Disclaimers:  See Part 1

Earth at Last

by

AJ Marks

Part 9

"What?" Adama repeated with a bit of surprise in his voice.

"I would like to start conducting offensive campaigns against the Cylons as soon as possible to keep them off balance." Arkis repeated to Adama.

"Are you crazy, we fought the Cylons for over a thousand yehrens and lost the war." Adama said allowing the words to come out for the first time.

"Commander Adama,” Arkis said politely, having heard the bitterness of his words and speculated that it was the first time the proud commander had ever spoken those words. "With all due respect, there have been something that I haven't told you about us yet."

"Are you saying you lied to me then!" Adama said.

"No, everything I told you was true, I just left somethings out."

"Well?" Adama said waiting for an explanation.

"Well, it’s like this." Arkis said starting his tale. "Our race is a race of clones that were engineered for war and we failed our creators. We were created to protect our creators and destroy their enemies, unfortunally we succeeded to well in that mission. It wasn't long before all who were left were clones, and we decided to stop the war. The people we were fighting for and against no longer existed and the reasons for the war we no longer knew. We still thirst for battle commander, and many of us almost welcome this opportunity for battle."

"I see." Adama said a bit perplexed at the news that Arkis had told him. Adama wondered if this news would effect the councils' decisions. He knew that he would have to consult the council with this news. After a few minutes of silence Adama continued. "I guess you're ready to start fighting again."

"Don't let our being clones destroy our relationship commander, we are trying to create a normal society, but we need help." Arkis told Adama.

"Now I don't understand, aside from military, uh, counseling I don't know what we could have that you would need help with." Adama said a bit perplexed with Arkis' statement.

"Well, this is a bit embarrassing to us, but I'm afraid that we don't know how to have a normal society commander." Arkis told Adama. "You see, my people know nothing f a civil society, all we have ever know is war. This dictator democracy is the beginning of our attempts to begin a society that includes something besides war." Arkis said continuing leaving Adama feeling closer to what really happened to the people of earth. "We could really us your help in this aspect of our growth."

"Do you still know the technology of cloning?" Adama asked, knowing that this would be an important part of the debate with the council later in the day. Arkis' answer would probably determine how the council voted.

"I'm afraid commander that we have lost the secret to that technology, I'm afraid that I can't give it to you." Arkis said almost apologetically.

"I'm afraid you misunderstood what I meant, I'm glad you no longer know how. That knowledge would have worked against you in our council." Adama said and continued when he saw the confused look in Arkis' eyes. "The council might have considered you like the Cylons in nature."

"Ah, yes I understand now, your son Apollo mentioned that about the Cylons, and I can now see how you would view us the same way." Arkis said with understanding in his voice. "I assure you Commander Adama that we only wish to try to become like our 'ancestors' were, and by ancestors I mean those who live here before us. We have started to view ourselves as a new beginning to mankind here on Earth. Will this mean that you may not stay?"

"I don't think it will make much difference, the fact that you and you people are so well adapted to war will probably negate the fact that you are clones. How old are you?" Adama asked as the thought jumped into his head.

"Well, our ageing has been slowed down, but I am over eight hundred years old." Arkis said to a now shocked Adama.

'Eight hundred years old, that's about eight hundred yehrens old!' Adama thought to himself. "You look to be about my age." Adama said. "How long do you live?"

"We don't really know, but estimates have put it around nine hundred years. We've only seen a few people die of old age, and it is a rapid aging process." Arkis told Adama. "We are able to reproduce and we have had a few children born to a couple of couples. The children appear to have a diluted slowing of their aging like we do, but it appears that the growing up phase takes some of that aging process away, but they still have an extended life cycle."

"Aside from the aging process is there anything else of any difference?" Adama asked.

"No, the aging difference is the only one. We have recently uncovered documents containing information that they were working on enhancing the clones strength and trying to make new clones that were immune to space for a short period of time." Arkis told Adama. "But from all other accounts they never got beyond the experiment stage, and no one wants to try and find out."

"I don't blame them." Adama said laughing a little along with Arkis. Adama then went serious. "I'll see about sending my son, Apollo and a couple of others over to give you some information while I talk to our council."

"Sounds good enough to me, till we talk again commander." Arkis said signing off.

"Well, this should prove interesting!" Adama whispered to himself, but loud enough for Tigh to hear what he said.

"Do you think that this will change the council's vote?" Tigh asked him.

"I don't know old friend, I don't know." Adama answered him and walked off the bridge to look for his son and his friends.

Adama found his son and his friends in Cassiopia's room. Starbuck was playing with his daughter, Alieva, on the floor while Boomer and Apollo watched on. Athena and Boxey were at the table playing a game. Apollo noticed his father walk in and went over to ask what was wrong.

"Nothing to much, or at least nothing for you to worry about." Adama told his son. "I do need volunteers to help out our new allies with their fight against the Cylons, and I was hoping that you and either Starbuck or Boomer would go with you.

"I think Boomer would be glad to go, Starbuck would have to make up his own mind." Apollo said not knowing if this latest fight had made Starbuck want to stay with his family.

