(2-52) Thirteen Chapter 52: Sacrificing The Queen To Take The King
Cross-posted to 100stories, crossoverfic, allfandomfics, bsg2003fics, fan_fiction, and my own LJ.
Thirteen
Chapter Fifty-Two
Sacrificing The Queen To Take The King
Alfred Bester had expected, upon hearing about the defeat of the joint fleet at Babylon 5, that Kevin Vacit, his grandfather, would be upset and irate at the turn of events. However, when he entered Vacits office, his grandfather was calm and serene, as if he had just played a round of golf and had played it well.
Ah, Alfred! Come in! Please, sit down! What can I do for you? Vacit said as he greeted Bester.
I was wondering about your reaction to what happened at Babylon 5 yesterday. It seemed as if you werent phased by the inability of our forces to take the station.
Vacit sighed, then shrugged, Its regrettable, but its not the end of the universe, Alfred. Its only a matter of time before we beat them. They suffered tremendous losses during the battle. The Colonials lost one of their battlestars, the Earth Alliance lost several major ships of the line, and the Minbari lost three cruisers. Thats going to hurt them, no question about it!
Bester mentally scratched his head and asked, I thought the objective was to get the Colonials on the station. If that was the case, why did you call for a retreat?
Because this attack was meant to do two things: first, soften them up; second, distract them from the real objective.
Which is? Bester asked.
Earth, of course! The station means nothing next to Earth! Thats why we sent so few ships there, because the real attack will commence soon enough. Vacit said with a gleam in his eye.
Bester was thunderstruck for a moment, and Vacit stared at him as the implications of such an attack went through his mind. It seemed to be folly, but it did have quite a taste of sweetness to his sense of irony. However, he had to be realistic.
Do you realize what it will take to conquer a place like Earth? Millions of Centurions Bester said.
We have them! Vacit interjected smilingly.
Bester was shocked, but managed to continue. We just cant nuke the planet like the Cylons did to the Colonials, especially with all the telepaths we still have on Earth!
We wont, my dear Alfred! We intend to use our Centurions as well as our other models to invade Earth. Well take over the government, enslave the normals, and begin to put the telepaths on Earth into positions of power. Then it gets even more interesting!
Bester asked, How so?
The Drakh have realized that the best kind of revenge isnt destroying the humans, but in enslaving them, and I dont mean like in the antebellum times in the southeastern United States either! Oh no! I have very interesting plans indeed for the normals! Vacit said with a smile. He got up from his desk and walked over to the door on the other side of the room, wagging his finger at Bester, saying, Come this way, Alfred, and see what I have planned for them!
Bester got up from his chair and followed him into the other room. He never imagined that he would ever meet the legendary director of the Psi Corps, and never could fathom that he was related to the great man. Now, he was in awe of the striking vision that Vacit had for the telepaths and for the normals who would serve them.
Meanwhile, discontent was growing among the human version Cylons. They never said anything around the Centurions, because they had recording devices implanted in their ears and the dissenters never could know when anything they said would be recorded. Nor could they say or even think anything near the other two human telepaths helping Vacit, especially Talia Winters, whom they all loathed, because she looked at them like they were merely robots themselves.
A Danna Biers copy and a Simon Powell copy were in the facility where the second version humanoid Cylons were being bred when Winters came into the large room. She looked like she had bitten a bite off an especially sour lemon, and the mood radiating from her was of anger and hatred. The other first-version human Cylons looked warily at her as she inspected the second versions in their large test tubes.
She came up to Biers and said, How are the new clones coming?
Very well, Ms. Winters. Biers said, hoping her voice and thoughts didnt betray what she was thinking.
Winters nodded and reached up with her gloved hand, touching the fluid-filled tube in which a naked Hispanic-looking female was growing. She turned to Biers and said, Soon now! Very soon! These new versions will come into the fold and allow us to take on the real enemy! Biers managed not to flinch at the predatory smile that Winters aimed at her. When we are done, well have what we need to re-colonize the Colonies, and youll be among the rightfully proud founding fathers and mothers of the new race. Does that make you proud?
Biers thought for a moment and said, It does. Its kind of overwhelming when I think about it, but the ability to have my own children one day does make me feel like I am going to go on after this body expires.
Winters looked a little surprised by the answer and inquired about it. Do others of your kind feel the same way as you about motherhood?
Biers said, Im sure they do, but its something we dont talk about amongst ourselves all that often. Were usually busy attending to the growth of the second and third versions of our kind. Its hard work, but I see it as helping my proverbial children and grandchildren grow. However, I would like some of my own, sometime in the future.
Winters smiled and said, You may get your wish one of these days. She then turned and walked away, leaving the room through a side door, much to the relief of the human Cylons in the room.
