Clayton Dualla
Colonial Retired
Colonel
Terran Senior Technical Advisor
Posts: 5,380
Registered: Jul 3, 2011 19:48:16 GMT -6
|
Post by Clayton Dualla on Aug 5, 2012 19:32:14 GMT -6
Clayton had fallen back into his military training easily. He had not realized how much he had missed it. The same was true with design and engineering. Since Galactica had vanished, he'd ended up in more of a senior operations role. It had been allright, but it was not his greatest calling. Maybe that was why he had retired to Terra, to attempt to follow his passion again. When he was offered it again, on a silver platter, he jumped like a Saggitaron grasshopper.
Now, the moment had passed, but the magic seemed to continue. The Admirals seemed to be finished with him though. He could tell that they'd made their case and gotten the reply they wanted, so the mission at hand was accomplished. They could turn to other tasks now. Judge Schwein's pulling him toward a complex of buildings told him if the body language of the Colonials hadn't. He'd been dismissed after being given his new assignment. He was curious to see for himself just how severe these storms were going to be if everyone was practically taking shelter. He glanced around him and saw the Vipers and Raptors being quickly wheeled off to a massive rounded hangar, shaped so as to be windproof from any direction it seemed.
He was a bit puzzled at first by her question about his name. Surely she knew it, she'd have been briefed on it. Ah, she was being polite, and trying to make him feel at home.
"Clayton. My first name's Clayton. No middle name. All right, then, lead on."
They took a few more steps.
"So, are we to be on first-name basis, then? I know your first name even less than you know mine," he said, letting her know that he knew that she'd been part of the operation to recruit him, and as such, she knew his full name.
|
|
Judge Judith Schwein
Civilian Official
Judge, 1st Terran Circuit Court
I'm a Judge, not a general. Okay, I'm a general too.
Posts: 123
Registered: Nov 30, 2010 23:40:44 GMT -6
|
Post by Judge Judith Schwein on Aug 6, 2012 11:00:26 GMT -6
Walking briskly towards the row of buildings, Judith listened to the Colonial. Ah, how she loved cat-and-mouse games! She was glad to see he was playing along though. Although she already knew the mans first name, she felt it necessary to ask him just the same, to set the tone on a more informal note. She never did like protocol and the pomp and circumstance that inevitably seemed to follow. That was one of the reasons, albeit a rather small one, that she chose to perform the duties of a judge rather than remain in the military, although she did miss the excitement of being in a cockpit, the freedom of being in total control of the stick and the plane. She had always thought that those days were long gone but these past several weeks had her thinking perhaps not. Once they had reached the building that housed their quarters, Judith looked at Clayton.
"Clayton. Such a regal sounding name. I like it. And my name is Judith, although I suspect you know that, if from nowhere else than my courtroom. Colonel, er I mean, Clayton, may I call you Clay? We'll be working rather close so I think it best if we dispense with formalities and such, they ARE such a bore, wouldn't you agree? As for the underlings that will be around us (she said this with a laugh), we'll definitely have to maintain decorum with them, if for no other reason than to just plain ole mess with them. They're a great bunch of kids, some of our brightest and smartest. And eager to learn. And we're fortunate to have all of our production facilities here, as well as our mining operations, although the majority of mining still takes place off planet, courtesy of the Colonial fleet. I must hand it to your people, they really do wish to retain the pristine look of this planet. Still, there are certain minerals that we have here that can only be found here, at least thus far."
She stood there near the door way, waiting for one of the attendants here to show them to their rooms. Judith also hated waiting and her tone let everyone there know it.
"EXCUSE ME! I really would like to geet dry and into some different clothes."
Within seconds, two young men came rushing over, directing the group to their rooms. Judith walked beside Clayton, a slight bounce in her step.
"Well Clayton, I am going to take a nice long hot bath, slip into something less intimidating and then I will meet you in the cafeteria for some dinner, say in about an hour?"
Outside, the sounds of the approaching storm could be heard.
"And we got inside just in time it sounds like. One thing's for certain, there's never a shortage of fresh water here. See ya' soon."
And with that, Judith went into her room, closing the door behind her and humming an old tune from her childhood....
|
|
Clayton Dualla
Colonial Retired
Colonel
Terran Senior Technical Advisor
Posts: 5,380
Registered: Jul 3, 2011 19:48:16 GMT -6
|
Post by Clayton Dualla on Aug 6, 2012 19:15:42 GMT -6
The sky turned dark from the rapidly incoming heavy clouds. The mugginess of the air just became even more oppressive. The Judge was lightening up since the meeting with the Admirals. Clayton was sure that it was from relief more than anything. What if he had said 'no' to their offer? That was probably what had her tense, and with that tension suddenly gone, she was being far more sociable than before, not that she was ever rude to him. She had become very talkative, and very friendly. She seemed to want to bring him into the joyous moment. He wasn't so sure that he felt so joyous. Returning to government life was a big enough challenge, but without Anastasia, or Alexandra, or Samantha, it would be a lot lonlier. He had a family then, he'd found his wife, he'd made a sister, and a best friend. He didn't expect a repeat of that intimate group here. Trying to get into the jocularity of the moment, answered the Judges - Judith's question and more.
