Part 6 – The Beginning of the End

Apollo entered the Bridge and walked up to his father. “We’ll never get those centurions functioning before the deadline.”

Adama was alarmed. They needed the centurions as part of their plan. “Well unless Baltar gets his Cylons he won’t move to his ship.”

“We need more time.” Apollo was emphatic.

“I’ll try to help you. Omega, get Baltar on the shuttle.”

“Yes sir.”

“Apollo, get back to the lab. Tell Wilker to speed things up as much as possible.”

Apollo hesitated before leaving the Bridge. His gaze was drawn to Siress Tinia. Everything he was thinking was reflected in his face; the accusation that this was the Council’s fault was evident to her. Her eyes followed him as he finally left the Bridge.

Adama knew they needed to work together right now to protect the people on that shuttle. The last thing he wanted was to have to deal with placing any blame at this point.

“I’m afraid he doesn’t hide his emotions very well,” Adama said as he walked towards Tinia.

“Nor should he,” she said almost apologetically. “After the mistakes we’ve made on the Council, it wouldn’t surprise me if the warriors helped Baltar blow up the shuttle.”

Baltar paced in the shuttle, his nervousness beginning to get the better of him. The expression on the Councilors’ faces was frightened. Even Leiter was beginning to regard him with skepticism. What if the plan did not work? Everything hinged on Adama believing that he would release the hostages once they landed on Lunar Seven.

Anxiously, he looked at the faces of the hostages surrounding him. “I won’t hurt you.” His tone was urgent. The Councilors were regarding him with resigned fear. “You have my word. The moment I am free on Lunar Seven you’ll all be free to return.” He leaned over to the Councilor directly in front of him and grabbed his arm. With each passing micron, he was growing more and more agitated. “You believe me, don’t you?”

“Yes, yes, I believe you,” the Councilor replied emphatically.

“Well I don’t,” Boomer shouted from the cockpit.

“Nor I,” Sheba agreed.

Baltar almost ran to the cockpit. “You have to believe me!” He roughly pushed Sheba aside. “It’s the truth. I wouldn’t lie to you.”

Boomer chuckled, further unnerving Baltar. “We’re the hostages… and you’re afraid?”

“Baltar,” Maga called out to him. Baltar turned and the Nomen nodded towards the front of the shuttle. “The scanner.”

All heads turned to see what had caught Maga’s eyes. Adama had appeared on the scanner.

“We need more time.” He was not mincing any words.

“For what? To attack me?”

“No. We had deactivated your centurions. We are having problems reactivating them.”

Baltar laughed knowingly. “You’re plotting to attack me.”

“No. We just need more time to meet your demands.”

“No. Not a micron.”

“Baltar, take me as a hostage in exchange for one more centar.”

“Adama,” Tigh leaned over and whispered to him. “You can’t!”

On the shuttle, there was a flurry of activity. Everyone aboard was surprised by the latest turn of events. Maga pulled Baltar back from the scanner’s view.

“Do it,” he said stoically.

“If we have Adama they might have second thoughts about attacking us,” Leiter agreed.

“Yes, yes, they might.” Baltar’s confidence was returning. He rushed back over to the scanner. “Very well, Adama. One more centar. In exchange for you.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Baltar watched the scanner fade. “Not so funny now, is it?” he asked the two warriors in the cockpit.

Adama walked through the corridor of the Galactica, Tigh and Tinia trailing after him.

“Adama!”

“The very micron the Cylons are in the Landing Bay, Baltar and the others will move to their ships. Then I’ll be able to contact you on the beta channel.”

“This is suicide!” Tigh protested.

“You must attack the micron the shuttle is cleared for launching. I’ll alert the others so we can evacuate our shuttle as soon as possible.”

“What if he doesn’t put you in the shuttle?” Tigh asked.

“That’s why I’m going,” Tinia said firmly.

“Absolutely not.”

“Adama, the Colonel is right. Baltar may not put you aboard until the last micron. He may take you with him in one of the other ships… as an offering to the Alliance. In any case, I am just another member of the Council and he’ll toss me in with the others. I can fill them in on your plan. It’s quite logical.”

“It’s suicide.”

“That’s what I’ve been saying.” Tigh knew he was being ignored.

“Colonel!”

“There’s no time to argue.” With that, Tinia disappeared through the hatch and boarded the lift to the Landing Bay.

Exasperated, Adama did not protest further. He shook Tigh’s hand. “I’ll see you soon.”

Tigh watched the doors to the lift close behind them and wondered, not for the first time he had known Adama, if he would ever see his friend alive again.

Trev sat in the darkness of the Waiting Area. ‘Appropriately named,’ he thought as he waited for a sign… or for something – anything – to happen. It had been almost a centar he had been in here.