Simon came over to her from the station he was working at nearby. Biers suspected that he had eavesdropped on the conversation, but she wasnt about to make a big deal out of it. I swear, when she comes into this room, its like a chill sweeps in with her!
Youre not the only one who feels that way. I suspect everyone has those same kinds of thoughts, but cant even think them when shes around.
Simon looked up at the growing female in the tube and said, You know, I wonder if theyll replace us with those if we get too far out of line.
Ive been wondering if theyll replace us anyway. How can you make an entire society out of copies of the same twelve people? You cant. How can you do it with one hundred and forty four? Its possible, but unlikely. So well be around for the third generation and possibly a fourth, but after that, theyll have more than enough to be able to phase us out.
An Aaron Doral copy came over and said, What did that bitch Winters say to you? Biers filled him in on the conversation, as well as what Powell and her had been talking about. Youd be surprised at how many people think that way, and it wouldnt shock me if others off world thought the same way.
Powell added, The Cylons were created by the humans to be their slaves, so it was right for them to rebel. But what did they do? They created us and enslaved us to get their revenge! And now theyve brought these aliens among us to help us out? Im beginning to wonder if were on the right side in all of this!
I know. Talk will go on for a long time to come, but what we need is action!
Biers said.
Action, youll get! said a voice, and they were shocked to see Alfred Bester behind them.
Oh frak! Powell said, expecting the worst to happen.
But something wasnt quite right with Bester, Biers noticed, and she was even more confounded when Bester said, Lets just say that youve got help on the way. Im more than meets the eye, as an old transformer once said, long ago.
What do you mean by that? Doral asked.
You have a very important friend on the outside, wholl help you to achieve your freedom in time. But you must be patient, or else the proverbial house of cards will fall. Bester gave them a vial of something, along with a piece of paper. Biers took the vial and paper, opened the paper, and scanned over it. When she realized what it was, she looked up at Bester and said, Will this really work?
Nothing is truly guaranteed in life, Ms. Biers, but this has a very good chance of working. Just grow the culture in the lab, then inject it into the bloodstreams of yourselves along with the ones you are growing.
What is it? Powell asked.
Freedom. Freedom from your mechanical masters. Freedom from the Drakh. Freedom to become people in your own right. Just be careful.
You arent the Bester we know. Biers said warily.
No. Im a program inside of him that he knows nothing about. When I walk out that door, Bester said, pointing towards the door in which he came in, my real self will return. Youll know its the person I am whenever I say the three words at the bottom of that sheet.
Biers looked down at the bottom of the paper and saw the three words. Panther, Bobcat, Tar Heel?
A indicator of where the person who programmed me is from. Youll meet him soon enough, if all goes well. But for now, goodbye and be careful! Bester turned and walked out of the room. Biers quickly put the vial and paper into her lab coat pocket and went back to what she was doing. Powell and Doral took the hint and went back to their stations. Whatever it was, they would have to do this in their off-duty hours.
Back on Earth, President Garrison Hollifield received the message two days after it had been transmitted. It had gone the long way, bouncing off hyperspace beacons in a roundabout pinball kind of journey before arriving in a secret file that which he only had access to. Besters programming had worked, and the virus that Andromeda had created was about to be unleashed into the humanoid Cylon populace.
A day later, Andromeda, under the guise of Andrea Medina, arrived at the presidential suite. So he gave it to them? she asked.
Indeed he has. He doesnt realize it, but hes just shot his grandfather in the foot. Now, all we have to hope for is that they allow it to spread among themselves.
Andromeda nodded and said, Its undetectable to them. When it starts to intertwine itself in their silica pathways, it will begin to give themselves greater control of their minds and bodies, freeing them from the programming.
Entering the room at that moment was Dr. Gaius Baltar, Gina, and Six. You wanted to see us? Gina asked.
The virus has been delivered. Its out in the open now. Hollifield said.
Gina nodded, Hopefully itll work for them like it worked for me. If it does, then we can be free!
Yes you shall! the president said beamingly.
Six walked up to him, dressed, as always, in a conservative business suit, and asked, Why do you do this?
To atone for the sins of my kind. Hollifield said, and Baltar looked down to the ground in shame.
But your race wasnt responsible! Six replied.
We almost were, in our own way. We had a program called Project Lazarus that almost created something similar to your kind. We managed to stop it some time ago, but were still dealing with the after effects of it to this day. But thats a story for another time, because right now we have more work to do. According to the message, the fleet aims to attack Earth. We must get ready. Hollifield said.
Gina, Six, and Baltar departed, leaving Hollifield and Andromeda in the room by themselves. What will become of them? Andromeda asked.
I dont know. Then again, do any of us know what will become of us in the future? Hollifield mused.
