynsie," Emily said.
"You'll have to get me up to speed on those two," Brooke said.
"Lacey is dating Chris Alonzo and Lynsie Medford is her best friend from the Fleet Academy," Emily said.
"You mean Hector Alonzo's son Chris, that Chris Alonzo?" Brooke asked as she made the connection as to who Lacey's new boyfriend was.
"One and the same; it seems he joined the Colonial Fleet and fell in love with Lacey; although from what I was told it sounds like Scott wasn't too thrilled about it," Emily admitted.
"You do realize that Chris Alonzo had a reputation for being one of the biggest partiers on the Caprica City night club scene," Brooke reminded her.
"Yes I do, and it sounds as though joining the Colonial Fleet was something that straightened him up. That and knowing Scott, there was probably the threat of being tossed out a launch tube without a flight suit on."
Brooke laughed. "Knowing Artimus he'd have probably put him in a flight suit then dragged him through space with his Raptor."
"When it came to her both he and Scott were really protective," Emily said. She knew that Lacey was more like a little sister to Scott, and Artimus was an honorary uncle who was as protective of her as if she were his biological niece.
"Am I interrupting something?" a female voice called out from the doorway.
Brooke turned and saw Marian Sanders, the Aquarian delegate, standing in the doorway. "Marian, I was wondering where you had gone!"
"I just needed to step out of the room to clear my thoughts," she said. Truth was she had a meeting with a fellow Aquarian from the Ministry of Intelligence but at this time she was not in a mood to disclose that information.
"I'm sorry, I don't believe we've met; I'm Emily Tolan, I'm one of Brooke's friends from Caprica," Emily said as she extended her hand for Sanders to shake.
"Marian Sanders. I'm on the Quorum representing Aquaria," Sanders said as she shook Emily's hand.
"What part of Aquaria are you from?" Emily asked.
"I was born in Salem originally but my parents moved us to Bayport when I was in high school," Sanders said.
"I went to Bayport with some friends when I was going attending Apollo University," Emily said as she remembered that trip with the girls she had become friends with in her campus dorm, "We spent more time on Boggs Street than my dad would have been comfortable with."
"That street is as touristy as you can get. Let me guess, you and your friends made it a point to hit Erben?" Sanders asked as she saw the look on Emily's face that confirming that she had in fact visited the well-known Bayport nightclub.
"I even met Henry Erben II while I was on the dance floor," Emily admitted.
"Does Scott know about that?" Brooke asked and she noticed that Emily's face was going to turn the same shade of her red hair.
"It's okay; it was college," Sanders said in attempt to spare Emily from having to explain more.
"I think it's about time for them to bring the food around, so Em, can you handle hospital food again?" Brooke asked.
Emily laughed, "I think I've had enough hospital food on the Solace, so I'm immune to its effects."
Argonne Plaza:
Eli Hunter stood at the podium and looked out at the group of reporters who had gathered for the impromptu press conference. To some it may have seemed out of place considering the recent events in the aborted coup, but to Eli it made the best opportunity to get his name known to the public. He had a plan, and he had the confidence that he could ensure it reached its full potential.
He motioned for the crowd to be quiet and eventually they were silent, focusing their attention on him. Mentally he could not help but grin; deep down he was thoroughly enjoying this.
"I want to thank you all for coming out here today," he began as his hands began to relax on the podium.
"We are here in the aftermath of a brutal attempt at a coup of our duly elected government by a madman named Dante Solis. Not only was David Rush, our elected leader, killed but we also lost most of the Quorum of Twelve. Among those lost was Aurelia Gilliam. She was someone I had the highest regard for and I know her service to the people of this fleet was what was dearest to her, despite all the losses she suffered when the Cylons destroyed our worlds. I have publicly declared my intention to take her place on the new Quorum and represent the people of Sagitarron. I also want to take this time to address another matter," he said as he tried to sound sincere.
"What's this other matter?" one of the reporters asked.
