tation and I could have stopped Boomer from ever leaving that
area and he never would have gone to the Officers Club."
Salik stared at her for an instant with no change in expression.
When he spoke, his tone was as gentle as it could be.
"Boomer talked you out of it, didn't he?"
"Yes." she nodded.
"And he wasn't showing signs like Jolly was, and he fed you the
line about going through Decon procedures?"
"Yes."
"Then don't be too hard on yourself."  He put his hand on her
shoulder again.  "You made an error in judgment, but it was an
understandable error, just like Boomer's error was understandable.
If he were showing symptoms at that particular micron the both of
you wouldn't have hesitated to act as you should have.   It was
just a cruel trick of fate that the disease hadn't yet hit him
then."
"But the bottom line Doctor, is that I should have known better.
How can I ever be a responsible med-tech if I----"
"Cassiopeia," his voice took on an almost parental air.  "You've
had to learn a pai       Battlestar Galactica: Lost Planet Of The Gods 
                        Prelude 

   It seemed like an eternity to Baltar since Imperious Leader had ordered 
him removed from the Leader's chambers to await eventual execution.  So great 
was his fury and rage that the traitor's mind had scarcely taken note of his 
being transported in a shuttle to one of the other basestars, where he'd been 
tossed into one of their cold, dark prison cells. 
   The only thought that filled his mind was a desire for revenge against the 
Cylons.  A desire to make the Imperious Leader learn to regret the 
consequences of double-crossing him. 
   There was almost nothing for him to do in the cold cell except huddle in a 
corner and let his mind run amuck with fantasies of how he could pull his 
desire for revenge off.  To make the Cylons pay for double-crossing him and 
destroying all his dreams of wealth, power and glory. 
   Only briefly, did he stop to think of his people on Piscera, and his wife, 
Ayesha.nful lesson, but you aren't the first person in
the medical profession, be it a med-tech or a doctor, who's gone
through something like that.   No one's died because of this, and
if we are able to isolate this virus and find a cure then this
will be something you need not ever worry about again."  He took a
breath.  "But even if that doesn't happen, I don't want you to
beat yourself over this.   And I don't want to see you develop any
second thoughts about being a part of this staff.   In just one
sectar, you've shown more natural ability than any med-tech
trainee I've ever worked with.   I think you've got the potential
to go a long ways in the medical profession, Cassiopeia."
For the first time, Cassiopeia felt some of the depression inside
her ease a bit.   Since she'd joined the staff just after the
escape from Carillon, she'd found Salik to be a magnificent
teacher, mentor and father-figure to her.   The first person since
the death of her father ten yahrens before, who could provide that
  How they had died as a result of his actions, and because he had 
foolishly trusted the Cylons to keep their word.  It didn't take him long to 
realize that thinking of them was too much for his psyche to bear.  It only 
served to make him feel guilty and bring home the shame of his actions to his 
tortured soul. 
   It's a sign of weakness to think of them, he thought.  Don't think of them 
at all.  Forget them.  Think only of revenge.  Revenge.   
   Especially since he knew that if Ayesha were alive and able to speak to 
him now, her first instinct would be to spit in his face and express nothing 
but hatred for him.  No amounts of pleas about how he'd done it for her, and 
wanted to make her a queen of all humanity would have done any good with her. 
 For all of her ambition and greed, this was one idea she never would have 
contemplated.  He'd known that.  That was why he'd never summoned the nerve 
to tell her about it in advance. 
   Already, he'd had one nightmare of seeing Ayesha lyin
kind of role to her.   If Salik was convinced that she could still
make it as a med-tech, then there was indeed no reason for her to
keep brooding about the events that had just happened.   She
needed to get back to her job immediately and do all she could to
help.
"Thank you, Doctor," she smiled and then assumed a business-like
posture.  "I'm ready to get back to work now."
He gave her another smile of encouragement and they walked back
over to the row of life support chambers.   She looked down at the
one that held Greenbean, and consulted the readouts.
"Doctor, his life readings are going critical."
"This pattern's going to repeat itself with all of them," Salik
grunted.   "Cassiopeia, lower the cryo-temps on every support
chamber to minus 7.2.   That's as low as it can go for the body to
keep functioning, but at least it'll buy us the maximum time in
terms of the virus' ability to spread through them."
"That gives us about two sectans at best before their bodies can't
take the cryo-freezg in the gutter of a 
prison cell next to him with a look of pure, cold emotionless hate on her 
once-beautiful but now battered face.  He couldn't bear to think of her any 
longer, because he knew it would mean more nightmares and more guilt. 
   And so he had rechanneled all of his emotions to the single-minded goal of 
achieving revenge against the Cylons.  It was the only thing that literally 
kept him alive as the cold, dark days of isolation progressed in his cell.   
Only twice a day was a small container of water shoved inside the door, with 
no food provided at all. 
   Finally, on the eighth day, his cell door at last opened and two 
centurions promptly dragged him out without saying a word to him. 
   As he felt their powerful mechanical arms drag him down the corridors of 
the basestar, a sense of inevitability about his fate began to take hold.   
Like a frightened child, he began to sob hysterically as his mind easily 
pictured the sight of a centurion holding the long blade of a be process any longer."
"I know," the Chief Medical Officer nodded.   "Let's just pray to
God that we find the cure long before then."
"Sir?" Med-tech Nestor came up to them.  "Commander Adama requests
an update on the situation.   He's in his quarters."
"I'll give him the blunt truth."  Salik went over to the nearby
videocom unit.


Since he had returned to his quarters, Adama had spent most of the
time consulting his copy of the Book of the Word, the chief
collection of holy writings in Colonial religion.    He had always
found it to be the greatest source of inspiration and comfort to
him during times of crisis.   Now, he needed to search it for a
potential answer to a question that had formed in his mind the
instant Apollo and Starbuck had mentioned the strange report of a
vast magnetic void.   If he could find the answer, then maybe, for
the first time since their flight from the Colonies had begun more
than a sectar ago, an answer to the question of where their final
destination lay coattle sword 
above his neck.  And then bringing it down in full fury to separate Baltar's 
head from his shoulders. 
   The centurions herded him into a familiar looking room.  Baltar barely 
took an instant to glance up and see the sight of Imperious Leader perched on 
his throne. 
   Finally, the centurions let go of him and Baltar collapsed to the floor. 
   "You are Baltar?" the Leader spoke in a courteous tone of voice. 
   Baltar felt like laughing.  Only a sectan and he's forgotten already?     
   "As though you didn't remember, Your Eminence!" he placed a heavy amount 
of sarcasm on the title as he slowly came up to a kneeling position. 
   There was a brief pause before the Cylon ruler spoke. 
   "It would seem that my predecessor has left me with a difficult choice." 
   Baltar forced himself to look up at the throne and felt his inner hysteria 
give way to befuddlement. 
   "Your....predecessor?" 
   "Was destroyed by your peers at Carillon," the Leader sighed, "A victim of 
the huld be found.
But as he searched through the Book of the Word, trying to find
the relevant passage, he found that the more immediate problem of
the strange illness that had struck down the entire complement of
Blue Squadron deserved more attention.   For if that problem could
not be addressed quickly, then the other question would become
irrelevant for all eternity.   And so, instead of looking for the
answer to the first question, he spent his time re-reading the
more familiar passages that dealt with Divine reassurance and
guidance during times of crisis and tragedy.   They had helped him
get through the Holocaust, and now he needed them again to help
him through this crisis.
A centar had gone by with no news from the Life Station about the
pilots, so he shut off his computer text of the Holy Book and
decided it was time to get some answers.
The instant he saw Salik's face on the videocom screen, he got
straight to the point.
"Dr. Salik," he said bluntly, "What is the status of Blue
Squadruman desire to live." 
   Bewilderment went through Baltar.  Imperious Leader dead.  The object of 
all his hatred gone forever. 
   If he were to have any chance at all, Baltar realized that the last thing 
he needed to do was antagonize this new leader. 
   "I, I tried to warn him!" Baltar said with deference, "I...I could have 
prevented him from----" 
   "So it would seem," the Leader said as if in resignation.  He then gazed 
down at the traitor, "Since the task of ruling the Empire fell to me, I have 
spent much time examining your epistle Baltar.  In light of the fact that the 
humans have been able to escape from our detection, perhaps it is possible 
that you could help lead us to them." 
   Baltar slowly got to his feet as he felt a sense of incredulity that this 
turn of events was taking place. 
   "Why, why yes!" he smiled, "Yes Imperious Leader, that is true.  I, I 
think as they do.  I, I know where they will go and what they must do." 
   "I find your reasoning quite logical," on."
Salik shook his head, "I don't have any good news to report,
Commander.   The disease has spread through all of the men who
were at that party, and in the two Ground Crew workers who
serviced Boomer and Jolly's vipers after they landed.
Fortunately they didn't come into contact with anyone else so the
only good news I suppose I can report is that we've contained the
disease from spreading any further in the Galactica."
"But what about the men who are infected, Doctor?" Adama's voice
rose.  "That's the more urgent matter now."
"I'm sorry, Commander.  I can't isolate the virus yet.   This is a
strain that doesn't match anything in the annals of Colonial
medicine.   We need to go through more than fifty thousand major
bacteria strians just to look for any similarities we can start
with, and even with med-techs working the computers round the
clock, Kobol only knows how long that would take."  He paused.
"For now, all I can do is put every one who's been infected in
cryogenic suspension, whithe Cylon ruler said, "At this very 
micron, circumstances have forced me to disperse much of our Fleet across the 
reaches of the galaxy and I have been less than pleased with the lack of 
progress from my commanders.  Perhaps it is possible that they lack the 
necessary qualities of leadership needed to locate them, that you alone might 
possess." 
   The traitor felt a relieved smile come over his face, "Then...I am to be--" 
   "Spared." Imperious Leader finished the sentence for him. 
   Baltar felt the surge of relief coursing through him to the point where he 
felt as though he'd been reborn. 
   "To serve the Empire!" he said boldly. 
   "Indeed," the Leader nodded, "I shall place you under command of this very 
basestar.  The affairs of running the Empire are so great that I have no 
intention of being as rash as my predecessor was, and searching for the 
Galactica myself.  The entire complement of centurions aboard this ship will 
be completely at your disposal." 
   At that instant,ch will at least buy us some time to look
for a cure.   But if we can't find it soon, then not even cryo-
freeze will save their lives."
Adama found it amazing at how blunt and to the point Salik was.
A total contrast from his predecessor as Chief Medical Officer of
the Galactica, Dr. Paye, who had been among the casualties of the
Ovions at Carillon.   Whereas Paye tended to dance around bad news
with a lot of long-winded prefaces and qualifications, Salik
believed in cutting through the felgercarb in an instant.
"Doctor," Adama's tone grew more grave, "You understand the
significance of these men, don't you?   They represent more than
half the fighting force that we need to defend this Fleet against
Cylon attack.   Without them, our defenses become weakened to an
almost totally unacceptable level!"
Salik sighed with sadness, "I understand all that, Commander.  But
I'm afraid that's your problem to deal with.  Mine is just keeping
them alive."
An uneasy silence now filled the air that lasted  the doors behind them opened and an IL Cylon entered the 
room. 
   "Lucifer," the Cylon ruler spoke, "Take Baltar down to the lower levels 
and provide him with some sustenance and fresh clothing.  See to it that he 
is fully briefed on the situation.  I shall be leaving to begin my return to 
Cylon within a centar." 
   "By your command, Your Eminence," the IL called Lucifer bowed and came 
alongside Baltar, "If you will accompany me, Count Baltar?" 
   With some trepidation, Baltar began to follow Lucifer out of the throne 
room. 
   "It will be a pleasure to work with you, Baltar," Lucifer said as they 
entered the outer corridor, "This should prove to be a most fascinating and 
rewarding experience." 
   "Indeed," the traitor managed to nod. 
   Incredible, Baltar thought to himself.  This is exactly the turn of events 
I've been hoping for.  I now have a chance to extract my revenge against 
these demons. 
   If he had any hope of making his fantasy a reality though, then two things 
for nearly a half
centon.
"By your leave, sir?" Salik gently asked.  "I really must get back
to my duties."
"Yes, yes." Adama nodded.  "Stay with it, Salik.  Give me updates
every centar no matter what you find or don't find."
The commander then shut off the videocom and warily rubbed his
temples.   He cast a glance at the holopicture of his wife Ila on
the edge of his desk that he'd finally found the strength to take
out of storage recently, and once again yearned for the comfort
and strength she had always been able to provide him.
Knowing that he needed to take charge of the situation, he then
contacted the Bridge.
"Omega," he said.  "I want the complete data on all Colonial
Service personnel in this Fleet with any flight experience sent up
to me immediately."



Chapter Five

Apollo and Starbuck had parted company after leaving the Bridge,
as both found themselves unable to talk now that the nightmare
scenario of their entire squadron struck down by illness was
confronting them.   needed to happen.  He needed to first do just what the Cylon ruler wanted him 
to do, and locate the Battlestar Galactica and her rag-tag fleet of survivors. 
   And once he had accomplished that, it would be a matter of finding the 
right opportunity to make contact with Commander Adama and put his plan of 
achieving revenge against the Cylons into effect. 
   Provided that Adama was willing to take the risk of trusting him again. 


             Prologue: From The Adama Journals 

  One sectar has passed since our escape from the deathtrap at Carillon.   It 
has been by far the longest sectar in the lives of all of us, who now 
comprise this ragtag fleet of 70,000 wandering souls crammed into 220 odd 
ships, searching for a distant dream located on a planet known to us only 
from ancient writings.   A dream that I have had to work with all my strength 
to make them believe in, so that the spark of hope can still burn within 
their souls.   Without that spark of hope, we set ourselves up for The brash lieutenant headed immediately for
the Life Station for a closer look at how his fellow pilots were
doing, while Apollo decided that the only way he could get his
mind off what had happened was to go see Serina.
He reached the compartment door that lead to the quarters Serina
shared with Boxey.   They were not that spacious, with one room
for bunk space and a second room with a turbo-dispenser, and
Apollo reminded himself that at some point he and Serina needed to
look at the possibility of finding quarters elsewhere on the
Galactica that would provide just a bit more space that was needed
for a married couple with a child.   It would not be an easy
request since space was already at a premium aboard the
battlestar, but one thing Apollo wasn't going to stand for were
quarters that offered only space for a bunk set-up where Boxey
would have to sleep in the same room.   At the very least some
concession to a married couple so they could have a modicum of
privacy had to be allowed.    Evpotential 
disillusionment, willing to reach out for a quick and easy solution to our 
problem, just as we nearly did at Carillon, and in the end risk the 
destruction of all that remains of what was once the greatest, noblest 
civilization in the known universe. 
  After one sectar, I have the feeling that the spark does exist within our 
people.   We seem to have come to terms with the sad fact that the life we 
all knew in the Colonies is gone and lost to us forever.   That there can 
never be any recovery of the things we took for granted in our lives that 
came as a result of living in a prosperous society where good food and luxury 
items had become the norm for almost all of us.   That all of us must learn 
to accept the loss of homes, land, friends and loved ones, and do what we can 
to help us all survive for the future.    So that on the day when we or our 
descendants locate this elusive Thirteenth tribe of humanity on a planet 
called Earth, it will be because of hard work and sacrifen if it meant moving off the
Galactica altogether to quarters aboard a passenger freighter,
Apollo was determined that he and Serina get the space they
needed.
When he opened the compartment door he saw that Boxey was playing
with his robot daggit Muffit Two.   Apollo had gotten the somewhat
eccentric Electronics Scientist Dr. Wilker to build the robot as a
replacement for Boxey's daggit that had been lost during the Cylon
attack on Caprica City.   The instant the robot had been presented
to Boxey, the little boy had immediately fallen in love with his
new pet and was soon inseparable from it.  So much so, that it had
almost put his life in jeopardy when Boxey had gone after his
wandering daggit on Carillon and came within microns of being
struck down by a Cylon centurion when the turbo-lift he had been
riding had gone down to the bottom of the mine shaft levels of
Carillon.   Apollo still considered it a miracle that he and
Starbuck had been in the corridor investigating at the time and
beeice. 
  Nothing gives me greater relief than to see that both my remaining children 
have in their own way, been able to move on from the tragedy of losing their 
mother and Zac, and are keeping that forward vision all of us need.   In 
Apollo's case, it's been easier for him in that for the first time in his 
life, after seven yahrens of shy aloofness, he's genuinely fallen in love 
with a woman and it's become serious.   With Serina, the former news reporter 
for Caprica's BNC network.   I've at least had the privilege of knowing her 
for several yahrens through the interviews she'd done with me, so I know 
firsthand that Apollo's found a fine woman for himself.   It almost seems 
clear to me and everyone else who knows them that an engagement announcement 
is all but imminent.   And it wouldn't surprise me if this dinner party in my 
quarters this evening that's been arranged, is to be the occasion for that. 
  If a sealing between Apollo and Serina does come to pass, not only would I 
be oven able to save Boxey's life.
In the wake of the Carillon experience, both Apollo and Serina had
worried that Boxey might show signs of emotional scars and trauma
after all he'd been through.   Living through the fiery
destruction of Caprica City all around him.   Losing all his
friends, which included his primary class schoolmates and a kindly
old woman named Thalia who'd lived next door to Serina, and who'd
always been known as "Auntie" to him.   And then the Carillon
experience of escaping a brush with death and then seeing with his
own eyes the horrifying results of what the Ovions had done to so
many of the human visitors to Carillon.
Yet amazingly, Boxey seemed to show more resilience then either
Apollo or Serina could have expected.   Within a day after the
Galactica had put Carillon behind them, Boxey was already back to
his usual precocious self and showed no signs of being scarred by
any of the traumas he'd been through.   Maybe it was the fact that
he knew he had such a tight circle rjoyed by the thought of gaining a daughter, but a grandson as well.    
Serina's son Boxey is truly a joy.   His sense of precociousness reminds me 
so much of Apollo when he was a boy. 
  And so, these hopeful developments with Apollo and Serina have done much to 
ease the inner pain within me following the deaths of both Ila and Zac.   
Dimmed now to the point where the only death I still feel a sense of great 
loss over is not that of my wife or my youngest child, but that of Commander 
Fairfax.   I will forever be haunted by the unanswerable question of whether 
or not his suicide hit on the basestar at Carillon was the key to its 
destruction.   Never to know if the great commander of the Battlestar 
Columbia was sacrificing himself for the good of the Fleet, or throwing his 
life away because he saw no future for himself in a life where he could never 
command a battlestar again.   And if it were the latter, does partial 
responsibility then rest with me for not having done a better job ofof new friends to count on that
had helped.   Especially the thought that he was about to gain for
the first time in his life, a real father.   It was one thing he'd
never had at any time in his life since his natural father had
been a university classmate of Serina's, who'd panicked and
disappeared after a night of misguided drunken passion had left
Serina pregnant and determined to keep her baby.  So bitter was
Serina about the experience that she refused to tell Apollo what
his name was.   It was as if she didn't want Apollo to ever get
the idea of making a check to see if Boxey's natural fath But
Serina never would have had to worry about Apollo checking up on a
matter like that.   Over the last sectar he'd built up a close
relationship with Boxey to the point where he wanted Boxey to
regard him as his true father for all time once Apollo became
sealed to Serina.   When that happened, the fact that Boxey wasn't
his son by blood would be totally irrelevant.  Indeed, Colonial
law was quite e taking 
him into my confidence during that time at Carillon? 
  I suppose the reason why I still feel the loss of Fairfax so much is 
because he was the only person left in this Fleet who was truly a peer of 
mine.   An equal who held the same responsibilities I did at the time of the 
Holocaust.   That isn't true of anyone left now, and I find myself missing 
the counsel of someone unafraid to speak their mind and doing it in a voice I 
could instinctively respect.   Fairfax was like that.   So was the late 
Commander Cain.   Lords, how I wish there could have been just one man like 
that left among us.   If anything, the burden that now rests on me as the 
leader of the Fleet wouldn't seem so....total.   And at this time, what 
really makes the burden seem so total is that I have this Fleet of 70,000 
headed toward something that even if real, I have no conception of what the 
right direction is.   All I can be certain is that it lies far beyond the 
reaches of charted space to us.   If therexplicit on that point.   Ancient tradition going
back many thousands of yahrens stipulated that any child of an
unmarried woman or widow automatically became the son of whoever
his mother happened to marry in the fullest legal sense of the
term.   Only if the mother was divorced and then remarried did the
new husband become regarded as a "stepfather" only.
Apollo noticed that Boxey was pointing his finger at Muffit, as
though he were mimicing a warrior about to fire a laser pistol.
He then cocked his finger and said, "Zap!" three times and then
Muffit, who had been standing on his hind feet abruptly dropped to
the floor.
"Pretty good aim."  Apollo grinned.
The six yahren old child looked up and smiled wide.  "Apollo!"
"How've you been?" he reached down and lifted him up.
"Great.  Muffit's helping me learn how to be a warrior."
"You're doing a good job, Muffit," Apollo looked down at the
daggit then lifted Boxey up to his eye level again.  "Your mom
in?"
"Yeah, she's ah...." abruptly, the lit is any hope of finding a clue to 
the direction the Thirteenth tribe took to Earth, it will only come once the 
stars cease to be familiar to us, and the planets we pass no longer have any 
names known to us.  Right now, we are still a long ways from that. 
  My faith in the wisdom of our course is secure even in the absence of a 
definite sign.   But even so, I pray for one with all my strength just the 
same. 


