Second Face of Evil
by AJ Marks
Part 2
Admiral John White sat waiting for the next report of what was going on in the council from his aides. He was worried about what the council might ask, and what they might want to know. He knew some in the council did not like the military despite the fact the human race was almost wiped out by an alien race.
He wondered what exactly the council might decide to do. If the decision was up to him, he’d allow the fleet to come in. They needed information about this new enemy, and an exchange of technology might result in even better warships. But some might not see it that way, and feel that if this group continued on this new threat might pass them by.
“Admiral, will you please come in,” a young aide to the council said to him.
“Lead on,” John said, looking up and wondering if the young man even remembered the invasion. John followed the aide into the council room wondering what type of knowledge the council might need from him. They had his reports on what happened, and his recommendation on this new human fleet.
“Welcome Admiral White, thank you for joining us,” President Hiller said, greeting John as he walked into the room.
“President Hiller,” John replied. The President was one of the few people John trusted along with Senator Mitchell. They were there and led humanity against the fight against the alien invaders. They knew what might happen by not takin any action.
John took the stage wondering what type of questions the senators would ask him. He settled in and waited for the first question as a Senator was recognized.
“Admiral White, what is your opinion of the military ability of these new visitors, and do they pose a threat to us,” the first question came.
“From what I’ve seen of their military, they have warships which they call battlestars. These ships are essentially large battleships, heavily armed, armored and a compliment of unknown fighters. Intelligence thinks they carry between fifty and one hundred fighters. The ships lack shielding as our warships have, but from the battle, their armor is superior,” John said to them, pausing for a second. “As to a threat, no, however if what we’ve been told about their enemies, yes.”
“And what about their enemies, these machines called Cylons,” Senator Mitchell asked bringing up the other threat.
“From intelligence reports of the recent battle, and what we’ve been told, they are a race of machines. They want to eliminate all organic life. I believe the threat they pose to our safety is high regardless if our visitors stay or not,” John said giving his opinion from intelligence.
Before another question could be asked an aide came rushing in and right up to John, startling several people. People shouted out at the man to stop but he ignored everyone, focused directly on John and walked up to him. John knew something happened and waited patiently.
The aide handed him a report and waited despite the senators protesting. John unfolded the paper and scanned it a few times, his heart sinking at what he read.
“Are they sure?” John asked, wanting conformation before saying anything.
“Yes sir,” the man replied. Their voices carried by the open mic in front of him.
“Put the fleet on alert, cancel all leaves, and tell the chief of staff I’ll be there as soon as I can,” John said to him. He watched the lieutenant salute and leave before he turned back to the assemble senators.
“Is there more of these Cylons on their way?” one of the senators asked. Now John had to inform them of their biggest fear.
“No, I’m afraid something even worse. The listening station near Saturn picked up the messages from the invaders,” John said to them, watching as they all went silent at that bit of news.
“There must be a mistake,” one senator said. “They go from place to place living of the resources of conquered planets.”
“It never meant they were alone, or they did not have a home planet as well they returned to,” John said. “Whatever the situation, they are on their way here now.”
“Is there an estimated time of arrival” one senator asked.
“We’re not sure, they are outside our scanning range,” he said stopping suddenly as a thought came to him. “We might ask our visitors, they have technology which might be able to see that far.”
“How do we know our visitors are not part the invaders?” a different senator asked. John noticed several others wondering the same thing.
“I don’t think they know anything about the invaders, but they would probably try to help us in a war. They are honorable. If we are to ask their help we should not wait too long,” John told the council as the President stepped forward.
“I agree with the admiral, we should ask. If they have the technology to detect ships at a long range it might give us an advantage, it might also help to tell if these ships are headed towards us or not,” Hiller said to the group.
The senate broke down into discussions before it was finally called for a vote.
*****
Starbuck waited with the other five for what might happen next. Since the argument between him and Ziers they had not spoken much at all. Everyone sat thinking, or as Starbuck looked over at Ziers, fumed in silence over what had been said.
They all looked up as the door opened and Admiral White walked into the room. Starbuck recognized the walk, a man who wanted information and needed it quickly.
“I have a favor to ask,” he said to them, confusing Starbuck.
The group looked confused for several heartbeats before Starbuck took the initiative and stepped forward. “What do you need?”
“Do your battlestars have the ability to scan long ranges, like beyond the system?” the admiral asked.
“Yes, we do have a limited long range scanning ability,” Starbuck answered, not giving away how far the battlestars could see.
“We’d like to know if you’ve picked up any ships approaching the system,” the admiral said.
“Cylons?” Starbuck asked.
“No.”
“I’d need to contact our fleet,” Starbuck said.
“That’s no problem, we can contact them in this building, follow me,” the admiral said.
Starbuck looked over at Ziers and then Terrance who merely shrugged. Starbuck shared a lance with Boxey who nodded before following the admiral out of the room and down a series of hallways before reaching a massive communications room.
He only had to wait a few microns from the moment John asked for communications to be established until he was seeing Tigh’s face on the screen.
“Starbuck, how are things going,” Tigh asked, frowning on the screen.
“Not bad, but I want to ask you something for our friends,” Starbuck asked. “Has the Galactica, or Pegasus noticed any ships on the long range scanners?”
