InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Have you guys seen Mark?"

cedric_wyndom (cedric_wyndom) wrote in kobols_legacies,
@ 2008-05-06 04:45:00

Current location:	Shangri-la
Entry tags:	(c) cedric wyndom, (c) derrick princeton

Parliamentarian's and Friend's.

Instantly noticing the illuminated red “On Air” as he entered the lobby of the Shangri-la’s wireless communication offices. Cedric recognized the receptionist at her desk, from his past visits over the year, as he walked over and offered his hand. “Well your looking well, Sharon.”

“Thank you, Prime Minister. What brings you here?” She replied with a smile as she shook his hand.

“Just here to see Derrick, how much longer is he on for?”

“Seven minutes, you can go in an watch if you’d like.”

“I’ll do that, thank you kindly, Sharon. It was good seeing you again.” Cedric replied as he made his way into the broadcast studio.

As he stood silently for the remaining few minute, as he paired into the booth watching his friend at work, through the glass that separated them, Cedric couldn’t help but feel guilty and dirty. He remembered never personally calling to congratulate Derrick on his miracle recovery, or follow up to see how we was doing. It had been months since he last saw his fellow parliamentarian and good friend. And only now did he visit, to ask for a favor, and political support.

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derrick_cylon
2008-05-07 04:47 pm UTC (link)

“…So don’t forget to mark your calendar for next week’s Festival of Apollo at Shangri-la’s main biosphere, six days of music and poetry. We’ll love to see you visit.” He placed the advertisement script on top of the table, and took a breath.

He faced the microphone in front of him. “I have a few minutes before I’m done for the day. I will like to thank all my listeners for the kind letters I have received over the last week. I read every last one of them congratulating me on my miraculous recovery. They were very touching letters indeed.

“I must admit I’ve done my best to stay positive after my injury over the last three years ago. It had not been easy. It hasn’t been easy for all us. We’ve all been injured some way or other since the attack on our home worlds.

“That had always made be feel guilty,” he paused for a beat. “I was confine to a bed for over six months, while all the fighting and the struggle for our very survival, laid on the shoulders of others. People like, you, contributed in some way to make our lives, a little bit better.

“This brings me to my point about what I have learned about myself. I never allowed myself to give up, you know, I always saw myself walking again. Three years ago, the doctors gave me a five percent chance that I would regain feeling in my legs; they gave me less of a chance that I would ever fully walk again.

“You know what I did; I hanged on everyday to that tiny chance. I pushed myself every time in physical therapy, even when I knew others though it was all in vain. I wanted to believe in hope, not that crap hope my fellow members of parliament say in speeches. Hope for change? What the F is that supposes to mean? Everyday brings change.

“What I am talking about is a greater hope that something out there in which every one of us can reach out toward. I’ve always been a spiritual person, but not necessarily religious. I’ve read the scrolls numerous times in my life.

“My favorite words are these; this is not all that we are.” He nodded at the producer was who was counting down the time. “Think about that over the next couple of days, because I don’t think we are alone. If it is possible for me to walk again, when all the odds were against me. Then I say. This is not all that we are. There is another colony out there some where, and it’s called Earth. We should go find it.”

The producer counted down with his fingers, three, two, one, off the air. Once the red light went dark, the producer said, “Frak, Derrick, are frakking kidding me? Earth is only a legend.”

“Did you think I would walk again?” He asked.

“To be honest, no.” replied the wireless producer. He then pointed to the opposite booth with the dark glass. “The PM was listening.”

“I know,” said Derrick as he got up on his feet and used a cane for support to carefully walk to meet the leader of the parliament in the other room.

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cedric_wyndom
2008-05-07 10:07 pm UTC (link)

Cedric gave a friendly nod of hello, as he politely opened the door for his friend.

“That was an interesting closer you just made, trying to influence government policy before the fleet address?” Cedric joked.

“It’s been to long.” He stated as he offered his hand.

“I’m sorry I haven’t come by sooner, to congratulate you, and see how you’ve been doing.”

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derrick_cylon
2008-05-09 01:08 am UTC (link)

Derrick nodded. "That's ok, my friend. I understand the constant demands on your time." He shook Cedric's hand.

"As for my closer, I meant that." He released his hand and took a place against a counter for support, as he leaned against it. "I'm not the first to come up with the idea, there are those who want us to go find Kobol, but I prefer Earth myself. And besides people have to believe in something."

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cedric_wyndom
2008-05-09 05:01 am UTC (link)

“I agree, I think this fleet needs something to believe in, that everyone can support and trust. But we aren’t even sure it exists; let alone how to find it.”

“Besides, given our current state, I’m not even sure we can believe that we’ll have a tomorrow.” Cedric paused a beat. “And that’s why I’ve come here to talk to you.”

Cedric took a moment to look around and survey the room an its occupants. “Do you have time to talk and get a drink? You may need it.”

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	derrick_cylon 2008-05-09 11:21 pm UTC (link)
	"Sure," he nodded. "You're buying." Derrick got off from the counter and balanced himself with the use of his cane. "I'm still getting use to walking again." He placed his free hand on Cedric's shoulder. "You should have faith, my friend." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

cedric_wyndom
2008-05-11 03:36 am UTC (link)

“I would if it weren’t so hard.” Cedric responded, as he helped his friend, and made their way out of the wireless communication offices, and into the open dome of the Shangri-la toward the public restaurant and bar across from the Parliamentary Hill.

“You know I’m all for faith and hope, Derrick, But why Earth?”