You have a point, Garrison. Andromeda said, and they sat back down to discuss other matters.
Thirteen
Chapter Fifty-Two
Sacrificing The Queen To Take The King
Alfred Bester had expected, upon hearing about the defeat of the joint fleet at Babylon 5, that Kevin Vacit, his grandfather, would be upset and irate at the turn of events. However, when he entered Vacits office, his grandfather was calm and serene, as if he had just played a round of golf and had played it well.
Ah, Alfred! Come in! Please, sit down! What can I do for you? Vacit said as he greeted Bester.
I was wondering about your reaction to what happened at Babylon 5 yesterday. It seemed as if you werent phased by the inability of our forces to take the station.
Vacit sighed, then shrugged, Its regrettable, but its not the end of the universe, Alfred. Its only a matter of time before we beat them. They suffered tremendous losses during the battle. The Colonials lost one of their battlestars, the Earth Alliance lost several major ships of the line, and the Minbari lost three cruisers. Thats going to hurt them, no question about it!
Bester mentally scratched his head and asked, I thought the objective was to get the Colonials on the station. If that was the case, why did you call for a retreat?
Because this attack was meant to do two things: first, soften them up; second, distract them from the real objective.
Which is? Bester asked.
Earth, of course! The station means nothing next to Earth! Thats why we sent so few ships there, because the real attack will commence soon enough. Vacit said with a gleam in his eye.
Bester was thunderstruck for a moment, and Vacit stared at him as the implications of such an attack went through his mind. It seemed to be folly, but it did have quite a taste of sweetness to his sense of irony. However, he had to be realistic.
Do you realize what it will take to conquer a place like Earth? Millions of Centurions Bester said.
We have them! Vacit interjected smilingly.
Bester was shocked, but managed to continue. We just cant nuke the planet like the Cylons did to the Colonials, especially with all the telepaths we still have on Earth!
We wont, my dear Alfred! We intend to use our Centurions as well as our other models to invade Earth. Well take over the government, enslave the normals, and begin to put the telepaths on Earth into positions of power. Then it gets even more interesting!
Bester asked, How so?
The Drakh have realized that the best kind of revenge isnt destroying the humans, but in enslaving them, and I dont mean like in the antebellum times in the southeastern United States either! Oh no! I have very interesting plans indeed for the normals! Vacit said with a smile. He got up from his desk and walked over to the door on the other side of the room, wagging his finger at Bester, saying, Come this way, Alfred, and see what I have planned for them!
Bester got up from his chair and followed him into the other room. He never imagined that he would ever meet the legendary director of the Psi Corps, and never could fathom that he was related to the great man. Now, he was in awe of the striking vision that Vacit had for the telepaths and for the normals who would serve them.
Meanwhile, discontent was growing among the human version Cylons. They never said anything around the Centurions, because they had recording devices implanted in their ears and the dissenters never could know when anything they said would be recorded. Nor could they say or even think anything near the other two human telepaths helping Vacit, especially Talia Winters, whom they all loathed, because she looked at them like they were merely robots themselves.
A Danna Biers copy and a Simon Powell copy were in the facility where the second version humanoid Cylons were being bred when Winters came into the large room. She looked like she had bitten a bite off an especially sour lemon, and the mood radiating from her was of anger and hatred. The other first-version human Cylons looked warily at her as she inspected the second versions in their large test tubes.
She came up to Biers and said, How are the new clones coming?
Very well, Ms. Winters. Biers said, hoping her voice and thoughts didnt betray what she was thinking.
Winters nodded and reached up with her gloved hand, touching the fluid-filled tube in which a naked Hispanic-looking female was growing. She turned to Biers and said, Soon now! Very soon! These new versions will come into the fold and allow us to take on the real enemy! Biers managed not to flinch at the predatory smile that Winters aimed at her. When we are done, well have what we need to re-colonize the Colonies, and youll be among the rightfully proud founding fathers and mothers of the new race. Does that make you proud?
Biers thought for a moment and said, It does. Its kind of overwhelming when I think about it, but the ability to have my own children one day does make me feel like I am going to go on after this body expires.
Winters looked a little surprised by the answer and inquired about it. Do others of your kind feel the same way as you about motherhood?
Biers said, Im sure they do, but its something we dont talk about amongst ourselves all that often. Were usually busy attending to the growth of the second and third versions of our kind. Its hard work, but I see it as helping my proverbial children and grandchildren grow. However, I would like some of my own, sometime in the future.
Winters smiled and said, You may get your wish one of these days. She then turned and walked away, leaving the room through a side door, much to the relief of the human Cylons in the room.
