{"id":1317,"date":"2016-02-27T07:17:27","date_gmt":"2016-02-27T13:17:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/?p=1317"},"modified":"2016-02-27T07:17:38","modified_gmt":"2016-02-27T13:17:38","slug":"second-face-of-evil-part-8","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/?p=1317","title":{"rendered":"Second Face of Evil – Part 8"},"content":{"rendered":"

Second Face of Evil<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

by AJ Marks<\/span><\/p>\n

Part 8<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The small group walked up to the President\u2019s office and while Boxey and Terrance stopped the woman continued walking right on by and into the office. Boxey looked over at Terrance than at the secretary who merely shrugged before they both followed her into the room.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey Uncle Steve,\u201d Renee said to the President who was working at his desk.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, look who walked in and dragged a couple of strays,\u201d Hiller said. \u201cYou know your father is tolerant of you bringing strays home, but this is the President\u2019s office.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut this one is cute, can I keep him,\u201d Renee said, grabbing Boxey as Terrance stifled a laugh.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s between you and your father,\u201d Hiller said, before turning to look at Boxey and Terrance. \u201cWhat brings you to my office?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. President, I don\u2019t know if you remember me, but my name is Terrance, from the Battlestar Galactica,\u201d Terrance said hoping the man did remember him.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course,\u201d Hillar replied. \u201cAre you following her around, or is there something I need to be aware of?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, actually I was hoping you could help us,\u201d Terrance said. \u201cI\u2019m afraid that we\u2019ve lost one of our pilots, Captain Starbuck.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLost him?\u201d Hillar repeated, unsure if he heard it correctly.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, lost him,\u201d Terrance stated.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was headed off to investigate something,\u201d Boxey said speaking up.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it had something to do with Senator Celco, I saw him a while ago looking at Kevy Grotto and Jim Thope,\u201d Renee stated.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Senator Celco, never liked him much,\u201d Hillar stated plainly.<\/p>\n

\u201cSenator Celco?\u201d Terrance asked, not familiar with the name.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s the one whose most against us keeping the military the size it is. He doesn\u2019t speak outright about it, but everyone figures he\u2019s the main person behind the opposition to any growth to the military,\u201d Hillar replied.\u00a0 \u201cNow it seems like a lot of people were listening to him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s his goal?\u201d Terrance asked, knowing everyone had an agenda.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t know. Probably thinks you can win all wars with words.\u00a0 He forgets that when the aliens attacked they did so without warning or any communications,\u201d Hillar stated.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo what did they want?\u201d Boxey asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor us to die,\u201d Renee answered. \u201cMy father talked to one.\u00a0 He said they go from planet to planet destroying everything and consuming everything.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNice people,\u201d Terrance said, glad they had not met up with anyone like that on their journey.<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess I need to tell my dad,\u201d Boxey said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll talk with Senator Celco as well, see if he knows anything,\u201d Hillar said. They headed out hoping to find the missing pilot.<\/p>\n

*****<\/p>\n

Apollo sat in the command chair of the Pegasus thinking about the fact so many commanders had been in the same position as he was right now. It was the same chair that some of the legendary commanders had sat in, like Commander Cain.\u00a0 Of course the first commander, Terris, sat here as well a long time ago.\u00a0 He wondered what they might think about all of this now.<\/p>\n

\u201cCommander, message coming in for you,\u201d the deck officer said.<\/p>\n

\u201cPut it up here,\u201d Apollo said, swinging his chair towards the monitor.<\/p>\n

\u201cCommander, sorry to disturb you,\u201d Terrance said. He wasn\u2019t the person Apollo was expecting to see but the tone in his voice indicate something had happened.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d Apollo asked, sitting up.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, we\u2019ve lost Starbuck,\u201d Terrance said.<\/p>\n

\u201cLost him?\u201d Apollo repeated, then wondered how Cassiopeia would handle that news. \u201cWhat do you mean lost him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can\u2019t find him anywhere,\u201d Terrance replied. \u201cLast we saw he was headed off to talk with a senator here on Earth.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd he hasn\u2019t been seen since I take it,\u201d Apollo said wondering what trouble Starbuck had discovered.<\/p>\n