"Yes, if you wish,Judith, Clay is fine. Just don't call me late for dinner." He knew the wisecrack was old and hackneyed, but it was revered for its universal truth. Yes, Judith, they can be a bore, but when the symbolize something that we understand is greater than us, we can be made to feel greater just by the association. I do agree that we have to follow accepted procedure when around the youngsters. They learn by imitation, and we're both looked on as examples whether we want to or not." Try being the President or the Vice President. That'll put on years if anything will. "With all that youthful enthusiasm and energy, we can't be seen as being 'too old', or they'll dismiss as a oouple of old relics. They'll be talking about us behind our backs, yadda yadda, yadda."
Judith rapidly commandeered a couple of assistants by merely stating her displeasure out loud. Clayton wandered if Judith and Carlie MacPhereson were related because of that. It worked, though, and they were led into their complex. Deep rumblings of thunder could be heard from the southwest. Lightning couldn't be seen yet, so he couldn't time the distance. The depth of the rumbling suggested that it was at least twenty kilometers away from them. When it hit, it would be a rough one. As they got inside, fat droplets were beginning to fall, and the wind was picking up. The storm was moving very fast - twenty kilometers would be covered in probably ten minutes, maybe less.
"I agree, but then again, I don't have any hair to ruin." Poor Ms. MacPherson, though, I hope she doesn't get caught again. Okay, see you in an hour."
He was shown to his room, and entered wondering what they had for him to wear. He expected fatigues. What he found was a wardrobe that included military uniforms, tailored dress suits, and several casual outfits. One was his favorite: gold velour shirt with black collar over black trousers.
"They really did their research on me," Clayton remarked as he stripped to take a shower.
|
|
Clayton Dualla
Colonial Retired
Colonel
Terran Senior Technical Advisor
Posts: 5,380
Registered: Jul 3, 2011 19:48:16 GMT -6
|
Post by Clayton Dualla on Aug 11, 2012 15:23:49 GMT -6
Fifty minutes later, Clayton emerged from his residence. He was dressed in the gold velour pullover and black slacks. Black loafers finished the outfit. He looked at the passing soldiers with their fatugues stuffed into their boots.
Hmm, I wonder if I can do something like that with these pants, he speculated. Either the balooned cuffs stuffed into boots, or something else. He called out to the next soldier to pass by.
"Hello! I'm supposed to meet somebody at the Cafeteria in five minutes, and I haven't a clue where it is." The soldier turned and saluted suddenly. Clayton returned the salute automatically.
"Of course, Colonel Dualla, it's right this way. Follow me, please, Sir." Clayton stepped in behind the soldier. What did they do, broadcast it to the entire camp while I was taking a shower? Who else did they tell?
Their path was pretty direct. The cafeteria was centrally located in the complex, and he would have found it eventually, even without help. He would have been late, though, and Judge Schwein gave him the impression that she didn't brook tardiness. It wouldn't have made the best first impression to have the new recruit be overdue. There was no such thing as 'fashionably late' in this enviromnent.
He was shown into the building, and directed to the line.
"Her Honor is already waiting, a server will take you to her table, Colonel." The soldier saluted again and left.
Sheesh, Clayton thought. How much pull does the woman have here? Where Does she fit in? Clayton's thoughts turned from the speculation and to the selection of food. There were many ready-to serve items, but he got the attention of a chef behind the counter.
"Excuse me, can you make an open-faced chili burger? With shredded cheese and a lot of onions?" The chef smiled widely.
"But of course, Colonel Dualla! I shall prepare it for you personally!" The woman moved back into the kitchen area. She returned soon with the food that Clayton had requested.
"We also have spaghetti, oyster crackers, chopped chives, hot sauce, and ground hot peppers if you wish to add them," she explained. Clayton shook his head.
"Next time, maybe, we'll deck this out fully. For now, the basic is better." He took the burger and set it on his tray when another cook stepped out of the kitchen and handed him a plate.
"Don't forget your fries, Colonel. You can get your cola at the end of the counter. Don't bother paying, Sir. It's on the Judge tonight."
"Uh, thank you." Clayton moved the tray down the stainless steel rails to the end of the counter, where the large cola was waiting,
"A twist of lemon in it, as you like," the server said with a smile.
