Caprica: The Shape of Things to Come (A Caprica Fan-Fiction)

Chapter 2: The Chome Fedora

Sagittaron: 3 Years Ago

Clarice Willow found herself in a dark room with a single light, like a blank space in V-world. As Clarice looked around, she realized she wasn’t alone. A group of Cylons surrounded her. In the group were Cylons of all colours and models. As Clarice turned on the spot, taking in the full group around her, the Cylons were slowly replaced by people she knew, and there were multiples of each person. Clarice recognized six of Zoe Graystone, two of Ben Stark, seven of Daniel Graystone, eight of a girl Clarice recognized as one of the Avenging Angels from New Cap City, four Cylon Centurions, and five civilian, I-L model,  Cylons.

“Welcome Clarice,” one of the Zoe’s said.

“What is this?” Clarice asked.

“This is the shape of things to come.”

“And you will make it happen,” one of the Ben’s said stepping forward.

“Humanity’s children will rebel,” said a copy of the girl whose name Clarice didn’t know.

“They will evolve,” one of the Daniels said. Clarice now saw the silhouette of someone she couldn’t make out.

“And most importantly,” the silhouette said, “we have a plan.”

“But first,” Zoe said pulling a gun on Clarice, “you have to wake up.” The gun went off and Clarice found herself lying in a pool of sweat.

Clarice sat up in cot she was sleeping on and looked around the STO safe house on Sagittaron that she was living in.

Clarice had been on the run since the failure of her plans for Apotheosis. The Monotheist Church had seen fit to completely disband the STO. Clarice had gone into exile, trying to find something to devote her life towards. The words Zoe had said and the sight of the virtual heaven being destroyed had haunted Clarice’s thoughts for the past two years, but recently she had been having strange dreams that didn’t seem to make sense.

Clarice looked over at the bed side table and saw that a message had been sent to her E-sheet. The message wasn’t what grabbed Clarice’s attention, it was the handwriting. Most people just typed messages through E-sheets, but this person had seen fit to handwrite the message. Clarice recognized the handwriting from her time at the Athena Academy as Zoe Graystone’s. The message simply said “Meet me here”. Clarice had been dreading and hoping for this day since she had gone into exile.

Clarice hesitantly put on her holoband. She looked around at her surroundings. She was in a darkly lit cathedral.

“Zoe,” Clarice called into the dark. For a few minutes, she was met with absolute silence.

“No,” she heard a male voice call out at last, “I’m not Zoe. I knew forging her handwriting would bring you out of hiding.” The voice was calm and cold and came out as a low rumble. Clarice saw a pair of glowing red eyes in the dark.

“Who are you?” Clarice asked.

“No, I can’t tell you my real name, but for the purpose of our meetings, you may call me Hades.”

“Can you at least show your face?”

“Hold on. The sun should be up soon, then we’ll have a bit of light.” The first few rays of sunlight began to shine through the stained glass windows of the cathedral. The first thing Clarice saw of Hades was a chrome plated, metal, fedora. The light gleamed off of it and almost blinded Clarice. The light spread over him until she could finally see who she was speaking to.

Hades was a pale, thin, man in his thirties with a mop of jet-black hair. He wore a black suit with gold pin striping, a black shirt, and a white tie that almost seemed to glow. He also wore a green pin in the shape of two coaxial pentagons on his lapel and held a cane that was gunmetal grey with a pentagonal top that tapered down to a round bottom and had a black ribbed pattern running down its length. Clarice found herself somewhat disturbed by his face. On the left side of Hades’ face was a scar that covered most of his left eyebrow and curving around his eye and down his cheek before splitting in two, creating the appearance of an upside down letter “Y”.