

LORDS OF KOBOL

BOOK ONE: APOTHEOSIS

By Edward T. Yeatts III

Published by Edward T. Yeatts III at Smashwords. Copyright 2011 Edward T. Yeatts III.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

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Visit ety3rd.com for more books and information.

Other books by Edward T. Yeatts III:

Lords of Kobol – Book Two: Descent

Lords of Kobol – Book Three: The Final Exodus

Lords of Kobol – Prelude: Of Gods and Titans

Displaced

Diary of a Second Life

8 Days

The Art of Death

Sexcalation

The Red Kick

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

PREFACE

MAP

I – PYTHIA

II – ZEUS

III – PELIAS

IV - THERSITES

V – APOLLO

VI – HELENA

VII – ZEUS

VIII – PELIAS

IX – HELENA

X – ATHENA

XI – THERSITES

XII – ZEUS

XIII – THERSITES

XIV – POSEIDON

XV – HELENA

XVI – THERSITES

XVII – PELIAS

XVIII – THERSITES

XIX – APOLLO

XX – ZEUS

XXI – HELENA

XXII – PELIAS

XXIII – ATHENA

XXIV – ASCLEPIUS

XXV – HERMES

XXVI – ZEUS

XXVII – IOLE

XXVIII – ZEUS

XXIX – AURORA

XXX – ZEUS

XXXI – IOLE

XXXII – ARES

XXXIII – APOLLO

XXXIV – ATHENA

XXXV – HECATE

XXXVI – AURORA

XXXVII – TYDEA

XXXVIII – KHRUV

XXXIX – ERIS

XL – TYDEA

XLI – HEPHAESTUS

XLII – HECATE

XLIII – DIONYSUS

XLIV – TYDEA

XLV – IOLE

XLVI – KHRUV

XLVII – AURORA

XLVIII – KHRUV

XLIX – APOLLO

L – ZEUS

LI – ERIS

LII – IOLE

LIII – TYDEA

LIV – APOLLO

LV – ARES

LVI – TYDEA

LVII – DIVAK

LVIII – ZEUS

LIX – ERIS

LX – IOLE

LXI – TYDEA

LXII – ERIS

LXIII – AURORA

LXIV – APOLLO

LXV – ZEUS

LXVI – AMRIT & THE MEGARANS

LXVII – TYDEA

LXVIII – ZEUS

LXIX – IOLE

LXX – AURORA

LXXI – HEPHAESTUS

LXXII – APOLLO

LXXIII – ATHENA

LXXIV – ZEUS

LXXV – PYTHIA

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS & CONTACTS

OTHER BOOKS BY EDWARD T. YEATTS III
**PREFACE: REGARDING THE TIMELINE...**

To alleviate confusion, let us walk back through time to pinpoint the major events in Colonial and Kobollian history.

Four years after the Colonies' destruction - A planet inhabited by prehistoric humans is named "Earth" and settled by the survivors of the _Battlestar Galactica_ , the rebel Cylon Basestar and the ragtag fleet.

Three years after the Colonies' destruction - The dead planet named Earth, settled by the exiled Thirteenth Tribe of Kobol, is discovered by _Galactica_ and her fleet.

The Destruction of the Twelve Colonies - Occurs after a peace of about forty years.

Fifty-two years before the Colonies' destruction - The revolution of the Colonies' mechanical servants begins and lasts for about twelve years.

Fifty-eight years before the Colonies' destruction - Cylons are created. A simulacrum of monotheist Zoe Graystone's consciousness inhabits the first functioning unit while monotheist terrorist leader Sister Clarice Willow spreads her beliefs among the burgeoning population of artificially intelligent automatons.

About two thousand years before the Colonies' destruction - On Kobol, Cylons revolt, gods war among themselves and humans flee for what will become the Twelve Colonies. _This "Final Exodus" is the key chronological point alluded to at the heading of each chapter._ Elsewhere, a Cylon revolution on Earth eliminates all but five members of the exiled Thirteenth Tribe.

About three thousand, six hundred years before the Colonies' destruction - The oracle Pythia writes her famed contributions to the Sacred Scrolls.

About four thousand years before the Colonies' destruction - The Thirteenth Tribe, later revealed to be organic Cylons, depart Kobol for Earth.

About four thousand, six hundred years before the Colonies' destruction - Humans on Kobol create organic Cylons.

About four thousand, nine hundred years before the Colonies' destruction - Humans on Kobol create mechanical Cylons.

About seven thousand, six hundred years before the Colonies' destruction - The Lords of Kobol descend Mount Olympus to assume godhood over humanity...

**I**

PYTHIA

1,591 Years Before the Final Exodus

She felt a finger in her mind.

Pythia stopped dancing and swooned. She fell back upon the wall and licked her lips. As tightly as she closed her eyes, she couldn't make the feeling go away.

"What do you hear?" a voice asked.

She turned her head and thought of the storm outside. She almost answered literally but she stopped herself and focused her mind on the finger.

"I..." she began, "hear your pulse."

Pythia's eyes opened and she saw the hillside. The walls of her monastery were gone and it was now daytime. Below, Delphi lay, shrouded in mist. Above, she heard stones dislodge and saw the coiled figure of a serpent.

Apollo pulled his huge hands from her shoulders and began to walk toward the monstrous snake. As he did, she heard another voice.

"Pythia? My darling?"

When she turned, she saw the familiar, gaunt face of Ino. Day faded to night and the walls of her monastery were restored. Thunder rumbled outside and the young woman balled her fists.

"No!" She shook her head and stomped toward her desk. "Why are you here?"

Ino's eyebrows raised and he spread his hands apart. "I came to see you. To talk."

She sighed. "Do you have any idea what you've interrupted?"

He looked down at the smoldering pipe and the wisps of herbal smoke. "I can guess."

She started to speak and then stopped herself. When she finally started, her volume was just shy of a yell, "Do you remember how hard it was for me after the first vision?!"

Ino nodded his head slowly. "Yes. You pulled the veil from Apollo's face and saw the future." He stepped slowly across the floor. "You were taken from your home as a young girl."

Pythia scoffed and said, "Yes! They pushed and pushed and I didn't have any more!" She picked up the nearly empty bag of chamalla and tossed it across the room. "Ten years I've been trying... I almost had it before you came."

Ino smiled and said, "I do have bad timing."

She exhaled through her nose loudly. "You certainly left when they told you to."

He cocked his head, "The sibyls could be very persuasive." Ino's head lowered and he said, nearly whispering, "I am sorry that we were not wed."

Pythia froze. She never expected to see Ino again and here he was, in her quarters within the Apollonian monastery in Theonpolis. She was about to speak when she realized something.

She still felt the finger in her mind.

Pythia's eyes widened slightly and then she smiled. She sat at her desk and said, "You said you wanted to talk?"

Ino smiled, too. "Indeed."

"What about?"

He crossed his arms. "Your visions. The future. The past."

She nodded. "Very well." Pythia leaned over to the waste bin and removed several crumpled papers. They barely had any writing on them so they would suffice. She spread them out on the desktop and tried her best to smooth the wrinkles away. "Should I write this down?"

"You will want to, yes." He walked back toward the desk where Pythia sat with her twitching legs and dilated pupils. "How much chamalla did you take?"

Pythia laughed loudly. She threw her head back and forced the wooden chair to creak. "A lot. More than ever before."

"Did it help?"

"Eh, nearly. I saw Apollo and a snake..." Pythia laughed again and pointed at Ino's nose, "And now you're here, aren't you?"

Her former fiancé ticked his head to the right, "I suppose I am." He began to walk away from the desk but he made a sharp turn, "Are you ready to get to work?"

She ran her hand over the paper once more; flattening it no further. "Yes."

"What I have to say is of the utmost importance and you must transcribe my words as best you can."

"I will. I swear it."

Ino lifted a single eyebrow. "Very well. Try to peer past your hallucinogenic haze and listen."

Pythia put the tip of her pen to the paper, "Yes."

Ino knelt by the desk to look up into her eyes. "This first item will be the primary theme of your work. It needn't be the first statement you make, but it must be a thread through the tapestry."

Pythia wrote and said aloud, "'Tapestry'..."

Ino blinked slowly and he continued, measuring his words as he went. "All of this has happened before, and it will all happen again."
**II**

ZEUS

2,724 Years Before the Final Exodus

The Lord of Lords, leader of the Olympians, Zeus emerged from the columns and shadows. His shock of white hair bracketed by golden laurel leaves was first seen by the adoring thousands in the rows closest to the temple steps. His towering form strode into the sun and then he was spotted by the many thousands more gathered around for several city blocks. He was clad in his usual pristine white and regal purple robes. He bore the golden aegis of creatures from tales told far in Kobol's past.

"Zeus Olympios!" the high priest yelled into the microphone. It seemed redundant with the god now standing just meters behind him, but the crowd cheered again with renewed vigor.

Zeus held his long metal lightning bolt high above his head. The golden statues on either side of the temple's proscenium crackled with energy. Electricity coalesced at the tips of the statues' own bolts and then leapt toward Zeus'. The arcs sustained and rent the air loudly. When the bolts faded, Zeus spun his staff in his hand and gleefully inhaled the fresh ozone.

He stepped toward the microphone and smiled. "I am Zeus! Lord of Kobol!"

"We worship you, O Zeus!" the audience responded.

"For thousands of years and for thousands more, I serve you, my children!"

"And we serve you, Lord Zeus!"

Zeus lifted his head and spread his arms wide, still bearing the gleaming bolt, "For thousands of years and for thousands more, I desire your love, my children!"

"We love you, Lord Zeus!"

Zeus was about to speak when an airship roared high overhead. His eyes rolled toward it and he waited for the noise to decay. "All of Kobol hears and obeys the commandments of Zeus and Olympus and reaps their just rewards!"

"We do, O Lord!"

"So say you all?"

"So say we all!" After barking the last phrase of the routine, the audience cheered and applauded again.

Zeus bowed slightly and lifted the microphone's arm, "My friends! It is a new year and with the new year comes a new spring! Great things are before us all!" The audience hailed and Zeus stepped back to bask in it. He glanced down the marble steps and saw the traditional unblemished calf, bound and placed in the sacrificial pan. Zeus moved to the microphone and said, "I see you have brought me a fine gift! I, of course, return the favor to you!"

He moved to the center of the platform. He lifted his hands and brought his staff parallel with the ground. As he pushed it forward, the large bronze bull and eagle atop a wall on either side of the bottom steps appeared to glow from within. A ghost of the bull leapt from the sculpture and into the body of the prepared sacrifice. A ghost of the eagle flew from the perch and soared above the ecstatic crowd before finally flying high into the clouds. Then, from the mouths of the statues, coins poured and sprayed onto the sidewalks and streets. The people dove for them, pocketing some for themselves and tossing the excess into the audience behind them.

Zeus laughed and he spoke again. "For centuries now, we have lived in a golden age. Food, shelter, clothes... the gods have provided and will provide in perpetuity. The stater I give you now is for you to spend wantonly!" The worshippers again yelled. "Live in luxury because you can!"

Two priests moved toward the calf and one bore a knife. As the armed priest sliced the animal's throat, the other held a white plastic shield near the wound, deflecting the blood into a reservoir. The animal slumped and died though it still remained upright thanks to its binds. The priest slid the blade into a bejeweled scabbard and then took a lighter from under his robes. The second priest lowered the shield and turned on a fuel line. After two clicks, flames leapt from the pan and began to singe the fur of the animal and cook its flesh.

Zeus descended the stairs and entered the crowd. He laughed and greeted each of the citizens gleefully as they moved toward him. People drew near and they became intoxicated by his presence; feeling a great euphoria. He touched their heads and kissed the young children. Women hugged him tightly and the Lord did not dissuade this.

"For time immemorial," the priest yelled, "we have collected the ashes of our sacrifices to Lord Zeus and we do so again!" The calf had been consumed in fire and the priests scooped the gray powder from the pan into a large golden bowl, already filled with ash.

Zeus smiled and turned back to the crowd. Regardless of how many centuries he had done this, he felt as though he could do it for centuries more.
**III**

PELIAS

2,618 Years Before the Final Exodus

High Pantheonic Priest Pelias Kaemonou Theonpolii walked the streets with the edges of his ceremonial robes fluttering as he moved. Most people acknowledged his passage with a nod or a simple, "Archiereus," greeting. It was difficult to miss him wandering among the people.

The flowing white robes hearkened back to the olden days and seemed far more formal than most of his work required. His golden chain and badge of office could be worn over contemporary attire, but Pelias believed the gods appreciated the trappings of old. Plus, the robes were simply more comfortable.

Pelias had been a chief priest in Zeus' temple for more than a decade when he was chosen to represent all religious desires within the government as the High Priest, or Archiereus. His passion was for serving the Lords, but as the High Priest, he advised the Quorum of Twelve Nations and was also given an honorary archon title as mayor of Theonpolis, the City of the Gods. The burdens of that position forced him to delegate much of the work that was beneath him.

Still, Pelias enjoyed a good morning walk through his domain. Fresh air, the attention of passersby, the smell of bread baking. If he was feeling sly, he might even nip into a bakery and talk his way into a fresh piece. Not today, though.

"Priest?" a man asked as he stepped past a young mother and her child. "Priest Pelias?"

Pelias recognized the voice and he turned to greet it. "Hello again, Demaxenes. How may I assist you today?" This citizen had become a thorn in Pelias' side, but the archiereus tried to conceal his weariness.

"High Priest, I've been going over the plans for the new forum and I have a few concerns."

Pelias continued to walk along the path, forcing Demaxenes to dodge oncoming pedestrians to stay abreast. A vehicle passed by quickly, fluttering his robes again. "A few concerns in the plans?"

"Yes, Archiereus." Demaxenes apologized to a pedestrian as he nudged his way past in order to keep up.

"Correct me if I am in error, but are you not a musician?"

Demaxenes fell into place behind the priest and spoke at the back of Pelias' head. "Yes, though I have always had an interest in architecture."

"I see." Pelias was silent as he crossed an intersection and started onto another length of sidewalk. "Demaxenes, you realize, of course, that I appreciate the input of all our citizens."

"Yes, Archiereus."

"But, you must understand, this new theatre is a project at the request of the gods. The plans were approved by them."

"Yes, Archiereus."

"And," Pelias said, "it's all part of the Theonpolis revitalization project. Putting the opera house at the center of the city, the forum on the side..."

"Yes, Archiereus."

"And the six roads branching out." Pelias looked over his shoulder at Demaxenes. "This is a major project, bigger than me, and the Lords have been instrumental in making it so."

Demaxenes nodded though Pelias couldn't see him, "I do understand that, though I still am concerned about the number of supports that should be required in the main hall."

"I'm visiting the site now. The clearing has been completed and the framing is underway." Pelias picked up his pace. "You are welcome to visit, if you'd like, though you must keep your distance."

"Yes, Archiereus," Demaxenes said. "Thank you, sir."

Pelias passed a garden, partially obscured by a lengthy colonnade. The taller marble buildings of the market district were past and the altered skyline was immediately apparent. The older schools of the arts that stood here were gone; replacements had opened across the city. The colonnade came to an end and a gaping pit seemed to stretch across two city blocks. Workers had begun framing atop the foundation and marble was ready to be loaded into place.

"It will be beautiful," Demaxenes said.

Pelias smiled and nodded, "Yes, it will." He stepped across the closed-off street and into the construction zone. The foreman emerged from a small hut and handed a protective helmet to Pelias.

"Good morning, Archiereus. I do wish you wouldn't wear your robes here when you visit."

Pelias brushed aside the concern. "You shouldn't worry. You won't find me amongst the machinery."

Demaxenes stayed across the street and he observed the work. As he was about to depart, he heard a murmuring from the market district and he peered around the colonnade. Lord Dionysus was coming.

"My Lord!" the people shouted. "Bless me, oh Lord!"

Dionysus walked past the garden toward Demaxenes and the musician threw himself on the ground. In moments, the tall, brilliant Lord of Kobol stepped around him and across the road toward the construction. Demaxenes felt the exhilaration of the god's presence as he walked by, and he was saddened by the subsequent loss of that feeling.

"High Priest," Dionysus said. He sidestepped a pile of debris and approached Pelias and the foreman.

Pelias bowed, gathering the folds of his robes as he bent, "My Lord."

"Rise, Archiereus." Dionysus stood a full head taller than Pelias, and Pelias was rather tall. The god's skin was pale and this contrasted with his thick, curly brown hair. He was a bit stockier than the other gods and he seemed a little out of breath. "You'll have to forgive me," he exhaled, "I'm not used to these early morning jaunts." He finished the line with a boisterous laugh.

"I understand, my Lord," Pelias said.

His eyes were brown, but they were bright and able to pierce one to one's quick. And, of course, everyone near him felt the same sense of elation and joy. An electric tingling that rushed throughout one's body. "It seems as though the construction is going swiftly. The razing was completed only four weeks ago."

The foreman stammered through his grin, "Yes, yes, my Lord. We have ... the best workers."

"Of course." Dionysus looked down the slope at the foundation and up to the marble gathered for supports. "Tell them if they finish on time, the wine's on me." He laughed again and the foreman nodded, knowingly. "What about that marble? It appears to be the finest."

"Leonid, of course, my Lord." Pelias adjusted his helmet, suddenly feeling silly in the god's presence.

Dionysus nodded. "Apollo will be happy to know the opera house is proceeding well. Ahead of schedule?"

The foreman nodded as Pelias spoke, "Yes, my Lord. So far, three days ahead of schedule."

"Good. I'll see if the big boss can help the weather cooperate." Dionysus slapped Pelias on the back, turned and walked out of the pit and up a different street. Pelias looked behind him and saw citizens gathering for Dionysus' passage. Looming over the scene were the foothills of Mount Olympus. The laughter of the god was heard for blocks and blocks as he greeted the people around him.

Pelias walked back toward the foreman's hut and removed his helmet. He ran his fingers through his head quickly; hoping to fluff out the gray curls he assumed had been crushed inside the headgear. Pelias put the helmet on a draughtsman's table and prepared to leave the property for the sidewalks on the other side of the street. He was blocked.

Two workers were carrying a full pallet of steel pipes in excess of ten meters long. Pelias knew it was best to give them a wide berth as they went by. The droning of their eyes as they swept back and forth was common enough and Pelias thought nothing of it when the second Cylon's yellow eye fixated on him when they walked past.
**IV**

THERSITES

2,618 Years Before the Final Exodus

The scientist withdrew the knob on his molecular construction device slowly. He kept his gaze wide into the optics and verified that the last atom had fallen into place, completing the switch assembly. Before removing his eyes, Thersites Asious Eleusii lifted his hands from the equipment, holding them aloft. He sat back and rested his weight against the rear of the chair.

"It is finished." There was only one other scientist in the room and she didn't look up from her work. Thersites pressed a button, bathing the tiny equipment in a special light, "curing" it to prevent further manipulation and protect it from damage. A robotic arm pulled the cartridge from the device and dispensed it into a bin by Thersites' leg. He took the cartridge and walked across the room to a specially constructed box, looking as though several entertainment and processor centers had exploded onto the table top. The black cartridge connected into its slot and Thersites pressed a green button next to it.

He immediately crossed his left arm around his ribs, placed his right elbow on his left wrist and began tugging on his lower lip with his right hand. The monitor above the mess of circuitry was still, though it was obviously powered on. He waited.

The monitor flickered and the boot routines scrolled down the screen quickly. So far, everything looked good. He watched the numbers and the settings while mentally checking them off. At the end, in simple black text on a white background, the monitor read, "Startup complete. Standing by."

Thersites nearly collapsed. "It worked!" The other scientist had left the room, unbeknownst to him. He glanced around, seeing no one. He stared at the monitor and those four simple words. He had waited a full year to see them.

"Good morning, scholar." Far older than the rest of the staff at the Institute, Eteocles walked into the large lab and set his processor and bagged lunch on a counter.

Thersites whipped around. "Morning?" Eteocles nodded as he pulled the power cord of the processor and allowed it to attach to the electromagnetic strip on the wall. "Wait, what day is it?"

Eteocles smiled, "'What day is it?' My, you have been working too hard on your secret project." He switched on his processor and finally noticed how worn and disheveled Thersites looked. "Gods, man. When did you last sleep?"

"How can I answer if I don't know what day it is?"

Eteocles shook his head, "Too late for you to rest now, son. It's the first of the month."

Thersites straightened up quickly and looked around the mostly empty lab, "Today is the day of Hephaestus' visit?"

"Indeed it is, scholar." Eteocles checked a few programs on his processor while he chatted, "It is barely seven now, so you have about two hours before he arrives."

Thersites wiped his hand over his mouth and returned his gaze to the monitor. He quickly pressed "exit," the screen scrolled through a few routines, went white. He removed the cartridge and placed it in his pants pocket before walking outside to the courtyard.

The sun was rising, though its disk wasn't yet visible above the surrounding structures. The Hephaestus Institute of Technology was a collection of bright marble buildings; their exterior ancient regality juxtaposed against the often dark interiors of labs where the most modern technical advances were being tested.

Thersites sat on a marble bench near the fountain. He closed his eyes and let the sound of the water permeate his mind. Very soon, he was dozing off. With a jerk, Thersites sat up and stood before pacing in front of the fountain.

"Lord Hephaestus," he mumbled to himself, "he will understand what I have accomplished. Certainly I will advance and my project will be moved forward. This is the beginning. Just the beginning. And when Eteocles retires," he paused and thought for a moment. "I will achieve so much more."

Thersites wandered in front of the fountain a bit more. He went inside to the cafeteria and got a hearty breakfast, hoping it would keep his energy up and not make him even more sluggish. He had two large circles of bread; thick cut. A large bowl of wine for dipping. And fruit. An apple, pear, and some grapes. The sole worker behind the counter seemed surprised at such a big order, but he wouldn't have understood.

After a few minutes of eating, he had a momentary panic attack and began pressing against his clothes, feeling for the thick cartridge. It was still in his pants. He popped the grapes quickly, pocketed the apple, and began to eat the pear as he cleared the table.

Back in the lab, Eteocles was addressing the other scholars that had gathered. "The Lord is not expected to stay long, however he should be able to see what each of you has been working on."

"Will he be visiting the aeronautics division after ours?" one scholar asked.

"Yes. He will visit each of the divisions before returning to Mount Olympus."

Another raised her arm, "Is there any word if he will be announcing the release of withheld projects?"

All of the scholars nodded. Most had seen and all had heard about withheld projects. Scholars spending months and even years on a significant advance, only to have Lord Hephaestus examine it and decide to place it in quarantine. The Lords felt that technological advances must have checks, and they were the checks. If they felt humanity wasn't ready for a technology, it would not leave the labs. Withheld projects have been released, but rarely within the lifetime of the scholars who did most of the work.

Immediately, Thersites had his doubts. Could his project be too advanced? Would Hephaestus withhold it? Certainly, the Lords of Kobol fostered technological advances over the last three millennia. Without their help, Kobol would not have computing processors, flying vehicles, and all of the other amenities they enjoyed.

"Ah, Thersites." Eteocles noticed him and stepped closer. "Is your project ready for the Lord to see?"

Despite the new doubts, Thersites nodded. "Yes, scholar. It is ready."

"Good. Perhaps we should let you go first so we can all learn what this great secret of yours has been this last year." Eteocles smiled and swept his arm across the room. The other scholars mostly grinned; others were too lost in thought as they prepared their own projects for Hephaestus to see.

"Very well." Thersites realized it may be better to get it over with quickly. He stood by his workstation and stared at the mass of wires and circuits. After a few moments, he realized he should probably straighten it all up.

"Lord Hephaestus," he heard someone say in the corridor. As Thersites turned, he saw the god enter the lab through the high-arched doorway.

"My Lord," Eteocles said, bowing before him.

"Thank you for receiving me again, Chief Scholar." Hephaestus was tall -- all of the Lords were. Hephaestus' skin was darker than most of the other gods but he still radiated with his smile and the sensation of happiness that everyone experienced in his presence. A few moments after entering the room, Hephaestus was surrounded by gleeful scholars. Even weary Thersites felt a charge from being near him and it overloaded whatever fatigue he had been feeling.

"In the year since your last visit, my Lord," Eteocles began as he motioned toward Thersites, "our scholars have been working very hard. Thersites, here, has had something very special planned. Even I only know the barest details."

"I see. Scholar Thersites, please enlighten me."

Just hearing a Lord say his name was exhilarating. With only a slight hesitation, Thersites turned to his workstation and began, "Last year, Lord, my planned advances in computation processing failed to produce the desired result." He glanced across the table for the cartridge before remembering it was in his pocket. Pulling it out, he continued, "I had an epiphany the day after your last visit." Holding the cartridge aloft, he bowed slightly to Hephaestus, "If I may?"

"Please. Proceed." The Lord crossed his arms and watched Thersites as he placed the cartridge in its slot and pressed the green button.

"I realized that I could use molecular scanning devices to position specific molecules and atoms as I wanted them on a receptive surface." The monitor flashed and the boot routines began to scroll down the screen. "I could then use the array of molecules and atoms as switches for a processor."

Hephaestus seemed amused and he nodded, "Yes. This was theorized some time ago by scholars in this very room."

"Yes, my Lord. I took those theories, adapted them, and I now have a functional atomic computational processor board. With this, we can move forward on cognitive simulations."

Thersites motioned toward the monitor, which had finished displaying the startup, and now displayed only, "Startup complete. Standing by."

Hephaestus leaned forward and began to tap on the keyboard. He moved up through the screens, reviewing the information that went into the boot process. The look of amusement on his face fell to concern. Thersites did not notice this.

"The possibilities are endless, Lord. We can solve magnificent equations, plot the courses of interstellar bodies, run incredibly complex systems with fewer workers. In medicine, we could use these processors to help people who have had brain ailments and injuries. The sheer number of computations it could perform is beyond..."

Hephaestus pulled his head away from the monitor and peered at the cartridge. "May I have the processor board?"

Thersites glanced around at the other scholars and noted that they were all smiling. Thersites himself, though, wasn't feeling the excitement of the Lord's presence as he had just moments before. The fatigue was still lapping at him and it seemed as though his project was about to be withheld. Disappointment is what now pushed away the happiness of the god's presence; the Chara, as it was known. Still, he dare not refuse a god.

"Of course, my Lord." Thersites pressed "exit" and the monitor displayed the shutdown routines. He withdrew the cartridge and handed it up to Hephaestus.

"Thank you, scholar."

Hephaestus turned to Eteocles, who was moving toward another lab station. Before they walked away, Thersites interjected, "Lord Hephaestus?"

The god turned back, "Yes?"

"Is my project being withheld?"

Hephaestus thought for a moment. His low voice rumbled as he began to reply, "No. No, scholar. I will review your processor board at Olympus. A decision will be made later."

Thersites nodded and bowed while stepping backward. "Thank you, my Lord."

As Eteocles introduced another scientist, Thersites leaned against his table and propped his chin upon his fist. Now the fatigue began to really wear on him.
**V**

APOLLO

2,616 Years Before the Final Exodus

"Wait for it," Artemis whispered.

Apollo rolled his eyes. "I know how to hunt."

"Well," she said, "do it."

Apollo was holding the string back as far as he could. About sixty meters away, a large deer was foraging in the forest's undergrowth. Apollo held his breath and his nostrils flared. He released the string and the white arrow sailed through the air, cutting through a leaf and finally passing through the deer's neck.

"Well done," Artemis said. The sibling gave up stealth and walked toward the dying animal. The deer was bleeding profusely and it lay rather still. Artemis leaned over and tried to catch its gaze. "Shh, shh," she said in a soothing voice. "Don't worry. It's almost over."

Apollo watched Artemis. When the deer finally died, she grabbed its antler and turned the head from side-to-side. "You approve, I gather?" Apollo asked.

"Very much." She pulled a folded tarp from her backpack and flicked it into the air to unravel it. "They don't call you the 'God of the Hunt' for nothing."

"Please," he scoffed as he removed his arrow from the trunk of a tree behind where the deer had been standing. "You're more a 'God of the Hunt' than me."

"Doesn't matter, does it?" she said. Artemis pulled the edge of the tarp under part of the deer's body. "The people decide what we're the gods of, right?"

Apollo smiled and wiped the blood from his arrow. "Sometimes. As long as dad doesn't mind."

Artemis' smile faded and she pulled the tarp up with a jerk, rolling the deer carcass inside. "Have you spoken to father lately?"

Apollo shrugged. "Not in a while, no. Why?"

Artemis began to walk away from her brother. "I'd like to know what's going on there."

"What do you mean?" Apollo trotted to keep up with her when he saw the trickle of red leave the parcel slung over her shoulder. "Ugh, you're trailing blood."

She adjusted the deer within the tarp and kept moving. While they trudged up the leaf-covered slope, Artemis continued, "Zeus always seems to have something going on. And when he doesn't, he's... doing something."

"Come now," Apollo said. "There are no major Kobollian projects right now. Surely you can allow him some debauchery."

She glanced over her shoulder. "He's wasting time."

Apollo laughed. "For what? What's going on?"

"I don't know, but if he has an endgame, he's delaying it."

Apollo stopped walking at the top of the hill and Artemis began walking down. "'Endgame?' As far as anyone knows, there is no 'endgame.'"

"Pointless," she said, tossing the deer onto the ground near the tents and campfire. Apollo ran to her side as she unraveled the package. "All of that power, all of these years. No endgame."

Apollo smirked. He looked into the sky and saw it was mid-afternoon. He glanced at his sister and noticed that she was sweaty, but so was he. Fraternal twins, yet they still looked very much alike. Artemis, rail-thin and muscular. Long blonde hair. Apollo was the tallest of the Olympians. Tanned, but blonde and muscular, too. He shook his head and slapped her back. "There doesn't have to be one."

"Oh yeah?" she said, holding a hunting knife in a somewhat threatening manner. "It's been three thousand years. It took some of us centuries to find our purpose in this world. And now... Tell me, what are you doing with yourself these days?"

Apollo walked over to the tent to grab a length of rope. "Well, I've been doing a lot of traveling. Visiting people."

"Right." Artemis took the rope from Apollo and bound the deer's legs. She tossed one end over a low tree branch and pulled, lifting the deer from the ground. Apollo placed a bucket under it and Artemis sliced the deer's throat twice more. Blood spilled into the bucket and she spoke again, "You're bored."

Apollo had been entranced by the stream of redness spilling from the animal but he looked over at Artemis quickly. "'Bored?' How so?"

She propped herself against the tree. "Well, it started about a thousand years ago when you handed your medical school over to your son."

"Asclepius was ready for it."

"Maybe," she coughed and shook the deer. "You stopped writing music. Plays. Poetry."

"Everyone gets writer's block." Apollo's voice began to trail.

"You're not alone. How do you think Demeter feels?" She began to stroke the sides of the deer, pushing fluids toward the bucket. "We're living in a post-agricultural society. What is there for her to do?"

Apollo shook his head, "There's plenty for her to do. New strains of food. Medicines. She's a botanist and a scientist. If she wants something to do, she can find it."

"But that's not the point. She's not needed now." Artemis walked away from the deer and looked Apollo square in the face. "Ares? There hasn't been a war for him to fight in ages. How do you think he feels?"

Apollo laughed. "He keeps busy."

"He's lucky." Artemis turned back to the deer. "The humans are doing well for themselves. We gave them a hand, for certain, but they're doing fine on their own."

Apollo nodded. "Yes?"

"So that begs the question," she looked over her shoulder at Apollo again, "what happens to us?"

"I don't know. That's really a question for..."

"Father, I know." Artemis lifted the head of the deer and smiled at Apollo, "Ready to help me skin it?"

Apollo sighed. "If I must."
**VI**

HELENA

2,614 Years Before the Final Exodus

The auburn-haired woman strode into the Balaneia as though she belonged. In reality, she hadn't been in many months and couldn't afford it tonight.

She sipped fine wines and ate delectable breads, cheeses, and fruits. She was rubbed with fragrant oils and massaged. And she would end the evening with a long soak in a steamy bath before being rubbed down again.

The woman stepped into the tiled pool room and removed her robe, handing it to a boy by the door. The steam prevented her from seeing the other people already reclining in the pools but she stepped confidently toward the steps, regardless. She slid into the warm water and propelled herself to the opposite corner, resting her back against the warm ceramic. Whatever cares she had were slipping away.

"Are you Helena Telamonina Delphii?"

She opened her eyes and looked through the steam to the man sitting in the pool next to her. "Why?"

He smiled and lifted his arm to rest on the dividing wall between them. "Do not worry, Helena. I am a friend."

She looked at his hand and saw a gold ring. Hephaestus Institute of Technology. "'A friend?'" She leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes. "Odd. I know my friends' names. I do not know yours."

"I am Thersites. Until recently, I was a leading scholar at the Hephaestus Institute."

"'Until recently?'" Helena did not look or turn toward him.

"Yes." Thersites glanced around the room noting that only two other people were bathing. "A very important project of mine ... fell into an abyss."

Still not opening her eyes, Helena scrunched up her face in confusion. "Was it withheld?"

Thersites grinned again, "No, but that's a longer story for another time."

"As you wish."

Thersites watched an older citizen leave the pool and a girl attended to him with a towel. "You were the lead genetic scholar at the Asclepius School, where you worked for nearly fifteen years altogether." She did not respond. "You worked in cloning. Cloning organs, rapid maturation processes, and the like." No response. "No complete human cloning, of course. That was banned centuries ago by the gods."

"Is there a purpose to this?"

"Yes. You were forced out of the school five years ago when it was discovered that you were secretly researching cloning of human minds." Helena opened her eyes, but did not turn toward him. "Not the organ itself, but the memories and information within." He paused, waiting for a response that didn't come. "For the last few years you've been eeking out extra funds by acting as a healer in your neighborhood. Your home is far smaller than it used to be and your food is more bland."

She swallowed slowly and paused. Thersites said nothing. Helena saw her father in her memory for a moment. Then she stared at a single tile on the far wall and spoke, "How do you know all of this?"

"Hephaestus Institute," Thersites said as he tapped his hand on the tiled wall, causing the metal of his ring to clink. "I was a leading designer of advanced computational processors. I can find information about anything. More importantly, I can find secrets that shouldn't be found."

Helena said nothing else. She stood from the pool and walked into the open towel a young man held for her. She glanced back at Thersites once and went to retrieve her clothes from the storage area.

Thersites followed. Helena did not acknowledge his presence as she dressed herself and stepped out into the Balaneia's courtyard. A small group was playing music; soft, soothing music from ancient-styled lyres and flutes. She sat at a table and Thersites sat across from her.

"Something to drink?" he offered.

"You buy."

Thersites motioned to a waiting attendant. When he approached, Thersites said, "Two coffees."

"Bring cream." Helena sat motionless as the attendant hurried away. "Very well. I acknowledge that your information about me is correct. What do you wish to do with this?"

"First, I must ask why you were forced out. Cloning the mind, yes, but what precept did that violate?"

Helena tilted her head slightly, "It goes back to cloning humans. More importantly, it violated a precept of the Asclepius School. That the mind contains the entirety of the person. All that we are, all that we have been and will be, it is in the mind."

"Somewhat existential," Thersites said quietly.

"Somewhat, but it is truthful. The mind contains the information and the memories that influence personality. The memories and abilities that ascribe intelligence. All of the information that allows the body to function. Organs can be replaced, but not the mind. The mind _is_ the person."

Thersites nodded. "So by cloning minds it could be said you were trying to circumvent the ban on cloning humans."

Helena nodded. "That was not my intent. I presented my project ... what little there was ... at an annual review by Asclepius. He was displeased and pointed out the preceptual violation. I tried to argue that this could be used to save someone who had been severely injured or was suffering from a disease before their body failed. I was unsuccessful. Asclepius wanted me reprimanded, but the division's lead scholar ordered me to leave instead."

Thersites looked toward the musicians. "My project was thrown into a divine abyss." Helena raised her eyebrows while he continued, "It was complete. A computational processor the likes of which have never been seen. Lord Hephaestus saw it... and he took it away."

"Did it violate some directive?"

"None that I'm aware of." Thersites watched an attendant come near with what he thought was their drinks, but he went to a different table instead. "Hephaestus told me that the project was not being withheld and that he would be getting back to me. He never did, obviously."

Helena crossed her legs and picked a hair from her knee. "It must have truly intrigued him."

Softly, Thersites responded, "Or frightened him."

She lifted her head with a jerk. "You seem to have a high opinion of your work."

Thersites said nothing. He turned and watched the musicians for a moment before the attendant returned with their coffees. He began to drink his immediately, but Helena poured in copious amounts of cream. As she stirred, he spoke again, "We live in a Utopia, you know."

She took a small sip and said, "So I hear."

"For three thousand years, the gods have lived among us and lifted mankind." Thersites spoke with an earnestness that Helena immediately recognized as facetiousness. "They have bestowed holy gifts of knowledge upon us all. And what have we reaped?" He waited for a reaction from her but she just drank. "No hunger. No homeless. No war. It took ages to get us to this point, but for the last few centuries, we've truly lived without hardship."

Helena chuckled mockingly.

"There is still hardship, of course." Thersites gulped a bit of his coffee. "Hardship of the spirit, perhaps, but not the hardship associated with a godsless existence. One that includes famine and conquest." Helena seemed distracted and she looked toward a couple dancing slowly by the musicians. "No, the Lords of Kobol provide shelter and sustenance for all. Better things are available for those who wish to work for it. No back-breaking labor, though. If one wishes to toil in the sun or fish the sea, they may, of course. But it is the advancements of arts and sciences that are mankind's true labors these days." He turned the handle of his cup side to side and grinned at Helena. "The gods have given us free will to choose our own destinies, but people above us and even the gods themselves have prevented some of those choices."

Her distraction ended and she looked at Thersites with a stern glare. "What are you saying?"

"Would you like to get back to your work, scholar?"

"'Get back' to what? A project that was all theory and without physical form? A project that displeased the gods?"

"Get back to helping people. You said so yourself. By cloning a mind, a person with severe injuries or a terminal disease could be given the full life they deserve."

"Again, my work was all theory. No substance."

Thersites smiled again. "That's where I come in."
**VII**

ZEUS

5,401 Years Before the Final Exodus

The Lord of Lords was drunk.

Great Zeus sprawled upon the floor, covered, though it was, in fine fleece and pillows. The temple acolytes danced and played around him. There were six: four girls and two boys. They all had been drinking the finest wine of the season and they were all predictably intoxicated. Zeus, though, had also been consuming chamalla.

"It is my birthday!" he had loudly proclaimed to the acolytes. They couldn't conceive of their greatest deity ever having been born like a mortal, but they humored him, nonetheless.

Zeus spent the first two hours of his revelry drinking and eating. He ordered the acolytes to do the same.

After that, Zeus disrobed and he instructed them to do likewise.

The acolytes in this assembly were all about seventeen years old. Virgins, at the start. For three hours, Zeus altered that status. For the boys, too. The acolytes were drunk, yes, but it was their duty. Their service to the Temple of Zeus included service to Zeus himself, if he ordered it. Tonight, he ordered it.

By this point in the evening, Zeus was nearly spent. He had fornicated with six humans, with varying degrees of romance and skill and on a descending scale of his own vested interest. He had eaten nearly two full tables of the finest wares, drunken four amphorae of the finest wine and smoked the finest chamalla. The life of a god was good.

Now, Zeus reeled in the haze. The room was spinning, yet it wasn't. The noise of the newly enlivened acolytes pierced his skull. The dim light of the candles stabbed his eyes. There was a pain in his side, but simply rolling over to see what it was seemed to reek of effort.

As he was about to slip into unconsciousness, a shout startled him, "Zeus!"

His eyes popped open, gazing straight toward the ceiling and into the face of someone else. "Leto?" He blinked slowly and raised himself up onto an elbow. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to speak to you," She looked around at the acolytes, the empty wine containers, the crumb-covered platters, "I need you to shake it off. There's something important you must do."

With a great groan, Zeus managed to sit up. "I can talk. I can converse."

"Lord Jupiter?" one of the acolytes called from the darkness, using his native Kobollian name.

"Quiet!" The acolyte immediately lowered her head and backed away into a corner. Zeus inhaled deeply and stared at Leto. "What are you doing here?"

"Listen to me. Ares is going to call you in a moment."

"About what?"

"When he calls, you must tell him to stop."

Zeus tried to stand and a scowl formed on his face. "'Stop' what?"

Leto sighed. "The genocide."

Zeus scoffed. "Why would I stop that?"

"You must listen..." Leto's voice trailed off as she looked around the room. She glanced toward the acolytes, pursed her mouth in disgust and then looked back at the bleary-eyed deity, "... to Prometheus."

"Prometheus?!" Zeus angrily leapt to his feet and kicked a large pillow across the room. Immediately, he stumbled, catching himself on the back of a chair. "Prometheus is a traitor and a... Whatever fate awaits him, he deserves worse!"

Leto was nonplussed, "Zeus, please."

Somewhere on the table, a communications device began to beep. He reached over to the table and picked up the earpiece, holding it aloft. "You want me to tell Ares to stop? You want me to listen to Prometheus?"

Leto's face became loving and calm. She nodded slowly. "Yes. Please." She knelt before him and took his hand in hers. "Do it for me."

Zeus regarded her for a moment. Her eyes were moist and wide. Her skin was familiar and alluring. She rubbed his fingers gently and pressed her chest against his legs and looked even more deeply into his eyes. He felt warm inside. A warmth unlike anything he had felt in almost ten years.

He blinked once and then he pressed the 'off' button on the device. He felt a gastrointestinal burning that welled into the back of his throat. He swallowed it back and glared at Leto. "Have you lost your mind?"

"No," she said, shaking her head as she stood.

"Have you somehow forgotten what he did?"

Leto rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "You should have spoken to Ares, but you can still speak to Prometheus. Resolve this." Zeus began shaking his head. "Will you heed my words?"

"Frak no." Zeus heard an acolyte giggle and he lunged over the tossed blankets and robes toward them. "Out! Get out now!" They lowered their heads and fled the chamber, naked. When Zeus turned around, Leto was gone.
**VIII**

PELIAS

2,610 Years Before the Final Exodus

"I will be honest," the archiereus said into the microphone, "I have had many... concerns these last few months." He shook his head and the reporter shifted his hand so the microphone could follow. "One might even use the word 'dread.'" The reporter chuckled. "But, here we are!" He motioned up toward the façade of the opera house and the large banners that fluttered in the breeze. "Today is Founding Day! A new year! It is also the three thousandth anniversary of Kobol as we know it!"

"When the Lords descended Olympus to save mankind from the Great Flood three thousand years ago, there were more than twenty," the reporter began.

"Yes."

"How many are you expecting today?"

Pelis smiled and said, "Well, I've been told" – he almost said 'warned' – "that the gods could hold an Olympic Council here if they wanted."

The reporter's eyebrows lifted, "So at least twelve?" Pelias nodded. "Have there ever been so many Lords together at one time?"

"In the modern era, no. I don't believe so." The reporter nodded in such a way as to indicate that he wanted more. "With that many gods together, the Charas could prove overwhelming to many people. We've actually set up counseling for ticketholders both before and after the concert to help them deal with all of that energy."

"I've never heard of anything like that."

"Yes, it's something that priests must deal with on occasions when they are called to Mount Olympus. It's not something we've ever had to share with the public before."

The reporter hesitated for a moment and then looked back at his photographer. She nodded and set her device down. "Archiereus," the reporter began, "thank you. I know it's a busy day..."

"A vast understatement."

"But I hope I can call on you after the concert to get your comments on how it went."

"Indeed." Pelias walked away as the duo gathered their gear. He stepped around the soundproof divider that blocked off the media section and looked down the avenues radiating from the opera house.

There were people as far as the eye could see. He inhaled sharply as the sound of their conversations and milling about filled his ears. Pelias walked toward the front doors of the theater when he caught sight of the nearby Pisces flag. Its lower corner waved wildly because a securing string had come loose. He touched the shoulder of a worker, pointed to it and said, "Make sure someone fixes that." She nodded and moved toward a supervisor.

Four hours later, Pelias was sitting near the front of the auditorium. The sound of the _Symphony of Kobol_ filled his ears. The music, however, was the furthest thing from his mind.

Yet again, he held up his hand and splayed his fingers. Every muscle twitched. His fingers moved in a blur. He smiled and licked his lips. His skin tingled as though he had been awake for days. Energy crackled along his spine and his hair stood on end. His third erection in the last hour was just beginning to wane. Yes, that particular effect of multiple Charas was embarrassing, but it was a natural reaction. Certainly, he was not alone.

Lords Apollo, Dionysus, and Hermes were performing on stage along with the Theonpolitan Symphony. Lords Zeus, Demeter, Hecate, Artemis, Athena, Aphrodite, Hephaestus, Eros, Coronis, Hera, Atlas, and Mars were in attendance. It was near pandemonium before the concert began. Despite the loud music, there was an underlying roar throughout the performance, caused by nervous and excited humans.

Pelias' legs bounced on the balls of his feet and he stilled his knees with his hands. Not since that taped interview outside hours ago had the word "dread" reentered his mind.

The Lords on stage and their human counterparts had been playing for over an hour. The symphony started slow and dramatic, played on ancient instruments. It built to great crescendos and transitioned to newer and newer musical devices. Near the end, the sound of electric instruments filled the hall. In a repeat of the main theme, the older and intermediate instruments now returned. Tribal drums, lyres, flutes, trumpets, horns, violins, piano, guitars, and more. Lord Dionysus reveled in playing his special oversized piano. Apollo played an ancient flute. Hermes, of course, played his electric lyre. Even without the presence of so many Lords, Pelias believed he would be very moved.

And with a flourish, Lord Dionysus hit the keys one last time and the decay of the symphony echoed throughout the hall. Immediately, all of the humans leapt to their feet in raucous applause and adulation. The gods followed suit and rose, applauding. Mars whistled his approval and clapped his huge hands. Only Hecate seemed disinterested.

The rumble in the theatre seemed to last for ages. Pelias looked at the ceiling and noted the cameras which were transmitting this historic event to the entire world. His attention whipped back to the stage where he saw Apollo, Dionysus, and Hermes jump to the auditorium floor. They shook hands and exchanged greetings with their fellow Lords.

Pelias sidestepped his way out of the row of seats and into the aisle. He made his way to the back of the theater and motioned for the ushers to open the doors. The gods had left their seats and were now walking up the incline. The audience was still thunderous in their applause and cheers. People next to the aisle were trying to bow as low as they could without falling down.

Pelias and the ushers moved into the lobby and the Lords were quickly behind them. The doors were flung open and the volume of the audience inside was overwhelmed by the deafening cheers coming from the multitude gathered outside.

Pelias quickly stepped to a side column and gazed across the horizon. The streets fanned out from the theatre toward the Forum in the west, the institutes in the north and to Pantheon Park in the south with magnificent temples all around. Flags representing the Twelve Nations fluttered in the breeze. Banners expressing love and devotion to the Lords were carried by the young and old. Screens that had earlier displayed the symphony now echoed the endless sea of mankind. Streamers, confetti, balloons ... it was a celebratory spectacle the likes of which had not been seen in a millennium.

In every conceivable place that a person could fit, there were two. The high priest knew that the earlier estimates of a few hundred thousand must have been in error. On the streets of Theonpolis, there had to be well over a million souls.

Zeus and the Lords of Kobol walked to the edge of the steps and raised their arms in greeting. It did not seem possible, but the crowd grew even louder. Hera smiled and pulled Hecate near. Hephaestus and Aphrodite embraced and waved to them all. Dionysus gave a hearty laugh and slapped Mars on the back. Athena had bent over and was waving to individuals as though she knew them. Perhaps she did.

Pelias was again caught by the Charas of their presence, but he felt even more overjoyed to see the Lords interacting. He looked out to the crowd and saw, under a lamppost, a single man standing on a low marble fence. He was not smiling. He was holding a poster that read, in bold black letters on white, "One God."

Pelias was dumbstruck. His smile vanished and he looked over to the Lords. They had not seen him, Pelias guessed, as they were still basking in the adoration of Theonpolis' millions.

When Pelias looked back toward the lamppost, the man was gone.
**IX**

HELENA

2,610 Years Before the Final Exodus

"Who's there?" the old man yelled.

"It's just me, Dad," Helena answered.

"Agathe?" He looked around the room as though he couldn't see to whom he was speaking.

Helena sighed and brought the bowl to the bedside table. "No, Dad. Agathe isn't here."

"Oh." He sat up a little and looked at the woman. "Helena?"

She smiled and said, "That's right. Are you hungry?"

He nodded and pulled his atrophied left hand up with his right. "Is it fasolada?"

"Of course." She filled a spoon and blew on it a little. "Here you go."

He accepted the spoon into his mouth and immediately recoiled. "Hot!" The soup dribbled down his chin.

"It's not hot, Dad." Helena put the bowl down and picked up the towel. She dabbed at his mouth and clothes. When she picked up the bowl again, she touched the tip of her finger on the surface of the liquid. It was hotter than she realized. She blew some more and got a spoonful. She blew on it, too. Once the spoon was in his mouth again, she said, "I'm going to cut your hair when we're finished, alright?"

He nodded. "Don't you have to go back to work?"

"I do," she said. She stirred the bowl and got another spoonful. "But I told them I would be late today."

"They won't miss you at the museum?"

Helena closed her eyes. He swallowed the soup and she put the spoon back into the bowl. "No. I'm Helena. Mom worked at the museum. I work at the Asclepius School."

He nodded. She picked up the glass of water and bent the straw toward him. He sipped on it for a moment and said, "Agathe, I think I heard Helena in her room again with that boy."

She couldn't help but smile. She remembered that day so long ago. As she thought back, she remembered her mother and her father, as they both were. Her throat tightened and she picked up the soup again.

Before he took another spoonful, he said, "I feel so tired."

Helena answered, "I know, Dad. I'm working on it."

Years later, she shook her head, staring at figures in the glass containers.

"It will work," Thersites said. "Don't worry." He touched her shoulder gently and moved out of the room. Helena stared even longer.

Three years ago, Thersites finished the laboratory under his family farm. It cost him nearly all of his savings. It was state-of-the-art, though. Stacks of processors, organic chemistry units, genetic sequencers. She wondered how he got it all before she remembered his prowess with computers.

"I sense you're still conflicted," Thersites said from the main lab. "You shouldn't be, really."

"How could I not be?" she asked. She didn't raise her voice but he still heard her.

"We discussed it," he said, leaning back into the storage area. "This way, we are certain of the subjects' genetic makeups."

Helena sighed. She agreed to join Thersites on his campaign. Together, she had been convinced they could develop ways to help people with brain damage, degenerative disorders, or massive organ trauma. The aims were lofty, but her joy came in the knowledge that she would be doing real research again. Postulating theories and making it work. She wanted to see her ideas made real.

In front of her, in four glass jars, they were.

"Look," Thersites said. He walked into the storage room and stood next to one of the containers. "We knew we would have to undertake something like this," he motioned toward one of the figures. "You do genetic work. This is your chance to get it done. Once you've got your bit fully underway, we can work on my side of things."

"I know." She shook her head again. "I just... I wish there were another way."

"I'm always open to suggestions." He turned and left the room.

Helena moved toward the jars and looked more closely. They were her children, and his, but at this arrested stage, they didn't even appear human. Her genetic acceleration would be tested in the coming months. In order for their neurological tests to work, these children would have to be about twenty-five years old.

She was sure it would work. She used to do similar aging efforts on individual organs for transplants. She had never done it on an entire person, though.

Helena looked forward to the research but she was unsure if she could handle it. After all, her father was already dead.
**X**

ATHENA

2,608 Years Before the Final Exodus

"Teia gou, Hon Minerva."

The goddess turned and smiled down at the young woman. She spoke in the tongue of the ancient Kobollians. The language was still taught to some, but the proper accents haven't been heard in millennia.

"Teia gou," Athena replied.

Her mind flashed back three thousand years to a time shortly before the Flood. She disobeyed Zeus and descended the mountains to speak with and learn from the tribes gathered there.

"Wise goddess" they called her.

Athena looked across Pantheon Park. The buildings with marble columns disappeared. Even the modern ones of glass and steel vanished. She saw only tents and campfires. Thousands of people wearing pelts and crude woven fabrics. The sky was black and the stars were bright. The images were in her mind, concrete. Athena continued her steps down the sidewalk but in her head, she moved among the long-dead people whom she adored.

A vehicle's horn broke her from the vision and snapped her back to the day.

It was almost noon. The high sun illuminated her olive skin and highlighted the sun streaks in her brown hair. The white dress was pushed against her body as she walked into a breeze from the nearby river.

She was making her way to the Forum. The building had been unchanged for centuries. It was a collection of large marble structures surrounding a grass floor with columns, statues of the Lords, and flags of the Twelve Nations. Corridors opened from the Forum field on the ground level into Quorum offices and meeting chambers. A caretaker Cylon was outside, spraying water onto the stone walks of the courtyard. Its sweeping green eye saw Athena. It lowered the hose and bowed for precisely three seconds before continuing its work.

In the high-ceilinged foyer, she nodded to the attendant at the front desk. She made her way into the corridor and circled around to an entrance for the Quorum meeting chamber. It was cavernous and opulent. Twelve marble columns ringed the area, each with a golden seal representing each of the Nations. The finest dark woods were used in the making of the dais, chairs, tables and walls. The carpeting was royal blue. Gold and silver accents were used anywhere possible. The room could seat about a hundred people. Today, though, it was empty.

Athena continued down the corridor and made her way to a staircase. On the third floor, she entered a committee meeting room and found Archiereus Pelias sitting alone with two tablet processors and a stack of papers.

"Good day, High Priest."

Pelias' body leapt from his chair immediately. "Lord Athena," he stammered. "What an unexpected surprise."

She grinned, "Most surprises are." Pelias looked confused for a moment before he caught the redundancy. Athena moved around the table and sat at the space reserved for the Libra archon. "Relax, Pelias. I am simply here to find out what may be going on in the world."

Pelias smiled and sat slowly, "I see, I see. Certainly." He turned off the tablet processors and pushed the papers aside. He clasped his hands and leaned onto the table top, "The Quorum is out today with Lord Mars observing military exercises in the Great Meadow."

Athena nodded. When speaking, many people used Ares' Kobollian name to avoid confusion with the Nation of Aries. "And what about yourself? Why did you not attend?"

Pelias motioned to the processors and the papers, "Too much work, I'm afraid."

"Are there any matters that I may address for you?"

He reached into his stack of papers and removed a page, "There was a notice put in to the Virgo archon, requesting your presence for a festival next month in your namesake city." He passed the paper to her.

"That sounds pleasant. It has been too long since I visited Athens."

Pelias stared at his interlaced fingers on the tabletop. Athena noticed, but said nothing. The high priest acted as though he was about to speak twice, only to remain quiet. Finally, he found the words. "Goddess, I have a question."

Athena raised her eyebrows. A question from a mortal occasionally showed great insight. "Please. Ask."

Again, Pelias paused as he precisely structured his words. "At the Trimillennial symphony performance, I saw a man outside the theatre holding a sign that read ... 'One God.'"

Immediately, Athena's heart sank. "I see."

"I was confused by this." Pelias straightened in his chair and continued, "Was he referring to one particular Lord of Kobol? That Zeus should be the one and only god?"

Athena's mouth held a tight line. She paused, uncertain of how she should answer. "No. I do not believe so."