"Dante Solis and his people were heavily armed, far too well armed for a group of rebels. I am determined to find out how he was able to come across the weapons he and his people used in their attempted coup," Eli said; he saw the looks on the faces of the reporters and felt as though he was starting to get their attention.
"Mr. Hunter, what are you trying to say?" another reporter asked.
"Just this, I believe that persons unknown could have had some involvement in this coup attempt. Seeing how this whole tragedy has only just played out, it's impossible to get to the bottom of this sordid affair right away. However, I am certain that there were elements unknown at this time that funneled the weapons Dante Solis needed in order to bring about this attempted coup. Given time and effort I will do everything I can to produce the documents that will prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am right."
"Mr. Hunter, when will you produce this evidence?" a reporter asked.
Eli held up a hand. "In due time. However I want to send a message to those responsible for enabling Dante Solis' coup attempt and causing the death of Aurelia Gillian. I know what you did and I will give you the chance to turn yourselves over to the authorities. If you don't, then I will make it my mission to bring you to justice. I will not rest for one moment until those responsible are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Not only does this need to be done in the name of justice, it also is the only way that we can have full closure to this bloody chapter of our history. I beseech you to do the right thing, or Gods help me I will use all the power I have to make you sorry."
Eli turned and walked away without taking further questions, he had accomplished what he had set out to do and he was sure if Aurelia were here she would be proud of the way he had handled things.
Olympica, Admiral Kronus' Office:
"Jonas, what would you think of the job I'm doing?" Kronus asked out loud. Fleet Admiral Jonas Stryker, the man who led the Colonial Fleet through the Cylon War, would have probably handled things differently if he had been here. Perhaps he was there in the afterlife shaking his head at how his onetime protégé had handled things.
He did not get long to think about it. The door opened and Admiral Naomi Sakura walked into the office and closed the door. He had met her in the aftermath of the Cylon attacks when the Olympica had been discovered by the Battlestar Victorious. Scott Tolan had moved her up to flag rank with the idea that if something happened to him then she would take his place. In the aftermath of the Battle of Ostarsis when Admiral Tolan and the Colossus had gone missing, she intended to do just that but Kronus had instead come out of retirement. There had been some tension between the two of them, especially in light of his belief that she was not ready for the responsibility of leading the entire fleet.
"Admiral Sakura, I'm glad to see you were able to get away from Canceron without too much trouble," he said.
"I was wondering if our trip there was a waste of time until I saw these satellite images we took of the Northern Territories," she said as she handed Kronus a large brown envelope.
He opened the envelope and pulled out a series of photos showing activity at the frozen area of Canceron known as the Northern Territories. He looked and saw structures and either people or Cylon Centurions gathered around one large structure in particular, "Were you able to get better photographs?"
Sakura shook her head. "That was the best we could do with the time we had. If I had to wager, I think the Cylons are building some kind of weapon."
"The problem is that we don't have solid information to back that up; we need to get better photographs," Kronus said.
"The Stryker wasn't too badly damaged when we engaged the Cylons; perhaps we can jump back and send a small squadron of Raptors to get photographs," she offered.
"I have no problem with you taking the Stryker in for a recon mission; but first I want you to head down to Fleet Command and consult with Rear Admiral Brannigan on a plan of attack. You also have my permission to select the pilots you want for this. If you need them reassigned from another battlestar I'll give it my approval."
Sakura nodded. "Thank you, Admiral. I was hoping you'd give me some freedom on how to undertake this."
"I know the Cylons have to be up to something; the sooner we find out what it is the better we can prepare for it. Let me know when you have a plan put together," Kronus said.
"Aye aye, sir," Sakura said before leaving the room.
Olympica, Presidential Suite:
To Michael Fowler it seemed only natural to rename the Governor's Suite to the Presidential Suite. The name for what would be his main residence and work area should fit the title of his office in the government. As it was, he had to find a way to balance the people who had worked for David Rush with the people from his staff who would be coming over from the Ventura.
"Mr. President, I have put together the notes from Eli Hunter's speech in case the reporters ask you something regarding what he said," Erica Abbot, his chief of staff, said as she put stack of papers on his desk.
