The Uneasy Alliance
by AJ Marks
Part 17
The landcrawler made good time through the tunnel towards the human city called Zion. Apollo followed the instructions Niobe gave them as to which was to turn, and a few times heh ad to avoid the rubble which littered the floor of the tunnels. The ride was a bit bumpy but the vehicle was designed to go over such things and continued on the path.
The group had not gotten much information from Niobe about what had happened on this planet. She more concerned with something else and Apollo had a reason to believe that question might be answered once they arrived in Zion. He went over what he knew and had a feeling they should not expect an open welcome upon reaching the city.
“Niobe, why are your people not receptive of outsiders?” Apollo asked, trying to gain as much information as possible for the upcoming meeting.
“I don’t know either,” Niobe stated. “Ever since the end of the war, the council has been acting strangely. The only thing I can think of is they don’t think the war is over and as a result they distrust the machines even more than before. When they asked for help it was viewed by the council as a sinister plot to ambush us and finish us off once and for all.”
“Makes sense to me,” Apollo stated as he thought about the war against the Cylons. He looked over to see Niobe looking back at him strangely but said nothing about it. Their experiences with robots was vastly different making him wonder about the robots on the planet.
“Where did these robots come from?” Cassiopeia asked from her seat in the back.
“We created them,” Niobe replied. “Ironic isn’t it, we were smart enough to create them but not smart enough to understand them.”
“No, not ironic at all,” Apollo replied thinking about the history they knew about the Cylons. The original race which was more reptilian in nature and had created the machines which eventually revolted against their masters. Perhaps races which created machines which became self-aware were somehow programmed to revolt against their creators. It was something to ponder.
“Here we are, the gates of Zion,” Niobe stated looking ahead.
They all looked to see massive doors which guarded the entrance to the city of Zion. Apollo piloted the vehicle though the door and inside surprising several people. He watched as they surrounded the vehicle telling them all to climb down and off the vehicle.
*****
General Turner stood in front of the council, and in front of an unhappy councilman, Zac. It seemed the councilman had gotten word that some people were sneaking out of Zion to help the machines against the authority of the council. Turner was unsure how much more of the man he could stand.
“Well general, what is the answer, are people leaving or are they not leaving?” Zac asked looking right at Turner.
“We’ve had reports of small groups leaving,” Turner replied.
“And, to make things worse, I’m informed that we have a stranger in our jail as well?” Zac asked.
“Yes, he is dressed unlike anyone else we’ve ever encountered before, and claims to not be of this world,” Turner said to him, knowing what Zac would say about this. He was a bit surprised by the slight widening in the man’s eyes before he spoke.
“There is no such thing as life on another world, we are it general,” Zac finally spat out.
Before Turner could even reply the door opened allowing another man to enter who headed straight towards Turner. Zac appeared angry that anyone dared to interrupt him while he was talking but Turner looked on waiting to hear what the man had to say.
“I’m sorry for the interruption sir, but you presence is needed at the man gate at once,” the man said looking at Turner.
“All right, I’ll be right there,” Turner said suddenly feeling unsure he wanted to go to the gate now. He figured he would find someone else who was caught heading to the surface despite the fact they were trying to be careful on when to send groups. Of course it might be someone returning from the surface as well.
“Yes, let’s head to the gate,” Zac said determined to show the general.
Turner felt sure there would be a confrontation waiting for them.
*****
“Well, what do you suggest?” Starbuck asked as they all looked out at the guards surrounding the vehicle pointing weapons at them.
“I don’t really want a confrontation at the moment, only find Boomer and leave,” Apollo replied back looking over the situation.
“It looks like we have a confrontation,” Starbuck replied back to him.
“I guess this won’t be simple,” Niobe said from where she sat looking out and spotting someone. “Great, that will complicate things.”
Apollo looked out not seeing what Niobe saw, but he did notice the arrival of two people who seemed to be the leaders as everyone else looked at them waiting. “It appears we’re doing this the hard way then.”
“Frack, I hate it when things get complex,” Starbuck replied.
*****
Bojay, Jolly and Brie all watched the others around them as each group seemed to look at the other with interest. The nearby machine seemed oblivious to everything including the tension between the Colonials and the machines. The other humans seemed aware of the machines but were unconcerned by any danger it might pose.
“I make you uncomfortable,” the spherical machine said to the group as Bojay recalled its name, DE.
“A little, you remind us of our enemy,” Brie said speaking up for the others.
“Is your enemy a machine?” DE asked this time Bojay thought he heard the machine sounding curious.
“Yeah,” Bojay replied wondering why everyone suddenly seemed interested in the conversation. What was going on and where was this conversation going to go.
He looked around to see everyone looking at them waiting for the next word when an alarm went off. Everyone looked up watching the sky, and even DE turned its attention to the sky as they all waited. After a few seconds the alert ended leaving Bojay perplexed at what happened when DE turned towards them.
