The Adventures Of Starbuck. (Chapter 33 up 2-13-14)
Posted: 2011-11-04 04:36pm
I've been working on a creative writing project for a couple years now, some of which I published on fanfiction.net a while back. I was hoping to get some constructive feedback, as my effort is ambitious, and I am not an experienced writer. I was let down
So I am revising and reposting here instead. hopefully you guys can give me better feedback, and I can make something good. I have tried to crossover several of my favorite franchises in an intelligent manner, I had to take some liberties on firepower, on events, on motivations, but hopefully it will make for an entertaining story. The characters of Starbuck and Sheba and Baltar are based on those of the original Battlestar Galactica series, while Oma belongs to Stargate SG-1 and Janus to Stargate Atlantis. Characters from all these franchises will play a part, as well as a few that you can probably guess at, and a few that will hopefully be a surprise.
Starbuck is the central character in this installment. He should resemble his depiction in the classic series, but be somewhat more matured, having ascended, lived for a lengthy period of time in that state all of this having lived a long life. Feedback is helpful, suggestions are welcome and any massive and major plot holes will be filled in as quickly as possible and some sort of ornate rugged placed over them to hide any evidence of their existence.
Also obviously, none of the characters or settings belonging to other franchises are my creation. I don't know how to write a disclaimer but I own nothing, and take credit for nothing.
The Adventures Of Starbuck
Prologue
"A motion has been put forth to banish the Kobola Ascendant, Starbuck as the result of his disorderly conduct."
"Nineteen words to propose a death sentence for the crime of free expression." Grumbled Starbuck. "What’s this, we’re surrounded by a vast…whiteness.. and I see you've all dressed yourselves in white. I suppose you feel that makes yourselves the instrument of righteous judgment." Three hooded figures sat on a dais before Starbuck shrouded in white, Sheba stood at his side. Both he and the woman beside him wore whitened uniforms of Colonial Viper pilots, jackets worn over a ship suit.
"Starbuck don't badger them." She warned, "it won't help matters any."
"Of course it will." Starbuck assured her, "This pack of would be philosophers has lost touch with the real world Sheba, I know I seem a little foolhardy but I am just doing what has to be done. Someone has to make these people remember how to ask questions, how to think and act as individuals."
"We will not condone the extermination of any life form." Stated one of the hooded figures, "Your sentence will be calculated rationally, to balance an unstable equation, nothing more."
"We wish you to see the error of your ways, to help you find enlightenment." Added another, a female voice, Starbuck noted, "perhaps some day you can rejoin us Starbuck."
"Rejoin you?" scoffed Starbuck, "You mean you hope a harsh life will break down my will? Wear me down until I beg to be forgiven? He spared a glance to the man who had spoken, “Removing me from the equation pretties things up for you doesn’t it. Well maybe your calculations are wrong, have you considered that?"
"You require rehabilitation." Spoke a stern male voice with some resignation in his voice, "You are impudent, willful, disrespectful, sacrilegious chaotic and dangerous. You would destabilize a peace that has kept terrible forces at bay for countless millennia."
"Sacrilegious?" demanded Starbuck, "nice of you to bury that in there, am I to believe that disagreement is now sacrilege? Are you so certain of your righteousness? Funny, that kind of makes you sound like an Ori."
"We are not the Ori." Spoke the hooded woman once more, "It was a poor choice of words, the result of this unbalanced equation my colleague describes. You are a disruption in harmony Starbuck, do you deny this? "
"Is harmony a chorus of voices saying the same thing over and over?" Demanded Starbuck, "or is it voices raised in song, individuals working together in their own way., unique, but part of a whole. “ he chuckled suddenly and nudged Sheba, he pointed at the woman.”She doesn't like my tone." Sheba pressed her lips and looked upward in exhasparation.
"Your dissidence is harmful in the grand scheme of things." Stated the woman, "Unity of purpose is what has protected us from the great enemy. You disrupt that unity, you give their machinations purpose."
"Your enemies are legend!" shouted Starbuck, "Iblis is real, his evil is an immediate and immanent threat, you do nothing to restrain his actions while whole civilizations are at risk!"
"Iblis was properly chastened for his actions.' Retorted the second man.
"Chastened?" demanded Starbuck, "For exterminating whole galaxies? You made a deal with the devil so you wouldn't have to soil your hands."
"Were we to 'soil our hands' as you put it, we would be setting down a path of violence and chaos, that our people have strived long and hard to rise above." Replied the woman.