"Thank you, have a nice day," Clayton smiled back, though he was not sure what to make if it all.
|
|
Judge Judith Schwein
Civilian Official
Judge, 1st Terran Circuit Court
I'm a Judge, not a general. Okay, I'm a general too.
Posts: 123
Registered: Nov 30, 2010 23:40:44 GMT -6
|
Post by Judge Judith Schwein on Aug 14, 2012 20:44:48 GMT -6
Judith sat there, watching Clayton get his meal. She was immediately drawn to the outfit he was wearing. As she sipped her Gondawan tea, she wondered aloud.
"That ensemble, it's more a uniform than casual attire, yet so casual looking. I wonder, perhaps in a few additional colors for the tunics, our fleet personnel could wear something similar?"
Judith noticed Clayton looking around the cafeteria. Waving her right hand at him she called out.
"YOO HOO! Over here Clayton, best seat in the house."
It actually was, as it faced the north wall. The storm, and it's sudden drop in temperature, was coming in from the south and no matter what the design engineers or carpenters or masons could come up with, there was just no way to prevent the wind from finding its way inside the building. Here, close enough to the fire place but not so as to make you sweat, was THE perfect seating.
Judith began cutting into her pan seared fish, one of the local delicacies that the terran military was fortunate to obtain, along with the skilled personnel to prepare the dish. Seasoned lightly with some petite potatoes and fresh peas on the side, Judith knew she would sleep well this evening. Motioning Clayton to sit, she waved over a server.
"Corporal, would you be so kind as to bring some more rolls, please?"
The young woman nodded, replying before she really thought about her reply.
"Yes, at once brigadier, er, uh....yes ma'am, at once ma'am."
Judith sat there, stunned. She looked around the room. You could hear a willow bug pass wind. Looking at the young woman, Judith then looked at Clayton, smiling. She returned her gaze to the corporal, not uttering a word. She was not smiling. The young woman backed away from the table, rushing off to the kitchen. Judith returned her gaze to Clayton, taking a bite of her fish. Swallowing, she looked at him.
"Well, wasn't that awkward? I see you went for what would be a rather manly choice for a meal. Glad we aren't sharing quarters."
Judith knew her lame attempt at humor was just that, lame. Seconds later, a different server, a somewhat older woman wearing the insignia of a Lieutenant came out with a small basket of rolls, those little crescent shaped ones. Setting the basket on the table, she spoke to Clayton and Judith.
"Your honor, Colonel, is there anything else I can get for you?"
Judith nodded to the Lieutenant, swallowing.
"Why yes Lieutenant. Coffee, after the dinner. Cream, no sugar. Clayton, anything for you?"
Clayton nodded in the negative, heartily diving into his dinner. Judith smiled at the Lieutenant.
"Thank you Lieutenant."
Judith continued her meal, slowly as always. She wondered what questions were running through Clayton's mind now and how she would reply to them. Perhaps now was as good as time as any to come out with the 'rest of the story'.
|
|
Clayton Dualla
Colonial Retired
Colonel
Terran Senior Technical Advisor
Posts: 5,380
Registered: Jul 3, 2011 19:48:16 GMT -6
|
Post by Clayton Dualla on Aug 15, 2012 20:14:20 GMT -6
Carrying his tray, on which rested his open-faced chili burger and diet cola, Clayton heard Judith's cry. As he walked over, he set the tray down and pulled the chair back while Judith spoke to the server. He hoisted his leg over the back of the chair and down when he heard the server call her 'brigadier'. He ended up dropping onto the cushion while Judith focused on her fish. His left eyebrow had gone up and his bald head was cocked slightly to the right, a posture he took when something fascinated him. This slip of the lip certainly did. Like much else, it answered questions while it raised bigger ones. So he was outranked as well as outgunned? He could see who was in charge here. Dualla chuckled at Judith's attempt to deflect his interest with a scatological comment about his dinner.
Another server returned with the rolls, and Clayton wondered what kind of dressing-down the loose-lipped one was going to receive. He attacked his chili burger while coffee was ordered and brought. He ate in silence. Judith had been placed in the hot seat, and Dualla was in no way going to extricate her from it. He was about ready to tell her to cut to the chase, but he was going to be a gracious guest and give her the chance to come clean of her own volition. That wasn't to say that he could do anything about it, but he could push. She was a Terran General, it seemed, but he was a former Colonial Colonel and official in the Skulbaka administration. He'd been a soldier as much as an officer. He could get answers. He wanted answers now.
|
|
Clayton Dualla
Colonial Retired
Colonel
Terran Senior Technical Advisor
Posts: 5,380
Registered: Jul 3, 2011 19:48:16 GMT -6
|
Post by Clayton Dualla on Aug 21, 2012 15:51:11 GMT -6
They had both eaten in relative quiet. Clayton focused on the chili burger. Locally-grown spices added their own accents in the chili powder. Did he detect some curry? He liked that twist, but it wasn't a common additive to chili. He'd usually find that at chili cook-offs, though not on Sagittaron. Their fare was basic and bland. He'd understood that it was part of the asceticism that ran through the Sagittarian religious fabric, but he was delighted to find the dish he enjoyed when he'd joined the Colonial Marines. Maybe there were cook-offs here, and he could partake on the Terran's 'secret' recipes. He wasn't sure if Judith's remark about the onerous digestive by-product of chili, so he couldn't guess whether or not she knew, or would attend them with him if so.
