Battlestar Galactica
Past, Present, Future
Chapter 23
The New Threat
The large glass doors slide open with a slight "whoosh" and a trio of figures entered the dimly lit room. Two of the figures were indistinguishable from each other as they were made exactly the same, as were all Cylon Centurions. Large and rather slow moving with an outer armor of polished chromium, their red "eyes" endlessly scanning from side to side, they moved in perfect, machine unison. Both carried standard Cylon laser rifles at port arms with laser pistols and double edged chromium bladed swords hanging from belts worn at their waists. Throughout the quadrant, these were the very image of death and destruction to all organic beings.
The figure that "walked" before them looked nothing like its Centurion escorts. It was not as tall or as bulky as the cyclopean Centurions. Not much could be seen of this individual as most of it was hidden beneath a "robe" of dark material. It's "head" was most unusual as it was shaped like a rain drop and was made of a clear polymer that made it possible to see the inner workings of its electronic "brains". Unlike its Centurion escorts, it had two scanners that served as its "eyes" instead of one and a small bank of lights that would light up when it "spoke". This was an "IL – Series" Cylon, one of the more advanced models of the Cylon "species". They were constructed with two electronic "brains" and a much more advanced set of programs so as to be a better leader. They were also given names instead of numerical designations to identify themselves. This particular IL series Cylon was named "Daemon"
The trio of Cylons crossed the dark room to an area where a pool of bright light was projected from an unseen source high above. The two Centurions stopped at the edge of the circle of light while Daemon moved to the center of it and "spoke".
"By your command" came the words in perfect Colonial Standard with a touch of a Northern Caprican accent.
The words were spoken to a dark, silent figure seated on a large throne atop a tall pedestal in the center of the room. The figure didn't move. In fact, it gave no visible sign that it was even aware of Daemon's arrival. Several centons passed with neither Daemon, nor the figure on the pedestal moving or making a sound, then the seated figure silently turned in the throne so that it faced Daemon and it escorts. The figure "stared" down at the IL series Cylon for nearly a full centon before uttering a sound.
"Speak!" came the voice of the Imperious Leader of the Cylon Empire.
"We have just received a report from one of our Baseships in the "Paradeen" sector, Baseship number 407 to be exact. They reported that they were under attack by an unidentified vessel!"
"An "unidentified" vessel?" the Imperious Leader inquired.
"Yes, according to their report, a large ship of unknown origin just "appeared" out of nowhere and began launching missiles at them."
"What do you mean, "it appeared out of nowhere"?"
"That is what they reported Excellency", Daemon said. "The report said that there was nothing on their scanners one micron, and the next there was a ship of unknown origin less then five thousand kilometrons abeam of them. The unidentified vessel fired a full volley of missiles at them and then "disappeared"."
The Imperious Leader sat silently for several moments, scanning the data from the Baseships transmission thru the link it had with the Central command of the Cylon Empire. This link allowed the Imperious Leader to instantly call up data about any subject, anytime, from anywhere in the empire as it was reported. It searched through tens of thousands of pieces of data in a matter of a few microns, looking for anything that might give a clue as to who was attacking its Baseships. There had to be something there that would tell it who was doing this. After several more microns, a pattern began to form. The Imperious leader would have smiled had it had the ability to do so.
"I believe that these attacks are being carried out against our Baseships by the Galactica!" the Imperious Leader said.
Daemon tilted his head to the side, much as a human would do when confused by something and said, "The Galactica? I thought the Galactica had left galaxy."
The Imperious Leader looked down on the inferior IL series Cylon with what would have been a look of utter disgust! It thought that even a mere IL series should have been able to see the pattern of the recent attacks. In recent sectons, a number of Baseships and outposts had been attacked and destroyed by an as yet unknown force. The one piece of information that was common about the attacks was that they all fell along the same course that the Galactica had been following when the human traitor Baltar lost contact with them. The Imperious Leader thus concluded that these attacks had to be the work of the humans from the Galactica.