"Your enemies haven't risen above anything, and what’s more, while they’ve been scouting your defenses, you’ve forgotten you have the enemy at the gate!" stated Starbuck, "How can you expect to defeat them if you don't fight?'
"The only way to win is to deny a battle." Explained the first man, "our enemy feeds on our efforts, the harder we struggle the stronger they become. “
“My father would have said that denying a battle means more than simply refusing to fight.” Sheba spoke up.
“The best defense is a strong offense.” Starbuck pointed out.
“We cannot attack Iblis Starbuck.” The woman said wearily, “And you’re animosity only spreads chaos.”
“It is only through rational deliberation that we may remain free of their influence." Stated the man attempting to regain control of the proceedings.
"But you aren't free of anyone's influence!" interrupted Starbuck,
"They’re using your own methods against you, don’t you see? They know you won't act against them unless there is no reasonable doubt, so they move through others, so there will always be doubt."
"You seek to rationalize behavior that is irrational." Stated the first man accusingly, "You twist the truth to your liking, no single act you have presented can be considered proof of what you claim. There are constants in the universe Starbuck, and what you have presented to us simply does not add up."
"You seek to manipulate us in the manner you attribute to your enemy." Declared the woman, "perhaps you visit your own intentions on a reformed being?"
“Manipulate?” Starbuck said incredulous, “I seek to persuade, I make no secret of that. You claim to embrace free will, all of you, yet none of you will brook any disagreement. In defending myself before you, I am accused of manipulation. Consider this your honors." Starbuck spat the title mockingly, "The only way to win is to avoid a battle, to avoid a conflict of ideologies. How do you avoid that conflict if an opposing ideology is built upon that very idea?"
There was silence and finally the second hooded man spoke.
"This is pointless bickering. Discussion is ended. I move that we banish Starbuck to the mortal realm."
"I second that motion.” The second man said quickly, “with the amendment that Starbuck be permitted to retain his memories, that even in his banishment, he may have an opportunity to reform his ways."
"What if I don't choose to be banished?" demanded Starbuck hotly, "You can't take action without a group consensus, this vote is an illusion."
"I could elect to fight you." Commented the second man in a dark voice, "And we would battle for all eternity, thus would you be removed from our presence."
"I was wondering why they would let someone like you sit in judgment of another Baltar." Spat Starbuck "You can lower that hood your not fooling anyone, Oma, Janus, I know who you are let’s put all the cards on the table here."
In response his three accusers lowered their hoods.
"Since you seem committed to an eternity of conflict one way or another, what will you choose Starbuck." Asked Oma resignedly.
"Well firstly, your little ploy with Baltar won't work on me." Replied Starbuck, "If he attacks, I won't fight back." Starbuck fixed an eye on Baltar, "And then you will be a murderer Baltar. You will stand judgment, I wonder who they would find to battle you." Baltar swallowed. "I think I hear a line forming." Said Starbuck scornfully, "And when will that end Oma, battle after battle after battle, until your harmony is disrupted beyond hope of recovery. If I really wanted this discord you have accused me of, you would have just offered it to me on a silver platter. Your kind have no talent for this kind of thing, really."
"How do you propose we resolve this?" Demanded Oma irritably, "If you believe yourself so much more able."
"I will voluntarily descend." Began Starbuck, raising a hand to silence Sheba's objection, "provided as you say I am permitted to retain my memory, and my body at my moment of ascension. My condition however is I may choose the location to which I descend."
"What does that gain you?" Demanded Janus irritably, "Baltar has offered you that already you argumentative fool!"
"Contain yourself Janus." Oma stated turning to him in surprise, "You were chosen for your rationality, do not let his arguments influence you unduly, you must remain objective.” Starbuck cast an exasperated look at Sheba.
“Ah yes, we wouldn’t want his arguments to influence us.” Said Baltar dryly. “That would be unjust.” Oma shot them both a glare. Janus rolled his eyes and kept silent. Baltar studiously looked out into nothing. Satisfied Oma turned back to Starbuck, and Janus sat back regarding him with a calculating gaze.
"At the precise moment of your ascension, you were a being of energy." Observed Janus, "Lacking the stability to complete your transformation, without our help you would have dissipated. As we would grant no such help, this condition would gain you nothing, you would still descend to a mortal body."
