To Stop Running Part 8

To Stop Running

by AJ Marks

Part 8

Commander Tigh made his way to the council room where he expected to final all twelve members. He was bringing them news that the government of earth wanted to meet with them in order to officially establish communications between the two groups. He had the feeling that Ziers would want to go, and hoped Terrance would go as well to counter the ambitious councilman. Tigh had understood they had gotten the best of Ziers once, but the next one would not be as easy. He was politically cunning.

The council room was quiet when he walked in, making him wonder what they had been talking about. He made his way to the front as every waited to hear what he had to say. “The Earth government asked to meet with a couple of you from the council, they hope to begin formal communications.”

“How many are they expecting?” one member, Issac asked.

“Only a representative group, I don’t feel comfortable sending more than a couple down there yet,” Tigh said, looking at the group and watching a few nod in agreement.

“That’s a good idea,” Ziers said, and Tigh could tell he was thinking about something. He would have to wait to find out what the man was thinking when he spoke again. “I guess we should figure out which of us should go.”

“I propose Councilman Ziers,” Markus said rather quickly.

Tigh watched as Ziers merely acknowledged the proposal to go. Tigh had the feeling that he both wanted to go and stay which meant he had some sort of plan in his mind. He could only hope it was not some wacky plan which could endanger the entire fleet.

“I nominate Terrance to go then,” one of the older councilmen said.

Tigh watched and waited as the group seemed to consider this latest proposal. Tight wished he knew all the alliances in the council but over the yahrens was forced away and it seemed like they were all against him.

He would have to wait to see what the results would be, as they began talking about sending a third. Tigh was not too sure about that, a quarter of the council going. He wished he knew more about these Earthers.


Starbuck and Boxey followed the young man to the shuttle bay and from there down to the surface of the planet. Starbuck wondered why he was going down to the planet and not to one of the battlestars. His confusion mounted and he had asked the man that question. His reply was only that he had orders to take them to the planet’s surface.

Starbuck was not pleased with the answer, but kept his comments to himself as they made their way to the shuttle bay. Starbuck looked around quite impressed with the size of the hanger, even if it wasn’t as big as a battlestar. He also knew the ship had to have several hangars as they made their way to the shuttle.

Climbing inside he was met by an older gentleman dressed in white who introduced himself as Admiral White. He explained he would be going down tot eh surface together and that Commander Apollo asked Starbuck to contact with him.

Starbuck was led over to a small console with a transmitter and within microns had a connection with the Pegasus.

“Starbuck, glad you called,” Apollo said appearing on the screen. “I need for you to do something.”

“All right, what is it?” Starbuck asked, his mind already racing with things he might be asked to do.

“Commander Tigh and I talked it over, we want you to be the military contact in our meetings with Earth,” Apollo said to him.

“Apollo, buddy, you know as well as I do that I’m not a political person. I can’t stand politics,” Starbuck said in a pleading tone.

“You won’t have to worry about politics, leave that to Ziers and Terrance, and one other they were still voting on. What we need you to be a military advisor, that it, and keep an eye on Ziers. His ambition almost cost us the fleet with his ego,” Apollo said.

“I’ll do it, but I won’t like it,” Starbuck finally said. “I’m taking Boxey with me as my advisor.”

“Fair enough, someone has to keep an eye on you,” Apollo stated. “According to John some of Earth’s government officials are also against the military, and against fighting the Cylons.”

“The Cylons won’t just leave them alone,” Starbuck stated, something they both understood. You could not negotiate with a group who only wanted to win at all costs and had no honor.

“I now, seems like there are always some that are like this. I wanted you to know what to expect down there,” Apollo said to him.

“Gee, thanks,” Starbuck said, signing off and returning back to where Boxey was seated comfortably as the shuttle prepared to take off.

“Everything okay?” Boxey asked as Starbuck sat down next to him.

“Yep, oh, congratulations, we are now the military advisors to the Earth in the upcoming meeting between the two governments,” Starbuck said to him. “Apollo wants us to keep an eye on Ziers and what he might do.”

“Never like him anyways,” Boxey said, as the shuttle lifted off the hanger and started towards the surface of the planet.

Starbuck took a second to look around the shuttle, the seats were more comfortable than theirs, yet this shuttle had more room despite the fact it carried fewer people.

“It’s a short trip usually,” Admiral White said to them as he walked over and sat down.

“Are you John?” Starbuck asked, something in his gut told him the man was.

“Yes, Apollo and I talked it over came to the same conclusion. I am Earth’s advisor in the military as you are for the Colonials, especially considering we are not politicians but warriors,” John said to him.

Starbuck realized he had an ally in front of him. Deciding to get to know him he changed the topic slightly. “So, what’s your planet like?’


Terrance sat quietly on the shuttle with two other council members, including Ziers. Terrance wondered what the man might be up to next. He had spent the last couple yahrens gaining power in the Council. He was glad that Isaac had nominated him as well.

