The Law of Volahd, Part 2
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| The Law of Volahd, Part 2 An issue of the Realm Press series. | ||
|---|---|---|
| Issue No. | 2 | |
| Writer(s) | James Kuhoric and Chris Scalf | |
| Penciller(s) | Chris Scalf | |
| Inker(s) | Chris Scalf | |
| Colorist(s) | Chris Scalf | |
| Letterer(s) | Tanja Scalf | |
| Editor(s) | ||
| Cover Artist(s) | Chris Scalf (front), Robert Scott (back) | |
| Adaptation of | ||
| Published | January 1998 | |
| Collects | ||
| Collected in | ||
| Reprints | ||
| Reprinted as | ||
| ISBN | [[Special:Booksources/|]] | |
| Population | {{{population}}} Survivors | |
| Chronology | ||
| Previous | Next | |
| The Law of Volahd, Part 1 | The Law of Volahd, Part 2 | Prison of Souls, Part 1 |
| Purchase | ||
| Available at BOOKSAMILLION.COM - Purchase | ||
| Available at Amazon.com – Purchase | ||
| Available at Amazon.co.uk – Purchase | ||
| Available at Things From Another World - Purchase | ||
Contents
Plot Synopsis
- Part 2 of 2. With the Acmarans sudden edict that the newly welcomed Warriors are evil, Apollo, Sheba, Starbuck and Boomer are forced to find a way out of Salis and off the planet. Meanwhile, Galactica discovers the origin and owner of the unidentified signal, much to their dismay.
Summary
Captured Squadron
- In the "city of perfect peace", Salis, Starbuck crumples up due to the energy from Taron's staff. Apollo screams at the Acmarans, angry that they lied about being a peaceful race.
- Taron espouses that they are, indeed, peaceful and will continue to be under Volahd's protection. He then notes Averna's aversion to the act she has witnessed. She doesn't understand the evil that they've done, which earns her a scathing retort from Taron, who says that they will obey the law of Volahd.
- On Galactica, a helmsman reports that the signal previously detected is increasing in strength. After unscrambling the signal, the helmsman identifies it as a Cylon code. Adama orders a meeting in the war room.
- In Salis, Starbuck kicks the force field of their cell with his "lucky boot". Apollo and Starbuck conjecture that the city is powered by cyranite, noting that energy from a cyranite source has to flow continuously from a source -- a source that, once disrupted, may be able to destroy the force field. Before the conversation can continue, guards take Sheba away.
- Meanwhile, Adama notes to a meeting of his officers and a civilian member that the basestar is traveling to their position at a rate of 289 kilons. In order to avoid detection from the oncoming basestar, Tigh suggests that the Fleet's captains move their ships into a moon cluster and power down engines and communications. Adama orders that the plan be implemented.
- Sheba is brought to Volahd's chamber. Taron asks for Volahd's command, while Sheba gazes upon something in horror.
- In the cell, Apollo is able to tell that Sheaba's in "big trouble" and is steely determined to escape. As they probe for a way out, Averna deactivates the force field and demands that they follow her quickly.
- Moments after they leave the cell, guards begin pursuing the escaped prisoners, Starbuck and Boomer running ahead of Apollo and Averna. Averna holds Apollo back from going to far ahead, thus preventing his capture as Starbuck and Boomer reach a dead end, where guards await them.
- Apollo asks Averna why she's helping them escape; Averna tells him that she will explain.
Discoveries
- Tigh reports that all ships in the Fleet have shutdown communications and scans, and also informs Adama that the baseship is heading directly toward the planet the patrol landed upon.
- On planet, Averna explains that her people once had "passion, self-expression and freedom" until Taron brought them Volahd, who Taron claimed would be the true god to protect them and bring perfect peace to the Acmarans. After establisihing himself, she explains that Taron began the "new life" process -- a process that Averna escaped, deceiving Taron and his people. They come across a room containing tanks, where Acmarans are being experimented upon.
- Apollo and Averna observe Sheba being brought to the room by two guards, mildly sedated as part of the preparation for Taron's experimentation. Apollo angrily intervenes, calling them "Filth! Murderous monsters!" After Averna dispatches one of Sheba's captors, Apollo revives Sheba.
- Starbuck and Boomer are brought before Volahd's chamber, the primary source for the energy feeding the force field. They discover that Volahd is an IL-series Cylon as Taron asks for his command.
- Volahd declares that they are to be exterminated immediately. As Centurions enter the chamber, Boomer and Starbuck tackle the Acmarans, relieve them of their staff weapons, and begin to dispatch the Cylons. Taron grabs Starbuck from behind, declaring that Volahd has spoken, and that Starbuck must die.
- Starbuck strikes Taron's face with the energized staff weapon, revealing that Taron is part machine. Taron angrily realizes that "the gift" is a lie, and that the "new life" is, in fact, a conversion towards a mechanized being. Incensed, Taron throws a Centurion's head into the energy column, disrupting the force field and striking down Taron in the process.
- Starbuck and Boomer flee, while the force field incites electrical activity. The Acmarans believe that Volahd is angry.