For now, though, there was one pressing matter on his mind. He sat back with his diet cola while the table was cleared and the coffee was brought to the Judge. He'd given some thought to it all during the meal. He waited until the table was cleared and the drinks filled. He took a sip of the cola.
"I won't tell you not to be too hard on that one," he started matter-of-factly. "I was in the Military for over twenty years, including one in the Government. If I had been a Cylon agent - but then again, I probably wouldn't' be here, or even alive, if you'd discovered that. I only ask that you be fair. You are a judge, after all."
Clayton waved the server back and said that he'd decided on coffee now, with cream, and a slice of warm apple pie with melted cheese over it -or whatever fruit pie they had. Any fruit pie was better warm, with cheese on it. Again, he waited until it was all clear, though he didn't feel that he had to for the sake of Judith, but for the poor server whose arse was in the sling. There was enough trouble without his adding to it. Dualla put his fork down and steepled his fingers, resting his elbows on the table.
"Now, I don't know if I should salute you or not. You would be my superior, even if you're retired. I'm retired, and here we both are. We just got to 'Judith' and 'Clayton'. I understand that we have to use correct titles when on duty, but which one am I to use for you? One? Both? This enquiring mind wants to know." He added a lopsided grin to the final comment, pulled from the slogan of the old Colonial Enquirer tabloid paper. That was one thing he was glad the Cylons wiped out, until it reappeared in the Fleet.
|
|
Judge Judith Schwein
Civilian Official
Judge, 1st Terran Circuit Court
I'm a Judge, not a general. Okay, I'm a general too.
Posts: 123
Registered: Nov 30, 2010 23:40:44 GMT -6
|
Post by Judge Judith Schwein on Aug 22, 2012 12:32:28 GMT -6
Judith sat there, sipping her coffee, listening to Clayton talk. She kept glancing over to the kitchen area, looking at the young Lieutenant who had replaced the corporal earlier. She was livid that the girl had addressed her by her long-ago forgotten rank but knew it was a simple honest mistake. Still, so as to not appear soft, Judith would have the corporal transferred to the mainland, most likely in the cafeteria at the underground research station in the forbidden zone. She swung her attention back to Clayton and smiled. She really enjoyed this mans company and was more and more intrigued by him and his past. It had been some years since she was happy in the company of a man. Her thoughts went back many years ago to a man she once knew, and loved. Those days were over, her life now being dedicated to the re-establlishment of terran society to its former greatness. Once Clayton had finished, she decided it was time to come clean.
"Well my dear Clayton, first I must apologoize for keeping you, and the rest of the Colonial brass, in the dark, so to speak. As you now know, I was a general in the military. Not the terran military as you now know it but the military prior to your Colonial fleet's arrival some eighteen years ago. Our planet, as you know, was not called terra. We were once known as Athos. It is an ancient name brought here by our anscestors, who came to this planet four millenia ago from a solar system far away from this one. At one time, we had the star charts that would lead the way back to their home but those were lost during the "terrible time" our planet experienced some two millenia ago, right about the time the Gondawans arrived here."
Judith stopped talking long enough to take another sip of her coffee and to let her words sink in for a moment.
"We were a proud society, some eight billion of us before the "terrible time" descended upon this world. We were almost as technologically advanced as your people are, complete with space faring ships and all, although our ships did not have the hyper jump capability that yours do. Still, we were explorers and adventurers. Had the Gondawans not arrived, who knows how far we would have gone?"
Judith was trying to hide her hatred of the Gondawans, and her distrust of them as well. her, and many from the old guard, had no use for the Gondawans and would never trust them.
"I don't wish to bore you with alot of historical nonsense so I'll skip to more recent times. Through the years, we have tried to regain our technology. We have had some successes, like being able to generate electricity and provide clean water. When your fleet arrived, we had no idea who you were or what you were bringing with you. Needless to say, we found it prudent at that time to maintain a low profile of just how many of us there were and what we had in the way of assets, at least until such time we could figure out who you were and what your intentions were. Of course, you bringing the cylons along for the ride was unexpected, to say the least and we were fortunate then that when you left here, they followed, for the most part."