 Chapter One 

   "You sure he's going to be there?" the unease in Boomer's voice was easily 
discernible. 
   Starbuck let out a reassuring laugh as he guided the shuttle toward the 
distant outline of the luxury ship Rising Star.   "Boomer, that's only the 
tenth time you've asked me that question since we left the Galactica.   Of 
course he's going to be there.  Helton owes me a big favor and what a better 
way for him to make good on his debt than by getting us a whole case of 
ambrosia." 
   "How did this guy end up owing you a favor like that?" Boomer still 
couldn't belietle boy went silent.
"Hey, what's this?  Secrets?"  Apollo's grin took on a sly edge.
"What's she doing?"
Boxey remained silent.
"I'll bet I know what it is.   She's trying on her sealing gown,
right?   And I'm not supposed to see."
The little boy shrugged, "Sort of."
"Apollo?" Serina's voice sounded from the next room.  "I'll be
right out.   Just give me another micron."
Apollo walked over to the compartment door that led to the next
room, still carrying Boxey.  "Don't worry.  I've never believed in
that old Gemonese superstition about bad luck to see a bride
before the sealing ceremony."
The door then slid open and Apollo froze in disbelief when he saw
Serina step out, wearing not her sealing gown, but the tan tunic
of a Colonial warrior.
"Flight Corporal Serina reporting for duty, Captain."  Serina
smiled and gave a brisk military salute.   Inside though, she was
churning with anxiety, hoping at least that some disarming humor
and Boxey's presence would be enough to soften the blow Apollve that he was now at this moment engaging in what amounted to 
a smuggling action that could lead to severe consequences if it were ever 
discovered by anyone in authority. 
   "Because he made the mistake of hovering with a three-quarters Pyramid and 
raising a thousand cubits that he didn't have," Starbuck smirked.  "So 
naturally, he had to come up with the most appropriate alternative to cash in 
order to settle his debt with me." 
    The dark-skinned warrior eyed him with disgust.   "Knowing you, I'll bet 
you had a loaded deck at the time." 
    "Aw, c'mon Boomer.   Once in a while the fates do reward a master player 
such as me." 
    "I'll believe that only when I see it."  He looked out and could see the 
Rising Star growing more distinct.  "Anyway, are you really sure that we're 
going to be needing that whole case tomorrow?" 
    "I'm sure," Starbuck's tone grew serious.   "As soon as Apollo told me 
there was going to be this intimate little dinner in Adama's quarters 
tonight, ao had
to be feeling at that instant.
Apollo slowly lowered Boxey and stared at her further, his air of
disbelief only deepening.
"Is this some kind of a joke, Serina?"
"No," she shook her head.  "You're now looking at a fully
qualified shuttle pilot who just completed her first solo training
flight this morning."
Her fiancee dazedly shook his head, as though he thought he might
snap himself out of a dream.  "When did you find the time to do
something like that?"
"What do you think I've been doing these last two sectans when you
and I weren't seeing much of each other?" Serina answered.  "I've
been in shuttle training the whole time."
"I see," Apollo said blankly.   He then looked down at Boxey,
"Uh...Boxey, can you excuse us for a couple centons?   Your mother
and I need to talk alone."
"Sure," the little boy nodded and walked away from them, calling
over to his pet, "Come on Muffit, they're going to argue."
"We are not going to argue!" Serina bristled slightly as she
glared at her son.
Jll I needed to do was quietly bribe Boxey with a mushie to confirm 
it.   He's proposed to Serina, and tonight's the night they announce it to 
the family." 
    For the first time, a smile came over Boomer's voice.   "Lucky you that 
they consider you as family." 
    Starbuck glanced at his friend and then felt slightly uncomfortable.    
"Oh....well, I don't think they're slighting you Boomer, but ahh....." 
    "Forget it," Boomer waved his hand.   "You and Apollo have always had 
that kind of certain.....togetherness.   I'm not about to be jealous over a 
thing like that."  He paused, "Of course, being serious with Athena for so 
long hasn't hurt either." 
    The blonde warrior avoided looking at him.   "Yeah...., although Athena 
and I haven't been as serious as we used to be." 
    "Oh?" Boomer raised an eyebrow.  "Since when?" 
    "Since just after the Holocaust."  Starbuck decided it was time to be 
candid with someone about that.   Boomer was by far the best person to do 
that withust as the doors to the compartment opened and Boxey and Muffit
exited, they were able to hear him say just before the doors shut,
"Yes they are."
"Yes we are," Apollo said quietly, but without disguising the
anger he now felt.   "What in Hades do you think you're doing with
this?"
"Something I need to do, Apollo."  His fiancee matched his tome.
"Something to give my life a sense of purpose."
"Serina, you can't be serious!" Apollo now raised his voice.
"You're the most famous journalist in all the Colonies, and the
Fleet's about to set up an information service that you'd be
perfect for!   Why would you turn your back on something like
that?"
"Because I don't want to be a journalist anymore, Apollo." Serina
said.  "We don't live in a society anymore where journalists can
be productive people going around and ferreting out information
that the people have a right to now.   We're now living in a
closed society where the military has to keep everything under
tight control in the name of surviva, since he wasn't sure he could ever level with Apollo about the 
reasons why his relationship with Apollo's sister had suddenly become more 
strained.   "We.... had a long talk that.....didn't go well.   It's not that 
I'd say we're now a dead item, it's just that....well it's not what it used 
to be anymore." 
    "I see," Boomer nodded and then snapped his fingers.   "Does a certain 
socialator you met on the Gemonese freighter have anything to do with that 
too?" 
    "She's not a socialator anymore!" Starbuck suddenly whipped his head 
around and glared at him.    Boomer was taken aback to see his friend's 
nostrils almost flaring with anger.    
    In an instant though, Starbuck quickly shook his head as though he were 
trying to shake off all the sudden anger he'd just felt.   "I mean....that 
is, she's not...." he then cleared his throat.   "Uh, Cassiopeia's got a new 
job.   She joined Dr. Salik's staff as a new med-tech a couple sectans ago." 
    "Oh," Boomer said, still amazed at hl and security.   Whatever
broadcast network the Fleet sets up is good enough for empty-
headed anchors like Zara and Zed, but not for me.   I need to feel
like I'm making a diference, and the only way I can do that is to
do something a lot more meaningful then reading off pre-screened
releases from a military censor."
"So you go off and enlist in the service and take a shuttle
training course without so much as telling me about it?" Apollo's
nostrils flared.
"I knew you would have raised questions about it, then," she held
her ground.   "I wanted to go through the training without any
outside pressure from you to see if I could hack it.   If I found
out I had no aptitude for it and washed out, then that way I could
forget the whole thing with a clear conscience and never tell you
about it.   But now I'm telling you about it because I've found
this is something I'm good at."
"Serina, a shuttle pilot's life is too dangerous.   I won't let
you do it."
"You don't have any choice in the matter, ow the comment had struck such a 
nerve with Starbuck.   That automatically told him that Starbuck's newfound 
interest in the stunningly beautiful blonde woman named Cassiopeia was not a 
mere diversion from Starbuck's standpoint.   "I see, well that's good.   I 
know the staff's still trying to recover from losing Dr. Paye at Carillon.    
They can use all the help they can get." 
    "Yeah," Starbuck nodded then glanced apologetically at Boomer, "Sorry, 
Boomer, I...." 
    "Forget it," his friend waved his hand disarmingly.  "This isn't the 
first time I've seen you in this position, Bucko." 
    "I know," Starbuck admitted as he drew the shuttle into a final approach 
to the Rising Star.  "But I don't think it's quite the same as when I was 
juggling Aurora and Athena.   It's just that Cassiopeia seems so....different 
from either of them." 
    "So already you're leaning more toward her?" 
    "Hey, I didn't say that." he cautioned.  "I mean, I haven't made any kind 
of decision and don'Apollo," Serina shot
back, wondering inside whether something catastrophic that she
hadn't anticipated was brewing.
"Serina, we're about to get married!"
"What has that got to do with anything?" her bewilderment
deepened.   "You should be used to this.   Your own sister's a
shuttle pilot too!   All I'd be doing is the same kind of work
she's trained for."
"Athena's my sister!   Not my wife to be!"  Apollo waved his arm
angrily.
Serina had now reached a breaking point inside.   She had expected
Apollo to not be too enthusiastic initially.   She had even
expected some momentary displeasure with her for keeping the news
of her training secret.   But now, Apollo was going too far from
her standpoint.
"Well if that's what it comes down to, we can take care of that in
an instant, can't we?" she then turned away from him and came
within an inch of opening the door to the next compartment, but
then stopped, keeping her head down and her arms folded.
A few microns later, she felt Apollo's hand toucht intend to.  Not now at least." 
    "Of course," Boomer noted dryly, "That wouldn't be standard procedure for 
you." 
    "Not like Apollo," Starbuck then deftly changed the subject.  "Apollo 
thinks he needs to cope with all that's happened in the last sectar by 
reaching out for the first opportunity to come his way.   That's why he and 
Serina are making their announcement tonight." 
     Boomer decided not to comment on Starbuck's changing of the subject.   
"You're not putting him down for that, are you?" 
     "Me?" he looked at him in surprise, "Why should I do that?"  He then 
quickly pressed his communicator.  "Rising Star control, this is Galactica 
Alpha 2 Shuttle requesting immediate landing clearance in Cargo Bay #2." 
     "Affirmative Galactica shuttle.   Cleared to land in Cargo Bay #2." 
     "I don't know," Boomer resumed the conversation.  "I'm sort of getting 
the impression that you're a bit lukewarm to the idea of Apollo getting 
sealed." 
    "Hey, I wouldn't put it thing her shoulder.
When she turned around, the anger was gone from his face,
indicating that her words had made a sobering impact on him.
"Serina," his voice was now gentle and tender.  "I love you.
Don't you understand that I just don't want anything to happen to
you?"
His fiancee bit her lip slightly, "Don't you think I feel the same
way when it comes to you and your career, Apollo?   You're a viper
pilot who has to go off into combat on a micron's notice.   But
when I accepted your proposal, I was willing to let myself live
with that fear for the rest of my life because I love you so much.
Why isn't it easy for you to deal with the fact that I'm just
going to have a lower risk job of being a shuttle pilot?"
"Serina, don't you know the risks that are involved in that?"
Apollo's tone was less argumentative this time, as though he
realized inside that she'd made a telling point that was difficult
to rebut.  "We lost shuttle pilots at Carillon."
"I know that," Serina nodded, "But if you'll recaat way," Starbuck said as he focused his eyes 
on the now open cargo landing bay on the lower section of the Rising Star's 
hull.   The luxury ship had four such landing bays designed to receive cargo 
shuttles, while the passenger shuttles always docked on the upper section of 
the hull.  "It's just that....getting sealed is the biggest decision in any 
man's life.   It isn't something that should be rushed." 
   "What, you think Apollo and Serina haven't known each other long enough?" 
   "I didn't say that," the defensive edge entered Starbuck's voice again.   
"I was just making an observation.  That's all." 
   "Going to make your observations tonight at the dinner?" Boomer noted 
dryly again as the shuttle passed through the opening and into the cargo 
landing bay. 
   "What, and make Apollo do something that would make the whole point of 
getting all this ambrosia meaningless?"  Starbuck smirked at his friend and 
powered the engines off.  "Not in a million yahrens." 
   Boomer let out all, I ended up
being in more danger as a mere civilian on the planet.   And we
ended up losing more civilians then we did shuttle pilots."
Serina then took his hand and squeezed it tightly, "Apollo, we're
living in a universe where no one is completely safe any longer.
People from all walks of life have to train themselves to help
this Fleet survive, or else they end up being no better than Sire
Uri and all his cronies on the Rising Star who just want to waste
themselves away in luxury.   Can't you understand why I want to be
among those who do something positive for this Fleet?   As a
shuttle pilot I can be the difference in saving lives when we have
to transport goods and materials to the ships in the Fleet that
badly need them.   I can be part of the system that keeps us going
until we find that planet Earth that Adama wants to lead us to.
That's more meaningful to me than journalism ever could be again."
Apollo lowered his head and let out a deflated sigh.   He turned
away from her and see chuckle and then glanced out the window, "I just hope 
your friend Helton isn't waiting with a Council Security goon." 
   "Not if he wants to maintain the use of both his legs for the rest of his 
life," Starbuck said. 
   The dark-skinned warrior glanced at him in disbelief.  "You told him that?" 
   "Sure," Starbuck grinned. "How else could I guarantee results?"  He then 
paused for effect as he unhitched his belt.  "Sometimes you've got to know 
when to bluff in places other than in Pyramid." 
   Boomer then laughed as he realized what Starbuck meant.   "I can hardly 
wait for the day to come when you'll need me to bail you out of a fix that 
you couldn't bluff your way out of." 
   The two of them stepped out of the shuttle and into the dimly lit cargo 
bay.   Large numbers of crates were packed up against the sides of the hangar 
with loading machinery standing by for use in transporting the crates to 
their appropriate sections.   
   "Helton?" Starbuck called out, not seeing any signs med to pace back in thought.   Serina
wondered if she had made an impact, or if Apollo was still
desperately seeking for an excuse.
When Apollo turned around to look at her again, he let out another
uneasy sigh, but this time it seemed like he was beginning to
accept the inevitable.    If he truly loved Serina, he needed to
be willing to understand her feelings on this matter.
"So," he finally spoke, for the first time sounding an upbeat
tone.   "How did you rate in the program?"
His tone immediately made Serina relax.  "Captain Janus rated me
at the top of fifteen cadets who enlisted at the same time."
A smile finally formed at the corner of Apollo's mouth as he came
up to her and took her in his arms, "I've always trusted Janus's
judgment," he said.  "So you'd better prove him right, because
you're going to be married to a squadron commander."
Serina relaxed in his embrace, grateful that it had all worked out
after all.   "Yes sir, my captain."
And then, they met in a long passionate kiss. of movement in the 
hangar. 
   One figure then tentatively emerged from behind several stacks of crates 
at the other end of the room, holding one crate in his arms.  He wore the red 
uniform of a maintenance technician, and looked visibly agitated 
   "Helton, you're a sight for sore eyes."  Starbuck grinned as the 
technician approached.  "Especially with that lovely crate in your arms." 
   The grim-faced Helton came to a stop in front of the blonde warrior and 
promptly let go of the crate, which almost caught Starbuck off-guard.   He 
had to bend slightly to catch it after it had fallen an inch in the air. 
    "Hey, what's the matter with you?   Trying to smash it before I get a 
chance to drink any of it?" 
    "It'd serve you right, you lousy Sagitarian snake," Helton finally spoke, 
his voice dripping with contempt.   "You'll never convince me in a million 
yahrens that game was on the level." 
    "Prove it, Helton."  Starbuck grinned sheepishly as he handed the crate 
to Boomer, "B  It went on for
more than two centons and Apollo almost felt on the verge of
making a suggestion that they escape to someplace more private
when the sound of the unicom filled the air.
"Attention.   Captain Apollo and Captain Killian are to report to
Commander Adama's quarters immediately."
"Duty calls," Serina sighed as she released him.
"Yeah," Apollo said, as the magnitude of what had happened to the
pilots of Blue Squadron suddenly hit him again.   "And you have no
idea just how serious this meeting's going to be."
"What is it?" she frowned with concern.
"I'll fill you in later," he headed for the door then stopped to
blow her a kiss, "Bye."
"Bye," she returned it, wondering how serious a matter it could be
that required the presence of both the Commanders of Blue and Red
Squadron.

Since he'd received Salik's bleak report, Adama had spent the last
half centar organizing personnel files of all members of the
Colonial Service with some kind of flight experience.   After he'd
reorganizeoomer, get this lovely cargo secure." 
    "Sure," Boomer tried to conceal the uneasiness he felt as he took it and 
then glanced at the writing on the case.   "Caprican vintage, 7334.   I 
didn't know there was any of that left." 
    "After you clowns get through with it, there won't be," Helton said.   
"That's from Sire Uri's personal storage bunker on Level 3.   And you have no 
idea what kind of hell I went through to get that out of there." 
    "Relax Helton."  Starbuck's tone grew serious as he put a hand on the 
technician's shoulder.   "If Sire Uri finds out, then you mention Boomer's 
and my name to him, and tell that little slug that we decided to accept 
something in lieu of that Gold Cluster he never got around to giving us on 
Carillon." 
    A half-smirk finally came over Helton's face.  "I'll tell him.  But I'm 
also going to tell every person I know on this ship to avoid playing Pyramid 
with you, and you can't stop me from that." 
    "If you tell them I cheat, then you're id the list, he'd made the announcement for Apollo and
Killian to come down to his quarters.   Now, as he waited for the
two squadron commanders, he decided to spend a few more microns
going through the Book of the Word again, hoping to find the
passaged he'd been looking for earlier.
As the passages came up on the monitor on his desk, he stopped and
leaned forward as he finally saw the one he'd been looking for.
His eyes narrowed intensely as he studied the text.   Finally, he
decided to read it aloud.
"After their home planet Kobol was known to be doomed, the twelve
tribes set forth across a great void which had enveloped the
surrounding environs of space, unable to find the reference points
of the heavens that had once filled the Kobollian night sky.   And
then, by a miracle from the Lords, a bright shining star appeared
from nowhere and guided them to safety.  Leading them out of the
darkness of the void, and back into the brightness of the star-
filled heavens, from which the twelve tribesn big trouble Helton.  Just 
remember that," the blonde warrior's voice grew cold.   "I meant what I said." 
    The technician stiffened and abruptly turned and departed the hangar at a 
brisk pace. 
    "It's all secure, Bucko," Boomer called from inside the shuttle.  "Now 
let's get out of here, fast." 
    Starbuck let out a satisfied chuckle as he went up the ramp, and back 
into the shuttle.


