Lords of Kobol - Prelude: Of Gods and Titans

by Edward T. Yeatts III

at the resources consul and said, "We were told that Gela had been mined out." The consul lowered his head. "Little did we know that the Cylons would delve more deeply than any prior mining concern. They have, at their disposal, an apparently vast array of minerals and metals before them. Principally, for our interests," he motioned toward the screen, "cereisium and similar ores used for making artificial bodies and advancing computer research."

  "Negotiate first," a legate said, "but make ready our forces, should the talks fail."

  "The Cylons' find is the most important event in recent years, dominus," the Prefect said. "We have calculated various outcomes, and without those resources, Tiberia will be exhausted within twelve years. The economy will collapse."

  "The other nations will go to the Cylons for their new bodies," the tech consul said.

  Caesar was still. He had seen the Prefect's data. It was true. He looked at General Quintus and saw the fatigue on his confidant's face. The emperor felt it, too. "General, martial your legions and prepare your mechanized forces, as well."

  Quintus nodded once. "Yes, imperator."

  "I will personally open communications with them soon to negotiate a trade deal." Caesar stood and the others filtered from the room. He motioned toward Quintus and waved him over. With a thought, he turned off the Prefect's screen. Caesar tilted his head around the tall general and waited for the last consul to depart before speaking again. "Speak truthfully."

  "Always, dominus."

  The emperor sighed and said, "You have heard what I've been dealing with for months now. Legates, senators, and prefects pushing for invasion."

  "Yes."

  "Politically, I am not in a position to deny them much longer." He stared at Quintus intently and asked, "If we have to fight, can you defeat the Cylons as quickly as you say we must?"

  The general inhaled and said, softly, "No."

  Caesar nodded. "In a prolonged fight, could we win?"

  Quintus looked toward the floor and thought. "If we were strategic about our bombing and kept their military production off guard? Perhaps. We would need to increase the caliber of our standard weapons."

  "Do it."

  "And developing explosive rounds would help." Caesar nodded and the general continued, "I found some old plans from shortly after the Cylon Revolt. They were never implemented."

  The emperor said, "Go ahead. Do whatever you can."

  The general clasped his arms behind his back. "The Pact of Nations." Caesar winced a little. "Their Declaration of Rights endeared them to the Cylons years ago. Does the sentiment still exist?"

  Caesar shook his head. "I do not know." He thought and then flared his nostrils. "What about your mechs?"

  Quintus' eyes rolled a little and he said, "It's a chore. They are quite dumb, but I suppose that's the point."

  "And your legions? Humans, I mean?" The imperator adjusted a chair against the conference table. "Do you have sufficient numbers?"

  "For a time." The general turned his head toward the windows and muttered, "A short time."

  Caesar clasped the man on the shoulder and said, "Do the best you can. I hope we don't need you." Quintus saluted and exited the room.

  The emperor walked toward the balcony doors and simply stared through the glass.

  LXXV

  POSEIDON

  8 Years Before the End

  The Attican island of Siphnus was small. There were only a few homes on it and one was owned by a benefactor of the Olympus Institute. Poseidon met him a few times and he seemed like a kind person. He invited Zeus and his siblings to come visit. The eldest brother took him up on the offer first.

  "It's gorgeous," Demeter said. She and Poseidon stood on the eastern shore and looked into the crystal blue water that swept toward the horizon. She leaned against Poseidon and gripped his arm tightly. "I'm so glad we came."

  He kissed the top of her head and said, "Me too." He looked at a small outcropping of rock about sixty meters offshore and pointed at it. "Race you to there?"

  She laughed and held her hands up. "No, thank you. I just ate." She took the bag off her shoulder and removed a blanket from it. As she spread it out on the sand, she said, "I'll lay here for a while if you want to go. I'll join you later."

  He smiled and ran into the surf. The sea water stung his eyes but he couldn't help stare into the blue as he swam through it. Just as it felt he had gone too far, Poseidon looked up and saw the small rocky island just ahead. His feet found purchase first, but the stone was sharp and made him tense up.

  "Frak," he hissed through his clenched teeth. He tip-toed out of the water and scrambled to find a smoother part of the rock. As he climbed higher, he found that the rock was a different type and more comfortable. He sighed and walked around the tiny peak to the eastern side. Poseidon reclined on the stones and folded his arms behind his head.

