By Courage and Blood

Part II and sequel to The Mission

This story, while based on The Sarah Connor Chronicles, has original characters as Terminators not from T:TSCC. The characters from SCC are referenced at some points, but this story, for the most part, is independent of the TV show except for some flashbacks or references by the Terminator characters to the Connors, Derek, or Cameron. I think for the purposes of this story just knowing who John and Sarah Connor are, Cameron Philips, and who Derek Reese is and a quick read of the show's Wikipedia entry should be sufficient to enjoy this story.

For all the new readers picking this up please leave any constructive feedback you wish and I hope you really enjoy this! This story begins immediately after New Caprica and is the second story in a trilogy.

Here is a picture of Terminator: The Battlestar Chronicles... while more of a "dramatization" there are spoilers in the picture...

http:// i1008. photobucket.

com/albums/af202 /bryan200711 /bsgworkinprogress2. jpg?t=1263882689

==========BS-75 Galactica (+823 Days Post Cylon Holocaust)==========

They had rescued forty-two thousand, six hundred and nineteen souls from New Caprica. One thousand, three hundred and seven had been killed during the Occupation of New Caprica.

Now the survivors of the fleet, forty-seven thousand, five hundred and three were on a quest to find Earth. And they were not alone. They finally had allies in this fight against the Cylon war machine.

Jubilation, cheering, and tears had greeted Commander Adama as he descended the ladder into the port hanger bays. The crowded hanger was filled to the brim with Raptors, small transports, and every space capable craft capable of ferrying the frightened refugees of New Caprica to the warm embrace of their battlestar protect and her father-like Commander.

Galactica had been severely damaged in what had been the most important fight of its near fifty year history. For the Commander, every ding, bullet hole, and black carbon burn on his vessel was a mark of pride. It showed to the Cylon how he and humanity would fight for their own survival. For Adama, if the Cylons were going to extinguish humanity, they were going to give them absolute hell.

Commander Adama shook the grateful hands of everyone who offered, returned the hugs of those who felt forever in his debt. They saw him as a savior, the man who had rescued them.

The Old Man made his way towards the Raptors where his family was. He only had one person in his family related by blood, but he had thousands he look on as his children, and they as their father. He saw Helo and Sharaon Agathon kissing, Gunny Mathias congratulating her Marines, Chief Tyrol shaking the hands of his deck crews, and many more happy to be free of the Cylon occupation.

"Permission to come aboard, sir," Adama heard. The raspy, hard voice was unmistakable. But before Adama turned he knew there was something different, something broken.

"Saul," he whispered to himself. He saw his oldest and best friend, clutching a rusty spade to support himself. The Colonel, seeing his old friend, leaned the tool against the scorched Raptor, summoning the energy to hold himself upright as he walked to his friend.

Commander Adama walked towards the gruff old Colonel, a coarse white beard and eye patch added to his hard features. "Permission granted," he said, returning his XO's salute.

The old Commander had never felt this way before. He'd thought his friend dead, the man who had been through so much. There was a bond and friendship between the Old Man and the Colonel that no one could ever break and no Cylon could take away. Adama had to bite the inside of the lip as their handshake quickly turned into an embrace that only old and trusted friends could share. Adama swore he would not cry on his flight deck.

"What the frak is going on in here?" Starbuck cursed to herself, throwing off her helmet and absent-mindedly throwing it to a deck hand, not hearing it clank and bang as it hit the deck. The distraction of seeing dozens of Centurions, aligned in near perfect rank and file, walled off from the rest of Pegasus by a strong line of black armored Marine guards.

She walked over slowly, her right hand brushing on the grip of her pistol, debate with herself whether she should unhitch the restraint. Just in case.

The Guardians had unleashed a torrential demonstration of support for the Colonials, destroying baseship after baseship and providing the diversion needed for the tens of thousands of survivors to flee. And she knew they had saved her father-in-law.

Her husband, Lee Adama came running down the side of the landing bay, slapping the backs and shaking the hands of the pilots and crew under his command as he made his way towards Starbuck. He could already tell she was pissed off with the Centurions, but even behind that face he knew she would melt when he came within reach. When he was in arms length of her he picked her up and they exchanged a long, tender kiss. "Thank the Gods," she said, as they broke their embrace. Both were smiling so hard their facial muscles began to hurt, but they were too happy to see one another. Apollo was especially glad to see that oversized goofy Starbuck smile she was known for.