"A mortal body significantly enhanced over the body I was born with." Replied Starbuck carefully, "Longer lifespan, healing ability, your people greatly advanced ours before we began our transformation."
"You would prolong your life, That is understandable." Stated Janus, "but your choice of words was deliberate, why the moment of your ascension and not simply to an advanced human form?"
"Well that is because of the location I am going to choose." Replied Starbuck with a gleam in his eye, "You see I still intend to prove to you that Iblis is up to something, and if you fear what I could do as an ascended being well, I'll just have to figure it out the old fashioned way."
Janus blinked suddenly. "Do you intend…."
"That's right." Said Starbuck, "Put me in the buffer on Earth's Stargate. Iblis buried it for a reason, and he intends to come back for it. Even if matter can't travel both ways energy can, and I intend to see exactly what Iblis wants coming to Earth."
"I vote we agree to his terms." Said Baltar suddenly. He grinned evilly, "This should provide solution satisfactory to all parties. Discord among those ascended will be over, Starbuck is free to continue his quest on a mortal plain…."
"…and you remain ascended with one less adversary." Finished Sheba sourly.
"The lesser of two evils?" Baltar asked the unspoken question, steepling his hands. "Perhaps.”
"I second the motion on the floor." Said Oma reluctantly, and as Oma, Janus, and Baltar all voted their agreement, Starbuck turned to Sheba who was trying to suppress her tears.
"Don't cry Sheba, this is what I want." He said, gripping her shoulder, "I can't shake the feeling that whatever went down on New Kobol, Iblis was behind it, Apollo and Cain can take care of themselves but Athena…"
Understanding dawned in Sheba's mind. She knew first hand the danger Iblis posed, she had succumbed to it, and she had thought Starbuck's passion for opposing Iblis was derived from the same source, but looking at him now, she saw him fired by a different cause. She was shocked.“Then all this…”
“No. Not all of it.” Starbuck maintained, “But a lot of it. I’ve been around long enough Sheba, live a full life first as a mortal and then like this, but I never had the chance to live it with her. I never had the chance to grow old with the woman I loved.”
“Like my father.” Sheba said, considering. Starbuck nodded.
“There are some things I just don’t like about the universe.” Starbuck said, “That’s one, and Iblis is another.” He cocked his head at Baltar, “And you know what they say, bad things come in threes.” Sheba chucked in spite of herself and rubbed her eyes.
“This isn’t the end of anything Sheba, it’s the beginning. A new life, a new adventure. That’s what these people can’t see.” He gripped her by the shoulders, “But you do, right? You understand?” She nodded. Starbuck embraced her for a moment tightly.
"You'll find her Starbuck." Sheba assured him, "We'll find her." Sheba amended, "I won't rest Starbuck, I'll be watching, vigilant, and if a way to help presents itself…"
"The time is at hand." Interrupted Janus testily, "Further permutation must not be allowed. This equation must reach its conclusion."
"I will do it." Said Baltar suddenly, "Sheba is obviously affected by his discord, why compound his influence by having her act upon it. I was prepared to be his executioner, I suppose this is the logical discharge of my obligations."
With no further objections Starbuck found himself standing in the desert atop a round stone platform. As he looked down he realized it the cover stones the natives had placed upon the Stargate.
"You stand upon the grave of the past." Baltar observed casually as he circled Starbuck.
"I suppose you're going to start gloating.' Said Starbuck resigned, "You must be loving this."
"On the contrary/" snapped Baltar, "Do you think I look forward to spending eternity with those pedantic fools?"
"The price of power.' Said Starbuck wryly, "You want to live forever but you can't choose your neighbors."
"indeed." Said Baltar sourly. His expression softened and he canced a furtive glance about himself. He stepped closer to Starbuck suddenly. “Starbuck I want you to know I never had anything against you, personally. I…”
"Listen Baltar, let's not start having a moment here.” Starbuck interrupted, “ You destroyed the colonies. You’re still a traitor in my mind, and you always will be."
"Do you imagine I intend to misuse my ascension?" demanded Baltar coldly, "Do you propose this is all part of some elaborate plot to control, to dominate?" Starbuck blinked at the resentment in the man's voice. He also noted the exhilaration in the man’s voice at the possibility.
"Isn't it?" asked Starbuck staring him the eye, "Are you saying I should trust you to be something other than a traitor?" Starbuck recognized tremendous conflict taking place within the man before him, yet he could not be certain as to the nature of it. Was Baltar struggling to restrain the raw ambition within himself, for the opportune moment, or was this man truly trying to reform.