Pelias sensed her discomfort. The Chara had altered and the archiereus was not feeling euphoric any longer. "May I ask what the sign referred to, Lord?"

She inhaled deeply. "You have heard of monotheism, Pelias?" His eyes widened and he nodded. "That is what I believe the sign holder was referring to."

Pelias hunched over the table; his arms now in his lap. "I did not realize. Are there still followers of Prometheus today?"

Athena's eyes darted to Pelias' face, "You would be wise not to utter that name again, Priest." Pelias lowered his head onto the table and began to stutter, but Athena spoke first, "The fact that you even know that name is disturbing."

Pelias lifted his head slightly, "My father was a historian. I... I beg forgiveness, Goddess."

Athena stood and made ready to leave the chamber. She saw his quivering and regretted her outburst. "You do not need my forgiveness, Pelias. But," she placed her hand on his shoulder, "I would not make mention of that sign to anyone else."

Quickly, Pelias took her hand from his shoulder and kissed her knuckles. "Yes, Lord. Thank you."

Athena withdrew her hand and walked from the chamber back to the staircase. She stopped part of the way down the flight and became worried. Hearing that name again... it did not bode well.
**XI**

THERSITES

2,608 Years Before the Final Exodus

The two scholars stood silently in the lab, staring at the lifeless body of their child.

Thersites and Helena calmly walked to their separate workstations and sat down. He looked at his monitors and glanced toward Helena. "I'm prepared."

Helena nodded, though Thersites didn't see it. "It is time." She keyed a sequence on her panel, and the man tied to the table twitched. Readouts surrounding him begin to flash and emit sounds.

"Good," Thersites nodded. "I'm transmitting." He keyed a sequence as well, and more readouts sprang to life.

Their child convulsed. The straps and mouthguard helped reduce injury to him, but he struggled. His eyes fluttered and saliva gushed from under the plastic device between his lips. Helena and Thersites rose from their workstations and stepped to his side. Helena winced at the sight; Thersites seemed to have a more clinical interest.

"The seizure is lasting longer than before," Helena said.

"More information."

As Thersites finished, the man stopped his fit. Helena's head whipped toward the monitors to see the current information. "The readings look good."

Thersites nodded. He leaned over the table and examined the shaved head. A trio of thin-gauged tubes entered his skull on the left side. The entry points were wrapped in gauze and doused with an antibacterial solution. He stood and lifted the left eyelid, flicking a penlight around, checking the pupil for dilation. It shrunk slowly.

Helena shook her head and walked back to her processors. "I do not like to look at him."

Thersites closed his eyes. "This is the third one. Certainly it must be easier."

"No." Helena typed for a moment. "He is still our child."

Thersites dropped the penlight on the table. "Tritos is our experiment. Don't forget that."

Though Helena's genetic maturation processes worked on the second child, it did not survive the mental uploads. Thersites had moved to organic information storage but there were still problems with the data transfers. There were problems with the brains themselves. So she helped again. Helena's theories on cloning minds helped him further develop his computational processor.

Thersites was staring absent-mindedly at the man on the table when he opened his mouth and began to speak.

"Ah," he said. "Is? ... I do ..."

Helena ran from her console to his side and cradled his head in her hand, "Yes? Take a deep breath and try again. Slowly."

Tritos tried to make eye contact but had difficulty. He licked his lips and glanced around the lab, seeing only the brightest lights near him. Thersites kept his distance, studying the brain activity monitors.

Helena smiled and brushed the side of her son's face. After a moment, he managed a whispered, "Mother?"

Immediately, tears fell from her eyes. Thersites beamed and darted back to the table. "It worked!"

Helena ignored him and stared at Tritos, "Yes. I'm your mother."

Thersites leaned over the table, trying to catch his son's attention, "What is the last thing you remember?"

Slowly, he turned his head. "I ... It is hard."

"I know," Thersites said. "Try."

After a moment, the man began, "I remember ... eating lunch under the trees." Thersites immediately ducked out from under the observation lights and clapped his hands together. "And people playing music."

A picnic in the park. A simple enough memory to use as a test for the implantation. Adding the musicians was an afterthought to test Tritos' detail recall.

"Yes!" Thersites walked around the table to congratulate Helena, but she was too engrossed in Tritos. He kept his distance and attended to the intravenous fluids. "Tritos, I need you to tell me one other thing."

"Yes, father?"

"Do you recall the mathematical formula I taught you yesterday morning at breakfast?"

"I do. C-squared equals a-squared plus b-squared minus 2 times a-b times the cosine of angle C."

Helena looked at Thersites, confused. He grinned and turned back to the intravenous fluids. "It's the law of cosines." Naturally, since this was the first day of Tritos' waking life, there was no "yesterday morning at breakfast." It was another implanted memory.

"I feel tired." Tritos closed his eyes and began to nod off.

Helena seemed surprised until she saw that Thersites had added drugs to the fluid bags. She stood up and returned to her workstation.

Thersites laughed to himself. "It worked. It's finally coming together." He glanced at his partner and saw she did not respond. He gave his head a quick jerk to the side; disgusted with Helena's recent queasiness about their research. She was growing too attached to these subjects. Perhaps he could convince her that they were making real progress.

Thersites rotated in his lab chair to face her back, "We'll continue to transfer artificial memories into Tritos. Maybe even work on that wireless transfer you've theorized. It's working. Everything we've done these last few years is working better than expected."

"Hmm."

"After that, we need to try transferring an adult's fully-formed memories into a clone."

Helena typed at her console. "Maybe we'll clone you this time."

Thersites turned back to his monitors. He looked over his shoulder at her one more time and let out a deep sigh.
**XII**

ZEUS

2,606 Years Before the Final Exodus

Zeus did not want to be hailed as a god, but it was thrust upon him by the Kobollians.

This is what he told himself.

Today being Jupiter's Day in Delphi was just more proof. The people of that city declared the day to honor not only Zeus himself, but also Delphi's most beloved resident, Apollo, Zeus' son.

For the celebration, Zeus was invited to the opening of a new indoor coliseum. He had long since become bored with sports and went to these events as seldom as possible. But, Apollo was going to be there and he felt it had been too long since he had last spent time with his son.

"Father," Apollo said as he lowered his head.

"Hello, son." Zeus clapped him on the shoulder. "How long has it been, not counting the concert?"

"Thirty years."

Zeus chuckled, "Well, not as bad as I thought." The two Lords turned to step into the corridor of the Delphi Coliseum and were met with a throng of people and cameras. "Agh. After three thousand years, they should be tired of seeing me."

"Tired of you?" Apollo sarcastically said without a laugh or a smile. "It is Jupiter's Day in Delphi, after all." They walked through the crowd, some of the people touching their clothes or skin as they passed, hoping to get some sort of blessing. They turned a corner and entered the special box seating area set aside for Lords.

It was quite large. Windows opened to the stadium crowd on either side, but as the two walked to the opposite end, they emerged into the coliseum itself on their platform. The ceiling was high and the stadium seats were filled to capacity: more than two-hundred twenty thousand people.

Zeus raised his eyebrows at the sight, "Very nice. Largest one I've seen."

Apollo waved to the crowd and gave a perfunctory smile before sitting in his seat, designated by a stylized sun on the panel before him. Zeus gave a quick wave and sat behind a lightning bolt.

A spotlight shone upon a man as he strolled out to the center of the gray arena below. "Ladies, gentlemen, and Lords of Kobol, I welcome you all to the new Delphi Coliseum!" Applause and cheers. "Allow me to give a special prayer of thanksgiving." Apollo glanced over at Zeus, who seemed tired yet somewhat amused. "Lords of Kobol, we thank you all for the gifts you have given mankind. Lord Apollo, we thank you for making Delphi your home and for making it a better place. And Lord Zeus, we thank you for attending this joyous event and for gracing us with your presence on your special day. So say we all." The crowd then repeated the last phrase.

Apollo quickly applauded and leaned toward his father, "Short and simple. The way it should be."

The rest of the stadium applauded and cheered the gods as Zeus said, "Perhaps he should instruct our priests."

"Ladies, gentlemen, and Lords, the track is prepared for our inaugural event: the running of the Delphi horses!" The crowd cheered and the lights shifted to reveal a lined brown track circling the gray area in the center. Horses emerged from under the stands on the side opposite the Lords and slowly trotted to their positions behind a starting post.

"You should have invited Poseidon. He would have loved this."

Apollo didn't take his eyes off the track, "True, but this is not his day."

Zeus sighed. The official dropped a large bell and the sound coincided with the lowering of the starting pole. The eight horses began running immediately around the two kilometer-long track. "Why is it always this way with you?"

Apollo didn't take his attention from the horses, "What do you mean?"

"Apathy. Sarcasm." Zeus hadn't looked at the horses yet.

"Perhaps it's a phase, father. All children have them."

"But for it to last three millennia? Certainly you've managed to forget or even forgive whatever I've done to anger you so."

Now Apollo looked away from the race. "'Forget or forgive?'" His voice was raised, but the din of the crowd and the race prevented anyone but Zeus from hearing it.

"Well? Spit it out."

Apollo shook his head. "Again? How many times have I told you?"

Zeus looked to the horses, "Oh, so it's the same thing? Nothing new? I've been an inattentive father?"

Apollo said softly, "Isn't that enough?"

Zeus still heard him, "It's been millennia! Grow up!"

"Not just me, father," Apollo said while crossing his legs.

"Oh? Where is Artemis? Hecate? They haven't said a word to me along..."

"They haven't said a word to you, period," Apollo interjected.

Zeus inhaled deeply. It was true. He hadn't spoken to Artemis – Trimillennial celebrations aside – for almost a century. And Hecate. There was barely any point in trying to speak to her. She was her mother's daughter.

"And I don't always refer to your blood children, by the way. You've been absent for all of them."

Furrowing his brow, Zeus faced his son again, "'All of them?'"

"Humanity." Zeus rolled his eyes while Apollo continued, "We are gods to them and you regard them as little more than playthings. Every once in a while you take them out of the box to try out a new toy or idea..."

"Not true."

"They are your experiments, father. This is what you said."

Zeus repositioned himself in the chair, "I have not forgotten that these are sentient beings."

Apollo did not react to the closer presence of his father, or the raised voice. "Beings that you use for physical gratification. That you have at your beck and call. Certainly, you will descend the Mount on occasion to mingle with the masses, but those appearances are few and far between."

Zeus shook his head. "I didn't want to be a god. It was... thrust upon me."

Apollo stared at him. "Is that a joke?"

He looked at his son and said, "You know what I mean." Apollo chuckled and Zeus interrupted, "I visited the Forum last year."

"Two years ago, father," Apollo corrected.

Zeus paused and thought. "Yes, two. But I still went and gave the Archons guidance and they were happy to accept it."

"Happy because of your Chara. Nothing more."

"What would you have me do? Intervene unnecessarily at every possible level of society?"

The crowd cheered as the winning horse crossed the finish line. Apollo and Zeus stood to applaud the winner, who descended from the steed and bowed. Another group of horses emerged from under the stands, this time bearing chariots and riders. A very ancient form of racing, it was still popular. As the first set of racing horses and riders left, the charioteers got into position at the starting line. The bell rang and they were off.

Apollo allowed the crowd to get raucous again before he replied to his father, "Why not intervene?"

Zeus scraped his fingers through his gray beard and leaned on the arm of his seat, "They don't need it any longer."

Apollo feigned surprise, "Oh. Does that mean the experiment is over?"

"I don't know when it will be over."

"What is the point now? What is the endgame?" Apollo was growing angry again and he looked toward the people nearby. Too far away to be affected by his Chara. "At the beginning, yes, I understood. Get these humans on a path to survival and advancement. And then it became about making Kobol's society the best possible. We did that. Centuries ago. Now... what's the point?"

"This is why I don't speak to you more often," he muttered. Now Zeus had doubts. What was the point? He had his selfish pursuits: food, sex, drugs, entertainment. But that couldn't be his answer. "I don't know."

Apollo was shocked. "You don't know?" He glanced around the coliseum at the hundreds of thousands of people, happy and oblivious to the momentous event that had just happened. Apollo was still for a moment and he mindlessly watched the chariots begin a new lap. Then, "Well, what now?"

Zeus had thought about it before. What would he do if he ever gave up his godhood? Could the Lords leave Kobol and find someplace else? But then what? "Immortality is... overrated."

Apollo smiled genuinely for the first time today. "Indeed it is."

Zeus straightened in his chair again, "Perhaps I should call a council of Olympians. There may be something more we can do with Kobol."

Apollo shook his head, "I don't believe they need us to do anything more. The humans have all of the tools we can give them. They can decide for themselves. They have become stagnant because of our presence."

"I don't believe that."

"The gods live among them. We've given them all that they need. Why strive for more? If we withdrew..."

"I am not convinced that they are mature enough to make the proper decisions." The chariot race ended and the crowd rose. The Lords also stood, applauding. "Even if we withdrew many of the controls we have in place, the humans could still choose poorly."

As they sat, Apollo asked, "Still, isn't that their decision?"

Zeus didn't answer. There was a lull in the festivities as the track was cleared. He looked at his son and said, "Did you hear about this Aeacus guy in Libra?"

Apollo squinted and said, "No."

Zeus smirked and tapped his own chest. "He's running for archon there, telling everyone he's my son."

Apollo rolled his eyes. "If I had a stater every time someone did that..." He looked around the stadium and then back to his father, "Are you going to claim him?"

Zeus scoffed. "Claiming Heracles as my son was a simple thing. He was an awesome man."

"He was."

"But this... politician?" He shook his head. "No."

The announcer returned to the center area as the horses left the stadium. "And now, ladies, gentlemen, and Lords, we have come to the gladiatorial portion of today's entertainment."

Both Zeus and Apollo's attention diverted to the arena. They sat quietly as the audience cheered and two lines of Cylons entered. One from each line stepped to the center of the gray area, held their swords aloft and nodded. They took a step back, and then their sweeping yellow eyes turned red.

"Begin!" called the announcer.

Swiftly, the two machines leapt at each other over a superhuman distance. The metallic blue Cylon crashed his sword into the elbow of the red one. The red Cylon tried to reach under the armor of its opponent with a free hand, but the blue warrior kicked it away. They stepped back again and the red Cylon crashed its sword on the forearm of the blue. With a single and precise thrust, the blue Cylon drove its sword into the eye socket of the red. A foot in the chest knocked it down and it rolled back into a crouching position.

Wiring dangled from the oblong slit. With a tilted head, Red listened for the footfalls of Blue. It seemed an impossible task, given the noise of the crowd. Blue stepped lightly to Red's right side, and with startling ferocity, Red slashed its sword at the knees of Blue, catching a servo motor and forcing the Cylon down onto one knee.

Red stood and ran to the far side of Blue, again listening for the sounds of its opponent's movements. Blue swiveled its head and raised its arm. Red swiped with its sword again, this time catching Blue's sword arm at the shoulder. The blade fell and the arm went limp. Red stepped closer and felt for the nape of Blue's neck. Red grabbed the rim of Blue's armor and prepared to drive its sword down into the mechanism, but Blue managed to reach behind it and grip the shin armor of Red. With a quick yank, Red lost its balance and Blue butted its head into the hip of Red. Red stumbled back; Blue grabbed its sword with its left arm and drove the tip under the belly armor of Red.

Its lower body systems now damaged, Red fell to its knees. Blue did not reposition itself and instead swept the sword under the neck of Red, severing most of the machinery and causing the head to loll about on its shoulders. Red's body hung still for a moment before crashing forward, inactive.

The audience went mad. Blue was lifted by an assisting robot while the remains of Red were put on a cart and wheeled away.

Zeus and Apollo had been silent the entire match. Zeus broke the silence as two red Cylons and two blue Cylons stepped to the center for their match. After his doubts a short while ago, Zeus felt the smugness return. "Do you still believe the humans can't make mistakes?"

Apollo was silent for a moment. "Hephaestus has done his part. These are mindless machines."
**XIII**

THERSITES

2,605 Years Before the Final Exodus

He motioned toward the back corner of the barn for the man to follow. The stranger glanced about, confused, but he did.

Last year, Thersites and Helena looked down at a younger clone of himself.

She shook her head. "We've run all the tests we can on your clones. We've perfected the connected upload. We need to develop a wireless upload."

He slammed his fist on the desk, "I'm not a communications expert! And neither are you."

Helena stood, "Perhaps you have someone else in mind? Someone else you can ensnare?"

For the first time in hours, Thersites turned to face her. "'Ensnare?' You came here of your own free will. You have remained here of your own free will."

She walked over to Tritos while she spoke, "Only because I cannot fathom the punishment for what we've done." She leaned over and brushed Tritos' cheek, that big, dumb brute. He smiled.

"If we're successful," Thersites began, "there will be no punishment."

In the present, Thersites smirked as he lifted the hatch on the secret ladder. He couldn't wait to see Helena's face. She wanted a communications expert? He got one.

The short, stocky man was standing on the other side of the security door and waiting for Thersites to type in the code. He did so slowly and when the doors opened, he nodded toward the entrance.

The men stepped inside, seeing mostly processor stacks and other equipment. But he caught a glimpse of a younger Thersites strapped to the exam table.

"Sweet Zeus," Lycamon muttered.

Helena stood and ran to the edge of the exam table, blocking his view. "What is he doing here?"

Older Thersites tried to speak, but only partial syllables emerged before Lycamon's own eagerness percolated and he bounced around the room.

"You were not lying to me," Lycamon said as he moved around Helena to the unconscious younger Thersites' side. "Godsdamn, I didn't believe a word of what you said."

"I had to tell him," Thersites said with a grin. "I need his help with transceivers or wireless organic transfers will never work. He was only too happy to help. Hephaestus withheld a project of his just weeks ago."

He noted the disgust on her face. The surprise. It made him smile even wider. Wait. Why was that? Just a few short years ago, they were working together toward a common goal. They wanted to develop the best computational processors possible. They wanted to create brains, essentially. This meant being able to program them, transfer memories, and a host of other possibilities. Never mind the advances in genetics and cloning. Helena had achieved these things in spades, yet she seemed constantly upset.

The children. She professed no desire for motherhood yet she constantly acted matronly toward Tritos. Even to those jarred fetuses. Clinically done, they merged an egg with a sperm and made three additional copies. Thersites managed a cold detachment; why not her? It threatened their project. It threatened the conclusion of their project. He had to keep her here, on the farm. If she left, it could mean the end of everything.

She couldn't leave. Years ago, Thersites "killed" her in Kobol's computer systems. She would never be able to live her life as she had before. Helena had ceased to exist outside of the farm. And then there was shame. He made sly references to blasphemy. He subtly discussed how needy Tritos was. It was working, for now.

Helena lowered her head and walked back to her chair away from Lycamon. Thersites looked around and realized that Tritos, thankfully, was in his room asleep. "Did you pay him?" she asked.

"Oh, he will," Lycamon said as he studied the data readouts on Thersites' monitors. "How in the name of Hades did you manage all of this? I mean, cloning is one thing. Congratulations on that, Scholar Helena. But organic processors and mass memory transfer? Brilliant."

Thersites sat in a chair by the door. "The theories were mostly mine and Helena's. But I found an archive of withheld projects in the Hephaestus Institute's database."

"I'm sure that was a treasure trove," Lycamon said, holding brain activity charts up to the light. "Included a couple of mine, I'm certain."

"It did, indeed. Can you help?" Thersites asked.

"Oh, I've got a few ideas already. You don't have to worry about massive file downloads if you stream a day's worth of data each night. Makes the transmissions easier to manage." He grinned, laying the papers down. "Believe me, I know the risks, but it seems as though you two have already borne the worst of those."
**XIV**

POSEIDON

2,601 Years Before the Final Exodus

"Wait," the Lord said to the bank of fishermen. The ocean's waves buffeted them and a few stumbled. The moderately-sized craft could usually handle choppy seas, but a distant storm was making things worse.

Poseidon looked into the water and held his trident above his head. "Now," he said. The men threw the net into the ocean and Poseidon squeezed the handle on his staff. He held it steady, pointing toward the water. The net slowly sank behind him and opened up. Immediately, the fishermen felt it grow heavier.

"It's working, Lord!" one man yelled.

Poseidon grinned. He lowered the trident and stepped away from the side of the boat. He watched the dozen or so men begin to hoist the net back onto the deck, and after a few minutes, they pulled it over the side. Hundreds of fish flopped around on the wood.

"Hail Poseidon!" the captain yelled. The men cheered and the god held up his hands to calm them.

"Thank you," he said, pointing toward the sea. "There's still plenty of empty space in your holds. Get the net ready to drop again."

They complied and Poseidon took his place by the side. He held his trident aloft and told the men when to drop their net.

Two hours later, the boat sailed back into the harbor of Ephyra. It was a fishing community south of Poseidon's home in Argos. With only a few thousand residents, the people of this village still fended very much for themselves. They didn't rely on handouts from the gods or Kobol's government. They didn't participate in the housing programs because they simply didn't need to. Ephyra was a small, close-knit community. If someone had a problem, they solved it themselves.

Poseidon stepped off the boat and onto the dock. As he walked from the harbor, dozens of people ran to the boards to see the massive haul the god had helped the crew bring back.

"Thank you, Lord!" a woman said.

Poseidon nodded and held a hand up, "Please, I was just trying to help. I'm hopeful that your fishing expeditions will be more fruitful from now on."

"I'm sure they will be," she said.

Every few years, the fishermen in Ephyra and a few other small villages had a rough start to their fishing season. They called on Poseidon to come and help kick things off. He often went, and even though he may have been able to bring in a good haul on one trip, that wasn't to say every other trip would pan out. Sometimes it didn't. The people, though, didn't care. The god came and tried to help.

"Lord Poseidon," an older man called from the front of a restaurant and tackle shop near the harbor.

The deity stopped and turned. He studied the old man carefully and asked, "Neleus?"

"It is me." He smiled and tried to stand, but Poseidon trotted toward him and helped him sit back down.

"May I?" Poseidon asked, pointing toward an open chair.

"As though you have to ask," he said.

Poseidon sat and leaned his trident against the wall. He crossed his arms and looked at Neleus for a moment and nodded. "How are you?"

"So as to be about," he said. "Yourself?"

"The same."

"It's been a long time since you first came to Ephyra," Neleus said. "When you first helped me fish, I mean."

"Of course," Poseidon said. "You didn't need my help, though."

He nodded. "Perhaps. But I appreciated it, nonetheless."

Poseidon leaned forward and spoke softly. "Do you harbor any ill will toward me?"

Neleus' face twisted and he shook his head vigorously. "No, Lord. Why would you even think that?"

Poseidon shrugged, "I know your mother used to speak of me all the time..."

Neleus waved his hand dismissively. "She did, but it did not affect me. Not adversely, anyway." Neleus leaned forward, too. "I appreciated your attention even if I resented hers."

Poseidon smiled and took in a deep breath. "I know, despite your mother's claims, you were not truly my son," he said as Neleus nodded, "but I did enjoy my time here in Ephyra, helping you on the sea. Helping you build your boat."

"Mmm, and I enjoyed the time you spent with me on horseback, even though I lacked your knack for them."

Poseidon smiled. "Yes." Suddenly, he felt a weight on his chest and he looked at Neleus anew. He saw how old he was. He knew that his pseudo-son would be dead soon. His smile faded and he reached across the table to pat Neleus' arm. "Is there anything you require? Anything at all?"

Neleus smiled and looked toward the ocean. "No, Lord. I have the salt air and good memories. Good family and friends, too. I'm surrounded by the things I love." He looked at Poseidon again and touched his hand. "Do not worry about me, Lord. I thank you."

Poseidon nodded once and stood up. Taking his trident from the wall, he bowed toward Neleus and said, "Take care." He turned and walked up the road toward the stable where his horse was tended.

Polyphemus was the beast's name, and it appeared to be a beast. Millennia ago, Poseidon bred a family of horses with strong bones and exceptional size. The kind that would be able to carry Lords of Kobol on their backs. He thanked the stableman and slid his trident into a holster on the saddle. With a foot in one stirrup, Poseidon leapt up and swung his other leg to the opposite side.

He rode out from the stable and onto the road heading north. The sun would be going down in a couple of hours and he knew he would be back in Argos shortly. He stopped, though, at the edge of Ephyra when he saw a construction site and a stack of stone blocks.

"What are you building?" Poseidon asked the foreman.

The woman turned and bowed quickly. "My Lord!" she exclaimed. "We are setting up a new power unit."

Poseidon nodded and looked at the surrounding materials. "Solar?"

"Yes, Lord," she said. "There will be wind units along the shore down the way," she added, pointing to the ocean.

"Very good," Poseidon said, following her arm. He looked toward the sea and saw empty pallets being carried back from the sand to the main site. Carried by machines. He sat still and his mouth drew into a straight line. He exhaled slowly and said, "Cylons."

The foreman nodded and she turned back toward Poseidon. "Yes, Lord. They're brand new. Ephyra's first."

Poseidon said nothing and he turned Polyphemus toward the road. They moved north toward Argos again and he moved at a steady canter over the hills. As he rode, Poseidon simply sat and thought.
**XV**

HELENA

2,598 Years Before the Final Exodus

"I am trapped," she said as she held a drinking straw to her son's mouth.

Tritos stopped sucking and concern washed over his face. "How, mother?"

Helena looked up, surprised by his reaction. She hadn't intended to say that aloud. "Sorry. I was just thinking."

He still looked worried, but he began drinking again. With the straw slung to one corner of his mouth, he whispered, "If you need my help, mother, I will."

Helena smiled and thanked him. She couldn't fathom how her son could help. She was in even deeper now. When she stood, she saw Thersites there.

"What are you two talking about?"

She scoffed, "Nothing."

Thersites grabbed her arm, "I heard you."

"Let go of me," she struggled gamely.

"You're free to go whenever you want. It's a shame the rest of the world thinks you're dead." He still hadn't released her.

"Let her go," Tritos said with a cracking voice.

Thersites glared at him. "You be quiet." He finally released Helena. "There's more work to be done. Too much more. You can't leave yet."

She looked at Tritos and smiled again, weakly.

She was trapped.

That's how Helena had felt for years now. Trapped. Not in a relationship; she had been trapped that way before. And certainly not physically. The world thought her dead though she could have left. But still.

As Helena watched Tritos, she thought of her previous two children. The first died as a mangled mess of a fetus, wracked by her failed maturation process. The second shook and contorted on the table while energy overloaded his mind. Blood, bile, and spit erupted from his mouth... She closed her eyes to force the memory away. She opened them slowly and saw Tritos sitting meekly, reading a book.

Is he why she feels trapped?

He needed her. Tritos was treated like a lab rat by his father. Thersites saw no potential in his own son as anything other than a stepping stone. Organic processors, transferable memories. And to what end? Helping the sick and injured leave behind a malfunctioning body? No, that was the line that hooked Helena. She thought that Thersites must have known about her father and her desire to prevent that kind of suffering for anyone else. How else did he know how to get her attention?

Lycamon entered the lab and moved toward the bank of processors. "Are you sure this will work?" she asked. "Because, if it doesn't,..."

He nodded. "I'm certain."

Helena said, "I thought you were his friend?"

"Don't confuse business decisions with friendships." Lycamon shrugged. "Besides, murder is less blasphemous than what we've done here. What you've been doing here for years."

She nodded. Helena knew why she was trapped. Son, sin, fear, pride. But why was Thersites trapped? Immortality, in part. He often spoke of how his parents died relatively young. A kind of twisted revenge? Thersites seemed to have no problem taking Hephaestus' name in vain. He also bragged about how he was once in line for the directorship in his division at the Institute. He blamed Hephaestus for losing that place, though Thersites himself was the one who left.

One of the Thersites clone canisters had been wheeled in and was plugged directly into the memory workstation consoles. Helena had a few syringes loaded with medications and lined up on a small table by the exam bed. She was ready.

"He's coming." Lycamon stood by the door with a small cloth doused in a pungent sedative. When the door opened and Thersites entered, Lycamon quickly clasped the cloth over his face. Thersites dropped to the floor slowly.

Helena walked over and calmly grabbed one arm, dragging him to the table. "Get his legs." Lycamon complied and the two heaved him onto the exam table. Methodically and with the slightest smile, Helena threaded the thick leather straps into buckles, securing him. She pulled red latex gloves over her hands. She then looked over her syringes and looked back at Thersites' face.

"What are you waiting for?" the slightly overweight man said. He huffed because he was out of breath.

Her slight smile became grand. "Go ahead and man your console." Lycamon appeared worried but he agreed. Helena reached under the table and into a small box containing capsules. She broke one in two and ammonia wafted into the air. She held the pieces under Thersites' nose. He jerked awake with a start.

"Wha? What's going on?"

"We're about to test the organic transceivers, the photosilicate nervous system and the EOL transfer."

Thersites' eyes darted around the room but his vision was hampered by the bright exam lights. It took a moment but he was beginning to comprehend, "I don't have a transceiver implanted..."

"Yes, you do." Helena reached over to her small table and grabbed a scalpel and thick pad of gauze. "Remember that injection I gave you last week? That was it."

Terror appeared to grip Thersites all at once when he realized what she was going to do. "No! How can you be sure it's working?"

"Lycamon?"

He didn't turn from his console, "I have a good, strong signal."

"Lycamon? You bastard!" Thersites was struggling against the leather straps but they were too tight. "No, no. You don't have to test it like this."

"Yes, we do. How else would we?"

"Test it on Tritos! Do him, not me!"

Helena's smile vanished. "You have a full lifetime of memories ripe for the transfer. Tritos only has what we've given him."

She raised the scalpel and pulled a small plastic bin from the table. She laid it on the exam table by Thersites' neck and moved toward him with the blade. "You frakking bitch! Don't you dare kill me!"

"Or you'll what?"

Thersites was silent for a moment. Helena waited for an answer, but when one wasn't forthcoming, she moved in. "If I get transferred into a clone, I'll come after you."

She sliced an artery and a vein. Blood gushed into the plastic pan and poured down the table and under him. Thersites began to gasp; his eyes went bleary at the blood loss. "If you get transferred, I'm sure you'll thank me." Thersites tried to focus on her, but he couldn't.

And then he was gone.
**XVI**

THERSITES

2,598 Years Before the Final Exodus

What was that? Warmth?

The sensations came to him slowly, but as soon as he identified one, another made itself known. Warmth all around him. Wet warmth. And something in his nose. He felt as though he was drowning. He had to get out of... whatever he was in.

Thersites kicked and hit, but his limbs felt so tired. It was as though he had no strength. But then the terror of drowning pumped adrenaline into his system. He stood up, popping open a plastic cover. Whatever he was standing in began to move and he wobbled back against a wall. He reached up to his nose and started to pull the tubes out. One was thick and the other thin, but they seemed to reach down into his bowels. He pulled and pulled. Thersites felt them rubbing against his throat as he did it, but he didn't care. He had to get them out.

Someone grabbed him and held him steady. As the tubes came free, a cloth began to wipe the warm wetness from his face and body. Thersites tried to open his eyes but everything was a blur.

"How do you feel?"

Thersites could barely hear. His eyes were focusing but he could only see gobs of yellow goo sloughing off himself and into a tub. He looked at the person holding the cloth and recognized Lycamon.

And he remembered.

Dying hurt. Not just the scalpel slice across the neck. That was painful. Going dizzy with blood loss wasn't so bad, though it did give him a splitting headache. But that last moment? The moment in between delirium on the table and delirium in the vat of nutrient gel? Pain.

"You frakking bitch."

"Well," Helena said, "apparently the wireless memory transfer was a success."

Lycamon stopped wiping and helped him out of the canister. Helena brought a chair over to him and he fell into it. "I'm going to kill you. Both of you."

Lycamon looked worried and turned to Helena. She, however, was smiling. "I don't think so. You see, that body you're in now has never moved a moment in its life. Its muscles are atrophied and useless. It'll take weeks of physical rehab to get you moving. In the future, we can work on fixing muscle tone before transfers."

Thersites was exhausted. He wasn't sure, but he felt as though he could fall asleep immediately. "What would you have done if it failed? You wouldn't have had me around to help."

"Wrong." Lycamon was smiling now. "We still have the organic memory transfer backup you did a few weeks ago. We could have transferred that into a clone if we had to."

Thersites shook his head and slumped in the chair even further. Helena walked over and knelt in front of him. "Don't you comprehend? Everything you wanted, all of the effort we have put in over the years... it all works. Plus, you're twenty-five years old again. I said you would thank me."

Thersites eked out some energy to lift his head and glare at her, "Frakkin' bitch."
**XVII**

PELIAS

2,596 Years Before the Final Exodus

The High Priest had spent hours in his late father's study. He had sneezed so much from the dust that he developed a nose bleed. A tissue was stuffed into his left nostril, tinged a little red near the nose, but not yet soaked. Pelias sat on the floor, gently flipping through yet another book in ancient Kobollian.

"This has to be the one," he said to no one. He had gone through so many books, straining his memory to recall ancient Kobollian. Humans had spoken the language of the gods for so long few bothered to learn the ancient tongues. What was commonly called ancient Kobollian was actually only the language used by four of the Twelve Tribes. Capricorn, Pisces, Gemini, and Aries all developed in relatively close proximity. The other Tribes all had their own languages, though only bits and pieces of those survived to the present.

Flip. Flip. Flip. Pelias' eyes ran right to left, scanning the sentences for mention of the forbidden name. Or even that phrase he had found before, "The one whose name cannot be spoken." That must have meant Prometheus, he thought.

Just thinking that name made him glance around suspiciously. After his meeting with Athena a decade ago, he had become paranoid. For the first time ever, he had felt a Chara go cold. It shook Pelias to his core. He had been in the presence of a god who was not happy. He frequently thanked Athena silently at her temple for sparing him.

As a child, he was forced to learn ancient Kobollian. He didn't care for that, but he learned to appreciate it when he started to look at the books lying around the house. As a teenage boy, any opportunity to read about Lord Zeus' sexual adventures was to be exploited. For whatever reason, Pelias seemed to enjoy it more when he had to work for it. When he had to translate the tales of Zeus entering women's homes at night, disguised as their husband or some other man. Or as an animal. Or just as himself. It didn't matter that he only believed about a quarter of the stories. They were very erotic and he appreciated that. He was searching for more stories about Zeus when he stumbled across the name he sought now.

"Daddy, who is Prometheus?"

Pelias' father went white. He stopped scribbling at his desk and crossed the room to where Pelias was reading. "No one with whom you should concern yourself." He took the ancient book away and roughly threw it onto an upper shelf. The boy was fourteen at the time, and he found other occasions to read that text. He could find it wherever his father hid it. Except now.

"I found it!"

Pelias had caught the proper name in the lettering, so now he backed up to read the story in context. The portion he found was a fragment. A transcription and translation of a fragment of some other text in some other language. There was no indication that other pieces were included in this book or elsewhere. The lexicon was spread out beside him and he flipped through the pages so he could start translating the text.

"After the descent from Mount Olympus. Two hundred years. Two hundred years after the descent from Mount Olympus... Prometheus brought war to the Tribes." Pelias had to find new words in the lexicon. "With strange fires, he held back Mars, who summoned Jupiter to the battle."

War is something Kobollians haven't had to think about for millennia, so to read about it – with the Lords themselves taking active part – was mind-numbing.

"Jupiter, Phoebus, Diana, Mercury, Vulcan, Minerva, and others of Olympus joined the battle on strange steeds of the land and air. Neptune led a charge of horsemen. Together the Lords fought against the strange fires of Prometheus and drove his forces to the sea. Upon the battlefield, Jupiter slew Prometheus and ordered Mars to march into the south to utterly destroy Draco."

Pelias furrowed his brow and sat up from the text. "'Draco?'" he said. Who or what was that? What had Prometheus done to anger the Lords to the point of battling him? And why was Prometheus bringing war to the Tribes in the first place? "I'm still missing too much."

"For twenty years, Mars and his soldiers hunted Draco in the south." That fragment ended.

Pelias dropped the book in frustration. He wiped sweat and dust from his brow before picking it up again. He scanned the pages for another mention of Prometheus.

What was driving him? Could it be simple curiosity? He had been in the presence of a Lord who felt... _something_ when the name "Prometheus" was spoken. Something that forced the Chara of Athena to shift. What could that have been? Concern for Pelias' safety? Memories the Lord would rather not recall? Something inside wouldn't let him forget this. He couldn't drop it. He had to learn all he could.

Pelias stopped flipping. He caught something familiar out of the corner of his eye. Another fragment.

"'... followers of "the one whose name cannot be spoken" were driven from the lands to seek hiding in the mountains and in the farthest south before sailing out into the wide world. So I, Kaladen, have witnessed and written.'"

"Well, that's it." Pelias straightened up and gingerly removed the tissue from his nose. "Prometheus is the 'one whose name cannot be spoken.'"
**XVIII**

THERSITES

2,595 Years Before the Final Exodus

He waited.

It was difficult to sit and do nothing while his fate and the fate of his entire project was in the hands of Helena.

"Bitch," he mumbled as he thought of her. There was a time when he thought he was developing feelings for her, but she rebuffed him. They got on with their work.

And here he sat. A twenty-seven year old version of himself. All of the memories of his previous life but with about twelve years shaved off. Certainly, he enjoyed being in better shape with greater endurance. But still, she killed him.

Thersites pressed another button on the remote control and the dechopem's monitor shifted images again. Most of the wall by the closet in this hotel room was a monitor. Normally, it displayed shifting art and landscape views, but with the remote, he decided to see what was on.

"It's important that you don't allow the olive oil to get too hot, otherwise... " The chef on the Demeter channel had a lineup of vegetables to dump into the pot.

He found it hard to believe that they would sign off on all of the programs that their channels carried around Kobol. Not that they had to, he guessed.

Next channel. Opera. The Apollo channel. Next. A documentary on sea life, courtesy of the Poseidon channel. Next, a comedy program about a bumbling shopkeeper who somehow manages to teach his employees, his family, and even the temple priests important life lessons. Thank you, Dionysus, for that one.

Disgusted, Thersites pressed the button once more and tossed it. The large monitor shifted to an image of Delphi at noon. He glanced at the clock and found that it was indeed noon. Looking back at the dechopem, he saw that this was the beginning of the Delphi local news and a cheery-faced announcer was seated in front of a large window, overseeing the city.

"Good day to all, Delphi! I'm Mera Peleusina." The image shifted to a park in the city's center, with Apollo standing amidst a great crowd. "As he often does, Delphi's most famous resident, Lord Apollo surprised citizens in Oracle Park this morning with a visit and blessing."

Thersites studied the way Apollo moved and spoke. He seemed human except for his size. "Another beautiful day in Delphi and another beautiful day on Kobol. It is truly a gift to be alive. I can only hope that everyone enjoys it and tries to better themselves every day." Thersites rolled his eyes as the Lord continued, "Within every human lies the secret to a better world, but it is only with cooperation that the secret can be exposed and then used."

"'Secrets,'" Thersites whispered.

Mera spoke again as footage of Apollo among children came upon the monitor, "As he was leaving the park, Lord Apollo came across a six-year-old's birthday party. Apollo asked if he could join in the celebration, and the parents happily agreed."

"Honestly, who would refuse a god?" The beaming mother said. "Chryses will never forget this!"

Apollo held the boy aloft amid the cheering children and adults. An amusing birthday hat stuck to the side of the child's head and he leaned forward from Apollo's shoulder to yell at the camera, "This is awesome!"

Thersites reached for the remote control again and turned the dechopem off. The image of the boy's party faded and resumed the original color of the wall, with a portion swirling into a painting of undeterminable origin.

Thersites stood and looked out the window at the bustling city below. Theonpolis may be the home of the gods, but Delphi was always in motion. Huge buildings reached toward the clouds. They were made of metal and glass and shone in the sun like jewels. It was subconscious, but this city lacked the ancient flavor and even smell of Theonpolis. It was the sort of thing one wouldn't notice if they never left, but since he had visited other places from time to time, Thersites noticed the change in odors.

He looked to the west and he thought he could see the spire of the main building on the campus of Delphi University. That's where Helena was. Right about now, she would be securing the payload. She would be back here within the hour.

"If the bitch doesn't frak it up."

Last year while he was gaining his strength, Helena tried to convince him that their work was over. Thersites was caught off guard, but he managed to save it.

"I'm going to gather my things and be off this farm by the end of the month."

Thersites was speechless. Had she created a new identity? Certainly, she had the computer knowledge to develop some rudimentary credentials. It took more than a few moments before he could respond, "What makes you think now is the time to leave?"

Helena motioned to Thersites' face. "You, of course. You are a cloned being with a cloned mind. You are, for all intents and purposes, immortal. Aren't you the embodiment of all that we worked toward?"

"Perhaps." Thersites moved his right arm up and down as he clutched a weight. Helena typed on a portable processor while he mulled the situation over. He knew that it wasn't the right time to quit, but he didn't have a solid reason why. He wasn't ready to stand before the Hephaestus Institute and declare himself to be the embodiment of his work. He didn't want to call Hephaestus down from on high to tell the god that he was wrong. Not yet, anyway.

"Naturally, I will take Tritos with me."

There. "Tritos?"

"Yes. Our son?"

"I remember." Thersites switched arms. "But aren't you worried?"

Helena looked up. "About what?"

Thersites began to act. He had to put on enough of a concerned face to make his points seem valid, but show enough distaste so Helena would think him sincere. "Tritos has only rarely been in the outside world. He has no socialization, no real memories, and not to mention any records in the government systems of ever really existing."

Helena had seemed confident until the last point. She paced for a moment and then turned, "I could craft an identity for him."

"Yes." Thersites' arms ached, but he had to continue. "And what will you do once I go public?" He stopped his exercise and caught her curious stare. "Once I say what we've done, the universities will want all the proof they can get. That means our lab and notes, yes, even me. But they would want Tritos, too." It wasn't firm, but it was all he could think of at that moment. "And the Lords." He shook his head for effect. "Once they hear what we've done... all of their decrees that we've disobeyed... they will be angry. They might not even let us be studied."

Helena's shoulders sank and Thersites knew he had her.

"I do have an idea, though."

She looked up. "Of course you do."

Thersites smiled gamely. "We need to make more."

She scoffed. "I do not believe the world could suffer more copies of you."

"No. More versions of our... artificial people."

Helena had been leaning forward but she fell back in her seat. "More...?"

"Yes." Yes, this was it. "If we have more people, different kinds of people, that strengthens our position." Helena wasn't moved. "If it's just one or two people, then the government or the Lords or whoever could just take them and our work and either hide them away forever or test on them." Helena instinctively looked to Tritos' room, where she could see his reading light under the door. "But with dozens of people of all kinds and abilities, and if these artificial people actually began to live and exist outside of this lab among Kobollians, there's no way they could snatch every one off the street."

Helena nodded her head slowly. "So we create... a new race of humans?"

"Yes. But we would need to start from the bottom. Pick a finite number of different versions, handpick the genetic qualities we want and begin to clone them. Give them the memories and knowledge they would need to sustain themselves out there."

"I don't understand. Why handpick their genes?"

"If we make them the best at everything – the best scholars, athletes, whatever – that makes them more valuable to society as a whole and therefore less likely to be carried away when the truth is revealed."

Helena lowered her head in thought. Thersites took in a deep breath and silently congratulated himself. He had no idea where all of that came from, but it made sense to him as he said it. Why would he want a nation of artificial beings? It's not that he wanted his own army. He didn't even want a family. He wanted to prove to the gods, Hephaestus especially, that his ideas had merit. His ideas didn't deserve to be withheld. He was willing to be magnanimous, too. There were dozens of withheld projects and theories they mined for these experiments. All of those plans deserved better treatment. His renewed existence and the existence of more "artificial people" would serve as a none-too-subtle "frak you" to the Lords. The humans can do just fine without their overseers.

"Very well. I'll do it for Tritos."

"I thought you would."

So they came to Delphi. One of only three places on Kobol that had the genetic laboratory facilities they needed. With cloning being a major taboo and most Kobollians willing to accept their own fertility issues, or lack thereof, there wasn't a demand for eggs, sperm, genetic enzymes, and so on.

Thersites had infiltrated Delphi University's database to place credentials for Helena's temporary new identity and her entry. Since she was a scholar in that field, she was the obvious choice to actually do the dirty work. Thersites could only hope that her love of Tritos was enough to keep her on task.

She would walk into the storage section, present her written and approved request for various vials of reproductive material, genetic equipment, and experimental synthetic compounds, and just walk out. It was that easy.

But Thersites was nervous. At this point, she would be getting the various scanners and programs for their processors back at the lab.

Knock, knock.

Thersites became light-headed and the blood left his face. He stepped across the room slowly and looked out of the little slit in the door. It was Helena.

"Open up."

He complied and she entered, wearing her form-fitting business suit and carrying only the briefcase she left with that morning. "You failed."

"No, I did not." She opened the case, revealing three rectangle canisters that were frosted over with flecks of ice. "Eggs, sperm, manipulation enzymes, and more."

Thersites smiled but they were still missing items. "Where is the new sequencing equipment, computational programs..."

"They're coming. I'm here early because they didn't have everything ready for me." She closed the case and set it inside the closet. "The University will be sending it all here tomorrow morning. Billed to them, of course."

"Of course." Thersites smiled again and he sat on the bed. "So, how much did you get?"

Helena looked at the closed case and thought. "Enough for twelve. Twelve... models of your artificial people."
**XIX**

APOLLO

2,593 Years Before the Final Exodus

"I don't know why I bother," he whispered to himself.

Except for a small number of occasions, a Lord was always present at the first meeting of a new five-year session of the Quorum. This year, Apollo was chosen by Zeus to attend. He noted with minor irritation that it had been more than a thousand years since Zeus took on the duty himself.

The Lord sat in a special, oversized marble chair made and wheeled out into the Forum yard just for this occasion. He sat there scanning the faces of the archons and citizens who attended the session.

Apollo kept smiling. He had to remain in as good a mood as possible to keep his Chara positive. Before long, the gavel fell and the first meeting of this session was over. Apollo rose and waved to an applauding crowd. He stepped down from his dreadfully uncomfortable chair onto the green grass and between the columns, between assembled citizens and regional archons, and into the corridor beyond the blue drapes.

"Lord Apollo!" High Priest Pelias had exited the field behind the dais and ran all the way around a long, arcing corridor.

Apollo stopped and watched Pelias as he slid to a stop and his robes fluttered all about him. "Archiereus Pelias. How may I help?"

The man smiled as he tried to regain his breath. Apollo couldn't help but note how old the man seemed lately. A new high priest would be chosen soon, he guessed.

"Lord Apollo," still breathing heavily, "I wanted to thank you for coming..."

"Of course."

"And to invite you to my office." The god tilted his head out of curiosity. "Come, have some wine. Perhaps fresh bread and oil?"

Apollo smiled. "Why not."

A few moments later, the two were in the priest's office. Pelias sat behind his desk – which was almost conspicuously clean – and he pulled out a wine decanter, a plate of bread and a small bottle of olive oil. "Please, Lord Apollo, help yourself."

Apollo enjoyed being around humans. That's why he didn't mind living in Delphi. That's also why he took a piece of bread, poured a bit of oil on it, and ate. He chewed and swallowed rather slowly, "It's very good."

"Thank you." Pelias pulled a large, old book onto his desk. "The oil is from my family's farm outside the city." Apollo nodded while Pelias visibly worked up the nerve to speak his mind. "Lord, I must say, I was hoping Athena would be in attendance today."

Apollo raised his eyebrows, "Really? I'm sorry I disappointed you."

Pelias immediately shook his head and held up his hand, "No, no. That's not it at all. I simply... I asked Lord Athena a question some years ago and I was hoping to continue that conversation." Apollo nodded again, more slowly. "I believe, though, that I may be able to speak to you, openly."

"Of course, Pelias."

Pelias poured a bit of wine into his glass, "I get the impression you were more than a little bored in the session today."

Apollo chuckled, "I'm sorry if you..."

"Yes, I was bored, too. The Quorum is... impotent. Pointless, even." Pelias took a sip while Apollo noted that the wine decanter wasn't even half full. Perhaps Pelias had started on the bottle before the session? He spun the glass a little on its base. "Do you ever have the feeling that our society is getting stale?"

Apollo's head perked up. He hadn't heard a human voice that opinion. Of course he hadn't. No human would dare suggest that within earshot of a Lord. "As a matter of fact, Pelias, I have."

"Good!" Pelias drank some more of the wine and laid his right hand on an old book. "Don't misunderstand me, Lord, but we Kobollians are living in rarefied air. No war. Poverty is a thing of the past. No one goes hungry. It's a..."

"Utopia?"

"Yes! Utopia." Pelias pushed his glass across the table toward the bread. "That is a wonderful thing, Utopia. Indeed." He pulled off a piece of the bread and poured a bit of oil on top.

Apollo waited for more, although Pelias was busy chewing. "But?"

"You're a healer, Lord. You know what happens to people who are immobilized for great lengths of time. What happens to their muscles?"

"Atrophy."

"Yes, atrophy." Pelias licked a stray trickle of oil off his hand. "Most Kobollians may not recognize it. They may be happy with their existence and that's great for them. But if the leaders at the top feel stale, like I do, like I know some archons do," he slowly moved a pointed finger toward Apollo, "like I believe you do, it cannot be good for society as a whole."

Apollo was smiling. He nodded his head and relaxed in the chair, though it was too small for him. "Carry on."

"Being idle isn't so bad right now. But give it time. The leaders and the Lords may be bored, but that doesn't necessarily affect the average citizens." He poured another glass of wine. "Give it time. The little cracks that we all have become magnified. Be it chosen professions, family history, the cities we live in or came from... it won't matter. There will be something to drive us apart. And bloat!" The priest was very excited. "The weight of our society will continue to grow and restrict our breathing."

Apollo's Chara was certainly giving the old man an emotional boost. "I agree. It is only a matter of time."

"So," Pelias leaned forward, "how about we shake things up?"

Apollo folded his arms over his chest, "I'm listening."

Pelias pulled the old book off the table and then laid it in front of Apollo, opening it to a bookmark deep inside. "'And Prometheus angered the Lords by attempting to raise one god above the others.'"

Instantly, Apollo's face fell. His heart beat faster and his Chara became drained of happiness and excitement. Pelias' body language proved that; his shoulders hunched over and his mouth drew to a frown. The high priest quickly downed the rest of his glass of wine.

"Have you gone mad, Archiereus?" Apollo asked slowly and deliberately.

"No," Pelias almost whimpered the word.

"Drunk? Or both?"

"Drunk, perhaps, but not mad." Pelias flipped the pages to another bookmark. "'... followers of "the one whose name cannot be spoken" were driven from the lands to seek hiding in the farthest south.'" He closed the book and pushed it even closer to Apollo. "Prometheus. The Lord of Kobol whose name is no longer spoken or written."

Apollo grew angry at the mention of that bastard's name. "For good reason. Reasons you cannot comprehend."

Pelias seemed excited again, "Yes! I know. I have tried to comprehend, but I cannot. Sure, he tried to lift himself above the rest of you," Apollo's brow furrowed at the inaccuracy, but Pelias didn't notice, "and he waged war on the Twelve Tribes, only to be stopped by Mars, your father, yourself, and others. And then Zeus ordered Mars to push into the south to wipe out Prometheus' followers. And he did, though it took twenty years."

"Do you have a point, priest?" Apollo grew uncomfortable. It was as though his skin crawled. It must have been sheer anger more than the taboo of even discussing Prometheus.

"I do. For nearly three thousand years, you've believed that Prometheus' followers were dead."

Apollo unfolded his arms and cleared his throat. "You believe we're wrong?"

"Yes." Pelias smiled somewhat, despite the anger and apprehension in Apollo's Chara. "At the Trimillennial Symphony, I saw a man with a sign reading, 'One God.'"

Apollo's eyebrows lifted again. "I was not aware of this."

"I checked with the city's police force. They made no arrest at the Trimillennial celebrations on charges of blasphemy. They are a dreadfully bored lot, so they would have remembered that." Apollo sat motionless, but Pelias continued. "I've investigated further. I've found there have been occasional sightings of these people from time to time. An arrest here or there. But mostly in the diaries of regional archons. They've tossed out arrests for fear of raising the attention of the Lords."

Apollo sighed. He looked around the room and his eyes focused briefly on a small statue of Poseidon. "What would you have me do? How do we 'shake things up' with this?"

"How about a purge?"

"'A purge?' A false pogrom? That goes against so many..."

"I know, Lord. It would be temporary and mostly for show. A tribunal would be assembled to find blasphemers in power and when no evidence is found, we let them go."

"There would be a stigma."

"Yes, and that would also raise the ire of the populace. Good and decent archons and citizens, accused of horrible crimes. They would unite against the tribunals and the archons that put them there and then they would re-embrace their freedoms and their beliefs in the Pantheon with renewed vigor!"

Apollo shook his head. It was incredible. He pondered it and recalled the faces of his sister, dejected and tired. Demeter, Hestia... virtually forgotten. Could routing the few monotheists in the world while also persecuting innocents truly boost the spirits of the Lords?

Apollo sighed as he came to the conclusion that the plan could work. The idleness would be stirred for a while and then society would correct itself and it would be tempered by the fire. He had to stop contemplating this. It was too absurd. "I'm sorry, High Priest." Apollo rose from his seat, "I cannot help you."

Pelias nodded and stood, also. "Please, think about it, Lord Apollo."

He hesitated. "I will."

"And thank you again for hearing me out."

Apollo thought about the proposal during his flight back to Delphi and for the rest of the day. He lay in bed at night, unable to sleep as he considered it. Entirely plausible. Forged blades are made stronger this way, so why not Kobollian society? But it couldn't work. Could it?

"Apollo."

He lurched upright in bed at the soft voice. "Mother? How..."

"I cannot stay long," Leto said, her silhouette barely visible by the window. "A great change is coming. In fact, it is already here, but unseen. You must be prepared."

"What?"

Her head tilted toward the sky, "The stars are lovely. Don't you think the people should be allowed to visit them?"

Apollo leaned over to his night table and touched the lamp, activating a soft glow. When he looked back, she was gone.
**XX**

ZEUS

2,590 Years Before the Final Exodus

Zeus rode his horse up the hill to a plateau. There, he spotted Poseidon. He was sitting on his horse, staring at the ocean.

"Ho, Poseidon!" Zeus yelled and his horse galloped alongside.

"I thought you would come." The Lord seemed morose. He merely glanced at Zeus before returning his gaze to the sea.

Zeus, however, was in far better spirits. "Of course I came. I love it here." He looked back to the untouched countryside and then out to the ocean. "You have the finest steeds and the greatest vista." He cleared his throat and looked at his brother. "What's wrong?"

Poseidon nodded. "I'm getting tired, Zeus."

"Tired of what?"

"Living." Zeus' smile faded and Poseidon looked down at his hands as they held the horse's reins. "I'm old."

Zeus slapped him on the shoulder, "So am I. We all are. We just need to keep busy."

Poseidon shook his head. "I've tried that for a couple of millennia now. There's only so much I can do."

Zeus tried to smile again, but he couldn't maintain it. "Look, I came here to relax and spend some time with my older brother." Zeus held Poseidon's shoulder tightly. "You're not going to be a poor host, are you?"

"No more joking, Zeus. I am tired." He looked out to the sea and breathed. Quietly. After a few moments, he asked, "Do you remember my son, Neleus?"

Zeus' eyebrows lifted. He chuckled and said, "Son? You mean..."