Still smiling and proud they had both made it out alive, she struggled to demand that Lee explain what was happening.

"Okay… Lee, explain all this," she said, swooping the landing bay behind her with her hand. Raiders and gunships had landed, and the Centurions had assembled at the end of the hanger bay in ranks. A dozen Marines were separating them from the rest of the deck hands, pilots, and crew that was transferring back to Pegasus from their rescue ships. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Lee put his arm around her waist and they began walking towards the Centurions. "The Commander didn't want this getting out… giving false hope… it was a long shot. Somehow Erica-Z and John convinced them to fight for us," he shook his head, "I'm sorry, it's more like the two convinced the Guardians to kill Cylons alongside us," he corrected.

As the two Colonial officers would towards the unmoving group of Centurions they could see John Planck was already talking with a trio of gold armored Centurions. From the war museums Starbuck and Apollo knew those were most likely command Centurions; programmed in advanced tactical skills, ground combat, and every other form of war making necessary for a machine built to fight.

However, unlike the Centurions of the first Cylon war these three had what appeared to be ranks. One had a black star with two solid stripes on its right breast plate and the other two had a star and single stripe under their respective star.

Neither Starbuck nor Apollo was exactly sure how one conferred rank to machines. They both looked at each other, knowing what the other was thinking, and either shrugged their tired shoulders or tried an unknowing grin. The two moved closer and Major Adama slowly removed his arm from around Starbuck. The husband and wife changed from the XO and CAG.

Two Marines took up position immediately behind them as he and Starbuck walked forwards towards John Planck. The Marines kept two steps behind, though the officers knew the Earth cyborg was fast enough and strong enough to protect them if the Centurions betrayed them.

Starbuck looked the closest Centurion up and down. Its machine-pistol had been removed from its holster. Looking discreetly around, she saw the tables lined against a far wall, behind Marines, where the Centurions had to place their weapons. Though she knew from all the war videos she saw as a kid, the Centurions had small built-in stabbing swords in their right forearm.

The Centurion immediately in front of John stopped talking and cocked his head towards the Major and CAG, the red optical scanner stopping as the Centurion focused in on them. John, in his black combat cargo fatigues and black tee-shirt turned as well. Adama noticed he had a pistol strapped to his thigh, which was unusual for him.

"John, thank you. Without your help I don't think my father would have survived," the Major said, extending his hand. The handshake was strong, but not bone shattering as he knew the machine was capable of. "We need to get the Guardian Raiders refueled and ready to rendezvous with their fleet."

"Affirmative," the gold Centurion stated.

"Major, this is Centurion TH-S854, Commander Thais," John introduced.

"Commander Thais?" The Centurion nodded slightly, his red eye resuming its plotted movement. "I'm sorry, I just wasn't away you all had name," Adama explained. Major Adama cautiously extended his hand in appreciation for what Thais had done, defending his father's ship, and his own. The gold armored Centurion kept the Major's eye and extended his own hand, lightly taking the Major's.

The Major was expecting a cold metal hand, but was surprised to find it was actually warm. And the palms were padded, unlike the Model 007 Centurions.

The Centurion's voice was monotone, robotic, as he explained. "There is much you do not know about us, Major. We do have names, and much else," he bowed his head slightly, the crest of his helmet barely moving, and released the Major's hand.

John turned to Commander Thais. "The Commander said the Guardian ships will be two days until a rendezvous can be made. He said they were stopping somewhere first, he didn't elaborate," John explained. "If possible they would prefer to stay in the hanger rather than being confined to their ships," he turned to the Major, hoping the Colonial would agree.

Starbuck leaned over to the Major, whispering in his ear. Both the Centurion and Terminator did not inform her the futility of this, she was close enough her whisper was as clear as casual conversation. But they allowed her her false sense of security and secrecy.