"Millennia have passed Starbuck." Said Baltar tiredly, "Over the long centuries I have learned much of evil, I have thought much about what I did and why. Do you know what I believe?"
"I thought the condemned were to be the confessors." Commented Starbuck uncomfortably, but Baltar would not be silenced.
"I believe I did what I did… because I felt I could do things better." Said baltar looking up thoughtfully, "The cylons were a means to an end, I was to control mankind build a brave new world." His tone soured, "Then they betrayed me, treated me like a puppet, used me against the rest of you. I miscalculated, Starbuck, I miscalculated. That tears at me, it gnaws at me even now. The stakes I risked, the sacrifices… no, I never resented you, or Adama, I deserve your scorn. You," he stabbed a finger at Starbuck, " Simply had the audacity to survive, they demanded I kill you in payment for my life, and you refused to permit victory." He dropped his hand and paused as if struck by a sudden thought, "What utter lunacy it must have appeared, no wonder Lucifer thought us deranged." Then his countenance hardened once again. "It was never the Cylons Starbuck, in time I recognized that it was iblis, that cursed whispering ambition, that simpering tempter, I was his unwilling servant and he cast me off like some common…"
"Look Baltar…" interrupted Starbuck, suddenly chagrined and in no small part, concerned, at what he was opening up. "I really don't care. I'm trying to face the music here, you know? Live as a mortal once more? Begin my slow march to death and old age? If we could just pull the spotlight over here long enough for me to go? I mean I don't mean to be rude but this IS my moment."
"Very well." replied Baltar taking a breath and reigning himself in, "You heroes have no patience. I merely meant to say, that we will never be friends Starbuck, but we may have more in common than we would care to admit.” He spoke carefully, “Of course I do not speak of your animosity towards Iblis, but rather the desire to save a universe, worth saving,” Starbuck threw up his hands in profound exasperation. “I am a deeply flawed man Starbuck, how many times must I acknowledge that to you, but though we ended up in drastically different places, we are deep down, on the same side. Time has validated your choices infinitely more so than mine, and because of that I respect what you are doing." He laughed harshly, "Perhaps I may even help some time."
"Well I'm as eager as the next guy to give a man a second chance Baltar." Starbuck tossed back, "Let’s just get this over with/You do what you have to do, but hey,” he added, “For frak’s sake, try not to save the universe by helping your enemies destroy it ok?”
Baltar gave a dismissive flick of his fingers, and Starbuck’s form suddenly coalesced into a ball. Iblis reached out and grasped the tiny sphere of light within his fist. He opened his fingers ever so slightly. “You impossible, impudent fool.” He whispered to it. he stomped his foot, and with a deep rumbling the ground began to shake, the sand began to shift.
Baltar held his palm out over the ground before him and for the briefest moment the sand lit up. The sand began to swirl around him
"Godspeed Starbuck." Baltar shouted "You carry the hopes of us all."
He removed his hand, and now, with the sphere of light clenched tightly, fell to one knee thrusting his fist into the sand. Removing his hand even as the sand still swirled and the rumbling began to lessen he burst into a being of light.
“Stop!” Suddenly there were others around him, “You will stop!”
“You fools!” Baltar’s voice thundered, in defiant reply, “Even as you discern my intentions, you hesitate to oppose them! You shall be as lambs to the slaughter!” With that his shimmering form plunged into the sand. The trembling ceased and two figures appeared.
“I cannot believe he betrayed us!” Janus snarled, “I cannot believe we were mistaken.”
“Peace Janus.” Oma rebuked him, “Baltar made his choice, we will not indulge in our passions over it.” Janus looked at her rebelliously.
“This is the instability that Starbuck brought among us, that they all brought among us, this impetuousness.” He told her resentfully as he composed himself. “First Adama, and then Starbuck, and now Baltar, I tell you in time they will all be our undoing. We should never have brought them among us.”
“The past is the past Janus.” Oma told him. She looked warningly at him, “I thought you had learned that lesson.”
“Of course.” He said calming himself, he waved a hand distractedly, “You see even now, the echoes of discord…”
“This is what we have worked so long to overcome.” Oma told him soothingly.”Should Baltar, or Adama ever return to this galaxy, they will be dealt with. For now, peace.”
“What about Starbuck?” Janus asked looking down at the sand.”