   As Apollo walked through the corridors that led to Serina's quarters, he 
had the sensation of being an inch off the ground.   It had been that way 
ever since he had found the strength to finally propose to her the previous 
evening, when he had taken her up to the isolated loneliness of the abandoned 
Celestial Dome above the battlestar's main thrusters.   And now, he wondered 
if he'd ever be able to fully come back down again.   It was amazing enough 
to think that after all these yahrens he had finally found himself deeply in 
love with a woman, but what it made all the more incredible to  of Kobol were able to
find their new homes."
Next to the text was a crudely drawn star map next to some ancient
writings, formed mostly from pictorial symbols than from a written
language.   He stared at the text and the illustration in rapt
fascination until the sound of the chime interrupted his thoughts.
"Enter."
The door slid open and Apollo entered alongside Captain Killian.
The commander of Red Squadron was still in a daze over the news of
what had happened to Blue Squadron.  He could only think of how
fortunate it was that his firm order to Red Squadron not to crash
the party had saved all of Red's pilots from the disease that had
now struck down Blue Group.
"Thank you for coming," Adama didn't get up from his desk.  "We
have important matters to discuss concerning our pilot strength."
"Any news on whether the disease can be cured?" Apollo asked.
"There's no progress on it for now," Adama grimly shook his head.
"We have to face the sad fact that for who knows how long, Blue
Squadron him was that 
he had long admired Serina from afar during her time as Caprica's most famous 
newswoman.   Always thinking in the back of his mind that the ideal woman for 
him would be someone just like her.   How ironic it was then, that the 
tragedy of the Holocaust had managed to bring them together in the most 
unexpected fashion. 
    He stopped in front of her door and rang the chime.   "Serina?"  He 
called. 
    Several microns went by before the door opened.   Serina was already 
dressed in her formal gown for dinner but had yet to style her hair. 
    "Hi," she smiled brightly at him.  "You're a few centons early." 
    "Just wanted to make sure everything was all set." 
    "It's all taken care of.   Athena and I spent the better part of two 
centars down in the Main Kitchen to make sure this would come out just right. 
  We weren't about to entrust a meal this exquisite to some Kitchen Hall 
cook." 
    "And they'll be bringing it up?" 
    "In another thirty centons to Adama's quconsists entirely of you and Starbuck."  He turned to
Killian, "Captain, could you please give me the status of your
group's pilots?"
"All of them in good condition, sir.   No one from Red Squadron
was ever near the party.   I have forty-three men who are ready
for duty whenever they're needed."
"Which means we have forty-five experienced pilots available to
defend the Fleet from potential Cylon attack."  The commander
paused.  "I think the both of you realize that is an unacceptable
level in terms of what we need to furnish adequate security for
this Fleet.   Should we ever run up against a single basestar's
complement of fighters we'd be looking at a massacre.   With Blue
and Red Squadrons together, the odds would be two to one against
us.   Difficult, but acceptable given our superior flying skills.
In a four to one defecit, we face risks that we should never have
to undertake when the defense of 220 civilian ships is also part
of the viper pilots duties."
"So what you're saying Commander,arters as soon as it's been 
heated properly.   Fortunately we didn't have to stick around to watch that." 
    He nodded and glanced inside, "Boxey not around?" 
    "Already left because Adama promised to spend some time with him before 
we arrived."  She paused.  "Looks as though he's already found himself a 
grandfather too." 
    "Definitely," he entered the room and as soon as the door closed, 
immediately took the opportunity to take her in his arms and kiss her. 
    When they had finished, Serina smiled mischievously at him, "Feeling 
impulsive tonight, aren't we, my captain?" 
    "In every sense of the word," Apollo returned it and kissed her again.   
"Enough to make me wish for just a micron that we could get sealed tonight." 
    "And miss the opportunity to see me in a sealing gown?" she teased him. 
    "True," Apollo nodded.  "There is the advantage to that.   It's just 
that....well, after going almost two sectans with hardly any time to see you 
at all before last night, I th is that we need to replenish our
ranks as fast as we can without waiting for Blue Group to
recover."  The ex-Columbia pilot said.
"Exactly," Adama nodded and handed over a small computer to
Apollo, "I had Colonel Tigh and Omega draw up a roster of all
members of the Colonial Service with some form of flight
experience.   Unfortunately, what it comes down to is a few old-
time warriors with various disabilities, and our full complement
of shuttle pilots."
Apollo suddenly froze.  "Shuttle pilots?"
"Yes," Adama nodded.  "We have no choice, Apollo.   Every last
shuttle pilot in this flight needs a crash course in training for
viper duty.   You and Killian are to not only get them flight
ready, they're to be combat ready as quickly as possible."
Apollo looked into his face, feeling a sensation of dread sickness
fill his heart.  "You can't be serious."
"I'm deadly serious, Apollo.   The shuttle pilots are younger,
healthier and stand a better chance of adapting to viper training
and these emergenink I'm just looking forward a lot to spending 
all my time with you." 
    The mischievous edge faded from Serina's smile and she gently released 
herself.  "Give me a centon to fix my hair and I'll be ready." 
    "Okay," he nodded and then playfully ran his hand through her waist 
length hair.  "Maybe you should just leave it as is for tonight." 
    "And make myself a disgrace to the world of style and fashion?"  Serina 
jokingly retorted as she disappeared into the next room. 
    "I've never understood that little rule of fashion protocol that says a 
woman with long hair must have it styled and piled up for formal occasions."   
Her fiancee said as he settled himself into a chair.  "Keeping it all down 
should look just as good in formal attire." 
    "That's easy for you to say," she said from the next room. 
    Apollo laughed and then changed the subject, "Say by the way, I've heard 
some rumors that they'll be setting up a videocom broadcast network for the 
Fleet based on the Electrcy conditions, than the old-time disabled pilots
do.   We have to concentrate on them as our best hope for now."
"Father," Apollo found himself growing oblivious to Killian's
presence that he slipped into informal language, "The viper is the
most advanced flying machine ever designed by man.  You don't just
turn one over to a....shuttle pilot."
"What in Hades has gotten into you, Apollo?" Killian suddenly
spoke up, feeling both angry and bewildered by Apollo's reaction.
"The commander's right, we have no choice.  Unless maybe you want
my group to handle an impossible task of defending this entire
Fleet all by ourselves?   You might as well just have us surrender
to the Cylons without firing a shot if that's the case!"
"I'm not saying that!" Apollo suddenly turned around and gestured
angrily at Red Leader, "I'm just saying that to expect a group of
shuttle pilots....."  He then trailed off.
"Yes?" Adama found his son's reaction puzzling as well.
His son slowly exhaled, "Father, have you read thonics ship.  Something to give the people a general 
civilian news and information service." 
    "Yes, I heard about that."  A faint edge of uneasiness seemed to enter 
Serina's voice.  "My old director at the BNC Heller volunteered to be their 
technical operations supervisor." 
    "That's good."  Apollo said idly, having missed the uneasy edge in his 
fiancee's voice.  "I guess it'll feel good to be working with him again, 
right?" 
    There was no answer from the next room. 
    "Serina?" Apollo frowned. 
    Serina emerged a few microns later, her hair now swept up and elegantly 
styled.   "Sorry, Apollo, I didn't hear you." 
    "I said it'll feel good to work with Heller again, won't it?" 
    She seemed to choose her next words carefully.   "If I decide to join 
their operation." 
    Apollo frowned.   "You mean you haven't signed up for them?" 
    "No," she shook her head. 
    "Then what have you been doing the last two sectans?" 
    Before she could say anything else, the chime names of all of
the shuttle pilots in our ranks?"
The commander's eyebrows went up, and he took the computer back
from Apollo.   He scanned the bottom of the list and then froze
when he saw the name of Serina on it.   All the time, the shuttle
pilots had just been a number to him and he hadn't bothered
looking up specific names.
"I'm sorry, Apollo," his voice dropped to a whisper.  "I didn't
know."
"No," he nodded, "I guess you didn't.   I didn't either until just
a few centons ago."
"Will someone tell me what's going on?" Killian angrily raised his
voice.
Adama snapped back to attention.   "I apologize, Captain.   It's
a....personal matter that has Captain Apollo upset.   But he
understands clearly the situation as it is, and why we have no
choice but to train these shuttle pilots for duty." he then looked
his son in the eye, "Isn't that right, Captain Apollo?"
Apollo's head was still lowered.   He felt more anguish then he'd
felt at any time in his life since the Holocaust.   All he coue sounded, and Serina quickly 
went over to answer it, feeling glad that there'd been an interruption at 
this point. 
    When the door opened, a beaming Athena, also looking stunning in a formal 
gown, stood there with Starbuck, in full dress uniform, by her side.   The 
blonde warrior was all smiles, but didn't seem to project the same level of 
exuberance Athena did. 
    "Hi," Athena said, "All set?" 
    "I'm ready," Serina turned around and looked at Apollo, "How about you?" 
    "I'm set," Apollo was still slightly puzzled by the new information he'd 
learned. 
    "Hey, wait a centon," Starbuck entered the room and stared at his friend, 
who wore a simple warrior's tunic with no jacket.  "I thought this was a 
formal occasion." 
    "Well, in a way it is, butâ€"" 
    "Then how come I'm wearing one of these blasted things, and you're not?"   
Starbuck disdainfully tugged at his cape. 
    Apollo blinked slightly as it hit him.  "Hey, I didn't say full dress was 
required, Starbuck. ld
think of was the prospect of seeing Serina suffer the same fate
his mother and Zac had already suffered.
Finally, he managed to nod.  "That's right, Commander."  He then
straightened himself.  "We'll get to work on training these pilots
at dawn, and work a round-the-clock cycle with them."
"Good," Adama nodded.  "Killian, I want you and as many of your
men that you can spare to assist both Captain Apollo and
Lieutenant Starbuck in these training exercises.   For the time
being, divide your squadron in half by alternate sleep cycles."
"Yes sir."  Killian nodded, feeling better that the mystery as to
Apollo's behavior had been cleared up slightly.   "Sir, may I make
one other suggestion?"
"By all means."
"How many shuttle pilots do we have for these training exercises?"
Adama checked the computer again.  "At least thirty who can be
detached from duty for these training missions.   We still need
shuttle pilots to handle routine matters of inter-fleet transport
so only those directly in the S Just no battle jacket, that's all." 
    "Now he tells me," Starbuck then undid the fastener and removed his cape. 
 He then hurled it onto the nearby chair that Apollo had vacated. 
    "Relax, Starbuck," Athena said as she took his arm. 
    The blonde warrior smiled at her, "Sure.  After all, I wouldn't think of 
letting my disdain for dress uniforms interfere with this big night, right?" 
he glanced coyly at Apollo and Serina. 
    "Did we say this was a big night?" Apollo said casually.  "Just a little 
intimate dinner among family and friends, that's all.   Right, Serina?" 
   "Of course," her tone was equally casual. 
   Starbuck found himself resisting the temptation to say anything that would 
reveal his knowledge of what would be announced this evening.   Instead, he 
simply nodded, "Okay, I'll take your word for it.   Shall we go?" 
   "Of course."  Apollo nodded and locked arms with Serina, "Mustn't keep the 
Commander waiting." 


  A centar later, the six people gathered in Adaervice will be trained first."
"Then commander, may I also recommend that you open up the
training to all other members of the Colonial Service who might be
interested in transferring to viper duty?"  Killian offered.  "I
think that even those in Security or Maintenance might have some
untapped flying skills that can be put to use."
The commander nodded, "A good idea.  I'll make an announcement to
that effect that anyone in any Service branch is free to volunteer
if they think they can handle the training.   In the meantime, I
suggest that both of you get some sleep and prepare yourselves for
a long day tomorrow."
"Yes sir," Killian nodded and then saluted.  "By your leave?"
"Dismissed."
Red Leader headed for the door and then turned to see if Apollo
would follow.   When he saw that Blue Leader hadn't moved, he
shrugged and left.
An uneasy silence filled the air as Adama rose from behind his
desk.
"I'm sorry, Apollo," Adama said gently.  "I know this won't be
easy for you.   But we've been ma's quarters had all 
finished their sumptuous meal.   As Serina gathered the now empty dishes, 
Adama was leaning back in his chair at the head of the table with a 
thoroughly satisfied expression. 
   "Serina," Adama raised his chalice, "I can't remember when I had such a 
wonderful repast.   You outdid yourself." 
   Serina smiled as she set the dishes down and resumed her seat next to 
Apollo.  "I can't take all the credit, Commander.   When it comes to cooking, 
I'm usually all thumbs.    If it weren't for Athena, I'd have done no better 
than the typical Kitchen Hall chef." 
    "She's being too modest," Athena spoke up.  "You should have seen her 
down there, watching everything like an Aquarian fowler to make sure the 
marinade and spices were just perfect." 
    "Well believe me Serina," Adama went on, "I am an expert in culinary 
graces.   And there is no question that after savoring this wonderful dinner, 
you are a genuine find." 
    "She certainly is," Starbuck chimed in. 
    left with no other choice on this
matter."
"Isn't there some way you could----" he started then stopped and
shook his head as though he were ashamed of what he was about to
say.
"You were about to ask if there was some way I could keep Serina
off this roster?" Adama decided to finish for him.  "Transfer her
to the non-Service section that needs to handle inter-Fleet
transport?"  He shook his head.  "You know I can't do that,
Apollo.   If I were to ever show that kind of favoritism to a
family member, as she nearly is, then it would only take a micron
for the Council to rescind its edict of last sectar granting me
sweeping powers under the Martial Law statute."
"I know that," Apollo nodded, "I'm sorry, it's just thatƒ?"" he
tried to collect himself.   "Father, I'm just scared of the idea
of something happening to her."
Adama put a hand on his shoulder, "Son," he said, "I live with
that every centon of my life when it comes to you.  I had to live
with it when it came to Zac, and now I have to "And if I were forty yahrens younger...." Adama pointed with emphasis and 
then tellingly trailed off.   At the other end of the table, Apollo began to 
shift uneasily in his chair.   He was beginning to sense that his hopes of 
keeping everything secret until the appropriate centon weren't going to come 
to pass. 
    "But," the commander shrugged and went on, "Some young man will soon fall 
into the lap of early glory.   It can only be a short matter of time for you." 
    Serina coyly smiled at Apollo, who was beginning to blush red with 
embarrassment. 
    Across from Apollo, Boxey was looking at him with puzzlement, thinking 
that now was going to be the time for Apollo to make the announcement that he 
already knew would be coming tonight.   The six yahren old boy then decided 
to prod things alone. 
    "You know, I was told in instructional period that some people are just 
naturally slow." 
    Serina stared at her son in amazement that he'd resorted to the bold step 
of speaking outlive with it with
regard to Athena."
Apollo looked up at him.
"Yes," his father, "She's on the roster too."
"Great," Apollo sighed, "That's just great.   Why does it have to
be our family that gets filled with these burdens?"
"You're asking a question that doesn't have an easy answer,
Apollo," his father said firmly, trying to summon the kind of
parental advice that he tried not to use too often with his
children now that they were grown up.  "And in light of what all
of the people in the Fleet have been through in the last sectar,
it's the kind of question that really has no business being asked
anymore.   So the only advice I can give you, is that you use all
the strength you have as a viper commander to be a good teacher to
the ones you love, and that way there'll never be any doubt
whatsoever of their ability to survive."
Apollo knew there was no point discussing it any further.  "I
will," his voice was just a whisper.  "Good night, Father."
As soon as his son had gone, Adama returned to on the subject. 
    "It doesn't mean they're actually stupid," Boxey went on.  "Just slow." 
    Starbuck felt himself coughing to cover up the chuckle that had been 
rising in his throat. 
    "You know, Commander," the blonde warrior regained his composure, "The 
real problem with cooking like this is that a couple meals a day, a fellow 
wouldn't be able to climb into a cockpit.   We'd be a whole squadron full of 
Jollys." 
    "I'd like to see you say that in front of him, Starbuck," Apollo finally 
broke his silence. 
    "Hey come on, Jolly's practically a kinsman to me.   He knows it's all in 
good fun."  Starbuck waved his hand and glanced back at Adama, "But I am 
right, aren't I, Commander?" 
    "About the cooking, yes," Adama pressed on with emphasis, "And that is 
exactly the trouble.   If you warriors were able to eat like the elite class 
on the Rising Star can every cycle, it would be dire for us all.   As a 
matter of fact, you and Apollo I believe have advance patrol duty fi his chair and once
again, felt the need to gaze at Ila's holopicture in the hopes of
drawing some badly needed strength.   And then he said a prayer to
God asking that his son receive some too.

When Apollo came out of Adama's quarters, he saw that Killian had
chosen to linger in the corridor.
"You need something, Killian?"
"I think you and I should have a talk before we part company for
the night," Red Leader said.  "We should work out the logistics of
how these training sessions are going to work and that way,
tomorrow morning we can wake up and start with a plan of attack
right away."
"Okay," Apollo said with more than an air of resignation.
"Starbuck and I will handle the first load of trainees from 0700
to 1600 in the Main Simulator room.    If we really push the ones
with the best aptitude hard, we might be able to have some of them
in mock-up simulators by the end of the day."
"How many viper mock-ups are there on the Galactica?"  Killian
asked as they resumed walking down the corrirst thing 
in the morning?" 
    "Yes, we do," Apollo nodded.  "Boomer and Jolly will be handling the 
other flank." 
    "Well, I don't wish to bring this momentous evening to a close," Adama 
said as he consulted his chronometer.   "But we have been gorging ourselves 
on this delicious food for nearly a centar now, waiting....." he purposefully 
trailed off. 
    With a faint edge of exasperation, Apollo threw down his napkin and got 
to his feet.   "All right," he said trying to smile, "All right, since it 
looks as though security on this matter has sprung a leak," he came over to 
Serina and placed a hand on her shoulder.  "Serina and I have decided, that 
is if Boxey is willing and supportive," he glanced over at the little boy who 
was already beaming.  "We would like very much to get married." 
   Everyone else in the room began to applaud.   Athena got up from her seat 
and came over to Apollo, giving her brother a warm embrace. 
   "I'm so happy for you," Athena said, "I just didn't dor.
"Five."
Red Leader stopped and frowned in disbelief.  "Five?   I thought
battlestars were supposed to have at least ten of those aboard."
"That was on the older Ricon class battlestars like the Columbia.
The Galactica class ships have fewer mock-ups because they were
never intended to take a major role in training exercises for
student pilots."
"Well that's just great," Killian said sourly as they resumed
walking.   "With only five active mockups at our service, that
slows down our ability to get more trainees flight ready."
"I think the Celestra has a couple of mockups to assist their
repair efforts on vipers."   Apollo said, "You might want to check
that with Commander Kronus.   If he has them, then maybe a couple
of your men should handle some of the other trainees over there
while Starbuck and I take care of the ones here on the Galactica."
"Sounds reasonable."  Red Leader nodded, "Assuming we go at this
break-neck pace, how long do you realistically think it would take
to get say, think you'd get around 
to it." 
   "Neither did I," Apollo laughed, feeling all the embarrassment and 
uneasiness gone now that it was finally out in the open. 
   "Commandâ€"" Serina then stopped herself.  "Adama, we...do have your 
blessing, don't we?" 
   Adama smiled and also rose from his chair to come over to them, "My dear, 
not only do you have my blessing, you have the blessings of the Lords of 
Kobol as well."  He then embraced his son, "Congratulations, my son.   You've 
made your father very happy.   And...I know I can say that your mother would 
be happy for you too if she were here." 
    "Thank you, Father," Apollo felt the need to embrace him again as soon he 
heard the reference to Ila.   As they looked into each other's eyes, he could 
also tell that his father also was silently telling him that Zac would be 
happy for him too, if he were here.   But tactfully, Adama had decided not to 
mention his younger son's name, knowing how much Zac's death had pained 
Athena more thanten to fifteen pilots qualified for actual flight?"
"I wouldn't want to make a guess at this point."
"I think you'd better, Apollo," Killian warned, "We need to have a
goal to shoot for."
"Okay," Apollo sighed, "Let's say, within maybe a half sectan,
those pilots with the highest flight aptitude ratings and who were
at the highest levels of their shuttle training classes should get
their first crack at actual flight.   That's assuming we allow
ourselves not a micron's rest during that time."
"I'm up to that challenge," Killian said defiantly.   "And maybe
by then, that blasted Salik will have cured the rest of your boys
and rendered this whole thing irrelevant."
"I hope you're right," Apollo's tone grew quiet as the troubling
thought of Serina flying a viper again filled his mind.
Killian stopped and gave him a cautious look, "What was that
personal matter the Commander was talking about?"
Apollo wanted to tell him off, but then decided there was no point
risking an ugly confrontation with Re anything else. 
    Athena had made her way back to the other side of the table where 
Starbuck was still seated.   Right away, the blonde warrior felt a wave of 
discomfort hit him as he saw the coy, seductive expression on Athena's face.   
 Before she could say anything, he had already gotten to his feet. 
    "Well, ah, as best man, that means I have to finish preparations for your 
ah, sendoff party as soon as that can be ah, arranged.   Going to be a real 
bash." he reached the other side and quickly shook hands with Adama.  "Thanks 
for the food.  I ah, hate to run.   Anyway, pleasure dining with you 
Commander, and ah....oh, Apollo!   Don't forget our patrol tomorrow morning, 
so I wouldn't stay up real late tonight." he leaned down and looked at 
Serina, "Serina, congratulations.   And ah, Athena," he looked back across at 
the commander's daughter, who was staring at him in amazement.  "Athena, 
well, ah.   Bye." 
   And then, he all but sprinted his way out of the commander's quarterd Leader, "My fiancee is
among those shuttle pilots."
"Ah," Killian nodded in understanding, "In that case, I think it
best that you handle whatever group she's in tomorrow.   If you're
bothered by her having to train for this, then the only way you
can keep yourself at ease is to keep an eye on her and watch her
skills up close."
"I'll keep that in mind," Apollo said.  "There's one other thing."
"Yes?"
Apollo took a breath, "It concerns the way you've been keeping Red
Squadron's identity separate from the rest of us."
"It's all a matter of morale, Apollo," Killian said as they kept
moving, "My boys and I have flown together as a unit for more than
two yahrens.   Staying together is what makes us better flyers in
the end."
"I haven't any gripe with that," Apollo said, "But what I'm really
getting at Killian, is the matter of your squadron's helmets."
Red Leader stopped and glared at him.  "What about them?"
"It's been more than a sectar now, Killian.   You and your men are
part of the Galacs. 
   "I didn't even say anything," Athena was shaking her head, wondering why 
it was that nothing she'd been trying to do with Starbuck of late seemed to 
have any major effect on him as had been the case in the pre-Holocaust 
period. "All I did was smile." 
   "Athena," Adama sighed, "Starbuck always has such a well-defined sense of 
what lies in waiting.   That's what makes him a good advance scout." 
   Athena smiled at her father's remark but inside she was wondering if 
another reason accounted for Starbuck's sudden and hasty exit.   Namely, a 
blonde socialator named Cassiopeia.   It was all too clear to her after a 
sectar, that Starbuck's attention to Cassiopeia ran a lot deeper than a mere 
reaction to the disastrous conversation Athena had had with Starbuck in the 
locker room. 
   Why couldn't he understand that that was the wrong time to approach me?   
She thought for more than the first time.  I needed time to recover after the 
worst tragedy of my life.  Couldn't he have just tica and now you have to help train new pilots to
become part of the Galactica's infrastructure of pilots.  I think
it would be better for morale and the idea of teamsmanship if your
squadron started wearing Galactica helmets."
"Absolutely not," Killian's voice suddenly grew angry.  "That
point is not subject to discussion, Apollo.   My men will continue
to wear our Columbia helmets.   We don't do that because of any
feelings of disrespect for the Galactica, it's because those
helmets mean something to us.   They're the last tangible reminder
in this universe of what we used to have, and ever since Commander
Fairfax was killed they've come to mean a lot more to us."
"I'm sure they mean a lot to you and your men, Killian, and I
respect that," Apollo said patiently.  "But times are rapidly
changing for all of us, and when it comes to the matter of
recruiting new pilots and training them, which is eventually going
to require integrating them into your Squadron as well as mine
over the long haul, waited a little longer? 
   And now at a time when Athena knew that if Starbuck had approached her 
again, her answer would have been different, it was clear that Starbuck 
seemed to have no inclination to do that again.   And while she hadn't 
revealed her feelings about the matter to anyone, inside it was rankling her 
considerably. 
   "I guess I'll be turning in now," Athena finally rose.   "Apollo, Serina.   
 All the best." 
   "Thank you, Athena," Serina said.  "And thanks for helping with dinner." 
   "It was my pleasure," she stopped to kiss her father on the cheek.    
"Goodnight, Father." 
   As soon as she was gone, Adama leaned back in his chair and finished the 
last of his ambrosia, "Well, it would seem that we're now reduced to the 
immediate parties only of this happy occasion.   Have the two of you decided 
on when the right time for this will be?" 
   "Not yet," Apollo said.  "Probably give or take a couple of sectans to put 
everything in order.   Not just the wedding prepaif we're lucky enough to get Blue Squadron
back, I really don't think it's a good idea for them to see your
men wearing Columbia helmets all the time."
"Why not?" Killian's sense of anger didn't abate, "Why should they
care one way or the other what helmets we wear?"
"Because it gives them the idea that there are cliques among the
pilots and they might have second thoughts about becoming pilots
if they think there's a chance they're going to get frozen out for
not having some sort of status that others do."  Apollo paused,
"There's been a lot of that going on already between your squadron
and mine, Killian.  True, it actually helped in a perverse way
because that meant that none of your guys were at the party, but
it's something that should really come to an end if we're ever
going to be a fully integrated unit of pilots.   Because the only
thing that can happen over the long run is bad blood and
suspicion, and someday that could bite us all on the astrum in a
combat situation when teamwork wirations, but there's all 
kinds of other bureaucratic nonsense to attend to as well." 
   Adama smiled at how Apollo had avoided the obvious term ‘felgercarb' 
because of Boxey's presence.   "Yes, there usually is a lot of details to 
attend to for computer records and such." 
   "One thing we've already agreed on," Serina looked over at her son and 
smiled proudly, "Boxey gets to act as my protector designate during the 
ceremony." 
   "Congratulations," Adama smiled at the little boy, "Feel up to the task, 
Boxey?" 
   "I sure do." 
   "And you promise not to be naturally slow about it?"  Apollo said slyly. 
   "No way," Boxey shook his head and grinned. 
   "Then you'd better not be naturally slow when it comes to getting ready 
for your sleep cycle, Boxey."  Serina rose from her chair and came over to 
her son.  "You've already stayed up later than all your classmates." 
   "Just one more glass of fruit juice?" he forlornly held up his empty 
chalice. 
   "You got yourself a choice, Boll be really essential."
"Apollo," Killian dropped his voice to a whisper.  "This subject
is closed.   My men keep their helmets and that's final.  And I'll
thank you not to question the professionalism of my squadron
again, because it wasn't one of my men who was too obsessed with
getting to a party that he didn't take a necessary precaution by
checking into the Life Station when he should have."
Red Leader's retort finally caused Apollo to snap.  "Yeah, you
guys are so professional that you like to rat to Security in your
spare time about ambrosia!"
"Oh, is that a fact?" Killian shot back, "Well it just so happens,
Captain that I gave them orders to steer clear of your party, so
don't blame me for the fact that I have just one man with a
disciplinary problem!"
"And don't ever blame one of my men for making a perfectly natural-
---" he then cut off as he realized the spectacle they were making
of themselves over something entirely trivial.    He saw that the
same realization had come over Rexey," Apollo's tone became parental.  "One 
more glass tonight, or one more glass the night of the sealing ceremony.    
Which will it be?" 
   The little boy sighed.  "The sealing ceremony." 
   "Okay then.  You go with your mother and get ready for bed." 
   As Serina led Boxey out, the little boy stopped to hug Adama, "Goodnight, 
Commander." 
   "Goodnight, Boxey," Adama smiled and let go of him.  "And after the 
wedding, you're never to call me Commander again." 
   "Goodnight, Apollo," Serina stopped to kiss Apollo lightly on the cheek.    
Inside, she felt grateful that the subject they'd been discussing in her 
quarters hadn't come up again.   "Have a safe patrol." 
   "I will." 
   As soon as Serina and Boxey were gone, Apollo let out a long, slow exhale. 
  