The Imperious Leader could not understand how this IL series did not see then pattern, but then again, the Il series Cylon did only have two "brains" , unlike itself, which had three "brains". The third "brain" gave the Imperious Leader far greater capacities for reasoning and thus, set it apart from all other Cylons. It also had the combined knowledge and experiences of every one of its predecessors dating back to the very first Imperious Leader to draw from, so it should not be surprising that a mere "two brain" IL did not figure it out.
"It was believed that the Galactica did leave the galaxy nearly thirty yarhen ago, making good their escape, but all indications point to these attacks being orchestrated by the humans." The Imperious Leaded said aloud, more to itself then to Daemon. "We never knew the true fate of the Galactica and its fleet of dilapidated vessels because the Commander of the task force that was sent to destroy them never completed his mission."
"You refer to the human, Baltar?" Daemon inquired.
"Yes. Baltar was tasked with destroying the Galactica and its fleet, but failed to do so, claiming that some "greater power" had prevented him from doing so!" the Imperious Leader said as it called up the information about Baltar's failure. Had the Imperious Leader had emotions, he would have been angered at the time and resources Baltar had squandered in his fruitless pursuit of the humans. "That is why I had him executed when he returned. Failure will never be tolerated!"
Daemon filed that away for future reference, just in case there came a time when he could not fulfill a task.
"And if this is the Galactica returning, then they will be heading for their old home worlds in a vain attempt to reclaim them." The Imperious Leader continued its thoughts aloud. "The humans are if nothing else, stubborn! Even after we have all but eliminated them from existence, they still cling to the hope of defeating us. They continually refuse to learn from the past that the Cylon Empire will never be defeated by their weak organic species. They do not have the strength of numbers or technology to defeat us"
"It would seem that they have developed a new technology your Excellency!" Daemon said.
The Imperious Leader gazed upon the IL series Cylon with what would have been utter fury had it been human. How dare this mere IL series continue to speak without being given permission! But it did have a point! It did seem as if the humans, if that was indeed who it was that was behind these attacks, had developed some deadly new technology that rendered the Galactica "invisible" to the Cylon scanners until it was too late for them to defend themselves and then "disappear" again before a counter attack could be initiated.
They would have to discover a way to counter this new technology quickly before the humans were able to push their way thru the Cylon defenses and retake their former home worlds, worlds that the Cylons had taken over and turned into "trophies" of their victory over the humans.
The Cylons had not occupied the home worlds of the humans as they had nearly every other planet they had conquered, instead they left them as they were after the elimination of the humans. They left the great cities of the humans, once magnificent, gleaming symbols of their occupant's former glory, as little more then piles of ruble. The great halls and cultural centers, the government and public buildings, all lay as they had thirty yahren before after the fall of the colonies. And though each of the ten remaining planets did have a garrison of Centurions stationed on it to deal with the few surviving humans that would, from time to time, crawl out from whatever hole they had been hiding in, they had left the human home worlds as they were, as a lesson to the hundreds of other species that they had conquered of what would happen to them if they ever tried to resist the Cylon Empire. It was an object lessen few chose to challenge.
The Imperious Leader thought on this for a moment, deciding what course of action would be best in combating this new menace. If they did not discover how to counter this new technology, the humans could destroy any Baseship. They had to find a way to stop the humans.
"Daemon, I am tasking you to discover all you can about this new human technology and finding a way to combat it. Use whatever resources you need to fulfill this. I grant you full access to all message archives dealing with this matter and I will place a Baseship at your disposal if you need to investigate first hand."
Daemon would have felt a huge knot of concern and fear growing in his stomach had it been human. He had just been given a "task" by the Imperious Leader, and it knew what the price of failure was.
"By your command!" Daemon said with only a hint of trepidation in its "voice".
"This is a great opportunity for you Daemon, perform this task well and you shall be rewarded greatly, fail and you will rue the centon you were constructed."
"I understand Excellency and I will not fail." Daemon said with more confidence then it truly had.
"Then proceed with your task." The Imperious Leader said, and without another word the Imperious Leader turned away from Daemon. After a slight hesitation, Daemon turned and exited the command center of the Imperious Leader, intent on finding out what this new technology the humans had was, and how to defeat it.