“He does no harm where he is, and though he sowed considerable dissension, he was compliant in the end.” Oma said. “Starbuck is not our problem now. He belongs to the future.”
So I am revising and reposting here instead. hopefully you guys can give me better feedback, and I can make something good. I have tried to crossover several of my favorite franchises in an intelligent manner, I had to take some liberties on firepower, on events, on motivations, but hopefully it will make for an entertaining story. The characters of Starbuck and Sheba and Baltar are based on those of the original Battlestar Galactica series, while Oma belongs to Stargate SG-1 and Janus to Stargate Atlantis. Characters from all these franchises will play a part, as well as a few that you can probably guess at, and a few that will hopefully be a surprise.
Starbuck is the central character in this installment. He should resemble his depiction in the classic series, but be somewhat more matured, having ascended, lived for a lengthy period of time in that state all of this having lived a long life. Feedback is helpful, suggestions are welcome and any massive and major plot holes will be filled in as quickly as possible and some sort of ornate rugged placed over them to hide any evidence of their existence.
Also obviously, none of the characters or settings belonging to other franchises are my creation. I don't know how to write a disclaimer but I own nothing, and take credit for nothing.
The Adventures Of Starbuck
Prologue
"A motion has been put forth to banish the Kobola Ascendant, Starbuck as the result of his disorderly conduct."
"Nineteen words to propose a death sentence for the crime of free expression." Grumbled Starbuck. "What’s this, we’re surrounded by a vast…whiteness.. and I see you've all dressed yourselves in white. I suppose you feel that makes yourselves the instrument of righteous judgment." Three hooded figures sat on a dais before Starbuck shrouded in white, Sheba stood at his side. Both he and the woman beside him wore whitened uniforms of Colonial Viper pilots, jackets worn over a ship suit.
"Starbuck don't badger them." She warned, "it won't help matters any."
"Of course it will." Starbuck assured her, "This pack of would be philosophers has lost touch with the real world Sheba, I know I seem a little foolhardy but I am just doing what has to be done. Someone has to make these people remember how to ask questions, how to think and act as individuals."
"We will not condone the extermination of any life form." Stated one of the hooded figures, "Your sentence will be calculated rationally, to balance an unstable equation, nothing more."
"We wish you to see the error of your ways, to help you find enlightenment." Added another, a female voice, Starbuck noted, "perhaps some day you can rejoin us Starbuck."
"Rejoin you?" scoffed Starbuck, "You mean you hope a harsh life will break down my will? Wear me down until I beg to be forgiven? He spared a glance to the man who had spoken, “Removing me from the equation pretties things up for you doesn’t it. Well maybe your calculations are wrong, have you considered that?"
"You require rehabilitation." Spoke a stern male voice with some resignation in his voice, "You are impudent, willful, disrespectful, sacrilegious chaotic and dangerous. You would destabilize a peace that has kept terrible forces at bay for countless millennia."
"Sacrilegious?" demanded Starbuck, "nice of you to bury that in there, am I to believe that disagreement is now sacrilege? Are you so certain of your righteousness? Funny, that kind of makes you sound like an Ori."
"We are not the Ori." Spoke the hooded woman once more, "It was a poor choice of words, the result of this unbalanced equation my colleague describes. You are a disruption in harmony Starbuck, do you deny this? "
"Is harmony a chorus of voices saying the same thing over and over?" Demanded Starbuck, "or is it voices raised in song, individuals working together in their own way., unique, but part of a whole. “ he chuckled suddenly and nudged Sheba, he pointed at the woman.”She doesn't like my tone." Sheba pressed her lips and looked upward in exhasparation.
"Your dissidence is harmful in the grand scheme of things." Stated the woman, "Unity of purpose is what has protected us from the great enemy. You disrupt that unity, you give their machinations purpose."
"Your enemies are legend!" shouted Starbuck, "Iblis is real, his evil is an immediate and immanent threat, you do nothing to restrain his actions while whole civilizations are at risk!"
"Iblis was properly chastened for his actions.' Retorted the second man.
"Chastened?" demanded Starbuck, "For exterminating whole galaxies? You made a deal with the devil so you wouldn't have to soil your hands."
"Were we to 'soil our hands' as you put it, we would be setting down a path of violence and chaos, that our people have strived long and hard to rise above." Replied the woman.
