Faoi Dheireadh

Title: Faoi Dheireadh
Part: 2
Rating: PG, maybe PG-13 later
Pairing: A/R
Summary: The survivors of the Holocaust have finally reached Earth, but they find out that's not the end of their problems
Beta: none as yet (please be kind!)
Note: I do want to thank Vi, Marta, Axelradjr, and AlbertG for their expertise. Without their input this story would not be what it is today. Be warned, this takes place sometime near the end of season two. Anything after Epiphanies are conjectures from the author's warped mind. . .

Disclaimer: Battlestar Galactica and its characters are creations of Glen Larson and copywrited by Universal Studios. I make no money off of this.

Colonial speach " "
English speach ' '



Chapter Two

Jack O'Bryan stood in the center of the bridge and looked out over the people that were sworn to secrecy. Only the highest levels of the government knew of their whereabouts. The large high resolution monitor set on the wall showed the roiling colors of the nebulae they were hiding within. They were hiding so they could keep at bay the hordes of races that were out in the not so distant reaches of space. Terra had been out exploring and minding her own business when they found out how deadly space could be.

It was her idea, though. If it wasn't for her, they wouldn't be in a position to make sure Terra thrived and succeeded. People thought it ironic and funny at first that she wanted to revive the ancient ways of her people. She had kept at it for some time before they finally agreed to her impossible scheme. Once the approval came, she quietly passed the word to anyone that seemed interested. In less than fifteen years they had made a name for themselves. No one wanted to face "The Finns" as they were being called and her Piranha Strike Force.

'Any change?'

Jack turned around and looked at the honey-brown hair beauty standing behind him. Like everyone else, she wore a brown uniform, but hers bore no rank or markings. She need not have them, everyone knew who she was.

'No ma'am, they're still there.'

She looked at the monitor for some time before speaking again, 'I do believe they will be there for a while. Come, Jack, there is something I want you to read.' She turned and moved towards the passageway that lead deeper into the bowels of the ship.

Looking around again, Jack always wondered just what went through her mind. No one knew and she seemed more a mystery than anything else. Rumors had it that she wasn't born on Terra and that she wasn't even human. It was impossible, for all government records stated that she was.

'What is it?' he asked as he stepped into the small room. As leader she was allotted a much larger space, but she refused it. She had most of the space converted over to a recreation area for her crew. They worked and fought hard, and she commanded them to play even harder. What was left was a cabin about the same size as was given to the lowest ranked among them. She never thought of herself as their leader, but their servant. Because of that everyone had vowed to follow her to their death if need be. But because of her tactical abilities that had not happened. Hopefully it would not happen for some time to come.

'I found something interesting.' She handed him a large tome with strange writing. He rolled his eyes then looked at her. 'Skipper, You know I cannot read this stuff.'

She shook her head. 'That is something we are going to have to rectify. I want everyone here to know and speak the old tongue.' Mair hesitated before continuing, "Have we had any transmissions come from that group of ships?"

Jack shook his head, 'If they did, it's lost in all this hash. We're doing good to be able to see them.'

She pursed her lips for a moment, 'We're going to have to figure that out. This is something that we will most likely need in the long run.' Taking the book back, she turned it around and scanned it for a moment. 'It is said that in the earliest versions of the invasion stories of the Mythological Cycle the Tuatha Dé Danaan came from the sky. It is never mentioned where they came from, but they were considered to be, and I quote 'the fairest of form and were a people of magic wonders with esoteric knowledge'.'

'So?' Jack shrugged his shoulders. 'It's just a myth.'

'To you maybe, but it's also ancient traditions and legends. Every legend has a grain of truth to it.' She closed the book and set it down.

'So what?' he shrugged again.

'Jack, when you first told me that the fleet out there is comprised of humans, it got me to thinking. I've always thought we were the only humans out here in the galaxy. That whole fleet throws that viewpoint out the window.'

Jack sighed. 'I know.'

