AWD #086: A Voice Of Holy Reason
A Voice Of Holy Reason
Summary: Iphigenia approaches Petra about addressing the Fleet.
Date: 03/04/2013 (OOC Date)
Related Logs: The Cylons of Task Force NOMAD
Iphigenia Petra 
Battlestar Orion - Deck 2 - Ward Room
The Ward Room's centerpiece is a finely crafted oak table built into a rectangle with sweeping curves towards each corner, matching chairs lining it like a ring. The far end of the room are the flags of each of the Twelve Colonies, the Colonial flag at the left end and the Fleet's flag at the right to flank. At the other end is a countertop built into the wall that has fresh coffee brewed in a pot, and another for ice water, when Command Staff is present.
04/02/2005

Iphigenia has been in the Ward Room before, but often only for formalities and ceremonies. She makes her appointment with Petra through the proper channels, somewhat surprised at the ease of the bureacracy until she realizes she's a department head, and as such, that path is naturally smoother nowadays, even if her department has less priority than others. So here she is, patiently waiting. The harriedness of her night is nowhere to be seen save maybe by the slightly darker flesh under her eyes; uniform and hair neat and tidy as usual. In her hands she carries a copy of the sacred scrolls - not the ceremonial scrolls used in ceremonies, but a leatherbound book.

Unfortunately waiting - yes, the LTC ends up being a very slight amount late, carrying a clipboard and notebook under one arm when he ducks through the hatch. Seeing the Captain already here, he winces slightly and murmurs, "My apologies, Sister. I hope you haven't been waiting here for very long." If she isn't sitting down already, he will guesture to a chair before setting his things down and claiming one for himself, "You didn't mention what was on your mind at the time…usually Im the one coming to see you. What can we do for you?"

"There's really no way to put this delicately," Iphigenia takes a seat as indicated. "Last night on Piraeus I elected to seek a vision through chamalla use, and the one I had seems very pertinent to our current circumstances. Especially so, because while they did not ingest, Cooper Knox and Ceres Garrido were with me."

Well, that certainly wasn't one of the things he thought he was going to hear at the start of this conversation, and the surprise is visible for a moment on his face. Just for a moment though. When that wears off, he blinks once and sits back in the chair, folding his arms over his chest, "If you had approached me with that before the War started, I might have been giving you a more skeptical look, but my own dreams were plagued with something that was far too specific for me to dismiss as anything else. So…please, go on?"

"We were on temple land." she murmurs, "And the gods visited me. Apollo and Artemis to start, and the others joined them; all save Zeus and Hera. There was a dark one, a shadowed one, at the edge of the group, but I couldn't see his face. We'd been discussing the Cylon faith - did you know they have one? And they were there to listen. And then to how me something."

Petra slowly shakes his head at her question, not wanting to speak up right away and interrupt her, but when she pauses, he offers in a quieter voice, "No. Of all the thinks Cooper and I have talked about concerning the Cylons for the last three months, their feelings about the Lords and Ladies never really came up." He pauses, a furrow creeping into his brow, "What did they show you?"

"They're monotheists. They believe in one god, encompassing all things, which quite frankly, seems arrogant and repugnant and imbalanced…but as their faith imposes no penalty upon me or mine, I have no right to gainsay it." But she will give her frank opinion on the matter to Petra. "Most of them said nothing. Apollo and Artemis watched the Cylons. They seemed to be making some manner of determination. Whatever they ultimately decided, they seemed please." She closes her eyes, letting the memory play out behind her eyelids. "They were tall…and shining…they were so beautiful." Her eyes open. "Aphrodite approached me, and Ares went to the fire."

A small smile escapes him at the very last. Of course Ares would go for the fire - out of all of the Lords and Ladies, that seems to be the one the LTC keeps coming back to in times of stress. He says nothing however, watching the Sister's face and not willing to interrupt her recollection.

"She touched me - I don't even think I can begni to describe what that was like - and then stood aside a moment, so Ares could show me a vision within my vision." Gen's tone is slightly wry at that. "In the fire, he should me people. They were marching. Hundreds of them, if not more. All individual, all unique. Men and women. But their faces were just blank. They carried rifles."