Judith knew this was going to be alot for Clayton to digest, so she waited a few moments before proceeding.
"As for me, I was a young girl when I was recruited for the military. I was picked to become a pilot, although our planes were nothing like those shiny Vipers and raptors you have. Ours were for atmospheric flight only, although before the Gondawans came, we did have space fighters. Well, I guess that's what you would call them, right? Anyways, after the war that almost destroyed our entire planet, and well after the Gondawans suddenly decided they had no use for us, we began the process of rebuilding, against the wishes of the Gondawans of course. They told us that we would only go back to warring among ourselves and destroy the planet again. They were almost correct. We did fight among ourselves, for the scraps of our civilization that were left over. Eventually though, we settled into a peaceful time that lasted for over a milenia, until of course your fleet arrived and brought a new problem in the form of the cylons."
Judith saw that Clayton had ordered some pie and decided she too wished for a piece. telling the server, she sat back in her chair a moment before continuing.
"I'm getting off the subject a bit I realize, so forgive me. Where was I? Oh yeas, a young pilot. It was about 50 years ago. I managed to advance through the ranks in no time, eventually reaching the rank of brigadier. During that time though, I was schooled in everything from history to the inner workings of civil service. I almost made the switch to becoming a physician but decided law was better suited for me. Right before your arrival here I had decided I had had enough of the military and decided to jump over to the civillian side of the house, a move I should have made years earlier. There are still those in the military who would like to see a return to our imperialistic ways and who would like to punish the Gondawans for their hand in our civilizatins demise. That time came and went millenia ago."
|
|
Clayton Dualla
Colonial Retired
Colonel
Terran Senior Technical Advisor
Posts: 5,380
Registered: Jul 3, 2011 19:48:16 GMT -6
|
Post by Clayton Dualla on Sept 1, 2012 22:30:29 GMT -6
As Clayton listened, he hid the shock that he was feeling as she told him about the coming of the Gondawans, and the war that resulted. The contempt for the Gondawans was obvious, and it flew in the face of what Clayton knew about Gondawans. It was not much, and it was good. He had dealt several times with Elea Kaun-Castorius. The first time was when he fell asleep in the CrazyBoyReclinerin the waiting room of her Medical Bay and woke up with a blanket over him. There was the time that she was working aboard Galactica, and he was a patient. He felt her projection of peace and calm, intended to give the patients a night of pain-free sleep. He was probably the only one who recoginized it as a projection. He knew that she had retired before him, and it was rumored that she had returned to military service. He could only go on rumors since he had lost the official channels of communication he once enjoyed as a Colonial officer and official.
He finished his pie and accepted a refill of the bold coffee. Adding a spot of cream, he took a sip and set the cup down. He leaned forward and looked squarely in Judith's eyes.
"I will tell you right now, Judith, that this story you've shared about the Gondawans is very disconerting. I'll tell you as well that I have a few dealings with one of the Gondawans, and they are at odds to the way you've characterized them. This is a dichotomy, and it has to be be reconciled. I've engaged in vengeance actions before, and they were never fun. They were always against the Cylons who destroyed the Colonies. Personally, I don't want to become part of someone's vendetta. I'm going to have to be educated about this history with the Gondawans, and not from a propaganda point of view. I want to see intelligence regarding both sides of the conflict. I don't know what kind of rank or position I'll have, but if I come upon any prejudice among my subordinates, it'll be dealt with firmly and immediately."
He took another sip of the coffee. It was robust, but smooth. He smiled.
"Now that that's addressed, you were a pilot, then. You still keep your hand in? I'm a pilot, too, and I know that it's in our blood. I have to admit that I ache to behind the controls of a high-performance bird, especially one of my own making." The server brought a large carafe of coffee and set it down between he and Judith. Was it just intuition, or did Judith give some kind of nonverbal signal.
"FTL. Since Terra has been working with the Colonials, has there been some agreement in that area? Yes, I can design and build FTLs for anything from a runabout to a Battlestar, but I won't divulge secrets unless I'm cleared for it. I'm not a spy." Clayton had an idea, one that he'd been working on with engineers Harrison and Savage back aboard Galactica, a different way of charging the coils that was much faster than the current design, even faster to charge than a Cylon FTL. If I just had Harry and Doc with me, it could be done in no time. Or, if I can find some Terrans of their caliber. 'Doc' Savage was a FTL physicist, and Nelson Harrispon as a theoretical engineer. Together with Dualla's practical engineering, they were poised to advance the field to the next level when the Cylons nuked Earth and scattered the Fleet again. They'd come up with several cutting-edge ideas during long brainstorming and drinking sessions. Clayton remembered them almost photographically, but he was one mind, and the three of them together were unstoppable.
