Captain Keshane watched in awe as the battle continued. Even with the recent additions from the Mercenary Alliance and the actions of the I'ase, the battle was still firmly in Galactica control. "Look at that footage... we're going to have the best video ever! Bring us around 50 degrees and focus on that Dragon group."
"Aye, sir," Ian replied, with a somewhat disgusted tone in his voice. He was all for covering a big story, but his commander's attitude sickened him. As the crew of the arada looked on, two of the Dragons exploded in a ball of flames."
"Wow... did we get that on tape?" Keshane asked, awe and excitement in his voice. This comment was more than Ian could take.
"Is that all you care about?" Ian said in a disparaging tone, "Your footage? Your beloved pictures? People are dying out there by the thousands! Doesn't that bother you even a little bit?"
"What can we do to help them?" Keshane retorted. "We're one arada, armed with two primitive phase turrets and defense pods. It's not our place to fight - it's our place to sit here and record it all for the galaxy to see. The people must be informed."
"And what about these people?" Ian spat back, motioning to the battle raging on the ship's viewscreen. "Don't they matter too?"
"They knew what they were getting into. The UE should have been prepared for a Galactica attack. It's their own fault. Now man the cameras and get a shot of those dreadnaughts off the starboard bow."
"No, sir," Ian said coldly, drawing a phase pistol from his belt. Keshane noticed and reached for the button that activated the protective force field around the captain's chair, but he was too slow. Ian fired three shots, the first one grazing Keshane's arm, causing him to wince in pain. The second and third hit him directly in the abdomen. Keshane slumped over, unconscious.
"Velare," Ian said, turning to a young Strandless woman who was the ship's technician, "take him to the medical bay. I only had the pistol set to stun. He'll recover, but he'll need to be treated for shock. I've got to see what I can do to stop this massacre."
"You realize, don't you," Velare said, "That you just broke about a dozen laws and GNN regulations."
"Frankly, I don't care," Ian answered. "There are universal morals and common sense that transcend GNN regulations." Velare smiled. Obviously she agreed. But she still had a worried look about her.
"We're one ship. One primitive ship. There are thousands of them. Do you really think we can make a difference?" Velare asked.
"I don't know, but I can't live with myself if I don't try." Ian walked over to the captains chair, helped Velare hoist Keshane's limp form over her shoulders, and then activated the comm panel. "I hope this isn't a mistake," he thought to himself as he opened a wide-band channel, set to maximum amplitude. It would be enough to cut through the comm chatter and reach every ship in the system. Nervous but determined, he took hold of the microphone and pushed the transmit key.
"This is tactical officer and acting commander Ian Kenneth of the GNN arada Reporter 5 speaking. I appeal to you, stop the wanton waste of life. This is no battle, this is a slaughter. Thousands of brave souls have died in this battle already, and continuing will only result in further loss of life. Galactica vessels, I realize that the UE, Zidagar, and Mercenaries are your sworn enemies, but you must realize by now that these ships pose no threat to you. They are badly damaged, barely capable of fighting. To continue attacking them would not be sound tactics - it would be genocide. Thousands of lives are at stake. Do you really want the destruction of an entire race on your consience? To the UE, Zidagar, and Mercenary vessels that remain, I urge you to get out now. If you stay, Galactica will crush you all, and wipe all traces of your civilization from existance. Please, save yourselves. I realize there is little honor in retreat, but there is no honor in extinction."
Ian released the transmit key, and slumped back in his chair, nearly in tears from the emotion of it all. If the Galactica ships didn't take it well, his life could very well be in grave danger. Still, he felt as though he'd done something that had to be done - something truly worthwhile. Only time would tell how it would work out...
------------------
Ad Astra Per Aspera - "A rough road leads to the stars"
(This message has been edited by Thunder (edited 08-23-2001).)