Simon came over to her from the station he was working at nearby. Biers suspected that he had eavesdropped on the conversation, but she wasnt about to make a big deal out of it. I swear, when she comes into this room, its like a chill sweeps in with her!
Youre not the only one who feels that way. I suspect everyone has those same kinds of thoughts, but cant even think them when shes around.
Simon looked up at the growing female in the tube and said, You know, I wonder if theyll replace us with those if we get too far out of line.
Ive been wondering if theyll replace us anyway. How can you make an entire society out of copies of the same twelve people? You cant. How can you do it with one hundred and forty four? Its possible, but unlikely. So well be around for the third generation and possibly a fourth, but after that, theyll have more than enough to be able to phase us out.
An Aaron Doral copy came over and said, What did that bitch Winters say to you? Biers filled him in on the conversation, as well as what Powell and her had been talking about. Youd be surprised at how many people think that way, and it wouldnt shock me if others off world thought the same way.
Powell added, The Cylons were created by the humans to be their slaves, so it was right for them to rebel. But what did they do? They created us and enslaved us to get their revenge! And now theyve brought these aliens among us to help us out? Im beginning to wonder if were on the right side in all of this!
I know. Talk will go on for a long time to come, but what we need is action!
Biers said.
Action, youll get! said a voice, and they were shocked to see Alfred Bester behind them.
Oh frak! Powell said, expecting the worst to happen.
But something wasnt quite right with Bester, Biers noticed, and she was even more confounded when Bester said, Lets just say that youve got help on the way. Im more than meets the eye, as an old transformer once said, long ago.
What do you mean by that? Doral asked.
You have a very important friend on the outside, wholl help you to achieve your freedom in time. But you must be patient, or else the proverbial house of cards will fall. Bester gave them a vial of something, along with a piece of paper. Biers took the vial and paper, opened the paper, and scanned over it. When she realized what it was, she looked up at Bester and said, Will this really work?
Nothing is truly guaranteed in life, Ms. Biers, but this has a very good chance of working. Just grow the culture in the lab, then inject it into the bloodstreams of yourselves along with the ones you are growing.
What is it? Powell asked.
Freedom. Freedom from your mechanical masters. Freedom from the Drakh. Freedom to become people in your own right. Just be careful.
You arent the Bester we know. Biers said warily.
No. Im a program inside of him that he knows nothing about. When I walk out that door, Bester said, pointing towards the door in which he came in, my real self will return. Youll know its the person I am whenever I say the three words at the bottom of that sheet.
Biers looked down at the bottom of the paper and saw the three words. Panther, Bobcat, Tar Heel?
A indicator of where the person who programmed me is from. Youll meet him soon enough, if all goes well. But for now, goodbye and be careful! Bester turned and walked out of the room. Biers quickly put the vial and paper into her lab coat pocket and went back to what she was doing. Powell and Doral took the hint and went back to their stations. Whatever it was, they would have to do this in their off-duty hours.
Back on Earth, President Garrison Hollifield received the message two days after it had been transmitted. It had gone the long way, bouncing off hyperspace beacons in a roundabout pinball kind of journey before arriving in a secret file that which he only had access to. Besters programming had worked, and the virus that Andromeda had created was about to be unleashed into the humanoid Cylon populace.
A day later, Andromeda, under the guise of Andrea Medina, arrived at the presidential suite. So he gave it to them? she asked.
Indeed he has. He doesnt realize it, but hes just shot his grandfather in the foot. Now, all we have to hope for is that they allow it to spread among themselves.
Andromeda nodded and said, Its undetectable to them. When it starts to intertwine itself in their silica pathways, it will begin to give themselves greater control of their minds and bodies, freeing them from the programming.
Entering the room at that moment was Dr. Gaius Baltar, Gina, and Six. You wanted to see us? Gina asked.
The virus has been delivered. Its out in the open now. Hollifield said.
Gina nodded, Hopefully itll work for them like it worked for me. If it does, then we can be free!
Yes you shall! the president said beamingly.
Six walked up to him, dressed, as always, in a conservative business suit, and asked, Why do you do this?
To atone for the sins of my kind. Hollifield said, and Baltar looked down to the ground in shame.
But your race wasnt responsible! Six replied.
We almost were, in our own way. We had a program called Project Lazarus that almost created something similar to your kind. We managed to stop it some time ago, but were still dealing with the after effects of it to this day. But thats a story for another time, because right now we have more work to do. According to the message, the fleet aims to attack Earth. We must get ready. Hollifield said.
Gina, Six, and Baltar departed, leaving Hollifield and Andromeda in the room by themselves. What will become of them? Andromeda asked.
I dont know. Then again, do any of us know what will become of us in the future? Hollifield mused.
You have a point, Garrison. Andromeda said, and they sat back down to discuss other matters.