“We are going to have more visitors,” it told the group leaving them all feeling uncertain what that meant.
*****
Sheba piloted the shuttle down through the atmosphere which shook the shuttle violently but the strong shielding prevented any damage to the systems otherwise they might be crashing on the planet’s surface. Breaking through the clouds they were all amazed by what they saw on the surface.
Rising from the surface they could see numerous craft rising to meet them which were different than any other craft Sheba had ever encountered. She caught a glimpse of one and it looked like a ball with several arms on it. Even as she got over her shock of the strange ships a voice came over the intercom. She heard it repeated and realized it was landing instructions. With a glance over at the commander she wondered what he might say.
“Follow the instructions,” he told her.
Adama went back to looking outside as well as Doctor Wilker, who had his face plastered against the windows looking outside at the layout of the planet below them Adama looked at the city and wondered why the layout made him uneasy. Something seemed familiar to him but he had yet to place it.
“It’s a machine city,” Wilker suddenly said as Adama looked again.
“Of course,” Adama said now recognizing the signs. It had a layout very similar to how a Cylon city was laid out, but very different. The architecture was nothing like how Cylons would built a city and he felt a bit of relief. Now he wondered what type of reception they would receive on the surface.
*****
Turner made his way to the gate wondering what he was going to see. The fact he had Zack next to him only complicated the situation in his opinion. Turning the corner he could see a strange looking vehicle surrounded by several guards. However it was the design which caught his attention, it was unlike anything he had ever seen before. Even before he could process what was going on Zack had rushed forward and demanded everyone inside the vehicle to exit. Turner wondered where the man’s stupidity came from, as they had no idea who they were yet he already made demands on the people inside.
“By the authority of the council I order you out of the vehicle,” Zack yelled out as Turner walked up beside him and waited for what might happen next.
Before Turner could say anything the occupants of the vehicle walked out and he noticed the first two were dressed much like the one he had arrested earlier entering Zion. Brown uniforms and strange weapons, one was a blonde haired man, the other had black hair.
Turner hoped this person might be able to convince the council of their misdirection. However the next person who walked out made him groan and that they would all be arrested even as a blonde-haired woman stepped out he didn’t recognize.
“General, arrest them all,” Zack said quickly.
“Hold on a centon, what do you mean arrest us,” the black haired man said as he and the blonde man took defensive positions and Turner knew they were soldiers. “Look, all we want is to pick up our friend who crashed on this planet and leave.”
“Then you will see him shortly, take them to the jail, and if they resist shoot,” Zack said and walked away, his stride showing his anger.
“Um, sir, they are not from here, what if Morpheus is right and danger is coming?” Turner asked catching up with Zack.
“All the more reason to see that they never leave,” Zack said. “I am confident they are from another part of Earth like we are, nothing more and nothing less.”
Turner stopped in disbelief at the way the other man brushed such things off. His arrogant way in dealing with others only seemed to increase the tension in the situation instead of helping. Turner could only hope nothing was happening, they might be waiting too long to do anything.
*****
Apollo waited a bit not really wanting to get involved in a shootout, and he had a feeling he would lose. He motioned for Starbuck to go along, they would think of something, he hoped.
“Sorry Apollo, it seems my government still hasn’t gotten it though their think skulls that there is a danger out there,” Niobe said to him as they were led away and into the interior of the city.
“We’ve been in tougher situation,” Apollo replied back to her getting a glare from his friend.
“I can’t think of many,” Starbuck said back to him.
True, they had been in many different situation, including being captured, and on board a Cylon basestar. The closest would probably be when Apollo was captured on Terra and he had no idea how he was going to get out. The only real hope they had were Bojay, Jolly and Brie.
They were led to a larger room which had a several other cells in it and walking in he noticed Boomer in one of them.
“I see that you found me, have any problem,” Boomer asked dryly as Starbuck and Apollo were placed into a cell.
“They led us right to you,” Starbuck replied motioning to the guards who said nothing as they closed the cell doors and walked away.
“So, is this part of the plan because so far I’m not seeing how you’re going to get me out of here,” Boomer said to them.
“Not really part of the plan,” Apollo answered honestly, looking over to see Cassiopeia and Niobe were placed in a cell with another woman and spotted another cell with two men in it, and wondered what they were there for.
“I’m Morpheus,” the bald man said to him, and Apollo could tell the man carried an air of leadership about him.
“Captain Apollo and this is Starbuck,” Apollo replied introducing themselves.
“I take it you’re from the Galactica as well,” Morpheus asked.
“Yes,” Apollo said, figuring that Boomer had already said that.
“Now what do we do?” Cassiopeia asked.
“For now, we wait,” Apollo said, hoping an opportunity would present itself for an escape.
End part 17