"On top of things as always, Erica," Fowler said with a pleased smile. "Have you heard anything from the Ventura about my family?"
She shook her head. "I'm trying to get in touch but communications are iffy at the moment. The last I heard from the Ventura's captain is that they were in the process of packing your belongings and sending them over with your family."
"As much as I'd like for them to hurry up and get over here there's no need to rush. I'd rather the ship be completely secured before they arrive," he said.
"I understand, sir, and judging by the reports that have come in; the ship is virtually secured, thanks to the Army and the Marines."
"I agree, now what about Mrs. Alonzo. What is she doing right now?" Fowler asked. Gloria Alonzo, the wife of Hector Alonzo, had been appointed as the civilian leader of the Olympica. She was essentially the mayor of the ship.
"She and the surviving Quorum members are currently touring the ship and speaking to the wounded when possible; she's essentially on a goodwill tour that should help with our approval ratings," she said as she read the notes she had received regarding events that were taking place on the ship.
"Perhaps she might make a damn good candidate for Vice President, or maybe even one of the Quorum members," he said as he thought of the next big decision that was looming for him.
"From what I've read about her, you could do worse; but the problem is that the Alonzo name is still tainted by President Alonzo's actions, if you want my opinion of course," she said.
"I'm afraid you're right, it's something we'll have to figure out at some point in time. Meanwhile, we have a press conference to prep for. Is there anything else I need to be aware of?"
"What you really need to watch out for is Eli Hunter. I think if we can plan a strategy to counter what he is claiming then we'll be off to a great start. Also, Mitchell Cain is here to see you."
Fowler nodded. "You're right. Mr. Hunter is someone we have to keep a close eye on. Please escort Mr. Cain in."
Abbot walked off and moments later returned, followed by Cain. "Mitchell Cain is here to speak with you, Mr. President."
"Thank you, Erica, we need to be alone now," Fowler said. When his chief of staff left the room he said, "What kind of news do you have for me?"
"I just finished meeting with Major Arthur Wallace; he's an interesting character," Cain said.
"What can you tell me about him, did he explain why he shot that woman in cold blood?" Fowler asked.
"He's an asshole, Mr. President, but he's a smart and resourceful one. He said he was taking care of the Watcher before she became more of a problem than she already had been."
Fowler looked amused for a moment, "Are you telling me that he was able to find this person's identity before you were able to. You haven't lost a step have you, Major?"
Cain stiffened slightly before he seemed to get control of his emotions. "These things happen to the best of us, sir. I'm sure I'd have discovered the Watcher's identity soon enough if Wallace hadn't intervened."
"Well if he did us a favor then we can't keep him locked up," Fowler said.
"With all due respect, sir, I think we can afford to keep him confined while I get to the bottom of this," Cain countered.
"In my experience, the phrase 'With all due respect' tends to be code for 'Kiss my ass.' Are you trying to tell me something?"
Cain shook his head. "Something about him doesn't strike me as genuine and I intend to get to the bottom of it. I have information on him; the officer who trained him was one of if not the best of my students back during when I was teaching at the Ranch."
"The Ranch, that super-secret MoI training facility which we know of but aren't allowed to know anything about…"
"Sir, the Cylons certainly obliterated it so there's nothing to know about except that it got destroyed. I can tell you that some of the rumors are true but most of them were so overblown it was comical," Cain said as he began to remember his days as an instructor at the Ranch.
"True enough. I suppose that's only going to enlarge the legend of what all went on there. So, Major Wallace took care of the Watcher for us and you're not sure if that's what really happened. Is there anything else he told you?"
"He wants to meet with you and Admiral Kronus; I'm not sure if I would recommend that or not," Cain said.
"You have trust issues, Cain; has anyone ever told you that?" Fowler asked in an amused tone of voice.
"Mr. President, if I didn't have trust issues I wouldn't have survived out in the field half as long as I did."