“We’ve been running since the fall, and we’ve yet to find anything suitable to call a New Canceron or a New Libra.” Cedric asked as they continued to walk and neared the restaurant.

“If it exists, are we even worthy of finding it, and deserving to live there?” Cedric asked out load as he emotionally considered the question himself, and grew conflicted with own answer.

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derrick_cylon
2008-05-11 07:47 pm UTC (link)

"Why not Earth?" he replied. "There are clues in the scrolls. How reliable those may be I don't know? In the process if we happen to find a suitable planet to colonize without worrying about the Cylons, I'll be all for that."

He stopped before they entered one of the restaurants. "If I was a Cylon, I would say we are not worthy, but I am not." He smirked. "And since when have we cared what they may think?"

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cedric_wyndom
2008-05-11 08:27 pm UTC (link)

“Never, and maybe that’s part of our problem…”Cedric stood motionless with his hand on the door as he trailed off, before snapping back to reality and proceeding through. “But I’m not talking about them, now.”

“What I mean to say, is after all this time, after what we’ve done, and allowed others to due, if you were one of the gods or the thirteenth would you welcome any of us?” he paused for a beat. “Man or Machine?” Cedric asked as they made their way through the restaurant and towards the bar.

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	derrick_cylon 2008-05-11 08:38 pm UTC (link)
	"Who knows?" He shrugged his shoulders and proceeded to the bar room. "We will never know if we do not try. I really wouldn't worry about that. Sometimes you have to float down the stream and let it take it where it does." He came up to the bar and sat on a stool. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

cedric_wyndom
2008-05-11 09:48 pm UTC (link)

“You could be right, but if that streams leads us to damnation or salvation, I intend to prove our worth of being saved and of joining them.” Cedric took one of the stools next to him, and motioned to the bartender for some drinks.

“And that’s why I’ve asked to talk to you, its time we started to correct our mistakes. And brake the clock of our self imposed stagnation of science and humanity.” Cedric stated before thanking the bartender as his drink arrived and took a sip.

Cedric turned to face Derrick and began to whisper. “During the next address, I intend to announce a new scientific agenda that will dwarf the last agriculture expansion. As well as repeal over 30years of legislation carried over from before the fall. And Id like your help.“

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derrick_cylon
2008-05-11 11:22 pm UTC (link)

"Fruit Punch," requested Derrick of the bartender.

"Cedric that is a tall order. It taken this long to get our government in a position to actually gain the confidence of the people." He grabbed the drink handed to him by the bartender. "What kind of scientific agenda are you talking about here?" He asked. Derrick was not going to blindly support an agenda if he thought it was against the plan.

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cedric_wyndom
2008-05-11 11:53 pm UTC (link)

There are those who would agree with you, and some may even say its all the more reason to proceed slowly and with caution. But isn’t it time they started to see results?” Cedric asked as he took another sip from his drink, before setting it down on the counter.

“With a massive Expansion and research program, we will put this fleets future, creativity, and ingenuity back into the hands of the public citizenry, instead of confining it to the military.”

“I’m talking about educations centers, laboratories to research and create new technology, techniques, and resources. Some of the very things that may help us find a new world, maybe even Earth itself”

“It’ll take time, and resources, but you must admit, what we are doing now is not working. Its time we try something new.”

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	derrick_cylon 2008-05-12 05:27 pm UTC (link)
	"Understandably our resources has to go toward the defense of the fleet. The Cylon still pursue us." He took a drink from his glass before continuing. "What exactly is not working?" He asked. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	cedric_wyndom 2008-05-12 05:54 pm UTC (link)
	“This entire, run and hide approach to the Cylons.” He responded. “You, yourself must be hearing complaints and rumors from our constituencies about being over worked, equipment failures, lack of resources and equipment to fix or replace said equipment.” Cedric turned to face Derrick. “I’ve certainly heard them." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	derrick_cylon 2008-05-12 06:52 pm UTC (link)
	"I've heard them, but their isn't a whole lot we can do about that except try and find someplace-- to hide and regroup. I highly doubt we are capable of striking back at the Cylon to make them want to quit the war." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

cedric_wyndom
2008-05-12 08:24 pm UTC (link)

“Your right, at that’s why we need to change, we can start to refocus at least some of our priorities, to invest what few and scarce resources we have back into the fleet that work so hard to create and gather them.“

“My staff has showed me the data, during every new engagement its taking longer and longer than the previous engagement for our ships to jump away. Its simple numbers, the larger it takes to pull out, the more damage we take, and the more lives we loose.”

“But we can fix it; we started with the agriculture expansion program, now we can continue with a fleet revitalization program. We can fix these ships, and research ways to make them more efficient, rather than continue patching them, and perhaps we can create a better quality of life for everyone along the way.”

Cedric paused a moment as he took another sip from his drink, before turning back to Derrick to try and help him relate and understand his reasoning. “You created the motto, Let go of the past, embrace the future. Well we have been continuing the same strategy that dates back too before fall of committing a substantial amount of our resources and prayers to the idea that the military can find a solution to the Cylons. Its what we did in the past, and its what we are doing today. “

“Now you think the future of this fleet is for it to find earth; I’m willing to agree with that. But I also think our future is in making sure we can survive the next jump on that search, without a ship coming apart, due to flt stress or equipment failure. With the Agro program, we fed their bodies and made their food safer, with the investment program we can feed their minds and make their ships safer. Its as you said, we’re not going to survive or beat the Cylons based on weapons and manpower.”

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	derrick_cylon 2008-05-17 06:55 pm UTC (link)
	"I'll back you if you need my help on this." replied the Cylon. (Reply to this) (Parent)