   "How do you feel, son?" Adama casually inquired. 
   "Lighter than all inert gases in the universe."  Apollo sighed and looked 
wryly at his father.  "I take it you and Starbuck already had an inkling of 
this ahead of time.d Leader too.
"Sorry," Apollo exhaled, "Let's forget that and start over."
"Yeah," Killian nodded, "Let's.  I guess...this has been too long
a day for the both of us."
"In every sense," Blue Leader admitted and then clasped Killian's
hand in a ritualistic handshake that warriors shared, "Let's save
our wrath for the trainees, not each other."
"Agreed," Killian returned the strength of the clasp, "From this
micron on, there's no squadron rivalry whatsoever.   We're all in
it together."
After parting company with Killian on a friendly note, Apollo then
returned to the Officers Quarters for Blue Squadron.  When he
entered the room, he let out a wince when he saw all the empty
bunks.   If anything, seeing all those empty bunks when they
should have been filled was a more chilling sight then seeing them
all in their support chambers in the Life Station.
For Apollo, it would be a night where he would sleep poorly.
Hoping that when he woke up, he'd have found that the entire day's
events had been i" 
   "We did," Adama admitted.  "But even if we hadn't, I think all of us would 
have realized it the centon you and Serina asked for this dinner.   This 
wasn't what I would call an exercise in subtlety on your part, if the idea 
was to keep us guessing until you made the announcement." 
   "No, I guess not," Apollo chuckled and then looked his father in the eye.   
"Was it any different with you and Mother?" 
   Adama let out a wistful sigh.  "Not really.  When the centon came for me 
to finally ask her the big question, Ila was one step ahead of me and already 
said yes before I could fully articulate the question.  She understood my 
mind that well.   We...didn't have to make a big announcement though to 
anyone, since our parents were already dead when we got engaged." 
   Apollo nodded, "Father, Iâ€"" he stopped and then reflected for a micron 
before resuming.  "Father, I know that this probably does seem like a sudden 
thing that's happened to me, just a sectar since the Holocaust and ln his subconscious.



Chapter Six

Despite going through a largely sleepless night, Apollo
found himself fully alert when he got out of bed and went
with Starbuck down to the Flight Operations Center where the
first wave of trainees would gather.    If anything, sheer
adrenaline and the desire to make sure every shuttle pilot
was meticulously trained could easily overcome the normal
desire for sleep.
When they reached Operations, they saw a cluster of thirty-
five people seated at the tables in the ready room.
Killian and his squadron deputy, Lieutenant Taggs stood off
to one side at the head of the room, while Apollo and
Starbuck took their position on the opposite side.    Blue
Leader glanced at Red Leader, who motioned for him to begin.
"Fellow warriors," Apollo began.  "I think I don't need to
waste any time rehashing the details of why all of you have
been summoned here by Commander Adama.   Suffice to say, all
of you must prepare yourself for a level of training and
discipline thosing 
Mother and Zac, and with someone I didn't even know before all that.    
But....I just wanted you to know that I haven't made this decision because 
I'm trying to find a way of covering up bad memories.   I...really love 
Serina." 
   "Apollo," Adama's tone became deathly serious.  "I haven't doubted that 
for a micron.   And I couldn't be more happy then to see this sign of life 
being able to go on for all of us after the horror of what we've already gone 
through.   Those are the kinds of things that make me feel optimistic about 
the future of our people." 
   "I'm glad to know that." 
   "You're entitled to, Apollo," His father said.  "Now in the meantime, 
you'd better get yourself off to sleep too.   You've got an important 
assignment ahead of you in the morning." 
   Apollo nodded, and without saying another word, got up and left, leaving 
Adama alone to enjoy one final drink of happy contemplation.  

Chapter Two

When Starbuck heard his wrist chronometer go off, shaking hiat most, if not none, of you ever expected to
go through at any time in your life as a member of the
Colonial Service.    So all I can say to those of you who
have volunteered for this training, if you aren't willing to
put up with an eighteen centar day of crash training to get
you up to flight status within a sectan, then you might as
well get up and leave now."
He paused for a moment to see if anyone would get up from
their chairs.    No one did, so he resumed.   "This training
begins immediately on the flight computer simulators in the
next room.    All of you who have been part of the shuttle
program will immediately accompany me and Lieutenant
Starbuck for that phase.    Those of you who are part of the
volunteer recruits, will remain with Captain Killian and
Lieutenant Taggs here in the Operations Center for a
preliminary lecture and introduction to basic flight
equipment.   If there are no questions at this time, we'll
get started right away.    Shuttle pilots, please follow me
and Lm out
of the realm of slumber, the first thing he did was glance under
his bunk to make sure Apollo was still asleep in his own bunk
underneath.  He felt relieved to see his friend still fast asleep,
and he then quietly stepped to the floor and dressed himself.   He
knew that this was his only chance to take care of the pre-party
arrangments before it was time for him to go on patrol with
Apollo.
Once he had his tunic and boots on, he left the Officers Quarters
and made his way down over to the Officers Club.    He saw that
Greenbean and Giles were already there, setting things up.
"How's everything look?" the blonde warrior inquired of his fellow
Blue Squadron pilots.
"Pretty good so far," Greenbean said as he finished moving a wide
table to the back of the room.   "We've already cleared things
with the Colonel so that the Club remains exclusive Blue Squadron
territory for the next twenty four centars."
"That's good," Starbuck grinned.   "We wouldn't want any Columbia
pilots getting their hieutenant Starbuck."
Apollo saw more than twenty of the people in the room rise
to their feet.   He was struck immediately by the fact that
Serina and Athena were not the only female shuttle pilots in
the group.   In fact, almost two-thirds of the shuttle
pilots were female.
I wonder if that makes things easier or harder, Apollo mused
as he stood in the doorway that lead to the Main Simulator
room adjacent to Flight Operations.   He couldn't recall a
time in his life when he'd seen so many female warriors as
part of a viper training program.    While it was not
uncommon for there to be female recruits at the Academy, for
the most part few ever bothered to go through the more
advanced phases of viper training, thus accounting for the
low number of female viper pilots in the ranks of the
Colonial Fleet through the yahrens.
When Athena passed him, she gave her brother a faint smile
and a thumbs up.   Serina was the last of the shuttle pilots
to come by him, and she stopped to flash a warm smileands on any of that beautiful ambrosia I got
for us."
"Starbuck, I meant to ask you about that."  Giles said with a
trace of unease.  "You really think it's a good idea to freeze
them out of this party?"
The blonde warrior stared at him in disbelief. "What makes you
think they're entitled to come?" he asked.  "This party's for
Apollo and his impending send-off.   None of those guys know him.
No sense letting them get free ambrosia and all other amenities
for no good reason."
"Starbuck, we're stuck working with them forever now that they
don't have their own battlestar, or their old commander anymore."
Giles decided he needed to press the matter.  "It might not be a
good idea to get them ticked off by doing this."
"Hey, if one of their pilots was about to get sealed and they
decided to give him a send-off with all the ambrosia they could
drink, they'd be entitled to freeze us out."  Starbuck held his
ground.  "This isn't about shafting them, it's about letting us
have what we're entitled to." at
him.
"I won't get another chance to say this all day, Apollo,"
she whispered, "I love you."
Apollo smiled back and hoped no one close by had heard her
remark.   "Noted and logged, Corporal.   Now get moving."
"Yes sir!" she resisted the temptation to salute as she
moved into the room.
When Apollo entered the room, the fifteen women and five men
had taken their seats in front of the various computer
consoles spread across the room.   Starbuck had gone to the
head of the room next to a large master computer assembly.
"Okay, let's go through roll call before we get started,"
Starbuck said as he held up a pocket computer board with the
names of all shuttle pilots in the program.   "Sound off
when I get to your name.   Lieutenant Dietra!"
"Present!" an attractive dark-skinned woman spoke up.
"Lieutenant Athena!"
"Here," she raised her hand, trying hard not to let any
emotion show.   The one thing she was hoping would come out
of this experience as a side benefit was a hope that
Starbuck wo
"Starbuck's right," Greenbean spoke up. "Besides, the Red Squadron
guys brought it on themselves.   They've been sticking to each
other ever since they first came aboard.   Determined to maintain
their separateness as Columbia pilots and Columbia men first.
Hades, they still won't even switch to Galactica helmets."
Giles then finally shrugged his shoulders in admission of defeat.
He moved over to the other side of the room where the crate of
ambrosia Starbuck had brought back from the Rising Star lay.
"Now remember," Starbuck said as Giles carried the ambrosia over
to the table that Greenbean had set up, "Get the party started
around 1000.   That'll be about a centar before Apollo and I get
back from patrol.   Your job is to make sure the more unruly
elements of our squadron don't consume everything before then, and
to be prepared to shower signs of friendship and all the
embarrassing testimonials you can think of on Apollo."
"We won't forget," Greenbean smirked, "I've been rehearsing my
remuld finally start to take some notice of her
again.
"Corporal Serina!"
Serina raised her arm high without giving a verbal response.
"Corporal Brie!"
"Present," this from the nervous voice of a small, willowly
blonde woman.
On the roll call went through eleven more women and four
men.   When it was over, Starbuck looked out and asked,
"Anyone whose name I missed?"
"Yeah," a curly haired man spoke up, "Mine."
Starbuck's eyes narrowed in on the source and his expression
suddenly went dubious.   The last person he expected to see
at that instant was a man he had despised for yahrens,
Sergeant Ortega.    The two had once been in the same
freshman class at the Colonial Academy, and when Starbuck
and his fellow cadets discovered that Ortega had been
stealing cubits from their lockers to finance his gambling
losses, they had sent a petition to the Academy Commandant
that had resulted in Ortega's expulsion from the Colonial
Academy, though he was still free to join the service as a
regular enlistearks for almost a sectan ever since you first told us this was
likely to happen."
"Care to give me a sneak preview?" Starbuck grinned.
Greenbean gazed thoughtfully at the ceiling and then raised his
arm as though he were holding a chalice.   "To Captain Apollo.
May you always be a shining example to us as a squadron leader,
but *never* when it comes to demonstrating the supposed advantages
of being sealed."
The grin faded from Starbuck's face, while Giles shook his head
slightly in disgust and went back to unloading the ambrosia.
"I suggest you spend the next three centars finding a new writer
of testimonials, Greenbean."  The blonde warrior said as he turned
and departed the club.
When he reached the corridor he could see Boomer and Jolly already
dressed in full flight gear, their helmets tucked under their
arms, headed in the direction of the turbo lift.
"Morning, gentlemen."  Starbuck smiled at his friends.
"Morning," Boomer said and then motioned his head behind him.
"Your partner is wone.   When Starbuck had first noticed Ortega
among the survivors a sectar ago, it was the only time he
found himself sorry to see a particular individual alive.
"Sergeant Ortega, right?" he said calmly, "You're not on the
roster.   As a matter of fact, I don't believe you're part
of the shuttle program."
"I've got shuttle flight experience," Ortega protested.
"More than a sectar's worth.   That's more than most people
here have...."
"Ortega," Starbuck interrupted coldly as he silently
motioned for help from Apollo, "If you're not an active
shuttle pilot, you've got no business being here.   Go back
to Flight Ops with the rest of the volunteers."
"That's so typical of you, isn't it Starbuck?" Ortega
angrily got to his feet.   "After all these yahrens, you
still want to----"
"That's enough, Sergeant!" Apollo suddenly barked as he came
up to Starbuck and glanced down at the computer chart.   He
then glared at the curly-haired sergeant.  "What's your
designation, Sergeant?"
"I've got shuttle exdering where you've disappeared to."
"He's up already?   I'd better head him off before he starts
snooping down here."
"Hey, Starbuck," Jolly said, as the blonde warrior made his way
past the two of them.  "What time did you say this began?"
"1000.   Try to end your patrol sweep before 1100 since that's
when the both of us should be done.   If that is, you want to be
there when the fun starts."
"We'll be there."
"This is one thing you'd never pass up, even if you couldn't stand
Apollo, Jolly."  Starbuck got in a last quip before he disappeared
around the corner.
"Dang it," Jolly shook his head.  "Why is it, everyone else always
gets the last word on me before they disappear?"
"Never make friends with natural wits like Starbuck and me,
Jolly," Boomer patted him on the shoulder as they resumed walking
toward the turbo lift.


Ten centons later, Starbuck and Apollo were walking the same
corridor down to the launch bay.    And already, Apollo was
noticing the strange air of peculiar nostalgiaperience!"
"I said your current designation!" Apollo repeated angrily.
Finally, Ortega grudgingly realized he was beaten, "Colonial
Security."
"Then you do what the Lieutenant told you to do, and get
back into Flight Ops with Captain Killian's group, and do it
now!"
Ortega threw them both a dirty look and then shook his head
in disgust, muttering only a half-hearted "Yes sir," as he
slunk out of the room.
An uneasy silence filled the room as all of the remaining
pilots had awkward expressions on their faces.
"All right then, let's move on," Apollo said, trying to take
charge of the situation again.   "We're going to begin with
a computer flight simulation exercise, to get you accustomed
to handling the control stick smoothly.   As you know, this
kind of flight exercise is reduced to the format of what the
recreation minded would call a computer game, complete with
high scoring and all based on maneuver execution and number
of enemy ships destroyed.   But do not treat this as a game
at any  in his friend's
voice.
"....But that first time we flew together, that was really
something," Starbuck was saying.   "I almost thought----"
"Starbuck," Apollo interrupted, "For the last five centons, you've
done nothing but reminisce about old missions of ours.   You make
it sound like this patrol we're going on is the end of an era for
us.   All we're doing is searching the left front flank of the
Fleet so we know what's ahead of us."
"Well.....it is kind of an end of an era for us, Apollo," Starbuck
felt himself feeling awkward inside, and what made him feel
terrible was that he couldn't quite fully understand why this
sudden feeling had come over him.   "I mean, this patrol is kind
of....well it's just about the last one we'll have.....the way we
are."
"Way we are?" Apollo frowned.   "What the heck does that mean?"
"Oh....well you know, you and I....in seven yahrens we've known
each other, we've....always been the same."
"Starbuck, nothing's changing!" Apollo threw his arms out in
exasptime.   You're working this exercise for a serious
purpose.  That means if you have trouble initially, don't
get frustrated.   Just let your skills come naturally to
you.   You have two centars to run these exercises, and
those who have demonstrated the highest proficiency after
that time will move on to the next phase, which is working
the same simulator program in a full viper mock-up."
Apollo checked his chronometer.  "The exercises begin..
Starbuck flicked several switched on the master computer
bank, and then on the individual consoles of each cadet, a
flight simulation mission came up, with a joystick
resembling the viper control stick complete with the same
buttons controlling their movements.    It took only an
instant for all of the trainees to take on expressions of
intense concentration.
Apollo leaned over to Starbuck, "I'm going to let Killian
know that Ortega might be a problem for him.   Take over for
now."
"You ought to have him kicked out of this right away,"
Starbuck muttereration.   "You and I are still part of Blue Squadron.   You
and I are always going to be flying together."
"But....you'll be otherwise occupied from now on in all other
things."
Light suddenly dawned on Apollo.  "I get it," the exasperation was
now gone from his voice, replaced by amazement.  "For sagan's
sake, Starbuck, how does getting sealed mean the end of an era?"
"Well, maybe it doesn't seem like that to you in some ways, but in
others...." Starbuck still couldn't believe he was saying any of
this.   But he just found that he couldn't stop himself from
voicing the feelings of unease he had inside about Apollo's sudden
romance that was leading to marriage after only a sectar.
His friend grinned.  "In other words, you're jealous, is that it?"
Starbuck felt relieved that Apollo wasn't ready to tear his head
off at this point and was instead reacting with good natured humor
about the whole thing.   "Well....." he hesitated and took a
breath, "In a way....yes, I guess I am.   It's got nothined with contempt.
"I haven't the authority.   The program's open to anyone who
wants to volunteer and only if they flunk the training can
we dismiss them.   We're so strapped for pilots as it is,
that means we have to take guys with bad attitudes like him,
because that means we still end up with one more pilot
defending the Fleet."
"Talk about scraping the bottom of the barrel," Starbuck
grunted.  "All right, leave things to me for now."
"Thanks," Apollo patted him on the shoulder and left.
As soon as Apollo was gone, Starbuck idly moved up and down
the rows of trainees, glancing down to see how they were
doing.
He noticed that Athena's expression was slightly frustrated.
"Take it easy, Athena.  The first time's never a smooth
one."
"Sorry," she gritted her teeth.  "It feels like no matter
what I do with the stick it doesn't go where I want it to
go."
"Hey remember, you're a flying viper." he said with the
gentle firmness of an instructor who tried not to be
intimidating.  "Just thinking g to do
with Serina, I think she's terrific," he added hastily.  "It's
just that...." he trailed off.
"Hey," Apollo patted him on the shoulder.   "I think I know what
you're trying to say."
"You do?" Starbuck raised his eyebrows.
"Yeah," Apollo nodded.   He knew that any jealousy Starbuck felt
stemmed more from a case of envy over the fact that after seven
yahrens of no relationships with any woman, Apollo had been swept
up in a whirlwind romance leading to a quick sealing.   While
Starbuck, the man who prided himself on his way with women was
still left in the position of being too insecure to committ
himself to anyone.   He could already see that any earlier thought
he'd had of Starbuck becoming a brother to him in actual fact, by
marriage to Athena, was fast becoming a more dim prospect with
each passing day.
"But I tell you what, Starbuck," Apollo added.  "I promise not to
tell anyone about it."
"Thanks." he smiled.  "I...appreciate that, Apollo."
"Come on," he patted him on the shouldewhat you want it to do is
enough to make it happen.   All you need to do is stay loose
and she'll respond like a dream."
Athena nodded and allowed her body to relax slightly as she
got set for another round.
As Starbuck continued to make his way around the room, the
sting of the encounter with Ortega still left a bad taste in
his mouth.   He only hoped he never had to be in the
position of bailing him out in the middle of a combat
situation.

X-UIDL: 3Y+#!'^#"!g>U"!]:&#!

In Alpha Landing Bay, one section had been completely walled off
by a plastic shield, marking the zone where Boomer and Jolly's
vipers had been brought for maintenance after their return to the
Galactica.   Now, four suited Life Station personnel, including
Salik, were carefully inspecting the cockpits of both ships,
hoping that they might learn some answers they had yet been able
to detect so far.
"What are the contamination levels in Jolly's cockpit?"  Salik
asked from his vantage point on the tarmac.
Nestor climbed or again.  "Let's get
going."


Serina stood in front of the mirror in her quarters studying
herself with a feeling of both exhilaration and trepidation.   The
beige warrior's uniform fit her perfectly, and she no longer found
the sight of herself in it strange and awkward, as had been the
case when she'd first put it on two sectans ago.
Today would be the day when she'd truly feel that she'd earned the
right to wear it, though.   Today was the day her two sectans of
training would end in her first solo flight as a shuttle pilot.
And if it went well, then there'd be no doubt in her mind that her
chosen path in a new career was set for good.
But with it, would also come the knowledge that she would finally
have to tell Apollo about her decision to follow a new path in
life as a member of the Colonial Service.   And she knew that
Apollo's first reaction was undoubtedly going to be negative.
That was the reason why she had kept the whole thing a secret for
two sectans.   She had wanted to find ut of the viper and dropped down next to the Chief
Medical Officer, "There's no mistaking it, sir.   The readings are
much lower than they were yesterday."
"You're sure of that?"
"Yes sir, no question.   And the same indicators check in Boomer's
cockpit."
Salik put his gloved hand to his chin, shielded by the hood of his
decon suit as he tried to contemplate this information.
"Boomer didn't come into any contact with anyone between here and
the Officers Club.   Lords only know how many people passed
through that area later on, but no other cases of the disease have
broken out.   And the readings in the Officers Club are also down
from what they were yesterday after we removed everyone from
there."
"So what does it mean, sir?"
Salik sighed, "That somehow, this virus only seems to thrive when
it's able to  plant itself in a living host and be transmitted to
another living host.   But the virus itself cannot survive away
from its natural environment without a host to take hold in.   If
it coulout for herself, without any
pressuring from Apollo, whether or not she was up to the task of
training herself to become a shuttle pilot.  If she failed, then
the experiment would be over, and she knew she need not ever tell
Apollo she'd considered the idea.   But if she succeeded, and had
the evidence to prove to Apollo that she was capable of serving
the people as a warrior instead of a journalist, then she knew
that ultimately Apollo would have to accept it if he truly loved
her.
She checked her chronometer and saw that she was due to report
down to flight operations for her solo flight.   She took one last
look at herself in the mirror, straightened her uniform out and
then grabbed her flight jacket and departed.

