The Originals

“Sir, the planet seems to be a Cylon base…but I don’t show any activity on or within it.” Lieutenant Gaeta reported.

“Run a full scan and tell the fleet of our coordinates of the next jump, just incase these bastards decide try to sneak up on us.” Colonel Tigh ordered.

The Battlestar’s Combat Information Center became a hive of activity as all the officers began their tasks in gathering data regarding their newest find.

Tigh walked over to the imposing figure of Commander Adama. “What do you think?”

Adama remained silent for a moment. “I don’t know what to think. This is the first sign of any Cylon’s in two months. I don’t know whether to sigh in relief or keep on full alert.”

Before Tigh could comment, Lt. Gaeta approached the two men. “The scans show no Cylon activity. It looks like the base is dormant.” He placed a large piece of film on the lighted table that stood between him and his superiors. “There are at least ten fuel tanks along the south side of the main building as well as other storage tanks that we can’t make out with our sensors.”

“And your sure that it’s dead.” Tigh asked.

“Inactive, sir…yes.”

Adama stood silent, studying the picture of the base.

“How much fuel?” Questioned Tigh.

Gaeta pointed to the area on the map where the fuel tanks were positioned. “I estimate that each tank holds about 100 metric tons.”

A gust of air escaped Tigh’s lips as he leaned closer. “That’ll get us by for awhile.” He looked over to Adama, waiting for his final say.

Adama finally glanced up from the map and looked across to Gaeta. “Take this to brig. Let’s see what our prisoner has to say about this.”

Starbuck walked up behind Lee, who was zipping up his flight suit. “You ready to go?”

“Yeah. It’ll be nice to have something meaningful to do after so long.”

Starbuck laughed. “You’d think we would be grateful for a little inactivity.”

Lee laughed. “A little?”

“Yeah, well. At least we get to go. The rookies were practically salivating at the mention of reconnaissance.”

“Well, those are the perks to be high ranking. We get to pick and choose what we want.”

The two were interrupted. “If you two are done jabbering, let’s get this show started.” Tigh stated before walking back out of the pilot’s locker room.

Starbuck grinned wickedly. “Jabbering?”

Lee grinned back and shrugged his shoulders before grabbing his helmet.

The two pilots walked onto the main flight deck. It was a hive of activity as pilots and engineers rushed to their respective jets and readied for deployment.

One Raptor stood ready with its hatch open, the flickering lights beckoning to its near future passengers.

Next to the Raptor waiting patiently stood Tigh and Adama.

Starbuck whispered. “I guess we get the honors of a proper send-off.”

The two pilots approached the small gathering.

Adama looked at the two pilots and without preempt. “If you detect any activity…anything…you come straight back.”

Lee and Kara both nodded understanding the seriousness of the situation.

“You two will have two other passengers.” Tigh said.

As he spoke, noises signaled the approach of others. As they watched, Helo entered the deck followed by several other armed guards. Between them and shackled, Boomer or one of her copies shuffled towards the Raptor.

Kara glanced back to Adama. “Sir?” Her surprise evident.

“While…the prisoner doesn’t remember the base, she may still be able to help. She would know more about the technology found within it more than anyone.” Adama explained. “But your orders are still only to search the base and assure us that the base is clear. If it’s not, radio back. The fleet has coordinates of the next jump and the Galatica will wait for you to return before jumping.”

“Don’t make us wait to long.” Tigh injected.

“All fighter pilots will be deployed shortly. In case this is a trick, will watch your backs until you can come aboard.” Adama continued. “Good luck and come home safely.”

The look in the older mans eyes spoke of his caring and worry for the two standing in front of him. That look quickly changed as Helo and the prisoner approached. Without a word, he turned and left the deck, Tigh quickly behind him.

Helo nodded to his fellow pilots and turned to watch the guards unshackle the chains that connected Boomer’s feet. With efficiency, the guards quickly led Boomer over to the Raptor and sat her down in one of the seats available for passengers. Boomer remained silent as her handcuffs were secured to the armrest.

“I guess were ready than.” Lee stated and climbed into the Raptor with the others following.

“Ladies and Gentleman, we have arrived.” Lee powered down the Raptor but keeping main systems online in case they had to leave in a hurry. “Galactica, we’ve landed. Helo is commencing with the close ranged scans.”

“Wow, Lee. I think that was the worst landing ever.” Kara interrupted.

Lee turned off his microphone and replied. “You…are criticizing MY flying abilities?”

Kara rolled her eyes and turned towards the back of the Raptor. Helo had remained silent during the trip, keeping his eyes on the sensors in front of him with occasional subvert glances to the restrained Boomer.

Kara walked and opened the hatch, her weapon at the ready. She looked over to Helo waiting for his scans to complete their cycle.

“Nothing. The scans are clear. No movement, no activity.” Helo reported.

Lee with his sidearm at the ready. “Okay, than let’s go exploring.”

Kara and Lee cautiously walked down the ramp but as the reached the bottom, the noise of chains rattling drew their attention back within the Raptor.

“What do you think your doing?” Kara asked, spying Helo unlocking Boomer’s manacles.