"Right now, I think it's important that we treat him as an ally instead of an enemy, I want you to go tell him that I'll be ready in about six hours to meet with him," Fowler said as he looked over the list of items on his itinerary.
"As you wish, but I recommend caution with him," Cain said.
"Your warning is noted," Fowler said as he watched Cain leave the room and close the door behind him.
Moments later the door opened and Erica Abbot once again entered the room. "Sir, Major Cain looked angry when he left here. Is everything okay?"
Fowler looked up from his itinerary and smiled at her. "We just had a philosophical disagreement; nothing I'd be too concerned about."
"Are you sure about that?" she asked.
"In this business, even the people you hold in the highest regard are going to disagree with you; it's just the nature of things. Cain is a valuable asset to me, and I'd nominate him for Vice President in a heartbeat, but I think he's letting emotion run his mind where Major Wallace is concerned," Fowler said.
"If you don't mind my honesty, I think Major Cain may be justified in his suspicions," she said.
"Perhaps but that's a risk I'll have to take, let's get a meeting scheduled with him sooner rather than later," Fowler said before turning his attention to a news broadcast about the aftermath of the coup.
"As you wish," she said as she turned and left the room.
Battlestar Victorious:
Commanding Officer's Office:
Commander Audra Ortiz sat at the conference table that took up the center of the office. Opposite her on the other side of the table was Commander Andre Graystone. The meeting was unofficial and essentially one CO doing a favor for a fellow CO; it allowed them to share information without the formality of having to inform the Admiralty.
"Take your time reading those reports. I'm sure it's a lot to take in," Graystone said as he observed Ortiz's reaction to some of what she was reading.
"Thanks, I'm a little stunned by some of what you have been through," Ortiz said before she glanced at something on the page, "Gods, you ran into Admiral Ware too!"
"Yeah, he assumed command of the fleet for a short time before he was killed in battle; I assume that you ran into him also," Graystone said more as a statement than a question.
Ortiz nodded. "It wasn't too long after we had salvaged what we could from the Kios when we came across the Basilisk."
"That's kind of a surprise, he never mentioned running into you or any other survivors," Graystone said and he wondered if Admiral Gary Ware had some kind of ulterior motive in not revealing that information.
"We didn't exactly part under the best of terms, I believe his parting words to me involved putting me up against a wall for a firing squad if we ever met again," she said as she remembered the altercation that led to her parting ways with the tactically aggressive flag officer.
"So," she said as she tried to figure out how to broach the question, "You and Admiral Tolan are in-laws; any insight into why he threatened to blow up the Olympica?"
Graystone was quiet as he thought it over. "I think the pressure of the job combined with not wanting to make the President-elect feel too powerful had something to do with it. If Scott were here now he'd probably tell you he overreacted and it was not his finest hour. Hector Alonzo didn't want him around and it was bound to cause conflict. I don't believe for one second Scott would have nuked that ship, but he was determined to make Alonzo feel like there would be consequences if he attempted to sack a flag officer."
"Here I was thinking I had problems on the Ark Royal; we were damn near peaceful and civilized compared to what you went through," Ortiz said.
"We've come through fairly well," Graystone said before deciding to change the subject, "I do owe the CO of the Priam a debt of gratitude."
"When my Raptor came in for its landing I noticed all the workers repairing the hull, any idea why the Vic is being repaired outside of the mobile drydock?"
"My best guess is that with the three docks currently being used, it was the easiest way to get the Vic's battle damage repaired. Thankfully we have the personnel and the equipment to make it happen so I won't complain. It will do all of us good to be back in the fight," Graystone said then he leaned across conspiratorially, "Besides, we can't have our sister ship being the lone ship on guard. That's going to give the Ark Royal's crew a bit of a superiority complex."
Ortiz smiled at him. "It will be nice to have some company, but just remember that the Ark hasn't been damaged anywhere near as badly as the Vic…just think of how luckier my ship is than yours."
"You're a fun one to joke around with, Ortiz," he said as he held up his drink in salute, "To the Victorious, the finest example of the Illustrious class there is."