"Core Command transferring launch controls to viper fighters, Beta
Patrol."  Rigel said as she hit the switches on her console on the
bridge.  "Launch when ready."
Five microns later, the board indicator lights turned from red to
green indicating that the two vipers had successd, then by this point now the disease should have spread
through the entire ventilation system of the Galactica
theoretically."
"So in other words, this whole area and the Officers Club should
be safe now."
"It's possible," Salik nodded, "But I'm not lifting the quarantine
on this section just yet, when it's only a theory.   But if it's
true, then that means there are properties within the virus that
cause it to break down.   Maybe because the environment of the
Galactica is different from that of where it came from, it can't
survive indefinitely."  He looked back at the two vipers and
gritted his teeth.  "I should have taken contaminated samples
yesterday and kept them under analysis overnight.   We might have
been able to see how it breaks down.   But at the rate these
levels have dropped already, there's no way we could get an
accurate reading on what causes it."
"Should we draw a sample from inside the bloodstream of one of the
men and maybe subject it to tests that way?"
"I guess we havfully launched and
were away from the Galactica.
"Morning, Rigel," she heard the voice of Omega from behind her.
The Bridge Officer was making his way to his own console located
right next to hers.
Rigel impatiently held up her hand to indicate silence, and went
on, "Core Command transferring control to viper fighters, Alpha
Patrol.   Launch when ready."
As soon as she saw the lights go from red to green, she turned
around.   "Sorry, had to take care of that first."
Omega shook his head slightly as he settled down beside her at his
own station.  "That sounded a little funny.   Beta patrol launched
first, then Alpha patrol.   I thought if you launched first, that
makes you Alpha Patrol in the pecking order."
Rigel smiled.  "Better brush up on the manual, Omega.   If the
Squadron leader is on one of those patrols, then he's Alpha Patrol
no matter when he launches.  Captain Apollo's group went second,
but that means he's still Alpha Patrol because it's him."
"Hey, I don't need to read that parte to," Salik sighed, "It won't be as good a test as
using a sample that hasn't entered someone, but it will have to do
for now."
The two entered the partition separating the rest of the Landing
Bay from the quarantined zone, discarded their suits and left for
the turbolift.


Two centars passed, and both Apollo and Starbuck had found
themselves saying little throughout the entire time as they both
silently paced up and down the room, stopping occasionally to peer
over and see how an individual trainee was doing.   Both of them
found that it was better if they say nothing at this point and
just let the trainees spread their wings and grow comfortable with
the simulation.    That way they could get a more accurate gauge
of which of the trainees possessed the more natural skills that
would mean immediate promotion to the next level.
Finally, the chime went off indicating the end of the first
session.   Apollo and Starbuck both went back to the head of the
room and consulted the readings on the of the manual.  You handle
all the launches," he smiled back and then eyed her quizzically.
"What'd you do to your hair?"
She fingered the elaborate braids of her hair, "I decided to try
something different.    What do you think?"
Omega blinked again, trying not to let his disappointment show.
He'd long been accustomed to seeing Rigel with her brown hair let
down to her shoulders, and had always considered it attractive.
"It's....different."
Rigel shook her head, "Translated into common Colonial Standard,
you don't approve."
"Hey, I didn't say that," Omega said hastily, cursing at himself
inside.  Only a sectan ago, he'd finally summoned the courage to
ask Rigel out for a date.  The last thing he wanted to do was make
a sudden bad impression on her.   "It's just..... different.
That's all."
She nodded, "It does take a lot of time to set up.  I doubt I'll
keep it this way long term."  She then glanced at him and her tone
grew coy, "Of course I could always just cut it and not feel the
need  master computer, which
recorded the scores of each exercise for each trainee.
"Okay," Starbuck said, "The following trainees have posted the top
five scores on the simulation exercises and will move on to the
viper mock-ups.   Lieutenant Dietra.  Lieutenant Athena.
Corporal Brie.   Sergeant Hanlon."  He then flashed a slightly
uneasy glance at Apollo before reading off the last name,
"Corporal Serina."
Apollo didn't change his expression.   He was more surprised by
the fact that four of the top five scores came entirely from among
the female shuttle pilots, then he was that Serina was among them.
It was enough to make him realize that he needed to do some
rethinking about his general attitude on the ability of female
trainees to handle the intense levels of viper training.   If they
all made it through this next, more difficult phase, then a lot
more than just rethinking would be needed.
"Okay then," Apollo said, "One little detail before we proceed.
All of you remembered to put on pressure to constantly find new ways of doing something with it."
As Omega put his headset on, he almost froze when he heard that,
but when he glanced back at her and saw her expression he realized
she was having fun at his expense.   Instantly, he relaxed and let
out a chuckle.
"I like your sense of humor," he said.
"I thank you," Rigel smiled back, glad that he'd figured it out.
Working alongside Omega for the better part of a half yahren had
made her wonder if he was too stiff and devoted to duty so much
that he could never loosen up.  She was glad to see that in the
last sectan, his asking her out had at least proved that maybe her
instincts about Omega had been wrong.   Not to the point where she
was considering the possibility of beginning a serious
relationship with him, but at least enough to say yes to another
date with him if he found the courage to ask again.
The sound of a new voice in her headset promptly snapped her back
to attention.   She then looked down at her console and saw that
thsuits under your uniforms
before coming down here?"
The five candidates, who had all stood up once their names had
been read, nodded.
"Then in that case, I can dispense with the lecture about what
role they play and all that.   Those of you who aren't moving on
just yet will continue to work the simulator exercises for another
two centars, and then there'll be a fifteen centon break.   At
that point, the next leading candidates will likely move on to the
mock-ups, depending on the status of the first group."  He turned
to Starbuck, "Lieutenant, continue to monitor their progress
here."
"Yes sir," Starbuck nodded, putting more formality into his tone
then at any other time in all the yahrens he'd known Apollo.
As Apollo saw both Athena and Serina make their way toward the
door that lead to the next room where the mock-ups were kept, he
finally felt a delayed reaction to their moving on to this level
kick in.   Not knowing to be proud of them for showing more
natural instinct than any of the oe red light indicator of a shuttle in position in Alpha Bay was
now showing.
"Alpha Shuttle, this is Core Control.   You are cleared for
training flight now in sector Delta one.    No scheduled fleet
traffic in that zone for next centar."
When she heard the voice on the other end, she frowned slightly
since she instantly recognized it.   Then, she replied in
acknowledgment and watched the indicator go to green, indicating
that it had launched.   Leaving her puzzled as to why
a famous newswoman like Serina was flying a shuttle on a training
exercise.


Captain Killian, the robust leader of the Galactica's Red Squadron
group, had arisen early to take part in his daily regiment of
exercise in the battlestar's Training Room.   To Killian, such
daily regiments on the exercise equipment did more then just keep
him physically fit, they also helped hone his mental skills and
sense of inner strength.   Qualities that he knew were
indispensable in any squadron leader.   That was the first thing
Commthers in the room, or to be
frightened by the thought that both of them were now one step
closer to putting their lives completely at risk.


"Adama?"
Adama looked up from his computer screen, where he'd been  again
consulting the passages from the Book of the Word that had caught
his attention the previous day.    He was slightly surprised to
see the face of Sire Anton, former aide to the late President
Adar, and a member of the Council of the Twelve.
"Sire Anton," Adama rose from his chair.  "What brings you here?"
"Sort of an unofficial mission on my part for the Council, Adama,"
Anton said as he shook hands with the commander and sat down.
"I'm sure you know that once word got out about what happened to
half the Fleet's pilots, some of our colleagues were...how shall I
put it, in a state of considerable uneasiness."
"I can understand that," Adama nodded, "By far, this is the
greatest test we've faced since our escape from Carillon.   And
whether we can overcome it....well, unofficially ander Fairfax had stressed to him two yahrens ago when Killian
had been made commander of the Columbia's Blue Squadron group, and
he had no intention of ever forgetting that.
For Killian, and all the other pilots in his group, the recent
Holocaust had been far more traumatizing then for any of the
members of Blue Squadron.   Red Squadron was comprised entirely of
pilots from the Columbia, which had been the only battlestar other
than the Galactica that had been able to launch any vipers during
the Cylon sneak attack that had succeded in destroying seven
battlestars from the Combined Colonial Fleet.   They had been
forced to see their own ship, which they had been part of for many
yahrens, devastated heavily in the attack to the point where the
decision had been made to scuttle her as a total loss.   And then,
there had been the later trauma of losing their former commander,
Fairfax, in the wake of the battle of Carillon. Fairfax's death in
many ways had been even more difficult then the loss ofSire Anton, I can
only tell you and the rest of the Council that it remains to be
seen.   We should be grateful at least for the fact that we don't
face the immediate danger of nearby Cylon presence."
"Quite true," Anton conceded, "For now, I can assure you that you
have our full and unified support with regard to whatever measures
you deem necessary.   It would only take an extraordinary failure
of leadership on your part that would make some of the....less
cooperative members suggest a reexamination of our edict of last
sectar extending new powers to you."
Adama smiled without mirth, "Sire Anton, if I were ever to engage
in an extraordinary failure of leadership, I doubt very much that
the Council would be able to dissect the aftermath."
"Precisely," Anton nodded, "I'll inform them that you have the
situation quite well at hand, and that there is no need to
distract you at this time with the nuisance of a formal session."
"Thank you, Sire," Adama was pleasantly surprised to see the
genial A the
Columbia itself, because it removed the one element of stabling
reassurance to the Columbia pilots, that their was one element of
continuity from
Since Fairfax's death, Killian and the rest of Red Squadron had
found themselves more determined to maintain their distinction as
a group from the Columbia.   They had all continued to wear their
flight helmets that bore the Columbia's insignia, instead of the
Galactica helmets.    They had also taken more and more to
socializing amongst themselves only, as though they felt that was
the only to maintain some element of the pre-Holocaust camaraderie
they had all known.   Killian knew that to maintain such
separateness in ranks wasn't bound to win them much in terms of
friendship or admiration from the pilots of Blue Squadron, but he
was also convinced that it was essential for his own group's
morale at this point.   They had lost their homes, their families,
their ship and their commander.   They needed one thing in their
lives to provide them wnton showing such unqualified support for him.   Only a
sectar ago, Anton had been among those who had willingly gone
along with Sire Uri's dangerous scheme of settling on Carillon and
proposing to destroy all their weapons.   Now, he almost seemed to
be doing all he could to compensate for what he regarded as an
indefensible error on his part.   "I appreciate your courtesy."
"It's my pleasure, Adama," Anton bowed slightly, "My blessings and
prayers be with you during this crisis."
As soon as the Council member had departed, Adama sat down and let
out a sigh of relief that at least for now, events had not
conspired to stick him with a political headache.   All things
considered though, it was a very small favor to be grateful for.
He activated the vid-com that connected him to the Life Station,
"Dr. Salik, please?"
"Dr. Salik is detained, Commander," he saw the face of Cassiopeia,
"He's running some new tests on the virus strain."
"Is he closer to a breakthrough?" Adama hunched forward, tryingith some continuity to the lost past and
keeping their identity as a Columbia group was the only way to
As he worked out on the weight machine, lying on his back and
preparing himself to lift more than 200 kilos of steel, he was
surprised when he saw out of the corner of his eye, a clearly
irritated Sergeant Barton, one of the younger pilots from his
group.
"Sir?" Barton asked.  "Do you have a micron?"
Killian lowered the weights and came to a sitting position.  "What
is it, Barton?"
"Sir, there's something I had to ask you about.   Are you aware
that Blue Squadron's closed off all access to the Officer's Club
for the next 24 centars?"
Red Leader wiped away the sweat from the back of his neck.
"Captain Apollo's sendoff party, I imagine.   Don't make a big
deal about it, Barton."
"Sir, they've probably stashed about two crates of prime
ambrosia."
Killian looked up at him.  "What do you want me to do about it,
Barton?   Turn them in to Security?"
"Sir, I just----" Barton then shrugged in exa
not to fight back any feelings of false optimism.
"I'm not in a position to answer that, Commander.   I'm sure he'll
contact you personally when he's done with these latest tests."
"Please tell him to do that.  Thank you."  Adama switched the vid-
com off and stretched himself out, staring at the ceiling totally
lost in thought.    After a centon, he glanced back down at his
desk, where the holopicture of Ila smiled brightly at him.  It was
the perfect image of how he had last seen her.   Her blonde hair
with the faintest streaks of silver at the sides lending her a
more regal bearing.    Her face, still totally unlined and
retaining every aspect of her youthful beauty.   Her blue eyes,
betraying just the slightest hint of the loneliness she'd been
forced to endure in life ever since Zac, the last of her three
children had gone off to the Academy and left her alone for the
most part.
Adama sighed with an air of sadness he had no intention of ever
letting a single living soul.   Even though hsperation, "I just
don't think it's right for one squadron to cut us out of something
like that.   Luxuries like a party full of ambrosia are scarce
enough as they are----"
"Barton," the Squadron Leader said gently.  "Forget it.   What
they're doing is no different then what we've been doing in
keeping our identity as a Columbia unit.   They're entitled to
have their own private parties, just like we would be if it were
one of our men."  His expression then grew harder.  "And with that
in mind, I want you to pass this word to every member of our
Squadron.  I don't want a single one of them to be within scanning
distance of the Officers Club today.   If so much as one of you
tries crashing that party or raising Hades about it, it's going to
cost the whole group a half sectan's pay."
The young sergeant stiffened slightly, not having expected Killian
to take this kind of hard line.  "I'll tell them, sir."  He then
turned and departed.   Leaving Red Leader alone to ponder the
thought that a word e was long past the
point where he could feel tears over his wife's death, it was
still hard for him to accept the feeling of emptiness her death
had left in his life.    Even though he had been separated from
her so often, he had always treasured the fact that so often he'd
been able to write letters to her from aboard whatever ship he
happened to be stationed on, and have them sent by Courier from
the nearest liberty port his ship would put into.    Always, those
letters were his outlet for opening up during times of difficulty,
and without them he'd always felt that he'd never have been able
to remain a committed warrior all his life.
Right now, was one of those occasions where if he couldn't talk to
Ila directly, he could at least write her a letter and reveal
everything to her about what was going through his mind, and share
things he'd never have revealed to another living soul.  And
eventually, after many sectans, a reply would always be waiting
for him at the next planet his ship wouldwith Starbuck or someone else in Blue Group
might be in order to at least make sure that Red Group could get
their hands on some ambrosia for themselves.


X-UIDL: 7::!!!`<!!EIh!!9c2"!

Twenty centons had passed since Boomer and Jolly had left the
Galactica to begin their patrol search for signs of Cylon
penetration along one of the potential routes the Fleet would take
in their search for the elusive destination of Earth.    They had
said nothing up to that point beyond routine matters of checking
equipment and making sure their scanners were set.   Now, after
twenty centons of seeing nothing, Boomer felt it was safe to have
some conversation about other matters.
"I'd have lost a million cubits if we'd had a pool on which of us
in the squadron would ever get sealed first," Boomer broke the
ice.   "Apollo never would have been my pick."
"How come?" Jolly asked.   "I felt just the opposite.   I always
figured he'd be the first or close to that."
"You did?" Boomer raised an eyebrow.  "Even t put into.   Always
filled with the advice, reassurance and love that he'd needed to
sustain him from afar.
There were isolated centons when he almost felt the need to take
up his writing implements and write a letter to her anyway, as
though she were still alive.    To at least put down on paper the
things he would have said to her and admitted, and then perhaps
reasoned what her response might be.   Always, he had pushed away
the thought as a sign of wallowing in the past too much, and
refusing to accept reality.
But now though, he wondered if in light of the extraordinary
difficulties he now faced; of seeing half the Fleet's defense
force rendered useless by a disease, of dealing with an even
larger question of whether he had stumbled on to a clue that
offered a key to the discovery of where he hoped to lead the Fleet
to safety, or whether he was about to lead them into a greater
danger they could have ever envisoned, and finally the concern
over seeing a new member of his family be subjechough you never once
knew Apollo to go out on a date with any woman?"
"That's exactly why I figured he'd be the first," Jolly replied as
he kept his eye on the scanner.  "Someone like Apollo who doesn't
date is usually going to end up marrying the first woman he ever
dates seriously.   It was just a question of when that woman would
finally arrive."
"Interesting thinking, Jolly," Boomer admitted.  "I wonder-"" he
then trailed off as his scanner suddenly caught his attention.
"Wait a centon, I'm picking up some crazy readings on that
asteroid in Delta Sector four."
"What do you-"" Jolly started then stopped.  "Yeah, my scanner's
got it too.  Atmosphere reading and....definite signs of low-level
energy output beneath the surface."
"Okay, I've got that location of the energy output pinpointed."
Boomer felt a trace of uneasiness creep into his voice.   "Jolly,
just to be on the safe side, activate low-level jamming.   In case
anyone's down there watching us, they'll just think it's natural
subspted to the risks
of taking part in the dangerous life of a viper pilot.
Ila, he silently cried out.   I wish I could just talk to you once
more.   To lend some closure to everything.
But that was one prayer he knew the Lords would never grant to
him.   If he wanted to see and talk to his wife again, then he
would have to see his life come to an end.   And that was
something he had no intention of letting happen for as many
yahrens as it could possibly be.
He cast an idle glance at the writing implements on his desk,
still wondering if he should just write a letter as a form of
catharsis, and then cast another eye back on his computer screen
where the charts from the Book of the Word still stared back at
him.
"Commander?"
He looked back at his vid-com and saw that a concerned Tigh ahd
contacted him from the Bridge.
"Yes, Colonel?"
"Commander, long range scans are beginning to pick up the void
Apollo and Starbuck told us about yesterday," he said, "Even from
this far out, it's giving us readace interference."
"But if we do that, we can't take a more detailed scan from up
here," the sergeant pointed out.
"True.  But I think this is something we'd best investigate from
ground level.   Follow me in and we'll set ourselves down within
two thousand metrones of the source of that energy output."
"Will do," Jolly said as he activated his turbo to follow Boomer's
viper down toward the dark surface of the nearby asteroid.


As Boomer and Jolly investigated one potential track for the Fleet
to take on its journey, Apollo and Starbuck were busy scanning the
alternate route.   Unlike Boomer and Jolly, the conversation
between the two pilots was almost non-stop from the beginning,
with most of it being initiated by Starbuck.   And to Apollo's
bemusement, he found that Starbuck couldn't seem to stop talking
about past missions they'd shared together.
After twenty centons though, Apollo was beginning to feel his
patience wear slightly thin as Starbuck again launched into
another reminiscenceings I don't like.   I think it
would be advisable to alter our course so that we skirt around its
perimeter."
Adama shook his head, "Negative, Colonel.  Maintain heading for
now."
Tigh was still taken aback slightly by how the Commander seemed so
adamant on this point.   But for now, he had no other suggestions
to offer, so he merely nodded, "Yes sir."
As soon as the executive officer's face disappeared from the
screen, Adama drew himself up, and with firm resolution, knowing
that he needed to get what he was feeling out of his system, he
picked up the implements and began to write.
"....My dearest Ila...."

X-UIDL: 6bf"!O!:"!c9-"!Zgm"!