He saw his father exit the shuttle and stand in the Landing Bay. ‘Something must be happening.’ Baltar’s eyes were staring off towards the lift. Trev turned his own gaze in that direction and was shocked to see Commander Adama enter the Landing Bay along with a woman he did not recognize.

All attention was drawn to them. This was his chance.

‘Chance for what?’ He asked himself. Something inside him was compelling him to take action; some action; any action. He opened the door and slipped out.

He peeked out at the Landing Bay. Baltar and the Commander were talking. Everyone’s attention was focused on them. The Cylon Raider was nearest to his location. Would Baltar be leaving in the Raider? No, it would take three people to fly it. He slipped up the hatch and inside.

A sigh of relief escaped his mouth. No one had seen him.

‘What the hell are you doing?’ The voice inside him shook off the feelings of relief. He had no plan… He wasn’t trained for any of this in any way. No, he was simply relying on some instinct that was telling him that this was what he needed to do.

The Raider was empty. Trev slid on the floor over to the communications panel, being careful not to be seen in the window which overlooked the Landing Bay. The markings on the communications panel were unfamiliar to him. He turned pressed a few buttons and finally the unit turned on.

Static.

“Frack!” he swore. He had no clue how to operate a communications panel. For a few centons he continued to press buttons, but nothing happened.

Exasperated, he sat back on the floor of the Raider. Somehow, he had to get word to someone that he was here… he had to.

“This is the Battlestar Galactica. Who is on Gamma channel?”

Trev rushed back to the panel.

“My name is Trev. I’m a Maintenance Tech. I was waiting in the Landing Bay of the Galactica when these people…”

There was silence for a few microns, then “This is Colonel Tigh. Where are you?”

“I’m in the Cylon Raider in the Landing Bay.”

“Can you see what’s going on?”

“Yes sir.”

“Good. Keep this channel open and tell us what’s going on. But please, make sure no one sees you.”

“Yes sir.”

“Baltar will be moving to the Raider as soon as the Cylons arrive in the Landing Bay. We will warn you before this happens.”

‘Oh frack!’

“Yes sir.”

“Did you see Commander Adama enter the bay?”

“Yes sir.”

“Did you see where they took him? Did they take him to the shuttle?”

“Yes.”

“Good… good. Trev, you’ll be on with Rigel. Keep talking to her and telling her what you see.”

“Yes sir.”

With a sigh of relief, he sat down against the panel. At least they knew he was here. At least if they-

“Come out here, now! Hands where I can see them!” Trev did not recognize the voice that was bellowing to him, but he obeyed. It was one of those strange soldiers he had never seen before. “Move!” He had his gun pointed at Trev.

He knew his anonymity was about to be gone.

Commander Adama and Siress Tinia had been whisked aboard the shuttle with the Councilors once they had entered the landing bay. They now sat in the passenger area of the shuttle as Eastern Alliance Enforcers hovered over them. A centar would pass until anything happened.

There was a commotion outside the shuttle. Baltar’s head turned.

“Put your gun down. He’s on our side, fool!”

Leiter looked at Baltar questioningly. “Our side?”

“This is my son, Loraio. I see you managed to produce him, Adama. Good to have you aboard, son.”

The Commander did not recognize the young man now standing next to Baltar. He was in civilian clothes, so his designation – if he had one – was not known.

Loraio wanted to defiantly scream at his father that Commander Adama had not produced him but held back as he found himself reverting to the son Baltar had ignored for so long.

“We found him aboard the Raider, sir,” one of Leiter’s men informed him.

“What were you doing there?”

Loraio stood silent.

“Loraio. These people are our friends; our potential allies…”

“Your friends… Your potential allies.”

Baltar smiled. “I see you have been corrupted by the lies which have been spread about me. That will soon change. When we get to Lunar Seven, we shall be welcomed with open arms. Together we can -“

“What? Betray more people to the Cylons?” There were tears in the young man’s eyes, as he fought to control his emotions without success. “I don’t want to go anywhere with you.”

“No, you never did. Some things don’t change, do they?”

“As much as I’m loving this family reunion,” Commandant Leiter began sarcastically. “I think I shall get some air.”

He left the shuttle, leaving behind only two of his men. Two of the Nomen were also still aboard. Baltar paced, angry that his son was not happy that his father was about to take him away from the madness that was Adama’s religious quest.

“How did you survive….?”

“I didn’t listen to you, of course. If I had, I would be dead now too.”

“Then your mother…? Aurelia…?”

Loraio smiled. “I knew it was only a matter of time before you got around to what you really wanted. No, your tin-head friends left a burned-out crater where our house was. Nothing was left of it. Nothing. They were all home, obeying you as usual when I snuck out. Not listening to you saved my life.”