“The Galactica’s scanners are still under repair after the latest battle, but I’ll contact Apollo and check on the Pegasus, be right back,” Tigh said.
Starbuck waited in silence for several microns. It seemed like everyone was on edge in the room and he had no idea why they might be that way. He figured it might have to do with this request.
“Starbuck, Apollo says the Pegasus is tracking two extremely large ships headed into the system,” Tigh replied back. Starbuck felt the admiral stiffen at the news, and the whole atmosphere of the room chilled.
“Two ships?’ John asked, asking for conformation.
“Yes, two, according to their speed they will arrive in the system in two days,” Tigh replied.
“Great, things keep getting worse,” the admiral mumbled to himself.
“Is there something wrong?” Tigh asked. “Something we can help with?”
“We have reason to believe that the ships you are tracking are the same aliens that attacked us twenty years ago almost wiping us out,” the admiral said. Starbuck’s eyebrows rose at that statement.
“So, we have unfriendlies heading in to the system,” Tigh said getting conformation.
“Very unfriendly,” John replied back to him. “All we know is they go from planet to planet destroying any intelligent life and sucking the planet dry of is resources. The last time they sent only one ship, and we hoped it was the only ship they had. This time there are two, I had hoped we would never see them again.”
“What can we do to help?” Tigh asked.
“Not sure yet,” John replied back to him. “We’re still trying to figure out what to do, hold a military council and see what they have to say.”
“Understood, take Starbuck with you, he knows our capabilities and how we might be able to help out,” Tigh said.
“Rather have him than that councilman Ziers,” John said honestly causing Starbuck to smile wishing Ziers was here.
“You want to keep the councilman, I’ll allow it,” Tigh said with a laugh.
“Ah, no, I think most of the senate wanted to toss him out the window,” John said.
“He’s more concerned with his political power than the safety of the fleet,” Tigh said.
“I believe that,” John said, pausing to think about something else before saying anything else. “I’ll get back to you after we know a bit more.”
“We’ll be here,” Tigh said.
The communications ended and Starbuck followed John back down the hallway and back to where President Hiller was waiting.
“Two ships according to their scanners,” John said to him. Starbuck watched as Hiller paled at the news.
“You look worried about this,” Starbuck said, feeling the tension in the room.
“We are.” Hiller said.
“Are they that powerful?” Starbuck asked.
“We think so, against the Cylons I’m not sure. We’ve only encountered the Cylons once and the invaders attacked us almost twenty years ago. Between the two I have no idea,” John said finally. Starbuck was worried that this group might be more powerful than the Cylons and had no idea which threat was bigger.
“We’ll know a bit more in a couple of days, do you want our help?” Starbuck asked. He knew the warriors on board the Galactica and Pegasus would gladly help out. Trained for combat they were stuck for yahrens doing nothing.
“We’ll take it one step at a time and cross that bridge when we reach it,” John said, slightly confusing Starbuck but said nothing.
They made their way onto the senate floor where the conversations quickly died down.
“If I may have your attention,” Hiller said calmly. “We have some news from our friends and it’s not good. The report is there are two ships approaching our solar system.”
The senate erupted into mass chaos at the announcement and took several minutes to get back under control. Starbuck had a first-hand impression that these aliens terrified them.
“Quiet please,” he heard the President yelling, and after a bit longer the conversations finally stopped and the admiral stepped forward.
“We have already cancelled all leaves, and according to the data the ships will not reach the system for another two days.”
“But how can we fight two, our plans were always centered around one mothership,” a senator said.
“We adjust our battle plans,” John replied back to him.
“We have no idea how well their ships fight in space,” another asked.
“We have goo intelligence based on what happened last time,” another senator said, Starbuck recognized him as Mitchell.
Starbuck recalled what he had been told about this group but so far had not been told much about their abilities. “Are they really that strong?” Starbuck finally asked.
“Their shields are very strong, we’re not sure out shields will stand up to their weapons. We’ve made improvements based on their level of technology but we have no idea if they are stronger or not,” John finally replied back to him.
“You fought them before, do they have long range scanning ability like we do?” Starbuck asked, suddenly concerned with the fleet.
“From what we learned in the wreckage, they have short range scanning abilities for their saucer craft, the motherships we don’t know,” John said, looking at Starbuck. “Do you have something in mind?”
“An ambush, if they don’t have your ships on scanner yet, you can hide them, five yourself the advantage,” Starbuck said.
“That might just work,” Hiller said, as they looked at John.
“Can your scanners can detect course and speed, it would give us a plan of action,” John finally said.
“If this plan fails we will be venerable to attack,” one senator said.
“And if we don’t try for an advantage we’re even worse off,” John replied back to him. “This is our best course of action.”
Starbuck could see some in the council appeared to want to argue this course of action. They were the ones who did not want to risk the ships despite that is what they were built for. He would wait, this was their battle to fight.
“Admiral, organize the fleet, work with our new allies and put your fleet in a spot for an ambush. A first strike might be our only chance,” Hiller said, making the decision.
Starbuck walked out with the admiral wondering what the future might hold, and what this new enemy was like.
End part 2