'I want to know why they're there, and what their plans are.' Mair drummed her fingers on the rather large book. 'Jack, I want your people begin work on cutting through the feedback the nebulae is giving us. I want to know what's going on without them knowing we're here.'

'Always have to have tactical superiority.' Jack gave a short laugh.

'Which is why we're still alive. We need to be one step ahead of everyone that's trying to kill us.'

'Or just this ship and you.'

'That too.' Mair smiled warmly at him. 'Now get going before I write you up for lagging.'

'Yeah, yeah,' he gave a mock complaint as he waived his hand in her direction while heading out the door. When she was alone once again, Mair looked down to the book and opened it up again.

Jack arrived back into the control center of their ship and settled down at one of the computer stations. Mair really wanted to be able to hear what was going on out there, and he didn't blame her for her desire to know. He was just as curious of the newcomers as she was.

Pulling up the audio he systematically began to remove the different elements of the hash they were confronted with. When part way through he started picking up voice elements. The more he worked with it the clearer it became. 'Damn,' he mumbled. 'That almost sounds like. . .' he stopped as he turned to a woman who was sitting beside him. 'Lieutenant Glennan, could you get the Captain, I really think she needs to be here.'

'Yes, sir,' she commented as she rose from her seat.

A few minutes later he felt a hand on his shoulder. 'What did you find?'

Turning his head he commented. 'This,' as he ran through a series of commands, 'Listen.' The language that came out was a slight variation of the old tongue. 'Holy Mary Mother of God. . .' Mair muttered. Taking a step back she crossed herself as she closed her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes and leaned back over.

'Skipper, it would seem that the original myths of the coming of the Danaans was right.' Jack shook his head at the irony of it all.

'My question is why are they there.' Mair took a few steps towards the large screen. It showed nothing of the fleet that sensors revealed to them. Truth be told, they didn't need the screen at all. It was just something to fulfill the need of "seeing" what was in front of them.

'Do you want to make our presence known?'

'Negative! Not until I know otherwise will we even breath a word in their direction. The Martoks did this before and we lost an entire fleet to their treachery.'

'But they have no idea about the Old Tongue. How would they even begin to trick us like that again.'

'Jack, I cannot do that. Until I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are real, we will stay here until further notice.' Mair turned on her heels and walked quickly to the back of the room and down the hall.