Ortiz held her glass up to return the salute. "To the Ark Royal, the ship that's holding the line while the Victorious licks its wounds."
"I'll let you get back to reading; if you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer," Graystone said as he stood up from the table and walked over a nearby book case where a wireless set was turned on. He turned the volume up so that they could both hear the latest happenings in the fleet.
Olympica:
Fleet Command:
"Hey, Griffin, how's the cleanup going?" Rear Admiral James Brannigan asked.
Petty Officer Walter Griffin looked around what had been the lobby area of Fleet Command, "Well, Admiral, my people are working as hard as they can. I'm afraid I left my whip back home on Virgon when the Vic deployed."
"If you need one I'm sure there's bound to be someone in this fleet who can part with one," Brannigan said with a chuckle.
"If you say so, sir," Griffin said before continuing, "I think there are other areas that are going to be harder to straighten up than this one. By the end of the day we'll be done and those contractors can finish the conversion work to get this place up and going."
"Thank you, Petty Officer Griffin, keep up the great work," Brannigan said before heading back to his office area.
Back when this space had been a souvenir shop, his office had belonged to the store manager, but now he was using it until it was time to demolish the walls and expand the room. The adjacent spaces on both the left and right side of Fleet Command had taken severe damage during the coup attempt and Brannigan had figured that the Colonial Fleet would probably appropriate them so that they could expand.
He entered his office and closed the door behind him. He was not on a battlestar but this was an assignment he would make the best of. Truth be told, if there was a time since the Cylon had attacked when he was happiest it would have been when he was serving as the CAG of the Basilisk. Now he had gone from flying a Viper to commanding a battlestar to becoming a flag officer. If his family on Caprica could see how far he had come they would probably be as amazed as he was at how quickly he had risen.
His thoughts were interrupted when he heard his name. He snapped out of his reverie to find Admiral Sakura standing in the doorway. "Admiral Sakura, I'm sorry I didn't hear you walk up."
Sakura gave him an understanding smile. "It's okay, Brannigan, was the equipment back here damaged during the coup?"
Brannigan shook his head. "Thankfully the barricade wasn't breached. Is there something I can help you with?"
She held up a data disc. "This is recon footage from our recent trip to Canceron. I'm going to give it another look, and I thought an extra pair of eyes might be useful."
Brannigan stood up and stretched. Normally he would have waited until the admiral had left but his body seemed to have other ideas. "Let me get a couple of my officers and we can meet in the conference room in about five minutes."
"Sounds good to me; I'll make my way there now," Sakura said as she turned and left the room.
Brannigan knew she would know where to go to, in this large storeroom where all of the trinkets and merchandise had been stored there was only one conference room and it had been converted into a meeting room.
Minutes later Brannigan entered the room accompanied by Commander Benjamin Adar and Colonel Shauna Willis. The two officers were on loan to them while their battlestar, the Achilles, was undergoing an extensive modernization and refit in one of the mobile drydocks.
"Admiral Sakura, I'm glad to see you're doing well," Adar said after both he and Willis saluted the admiral.
"Same to you, Commander, how are you holding up not being on your battlestar?" she asked.
"With all due respect, ma'am, the sooner Colonel Willis and I are back on the Achilles the better we'll feel. I hear your flag was moved from the Helios to the Stryker," Adar said.
Sakura nodded. "Yes, it was a decision from the higher ups in the Admiralty. If I had my way I'd still be on the Helios but the Stryker name is good for morale."
"Is this meeting because of something you found on your last scouting mission?" Willis asked.
"Yes, we discovered something on Canceron but we're not sure exactly what it is," Sakura said.
"Well let's start looking and see what we can find out," Brannigan said as he inserted the disc into the computer.
The four officers looked on as the screen lit up, showing a series of photographs taken from high altitude by the Vipers that had managed to get close enough to the planet. A series of industrial buildings were visible as well as dark figures that were more than likely older model Centurions.
"What do you think they're working on right there?" Sakura asked as she pointed to a large object in the middle of the makeshift complex.