"Your enemies haven't risen above anything, and what’s more, while they’ve been scouting your defenses, you’ve forgotten you have the enemy at the gate!" stated Starbuck, "How can you expect to defeat them if you don't fight?'
"The only way to win is to deny a battle." Explained the first man, "our enemy feeds on our efforts, the harder we struggle the stronger they become. “
“My father would have said that denying a battle means more than simply refusing to fight.” Sheba spoke up.
“The best defense is a strong offense.” Starbuck pointed out.
“We cannot attack Iblis Starbuck.” The woman said wearily, “And you’re animosity only spreads chaos.”
“It is only through rational deliberation that we may remain free of their influence." Stated the man attempting to regain control of the proceedings.
"But you aren't free of anyone's influence!" interrupted Starbuck,
"They’re using your own methods against you, don’t you see? They know you won't act against them unless there is no reasonable doubt, so they move through others, so there will always be doubt."
"You seek to rationalize behavior that is irrational." Stated the first man accusingly, "You twist the truth to your liking, no single act you have presented can be considered proof of what you claim. There are constants in the universe Starbuck, and what you have presented to us simply does not add up."
"You seek to manipulate us in the manner you attribute to your enemy." Declared the woman, "perhaps you visit your own intentions on a reformed being?"
“Manipulate?” Starbuck said incredulous, “I seek to persuade, I make no secret of that. You claim to embrace free will, all of you, yet none of you will brook any disagreement. In defending myself before you, I am accused of manipulation. Consider this your honors." Starbuck spat the title mockingly, "The only way to win is to avoid a battle, to avoid a conflict of ideologies. How do you avoid that conflict if an opposing ideology is built upon that very idea?"
There was silence and finally the second hooded man spoke.
"This is pointless bickering. Discussion is ended. I move that we banish Starbuck to the mortal realm."
"I second that motion.” The second man said quickly, “with the amendment that Starbuck be permitted to retain his memories, that even in his banishment, he may have an opportunity to reform his ways."
"What if I don't choose to be banished?" demanded Starbuck hotly, "You can't take action without a group consensus, this vote is an illusion."
"I could elect to fight you." Commented the second man in a dark voice, "And we would battle for all eternity, thus would you be removed from our presence."
"I was wondering why they would let someone like you sit in judgment of another Baltar." Spat Starbuck "You can lower that hood your not fooling anyone, Oma, Janus, I know who you are let’s put all the cards on the table here."
In response his three accusers lowered their hoods.
"Since you seem committed to an eternity of conflict one way or another, what will you choose Starbuck." Asked Oma resignedly.
"Well firstly, your little ploy with Baltar won't work on me." Replied Starbuck, "If he attacks, I won't fight back." Starbuck fixed an eye on Baltar, "And then you will be a murderer Baltar. You will stand judgment, I wonder who they would find to battle you." Baltar swallowed. "I think I hear a line forming." Said Starbuck scornfully, "And when will that end Oma, battle after battle after battle, until your harmony is disrupted beyond hope of recovery. If I really wanted this discord you have accused me of, you would have just offered it to me on a silver platter. Your kind have no talent for this kind of thing, really."
"How do you propose we resolve this?" Demanded Oma irritably, "If you believe yourself so much more able."
"I will voluntarily descend." Began Starbuck, raising a hand to silence Sheba's objection, "provided as you say I am permitted to retain my memory, and my body at my moment of ascension. My condition however is I may choose the location to which I descend."
"What does that gain you?" Demanded Janus irritably, "Baltar has offered you that already you argumentative fool!"
"Contain yourself Janus." Oma stated turning to him in surprise, "You were chosen for your rationality, do not let his arguments influence you unduly, you must remain objective.” Starbuck cast an exasperated look at Sheba.
“Ah yes, we wouldn’t want his arguments to influence us.” Said Baltar dryly. “That would be unjust.” Oma shot them both a glare. Janus rolled his eyes and kept silent. Baltar studiously looked out into nothing. Satisfied Oma turned back to Starbuck, and Janus sat back regarding him with a calculating gaze.
"At the precise moment of your ascension, you were a being of energy." Observed Janus, "Lacking the stability to complete your transformation, without our help you would have dissipated. As we would grant no such help, this condition would gain you nothing, you would still descend to a mortal body."
"A mortal body significantly enhanced over the body I was born with." Replied Starbuck carefully, "Longer lifespan, healing ability, your people greatly advanced ours before we began our transformation."
