The Return – Part 4

The Return

by AJ Marks

Part 4

Adama waited as the ship dropped out of hyperspace at the Lucian alliance. Messages had been sent they were coming but no one knew what type of reception to expect from them.  Scanners had indicated already several ships in the area and if a fight started they would be outnumbered.  He waited along with Daniel Jackson for any communications from the Lucian ships.

Latest intelligence from the Lucian alliance indicated they were still in flux of leadership so the tau’ri didn’t know who was in actual command at the moment. Adama figured he would find out shortly.

“Sending communications,” the captain of the Hammond said.

“Well, now we’ll find out who is in charge,” Daniel said more to himself than anyone else.

A bald man appeared with bronze skin.

“I am Hathlar,” he said, his tone abrupt and short.

“I am Commander Adama,” Adama said speaking up. “I wish to speak with your leaders.”

“We have no need for communications,” Hathlar replied.

“If you send a ship to the Sol Galaxy then you do,” Adama said. “If you are trying to communicate with the Cylons then you are making the worst mistake in human history.”

“We know what we are doing ‘commander’, thank you,” Hathlar replied.

“No you don’t,” Adama said. “You haven’t fought them your entire life, you didn’t have your civilization destroyed by them, you don’t know them at all.”

Adama’s voice was strong and commanding and he noticed Hathlar hesitate slightly at the tone.

“The Cylons have only one objective, kill all humans. They will make a treaty with you then stab you in the back to get to their objective.  They don’t care what you think,” Adama said.

“I’d listen to him Hathlar. The Cylons are not an enemy like the Gou’ald,” Daniel stated speaking up as well.

“And we know you are trying to infiltrate my civilization,” Adama said.

“Yes, its been difficult,” Hathlar replied, apparently loosening up a bit.

“It would be difficult when everyone there has seen their civilization destroyed. Spent years closed in a ship wondering if you were going to starve to death, run out of fuel, or even more mercifully destroyed by your enemy,” Adama said.  “It forms bonds not easily broken.”

“It would explain some things, but I am not convinced until we meet these Cylons,” Hathlar finally said.

“Then you are as stupid as Baltar,” Adama said in disgust seeing him frown. “Baltar tried talking to them as well.  They promised him he would rule humanity once the Cylons had conquered them.  But there was one problem, the Cylons never intended to keep any humans alive.  How do you rule over what is conquered when there is nothing left?  You rule by the strongest, do you not?”

“We must be strong to rule,” Hathlar replied.

“The Cylons would use that to destroy you, not take you over,” Adama said.

“Then why are you sending a ship to the galaxy if not to talk with them?” Hathlar asked.

“Its not to talk to them, but to watch,” Adama said. “Right now they are without hyperspace jump engines so they are limited to their galaxy.  To leave it would take them hundreds of years.  They also have no knowledge of stargates.  As long as they don’t have that technology, we have time to prepare for them, watch them.  Perhaps they will grow up by the time they meet us again.”

He watched as Hathlar seemed to think about this for a few seconds before the screen went dark.

Adama looked at the others who seemed tense.

“Well, that went better than I expected,” Daniel said causing Adama to frown. “They at least talked to us this time and didn’t shoot at first sight.”

“I do not think he’s convinced,” Adama said making a mental note to tell everyone about this Lucian Alliance and their feeling towards the Cylons. Such feelings would only make it harder for their group to be able to spy on them.

“Getting a transmission,” the captain of the Hammond said. “Leave now or be destroyed.”

“So friendly,” Daniel said.

“If you don’t mind, I’m going to leave,” the captain said.

Adama had a feeling they failed but he had been prepared for this. “Captain, send the file that was planned on.”

“You sure?”

“Yes,” Adama said.

“All right,” he said nodding towards the communications officer who went to work even as the rest of the bridge crew worked to prepare the ship for hyperspace. “Let me know when you’re done sending and we’ll leave.”

*****

Apollo looked up as the communications activated and he noticed the commander of the base on the screen.

“Captain, how are things going down there?” Apollo asked.

“Fully operational now, we have our scanners up and running for now,” the captain said.

“Good news then,” Apollo said. “I wanted to patrol the surrounding area a bit.”

“All right, we have the ability to leave by gate if needed, and all supplies from the Galactica have been off loaded,” the captain replied. “How long will it take?”

“Hopefully not long,” Apollo said. “Just checking out the close systems for any sign of the Cylons.”

“Then be careful.”

“We will, we’ll report back in before heading back,” Apollo said.

The communications ended and Apollo headed to the bridge where people were waiting.

“Helm, set course for the closest system, we’re going exploring,” Apollo said to them.

“Yes sir.”

“You think that’s wise,” Boomer asked quietly as Apollo sat down in the captain’s chair.

“Need to see what else is out there,” Apollo replied. “It would be bad if we set up in a system next to the Cylons.”

“I guess so,” Boomer said.

Apollo was already thinking of where else they might be able to set up bases. They really were not limited to just spots next to this system, with the gates they could set up all over and quickly communicate with each other.