"Let me ask you, do you have any scientists and engineers who have a knack for coming up with things that seem too wacky to worK? I want to meet those people."
|
|
Judge Judith Schwein
Civilian Official
Judge, 1st Terran Circuit Court
I'm a Judge, not a general. Okay, I'm a general too.
Posts: 123
Registered: Nov 30, 2010 23:40:44 GMT -6
|
Post by Judge Judith Schwein on Sept 6, 2012 13:46:54 GMT -6
Judith had finished her coffee and looked at Clayton, smiling.
"You know, I do believe I still have some friends over at the university here on Eresea. I do believe there are a few of them who were tinkering around with propulsion and the like. I must warn you though, they don't get out very often and don't receive many guests, if you catch my meaning. We can go there in the morning. As for retribution, I can assure you Clayton, those members of the military who were seeking revenge against the gondawans have long since been removed from any position that would permit them to do so. No, those of us who remember the stories and have had the privilege to read the historical papers have made certain that the gondawan faction responsible for the destruction of our society can never again be in such a position of power. I know that the dealings you have had with the gondawans has been good shall we say? The majority of gondawans are good, decent hard-working people, no different than you or I. Well, somewhat different I suppose in that they are descended from the Thirteenth Tribe of your peoples lore. Then again Clayton, so are we, although not from the Thirteenth Tribe. No, our ancestors came from a blue-green planet many many light years away, a group that had gotten lost on a long journey and settled this planet."
Judith didn't want to keep boring Clayton with a lot of historical babble. She knew he was more interested in the technological side of things. She motioned for the young Lieutenant to come over.
"Lieutenant, would you be so kind as to have some of that ambrosia brought over to the sitting area? Thank you."
Judith rose up from her seat, walking over to an area of the cafeteria where there were several couches and recliners, along with end tables and what appeared to be an old-fashioned device for viewing wireless broadcasts. She motioned for Clayton to join her.
"Although we have regained most of our lost technology, mind you as a result of your fleet being here and us being able to do some reverse-engineering, we still have a long way to go. I had mentioned that at one time, we had space flight capability. I suppose we do once again, but it doesn't feel quite the same to many of our people. It's more like us riding the coat tails of your fleet, and I don't mean that in a bad way. We want to actually contribute something to all of this, this fight against the cylons and the assurance of humanity's continued existence. Don't get me wrong, we are very grateful and thankful to be on a more even field with you Colonials but we need to do something more, for our own pride I suppose. I'm not a techno-type so I don't pay much attention to a lot of that stuff but I do recall many years ago, before the terrible times, our scientists had been working on a propulsion system that would permit our ships to traverse the system in no time, like your FTL but much faster. They were also trying to devise a way to transport people in much the same manner, but without the need for ships. They never did figure it out, at least that's what I recall from school. I suppose in the morning, we can see what our geeks can come up with and find out what they've been up to lately. Ahh, yes, the ambrosia."
Taking a glass from a middle-aged woman, Judith held it up towards Clayton.
"Here's to your health."
|
|
Clayton Dualla
Colonial Retired
Colonel
Terran Senior Technical Advisor
Posts: 5,380
Registered: Jul 3, 2011 19:48:16 GMT -6
|
Post by Clayton Dualla on Sept 8, 2012 20:37:19 GMT -6
Clayton lifted his glass in the toast.
"And to yours." He could have gone on, to add everybody except the Cylons who were trying still to exerminate the Human race, but this was a private moment, hence a private toast. He downed the amborosia. Several beverages could be called that, but his favorite had been the liquer that had been made from honey. It was sweet, felt thick, and had a good punch. There were some drinks that were better for sheer acoholic impact, but Clayton Dualla considered himself more of one who preferred a balanced taste/alcohol combination, and this Amborosia did not disappoint!
The former Colonial did feel more welcome after this casual dinner, though he knew that he was under a microscope and that he'd feel his share of animosity and suspicion later on. He knew that the ones who greeted him here were hand-picked to maximize the chances of his acceptance of their offer. He represented a higher technology than the Terrans possessed at the time, and there would be envy. Of course, there would be mistrust. Though Judith assured him that those in the Terran government who still wished vengeance on the Gondolans were out, he knew that revenge was a dish best served cold, and that somewhere, in the cold darkness of this planet, that thirst for revenge was still alive. Should he keep his association with Elea hidden? He was sure that they already knew it, but he was going to let Judith know, and try to exact a bit of information himself. He took a second sip of the ambrosia.
"Indeed, I had good relations with the Gondawan I knew. Her name was Elea Kaun-Castorius. Ring a bell?" If anything, maybe he'd learn more about her after she had left the Fleet and returned home. This planet was home, he knew.