'I guess all we can do is to listen to what's going on. Anyone here understand the Old Tongue?'

~~~~~~~

Many hours later the last of the computer techs finally reported their findings to Admiral Adama. On at least half of the ships in question, their FTL computers hard drives crashed and were not able to be brought back up. Adama closed his eyes and sighed. Too many people and not enough space on the other ships. Not only that, but he had no idea how far or how close they were to their goal. With the population so low they could not afford to loose a single soul. He was going to have to come up with something else to solve the problem. Glancing down to his watch he noted the time. Gaeta would be coming by in about an hour for another 'strategy' session, though the younger man had come to call it a brutalizing session under his breath. Adama understood the younger man's view well enough, but that was the only way to learn.

The bosun's tone sounded suddenly over the speakers accompanied by Tigh's voice, "Action Stations, Action Stations. Set Condition One throughout the fleet. This is not a drill. Action Stations, Action Stations. Set Condition One throughout the fleet."

"Frack," Adama muttered under his breath as he moved quickly towards the CIC.

"Admiral on deck!" Dee called out when she caught sight of Adama.

"As you were."

"DRADIS contact, Sir!" Gaeta called out.

"Identify." Adama turned to his tactical officer.

"Cylons, sir. Two Basestars."

"Launch all vipers." Adama knew they were in a very bad position. This is it, he thought somberly.

"Vipers away, sir."

"Get me Pegasus Actual." He moved over to the Commander's station and picked up the handset.

"Aye, sir."

Fisk's voice came through the speakers, "Admiral, we have to get out of here."

"We can't do anything. If we leave the non-FTL ships we will loose thousands, and if we stay we will loose everyone." Adama disconnected the line without waiting for a response from the commander.

Another alarm sounded, this one more ominous than the ones before. "Radiological alarm," one of the specialists called out. It was followed by Gaeta, "Incoming Ordinance!"

"Frack," Adama muttered. He looked to the DRADIS screen. There had been multiple missiles. All but one were stopped. There was now nothing he could do to counteract the homing device it was implanted with. "Brace for impact!"

When the explosion did not happen Tigh turned to Gaeta, "What happened?"

"Not sure, sir. I think the electrical energy field from the nebulae has messed up the homing device."

Adama looked at the screen and realized suddenly that it was now heading towards Colonial One. "Get me Colonial One's captain. Now." Adama picked up the small handset.

"Admiral!"

"I know. Get away from there as fast as possible, but stay close to that cloud!" Looking up he watched in detached fear the events beginning to unfold before him. At the last minute the nuke angled up and flew past it to impact with the cloud.

Oh gods, I can't loose her, he thought numbly as he helplessly watched Colonial One be completely overwhelmed by the feedback from the explosion.

"Captain! Captain, can you hear me? Are you there?" It took all Adama's considerable will to not yell into the mic. In the background he could hear the viper pilots as they continued to engage the cylons.

There were several long moments of silence before they received a faint message through the static. "Kryptar, kryptar, kryptar. This is Colonial One. Lost engines, lost life support. Have minimal sensor ability. Need help immediately."

Adama looked back up to the DRADIS. The government ship was closest to the Pegasus. "Colonial One, do you have thruster control?"

"Affirmative."

"I want you to emergency dock with the Pegasus."

"Yes, sir."

"Docking during a battle is insane, you know that," Tigh grumbled as he leaned on the center console. Adama's glare stopped Tigh from continuing with his comments. "Yes, sir." He shook his head as he moved a few steps away.

"Get me Pegasus Actual." Adama turned his attention back to the DRADIS screen.

"Yes, sir."

~~~

Mair stood there silent as she imagined the panicked, disjointed messages that were probably flying back and forth across the small fleet. They were outclassed and outgunned by the attacking forces.

Glennan turned from her screens and commented, 'Captain, we have got to do something.'

'I know,' Mair answered softly. 'I know what it's like for them. . .' She turned to look at the screen then made her decision. 'Bring the Goch out of the cloud, keep the shields up and have the Piranhas ready.'

'Yes, Captain,' she answered crisply. 'There's a lot of jamming. It also sounds like the attacking forces use some type of electronic attack.' Glennan worked her controls, trying to get a clear signal on what they were about to deal with.

'Then we will give them a taste of their own medicine,' Mair mumbled. 'Get ready the worm,' she ordered.

'Aye, ma'am,' Jack answered while pulling up the necessary information required for a concentrated electronic attack.

~~~~~~~

"Frack, what is that!" Kat's voice came over the speakers.

"DRADIS contact, Sir! Coming out of the cloud."

"More Cylons?" Adama asked.

"No know configuration, sir," Gaeta answered worriedly.

"Ignore them. If they make any threatening move then we will have to get out of here. . .somehow."

The ship that emerged was about half the size of a battlestar. At least sixty small fighters emerged from the underside of the ship and started towards the two Cylon basestars.

"Sir, they're attacking the Cylons." Gaeta shook his head in confusion.

Moments later all the raiders stopped and the two basestars exploded from within. Everyone in the CIC was stunned at the sudden turn of events. Adama's voice eventually cut through the silence, "Have our pilots pursue and destroy remaining Raiders."

"Yes, sir." Dee answered. "Viper pilots, pursue and destroy remaining toasters."

"Aye, aye!"

With the added support of the unknown ship they were able to quickly eliminate any possible threat the cylon raiders now posed, but Adama wasn't paying any attention to that. He was watching closely Colonial One attempting to dock with the Pegasus. With only maneuvering thrusters it slowed the process down to a crawl. When the ship was safely docked Adama turned his attention back to the more pressing matter at hand, the new vessel that had helped them defeat the Cylons.

TBC..........