Cassiopeia’s Story
by AJ Marks
Cassiopeia threaded her way through the crowds followed close behind by her friend, and co-worker, Ria. They both noticed the happy expressions of more than a few. It seemed several had already gotten into the ambrosia.
Cassie smiled thinking that finally after lifetimes of war with the Cylons it would finally be over. Peace between the Cylons and humanity.
“Rai, come ‘on, we’re late,” Cassie said to her friend. They were invited to a prominent official and now they were late.
“I am, but, I don’t want to miss any of this,” Ria said. “You know, I think I’m going to miss the war though.”
Cassie almost tripped at Ria’s words before glancing back her at her friend. “You will?” Cassie exclaimed. “Then you’re the only one who will. Everyone I know, and see, seems extremely happy.”
“No, it’s, well, from a business standpoint,” Ria stated. “I’m not like you, my customers are warriors, mostly pilots.”
Cassie ponder the statement realizing her friend was right. Most business came from the warriors. A battlestar docked and business increased tremendously. Her own reputation had grown greatly with Commander Cain. She briefly wondered if anyone really knew how sensitive the man had been. Everyone saw the legendary commander. She had seen a grieving husband. She felt Ria bump her.
“Great, an Otori sect over there,” Ria said.
Cassie looked over to see a group of around twenty people walking in the opposite direction. She easily recognized them by how they grouped themselves when walking. Men and women not walking together even though she could tell by the rings most were married.
“Maybe they won’t see us,” Cassie hoped. She had no intention of enduring hateful remarks from people who denied themselves any pleasure at all.
Her hopes dashed when one of the men recognized her. Not pausing to stop she and Ria continued down the road until the shouting and slurs ceased.
“Guess they’re jealous,” Ria said, smirking.
“I wouldn’t know,” Cassie replied honestly sharing Rai’s grin. “I can’t abide by a religion that punishes people from taking pleasure.”
They walked into a plaza. A large screen held what should be the opening ceremonies of the treaty signing instead only a reporter talking. The party here also appeared in full swing Cassie noted. She heard one person talking that nothing had been heard from the President or the Atlantia.
Cassie frowned glancing at the clock. There should have been something coming from the fleet by now. She and Ria were late but had not made up that much time.
“Oh, good, maybe we can catch the signing,” Ria said.
“Definitely historic,” Cassie replied.
“Let’s stay here for a bit, I don’t want to miss the signing,” Ria said, giving Cassie’s arm a tug.
“Sure,” Cassie replied. It was not every day that such a historic signing occurred. She moved slightly hoping to gain a better look at the screen. The broadcast should start soon when Ria bumped her again.
“Look up there,” Ria said pointing to the sky, a strange tone in her voice.
Cassie looked in the direction staring in horror at what she saw, three disk-like shaped craft swooping though the atmosphere straight towards where they stood. She swallowed several times at the rising bile in her throat at the rationalization of what she saw.
“Um, is that…nah, can’t be, could it?” Ria said.
“Cylons,” Cassie replied to the question Ria had difficulty completing.
Cassie froze seeing blue bolts rain down from the Cylon raiders. She tracked the bolts down to the planet’s surface seeing explosions occur. Several more occurred heading straight towards where she stood. She turned to Ria who looked back at her with her mouth open. The thud of explosions tore through the plaza. Cassie watched Ria fly though the air with her by one nearby explosion.
A brief second everything went silent then screams echoed to where Cassie lay. She stood with a bit of help from Ria.
“We need to find a safe spot?” Ria yelled over ongoing explosions.
“The nearest shelter is too far away,” Cassie replied, Ria nodded.
“That way,” Ria suggested.
Cassie agreed and the two quickly avoided debris and fires. Another explosion occurred nearby sending them both flying again. She clamped her jaw shut at the lancing pain in her arm before it finally subsided. She glanced around looking for Ria. Slumped a short distance away Cassie noticed her friend.