She turned back to John, her neutral posturing changing to a more aggressive stance. Throwing her arms across her chest and crossing them, she walked closer to John and Thais. "John, Thais… I don't know if you realize, but we were attacked by the Guardians. Twice. A lot of good people died on this ship." She held up her index finger to keep the two from responding. "I appreciate what you did," she directed towards the Centurion, unmoving except for his red eye, "but a lot of people died on this ship. It was two years ago, but people just don't forget. You understand?" She wasn't sure if she was directing her question to John or Thais.

"I understand more than you realize," she heard from John, surprised at the slip from monotone to what seemed to be a hint of sadness and remorse. Starbuck looked at him for a moment, her eyes narrowing in wonder if she had stired some bad memory, she thought. She broke her eye contact with the side of his face as he turned to face her, she looking towards Thais. The Centurion nodded his understanding as well.

The two Centurions flanking Thais stepped up, and he held up his gold armored fist. "We did not attack you twice. We attacked once." He stated. He offered neither elaborate explanation nor justification.

The Pegasus XO held his ground, though for a fleeting second was surprised the Centurions seemed offended. But with all he had learned about machines from the three Earth machines, nothing much surprised him now.

Major Adama had been patient with John, Jo, Carter, Erica, and the Centurions under RC-X894, but his patience was growing thin. He believed it was most likely the stress from the battle. Two years of 'sitting on their ass' as his father had put it wasn't good for a warrior. Everday he thanks the pantheon of Gods he had married Kara; with her keeping their training and skill up, always trying to one up her before she pulled a fast one on him she had kept him sharp and fit. He knew if it weren't for her, his spirits would have been broken the moment the Cylon fleet jumped over New Caprica five months ago.

Still, caught up in memories, his thoughts quickly drifted back to the present. He'd always felt the Terminators, or free machines, or cyborgs (he was never sure what to call them exactly since the three used the terms interchangeably and would correct him if he said 'machine' to 'cyborg', but he couldn't help but laugh a little to himself) had been keeping secrets.

He had never pushed the issue, but with the Guardians he felt the Terminator cyborgs were pushing some ulterior agenda, hidden in the shadows of this alliance of opportunity.

Apollo and Starbuck had talked it over many times at night, lying in bed together about the fantastic nature of their situation. The entire race of Cylons were chasing them across thousands of light years of space, Guardians out in the blackness stalking around, and three machines on a mission across time, time!, to accomplish some vague mission he knew they still had not be entirely truthful about.

Major Adama was patient. But his patients had limits.

"John," he said to the metal machine, his face was stern, his eyes like fire, "You or they will tell me more than three words sentences when myself or my CAG ask you questions." He turned himself so he was facing the hanger that had his back to. "Whatever you mean by 'we attacked once'… people remember. I know you remember when others have attack you." He paused and turned to John. "There are hundreds of people out there, looking towards us, wondering what is going through our fraking skulls? Allowing Centurions… 'toasters' onto our ship?" Adama shook his head. "But they know you all helped save them. And those men and women were on this ship when you attacked. And they do deserve an answer for why you attacked two years ago," he pointed towards Thais, holding his ground against the imposing armored warrior. Not looking back to John, he told him, "And they've come to trust in you and Bishop and Soto. Don't give us insincere platitudes and half-truths," he sighed.

Centurion Commander Thais nodded. "You speak well, eloquently, Major Adama. We only attacked you once. The first attack was by rogue Guardians." The Centurion paused. John's scanners could detect the wireless conversation, but more accurate, argument, that Thais was having with his two gold armored subordinates. "The three of us agree to divulge the information. The hybrid vessel that attacked you was a monument, a relic. But now know it was subverted by the Intelligence." The Centurion Thais turned to John. "John Planck informed us the intelligence is known as SkyNet to his organization. The hybrid never would have attacked had it been in control of its baseship."

Starbuck and Adama digested the information for a moment. The two Marines behind Adama, within earshot of the conversation just shot distrustful glances at each other, unable to believe everything they were hearing. The crew heard bits and pieces, never the whole thing. They'd heard and dismissed rumors of aliens (some believed the Earth machines were actually built by aliens, but had been dismissed as outlandish rumors), of the wars of annihilation and unbridled annihilation occurring on Earth, the home of the '13th Tribe' which was supposed to save them, and most importantly of all, this super intelligence known as 'Skynet' which made the Cylons look like declawed cats.