"I know," Poseidon said. "I liked him a great deal. Maybe even loved him as a son." He exhaled loudly. "He died a couple of years ago."

Zeus nodded and he said, "I'm sorry."

"And Persephone?" Poseidon looked at his brother and saw his face fall. "She was my daughter. My blood child."

Zeus swallowed hard. "That one... that really shook us up. Everyone."

"Of course it did." Poseidon sat still again. His horse shook its head, flopping its mane from side to side. Finally, he asked, "Do you remember that last night with Hades?"

Now that was a name Zeus hadn't heard spoken aloud in ages. "Of course, I remember."

The three brothers, Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades, were gathered around a campfire outside Theonpolis. Back then, there weren't many marble buildings. Wood, brick, and stone dominated the city. The people were engaged in a festival put on by Demeter, Athena, and Hestia to celebrate the bicentennial of the Lords' descent from Mount Olympus. For once, the brothers had most of an evening to themselves.

"Did you see the women throwing themselves at Apollo?" Hades laughed.

Poseidon and Zeus had already had some wine, so their laughter came easily. "The boy didn't know what to do!" The Lords mingled with the people and engaged in various forms of debauchery. Mostly drinking, thanks to Dionysus and his agricultural skills.

Hades smiled, "It's been two hundred years. I think he would know what to do by now." Zeus and Poseidon kept drinking that harsh wine and laughing. Hades had a couple of sips, but that was enough. He smiled again and sprawled somewhat on the log.

"Everyone loved Hades," Zeus said to Poseidon as they sat on their horses later on the plateau.

"Where's Leto?" Hades asked by the campfire.

"Where do you think?" replied Zeus, as he drank more wine with one hand and pointed back to the mountain with the other. "She never comes down."

"Well, she never was excited about the whole experiment idea." Hades scratched his stomach and looked at the stars. "Hera, though, she backed your move. She's been all for the plan this whole time."

Zeus licked his teeth. "Don't you start, too. I get enough of that kind of talk from your brother," he gave Poseidon a firm push.

"Don't blame me," Poseidon said. "You married Hera."

"Centuries ago."

"But you cheated on her centuries ago, too." Hades was still staring at the stars when Zeus kicked dust onto him. "Hey! I'm just telling you the truth."

"The kid's right," Poseidon said. "Hera's supported you all this time..."

"Enough," Zeus said, almost angrily. "I mean it. I'm here to relax."

"Oh," Poseidon said. "I'm afraid neither of us have vaginas."

Hades immediately started laughing and Zeus' mouth fell open. "That is not how I relax."

"The hell it isn't, Zeus." Hades sat up and pointed toward Theonpolis. "We've been among them for two hundred years and I'm sure you've had your way with at least that many."

Zeus shook his head. "I'm leaving."

As he poured out his wine and began to get up, Poseidon and Hades both pleaded with him. "No, no. Come on. Sit."

"We'll stop. We promise."

Zeus looked at their faces and they seemed sincere. He sat down and Poseidon threw an arm around him. "There you go. Have some more wine." He passed a bowl to him.

As Zeus sipped, Hades sat on the log beside him and patted his back. "Give me some more, too." Poseidon passed the jug to him and as he lifted it, Hades nudged Zeus, "If you're lucky, I may let you have your way with me."

"You soaked him with that wine," Poseidon recalled with a grin atop his horse. "He was simply dripping."

Zeus nodded. "If I hadn't poured it on him, he wouldn't have gone back up the mountain."

"It wouldn't have mattered." Poseidon began to slowly guide his horse down the plateau, away from the sea.

Zeus watched the waves for a moment and followed. "Sometimes I wish I had gone up instead."

"No. You don't." Poseidon began to parallel the shore.

The brothers trotted along slowly, silently, for a time. Zeus broke the silence. "That's another name I haven't thought about in a while."

"Hm?"

"Prometheus."

Poseidon nodded. "Well, you need to pay better attention."

Zeus looked at him quizzically, "What?"

"You haven't heard, I gather, that there is apparently an underground movement attempting to put Prometheus 'in his rightful place' as the one, true god."

Zeus stopped his horse. "What?"

Poseidon turned his around. "Just a rumor I caught."

"Prometheus as the one, true god? That doesn't make sense. How do the humans even know that name?"

"Time can't erase everything, brother." Poseidon started back on a path along the shore and Zeus rejoined him.

Zeus wanted to refocus on Poseidon; not get bogged down in names from the past. "What do you mean, you're tired of living?"

Poseidon grinned meekly. "It's just been so very long. I feel old. Useless. Those little fishing villages I visit? They've started trucking in Cylons. They don't need me anymore."

"Eh." Zeus watched a bird fly overhead and out toward the ocean. "You're a god, brother. If you want a use, you can make one."

"But there's not one I want. Not anymore."

"You have millions upon millions of worshippers!"

Poseidon grinned again and put a hand on Zeus' shoulder, "That doesn't matter to me."

"There's plenty to do. You could rule Illyria more directly. You could come back to Olympus and stay for a time."

"I lived there for almost a thousand years."

"You could take that ship of yours out to sea and visit every port on Kobol."

Poseidon chuckled, "I did that. Eight hundred years ago."

"Oh. Well, I'm sure things have changed since then."

Poseidon leaned over and patted Zeus' thigh as they rode. "You have always been an optimist. You just can't fathom that someone doesn't see the world the way you do. That's fine. That's what makes you a good, yet stubborn, leader."

Zeus fell quiet. Poseidon was looking out to sea. The sun would be setting before them within the next few minutes.

"Why won't you come back with me? I may be calling a council of the Olympians."

Poseidon raised his eyebrows. "Why?"

"A few years ago, Apollo told me Kobol was becoming stagnant and I didn't see it, until recently." Poseidon laughed. "I need to talk to the council about... changing things."

Poseidon inhaled deeply as he realized. "Asclepius didn't tell you?"

Zeus furrowed his brow, "About what?"

"My decision."

Zeus felt his chest tighten. "You're going to..."

"Yes." Poseidon got off his horse and began to walk to the shore. "Wait... if Asclepius didn't tell you, why are you here?"

Zeus was right behind him. His mouth went dry and he licked his lips before he answered. "It's your birthday."

Poseidon smiled a little and then nodded. "I've thought about this long and hard, brother, so don't try to stop me."

"I don't understand." Zeus pulled on Poseidon's shoulder, turning him back. "Why?"

Poseidon smiled and held Zeus' face in his hands. "My time is over." A single tear left Zeus' eye and ran onto Poseidon's hand. "Our time is over. When you speak to the council, tell them that for me." He stood, staring at his brother for a moment.

Poseidon turned to walk into the water and Zeus stayed at his side. "Poseidon." He stopped and turned. "Thank you."

Poseidon smiled again. "I can't imagine for what. I don't know what I've done to deserve your tears."

Poseidon walked into the water. Waves lapped at Zeus' feet and he wanted to say something else, but nothing came to him. His mind raced with words, phrases, memories. He tried to calculate what it would take to pull him back, but he felt nothing would work. So, he gave up. He said the only genuine thing on his mind.

"I will miss you."

Before he dove under the ocean, Poseidon turned and said, "And I you." He plunged under a coming wave and began to swim into the west, toward the dropping sun. The Lord of Lords sat in the sand, watched the waves, and wept.
**XXI**

HELENA

2,590 Years Before the Final Exodus

The farm was crowded.

Thersites' house was large, but not large enough for dozens. Many stayed there and others stayed in the barn. Many more began camping out in the fields where no crop had been planted in decades. Just five years ago, they got the genetic materials they needed. Their methods had been perfected and the new "people" were created at a brisk pace. At this point, there were twelve active models of artificial humans and at least six copies of each. They all carried a wealth of knowledge in various fields and many different implanted memories. Some shared, some not.

"When can we leave the farm, mother?" one of the brown-skinned females asked Helena.

"Soon," she smiled and touched the woman on the arm. "Father is still working on giving each of you identities so you can function in the outside world."

She smiled and walked away.

Helena walked into the barn, sidestepping bedrolls and books. Some of the models preferred to socialize only among themselves, but others were more outgoing. Helena made her way to the northwestern corner of the barn where she pulled open the hidden hatch. She climbed the ladder and was met by the same door she had seen every day for... Great Zeus. Twenty-five years?

As she realized this, she paused. "Well, last time for everything." She typed in the six-digit code and the door unlocked. With a swift turn, the door swung open and she saw Thersites at work on his computer and Tritos in his corner, reading a book. "Son, why aren't you outside?"

He looked up slowly, "I didn't want to go. I enjoy reading."

Helena nodded and she walked over to Thersites. "How much longer before we can go?"

"Minutes. I'm waiting on confirmations for the last group of documents."

Helena scanned the long table by Thersites and saw stacks of identity cards, forms and more. "And the transmission equipment? It's all set up?"

He sighed. "Yes, of course."

Not long after their trip to Delphi, Thersites and Lycamon improved the range of their organic memory transceivers. A couple of well-placed antennas in the northern hemisphere were all they needed to ensure that any of their "children" would be transferred safely to a new body. Shortly after that, Thersites said he had "taken care of" Lycamon, and try as Helena did, she couldn't muster any grief.

"What about attendants? Who was selected to remain here to monitor the equipment?"

"A Crassus, two Jasons and a Mylene. They all volunteered."

"I'm going to check out the incubators," Helena said while she walked across the lab.

The doors opened slowly, and warm, moist air spilled into her face. She caught her breath and stepped inside. The room was packed full of canisters, each containing a clone of one of the twelve models on life support. Each was ready for the near instantaneous transfer of a lifetime's memories.

She closed her eyes. Again, she cursed herself for not simply running away when they were in Delphi. It would have been so easy. She could have fled. She could have gone to the authorities or not. She was free of Thersites but she didn't take the chance. She knew she couldn't go to the authorities. She was just as guilty as he was. And she couldn't flee. Tritos was still under the barn. Locked in his room.

Outside, in the main lab, Thersites was typing. "Surely, you're pleased that you'll be able to leave here for good?"

Helena answered from inside the other room, "Of course. Tritos, as well."

"Yes, Tritos. Naturally."

"And you're pleased that you'll finally be away from me, too, right?"

Helena said nothing. She exited the incubation room and closed the doors. "Honestly, yes."

Thersites laughed. "Don't feel the need to conceal your disgust. I've known for years that you hated me."

"Hate is a strong word."

"But accurate." Thersites rolled his chair over to a printer and began removing the papers. "Admit it: I make you feel dirty."

Helena sat next to Tritos and put an arm around him. "Yes."

"Even though I helped you fulfill more in two and a half decades than you ever could have at the Asclepius School."

Helena inhaled deeply. "Perhaps that is true, but it doesn't change the nature of what we've done."

"You mean, 'What we've accomplished.'" Thersites stood and laid the documents on the table. "We've created a race of people with the potential for more than anyone else on the planet. We are their parents."

"I still do not..."

"Be quiet!" Helena lurched back in her chair and Tritos lowered his book. Thersites continued to speak, "I have endured your glares, your disdain, your snide comments and yes, your scalpel, for too long. Now you will endure me." He started to walk around the table. "I gave you everything you wanted. I gave you equipment and free reign to perform the science you wanted to perform. And now we have it. With what we've accomplished, we can cure diseases, clone better organs, better bodies, give the lame a proper body to inhabit, save the knowledge of society's greatest minds, and a multitude of things we can't even imagine at this point. Godsdammit," he chuckled, "we have virtual immortality at our fingertips!" Helena seemed dumbfounded, yet he still spoke. "The gods created mankind and we can turn mankind into gods."

"Stop."

"You're one of the greatest scholars of all time!" he yelled and swept his arms wide. "I helped you become that, but where is the gratitude?"

Helena looked at the floor and then over at Tritos. "Mother, we don't have to stay."

"You do, boy. You do." Thersites held his arms aloft and then motioned toward Tritos. "And that's the other thing! You! Your mother says she would do anything for you, and I believe she would. She only stayed because of you, or so she said."

"That _is_ why," Helena said, softly.

"Yes. Not because she would be too ashamed to show her face publicly as a blasphemer and rebel against the Lords' commands. Not because she's ashamed of the two children we created and killed before you, Tritos."

Tritos held his head high, "Mother already told me about them."

"Oh," Thersites seemed disappointed. "I see." He walked around the table, now closer to the mother and son. "I guess that's it then. All of the documentation is complete, so everyone, including you two, is, uh, free to go."

Helena and Tritos stood, reaching out for the papers Thersites offered them. Thersites dropped the documents on the floor and lunged at the pair with two syringes. Helena managed to duck, but Tritos caught the needle in his arm. He jerked away before much of the medication was injected.

Tritos grabbed Thersites' arms and held them up, pushing him against the exam table. Tritos never had to exert himself like this but he managed to punch Thersites in the stomach, causing him to lose his footing. The son had his father pinned when Helena pulled a small handgun from her pocket and aimed it at Thersites' head.

"Where did you get that?" Tritos and Thersites asked simultaneously. A fair question, as firearms were not widely available to the public.

"My father was an officer in Delphi." Helena motioned to Tritos to step aside. "You remember my father. You exploited his condition to get me to join you."

Thersites shook his head, "You're overstating it. I knew about him, of course, and I knew that would help me convince you..."

"It's over, Thersites."

He straightened up and chuckled. "Really?"

"Yes. You have created a new race and, possibly, the solutions to many problems, both health related and not. But I can't afford to let you go."

"Why?" Tritos asked.

Helena didn't want to be distracted. "He could destroy us, Tritos."

"Not true, Tritos," Thersites said. "If I did, I would only destroy myself." He smirked, "She just wants revenge. She needs this because she thinks she has been held hostage here for twenty-five years. She could have left at any time, but she stayed."

"Yes, I did." She pulled the trigger once and a bullet tore into Thersites' abdomen.

"Are you stupid? You can't kill me." Thersites tried to stand up straight.

She pulled the trigger again, hitting Thersites in the upper chest. He collapsed onto the floor and fell under the exam table. A few moments later, he was dead.

Helena left the body and entered the incubator room. She blinked through the humidity and looked to her left at the six canisters in the far corner. The primary cables were still detached and the memory transfer nodes on the side of the canisters were all smashed.

"Come, Tritos. It's time to go."

Tritos was kneeling over Thersites' body. "I don't wish to go."

Helena stopped and turned. She was surprised, to say the least. "Why?"

"I will leave the farm, but I will not go with you." Tritos stood and walked toward the door. "I thought I knew... I thought I understood. This I cannot." Tritos walked through the door and climbed the ladder, leaving Helena standing in the lab with her gun.

She turned and looked at the body and at all of the equipment. She wanted to tear the room apart, but she knew that would only hurt her dozens of "children." Tears fell from her face and she walked mindlessly back into the incubator room. She saw the unplugged canisters containing lifeless clones of Thersites. Her anger welled up and she grabbed the first one, turning it over and spilling the body and gel onto the floor. She overturned the second, third, and fourth canisters. Then the fifth and sixth. Helena sat down in the gel surrounded by the lifeless bodies of her "captor," not knowing what to do next.
**XXII**

PELIAS

2,589 Years Before the Final Exodus

The High Priest was exhausted.

Pelias ran his fingers through his thinning gray hair when the processor on the table beeped. He pressed the screen, "Yes?"

"Battus Echemous from Theonpolis News is here to see you," the assistant said.

"Send him in." Pelias removed his finger from the button and drank a quick sip of water. He leaned back in the chair and sighed deeply. He knew this meeting was coming and he dreaded it.

Last year, he began the secret campaign to create a monotheist group for the people to fear and the government to crack down upon. It didn't last long and it consisted of a few whispers and some "discovered" monotheist propaganda. No tribunals had been held yet and Pelias knew there wouldn't be any. Not long after the rumors of monotheists began to spread, Apollo called.

"Stop this. Now."

Pelias held the earpiece tighter against his face. "I'm sorry, Lord. To what do you refer?"

"Do not be coy. I'm referring to your effort to 'shake things up.'"

Pelias felt heat build in his chest and rush to his face. The Chara could not be felt over the voiceline but he knew the Lord was displeased. "I haven't done much, Lord Apollo."

"Whatever you have done, do no more. And undo what you can."

Pelias nodded, "Yes, Lord."

"We will not speak of this again." The voiceline went dead after that.

Pelias had already mustered the courage to speak on that subject openly before Apollo a few years before. No amount of wine could make him willfully defy a god now. So, Pelias stopped planting reading material and he deleted files in the system that could have been traced to monotheists. But, still, the rumors persisted. And that is why Battus was here.

"Archiereus?" Battus said as he opened the office door.

"Indeed. Welcome." Pelias stood, shook the reporter's hand and motioned toward the chair by the desk. "No camera today?"

Battus smiled and waved dismissively, "Only if I think we need it. I just need to ask a couple of questions."

Pelias smiled, weakly, and picked up his water glass. "Please, go ahead."

"There have been rumors that a new religious group has been making themselves known by spreading literature in the city."

Pelias smiled, "And I heard that it was an old group resurfacing."

Battus blinked and sat up, "'An old group?'"

Now Pelias chuckled, "See? That is the nature of rumors. The information shifts. There is no real accuracy."

"So you've heard the rumors, too."

Pelias shook his head, "Look, Battus. I've been around here for a long time. I have heard many different rumors about one thing or another and most of the time they end up being flights of fancy."

"There is no validity whatsoever then? There is not a group denying the divinity of the Lords and spreading materials in Theonpolis?"

"To the best of my knowledge, no. There is not."

Battus reached into his coat pocket and removed a pamphlet. He laid it on the table in front of Pelias and the priest squinted as he read the title aloud, "'The One True God.'"

"This deity is not given a name, though." Battus grinned and seemed pleased with himself.

Pelias flicked the pamphlet back with a finger. He hesitated, realizing this wasn't his work. "Interesting."

"'Interesting?' It's illegal. This is printed blasphemy."

"It is, indeed." Pelias sipped some water. "Now, if we only had the person who printed it, we could call it a crime."

Battus took the pamphlet and put it back into his pocket, "It doesn't concern you that someone is trying to undermine the authority of the gods?"

The priest laughed, "The Lords of Kobol have been living among the people for more than three thousand years. To the great majority of Kobollians, they exist and are divine." He dismissively pointed a limp finger at Battus' pocket, "If there are one or two people out there who wish to believe otherwise, that is their business. But they need to be more careful when it comes to sharing those views."

Battus nodded. "Very well. Thank you, sir."

Pelias seemed surprised. "That is all?"

The reporter stood and extended a hand to Pelias. "Yes. As you said, we have no one to attach to this pamphlet and it is pretty much the only evidence we have to support the rumors." He leaned closer to Pelias and said, "Between you and me, I think we'd rather not give the Lords any reasons to be angry."

After shaking hands, Pelias said, "Agreed. Come back any time, Battus."

"Thank you."

As the door closed, Pelias slumped in his chair and drank the rest of his water. This was the fifth newsperson to come into his office in recent months and the fifth to leave without a story. Concerned though he was at his not being the origin of this particular pamphlet, Pelias breathed a heavy sigh of relief. He needed to get away.

Pelias left his office and headed down to the front door. He waved to the attendant and walked straight out. It was early in the afternoon and it was rather warm for this late in the season. He walked from the Forum and toward the market district, just on the other side of the river. Being nearly eighty, Pelias felt his age more than ever before and he didn't walk the streets as often as he used to.

He passed the Museum of Kobollian Art and the Theonpolitan Museum of History and turned right onto Commerce Avenue. This is where most of the best shops and restaurants were located. A few of the older proprietors recognized Pelias and greeted him. The high priest smiled and waved. A lovely, brown-skinned woman was wiping off a table outside a café and smiled at him. Pelias smiled back and crossed the street so he could stop by his favorite bakery. Still two blocks away, he noticed with resignation.

"Hello, Laius?" he said as he approached the baker's counter. The shop seemed empty but the smell of fresh goods filled the air.

"Eh?" An older man hobbled out from the back and braced himself against the counter, slowly regarding Pelias. "Is that you, Archiereus?"

"It is." Pelias was surprised to see him so crippled with age. For decades, he would stop by the bakery on his rounds of the city and often pick up a treat or two. True, he hadn't been by here in... four years? Gods.

"It has been too long, Pelias." Laius laughed and pulled a stool out from under the counter. His back audibly cracked when he climbed atop it. "Where have you been?"

Pelias smiled, though he didn't feel like he really wanted to. "Busy at the Forum, of course."

"Bah," Laius barked. "Nothing has changed in so long, you could surely leave your duties to some subordinates."

_So, even this shopkeeper senses the stagnation?_ Pelias felt weakened even further by the knowledge. "You are correct. I should have come by more often." He looked around the shop and then at his own wrinkled hands. "I should have done... many things."

"Reflective?" Laius reached behind him with difficulty and handed a sweet roll to the priest. "Don't get too caught up in looking back. You won't be able to look ahead until it's too late."

Pelias nodded and took the roll. "You may be right. Maybe I should quit." He pinched off a bit and ate it.

"You should. You've served for ages and you could use the rest of your days to truly live."

Pelias licked his lips and took a bite of the roll. As he chewed, he spoke from the side of his mouth. "Laius, I know it has been a long while since I came by, but this tastes even better than I recalled."

The shopkeeper chuckled and pointed over his shoulder with a thumb. "That would be my new assistant's fault. She's a born baker." He leaned in close, "And she's easy on the eyes, too." Pelias grinned while Laius turned around, "Dirce? Come out here."

A moment later, her face spotted with flour, the same woman who was wiping a café table down the street just a few minutes ago emerged from the kitchen. "Yes, sir?"

"Someone I want you to meet. This is Pelias, High Pantheonic Priest."

She smiled. "Pleased to meet you." She offered her hand.

Pelias was motionless. Eventually, he started and shook her hand softly. "I'm sorry, my dear. I could swear by Athena that I saw you not ten minutes ago outside of the Vineyard wiping off a table."

Dirce looked out the window and her face fell. "Oh. That may have been my sister."

The priest nodded slowly. "Twins?"

"Yes. Twins."

Pelias grinned and popped the rest of the roll in his mouth. "These are delicious. You should be proud."
**XXIII**

ATHENA

2,585 Years Before the Final Exodus

"Hello, Goddess." The five-year-old girl held some wildflowers up while wearing an ear-to-ear grin.

"Well, hello, my dear. What is your name?" Athena sat on the grass and gently took the gift.

Swaying side-to-side as she spoke, "Andrea."

"That's a pretty name." Athena sniffed the flowers and looked back at the girl, "Are you in school yet?"

Andrea nodded. "I started school and my teacher is Miss Leonide and I'm five." She held a hand out with all her fingers splayed.

"That is great." Athena cupped the side of the child's head in her large, left hand. She looked over toward Andrea's beaming father, "She's adorable."

"Thank you, Lord."

Athena liked speaking to children most of all. They were affected by the Chara, certainly, but they still managed to carry on a conversation that was more than just the effusive praise and penitent pleas that most adults offered.

"You're big," Andrea smiled.

Athena laughed out loud. "Yes, I am. I always have been."

Andrea looked back toward a playground. "Can you play with me?"

Athena stood and picked up the girl, "Yes!" She leaped over a bench with ease and brought Andrea to the top of a twisting slide. She set her at the top and stepped to the exit, catching her when she flew out. The girl laughed as the Lord swung her high in the sky and plopped her at the top again.

"Excuse me, Goddess?"

Athena turned and saw a teenage boy. "Yes, dear?"

"May I ask you for some advice?"

Athena glanced at Andrea and saw that her father had returned to help her off the slide. The Lord stepped away and put her hand on the boy's shoulder. "Certainly."

"I graduate soon from philosophical school..."

"Congratulations."

"Thank you, Lord. The problem is my parents want me to continue my studies and become a playwright or something along those lines."

Athena nodded. "I see."

"I wanted to opt out at sixteen and join the apprenticeship of a techsmith."

"You like processors and such, eh?"

The boy nodded meekly, "I do."

"There is no shame in that." Athena looked around at the crowd that gathered. She leaned over so the boy would feel more comfortable and not so exposed. "You must always honor and respect your parents."

He seemed disappointed. "I do and will, Lord."

"But," at that word, the boy's head jerked upward, "you are a young man and you must decide what is best for you. If you wish to be a techsmith, then do it."

He beamed and clapped his hands, "Thank you!"

"Should I tell Lord Hephaestus to hold a position for you at the Institute?"

He laughed, "That would be great. I may go there after my apprenticeship!"

Athena stood up and patted his back again, "I'm sure you will do wonderfully." He ran away into the crowd. She glanced around and decided it was time to run. She waved at the group and began to jog in the opposite direction. A few vocally expressed disappointment that she was leaving and a few even tried jogging behind her. After a minute or so, the long strides of a Lord far outpaced those of the Kobollians'.

Children. She did love being with them best. Perhaps it was time to conceive. It would go against the trend of the rest of the Olympians, who had children for the first few centuries after the Flood, but none after that. Time affects the immortal in strange ways. Athena, though, did not have a mate. Who among the Olympians would she choose?

Athena reached the western edge of the park and she turned south to run along the perimeter. She liked being back in Theonpolis. For some years, she made Athens her home. They founded it in her name, so it seemed to be the least she could do. It was a fairly small city, compared to Theonpolis or Delphi. It had its charms, though. Theonpolis, on the other hand, reminded her of the good times. The times when the Olympians were in full force and the people truly needed their help. For the last few centuries, though, it seemed as though humanity could do just fine without them.

Athena saw a water fountain ahead so she diverted her course toward it. There were a few people nearby and they parted for her. She smiled, out of breath, and bent over the basin. She took a few sips of the cool water and looked at the crowd around her. "Good day."

"Good day, Lord," many of them responded.

Athena bent over and drank some more. When she stood erect again, she wiped a trickle of water from her mouth and looked back to her jogging path. Standing there, she saw a man. He was smiling, like everyone else around her. But this man... there was something about him.

Athena stepped slowly toward him. He was fairly tall for a human but shorter than the Lords. He had short, dark, curly hair with the occasional gray, and his skin glistened from sweat. Athena was about five meters away from him now, and she stopped dead in her tracks.

She didn't know how or why, but she knew. Athena knew that he was a Cylon.

Just like her.
**XXIV**

ASCLEPIUS

2,585 Years Before the Final Exodus

"Olympian Council. Now." That was the message Zeus sent out this morning. Asclepius was relaxing by the ocean on the island of Skyros in the Thracian Sea when the message came across on his palm processor. A second message followed, "Asclepius – get here now."

He knew it was major, whatever it was. Zeus had not called an Olympian Council in centuries and he hadn't spoken to Asclepius since he aided in Poseidon's termination. That may not have been the reason for the lack of communication, but nonetheless, that was the timing.

Asclepius rushed to his hotel to gather his things and then rushed to Skyros' airport. He took his private aircraft back to Theonpolis. It was a five-hour ride and he tried contacting various Lords during the trip. Zeus didn't return his messages. Every other Lord he reached said they had no idea what was happening – except for Athena. Her response was cryptic: "Something amazing has happened. Amazing and frightening."

Asclepius put the processor in the seat beside him and held his chin in his hand, squishing his mouth. He stared at the naps in the carpet, trying to imagine what Athena meant. He had to couple something urgent enough to require a council along with the need for his own presence. And add to that something "amazing and frightening."

Asclepius sipped wine and he thought further. With about an hour left to land, the best theory he could come up with is that Zeus had gotten a human woman pregnant. It seemed physically impossible, but given the odds, it had to happen eventually, he guessed.

It was a short ride from the Theonpolis airport to the foot of Mount Olympus. By this time, he was confident his theory was correct. A large throng of humans were clogging the sidewalks and streets in the short hills around the marble arch. Asclepius politely stepped through the crowd, ignoring their pleas and greetings. The mechanical Cylon guards at the mountain lift bowed before Asclepius for three full seconds before swinging open the gates and powering the device. Asclepius stepped inside and began the ride up. He looked back to the gates and studied the gathered citizens and news crews pointing their cameras up the mountain. "Gather the gods and the gawkers turn out," Asclepius whispered.

The carriage came to a stop on its tracks just outside the marble and ivy covered entrance to Olympus. Asclepius pushed his luggage off and into the structure. Inside, a glassy-eyed acolyte was waiting and he happily took the Lord's bags. "To my room, if you please." The young man bowed and pushed them down the corridor. Acolytes weren't ordered to work at Olympus as often as they used to be. The teens and twentysomethings very often became emotionally overwhelmed by being influenced by multiple Charas so consistently. Most acolytes recovered with time, but some became permanently manic or had other, more severe, mental issues.

Asclepius followed only until the first intersection when he turned right. The floor had gone from marble to metal, though marble columns still punctuated the hall every ten meters. The walls were no longer covered with ivy and instead showed their original metallic hues. He heard murmuring ahead and knew immediately that several Lords had already gathered.

Asclepius turned the corner and saw a huddle of Olympians in a far corner near the wine table. They were talking fairly loudly, though they did not know what was happening. The Olympic Court looked the same as Asclepius remembered it the last time he was inside. Bronze floor, marble columns along the walls, great swaths of fine fabrics between the columns, the large copper-colored table, the uncomfortably plush chairs, the equipment housing above the center of the table and Zeus' large upholstered marble chair at the far end of the room, at the head of the table. There, Athena was sitting with him, whispering.

Zeus saw Asclepius enter. "Doctor. Come here." He complied and pulled the chair normally reserved for Hera to Zeus' left side. "We're waiting for at least twelve of us to be present to begin, but I want to tell you now." Athena had straightened up in her chair and she had a nervous smile. Asclepius looked from her to Zeus, who leaned in toward the doctor's ear, "The humans have created organic Cylons."

Asclepius' mouth fell open and his eyes widened. "Are you serious?"

Zeus nodded slowly and Athena leaned forward. "I found one in a park earlier today. Aurora found another in Cyme."

Asclepius squished his mouth with his hand again and mumbled, "So much for my theory."

Zeus stared at the huddle across the room and asked quietly, "What was your theory?"

The doctor removed his hand, "The best I could come up with was... you finally managed to impregnate a human."

Zeus' head whipped around and then he began to laugh. It carried far and drew the attention of the clutch of Lords. Asclepius smiled; thankful that Zeus seemed to be holding no ill will regarding Poseidon.

Still smiling, Zeus said, "Go get some of your diagnostic equipment, Asclepius. You'll need it."

The doctor nodded and left the Court. After a brief walk in the corridor, he came to the elevator and took it two levels down. The halls were unencumbered by marble, plants or fabrics. It was all metal, plastic, and fiberglass. Asclepius entered the medical hall and began opening storage compartments, removing encephalographic scanners, a pocket surgery kit, and a field air-syringe pouch with various medicines.

"Organic Cylons," he said aloud as he perused the equipment in the bins. He reached over his head and grabbed the hefty gene sequencer. He put all of the equipment into an expedition sack and headed back up to the Court.

As he reentered the room, he saw that Apollo and several others had arrived. "Hello, father."

Apollo turned around and clasped Asclepius on the shoulder, "Hello, son. How are you?"

"I have been well. And you?"

He grinned weakly and said, "Curious, more than anything else."

Asclepius began to move back toward Hera's seat next to Zeus, but Zeus shook his head. "Stay on that end, doctor. That's where you'll be needed."

He understood and began to unload his equipment. Apollo's eyebrows were raised, "'You'll be needed?'"

Asclepius shrugged and betrayed nothing, "Apparently."

He arrayed the items on the table in front of him and sat. He surveyed the crowd and familiar faces; the Olympians who remained in the most contact with mankind. Zeus, Hephaestus, Hestia, Demeter, Aphrodite, Athena, Dionysus, Ares, Apollo, Hermes, Eros. The other Lords really caught his attention. Most of whom he hadn't seen in three hundred years since the meeting on mechanical Cylons. Aurora, Artemis, Hecate, Helios, Atlas. Hera was the only one missing and she wasn't likely to turn up.

Asclepius sighed. Persephone ended it all a century ago and five others left once she broke that ground. Poseidon, most recently. Selene before him. More painfully, his mother, Coronis, before that. He shook his head in an effort to avoid falling into an emotional slump and at the same time, Zeus stood.

"Please sit." The Lords complied. Twelve were seated around the table with the other five sitting on a marble bench along the far wall. "I have contemplated calling a Council for some time."

"Really?" Apollo said, softly. Zeus ignored it.

"For three thousand twenty-five years, we have acted as the shepherds of mankind. A few of you have never been comfortable with that," he glanced around the room, not seeing as many of those faces as he remembered. His face grew somber. "Well, a couple of you, anyway. Regardless, it has been a great deal of time. As we've discovered, godhood and immortality have lost their luster." Dionysus laughed, but Zeus maintained his depressed tone. "We have fallen into stagnation. It's something Apollo tried to convince me of some years ago, but I didn't see it."

"What made you see it?" Apollo interjected.

Zeus was still for a moment and then he sat. "I intellectually saw it at a festival in my honor at Calydon. But I didn't really feel it or... see the damage until I watched my brother swim out to sea five years ago." Most of the gods respectfully lowered their heads. Even Dionysus stopped smiling. "Some of us have been more perceptive to it than others. Persephone, of course, opened the floodgates." Demeter put a hand over her face. "Poseidon. Selene. Coronis. Dione. Antaeus. They all felt the burden of time and asked to be released." Asclepius lowered his head and inhaled deeply. It was his duty to enact the wishes of the Olympians when they wished to deny themselves another life, another transfer, so he saw it all firsthand.

"Some of you may be considering this yourselves." Zeus didn't pause or look around to see who might be confirming this with their expressions. "So we have needed to, as Apollo put it to me, 'shake things up.' I hesitated calling a council for so long because, frankly, I had no idea what to do. But now, something has happened. Needless to say, things are about to be shaken." He pressed a button on the table. "Bring them in."

A few moments later, an acolyte entered with a middle-aged male and a younger, olive-skinned female. The acolyte quickly bowed and stepped backward from the chamber. The Olympians' attentions were focused on the man – who was smiling widely as any human would – and the young woman. She was smiling, too, but not nearly as much.

Asclepius studied them judiciously. For the male, he couldn't see anything. But the female... he knew she was a Cylon. Asclepius didn't know why he knew, but he did.

"Frak me," Dionysus said. At about the same time, many of the other Olympians began to see it as well, and they gasped and stood from their chairs.

"Please, be seated. Calm down," Zeus admonished.

Hecate was impatient, "What? What is it?!"

"They're Cylons, child," Hestia whispered; her attention unwavering from the two specimens.

Hecate developed an incredulous look and stared at the female. A moment later, she laughed. "Oh, shit. They are!"

Immediately, the Lords began talking over each other. "How did this happen?" "Where did they come from?" "Hephaestus, what have you done?" "What does this mean?" "Asclepius, did you know about this?"

Zeus pounded the table with his fist. "Enough! Calm down. All will be revealed." The Olympians relaxed and Zeus sat, "Well, we'll reveal as much as possible." He pointed to Asclepius, "Doctor, please verify that they are, indeed, what we think they are."

Asclepius took a large, metallic circle and split it, creating two prongs. He slid a small computer display onto his wrist and stepped over to the man. He was fairly tall and Asclepius was one of the shorter Lords, but the doctor still stood taller. "If I may, sir."

The male was beaming, "Please, Lord."

Asclepius positioned the points of the prongs at the ear canal and slowly swept the rest of the circle from the front of the head to the back. A moment later, his wrist display flashed and displayed the scan's results. "Hmm."

"Yes, doctor?" Aurora asked.

"His brain. It is definitely showing signs of artificial organic processing."

He stepped to the table and picked up the heavy gene sequencer, "May I take a small tissue sample? It would only sting a little."

Still smiling, the man said, "Of course."

Asclepius placed the sampler against the forearm and pulled a trigger. There was a loud click and the male flinched slightly. Again, the doctor looked to his wrist device. "He shows no signs of genetic manipulation and no synthetic compounds. Rapid maturation, perhaps. His brain, though, definitely of interest." The beaming man nodded toward Asclepius at that last bit. The doctor returned the gesture and stepped toward the female. "May I?"

The woman smiled gently. Not nearly as unrestrained with glee as most humans in the presence of the gods. "Certainly."

Asclepius placed the sequencer against her arm and pulled the trigger again. Without waiting for the results on his display device, he positioned the ends of the opened circle over her ears and rotated the device from the front of her head to the back. His display flashed again. "Now that is more interesting."

"What?" Ares asked impatiently.

"Her brain is much like his: artificial organic processing with implanted information. Likely memories and education. Even photosilicate pathways and definitely some synthetic compounds." Many of the Lords sighed or inhaled deeply. "As for her genetics, a full analysis will take some time, but a cursory scan shows many hallmarks of genetic manipulation, maturation, and construction. She seems to even have datastream inputs. Rather rudimentary, but still effective." A few gods slumped in their chairs; others leaned forward onto the table.

"Thank you, doctor." Zeus said. Asclepius returned to his seat as Zeus lifted his hand and addressed the gathered gods. "We will slowly and carefully ask these two who they are and where they come from. If any of you have questions, please wait a few moments." The Olympians nodded and Zeus stood. "Would you please tell us your names?"

The man eagerly stepped forward and bowed, "Yes, Lord Zeus. I am Tritos Thersitous Eleusii." He glanced over at the female, who did not seem as eager.

"I am Iole Cymii." She bowed as an afterthought. Asclepius made a mental note about the absence of a patronymic name.

"Tritos, I will start with you." He again nodded and bowed. "How old are you?"

"I am twenty-three, Lord." Asclepius' eyebrows lifted because he would have guessed the mid-forties.

"What is your earliest memory?"

Tritos tilted his head to one side as he spoke, "That is a difficult question, Lord. I have memories that predate my own life. They were implanted by my mother and father to test their equipment and theories."

Some of the Lords began to whisper among themselves but Zeus hushed them, "Your mother and father?"

"Yes, Lord."

"Are they your true mother and father or simply a man and woman who created you?"

Tritos paused for a moment as he thought. "Both. I was conceived in the laboratory using an egg and sperm from my parents, but my mind was created."

Asclepius nodded. "That is consistent with my scan."

Zeus continued, "Who are your mother and father?"

"Thersites Asious Eleusii, formerly of the Hephaestus Institute," he smiled as he nodded to the now-surprised god, "and Helena Telamonina Delphii, formerly of the Asclepius School." Again, Tritos nodded to the appropriate Lord. Asclepius and Hephaestus exchanged shocked looks and then slowly turned toward Zeus. He, however, seemed nonplussed.

"Iole, how old are you?"

"I have been awake for five years."

Zeus continued, "Is Tritos' information the same for you?"

The woman nodded, "Mostly, Lord."

Hephaestus had been deep in thought and he stood from the table. "Permission to depart and return."

"Is it pertinent?"

"Yes."

"Go." Hephaestus left the Council chamber and Zeus continued. "Iole, you said, 'mostly.' Could you tell us how you came to be?"

She cleared her throat and began, "I was genetically assembled by my... 'mother,' as Lord Asclepius found. And then my mind was created by Thersites, my 'father.' I was implanted with many memories, education relating to the arts and music, various common trade and household skills."

Zeus interjected, "How many versions of your kind are there?"

"Not counting Tritos," she looked at him briefly, "who we don't regard as the same as us, twelve, Lord."

That bit of information surprised the gods. Dionysus chuckled. Zeus continued, "And how many of you... your version... are there?"

Iole licked her lips, "Currently, eight. But more will be forthcoming from the farm."

"'Farm?'" Demeter asked.

"Yes, goddess. Thersites' father owned a farm outside of Theonpolis in Eleusis. Under the barn, he created a laboratory where our transferral canisters await and where some of my brothers and sisters continue to work on... improving us."

Murmuring erupted again. Zeus didn't try to squelch it, though. "Hermes?"

Hermes stood. "Yes?"

"Find this farm. Observe and report." Hermes bowed his head briefly and darted out of the room. Zeus paused for a moment before continuing. "Iole, are all of your people in Cyme or Eleusis?"

"No, sir. They are... all over. Some are in Cyme. Many are in Theonpolis."

"Twelve models," Ares muttered.

"Have you or any of your brothers and sisters ever downloaded?" Zeus asked, but Iole seemed confused. "Um, transferred?"

Iole nodded. "Ah. I have not, but I know at least one of my sisters did last year after an accident."

"And it worked well?"

"Yes, Lord. No ill effects."

"Where are your parents now?"

"I do not know, Lord," Iole said.

Tritos' usual smile dampened somewhat as he answered, "My father is dead and I have not seen my mother in some time."

Asclepius stood. "If I may?" Zeus waved him on. The doctor stepped close to Tritos and smiled. As before, Tritos beamed. Happiness oozed off his face. He then approached Iole. She was smiling, but not nearly as... vapidly. "Do you see it?"

Apollo said, "I believe I do."

Asclepius held his hand over Tritos' head, "He is almost fully human, except for the information in his head and how it's stored. Iole, though, was, essentially, built from the ground up. Her response to our Charas is not the same." The other gods nodded. "It does make me wonder what else differentiates her and her kind from humans."

Hephaestus reentered the chamber, holding a small, gray case. "Zeus."

"Go on."

Hephaestus set the case on the table and removed a square device from it. "Thirty years ago, a scholar named Thersites developed an atomic computational processor." He held the square up and set it back in the box. "He created the foundation for artificial intelligence. And then, somehow, made the leap to that," pointing at Iole. "He may have accessed withheld projects in the database to put his theories on high-level artificial processing to use in organic devices."

"Like the brain," Asclepius said.

"Yes."

"Which is where my former student, Helena, would come in."

"And I'd be willing to wager that Helena at least dabbled in genetics," Apollo said.

The room fell quiet. "Asclepius, do you need to run further tests on them?" Zeus asked.

The doctor nodded, "Iole, certainly." He looked at the man, "Tritos, have you ever downloaded?"

He shook his head, "No, Lord. I do not have any copies of myself."

Asclepius turned to Zeus, "If she can stay, that would be good. I probably won't need Tritos."

"Iole," Zeus asked, "would you be able to stay on Mount Olympus with us for some time so the doctor can examine you?"

She seemed nervous and Asclepius put a hand on her shoulder, "Do not worry."

She nodded. "May I call my roommates in Cyme to tell them I'll be away?"

"Certainly." Zeus pressed a button on the table and spoke, "Acolytes, attend." Quickly, two young men entered the room. "Escort Tritos to the lift carriage and prepare a guest room for Iole. And allow her access to a dechopem." They bowed and began to back out of the room, beckoning the two to join them.

As soon as they left the doorway, some of the gods began to speak over each other.

"Shh!" Ares said. "Wait."

Everyone paused. For only a moment.

"What does this mean?"

"I can't believe it."

"How could we let this happen?"

"Enough," Zeus said, without raising his voice. "I don't know what this means in the greater scheme of things."

"Cylons," Atlas said. "Our brand of Cylons and theirs are separated by thousands of years. How closely related are we?"

"I don't know yet," Asclepius said as he studied his scans.

"Zeus," Helios began, "what do we do?"

"Right now," Zeus leaned back and folded his arms, "we wait for Hermes to get to the farm."
**XXV**

HERMES

2,585 Years Before the Final Exodus

The "Messenger of the Gods," as the Kobollians used to call him, smelled.

He had been base jumping and glidesuiting in the Pindus Mountains on the other side of the continent when Zeus called. There had been no time to shower and his tiny aircraft didn't have much in the way of personal amenities. So here he sat; his hands pressed against inductive datastream squares, flying the tiny but fast vessel away from the mountain and to the far eastern side of Theonpolis. A quick computer search of "Thersites" and "Eleusis" found the family farm. He would be there in moments.

When he arrived, he saw plenty of places to land his craft. The dartship, as it was called, held only two Lords and was the fastest on Kobol. Hermes had flown and maintained it for millennia and many humans wanted a peek inside since it represented the purest form of Olympian technology that most had seen. The white and silver ship quietly landed in an old field. Hermes couldn't tell what crop had grown here, but it had obviously been some time since anyone bothered.

He felt silly in his dark blue athletic suit, but he was a Lord, so he doubted anyone would give him trouble. Before he left the dartship, he placed a small camera and transceiver on his left ear and grabbed his staff. The staff was mostly an affectation, but he built this one with a few surprises inside, in case anyone tried anything.

Hermes closed the ship's door and walked to the barn. The whole property seemed abandoned. The house was in disrepair, the barn doors were partially open and there were no crops or animals. He quietly stepped into the barn, using the staff to part the doors. He walked around briefly, seeing nothing, before he noticed a well-worn path to a back corner of the barn.

The outlines of a hatch were plainly visible and he opened it with the toe of his shoe. A ladder led down about six meters to a door. A small, cramped area. Hermes quickly climbed down and turned to the door. Locked. Then he noticed the keypad. He thought about using his staff on it, but he saw movement through a small slit. He peeked in and saw two figures moving around.

"Open the door."

The figures stopped and hesitantly approached the door. "Who is it?"

Hermes straightened and deepened his voice, "Lord Hermes. I've come on the orders of Zeus."

He heard the two men briefly and quietly argue among themselves before one came closer. There was a click and the door opened. Hermes lowered his head to fit through the entrance. Both men were bowing, but the nearest one spoke, "Lord Hermes. How may we assist?"

"Stay out of my way. Unless I require something." Hermes scanned the room and saw two large workstations laden with various kinds of meters, readouts and computational processors. He flicked on the ear camera and spoke, "Zeus, are you reading my signal?"

"Yes, Hermes. Carry on," came the reply in his ear.

Hermes moved around an empty examination table to the first workstation. He turned to the two still-bowing men. "You." Both rose and Hermes saw that they were identical. "What are your names?"

The nearest one spoke first. "I call myself Jason Eleusii and he is known as Jason Theonpolii."

"Eleusii, explain this workstation."

He slowly stepped to Hermes' side, "This is the artificial memory station where we create and implant information, education and so on into the bodies of our brothers and sisters. It is also where memory transfers are coordinated."

"Ask if there are backup systems," Hephaestus said in his ear.

Hermes complied, "Are there backups elsewhere?"

"Yes, Lord. For everything."

Hermes walked to the other workstation and recognized various medical terms and readouts. "And this workstation?"

The other Jason responded, "This is the physical station. We monitor the life-support conditions in the transferral canisters and can alter genetic profiles." Afterward, he sat down, pulled a small metal cable from under his sleeve and connected it to one from the workstation.

Hermes looked away, "Show me the transferral canisters."

The first Jason motioned for him to follow and they came to a closed door. He opened it and a rush of warm, humid air hit them. The ceiling was lower and the lighting dimmer and Hermes stooped to enter. He saw another person with a handheld processor going over a data display on one of the canisters.

"Lord Mercury," she said with equal parts fear and awe.

"And who are you?"

"I am Mylene, Lord." She had lowered herself onto one knee.

"Rise, Mylene." Hermes slowly walked through the crowded room, peering into the canisters and seeing lifeless beings submerged in an orange gel. "There are twelve models?"

"Yes, Lord."

"And there are about eight of each model currently?"

Mylene answered as she slowly rose, "Yes, Lord. Give or take."

"How many of each model do you have cloned in canisters here?" Hermes asked while gently shaking one of the bins.

"Three of each currently," Jason said.

Apollo spoke through Hermes' earset, "Iole mentioned improvements. Ask what kind of improvements they've been working on."

"How long have you been working here?"

Mylene and the talkative Jason exchanged a glance as they slowly added the time. "About... five years, Lord," Jason finally said.

"And in those five years, what kind of improvements have you been working on to advance your... species?"

Mylene spoke first, "Mostly improving the range of our organic memory transfer. We have also been attempting to improve the quality of the replication, the maintenance of the bodies in the canisters, and natural procreation."

Hermes' eyebrows lifted and Asclepius said, "Elaborate."

Hermes stepped closer to Mylene, "Elaborate."

Mylene lowered her eyes and began, "We are unable to procreate naturally with our own kind. There have been some clinical trials and attempts outside of the lab but to no avail."

Hermes looked at Jason, "And with humans?"

He shook his head but Mylene answered, "No success with humans, either, Lord."

Jason spoke up, "We have been working to increase the size of our population, but having only twelve versions of ourselves will prove problematic soon."

"No doubt," Hermes said quietly.

"We require the ability to diversify our code." Hermes' eyebrows rose again at that line.

"Hermes, ask if there are any archives or storage of older computer tests you can see," Hephaestus said.

"Do you have a vault or an archive where older technological attempts are stored?"

Jason nodded and motioned back toward the door. "This way, Lord."

Hermes left the transferral chamber and reentered the main laboratory. The quiet Jason was gone, but the other Jason stepped toward a door and pulled it open. Hermes walked to the entrance and looked inside. It appeared to be a sleep chamber; maybe even a cell. "In here?"

"Yes, Lord," Jason began. "This is where Tritos, the unofficial 'first' of our kind lived while he was being experimented on." Hermes furrowed his brow while Jason closed the bunk against the wall and removed a portion of the brick façade. He pulled a tray out and it contained several processor chips and an assortment of gray cartridges.

"That's it, Hermes," Hephaestus said. "Bring that whole tray."

Zeus interjected, "And come back. Now."

Hermes reached for it and asked, "Jason, do you have copies of all the information here?"

"Oh, yes, Lord. This is mostly old information, so we have little use for it, currently."

Lifting the tray, he stepped away from the small bedroom and said, "I'll take this back to Olympus for study."

Jason seemed nervous but he nodded. "Yes, Lord." Hermes turned to walk away, but Jason spoke from behind, "Lord Hermes?"

He stopped and turned, "Yes?"

"What are we supposed to do? Are we to stop? Do we carry on?" Hermes sighed and thought.

Mylene came into the room and asked, "Will the gods help us?"

Hermes waited for an answer from his earset. None came. "Zeus?"

Zeus answered slowly and deliberately, "Tell them they may carry on. But that is all for now."

"You may continue your work." Hermes turned to leave the lab and climb the ladder into the barn.

Mylene asked again, "Can the gods help us?"

Hermes didn't look down the ladder as he climbed three rungs at once, "We'll get back to you on that."
**XXVI**

ZEUS

2,585 Years Before the Final Exodus

The time between Hermes disconnected his earset until the dartship rumbled into the landing bay on Olympus seemed to be an eternity. In that time, the Lords had argued and expressed concern that their guidance was for naught.

"Three thousand years of work."

"How could this have happened? How could we have been so ignorant?"

"'Ignorant?' I think you mean 'arrogant.'"

Hermes entered the Court with the tray and set it on the table before Hephaestus, "There you go."

The engineer nodded and began sifting through the items. He picked up a gray cartridge and checked a handwritten date label. "Here we are. This is the newest one Thersites made. I'll have to run some tests on it to see if it is truly artificial intelligence."

"What does that matter?" Atlas asked. "He went from circuits and molecular computers to organic processors. That's how he... they created organic Cylons."

Hephaestus nodded, "Yes, but this," he held out the cartridge, "is what could turn every gardener, construction worker, and mothballed soldier into killing machines."

Ares shook his head, "And do you realize how many mothballed soldiers we have?"

"Hephaestus," Hestia said, "have you lost control? Can we keep the Cylons in line?"

"I haven't _'lost'_ control," he answered, angrily. "I still perform routine checks."

"I cannot believe what I'm hearing," Helios said. "If we value this 'great experiment,' why don't we wipe out that farm and let the Cylons die off?"

Ares cast an angry glare at him, "Have you forgotten what you are?" Helios shrunk back in his chair.

"Regardless," Artemis began, "the 'experiment' is over."

Zeus had been quiet and solemn until then. He straightened up and glared at his daughter, "'Over?' Don't you see? Are you all blind? This is our greatest challenge. The experiment is not over. Now, more than ever, we are needed. We tried to keep this from the humans but... they found a way." Zeus stood and walked around the table. "Now, organic Cylons exist. There are almost a hundred of them with more to come and they're already working on procreation."

"That may take time," Asclepius said.

"Yes. And we won't help them."

Some of the Lords looked at each other, confused. "Why not, Zeus?" Aurora asked.

"Right," Eros said. "Asclepius is going to examine them and we might be genetically compatible. They could be... the next generation of Olympians for all we know." Helios scoffed and Eros looked at him crossly, "They are us. We are them."

Zeus lifted his hand and waved toward Eros dismissively. "Let's wait for Asclepius' test results before we go down that road. If we are compatible, then we can talk this over again."

Aurora interjected, "What about the humans?"

"What about them?" Zeus asked.

She inhaled deeply and then spoke, "When the Cylons are discovered, they will face great discrimination. The Cylons could be subjugated, treated as slaves..."

"Slavery has never been allowed on Kobol," Demeter said.

"True," Aurora answered. "But you forget an important fact: Cylons are not humans. If mankind sees the Cylons as 'things,' not unlike their robotic kin, it is no small leap for the organic Cylons to be enslaved or treated poorly, in general."

Asclepius raised a hand and began to speak, "We're forgetting an important point. We know what constitutes a Cylon. It is artificial intelligence. Now, the robotic Cylons on Kobol are Cylons in name only. For all intents and purposes, they are simple tools. These beings that were recently created are true Cylons. But humans may not make that connection."

"Agreed," Apollo said.

"No, it doesn't matter," Aurora said. "Once they hear that these organic Cylons were created in a lab – that they weren't born, that they can 'plug in' to computers – the humans will see them as less than human." She exhaled slowly. "And treat them accordingly."

"I can see that," Helios said, "but there's something else you're not considering." Aurora betrayed no emotion and her brother continued, "If humans knew the secret of these Cylons, they might be able to make a mental leap and connect us with them."

"How so?" Athena asked.

Helios shrugged, "Take a look at me. I appear to be in my fifties. My hair's graying. In about ten years, I'll grow tired of this body and download into a new one. I'll be young again. If everyone on the planet knew about the technology that these Cylons had, they would be able to infer that we have something similar."

"Or that we are, in fact, Cylons ourselves," Dionysus said.

"Exactly." Helios glanced around the table. "We've been fortunate thus far that Kobollians haven't made a bigger deal about our 'rejuvenations,' as they call them. We've been fortunate that our genetics make our appearances age slower than they should." He then began pointing at the table, "We need to be sure that they keep their natures a secret for their own sakes, as well as ours."

"I didn't think you were a true participant in the experiment?" Ares muttered.

Helios shrugged. "I'm not. I have my problems with it. Always have. But still," he tapped the table, "the thought occurred to me."

"Thank you for sharing," Zeus said. He paused and exhaled slowly. Helios had only verbalized the fears he felt. Zeus knew this day would come. Centuries ago, when they begrudgingly allowed the humans to have mechanical robots – Cylons in name only – the Lords knew that organic models were the next step. Despite the warnings he gave to Hephaestus, Poseidon, and Asclepius, it happened anyway. Now that they existed, a threat to the Olympians existed, too.

"I am loathe to eliminate our 'cousins,' as it were," Zeus said. "I will order that these Cylons keep their secrets from mankind as a whole. Since they were created by two people who violated our commandments, we shouldn't have to explain that further. They keep their mouths shut and... that should do it."

Apollo leaned forward, "What about the bigger issue?"

Zeus asked, "What issue?"

"Humanity is stale. This all may serve to get _us_ active and moving again but it won't affect the people."

Zeus nodded. "Do you have a proposal?"