\u201cCorrect,\u201d Terrance said. \u201cI\u2019ve already spoken with President Hillar about it, and he\u2019s agreed to help us out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStarbuck had a way of finding trouble, and getting out of it, so I\u2019m not worried about him yet,\u201d Apollo said. \u201cI just wonder what he found and what type of information he has found.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is something else,\u201d Terrance said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what would that be,\u201d Apollo asked, hoping it wasn\u2019t anything bad.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been keeping an eye on your son,\u2019 Terrance stated.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood, with Starbuck as a role model I was worried about him,\u201d Apollo stated.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, he\u2019s met a girl down here,\u201d Marcus said. \u201cI think they like each other.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReally, that\u2019s a bit interesting,\u201d Apollo said. \u201cHe\u2019s not chasing two or three of them, is he?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, she\u2019s actually dragging him around,\u201d Terrance said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s serious, then again it sounds very much like what happened to Starbuck,\u201d Apollo stated chuckling a bit. \u201cI recall Cassiopeia doing the same thing with Starbuck.\u00a0 It\u2019s a wonder she didn\u2019t get a steam burn as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d Terrance asked and Apollo knew he said too much.<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, nothing,\u201d Apollo replied. \u201cKeep me informed and let me know when he shows up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI will,\u201d Terrance said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow are things going?\u201d Apollo asked, changing the subject.<\/p>\n

\u201cAbout as well as expected,\u201d Marcus replied. \u201cThey have their factions as well, but I think we\u2019ll work things out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood,\u201d Apollo sad.<\/p>\n

They ended the conversation and Apollo went over what facts had been told to him. Starbuck was missing, Boxy seemed to have found someone he likes and the diplomacy was going about as well as expected.\u00a0 He really hoped nothing else would happen.<\/p>\n

*****<\/p>\n

Ziers walked towards the President\u2019s office for a meeting. He only had to get the President to the proper place and the Senator\u2019s men would do everything else.\u00a0 He had a feeling that what he was doing was wrong, but he ignored that for now as he walked up to the office seeing the secretary sitting at her desk and looking at him.<\/p>\n

\u201cMay I help you?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI need to see the President,\u201d Ziers said hoping he had enough clout.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, he\u2019s in a meeting now and is not to be disturbed,\u201d she replied to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo you know when I can see him?\u201d Ziers asked, knowing this changed a lot of things.<\/p>\n

She looked down at the schedule for several seconds before back up at him to reply. \u201cNormally he would be free after this, but with everything going on, its hard to say what will happen next,\u201d she told him.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, I\u2019ll wait,\u201d Ziers said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll let him know that you\u2019re waiting senator,\u201d she picking up the phone and letting the President know he was waiting outside.<\/p>\n

Ziers sat down and resigned himself to waiting, wondering how this would affect everything.<\/p>\n

*****<\/p>\n

David walked into the Mars base, summoned by someone who seemed to think he needed to see something. There was a lot of activity going on and he walked over to Kelly who was in charge at the moment.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey David, glad you\u2019re back,\u201d she said to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s been going on?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat hasn\u2019t, we managed to get some more information,\u201d she said pointing down at the screen.<\/p>\n

David looked at it, feeling a chill at what he saw. It reminded him so very much of what he had seen twenty years ago, even though the characters on the screen were different.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d Kelly asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve got a bad feeling about this,\u201d he finally said. \u201cGet me the President, level one emergency.\u201d<\/p>\n

*****<\/p>\n

Ziers sat quickly in the waiting room for the secretary to announce he could go in. So far he had been there an hour before the phone buzzed.\u00a0 He watched as she spoke quickly then looked over at him.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe President has a few minutes, he can see you now,\u201d she said to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you,\u201d Ziers replied, getting up and walking into the Presidential office.<\/p>\n

Hillar was sitting down behind the desk, stacked with papers which he appeared to be looking over. He paused looking up at Zier and waited to hear what he had to say.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hear that your time is short Mr. President,\u201d Ziers said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThings have be crazy around here considering everything that\u2019s going on,\u201d Hillar replied back to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen I probably won\u2019t bring anything to lessen the burden. I wanted to let you know that several members in the council are looking to take advantage of the situation,\u201d Ziers said.\u00a0 \u201cWith your attention divided between the aliens, Cylons and this Colonial group, they feel they can take power from you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you would know this how?\u201d Hillar asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey were hoping I could help,\u201d Ziers replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd from what I\u2019ve seen lately, I would think you\u2019re on their side,\u201d Hillar said evenly.<\/p>\n

