AFTERMATH : THE JOURNEY BEGINS

          "The Cylons," Christopher began from his place near the end of the table, lifting his eyes from his screen, "have returned to the Colonies.  They are, as we speak, systematically going though each Colony, killing anyone caught out in the open...and if they find their shelters, then destroying those too."

          "On every planet it's the same," Dante now spoke up.  "The radiation levels have risen to nearly unlivable levels, and they are still climbing," he typed, watched the answer stream across his screen and shook his dark head, his dark blue eyes darkened as he looked around.  "Those that DO manage to survive the Cylon extermination, will find it extremely difficult to survive, even in their shelters."

          "And that's even given they stocked up on enough food, water, fuel, medical supplies, and clothing, which, given the number of yahrens it will be before the Colonies can support life again, if ever, they most likely  didn't."  Damien now said. 

          Gwydion sat forward slowly in his seat, his face much paler than was normal given the injuries he had sustained from his crash landing on the Acropolis, then hitting the back bulkhead when his landing gear failed.  He was being very carefully monitored by the healers and doctors of their family as he had refused to stay in bed any longer.

          "Given the radiation sickness everyone will begin to suffer from soon enough," he began, "I will be very surprised if anyone who remained behind will survive for very long."

          "Which will be unlikely given the levels we are now seeing, and what they are projected to yet rise to," Rabastan said, his tone grim as he read the information on Harry's screen.  He turned his attention to the three men who now led them.  "So...what now?" he asked as he reached out to cover Harry's fists, which opened to curl tightly around his.  "Where are we going to go?"

          Roark Durin Sr. sat back in his chair.  "As Commander Jenson was killed, Roark has now been promoted to Commander and will take over Command of the Solaria with Jordan acting as his second.  Commander Adama and Colonel Tigh have both agreed to take command of the Acropolis and Thorin, with Dacian acting as his second, will have command of the Galactica.  I am holding a second meeting with the surviving Admirals to determine where they will go, though I will be remaining here."

          He looked around at each of the men he had put in the uniform they wore and saw them watching him...waiting patiently.  "As for Counter-Intelligence...our jobs will, of a necessity, be changing a bit.  I will also be reworking the teams.  Once I have done that, you will then be assigned to one of the three Battlestar's.  If you have a request, be sure to have it in to me before the end of the secton.  If the numbers are not too uneven, that is where you will go."

          "At our current numbers," Gabriel now said, "that will give the Galactica fifteen teams, the Solaria and the Acropolis fourteen teams each.  Also..." a pause, "as Grayson was the Solaria's Strike Commander, his death leaves a void.  Roark will be looking for a new Strike Commander, and as Apollo has decided to transfer to the Acropolis with his father, Thorin will also need a new Strike Commander.  For any of you who would like those positions, please see Thorin or Roark.  They will let you know their decision before the end of the secton."

          "As for where we will go..." Adama began. "we are going to look for a planet.  A planet called..." Here he paused, looked around, "Earth."

          Silence.

          Then Harry sat forward suddenly.  "Grandfather, Earth is a myth.  A bedtime story told to children.  Mum and Dad used to tell me the story all the time before their deaths."

          "No, Harry, it isn't.  The Book of Kobol tells of the Thirteenth Lord, how he and those who decided to follow him, continued on with their journey after the twelve colonies were founded and settled by the first Twelve Lords, to look for a planet called Earth."

          Roark sat forward now arms coming to rest on the table.  "Grandfather, I've read the passages you're talking about, and there is very little ACTUAL information there.  The Lords that settled our Colonies lost all contact with the Thirteenth Lord not long after he continued on.  How, exactly, do you intend to trace the steps of a Lord who, by all accounts, has been lost to history, all references of him little more than supposition?"

          "By beginning to follow the few co-ordinances that we DO have.  I am fully aware it is a long shot, and that it will turn out to be a very long journey for us, but I also believe that we must try."

          Roark opened his mouth, but his laptop chose that moment to issue several beeps, turning more than a few heads, some smirking as he turned to look at his screen.

          "From your expression, cousin," Roark spoke up for the first time, "do we even want to know what that is about?"

          "No, very likely not, but I'll tell you anyway," he said as he began to type.  "The Cylons have sent a Baseship to Borealis.  They are requesting our aid."

           Swearing from more than a few in the room as all of them knew, as much as they may want to go to their aid, they knew there was little they could do.  

          "What about our other trading allies?" came the question.

          He gave a short nod.  "Chris, Damien, Dante, and I sent out short, coded messages to all of them.  Hopefully, it will give them enough of a warning to prepare, though I doubt it will seriously do much good at this point.  The Cylons, thanks to Baltar's betrayal, know who all our trading allies were," the laptop beeped and he glanced at it.  Shaking his head, he began to type as he spoke, "Cylon Baseships have appeared at several of them already.  We are, I am afraid," he looked up, "going to have to look further afield than we had intended for the supplies we are going to need."

          A nod.  "Start working on that, son," Roark ordered him.  "We are going to be needing food, fuel, water, medical supplies, and clothing sooner rather than later."

          Roark gave a nod, turning his attention back to his laptop and beginning to type once again, with Chris, Damien, Dante, and Gwydion doing the same.

          "Alright, people, let's get to work.  We have over three hundred and fifty refugee ships to inspect, and nowhere near enough tech teams to go around.  See Chris for a list of things to look for, and the equipment to see it gets done."

          "Yes, Sir!"