Apollo hesitated and looked as though he was going to shrug. Then, his eyes glinted and a grin curled the edges of his mouth. "Allow the humans to begin development of space exploration and travel." Immediately, Hephaestus smiled, Helios laughed nervously, and Zeus covered his face with his hands. "Why shouldn't we? They have an entire star system to explore and plenty of other systems nearby."

Hestia shook her head, "I don't know, Apollo. You're talking about a distraction. This doesn't address the Cylon problem."

"It's not meant to," Apollo replied. "It makes no sense to keep the people here, on Kobol." Zeus was still covering his face and Apollo pointed a finger directly at him, "When we assumed the godhood, you said part of the experiment was giving humanity every opportunity we had and more."

"True," Atlas said.

Zeus pounded his hand on the table. "By containing them here, we have control! By keeping humanity on Kobol, we can keep them in check." He saw a few odd stares, "Try to keep them in check, anyway. And who knows what they might find floating out there. They could see ..."

"You said we would only restrict them from that which could destroy them. And our checks have not prevented them from making the leaps we feared most."

Hephaestus interjected, "My scholars are itching to go to space."

Apollo responded quickly and firmly, "And we should let them."

Zeus lowered his hands and breathed slowly. _It's not about protecting mankind anymore, is it?_ There were no explicit restrictions against space exploration, but the Lords always steered humans' attention away from the stars. Was it fear of loss? The loss of humanity to another world or the loss of worship? And with Cylons among them, too? "Maybe..."

Apollo had already begun to speak. "We can't hold them forever. If we don't lessen our grip, they will break away, _hard_ , and not return."

Somehow, Apollo always seemed to know what his father was thinking. "Any other thoughts on this?" Zeus asked.

Dionysus spoke up, "Well, since we're letting them have Cylons, it only makes sense for us to let them have space travel. At least they can get away when it all goes to pot." A couple of Lords laughed but Zeus turned toward him and sighed.
**XXVII**

IOLE

2,585 Years Before the Final Exodus

She had been in the home of the gods for a week now. The presence of various Lords, checking up on her and Asclepius' examinations, had become commonplace. There was something odd about the Olympians. Something about the way they looked at her. Iole couldn't put her finger on it.

The examinations started easily enough. Lord Asclepius asked her to sit in a chair and relax. And then he sat right next to her and began to read a book. A few moments later, he began to laugh. A lot. Iole began to feel happy and she smiled. It was the Chara she had learned about. As quickly as she started to smile, Asclepius turned to her and began to ask questions.

"How happy do you feel?"

"Um," she was surprised. "Pretty happy. I guess your Chara affected me."

"Yes," Asclepius said as he pulled a portable processor off a table and began to type, "but not as much as humans... most humans, I mean."

Then it was blood samples, DNA sequencing, memory tests, spatial recognition, physical endurance, and reflexes. It seemed to go on and on. She complied because these were gods.

"Good morning, Iole." Asclepius walked into the medical lab and placed his processor on a counter. "How are you?"

She looked up from her book and dipped her head, "Well, my Lord."

"That's good. How did you sleep?"

"Deeply." Iole closed the book and set it aside. "What kind of tests will there be today, Lord?"

Asclepius pulled a chair near to her and sat, "Well, just one test today. I'm afraid it is somewhat invasive."

"How invasive?"

"Minor surgery. I would like to remove an egg or two from your ovaries."

Iole blinked as she considered this. "I... don't know, Lord."

"I understand your hesitation, Iole." He put his hand on hers, "It would be painless and it would also be very helpful."

"Can you not get answers from the DNA samples you've gotten?"

Asclepius nodded slowly, "Perhaps, but it would take a lot of time. And there are too many variables that way. Look, I'll be honest."

Iole swallowed hard, "Please."

"We want to evaluate your reproductive system. We would like to see why your kind are not able to procreate with one another and to, perhaps, see if the Olympians would be able to procreate with your people."

Iole smirked. "Did Lord Zeus come up with this?"

Now Asclepius laughed. "Not entirely, no." He stood and pulled a tray from a rolling cart, "But he was curious."

She looked around the lab and thought about all of the work she had done until now. She felt as though she was genuinely helping the Lords, and she didn't want to disappoint them, especially Asclepius. "I believe... Yes. It's not as though I'm using the eggs, anyway."

Asclepius smiled, "Thank you, Iole. I appreciate it." He gave her what looked like a slice of bread to eat while holding an air syringe in the other. "This is a nutrient bread. It's very filling, but it will give your body the energy it needs for the next few hours." She took the bread and slowly nibbled at it. It tasted good, so she ate bigger chunks. "And this syringe contains the medicine to get your ovaries working."

Iole nodded and he placed the end of the syringe against the underside of her forearm. There was an air hiss and a brief, sharp sting. "How long before you operate?"

"It'll take the drugs a couple of hours to reach their peak, so you can go back to reading or whatever you'd like. Don't be surprised, though, if you feel tired and just want to nap."

She finished the bread and began reading. Soon thereafter, she yawned.

"Iole?" Asclepius was gently shaking her shoulder. "Iole, you should wake up."

She opened her eyes and blinked. "How long was I asleep?"

"Three hours," Asclepius said as he wheeled a small table over to her side. "If you'll lift your shirt, I can go ahead and lower the chair and we can get this over with."

Iole yawned once more and laid flat against the back of the chair. It began to recline and she pulled the edge of her shirt up to just under her breasts. Once she was horizontal, Asclepius pulled a syringe from the table and gave her an injection just above her hip.

"That's for the pain. Your midsection will tingle for a moment and then you won't feel anything." Iole nodded. Asclepius then picked up a telescoping silver device. "This is the extractor. I create a small incision on your side here," he brushed his finger above her hip, "and then this goes into your ovary and I can remove however many eggs are mature enough."

"I see," Iole was nervous, but she tried not to let on.

The doctor placed a small device over his left ear and flipped a bar to the front of his face. A small, transparent rectangle lowered over his eye. He picked up a scalpel and flicked it on. With an audible buzzing, the blade cut her abdomen, but no blood came from the incision. Next, Asclepius moved the end of the extractor into the cut and began to slowly extend the device.

"The thing over my eye is actually a viewscreen. There is a camera... on the end of the extractor... so I can see exactly what I'm doing... and where I'm going." Iole nodded. She wasn't curious about that. She just wanted to get it over with. "There it is. Your ovary." He pressed a button on the side and maneuvered it slightly. "Good." A few more movements. "Excellent. I have three eggs. I'm going to close you up." A few moments later, the incision was closed and Asclepius was returning his tools to their drawers. "The numbness should wear off shortly."

Iole couldn't move her legs so she laid there in the chair, just staring at the ceiling, while Asclepius worked. After a time, she spoke. "Lord Asclepius?"

"Mm?" He was hunched over a worktable, dropping liquid into dishes.

"I think I need your advice."

"On what, Iole?"

She began to fidget with her shirt as she continued, "I don't know what to do with my life."

Asclepius chuckled softly, "Is that all?"

Iole scrunched up her face, "Why is that funny?"

"Dear, just about every person goes through that at some point." He rotated on his stool to make eye contact, "Take me. I was born here on Kobol. I could have been... anything. I was already considered a deity by the Kobollians," this phrase struck Iole as odd, "and I could have done anything I wanted. Including doing nothing. After a few decades of dabbling in various fields, working with different Olympians, I decided to follow my father and become a medical scientist. More specifically, a doctor." He smiled and turned back around.

"But how did you come to that decision? You just... tried things and stayed with the one you enjoyed most?"

He dropped liquid into another dish. "Yes. That's how it works for just about everyone. What have you tried?"

Iole exhaled deeply, "Well, after I left the farm, I went to the coast. I became a chef for a while. A fisherman. I was working as an entertainer on the street when Lord Aurora found me."

"And what did you enjoy most of those things?"

"Entertainer. It barely pays at all, but it was just more... fun."

"Well there you go," Asclepius said, sliding a dish under a scanner. "If you can find a way to make it work better for you, do that."

Iole thought for a few moments and then shook her head. "I don't know if it's as easy as that. I was... created and given a host of different skills, memories, and an education. But I lack any of the normal influences that humans have in shaping their life. I'm only five years old, after all."

"True." He removed a dish and slid another in its place. "But that is the beauty of Kobollian society. You can do nothing, professionally. You'll have a home and food and all the time you need to try various trades and endeavors. You can take as long as you'd like. You'll find something, I'm sure of it."

Iole nodded and realized she could move her legs. She sat up and felt for the control panel and righted the chair. Her extremities still tingled so she didn't bother standing up. "Thank you, Lord. I appreciate it."

"Not at all." He sat straight up and pushed away from the worktable slowly, sighing loudly.

"What's wrong?"

Asclepius shrugged, "Nothing really. Just... your eggs and Olympian sperm don't want to cooperate with each other."

Iole was somewhat surprised. These were the gods, of course, so why couldn't it work? "Oh. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It's not a major concern." As the doctor put away the test dishes in a stasis box, there was a knock at the door. "Enter."

Lord Zeus stepped into the room part of the way, "Good day." Both Asclepius and Iole responded in kind. "How did the reproductive testing go?"

Asclepius glanced over at Iole, who was smiling. The doctor then began to laugh.

Zeus was confused. "What's so funny?"
**XXVIII**

ZEUS

2,585 Years Before the Final Exodus

It was tradition. For millennia, after an Olympic Council, Zeus or another designated Lord would speak to an assemblage of priests and scholars to present the information discussed so that it may be preserved. Any commandments, decrees, prohibitions, or statements would be recorded for posterity by the men and women waiting at the foot of Mount Olympus in the Temple of Preparation.

The Temple of Preparation was old and run down. It was constructed centuries ago when humans were more regular visitors to Olympus and it served as a physical and emotional place to prepare oneself for that journey, as well as a place to "come down," as it were, after a visit. It got the most visitors after an Olympic Council, because this is where the designated Lord would sit before the table of priests and scholars.

Zeus waited in a corridor outside the main hall, his finger over his mouth, deep in thought. What would he have to tell these people? It was Apollo who first realized that the priests would want to meet with them after the Council. Zeus' thoughts darted for a moment before he knew what he would do.

"I am very glad we listened to you, son," Zeus said with his hand on Apollo's shoulder.

"Regarding?"

"Allowing the Kobollians to begin space exploration. That is what I will tell the priests."

Apollo nodded, "Doing it yourself then?"

Zeus smiled, "Why not?"

Why not, indeed. Zeus put his hand on the latch and lifted it. The heavy wooden doors swung open and the group of thirty-some people rose and bent at the waist. Zeus walked immediately to the large chair, set at the midpoint of the table.

"Teia gou, Hod Jupiter," one of the priests said.

"Teia gou," he motioned for everyone to be seated. He looked around the room and recognized several faces, but not enough to know their names. He saw the robed priests from his own temple, wearing the purple sash with golden lightning bolts, as well as priests from other Lords' temples. He also recognized the new High Pantheonic Priest, though the name escaped him.

"What news from the Council, Lord Zeus?" the chief temple priest asked.

Zeus lifted his head and began to speak, "I have great news for the people of Kobol. After much deliberation, the Olympians have decided that it is time for humans to explore beyond their own planet." The priests and scholars began to murmur among themselves. Some were writing furiously and others were smiling and whispering in each others' ears. "Naturally, Lord Hephaestus will be leading this effort, but he will be assisted by Lords Apollo, Atlas, and Hermes. We could, of course, give Kobol the technology, but that deprives mankind of the learning experience."

The priests continued their excited response when one priest spoke up, "Lord, will this be manned or automated exploration?"

Zeus shook his head, "Lord Hephaestus and the others will manage the details and the work will begin tomorrow in earnest. I am sure, however, that the earliest efforts will automated."

"Will we explore other star systems?"

Zeus grinned at the eagerness of everyone. Apollo was right; they were hungry for something new. "Eventually, yes, but you must take smaller steps before you can make giant leaps. You have other planets and moons in your own star system to see first. Your neighboring stars can wait."

Everyone continued writing; some carried on with their conversations. Zeus couldn't help but smile. The humans were reveling in the news. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to them, an even bigger and more important event had already happened and was continuing right under their noses. Even under the gods' noses.

"Is there any other news from the Council, Lord Zeus?"

Zeus inhaled and thought. "No. No, there is not."

Some of the scholars began to gather their things, but a priest asked another question, "Where was Lord Poseidon?"

Zeus' smile dropped. He sank into his chair and his eyes gazed a thousand kilometers away. His Chara shifted; the priests and scholars all felt it. Zeus swallowed hard and looked around at the newly confused and nervous faces. "I... Lord Poseidon has," he struggled to form the words, "gone to assert his lordship over the seas. He departed land for the last time a few years ago."

The priests hesitated for a moment and then began to write. Zeus slowly breathed and brought his heart rate back down. He stared at a corner of the room and thought of the evening on the beach when his brother swam into the ocean.

"Like your other brother, Lord Hades? He departed Kobol long ago to begin his lordship of the afterlife."

Zeus closed his eyes and nodded. A moment later, "Yes." A few priests wearing blue with trident badges closed their eyes and lifted their faces toward the sky. Their lips fluttered but they remained silent.

A priestess stopped writing and nervously raised her hand, "Lord Zeus, it seems that, in recent years, more gods are leaving Kobol. To command the realms ascribed to them?"

"What do you mean?"

The priestess stood slowly, obviously distressed, "Lords Poseidon and Hades have. But also Persephone, Selene, Dione, Antaeus, Coronis... these Lords have all moved on. And just in the last several decades."

Zeus nodded, "They have. But I am not aware of any other Olympians who are willing to depart Kobol at this time. I certainly don't require them to take up residence in their realms yet, either." The priest bowed and sat back down. Zeus' hand twitched and he felt eager to leave. He glanced across their faces and saw their uncertainty. "Some Lords of Kobol may leave this realm. But they are always here. The Pantheon is always here. It is always with you." The priests smiled and nodded. They seemed satisfied. "If there is nothing more, I must return to Olympus."

Zeus stood and the humans did likewise and bowed at the waist. He turned and left the room while the scholars and priests gathered their things and began to depart. Once outside the hall, Zeus closed the doors and leaned against them, squeezing his eyes shut.

They were leaving him. Hades was the first, Poseidon the last, and several in between. Yes, immortality and godhood were difficult, but Zeus knew he could handle it. He could find enough diversions to last millennia. He was just more committed to the experiment than the others. He could shepherd humanity through ages upon ages. Alone, if he had to.

But that's not what he wanted.
**XXIX**

AURORA

2,512 Years Before the Final Exodus

As usual, she woke up later than she intended. Aurora found it odd that she was referred to as the "Goddess of the Dawn" because she was almost always asleep when the sun rose. Not to mention the fact that her home was on the west coast and her large bedroom windows looked out over the ocean so she could see the sun set.

When the Kobollians first met her, she was known for her smile. "Lighting up a room," was the saying. That's why they called her "Aurora." Her own name, Eos, was fine, but someone else preferred "Aurora." So she took it and kept it.

It had been millennia since her smile lit up any rooms. She was wary of assuming godhood over the humans, so she moved away from Mount Olympus to the coast. Over time, a community grew up around her. Members of the Pisces tribe settled at a small distance and the city of Cyme was born. It was still a small place and the Kobollians respected her desire for solitude and they didn't pelt her with worship. She appreciated that.

Aurora stumbled out of bed and into the bathroom. She leaned against the sink and looked into the mirror. "God damn," she said. For whatever reason, the wrinkles in her face seemed deeper than ever. The silver hairs blended well with her golden locks, but these wrinkles. She sighed and brushed her teeth. She knew she would be downloaded to Olympus again sometime soon. She could go there and let Asclepius induce it or she could just live her life until its natural end. Until, of course, she woke up a few moments later in a pod.

She put on her usual outfit: a tight black sleeveless shirt and comfortable pants. She laced her shoes and left her home. It was a short walk down the hill to Cyme. Aurora jogged slowly into the city and turned through the streets toward the row of cafés. A few minutes later, she was winded and she leaned against the outside counter of her favorite breakfast eatery.

"Good morning, Goddess. Are you well today?" Lydos was a pleasant older man and his business had improved greatly once Aurora began frequenting his place almost daily.

"Yes, Lydos. Thank you." She tried to rein in her breaths and tapped the counter lightly as she did. "I'd like some fruit bread and a cup of coffee, please."

"Of course, Lord." He stepped away and poured a large cup of coffee. "I have apricot-pomegranate bread and a berry blend."

"Ooh." Aurora ran a finger into her hair to pull a wisp out of her face. "They both sound good. I'll take one of each."

Lydos nodded and took the bread from the serving rack, passing it and the coffee through the window. "There you are, Goddess. Would you like a bag?"

"Please." As he slid the bread into a bag, Aurora pulled a large silver coin from her pocket and set it on the counter.

Lydos returned the bread and spotted the coin, "Oh, Goddess. You needn't pay."

"No, come on, now. It has been awhile since I've paid. You're due."

Lydos bowed and took the coin, "Thank you, Lord. As always."

"Take care, Lydos." She stepped away from the counter and sat on a bench under an umbrella by the sidewalk. It was late morning, so most people were already at work or wherever. She sipped her coffee, occasionally reaching into the bag to tear off a chunk of the tasty bread. She had regained her breath and she was now just enjoying the morning air. Birds were nearby, singing.

"Good morning, goddess," a passerby said.

Aurora nodded and smiled. Thankfully, that was about the limit of the worship she had to endure. Yes, there was a Temple of Aurora in Cyme, but at her request, the priests kept it relatively small and its actions unobtrusive. The Temple of Poseidon, on the other hand, had been small and unobtrusive. Once Zeus announced, however, that Poseidon had, "departed to assert his dominion over the seas," things just took off. It was odd, but once a lord had gone, worship increased for a time.

Aurora thought often about calling Asclepius and telling him that she was finished. That she was ready to, "assert dominion over the dawn." She knew what she would do, too. She would travel Kobol one last time. Go sailing, hang gliding, mountain climbing. She would write one more epic poem. Maybe even paint a picture. And then she would simply die. Asclepius would delete her memory profiles and empty her pods and that would be it. She would be gone.

Why hadn't she done it yet? She wasn't involved in Kobollian politics. Her sister, Selene, had already left. Her brother, Helios, was nearly a hermit. Both her parents had left. She had no ties to Kobol. She felt a certain curiosity toward the organic Cylons, though. She wanted to help, but she knew she couldn't. Not just because of Zeus' prohibitions but also because she wasn't a scientist. Yes, they were the main reason for her remaining, she guessed. They were relatively new and she was intrigued by the changes their subtle arrival had created. That wasn't enough to stay, though. Yes, she would call Asclepius.

Aurora sipped the last of her coffee and carried her bag back down the street toward her house. She was too tired to jog back. A few more pleasant nods and smiles to well-wishers and she was home. Inside, she went to her studio and sat at the piano. The studio was essentially a greenhouse, full of plants and made up of only glass walls and ceiling. The almost-midday sun had warmed the room a great deal and the light was nearly blinding. Before Aurora started playing, she said aloud, "Windows, thirty percent opaque." The clear panels became somewhat milky and then translucent, blocking some of the light. She nodded to herself and began playing an old, old song.

"Hello, Aurora."

She whipped her head around and saw Hades. Her mouth fell open and she began to tremble. "This isn't..."

Hades smiled. "I know it's difficult to understand. I have some important things to discuss with you."

Aurora slowly swung her legs over the piano bench, but she was afraid to stand up. "I don't understand." She hadn't seen him, the only man she ever loved, since the night of the bicentennial celebration almost three thousand years ago.

"It's fine. You don't have to try to understand yet. Just try to listen." He walked over to her slowly and sat on the bench. When he did, the wood creaked. He put his hand on hers. The sensation made her jump up from her seat.

"How are you here? I would have understood a hallucination, but this..."

"Aurora, listen."

"I can't! You're here! But you're dead!"

"Yes, I am."

She had nothing to say to that.

"More importantly," Hades stood from the bench and looked out of the windows at the blurry trees beyond, "'the One' needs your help."

To say that Aurora was reeling would be an understatement. But now, she was positively dizzy. "What? God?"

Hades turned around and looked at Aurora disapprovingly. He walked back over to her, held her shoulders and looked deeply into her eyes, "It needs your help."

Aurora had more questions, but she could only say a single word, "How?"

"You must help the Thirteenth Tribe."

Aurora's eyebrows rose, "How?"

Hades smiled and released her shoulders, "Don't worry. The answers will come to you soon. Just be ready."

"I don't understand," she said, and Hades vanished. He was there and then he wasn't.

She looked around the room in a rush with tears falling from her eyes. "Hades?!" He was gone.

She sat on the floor under a bank of plants and cried. After several minutes, she stood and walked into her study. Her moods could turn on a dime, and now she felt resolve instead of bewildering fear. She switched on the dechopem to call Asclepius. She would be induced as soon as possible. There was going to be work to do, and Aurora thought her aging body wouldn't be up to it.
**XXX**

ZEUS

2,508 Years Before the Final Exodus

Oddly enough, Zeus was in the middle of frakking a beautiful young acolyte when he got the call.

The blonde was facing him, writhing on top. She was nude, of course, and Zeus cupped her large breasts with his even larger hands. She was loud, as most of the acolytes were, thanks to the size of his manhood. As all of the Olympians were bigger than the Kobollians, it only stood to reason that the Lords' genitalia would be larger, too. Among the Olympians, Zeus had what would be considered "average"-sized equipment, but thanks to the size disparity with the humans on Kobol, he was positively gargantuan. So Zeus appreciated the occasional acolyte who was up to the task of repeated sexual dalliances.

The call from Asclepius interrupted his climax. When he put down the device, he knew it was pointless to get back in bed with the young woman. He slid into his black pants and pulled a white shirt on. The acolyte was breathless and waiting in bed. Zeus glanced over to her as he buttoned his shirt. "I'm sorry, but I have to go. You can stay as long as you'd like."

"Yes, Lord." She bowed her head and Zeus left the room.

He didn't bother going to find Asclepius. He went straight to the hangar. He passed by the large shuttle, _Aetos_ , and opened the hatch on a dartship. After placing his hand on the induction panel, the craft was powered up and he left the bay. The vessel rose above the range near Olympus and he banked away and over Theonpolis. The mountain peaks known as the Gates of Hera were several kilometers away from the city and he'd be there in moments.

His attention drifted as he steered. When was the last time he saw Hera? The Trimillennial Celebrations? That had to be it. But he hadn't truly spoken to her for even longer. What was the point? What was there to say? They both had spoken their minds before. Each was angry at the other. What could be said that hadn't been already?

He veered toward the paired peaks and spotted the modern home between them. Hera's estate lacked the traditional feel of nearby Theonpolis and seemed more akin to something from Delphi. Zeus landed the dartship by Hera's garden. He left the ship and stepped up to the front door, pausing before pressing the button.

The door opened and a waist-high Cylon was sitting there. "Good day, Lord Zeus," it said in a somewhat more lilting monotone than most mechanical Cylons had. It bowed as much as it could despite the plastic suit it appeared to wear. Zeus stepped in and watched the machine close the door and roll on its two spheres back toward a sitting area. Zeus didn't move until the sound of its sweeping eye was gone. Before it was, he heard stifled sobbing.

He walked across the room, sidestepping a table and found his daughter lying on the floor against the side of a couch, staring out the window.

"Hecate?" Zeus kneeled beside her and put a hand on her shoulder.

She looked over at him, wiping her eyes. "Father, I don't know why you've come."

"I... felt like I had to." His voice was quiet and he found he couldn't look at her directly. Her body was older than usual, at least in the fifties. Hecate generally induced downloading when her body seemed to be in the thirties.

"I don't even know if she'll want to see you."

Zeus nodded. "I still had to come."

When he stood and started to walk away, Hecate slowly rose, "Are you going to talk her out of it?"

The Lord didn't look back and instead watched the house Cylon step down the stairs and then begin to roll toward the kitchen. He thought for a moment. "I will try. I don't know if I can."

Zeus walked up the stairs slowly. When he reached the top he looked left and right, realizing he had never been inside Hera's home and didn't know which way to go. Instinctively, he turned right and pushed open the door with a finger.

The room was vast with a table and chair set, two large dechopems, vanities, and more. On the far end was a canopy bed under wide windows. Hera was lying under the sheets and she seemed to be well into her eighties.

"I knew you'd come," she said. Then she coughed.

Zeus didn't answer. Instead, he walked across the room and picked up a small chair halfway. He set it beside her bed and glanced around. "Why wouldn't I?"

Hera smiled somewhat, "I can think of several reasons." She tried to push herself upright but gave up after a moment. "Namely, your telling me that you would kill me yourself if it weren't for our children."

Zeus furrowed his brow, "When did I say that?"

"A couple thousand years ago."

Zeus nodded. His eyes flitted about the room and he realized again that he was having trouble looking her in the eye. "Hecate is downstairs. Upset."

She nodded. "She doesn't really understand." Zeus began to fidget with his shirt cuffs and Hera sighed. "Why did you come?"

Zeus looked up and into her eyes, "You don't want me here?"

"I didn't say that. I just don't understand why you came."

Zeus swallowed hard. Sentences formed and fell apart in his head. He could go into a ten minute diatribe about loneliness. The solitude of command and the seclusion of immortality. He could bring up Poseidon, Apollo's ex-wife Coronis and all of the other Olympians who asked Asclepius to help them die for good. He could cry about how it seemed everyone was leaving him and how much he feared being alone. In recent decades, it seemed to be all he thought about. But for Hera, someone he hadn't spoken to in centuries, it seemed pointless. He feared being alone, but Hera wasn't one of the Olympians he really wanted the company of.

"I'm not sure either." Zeus stood and looked out the window. The view was magnificent with the base of one of the peaks to his left, trees along the hillside and huge forests and plains far below.

"Did you want forgiveness from me?" Hera asked as she coughed.

Suddenly, Zeus became enraged. "Forgiveness from you?" He stomped from the window to the bed and loomed overhead. "You should seek forgiveness from me!"

Hera grinned, "And if I did, would you give it to me?"

"Absolutely not!"

"I didn't think so." She pulled the sheets a bit more snugly to her neck.

Zeus was still fuming. Forgiveness! After what she did? Why did she leave Olympus and build this home in the mountains? Because Zeus kicked her out! If she stayed, he would likely have killed her eventually for what she did.

And why did she do it? Because Zeus was a bastard. His face fell and his anger subsided as he thought about it. Yes, he knew he was a philanderer. He cheated on her all of the time. They were still married, after all, so even the acolyte a little while ago was a mistress. Zeus had done nothing to earn her trust or loyalty. But after what she did in response, he didn't want it.

"You know, you're right." He picked up the chair and replaced it against the wall. "There's no reason for me to be here." He walked to the foot of her bed and looked into her face as he continued, "I wronged you and you wronged me. End of discussion. Once upon a time, I loved you and wanted to spend forever with you." He shook his head, "I haven't felt like that in millennia. If you want to end your life for good, go ahead. I won't stop you." He turned and started to walk away.

"There's the Zeus I fell in love with." He didn't stop walking. "I might just call Asclepius back and tell him I've changed my mind." He stopped at the door and looked back as she continued, "Just to be a thorn in your side." He said nothing and closed the door.

While Zeus descended the stairs, Hecate walked over toward him, "Did it work? Is she going to call it off?"

He stopped and looked Hecate in the eye, "No. You should probably go be with her." Hecate immediately ran up the stairs as he walked to the door.

The house Cylon was there with its sweeping blue eye, holding the door open, "Good-bye, Lord."

Without a break in his stride, he stepped out onto the porch and toward the dartship without saying another word.
**XXXI**

IOLE

2,507 Years Before the Final Exodus

Her leg vibrated nervously as she sat in Aurora's arts studio. She held her cup of tea as still as possible, but she couldn't help being anxious while in the home of a Lord. Even if it was the home of a Lord who didn't really participate in the governance of mankind.

"Relax, Iole," Aurora said as she came back in the room. "Now, let us talk."

Iole took a sip of the light-colored tea and found it very smooth going down her throat. She placed the cup on a small table nearby and crossed her legs. "Thank you for seeing me, Lord Aurora."

"Not at all," she waved. "I got your letter and I was sorry to hear, of course, about what happened."

Iole tilted her head and nodded, "Yes, well, the attack was a few years ago."

"Years?" Aurora seemed almost angry. "Why didn't you write to me sooner?"

"Honestly, Lord, I wanted to put the entire situation behind me before I moved on." Aurora nodded while Iole continued, "The police were quick and responsive. They collected genetic material and caught the suspects. They are on Tartarus now. Ten years." The prison island was a harsh sentence but it held the few truly violent offenders of Kobollian society. Many could be rehabilitated with drugs or therapy, but the incorrigible stayed forever. Fear of the gods kept most people in line.

"That's good to hear."

"Yes." Iole picked up the tea again and sipped it. "It happened quickly, but I felt as though I needed more time to reset myself, emotionally." Aurora nodded. "That's why I waited. I often thought back to what you and Zeus both said before I left Mount Olympus all those years ago. That the secrets of my people were to be kept only among ourselves. Even without that knowledge being public, we still face discrimination."

In an instant, Iole was transported to her memories.

On Olympus, Aurora said, while holding her shoulder, "Once you leave, you and your kind must keep quiet about your origins."

Iole was confused and answered, "That's what Lord Zeus said, but I don't understand. Mother had said that we would be able to help mankind with the technology that created us."

"No doubt, but mankind is not ready yet for that responsibility, nor are they ready to deal with the manner in which you were created." Aurora released Iole, "It would be best for all of you if none of you said anything."

Iole's mind spun again and she recalled sitting in her home ten years ago, clutching her knees to her chest.

"Who are these people?" the news commentator began. The dechopem's screen shifted to show various Mylenes, Crassuses, Jasons, and, yes, Ioles, walking along the street, eating, talking, whatever. "A growing number of citizens have noticed an absurd amount of twins, triplets, and possibly more in recent months. Is this something we should be worried about? Is it some sort of new cult? We go now to Calydos Decadontous for more."

"We asked some of the residents what they thought about these people," the reporter said.

An older woman glanced over her shoulders as she spoke, "It is odd for so many people to have multiple identical children. I don't understand it."

A younger man shrugged, "I didn't notice or think anything of it until you showed me the pictures."

Off camera, the reporter asked, "What do you think now?"

He shrugged again, "It is strange, certainly. But I don't think it means anything."

"I think it must be some sort of medical experiment gone wrong," one pedestrian said.

"But the Lords have forbidden human cloning," Calydos said off camera.

"True, but," as he continued to speak, the pedestrian looked suddenly nervous, "who's to say the Lords didn't do this themselves? I'm not blaspheming here," he held up his hands, "I'm just guessing because I don't know the whole story."

"'The whole story,'" Iole mouthed. Aurora was speaking but she couldn't hear her. She watched the goddess' lips move but her mind whipped back seven years to the night of a Dionysian Bacchanal.

The big party was two streets over, but the music and light spilled all over the city. The street was dark and Iole was already walking quickly from her job at a now-closed restaurant.

"Watch out for snakes," the leader of the trio said. As the rumors continued about them, ulterior motives were assigned. They were called, "Serpens," meaning "snakes." "Snake in the grass" was a favorite slur. Hissing was often heard when one of the twelve were spotted. After a time, some had even begun to refer to them as the "Thirteenth Tribe," mostly as a derogatory term.

"I'm going home. Leave me be," she said.

They didn't. Within a few minutes, the men suffered a total of two compound fractures, five lesser fractures, a punctured lung and two concussions. Iole, though, fared even worse.

Aurora stood and said, "I have received many letters from your kin asking for help." She walked over to a shelf and pulled a stack of paper from a bowl. "I'm sure other Lords have gotten similar ones."

Iole glanced around the room to gather her bearings. "I have come to you because I would like your help."

Aurora replaced the letters and walked back to her chair. "I assume something beyond asking the Lords to publicly speak out on the matter?"

Iole nodded, "As nice as that would be, I despair of that ever actually happening. No, I come to you to get your advice on how I may become a leader for my people."

Aurora's eyebrows lifted, "What kind of leader?"

"An advocate. I want to be able to help siblings of mine when they are victimized. I know that we are derisively called the 'Thirteenth Tribe,' but perhaps we are due some sort of representation."

Aurora smiled, "I think you would be a fine leader for your people. And I will help in any way I can. In fact," she stood and walked toward an easel, "I've been working on a project for a few years now that may be along the lines of what you're asking." She pulled a sheet of paper off the top of the pad, revealing a drawing below.

"Is that a map?" Iole asked as she stood and walked toward it.

"Yes. This is Cyme," Aurora said, pointing to the top of the map, "and this is the southern portion of this district in Pisces. I've spent the last few years acquiring many hectares of land through purchases and eminent domain. I will be opening it up to your people."

Iole blinked and her mouth fell open, "What?"

"This can be the home of the 'Thirteenth.' There's room for many thousands and the economy of this whole district would be boosted by the construction it would require."

Iole was dumbstruck. "I had no idea."

"Of course not. I've been doing it in secret."

"Um... Will the Pisces archons be angry about this?"

"Let them be." Aurora released the paper and it fell upon the map, "I'm a Lord of Kobol and I acquired that land legally. It is mine to do with as I please."

Iole began to smile, "How can I help you?"

Aurora sat down at her piano and mindlessly played a few chords, "You will be my public face, my representative. Soon, we will make the announcement and invite all of your people to come live here."

Tears welled up in Iole's eyes and she stared out of the windows at the beautiful day. It seemed so simple. Was it too simple? As she began to second-guess her good fortune, she shook it off and turned to Aurora, "What else is there I can do?"

Aurora began to play a more organized song, "I would get your scientists working harder on natural procreation. You accomplish that, and it'll bring you a great deal closer to achieving equality with the... other humans."

Iole nodded. "I know it's being worked on. Diligently. Any help the Lords might be able to provide in that area..."

Aurora chuckled, "Sorry, dear. I'm no scientist and, unfortunately, I think I'm probably the only one who would give you that information if I had it."

Iole nodded until she thought of the obvious question, "Why? Why are you helping us?"

Aurora stopped playing and she turned toward her guest, "Because you need it. Because the Olympians took on the godhood and yet they don't seem to be playing fair when it comes to who is covered under that umbrella." She turned and started playing again, "Because I see a little bit of us in you. Because someone told me I should help."

"Who?"

Aurora hesitated and then played further. After a few moments, she responded, "No one you'd know."
**XXXII**

ARES

2,422 Years Before the Final Exodus

"Very impressive, Lord General Mars," one of the archons said as he clapped.

_Of course it was impressive_ , Ares thought. Twenty thousand men and women moving in unison and marching across the field. It was always impressive. "Wait until the Second Mechanical joins in, Archon."

The God of War was clad in his anachronistic bronze and gold armor, a sword at his side, while the tens of thousands of soldiers before him wore camouflage, dark synthetic deflection pads and automatic weaponry. They carried swords, as well, but it was mostly ceremonial.

He had waited in vain for some sort of rebellion, be it anti-Olympian, monotheist, whatever. He wanted any excuse to put on his armor and step into battle. Once each year at least, he put it on to engage his army on maneuvers. The Quorum would attend to see the might of the Kobollian military, though it had not been tested in three millennia. Sure, there was the occasional skirmish between two of the Twelve Nations over some resource or something. No real fighting, however, and there hadn't been anything like that in nearly fifteen hundred years.

Had it truly been three thousand years since he marched into battle? Nearly that. Not since he eliminated the Draco from the southern continent, Scythia. Ares tightened his grip on his sword as he remembered.

The final group of soldiers had marched to the eastern side of the field and was arrayed compactly. "At ease, soldiers. At ease." His voice was magnified by the speakers at either end of the field. "As we do every decade, we will now be treated to a precision display by one of our Cylon divisions, this time it's the Second."

The platform rotated and the guests could see toward the west. The ground shook with a distant rumble. The faint metallic drumming became louder and louder. Soon, fifteen thousand Cylon warriors began marching out of a group of trees and onto the field. Each one glimmered silver in the daylight, their armor clanking as they marched. They all had swords around their waists, though they, too, carried automatic weaponry.

Ares inhaled deeply while the sound of their whirring motors filled the air. The drone of their sweeping, yellow eyes was drowned out mostly by their own walking. After some time, the entire division was assembled on the western side of the field. To Ares, it seemed uncomfortable: the Cylons on one side staring down the force of humanity on the other.

"Hold!" Ares shouted. He stepped off the platform and into the grass. He looked back at the soldiers and then across to the Cylons. He started to walk. As he neared the Cylons, the Lord General felt a great rush.

Ares' bronze armor clicked together and he happily bounced his sword out of his sheath and back in. He stepped directly before the first Cylon warrior he reached. The machine was taller than an average Kobollian human and its shoulders were broader. These military units were well-armored and very little in the way of mechanics were exposed. On its helmet, the cheek guards extended below the Cylon's jawline and the yellow eye swept back and forth under the darkness inside.

"Step forward." The unit took one full stride ahead of its company. "Drop your weapon." The Cylon complied. "Retrieve your sword." With a quick sweep, the Cylon's arm moved to its belt, grasped the handle and pulled the blade even to its face. "Follow me."

Ares walked toward the center of the field with the Cylon right behind him. He stopped midway and yelled toward the podium, "We will now demonstrate the fighting efficacy of our Cylon divisions." Ares heard a murmur ripple through the soldiers and the platform.

The excitement he felt flooded every sense. He licked his lips and withdrew his sword while sizing up the motionless Cylon. For the first time in ages, Ares was ready to strike and he would hold nothing back.

"Cylon, attack me!" he yelled.

The unit's eye paused in the left orbit, still yellow, and it spoke in a monotone voice, "Verify command: attack you?"

Ares rotated the sword in his hand and pressed his feet into the ground deeper. "Verified. Attempt to kill me!"

The eye began to move again and the color changed to red. It extended its sword arm, pointing the blade right at Ares. It pulled its left arm back and the armor on its forearm opened and clicked, fanning out to provide a makeshift shield. Ares grinned and lunged, bringing his sword down on the Cylon as hard as he could.

The Cylon deflected the blade with its arm-shield and swept at the Lord with its sword. The very point scratched along the abdomen of Ares' armor before the Cylon withdrew, spun to one side and swung again.

Ares caught the right wrist of the Cylon as it swung its weapon. The Cylon punched Ares in the chest, kicked his knee and spun again. Ares was forced back and he swept his sword across the Cylon's path, knocking a small panel of the arm-shield off. The Cylon tucked and rolled across the field and swiped at Ares' feet, striking his heel.

Ares ignored the hit and kicked at the Cylon as he stood. This caught the unit off guard and it stumbled back. Ares pressed forward and drove his sword into the Cylon's armor. The point dented a panel and slid into the mechanics underneath. Ares heard the sword click against servos and motors. He pressed harder and felt the point against something inside. He pushed again and it gave way, sliding even deeper. Oil spurted from the wound and after a few twitches, the Cylon stopped attacking and slumped onto Ares' arm.

He exhaled deeply and walked away from the defeated unit, holding his hands aloft. The archons on the platform and the human soldiers erupted in applause. Ares looked back at the Cylon, now on the ground, and then at the other fourteen thousand nine-hundred ninety-nine units looking on. Their eyes were still yellow and they stood motionless.

Ares walked back toward his soldiers, knowing he had solved his boredom problem. "They are formidable, as you could see," Ares said to the archons while still somewhat out of breath. "We have kept them this long in case our human army dwindles. In case there is rebellion. In case of open war. If there is ever a need for this army, they will serve well."

"Indeed they will!" said one smiling archon.

"I hope they continue to collect dust, Lord General Mars," said another.

Ares nodded. "I understand your sentiment. However, I think it would be beneficial if our soldiers here were to occasionally train against the Cylon forces."

"I think there should be some safeguards, Lord." The chief quorum archon said, "We wouldn't want to lose our men in training exercises against machines."

"No, we wouldn't," Ares replied.
**XXXIII**

APOLLO

2,367 Years Before the Final Exodus

"And here they are, ladies and gentlemen, the first images from the surface of another world in another star system." The large screen was filled with the sight of gray-brown nothingness, occasionally pockmarked by craters. A small mountain range was off near the horizon. The image was a slow pan to the right. A landing craft sat twenty meters away and a Cylon was adjusting the familiar eagle-emblazoned Kobollian pennant on a pole.

"Now that's frakked up," Hermes said.

The news anchor continued, "The images are from the surface of the second planet orbiting the star, Jupiter, about three light years away and they were taken three years ago. Because of the subluminal speeds in interstellar travel, the Cylon crew will not return with better quality video and their samples from this and other planets in that system for another nine years."

"Off," Apollo said and the viewer went still. After a moment, it reverted back to the metallic color of the rest of the wall.

"Cylons walking on other planets," Hermes continued with his palms pressed into his eyes. "Can't really get used to that."

Asclepius shrugged, "I don't see the problem."

Hermes chuckled, "Well, you wouldn't, now would you?"

"Enough." Apollo pulled a small stack of papers closer to him so he could read them.

"This has been going on for decades now, you know that," Asclepius said. "Probes get sent, then Cylons, then humans. Now they're just in another star system."

Hermes shook his head, "Doesn't change anything."

"Hephaestus says they're still pretty far away from having FTL."

Hermes stood and headed for the door, "Is there anything you need from me?"

Apollo looked up, "No. I'll talk to you soon." Hermes left and Apollo turned to his son, "Do you know why Aurora asked us to be here?"

Asclepius shook his head, "No, but I'm sure it has something to do with the Thirteenth Tribe."

"That goes without saying, but I hoped you had specifics."

A few moments later, she walked into the room.

Apollo straightened up. "How have you been, Aurora?"

"I've been well." She laid a folder on the table and sat down. "I hope you two have been."

Apollo nodded and Asclepius spoke, "Yes. So how are things in Megara?"

"Very well. A little crowded."

Apollo grinned. Megara was the name the Thirteenth Tribe had given their settlement south of Cyme, and he knew the parcels of land Aurora acquired for those Cylons must be overflowing now. "Crowded, eh?"

Aurora nodded. "Yes. There are now more than six thousand Megarans and we're simply running out of space. I have more land, but it will just take more time to expand."

"You have to help them."

Apollo lifted his head and looked around the room. He couldn't pinpoint who said that. Then someone walked to his right. It was Leto. Apollo stared at her open-mouthed.

"The Thirteenth Tribe will need your help." Leto sat in the chair next to him and put her hand on top of his. Apollo could only stare. "They're about to make a major leap, but their victory will be short-lived without you."

"What are you talking about?" Apollo asked.

"Sorry?" Aurora said. She didn't look up from her folder. "I was just saying that the infrastructure in Megara is taking a beating. All of the power requirements, you know."

Leto squeezed Apollo's hand tighter, "You will have to help them."

Apollo glanced back to Aurora, "What can I do to help?"

Aurora closed the folder, "Another power facility in that district would be good, but I can ask the archons in Pisces for that."

Apollo nodded and Leto stood and spoke, "That's not what I meant by helping." She walked around the table and stood behind Aurora. Apollo couldn't take his eyes off her.

"Father?" Asclepius asked. "Are you well?"

He looked over at his son and then began to rub his temples, "I don't know. Headache. Or something."

Asclepius didn't quite believe him but he turned to Aurora, "If you can handle Megara's problems, why did you want to speak to us?"

Aurora grinned somewhat, "I knew you two would be the most predisposed to speak for the Cylons if they needed your help."

Apollo stopped rubbing his head and looked up, "Help with what?"

"Asclepius, you remember Iole, right?"

The doctor nodded, but his face went expressionless, almost ashamed. "Of course."

"She suggested you could help, even though you failed to help her when she needed it all those years ago."

Asclepius stared at a groove in the table, "I couldn't. Zeus said..."

"I don't give a damn about what Zeus said," Aurora barked. "She's one of us. A distant cousin, certainly, but she is one of us and she needed your help."

He nodded while Apollo spoke, "What help does she need now?"

"Your support."

Leto was standing behind Aurora, who ignored her presence. "Here we go..."

Asclepius chuckled, "Let me guess. Natural procreation."

Aurora smiled. "No. The Cylons are on the verge of solving that one on their own. Within a year or two, we could have babies in Megara."

Asclepius and Apollo were both stunned. True, it had been more than two hundred years, but that didn't change the shock of the news. "Well," Asclepius began, "that's rather important."

"Indeed," Aurora said. "But Iole will need some divine assistance to guarantee that once they start having children that they will be accepted into society."

Apollo stared at Leto, who only smiled back at him. "Um, how... how do we help with that?"

"Insure that the children of the Thirteenth are not discriminated against."

Asclepius grunted, "That doesn't make sense. If they're having children, that makes them more like humans so why would there be discrimination?"

"It seems that way." She lowered her head and slowly looked up again; her eyes were nearly glazed over. "The humans will see them as a threat again." Aurora reclined in her chair and continued, "After almost three hundred years, they have been out of sight and out of mind. Secluded in my little city. People have forgotten about the 'snakes in the grass' comments and 'Thirteenth Tribe' isn't meant as an insult anymore. But when their children are born, they'll start sending them out into the world, and I believe it will start sometime after that."

"You think those old prejudices will return," Apollo finished.

"Yes," Aurora and Leto said simultaneously. Apollo continued to stare at Leto, and Aurora noticed his gaze. She followed it over her shoulder and turned to look.

Only then did Apollo fully realize: he saw her and no one else could.

"This is what you must do, Apollo," Leto said as she walked back to his side. His eyes widened and he maintained a forward gaze, trying to avoid looking at her. "The Cylons will be having children soon and they will be moving into society again. It doesn't make sense now, but as they expand, Aurora will be proven right. Fears about them will be stirred up, blame will be misplaced... things will go wrong. You and Aurora will shepherd them."

Apollo licked his lips and turned his head to one side so he could speak softly, "Where?"

"Don't worry. It's not time for that yet." Leto straightened up and walked behind Apollo again. He turned to his left to see her and she was gone.

"Father? I'm starting to worry about you."

Apollo stood. He was sweating and he felt lightheaded. "Aurora, tell Iole she can count on my support." He started to walk out of the room, "I need to go lie down."
**XXXIV**

ATHENA

2,262 Years Before the Final Exodus

"I don't like being among the people anymore."

Apollo looked up from his papers. His eyes were wide. "What? That's... that's not like you. At all."

Athena looked down at the metal table top. She sighed a little before she answered. "I'm ashamed to say... I don't like seeing the Cylons."

Apollo blinked and slowly straightened in his chair. "Right."

"It was bad enough when there were just twelve of them." Her voice trailed and she shook her head. "Once they started having their own children decades ago, it seemed like they were everywhere. I know they weren't. Not really."

"But they mostly live in Megara now."

"I know. But they're beginning to spread out." She looked toward light in the ceiling. "What does that say about me, Apollo?" she asked. Her voice cracked a little.

He shrugged, "I don't know, Athena."

She stood up and paced around the room, "Am I so full of self-loathing that I can't stand to be around my own people?"

"Self-loathing for what? We didn't do anything."

"Exactly." Athena stopped and crossed her arms over her chest, "We did nothing. We could have done something all those years ago, but we didn't. We were too late."

"Look," Apollo said, "I wasn't there, but from what I know, if the organic Cylons had gotten involved, we'd all be dead, too."

Athena looked crestfallen again, "Maybe. But these Cylons have done nothing wrong. I know that, intellectually, but when I see them, I feel... uncomfortable. Shamed."

Apollo shook his head and picked up his papers again, "There's nothing to feel shame for."

"I'm still happy they're in Megara, though." As soon as she said it, she felt guilty and lowered her head.

She left the work room and shuffled down the hall to Olympus' entrance. She brushed lightly against a marble column and then moved toward the center of the corridor. When she rounded the corner, she saw that the skycar wasn't docked. Athena sighed and slowly ambled toward the window.

Just a few hours ago, she was down in the city. In Pantheon Park, she saw a Cylon family walk by. The father, a Crassus model, she recognized. The mother and the child were Cylons, too. But they weren't of the original twelve.

Her drifting mind was brought back to her surroundings when she saw a light mist pour up the window. She stepped back for a moment and then leaned forward so she could look down the mountainside. A cloud impacted on the rock face and folded back on itself. Some rose up toward Olympus.

Athena backed away from the window and headed toward the main hall again. She hesitated and looked in every direction. After several moments of indecision, she began to hear music. Distant and faint. She followed it.

Inside Zeus' office, she saw the Lord leaning back in a chair while truly ancient music blasted from the walls. She stepped inside, squinting through the noise. She bent over and waved at Zeus. He saw her and pressed a button, muting it.

"Sorry to bother you," she said meekly.

"Not at all." He put his feet on the floor and sat up in the chair, "Please, sit. What can I do for you?"

Athena pulled a chair over to the desk and she sat on the edge. "I need help." Zeus nodded. She paused and then added, "I don't know why I'm still here."

The smile on Zeus' face faded quickly. He looked down at the table and reached a hand out to straighten a book. "Do you mean, why you're still on Kobol?"

Athena nodded, "Yes. I mean, we've done our job, right? The experiment has been a success."

Zeus nodded slowly, "I'm glad you feel that way. Believe me, I've heard from others who don't necessarily agree." He exhaled and shook his head, "I only wanted Kobol to reach a certain point," he parceled a bit of space in front of him with his hands, "and then maintain it. It took three thousand years to reach that point, but the maintaining has proved very difficult."

"How?"

"I didn't foresee the... sheer boredom of immortality. While we helped mankind climb, we were all active and involved. But once we hit that plateau," he shook his head. Zeus returned his hands behind his head and reclined a bit, "We're not as involved with human affairs as we had to be early on. Nowadays, they can make their own decisions and we give advice. Guidance."

"Which is why I asked, 'Why am I still here?'"

Zeus leaned forward again. "Because I need you."

Athena laughed. "They're using our language and have for ages. You don't need a linguist or a computer expert. You've got those in spades."

Zeus shook his head, "Not your skills. I need you."

She was surprised. Athena straightened up and glanced around the room. She had never seen Zeus so earnest and sincere. For all of the years she had known him, he was in command, in control. She had seen him become emotional on only a few occasions and those were always extreme circumstances. But this was so quiet and understated she didn't know what to make of it, "Me? Why me?"

Zeus scratched his chin. "I don't know how many more people I can lose. It was different long ago when Persephone asked to not be downloaded again. I wasn't close to her and there were still plenty of us. My family still intact... I mean, she was a niece, but still." Athena raised her eyebrows and Zeus noticed, "My family, such as it was. Today, I have fewer people. The Olympians are depleted. Poseidon is gone. And Hera, damn her, she's gone, too."

Athena furrowed her brow, "She lived apart from you ever since Hades..."

"I know. But still," Zeus rubbed his eyes and stood up. "I'm not sure why, but her death has affected me more than I would have thought." He poured himself some alcohol. "You want some?"

Athena shook her head. "Affected you how?"

Zeus sipped from his glass. "Sleep. I'm dreaming about her again. I get... memory flashes. Good memories from so long ago. No matter what, I did love her."

Athena sat further back in her chair. Zeus sat down and drank while Athena pulled her long hair off her neck. "I've never known you to open up to anyone before."

Zeus grinned meekly, "Well, Selene was the psychologist and she's gone. I can't keep everything bottled up forever."

Athena sighed. "The Cylons are having babies. Lots of them. And they're not just staying in Megara now."

Zeus nodded and let the last drop slide into his mouth. "I know."

"Why do I feel so uncomfortable about that?"

"The eerie familiarity of it all?"

Athena sat and considered this. Then, she stood slowly and walked over to the bottles of alcohol. Pulling a glass aside, she began to pour. "Can we 'maintain?'"

Zeus nodded and held his glass up for a refill, "With your help, I think we can."

Athena poured Zeus' and replaced the bottle. She took a sip and winced at the bite. "'Maintain.'"
**XXXV**

HECATE

2,148 Years Before the Final Exodus

For years, Hecate had languished in the home of her mother. Not so much mourning as it was living in a daze. Ever since her birth, Hera had cared for and been a friend to Hecate, unlike her father. And then Hera just gave up. She died and would not be resurrected.

No mourning tonight.

The only daze she was in was caused by chamalla and ambrosia. Dozens of people crowded the house between the Gates of Hera. Music blared from every room. Drink and drugs were mixed together in large bowls on the table with empty cups nearby. Hecate stumbled through the sitting area passing by two different couples, naked and copulating. She laughed and pushed her way through to the dining area.

She was mildly annoyed that the drink bowl was still fairly full. "I said, 'Party,' people!" Everyone around lifted their cups toward her and continued dancing and talking. Hecate didn't recall that when a Lord was intoxicated, humans nearby could feel the intoxication through their Chara. They didn't need to drink or drug it up as much as she wanted them to.

She drank a large cup of alcohol, dissolving pills floating inside, in one gulp. She fell back against the wall and laughed. She couldn't hear herself think with the music and she walked back into the living room. The music was loud there, too, and there were more people fornicating. A pile of four people in a corner had attracted a small crowd. Hecate was intrigued and walked over to watch. The two men and two women were sweaty and slipping off each other. It was a mass of flesh that, to a sober person, may have seemed lacking in sexual precision. But to this crowd, it was hot.

Hecate licked her lips and reached her hand into her pants, pleasuring herself. She did so for only a moment and the sexual shift in her Chara caused the men nearby to immediately sport erections – if they weren't already – and for the women to lean over to others and grab their necks, plunging tongues into mouths.

Hecate collapsed onto her knees, still rubbing herself. Two other couples, including two women together, began to disrobe and copulate right there. Hecate grabbed a man walking by and removed his pants. She grabbed his hips and immediately began to fellate him. He fell into a pleasured haze quickly, but Hecate was disgusted.

"Frak! I need someone with a big cock!" Her voice carried across the room and drew some laughter and a few men toward her.

It was a continual source of frustration for the Olympians, especially the females. Due to the proportion difference, there weren't many human males who could sexually please a female Olympian via intercourse. More than a couple of the Olympian goddesses engaged in lesbian relationships with human women for that very reason.

Six men arrayed themselves near Hecate and she stood up. They had all dropped their pants and were holding their penises out for examination. Hecate laughed and began to point, "No. No. Maybe... not enough girth, though. Oh, yes!" She immediately grabbed the tall one and kissed him. With one hand, she pulled her pants off and guided him into her vagina. Standing, they frakked before she laid him on the couch and finished herself off.

After her orgasm, she looked around the room and found that her excited Chara had caused nearly everyone to begin fornicating. She retrieved her pants and put them back on. Laughing again as she stepped over the bouncing buttocks of one man, Hecate walked out of opened doors onto the large deck overseeing the mountains.

She leaned on the railing and looked down into the valley below. She breathed the night air deeply and heard the stirrings of people behind her. The crowd tonight was mostly young; early twenties. She found most of them at a Bacchanalia last month. The others she picked up at various underground nightclubs. All of them loved to drink. They loved to frak. They loved Hecate. The last time she had partied anything like this was about a millennium ago. Even then, she didn't go to these extremes. She didn't care.

She turned around and found her sexual partner from a few minutes before kneeling and holding up a large cup of wine. She took the cup with a smile and raised it toward the other people who were now crowding onto the deck.

"To us!" They roared with approval and Hecate drank it all down. "Dionysus has nothing on me!"
**XXXVI**

AURORA

2,098 Years Before the Final Exodus

"You know, I'm getting a little too used to having you around again," Aurora said to Hades.

He laughed, "I know."