"You would prolong your life, That is understandable." Stated Janus, "but your choice of words was deliberate, why the moment of your ascension and not simply to an advanced human form?"
"Well that is because of the location I am going to choose." Replied Starbuck with a gleam in his eye, "You see I still intend to prove to you that Iblis is up to something, and if you fear what I could do as an ascended being well, I'll just have to figure it out the old fashioned way."
Janus blinked suddenly. "Do you intend…."
"That's right." Said Starbuck, "Put me in the buffer on Earth's Stargate. Iblis buried it for a reason, and he intends to come back for it. Even if matter can't travel both ways energy can, and I intend to see exactly what Iblis wants coming to Earth."
"I vote we agree to his terms." Said Baltar suddenly. He grinned evilly, "This should provide solution satisfactory to all parties. Discord among those ascended will be over, Starbuck is free to continue his quest on a mortal plain…."
"…and you remain ascended with one less adversary." Finished Sheba sourly.
"The lesser of two evils?" Baltar asked the unspoken question, steepling his hands. "Perhaps.”
"I second the motion on the floor." Said Oma reluctantly, and as Oma, Janus, and Baltar all voted their agreement, Starbuck turned to Sheba who was trying to suppress her tears.
"Don't cry Sheba, this is what I want." He said, gripping her shoulder, "I can't shake the feeling that whatever went down on New Kobol, Iblis was behind it, Apollo and Cain can take care of themselves but Athena…"
Understanding dawned in Sheba's mind. She knew first hand the danger Iblis posed, she had succumbed to it, and she had thought Starbuck's passion for opposing Iblis was derived from the same source, but looking at him now, she saw him fired by a different cause. She was shocked.“Then all this…”
“No. Not all of it.” Starbuck maintained, “But a lot of it. I’ve been around long enough Sheba, live a full life first as a mortal and then like this, but I never had the chance to live it with her. I never had the chance to grow old with the woman I loved.”
“Like my father.” Sheba said, considering. Starbuck nodded.
“There are some things I just don’t like about the universe.” Starbuck said, “That’s one, and Iblis is another.” He cocked his head at Baltar, “And you know what they say, bad things come in threes.” Sheba chucked in spite of herself and rubbed her eyes.
“This isn’t the end of anything Sheba, it’s the beginning. A new life, a new adventure. That’s what these people can’t see.” He gripped her by the shoulders, “But you do, right? You understand?” She nodded. Starbuck embraced her for a moment tightly.
"You'll find her Starbuck." Sheba assured him, "We'll find her." Sheba amended, "I won't rest Starbuck, I'll be watching, vigilant, and if a way to help presents itself…"
"The time is at hand." Interrupted Janus testily, "Further permutation must not be allowed. This equation must reach its conclusion."
"I will do it." Said Baltar suddenly, "Sheba is obviously affected by his discord, why compound his influence by having her act upon it. I was prepared to be his executioner, I suppose this is the logical discharge of my obligations."
With no further objections Starbuck found himself standing in the desert atop a round stone platform. As he looked down he realized it the cover stones the natives had placed upon the Stargate.
"You stand upon the grave of the past." Baltar observed casually as he circled Starbuck.
"I suppose you're going to start gloating.' Said Starbuck resigned, "You must be loving this."
"On the contrary/" snapped Baltar, "Do you think I look forward to spending eternity with those pedantic fools?"
"The price of power.' Said Starbuck wryly, "You want to live forever but you can't choose your neighbors."
"indeed." Said Baltar sourly. His expression softened and he canced a furtive glance about himself. He stepped closer to Starbuck suddenly. “Starbuck I want you to know I never had anything against you, personally. I…”
"Listen Baltar, let's not start having a moment here.” Starbuck interrupted, “ You destroyed the colonies. You’re still a traitor in my mind, and you always will be."
"Do you imagine I intend to misuse my ascension?" demanded Baltar coldly, "Do you propose this is all part of some elaborate plot to control, to dominate?" Starbuck blinked at the resentment in the man's voice. He also noted the exhilaration in the man’s voice at the possibility.
"Isn't it?" asked Starbuck staring him the eye, "Are you saying I should trust you to be something other than a traitor?" Starbuck recognized tremendous conflict taking place within the man before him, yet he could not be certain as to the nature of it. Was Baltar struggling to restrain the raw ambition within himself, for the opportune moment, or was this man truly trying to reform.