"I think he probably will go." Cassiopia said from where she was sitting watching her husband and daughter play with each other. "You both know that he wouldn’t pass up this opportunity."

Adama nodded his head, he remembered the choices he had made in life and wondered if he had concentrated more on his family if he to would have died on Caperica with his wife. He did not think about that too much, he still had a son, a daughter and a grandson. He also felt that he had an adopted son in Starbuck.

"Pass up what?" Starbuck said having only caught part of the conversation, and looked at Cassiopeia and Adama.

Adama looked up and noticed that everyone now had their attention on him. "Well,” he cleared his throat, "Our new allies would like some advisers on their war against the Cylons, and they want to plan an offensive engagement as soon as possible."

"An offensive engagement?" Apollo said unbelievablely. "Are they sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure." Adama replied "We all know that they have quite a lot of firepower at their disposal, the only thing I don't know anymore is how well equipped the Cylons are now."

"They were able to match the Cylons in firepower during the battle." Starbuck said recalling the battle. "What are their fighting capabilities?"

"Well, if Arkis' word can be trusted, then they have over a thousand warships in their fleet." Adama told the group. "They are also clones."

"Clones?" The others all replied as one.

"Yes clones. They were 'built' for war and they have been feeling a bit restless." Adama said. "They apparently don't age very fast and for the past hundred yehrens they have been trying to develop a civilian society. That has been something that has been hard for them to do considering their past. They also feel that this is their opportunity to make up for their failure."

"What failure?" Cassiopia asked.

"They failed because the ones they were protecting were all killed." Adama told them. "They all seem to feel that we are their redemption."

"So we're just supposed to sit back and allow them to fight for us." Apollo said.

"I don't know Apollo, but I think that they would allow us to fight with them, but right now the Galactica needs some serious repairs and our defense forces are almost depleted." Adama replied with reason. "It would take a least a yehren to get our forces up to what they were before that last attack."

Everyone in the room knew that Adama spoke the truth. Their forces had taken quite a blow in the last battle, the Galactica could barely move, the fleet was about out of fuel and the viper squadrons were only a quarter of what they should be.

"You know," Starbuck said. "He's right. Besides, it will be interesting to be an advisor, that's something I've never been, and I'll be in less risk."

"We might even start to begin a normal life again." Apollo said. "Has the council said anything about this?"

"Not yet, we're meeting in a few centions. Then I'll give my reply to Arkis, I can tell him that I have some advisors for him?" Adama said to the three who all nodded their heads. "Good."

"I hear that there is some developments with our new allies?" A council member said as Adama walked into the room.

"Yes." Adama said as he sat down at the head of the table. "I would like you all to hear me out before you begin your questions." Adama told the group and waited until they all seemed to agree with him.

"I was talking to Lord Arkis, who is their leader, and he wants to begin an offensive campaign against the Cylons." A mummer went through the council and Adama could hear some saying that their allies were crazy or insane and Adama let the noise die down before continuing. "What many of you don't know is that our allies are clones, designed for war against their enemies. For those of you who are wondering, these enemies are all dead, that's why the war here ended."

"They are trying to develop a society and want our help, you see they don't know how to develop a society, they can help defend us and we can teach them." Adama said. "They also no longer have the knowledge or equipment to make clones."

"This does change some things Commander” One council member said. "How do we know that they are different from the Cylons?"

Adama took a deep breath and sighed, he knew that this question was coming and he was dreading it. "Our situation hasn't changed gentlemen. The Galactia is still heavily damaged and our fleet is still dangerously low on fuel. Our military defenses are almost non-existent and you want to try to leave. I would rather take our chances with our new allies then go back out on our own."

"Are you saying that our warriors can't defend us?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying, our viper squadrons have been decimated and it will take a yehren to bring our forces back up to what they were, and right now we can't even defend ourselves against one basestar, and they were able to bring several basestars against us at the last battle." Adama said telling the truth and not caring about his pride.

"I think we should stay." One of the non-vocal council members said. "I don't think that it’s wise for us to keep moving when we can't defend ourselves. We need our new allies as much as they need us."

"And why would they need us, the moment they finish with the Cylons they will turn on us." One member said.

"Because, by then we will have integrated our two cultures together and people together, they may have been clones, but they are still human, and its up to us to teach them what humanity is all about."

Several members agreed with the quiet council member and they decided that it was time to take a vote about the subject.

A little while later Adama walked up onto the bridge of the Rising Star and asked to get Lord Arkis on the channel.

"Commander Adama, I didn't think you would be back so quickly." Arkis said. "I take it you have talked to your council?"

"Yes I have." Adama replied. "It wasn't easy, and the vote was close, but we will stay for the time being, and I have three good men that are willing to advise you on your offensive."

"That is good news." Arkis said. "You will help us develop a society?"

"In a way yes, it might be easier to watch and learn from our everyday lifestyles, and you could ask questions and even join us."

"That could work, we have several families that would probably join you right now." Arkis said. "The planet Earth, the atmosphere is clean once again, the soil is ready for farming and the ecosystems are balanced, all that's missing is humans living there again."

"You're inviting us to make ourselves at home, right?" Adama said.

"Yes, I am." Arkis said. "Welcome to Earth."

The End

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