Aurora walked past the green gardens in Vulcan toward the mansion on the hill. Hades stayed by her side, dodging the people they came across. "You've been coming to me off and on for four hundred years now."

"True."

"You've never told me what the final goal was."

"Don't expect me to reveal that today."

Aurora passed a colonnade and took a path around the circular base of a statue of Hephaestus. "I've provided a home for the Thirteenth Tribe. I've supported them in everything. Now that they have natural procreation, they've blended in to the population." A citizen walked past, noticed Aurora talking to herself and tried to remain nonchalant. "It seems that their fears, my fears and your fears, for their... persecution are going unrealized. Iole hasn't heard any complaints at all about discrimination or abuse..."

"Don't worry. Things will get worse for your people sooner than you think." Aurora shot him a look but he kept speaking, "And that's when your efforts will really pay off. Yours and Apollo's."

"That's the other thing," she began as Vulcan proper was left behind and the mansion was just ahead. "You keep saying Apollo is going to help me, but he hasn't approached me to talk about anything."

"Well, you haven't approached him, either, have you?" Aurora shook her head. "Kinda hard to do that and not reveal that your long dead lover is the one who told you everything." They walked a few more steps and Hades said, "Apollo has already helped. He got the space program started long ago. Wasn't entirely his idea, either."

"You haven't told me why we're here," she said. Aurora looked up and studied the inactive volcano.

"To see Hephaestus."

Aurora rolled her eyes, "I know that. I'm wondering why, specifically, we're here to see him."

Hades grinned and jumped up the stairs toward the home's front porch. "Don't worry. I'll help guide the conversation."

"That always works so well." The goddess approached the front door and pressed the call button. A moment later, Aphrodite answered.

"Aurora! How are you?!" She was a beautiful woman. Long, dark hair and somewhat olive skin. Statuesque, even for an Olympian, and curvaceous in the way that made all men lose their train of thought. It was still a mystery among most how Hephaestus had managed to hold onto her for four millennia.

Hades had slipped past the lady of the house, so to speak, and was wandering about the sitting area. Aurora tried to not look at him, "I'm very well, Aphrodite. And you?"

"I'm great, I'm great. Please come in," she said and stepped aside.

Aurora walked in and wandered about, staring at the furnishings, much like Hades had already done. "It's a lovely home. I don't believe I've ever been here."

"No, you haven't." Aphrodite walked around to the low table, removing a few empty cups and plates. "But that's fine. A first time for everything, right?"

Aurora smiled, "Indeed." She glanced from painting to painting, recognizing Aphrodite's style. She had come with Hephaestus all those years ago simply because she was his wife; not because she had any great technical skill. In the intervening ages, she picked up several hobbies. To Aurora and the other Olympian females' chagrin, she always performed ridiculously well at whatever she wanted. It didn't seem fair.

"Please, sit." Aphrodite sat in a large chair, and watched Aurora sit hesitantly and uncomfortably on the large sofa. "So what brings you to Vulcan?"

"I came to see your husband, actually."

"Oh?"

Aurora caught herself, "Strictly business, of course."

Aphrodite laughed, "I know. It's alright." She stood and walked to a door in the corner of the room. She opened it up and Aurora could see what looked like stairs going down. "Hephaestus? Aurora is here to see you."

"Aurora?" came the reply.

"Yes, come on up." Aphrodite closed the door and walked back to the sitting area. "Can I get you something to drink?"

"Um, some water would be fine. Thank you." Aphrodite left the room and the door in the corner opened. Hephaestus stepped out.

"Aurora, this is an unexpected pleasure." He walked across the expansive room and held out his hand.

Aurora shook it while standing halfway. She sat back down and glanced over at Hades, who was studying one of Aphrodite's sculptures. "The pleasure's mine." Aurora nodded toward Hephaestus, noting his sweat, "Working in your lab?"

Aphrodite entered just then with two water glasses. "Huh? Oh, no." Hephaestus laughed and took one of the glasses, "I was just exercising."

Aurora grinned and took the other glass, "Thank you." After a sip, she said, "Why do you work out?"

Hephaestus pointed to Aphrodite, "Her cooking. It's damned good but," he grabbed his stomach, "it's a bit filling."

Aphrodite started to head back to the kitchen, "I keep telling him to have Asclepius look at his metabolism."

He waved a hand dismissively, "Nah. I don't want him tinkering around with my DNA any more than it already has been. I can just work it off." Aurora nodded and sipped more water. "So, Aurora, what brings you to Vulcan in winter? Certainly not exercise advice?"

She shook her head and glanced toward Hades, who was still looking at art. "No, Hephaestus. I've come to..."

"'Ask some questions,'" Hades said.

"Ask some questions."

He raised his eyebrows, "Very well. About what?"

"'We're here to talk about faster-than-light travel,'" Hades prompted.

"We're here to talk about," and she caught herself, "I'm here to ask about FTL."

Hephaestus nodded, "What do you want to know?"

Aurora waited for some sort of comment from Hades, but he said nothing. "Um." She glanced around and decided to go on herself, "How far away would you say the humans are from getting it themselves?"

Hephaestus chuckled, "They've been space-faring for almost five centuries. They've got subluminal drives down pat, but the relativistic distortions are still too much. They've been going nowhere fast when it comes to FTL advances."

"Why?" she asked.

"Their theories have just been... off. More than that, I can't really say. I'm just an adviser. I'm there to make sure they don't violate any Olympian decrees and that they don't advance faster than they can handle. I'm not supposed to give them any substantive help."

"That's what we need, though," Hades said as he walked across the room to sit on the sofa next to Aurora.

"What would it take to develop FTL drives at this point?"

Hephaestus looked at Aurora with a scrunched up face. "Well, assuming that I could help, there are still a couple of different alloys they haven't developed yet. Beyond that, they'd need to come up with a spin-sync generator. I don't think anyone's quite had that epiphany."

Aurora nodded like she understood what he was saying. Hades leaned in close to her and whispered in her ear, as though someone else might hear him, "Tell him he has to work on it. We need it."

Aurora drank some more water. Hephaestus was confused, yet intrigued. "Why can't you help them with FTL more directly?"

He laughed. "Because those were Zeus' orders."

"Sure, centuries ago," she replied.

Hephaestus tilted his head, "Yes, but it's something that has been reiterated time and again. Once we helped them get to a certain point, he said the humans had to discover new technology for themselves." He chuckled, "Never mind not letting them out of his sight."

Aurora didn't know Hephaestus that well, but she knew he was loyal. She wouldn't be able to draw him away too easily. "What if you don't give it to the humans?"

"What?" Hephaestus was confused and, from the expression on his face, Hades seemed confused, too.

"What if you just build it? Don't give it to the humans. Don't let them help. Build it yourself."

Hades smiled broadly, "Good. Good move."

Hephaestus chuckled, "But why?"

Aurora leaned forward, "Because I need it."

"Where are you going?"

She shook her head, "Nowhere. But... it would be good to have FTL ships on hand." Aurora was completely making things up as she went now.

"On hand for what?" Hephaestus' playful attitude seemed to be fading.

"Hit him with a little truth," Hades said.

"The Cylons have children now. There are more than thirty thousand organic Cylons. And don't forget the hundreds of thousands of mechanical Cylons all over Kobol." She paused and studied his face. "Do I need to draw a picture?"

Hephaestus' expression betrayed nothing, "I have supervised the creation of all robotic Cylons. You," he pointed a finger, "have been overseeing Megara."

"Yes," Aurora said, "but how long before someone does what Thersites and Helena did five hundred years ago and take it upon themselves to..."

"Pretend that I agree for a moment," he interrupted. "Why should I undertake this... on my own?"

Aurora inhaled deeply. "You're an engineer. Always have been."

"Yes?"

"When's the last time you actually did some engineering? When's the last time you really created a new technological marvel?"

Hephaestus was still and quiet. After a moment, his gaze drifted to a painting on the wall and he grinned ever so slightly, "It has been a while."

Aurora sensed the opening and leaned forward again, "You get to build it by yourself. Create those alloys, that spin-sync thing, the computers for it all. It's all you. And," she leaned back in the couch, "if things go wrong, we've got a way out."

Hephaestus smiled a little wider, but then it faded. "It'll take a lot of work. Not just from me. The metals I need aren't easy to find."

Aurora smiled now, "Don't worry about that. Whatever you need – money, equipment, assistants – I'll handle that."

"And the humans don't get it?"

Hades grabbed Aurora's arm and shook it vigorously, "You've done it! Brilliant!"

Without lying, Aurora said, "No. The humans won't touch it."

Hephaestus stood and walked around the brick chimney to the large windows at the back of the room. "It'll take time. A few decades, at least." Aurora stood and walked up beside him. Hephaestus looked down at her. She was smiling and she flicked up a single eyebrow. He sighed. "I'll do it."
**XXXVII**

TYDEA

2,071 Years Before the Final Exodus

"Fools," she said. Tydea shook her head and stood up. "Not all of us are content with being silent! We don't all want to stay in our own little corners and not be heard."

"Please," a Cimon said. "We've taken a vote."

"You can undo it," she replied. "For centuries, we have lived here without representation and served mankind. You seem to think we're the same, but we're not. To them," she pointed out the window, "we're no different than Cylons." There was laughter and Tydea spoke louder, "We plug in, we transfer information,..."

"They don't know that," one person said.

"... We do all the work..." Tydea continued.

The Jason interrupted, "We keep hidden. We have kept our secrets. This is what Lord Zeus and Goddess Aurora have commanded."

Tydea lifted her hand to gesture. "We can still be heard, we can still have representation in the quorum and keep our secrets."

"Aurora listens to our concerns and provides," a Mylene said.

"That's one god. If nothing else, her advocacy of us has only stunted our growth." Tydea shook her head and leaned forward with her fists against the table. "No, we need to take part in the world around us. I say we take the Thirteenth Tribe slur seriously and run with it."

The Jason raised his hand. "I disagree. Aurora said if we spoke out or became too open, misfortune would follow."

Tydea slowly sat down. "If we remain silent, then we can't complain when our toes get stepped on."

The Cimon laughed. "Who's stepping on our toes? If we don't stir the pot, there won't be any problems." He pointed to the Jason, "We have our own leadership for our own problems. We have a goddess who looks after us. One of your sisters, Tydea, is Aurora's own assistant. We're doing just fine."

Jason stood and nodded to everyone, "I think that is all. We will meet here again in two weeks."

The other eleven members of the Megaran council stood up and began to filter out of the room. Tydea wandered toward the exit, pausing to look at the group. She shook her head again and left the room.

"Iole Tydea," someone whispered as she left.

She turned around and saw the Crassus standing there. "Yes?"

"Walk with me, please." They left the doorway and entered the hall of the administrative center. Crassus looked around carefully before he spoke. "Do your fellow Ioles agree with your stance?"

Tydea sighed. "I doubt it. Doesn't matter. I was chosen so I give my own opinion."

Crassus nodded. "I see. For what it's worth, Tydea, I agree with you."

She stopped walking and looked at Crassus squarely. She said nothing for a moment; she tried to read his face. "What do you propose we do about it?"

Crassus smiled wryly. "I have friends, as I'm sure you do. We can call attention to ourselves. To our situation. We can demand representation."

"Demand to be heard?" Tydea said.

"Yes. If you will back my play, we can make our first statement in a matter of days."

She looked down toward the floor. A frayed strand of carpet caught her eye as she thought. "Make your move. Whatever it is, we will use it."

Crassus bowed somewhat toward her and walked further down the hall. "I'll be in touch, priestess," he said, without turning around.

Tydea inhaled deeply and straightened her robes. It was getting late. The ride back to Cyme would take a little while on her bicycle and she had an early service tomorrow morning in Dionysus' temple.
**XXXVIII**

KHRUV

2,071 Years Before the Final Exodus

The room was dark, save for three candles. There was no window and only a small hatch for a door. In the dust, a single young man sat cross-legged as he prayed.

"May your messenger, Prometheus, guide my hands, Great One."

His father's ancestors were drawn to Theonpolis centuries ago. There had been rumors of a Promethean cult seeking to elevate the messenger to the status of a deity. There was no cult but they did find other Draco who had been lured from the shadows, too. The false whispers died but Khruv's ancestors remained, building a small contingent of believers. They had lived in rural seclusion for centuries before they moved to the city and they felt that the time for action was near.

Khruv's family had taken action. Their numbers had dwindled and in desperate times, desperate acts are required, as Prometheus himself once showed. Khruv's father and brother perished in temples to the false gods. Thankfully, they each had taken many blasphemers with them.

He waited for inspiration. His father and brother received a vision of what they should do, where they should go. Khruv had not yet had such a vision.

He opened his eyes and looked at the wall before him. An ancient cloth banner hung there, illuminated by the candles. A great dragon had been painted on it, but the pigments had nearly faded away. Three thousand years ago, the banner was carried into battle against the Olympians. Ever since then, his family had preserved it and passed it down.

For his family from those countless generations, Khruv would seek revenge. There were probably other Draco remaining on Larsa, but he didn't know of any. Certainly, he couldn't trust that they would carry out further missions for the One Whose Name Cannot Be Spoken.
**XXXIX**

ERIS

2,071 Years Before the Final Exodus

She had been the chief quorum archon for three weeks and this is what she faced?

Eris Castorina Lisii sat behind her desk in the Forum, staring at the papers she held and lit by the screen on her desk processor. She glanced to the monitor and saw the map with three flashing red triangles. Three temple bombings around the world in the last two weeks. Her job as the Aquarius archon was so simple. Being the chief quorum archon was supposed to be harder by comparison, but not like this.

"Madame Archon?" the speaker said.

"Yes?"

Her assistant in the outer office replied, "Minister of Security Notus and Athens Police Chief Peitho are here to see you."

Eris sighed, "Send them in." A moment later, the door swung open. Notus was wearing a standard dark suit with dark shirt. Peitho was also wearing a dark suit, but her tie was purple. Eris stood and motioned to the chairs.

"Madame Archon." They both said quietly.

"I need the latest." She looked at Peitho, "How many dead at the Temple of Athena?"

"Seventeen, including the bomber. Twenty-two others were injured to some degree."

Eris scratched the sides of her mouth, "What about the bombing in Argos?"

Notus responded, "Thankfully, it wasn't a busy day at Demeter's Temple. Two dead. Nine others injured."

"And the Temple of Hera in Ramnus?"

Notus answered again, "Eleven dead. Eleven injured."

Eris was silent for a moment. "What information has been released to the media?"

Peitho crossed her legs, "Gas leaks, caused by recent seismic activity and set off by temple candles."

"Oh, c'mon," Eris said.

"No, Madame Archon, it's been working," Notus said. "I thought the same, but the people believe it."

"For now. We can only blame seismic activity and candles for so long." Eris shook her head rapidly. "Has there been any word from Olympus? Anything from the gods?"

"Nothing," Notus said.

Peitho spoke as she pushed a folder of papers across the table for Eris to peruse. "We've found some information about our bomber that you would like to see, though... I'm not sure we want anyone else to know."

Eris raised her eyebrows and picked up the folder. She opened it and scanned the pages for recognizable words and phrases. "What is this, exactly?"

"We found a witness who saw a stranger enter the city after walking down from the hills. We retraced his path and found a tent." Peitho leaned over and flipped a page in the report, revealing several photographs. "He had tried to burn it and its contents, but the fire didn't destroy everything. We discovered handwritten notes in an ancient tongue, as well as bomb-making materials. We couldn't decipher the writing so we took it to a university scholar. He says they are monotheist in nature."

Eris looked up from the report. "'Monotheist?' One god?" She closed the folder and leaned back in her chair. "Has there ever been a monotheist group on Kobol? Even a non-violent one?"

Notus shook his head, "If there was, archon, we have no record of it. A computer search shows there was something, rumors, a few centuries ago, but nothing substantial."

Eris rubbed her temple with her left hand while motioning toward Peitho, "I'm having trouble understanding this. Which god are they supporting? Zeus?"

Peitho cleared her throat, "No. From what the scholar could decipher, it was a single god above all. One whose name could not be spoken."

Eris furrowed her brow. "It's just... difficult to grasp, you know? I mean, the Lords are right there," she pointed to her wall, which she believed to be in the general direction of Mount Olympus.

"I know what you mean, archon," Notus said. "But people who go to extremes such as this can make themselves believe just about anything."

Eris handed the folder back to Peitho and remained quiet as she thought. It was all just too much. "Was anything found near the other bombings? Anything like they found in Athens?"

"No, archon."

"And why haven't the Lords said anything?"

Notus simply shrugged.

Eris inhaled deeply and turned her chair to one side. "If the Athens bomber was camped in a tent outside the city, then he wasn't from there."

Peitho nodded, "Yes."

"Any indication of where he was from?"

"Not yet. We've been analyzing the bomb materials, the model of the tent and even the brand of paper he used for his religious writings, but nothing definitive yet."

"Keep me apprised of any new information," Eris said, her voice trailing.

"Of course." Peitho prepared to stand but Notus grabbed her arm.

"Madam Archon, what should we say to our investigators? The public?"

"Well, stick to the gas leaks, as weak as it sounds."

Notus began to almost whisper, "Should we call the gods, since they haven't spoken to us?"

Eris laughed, "No. No, no, no. Absolutely not."

Notus glanced at Peitho and then back at Eris, "Is that wise? Perhaps they know the people involved in this..."

Eris paused and spoke slowly, calculating each word. "We have a group of individuals who deny the godhood of the Lords of Kobol. Who are bombing places of worship, killing innocents and killing themselves. We could be speaking of ten people or ten thousand. We just don't know enough right now."

"But they might be able to help."

Eris thought for a moment. "Perhaps. But I would be the one to broach the subject with them." She nodded at Notus and Peitho and stood, "Thank you." The two stood and quietly left the room.

Eris sat down and heaved a great sigh. She looked at the monitor of her desk processor and tapped each of the three blinking red triangles. The processor seemed confused by the touch command, but Eris ignored its request for clarification.

She turned with her back to the desk and stared at the large painting on the wall. It was of the ancient forum. All marble columns, everyone wearing robes and togas, the Lords themselves among the people and even more exaggerated in size. She truly couldn't fathom it. The Lords were here. Have been for millennia. How could someone deny that?

As for getting their help, that felt out of the question. Eris was a gods-fearing woman, literally. The stories that stuck out in her mind were the ones of the Olympians striking down their opponents. The firm and angry gods. Some of those tales may have been fiction, but still. Even fiction has a bit of truth in it.

No. Eris would handle this on her own. She was a new chief quorum archon and this would be her first victory.
**XL**

TYDEA

2,071 Years Before the Final Exodus

The priestess walked through the shelves of the library with purpose. She stalked from one section to another, scanning every face she saw. There were simply too many Crassuses. She grabbed two before realizing they weren't the ones she wanted. Finally, she spotted one replacing books on a shelf. She marched toward him and grabbed his shirt.

"What the frak was that?" she said.

Crassus looked around slowly and leaned down toward her. "Priestess, your voice carries."

She glanced nervously over her shoulder and then back at the man. "Our first 'statement' killed dozens of people!" she said in a harsh whisper.

He shook his head and slid another volume onto the shelf. "That wasn't us."

Tydea pulled her head back and cast a hard look. "Athens? Ramnus? Argos?"

"Not us."

She took a step back and scoffed. "I don't understand."

"Why would you think I bombed three temples?" He picked a book from his bin and matched the number on the spine to a shelf over his head. "Our statement was going to be just that. More than a hundred of our people picketing the Forum in Theonpolis. It was supposed to be today, but I called it off."

Tydea was motionless. Finally, she shook her head again and took a step toward him. "Protestors."

Crassus nodded and looked at her directly for the first time. "Yes. If we want to be heard, we've got to get people's attention. Not kill them and enrage the gods."

She lifted her hands from her side, palms up. "So, will there even be a protest?"

He inhaled slowly. "Given the other... incidents, I didn't think it wise right now." She chuckled mockingly and turned away. He moved toward her and said, "We can try again soon enough."

She looked back at him. "I appreciate the idea. But if you want me to back you, I need to be in the loop. I need to be more involved."

Crassus smiled. "Really? Do you think you would be able to do better than me, priestess?"

"No, librarian." She folded her arms. "I said I wanted to be involved. Not take your place."

Crassus' eyes flicked toward her and he picked up his now empty book bin. "Let's say we share leadership. What would be your first order of business?"

He walked away and she followed slowly. "You have hundreds of people at your disposal, yes?"

"True. All over the world and with a variety of knowledge and expertise." He cleared his throat and spoke softly, "Some with skills not unlike those witnessed in Argos, Ramnus, and Athens."

Tydea winced and shook her head once, as though she could remove what she had just heard. She moved closer to him and whispered again, "Tell your protestors to stow their signs for another day. We'll try moving through real channels first." He simply blinked at her. "I have other ways of being heard."

Crassus nodded. "As you wish." He leaned closer, "But you'll want to hear from me when you find that doesn't get you anywhere."
**XLI**

HEPHAESTUS

2,068 Years Before the Final Exodus

Hephaestus walked into the control booth and slumped into the chair. He wiped his forearm across his head, smearing sweat and grime from one end to the other. He shook his head at the sight and looked across the control board. All of the switches and dials appeared to be in the proper positions. He glanced up at the computer screen and saw that the power readings were stable.

With a heavy sigh, he pressed the large red button. "Let's go." The power readings fell and there was an audible hum in the room. Hephaestus then began to turn dials and press buttons. On the other side of the protective glass, a blue glow began to emanate from the circular structure in the middle of the room. The hum grew louder and Hephaestus turned more dials. The computer screen showed the power transfer was holding and the power return from the device was increasing. He pushed a few more buttons and turned another dial.

"Come on, spool up." The blue glow grew brighter and the hum began to waver. The lights in both rooms dimmed. The walls and ceiling of the workshop began to creak and move as the forces created by the device grew stronger. Hephaestus looked around warily and then back to the meters on the control board, which quickly moved to the right and then pegged. "Yes!" he screamed and turned the dials back to zero. The device stopped glowing and the hum died down.

He sighed again and reset the controls. With a few presses on the computer monitor, which left black fingerprints, Hephaestus ordered a full diagnostic of the test.

"How did it go?" Aphrodite asked from behind him.

Hephaestus jumped. "Goddammit! You scared me."

"Sorry," she smiled and wrapped an arm around his neck. She felt the grime and dirt and pulled away, "Eww. How long have you been working out here today?"

"Depends. What is today?" Hephaestus was only partly kidding.

She smiled and looked into the testing room. "So that's your homemade spin-sync generator."

"Yes, it is." He grabbed a cloth and began to wipe his hands and fingers. "And it works. It works well."

Aphrodite smiled and moved to kiss him, but thought better of it. "That's great, honey. What's left?"

Hephaestus pushed away from the console and pulled his wife into his lap, "This was the hardest part. I've already got the drive coils made. Now I just have to get the drive train tested and synced with the generator. That shouldn't take too long, actually."

Aphrodite nodded. "Engineering was never my thing, you know."

"I know."

She looked around the workshop, noted all of the parts, assembled and unassembled. Aphrodite stood and wandered among the larger pieces, "How many ships can you outfit with what you have?"

Hephaestus stood as well, "Three at most. I made some duplicate parts in case something went wrong."

Aphrodite walked back toward him, patting his chest and heading for the door. "Very well. Keep up the good work."

He smiled and sat back down. For thirty years he had been working on this, mostly as a personal challenge. It took two years to assemble the workshop. Another three to fabricate the alloys he needed. Five to make the drive coils and train. The rest of the time has been about building and calibrating the spin-sync generators. Now that it was working, it was mostly smooth sailing from here on out.

"Hephaestus?" It was Aphrodite's voice over the intercom.

"Yes?"

There was a pause and then, "Aurora's here. She wants to see you."

He stood up, "Tell her I'll be right there."

He left the workshop, closing the door behind him. Hephaestus walked up the rocky path toward the house at the foot of the volcano. He went in through the basement door, climbed the stairs and found Aurora sitting in the living room, holding a glass of water. He didn't know exactly why, but he could tell something was wrong.

"Aurora?"

"Hello, Hephaestus." She grinned slightly but looked distracted. Nervous even. If she wasn't holding that glass, she would have been wringing her hands.

Hephaestus looked over at the white couch, thought about sitting down, and then realizing he was covered in filth, decided he better not. "What's wrong?"

"How goes the FTL?"

Hephaestus leaned against the brick fireplace and folded his arms. "Well. Very well. I just had the first successful test of the spin-sync generator."

Aurora nodded, obviously not understanding what that meant. "Good. How long until it's ready to use?"

Hephaestus laughed for a moment and then abruptly stopped himself. "'How long?' Aurora... years, still. I mean, yes, the toughest part is behind us, but..."

She glanced over to her left and nodded, "And how many ships can you outfit with FTL?"

"Two for certain; three at most. Why?"

She began to shake her head, "Three's not enough. We'll need more."

"What do you mean that's not enough?" He pulled himself off the brick and walked around to the edge of the coffee table, sitting down. "There are only fifteen Olympians left."

Aurora's distracted nature disappeared and she looked directly into Hephaestus' face. "This isn't about us."

"What do you mean? Isn't that what you told me years ago?"

Aurora's gaze didn't waver, "Maybe, but that's not the case now." Hephaestus said nothing while her eyes wandered for a moment and then reacquired his, "What will it take for you to equip at least twenty ships with FTL?"

"Twenty?!" he barked. Aurora was startled by the volume. Hephaestus began to get up but then he just sat back on the table. "Twenty? Why twenty?"

"At least twenty. Because that's what we'll need."

Hephaestus laughed again, "Centuries."

Aurora shook her head, "Can't you outsource the parts production and do the assembling yourself? Maybe even get Cylon help installing it into the ships?"

Hephaestus was quiet. He squinted at her and studied her face. She still seemed as though she were thousands of kilometers away, but her intensity couldn't be denied. "Why should I? This goes beyond me flexing my engineering muscles and us having a way out, 'just in case.'"

Aurora nodded. She finally took a sip of the water and spoke before fully swallowing it, "It's not about saving us. It's about saving thousands. Tens of thousands. Maybe even... everyone."

Hephaestus now grew concerned, "How? What do you mean 'everyone?'"

Aurora again drank. She looked deeply into Hephaestus' eyes and he quaked at what he saw in hers. "I've been told things. Things that can be averted if we're ready to go in time."
**XLII**

HECATE

2,067 Years Before the Final Exodus

"No, thank you." She had turned down another drink.

At least once a week, the goddess threw a party to end all parties and hundreds would show up. Sitting atop the Gates of Hera, the house wasn't the most accessible place, but if you really wanted to go, you went. For seventy years, Hecate had hosted drinking, drugging, and debauchery the likes of which few had seen. She had seen them; she used to live with her father, Zeus. Now she reenacted his parties with vigor. Surpassed them with vehemence.

Tonight was like most every other. Hundreds of people in and around the home, drinking, dancing, frakking. Hecate used to participate with more abandon, but lately, something was missing. Had she become numb to it all? She had had sex with just about everyone who came to the parties. Drank every drink. Swallowed, smoked, snorted, or injected every drug. But she was bored.

Hecate walked around the party in her new body. She just had Asclepius induce a download a few days ago. She found herself doing it more and more often these days. Sometimes, her bodies would only be a few years old before she'd request a new one. Asclepius tried to admonish her; lecturing her on how bad it was for her pattern to do that. She didn't believe it and she didn't care.

She walked into the living room and watched a chain of six young men and women pleasure each other orally. She sighed when she realized it did nothing for her.

"Goddess?" a man behind her asked.

She turned and saw an unfamiliar face. He was about twenty. Tall, bronze-skinned, muscular. His eyes were glazed over and he was sweating profusely. "Yes?"

"Goddess, I understand you have a particular desire when it comes to this." He dropped his pants, revealing a very large, erect member.

Hecate's eyebrows lifted, "Oh, you're sweet. Not right now, though, thank you."

The man frowned and stood motionless for a moment. "I'll be here for a while if you need me." Hecate mumbled something and turned back to watch the group sex. He pulled up his pants, "Are you sure you don't want to, Goddess?"

Hecate turned back around, frustrated, "Yes. I'm sure. Leave me." Her anger carried through her Chara. He seemed frightened and wandered off.

Hecate drank some more liquor and walked out onto the patio. The night was still young and the moon – now called Selene – was still up. She sipped some more and ignored the sound of more people crowding onto the patio around her. The music began to blare from the outdoor speakers and it seemed as though the party had officially shifted outside.

_Don't they know when to leave a god alone?_ Hecate rolled her eyes and she turned. The crowd cheered and offered her drinks and drugs. She waved them off and took a big swig from her bottle. They roared again and swallowed their own libations. When she lowered her bottle, she saw that the persistent, well-endowed man was standing nearby, now stroking his still-erect member. He even whipped his head in a "come here" motion. That did it.

She walked over to him and leaned in close to his ear, "Are you ready to please me?"

"Yes I am."

"I don't mean sexually. I mean, are you ready to do anything I want? Will you do anything for me?"

He pulled his head back from her face and stopped stroking his penis, "For you? Anything."

Hecate smiled and grabbed him by the arm, "Good." She pulled him from the crowd toward a table on the patio. With one swipe of her arm, she knocked the glasses and plants from the table and laid him on it. "What's your name?"

"Nerus."

Hecate looked over the crowd and saw them awaiting her words. "Nerus here is ready to take this party to the next level!" Everyone responded as you would expect. "Bring me a big knife, someone." Nerus laughed as she grabbed his shirt and tried to pull it off him while he was still lying flat. "Sit up, asshole."

He complied, still grinning. "Yes, goddess." She put her hand on his forehead and pushed him back onto the table.

"Are you here to party?" Hecate screamed.

Loud cheers.

"Are we here to stick our fingers in the eyes of our parents? Our teachers? Our priests and gods?"

Emphatic cheers.

"We're here to rebel! We're here to take charge of ourselves and do what we want!"

A girl emerged from the crowd as it roared again with a large kitchen knife which Hecate took quickly. "For seventy years, I have opened my home to you. We enjoy each other's alcohol."

"Whoo," responded the crowd.

"We enjoy each other's drugs."

"Whoo," again.

"We enjoy each other's sex."

Bigger "whoo."

Hecate was now beaming as she thought about what she was going to do. The people around her felt it and were giddy with anticipation. "Now is the time for you to give back. And Nerus here is going to do it for you all!" The crowd roared and Nerus threw his arms up in triumph. She looked down at him and spoke softly, "Are you ready?"

Nerus smiled, "Yes, goddess."

Hecate's face glowed as she lifted the knife into the air and plunged it into his chest. Nerus' face contorted in pain and confusion, but Hecate was not as conflicted. She felt the warm spurt of blood from his wound on her hands and arms and became elated. She laughed out loud and pulled the knife from him and laid it on his belly. Most in the crowd fell into the well of Hecate's own glee and responded in kind, laughing or cheering. A few of the partygoers seemed disturbed and slowly excused themselves, but the vast majority danced to the music and drank their drinks.

As the last bit of red forcefully seeped from Nerus' chest, Hecate stared at the dark, glossy liquid on her hands in the moonlight. She smiled again and walked from behind the table to the crowd. As she got closer, they became even more enraptured by her. She wiped a single line of Nerus' blood across her own forehead. A young woman with a nearly-empty glass of wine stumbled to her and kissed her neck in excitement. Hecate laughed and smeared some of the blood on her face, too, before kissing her mouth.

Hecate moved through the crowd, kissing each person and wiping some of the blood on them. Halfway through, she caught sight of Nerus' body again and the large pool of coagulating blood under the table. Her face fell for a moment as she pondered the mess, but then she decided she'd let the Cylons clean it up tomorrow.
**XLIII**

DIONYSUS

2,064 Years Before the Final Exodus

Fun. This is what Dionysus wanted to have.

He sat in his giant chair at the top of the stairs of the main temple in Theonpolis, facing Poseidon's temple across the street with the Opera House to his left. The music had been playing for hours and the wine flowed longer. He laughed at the drunken antics of the citizens who came before him, thanking him with slurred speech and falling up the stairs to greet him.

The Bacchanal was still going strong. It was nearly midnight, and that's when he usually rose to mingle in the crowd. He stood and took a step down. Glancing to his right, he saw the Theonpolitan police signal each other and they moved into the throng of people. This was standard procedure. When it appeared as though Dionysus was about to walk among the folk, the officers would get into the crowd to weed out any particularly drunk or rowdy people.

Dionysus stood on the step and looked to the left, seeing other officers preparing to move toward the people. With a grin, Dionysus took a step backward and sat back in his seat. The officers seemed befuddled and they began to move back to their original positions. Dionysus laughed and clapped his hands. A sergeant on his left smiled and nodded his head. The officers on his right seemed annoyed.

Dionysus waited another moment and then he rose, descending two steps at a time. The officers darted into the crowd and went to work, but Dionysus was among some of the people before they had a chance.

"My Lord!" one woman screamed. "Thank you for the party!"

"You're quite welcome!" he bellowed in return. "I hope you've enjoyed it."

"I've never been frakked so hard in my life!" she said.

Dionysus threw his head back and roared with laughter. "I'm glad I could help!" He slapped her on the shoulder and moved deeper into the crowd. He came to a large dispenser that continuously fed wine in a stream and he held a chalice under the red flow. After catching half a cup's worth, he put it to his lips and downed the whole thing. He tossed the chalice into a bin and walked toward a group of young men.

"Hello, lads!" he said, patting one on the back. "Enjoying yourselves?"

The one fellow he touched turned quickly and his lazy eyelids obscured his vision. The other guys were quick to praise the god. "Lord Dionysus! This is our first Bacchanal and we could not be happier!"

"That's fantastic," Dionysus said. "Have a great night!"

"We will!"

He walked deeper into the crowd, brushing up against more people, asking them how they were doing. They were all very drunk and they all seemed to be having fun. He caught sight of more than a couple of couples engaged in various forms of sex at the fringes of the party. Some had crowds watching, others didn't. There was shouting to his left and he turned in that direction.

He pushed his way through and he saw that an open space had been made for two men who were fighting. The white light of a nearby streetlamp illuminated the pair as they stumbled toward each other, swung their fists wildly and then stepped apart.

Dionysus smirked and shook his head. Violence had always been a part of Bacchanalia. Things never got too out of hand, though. There had been a few serious assaults, but those people were always dealt with harshly. Dionysus' happy Chara usually smoothed over most people's moods when he walked near.

The two men continued their swinging sorties. At one point, the dark-haired man grabbed the bald man's neck, lowering him to waist level and then he punched his face several times. The bald man fell to one knee while the other walked away, raising his arms. After shaking his head, the bald man stood up, pulled a knife from his waist and started to move toward the other person.

Dionysus knew that things had gone too far. He stepped into the open space and put his hand firmly on the aggressor's shoulder. The man turned, saw that it was Dionysus and smiled. And then he stabbed the god.

Dionysus felt the sting of the blade in his abdomen. He looked down at his robes and saw the blood begin to seep through. His mouth fell open and he looked up at the attacker. He was still grinning and he punched Dionysus in the face.

With a quick shake, Dionysus recovered, he drew his right arm back, and he walloped the man, launching him into the air and sending him onto the ground in a heap several meters away. The Theonpolitan police officers managed to finally get through the crowd and they grabbed the attacker at that point.

Dionysus clutched his stomach and he stumbled back into the crowd. His Chara had shifted so people were quickly moving away. He walked to the steps of his temple and medical teams, already stationed at the festival, arrived and guided him up the steps and into the foyer of the marble structure.

"My Lord," one of the paramedics said, "are you well?"

"I'm frakking bleeding," he replied. "How do you think I am?"

"I'm sorry." She lowered her head. "I mean, how bad does it feel?"

"It's... not too deep, I don't think," he said. He sat on a bench under a statue of himself. "The blade wasn't that long."

"Still." The paramedic pulled her equipment in front of her. "If you could lie down on the floor, I would like to take a look." Dionysus nodded and he sprawled onto the cold marble. He parted his robes, thankful that he decided to wear underpants this time.

_What happened?_ He was in a good mood so why didn't his Chara affect that man? He was smiling, though. Perhaps he was affected by the Chara, after all. It's just... he felt happiness by stabbing and assaulting a Lord of Kobol? What did that mean?

Now he just felt tired. For thousands of years, he managed to go all night at his festivals. Other Olympians may have been feeling bored or restless, but not him. There was always music to play and compose. Plays, comedies, tragedies. Wine to drink. He enjoyed great popularity among the people – younger people, mostly – thanks to the party atmosphere his worship inspired. But... was that ending?

Was that man outside just drunk and violent? Or were the people growing antagonistic toward him?

As the paramedic clicked off her penlight and wiped away the blood, Dionysus sighed. No more fun tonight.
**XLIV**

TYDEA

2,064 Years Before the Final Exodus

Crassus rapped his fingers on the table. His head was resting on his forearm and he gazed sleepily across the room at the priestess. She was standing by the window, pressing an earpiece against her head.

"Still here," she said.

"One moment," the voice on the other end replied. "Mmm. No. Nothing here from the Chief Quorum Archon. Nothing here from the regional archons."

Tydea closed her eyes and pressed her forehead against the window frame. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, priestess."

She lifted her head and said, "Thank you." She removed the device and tossed it into a chair. "Nothing."

Crassus sat up. "I told you. It's been years!" He stomped and took in a deep breath. "You've been stringing me along. You thought you had a pipeline to Olympus itself when you met with Eris. She's every bit as disappointing as everyone else has been."

Tydea glanced around the room. She sighed and leaned against the table. There would be no other meetings with the chief quorum archon. No more meetings with their local governor. She thought he could handle her requests and he said he did. He was a lying, gruff bastard. She petitioned every archon, high and low, between Cyme and Theonpolis. She was tired of the work. She was weary of the bureaucracy.

"Well?" Crassus barked. "We may nearly be immortal, but our supporters are getting tired of the wait."

"I think," she began to speak, but she sighed. She slid from the table and sat in the chair. "I think it's time to make a bigger statement."
**XLV**

IOLE

2,063 Years Before the Final Exodus

"I don't understand," she said, holding the paper. She looked across the patio to Aurora, who was clipping dead leaves from plants. "Why would the Chief Quorum Archon call you about this?"

She shrugged and snapped the tool closed. A withered, brown leaf fell from an otherwise green stem and drifted to the soil. "The crimes have something to do with Megara."

Iole scoffed. "That doesn't make any sense. What does Megara have to do with a regional archon office building in Corinth? That's in Aquarius. Thousands of kilometers away. And the forum in Thebes?"

Aurora clipped some more. "It's not in the paper but the vandals sprayed messages in red paint across the walls."

Iole set the paper down slowly. "What did the messages say?"

Aurora turned away from her plants and looked toward Iole without looking at her directly. "'Free the Thirteenth.'"

Iole closed her eyes and leaned back in her chair. She looked to her left, off the patio and toward the ocean. Gulls were flying at a great distance, swooping toward the waves. "The Megaran independence movement." She shook her head and stood, walking toward the railing and staring at the gulls again. "I saw the protests. More and more people wanted to be heard but I've been too focused on keeping us isolated." She cupped her palm over the round pipe and spoke softly, "The Olympia protest two months ago. Things got violent. Why didn't I do something then?"

Aurora put down her clippers and removed her gardening gloves. She walked across the patio and put her arm around Iole's back. "You've done what you thought was best. You did what Zeus and I told you was best."

Iole bit her lip and shook her head. "It's been five, six centuries. They're right. We don't have representation. We're not fully accepted into society. I mean, it's far, far better than it was before, but still..."

Aurora sat on a table next to her and it creaked. She grabbed onto the railing in case it gave way, but it didn't. "Do you ever... think about what it would be like to be human?"

Iole squinted and looked at her askance, "What? We are human."

Aurora was lost in thought and she slowly turned toward Iole. She paused, as though she was going to say something but thought better of it. "I know you are."

"True," Iole began, "we were not created in the usual way, but our people are made up of DNA, we reproduce, we think, we feel." She chuckled slightly, "I know we transfer memories and can plug into processors like we're Cylons," Aurora whipped her head around quickly, "but we are people. Just like everyone else."

Aurora grinned. "You don't feel envious of the other Twelve Tribes?"

"No. We have advantages that they don't." She cleared her throat and watched a bird fly overhead. "I know our parents made us in violation of Olympic decree and that's why our secrets can't get out."

Aurora's eyebrows lifted and she said, "But?"

"But," she smiled again, "I would feel so much better if we could just..." she swept her arms before her, "explain everything. Let mankind have our technology to fix brain injuries and disease and..."

Aurora shook her head dismissively. "I know you would like that, but I'm afraid this must all remain secretive. Not just because Zeus said so. Not anymore." Aurora looked toward the house for a moment and then back at Iole. She hesitated for a long while before she spoke again, "I've never told you about that vision I had. The one that..."

"Scared you to death?"

Aurora's mouth was grim and she nodded her head once. "The Thirteenth Tribe can prosper, but they can't do so here. If you remain, you will bring doom to the entire planet."

Iole's brow furrowed. "How?"

"Without going into great detail," Aurora said, "poor decisions will be made and events will move beyond even the gods' control."

"I don't know what that means."

Aurora's gaze was distant. After a moment, she slowly pulled her head up, looked into Iole's face, and the gloom passed. She smiled and rubbed Iole's arm. "Don't fear. Hephaestus, Apollo, and I are working hard. Don't let it worry you."

She stood from the table and went back to her flower box. Without putting on her gloves, she picked up the clippers and began lifting the blooms of other flowers.

Iole slowly moved from the railing toward Aurora. She lowered her head meekly and said, "Goddess, there's something I want to do." Aurora looked at her while she continued, "I don't need your permission, really, but I do want it."

Aurora turned back to the plants. "What is it?"

Iole hesitated and looked at her feet. "For so very long, you've been like a mother to me. Like a great friend." Aurora looked at her again. "I'm not alone. I don't worry about being alone because I have you."

Aurora smiled and put the clippers down. "Thank you."

Iole looked up and smiled, too. "I want to take your name as mine. I want to be called Iole Auroratous. It's not a patronymic name, really. Matronymic, I guess."

Aurora hugged her tightly and wiped a tear from her eye. "I would like nothing more, child."
**XLVI**

KHRUV

2,060 Years Before the Final Exodus

Delios was his name.

That is what Khruv told government officials and he had papers to prove it. His wife had no "true" name. His sons did, however: Vilok and Nakul. He had been teaching them in secret about the faith of Prometheus, his coming to the south, and the rise of the Draco against the false gods of Mount Olympus.

For years, there had been no attacks against the temples of the Olympians. There were vandalisms and protests, but Khruv wasn't sure if the Draco were involved. As for the temples, his father and brother died in separate attacks years ago. Other Draco died in the other bombings, he assumed. He was ready to go, willing to push the button, but the Great One had not spoken to him.

He felt urged to find a girl and wed her. To have children and then raise them in the true faith. He had accomplished this within a few years of his family's death.

"Father, when is mother coming?" Nakul asked.

"She is not coming," Khruv answered. As his father had done when Khruv reached ten, he abandoned his wife to teach his children about the faith, Prometheus, and the One Whose Name Cannot Be Spoken.

The three rode in the bus across the plains for hours. They would be in their new home soon. Khruv knew they would be able to blend in there. People wouldn't ask questions or bother them.

"I miss mother," Nakul said.

Khruv sighed. He nearly admonished the young boy again, but he remembered saying the same things when his father took him away many years ago. It was natural. "Vilok, you are the eldest. You will have to help your brother deal with the separation."

"I understand, father." Vilok was ten and he was already acting far older.

Khruv leaned over and whispered to the boys, "Nakul, when you feel alone, recite the Promethean Prayer. Vilok, help him. Just remember to say it silently to yourselves, or nearly so."

Both boys nodded and both children clasped their hands, whispering quietly, "O Prometheus, holy messenger of the Great One, guide our lives according to Its will, support us and bless us as we seek to do your holy work. Forgive our offenses and provide us with defenses against those who would deny yours and the One's power. These things we ask most humbly, amen."

Khruv smiled and he patted each child on the back. "Feel better?"

Vilok nodded and smiled, while Nakul only nodded. Khruv sighed again and hugged his youngest. "Relax. We will be at our new home soon. Rest until we arrive."

The boys leaned against each other and they against their father. Khruv leaned his head on the back wall and he stared toward the front of the bus. It was sparsely populated, as most had disembarked at the last stop some time ago. The scenery was little more than fields and forests in this part of Pisces. He laid his head back and fell asleep.

Awaken!

His head jerked up and he didn't know why. The bus was still moving. The children were still asleep against him. He looked around and saw nothing strange. He was about to go back to sleep when he glanced at the dechopem hanging from the ceiling a few rows ahead.

Cylons were busy moving dirt and assembling steel girders. A human guided one robot toward a pile of marble and the voice of the news reporter was barely audible, "It is expected that the temple will take another year to a year and a half to complete. It will be the first Temple of Apollo in Megara and Lord Apollo himself is scheduled to be here for the dedication when it is completed."

Khruv felt a wave of joy well up inside and spread to his head and ears. This was it. The sign he waited for. He looked outside the bus window and there was another sign: "Welcome to Megara."

"May the One be praised," he whispered aloud.
**XLVII**

AURORA

2,059 Years Before the Final Exodus

The ship was huge.

Aurora hadn't been in Illyria for quite some time, but the continent on the other side of the world was home to some of the largest space vehicle assembly yards and spaceports on Kobol, like this one in Tanagra. Automated missions and missions of exploration to other planets and other star systems usually began here. No colonies on other worlds had been established yet, because Zeus hadn't given permission and partly because Kobollians had not found a suitable planet. Or developed kobolforming.

She stood under the wide bow of a cargo vessel, designed for bringing ore from the nearby asteroid field back to Kobol. It was a large vessel; its hull had a bluish tint and it was not designed for hauling people. It would have to be retrofitted.

"Goddess? Are you finding everything to your satisfaction?" This was Duthos, a small man, but pleasant.

Aurora nodded. "I am. Have you spoken with Hephaestus about his requirements?"

Duthos walked closer to her, "I have, Goddess. Some of his requests are strange. He is asking that these ships be able to withstand stresses that we've never encountered."

"See that you comply with his requests."

"I will."

"Rest assured, if Hephaestus says it needs to be done, it needs to be done." Aurora stepped away from that vessel and looked across the hangar to another. It was similar in style, though slightly smaller. It was a Cylon mining vessel. Designed for carrying hundreds of Cylon miners and their equipment to the asteroids. "How long do you anticipate it will take to alter these ships?"

Duthos leafed through his folder as a Cylon construction worker carried a beam in the background. Aurora watched it walk past. "We have four vessels we're working on for you here. Dodona has five, actually. Are you partnered with Meteon, too?"

Aurora sighed and looked around. Cylons were carrying materials, welding, pushing large pallets. "Yes, Meteon, as well."

Duthos flipped through a few more pages, "Ah, I see. They have five vessels being retrofitted per Hephaestus' specs, also." He flipped again. "As for how long, these four ships, another two months, at least. I have as many Cylons as I can spare working on them." Aurora walked toward the main hangar doors and toward sunlight. Duthos was quick to follow. "I have two more ore freighters coming off the line in about six months. Same class as the big blue one. Are you going to want those, too?"

"Yes," Hades said, walking alongside Aurora.

Without looking to Hades, Aurora repeated. "Yes."

"Very well." He closed the folder and trotted a little more quickly to keep pace. "When can we expect to receive the special parts from Lord Hephaestus?"

Hades hummed as he said, "About three months."

Aurora watched as a Cylon dropped his load and a human foreman yelled at the machine. "A few months." Her attention refocused on Duthos, "And Hephaestus will be installing the parts himself."

Duthos shook his head, "Yes, Goddess. As you command." Aurora stepped into the sun but he stopped short, just inside the large doors. "I must admit to being powerfully curious as to what this is all about."

Aurora smiled, "Of course you are." She turned and walked back to her shuttle. It was a small aircraft, not Olympian in origin. Megara provided it for her use.

"I'm impressed," Hades said, walking right behind her. "Hephaestus and his contractors have managed to produce parts for twenty-seven FTL drives and you've appropriated twenty-four ships so far. Magnificent."

Aurora's smile faded. "I hope it will be enough."

Hades put an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. "It will be. Don't worry. You've still got time before they have to launch."

"How long?"

Hades tossed his head side-to-side. "I can't say. But I do know you've got a couple of years."

"Why leave, Hades?" Aurora asked. "Why can't the One just convince Zeus to accept the Tribe?"

The being grinned. "It's not about Zeus right now. It's about giving your people a chance on their own to do the One's will. If they stay here," he shook his head, "only doom can come of it."

"Yes," Aurora said. "I remember."

"It's all part of the plan."

Aurora exhaled deeply and her shoulders collapsed. She stepped to the side of the aircraft and leaned against the door. "I don't know how much more I can take."

"Be strong." Hades held Aurora's face in his hands and pulled her gaze up to his, "You are strong. You wouldn't have been chosen for this if you weren't."

She smiled weakly and opened the aircraft door. When she slid inside, Hades was already in the passenger seat. "And what about Iole?"

Hades almost chuckled, "What do you mean? She's going to be the one who leads them away from here." Aurora blinked slowly a couple of times and looked out of the window. "No, my dear, you're not going."

Aurora swallowed hard and inhaled. "That's for the best, anyway."
**XLVIII**

KHRUV

2,058 Years Before the Final Exodus

He was ready. He had been for months, but the temple's construction was delayed again and again. Khruv was thankful for the delays, though. Not because he wavered at all in his commitment or devotion, but because it gave him more time with his sons. They would need all of the help they could get. Vilok and Nakul were still young and the more preparation they had for life after their father, the better off they and their cause would be.

"Delios," a woman said. "Can you get me another wine?"

"Certainly," he smiled and brought over an empty glass. With a quick jaunt behind the counter, he returned with a decanter and filled it up. "There you go."

"Thank you, dear," the woman said before going back to her conversation.

Khruv had worked in this diner for several months saving up every bit of money he could to buy supplies and prepare a fund for the boys. The customers in Megara were almost exclusively members of the so-called Thirteenth Tribe. Some were frighteningly similar to each other; most were not. Khruv tried not to think about this too much. He didn't want to know what the blasphemers did in their own time.

It was truly divine providence that led him to Megara. When he left his wife, he planned to come here. Given their insular nature, he believed the Megarans would leave him and the boys alone. For the most part, they had. But then, awakening on the bus to see that news report, Khruv knew the One had guided him there at that time.

He assembled most of the components for the bomb quickly. He kept them hidden and separated, mostly to prevent the children from finding the pieces, but also to keep anyone else from finding them. He tried to stay abreast of the construction, but without a dechopem at home, it was difficult. He stopped by the site every once in a while to eat his lunch. He watched the Cylons assemble the marble façade and raise statues of that false idol, Apollo. He knew that whatever work remained must be on the inside, but he couldn't tell when that would be.

Khruv wiped off the counter and gathered spice canisters together to refill. Another customer entered the restaurant and sat down at the table nearest the door. Khruv grabbed a menu and went over to him, "Hello, my name is Delios and I am your servant this evening. May I get you a beverage?"

"Hello, Khruv."

He didn't flinch. Khruv had prepared himself for discovery. His eyes glanced over the silverware, which he could use to slice this man's throat in an instant. "I'm sorry. I'm Delios."

The man grinned and looked up, "No, you're Khruv." He seemed to be waiting for something. "I'm Divak."

Khruv's eyes widened. His brother. He thought he died years ago. "Divak," he said quietly.

"Yes." He took the menu and laid it down. "I assume you're here for the Temple of Apollo dedication?"

Khruv glanced back at the other customers, but they were too engrossed in their conversation to pay him any mind. "Yes. I am ready for it."

Divak opened the menu and began to read, "Good. Then I don't have to bother."

Khruv looked at the empty chair next to Divak and contemplated sitting down. He decided against it, instead offering random bits of information. "I have two boys."

Divak nodded. "As do I. Both trained. Yours?"

"Of course."

"Good." He quietly looked at the menu for a moment and then spoke, "I'll have some water and any kind of fish and pasta combination."

Khruv took the menu, disappointed that his brother didn't want to converse further. "It'll be out in a moment."

As he walked away, Divak spoke, "I know it's almost closing time, so I'm hoping you can join me for dessert once you've locked up."

Khruv smiled. "Yes. I would like that."

"I can't stay longer than that, however. I have to move on. And so do you. The dedication date has been set."

Khruv's head tilted, "When?"

"Next month."

Khruv looked at the floor for a moment and took in a deep breath. He lifted his head and smiled, "I will be ready."
**XLIX**

APOLLO

2,058 Years Before the Final Exodus

"I can't believe you're going to this," Leto said.

Apollo had learned to ignore much of what she said. He found that even when he thought people weren't listening, often times, they were. He wanted to appear as sane as possible, even though he regularly saw and conversed with someone no one else could see.

"Another temple to you." She shook her head in disgust. "It is blasphemy, you know?"

Apollo still ignored her. He was alone in the cabin of this aircraft with no flight attendants around. He still hadn't spoken to her.

"I wish you could know just how displeased God is about all of this."

Apollo looked over at her for the first time in a while. She had said a name he hadn't heard in quite some time.

"Not happy." She looked out the window. "And there's more to come. Just wait."

Apollo finally spoke, quietly, "If he's so 'displeased,' why hasn't he done more to tell us what he really wants?"

Leto whipped her head away from the window, "Oh, so you do speak." She stood and walked to a chair across from his. "Don't worry. God spoke to the ones for whom his messages were intended, but you Olympians frakked all of that up. I tried to tell Zeus, but... I would have thought it was understood to not establish yourselves as gods."

Apollo shook his head and looked toward the cockpit. "That's not what we intended. You know that."

"Of course not. The path to evil is laid with stones of good intent." She looked back out the window from her new seat at a passing cloud. "I'm thinking Zeus probably wanted to be a god, though."

Apollo grinned. "True."

The loudspeaker came on, "Lord Apollo, we'll be landing in Cyme in just a few moments. A car will be waiting to take you to Megara."

"Thank you."

The two of them rode silently for the next little bit as the aircraft hovered into place at the Cyme airport. Apollo stood and adjusted his suit. He pulled his case from the storage bin and walked toward the door, looking back at Leto as she sat, staring out of the window. He didn't wait and instead walked out of the craft, down the stairs and toward the open door of a silver executive car. He sat in the roomy backseat and was not startled when he found Leto already sitting next to him.

"At least gods get to ride in style."

Apollo sighed and the driver drove the vehicle away from the airport. The ride was smooth and silent, as Leto kept looking out of the window at the passing buildings and people. Soon, they arrived in the outskirts of Megara and Leto gasped. "Cylons. All of them. Amazing."

Apollo inhaled and tried to covertly speak to her without drawing the driver's attention, "You've seen Cylons before."

"Of course. I'm looking at one now," she said, staring him up and down. "What if I told them that?"

Apollo grinned, "Only I see you."

"I choose who gets to see me, son." Apollo's grin left his face and Leto looked back out to the people they passed. "If they found out what their precious Lords were..."

"Society would collapse," Apollo finished.

"Yes," Leto said as the vehicle pulled into a crowd near the new temple. "But it would be a justified, perhaps even holy collapse."

"So why don't you do something about that?"

Leto looked at Apollo harshly and then shook her head to the side once. "The most sacred of my directives is to preserve free will. You must all make your own decisions, regardless of how bad they may be."