"I think it could be some kind of weapon, but the image isn't good enough to be definite," Brannigan said.
"The only way we could possibly get more information is to actually land a team on the planet and get photographs from ground level," Adar said.
"I think a Raptor with a small group of Marines for protection could work," Willis said.
Sakura was intrigued. "Please elaborate."
Willis continued, "I heard that there is a stealth Raptor prototype on the station and it can be used to fly over the area and get closer altitude photos and then land for some photos to be taken from the ground. The Marines can provide protection in case things go south in a hurry."
"We're going to need someone who's one damn good pilot," Brannigan said.
"I think I have the perfect person in mind," Sakura said before turning to leave the room. "Thank you for your help; if I need anything else, I'll let you know."
Olympica Security Conference Room B:
"Under the right circumstances that could possibly be fifteen," Wallace said as he thought about the latest way in which he could escape the conference room.
He heard the door open and he turned around to see a man he recognized and a petite blonde he did not. "I'd call you Governor Fowler, but I think you've moved on to bigger things."
Fowler gave him a knowing smile. "You could say that, Major. I don't know if you've met Erica Abbott. She's my Chief of Staff and perhaps the person most responsible for keeping things moving since I assumed higher office."
"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Abbott. Perhaps later you can tell me all about your sphere of influence," Wallace said with what he hoped would be his most charming smile.
"Only if President Fowler orders me to do so," she said before turning to Fowler. "If you'll excuse me, I'll be outside."
When she left the room and closed the door Wallace let out a whistle. "Well now, there's got to be a wildcat underneath that tough exterior."
"She was against my meeting you; told me you were an unknown who couldn't be trusted," he said.
"Did she know about our past association?" Wallace asked.
"Do you mean whether or not she knows about your work with the Murphy brothers? No, that was something I didn't think she needed to know," Fowler said.
"The Murphy brothers; you know I had a lot of fun helping you win that election. Taking down those two bastards was just a great feeling," Wallace said. In the election for the last governor of the Colony of Libris, it was a close battle between Fowler and Desmond Murphy.
Wallace remembered that he volunteered to help Fowler win the election. He had a personal grudge against the Murphy brothers and this was the ideal situation for revenge, and the politician was more than eager to take the MoI officer's help. It took some work but he was able to expose the brothers' underhanded dealings and the scandal was enough to swing the election in Fowler's favor. Had the Cylons not attacked then he would have still had plans for Fowler in his grand scheme to bring down the Ministry of Intelligence.
"Well before we toss back drinks and reminisce about the good old days can you let me know why you asked for a meeting?" Fowler asked. He would not have minded finding out exactly how Arthur Wallace was in this situation but that was a conversation he would have to put off for the time being.
"I have a stealth scout ship that I need to take on a mission to Leonis," Wallace said and when he saw Fowler still waiting to hear more he continued, "The MoI was able to acquire two of the prototype Mark VIII Vipers from Vipernae Avionics; these Vipers are FTL capable."
"So the MoI was willing to violate the rule about them not possessing military technology?" Fowler asked.
"The MoI had a small special ops army among other toys they purchased along the way; so in their eyes they were simply bending the rules as opposed to outright breaking them. Let's not get too carried away with that, the fact is that these two Vipers were stored at The Ranch on Leonis in a secured underground bunker, and I would like to think that you would approve of my taking my stealth ship there along with two Viper pilots so I can get these two Mark VIIIs and contribute something to the war effort," Wallace said. He had wanted to bring up that Fowler technically owed him a favor but did not want to make it too obvious.
"I'm all for helping the war effort along; I think by the end of the day I should be able to get you two pilots. The nice thing about being President, I can cut through all of the red tape," Fowler said.
"I knew there was something I liked about you a few years ago," Wallace said.
"Glad to hear it, I always thought I'd hate to be on your bad side," Fowler said as he turned towards the door.
"I take it that means I'm free to leave?" Wallace asked.
"Yeah, you should come with me though, so you and the pilots can leave right away," Fowler said as he opened the door and stepped into the corridor.