  While he rested with his eyes closed, he recalled his conversation with Zeus before departing. Poseidon smiled and shook his head once at the memory.

  "I wish you wouldn't go," his younger brother said.

  "We can't live in fear."

  Zeus nodded. "I know that. But … I'd like to keep everyone close until we know what happened to Hestia. Until we figure out who Porphyrion was."

  "It's been more than a month," Poseidon answered. "Demeter and I both are exhausted from our work."

  "I understand. You deserve a break."

  "We all do." Poseidon put his hand on Zeus' shoulder, "I was talking with Bia yesterday and she agrees with me. You need to rest." Zeus shook his head. "You know Bia can handle things."

  "Of course she can." Zeus stepped back. "I just … I don't like feeling out of the chain."

  On the rocky outcropping, Poseidon smiled again and heard a light splashing behind him. He turned toward it briefly and then lay back flat. A moment later, he heard a stone fall and he said, "Decided to come join me?"

  A man's voice chuckled and then said, "I did."

  Poseidon leapt up and his feet slid along the smooth stones. His eyes narrowed and focused on the stranger. He was huge and muscular. His skin was apparently sun drenched and his hair was long and golden.

  "Who the frak are you?"

  The giant shook his head dismissively. "Polybotes, but it doesn't matter."

  Poseidon darted up the slope to the top of the outcropping and the man simply watched him. "Demeter!" he screamed as loudly as he could.

  "She's busy right now." He began to stretch his arms and said, "She won't answer."

  His skin went cold and numb. Poseidon jumped down toward the stranger in a rage. The pair fell to the rocks and slid down their hot surfaces. As they did, Polybotes laughed and brought his huge hands down upon Poseidon's back. The power of the blows stunned the Psilon.

  He grunted and rolled off him before grabbing one of the stranger's legs and sweeping it aside. He fell and Poseidon stood, swiping his leg at his head as he did. His foot connected with the attacker's jaw, but Polybotes wasn't affected. He caught Poseidon's leg as he brought it back down and threw the Olympian farther along the outcropping.

  As he slid, Poseidon recalled more flashes from his conversation with Zeus.

  "Hestia is, for all we can determine, dead," Zeus said. "Her signal is gone and the backups were purged in a virus attack that rode in on her carrier."

  Poseidon was now on the rougher, volcanic rock. It tore his flesh and caused him to cry out in pain. Bleeding from his arms, legs and chest, he stood and assumed an attack position as Polybotes approached. He was still smiling. Again filled with rage, Poseidon lunged toward the giant's waist, but it was a feint. Instead, he jabbed at his throat, catching his larynx between his thumb and hand. Polybotes gagged and coughed before stumbling back up the slope.

  "Be careful," Zeus said. "we don't know who is trying to kill us or why."

  While Polybotes reached toward a ledge to pull himself up, Poseidon ben
t over and lifted a large piece of the island. Polybotes turned in time to see the Olympian crash the stone into his face.

  "But if any one of us dies," Zeus had said, "we can't guarantee that they'll wake up in a new body."

  On the third impact, Poseidon heard Polybotes' skull crack open with a sickly, hollow sound. He lifted the bloodied rock again and stepped back. One of the man's eyes was dangling from its socket and he was slumped against the ledge, motionless. Poseidon threw the rock at him and it bounced off his chest before rolling down the slope.

  He turned and walked around the peak of the outcropping. He yelled again, "Demeter!" He didn't wait for an answer. He dove into the ocean and swam as quickly as he could for the shore.

  A dark red trail followed Poseidon in the clear blue water. His wounds stung from the salt but he grunted through the pain. When he finally arrived on the beach, he ran toward Demeter's spread-out blanket and found it empty.

  "Demeter!" He saw the sand near the blanket was disturbed and he walked toward a small grove of beach grasses. There he found her body. Suddenly dizzy, he swooned and fell to his knees. He gently cradled her form and lifted her head. When it lolled about loosely, he realized her neck had been broken.

  Poseidon bit his lip and wailed within his closed mouth. He rocked forward, pressing his face against her chest as he lay her back down in the grass. After several moments, he stood. Wiping his eyes, he looked around and saw nothing. There was no sign of another person.

  He bent over and lifted her body. He ran up the dune toward the beach house and planned to