"No, no!" Apollo snapped as he came up to the viper mock-up
where Corporal Brie was strapped in, running a simulation program
that utilized video images to recreate the environment of a combat
mission.   "Tail down before you use reverse thruster to shake off
a pursuing Cylon.   You don't do that and you're going to collide
with him while you're moving b about the past.   Finally, he decided it was
time to give his friend some gentle reproach.
"Hey Starbuck," he said cutting in on the lieutenant's
recollection.  "Enough.   I don't want to hear anymore about past
conquests."
"Sorry," Starbuck said, feeling slightly chastened, "It's just
that we've had so many good memories."
"Starbuck, I'm not dying."
"No," Starbuck shrugged.  "Not exactly."  And then he flinched as
he realized that was the most inappropriate remark he could have
made.   The cold silence he heard from Apollo almost produced a
chill inside him.
"Apollo, I'm sorry I said that.   I...."
"Forget it," Apollo sighed, "Look Starbuck, we went over this
before we left the Galactica.   Do we need to go over it again?
For the millionth, and hopefully last time, nothing is changing as
far as our working together on missions goes.   Okay, maybe you
and I won't be able to have opportunities for a boys night out,
but in case you've forgotten, I was never one for those kind of
things anywaackwards."
"Uh...sorry, Captain," the blonde trainee sounded slightly
rattled.  "That's....back on the stick before reverse thruster,
right?"
"Right," the captain nodded, his voice calmer.   For two centars
now, he'd been monitoring all five of the trainees who were now in
the mock-ups, and he could begin to feel the long morning already
taking its toll on him.   "Remember, your comp scan provides all
the data you need on where the pursuing Cylon is and what your
bearing is.   Don't waste time looking behind for a visual fix all
the time in a situation like that."
She nodded and pressed the button that would restart the
simulation exercise.    Around Brie's mock-up, video images of
stars moving about filled her field of vision as it did for the
others.
Apollo let out a weary sigh and went over to the mock-up where
Serina was strapped in.   At that instant, her simulator was
moving up and down and the video images around her depicted an
intense fight with multiple Cylon fighters, with more thy."
"That's true," Starbuck conceded.  "Still----"
"And given the way things are now, Starbuck, it'd be a long time
before even single warriors will get to enjoy those kind of boys
night out having a good time again.   At least not the way we used
to enjoy them."
"Oh, I wouldn't say that," Starbuck protested mildly. "I mean it
looks like The Rising Star will be reopening a lot of its luxury
features soon.   Once they get a new pay scale adjusted, warriors
will do all they can to save up for furlons there.  That should
give us all the kinds of things a liberty port used to give us."
Apollo shook his head in amazement.  "Starbuck, I guess that's the
one thing about you that'll never stop amazing me.   After all
we've gone through in the last sectar, you still want to keep
acting as though nothing's really happened and that life is still
the same as it was before the Holocaust."
"Hey, call it a defensive instinct," Starbuck said impulsively.
"I mean...the more we do things that we took for grnatan one
viper flying across her field of vision as well.    Immediately,
Apollo was impressed by the fact that Serina was on a more
difficult simulator exercise since the next phase involved having
to handle uncoordinated combat conditions, as opposed to the first
level which just involved simulating maneuvers of single ship-to-
ship combat.
He saw the showers of explosions erupt on the screens surrounding
Serina's mock-up and then the images shut off.    Serina popped
open her cockpit and looked down at her fiancee with a satisfied
smile.
"Completed level three test, Captain," she didn't bother hiding
the pride she felt.
Apollo shok his head in amazement, "If you're done with level
three Corporal, that means you've earned the right to take the
next centar off and free this mock-up for someone from the next
group."
"Very well," she removed her helmet and climbed out of the mock-
up.   "But the way I've been going, I'd just as soon try level
four now."
"No one's doing level four today," he sed before
the Holocaust, the easier it is to cope.   At least....that's the
way it seems to me."
"I know what you mean," Apollo said sympathetically, "But for me,
I think it's more important to look ahead to new things and new
opportunities.   That's why..." he trailed off slightly, "That's
why I want to go ahead with this, Starbuck.   Serina's the
greatest thing that ever happened to me.   And besides....you know
I always had something of a crush on her when she was just an
image on a vid-com screen to me."  His tone grew more confident,
as though he were determined to stop Starbuck cold from making any
more observations.  "I've thought a lot about it, Starbuck.  I've
never been happier about anything in my whole life.   And there
isn't anything that's going to make me think differently about
that."
Starbuck realized it was best to not say anything further about
it.   The last thing he wanted to do was put Apollo in a bad frame
of mind before the sendoff party.
An air of uneasy silence now aid, "That involves
simulating all out attack conditions on the Fleet and having to
chase Cylons down while flying through the laser turret crossfire
from the Galactica.   Today, we're just concerned with getting as
many people as we can up to level three on the simulator."
"Probably sound thinking," she admitted, "So after my centar
break, I just come back for more refinement on the lower levels?"
"Yeah, that's it."  Apollo nodded.   "And a couple of the Red
Squadron boys will arrange a tour of the Celestra so you can get a
handle on the operations there and what they do in case your viper
ever needs serious maintenance."
A bright flash to one side in front of a mock-up caught Apollo's
attention, and he walked over to where Sergeant Hanlon, the lone
male among the four trainees, was rubbing his eyes after they'd
been blinded briefly.
"What happened?" he asked.
"I don't get it," Hanlon blinked several more times.  "I was lined
up behind him and he pulled this slow reverse move on me."
"Alwayhung over between the two warriors as
they went back to looking at their scanners.   Finally, several
centons later it was broken by the sound of a number of blips from
Apollo's instruments.
"Starbuck?"
"I got it," The lieutenant's voice became totally professional.
"My panel's lighting up like a meteor fire.   I've never-"" he
trailed off suddenly.
"Starbuck?"  Apollo radioed.  "What is it?"
"Good Lord," Starbuck whispered, his mouth hanging open in
disbelief.  "Apollo, dead ahead.  Take a look."
Apollo looked up from his instruments and his eyes widened in
disbelief at what lay before him.   Instead of seeing a bright
star-lit field ahead of him, he could now see a whole section of
space that was total blackness.   No stars, no signs of
illumination whatsoever.   It gave the aura of a menacing black
pit that seemed ready to swallow anything that entered it.
"It's totally black," Apollo could think of nothing else to say.
"Like a dead sea," Starbuck was amazed, "I've never seen anything
lis peel off to your starboard flank the instant you see him
start to move backwards on you."  Apollo said with an air of
impatience.  "Remember, they don't react to the unexpected.
Their minds aren't trained to think of a ship peeling off to
counter a straight line reverse.   Give it another run through and
try again."
"Yes sir," Hanlon sighed, wondering if he was going to be able to
withstand all the onslaughts that were still to come.
When Apollo moved away from the mock-up, he saw that Starbuck had
entered the room.   The blonde lieutenant had an air of concern on
his face.
"I have two trainees who I think should have a crack at the mock-
ups now," he said, "I take it a couple of them are free now?"
"Serina's done for now," Apollo said.   "Andƒ?"" he then moved
over and glanced at the master computer console.   "Lieutenant
Dietra should probably be out in a centon or two."
"Okay," Starbuck said, then added carefully, "Want me to take over
here for now?   You look like you could use a centarke it."
"Neither have the instruments," Apollo looked down and felt his
uneasiness increase as he saw his navigational compass spinning
around.  "There's nothing for them to lock onto."
"Well one thing's for sure, this is no place to bring the Fleet."
"You're right," Apollo said, "But we have to guard against the
possibility that the sector Boomer and Jolly are checking out
might be even worse for the Fleet, especially if they've stumbled
across any Cylon presence in their sector."
"So what are you saying, then?" Starbuck asked.
"As long as we're here, I'd better see how far we can go without
getting lost."
"Apollo," Starbuck protested, "Do you really think that's a good
idea?"
"Maybe this void isn't too extensive, and if that's the case we
should try and see what's on the other side of it so we can give
the Galactica a full report."
"But once you're inside that void you may not find your way back."
Starbuck felt the chill growing up his back.   The more he could
see that foreboding darknes off."
"I'm fine," Apollo waved his hand.  "I just----" he then stopped
and went back over to Hanlon's mock-up as he saw another flash,
"Peel off to starboard flank, blast it!   Starboard!   Now try it
again!"
He then moved back to where Starbuck was standing before the
nervous Hanlon could mumble anything in reply.    The lieutenant's
expression had grown more concern.
"Apollo," he said gently, "I'm serious.  You get out of here for a
centar and let me take over.    You're not going to boost their
confidence like that.   Let them see me and my sunny disposition
instead."
"Sunny dispositions aren't what's going to get them combat ready,"
Apollo said, "Iƒ?"" he then caught Serina standing by the
compartment doorway out of the corner of his eye, and her
expression immediately had a sobering effect on him.   "Sorry,
you're right.   I think this is all starting to get to me in every
sense.   You take over for now."
"Glad you see it my way," Starbuck patted his friend's shoulder as
he stuck an us loom closer, the more spooked he
felt.
"I'm in command of this patrol, Starbuck, and my judgment is we
check this out."
"Okay," Starbuck said, "But in that case let me check it out.  I
mean, you've got someone waiting for you back-""
Before the blonde lieutenant could finish his thought, Apollo had
activated his turbo and roared off straight into the black chasm
ahead.
"Apollo!" Starbuck said as he increased his own speed.  "Look,
don't get too far ahead.  I'm barely able to keep my fix on the
way back to the Fleet as it is."
An instant later, Starbuck saw Apollo's viper swallowed up by the
darkness.
"Felgercarb," he muttered under his breath.   "Apollo, do you hear
me?"
Far ahead, Apollo was looking about with a feeling of intimidated
awe at the blackness that surrounded him.   It almost seemed like
something out of a child's nightmare, validating every fear of the
dark that children were known to have.
"I copy you, Starbuck."  He radioed.  "It's incredible out here.
It's an ocean of dnlit fumarello in his mouth and went over to the mock-
up where Athena was.
Apollo let out a slow exhale as he came back over to his fiancee.
"Sorry, it's been a long day for me."
"Let's talk outside," Serina said as she led him out.   Once they
were in the corridor, she finally spoke up.   "I have to ask you
something.   Are you happy or disappointed that I've already made
it this far?"
"Serina, please," Apollo protested, "I haven't got time to worry
about you.   I'm more concerned with seeing us get our fighter
strength back to an acceptable level."
"I'm sure you are, Apollo," she folded her arms.   "But I have to
know this.   I want us to be completely honest with each other.
Would you feel easier if I'd been struggling up to this point and
been on the verge of getting flunked out?"
He stopped and looked her in the eye, "Serina," he said, "Right
now, you're showing a lot of natural talent for someone who never
flew any kind of ship until two sectans ago.   That's an
accomplishment you should be proud of, and I'm not going to say or
do anything that would take that pride away from you."   He put
his hands on her shoulders, "I love you, Serina.   And I want you
to be happy spreading your wings in what you think you're best at.
That's never going to change for as long as we're together."
Serina relaxed and smiled.  "Are we off-duty for now, my captain?"
She asked slyly.
He smiled back, "We are."
Their arms went around each other and they shared a brief,
passionate kiss on the lips.    When they let go of each other,
Apollo seemed more at ease than he'd been a centon before.
"Starbuck was right.   I needed to get away from there for a
centar."  He sighed, "I'm going to head down to the Life Station.
I need to see if there's been any change."
"I hope there has," Serina said, "Much as I like the feel of a
viper mock-up, I want to see all of them recover first."


Salik had spent nearly a centar since his return from the landing
bay hunched over a lab table with his right eye peerarkness.  Nothing as far as the eye can see.  No
stars, no moons, no planets.  Nothing."
When he heard a reply from Starbuck, Apollo felt a chill for the
first time as he heard not a clear signal but a badly garbled one
instead.
"Apollo-"I----barely-"you...Turn around---- Do you read-" Change
wavelengths-----."
"Keep talking Starbuck, I'm using your voice as a navigational
fix."
The next sound though was even more garbled than before.  So much
so, that this time Apollo couldn't even make out any of Starbuck's
words.
"Starbuck?" he tried to keep his tone calm, but for the first time
Apollo felt a genuine sensation of fear creep in.   "Starbuck?"
Far behind, Starbuck was feeling a sense of exasperation build up
inside him.   "Apollo?  Are you there?  Is anything wrong?"
There was only the crackle of static.
"Look, I'm as far out as I can go without losing our fix on our
return back to the Fleet," he went on, determined to not let any
feelings of panic bubble to the surface.  "Shall I come outing through an
ultra magnifier.    Looking for the slightest sign of change that
would give him the answer he was now desperately hoping to find.
Finally, after seeing nothing, he got up and let out a grunt of
exasperation.
"No change," he muttered.  "Absolutely no change at all.   The
virus still feeds off the cells of the blood sample even in this
state.   This is absolutely worthless in terms of recreating how
the virus broke down in the viper cockpits and the Officers Club."
"We'd literally need a fresh zone of contamination then," Nestor
noted.
Salik looked up at the med-tech, his hand on his chin, "What's
that you said?"
"I said, we'd literally need a fresh sample of the virus that had
been brought back and exposed to conditions aboard the Galactica
to recreate what happened."
Salik rubbed his chin in thought, his eyebrows narrowing as a new
idea formed in his mind.
"Nestor," he got to his feet and patted him on the shoulder, "I
think you've finally given me the answer."

X-UIDL: le to
find you?"
Still no response.
"Apollo!" Starbuck now let his professionalism drop and his
exapseration surface.  "Do you read me?"
Another crackle of static brought no intelligible reply.   And as
Starbuck now saw the area of darkness begin to fill his entire
field of vision, all he could do at this point was mutter another
expletive.
"Frack."


Chapter Three

The instant he had awaken, Sergeant Castor of the Colonial
Security unit attached to the Galactica, had a feeling it was not
going to be a good day for him.    And when his feet hit the floor
and he began to dress, he promptly remembered the reason why he
had that feeling.   He was going to have to spend the next eight
centars on the morning shift working alongside the one man in the
Colonial Security unit he disliked above all others.    The foul-
mouthed, ill-tempered, curly-haired sergeant named Ortega.
After five yahrens in Colonial Security, Castor had seen his share
of partners he'd never particularly cared for, but ther9!!Cc2!!9E&#!%(j!!

Adama had spent a centar writing his letter to Ila that no one but
himself would ever see.   When he was finished, he found that he
couldn't avoid the old habit of placing it in a container and
sealing it, just as he'd always done so many times over the
yahrens.   And then finally, writing in bold print on the front of
the container, her name and their address on Caprica.
He looked down at the sealed letter and let out a sigh of relief.
Writing the letter had made him feel much better.   Now, it was a
matter of hoping that time would give him the kind of insight that
he knew Ila would have been able to give him had she still been
here and been able to respond to the things he'd written.
"Commander?" he heard Tigh's voice from the video-com.
"Yes, Colonel?" Adama said as he put the letter down on his desk
and answered the video-com.
"Commander, I must request that you come to the Bridge
immediately.   I think you need to see specifically what kind of
readings that void is e was
something about Ortega, a survivor of the Security Unit attached
to Caprica's District Headquarters, that set him apart from
everyone else.  It wasn't just that Ortega was surly, moody and
impossible to talk to.   What made Ortega different was how he
seemed to be constantly going out of his way to look for trouble.
Twice, it seemed like Ortega was ready to pick a fight with Castor
over some perceived slight.   If it weren't for the fact that
Castor was a powerfully, muscularly built man who outweighed
Ortega by a good forty kilos and could lift him with one hand, he
was sure the curly-haired sergeant would have followed through on
his threats.
Ah well, Castor sighed as he finished getting dressed and attached
his laser to his holster.   Maybe I can see about getting night
shift duty instead.   Then that way I could be free of the little
snitrod.    For now though, he had to resign himself to spending
eight centars alongside Ortega in the Colonial Security Operations
Center, located in giving us."
"I'll be there in a centon," Adama switched the video-com off.
Before heading to the door, he picked up the sealed letter and
looked at it thoughtfully, wondering what he should do with it
now.   Not comfortable with the thought that he should dispose of
it right away, he stuck it in his uniform pocket, as though having
it close to him might be able to give him some form of symbolic
strength.


When Apollo reached the Life Station, he felt a sense of great
helplessness go through him when he saw all the pilots of Blue
Squadron lined up one-by-one in support chambers.    All of them
had now been placed in cryofreeze and to Apollo, it almost
conveyed the hideous illusion that they were dead already.
He walked up to Boomer's chamber and looked down at the comatose
form of the one man in Blue Squadron he was closest to other than
Starbuck.   He knew that from a technical standpoint, Boomer's
error in judgment carried the risk of disciplinary action once he
returned to duty.   But asthe center of the battlestar.   The Operations
Center was where Colonial Security directed all matters in the
Fleet that fell under their jurisdiction.   As proscribed by
Colonial law, the Colonial Security forces, being fully active
members of the military, were responsible solely for matters
pertaining to military security.   Civilian security was handled
entirely by the Council Security Forces.   There was a feeling
though, among the members of Colonial Security like Castor, that
Council Security had outlived its usefulness as an independent
body, especially now that the entire Fleet wa As much as Castor
understood Adama's reasoning, he still felt it was a mistake.   As
far as he was concerned, Council Security had long been staffed
with incompetents who never would have passed muster in the more
disciplined ranks of Colonial Security.   And if that wasn't bad
enough, too many of them were filled with a deep-seated arrogance
and air of their supposed superiority as law enforcement officials
 far as Apollo was concerned, he was
going to do all he could to make certain the technical letter of
the military code wasn't enforced on this occasion.
"Can I do something for you, Captain?"
Apollo looked up from the chamber and saw Cassiopeia approaching
him.   He had not gotten much chance to see her since the Carillon
experience, when he and Starbuck had rescued her from the Ovions
with centons to spare.    The first thing that struck Apollo was
how different Cassiopeia seemed now that she was wearing a med-
tech's uniform instead of the provocative gown of a socialtor.
She seemed so at ease in her surroundings that no one would ever
have guessed that she had once been a socialtor.
He'd already heard some idle remarks from Athena about how
Starbuck had been taking a good deal of interest in Cassiopeia
over the last sectar, so much so that it had put a considerable
strain on the relationship Athena and Starbuck had once shared.
If that was so, then the one thing Apolo had to concede was th
that no Colonial Security guard would ever have been caught dead
mingling with a Council Security blackshirt.
As Castor walked down the corridor to the Command Center though,
he couldn't help but note that compared to Ortega, a Council
Security blackshirt would be infinitely better company.
When he entered the Command Center, he saw Ortega seated at his
station.   And instantly, Castor's eyebrows went up when he saw
that the curly-haired sergeant was counting up a thick stack of
cubit notes.
"Where'd you get those?" he asked.
Ortega looked up and flushed a deep shade of red, as though he
hadn't expected anyone to see what he was doing.   "None of your
damn business."
"Hey, just asking.   Don't get huffy."  Castor said as he signed
in and went over to his duty station, already feeling the sense of
weariness come over him.
"All right," Ortega grunted as he quickly pocketed the cubit notes
in his uniform so that they were out of sight.   "I've been
waiting for you to arrive.   There's somethinat
whatever attraction Starbuck continued to feel for Cassiopeia had
to be more than just physical.   If it had been, he couldn't have
envisioned Starbuck continuing the relationship after she'd given
up her former profession.
"Well, no.  Not really."  Apollo said, and then amended himself,
"That is, has there been any change?"
"I'm afraid not, Captain."  She shook her head.  "Dr. Salik has
formed some theories about whether the virus breaks down when its
not inside a host organism, but nothing that can be of any help
just yet."
"I see," Apollo nodded and looked back down at Boomer.  "Are
they....feeling any pain right now?"
"They shouldn't.   Cryofreeze is quite efficient.   They aren't
aware of anything right now."
"I guess that's the only thing to be grateful for at this point,"
Apollo sighed, "That even if the worst happensƒ?""
"The worst isn't going to happen, Captain," Cassiopeia interrupted
sharply.   "We're going to find the answer and we're going to cure
them all."
Apollo smiled tg we need to take
care of down at the Officers Club."
Castor was on the verge of sitting down at his station then
stopped and came back to a standing position.  "What is it?"
"Got a little tip from a pilot in Red Squadron about a clandestine
party going on in the Officers Club.   He says it's likely that
some guys in Blue Squadron may have an illegal stash of ambrosia
on hand."
Castor's eyes narrowed.  "Who gave this tip, Ortega?"
"A Red Squadron pilot.   Didn't leave his name, he gave this to me
over the telecom about five centons ago."  He rose.  "But at any
rate it's something we've got to look into, isn't it?"
"No it isn't."  Castor said calmly.  "If he's referring to Captain
Apollo's sendoff party, that's already been cleared by the
Colonel.   Didn't you see the note about that when you looked over
the authorization list?"
"Yeah, I did," Ortega said haughtily, "But did the Colonel's
authorization extend to illegal tranfer and consumption of
ambrosia?"
"Ortega," Castor said calmly, "Thihinly at her, "I appreciate the optimism,
Cassiopeia."
"If we weren't optimists in this profession, we'd never bother
trying to treat anyone."
"I guess not," the captain admitted.  "I'll let you and the team
here keep working on that.   Thanks."
As Apollo left the Life Station and prepared to return to the mock-
up room, he suddenly realized that the way Cassiopeia had spoken,
exuding a kind of determined optimism in the face of some grave
odds, was almost exactly the kind of thing Starbuck might have
said.
Maybe they have a lot more in common than I realized, Apollo
thought.   And if that were true, he almost wondered if in
Cassiopeia there was a chance Starbuck had found someone who might
actually be even more compatible for him than Athena was.
Whatever the case, that was certainly not an insight he had any
intention of sharing with anyone, let alone his sister at anytime
soon.


Adama arrived on the Bridge and noticed right away that Tigh
seemed more on-edge than he usually was.
"Coms isn't worth looking into.
Leave Blue Squadron alone and let them have their party.  If
they've managed to smuggle a case of ambrosia, then it's no big
deal."
"Since when did you get so chummy when it came to Blue Squadron,
Castor?" Ortega's haughty tone didn't lessen.  "What makes them
exempt from the regulations on smuggling and illegal consumption--
--"
"Why in Hades should you give a frack about that?" Castor
interrupted coldly.  "Our job is to investigate potential security
leaks, not to do the type of felgercarb that Council Security
goons would get their kicks doing.   Now I say we just forget the
whole thing and concentrate on more productive work instead."
"I wouldn't recommend that, Castor."  Ortega said.  "Because if
you're so determined to bend the rules for your chums in Blue
Squadron, I'd feel compelled to write you up on that in a report
that the Lieutenant couldn't ignore."
Castor's eyes narrowed in disbelief.   He couldn't believe that it
had taken all of two centons for himander," Tigh pointed to the monitor, "These are the scan
readings we've been able to take from the void.    We're twenty
four centars out from it at this point, based on our current
speed."
Adama seated himself in front of the monitor and looked at the
readings.   They were enough to make the most hardened of
warrirors feel uneasy.    But as he rubbed the pocket of his
uniform and felt the letter inside, he knew immediately that the
one thing Ila would have told him was to not be dissuaded from
something he felt he was right about.
"Inform the captains of the other ships in the Fleet to close
ranks to a distance of no more than twenty microns spacing."
Tigh frowned, "Adama, that would indicate you're still serious
about taking the Fleet into that."
"For now, that is my decision," Adama said, "We can count on the
fact that should we enter the void, we will have been given some
shelter from any pursuing Cylon force."
"But Adama," Tigh pointed at the monitor.   "You can see for
yourself.   Thim to wish he could tear
Ortega's head off.
"You wouldn't."
"Try me." he grinned smugly.
"All right then," Castor held his ground.  "So you'd write me up
on this.   And maybe I'd feel compelled to find out where you got
all those cubits in your pocket."
"Which would get a complaint for undue harassment and invasion of
my privacy in return, Castor.   I just had a lucky streak on the
Rising Star and what I do in my spare time is none of your
business.   What is your business is enforcing the regulations for
warrior conduct in a military zone, and if you're not willing to
do that just because you have friends in Blue Squadron, then that
means I'm within my rights to do something about that."
Castor glared at the curly-haired sergeant with disgust and
finally shook his head as though he were admitting defeat.
"All right you lousy snitrod," he said under his breath.  "We'll
have a look."
Ortega found himself grinning with satisfaction as he secured his
laser pistol and followed Castor out.   Hopis void has all the appearances of being infinite."
"Not infinite, Colonel.   Just beyond our scanner's ability to
probe the other side."
Adama wondered if at this point, he should reveal to Tigh the real
reason why the void intrigued him.   It would certainly clear up
some of the frustration the executive officer was now feeling at
this point over Adama's decision.   But he also knew that Tigh was
not the right man to broach the subject with at this point.   Tigh
had been a religious skeptic all his life, and that meant that he
couldn't possibly begin to understand Adama's motives.   Not yet
at least.   Not until they were in the void, when hopefully the
answer Adama was looking for would reveal itself.
"Commander?"
Adama and Tigh turned around and saw that Salik had arrived.
"Doctor, what brings you here?"  Adama felt a faint edge of hope.
"Have you discovered a cure?"
"I haven't discovered a cure, Commander," Salik said carefully,
"But I have found one avenue of hope that could lead to a cung all the while that
what he was about to do was finally stick it to his old nemesis
Starbuck once and for all by getting the blonde lieutenant from
Blue Squadron busted on a major regulations infraction.