Admiral Kronus' Office:
"Let me get this straight," Kronus said after Sakura had made her proposal, "You want me to allow you to lead a mission into what sounds like a fortified area of Cylon-occupied Canceron?"
Sakura nodded. "Yes, sir, that sounds just about right."
Kronus let out a chuckle. "Well that's not going to happen!"
Sakura kept her voice calm. "May I ask why?"
"You most certainly may, Sakura; you're a flag officer now. I think you may have forgotten just what means. It means you're one of the more valuable officers in the Admiralty and I can't allow you to go risking your life because you want to gather intelligence on whatever the Cylons are working on at the moment," Kronus explained.
"Sir, this plan I proposed to you was my idea. If I'm not there to carry it out how can I know it goes the way it should?"
"Can I let you in on a little secret; there are rarely plans that go just how they're supposed to. This plan has plenty of benefits to it but the risks are huge, so huge that I can't afford to spare a flag officer. If you want me to give you the green light then I will pick the ship that takes this stealth Raptor in for this mission, and you are not allowed to be a part of it."
Sakura closed her eyes for a second then opened them and asked, "Are you telling me that my battlestar will not be allowed to take part in this?"
Kronus gave her a sympathetic look. "The temptation to take personal control of the operation would be too great, and just remember that much like I had to do with Scott; part of my job is to protect you from yourself even if you don't realize it at the time."
"I imagine that even if I don't like this I'm going to have to go with your decision," she said with a resigned tone to her voice.
"More or less, I'm sure that one day you'll get the chance to be in my position; just remember I'm only doing what's in your best interests," Kronus said.
"Yes sir, I see no reason to doubt that. Permission to return to the Stryker," she requested.
Kronus nodded. "Permission granted."
She left the room and almost immediately afterwards six people entered the room. One of them was President Fowler and the other was Major Wallace. The other four people were the Marines with the job of keeping Fowler safe and Wallace from escaping custody.
"Mr. President, I'm surprised to be meeting you so soon," Kronus said. He had thought that with the aftermath of the coup attempt he would have his hands full.
"I felt it was best to bring Major Wallace here for this little meeting of ours," Fowler said.
"What is it you have in mind?" Kronus asked cautiously.
"According to Major Wallace," Fowler said with a nod of his head towards Wallace, "The Ministry of Intelligence got a hold of two FTL capable Viper Mark VIIIs from Vipernae Avionics and them stored at The Ranch on Leonis."
Kronus knew the part about the Mark VIIIs very well. After he had been sacked as Chief of Fleet Operations by President Adar he had taken a seat on the Executive Board of Vipernae, he remembered the celebrating when the Mark VIIIs had survived their FTL trials without major problems. Truth of the matter was that he was unaware of the Ministry of Intelligence getting their hands on two of them; especially since the shadowy organization was forbidden from operating military vehicles and hardware per the Articles of Colonization.
"Admiral," Wallace began, "I need two Viper pilots right away to take with me to Leonis. President Fowler was kind enough to give me his approval and it's vital that I retrieve those two Vipers before the Cylons either get to them or destroy them."
Kronus was quiet at first before he asked, "How do you know the Cylons haven't already done either to them?"
"The Ranch has an underground bunker that's not on the plans, either the official ones or the ones kept in Gray," Wallace said referring to the city on Picon where the MoI's headquarters was located, "I only know about it because I was tasked with flying one of these Vipers and I believe that if we can retrieve them; then we'll be in a position to improve our odds against the Cylons."
Kronus walked over to the computer console on his desk and entered a series of commands with the keyboard. "I have two pilots I can spare. I'll have the Marines bring them here and then they'll meet you on your ship."
"I have a Raptor I brought over here, they can meet me in the shuttle bay and fly over with me," Wallace said.
"Fair enough," Kronus said.
"I've assured President Fowler of this and I want to give you the same assurance. I am willing to do what I need to in order for you be able to trust me. I hope my undertaking this mission personally will go a ways towards integrating our two groups," Wallace said.
"If that's the case, you can do me a favor if you're able to," Kronus said.