Apollo ignored this and stepped out of the car into the throng of waiting people. He immediately smiled and brushed his arms into the sea of hands, touching many. They felt blessed and stepped away so others could touch him, as well. He waded through the people toward the imposing sight of his new temple and the dignitaries waiting there.

"Lord Apollo is here!" a priest said into the microphone.

Apollo smiled and touched as many people as he could. He neared the steps to the temple and a few priests and acolytes managed to hold back the crowds. He started up toward the lectern and saw Leto already standing there.

"Admit it, you loved that, 'Lord Apollo,'" she mocked. Apollo felt a wave of nervousness because, in his mind, he heard her voice as though it was magnified through the microphone system.

He got to the top of the steps and shook the hands of the various dignitaries. He recognized a Mylene, a Cimon, and an Iris. Aurora's designate, Iole, was standing on the far side of the platform, smiling. He turned from the dignitaries and looked out at the crowds. He waved and smiled again. This time, he recognized hundreds of faces as being of the twelve models. But, there were lots of other, natural-born Cylons, too.

"Thank you, Lord Apollo, for attending the dedication of this new, lovely temple in your holy name," Iole Auroratous said. There was applause from everyone, to which Apollo nodded. "Over the years, you have been an advocate for Megara and Megaran citizens. Second only to Aurora, you, among the Lords, have worked the most for acceptance of the Thirteenth Tribe into Kobollian society. And for that, we thank you." The crowd applauded again. Apollo lowered his head sheepishly. He didn't know what he had really done, other than treat them all as people.

Leto leaned in toward Apollo's ear, "Here comes something really interesting." Apollo tried not to listen. "Seriously, Apollo. Look to your left. Down behind the acolytes who are gazing up at you with those vapid expressions."

Apollo didn't respond, but he did look. He saw the acolytes. They were smiling. Behind them and for all of Apollo's field of vision, thousands of Cylons, gathered for the dedication. But... there was one human making his way through the crowd toward the front. Apollo's smile flattened and Leto saw it.

"You see him." Leto wasn't joking. There was no teasing in her voice now. "In a sea of Cylons, there is one human who isn't holding a camera or a microphone." Apollo instinctively glanced to the news crews along the left and right sides. Humans, mostly. "No. This is one human who is here just for you."

Apollo forced his smile back while the temple's newly anointed priest made his way to the microphone. "Let us pray..."

The crowd and Apollo lowered their heads but Leto spoke louder and more quickly, "He's a monotheist who has wandered far from the love of God." Apollo looked up and saw the man sidestepping an acolyte and starting onto the steps. "He's here to detonate a bomb."

Apollo leapt from the top and down the steps toward the man, whose eyes grew wide at the sight of a two-plus-meter tall Lord of Kobol lunging at him. "Move!" Apollo yelled at the people who were startled from their prayers and immediately fell to the ground at the sight before them and the angry Chara that began to surround Apollo.

"No! Don't stop him!" Leto yelled.

Apollo scooped up the man into a bear hug and carried him through the crowd to the small hill and freshly planted trees to his left. He held him tightly, ran up the slope, and was at the crest when the assailant managed to free a hand. Apollo tightened his grip, hearing a rib crack and squeezing the air from his lungs, but it was too late. The human had activated his bomb and it exploded.

Moments later, Apollo awoke inside a resurrection pod. He sat up, opening the gray cocoon, and coughing up globs of clear fluid. His head was ringing, but he didn't know if that was from the bomb or from the download. He looked down at his hands; they were shaking and still dripping with goo.

"Father?" Asclepius said as he entered the resurrection room.

Apollo tried to grab onto the edges of the pod, but the gel made him slip. "I'm... I'm alright."

"What happened?" Asclepius grabbed onto his arm and guided him out of the tub and onto a soft mat. "I was doing some research when the alarm went off." He grabbed a robe and brought it over.

"I was at the temple dedication in Megara." Apollo coughed again, dislodging some of the clear fluid. "And there was an explosion."

"Explosion?" Asclepius was studying a readout on Apollo's pod. "What kind?"

Apollo almost answered, but then he paused. He couldn't tell him how he knew everything without revealing Leto. He didn't know how Asclepius would respond to that. "A bomber. He had explosives strapped to his body."

Asclepius stopped what he was doing. "Are you kidding?"

Apollo raised his eyebrows and motioned to his younger, still-dripping body. "I'm here, aren't I?"

"That's... remarkable."

"Not the word I would have chosen," Apollo said as he wiped himself off. "I need to find out what happened."

Asclepius nodded. "What do we tell Zeus?"

Apollo walked over to a locker and removed a jumpsuit. "At this point? Nothing. I don't know anything." It was a lie. He knew some things, but he didn't want to share that info with his father. "Where is Zeus?"

"Tending to a family matter, or so he told me."

Apollo paused as he zipped up the jumpsuit. "'A family matter?'" He looked off into the distance and thought, "When has he ever tended to his family?"

"It does make one wonder."

Apollo began to speak but then it hit him. "What has Hecate done now?"
**L**

ZEUS

2,058 Years Before the Final Exodus

For hours, the Lord of Lords sat in a dartship, concealed behind one of the peaks of the Gates of Hera, staring down at the home that was long occupied by his estranged wife. Now, his daughter lived there, and according to the stories he heard, there were parties every week. Some more raucous than others. Those mattered little to Zeus. He did, however, hear that something far more insidious was happening once each month.

The last day of the week seemed to coincide with the biggest party, so Zeus would park here and observe. He had done this for three weeks now on the big party day. The dartship surveillance equipment gave him a magnified view of the home, inside and out, and even the audio. He saw something that disturbed him on the patio, but he decided to wait and see what happened before he jumped to conclusions.

It was nearly midnight and the party was going stronger than ever. Zeus saw more than a hundred young people dancing, drinking, and having sex all over the house. Hecate was there, too. Mostly drinking and observing. Zeus may have joined them all if it weren't for the allegations.

"To Goddess Hecate!" someone screamed inside, lifting a glass. Everyone returned the cry and began to drink.

Hecate stood on a sofa and addressed them all, "Thank you for coming again! We'll keep dancing and drinking and having fun until Aurora raises the sun!"

The crowd cheered and one woman yelled, "It's a new month, Goddess!"

The crowd cheered again and Hecate held up her hands, "I haven't forgotten! Let us party some more before we adjourn to the deck." The music returned, Hecate got off the sofa and she refreshed her glass.

"It's true." Zeus lowered his head into his hands and sighed. He didn't want it to be true. He placed his hand on the induction panel and sent his prepared message to Asclepius.

Hecate had done things in the past he didn't like. A couple thousand years ago, she held parties. Not terribly unlike this one. But what they did to get high... using dangerous chemicals and such. Young humans were dying at every event. And then there were the animals. Hecate debased herself with them and therefore brought shame to all of the Olympians. At that point, Zeus had punished her by forcing a download yet holding her pattern in the computer for a century. That was nothing, though, compared to what he did when she was finally transferred into a new body. He sent her to live with Hera.

Hecate hated that. She always hated her mother. Zeus suspected it was because they were so alike. Hecate went, though, and she stayed there for centuries and apparently out of trouble. With Hera gone, Hecate had fallen back into her old ways.

Zeus sipped some coffee and watched the party some more. He took particular interest in a group of women who were groping each other in a tub filled with... was it mud? Before long, he saw Hecate head out to the deck and the bulk of the house followed her.

"It is time, my children!" she said. She waited for all of the people to come out and she grinned. Laughing, she walked into the crowd, touching each person on the head before taking a young woman by the arm and leading her out in front. The people cheered. "What is your name, darling?"

Gleefully, she responded, "Acame, Goddess!"

"Acame is going to bless us all for the month to come!" The crowd cheered and Hecate led her to the large concrete platform on the edge of the patio. Hecate walked around behind the now prone girl and drew a large knife from the side of the base. "Let us pray..."

Zeus opened the hatch on the bottom of the dartship and navigated it over the peak and down several hundred meters toward the house. Just moments later, the craft was there. He stood, picked up his jagged staff – a gift from Hephaestus which he hadn't used in millennia. He dropped a nearly invisible monofilament from the hatch down to the deck. He heard Hecate wrapping up the prayer and he began to slide.

"So say we all!" Hecate shouted.

"So say we all!" the crowd responded.

Hecate lifted the knife and Zeus yelled from above, "No!" He slid the remaining several meters quickly, probably too quickly. He landed with a crack and the deck thudded under him. Hecate's face and arm froze and the crowd wilted under the anger in his Chara. Zeus stepped across the length of the deck to the platform, tightening his fists and balling his rage up as tightly as possible. By the time he reached Hecate and the would-be sacrifice, most of the crowd had fallen to their knees in submission. Many were crying; some had even wet themselves.

"Father," Hecate started.

"Shut up!" He pulled Acame from the platform and pushed her into the crowd. Zeus pressed a button on the side of his staff and jabbed it onto the concrete base. A sonic vibration began to rattle the pillar and electricity crackled along the length of the staff. A moment later, the base split apart, spilling the sacrificial slab to the deck, where it split into three pieces. He stood up straight and turned slowly toward the crowd. He scanned them, noting only a couple dared lift their heads. With every ounce of force he could muster, he said, "Leave. Now!"

The humans screamed in terror and scrambled back into the house or off the deck and into the trees below. In moments, there wasn't a living being in Hera's house other than Zeus and Hecate.

She was still holding the knife and her mouth was still open. She dropped it with a clatter onto the concrete shards below. "Father, I can..."

"Shut up!" he yelled. "You can shut up!" He paced about and tossed his staff onto the deck. After a moment, he stopped, planted his face into his hands and then raked his fingers into his hair before lifting his arms high. "What have you done? How long have you been killing them?"

Hecate was still standing on the bench adjacent to the cracked platform. She paused and thought, "Nine years."

"Nine years?! One sacrifice each month for nine years?!"

She wouldn't look him in the face. Her eyes studied the concrete chunks. "Yes."

"That is," Zeus paced some more, "that is insane." Silence. "Do I dare ask why?"

Hecate finally looked up. "Why?"

"Yes, dammit, why?"

Her face was still, but after a moment, Hecate laughed. "I could speak for hours on 'why.'"

Zeus stood still and tried to regain control of his breathing. "Start now."

Hecate looked at him directly. "How many temples are there dedicated to you on Kobol?"

If Zeus had known that number, he couldn't retrieve it at the moment. "I don't know."

"So many that no one knows!" Hecate stepped off the bench and then sat on it. "How many are dedicated to me?" Before Zeus could answer, she did. "Zero, father. Zero!"

"Are you frakking kidding me? You're sacrificing lives because no one worships you in a marble building?"

Hecate laughed again, "Why not? I am a god, right? That's who we are!" Zeus lowered his head and she continued, "We are gods. We are the Lords of Kobol! We do what we want and we make the humans do our bidding!"

A dozen thoughts flooded Zeus' brain, trying to make their way to his mouth. "That's not what this has been about!"

"Yes, it has!" She jumped up and ran to get in his face. "You've had your parties! You've frakked thousands of nubile acolytes! You've led the humans through good times and bad! You've been worshipped as the supreme lord for millennia!"

He tried to push her aside, "Back away."

"No! You've done these things! I just took it all one step further than you were willing to go!"

"Enough!" Zeus grabbed Hecate's arm and lifted it high.

"Ow! You're hurting me!"

"I'm about to pass judgment."

Hecate flailed about, smacking Zeus' arm and chest, "'Judgment?' You can't ship me off to mother again!"

"No, but I can hold your pattern in the download system." He set her down, still holding onto her arm, and dragged her to the concrete rubble where he picked up the sacrificial knife.

Hecate became frantic for a moment and then she relaxed. "That's fine. Hold me prisoner. How long can you do it this time?"

Zeus dropped her onto her knees. He held her head and raked the blade across her throat. As Hecate tried to hold the redness in, Zeus whispered, "Let's try for eternity."
**LI**

ERIS

2,058 Years Before the Final Exodus

It could not get any worse.

It had been years since Eris had to deal with the bombings of temples, supposedly by monotheists. Then, the protests and vandalism by Megaran separatists. Now, a Lord had been killed – albeit temporarily – by another bombing at a temple. She held her head in her hands and watched the dechopem replay, yet again, the footage of Lord Apollo rushing down the temple steps, scooping up the man, and carrying him up a hill before the assailant was able to detonate the device. Only Apollo and the attacker were killed; several people were injured. It was a miracle.

The news channel now showed footage of a healthy and smiling Apollo leaving the Olympic Gates after having been resurrected. Eris pressed a button on her desk and the dechopem returned to its usual artwork displays.

"What the frak is going on?" she asked.

Security Minister Notus shook his head, "I'm guessing they were looking for greater opportunities."

"Well, they got it." Eris pushed away from her desk and leaned the back of her chair against the wall. "Did the Megaran police get back to you yet?"

"No. They said they had a lead they wanted to check out. I should hear from them any time."

Eris propped her feet onto her desk. "No gas leaks now."

Notus nodded, "There is a terrorist, on video, being carried off by Lord Apollo before they both exploded."

"How did he know?"

"Who can say?" Notus shrugged. "I won't pretend to understand the mind of a god."

Eris scratched the back of her head. "Monotheists?"

"Seems likely."

Eris' dechopem beeped. "Archon, High Priest Crethon is here and would to speak with you."

The Chief Archon's eyes rolled back and Notus slumped in his chair. For years, she had been befuddled as to why the archiereus position even existed. Crethon's predecessor did nothing of any account and Crethon himself was just a busybody. What was the point of having a priestly adviser? That's what the bureaucracy was for. Eris took in a deep breath before pressing the button. "Tell him to come back in an hour."

"Yes, Archon."

"Where were we?"

Notus mumbled, "Monotheists."

"Right." Eris sat up again. "We need to tell the people something substantive. They saw someone blow apart themselves and a Lord of Kobol, so there needs to be something there. They have to have a reason for it. Something they can grasp."

"The truth isn't on the table?"

Eris sighed. She remembered all too well the story of Arachne and how she angered the gods. "We still need to keep that down. I don't want the Lords to find out, if we can help it. We need to keep them pleased, but more than that, we need to show them that we can handle it ourselves. That we've grown, as their children." She nodded her head to encourage herself as much as Notus as she continued, "I spoke to Lord Athena last year and she said the gods trusted us to deal with the bombings. We can do it."

Notus spoke, "But have we handled it? It's been years and we..." He was interrupted by the beeping of his pocket processor. He removed it and held it up. He pressed a couple of buttons and inhaled deeply. "Here we go. Megaran police sent over a bunch of information." He stood and held his processor over the keypad for the office's dechopem. A few keystrokes later, the wall across the room faded from artwork to photos of a hovel and a man.

"Is that him?"

"Records identify him as Delios, a worker in a local diner, but the identity was faked." He pressed another button. "This was apparently his home, which he shared with his two young boys."

Eris gasped, "He had children and yet he blew himself up?"

Notus nodded. "It seems so. They are ten and eight and were taken into custody by Pisces child safety officials." Another button press revealed a workbench. "They found his bomb-making materials," another button, "and a series of scribbling in what looks to be the same ancient writing we found years ago in that tent outside Athens."

"No translation yet?"

"Not yet." Notus pressed another button. "And these are just Megaran police reports." He returned to his seat, "The chief told me in his message they will continue to pursue all leads they can and run down every thread from Delios' home."

"Circulate his picture and share as much information as we can with every police department on Kobol. I want to root out these bastards as quickly as possible." Eris picked up a pen and slowly turned it over in her hand.

Notus reached up and held his jaw. He stroked it for a moment and leaned forward. "Informing every police department could be problematic."

Eris put the pen down, "Explain."

"Right now, there are, maybe, twenty people on the entire planet who know the true nature of what we're dealing with. If your hope is to keep it from the gods, we can't tell every police force what's going on because someone somewhere will talk."

Eris leaned onto the desk with her elbows as she spoke again, "It's not just that I want to keep it from the gods. These people believe something so alien, so foreign, that I'm afraid it could... damage society."

Notus' eyebrows lifted. "Aren't you giving them a bit too much credit?"

"Perhaps, but even the craziest concepts have believers." Eris sighed and closed her eyes. "I don't even want to give these people the satisfaction of having their cause known."

Notus looked around the room absent mindedly. "Monotheists."

She rubbed her still-closed eyes. "Monotheists in Megara."

Boom.

She sat up, opened her eyes and allowed herself a slight grin. "That's it. Megara."

"I don't follow."

Eris was smiling unabashedly now. "We _can_ tell the truth. We can turn over almost all of the information we have on both the monotheists and the separatists and say they're _all_ Thirteenth Tribe separatists. They can round up members of both groups without knowing it."

"I don't know, archon."

"It's simple," she said. "No one fully knows or understands the Thirteenth Tribe. To most of the outside world, they're weird. They stay away from everyone else. Many of them look alike." Eris sighed again, "I don't like making one group the bad guy, but if it will work..."

Notus shook his head, "How effective will that be? Providing law enforcement with half of the story? Leaving out those details?"

Eris nodded. "I understand, but... we can't let the gods find out about the monotheists. We search for separatists and catch as many monotheists as we can simultaneously."

"There could be a problem." Notus leaned forward. "Aurora. She has been helping the Thirteenth Tribe for some time now." He tilted his head and said, "Apollo, too."

Eris paused and then stood up. "Aurora isn't even an Olympian, really. She's always held herself separate. She may live with the Thirteenth Tribe but she can't know the hearts and minds of everyone in Megara. As for Apollo," she motioned toward the dechopem, "he got blown up. I'm willing to wager he's rather angry about it and he'll believe what we say we've discovered."

Notus nodded. "What about the other temple bombings? Do we come clean on that?"

Eris bounced her head side to side. "We can if we get asked about it. We can say that we're looking into possible connections. That the gas leak stories were fabricated to keep everyone calm. Later, we can tie them all in with the vandalism, break-ins, fights... everything the Thirteenth Tribe actually did do."

"Last resort, though. We wouldn't want to talk about it unless we had to."

"Exactly." Eris paced a little more, but another idea didn't really come to her, so she sat again. "Well, what do you think?"

Notus smiled, "I think it might work."
**LII**

IOLE

2,058 Years Before the Final Exodus

She couldn't believe her eyes and ears. Chief Quorum Archon Eris was on every news channel telling the world that Megarans blew up Lord Apollo.

"We have found evidence that a Megaran resident detonated the bomb yesterday that killed himself and um, harmed Lord Apollo at the dedication of a new temple there. We have also uncovered information that this resident held extremist, even violent views on his desires for Megaran independence."

A single tear fell from Iole's cheek. She was sitting on a sofa at her home in Megara, her legs drawn up close to her chest. She clutched her knees and was rocking back and forth. "This can't be real."

"We have forwarded additional information on militant Megarans to police around the world. These fringe elements in our own backyard, in beautiful Pisces, will be rooted out and eliminated."

"No, no, no," she said. If it was true, it could set back the efforts of herself, Aurora, and Apollo decades. Or even longer. Just then, her dechopem beeped and stated she had a new message.

Iole pressed a button on her remote control and a small black rectangle emerged from the side of the screen, displaying in white text, "From Aurora: please come see me first thing in the morning."

Iole turned off the dechopem and sat on the sofa, crying. After a while, she laid on her side, staring at the empty room and trying to let her mind wander. It wouldn't. It kept coming back to the horrible images and sounds of that man and Apollo exploding. And the smells. The words of Eris. Her imagination ran wild and she expected raids of armored troops. And what about Apollo? He hadn't said anything to the press. Was he still even on her side?

She tried not to think about these things, but it gnawed at her. She went to bed without eating and still, she lay there, staring at the ceiling, thinking about it all, over and over.

When her alarm went off, it surprised her. She apparently had fallen asleep at some point, though she certainly didn't feel rested. She showered slowly, grabbed a small piece of fruit bread to eat only because she knew she had to eat something, and left her home.

The streets of Megara were eerily quiet. Usually, there were delivery vehicles at the stores and restaurants, but she saw only one. There were only a few pedestrians. There weren't many more cars on the streets. It was a thirty minute walk to Aurora's home from hers, but Iole decided she didn't want to. Something just felt wrong. She walked back home and got into her vehicle, pressing the buttons to start it up, and then gliding out of her garage. A few minutes later, she pulled quietly alongside the front patio of Aurora's home.

She walked to the front door and found it was opened. Iole slowly looked inside and asked, "Hello?"

"Come in, dear," Aurora said from her kitchen area.

Iole closed the door. She walked into the kitchen and sat at the bar overlooking the food prep area. "Good morning, goddess."

"Don't lie, child," Aurora said as she sliced some fruit, "You don't think there's anything good about it, do you?"

Iole's chin quivered and she hesitated, trying to keep her emotions bottled up. She didn't want to spill it all onto Aurora at once. "No, goddess. How could I?"

Aurora nodded silently. Slice, slice. She then grabbed a pear and began to cut it. "I was worried you wouldn't be able to come this morning." Iole appeared confused. Aurora looked up but continued to slice. "Didn't you hear? Travel restrictions have been put into place in Megara."

"What?"

Aurora nodded. "The police chief ordered them at the request of the chief quorum archon." Slice. "Megara is essentially closed."

Iole felt her eyes welling up again. "I've spent centuries trying to keep us all safe and insulated. In just a few short years, someone has... split us open and exposed us to the people outside. To the people who hate and just... don't understand. Everything we've worked for, it's..."

"Not gone." Aurora used the blade to sweep the fruit into a bowl and she set it on the counter. After popping an apple chunk into her mouth, she continued, "A setback, certainly, but there's still hope."

Iole almost laughed, "You really believe that? Members of the Thirteenth Tribe are going to be questioned and investigated for this." She ran her fingers into her hair, "This is going to get worse. We're being targeted as terrorists."

Aurora nodded. "True."

"Do you believe one of us could have done this?"

Aurora walked around to the other side of the counter and sat on a stool next to Iole. "Why not? Among twenty-five thousand people in one city and ten thousand others scattered across the world, there are bound to be some... unstable elements."

A tear left Iole's eye and streaked her cheek. "What about Lord Apollo? I haven't heard him say anything about it."

Aurora shook her head. "I haven't either. I called him yesterday and he said he was instructed to remain at Olympus for a time. Silent."

"'Instructed?' By whom? Zeus?"

Aurora hesitated for a moment and thought. "Perhaps."

More tears came and Iole pounded the counter, "If Apollo would speak out, we could avoid this persecution! There might not be the investigations and the lockdowns. He needs to speak out."

Aurora put a hand on Iole's shoulder, "Calm down, dear." She pulled the bowl a little closer, "Go on. Have a bit." Iole didn't comply. "Consider it an order." She picked up a bit of pear and ate it. "Good. Now keep eating." Aurora returned to the kitchen to clean up her knives and cutting board. "If this had happened a couple of years ago, I'd be a blubbering mess, too."

Iole almost laughed as she put another bit of pear in her mouth, "Why?"

"My vision. My horrible, nightmarish vision." She wiped off her knife and put it back into the block. "Now, those things might still happen, but if they happen soon, I feel a little better about it."

Iole shook her head in confusion, "You've lost me."

"Help is almost ready. Almost."

"You've said before that we couldn't find peace here." Aurora nodded. Iole's mind turned and then she realized. "That's it, isn't it? We're going to leave Kobol?"

"Yes." Aurora wiped off the cutting board, "In the meantime, we cooperate with the investigation and help out however we can. After all, we don't want these fanatics counted among us, right?"
**LIII**

TYDEA

2,058 Years Before the Final Exodus

"This wasn't us, right?" Tydea said.

Her earpiece responded, "Of course not." Crassus sighed. "I've talked to a few cell leaders. The people... everyone's scared, Tydea. They're bailing on us."

She laughed nervously. "Naturally. When the Chief Archon of Kobol says you're the bad guy who blew up a frakking god..."

"That's just it," Crassus said. "I talked to someone. He said," Crassus' voice became lower. Tydea pressed the device against her head more tightly so she could hear, "He said it was a monotheist group. These monotheists have been bombing the temples."

She was quiet. She waited and Crassus said nothing else. "I don't know what to say to that." Tydea looked across her living room toward the small dechopem screen. The image of Lord Apollo standing at the Olympic Gates talking to reporters was frozen, paused there when her earpiece beeped minutes before.

"What's the next move?"

Tydea sat on the arm of her sofa and stared at the image of Apollo. "I don't know." Something nagged at her. It was like someone was pulling a string attached to her stomach. Tug, tug, tug. It wasn't nausea. She swallowed hard and looked at the screen again. Apollo was an ally of Megara. That was for certain. "I think I need to go to Theonpolis."

"What can you do there?"

Tydea shrugged, even though Crassus couldn't see her. "I need to talk to the archons. I need to tell them... this wasn't us."

"Are you crazy?" Crassus said. "You're going to be pleading guilty to the stuff we _did_ do!"

"I won't be pleading guilty to anything. I'm going to be assuring them that the Thirteenth Tribe had nothing to do with this bombing."

Crassus was quiet for a moment and then he asked, "That's if they'll even talk to you."

Tydea inhaled sharply and she looked back at her dechopem and Apollo. She felt the tugging again. "I have to go." She pulled the earpiece out and tossed it onto the table. She sat down on the sofa fully and didn't unpause the news. She sat there and stared at Apollo.

Five minutes later, she turned off the dechopem, stood, and grabbed a small case. After tossing in some clothes and other items, she reached under a bust of Lord Dionysus. The artwork was hollow and she pulled out a wad of bills. A little over two thousand stater. She had been saving the money for years. She didn't know why, but she felt she needed to bring it along.

Tydea left her home in Cyme and walked toward the bus station. She bought her ticket to Theonpolis and boarded almost immediately. It was the evening; one full day after the bombing of Apollo's temple. Megara was under a travel restriction, but not Cyme.

On the road to Theonpolis, she laid her head back against the seat and stared out of the window at the passing landscape. It would be well after midnight when she arrived. She could find a hotel or just go to Dionysus' temple. As a priestess, she would be allowed to sleep there.

Trees whizzed by the window. She watched them go for several minutes and then she closed her eyes. The motion was making her sick. Or was it the tugging again? She turned her head to look forward and she thought about Apollo, paused on her screen.

Tydea closed her eyes and saw the image, as clear as day. Freshly rejuvenated Apollo, standing at the Olympic Gates, talking to reporters. Moments before in that report, Apollo carried the bomber up a hill and they exploded. Then, there he was: young, handsome, perfectly coifed. Young Apollo.

She opened her eyes.

Apollo, before the bomb, wasn't exactly old, but he was _older_. Rejuvenated, he looked like he was in his twenties. She shook her head. The idea was ridiculous. But it nagged at her. It tugged at her stomach again.

Could the Lords of Kobol be artificial beings?

Ludicrous. Tydea told herself that. But then she saw young Apollo again, in her mind. She thought about the footage of him at the temple's podium the day before. Older. But these were gods. These were...

If they were created people, like the Thirteenth Tribe, who created them? Where did they come from and when did they get here?

She shook her head and tried to relax. She turned in her chair toward the window again, trying to go to sleep. She couldn't.

The bus arrived in Theonpolis nearly at dawn. Instead of walking several blocks toward Dionysus' temple, Tydea sat in the bus depot and thought.

Years ago, she met Dionysus at a temple ceremony. She was amazed at how normal he appeared, despite his height. He had gray hairs on his head and in his beard. But his Chara affected her. Every gods' Charas affected people. They had powers the people couldn't dream of. They could summon objects out of thin air, make large objects move, and much more. This wasn't possible. They were gods.

When the sun rose, Tydea left the depot and looked across the city. Temples ringed the Opera House a kilometer away but she could see it. The mountains north of the city were clearly visible, too. And so was Olympus. It may have been her lack of sleep, but she decided to go.

Tydea hailed a taxi and told him to go to the Olympic Gates. He complied and she slipped him a coin. Several minutes later, she emerged. She stood in the large cul-de-sac for several moments, simply looking into the mountains above. Olympus was covered in marble and ivy. Shrouded in mist. She glanced to her right and saw the newly-renovated Temple of Preparation. Olympic Park was on her left. Two Cylon guards were directly ahead.

"Halt," one said. "State your purpose."

She quietly cleared her throat and said, "I am a priestess in Lord Dionysus' temple. I have dire news regarding the bombings that have happened lately. I can only speak to the gods about this."

The Cylons were still, except for their eyes. A moment later, a different voice came from one of the Cylons. "This is Apollo. Identify yourself."

She inhaled sharply and said, "I am Priestess Iole Tydea Cymii."

There was another pause. "Can you... sum up the information you have?"

"I'm afraid I cannot. I fear for my safety." She closed her eyes tightly. She just lied directly to a god.

"Very well."

The Cylons stepped aside and the gates swung open. Her mouth fell and she looked at the empty skycar sitting on the platform just beyond the entrance. It took a moment, but she finally forced her legs to move forward. She stepped inside and pulled the door closed. The skycar lurched and began to ascend the cables toward Mount Olympus.

Tydea paced and paced. She looked out of the windows at the approaching mountainside and paced again. What was she going to say? Could she get away with it? She shook her head, realizing that if a god struck her down, she would be transferred to a waiting body in Megara. She took deep breaths and clung to that thought as some kind of solace.

The skycar clicked into its berth at the top of the cables. The marble and metal surrounded the forward half of the cab. The doors slid open and Tydea slowly stepped out and into the entryway. The walls were metallic. Marble statuary and columns lined the vast room and into the corridors beyond. Light seemed to pour from every possible crack and angle. Fine fabrics were swathed between the columns and exotic plants filled in the remainder of the spaces.

She lingered for a moment, looking from one thing to another. Finally, a young man emerged from a corridor. "Priestess?" he asked. "Come with me."

Tydea moved toward him and saw that this wide-eyed person was an acolyte. An Olympic acolyte. His vacant expression showed that he had been conditioned to withstand the shifting Charas of multiple Lords. She followed him down the corridor, passing by columns and ivy. The occasional plant and work of art. Finally, he stopped in front of a door and bowed, motioning for her to enter.

She turned and looked inside. The huge table with a dozen or so chairs. Opulent surroundings. She took a sharp breath and walked inside. Tydea knew that this was the Olympic Court. This is where the gods sat and deliberated Kobol's problems. Sitting at the far end of the room, at the head of the table, was Zeus himself.

Shocked, Tydea fell to her knees and bowed. "Great Zeus," she said. Her voice trembled and she closed her eyes tightly. She began to waver. She didn't think she could continue.

"Rise, priestess," Apollo said.

She stood and looked. Zeus, Apollo, Athena, and Ares were there. She took a deep breath and smiled. "Thank you for seeing me, Lords. I... did not expect this kind of audience."

"The terrorist attacks are of great concern to us," Zeus said. "Please, whatever help you can provide will be appreciated."

Tydea bowed slightly and licked her lips. She wavered again. Standing before four gods and preparing to... do what? Accuse them? Or simply lie to them? She looked across their faces. Ares and Zeus were stern but not angry. Apollo and Athena seemed welcoming. Zeus appeared tired. As though he had just awakened. Then she looked at Apollo again and saw how young he looked. She steeled herself.

"My Lords," she began, "I am here on behalf of freedom. I am a member of the Thirteenth Tribe, as you can guess from my appearance. I am also the leader of a Megaran independence group."

Ares began to scowl and he slowly pushed himself back from the table. Apollo and Zeus shared a concerned look and Athena appeared confused. Ares spoke through clenched teeth. "I suggest you choose your words carefully."

Tydea lifted her head and smiled. She didn't really want to smile, but she managed it. She needed the air of confidence. Slowly she lifted her arms and said, "I am not armed."

"We know," Zeus said. He seemed angry now. "What do you want?"

She kept her back rigid and inhaled again. Her chest puffed out and her chin lifted further. It was time to gamble.

"I come to request complete independence and freedom for members of the Thirteenth Tribe." The gods sat stone-faced. "Over the years, many of my people have realized that we're no better than Cylons. We work and perform in society but without being heard by our leaders. We want representation in the Quorum."

Apollo's eyebrows lifted. "Why should we interfere in an administrative matter? Within a single nation?"

She looked at Apollo and said, snidely, "Odd. Why wouldn't you? You've been assisting Aurora and the Megarans for some time."

Zeus looked at Apollo, confused. "In what way?"

"Immaterial," Apollo said.

"You've murdered people," Ares said, "and destroyed temples."

Before Tydea could correct him, Athena spoke up. "Why should we help you?"

"I will tell you why." She looked at their faces once more, stopping at Apollo's. Young Apollo. "I will reveal to the world that you are artificial beings, just like me."

Athena's eyes widened and Zeus stood from his chair, saying, "This is absurd!"

"Not really. The people call it 'rejuvenation' but we Megarans call it 'transfer.' You don't seem to age as quickly as we do. It takes several decades before you need a new body. For the normal humans, that's not a problem. They don't live long enough to watch you age to completion. But us in the Thirteenth Tribe," she paused and looked at their expressions again, "we can see it."

All four of the Lords were standing now. Ares and Zeus were visibly angry, but they were several meters away. Their Charas managed to make Tydea's stomach ache. Zeus looked at Ares and then at Apollo. "What you are suggesting is blasphemy."

Tydea still tried to smile, though their Charas were becoming more revolting. "Or blackmail."

Zeus inhaled sharply. He seemed conflicted. He tried to move in one direction but he stopped. He began to move another way and Ares grabbed his arm. Apollo saw this and looked at Tydea, "You should leave. Now."

"As you wish." She bowed and walked into the corridor. She exhaled and began to trot ahead of the acolyte toward the entry room. She got there quickly, grabbed her case and reentered the skycar.

She closed the door and wondered if she would be allowed to leave. A moment later, the cab began to move back down the cables. She started breathing again and watched her descent carefully. It stretched on and on. At any moment, the cab could stop and pull her back toward Olympus. But it didn't.

She left the cab and ran through the now open gates, past the waiting Cylons. She had to walk a full block to find a taxi. Inside, she told the driver, "Take me to Dionysus' temple." He began to drive.

How had she gotten this far? She looked out the window and saw several office buildings pass by. A series of healer offices sat on the other side of her door as the taxi was stopped at a signal. At the intersection ahead, she saw a police car. It was stopped on the side of the road. The lights weren't on but her stomach roiled in fear; not unlike it had just minutes before when she was in the presence of angry Charas. She leapt from the cab while tossing a coin into the front seat.

Tydea ran between the office buildings and emerged on the far side of a complex. There was a directory to her right and she glanced at it quickly. She saw one title in particular that gave her an idea.

Seeing other people around her, she walked calmly into the lobby of the office building and entered the elevator. When the doors opened, she walked into his office. No one was at the front desk. She moved around to a side door and looked inside. There, she saw a man with a sandwich in his mouth as he shuffled papers.

"Surgeon Glaukos?" she asked.

Startled, he turned and pulled the sandwich from his mouth. "Oh, you scared me. Yes?"

She walked inside, dragging her case with her. "You provide reconstructive surgery, correct?"

"I do."

"Good." She lifted the case into a chair and moved closer to him. "I want you to change my face."

Glaukos seemed confused and he said, "I don't understand. Have you been in an accident?"

"No," Tydea said. "I simply don't want to look like this any longer."
**LIV**

APOLLO

2,058 Years Before the Final Exodus

"You stand at a crossroads, Apollo," Leto said. She was standing next to the priestess.

"You should leave. Now," Apollo said.

"As you wish."

The priestess bowed and Leto moved toward her son and said, "That was an interesting choice. I don't know that I would have expected that."

As the Megaran entered the hallway, Zeus moved away from his chair and darted for the door. Ares grabbed him and pulled him back. "No!" Zeus looked at his son in shock. "You can't kill her. She'll download to Megara and that'll be it."

"But we can capture her," Zeus said.

"I think it's best to let her go," Apollo said. "That way, we can keep tabs on her and see who else is in her group."

Ares hesitated for a moment and then nodded. "I agree. I can go up to control and begin putting surveillance on her."

Zeus scoffed and wrenched his arm from Ares' grip. "Fine."

Athena looked worried and she quietly excused herself from the room after Ares ran into the corridor.

"A crossroads, Apollo," Leto said again. She was sitting on the table next to him.

"What did she mean you were helping them?" Zeus asked.

He shrugged. "I've been treating them like regular people. I go visit. That's more than you and almost any other god has done."

"More than that, dear," Leto said, "you've been helping them get spaceships made. Shouldn't you tell daddy about that?"

Apollo shook his head quickly.

Zeus stood, clenching his fists and shaking his head. He was staring at the wall. "I can't let this happen."

"I know."

Zeus looked toward Apollo and then stood. "I will do whatever it takes to keep them silent."

"A crossroads, Apollo," Leto said.

Zeus raised his arms in frustration for a moment and then lowered them again. He banged the table and said, "We should have... we should have done something centuries ago."

Apollo sighed quietly and looked at Leto. She said, "One way leads to life. The other leads to death. Complete... death."

"How do we stop it?" Apollo asked.

Zeus cleared his throat loudly, almost angrily. "If we can catch her and her comrades, we can contain the information."

Apollo's eyes shifted from his father to Leto. She smiled and began to speak, "Lose her." Apollo closed his eyes in thought and she continued, "Let her go."

Zeus slowly left the room and Apollo whispered, "But that means my father will want to march into Megara after her."

Leto smiled and nodded. "I know. Now put your hand on that panel and tie up the satellites."
**LV**

ARES

2,058 Years Before the Final Exodus

It had been an hour since the priestess left Mount Olympus. Ares walked the streets of Theonpolis in his usual work singlesuit, though a weapons belt was bound to his waist and a monstrous handgun was strapped to his right thigh.

He had placed the city on high alert. Police vehicles screamed past him and fanned out along several streets. The airport was closed barely five minutes after she left. Every Dionysian temple, altar, and shrine in the city was notified and had officers assigned to them. Highways were cordoned off with checkpoints. She would not be able to leave town. No one had been able to leave town once he found he couldn't access the satellite system. He didn't know why that was but he didn't like it.

"Lord General Mars," his earpiece crackled, "no sign yet of the Priestess Iole Tydea at any of the checkpoints. First round of bus checks has also gone without incident."

Ares nodded. "I saw another set of police cars a moment ago. Where are they going?"

"Bus depots again. A few will be heading to the larger highways."

The Olympian looked southwest toward the Opera House. Its dome loomed large over the crest of the hill and he began to walk toward it. "What about the river?"

"No word from our boats, but all dockmasters have been interviewed. They claim no one of her description has been to see them."

"Understood, chief. Carry on." He tapped the device in his ear and it beeped off.

Ares had failed his father once before. Thousands of years ago, his lack of preparation led to death and war. He would not allow this to happen again. He couldn't allow it.

He approached Pantheon Circle by walking in front of Athena's temple. His own was across the festival square. Ares paused for a moment in the shadow of a statue of Athena. He stared at a bronze likeness of himself and observed the way the morning sun glinted off the shield and sword. Ares sighed and looked to the west. He walked toward the Opera House and turned to walk north along the street. Cars honked as they passed and the Lord ignored them. He was deep in thought.

There seemed to be no feasible way for the priestess to have escaped. No way for her to leave town. If she wanted to leave town, that is.

He stopped. Ares had to consider the possibility that her comrades were waiting for her in the city after her meeting on Mount Olympus. If they had secret facilities in Theonpolis, she could already be stashed in one.

He walked again at a much faster pace toward the Temple of Hermes. He turned north onto the adjacent street and moved through the midmorning foot traffic. Most of the citizens felt his Chara and stayed away. Some saw him and approached before they could sense his mood. He ignored everyone. He strode onto the bridge that crossed the northern branch of the river.

After a few minutes, he neared the dividing line between the northern residential district on the west and the northern business district on the east. The sidewalk traffic had thinned out but people were still milling about. Ares looked straight ahead and he saw the Cambunian Mountains. Mount Olympus stood in front of him a couple of kilometers away. He looked toward some restaurants on his right and saw people hanging around along the store fronts. There was a bar named Xinomarvelous and he saw an Iole standing by the door.

Ares ran toward her. Her back was facing him so she didn't see the god's approach. She looked suspiciously to her left and right before walking inside. Ares was stopped at an intersection by an onslaught of traffic. A large bus passed by him and he grunted. He balled his hands into fists and stalked into the street. Cars slammed on brakes and he emerged on the other side unscathed. Ares pulled open the door and moved straight to the bar.

"Where is she?" Ares was holding up a picture of an Iole. The bartender felt the god's Chara before he looked up and the older man wilted. He fell back against a shelf holding old, dusty liquor bottles. He shook his head and stuttered.

"My Lord." His eyes danced and he forced himself to look at Ares directly. "She just came in."

"I know. Where is she?"

He lifted a finger and pointed toward the rear of the bar. "In the back room."

Ares slid the photo into his shirt pocket and reached down toward his weapon. He unclicked the strap and walked to the heavy black curtain that separated the main room from this secluded area. He pulled back the curtain and squinted as the thick smoke of opiates flew into his face.

He closed the curtain, took a deep breath and reopened it. He ducked low and moved into the room where he quickly spotted the Iole sitting on a couch as she wrapped her lips around an ebony mouthpiece.

"Iole," Ares said. His Chara rattled everyone in the room and even the most oblivious smokehounds bailed.

The woman in question was stunned and she pulled herself off the floor, away from the pipe, and into the corner of the vinyl couch. She saw Ares coming closer and she cowered. "Yes, my Lord?"

One of the god's knees was on the floor as he sat partly on the sofa. He leaned in close and studied the woman's eyes. He was fairly certain this wasn't the one he sought. "What is your occupation?"

For a moment, she lowered her head. "I'm a schoolteacher, Lord."

Ares nodded and backed away. "Where were you one hour ago?"

"Home," she said. "I live on Rhea Street, about three blocks away."

Ares stood and left without saying anything. As he emerged in the main room of the bar, he saw that the drug users from before didn't actually leave the establishment; they were camped out in booths as they waited for the god to depart.

He sighed and walked to the door. He stepped into the bright sunlight and he watched the dozens of people walking and driving along this busy street. Theonpolis was a city of millions. Ares shook his head. He knew that the priestess' best hope for concealment was right here.
**LVI**

TYDEA

2,058 Years Before the Final Exodus

A siren wailed and the priestess leapt off the bed. She was breathing heavily and she moved to the window. Outside, she saw a fire engine with its flashing lights trying to maneuver in traffic.

She had lived in Theonpolis for a month. Her face was healed and she had a new identity. Thanks to her years of saving, she found that a few hundred stater went a long way. A computer expert changed her name. Perhaps she shouldn't have told the gods her real moniker. "Iole" was obvious, but keeping that name would have been dangerous. Now, she was Pria Hippolytous Thyrii. Still a priestess in Dionysus' temple.

As for her face, that didn't go as smoothly. Surgeon Glaukos usually provided reconstructive plastic surgery. There was rarely any need for simple cosmetic alterations. She wasn't ugly, but Tydea was now not as attractive as her Iole namesake. She knew, of course, that when she died and awakened in a Megaran transfer facility, she'd look the same again. That was still a few decades away.

She went to the bathroom and brushed her teeth. She slipped into her priestess' robes and left her one-room flat. Tydea walked down the street. It was seven blocks to the temple and this was to be her first day after being transferred from Thyrae. According to the computers, anyway.

She nodded through the introductions. She smiled and acknowledged the senior priests. Tydea knew the routine. She put enough people through it herself. Now, though, she was the new person. She had to act as though she didn't know.

Polishing the candelabras. True scut work that. There appeared to be far more in this temple than the temple in Cyme, that's for certain. She went up on ladders, high above the hard marble floor, polishing the brass. After a time, it became rote. Her mind blanked and she simply polished. But she did think.

What had happened to the Megaran independence movement? She hadn't heard of any bombings in the last month. Was the Tribe still blamed for them? Was Crassus still there? Had the gods found them all out?

There was a subject she pondered often now. The gods. The realization that they may not be truly divine was shocking, to say the least. Almost as shocking as there not being any kind of follow-up to her brazen address to four Lords. Perhaps her assessment wasn't true.

No. It had to be.

Tydea's cloth needed more polish and she reached into her pocket for the bottle of cleaner. She balled up the cloth, pressed it against the top and turned it over. As she turned it back, she thought again.

The people who bombed the temples, they were monotheists. Belief in a single god. Given what she had guessed and what she had seen in Olympus, she had to assume that the single god was not an Olympian. And given their reactions, she had to think her assumptions were correct. No, this was a different god. Bigger than any of them. Or anyone else. A god above all.

Her mouth hung open as she considered it. She felt a familiar tugging in her stomach. Weeks before, it led her to the realization of the Lords' true natures. The tugging pulled again and quickly became a flowing warmth throughout her body. Slowly, her hand placed the edge of the polish bottle on the lip of her apron pocket. She let go too soon and the bottle fell toward the floor ten meters below. She instinctively lunged for it, hoping to catch it as it dropped. Instead, the ladder twisted from the wall and she fell.

Tydea shrieked briefly. It was a long way to fall. Halfway down, though, someone caught her. She continued to descend, but much more slowly. She glanced around the temple chamber and watched the windows and columns pass her. Tydea looked at the smiling face of the person holding her. She didn't recognize him, but soon, her legs and back touched the marble floor. She lay flat on it and the man stood up.

Tydea scrambled to her feet and the man was gone. Priests and priestesses ran into the room from all around the temple, having heard her scream.

"Are you well?" one asked.

"Did you fall from up there?"

Tydea looked around and she suddenly felt lightheaded. She looked up the now-askew ladder toward the candelabra. Ten meters up. "I'm... yes. I was up there."

"You should have been killed!" a priestess said, cupping her hands over her mouth.

The chief priest put an arm around her back and said, "Dionysus be praised."

Tydea swallowed hard and said, "Yes. Dionysus be praised."
**LVII**

DIVAK

2,057 Years Before the Final Exodus

He sat on the bench with his briefcase, trying to act as though nothing was amiss.

The briefcase could blow him and everything within fifty meters to oblivion, but he knew he couldn't cradle it like a newborn. Months ago, Divak's brother attempted to destroy the Megaran Temple of Apollo. In the end, he just managed to kill Apollo, temporarily. Disappointing, certainly, but not many could claim to have killed a 'god.'

And then the Kobollian puppet government decided that the Thirteenth Tribe was to blame. Divak was conflicted. He wanted to scream from the rooftops who really did it and why. But the diversion afforded him more freedom to move about the land and gather converts.

After losing his brother in the bombing and his nephews to government brainwashing, Divak realized that suicide attacks were not practical when there were so few willing Draco left. Yes, Divak and Khruv's father had told them the ancient story of Messenger Prometheus and how he destroyed himself and the Sacred Vessel. How that served as an example to the Draco in extreme circumstances. Being so small in number, it was easy for Divak to justify these as extreme circumstances, but there were simply too few people left. Thus, his briefcase.

He had come back to Theonpolis. Sitting on a bench outside in the hot midday sun while wearing a suit caused him to sweat. No matter. In a few moments, he would walk into the massive Temple of Zeus, deposit the briefcase while pretending to pray before the statue and then leave. Once he was across the river, he would activate his pocket processor and that would be it. Simple.

"No time like the present," Divak whispered.

He crossed the street and walked quickly up the massive steps. He passed under two large sculptures of Zeus, wearing togas and carrying giant, golden lightning bolts. Once inside the temple, he saw that dozens of worshippers were there for a small wedding. A priest was officiating off to the right, but the prayer platform at the far end was rather empty.

Divak walked across the marble floor, conscious of the loud clicking of his dress shoes. He knelt onto the mat at Zeus' marble feet and laid the briefcase in front of his knees. He rested his arms on the marble platform and folded them under his chin. He closed his eyes for a few moments, prayed to the Great One, and then left. Simple.

He glanced over at the wedding as he walked past. They seemed like nice people. But they were heathens. Blasphemers. Their deaths were justified. After walking down the steps and crossing the street, Divak entered Pantheon Park. He passed the amphitheatre and was now about two blocks away from the temple. He came around to a trashcan in the far corner, under heavy trees. No one was near, so he pulled off the blonde wig and exposed his bald head. He then removed the prosthetic nose and cheek coverings that he wore, lest video cameras or scanning devices picked him up.

He walked away and onto a pedestrian ramp along Thalassa Avenue. Divak reached his hand into his pocket. As he walked south over the Peneius River, his fingers danced over the activation panel. He pressed it twice. Hearing a beep, he pressed it twice more. Two beeps. Two more presses. He looked over his shoulder as he neared some businesses by the coliseum. Smoke and a shockwave erupted above the trees across the river a second or more before he heard it. As the explosion continued to rumble and resonate, he stopped beside a large commercial trash can. He stomped on the pocket processor and rendered it to bits. He then deposited a few pieces in the garbage. He walked a few steps and put a few more in another trash can. The last handful of pieces he dropped into a watery storm drain. He departed the alley and turned left; away from the sounds of screams and alarms.
**LVIII**

ZEUS

2,057 Years Before the Final Exodus

Zeus stretched his arms wide and the armor plates on his chest pulled at his undershirt. When he put his arms by his side, the plates clicked together again. His right hand grasped the sword, still in its scabbard.

"We're there," Helios said.

Zeus stepped toward the hatch and opened it. The wings of _Aetos_ were spread wide. Zeus picked up his shield with his special staff magnetically attached and he stepped out of the craft. His boots clanked on the golden wings of the shuttle and he looked at the battle below.

Smoke rose from emerald green grass. Gleaming armor merged with dark soil and darker blood in craters. Ares' soldiers lay about the field missing limbs. Arrows dotted the shields of those still standing. To the south, Zeus looked and he saw tens of thousands of men clad in armor and red cloth. Their banners bore dragons and their faces wore rage.

The _Aetos_ hovered lower still and a few arrows whispered past. Zeus pulled his sword and leapt from the wing, landing on the ground meters below. His armor crunched and slowly he stood. The enemy crowded around and he lunged at the first few who foolishly dared to challenge him. His glinting steel sword tore through their armor like paper and their blood sprayed into the air. More came toward him and he threw his blade into the chest of a large berserker. As that warrior fell, Zeus pulled his staff from his shield and jabbed it toward three swordsmen. Electricity arced from its tip and shook them into unconsciousness. As it recharged, Zeus spun it and used the sharp, lightning bolt end as a dagger, stabbing it into the faces and legs of all who came toward him. His raging Chara caused many of the enemy to waver and heave. Several kept coming and Zeus pulled his sword from the chest of the dead man, swiping it across those who came near enough.

Suddenly, he felt a tap on his shoulder. Zeus turned and saw that it was Cronus.

"You've failed me again, son." The large man then leveled an automatic weapon at Zeus' face and pulled the trigger.

Slowly, Zeus opened his eyes. He didn't awaken with a start. He wasn't sweating. His heart wasn't even beating quickly. In times of stress, many of his dreams included death at the hands of his father. Lately, he had gotten used to this again, as Zeus was experiencing more stress than usual.

After dressing, Zeus walked into Olympus' hallways. He then took the lift a few floors up and walked in the corridor outside of the command center. He hadn't been inside for decades, but he knew the time was coming again.

He hesitated in front of the door. He thought about the Cylons, the Thirteenth Tribe. It was a mistake to let them live centuries ago. Now they knew the Olympians' secret. At least some of them did. And they bombed his temple.

"Father?" Ares said after sliding open the door.

Zeus was caught off guard but he nodded and stepped inside as though he had just arrived. "What's the word?"

Ares walked back toward a console and sat down. "No word on the bomber. Still no sign of the priestess. Anywhere. If she got back to Cyme or Megara, she did so outside of the usual means."

Zeus nodded. It had been two months since she came. He wasn't ready to deal with all of this. He didn't want to, rather. Zeus had just wrapped up the Hecate unpleasantness, Atlas said he, too, wanted to depart for good, and now this?

"Agents have investigated the Ioles in Cyme. None are priestesses and all seem to have been in place for some time."

"Keep an eye on them. What about Ioles in Megara?"

"There are many, to say the least." Ares pressed a panel and then said, "Most of them are accounted for and some are not."

Zeus exhaled for a long moment. His shoulders slumped forward and he looked at the floor. He took in a breath and lifted his head again. It was time to get to work. No more of this self-flagellation.

"Coordinate with the chief archon's security forces. Get every bit of information they have on those terrorists." Ares nodded. "Tomorrow evening, march in a battalion of soldiers. Round up everyone on your suspect list and shoot them."

"But... they're Cylons. They'll just download."

Zeus stood still for a moment. He nodded once and then said, "Take in a wide-range communications jammer. These Cylons' transferral systems are still primitive. The jammers will block a great many signals."

Ares seemed taken aback. After a moment, he nodded. "Yes, sir."

Zeus stepped up behind Ares and touched his shoulder. "Also, order a company of your mechanized Cylons to stand by... with the soldiers."

"Why?"

Zeus looked down for a moment before he looked into Ares' eyes, "In case these terrorists spread our secret to the troops. We'll need the Cylons as insurance."

Ares grit his teeth. After a moment, he returned his attention to the console.

Zeus turned and walked out of the command center. He moved down the corridor and his pace slowed. More than three thousand years. If it all had to end now, was he ready for it?

No. Not like this.
**LIX**

ERIS

2,057 Years Before the Final Exodus

The chief quorum archon was standing as straight as a rail, fist in front of her mouth, watching in morbid silence at the twelve different panels before her on Notus' dechopem. Some of the views were from helmet cameras; others were still surveillance cameras. In one, a disembodied foot kicked in a door. Silent but screaming people scrambled to get on the floor.

"These are all Megara?" Eris finally spoke.

Notus handed an assistant a signed folder and motioned to a shelf. "Yes, archon. Except for screen one."

Eris nodded. She looked at the first panel and studied it. A man sitting on a bench eating lunch. "Is that who I think it is?"

Notus read a paper handed to him by an officer. "Good. We have confirmation, archon, that this is the bomber. Genetic evidence recovered at the temple and from nearby has been matched." Eris sighed heavily and nodded. "The good news, archon, is that we know who he is and we can quickly determine where he has been. Anyone else he has met with, we can scoop up and detain very quickly."

Eris looked back the monitors. "And what about Megara?"

Notus waved a hand dismissively at the other monitors. "The military detachment is handling all of the logistics on that, but I understand that all's going according to plan. Ares' orders were specific and included detailed addresses and instructions. I'm not worried about those at all."

Eris nodded. Yesterday she received the call from Ares. He wanted information and she gave him everything she had. A dummy file, though. No mention of monotheists whatsoever. All of the bombings were attributed to the Thirteenth Tribers. She felt deathly afraid lying to a god like that. But she feared their wrath even more if they knew the truth. Ares' vague orders came to her and she signed it, passing it along to the generals to execute.

"We're moving in on him," Notus said quietly. Screens five and six shifted to helmet camera views of the suspect on the bench. A few moments later, a single dart lashed out from one of the cameras, hitting the man in the abdomen. He stood up and began to run, but the tranquilizer took effect and he stumbled into a bush. Several soldiers approached and pulled him from the bracken. A closeup on his face showed fresh scratches and some blood. He was clearly unconscious as a hand placed a device against his neck. A few moments later, Notus said, "Excellent. Identity verified. That's the bomber."

Eris closed her eyes and said a brief prayer to the gods.

"You may also be interested to know, this man appears to be the brother of Delios, the bomber of Apollo's Temple in Megara."