In the Officers Club, all of Blue Squadron (save the four members
who were now on patrol) had gathered to begin the final
preparations for the party, as well as to get first crack at some
of the amenities the party would be offering.
"Allow me to present the crowning centerpiece of this party,"
Greenbean said with pride as he pulled out the case of ambrosia
that Starbuck had brought down earlier.   "Gentlemen, feast your
eyes good," he then opened the lid with a dramatic flourish.
A collective low whistle emitted from the more than forty pilots
who were assembled in the room.
"Lords of Kobol," a young flight corporal named Vickers said in
awe, "Caprican vintage 7334.   Where'd you get this, Greenbean?"
"Don't thank me, thank Starbuck," Greenbean grinned.  "He's our
benefactor as far as re."
Adama leaned back in his chair, "Go on."
"It comes down to the fact that the virus has properties that
cause it to break down outside its natural environment if there's
no living organism like a human being for it to take host in.
That accounts for why the contamination readings in the Officer
Club and in the cockpits of those vipers that brought it here have
now dropped."
"And theoretically, the same thing should happen inside over time
to a victim of the virus?"
Salik drew himself up, "I think there's a connection, Commander.
But right now, the problem is that I need a fresh sample of the
virus to analyze in the Galactica's environment to understand why
it breaks down.   Without that kind of analysis, I can't begin to
explore a potential avenue for finding a cure for the men."
"So what are you saying, Doctor?"  Adama raised an eyebrow.
The Chief Medical Officer decided to plunge head on in,
"Commander, to get a fresh sample, I need to take a med-tech team
back to the source of the virthe ambrosia goes.   And that means that this
is going to be the best bachelor send-off in all the annals of
Colonial History."
"That's for sure!" a wing sergeant said giddily as he reached for
one of the bottles.
"Ah, ah," Giles said as he slapped at the sergeant's hand, "No
touching until the guest of honor arrives.   That's the first rule
you all have to follow."
"And the first one who breaks that rule gets himself stripped and
moduled," Greenbean added.
At the other end of the Club, Flight Cadet Bo, a recent enlistee
who had yet to make his first training flight, was looking out
into the hallway.    He then turned back and looked at Greenbean
with concern, "Uh...sir?"
"What is it?" the ensign stared at him.
"Two Colonial Security men are headed this way.   Do they um....."
"Uh oh," Greenbean's tone grew uneasy, "Giles, hurry.  Get that
stuff stashed away just in case!"
Within five microns, the lid had gone back on the crate and it had
been hastily shoved under the table.   Greenbean and Giles had
both snapped back to rigid attention just as the door opened and a
smug Ortega entered the room, with a disgruntled Castor trailing
behind him.
"Well, well," Ortega said as he looked about the room.  "Looks as
though Blue Squadron is having a grand old celebration.  Too bad
you couldn't have invited the rest of your fellow pilots to join
you."
The expressions of everyone in the room save the two guards
suddenly darkened as the impact of what Ortega said sunk in.
Someone in Red Squadron had found out about the party and had
decided to rat on them to Colonial Security.    Already, Greenbean
was vowing to break the legs of whichever pilot it was who had
done that.   There was always an unwritten code amongst warriors
going back to the Academy that no one ever finked on anyone to
Colonial Security for any reason imaginable and breaching that
rule meant consigning oneself to permanent outcast status.
"Now what do we have under the table there," Ortega said as he
made his way forward anus.  Seal a sample in a container,
and subject it to full lab conditions aboard here."
"Wait a centon," Adama held up a hand.  "You're saying you want to
go back to the asteroid where Boomer and Jolly landed?"
"Yes sir, that's exactly what I'm saying."
"Doctor, that's out of the question," Tigh cut in.  "That asteroid
is more than a parsec behind us, and even if it weren't so far off
our path now, it also has a Cylon sentinel post.   You wouldn't
have a chance without proper viper escort, and right now that's a
luxury we can't afford to give you, in light of what's happened to
Blue Squadron."
"I'm aware of that, Colonel," Salik was almost defiant.  "But my
team is willing to take the risk of taking a shuttle and getting
in there without being detected."
"Absolutely not," Adama said firmly, indicating it was not a
subject for debate.   "Given the distance between the Fleet and
that asteroid, were you to go in without escort, you still run the
chance of the Cylons being able to track your progrd looked under.   Without batting an eye,
he reached down and pulled out the crate, letting out a low
whistle of mock surprise as he saw the stenciling on the tape.
"Caprican vintage 7334, and from a crate with a Rising Star
storage stamp no less." he looked about the room, "Anyone care to
explain who is responsible for this?"
There was an uneasy, awkward silence from the room.
"I'll ask again," Ortega said as the doors behind him suddenly
slid open, "Who is responsible for this?"
"I'm responsible for this, Sergeant!"
Ortega spun around and his eyes bulged when he saw the stern
figure of Colonel Tigh standing a few feet away.   Castor was
letting out an inner sigh of relief.
"This party has my full authorization, Sergeant," the executive
officer said as he stepped toward the guard.  "I sent a memorandum
down to Security Operations mentioning that.   Didn't you see it?"
"Oh....well yes sir, yes."  Ortega grew increasingly flustered and
Castor found himself enjoying every micron of it.  "It's jess all the way
back to us, even if by some miracle you were able to get out
safely.   Going in there without proper escort would only amount
to suicide."
"Very well, Commander," Salik responded with equal firmness, "But
I must let you understand the severity of this situation.   I
could continue to spend the next two sectans trying to find
another avenue of attack in terms of figuring out how that virus
works, and what can kill it.   But I may not end up finding the
answer before cryofreeze becomes useless and all of those men die.
Right now, I do have an avenue of hope to pursue, and it could
well be the only one left.   But only if you let me and a team go
back to that asteroid and get a fresh sample in its natural
environment."  He paused, "In short, Commander.  Going back there
is the only realistic hope Blue Squadron has for surviving."
"As far as you can determine."  Adama noted.
"Commander, I do not believe that you should be gambling with
their lives based only on the hope that I canust
that....."
"Just what?" Tigh had now drawn to within a foot of the curly-
haired sergeant, "What is it you need to know if you already knew
that this party had my full authorization and approval?"
"Well, ah...sir, there was a report of some ambrosia that might
have been obtained from sources....ah...." Ortega now found it
impossible to keep up the bravado.   Even if his nemesis and rival
Starbuck had obtained the ambrosia illegally there was clearly
nothing that would come of it, given Tigh's attitude.   He finally
decided with reluctance to let the matter drop.    "But ah...I
guess that since the Galactica's executive officer is in charge,
there's no need to ask any more questions about it."  He took a
breath, "By your leave?"
"Dismissed," Tigh said curtly.   Ortega quickly left the room at a
brisk pace while Castor lingered long enough to quietly mouth to
Greenbean, "This wasn't my idea.  Sorry." before he finally left
too.
Once the two security guards were gone, the executive officer
 find another avenue
to explore without going back to that asteroid."  Salik found his
patience wearing thin, and he didn't care if he ended up
committing insubordination before it was all over."
The commander was silent for a long centon, feeling the terrible
weight of another difficult decision coming over him.  He got to
his feet and for the next half centon, paced idly in front of
Salik and Tigh, who were both staring at him intently, waiting for
him to speak.
Adama ran his hand over his uniform pocket, where he could feel
the letter inside.   He then drew himself up to his full bearing.
"Doctor," he said firmly, "Get your team ready.   Within the next
few centars, they'll be underway."
"Thank you, sir," Salik smiled faintly in satisfaction and he
quickly left the Bridge.
"Commander?" Tigh came up to him, "If you're approving the
mission, then how----"
"They'll have fighter escort.  Of that, there's no question.  It's
only a matter of who is to provide them with escort."  He took a
brea
fixed his attention on the assembled row of Blue Squadron pilots.
His expression was still stern.
"All right men," he said coldly.  "Where did the ambrosia come
from?" he then skipped a beat, "This is off the record."
Greenbean took a breath.  "Starbuck, sir."
"I see," Tigh nodded, "Well when Starbuck returns, Greenbean, tell
him this.   That there's only one thing worse than smuggling
ambrosia from illegal sources aboard the Galactica and that's
getting caught smuggling ambrosia from illegal sources."
For just a fraction of an instant, a faint smile curled up on the
corner of Tigh's lips.  Enough to make everyone else in the room
relax instantly.
"Yes sir," Greenbean smiled with relief.
"So long as you dispose of this stash in a....proper fashion,
nothing more need be said about the matter."  Tigh said, "Apollo
and Starbuck should be returning within the centar.   See to it
that things are in full swing by the time they're here."  He then
flashed another quick smile at Greenbean, "And see tth.  "Tell Captain Apollo and Captain Killian to report to the
Bridge immediately.

X-UIDL: Qk1!!6--!!>Rk!!N'h"!

"There, you see Hanlon?" Starbuck grinned, "Nothing to it.   Four
Cylon fighters atomized in a space of two centons."
The male trainee leaned his head back against the cockpit seat in
relief.  "Thanks.   I almost wondered if I was going to stay stuck
on level two all afternoon."
The blonde lieutenant patted him on the shoulder and moved over to
the simulator of Sergeant Jameson, another male shuttle pilot from
the second group that had entered the mock-ups.   He saw that
Jameson was still working his way through level one, but so far
without too much difficulty.   He decided to move elsewhere.
At the end of the room, Athena was gritting her teeth, looking
slightly uptight as a simulated shower of sparks went up around
her mock-up.
"Okay Athena," Starbuck said gently, deciding that now was the
perfect time to let his trademark charm achieve a different,
practical kind of result o it that one
bottle gets set aside for me as well for after the party."
"Yes sir!" Greenbean exclaimed as a loud whoop of exhilaration
went up from the rest of the pilots.

X-UIDL: <D3"!%96"!VY]!!E%j"!

Adama had arrived on the bridge and begun his morning inspection
of all work stations, all the while finding it slightly difficult
to fully concentrate on work related matters.  The joy of the
previous evening's dinner, and the news of Apollo and Serina's
engagement was still lingering deep inside him.   Mixed with it, a
tinge of sadness that Ila hadn't lived to see the first of their
children finally get sealed.    He could still recall his last
furlon on Caprica how Ila had expressed concern again over her
eldest child's inability to branch out in relationships with
women, in contrast to Athena who was already in the midst of her
deepening relationship with Starbuck, and Zac who while not
serious with any particular girl, was at least a frequent dater
during his Academy days.
You needn'twith Athena.   "Take it easy and let's
try it again."
"Maybe the fifth time on this will be the charm." she grunted.
"Tell you what," Starbuck reached over to the computer that
controlled her simulation exercise and flicked several switches.
He then grabbed a communications headset and put it on.  "What's
say this time, we work together.   I'll communicate with you as
you run the simulation in real time, and this'll give you a chance
to coordinate with someone live and in the flesh instead of those
fake voices on the simulator tape.   Besides," he grinned at her,
"I'm better company than those artificial voices, aren't I?"
Immediately, Athena relaxed slightly and she smiled back.   "I
guess so."
"Okay, here we go."  Starbuck activated the level three exercise.
"We're wingmates headed in and our scanners picking up three
Cylons ahead of us.   Where does you scanner show them?"
"Sector four, delta quadrant," Athena replied.
"Okay, I'm staying ahead of you, two points to port.  Range, ten
micro have worried, Ila, Adama thought with a wry smile.
Apollo was just like me.   Waiting for someone perfect to come
along and not wasting time with anyone else in the meantime.
The commander then shook himself out of his happy thoughts and
made his way over to Omega's station.   "Omega, status report on
Blue Squadron patrols?"
The bridge officer activated his widesweep scanner.  "Both Alpha
and Beta patrols are beyond scanner range, sir."
Adama frowned, "That's odd.   Shouldn't they be on their return
leg at this point?"
Omega punched several buttons and looked at the readout.  "Alpha
Patrol's return leg should have began five centons ago, Beta
Patrol's about ten centons late."
Adama's eyes narrowed slightly, as he moved away from Omega and
mounted the steps to the upper level.   He had just reached the
command section when he saw Tigh arrive.
"Colonel," the commander said, "We seem to have two scout patrols
that for reasons unknown are slightly overdue."
"Any indications why?" Tigh asked.
"ns and closing."
"Activating attack computer," Athena's voice was now more
disciplined and had the professional edge expected of any viper
pilot.   "Fife microns."
"Okay.   Stick right on my tail, Athena.   I've got them lined
up."
"Right behind you, Starbuck," Athena replied as she could see the
filmed image of another viper off to her left, slightly ahead of
her, and two Cylon fighters coming into visual range.
Starbuck decided now was the time to spring the unexpected on her
that he'd programmed in, "Frack, my laser pump's jammed!    You'll
have to take both of them!"  He raised his voice with all the mock
dramatic effect he could summon.
Athena was slightly rattled at first, but kept her eyes locked on
the attack computer which now showed one Cylon fighter blinking.
She pressed the button and opened fire.    A simulated explosion
went up.    Without waiting to hear anything else, she refocused
herself quickly on the second fighter and opened fire again.
Another explosion went up, and Athena felt herself break into a
satisfied grin.  "I got them both!"
"That's right, Athena," Starbuck said cheerily, "You got them
both.   But there's just one little problem."
"What?" she frowned.
"Take a look at your scanner."
She looked down.   "I don't see anything."
"That's right.   But you should be seeing my viper too, remember?"
He then shut off the simulator and came over to her, "You see, not
only did you get the Cylons, you got me too."
Athena looked up at him in bewilderment, "How'd I do that?"
"After you blasted the second Cylon, you were so happy, you moved
across my tail with your lasers still firing.   So that means I'm
dead." he grinned.
She leaned back and shook her head, half disappointed that she'd
bobbled one part of the exercise, but also wondering if there
wasn't a bit of metaphorical justice in that, in light of the
strained relations they'd gone through since the Holocaust.
"Sorry," she wished she could think of a better comment.
Preferably a witticism to parry his remNone," Adama shook his head.  "It may just be for a perfectly
innocent reason, but I still think that maybe some preventive
steps might be a good idea just in case."
"By putting a squadron on Yellow Alert for now?" Tigh asked.  "If
that's the case Commander, I should let you know that the rest of
Blue Squadron is in the Officers Club for Apollo's sendoff party."
"Point taken." Adama nodded. "Nontheless, I wouldn't want to have
a squadron of pilots loaded with ambrosia if it turned out they
might be needed."
"Well you don't have to worry about that.   The ambrosia's off-
limits until the guest of honor returns so if an emergency comes
up with regard to Apollo's patrol, they won't have been imbibing
beforehand."
"I see.   If that's the case then, there's no point spoiling their
party.   Have Red Squadron stay on Yellow Alert for now."
"Yes sir."  Tigh turned and descended the steps, leaving Adama
alone and puzzled for now over what had happened to the two
patrols.


All around Apollo, the blarks.
"You mean that?" Starbuck's grin hadn't faded.  He reached over
and flicked the switches.  "Okay, try it without me again.  I need
to check up on the others."
As soon as he was done, he moved over and saw that Apollo had
returned.   The captain seemed more relaxed then he'd been
earlier.
"How are they doing?" Apollo asked.
"Pretty good."  Starbuck said.  "Dietra's finished level three and
is done for today.   Hanlon, Brie and Athena are all still working
on level three but doing okay, all things considered."
"And the next group?"
Starbuck glanced over at the master computer, "Sergeant Jameson
and Sergeant Mackin, both on level two now."
"So all seven who've gotten into a mock-up are past level one,"
Apollo noted, "Not bad for the first day."
"A little better than I would have expected," Starbuck admitted.
"Although when I worked together with Athena on a level three
exercise, she ended up shooting me by accident."
"You sure it was an accident?" Apollo gave the lieutenant a
friendly nackness was the most frightening thing
he'd ever seen in his life.   It almost seemed to conjure up every
childhood nightmare about the dangers of hideous monsters lurking
somewhere in the dark.   Every base instinct told him he should
fire his turbos and do a 180 turn in the opposite direction, but
by this point Apollo no longer had any sense of direction.   His
navigation instruments were all spinning like crazy and a 180 turn
at this point might only send him hurtling deeper into the abyss.
Frack, he cursed inside.  How could I have been so stupid as to
investigate this thing for myself?   Starbuck was right, I've got
someone waiting for me back home, I shouldn't be taking these
kinds of needless risks anymore.
Struggling to keep himself calm, he pressed the radio again,
deciding that maybe he should try the Galactica on the forlorn
hope that they might be able to pick up his signal above the
interference.
"Galactica this is Alpha Probe leader.   Come in."
Nothing.  He probably should haveudge.  "Any word from Killian on how he's handling the
volunteers?"
"He just brought a few of them into the computer simulation room
about ten centons ago.   There's a chance the most naturally
talented non-flyers in our ranks could be getting their first
crack at level one in here before the cycle ends."
"Attention!" the voice of Rigel on the Galactica's unicom filled
the room.  "Captain Apollo and Captain Killian, report to the
Bridge immediately."
"Well, guess you'll have to keep at it here for a bit longer,"
Apollo sighed and then gave him a crooked smile, "And if you run
another exercise with Athena, try not to get killed again, will
you?"
"Me?  Try to get killed?" Starbuck raised an eyebrow.  "You ought
to know me better than that.  Survival's my real given name."
"But of course," Apollo said with mock solemnity as he exited the
room again.


Blue and Red Leaders both arrived on the Bridge at the same time.
Apollo noticed that Killian seemed even more spent than he was,
from the lon known better than to try
something like that.   If anything trying to raise the Galactica
was proof enough that Apollo was more scared inside than he
realized.   If he'd totally had his wits about him, he would have
known that signaling the Galactica made no sense whatsoever.
"Starbuck?" this time Apollo didn't bother hiding the fear in his
voice.  "Starbuck do you copy?"
Again, there was nothing but the crackle of static.
"Starbuck?" Apollo's voice was almost cracking at this point.
"Are you out there?"
Behind, Starbuck's viper had now entered the beginnigs of his
void.   Before the stars disappeared from view, he made absolutely
certain of his bearing and vowed not to move his viper the
slightest fraction in either directio so he could remain certain
that the exit from the void remained behind him.
"Apollo, do you read?" he radioed again, and once again heard
nothing.   Starbuck now realized that he needed to make a
difficult decision.   Standard operating procedure would have
dictated thg day.   He wondered if the natural exasperation one
might have expected to feel with a lesser qualified group, in
contrast to the more experienced shuttle pilots, might have had
something to do with that.
"Thank you for coming," Adama rose from his command chair.  "Could
you both give me a full report on the status of the trainees and
recruits?"
"Captain Apollo's group is the one that's furthest along, sir,"
Killian motioned to Blue Leader, "He's handling the shuttle
pilots."
"I see," Adama nodded, "Apollo, how would you rank their skills
after one full day of training?"
Apollo folded his arms, "Pretty good, considering that most of
them probably didn't get closer to a viper than at an Armament Day
display until today."
Adama chuckled, "A nice way of putting things, but could you give
it to me in more specific terms of how much they've accomplished
today?"
"We have seven trainees who are past level one on the mock-ups."
Apollo said, "Two of them have completed level three altogether."
"Seat he abandon his search for Apollo and concentrate
more on getting back to the Fleet to warn them about what lay
ahead, because if both of them were lost then the Fleet would
never know anything about the void that they were headed toward.
But Starbuck was determined to not follow standard procedure yet.
Not when it was Apollo's life that was at stake or any other
warrior's for that matter.
"Okay Captain, I'm about to disobey orders so if you want to stop
me I'll give you one millimicron.   I'm going to barrel ahead on a
straight line arc from where I entered the void at full turbo,
firing my lasers.   I'll either find you, or....." he choked on
his next words, which would have indicated that he would have to
abandon him.   Instead, he finished his sentence in a way that
could show some empathy with his missing friend.  "Or we'll both
be lost.   If I find you, I'm going to execute a perfect 180
degree turn and head out the way I came in, so if you're able to
pick me up visually you should be ven," Adama rubbed his chin.  "That is impressive for one day.
Much more than I would have expected."  He paused and decided to
come to the heart of the matter.  "There's another reason why I've
summoned you both.   Dr. Salik wants to send a medical team back
to the asteroid where Boomer and Jolly contracted the virus.   He
thinks it's the only way to find the root cause of how it works,
and the only way to find a cure."
Apollo and Killian both frowned.  "Commander, that's liable to be
a one-way mission."   Red Leader said.  "There's a Cylon listening
post there."
"Yes," Adama nodded, "A listening post, not a fully armed outpost,
so that means they would have a not too significant amount of
fighters at their disposal.   So therefore, Dr. Salik should have
an escort of at least ten vipers, should he not?"
"At least!"  Apollo said, and then froze as he suddenly had an
inkling of what his father was getting at.
Killian immediately caught on to it too, and jumped in,
"Commander, if it's a questioable to get your bearings
straight and follow me out too.  We should have a pretty good
chance that way."
Starbuck took a breath, feeling the need to indulge in some last
centon gallows humor before proceeding.  "Any objections?   Good.
I knew you'd approve."   He took another breath, "here goes
nothing."
Starbuck then activated his main turbo engine, all the while
keeping his hand locked on the control stick so that his viper
didn't deviate from it's heading.    For more than a centon, his
craft streaked deeper into the blackness of the void at full
speed.   If it weren't for the rush of adrenaline he felt after
activating his turbo, he knew he might have begun to get
distracted the ominous evil sight of the void around him.
Suddenly, he heard a broken voice coming through over his speaker.
"Star ƒ?" ---- do you read? ---ƒ?"ver."
The blonde lieutenant broke into a grin.   "Probe Leader this is
Probe Two, headed your way."
"Starbuck?"  Now Apollo's voice came through clearly indicating
thatn of ten vipers, I've got ten men in
Red Group who could do the job in an instant."
Adama shook his head, "I'm sorry, Killian.   We cannot spare one
quarter of Red Squadron for an operation like this.   We have to
factor in the prospect that once our presence is made known at
that outpost, the Cylons will in all likelihood be able to
broadcast our presence to wherever the main Cylon Fleet is
searching for us.   And that means that we need our one full
squadron of fighters right here on the Galactica to handle the
worst case scenario as a safety factor."
"Commander, you're saying that these seven trainees should
suddenly go into a combat mission right away?"  Apollo was
flabbergasted.
"That's exactly what I'm saying, Apollo," Adama said, "You and
Starbuck will of course accompany them.   And in the interests of
providing more experience for them on this first mission, you will
be temporarily detached from Red Squadron to take part in it,
Killian.   That gives us the ten vipers we need with our the two vipers were now close enough to pierce the
communications interference.
"Right here.   Keep your eyes open and I'll lead you out."
"How?  You're going to be as lost as I am."
"I've stayed on a straight line since I entered the void.  I know
if I do a quick 180, I'll be able to lead you straight out." he
paused.  "Now here comes the tricky part, Apollo.   I don't dare
deviate from my heading or I risk losing my bearings, so you need
to pick me up visually and pull up alongside me.   I'm going to
take the risk of firing my lasers to give you something to fix in
on.   My attack computer's shot to Hades with the interference so
I have to take the risk that you're not somewhere on my line of
sight.   Just to be safe," he flicked a switch.  "I've lowered the
energy level in my laser to 50 percent."  He paused.  "Ready?"
"I'm ready," Apollo said, not yet confident that his ordeal was
about to end.  Only when he saw the reassuring sight of stars
would he finally feel that sensation.  "Fire aw three
best pilots in the Fleet to lead the way."
"Commander, just a centon."  Killian held up a hand.  "If you
detach me from Red Group for this, you're defeating the whole
purpose of keeing Red Group here on the Galactica."
"I want the three best pilots available on this mission if seven
new trainees have to take part," Adama cut him off coldly.  "Your
squadron knows how to fly together as a unit.   They can spare you
alone for this mission.   Ten vipers is another matter."
"Father, with all due respect, this isn't the prudent solution.
Killian's right, you should let ten vipers from Red Group handle
this."
"Apollo," Adama's tone grew more cold.  "This isn't a subject for
debate.   Red Group is not detaching ten fighters for this
mission.   Maybe if I put it to you this way, you'll understand
why the trainees have to handle it with three experienced pilots
in the lead.   This mission, dangerous as it sounds like, is still
the kind of operation that corresponds to the conditions of level
tway, Starbuck."
The blonde lieutenant pressed the fire button and several streaks
of laser fire burst across the void.
"Okay, I see you off to my right!" Apollo radioed.  "Going to
turbo now!"
Starbuck cocked his head to his left and now saw the plume of a
turbo engine wake headed toward him.   Microns later it had become
the distinct shape of a viper that promptly pulled up alongside
him.   He could now look over and see Apollo's face, and he
promptly flashed a quick thumbs up and smile.
"Okay buddy," Starbuck said, "Now we go home."
"What are you using as a fix?"
"The end of my nose," he chuckled.  "I used to be pretty good at
this at the Academy so don't disorient me.   Just break off the
chatter and stay tucked in.   The instant I go to turbo and do a
180 you follow my wake.   Ready to go?"
"As ready as I've ever been," Apollo said.
"Okay, here we go.  Now!"
The lieutenant rolled to his right at full turbo and made a quick
180 maneuver.   Apollo stayed right on Starbuck's tail, executingo and three on the simulator.   Those are levels that all of the
trainees have had experience with today.    But defending this
Fleet from all out attack, which is a risk we might very well end
up incurring as a result of this, is the kind of scenario they
haven't begun to tackle on the simulators.   Now who should I be
keeping in reserve for that contingency?   Red Group, which is
experienced to handle that, or the trainees?"
Apollo felt a sense of helplessness come over him as he realized
that he had no answer.
"Sooner or later, these trainees have to face real combat
conditions.   That's why they're in this program already.    We
might as well give them their first baptism of fire now that we
have no other choice."
"Commander," Apollo decided to try a new tact, "If it must be
them, then I insist on at least one more cycle of training before
they do this.   At least let them get up to a cycle of actual
viper flight first."
"There isn't time for that, Apollo.   Another cycle means more
dist
the same maneuver so that within microns they were now alongside
each other again but in the opposite direction of where they'd
been previously.
"I wager on being out in ten microns, nine, eight, seven, six,
five, four, three, two, one, zero!"
And then, as if on cue, the blackness of void was suddenly
replaced by the myraid brightness of stars.   Never before could
Apollo remember thinking how dazzlingly bright they all looked.
He promptly leaned back against his headrest and shut his eyes for
an instant in gratified relief that the frightening ordeal was
over.
"And with that, my friend, you owe me a fumarello and a free
drink." Starbuck added slyly.
"You've got it!" Apollo didn't bother to hide the relief he felt,
"Whooo!"
"In that case, let's go home right away."
Nothing more was said as the two vipers headed away from the
blackness of the void back toward the safe, reassuring beacons of
the Colonial Fleet.