“She can’t exactly help if her hands are tied.” Helo explained.

“Don’t worry, Kara. I’m a liability to the Cylons now remember. They tried to kill me along with the rest of the fleet when they attacked us with the virus.” Boomer rubbed her wrists once free from the chains.

“I still don’t like it.” Kara replied.

“Neither do I but Helo’s right. She’ll be more of a help if she has a little more movement.” Lee interjected. “But no weapon and she stays between us at all times. Understand?” He looked to Helo for his agreement.

Helo nodded and trailed behind Boomer as she exited the Raptor.

The four pilots made their cautiously across the dark silent platform.

“Woah, what is that?” Kara scanned the object now blocking their way with her flashlight.

“It’s a ship. But I’ve never seen one like this one before.” Lee commented.

The unknown ship stretched beyond their view in the darken platform. The amber metal curved sharply given the appearance of flattened. But high enough that several dozen crew members could live comfortable inside of it. The end came to a sharp point highlighted by three beams. Bubbled windows interspaced alongside of the large contraption but the interior was darkened so those viewing from the outside were unable to glimpse inside of the aircraft.

“Lee, look.” Kara moved her flashlight over characters gracing the bottom half of the ship.

Lee looked back at Boomer. “Can you read that?”

Boomer’s expression of awe clearly told them that this was the first she knew of this craft. “No, it’s not in any language I know of.”

With one last glance at the ship, the group decided to move on.

They soon came across a doorway and continued their search down a long hallway. At one intersection, Lee noticed a computer terminal which he than motioned for Boomer forward.

“See what you can learn from here.”

Boomer studied the terminal for a few moments and than began using it.

“Internal power is minimal. A few lights, sensors and such. I’m checking to see if I can find a last used date.” Boomer spent several more moments keying and reading the information flashing across the screen. The others were unable to determine her progress since the characters that were flashing across the screen were in Cylon. Kara and Lee looked at each other worriedly not sure whether to trust Boomer’s word regarding the information she would be able to obtain from the computer.

“Wait a minute…most of the power has been diverted to a specific location on the base.” Boomer said.

“Are there any Cylon’s here?” Kara asked impatiently.

Boomer shook her head. “It looks like this base has been deserted for a couple of years, maybe a decade.”

“Why?” Helo asked, watching behind them for any possible rear attacks.

Boomer continued to key on the terminal rapidly, looking for the requested information. “Ask Galactica if their sensors report any solar flares occurring from the system’s main star?”

Lee pressed his microphone closer. “Galactica, did you get that?”

“Yes, one moment please.” Replied Lt. Gaeta. Several tense moments passed. “There is a high volume of flares occurring in the central star.”

“The flares and the radioactivity caused by the flares would have messed with the Cylon’s earlier technology. They wouldn’t have been able to stay here and still have been able to function.” Boomer explained.

“Are you okay here?” Helo asked, worried.

“Yes, I’m’ Boomer swallowed harshly ‘a more recent version.”

Starbuck scoffed. “Boomer 2.0”

Boomer only glanced at Starbuck before returning her attention back to the screen. “We’re only a few corridors away from the sector where the power is being diverted. We may be able to find more information there.”

Lee nodded. “Okay, let’s keep going. But keep weapons at ready.”

The small group traveled for half an hour before reaching a closed doorway.

“This is it. This is where the power is being sent.” Boomer moved towards the side of the door and another computer terminal. She quickly typed on the board.

She gasped, turning her head towards the group behind her before quickly turning back.

“What is it?” Kara moved her weapon towards Boomer.

“I know what this place is.” Boomer simply said never looking up at the armed woman.

“What?” Kara asked.

Silence greeted her question. “WHAT IS IT?” Kara moved closer, raising her weapon until it was pointed directly to the captured Cylon’s head.

The door slide open before Kara could demand a reply. A soft white light escaped the room.

The group stood in front of the room glancing inside.

The soft light emanated from several compartments. From a brief glance, Lee determined at least twenty such compartments.

“Boomer, what is this place?” Kara asked. He tore his gaze away from the room to glance at the shorter woman. She was amazed at the totally look of awe that graced the Cylon’s face.

Boomer’s mouth opened as if to answer but no words escaped. She simply stood for a moment before entering the room.

Kara aimed her weapon at the retreating Cylon. Helo stepped beside her and lowered her weapon. “Wait…WAIT!”

“Damnit, Helo. This could be a trick.” Kara said angrily.

“Please.” Helo simply said.

Kara glanced back at Boomer who continued among the compartments. She nodded.

The three remaining pilots entered the room and walked towards the first two of the compartments and glanced inside.

“Oh, frak.” Kara stated.

“BOOMER. STOP!” Lee ordered, rushing towards her.

Boomer remained still, looking into one of the compartments with complete awe.

“What is this, Boomer?” Lee again ordered.

Kara interjected. “This is where they make them.” She whispered. Several moments passed as Kara remembered her most recent trip to Caprica. She felt the pain of having to smash the machinery that was keeping her friend alive as well as the dozen or so of other women Kara found in that room.

Clenching her jaw in anger, Kara raised her weapon bent on destroying the Cylon within before it could be “born”.