- In orbit, Volahd's basestar is cut off from the city, their scanners detecting that the force field is disrupted. Energy from the force field disables the control circuits of the basestar, causing them to lose orbit and descend upon the city.
Fleeing the Cylon tyranny
- Apollo and Sheba are lead to their fighters, which have been moved and surrounded by Cylon Raiders. A group of Centurions are guarding the area. With the Warriors unarmed, Sheba tells Apollo that they are in need of some kind of diversion.
- Apollo sees that Starbuck and Boomer are nearby, followed by a group of Centurions. Taking cover by a wall, Starbuck begins thinking of making a run to their Vipers, but Boomer notes that there's too many Centurions.
- Apollo makes use of the distraction to board a Viper, and unleashes the Viper's firepower on the approaching Centurion division.
- Averna and Sheba board a Viper, while Apollo yells for Boomer and Starbuck, noticing that the basestar is about to crash into the city.
- All four Vipers fly away from the city as the basestar crashes into Salis. The origin of the force field no longer existing, the Vipers make it to orbit and establish communication with Galactica.
- On Galactica, Adama is relieved to receive a message from his son, who asks for the fuel shuttles.
- The four Vipers land away from the city in the hills, consoling Averna, who now believes she is the last survivor of her race.
- Sheba begins seeing people coming from the hills: Acmarans. She was not the only one to escape the "new life" of the "great Volahd" and goes to meet them.
- Back on Galactica, Tigh reports that the fueling shuttles have begun operations, expecting enough fuel to get them "well into the next sector". With the present crisis over, Adama can now focus on their "guest" on the Prison Barge.
- On the barge, guards have heard that Baltar is to be set free. These guards vehemently disagree with the decision, with one of them claiming that "it's the last time Adama will lead us down the wrong path" and that Adama was conspiring with Baltar so that Adama would obtain power. The guard proclaims that it's time that someone else was placed in charge, and that they should trade their misery for justice.
Epilogue
- Somewhere deep in Cylon controlled space, Vulpa Six is brought before the Imperious Leader, who informs his master that the humans have destroyed Volahd's basestar as well as Salis. Imperious Leader declares that he is concerned and that the humans are too crafty to be allowed to exist much longer, as it may further endanger their cause.
- Vulpa Six reports that probes are tracking signals in the Sertis Quadrant; Imperious Leader orders that Vulpa Six take a baseship under his command to track the signals and find the rag-tag, fugitive fleet.
Notes
- Averna is the female Acmaran who is introduced in Part 1, telling the Warriors to wait while Taron communicates to Volahd, but is not given a name until this issue.
- Starbuck uses "Boom" as Boomer's nickname.
- A unit of measure, the kilon, is established as a measure of speed through space.
- The Cylons have been experimenting on other species, notably the Acmarans, in an attempt to create what appears to be a cyborg, or half-organic, half-mechanical construct.
- Vulpa was a Command Centurion seen only in "The Gun on Ice Planet Zero, Part I" and "II". Vulpa Six is apparently a successor of this Vulpa, sporting a different overall design, including subdued chrome coloring and a blue eye.
- Cyranite, like tylium, is a highly volatile energy source needed by Colonial ships.
Analysis
- Adama lives up to his side of the bargain and announces that Baltar is to be released. They have apparently found a hospitable planet for him to settle upon.
- The destruction of Volahd's basestar and the city of Salis, another "Cylon death trap", is strikingly similar to the events that lead to Carillon's destruction in "Saga of a Star World". Despite some minor differences, lying in the fact that the basestar collides with the city, many of the points remain the same: the Cylons are drawn to the planet, trapped by the electrical output caused by a disruption of a natural fuel source, and destroy both baseship and "death trap".
- The "natives" of the Fleet grow restless at Adama's leadership, a theme that occurs through the series, most notably in "Baltar's Escape", when control of the Fleet is given back to the Quorum of Twelve.
- Apparently, Lucifer is no longer in the picture, more than likely due to Baltar's surrender to the humans in "War of the Gods, Part I".
Questions
- How far-reaching is the Cylons' influence in the universe?
- How long have the Cylons been experimenting on the Acmarans?
- Where is Baltar to be marooned?
- How will the guards thwart Adama's plan to release Baltar?
- Why were the Cylons wanting to experiment on cybernetic implants?
- What of Lucifer?
Noteworthy Dialogue
- Guards on the Prison Barge discuss Adama's freeing Baltar:
- Guard 1: It's just as we've heard it ... they're gonna set him free!
- Guard 2: They can't do that! He is the reason our homes -- our families are gone!
- Guard 3: It's the last time Adama will lead us down the wrong path, he was probably conspiring with the scum Baltar so he would be in charge! It's time someone else took control. It's time we got something other than misery -- it's time for justice!
Official Statements
- Chris Scalf discusses not being able to use the likenesses of the actors who portrayed the characters in the Original Series:
- You [Henry R. Kujawa] are correct in believing that our licensing agreement with Universal does not allow us use of the actor's likenesses. I tried to find models that resemble the original actors enough to capture the character, but not enough for the original actor or Universal Studios to mind.
