Shoshoni Bell
28 months earlier


Miniature jets from the Raptor's control thrusters made final adjustments as the space craft hovered over Shoshoni Bell's illuminated landing pad. The ship was designed as a large landing carrier for ferrying passengers and their automobiles, and never really designed for long term space flight. Like so many in the refugee fleet, it had to be modified and redesigned for the current reality. The Raptor touched down gently onto the steel deck. Red lights blinked around the landing deck as the pad slowly descended with the Raptor into the ship.


Eight months had passed since the attack on the Colonies. What remained of humanity was contained inside the hulls of 178 star ships. On the civilian ships over one hundred thousand souls depended on the military for its protection. There was no government, no leading central authority other than that of the military. In effect they were a fleet made up of many ship-states, ruled by ship captains and crews. The Battlestar Strike Group Commander was the leader of the fleet until such time when other arrangements could be made and the state of emergency had ended.

In her dress blue uniform, Jilleen stepped off the sturdy wing of the Raptor and onto the hanger deck, followed by another officer and a senior petty officer. She reached out and shook hands with the Shoshoni Bell's captain who had greeted her before she stepped off the Raptor. "Captain Styx, I hope we can work together to improve the living conditions aboard your ship."

"I hope so too, Major Simmons. This ship wasn't built for long term habitation. We have made that point a long time ago. Our environmental systems are being pushed to their limits..."

She interrupted him. "I understand that Captain. Its why we are here now." She turned slightly toward the officer with her. "This is Lieutenant Hertz from the destroyer Antium, he's an engineer who is here to see about what we can do to improve your environmentals."

"Well, we appreciate that, but we're overcrowded, that's our biggest problem." said Captain Styx.

"Right." Jilleen knew the ship was overcrowded, so were the majority of the ships in the fleet with a few exceptions. "If you can see to it that Lieutenant Hertz has a look at your systems that would get us moving forward. While that's being done, I'd like to inspect the living conditions and speak with a Miss Reno."

"Sure, Major. I'll have someone show you around."

"Thank you, Captain."


The Shoshoni Bell was an automobile and passenger ferry that had been caught on the ground on Scorpia during the first strike and only escaped a day later, after its electronic systems were repaired. When Jilleen walked through the large inner cargo hold, where the automobiles would have been kept during one of the ship's trips, what she found were lines of cannibalized automobiles. They had been stripped of electronics and other parts that could be used or traded. Some of the larger vehicles had been converted into living units.

Throughout the ship people crowded around Jilleen to get a glimpse of an officer who might improve their living conditions, or even bring news, any news, something to cling to, hope for the future. Jilleen had seen the all too familiar look of desperation before. She responded with nods and thin smiles and told them things would improve for them all, even though she didn't believe it would be anytime soon.

Many of them had been aboard the Shoshoni Bell since the first day of the attack. They had been on the ground and exposed to the fallout that had drifted from a nearby city. They'd seen many die in the days following their escape from Scorpia, had watched as they slowly died of radiation sickness. The suffering did not end when the ship was found by the strike group. Anti-radiation medication had come too late for so many. It could only prolong the agony for a few months longer. The Shoshoni Bell had been unofficially categorized as a 'death ship' - a ship that carried those suffering from the slow decay of their bodies after exposure to radiation, or directly from burns.

Jilleen did her best to hide some of her discomfort of being aboard the ship, seeing the burn scars, the gaunt bodies in the last stages of terminal cancer. There was nothing she could do for for them, other than put them out of their misery with a pull of trigger, but they were not wild creatures, they were human beings. It was a reminder that these people were not part of the selection program she had directed which had denied passage to those burned or showing any signs of incurable radiation poison. It was this very thing, the misery and decay aboard this ship, that the program had meant to avoid. There was simply nothing anyone could do for them, the medical resources for the entire fleet already over-taxed. Nature had to run its course which meant the dying would continue.


“Major Jilleen Simmons,” she said, introducing herself to the volunteer care giver and teacher working with the children.

"Samaria Reno," said the young red head. "Is it true? Are orphans going to be relocated to a bigger ship."

"How did you hear of that?" Jilleen was surprised that the woman known about the plan.

"So it's true?" Samaria was pleased and it showed on her face. "Thank the Lords. Mr. Princeton, from the Shangri-la, was here a couple of days ago and said it would be so."

"Was he?" For a man without the use of his legs and confined to a wheelchair, Derek Princeton seemed to do a lot of traveling between the ships. He was injured in the first week of the war, and as a result was crippled. Mr. Princeton had been one of a number of civilians who tried to organize the many ships into some form of a cooperative. "It's true. It's one reason I'm here to see you." She smiled. At least it was some good news. "Your work here has come to our attention. We would like you to help set up an official orphanage on the Shangri-la."

"Me? I can't leave the ones here behind." Samaria Reno had been one of those evacuated from Libran, she was a selectee. She had volunteered to come to the Shoshoni Bell to help at a time when the ship was known as one of the 'death ships'. Not so long ago many had not been willing to set foot aboard her for fear of contracting a disease or be exposed to those suffering from radiation sickness. The 'Death Ships' had been the most neglected group of ships in the fleet till recently.

"We need you," said Jilleen. "The orphans here would be transferred once the orphanage is organized."

"I will not go without the children."

"I assure you the orphans will follow in due time."