“Ria, we need to get moving,” Cassie said, cradling her arm and moving over to Ria. Getting no response Cassie knelt down before seeing a pool of blood behind Ria’s head and the awkward angle of her fiend’s neck.
Cassie felt tears sting her eyes at what she saw closing her friends eyes. A nearby explosion showered her in debris shaking her out of her daze. She was not safe here. With a last thought to her best friend she ran to the outskirts of the city. Perhaps there she might avoid some of the Cylons and find a place to hide.
She joined up with a large group of people fleeing the city. She picked up comments from those around her. No one had any word from the fleet, or any warriors, or what had happened between the Cylons and the Council at the signing of the treaty.
Shouts of ‘Cylons’ caused her to look up to see three raiders zeroing in on their location firing into the group. Cassie ran as the group scattered in different directions. She once more felt herself thrown to the ground by a nearby explosion. She glanced up seeing a small cave made of rubble and managed to crawl into the cave. She curled up into a ball wishing the explosions and screams would stop.
Her arm continued to send jolts of pain throughout her body which she ignored. She wished over and over to wake up, to find herself in her bed and all this only a nightmare. The explosions faded, the screams died down, the cries for help slowly grew weaker as Cassie remained huddled wishing she had a blanket even though the night air had been warm, tears flowing down her cheeks.
A new sound alerted Cassie to something different, footsteps. She held her breath not sure if the approaching footsteps were Cylon, or survivors. Whispers on the wind carried to where she hid.
“…Galactica, you sure…”
“…Adama himself ordered…”
“…spaceport…”
“…leave the colonies, I can’t….”
Cassie exhaled taking a deep breath processing what she heard. The Galactica, she knew enough that it was a battlestar. So one had survived, and Commander Adama, one of the Council of Twelve had also survived at least according to the information. Were they leaving the Colonies by Adama’s orders? What if the Galactica had not survived and this was a trap by the Cylons?
She thought about her situation knowing she could not stay here forever. She had no food, water, or other supplies. A decision of survival with the Galactica, or even a quick death at the hands of the Cylons seemed preferable. Ignoring her protesting arm she crawled out of her cave seeing the group walk away. She followed at a distance as they walked slowly towards the spaceport.
She knew the port they were headed to. A small port that housing a few shuttles and rarely operated much. Maybe that was why the port seemed to be operational. She noticed severe damage to the buildings but she also spotted armed guards ushering them inside.
The armed presence calmed her more than anything else. Once inside the debris had been moved and organized chaos seemed to reign.
“One line, don’t push, plenty of room,” the man in command said.
Cassie walked onto the shuttle surprised at how empty is still seemed. She spotted a group that seemed familiar to her. A micron later she realized they were Otori, a couple from the group she had passed before it all happened, a lifetime to her at the moment. She found a spot as far away as possible. The last thing she needed now another argument.
The door closed and Cassie had a horrible thought. What if Cylons attacked the shuttle on the way up? Her rational mind provided the answer. The shuttle and everyone on board would become space dust. She decided now was not the time to think such thoughts. She glanced around seeing shock reflected back at her on others faces. Had she survived, or had Ria been the luck one? She had no idea at the moment and knew only time would tell.
She felt the overwhelming sigh of relief when the shuttle landed on board some ship. The door opened allowing the passengers out. She followed the instructions heading down a corridor. She knew that her life had changed forever from what it had been.
Cassie glanced at the cargo bay slowing filling with people before everyone on board felt the ship finally move. Rumors came down the ship met up with the Galactica. Food and water were rationed to last the longest. No one even knew where they were going.
The couple from the Otori sect finally recognized her telling everyone she should be thrown off to save food and water. Her arm still hurt and she knew it had been broken during the attack. The ship had no medical faculties so she had to bear it for now.
The door at the far end of the room opened allowing several warriors into the room, one a blonde haired warrior who in another life she would have been attracted to. Now, everything had changed. She watched as the two warriors walked down the path, stopping close by, hearing the insults thrown her way and realized the blonde warrior looking at her. She had no idea what might happen next.
The End
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