Turning his attention to the trip, he realized it would be the first time he was off a ship in a long time. There was a generation of young people who had never been on a planet. That thought saddened him a bit. They lived a sheltered life.

The upcoming meeting would establish who would become political allies, and who would be against helping. He had to find those who might help him, and he knew Ziers would do the same thing. The bump indicated the shuttle landed on the planet’s surface.

He walked out with the other two, and was greeted by several people. He noticed several tall buildings scattered around and looked back at the group, spotting two Colonial warriors and recognized Starbuck right away.

“Gentleman, welcome to Earth,” the man in front of him said. “Allow me to introduce myself. I am President Hillard, and these are my advisors,” he said indicating to the men behind him.

“Pleased to meet you, I am Councilman Ziers,” Terrance heard Ziers say, stepping forward, and the power play had begun.

No one expected the President to greet them upon arriving at the planet, but Terrance knew that Ziers was the person to step forward to greet him back. The man had been on the council longer than anyone else. Terrance was not the newest, but still considered one of the younger members.

Introductions were made all around, and the group started to head off to the meeting area where they could be more comfortable and they were led to several cars waiting nearby. He found himself in a car with Starbuck, Boxy and two others while Ziers had gone ahead with the President. Of the two men, one was dressed in a white uniform who he thought he recognized, the other had on a sort of suit.

“Councilman Terrance, I’m Senator Mitchell,” the man in the suit said. “I think you might have met Admiral White,” he said, motioning to the other man.

“Ah, yes, thought I recognized your face,” Terrance said at last then paused wondering how to bring up Ziers to Starbuck and Boxey with the other two in the car.

“We’ll have to keep an eye on Ziers,” Starbuck said, not bothering to lower his voice.

“Really?” Mitchell replied, his eyebrows rising at the statement. He leaned forward slightly to hear more.

Terrance and Starbuck filled in the other two about the recent events. If Starbuck seemed to trust these two, then Terrance would make a leap of faith, hoping he was not making a mistake. He told him of how Ziers almost sabotaged their ability to fight back even when the Cylons were attacking.

IF he’s that incompetent why not kick him off the council,” Mitchell asked.

“Its not that simple, to kick him off we need lots of evidence and it would become a scandal. Anyone who would try it might be political suicide for them. He’s our senior council member, not the head, fortunately. He’s used that time to gain allies, both on and off the council. We’re not strong enough to survive any political counter strike his allies might do, and he would still be on board the fleet, festering his opinions to anyone who listens. It could split the fleet.”

“He’s a two faced dagget,” Starbuck spat out.

“It’s only recently that I’ve managed to erode some of his power base. His blocking of our ability to defend against the Cylons made him look very foolish to some of the others. The fact that I told the council about Earth really made points with them,” Terrance said.

“From what you’ve told me, not much to worry about. Most of us still recall our own brush with extinction. We have a few like Ziers, but the President isn’t like that. In fact he was one of the heroes of the war,” Mitchell replied.

“What happened?” Boxey asked.

“Ah, we had our first alien contact, our leaders at the time were engrossed in petty fighting among ourselves, and not prepared to face such a threat. At the time I was a major at a top secret base called Area 51. The aliens turned out to be hostile and almost wiped us out,” Mitchell said, recalling those days of secrecy.

“You survived,” Starbuck said.

“Yes, the aliens were highly advanced, but we had the better computer technology, and infected their systems with a computer virus, something they never thought possible with their advanced tech,’ Mitchell said.

“A computer virus,” Starbuck asked. Terrance had to agree, it seemed strange.

“It’s a program designed to attack another computer and run a specific program. Anything from gathering data to shutting down the computer,” Mitchell replied.

“Interesting, did you learn much about their technology?” Terrance asked, thinking about their own computers on board. Of course most of their systems were separate, and many were still hand done in case they were taken over by the Cylons.

“Quite a bit,” the reply came back. “We used it to quickly build up a space fleet. We were never sure if this alien group would come again or not, but better to be prepared then do nothing.”

“Makes sense,” Terrance said wondering if they would do the same thing. It also explained Earth’s technology.

“Would a virus effect these Cylons, you said they are machines?” Mitchell asked.

“No, they don’t act together, they are more like a race of independent robots,” Starbuck replied.

“Then we face a different opponent this time,” Mitchell said, leaning back into his seat. “How did you match up one on one, being a race of robots are they mass produced or something?”

“One human pilot could usually take on three or a bit more. The larger warships, the Galactica is about equal to a basestar, it might could take on two, but more than that would be a struggle,” Starbuck replied back to Mitchell. “As for the Cylons, they come in different classes, the centurions are the warriors, generally not as intelligent, but unwavering focus to its mission.”

“I see,” Mitchell stated, looking over at the admiral.

Terrance hoped they had found an ally in their fight against the Cylons.

End part 8

Concluded in Part 9

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