"Brother? What kind of messed-up family are we dealing with?" Notus just shook his head. She started to walk away from the dechopem when she saw more troop movements in Megara. "Notus, track down everywhere he was and arrest anyone connected with him."

"Yes, archon."

"How much longer are the Megaran operations supposed to last?"

Notus shrugged, "They're still gathering them. The brigadier has operational control. I don't know, really. Once our monotheist suspect is fully secured, I'll be deactivating my little ops center here."

Eris started to walk away when she caught the image of another Megaran under arrest on one of the dechopem's panels. She recognized her. "Is that the Triber the Lords were looking for? The same one who kept bugging me for years about the Megarans?"

Notus looked up and nodded. "Could be. Looks like her."

Eris smiled a little and moved toward the door. "Good."
**LX**

IOLE

2,057 Years Before the Final Exodus

For the first time in months, Iole felt truly relaxed. She spent the evening in a restaurant in Megara, playing the piano. She hadn't done that for some time.

She helped Aurora organize and lay out the plans for Megara itself and its expansion. She helped families who wanted to move away and into the rest of Kobol. They faced some discrimination and rumors. Even after centuries, the collective memory of people couldn't be ignored.

And then the bombings came. Temples, government offices, and more. Chief Quorum Archon Eris said Megaran separatists were to blame. Aurora spoke out against that but many in the media didn't acknowledge her. She had been away from Olympus too long, the goddess figured, to carry any weight. She even began to fear that her outspoken nature was drawing too much attention to the Tribe.

Iole finished her soft, romantic tune and the restaurant's patrons applauded. She smiled and repositioned her fingers on the keys, about to start another song, when the doors burst open.

From the kitchen and the front entrance, armed men dressed in black and gray ran into the dining area. The patrons screamed and recoiled from the sight of their weapons. They stormed from table to table, examining everyone.

"I will make this quick," an officer said, holding up a few pictures. He scanned the room and pointed to several people. "Him. Her. Him. Him." Then he saw Iole behind the piano and he pointed. "Her."

"What?" she said. "Why?"

"We're here on orders from the Chief Quorum Archon and we will execute our duties. Please come with us calmly."

Iole remembered what Aurora had said. Comply and assist with their investigation. She didn't raise her voice or object when two armed men came to her piano bench and one lifted her arm up. She stumbled away from the keyboard and the bench fell over. She looked back and said, "I need to get my..."

"We're going. Now." The officer turned and moved toward the door. Six Megarans in all were being carted away.

It was night when she stepped outside. Up and down the street, dozens of other soldiers were pulling people from offices, shops, diners, and more. Everyone was being placed in trucks and as Iole was pushed along, she felt someone grab her wrists and begin to bind them.

"Hey, what's that for?"

"For our protection and yours, ma'am," the soldier said.

She was lifted up and pushed onto a bench. The night air was punctuated by the protests of more people as they were herded onto trucks. Iole stopped looking outside and then around at her fellow detainees. Of the eleven people on the truck, nine were Ioles. A soldier lifted a Crassus onto the truck next. That would be the second one of him. And then there was a third.

"What do you know?" one of the Ioles asked.

Iole Auroratous shook her head. "I don't know anything. They just came in and took us."

"What the frak?"

"It's about the bombings," a Crassus said. "It has to be."

Iole nodded silently and watched as another Iole, another Crassus and a Cimon were loaded onto the truck. The soldier tapped the butt of his rifle on the gate loudly and yelled toward the front. "Full! Go!"

The engine turned over and it lurched forward. The Megarans all leaned to one side as the truck turned and accelerated out of the city. Soon, they were on a highway. Iole recognized the landmarks they passed. They were moving south. Away from Megara and away from Cyme. There wasn't much to the south. Some plains. A few algae farming communities.

They turned hard to the west. One of the Ioles began muttering to herself. She was praying. After a few minutes, they turned again. And again. Iole Auroratous shook her head. She had no idea where they were going now.

After almost half an hour, the truck stopped. Three soldiers moved to the gate; two had their weapons trained inside. The third soldier unlatched and lowered the barrier. "Let's go. Out."

They stood up and hunched over because of the low ceiling. The people in front of Iole were helped out and then directed to the right. The soldier grabbed her elbow and she stepped off the truck. She looked up and saw hundreds of her fellow Megarans.

"Gods," she said quietly. Soldiers were lining a path with weapons raised, but not necessarily aimed. They seemed to form a kind of gauntlet directing people down a slope. There was a lot of chatter and Iole smelled the ocean nearby.

"Look at this," one soldier said as she walked past. "I mean, what the frak?"

"All these bitches look the same."

Iole lowered her head. She shuffled along behind dozens of others. On her right, a Crassus struggled and a soldier calmed him by hitting him with the stock of his rifle. She looked up and saw a ridge ahead. All of the prisoners were being pushed down a ramp toward the beach. The headlights of several trucks were illuminating the scene and she saw a line of about two hundred Cylon warriors along the ridge.

She stepped off the sidewalk ramp and onto the sand. This was a public beach. The military had closed it for this... whatever this was. Her high-heeled shoes proved a detriment in the sand and she kicked them off. She looked around but it was dark on the shore. She heard the waves crashing and she could see silhouettes of people standing ahead. Lots of people. She filed past an officer who was using a flashlight to read a clipboard and Iole stopped.

"Excuse me, sir," she began. "I'm Iole Auroratous Megarii. I'm Goddess Aurora's personal assistant. I demand to know what's going on."

The brigadier looked up from his clipboard and said, "You do? How do I know you're Aurora's personal assistant?"

Two soldiers stepped alongside the general and Iole became nervous. "Well, for one thing, my name. I took it after the goddess."

"Fine. Do you have your ID?"

Iole closed her eyes and winced. "When I was taken from the restaurant, I wasn't allowed to retrieve it."

"I see." He lifted the flashlight toward the beach and scanned it across the faces of the hundreds of people standing there. "How do I know that one of these women isn't Aurora's assistant?"

With some exceptions, they were all Ioles.

She swallowed hard and looked at the brigadier again. "I... I don't know."

He nodded and motioned toward the crowd. "Keep moving."

Iole hesitated but another soldier came behind her and prodded her forward. She shuffled across the sand a few more meters and was shoved into the clutch of people. She heard muffled cries and hushed conversations.

Someone asked, "Are you an Iole, too?"

She nodded first. A moment later, she said, "Yes."

"What's going on?"

Iole Auroratous shook her head. "I don't know."

She stood for some time. More trucks arrived and more people were funneled down the ramp toward the beach. They were all herded into the group. Iole became increasingly nervous. She shook her head and shuffled from foot to foot in the sand. Soon, she realized she had to pee.

"May I have your attention!" the brigadier yelled. Once he did, floodlights from the ridge next to the Cylons were activated and bathed the beach. The gathered Megarans turned their heads to shield their eyes for a moment before they got used to the light.

"You are all gathered here under orders from Chief Quorum Archon Eris Castorina Lisii." The general paced as he read from his clipboard, "'In accordance with Chief Quorum Archon Executive Order twenty-seven, you are all hereby under arrest for terrorism, treason, and blasphemy.'"

The crowd gasped and began to respond angrily. They denied it, of course.

"'In accordance with the law for acts of terrorism, treason, and blasphemy, you are all to be executed for your crimes.'"

Dozens of screams came from the group. Several people collapsed into the sand. Iole felt as though the ground was giving way beneath her. She wavered, but she stayed erect.

"What about a trial?" someone yelled. There was no response.

The plaintive wails continued. Iole looked toward the general and she saw him give a spinning motion with his right hand. Two large cylinders on either side of him were turned on and panels lit up along their surface. A loud whirring noise began to compete with the waves. A soldier stationed on one of the cylinders yelled over the din, "Jammers' up."

'Jammers?' Communication jammers?

The general walked between the devices and row after row of soldiers moved into position in front of the Megarans. Iole's mouth fell open and she took a deep breath. Her face felt hot as she realized it might be her last.

"Frak you!" a man yelled. To Iole, it sounded like a Crassus. "Freedom for the Thirteenth!"

He yelled it again and again. A small chorus joined him, but the vast majority of the Megarans remained silent.

Iole exhaled quickly and then inhaled slowly. Perhaps this was her last. After a moment, she breathed again. Maybe this one.

"Ready," the brigadier yelled. "Aim."

"Thirteen!" the Crassus yelled once more.

"Fire."

Iole closed her eyes and heard the jarring blasts of dozens of automatic rifles. Blood-curdling screams overpowered the waves and the jammers. She stood still, her eyes clenched tightly, waiting for the bullets. She felt warm blood spray onto her face. She thought for a moment about how many people were between her and the soldiers. She couldn't guess but she didn't dare open her eyes.

Finally, she felt a bullet hit her shoulder. She flinched, let out a slight cry, and thought about falling. She decided not to. A moment later, three bullets rippled across her torso and two hit her head. She fell into the bleeding heap and died.
**LXI**

TYDEA

2,057 Years Before the Final Exodus

The priestess gathered her papers and cleared space for another person entering the room.

"I can sit there?" he asked.

"Of course," Tydea responded with a smile.

The older man sat down and kept his book and notepads pushed forward on the table. He looked around the room and then leaned toward Tydea. "I've never been to the Temple of Preparation."

Tydea grinned and wrote a few items in a list on her pad. "Nor I."

After another minute, the priest turned his chair toward hers and said, "I'm Eurypylus. Senior priest in the service of Hermes."

Tydea looked up, saw his extended hand and shook it. "I'm Pria. Senior priestess in the service of Dionysus."

He nodded and asked, "There aren't many priestesses in Dionysus' service, are there?"

"More than you would think."

She became a senior priestess not long after her brush with death last month because the priests in the temple thought she had been touched by a divine hand. She was still writing notes in her book but her attention drifted. She thought again about the being that saved her. The all-powerful god that she believed responsible.

Eurypylus looked toward the main table. The chief priest council hadn't entered yet. This meeting did not involve any specific Lord and none would be present. It was simply an annual conference to discuss various theological issues and temple worship logistics.

Eurypylus slowly looked at Tydea again. She sensed his gaze but she ignored it and kept writing. After a moment, he whispered, "Thirteenth?"

She looked up from her page and toward him. Her cheeks tingled and she felt fear. Looking at him directly, she saw why he asked. Tydea believed he was a Megaran, too. "Yes. And so are you."

Eurypylus smiled and nodded. He leaned over and asked, "Did you hear what happened last night?"

Tydea shook her head.

"Please be seated," Archiereus Crethon said as he and the other four chief priests entered the room. Tydea and Eurypylus straightened their chairs and pulled their notepads closer to them. "We have a lot of business to tend to today, so let's get started."

Tydea scribbled a few notes as she felt they were needed. Honestly, she didn't know why she was there. The chief priest of Dionysus' temple, her boss, was one of the five leaders. Perhaps she was supposed to be a secretary. He didn't say.

After almost an hour, Tydea glanced over at Eurypylus. He had torn a piece of paper from his notepad and written something on it. Slowly, he slid it toward her.

Tydea was discreet, and without moving her head, she opened the paper using two fingers. It read, "One ___."

She closed one eye slightly and looked at it again. She didn't understand what he meant. She looked back to the front of the room. The priests were still chattering about some festival or another. Tydea looked toward Eurypylus and he seemed nervous. His mouth was drawn into a straight line and he stared directly ahead.

She looked at the paper again. "One ___." She looked toward the priests. Her mind kept jumping to one thing but she reasoned it away. _One god._ But Eurypylus wouldn't be prompting her for that, would he? She looked at him again. He was still immobile and now a bead of sweat emerged from his hairline and snaked down his temple.

She took in a deep breath, pulled the slip closer and scribbled, "God." She passed it back to him.

He swallowed hard and pulled the paper in front of him. He unfolded it and squinted to read it. He exhaled slowly and smiled.

Now Tydea was curious. She passed no note to him. He passed none to her. For three hours, she sat in the conference and wrote down a few lines about this or that. She wanted to talk to him alone. The chance came during a lunch break.

"Do you have lunch with you, priestess?" Eurypylus asked.

She shook her head. "No, I don't."

"Please," he said, holding up a bag, "share mine."

She nodded and smiled. "Thank you."

They walked outside of the Temple and moved along the sidewalks. Various priests and priestesses were eating on benches, in the grass, on steps, and elsewhere. Finally, they came to the back of the Temple and found a series of steps by a service entrance. A single Poseidon priest was visible, but he was twenty meters away.

"Here you are," Eurypylus said as he handed her half of his bread loaf. "I have a couple of flavored oils, if you'd like."

"No, thank you," Tydea responded.

He took a pear out of his bag and set it on the steps between them. "So."

Tydea pulled a piece of bread off the loaf and she sighed. "Yes."

"How did you come to... such a conclusion?"

She chewed for a moment and then shifted the food to her cheek. "It was intellectual, at first. But then I had an inexplicable near-death experience."

Eurypylus nodded and chewed. "Mine was intellectual, too. But emotional." He slowly moved his head side-to-side. "Mind numbing."

Tydea chewed some more bread and glanced toward the lone priest twenty meters away. She turned back to Eurypylus and asked, softly, "Do you know anything about God?"

He blinked rapidly and said, "For one thing, he doesn't like to be called that." Tydea's eyebrows rose. "I spoke to someone years ago. A firm believer. He told me some of the history of the faith. As much as he knew, I guess. Over time, I thought about what he said and I came to the same conclusions as he."

After a moment, she asked, "What happened to that man?"

Eurypylus shook his head. "I don't know. He was turned in as a blasphemer, but beyond that, I can't say." He bit a piece of the bread and said, "My conversion came later."

Tydea nodded. "I've prayed to..."

"The One?"

"Yes, 'the One.'" She licked her lips. "Does he listen like that? A simple prayer?" She looked at the older man, hopeful.

He smiled. "Yes. The One is love."

Tydea's head pulled back and she looked across the grass toward the bushes nearby. It seemed like such a simple concept. "Does the One... I don't know." She shook her head, frustrated at her ignorance.

Eurypylus patted her shoulder. "Don't fret. The One has a plan."

She breathed deeply and felt excited. "What is it?"

Eurypylus laughed. "I don't know. But he does and that's enough."

She nodded and ate her bread. As she finished, she looked at the pear. "May I have that?"

He motioned toward it and said, "Absolutely." She picked it up and rubbed it against her robes. As she did, Eurypylus asked, "What are you doing tomorrow night?"

She grinned, half thinking that he was asking her out. "Nothing. Why?"

"There are a few friends of mine I'd like you to meet."
**LXII**

ERIS

2,057 Years Before the Final Exodus

"Lord Apollo is here to see you."

When the intercom finished dispensing that sound, panic settled into the chief quorum archon's body. She stood and absent-mindedly straightened files and books on her desk while thinking about his visit.

There was a knock at the door and it startled her. Eris turned and paused to regain composure. She put on a fake grin and opened the door. "Lord Apollo, it is an honor."

He walked in and immediately sat in front of her desk. "We have much to discuss, archon, so let us dispense with the pleasantries."

This did not reassure her. Eris quickly made her way behind the desk and she sat in her own chair. "Yes, Lord. How may I help?"

Apollo looked to one side as he hesitated and then back at her, "What happened in Megara earlier this week?"

Eris cleared her throat quickly and said, "Yes, Lord. I called up a battalion of soldiers from Fort Acheron to... go into Megara, Cyme, and surrounding areas to round up separatists." Apollo nodded and she continued, "More than seven hundred people were arrested and charged with treason, terrorism, and other counts."

Apollo stared at her intensely. His eyes were focused and he seemed to be looking into her. "When will you stop lying?"

Eris' blood ran cold. Her mouth became dry. "'Lying,' my Lord?"

"'Separatists?' Some of them may have been, but that's not the whole story. You are hunting monotheists, too." His gaze never wavered. His voice was never raised.

Without thinking, Eris asked, "How do you know that?"

Apollo leaned forward and gritted the answer through his teeth, "I'm a god, remember?"

Eris felt the heat of his anger all around and she shook. "We did not wish to anger the gods, Lord."

"Why would the truth have angered us?"

Eris chest tightened as she spoke, "We did not want to make you feel that the Kobollians do not welcome you." She stammered. "We didn't want to give the attackers a platform for their blasphemy to be shared with the public. We wanted to handle this on our own, to prove our worth. That we have matured."

"'Matured.'"

"Yes, Lord. That we are able to handle larger responsibilities. Greater decisions."

Apollo pounded the arm of his chair. "'Matured?!' 'Arrested?!' You slaughtered seven hundred people!"

His Chara made her throat burn. Her stomach boiled and her skin grew clammy. She pushed her chair away from the desk and leaned over toward her trashcan, thinking she was about to retch. "We had... orders."

Apollo jaw clenched and he breathed slowly. "Orders from whom?"

After a moment, Apollo's Chara became less invasive and she sat up. She wiped her face and leaned back against the wall; as far from him as she could get. "Lord Mars."

Apollo's eyes widened. "Ares."

"Yes."

He inhaled deeply and then sighed. He stood and bowed toward her slightly. "I apologize for your discomfort, Chief Archon." He began to leave but he stopped and turned his head, as though he was listening to something. Then, he said, softly, "Carry on as you have."

She nodded. Before she could compose herself enough to respond more fully, he was gone.

Did he mean for her to keep lying about the separatists?
**LXIII**

AURORA

2,057 Years Before the Final Exodus

"You are frakking kidding me," she said into the earpiece.

"No," Apollo said. "I asked Ares about it and he was instructed to do so by Zeus, of course."

Aurora moved through the kitchen. She was shaking her head with disgust and picking up dishes to put in the sink. "Why... ," she stopped herself. "I know why."

"He is afraid that the Thirteenth Tribe knows the secret of the Olympians."

"Yes." She opened the door and walked onto her patio. "I've not heard any suspicions along those lines from anyone here."

"Would they tell you if they did think such things?"

"Perhaps not." She looked toward the ocean and said, "But these are Cylons. They are... they're the same as us."

"I know." Apollo hesitated and said, "I believed that he might do something like this, but I was... instructed to let it proceed."

Aurora furrowed her brow in confusion. She looked around at her plants and saw that they were all growing nicely. "Why?"

"He has his own visitor, you know," Hades said from his seat by the window.

Apollo hesitated again, "Because it would prevent total destruction."

Aurora nodded silently toward her spectral companion. She remembered the vision Hades showed her and shuddered. "Very well."

"How is she?"

Aurora looked through the glass doors and into her living area. Iole Auroratous was sitting on the couch, staring blankly at the dechopem. "Broken. She doesn't want to leave my home."

"I can't blame her." Apollo coughed and asked, "How many died? For good?"

She looked toward the sky as she thought. "About five hundred out of the seven. The communications jammers were pretty effective. The other problem is... there weren't enough bodies ready for transfers and the computer cache got filled. Lots of signals were lost."

"The military overreacted. They were... zealous. There wasn't cause to round up every single Iole they saw." She heard Apollo sigh on the other end. "Your girl's lucky she made it through the jamming."

Aurora looked inside, "She doesn't feel that way."

"I'm sure we're closer now than ever before. I'll be in touch." The earpiece beeped and he was gone.

"We are closer," Hades said. "Just one more thing ..."

"What's that?"

"Can't say yet." Aurora stared at Iole through the window as Hades moved around behind her. "I know what you're thinking."

"Zeus betrayed them. Blaming hundreds for the actions of a few."

"Does that surprise you?"

Aurora shook her head. "No."

Aurora walked inside and tossed the earpiece on a table. Quietly, she walked from the kitchen area into the living room and sat on the couch by her associate. Iole didn't move. The goddess picked up the remote control and turned off the monitor. She still didn't move.

Aurora put her hand on Iole's arm and she flinched. "Listen. I need your help."

Iole was motionless. Then she shook her head and mumbled, "I can't help."

Aurora moved closer to her and said, calmly, "You can. I need you to. You've been with me for centuries and now, near the end of it all, I need you more than ever."

Iole's gaze was finally broken from the wall and she looked at Aurora. "We're near the end?"

Aurora smiled slightly, "I'm sure of it."

Though she hadn't been crying, Iole wiped her eyes, sniffled and cast off the heavy fleece blanket that was covering her. She nodded and said, "If we're near the end, I can do it."
**LXIV**

APOLLO

2,057 Years Before the Final Exodus

Apollo was agog. "A monotheist? A priest in Dionysus' temple?"

Leto smiled, "Not just any monotheist. A Cylon."

Apollo shook his head and laughed. "One of the original twelve models or one of their children?"

"One of the original twelve. An Iole."

Apollo poured himself some tea. "I'm assuming she has nothing to do with the man who blew me up last year?"

"No," she said. "Nothing at all. She's a very kind and peaceful woman."

Apollo sat at the table across from Leto and sipped his drink. He paused to look at her quizzically for a moment before he asked, "And how does a Cylon priest in Dionysus' temple become a believer in the 'One True God?'"

"You'll have to ask her when you see her later."

"What do you mean?"

Leto stood and walked around the table behind Apollo, "I mean, finish your tea. We're going."

Apollo clanked the cup back on the table. "No matter. It was too bitter, anyway."

Apollo walked through Olympus and encountered no one. Soon, he was at the skycar and he rode it down to the Olympic Gates. It was dusk and the lights from Theonpolis below made Apollo wistful. "It looks lovely. Like it did centuries ago. Even longer. It's funny," he smiled and turned to Leto, who only studied his face, "I was worried that we were all becoming idle. That we were mired in stagnation. And now, here I am, rushing all over Kobol for a secret cause... nothing very stale about this."

Leto nodded. "The real stagnation is to come."

Before Apollo could ask what she meant, the skycar stopped and the doors slid open. Apollo stepped out and past the bowing Cylon guards. A few people saw the box descending the mount and came to greet him. Apollo smiled and touched each person's head. They bowed and left.

"All the years I've been with you and you're still maintaining the illusion," Leto said, disgusted.

Apollo answered matter-of-factly, "I have to maintain the illusion."

Leto scoffed. "Right. It would be a shame for you to walk down a street and not have people prostrate themselves before you, offering you whatever you would like."

"My father craves worship, not me."

Now she smiled, "Don't forget, he is your father. You do have many things in common."

Apollo shot Leto a glance, wounded. "Perhaps. But not this."

Turning a corner, they entered Pantheon Circle, the street that surrounded the Opera House and featured each of the twelve temples to the primary Olympians. Dionysus' was three intersections away. "She's at the temple now."

Apollo walked past the large statue of Hermes in front of his temple. Across the street, the Temple of Demeter still stood, though in some minor state of disrepair. With the decline of agriculture, fewer people worshipped there. After Demeter herself had "moved on," there was a brief resurgence in her worship, but now... not so much.

Apollo and Leto kept walking. After a few minutes, they heard the sound of music and singing. The columns of Dionysus' temple were bathed in a flickering light from inside. Apollo slowly moved up the steps, trying to avoid drawing undue attention to himself. Within moments, he was leaning against a wall just inside the foyer of the temple, looking up to the dais where several priests and Dionysus himself were sitting. A few hundred acolytes and worshippers were sitting on the floor, standing around the room, listening, clapping, and singing along.

Dionysus finished strumming the lyre and bowed jovially to the applause. "Now, now. It wasn't that good," he laughed. "I should be going. Good evening to you all!"

The worshippers gathered around Dionysus. Some began to leave. Leto pointed to a woman on the left side of the platform who was gathering empty glasses. "That's her. Her name is Tydea, though she goes by 'Pria' these days."

"Doesn't look like an Iole." Then, Apollo looked at Leto quickly and said, "'Tydea?' I know that name."

"Of course you do."

Apollo and Leto tried to approach her without drawing attention, but they did. "Apollo!" Dionysus had spotted him and he was now on his way.

"Dionysus, always good to see you," Apollo smiled.

"Of course it is," he laughed. He slapped Apollo on the arm and asked, "What are you doing here?"

Apollo glanced at Leto quickly and then back, "Just passing through.'" The other god laughed loudly, slapped Apollo's arm again, and turned back to the crowd. Apollo and Leto continued unimpeded to the platform. He placed his foot on stage and said, "Hello, Pria?"

She looked up from the table and saw Apollo. Her face fell and she lowered her head, "My Lord. It is an unexpected honor."

Apollo nodded and got onto the platform with her. He studied her closely, trying to recognize her more fully. "Relax, priestess. I'm here to talk. Nothing more." Tydea smiled, bowed, and returned to picking up glasses. Apollo began to help. "Is there somewhere we can go to speak in private?"

Tydea looked into Apollo's eyes for the first time, "Yes, Lord. We can go downstairs to the offices. I'll be the only one here in a few minutes, most likely." Apollo nodded and picked up some half-empty cups, following Tydea off the stage toward a small kitchen area. "That's the thing about being in Dionysus' temple, Lord. Young people flock to the priesthood here but they don't usually linger to help clean."

Apollo nodded and stared at her again. Even more closely. "I understand."

Tydea laid the cups and glasses in the sink, bowing as she took more from Apollo's arms. "If you will follow me, Lord, we may speak in the offices below."

She moved slowly and cautiously. Her head hung low and she avoided looking directly at him as much as possible. Tydea began to walk toward a concealed staircase behind the platform's lectern. "She's nervous," Leto said.

"She should be."

Tydea flipped a switch and ceiling lamps slowly illuminated. "Please, sit wherever you would like." Apollo nodded and sat on a bench. It was the only thing around big enough to hold him. Her breathing was labored and she spun around the room, trying to find a seat herself.

"I know you."

She had just lighted on a crate. Her face quivered and she lowered her head into her hands. A moment later, she was crying. "Lord Apollo, I am sorry. I have feared this day for months." She sniffed loudly and then raised her head, almost defiantly. Then, she said, "I am somewhat relieved that you've come."

Apollo paused for a second and pondered his next words. "Pria,... Tydea, I believe I will be blunt."

"That may not be smart," Leto said.

"Whatever punishment you have prepared for me, I am willing to accept it. Lord. I... I did attempt to blackmail the gods." She sniffed loudly and folded in on herself. Apollo wavered as he tried to decide if he should comfort her. "I am a horrible sinner and I deserve your wrath."

"Tydea," Apollo said, trying to reassure her. "Tydea, do not fear."

Leto reached for her son's shoulder, "Can't you see she's near an emotional collapse?"

Apollo ignored her. He was certain she was feigning at least some of her pleading. "I know you don't believe I am a god."

She tried to maintain her front, "But Lord, I do not see how... I could not be a priestess if I didn't believe..."

"Sure, you could, Tydea."

Tears welled up in her eyes. "Lord Apollo, I humbly beg..."

"Tydea," Apollo said as he leaned forward and placed his hand on the quivering woman's. "I am not a god."

Leto and Tydea both looked at Apollo, stunned. "I'm sorry, Lord?" Tydea's tears still ran but her face was confused.

"On Olympus, several months ago, you were right." Apollo stood and walked over to a painting of Dionysus at an ancient Bacchanalia. "None of us are gods. The Lords of Kobol are fakers."

Tydea wiped her face and eyes with a tissue. "I still do not understand, Lord, why you are saying this."

"Call me Apollo."

"I still do not understand, Apollo."

He straightened the painting slightly and turned around. "You believe in a single god. A god without physical form. God, Tydea, is love."

Tydea sank in her chair and then she inhaled deeply. Her face glowed and she smiled. She dabbed some of her tears away with the back of her hand. "Lord, Apollo, I cannot tell you what it means to hear you say these words."

"The Lords of Kobol, many of them, anyways, used to believe in God. It's a long story."

Leto sat on the desk between Apollo and Tydea, "She's not to leave the temple."

Apollo tried to look through Leto to Tydea. "Don't leave the temple. Remain a priestess."

Leto stood and walked around behind Tydea, "Ask her how many other monotheist Cylon priests there are hidden among us."

Tydea said, "I will not leave, Apollo, if you wish it."

"Are there any other members of the Thirteenth Tribe who are priests but believe in the one, true god?"

Tydea nodded, "Yes. There are four others that I know of, anyway, here in Theonpolis. And we don't believe it likes to be called 'God.'"

Leto laughed and walked away from behind her. "Tell her about the departure."

Apollo sat on the bench and leaned forward, "Tydea, I need you to listen closely."

"Yes?"

"You know things have become more difficult for the Thirteenth Tribe."

Tydea nodded and then looked shamed, "It is my fault. If I had not gone to Olympus..."

Apollo reached up and gently touched her face. "Do not feel guilty. You have played your part in God's plan." She managed to force a smile and Apollo continued, "When the time comes, Aurora will gather as many of the Tribe as she can."

"Yes," Tydea said.

"There will be an exodus from Kobol."

Tydea remained still. She did not move though she was obviously confused. "'An exodus?' Leaving Kobol? For where?"

Leto shrugged, "I'll tell you later."

"I'll determine where at a later time. But you and your priests need to be ready to leave. Spread the word among as many of the Thirteenth Tribe as you can to be ready. They must gather in Megara when the time comes."

Tydea lowered her head in reverence, "I will."

Leto cleared her throat and spoke. "Now, tell her about the new temple."
**LXV**

ZEUS

2,057 Years Before the Final Exodus

Zeus felt silly.

He stood against a white column looking into the entryway of his temple in Theonpolis. He was wearing a collection of purple and white robes. He wore a crown of golden laurel leaves around his head. He was holding a two-meter tall metal staff in the shape of a stylized lightning bolt. He was a caricature of himself.

Zeus sighed and listened to the priest's invocation over the loudspeakers outside. There were many thousands gathered for this event. It was the first full-on temple worship service of the year. Usually, Zeus looked forward to it, until he remembered the ancient trappings.

"Great Zeus Olympios!"

Zeus turned from the column and walked out into the open. There were great cheers and whooping from the crowd. The priests prostrated themselves appropriately. The white calf was bound on the altar in the center of the marble staircase.

The Lord moved to the top of the stairs and held the rubber center of his metal lightning bolt staff high. Two golden and bronze statues of Zeus on either side of the temple's façade – also bearing lightning bolts – became charged and blue electricity arced from both statues' bolts and struck Zeus' staff. His arm quaked as the power shook him and then dissipated. The crowd cheered again and Zeus lowered the bolt.

He moved toward the podium and prepared to speak. He paused and looked down at himself. Again, he felt dreadfully silly. _How many millennia have I been doing this?_ Year after year he wore this same outfit. He did the same parlor trick with the electrical arcs. The same unblemished animal sacrifice and the collection of its ashes. He looked at the microphone panel and thought about the same speeches and sermons.

Zeus swallowed hard and he leaned forward.

"You know who I am." He paused and looked across the thousands of faces. They were smiling. Nodding, now, in response to his statement. His tone was almost glum but he continued, "You know that I am Zeus, Lord of Olympus. God of Kobol."

Many in the audience responded by saying, "Yes, Lord."

He reached up and took the golden laurel crown from his head. He held it in front of face and looked at it for a moment. "You know what I stand for. You know my symbols. I don't need to dress up in costume for you." The priests on either side of him looked at each other nervously and then back at Zeus. He pulled his arm back and threw the crown into the crowd. Dozens of people dove for it. It was simply painted plastic and it broke apart easily. At least five people emerged with a piece.

"I am Zeus." He paused and looked down at the lectern before lifting his head and continuing, "We Lords of Kobol provide all humanity with whatever you need. Food, shelter, medicine. It is yours. In return, we ask for your allegiance and your gratitude." Zeus paused again and looked at the faces assembled before him, filling the marble square and bleeding out into the streets. "Do we have it?"

The people were hesitant, but after a moment, they responded, "Yes, Lord."

"Do the Lords of Kobol have your allegiance and gratitude?"

The crowd understood now and became more unified and loud. "Yes, Lord!"

Zeus lifted his head high. "So say you all?"

"So say we all!"

Zeus stepped away from the podium and bowed low. Once he stood again, he leaned toward the microphone and said, "We thank you. My blessings upon each of you. May your year prove fruitful."

He turned and walked away as the crowd burst into applause and cheers. Once he came even with the marble columns, the head priest ran up to him. "My Lord!"

Zeus stopped and looked down at the man, "What?"

The priest bowed and pointed toward the stairs, "What about the service?" Zeus shrugged. "What about the sacrifice?"

Zeus looked out toward the crowd again. He couldn't see the bound animal from where he stood. He lifted his eyebrows and said, "Set it free. I don't care."

The priest seemed dumbfounded and he stood still, watching as Zeus tossed aside his metal lightning bolt and began to cast off his flowing robes. The staff's clang reverberated in the marble chamber and made the priest squint in discomfort.

Zeus sighed and moved toward his suit that hung from a rack in a corner of the temple. Recent years had worn on him more than entire decades and even centuries. Things would have to change.
**LXVI**

AMRIT & THE MEGARANS

2,057 Years Before the Final Exodus

The young man wrapped his fingers around the steering wheel and pressed his forehead onto the column. Slowly, after several moments, he loosened his grip and raised his head. Amrit looked into the mirror and saw the reddened indentations of the plastic cover and the manufacturer's name on his face. He forcefully blew air from his mouth and turned to his left.

The Temple of Zeus gleamed in the morning sun.

Amrit felt a flash of anger and he grit his teeth. He nodded his head once and looked into the rear of the van. Everything was set.

Eight years ago, his father taught him about the Draco and how he was a part of the Great One's plan. Amrit was a part of it, too. There were many Draco, his father said, but only a few were chosen and brave enough to be martyrs like Messenger Prometheus himself. He died to protect the Sacred Vessel. It was an example to be followed in times of desperation. With the Draco's dwindling numbers and the seemingly ever-present power of the heathen gods, this was a time of desperation.

Amrit had never been to Thebes before. It was a large and lovely city. Directly in front of the van, he saw the Forum. He wondered if it would be damaged. That would be a shame.

No. _What am I thinking about?_ These were infidels. All of them. If the marble edifices were dirtied in the downfall of their false idols, then so be it.

Amrit licked his lips and looked at the cargo again. He remembered watching the news about the bombing of a temple in Argos. His father was there. Amrit knew that he sacrificed himself for the glory of the One and he was proud. The chief archon, though, besmirched the sacrifice. She said these attacks were for the freedom of the Thirteenth Tribe. He shook his head as he thought about it. _Stupid woman_.

It was nearly ten o'clock.

He tapped the steering wheel and breathed slowly. How many Draco were left? Amrit knew the writings of Kaladen. They were scattered to the wind after the invasion of Mars. Dozens existed, for certain, to have carried off the temple bombings in recent years. There must be hundreds more. But still... dwindling.

Monotheism existed, too. There was a difference between monotheism and Draco, though. Draco carry a cultural component. A sense of history. A bitter sense heaped upon the reverence of the one, true god. Amrit didn't want to know a world where the Draco ceased to exist.

He turned back to the cargo area one last time. The clock was ticking and it showed only two minutes left. His hands grew clammy and his brow beaded with sweat. He forcefully exhaled through his nose and opened the driver's side door. He pressed the locking tab down and slammed it shut.

He walked west down the street away from Zeus' temple and away from the Forum. He tried to move quickly without breaking into an open jog. Fifty meters away, he reached his hands into his pocket and noticed he left the keys in the van. He glanced back for a moment and realized that if something went wrong, he'd have to break into the vehicle to set things right. No. He was sure it would work.

Time was running out. He saw a sign for a subway station about a block away. There was an arrow pointing left. He jogged to the cross street and moved with a group of people to the far side. The subway would not be far.

The van exploded.

The shockwave knocked everyone off the curb, including Amrit. He felt hot wind blow over his skin and even into his clothes. He was hundreds of meters away and yet he felt this? He sat up in a daze every bit as much as the others around him. The smoke concealed the entire center of the city. People were screaming and running. He simply stood and observed.

Amrit's mouth hung open and he hoped a breeze from the nearby sea would blow the clouds away. He saw cars overturned and adjacent buildings on fire. Police and fire vehicles roared by and he leaned against a lamppost to watch.

Finally, the smoke moved and he saw... nothing. Zeus' temple was reduced to a blackened marble platform with a single column standing. Nearby buildings that once loomed over the sidewalks were gone, too. Amrit's eyes widened and he watched the fire hoses spray the area. After a moment, he realized he should keep moving.

He prayed silently as he walked. He hoped that the Great One would forgive him for abandoning his martyrdom. Amrit sensed that there were far too few Draco these days to lose in suicide attacks. If he made it out of Scythia alive, he swore to spread the word of the one, true god as best he could. He promised to start a large family. A large family of followers. He would not let the faith die on his account.

"I don't want to eat that," the boy said.

Acantha sighed. "That's all you're getting so you better eat it if you don't want to go hungry today."

He lifted his fork and picked at the pale yellow pile of cooked proteins. He huffed again forcefully and leaned against the table. "I still don't want them."

Evander walked into the kitchen and he took a piece of fruitbread from the bin. "Good morning."

Acantha glared at him. "Talk to your son."

The father looked at the table, "Eggs again?"

"Yes," she said.

Evander sat down across from his son and lowered his head to near the table top. "Hi." The child didn't respond. "You think eggs are yucky, right?"

"Hey," Acantha interjected.

The boy smiled. "Yes."

"Well," the father straightened up, "I think you should..."

He was interrupted by the sound of breaking glass. Someone was shouting outside. They couldn't discern what was being shouted, but it sounded angry.

The child cowered and Acantha ran to his side to shield him from the front of the house. Evander slowly walked from the kitchen and into the living area. The morning breeze caused the drapes to flutter and glass shards shimmered in the daylight as they lay on the carpet. A large rock sat in the middle of the debris.

"What is it?" Acantha asked.

Evander inhaled deeply and moved toward the door. He hesitated for a moment and swallowed hard. Then he decided to open it. Acantha lurched forward to object but it was too late.

No one was standing on his stoop. The sidewalk was clear. Evander looked at the door and saw that someone had spray painted "TRAITOR!" across it.

He backed into the house and shut the door. He flipped the locks and moved toward the dechopem. "I think something's going on."

Acantha left the boy's side and peered around the wall so she could see the monitor. "We didn't get the call, did we?"

Evander shook his head and looked at the smoke rising on the screen. "No. It might come soon, though."

It was night in Olympia. Phoebe was in bed and very much asleep. She didn't hear the man break into her home.

"Shhh!" he said loudly as he clasped his hand over her face. Phoebe lurched up in bed and tried to struggle. "Listen."

Phoebe blinked a few times and recognized him. This was Zephyros, her neighbor. He removed his hand and pointed out the window. Phoebe leaned over the bed and heard shouting. There was an eerie orange glow flickering across the grass a few doors away. "What's going on?"

Zephyros backed away from her and cleared his throat. "About two hours ago, someone bombed Zeus' Temple in Thebes. Killed hundreds. They're saying it's the Thirteenth Tribe."

Phoebe's face fell. She closed her mouth and looked around the room. "So what's going on?"

"That's Aeson Glaucii out there."

"The archon?"

Zephyros nodded. "When the news broke, he rounded up a bunch of... a mob and began going door-to-door looking for Megarans."

Phoebe jumped out of bed and opened the closet door. She pulled out a backpack and set it on the vanity. As she picked up a jogging suit, she looked at Zephyros, "Why are you telling me this?"

The older man turned away so she could change. "I don't like Aeson. And I think he's wrong to do this to people who are supposed to be his citizens."

"How many Megarans are in Olympia anyway?"

Zephyros shrugged. "He's Olympia's archon so I'm sure he could pull those records if he wanted to." He glanced back and saw that she was now reaching for her shoes. "I knew you were and I wanted to let you know so you could leave."

Phoebe picked up the backpack and slid her arms inside. "So why are they two houses down?"

"Ianthe Nestorous. I would have told her but I didn't get there in time."

Phoebe leaned over and looked out of her window again. "I didn't even know she was Megaran."

Zephyros nodded and reached into his pocket. "Here. It's only forty stater but that should be enough to get you a decent bus ticket."

Phoebe smiled and pushed his hand back. "Don't worry." She reached into her pack and pulled out a very large bundle of money. "A friend told me this day would come."

Zephyros stood and nodded at her. "Good fortune, then."

Phoebe hugged the man quickly and awkwardly. She had never been a very social person and she certainly wasn't overly social with him. She couldn't figure why he was being so nice. Maybe he was just a good man. "Thank you."

They both left the bedroom and went to the back door. Zephyros dropped off the back porch first and moved slowly to his own house. Phoebe hunched over and ran quickly toward the trees about forty meters away. She moved into the forest and past several thick trunks before she looked back.

She saw about thirty people with torches and heard their shouting. A few moments later, they threw the torches into her home. She inhaled deeply and shook her head. Flames began to sprout from the windows and Phoebe turned away.

Linos was a Jason. His face was easily known and recognized. He hid.

When he awakened this morning, he turned on the news to get the latest from Thebes. He knew what would be said before it was said. He packed a bag and began the long walk from his home across Corinth to the airport. He carried his portable processor with him. Linos knew the call would come soon and he didn't want to miss it.

As one of the original "Twelve Siblings," Linos had virtually seen it all. He was there four hundred years ago when Megara first opened. He even worked in the hospital three hundred years ago when the first child, Proteus, was born. He had seen and lived the best that Kobol had to offer. And, in recent years, he had seen and lived the worst.

"... terrorists related to the Thirteenth Triber movement..."

The words of Chief Quorum Archon Eris echoed in the street from a newsstand's dechopem. Linos lowered his head and kept moving.

He passed by a restaurant and as the smell of breakfast wafted over the sidewalk, he paused. He hadn't eaten before he left. He didn't pack any food, either. He glanced inside the glass door and decided to enter.

Linos was one of only six customers inside. Half were drinking coffee and eating fruit or bread. One man was eating a more hearty meal. Two others were watching the news on the dechopem. Linos kept his head away from them and he approached the counter.

"Can I help you?" the clerk asked.

Linos nodded and spoke softly, "I'd like an order of tiganites."

He nodded and pressed a few buttons on the register. "What kind of syrup?"

"Just honey, thanks."

The clerk nodded again. "That's one-point-two stater." While Linos reached into his pocket and sifted through the coins, the young man behind the counter began to study him. "Hmm."

Linos lifted his head and poured a few coins onto the counter. "What?"

"You look..." The clerk stopped speaking and his eyes went wide. "You're one of them."

Linos inhaled sharply and straightened his back. "I'm a customer who wants breakfast."

"No," the clerk said and he began to move away from the register. "You're a Thirteenth Triber!"

The other customers in the restaurant snapped their heads around to look. Linos sensed this. "I just want to pay for my tiganites. And then I'll go."

One of the customers stood from his table and moved toward the counter. "Maybe you should go now."

The Megaran stood still and his head was slightly lowered. The clerk was now standing against the wall near a window to the kitchen. He was talking to the cook at the grill. The shriek of another chair scraping across the floor made Linos' skin crawl and he reached onto the counter to sweep the coins into his hand. He turned toward the door and saw five of the six customers standing in his way.

He blinked a few times and said, "I would like to leave, please."

After a few moments' hesitation, two of the people stepped back and Linos moved forward. The surliest of the group leaned in and caught his shoulder on Linos'. The Megaran stumbled but continued toward the exit.

He emerged on the sidewalk and walked more quickly to the bus stop. He would take a bus to the airport. That would be safer. He heard angry voices behind him and he looked back. Two of the customers were outside of the restaurant now and speaking with people gathered at the newsstand. They pointed at him.

Linos looked forward again and quickened his pace. He saw the sign for the stop ahead but he worried that it may take too long to arrive. He broke out into a light trot. He made it to the bus stop and bench, but he looked around the streets and spotted no bus.

The impromptu mob was running toward him. Linos watched as they approached. More than one block away. Now one block. Now less than a block. Still no bus. Linos looked across the busy street and decided to run for it.

Cars screeched and honked their horns. The group was pursuing him still. Linos jumped onto the sidewalk and started to run. One of the mob came from the side and tackled his right, knocking him into an alley. Linos fell and rolled before hitting his head against a large trash container. Several people crowded into the alley and pulled his bags away from him. Linos was somewhat dazed but he tried to stand, only to have his legs kicked out from under him.

"What do you have in here?" one of the women in the group asked. "Terrorist stuff?"

Linos shook his head and held his hands up. "No. I'm not a terrorist. I've lived in Corinth for," he paused, not wanting to say how long he really had lived there, "many years. This is my home."

One man laughed, "Bullshit."

"I mean it. I wouldn't hurt anyone."

"Looks like you're leaving town," the woman said. "Clothes, a big roll of cash, your personal processor."

The large man from the restaurant kicked him in the chest. "Why are you leaving town if you love it so much?" He kicked again. "When does your bomb go off?"

"I don't have a bomb."

The man leaned over, grabbed Linos' shirt and stood him up. "Why should we believe a Thirteenth Triber?"

"It's the truth!" he yelled.

"You're going to bomb us again, aren't you?" another woman asked.

"I had nothing to do with that." The people crowded nearer and pushed him against the wall. "I had nothing to do with the Thebes attack, either."

"I think we need to take this guy to the police," an older man said.

"'Police?'" the restaurant customer scoffed. "I think we can handle him ourselves."

At that moment, Linos' fear turned into resolve. He knew for certain that they weren't going to let him go. With a swipe of his hand, he hit the surly man in the neck and sent him reeling. A younger man moved toward him and Linos' kicked. He flew across the alley and smashed against the opposing brick wall. Some of the mob were stunned by the speed of the attacks. And the power. Four of the people lunged toward him and piled on top. Linos managed to stand.

As they clawed at his clothes, the Megaran punched one in the face, breaking his nose. He kneed a woman in the gut and she collapsed to the ground. He punched another man in the chest, sending him staggering out of the alley and onto the sidewalk. The stunned members of the group finally came to and they moved toward Linos.

He tried to run, but one woman jumped forward and grabbed his legs. Linos tripped and landed on the concrete hard. Another man leapt into the air and stomped on Linos' back. He heard a crack and felt a sharp pain. Linos tried to roll over, but at least three other people were now on top of him. They kicked and punched him. One person fished a board out of the nearby trash to use. Linos managed to turn his head just in time to see it crash on his head.

After a few moments, he didn't even feel the blows. It seemed like one sustained high-pitched wail in his head. He wouldn't make it to the airport. Linos knew, thanks to these people, he'd make it to Megara much faster.
**LXVII**

TYDEA

2,057 Years Before the Final Exodus

Four of them had gathered. The fifth was still missing.

In the two months since Apollo came to her, exposed the truth, and enlisted her help, Tydea had been working harder than ever. She set up communication trees with members of the Thirteenth Tribe all over the world. They funneled temple funds and supplies to families in the Tribe so they could abandon their homes and head to Megara at the proper time. She would be ready for the exodus.

The four priests were huddled in a storeroom under Dionysus' temple in Theonpolis. All across Kobol, Megarans lived in fear after what happened in the aftermath of Tydea's blackmail attempt. Apollo knew the truth of her shame, but she didn't share her deductions with the other priests. The five of them knew that the gods were not gods. That was enough.

At night, Tydea wept as she thought about the Megarans who died in the massacre on the beach. She couldn't bear to watch the news coverage about the Thirteenth Tribe backlash after the Thebian bombing. Still, she kept her emotions and guilt bottled up.

After the bombing yesterday morning, everyone felt that the time was nearer. Thousands of Megarans had been attacked and the aspersions were still being cast upon the Thirteenth Tribe all over the dechopem. They couldn't stay without a big fight.

"Where is she?" Mondos asked.

"She'll be here soon," Tydea responded.

It was fifteen minutes after their agreed upon start time. They had been meeting for more than a year when Tydea joined them. In the last couple of months, they met to give status reports on the outreach to members of the Tribe, they went over the details for departure, that sort of thing. In a few minutes, Tydea knew, everything would be shifted into an even higher gear.

"I'm sorry." Everyone heard Lycedae's voice before her footsteps. She was still very young and a low-level priestess in Hera's temple.

Tydea smiled and gave her a hug, "No worries, my dear."

Lycedae sat on her usual barrel. "You waited for me again, did you?"

"Of course," Mondos said, snidely.

"I said don't worry about it." Tydea took a deep breath. "Have we expanded the communications further in the last week? I haven't really. I may have reached a saturation point."

"Agreed," Eurypylus said. The others nodded.

"Good," Tydea straightened his back. "Have we heard from Aurora or her Iole?"

"Yes," Eurypylus said. He cleared his throat and leaned forward. "Iole Auroratous contacted me and said that the last of the ships checked out." Dolius sighed. "They're ready to go."

"That ties in with my most pressing news," Tydea said. "I received a call from Apollo today."

A couple of the priests gasped.

Tydea nodded. "He told me to go ahead and begin moving people toward Megara."

Lycedae's mouth fell open. Mondos lowered his head into his hands. Eurypylus spoke; his voice cracking slightly, "I can't believe it's about to happen. The word has truly been given?"

Tydea cocked her head, "Nearly. There has been no order to depart. Aurora will give that. But Apollo feels that the bombing and these riots were simply... the final stroke. We are to move toward Megara and he said he will speak to his father about our departure."

Dolius laughed, "I wish I could hear that conversation."

Tydea smiled and said, "First thing in the morning, we start contacting the next people down in the tree and we head for Megara. When we get there, we do what we can to help with the influx of people."

"What if it's a false alarm?" Dolius asked.

"I doubt it will be," Eurypylus responded, "but we would come back here and wait again."

The others nodded. Lycedae said, "I can't believe it's already here. I thought we'd have more time."

"I know," Tydea said. "But we knew it was going to happen, sooner or later." Tydea reached behind herself and pulled some rolled up drawings from a tube. "Now, who among us is gifted in the ways of architecture?"

Mondos timidly raised his hand. "My father is an architect."

"Will he be joining us on the exodus?"

Mondos grinned. "He's a Cimon. Just about every one of the Twelve Siblings will be leaving."

Dolius said, "Tired of being recognized."

"Exactly." Mondos stood up and stretched. "He'll be coming."

Tydea unfolded the plans. "Good. He can help us build this." She pointed to the drawings and said, "The Temple of Hopes."
**LXVIII**

ZEUS

2,057 Years Before the Final Exodus

"Maintain," he whispered as he sipped some more ambrosia. He had been saying that to himself as a kind of chant, a mantra, for quite a while. Ever since he and Athena drank together in this room while discussing the Thirteenth Tribe. And change. Good God, Zeus hated change.

By being alive for however-many-millennia, though, Zeus had witnessed far more change than anyone else. It was the close change that hurt. The departures of his brothers, one willing and the other not. The departures of his friends. Co-workers. The Olympic Council was smaller and smaller. He had fewer allies.

Hera was gone. Some days, he was glad of it. Most days, he didn't think about her. But on a few occasions, he missed her. Truly missed her.

Hecate may as well be gone. Her lifeless bodies awaited download in the bowels of Mount Olympus. Her memories were stored in the computer. He wasn't about to let her come back, though. She had become too wild. She had gone too far. She was her father's daughter.

After he exacted his judgment, he had lived like she had. Like he did for many centuries. Perpetually drunk. High on chamalla or whatever other drugs he could get. Frakking anything that moved. No human sacrifices, though. He drew the line there.

Zeus sat at his desk for the first time in weeks. He was ready to pour another drink but part of him resisted. It was time to rejoin the world.

"Father," Apollo said from the doorway.

"Come in."

Apollo stepped across the floor and slid into a soft chair quickly. "We need to talk."

"Indeed." Zeus spun around his computer's monitor, "My temple was bombed?"

Apollo crossed his legs and said, "Militant monotheists."

"What?" He was flabbergasted. "But the intel I've seen says..."

Apollo nodded. "I know. It's all lies. All of the bombings were monotheists. From what I've been able to learn, they are remnants of the Draco."

Instantly, Zeus scowled and his mouth became a frown. "How?"

"I don't know."

Zeus was staring into space. Rage filled him and he had to shake it off to continue the conversation. "Why the false information?"

"The chief quorum archon." Apollo shook his head. "She told me that they didn't want to give these monotheists a platform to spread their blasphemy and that by laying the blame fully on the Megarans, they hoped to avoid angering us."

Zeus shook his head again. "I don't understand."

Apollo said, "By trying to conceal the existence of monotheists from us, the archon was trying maintain a united front among the Kobollians. Making it look like everyone on the planet still loves and believes in us. She seems to be a very godsfearing person."

Zeus stood and returned to his alcoholic beverages, "It seems as though you're finally becoming privy to the nuances of worship."

"It was never really my thing, father." Apollo leaned forward.

Zeus stopped drinking and looked at Apollo with a hint of hesitation. "Were there ever any Thirteenth Tribe insurrectionists?"

"Some," Apollo said. He shifted in his chair and shot his father a withering glare, "Not nearly enough to warrant the slaughter of more than seven hundred Cylons."

Zeus lowered his glass and sat down again, slowly. He nodded once and said, "Perhaps. I had to be sure..."

Apollo cleared his throat and began to speak over his father, "The Thirteenth Tribe is weary of the treatment that they've received over the years. The lack of aid or acknowledgement from the gods was bad enough. Then the discrimination. And the massacre. And now the backlash to the archon's lies about all the bombings."

Zeus swallowed more of his drink and said, "What would you have me do?"

"Embrace them as... as another part of humanity."

Zeus turned his head a little and then began to shake it. "I don't know. If one of them could figure us out, they all could over time."

"And that's it?" Apollo said. "That's why you're fine with killing them by the hundreds and letting your citizens run wild against them?"

Zeus slumped back into his chair. Was today really the day to stop with the drinking, drugging, and frakking? Why did Apollo have to speak about this today? "Son, I'm not in the mood for..."

"What do you have against them?"

Zeus exhaled loudly and thought. "I... What do you want me to say? Guilt?"

Apollo said, "That would explain a few things."

Zeus lifted a hand, "But that's not it. When we started this experiment, we started with the understanding that we would protect the humans as long as possible. It is clear now that the existence of the Thirteenth Tribe is a threat to the humans."

Apollo shook his head. "No. A threat to you, you mean." Before Zeus could object, Apollo continued, "A threat to the Olympians and your beloved experiment. If we had acted from the start, we could have integrated them into humanity and therefore there would be no threat."

"A few centuries too late!" Zeus yelled.

Apollo kept his voice even toned. "True. 'Too late.' So, I'm here to tell you that the Thirteenth Tribe is leaving Kobol."

Zeus paused for a long moment. "'Leaving?'"

Apollo stood. "Yes. In a matter of days, if not hours. Aurora has procured vessels for them to take to another world and start their own civilization."

Zeus remained still. Silent. He slowly leaned back. He barked, with a tinge of laughter, "You're joking."

"No, I'm not. There are nearly forty thousand members of the Thirteenth Tribe now. The vast majority of whom are ready to go. Aurora has twenty-six FTL vessels on stand-by and they'll be taken away."

Zeus stood now and he walked around his desk to look Apollo directly in the face. "What makes you think I would allow this?"

Mock confusion slowly contorted Apollo's expression, "But why wouldn't you? These aren't humans so the experiment doesn't apply to them."

"You're slicing thread."

"It will solve the 'threat' they pose."

Zeus turned back to his desk and roughly set the empty glass on the top with a loud clank. He looked over his shoulder toward Apollo, "That's not the point."

"I know." Apollo left.

Zeus looked into the bottom of his glass and studied the distorted writing on the paper underneath. With the organic Cylons gone, the threat would be abated. But still, Aurora and Apollo had been operating behind his back. He was still the Lord of Lords. He was the chief Olympian. When all was said and done, there would have to be a reckoning.
**LXIX**

IOLE

2,057 Years Before the Final Exodus

"Thirty-two thousand, six hundred ninety-two," she said.