"I'm listening," Wallace said.
"I need a recon mission conducted on the Northern Territories on Canceron; do you think that could be possible?" Kronus asked. In his mind, if Wallace was willing to travel to Leonis then perhaps he could tie in the mission to Canceron without risking the lives of his pilots.
"My stealth ship can probably get you photo and video from the air before the Cylons detect us. I'm willing to do that for you," Wallace said.
"Admiral, I think you can see the benefits we have by working with Major Wallace," Fowler said.
Kronus smiled. "Believe me, I'm willing to work with him as best I can."
"Thank you, Admiral, for being so accommodating. I knew you were an officer who earned his reputation," Fowler said.
"I'm no longer at the age where flattery is going to accomplish a whole lot," Kronus said.
"It wasn't meant to be mere flattery, Admiral; you're an asset to the people of this fleet and you're as much a symbol to us in this time of need that Admiral Stryker was back during the Cylon War," Fowler said.
"Thank you for the kind words then," Kronus replied civilly. He knew enough from his experience as an officer to know that there was a game to be played at times like this. If he absolutely had to, he could finesse the situation to his advantage.
Kronus shook his head at the statement but said nothing as Fowler and Wallace left the room. He looked over the records that the Olympica staff had kept of arrivals and departures. This system was a way of knowing at all times who was onboard the luxury liner, and it provided him with an answer as to the Viper pilots who were currently onboard. He saw two names in particular and decided on them.
"Looks like you two are getting a chance to visit Leonis," Kronus said as he sent word to General Maxwell's Marines that the two pilots needed to be brought to him for a mission briefing.
It had to have been about twenty minutes or so when the door opened in stepped the two pilots he had requested.
"Admiral Kronus, what can I do for you?" Major Mark 'Archangel' Hunter asked.
"He took the words out of my mouth," Ensign Lacey 'Ghost' Tolan said.
"There's a covert mission that President Fowler has approved, you're going to accompany Major Arthur Wallace of the Ministry of Intelligence to Leonis to retrieve two experimental Viper Mark VIIIs," Kronus said.
"What's so experimental about them?" Lacey asked.
"These Vipers were designed to be FTL capable; it could give us some tactical flexibility with how he attacked the Cylons," Kronus replied.
"Sir, this seems kind of a risky move to retrieve two Vipers that may not even be intact and usable," Archangel said.
"I know and I'm inclined to agree with you but the fact is that the President has approved this mission and wants it moving as quickly as possible," Kronus said before adding, "Now the two of you were the first names that popped up when I searched the database for pilots; but I believe you are up to the task or else I wouldn't have chosen you."
"I promise we won't let you down," Archangel said.
"I'll make sure I don't drop the ball," Lacey added.
"You two bring back those Vipers then you're due for a promotion," Kronus said.
"Can I have that in writing?" Lacey asked.
Kronus laughed. "You and Scott were cut from the same cloth, no doubt there."
"Sir, you are aware that the doctors weren't too thrilled with me being back in a Viper after that beating I took during the coup," Archangel said. Truth was, he would have volunteered for the mission despite the doctors telling him he should rest his injuries.
Kronus nodded, "Yes, I'm aware of that and right now I need a pilot and from what I've read about your profile you're a damn good one. If you think you can handle a Viper then it's a risk I'm willing to take."
"Thank you sir, I appreciate the vote of confidence," Archangel said with no attempt made to hide the smile on his face.
"So, I guess all that's left to now is head to wherever we need to go to," Lacey said.
"Where are we to meet Major Wallace?" Archangel asked.
"He's going to be with his Raptor in Shuttle Bay A-13, it's one of the smaller ones that would normally only be used for delivering supplies but I guess it was the easiest one for him to go to when he first made his way here," Kronus said.
"In that case we'll be on our way," Archangel said.
"Good hunting to both of us," Kronus said.
"Thank you, sir," Archangel said.
"Thank you, Admiral. I promise I'll make you proud," Lacey said as she followed Archangel out of the office.