Baltar smirked. “You better change your attitude. After all, I am the only kin you have left.”

“Oh, and that’s something I’m real proud of.”

“Don’t get insolent with me, boy!” Baltar’s face had grown red with anger. For a moment, it appeared that he was going to slap his son. Loraio dropped his head, not being able to stare down the anger in his father’s eyes. Once again, he was being reduced to nothing more than a child terribly frightened of his father. Baltar paced in front of him. “What do you think is going to happen now? Hmm? Do you think you’re going to be allowed to live freely among these people any longer? They’ll shackle you and imprison you, just as they did me.”

“You should’ve died,” Loraio said softly, with little conviction. “They should’ve executed you while they had the chance.”

Baltar smirked again. He was wearing the boy down; he was sure of it. “Maybe. You’re not the first young man to wish his father dead, you know.” He leaned into his son, who still had not lifted his head. “I am your last chance, your only chance at a life of any substance. Do you know what they’ll do to you here, Loraio? They’ll imprison you. They’ll mock you; jeer at you. You will be the scapedaggit for all of my perceived misdeeds. The son of Baltar…”

The silence in the shuttle was deafening. No one came to Loraio’s defense. Adama was at a loss for what to do. It was obvious Baltar had mistreated his son. It was something the young man was used to. Inside it infuriated Adama, but the situation did not allow him to do anything to stop it. Even Boomer and Sheba were looking towards the young man with a great deal of compassion. Lords knew, Sheba’s life had not been easy, being the daughter of the legendary Commander Cain, but her father had never berated her in this way.

“Who was that girl I saw you with? The child?”

“No one you know.”

“Been keeping secrets from me Loraio?”

“She’s not mine, if that’s what you’re asking. She’s no relation to you, so leave her alone.” Loraio still had not raised his head, but stared at where his hands were nervously pressing at the fabric of his pants above his knee.

“You will come with me, Loraio. You have no other choice.” Baltar’s tone was even, but firm, implying that coming with him was the lesser of two evils and a choice he would freely make if he thought about it.

Loraio gritted his teeth and gathered up his courage. “You slaughtered hundreds of millions of people, as sure as if you shot a laser at each and every one. You killed my mother, my sister, all of my friends… I’ll never go with you. I’d rather have died along with them. I’d rather die now.”

“Lies, my son. I was betrayed by the Cylons as much as anyone.”

Boomer chuckled disbelievingly, and it could be heard throughout the shuttle. It annoyed Baltar to no end, but he could not show it; not now when he thought he was so close to getting his son’s loyalty. He would take care of the insolent Warrior once they arrived on Lunar Seven.

“None of this was supposed to happen. I was as shocked as anyone. When I realized it was all going wrong… I panicked, Loraio. I ran. It was wrong. I tried to make up for it by confronting the Cylon Imperious Leader, but he ordered my execution instead!”

“And yet you’re still alive. As always, you’ve emerged from every questionable deal you made unscathed. You avoided official inquiries when those you did business with, your partners, your adversaries all went to prison for their misdeeds, yet you manage to walk through it all.” Loraio’s voice was weak. “I should’ve seen it long ago. I should’ve known what you were up to.”

“Only because a new Imperious Leader came to power. An Imperious Leader who saw that humans and Cylons are capable of living in this universe together.”

“Then how come you continually attack this fleet? You are lying, as always.” Loriao still had not looked up at his father. “I will never follow you. I will kill myself if you force me to go with you,” he said stoically, resigned to his fate.

“Suicide is an unpardonable sin, according to the Lords of Kobol.”

“So is the taking of another human’s life. I guess I’ll see you in hell.”

Baltar had had enough. His hand flew across his son’s face. Loraio did not react at all, but simply continued to stare at the floor. Baltar’s anger grew. In the past, he had simply given up on the boy and dealt with Aurelia instead. Now he was left with no choice but to deal with the last of his line.

Loraio finally looked up, to see his father seething with anger. A smile spread on his face. He had gotten to him.

“I’ll wipe the smile from your face, boy!” Baltar’s hand connected a second time, nearly knocking his son from the seat. He was about to connect a third time, when Maga came up behind him and held his arm.

“Enough,” the Nomen said.

“Mind your own business.”

“This is our business. There will be plenty of time later, for you to deal with your son.” Baltar looked around at all of the
faces staring at him. No, this wasn’t good form in front of the Alliance, if he expected to make them allies of the Cylons.

Maga let go of Baltar’s arm. Baltar smoothed his clothing and hair, regaining his composure. “Mark my words, Loraio, you will be going with me. I, too, need some air.” He turned and left the shuttle.

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