The smile bleeds away into more of a slight furrowing frown as she goes on to describe the vision-within-a-vision. His lips part as if he might say something, but then quickly close. Do not interrupt the Sister. Instead, he chews quietly on the corner of his mouth and watches.

"Ares moved aside, and Aphrodite said to me, Be strong for each other. You will need all in the time ahead. Do not lose hope in the darkness." There's a tilt of her head. "And then they all walked away. Faded. They were gone, and - " there's another pause, and she asks, "I'd like to show you something." She opens the book. "Something Aphrodite said made me recall a line from the sacred scrolls. This one, here." She turns the book so he can read it, resting a finger on the line. "And though they were outsiders, they assisted the chosen to traverse the darkness." She recites it from memory.

Again, he opens his mouth as if to say something, then closes it. His breath escapes him in a slow, long sigh, and he remains quiet for a moment, licking his lips as he watches Gen. When he finally speaks, his words are softer and more subdued, "Sister. I have a crew tearing themselves apart because /I/ see that we need Ceres and Cooper to stay with us and help us further, but others cannot see past the name, despite what they have seen them do, and what I've told them they have done. If you have any wisdom that will help me help them see, I welcome it. Your words only reinforce the idea in my head that they should be here."

"I have two thoughts on the subject." Iphigenia says promptly. "First, I think the primary problem is…command's approach, to be quite frank. I realize its purpose is not to hold the hands of its soldiers, but from what I've seen, many in command are attempting to enforce solidarity by making their own people feel like what they're holding inside of them - the anger, the hate, the grief - is wrong, and placing them in a position of ultimatum. They're being made to feel like their commanders are choosing the Cylon traitors over them, in a twisted sort of way. I know it's very sort of twisted, but can you understand how this might work?"

Slowly, he nods his head, "I had hoped that, by telling everyone how much we owe them, what they've done for us, they would see these two as people we need to protect. We're not choosing them over anyone else. I suppose I'm more disappointed that after working with this crew for over three years, only two officers have actually approached me with their concerns. How can I make them see this differently?"

"I can offer only one of my own capability; and even then it won't be a balm to cross all barriers." Gen admits. "But if you let me address the crew; allow me to point out that scripture justifies their presence, it may ease some tensions."

The offer doesn't seem to alleviate his concern, "Do you understand how much of a target that will make you, Captain Arden? I've been physically threatened over my words, and my defense of Cooper's girlfriend. If you wish to speak, I won't stop you, but I am not holding out much hope that they will listen. How long do you need to prepare?"

"I do." she says. "I can be ready within…an hour. I have some idea of what to say already. I just need your approval when I'm ready to make the address."

Petra nods very slowly, "Just to warn you…Faulkner is not going to be happy. To say that my original announcement pissed the woman off, is quite possibly the understatement of the year. Its my call though. You asked me, I'm in Command, I'm giving you the okay. If she…well, WHEN she gets angry again, I'll deal with it. So just so you know. Fair enough?"

"Funny thing." Iphigenia says wryly. "Faith, with all its nebulous air, can be a lot more difficult to countermand than fact. I'll manage, Marcus. I always do. Those who love me will protect me, and I'm likewise quite capable of protecting myself."

Petra mmms softly, "I'm sure they will. But that's not really the state I want us to be in. Just the same, I'm not going to allow fear to dictate my actions or my decisions, or the mob has already won, and we are a task force, are doomed. So…for you, I will offer something to Ares, since he and I seem to be having a conversation, and offer my hope that your words see into the heart of even the warriors that revere him. Good luck."

"Make your offering for yourself." Gen says with a smile, "And I'm sure it will please him nonetheless." With that, she offers, "That's all I have for you at this time. Unless there was something you needed?"

Petra shakes his head slowly at the question, "No, Sister. I think you've addressed the one thing I might have come to talk to you about." Amusement gently tugs at the corner of his mouth, and he slowly rises back to his feet out of respect, "Thank you. Come up to CIC when you are ready, and I'll have the Comms Operator connect you to the Fleet."

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