"Millennia have passed Starbuck." Said Baltar tiredly, "Over the long centuries I have learned much of evil, I have thought much about what I did and why. Do you know what I believe?"
"I thought the condemned were to be the confessors." Commented Starbuck uncomfortably, but Baltar would not be silenced.
"I believe I did what I did… because I felt I could do things better." Said baltar looking up thoughtfully, "The cylons were a means to an end, I was to control mankind build a brave new world." His tone soured, "Then they betrayed me, treated me like a puppet, used me against the rest of you. I miscalculated, Starbuck, I miscalculated. That tears at me, it gnaws at me even now. The stakes I risked, the sacrifices… no, I never resented you, or Adama, I deserve your scorn. You," he stabbed a finger at Starbuck, " Simply had the audacity to survive, they demanded I kill you in payment for my life, and you refused to permit victory." He dropped his hand and paused as if struck by a sudden thought, "What utter lunacy it must have appeared, no wonder Lucifer thought us deranged." Then his countenance hardened once again. "It was never the Cylons Starbuck, in time I recognized that it was iblis, that cursed whispering ambition, that simpering tempter, I was his unwilling servant and he cast me off like some common…"
"Look Baltar…" interrupted Starbuck, suddenly chagrined and in no small part, concerned, at what he was opening up. "I really don't care. I'm trying to face the music here, you know? Live as a mortal once more? Begin my slow march to death and old age? If we could just pull the spotlight over here long enough for me to go? I mean I don't mean to be rude but this IS my moment."
"Very well." replied Baltar taking a breath and reigning himself in, "You heroes have no patience. I merely meant to say, that we will never be friends Starbuck, but we may have more in common than we would care to admit.” He spoke carefully, “Of course I do not speak of your animosity towards Iblis, but rather the desire to save a universe, worth saving,” Starbuck threw up his hands in profound exasperation. “I am a deeply flawed man Starbuck, how many times must I acknowledge that to you, but though we ended up in drastically different places, we are deep down, on the same side. Time has validated your choices infinitely more so than mine, and because of that I respect what you are doing." He laughed harshly, "Perhaps I may even help some time."
"Well I'm as eager as the next guy to give a man a second chance Baltar." Starbuck tossed back, "Let’s just get this over with/You do what you have to do, but hey,” he added, “For frak’s sake, try not to save the universe by helping your enemies destroy it ok?”
Baltar gave a dismissive flick of his fingers, and Starbuck’s form suddenly coalesced into a ball. Iblis reached out and grasped the tiny sphere of light within his fist. He opened his fingers ever so slightly. “You impossible, impudent fool.” He whispered to it. he stomped his foot, and with a deep rumbling the ground began to shake, the sand began to shift.
Baltar held his palm out over the ground before him and for the briefest moment the sand lit up. The sand began to swirl around him
"Godspeed Starbuck." Baltar shouted "You carry the hopes of us all."
He removed his hand, and now, with the sphere of light clenched tightly, fell to one knee thrusting his fist into the sand. Removing his hand even as the sand still swirled and the rumbling began to lessen he burst into a being of light.
“Stop!” Suddenly there were others around him, “You will stop!”
“You fools!” Baltar’s voice thundered, in defiant reply, “Even as you discern my intentions, you hesitate to oppose them! You shall be as lambs to the slaughter!” With that his shimmering form plunged into the sand. The trembling ceased and two figures appeared.
“I cannot believe he betrayed us!” Janus snarled, “I cannot believe we were mistaken.”
“Peace Janus.” Oma rebuked him, “Baltar made his choice, we will not indulge in our passions over it.” Janus looked at her rebelliously.
“This is the instability that Starbuck brought among us, that they all brought among us, this impetuousness.” He told her resentfully as he composed himself. “First Adama, and then Starbuck, and now Baltar, I tell you in time they will all be our undoing. We should never have brought them among us.”
“The past is the past Janus.” Oma told him. She looked warningly at him, “I thought you had learned that lesson.”
“Of course.” He said calming himself, he waved a hand distractedly, “You see even now, the echoes of discord…”
“This is what we have worked so long to overcome.” Oma told him soothingly.”Should Baltar, or Adama ever return to this galaxy, they will be dealt with. For now, peace.”
“What about Starbuck?” Janus asked looking down at the sand.”
“He does no harm where he is, and though he sowed considerable dissension, he was compliant in the end.” Oma said. “Starbuck is not our problem now. He belongs to the future.”