“All set, ready to enter hyperspace.”

“Execute,” Apollo said.

The Galactica went into hyperspace heading to the next system. He hoped they found nothing but with this you never knew what might be happening.  The entire trip was uneventful as the ship made it journey to the next system.  They arrived quickly scanning the system and finding only one planet which could support life.

“Heading to the planet.”

“Sir, I’m picking up something strange,” another scanner operator said and Apollo had to recall his name, Erin.

“What’s up?” Apollo asked wondering what they found.

“Well, we’re picking up debris on the surface of the planet,” he replied back to him. “And there is a probability that its from the Fleet.”

That bit of news perked up Apollo.

“Where?” he asked.

“Pinpointing it now,” Erin said.

Apollo looked at Boomer, each having the same thought, did some of the ships manage to survive. He looked at the starmap and wondered if it could have travelled this far, or how it even managed to escape.

“Entering orbit.”

“Computers say there is a sixty percent chance the wreckage is the Sunriser,” Erin said.

Apollo realized that was one of the ships which left, and was one of the faster ships in the fleet.

“Any sign of life?” Apollo asked.

“Unsure, some atmospherics are interfering with our scans,” Erin said.

“Prepare a ground team, Boomer, go with them,” Apollos aid.

“Me?’ Boomer asked.

“Yeah, they might recognize you,” Apollo said.

“All right,” Boomer said, moving out to head to the transport room leaving Apollo wondering if they might find anyone alive after everything.

*****

Boomer blinked and he was down on the surface of the planet along with four other members of an away team. He still had yet to get used to such transportation that was used.  He looked around seeing a planet very much like other planets, some trees, bushes and such and made his way in the direction of the wreckage which wasn’t afar.

The group fanned out a bit and remained on alert but moved quickly though the vegetation before reaching the wreckage. Boomer looked it over seeing the signs of a fight on the hull.

“I’d be surprised if anyone survived this crash,” one of the men said and Boomer had to agree.

“Greg, you and Percy keep a look out,” Boomer said to them as he moved forward to look at the ship closer. Things were heavily damaged, but still, he thought he spotted something strange about some of it all.

“Be careful sir,” Percy said moving to the edge and looking around.

“Hello!” Boomer yelled out gaining a few strange looks. “I’m Lieutenant Boomer of the Battlestar Galactica.”

He heard nothing in reply even as others were looking around.

“You think anyone’s here,” Troy asked, another person in the team.

“Yeah, I do,” Percy said looking down at the ground. “This ground’s been trampled on, quite a bit actually.”

Boomer looked down at the ground seeing the truth. He also knew if they were here they would be spooked.  He moved forward towards the wreckage a bit more and stopped, his instincts on full alert.  They were being watched, this much he was positive about.  Looking around he examined the wreckage finally noticing areas which appeared ‘repaired’ and moved.

He moved forward cautiously once more calling out who he was. Finally a man appeared holding a blaster pointed at him.  Boomer stopped and waited motioning for the others to relax.

“They were all killed,” the man said.

“No, we survived,” Boomer said, his hands outstretched. “We went through the stargate and ended up in another galaxy.”

He hoped he could reason with this person.

*****

The Imperious Leader waited as the reports came in. Last year they had finally cornered the Colonial fleet and the Galactica only to have something very strange happen.  He could not make anything out of what had happened.  They had scoured the planet for any indication of what might have happened to all the humans but nothing had come out.

Indications were the ships landed on the planet and the humans got out, then the ships lifted off again and were sent out unmanned away from the planet. They discovered a few manned ships, but not enough to account for the total number which should have been in the fleet.

No, the real confusing thing had been what the Galactica had done. Its warriors didn’t stand and fight like expected.  Instead they retreated while firing to the surface of the planet.  Then the Galactica had plowed into the surface of the planet.

Reports from basestar commanders indicated some sort of building on the surface, but there had been a massive explosion before any high scans could be done and then the Galactica destroyed the rest.

He wanted to know what had been in that building and what happened to all the humans. They captured a few but no one had been able to give them any rational response.  Only some mumbling about a gate or something which made no sense to him.

Once more he was forced to turn to someone else for some sort of explanation which he could not come up with. The decision to finally ask had not come easily and he sent word to his centurions.

The door opened allowing a human to enter the room, dressed in white but appeared to be healthy.

“Excellent Centurions, leave,” the Imperious Leader said. He noticed a confused expression on the face but the centurions obeyed and left.

Silence stretched out as they looked at each other, neither speaking at first.

“Baltar,” the Imperious Leader said finally addressing the man.

“It appears you need me again,” Baltar said, and the Imperious Leader noticed a smug tone in his voice this time which was why he had been so reluctant to call for him. The human could be so insufferable.

“The Galactica has been destroyed,” the Imperious Leader said watching as his expression showed shock at that bit of news.

Now Baltar wondered why he had been summoned at all if they had managed to beat the Galactica. What else had happened?

End part 4

Continued in part 5

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