Judith went off the subject Gondawans and onto the technological level of Terra. He knew that he was brought her to help in the upgrades. With the Colonial Admirals present, he knew that the military brass was for it. But what of the politicians? Where was Phineas Doral? That worried him. He didn't want to go have this be another Adama/Roslyn power struggle. He remembered Alexandra Skulbaka, the first Cylon President of the colonies. He knew that she had her own secrets. When she'd sent him in on recon to a place on Earth's moon, where she went to a secret meeting that he was not part of the loop of, he could tell. It was part and parcel of the game. He didn't want to be part of a game of one-upmanship between the Terrans and Colonials, though.
His interest was grabbed again when Judith went onto the subject of FTL. Since the Arcadia incident, Dualla could feel the FTL field building in jump coils and around a ship, to the point that he could diagnose problems better than the computer could. What she meant about faster than FTL could only mean spool times, and the Cylon hyperdrive was indeed faster. Galactica's own FTL was a Colonial-Cylon hybrid that fell somewhere in the middle: except for the main jump coils, of which the Cylon configureation was too different to be assimilated, a lot of the auxiliary equipment had benefitted from Cylon infusion. Things like power routing between capacitors and the coil. The fact that they had given Galactica the FTL capacitors from the retired Pegasus plus the super-superconductors of the transfer conduits had given Galactica something like 25% more jump range than before. What the Terrans had, he was eager to see.
He also knew what Judith meant by 'without the need for ships'. He and Harry Harrison and Doc Savage had kicked the physics around many nights over the still. What he'd lacked was the resources. From what he'd been told by Judith, he had those. He only wished he's had the other engineers with him! He fervently hoped that these people who 'didn't get out much and didn't receive many guests' could look from the outside in. If they understood that simple phrase when he spoke with them, he would know that he had the right people to work with.
|
|
npcpilot
Colonial Officer
Colonial Pilot
We do this for fun, not a living!
Posts: 179
Registered: Jan 16, 2011 0:57:18 GMT -6
|
Post by npcpilot on Sept 8, 2012 21:48:21 GMT -6
As Lieutenant Jera Nood-Terran Defense Forces (NPC)
"Eresea Control, this is Terran raptor Four Epsilon Five, request priority clearance for landing, am carrying high priority passengers inbound from the capital city, over"
Lt. Nood turned to look at her passengers. She smiled, then spoke to them.
"We'll be landing shortly Mr. President and Vice-President. Miss Marla, I would recommend that you display your identification prominently so the security forces don't mistake you for a rebel. Okay folks, here we go."
"Terran raptor four epsilon five, you are cleared for landing, follow the beacon, Eresea Control out."
"Copy Control, we are making our approach, glad the weather is its usual, wouldn't want an easy landing, four epsilon five out. Hold on people, here's where it gets fun."
|
|
Marla Johanssen
Terran Spec Ops.
Terran Spec Ops
Yeah, I am SpecOps
Posts: 106
Registered: Oct 22, 2010 14:28:57 GMT -6
|
Post by Marla Johanssen on Sept 8, 2012 22:51:40 GMT -6
Marla tightened her lap belt. She hoped the apprehension she felt wasn't showing on her face but from the looks of the Colonial President, she had a feeling it was. She had never been to Eresea, having been born and raised not far from the city the Colonials had named Corinth, a throwback to their ancient past. Marla of course knew just how ancient the name was. She had heard of the weather patterns here on Eresea and she had been briefed on how rough a trip to the capital city would be. She thought about how original a name it was, Eresea City, but then thought about the practicality of it. Still, the colonials had managed to bestow a name on a city here as well. She laughed to herself at the fact that the Eresean authorities had mandated the overall size and population of that city, Helios. No more than ten thousand colonials, period, and that included members of the colonial military. Of course, the colonials agreed due to the fact that this continent was the sole source of three specific minerals key to the development of technology that just might tip the balance of power in this galaxy if not the entire universe. She knew if the rebels had ever found this out, they would have done something stupid like share that information with their so-called cylon allies. Fortunately for Marla and the others like her, those who had stumbled upon that information didn't live long enough to fully appreciate the knowledge. Marla was proud of her past accomplishments. It wasn't easy being one of only a few dozen individuals who were directly descended from the pre-war military group that was responsible for the safety and security of this planets secrets. The knowledge that she and the others possessed was mind boggling. Most of it was deeply implanted into their sub-conscious and could be accessed by only a select few individuals on this planet, those individuals not being aware of the others existence or location but always aware of the exact location of the others and herself. It was a safety mechanism designed by the elders some two thousand years ago.