"Okay, I believe that," Starbuck conceded. "One hybrid ship against a battlestar? Doesn't make sense." She stated. She cocked her head, "So why the second attack?"

John put up his hand for the Centurion to not respond. Instead, John did. "That was out fault, more or less. Me, Jo, Carter. The device I found on the hybrid was a Skynet control node."

"Our hybrid was a relic. The monument to our mistakes. We have no others. Experimentation on humans was forbidden shortly after we left Landros," Centurion Commander Thais said quickly, in short sentences.

"Skynet somehow found it. It trailed the Guardian fleet, but was not a part of it. Skynet found it and subverted the hybrid. But it was able to regain some of its functions," John said, his voice dropped, "towards the end. It distracted the other terminator long enough for me to escape." He still had not mentioned the other machine he had seen until he knew what it meant. "I informed your father," he said to Lee, "but we kept it on a need to know basis. There was something different about it though. That technology should not have existed with the Cylons or the Cylon Skynet," he paused, not wishing to divulge further. Commander Adama was the only one he had trusted fully with his suspicions. "The Guardians informed me the hybrid was able to send off a distress signal, but it was so degraded and garbled that the Guardians thought you were attacking the hybrid with Skynet."

"It was an unfortunate error. We attacked with neither proper intelligence nor full reconnaissance," the Centurion Commander added matter-of-fact. It sounded cold, like an unfortunate error in a calculation.

Starbuck gritted her teeth, and Major Adama stepped slightly in front of her, using his left hand to push her slightly behind. He knew his wife, she would snap at the Centurion, attack it hand to hand if she thought it was disrespecting the dead.

"Unfortunate doesn't begin to describe it, Commander Thais," Major Adama spat out. He pursed his lips and opened his mouth, before closing it again. The acting CO of Pegasus did not want to say anything to disrupt this 'alliance' John and Erica had formed, or to put his ship in danger. He shifted his stance, leaning forward slightly. His facial expression and aggressive posture would have sent any human to step back; the machines, of course, stood their ground. For him, today was not a day to hold grudges, but to celebrate life and a stunning victory over the Cylons. "You'll need to keep the Centurions here. They'll be under guard while on board in the flight pod. Do the Centurions need anything?"

The Centurion Commander did not respond. Major Adama took that as a negative.

"I'll have your raiders refueled as soon as possible, after my birds… and Commander Thais, if you need anything, you tell John and he tells me. Got it?"

Captain Shaw had quickly and hastily departed Pegasus for Galactica as soon as the ships had jumped back to the rendezvous. Even with the fleet still in slight disarray, she had to go and see. She had to see The Admiral.

Admiral Cain lay in the infirmary bed, half asleep, half awake. Captain Shaw had been furious when she saw the scars and bruises left on Admiral Cain by the Cylon torturers. She fought down the images of Gina when she saw the Admiral laying there.

Admiral Cain had had her right ear cut off, three deep scars carved into her face, more scars down the length of her neck, and her left arm had been shattered and allowed to heal and then shattered again. Doctor Cottle had said she'd never regain total function, but with therapy she'd be able to keep it from losing much of its muscle mass. Her legs at some point had also been broken, but for some reason, the Cylons had actually reset the bones and allowed them to heal.

Captain Shaw had taken the Doctor to the side and started to ask him. But the Doctor said the injuries were from beatings and electrocutions and torture. Nothing… more physical.

"Admiral, it's good to see you again," Captain Shaw said quietly, standing a respectable distance from the bed, yet closer than a staff officer should. She considered the woman almost like a mother to her at this point

She kept her eyes a respectable distance above the Admiral's, looking at the head rest of the bed rather than down. She knew Cain would disapprove of anyone coming to see her in her condition.

"Captain," she said, the pain from moving speaking very clear, "I'm glad you're alright, that we managed to escape." She closed her eyes and clenched her jaw, a soft grunt escaping her throat. "I hope to be back in the C-I-C soon. Cottle," she lowered her voice, "that bastard is forcing a psych evalulation and bed rest of a week of observation." The doctor on Pegasus was a captain, and Cottle's rank was that of a major, so even if Cain could strong arm her ship's doctor into immediately clearing her, Cottle held authority.

She cursed the man. He was the most stubborn fraker she knew.