“NO!” Boomer screamed. Running towards the blond woman and standing before the container. Holding up her hands, Boomer pleaded. “Please, Kara. You really don’t want to do that.”

“And why the frak not. So more of your little friends can be…born. So they can come and destroy what’s left of the human race? Huh, Boomer. Is this why you brought us here?” Kara screamed at her once friend.

“NO! There not Cylons.” Boomer tried to explain.

“NOT CYLONS? THEN WHAT THEY FRAK ARE THEY?”

“Listen to me…PLEASE.” Boomer pleaded.

“Kara…stand down.” Lee ordered.

Kara really wanted to shoot the “person” in front of her and than continue on and destroy ever thing within these compartments. Her jaw clenched and her fingers tightened around her weapon…ready to disregard the order Lee sent her.

“KARA!” Lee yelled harshly.

Kara lowered her weapon abruptly, glaring at the Cylon that still stood in front of her with her arms outstretched. “You better start explaining, right now.”

Boomer licked her lips and glanced nervously at the other two occupants of the room. “Even though you made the Cylons…us…we couldn’t make you.”

Lee worried about where this was going, said. “What do you mean? If these’ he motioned towards the compartments ‘aren’t Cylons, than…who…are you saying that their…us?”

“We couldn’t replicate the human form. At least not without any degree of accuracy. We could build one but ultimately you would be easily able to discern us from real humans by simple looking at our biological makeup. We needed…help.” Boomer explained.

“So your saying their like us.” Helo asked.

Boomer glanced at them nervously. “No, not exactly.” As Kara raised her weapon once again, she interjected. “BUT their not Cylons either.”

Kara left her weapon raised. “You better explain faster.”

“I think…I think their from Earth.” Boomer said quickly.

Stunned silence filled the room before “Oh, frak me.” Kara said. Lee at the moment said into his microphone, “Galactica, did you get that.”

The four occupants of the room remained quite, waiting for a response from the Battlestar.

“I’m on my way.” Adama replied.

Lee nodded before glancing back at the others. “I guess we wait before we hear the rest of it.’ He looked at Boomer ‘Are you sure no one else is here?”

Boomer nodded and with a quick glance at Starbuck to assure that the woman wouldn’t be shooting anything, Boomer walked back to her previous spot further down the room.

The other three pilots began their exploration and glancing within the containers.

Lee and Kara were quite until the two were far enough away from Helo and Boomer. The two friends glanced into one of the compartments and each swore explicitly. D'anna Biers, laid before them, peacefully curled up in a fetal position. Her hair was darker and her skin was offset by the liquid that encompassed her body. The body of the known reporter was suspended in a dense liquid with a small tube entering her mouth. Several other tubes entered and exited her body. Lee suspected that the mouth tubing was oxygen derived while the other slimmer tube entering her arm resembled an IV and was most likely for nutrients. Another tube entering her lower stomach was most likely for bodily waste.

“Well, I guess there’s one thing that good about all this”

Lee glanced at the woman beside him surprised and baffled.

Kara gave a tight smile. “We won’t have to wait until Baltar tests all those samples.”

Lee shook his head at his friends grime humor. He glanced up and looked for the other two occupants. He noticed that Boomer still stood in front the same compartment. Helo stood beside her, with awe and shock covering his face.

He motioned towards them, and than he and Kara slowly walked towards the pair.

Inside the compartment that enraptured the Cylon and quickly held the attention of the remaining three was an exact replica of Boomer with shorter hair. Like the trapped replica of the reporter, Boomer’s doppelganger laid in a curled fetal position with tubing entering and exiting her body. Her face lay calm and peacefully as if sleeping. As the four watched intently, the body would occasionally move slightly whether a slight uncurling of her hand or the flickering of eye movement behind her lids. Otherwise, the body remained still.

Boomer remained standing in front of her double, fascinated by its mere existence. While Lee, Kara and Helo moved around, glancing into the other compartments. Kara recognized the Cylon she had interrogated and than watched being ejected through the space lock. She also recognized the “doctor” that had treated her in her most recent trip to Caprica.

Kara could no longer stand being in the same room as her “doctor”. “Lee, I’m going back to the platform to wait for the Commander.” She said tightly.

Lee nodded his understanding, “Do you want me to go with you?”

“No, stay here and watch her.” She pointed angrily at Boomer who ignored the jab.

Kara walked slowly back through the corridors they had come through. Reaching the platform, she was reminded of the ship. Using her flashlight, she explored the outer hull, looking for any information that would verify Boomer’s claim. Or disprove it.

AN: Okay, before anyone starts reviewing and critizing me regarding my terrible use of the English language, please allow me tosay that this is unbeta'd (obviously). lol, in fact besides spell check nothing has been done to it. It was one of those ideas that I just had to get out of my head before I could go to sleep. So please don't flame me. This is just a very extended outline on how I want this new story to work out. Hopefully, I'll be able to come back to it later and fix it up as well as continue it.

For those of you who are eagerly awaiting the continuation of my other two stories, please be patient. They are coming. I just couldn't work on them until I got this out first. lol, stupid plot bunnies.

Thanks

Liz