"Major, I'm not stupid. I am one of the selectees. Lucky enough to be be picked out of a group - deemed worthy enough to rescue." Samaria's dark brown eyes looked directly into Jilleen's. "I was healthy and educated, it's the reason I was selected. I'm very grateful, don't get me wrong, but I'm no-one special. I did not stand up for the others that were left behind and I have to live with for the rest of my life. You don't."

Jilleen was hurt by the last words. "I don't?" She had to hold herself back, she was not here to argue with this woman about the evacuations. She took in a breath. "It doesn't matter. I'm here to ask you to help organize this orphanage because you're the best candidate." She pointed in the direction of the group of children with other volunteers in the corner of what was once a large common room. "There are other orphans who need your help, Miss Reno."

"Major, this is a 'death ship'. What priority will these children have? We've seen what kind of treatment those on board these kind of ships have received. They've been condemned because of circumstances that were out of their control. I cannot leave these children here knowing that."

Jilleen stood silent for a moment looking in the direction of the children till the alarm sounded over the intercom speakers a second later.

"May I have your attention, please. The Fleet has gone to condition red. A Cylon basestar is approaching. We will FTL Jump momentarily. All passengers proceed to emergency sheltered areas."

Jilleen turned her head to look at Samaria who had already started toward the children and the other volunteers who were shouting out instructions. The children were lining up as they had drilled many times before. They started to the exit along with other passengers from the large common room. The reactions were quick and Jilleen was quietly impressed. With nowhere else to go she followed and helped out on the way to the reinforced room. Not that a shelter within the unarmored ship would protect them if they took a direct hit. It was merely a precaution in the case of a small breach in the hull from stray flak or rounds. Anything could happen before they were able to jump away. The reinforced room was much smaller than the common room and it was packed with people. Most of them were already sitting on the floor by the time a crew members came in to lock the heavy hatch doors.

This wasn't the first time Jilleen had been aboard a civilian ship during an attack, but it was still always a concern. While an armored ship could take multiple hits that could shake it to the core, such a hit would surely destroy this one. Another thing that was missing was the dull sounds of main guns and point defense batteries firing away at targets which could be found on a warship. Here on the Shoshoni Bell there was the same constant hum of the propulsion and life support systems as heard during normal operations. One would never know that a raging battle was being fought close by. The only indication inside the shelter were the voices of people whispering to each other and waiting for the next move.

Time seem to move slowly as those inside the ship waited for the drives to execute a faster than light jump. Jilleen sometimes felt the eyes of those in the room upon her, being the only one in a military uniform. She did her best to ignore them and try to imagine the course of action taking place aboard the Avalon. There was little she could do here and she didn't have any answers for them. If anyone could read her body language they might be able to tell she was impatient as she looked at her watch and tried to measure how much time had passed since the announcement of the raid.

Jilleen then felt someone grab hold around her left leg. She looked down and found a small child with his face buried against her thigh. He was obviously frightened so she placed her hand on his small head to give him some comfort, which caused him to look up at her with the most innocent eyes. "It's going to be alright," she said with a soft voice. Her lips formed a thin smile as his gaze warmed her heart. Without a word, he returned his face against her leg and held on a little tighter, just before the ship jumped to safety. The world around them drew together to a point and then in an instant snapped back into normal space. The FTL jump was complete and the Shoshoni Bell was safe again.

She grabbed hold of the boy's hand and knelt down to his level. "What's your name?"

"Luka," he answered.

"Luka, uh?" She then gently shook his hand. "Its a pleasure to meet you, Luka. My name is Jill." He simply replied with an "OK," which made her smile again.

The lights in the room came back to full illumination as the all clear was being passed over the intercom. In the light she noticed a slight discoloration on the right side of his face that increasingly looked worst as the scar continued to back side of his head, behind his disfigured ear. Jilleen swallowed when she recognized it for what it was, a scar most likely caused from a thermal radiation burn.

"You know mommy?" he asked her. The question had caught Jilleen completely off guard and left her without words.

She heard Samaria's voice behind her. "Luka, don't bother the lady."

Jilleen turned her head to look up at the woman. "It's alright." She then stood back up. "Luka is no bother at all."

Samaria leaned in a bit toward Jilleen and whispered. "His grandmother told others here before she passed that Luka's mother was an officer at the Scorpion Fleet Shipyard. Your uniform," she pointed, "he must of recognized it."

After Samaria told her, Jilleen knelt down again to give the five year old boy a hug. Poor Luka, she thought to herself. There had been nothing left of the Scorpion Shipyard in orbit by the time the battle group arrived many weeks later. She could only imagine what the child must have seen and live through, and now he was only one of hundreds of war orphans. "Your mommy..." she paused. She could not just say that his mother was dead and that he was on his own. Instead she made a decision, "Your mommy will always love you. She's with the Gods now, an angel." She looked into his innocent brown eyes again, slightly misty eyed. "Luka, I will very much like you to be my friend. Will you be my friend?"

He nodded, "OK."

"Thank you, Luka." Jilleen removed one of her rank insignia's from her collar. "Here," She started to pin the major insignia on his sweater. "Now you look smart." She could not stay here with him for much longer. The Avalon would have joined the rest of the fleet by now and she would be needed there in the aftermath of the raid. She stood back up, said a few more words to Luka before turning him over to Samaria. She had decided to make sure that Luka's welfare was taken care of, and that the orphans on the Shoshoni Bell were on the priority list for transfer to the new orphanage on the Shangri-la.