Suddenly, the raptor dipped downwards and to the right, then to the left. She closed her eyes tight and gripped the seat. As sudden as it had began, the raptor was now flying smoothly and descending slowly. Within seconds, the craft had settled on the tarmac, the rain still beating against the outside. How she hated rain. In the rebel camp, it rained almost every day. She hated being wet and uncomfortable. The raptor finally rolled to a stop, the hatch opening. Outside were members of the Terran military and a waiting vehicle. Marla unbuckled herself and stood up, looking at the President and Vice-President. She smiled.
"After you Mr. President and Vice-President."
|
|
Judge Judith Schwein
Civilian Official
Judge, 1st Terran Circuit Court
I'm a Judge, not a general. Okay, I'm a general too.
Posts: 123
Registered: Nov 30, 2010 23:40:44 GMT -6
|
Post by Judge Judith Schwein on Sept 8, 2012 23:06:32 GMT -6
Judith was listening to Clayton and was about to reply when a rather serious looking Captain came up to them.
"Excuse me Madam Judge, a message from control."
The Captain handed a slip of paper to Judith, nodded and left just as abruptly as he had come. Judith looked at the paper, then looked at Clayton.
"Well, it appears we have some company. And I suspect we will be having even more soon. A raptor has just landed. The passenger list consisted of two colonial officials and an operative of the terran military. Seems the President and Vice-President were picked up by one of our special agents in the capital city."
Judith did not like the fact that a member of the secret society as she liked to call it was the one who located the President and Vice-President. This was not good as she was certain it had most likely blown the woman's cover and it had taken the government far too long to get her inside the rebel movement. Then again, Judith was certain anyone in the rebel movement who knew anything about this woman was most likely deceased. Still, only time would tell. Judith was a little anxious though about seeing the young woman, for it had been many years since she last saw her.
"If my senses are correct, we can expect our government representative and the gondawan representative to be arriving within the next few hours. I'm not sure if you have met the gondawan representative, Demetrius Gorno but I'm certain you know Carlie McPherson. They should also be bringing some of our scientists from the main continent to assist here, and to get them out of harms way."
|
|
Judge Judith Schwein
Civilian Official
Judge, 1st Terran Circuit Court
I'm a Judge, not a general. Okay, I'm a general too.
Posts: 123
Registered: Nov 30, 2010 23:40:44 GMT -6
|
Post by Judge Judith Schwein on Sept 8, 2012 23:19:15 GMT -6
Judith was listening to Clayton and was about to reply when a rather serious looking Captain came up to them.
"Excuse me Madam Judge, a message from control."
The Captain handed a slip of paper to Judith, nodded and left just as abruptly as he had come. Judith looked at the paper, then looked at Clayton.
"Well, it appears we have some company. And I suspect we will be having even more soon. A raptor has just landed. The passenger list consisted of two colonial officials and an operative of the terran military. Seems the President and Vice-President were picked up by one of our special agents in the capital city."
Judith did not like the fact that a member of the secret society as she liked to call it was the one who located the President and Vice-President. This was not good as she was certain it had most likely blown the woman's cover and it had taken the government far too long to get her inside the rebel movement. Then again, Judith was certain anyone in the rebel movement who knew anything about this woman was most likely deceased. Still, only time would tell. Judith was a little anxious though about seeing the young woman, for it had been many years since she last saw her.
"If my senses are correct, we can expect our government representative and the gondawan representative to be arriving within the next few hours. I'm not sure if you have met the gondawan representative, Demetrius Gorno but I'm certain you know Carlie McPherson. They should also be bringing some of our scientists from the main continent to assist here, and to get them out of harms way."
Judith took one last sip of her ambrosia, setting the glass down on the table in front of her. She looked at Clayton.
"Oh and yes, I have heard of Elea, I mean who on this planet hasn't?"
Judith laughed a little, then continued.
"She was on board that ship that carried the name Gondawa, the one that crashed here, what, some sixteen seventeen years ago, right before your fleet returned? Boy, what a mess that was. We, meaning the terran government, were unable to get to the crash site and extract the survivors. We were still somewhat ineffective at that time. Then her husband finally gets around to investigating, if you can call it that, and goes and almost starts a full-fledged war between the gondawans and your colonial fleet. Of course, that pretty much was the end of the gondawans exerting total control over this planet, even though they weren't in control per se. I heard that her and her husband had left and returned to one of the battlestars. I figured they would have stuck it out here on the planet, you know, having that house rebuilt and the surrounding land and all."
Judith knew that the Castorious household and property were being well taken care of by those loyal to not just the Colonial Marine and his wife, but to her father as well. They had made very good friends with the locals and had the full backing of those gondawans who resided in not just that area, but in the entire gondawan region as well. The fact that Demetrius was now the representative of the gondawans proved that the old guard had either stepped down or had been removed. Judith was curious to find out which.
|
|