Shaw nodded, unsure exactly how to respond. She was burning up inside with fury that a doctor, someone who never saw combat like a real soldier, could keep the Admiral away from her rightful place in command.

"What's our situation, Captain?" Cain asked, changing the subject. She felt embarrassed to stay on the topic of bed rest and psychological evaluations. She needed to be up-to-date, distracting the inevitable boredom of a med bay stay with the intricacies and details of fleet commander.

"We rescued nearly everyone. We're still doing head counts. Major Adama wanted to launch a second SAR to search for any survivors we might have left in the city-"

"The Cylons would nuke the city as soon as a Raptor jumped in," Cain stated, shooting down that idea.

Shaw nodded her complete agreement. "Commander Adama said the same… and we captured Baltar and Caprica Six."

Cain's eyes shot open and a small smile crept onto her face. "Is that so?" She asked, more to herself rhetorically than to the captain. The Admiral kept her eyes down, looking at the blankets covering her mangled body. She looked over and flicked her IV bag, watching the slow drip of painkillers. "Captain Shaw," she said, her head feeling heavy and her eyes heavy, "you did a fine job," she said, trailing off as she closed her eyes, swearing she was just going to blink.

The Old Man had accompanied Col. Tigh to his quarters after a quiet dinner between the two old friends. Adama knew that Tigh would need him now, more than ever. The two hadn't talked much during the dinner, Tigh's experiences on New Caprica would be slow to come out, even for friends of forty years.

What they had talked about was the good times they had back before the second war and the holocaust. Back when the letter reinstating Tigh to the Colonial Fleet came in and how his friend had just stood there at the door, holding the letter addressed to him. He'd honestly not believed that Bill would ever be able to get them both back in. And the times they had aboard Valkyrie as CO and XO.

It was a natural order. Tigh had accepted he was the XO and Adama would always be the CO. Tigh was CO once and he knew he had failed at that. His friend could command without him, but Tigh knew he could never command like Bill Adama.

After the dinner and walking Tigh the short distance back to his quarters, the Commander stalked round the corridors of the old battlestar, flanked by his Marine guards. There were nearly a thousand civilians on the ship, temporary refugees before they could be accounted for and processed back to their original ships. Gunny Mathias had insisted the Commander have an escort. For all the praise, hugs, and even kisses he had received from grateful citizens there were still many who blamed him for leaving the people to suffer five months of occupation under the Cylon metal boot.

The crew was happy to see him and he marveled at the speed they had changed back into fatigues, orange coveralls, and duty uniforms. He had trained them well and he was proud. It had barely been twenty-four hours since the Battle of New Caprica, the flight from the doomed city, and the reunification of the fleet. His men and women had resumed their posts like nothing had happened. He was proud of their professionalism.

Captain Shaw had returned to Pegasus late in the evening after meeting with Commander Adama and Captain Agathon, planning and strategizing over what to do with the fleet. They still had three more emergency jumps to make in order to lose any potential Cylon tails before they would meet with the Guardians. After that, none of the three knew exactly what would be required of the fleet.

The short, feisty, and hard as nails Kendra Shaw stood outside the secured hatch to where the Earth machines worked and did, well, she wasn't exactly sure what they did. The last time she had been in the compartment it had been filled with dozens of computers, power terminals, four Model 007 Centurions in stand-by mode, cutting and stamping tools, and crates of electronic spare parts.

She sighed, not believing she was actually down here by herself. She usually brought two Marines and questioned herself as to why she wasn't. Punching in a six digit access code and swiping her security card, the magnetic locks on the hatch clicked off with a dull thud and the door hydraulics hissed as it moved slightly off its frame. She pushed lightly and jumped back as the door swung open, Carter standing in front of her.

The Earth machine stood there, looking down at her from his 6' height, his face placid. The scars from the battle on the planet's surface were healing, with very little metal still exposed. Shaw stood there for a moment, unsure exactly what she wanted to say. Carter tilted his head to the side, waiting for what she needed.
"I just wanted to say… I appreciate what you did to help with the rescue mission," she said, nodding.

"You're welcome."

She looked down towards the metal deck before casting her eyes back at Carter. She nodded and turned away; letting out the breath she had been holding in.