"About five thousand want to stay?" Aurora asked.

Iole nodded. "Yes. The Twelve Siblings are leaving. Those staying behind are nearly all natural-born. They can blend into society easier than we can, of course."

Aurora pulled a processor closer to her face. "Twenty-six vessels and thirty-two thousand people." She shook her head. "It'll be a tight fit."

"Yes," Iole said, "add in supplies for the journey plus transfer and replication equipment support for those of us who still want it." She shook her head and grinned, "More and more are preferring to do it the natural way, but plenty still like waking up in goo."

"I've accounted for that," Aurora said. "I'm still concerned about the number of people. It's a shame there aren't another thousand or so who want to stay."

Iole tossed her pad onto the counter. "I can't ask anyone to stay on this damned planet." She was fuming and she drank her water, almost angrily. "Frak Kobol. I want every member of the Thirteenth Tribe to get off this rock."

"I understand," Aurora said.

Iole slid off the stool and walked over to the window. She looked down the hill toward Megara and saw the tent city that had sprung up in the last few days. Almost fifteen thousand people had come from all over the world. The word had gotten out. "When do we leave?"

Aurora stood, went to the refrigerator and opened the door. "The ships are fueled and ready to come here on my orders." She pulled a pitcher of fruit juice out and began to pour some into a glass. "Would you like some?"

Iole shook her head, "No, thanks."

"But we have to wait for Apollo to come and tell us where we're going."

Iole returned to the counter. "Apollo's coming here?"

"Hm-hmm. Any time now." She put the pitcher back in the fridge and began to drink. "Ah, that's good."

Iole leafed through her book. "I couldn't help but noticing, goddess. You haven't packed anything."

Aurora stopped drinking and she looked solemn. She sat on her stool again and reached over the counter to hold Iole's hand, "Now that we're a matter of hours from leaving, I might as well tell you. I'm not going."

The blood drained from Iole's face and a cold tingling spread into her cheeks and arms. "What?"

Aurora spoke softly, "I'm sorry, but I'm not going."

"I don't understand."

"This is a journey for you and your people." Aurora let go of Iole's hand and continued, "You don't need a goddess tagging along."

"No, we do!" Iole cried. "You've always been here for us. You're the reason we've survived as long as we have. You must come!"

Aurora shook her head and she bore a knowing smile, "That's not my destiny. I'm to see you off and then you walk on your own. The Thirteenth Tribe will go on just fine without me. You'll be stronger without me."

Iole felt her eyes water but she shook it off. "I just... I don't know if I can do this without you."

Aurora patted her hand again, "You will. Just fine."

Iole laid her head on the counter and debated whether or not to let the tears flow. Just then, she heard a booming voice. "Hello? Aurora?"

"In here, Apollo."

Iole looked up and saw Apollo come around the corner. He was wearing black pants and a blue shirt. He appeared disheveled, as though he had been working for days. He set a thick stack of papers on the counter and hugged Aurora. "Almost over, huh?"

Aurora smiled and patted Apollo's cheek. "Yes, it is."

Apollo smiled at Iole, "Hello, archon. Are you well?"

Iole swallowed the sorrowful lump in her throat and forced herself to smile. "Yes, Lord Apollo. Thank you."

Apollo began to separate the pile of papers and placed a few on the counter. He spread them out and connected the edges. Iole looked over and saw that it was a map of space. "Thanks to Atlas' exhaustive record keeping, I've got a destination for you."

"Fantastic," Aurora said. She sat down on her stool and began to look over the map. "Now you've got to explain this because I won't know what you're talking about."

Apollo laughed. "Don't worry. Your drafted commercial pilots know what they'll be doing." He pointed to a single yellow circle. "Here's the Kobol system. Many millennia ago, we sent out unmanned probes to star systems all over the place. We found a few habitable worlds." Apollo drew his finger over a considerable distance on the page and pointed to another yellow circle. "We call this one Earth. All of the data we gathered from that probe long ago is here," he said as he patted part of the stack of papers. "It's a nice, big planet. Very beautiful."

"Earth," Iole said.

"Sounds good, doesn't it?" Aurora smiled. "How long to get there?"

"Well, there's the rub. I spoke with Hephaestus who gave me the data on his FTL drives. It's going to take the better part of six hundred ninety-seven jumps to get there from here. Mostly short hops; nothing to throw any ship's computers for a loop. That's assuming every ship is operating at top capacity and nothing goes wrong with your FTL on the way."

"How long will six hundred ninety-seven jumps take?"

Apollo sighed, "Hephaestus says the recharge and spooling time of his homemade drives will vary. Factor in some regular maintenance work... he thinks sixteen months is a good estimate."

"Sixteen months?" Iole was aghast.

"I know," Apollo said.

"Apollo," Aurora began earnestly, "we're already worried about supplies. We're not going to have enough for everyone to last sixteen months."

"I know. That's why," Apollo drew his finger halfway back to Kobol from Earth, "I found this planet for you."

"What's there?" Iole asked.

"Not much," Apollo said. "But it has oceans and a breathable atmosphere. A lovely ring system. And, more importantly, algae."

"We can farm it," Iole said. "Just like they do... all over Kobol."

"Oh, my," Aurora said.

"So you only would have to carry enough food to get you there."

"Wait," Iole began. "Why can't we just stay there?"

"It would be a rough go of it, that's for sure," Apollo said. "There's very little in the way of soil, so growing substantial crops would be nigh on impossible. More pressing, though, is the star. By Atlas' estimations from some time ago, it could go nova... anytime in the next few millennia. Maybe sooner, maybe later."

Aurora rolled her eyes, "Great. Who's to say it won't go nova while we're there? Or that it didn't blow last week?"

"No one, really." Apollo pointed to an orange smear adjacent to the algae planet. "In other bad news, this is the Magadon Star Cluster. It's dangerous, so you'd have to take an indirect route to get to the algae planet. That adds a few weeks to your trip."

Iole leaned forward and studied the path from Kobol to the algae planet and then to Earth. She smiled broadly. "I don't care. I can't wait to leave."
**LXX**

AURORA

2,057 Years Before the Final Exodus

"It's beautiful," Aurora said as she held the picture.

"One of our astronomers took that picture last night. It just went nova." Iris rolled her eyes, "Well, not really. The light from the nova is just now reaching us."

Aurora laughed, "I knew what you meant." She became nervous for a moment, remembering the algae planet, and asked, "Where is this star?"

"The Ionian System, goddess," Iris said. "It's on our way, but not really near our destination."

Aurora smiled again, realizing that this wasn't the algae planet's sun. "Good. It really is beautiful."

Iris smiled and looked at the photo again, "We thought it was a sign. You know, a good omen for our departure."

"I agree." Aurora held the picture up and smiled, "I'll hang this as soon as I get home."

Iris hugged Aurora, "I will miss you, goddess." She pulled away and ran toward the crowd of people waiting in the fields.

Everything was happening quickly. Megara was nearly empty and thirty thousand-plus people had gathered on the rolling fields near the coast. The exodus from the city and the tent city to the fields had happened in just a few hours. Iole and Aurora called for the ships last night. The first one arrived a short while ago.

Aurora walked down the path and watched as the fourth and fifth spacecraft landed on a hillside. Thousands and thousands of people were marching in. Huge pallets of food and resurrection equipment were being loaded. Only five ships could land and take on passengers and cargo at a time. Three other ships were nearby, circling over the ocean.

"Goddess," Iole said as she came closer.

Aurora fought off yet another wave of emotion and looked away from the ships toward her longtime friend and colleague. "Yes, dear."

Iole smiled, "I just wanted to let you know that I would be waiting for the last ship."

Aurora hugged her, "Thank you for delaying the inevitable."

The pair kept walking and saw streams of people gathering on the field. Nearly everyone was smiling. Children were playing games. Some were talking. Others were praying. The, applause and cheers broke out in the crowd far ahead and it spread like a wave to the back of the field where Aurora and Iole were walking.

"What's happening?" Iole asked.

"I don't..." Aurora began. She then saw the first vessel that landed hours ago begin to lift off. Full of passengers and cargo, it lumbered into the sky, rumbling and popping as it climbed.

"Gods." Iole put a hand over her mouth and began to cry. "It's really happening. We're leaving." She hugged Aurora. "Thank you so much."

Tears finally fell from Aurora's eyes, "We can't make a habit of this. There are twenty-five more ships to go and I can't cry each time one takes off."

Iole laughed and pulled away. "You're right."

As another ship came to land in the vacated space, Aurora wandered into the throng of people and began to chat with them. Some wanted to talk, others just wanted to touch her or thank her.

"Oh, goddess," one man said, holding his infant boy. "You have done so much for the Tribe for so long. Thank you. I can never thank you enough."

Aurora lowered her head and rubbed the back of the child, "No, it was my pleasure. Have a safe journey."

There was another cheer, and another vessel rose into the clouds. For hours, Aurora wandered among the crowd. She met people and received their thanks. Then she encountered a small group of priests.

"Goddess Aurora," the oldest one said as he bowed.

"Please rise," she responded.

"I am Pria," another said. Motioning her hand across the group, "This is Dolius, Mondos, Lycedae, and Eurypylus."

Aurora nodded and studied the priestly robes that represented the various temples they served. "So, you are the five that Apollo spoke of?" She knew who this "Pria" really was.

Tydea grinned, "Yes, Aurora. We are."

Aurora's eyebrows shot up at hearing such a casual use of her name. She wasn't an Olympian and she generally eschewed the trappings of godhood, but over the last few decades, she had gotten used to being revered. She smiled and placed a hand on Tydea's and Lycedae's shoulders. "You have all done magnificently. Everyone who wanted to leave is here. They couldn't have come if it weren't for your efforts."

All five lowered their heads and Eurypylus spoke, "It was our pleasure, goddess."

"What is that picture, Lord?" Lycedae asked.

Aurora held it up, "It is a nova. One of our astronomers said it suddenly appeared last night. A good omen."

The priests all nodded and Eurypylus looked more closely, "It's beautiful."

A girl noticed Aurora and the priests and she approached. "Goddess Aurora, should we... hate the other Twelve Tribes?"

The priests all looked at her and Aurora straightened up. The smile left her face and she looked around at the people. Many had heard the question and they were awaiting an answer. She pointed toward Tydea's sturdy suitcase, "May I borrow that?"

Tydea immediately grabbed the case and slid it across the grass toward her, "Of course."

Aurora stepped onto it and surveyed the faces within sight. Another vessel lifted off as Aurora completed a rotation. Arrayed before her, she saw mostly the same twelve types of "snakes" that had been among the Tribes for centuries. Many of them likely remembered the discrimination and the insults before they secluded themselves. Everyone here, of course, knew about the massacre. The riots and bands of vigilantes burning Megarans out of their homes in the last few days. Aurora took a deep breath and spoke, loudly.

"A child has asked me, 'Should we hate the other tribes?'" She paused and studied the faces in the crowd. "Simply put, the answer is 'no.'" There was some murmuring, but Aurora continued before it got out of hand. "Like all people, they have flaws. Like you, they have flaws. Yes, they have treated you poorly for centuries. And, yes, in recent years, the government has even persecuted you wrongfully. And so you leave," Aurora pointed toward the next ship coming in to pick up passengers. "Your departure is permanent. You will build new homes and new lives on Earth. But your departure does not prevent a reunion in the future."

"'Reunion?'" someone asked nearby.

"Yes, a reunion." Aurora became more animated, "Right now, the other tribes are not ready to be our neighbors. But time will change that. Time will help them realize that you have blood in your veins just like they do. That you have families and dreams and desires, just as they do. That you are people. Right now, they can't see past the differences, they fear what they don't understand, but they will see the similarities in time. Many of your children will be staying behind. They will preserve the culture of the Thirteenth Tribe and by staying here on Kobol, they will help pave the way toward a reunion." Most of the gathered people were smiling and nodding. Aurora looked toward the girl who asked the question. "No, my dear, we shouldn't hate the other tribes. Athena used to say, 'Love your enemies,' but I wouldn't even go so far as to say they are our enemies. They are our brothers and sisters. We should instead thank the heavens for all that we have and pray for that day when we can all be together again."

As she stepped off the suitcase, some in the crowd began to applaud, and others started a chant of, "So say we all." They repeated it several times before applauding and then dispersing.

"Wonderful words," Lycedae said.

"True words, though." Aurora handed the suitcase back to Tydea. "Are you ready to go? Ready for your next mission?"

Dolius chuckled gamely, "I'm not sure about that, goddess."

"We've got people to help us. Some construction foremen we helped bring here to Megara," Tydea said.

Aurora nodded, "I don't know how long you'll be staying on that planet, but the temple is very important."

"Yes," Tydea said with a smile. "We've been assured of that in no uncertain terms."

"Good journey to you all," Aurora said and stepped away from the group.

For the next few hours, she visited and ate with dozens of people. She had the most fun with a clutch of twentysomethings, drinking ambrosia and wine. They were happy and they welcomed Aurora into the group to join them. They encouraged her to down the ambrosia quicker and quicker, and when it was gone, Aurora was cheered like never before.

Her head swimming, Aurora came to a small knoll where she could see each of the five currently loading vessels in a line. She breathed deeply and despaired when she saw that no other vessel landed to replace one that had taken off. The four on the ground now were the last ones. Another took off. Three left. For a time, she appeared to hold her breath. The sun had set before her. A few stars were visible along the horizon over her shoulder. It was a lovely sight. The colors of sunset expanding over her head and merging with twilight. Green fields with dwindling numbers of people moving toward the last three... two now, vessels. As she realized it was almost over, Iole walked up the hill.

"I've been looking all over for you," she said.

Aurora smiled and a tear escaped her eye. "I haven't been hiding. I've just been... watching."

Iole nodded and she sat on the grass beside Aurora. "I've got to get to my ship." Aurora put an arm around her and squeezed tightly. "Goddess, I cannot thank you enough."

"No, thank you." She put both arms around her and hugged even more tightly. "If it weren't for you and your people, I wouldn't have had a purpose these last few centuries."

Iole laughed and coughed as she loosened her grip. "I'm sure you could've found something." Iole stood, holding Aurora's hands. "Thank you. I will miss you like you can't imagine."

Tears fell freely from Aurora's face now. She couldn't stand. She could only swing Iole's hands side-to-side and nod. "I will always miss you. You're the closest thing I ever had to children."

Iole smiled once more and walked down the hill to the ships. Aurora tried to breathe deeply but her sobbing kept her from doing so. A few minutes later, the final two vessels lifted from the grass at about the same time and turned into the darkened sky. There were still a few hundred people in the field, but they were Thirteenth Tribe members who would be remaining; they came to see everyone else off.

Aurora stood finally, brushing the grass and dirt from her dress. She walked down the hill into the breeze. She kept her eyes on the sky, hoping to see the ships. The sun had fully set in the west. It was a mostly clear night and stars were visible, though Aurora couldn't tell if any of them were the vessels. The last of the people had filtered away, back into Megara. Aurora stared at the sky for so long without blinking, her eyes had begun to hurt. She quickly closed and rubbed them and returned her gaze to the sky. After a few moments, it happened.

The ships high above engaged their FTL drives and twenty-six vessels disappeared, leaving brilliant flashes. Aurora stopped breathing when the first few flashes began. Within the space of sixteen seconds, all of the ships had jumped away.

There was no sound of their departure, of course, but Aurora heard her blood pumping in her ears. They were truly gone. She turned and began to walk back into Megara. She knew there were six thousand or so people left, but she wasn't sure they'd need her. She looked up and saw the city getting closer. She neared a park that marked the southern border of the city. After a few more strides, she caught a glimpse of Hades standing under a tree.

"Hello, Aurora."

She stopped. After a few moments, she looked back at the empty fields. It was dark, but she could just make out the trampled grass caused by thousands of people marching to the ships. "They're all gone," she said softly.

"I know," he said. "I wanted to leave you alone so you could... have your time with them. Say goodbye."

Aurora nodded and she slowly walked under the tree with Hades. "I can't believe they're gone."

Hades smiled and put his hands on her shoulders. "Aurora. It's fine. You've done your job." She began to cry again and Hades held her tightly, "Your work is finished."

She lifted her head and looked into his eyes, "Really?"

He pushed her head gently back onto his shoulder. "Yes. You've done wonderfully." Aurora sniffled and Hades said, "Your spirit is so inspiring, so pure. In the future, we'll need to tap into it again."

She laughed for a moment under her tears. A new feeling began to well up within her. Relief. "What do I do now?"

Hades rubbed her back and stroked her hair. "Whatever you would like."

Aurora pulled away, smiling. "I'm ready. I'm ready to go."
**LXXI**

HEPHAESTUS

2,057 Years Before the Final Exodus

Zeus was displeased, to say the least.

The Lords of Kobol were arrayed in the Council room and there had been no chattering before the start. Nearly all of the Lords were there. Hecate was not, of course, and neither was Artemis. Or Aurora. Hermes had been the last to arrive and as soon as he sat, at Zeus' signal, an acolyte brought in Chief Quorum Archon Eris. She seemed bewildered and frightened. She felt the angered Charas of the gods. Zeus truly was angry. Hephaestus found himself conjuring up bad memories to force himself to feel that way. Eris knelt before the table without being prompted.

"Lords of Kobol," she said with her face by the floor, "I beg your forgiveness."

"So you know why you are here," Zeus said through gritted teeth.

She lifted her head somewhat, though she was still out of sight to most of the Olympians seated around the table. "Yes, Lord Zeus. I withheld the truth from you and provided false information to the people."

"Yes, you did." Zeus stood so he could see the woman.

She began to plead, "We did arrest many monotheist terror suspects! And we brought you the man who bombed your temple here in Theonpolis!" She paused, waiting for some sort of reaction before she continued, "He led us to dozens of his people."

"I'm glad. Stand up." When she did, tears were evident on her face and her eyes were wide open. "You have lied to the gods."

"Yes, Lord."

Zeus raised an arm, "I now pronounce judgment." Zeus' move was for show, but Eris quickly pushed her face into her hands and sobbed openly. "You will immediately resign your position as chief quorum archon. You will no longer hold elected office anywhere on Kobol. You are to depart Theonpolis and never return for the rest of your days."

Sensing the end of the sentence, Eris lifted her face and knelt again. "Thank you, Lord Zeus. I will obey."

"Yes, you will." He pressed a button and the acolyte returned, took Eris by the arm, and departed. He paused for a few moments, sat down and grumbled. "Where the frak is Aurora?"

"I don't know," Apollo said.

"You better hope she shows, boy, to take some of the heat off you." Zeus leaned back and saw Hephaestus, "You as well!"

Hephaestus lowered his head somewhat and turned his face away from Zeus. Zeus had always been his friend, but he was truly upset now. They had grown apart over the ages. There was no denying that.

"I hope you didn't start without me," Aurora said as she entered the room. She immediately sat in an empty chair. Everyone stared at her and noticed the wide, almost eerie smile she wore. "What?"

Zeus spoke softly, "We couldn't very well have started without the architect of these events."

"I wasn't the architect, Zeus," she said with a chuckle, "some... thing else was."

"What?" Zeus asked.

"God." The other Lords' eyes widened and eyebrows shot up. They looked from Aurora to Zeus and to Aurora again.

Zeus scratched his beard, "Are you serious?"

"Yes, I am." She was still smiling.

Apollo and Hephaestus both looked down at the table while the others shifted in their seats. Zeus slapped the metal and made everyone jump. "You two! I want to know who did what and when."

Aurora quickly volunteered by speaking first, "I was approached by an agent of God... oh, a few centuries ago. He told me that hard times were ahead for the organic Cylons and that it was my divine duty to shepherd them through it."

Stunned silence.

"'An agent of God?'" Zeus repeated it slowly and doused it in sarcasm.

"Yes. And he took the form of Hades."

An audible gasp. Zeus straightened in his chair and opened his mouth to speak twice before clearing his throat. "Have you lost your mind?"

"No, Zeus."

Hephaestus was now thinking back to his interactions with Aurora over the last century or so. Did she believe this agent of God was helping her when she came to Vulcan to get his help? He looked over at Apollo: his eyes were closed and his fist was at his mouth. Was he about to say something?

Zeus placed his hands on the table, palms flat. "Aurora, you set yourself as a god above those people..."

"I never told anyone I was a god, Zeus. You know that." She was still smiling.

"You told them about the one true God? You taught these people to deny our divinity?!" He was yelling.

"No, Zeus," she yelled back, not in anger, just in equal volume. "I told them nothing about God."

Zeus pulled his hands along the table, making a slight squeaking noise. "You... positioned yourself as a leader of the Thirteenth Tribe..."

Aurora nodded, "I can go along with that."

"You ordered the construction of space vessels for the express purpose of taking Kobollians from this world and colonizing another."

Still smiling, "Yes."

"You went to Hephaestus and convinced him to manufacture multiple faster-than-light drives for these vessels."

"Yes."

He smacked the table again. "Dammit, stop smiling!"

She did not comply. "I can't help it."

Zeus contorted his neck and twisted his head away. While looking at the wall, he began to speak again. "Do you not realize that these are things that I have purposefully caused from being revealed to Kobollians?"

"You've mistaken me for someone who cares."

Zeus jumped up and moved about halfway around the table before Ares grabbed his waist. "Aurora, stop baiting him, please," he said.

"Sorry," she smiled, "it's just so easy."

Zeus inhaled loudly and began to move back toward his seat. "So, angels told you to get the Thirteenth Tribe off Kobol."

"Yes."

He sat down slowly. "Why?"

Aurora shrugged, "The One chose not to reveal all of... its plan to me. Just that I was to gather them near me, let them grow. I was told...," her smile faded for the first time, "I was told what would happen if the Thirteenth remained on Kobol for too long. A vision of the future. But I could stop it. When the time was right, I was to help them leave."

"And that's when you went to Hephaestus?" Zeus said, pointing at him.

"Yes," she said. Hephaestus exhaled slowly and straightened in his chair.

"So, Hephaestus," Zeus began, "what form did the angel take when it came to visit you?"

"What?" Hephaestus asked. He shook his head quickly, "No. There was no angel. C'mon, Zeus, you know I never believed in God."

"That was a few thousand years ago, Hephaestus," Zeus said while leaning back in his chair. "You may have changed your mind. Rethought your divinity."

Hephaestus shook his head again. "That's not what happened."

"Explain it to me, then."

Hephaestus glanced at Aurora, who was still smiling. She nodded at him to go on. After a slow inhalation, he began, "Aurora came to me a few decades ago, asking questions about FTL, what it would take to build drives. I asked her why," he looked over toward her.

"Don't worry. Speak the truth," she said.

"I asked her why and she said it was 'just in case.'"

"So she intimated that these jump drives would be for us to use?" Hestia asked.

Hephaestus nodded. "At first. Then, some years later, she came back. Said she needed far more than just the two or three I had in my personal workshop."

"Until this point," Hermes said, "you were working completely alone?"

"Yes," Hephaestus said. "The second time, Aurora said it wasn't just about saving us, but it was about saving everyone. The whole planet." Hephaestus grinned gamely and he glanced over at Aphrodite. She looked concerned. "She had such conviction, I believed her, to a point. And I wanted the challenge. I knew I could make FTL from scratch. But she needed more than I could do by myself."

"So you went to the humans," Zeus said.

"I subcontracted the manufacture of certain items from several different companies. They had no idea what they were building and they had no contact with each other. Only me. I'm the one who assembled the final parts in each ship and after I was finished, I went to each company and saw to it personally that all of their equipment and files were destroyed."

Zeus was shaking his head. "Still unacceptable. We've said for years that the humans weren't ready for FTL and here we go, giving it to them."

Hephaestus was about to re-argue his point on spreading out the construction when he remembered something Aurora said. He paused with his mouth partially agape and looked over at her. She was smiling, of course. He understood. "Zeus, no human ever touched a complete FTL engine."

He chuckled with disdain, "What?"

"I assembled the drives myself. The only people who got on those ships were Cylons. Not humans."

Zeus shook his head, "You're slicing thread." As soon as he finished saying it, he looked at Apollo, who was smiling, too. Zeus straightened up, "Enough of this. Because of your actions, Hephaestus, and your disregard for our rules, I am disbanding the Hephaestus Institute."

"What?" Hephaestus said. Anger welled up inside and he balled his hands into fists. His face flushed with heat. Aphrodite and others shook their heads and tried to speak to Zeus, but he pressed on, angrily.

"Kobol has already progressed to be the society we wanted it to be," Zeus said, still waving off the protests of the others. "We have no further need for the technological advancements your Institute has provided."

"You're out of your mind," Hephaestus grumbled.

"Watch it!" Zeus said, leveling a finger at Hephaestus.

"No, I'm finished with you." He stood and walked toward the door. Aphrodite stood, too, and joined him. "You take away my Institute, you take away the one thing that I do. If you take away... whatever challenges lie ahead, I have nothing left." His wife hugged him and they left the room.

The couple walked through the hallway toward the Olympus foyer. They stood quietly in the windowed sunlight for a moment. Aphrodite said nothing.

"I don't know what else to do," he said finally.

She nodded and hugged him tighter. "I know."

He looked at her. "I... Technology, engineering, it's what I do. I've tried just living, just being, but I don't know if I can."

Aphrodite held his face between her hands and smiled. "Let's try again. We'll do it together."

Hephaestus hesitated and he reached up for her wrists. He lowered her arms and looked at her meekly. She had a hard time on Kobol, no question. He had a purpose from the start. For the longest time, his wife didn't have that.

Aphrodite busied herself with art, music, and then direct involvement in her worship. She tried to play supportive wife and mother. Coronis had moved on. Eros did, too. What was left for her? Hephaestus swallowed past a lump in his throat and he realized that she stayed for him. Only him. He wasn't sure if... no, he knew he didn't deserve her devotion.

She was still smiling broadly and finally Hephaestus grinned, too. "We'll do it together." The skycar doors slid open and the pair stepped inside. "We can travel the world slowly. See how long it takes for me to drive you mad..."

Aphrodite laughed, "I've stayed by your side for almost four thousand years. I'm certain I can manage a few more centuries."
**LXXII**

APOLLO

2,057 Years Before the Final Exodus

Hephaestus and Aphrodite were far down the hall when Zeus stood again. "Let them go."

"Zeus, this is madness," Hestia said.

"I can't believe you'd just let them go," Apollo said.

"Quiet!" He put his hands on his hips. He pulled his pants up somewhat and continued, "Very well, Apollo, what's your story? Did you see an agent of God?"

Apollo looked over at Leto, who was seated next to Aurora. He then caught an expression on Aurora's face. Not a smile, but a slight side-to-side head shaking. "No, father. I did not."

"I guess I should be offended," Leto said.

"And what is your part in all of this?"

Apollo sighed and Leto put her hand on his. She was sitting next to him now. "If you can't mention me, then you can't mention the priests. The temple they're going to build. Minimize your role." Apollo glanced over at Aurora and Leto caught his look, "Don't worry about her. She knows what has to be done."

Apollo cleared his throat, "I gave Aurora and the Megarans advice throughout the years."

Zeus chuffed and sat down, "'Advice?' Really? You expect me to believe that?"

"And a map." Zeus raised his eyebrows. "I pulled some of Atlas' stellar cartography files and pointed them in the direction of a habitable planet."

There was murmuring around the table and Zeus shook his head. "Which one?"

"Earth."

"Unbelievable," Zeus said. He breathed in and out, slowly. Finally, Zeus looked at Aurora and then to Apollo. "Mark my words: you'll be lucky if these people make it there. It's a journey fraught with danger."

"They will make it," Aurora said.

"If they do," Zeus said, "they will not find hospitality waiting for them on Earth. The probes we sent found cold conditions..."

"Thousands of years ago," Apollo said. "Probably a minor ice age."

Zeus continued, "Likely unpredictable climate shifts, frequent seismic activity. Pretty, though the world may be, there is a harshness to it. You both may have condemned your Cylon subjects to death."

"Like you." Apollo regretted, briefly, saying that out loud. Then, he felt a surge run through him and Leto put a hand on his shoulder.

"Do it."

Apollo stood up and pointed at Zeus, "You ordered the murders of seven hundred Cylons."

"What?" Asclepius and Dionysus said.

Apollo looked around the table at the gods' faces. "He had the military round up suspected insurrectionists, drive them out to the beach, activate communications jamming devices..."

"Zeus?" Hestia said.

"... and then had them killed. Of the seven hundred Cylons on that beach, less than two hundred were able to download safely."

"Why?" Helios asked.

Zeus said nothing. He sat quietly and glanced around the room. "Our secret was known."

" _One_ priestess... guessed," Apollo said.

"She could've told others!" Zeus yelled. The Lords were still stunned. They gazed at him with open mouths. He noticed this and he said, more calmly, "It would have been a matter of time before others figured it out, too."

"That's a risk we've always taken, Zeus," Athena said. "You know that."

"You said we would discuss this again if a problem arose," Dionysus mumbled.

"We just stripped an archon of her powers for disobeying us, for going behind our back," Zeus angrily said while pointing toward the wall and the corridor beyond. "Now there are three of us who did the same thing under my nose and I'm just supposed to let it go?"

"You're changing the subject," Hestia said. "You ordered a slaughter..."

"We've done that before," Ares offered.

Zeus nodded at his son thankfully. The gods grew quiet and Zeus said, "Thank you."

"That was different," Aurora said. "But it was also wrong."

Zeus' face again twisted in anger but Apollo spoke before he could, "Because we created FTL and got Cylons – whom you believe were dangerous – off this planet, you're willing to punish us and fracture this council?"

"Yes," Aurora said. "This isn't about you, Zeus. I know your ego has swelled over the millennia, but please."

"Enough!" Zeus barked.

"No, enough with you!" Aurora stood and yelled. Her smile was truly gone now. "You ran this council and this planet for so long, now that neither we nor the humans need you, you still feel the need to flex your muscles."

"Aurora," Zeus said calmly.

"You are an egomaniacal bastard, Zeus."

"Whoa," Hermes said.

"They may think you're the Lord of Lords down there, but in here, you're just another man. Another flawed, simple man."

"Shut up!" Zeus screamed. He leapt from his chair and Ares caught him again. Zeus grunted and began to say something else, but he stopped himself.

The Lords stared again at Zeus and sat still as his outburst echoed into the hallway. Rage still filled every visible muscle and he stood there with Ares' arm wrapped around him, panting.

Aurora turned toward the gods and smiled. "Who among us wishes to remain while he finds that we don't always agree with him as much as we used to?" Helios and Hestia were the first to stand and walk toward the door. After a moment, Dionysus joined them.

"Dionysus?" Zeus asked plaintively. "You would abandon me, too?"

He shrugged, "Sorry, old man. It's just not as much fun as it used to be."

Zeus walked slowly back to his seat and plopped down. Ares stayed behind him with a hand on his shoulder. Hermes and Athena remained seated. Asclepius looked confused. Apollo prepared to stand and join Aurora and the others, but Leto grabbed his shoulder.

"No, Apollo," she said, "you have to stay with your father for a while longer."

Helios, Hestia, and Dionysus left the room. Aurora was still standing, still smiling. Zeus looked at her with disgust and he asked with a cracking voice, "Why aren't you leaving?"

"Oh, I'm leaving. For good." She looked at Asclepius, "I need his help."

Apollo, Athena, and Hermes lowered their heads as they understood. Asclepius shook his, "Aurora, I don't think..."

"It's not your choice, doctor. It's mine."

Apollo looked at Leto without turning his head. She answered his unspoken question, "She'll be fine. Her work is finished. She knows what she's doing."

"Aurora," Asclepius began.

"I'm ready now, Asclepius. Please, escort me to the resurrection pods." She stood by the door with her hand outstretched. Begrudgingly, Asclepius stood and walked over to her. He took her hand and they left the room.

Zeus exhaled loudly and then laid his head on the table. Ares walked away from his father but Athena put a hand on Zeus' arm. "Leave me. All of you."

Slowly, the remaining Lords stood and walked out. In the corridor, they exchanged glances and went their separate ways, saying nothing. Apollo walked to the entryway to take the skycar down and Leto walked with him.

"You know this had to happen."

Apollo shook his head, "I didn't expect today to end like this."

Leto smiled, "The day may be over. But there are plenty more to come. You and Aurora both bought that time."

He scoffed and mumbled, "We didn't even get to mention the Draco and monotheist side of it all."

Leto shrugged. "That's not important right now."

Apollo reached the entrance for the skycar and the doors slid open for him. He stepped inside and looked down the mountain at Theonpolis. Dusk was nearly over and the city's lights were beginning to come on.

"What do I do now?" he asked.

Leto was looking out of the window toward the peaks below as they descended. "Go about your life, son. I may not return for some time, but believe me," she turned and put a hand on his chest, "your work has barely begun."
**LXXIII**

ATHENA

1,701 Years Before the Final Exodus

She was almost ashamed to admit it, but Athena was happy to mingle with the people again.

Centuries ago when there were many thousands of Cylons on Kobol, Athena dreaded seeing them on the streets. She became somewhat introverted. Three hundred years ago, that changed. The Thirteenth Tribe was mostly gone and she hardly ever saw a Megaran.

She walked down from the hilltop where her temple sat in Athens. A crowd gathered around her and she smiled broadly. Athena moved toward the open markets and she wondered how any Lord couldn't be happy.

After Zeus' disastrous Council three centuries ago, the Olympians moved out all over the planet. Even Hephaestus, who seemed so angry, was still around. He and his wife were slowly soaking in the life that surrounded them. Dionysus was on a kind of farewell tour. He didn't call it that, certainly, but he visited nearly every temple in every town on Kobol. In a weird way, with the Lords being out and about more than ever, they strengthened the position of the Pantheon in many peoples' minds.

"Goddess!" a man shouted. "We have the freshest fruits!"

Athena walked toward his cart and perused his wares. She grinned and picked up an apple. "This looks fantastic."

"Oh yes," he said. "Not very tart. A sweet, almost buttery flavor. I'm sure you'll love it."

Athena rubbed it on her shirt and pulled a coin from her pocket. "Please. Take this."

The man seemed reluctant but he bowed low and gingerly took the coin from her hand. "Thank you, goddess. Thank you."

Athena walked away and she took a bite of the apple. He wasn't wrong. It was crisp and not too tart. The flesh of the apple melted in her mouth and the sweetness had a depth that she wasn't expecting. It was a damn good apple.

The Pantheon was being strengthened in peoples' minds. The gods were even more present now as they said their personal goodbyes to life. She worried for a moment about what would happen when they left. She worried about the vacuum.

"Lord Athena," a woman called. When the goddess approached, she said, "Would you like a piece of my art?"

She smiled and scanned the tables. There were small painted statues, painted dishes, painted canvas, and more. It was pretty, certainly, but it was all dreadfully boring. For centuries and even millennia, the Lords had influenced the creative expression of the people. The gods had a particular style; a set of characteristics that they liked. It made sense for the people to stick to them. After so many years, Athena was growing weary of it. She wanted to see sparks of independent creation again.

"Thank you," she said as she took a small painted plate depicting the Temple of Athena that overlooked much of Athens. "Thank you very much."

The artist bowed. "Thank you, goddess."

Athena stowed the dish in her small satchel and took another bite of her apple. She walked toward the city center and she heard the rush of the fountain ahead. She smiled and moved toward it. She liked few things more than sitting by that fountain as a breeze blew its mist into her face on a pleasant day.

Athena rotated the apple and kept her eyes mostly closed while a nice spring wind did just that. When she was down to the core, she turned and tossed it into a trash bin nearby. A man was standing on the other side of the canister. His hands were folded behind his back. He held his head low and meekly. His mouth was in the shape of smile, but it was almost an embarrassed or even ashamed grin.

"Goddess Athena," he finally said.

She was always kind. "Don't be shy."

He nodded and stepped a bit closer, though he didn't get within two meters of her. "I am Kreios." He hesitated a moment and glanced around. Others were watching Athena and this man and he was terribly nervous. "I have a question."

Athena encouraged him with a wave. "Kreios, don't be afraid. Ask away."

He smiled and licked his lips before he spoke. "I was wondering if you had any plans to leave us. Are you going to assume the godhood that is your right?"

Athena's smile weakened a little and she squinted her eyes. "Why do you ask?"

"I heard this morning that Artemis told her followers at a festival in Calydon that she would be leaving the mortal realm." Athena's eyebrows lifted. "Like Poseidon, Demeter, Atlas..."

The goddess didn't move. Her gaze drifted away from the man to the green grass between her and the fountain. She nodded slowly and said, "I didn't know she was leaving." Kreios didn't respond.

Long ago, after Persephone died, Zeus told everyone what to say if they were asked about it. They all had to maintain the illusion of deity. They had to perpetuate a lie to support the "great experiment." Athena wasn't happy about it but she knew the impact it would have on these people if they knew their gods were really gone for good.

"Poseidon left because he had a duty to the sea," she began. Her voiced cracked a little and she cleared her throat before going on, "Atlas had to support the heavens." She smiled and Kreios did, too. "The Pantheon is still here. Still working. My purpose is my people. And my people... are everybody." She paused for a moment as she wondered if her subject-verb agreement was correct. "No, Kreios. I'm not going anywhere."

He nodded his head. "I'm glad to hear that, goddess."
**LXXIV**

ZEUS

1,140 Years Before the Final Exodus

"Where are you?" Zeus said.

"Home. In Delphi."

"I'll be there in a few minutes. Be ready to leave."

"Why? What's going..." Zeus turned off the earpiece.

He smiled a little to himself. Zeus was eager to see his son again. He wanted to rub his face in it.

The others abandoned him. Hephaestus, Aphrodite, Dionysus... they left a couple of centuries after the last Olympic Council. Ares put himself under more recently; saying he could be awakened if a problem emerged. Artemis left centuries ago without even saying goodbye. Hestia, too. When she left, she made a big deal about it. She told the world she was leaving the Olympic Council. She didn't go into detail but it still pissed Zeus off.

Regardless, Zeus could admit he made a mistake. He let Aurora get to him back then. He regretted his outburst and even some of what he said. But he knew he was still in the right. Apollo, Aurora, and Hephaestus kept information from him. They created spaceships and faster-than-light engines against his wishes. They led the Thirteenth Tribe away from Kobol with no input at all from Zeus. They should have known better.

In one way, they did know better than he, Zeus had to admit to himself. Kobol was better off without the bulk of the Thirteenth Tribe in many ways. First and foremost, there seemed to be little chance of the Olympians being found out. That alone helped Zeus sleep better at night.

The dartship landed in Apollo's front yard and he left the front step toward the craft. As Zeus pressed the induction panel, the hatch opened and his son stepped inside. "Apollo."

"Father." Apollo reached out and grabbed the hatch, pulling it shut. "Hope you've been well."

Zeus nodded. "I have." It had been a few hundred years since he saw Apollo.

"What's going on?"

"Chickens, son," Zeus said with a smile. The dartship lifted off and he finished his thought, "They're coming home to roost."

Apollo squinted and leaned over in his chair so he could see Zeus' face better. "What do you mean?"

"Remember the Thirteenth Tribe? One of your FTL spaceships jumped into a high orbit a little while ago with an automated emergency beacon blasting across all channels. They're going to be landing soon."

Apollo's eyes widened and he sat back in his seat. "It's been so long. Why did they come back?"

Zeus shook his head, still smiling. "An exodus from your exodus. I can't wait to hear why." He tried to squelch his smugness, but he was having little success. "It's landing in the fields south of Megara. We'll be there in a bit."

Apollo shook his head. "It doesn't make sense. If something was truly wrong, why only one ship?"

Zeus shrugged. "Who knows? We'll find out."

Apollo sighed. "I don't quite understand your attitude. You're not worried about their return?"

Zeus lifted his eyebrows. "Why?"

"What if that priestess left Kobol on those ships? What if she said something?" Apollo studied his father's face before covering his mouth with his hand.

Zeus thought about it for a moment and then he saw where he was. The dartship hovered into place just outside of the city, north of the large fields where twenty-six vessels took off so long before. "It looks like the people have heard about the ship's arrival."

Zeus looked out and saw dozens of Megarans standing in the nearby park and along sidewalks. They were all gazing into the clouds. He didn't recognize any of these Cylons; the original twelve models were long gone and even most of the Megarans still here had abandoned their resurrection technology.

When the dartship landed, Apollo threw open the hatch and stepped out onto the grass. He was met with several cheers and scattered applause. With a smile, he waved at the group and then walked south toward the field. When Zeus stepped out of the craft, the same crowd gasped and stared with reverential awe. He had never been to Megara before. He looked across their faces, wondering why they didn't seem happy to see him. Had he been out of the public eye too long? Zeus nodded toward them and chased Apollo.

"There it is," Apollo said. Zeus followed his gaze and saw the large blue-tinted craft breaking through low-lying clouds. Its descent engines were on full burn and the huge, round-hulled vessel slowly dropped into place. The landing struts were already extended and they gave way under the weight of the craft when the engines decreased and then turned off. Several ports vented steam and other gases into the air. The primary boarding hatch did not open.

"Well?" Zeus asked. "Why don't they come out?"

Apollo remained still and looked at the ship. Zeus studied it, too, and noted various burns, pockmarks, and other damage. "It looks like they've had a rough trip."

"It's an old ship, too." Zeus turned and saw that hundreds of Megarans were now gathered behind them and moving toward the craft. He was about to say something when the hatch opened and the metal gantry extended toward the ground.

Apollo stepped forward and Zeus began to follow. His son stopped and held up a single hand. "Keep everyone back. Who knows what kind of germs they might be carrying."

Zeus moved toward the approaching crowd and lifted his hands. "Please, everyone. Stay back. If the people on there have been to another world, there is a possibility of infection." They stopped upon hearing his booming voice.

Zeus turned toward the ship and worried about another kind of infection. Apollo reminded him of that damned priestess. What if someone on board knew about the Olympians? That knowledge could spread like a disease. He glanced back at the Megarans, realizing that several thousand of them had lived on Kobol for centuries. In all of those years since that priestess went to Olympus and tried to blackmail them, there hadn't been a peep about it. Perhaps he was worried for nothing.

Apollo walked up the gantry and into the craft. Zeus turned away from the people and began to walk toward the ship. He stepped just under its curved bow and looked up. The bluish metal was tarnished but still somehow beautiful. He had forgotten how lovely spaceships could be. None had existed on Kobol for many years as their space program died a slow death after the departure of Hephaestus. Above the hatch, he was able to make out a word etched in the hull. "PEGASUS."

"Help me," Apollo said as he stepped out of the craft carrying the body of a man. Zeus ran to his side and saw several other people stumbling behind him inside the ship. "There's a woman lying by the hatch controls."

Zeus walked into the ship warily. About a dozen people filed past him. They seemed to be in a daze and only a couple managed to look up and recognize who was in their presence. Zeus looked at the bulkhead and saw a woman slumped against it under a panel. He picked her up and carried her down the metal ramp to the grass below.

Apollo laid the man onto the field and the people that followed him off wandered about and flopped onto the ground. Some lay on their backs and looked into the sky, smiling. Zeus laid the woman next to Apollo and then he stood back, looking from one to the other. "What's wrong with them? Are they ill?"

Apollo was checking the pulse of the man and then he leaned over to listen to his heart. "I think it's radiation sickness."

"Are you sure?" Zeus asked.

One of the more lucid passengers crawled across the grass to Apollo's side. "Are you... Lord Apollo?"

"Yes," he said.

"I'm a doctor, Lord. Can I help?"

Apollo looked at her and said, "You don't look like you feel well yourself."

"I don't, really. But I can help."

Zeus knelt by Apollo's side and spoke, "Was there any kind of illness?"

The woman inhaled slowly and said, "Well, there was. But we quarantined the sick in a separate part of our ship once we discovered it."

"A disease and radiation poisoning?" Apollo asked. The woman nodded and he looked up solemnly. "What's your name?"

"Sarah Hylae, Lord." She nodded toward the man and said, "This is Saul Krases, our captain and pilot." She looked at the woman and said, "That is Maggie Polyta, our engineer and co-pilot."

"So why are you here? Are you all that's left of the Thirteenth Tribe?" Zeus asked.

Hylae sat up in the grass a bit more and shook her head. She straightened her legs and felt the forehead of the captain as she spoke. "We left in two ships, the _Pegasus_ and the _Eos_. Has the _Eos_ arrived?"

"No," Apollo said. "You're the only ones."

Hylae nodded. "After so many years, there were some of us who wanted to... come back here. To see the homeworld. Goddess Aurora told our people before they left that there would be a reunion later. We wanted that reunion."

"I see," Apollo said as he moved to examine the unconscious female.

"So, we took the ships. Stole them, I guess." She lowered her head. "The other vessels were disassembled for shelters and parts shortly after they got to Earth, so these were the last two. They were... museum pieces."

"How many of you were there?" Zeus asked.

"More than two thousand were willing to return. One thousand are on the _Eos_ , wherever it is, and one thousand on the _Pegasus_."

Apollo looked around him. Barely four dozen people lingered in the grass. "'One thousand?'"

Hylae nodded. "Their bodies are inside." Apollo and Zeus both looked toward the ship as Hylae continued, "We stopped at the algae planet to resupply our food but we didn't have enough tyllium to go the long way around the star cluster."

"Oh, no," Apollo said.

"We flew straight through." Hylae shook her head. "We gathered in the central parts of the ship and we thought we had enough anti-radiation meds to last us." She stifled a sob and wiped a tear from her eye. "And then, people started getting sick. We thought it was radiation at first, but it was something else. We separated them as quickly as possible. It didn't matter. People started dropping from some kind of meningitis or encephalitis. _Then_ the radiation sickness started. Those two," she said, pointing to Krases and Polyta, "are heroes. They kept that ship going far longer than it should have. We broke down twice after leaving the star cluster. They got it going again and got us here."

Apollo nodded and folded the woman's hands on her chest. "She will be remembered as a hero, then."

Hylae's mouth fell open and she looked at Polyta's still body.

"Where could the _Eos_ be?" Zeus asked.

"I don't know," Hylae said. She looked away from Polyta toward Krases. "It happened some time after we left the star cluster. One jump they were there and then the next they weren't. We were in a nebula for days, waiting. So we decided to leave a beacon behind and keep going. We left beacons after every jump so they could find us, but we never saw them again."

Apollo glanced over his shoulder toward Zeus and then he looked back at Hylae. "When you stopped by the algae planet..." he began before his voice trailed off. She nodded and he took her hand and asked very softly, "Was there a temple?"

Zeus looked at Apollo hard and then he waited for Hylae's response.

She had an odd expression on her face but she nodded. "There was. We had a priest with us. He seemed to know all about it. He said five priests built it on the way to Earth... we thought it was made for you," she glanced toward Zeus, "the Pantheon, I mean. But the priest said it was made for a god whose name couldn't be spoken."

Zeus exhaled loudly and shook his head. He was growing angry and the woman shrank from him. He saw this, stood up, and walked away. Apollo and the woman continued to speak and Zeus remained as close as he could to listen in.

"Where is Goddess Aurora?"

Apollo turned aside and said, "She is gone. She has become one with the dawn."

Hylae looked into the sky and nodded. "I wanted to meet her. Her temple on Earth... it's still standing. Still beautiful. It was the first permanent structure built there once the Tribe landed."

Apollo sighed and folded the hands of Krases across his chest. "I see."

Hylae closed her eyes and fell away from Apollo. She sprawled on the grass and he leaned by her side. Zeus stepped closer and said, "Is she going to recover?"

"Probably." Apollo looked toward the other passengers and saw Megaran medical officials moving among them. "When they get on their feet again, there's going to be a lot of priests and historians who will want to speak to them. We're going to have to quarantine the ship, too, until we figure out what that illness was."

Zeus nodded and turned away. He looked at the prone forms of people scattered about on the lush grass. "I'm sorry, Apollo."

He stood and turned. "Why?"

Zeus' shoulders sagged and he moved toward his son. "I brought you here... I wanted you to see the error of your ways."

Apollo's face twisted and his eyes glinted. "You got your wish." He motioned across the grass to the weary passengers. "Now I know. I know that there could be some sort of plague killing everyone on Earth. Are you happy?"

"I didn't mean..."

"They left a thousand years ago and you still want to have the last word on this?" He shook his head furiously and stormed away. "You just can't not be right, can you? You are impossible."

Zeus walked after him, "Apollo..."

"I don't need leadership lessons from you," he barked. "I've been on my own here for four millennia! You can't be the same micromanaging asshole you were all those years ago!"

"Apollo," Zeus said.

"You can't control every facet of my life or their lives," he said, sweeping his arm toward the ill people again. "When will you learn that?"

Zeus shook his head. "This isn't what I wanted at all. I just wanted..."

"What?"

"I was eager to see you," Zeus said. His head lowered and he spoke softly. "I missed seeing you."

Apollo scoffed and shook his head. "And this is how you chose to do it? To bring me here, shove suffering in my face and... berate me?"

"I'm sorry."

Apollo said nothing. He turned and walked back toward the Earthers.

Zeus watched him for a moment as he tended to the sick. Finally, he walked across the field, up toward Megara. The citizens were still crowded there and an ambulance drove off the road and into the grass toward the _Pegasus_.

Zeus climbed into his dartship and he started it up. He was done for good this time. No more festivals. No more temple services. He would fly back to Olympus and stay there.

Alone.
**LXXV**

PYTHIA

1,591 Years Before the Final Exodus

"No, no, no," Ino said, walking around the desk and plopping back on the sofa.

"I don't understand what you want!" Pythia yelled. "I've been listening and writing for hours on end. About the Twelve Nations. The Thirteenth Tribe." She scoffed. "The Thirteenth Tribe. You blathered on for a while and I don't feel like you told me anything substantive. I mean, what does the Thirteenth Tribe have to do with the gods?"

Ino smirked, "You'd be surprised."

She ignored him and kept talking, "The Flood. Kobollian Utopia. I write down a few lines and you rant for no good reason!"

Ino rolled his eyes and thrust his open hand forward, stopping it quickly, "You just don't understand. One would think you had never read the Sacred Scrolls before."

"I have read them," Pythia said as she laid her head on the table.

"And are you certain you don't want to write this down on something better than crumpled papers?" Ino was looking over the oracle's shoulder. "Like parchment or a scroll or something?"

Pythia shook her head. "I can transcribe everything later. And a scroll is a bit presumptuous, don't you think?" She turned in her chair to look at her ex-fiancé. "Will you let me write?" Ino was always pushy. That time she left the Temple to run off with him? It was his idea and he was pushy then, too. He was no match for her parents or the elder oracles, though.

The finger in her mind was still there. The chamalla was wearing thin and the finger began to fade, but she still sensed it. The finger pointed at Ino. The finger was Ino.

"You're not writing like you've read the Scrolls. Where's the flair? The flowery language?" he said.

Pythia scoffed and looked at her desktop again, "I'm taking notes. I'll make it read pretty later!"

"There's more to writing this tripe than just putting down the facts." Ino stood again and paced toward the door. "By making it pop off the page, you add an air of irresistible poetry to it. And," he leaned on the desk, "it makes it more vague and therefore more open to interpretation."

Pythia looked up and asked softly, "Why is that a good thing?"

Ino shook his head and sat on the edge of the desk. "I'll explain prophecy later. Let's go back to your writing style for a moment."

"Ugh."

"For example, we know the Thirteenth Tribe went by the Lion's Head Nebula, right?"

"How should I know? That's what you said," Pythia mumbled.

"What did you write down for the Tribe's journey through the nebula?"

Pythia flipped through a couple of crumpled papers and found one. She slowly read the scribble with an audible murmur. "Um... 'The fleet passed by the Lion's Head Nebula on their journey to Earth.'"

"No, no." Ino held his hands aloft and looked at the ceiling, "It needs to be something like, 'The fleet was watched over by a great lion,'... there are pulsars in that nebula?"

"Again," she said, exasperated, "that's what you told me."

Ino nodded, "Here, 'The fleet was watched over by a great lion with a mighty blinking eye.' See?"

"Or," Pythia began, "instead of 'fleet,' how about, 'Caravan of the Heavens?'"

Ino slapped the papers, "You've got it!" Pythia began to rifle through the pages but Ino began to wave his hands, "Look, I can't stay here long enough for you to doll up every line. You can do that later."

"Didn't I just say that?"

Ino stood from the desk and walked back to the chair. "There is so much other ground to cover..."

Pythia tilted her head and rubbed her neck, "I feel like there's a huge piece of the puzzle we haven't gotten to yet. The real beginning."

Ino shook his head, "Maybe you don't need to know."

Pythia paused her self-massage. "What?"

"Other people have written about the... 'Lords' and 'Titans' ..."

At those words, the finger twitched. It made Pythia jump. Her mind ebbed and her head lolled back. She knew this was important. Did she feel the mind-finger when she had her visions as a child? She couldn't remember. But it was here now and it meant _something_.

"You know more than those stories," she said, "and no one really believes all of them anyway." Pythia wiped sweat from her brow. "Come on. You have to tell me."

Ino shook his head. "I'm not supposed to."

"What about my natural curiosity?" she pleaded. Pythia scratched her arms absent mindedly, a side effect of the chamalla.

Ino sighed, "No, I don't think you need to know."

END OF BOOK ONE
IN BOOK TWO: DESCENT...

He stood still for a moment, just looking. As he was about to leave, he heard footsteps on rocks to his left. Tenur turned and saw a woman. She was wearing dark clothing that clung to her body. Unusual objects were attached to her side and her hair was pulled back. In the moonlight, he saw that she was beautiful and she quietly walked toward him with a wide smile.

Tenur knew: this was one of the gods.

**ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS & CONTACTS**

First off, many thanks to Ronald D. Moore, David Eick and everyone else involved with _Battlestar Galactica_ and _Caprica_. Needless to say, their work is among the greatest ever produced for television and has been inspiring.

Thanks also to Bear McCreary and his gang of musicians. His soundtrack for _Galactica_ , while nearly nine and a half hours long, provided many weeks and months of enjoyment and mood setting. When rereading this book, there are some chapters I can't look over without hearing that iconic music.

Thanks also to the following authors and their books: _Athenaze: An Introduction to Ancient Greek_ (Maurice Balme & Gilbert Lawall), _Classical Myth_ (Barry Powell), The _Science of Battlestar Galactica_ (Patrick DiJusto & Kevin Grazier - thanks also to Kevin for occasionally answering my questions personally) and _Beyond Caprica: A Visitors Pocket Guide to the Twelve Colonies_ (Bob Harris).

Website-wise, several sites were very helpful, including the ancient Greek section of BehindTheName.com, the detailed maps available at NationMaster.com, Wikipedia.org, and BattlestarWiki.org.

Visit ety3rd.com for more books and information.

Want to contact me?

Email: ety3rd@ety3rd.com

Twitter: @ety3rd

Facebook: Facebook.com/ety3rd

Tumblr: ety3rd.tumblr.com

Blog: ety3rd.blogspot.com – This blog serves as a kind of "DVD Special Features" section for my books. You'll find art, stories about the writing of the novels and much more.
**OTHER BOOKS BY EDWARD T. YEATTS III:**

Lords of Kobol – Book One: Apotheosis

Lords of Kobol – Book Two: Descent

Lords of Kobol – Book Three: The Final Exodus

Lords of Kobol – Prelude: Of Gods and Titans

Displaced

Diary of a Second Life

8 Days

The Art of Death

Sexcalation

The Red Kick