\u201cNormally yes, but they don\u2019t seem to be taking this Cylon threat seriously,\u201d Ziers said.<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay, say I take your warning, what can I do about it?\u201d Hillar asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are holding a meeting with several others, hoping to sway them to our side. They believe a peace can be made with the different groups and they would be the supreme leaders when its all done,\u201d Ziers said, waiting.<\/p>\n

\u201cSounds like a bunch of BS,\u201d Hillar finally said.<\/p>\n

\u201cMight be, but people are listening to them,\u201d Zier told him.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere will always be groups that think this way, are they organized?\u201d Hillar asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cMore than you know,\u201d Ziers said.<\/p>\n

Hillar started to reply when the phone buzzed and he answered it.<\/p>\n

Yes, who, all right, connect me,\u201d Hillar stated.<\/p>\n

Ziers could only hear one side of the conversation and had no idea who was on the other side and it took several seconds before the line was connected.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s going on?\u201d Hillar said. \u201cWhat!\u201d he shouted seconds later.<\/p>\n

Ziers jumped slightly at the tone Hillar used, not expected it but the look of the President\u2019s body language and tone indicated something major had happened. He hoped his new friends had not gone and done something stupid without him.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you sure?\u201d Hillar asked. \u201cThat positive.\u00a0 All right, no, stay there for now.\u00a0 Leave if you think you\u2019re in danger but try and get me as much information as possible.\u00a0 I\u2019ll be a meeting of the defense committee and involve our new allies, they might help out,\u201d Hillar said confusing Ziers as he hung up.\u00a0 \u201cThis is going to have to wait, there appears to be a new development.\u00a0 I need you to attend a meeting though now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow?\u201d Zier asked, unsure about this.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, something occurred on Mars which requires our immediate attention,\u201d Hillar said.<\/p>\n

Ziers looked on wondering what had happened now.<\/p>\n

*****<\/p>\n

Tigh stood on the bridge of the Galactica which was still with the fleet and the Pegasus was with the Earth fleet.<\/p>\n

\u201cCommander,\u201d Omega said, gaining Tigh\u2019s attention. He looked over wondering what had happened now.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is it?\u201d Tigh asked, making his way over to where Omega was.<\/p>\n

\u201cLong range scanners have picked up two Cylon basestars approaching,\u201d Omega said to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cGreat, just great,\u201d Tigh muttered. \u201cAliens attacking Earth, Cylons approaching, what else can go wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n

The bridge crew remained silent to Tigh\u2019s question.\u00a0 No one wanted to know what might happen next.<\/p>\n

*****<\/p>\n

Starbuck slowly came to, a dull headache towards the back of his skull indicated where he had been hit. He tried to recall the last thing he could remember, which was trying to get a closer look at a council man to figure out what was going on.\u00a0 Now it appeared he was a prisoner somewhere by someone he didn\u2019t know.<\/p>\n

He heard footsteps coming down the hallway and pushed himself into a seated position. Looking at the door as it opened and looked upon the person standing there.\u00a0 Now that he was closer he was able to make out the features of the man.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHello Starbuck.\u201d<\/p>\n

*****<\/p>\n

A small quake shook the surface of Mars. The base shook as people looked around concerned, hoping that the structures wouldn\u2019t fail but also at their information.\u00a0 The computers they found were bringing forth even more information than they expected.<\/p>\n

\u201cDavid?\u201d Kelly said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m about to talk with the President and his advisors,\u201d David replied, noting her concern.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, but you should see this,\u201d Kelly said, looking at a screen.<\/p>\n

Daive walked over and looked down. \u201cWhat in the name of God is going on?\u201d he said.\u00a0 On one of the monitors of the surface he noticed a large crack forming.\u00a0 \u201cThis doesn\u2019t look good.\u201d<\/p>\n

End Second Face of Evil<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Second Face of Evil by AJ Marks Part 8 The small group walked up to the President\u2019s office and while Boxey and Terrance stopped the woman continued walking right on by and into the office. Boxey looked over at Terrance than at the secretary who merely shrugged before they both followed her into the room. […]
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