As soon as Boomer and Jolly had landed on the darkened asteroid,
the two warriors had promptly drawn their weapons and field kits
to begin a difficult trek by foot for a closer look at the source
of the energy output they had detected.
"Just ahead over that hill," Boomer had his microscanner pointed
in front of him.   "Whatever that source is, it's right there."
He took a breath.  "Keep your head down just in case there's
something on the surface there."
Jolly nodded and the two warriors remained hunched over as they
made their way up the incline, their hands occasionally bumping
against the dusty surface of the landscape and the moisture tinged
rocks.   More than once, Jolly found himself taking a sniff and
thinking how there was a slightly acid tinge to the air that had
been constant ever since they'd opened their canopies.
Finally they reached the top of the incline.  Boomer pulled out
his field magnifiers, adjusted them to the night setting and then
carefully stuck his head over the rise.   To his immediate relief,
he saw that there was nothing that could have poance between us and the asteroid and that makes the mission
even more dangerous than it already is.   The mission leaves in
the next three centars."
"This is just too risky!" Apollo found he had nothing else he
could say at this point.
"Everything we do in this profession, has an element of risk.  You
should be the first to know that, Captain."
"Commander," Killian spoke up again, "I'm afraid I understand
where Apollo's coming from.   These are still shuttle pilots after
all."
"They're warriors, Killian."  Adama said, "And all warriors know
the centon they enlist, that they might have to sacrifice their
lives."
"But not throw them away!" Apollo protested.
Adama finally sensed there was another reason why Apollo was
reacting so stubbornly on this matter.   With Killian present, he
knew he could only raise the subject delicately, and indirectly.
"Would you prefer to leave the lesser qualified pilots behind from
this group of seven, then?"  He chose his words carefully.   He
couldn't imagine tsed an instant
threat to them.   The landscape below was just as barren and empty
as the terrain they'd already crossed.  Boomer knew though, that
this cursory inspection didn't settle the issue.   If there was an
energy source somewhere down in that area there had to be some
telltale visual sign that would indicate what it is.
"See anything?" Jolly asked as he too stuck his head up so he
could look down.
"Not yet," Boomer said as he kept his eyes on the magnifiers and
moved them about.
"From the looks of it, that energy source could be just a natural
subsurface volcano or something like that.   That would explain
why there's nothing visible down there while our scanner picks up
the energy source."
"Something tells me in my gut that what we scanned isn't natural."
Boomer said. "That maybe...."  He then stopped and lowered the
magnifers for an instant and squinted.  Then he put the magnifiers
back up and refocused them.   "Oh frack.   There it is.  Pods.  A
perfect opening for fighters to heahat Serina would be one of the pilots who had
been at the top of the group, given that she'd only spent two
sectans in a shuttle and had only completed her first solo the
previoud day.
Apollo immediately realized what his father was getting at.  "I
appreciate what you're saying, Commander.   But if one of them
gets held back, then all of them get held back.   I don't think a
single one of them, not even those who've completed level like
three like Lieutenant Dietra and Corporal Serian are qualified for
this mission."
Adama's eyebrows went up at the information that Serina was in
fact at the top of the group, rather than the bottom.   But he
knew he couldn't say anything about that.
"Your opinion is noted and logged, Captain Apollo."  He turned to
Red Leader, "Do you concur, Captain Killian?"
Killian took a breath, "Commander, I think prudence would dictate
letting my squadron handle this, and integrating the trainees into
the rest of Red Group for emergency contingency possibility.   I
do nod in and out of."
"Let me see," Jolly felt his hair rise slightly as Boomer handed
the magnifiers to the corpulent sergeant.  For more than ten
microns he looked, but he failed to see anything other than rock
formations.   "Boomer, I don't see anything.  Are you sure you saw
pods?"
"They're there," the lieutenant nodded grimly.  "Reposition the
magnifiers on the hairline aperture running from the rock face to
the floor of the valley."
Jolly pointed the magnifiers down slightly and finally a brief
flash of signal lights revealed it.   A small recessed rectangular
shaped opening in the rock face with signal lights designed to act
as a landing beacon.
The sergeant grimly lowered the magnifiers.  "Your eyesight's
better than mine, Boomer.  I would have missed it completely if
you hadn't told me where to look specifically."
"Well Jolly, if we just miss one of these Cylon outposts we'll
never know what hit us."  Boomer felt the need to give some rare
lecturing to his subordinate.
"Granted," Jollyt believe we face the immediate danger from a mass attack on
the Fleet that warrants your decision on that point."
Adama paused.  "Would you feel differently if I detached several
more pilots from Red Group to work with the trainees on this
mission?"
Killian stopped to ponder that briefly.   "The intelligence report
says this is a sentinel post, right?"
"Yes.  Lieutenant Boomer's report was that a full squadron could
not be based on such a small outpost."
"Then that means we're talking about something in the neigborhood
of perhaps 15 to 20 Cylon fighters," Killian said, "Commander, I
will withdraw my objection if you allow a total of five vipers
from Red Squadron to take part in the mission.   If we bring our
numbers up to the point where it's one to one, then I think that's
something the trainees could best handle."
Adama looked at Apollo, "Captain?"
Apollo knew he couldn't get Adama to budge on the matter of the
trainees going on this mission.   At the very least, he knew this
would give t said, feeling chastened.  "But do we know for
certain that this one's operational?"
"I've yet to come across a non-operational outpost that left the
signal lights on," Boomer said.  "We have to assume that this one
is functioning.   It's there to act like a Canceran crawlon in
it's web.   Nothing moves from there until something flies into
it's orbit and then-----" he snapped his fingers, "it's all over."
"So if we hadn't bothered to activate jamming, they would have
spotted us for certain when we came in for a landing."
"Exactly," Boomer nodded.  "And we'll need to act very carefully
when we make our way out.   They won't detect us right away when
we lauch but the instant we climb to about thirty thousand, we
have to hit our jammers again and make sure they don't notice us
making our getaway."
"Shouldn't we try to figure out how many fighters they have here?"
Jolly asked.   "What if Apollo and Starbuck don't find a path we
can take on their flank?   Then we'd have no choice but to
probably hem more protection.   "I agree that it would greatly
improve the odds in favor of success."
"Very well.   Captain Killian, you may assemble four pilots of
your choosing from Red Group for this mission except for your
deputy commander, who must stay behind.   They will report to
Flight Operations for full briefing with the trainees within the
centar."   He paused, "Dismissed."
Knowing they could say nothing else, the two squadron leaders left
the room.   Both of them too stunned to say anything to each other
about the unexpected turn of events of the day.



Chapter Seven

When Apollo saw the pilots selected for the mission enter
the Flight Operations Center, it took all his inner strength
to keep from letting any sign of emotion reveal itself.
The idea of seeing Serina thrust into a combat situation
after one day of training only made him wonder if the Fates
were setting him up for the same cruelty he'd gone through a
sectar before during the Destruction.
He looked out and for an instanmake a preemptive strike on the outpost."
"It doesn't matter how many ships they have.  It only takes one to
notifiy the Cylon capital and give their baseship fleet a general
sense of where we are, which they haven't had since Carillon.
Unless Apollo and Starbuck found something bigger than this, we're
not going to bother with a return visit here anytime."  Boomer
paused to take one final look.  "Okay, let's get going."
Just then, there was a loud sound that roared from across the
valley and they could suddenly see the recessed shape rock pod
open up.
"Oh frack!" Boomer cursed.  "Get down!"
The two warriors dropped below the incline and hit the dirt.  In
the process, Boomer felt his mouth brush against the soil and he
felt the taste of dust on his lips.  He promptly spat and wiped at
his lip to get the ugly taste sensation out but was only partially
successful.
The unmistakable sound of Cylon fighter craft now filled the air.
Boomer and Jolly looked up and saw three fighters moving off into
t let himself lock eyes with
Serina.   And then, without showing the slightest trace of
emotion, he began to address the group.
"There's been an unexpected change in your schedule for
today." he said.  "You seven have shown remarkable
proficiency for your first day in training that as a result,
you will be taking part in your first actual flight, and
your first actual mission within the centar."
There was a visible stir from the group, as they all
exchanged glances with each other.   All except Serina, who
had her arms folded and her expression completely stoic,
never taking her eyes off her fiancee.
Apollo then spent the next five centons summarizing the
mission objective and showing a star chart of the region to
them. When he was through, he looked out at them with all
the authority he was capable of summoning.
"You'll have eight experienced pilots accompanying you on
this mission.   Myself, Lieutenant Starbuck, Captain Killian
and five additional pilots from Red Squadron.   We'll do all
the sky.
"Look at that," Jolly pointed with his laser pistol.  "They're
headed away from the Fleet."
"That buys us some time at least to warn the Galactica," Boomer
slowly got to his feet.   "Let's get out of here."
The corpulent sergeant rose as well, stopping to brush the dust
off his uniform and grimacing in disgust at how the residue clung
to his hands.
"I guess we'll need to take a good decon shower before we can show
up for the party," Jolly said as they began walking at a brisk
pace.
"That's for sure," Boomer grunted as he noticed the foul acid
tinge smell of the air again.  "I wonder if they'll let the party
continue after we get through with our report.   They'll probably
put every pilot on Yellow Alert status until this asteroid is well
in the Fleet's wake."
"If that happens, I'll be getting all over Apollo about his bad
sense of timing."  Jolly quipped, but still feeling totally
rattled by his inability to have spotted the outpost.   No wonder
I flunked out of officer training atwe can to make you feel at ease.   Just remember, there was
a first time for us as well.   Once you've gotten through
your baptism of fire, from then on in, its never as
difficult again." he then allowed himself a slight smile.
"And I know that all of you, as patriots and warriors, will
be giving nothing less than what you're all capable of.
And since you've shown in this one day that you have plenty
of capability, you shouldn't feel daunted by this
challenge." he then made that characteristic pause that
always preceded the last words.   "Dismissed.    Report now
to your vipers in Beta Bay for launching."
Apollo kept his eye on Serina as the trainees rose and
departed.   She only glanced back at him once, and gave him
the faintest smile of reassurance before she followed the
others out, leaving only Apollo and Starbuck in the room.
"Okay buddy," Starbuck broke the silence, "Let's head down
there."
The captain nodded and the two of them departed as well.
When they reached the corridor, they s the Academy, he thought.
Five centons later, both Boomer and Jolly were off the surface and
headed back to the Fleet as fast as they could go.

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X-UIDL: k5f"!2*)!!kA/"!g1U!!

It had been more than a sectar since Baltar found himself thrust
into the unexpected position of being spared from execution and
placed in charge of the Imperious Leader's own baseship to
continue the search for the Galactica and her rag-tag fleet.
Now, as Baltar sat on top of the Imperious Leader's throne chair
in quiet contemplation, his mind continued to race ahead in
carefully plotting the plan that if his luck continued, would
enable him to achieve his final objective of revenge againsst the
Cylon Empire for having double-crossed him in the first place.
He idly flexed his arms, marveling at how comfortable the green
tunic and cape that had been provided for him in place of his
torn, bloody Councilor's robes felt.aw that the medical
team for the mission was passing by.
"Got your team set, Doctor?" Apollo inquired of Salik, who
was at the head of the line.
"We're all set, Captain," the Chief Medical Officer said
with determination.   "And I've given them careful
instruction on how they can gather a sample in as little
time possible."
"Good thinking on that," Blue Leader nodded, "Owing to the
speed differential, you'll be launching ahead of us by a few
centons.   We'll end up overtaking you anway not long
afterwards and our priority will be to make sure there are
clear skies over the asteroid to give you time to settle
down.   If we're still in sustained combat at that point,
we'll be flying in cover formation over your target zone the
whole while.   Just make sure you've contacted us so we can
pinpoint your landing zone so we can form a good cover
formation."
"We won't forget," Salik nodded, "Good luck to you,
Captain."
As the rest of the med-team walked toward the turbo lift
that would take them t  His quarters were also
elegantly furnished with luxuries that had been plundered from his
own home planet Piscera, and an ample supply of good food and
ambrosia had been stocked as well so there was no question that
the Cylons knew how to act with hospitality toward an ally.  He
had already seen that behavior many times before during the
sectars leading up to the Destruction when he had seen the
previous Imperious Leader repeatedly shower him with luxuries as a
sign of what Baltar could expect as the ruler of his own colony in
a universe where the Cylons controlled the rest of the Colonies.
On this occasion though, the new Imperious Leader had clearly
outdone his predecessor in terms of providing Baltar with
luxuries.
All the more reason to believe that sooner or later, this Leader,
just like his predecessor, would eventually come to the same
conclusion that there was a limit to how much Baltar could
usefully serve the Cylon Empire.   He could not possibly imagine
the Cylons having any use o the other section of Beta bay where
their shuttle awaited, Starbuck noticed Cassiopeia at the
rear of the group passing by.
"Hey, Cassiopeia?" he grabbed her arm, "Got a micron?"
She stopped and looked slightly uneasy, "I'm not sure,
Starbuck."
"It'll only take a micron.   You won't even miss the turbo
lift."
"Okay," she nodded, "But make it quick."
"Look, ah Cassie," he lowered his tone, "I just....wanted to
say that I appreciate what you and the whole staff is doing
to try and save our buddies lives.   It takes....some real
special people to show that kind of dedication."
The med-tech's eyebrows knitted slightly in surprise, "Thank
you.   We're....doing our best, and hopefully this mission
will be the key to saving them."  She then paused and
decided to say something just to see what Starbuck's
reaction would be, "Not the sort of thing you expected from
a former socialator, is it?"
Starbuck frowned, "Why would you say that?" he asked, "I
mean, when you get right down to it, you can almost say that
a med-tech's job stems from the same kind of.....caring
impulse."
Cassiopeia allowed herself to smile.   Starbuck had now
given her another reason to believe that his interest in her
stemmed from reasons far greater than the fact that she had
been a socialator when they'd met last sectar.    And in
doing that, she was also more determined to reciprocate the
interest he was showing in her.
"But channeled to more appropriate ends," she said, "If
anything good came from the destruction of the Colonies it
was the opportunity for....fresh beginnings." she paused and
looked him in the eye, "We should both learn how to take
advantage of them."
Starbuck grinned, "I'll remember that after the mission." he
then motioned his arm for her to go by, "Better catch that
turbo lift."
"Of course," the blonde med-tech returned the grin, "Good
luck."
As soon as Cassiopeia was gone, Apollo, who had discreetly
remained several feet behind, came up to his friend.
"Couldn't help but hear the last pafor him in a universe where the
Galactica and her Fleet met with final destruction.   And if that
were the case, then what he needed to do was take advantage of his
new situation as a Cylon commander and use it for a far different
purpose.
He heard the doors behind him slide open, which meant that the IL
Cylon called Lucifer was entering to give him a report.   After a
sectar, Baltar still wasn't completely sure what to make of his
second-in-command.   On the surface, Lucifer was always quick to
show humility and deference to his commander, yet at the same time
he wondered if there was a streak of ambition and resentment
hiding beneath the mechanical surface of the IL.   From his
understanding, as an IL, Lucifer possessed a second brain that
enabled him to not only have normal human speech but also most of
the emotions a human being could feel.   That could easily mean
that under the right circumstances, there might come a time when
Lucifer could be just as unreliable to him as the first Imperrt of that," the captain
said.   "She's right about fresh beginnings.    I just hope
we all have the chance to make the most of them."
"We'll have it, buddy," Starbuck said with his
characteristic bravado, "No reason to never think we will."


"Medical shuttle now launching from Beta Landing Bay deck."
Rigel's voice filled the cockpits of the fifteen vipers that
now waited one deck above in the launch bay area.   "Stand
by now to launch Viper escort detail.    Rendezvous with
medical shuttle will be in coordinates Alpha three-seven."
"Coordinates Alpha three-seven, confirmed," Apollo said as
he methodically went over his instrument panel and wondered
how many of the seven new pilots were feeling intimidated by
their surroundings at that instant.
"Core Control now transferring launch systems to all
fighters.   Launch when ready."
"Acknowledged," Apollo then switched frequencies.   "Blue
Leader to all pilots.   Launch will proceed in this order.
Myself and Lieutenant Starbuck first, followedious
Leader had.
For now though, the best way to keep Lucifer in line was to
project the aura of one who had been won over to the Cylon cause
completely.   Only that way could he avoid arousing any suspicion
in his second in command that could be relayed in a report back to
the Imperious Leader on the home planet.
"By your command," he heard Lucifer's voice.
Baltar activated the control mechanism that enabled the throne
chair to spin around.   After a sectar, Baltar still felt slightly
uncomfortable from this high perch and would have preferred to
conduct business from the regular command center where baseship
commanders usually stayed.   But sitting on the Leader's throne
chair at least projected the image he wanted to leave with
Lucifer, so for now he was willing to overlook any feelings of
dizziness he might occasionally feel and stay on this lofty perch.
"Speak."
"I bring good news.  We believe we have located the Battlestar
Galactica."
"Oh?" Baltar lifted an eyebrow, trying not to soun by the seven
trainees.   Captain Killian and the five members of Red
Group will bring up the rear.    Stand by."
"And remember, just think of them as no different from the
simulators," Starbuck chimed in, "That means keep a careful
hand on your instruments at all time because after all
they're as sensitive as-----"
"We get the idea, Starbuck," Athena's voice interrupted, not
wanting to hear Starbuck complete an analogy she had first
heard him use during one of their intimate nights together
before the Destruction.
"Okay," Starbuck said, "By the way Athena, try not to repeat
that sim exercise this time, if you know what I mean."
Do I ever, Athena thought with a faint trace of disgust as
she looked at her instrument panel, almost wishing that fate
would let her repeat the incident for real.
"Okay, Blue Leader ready to launch."  Apollo cut in,
"Follow according to predetermined plan."
Apollo's viper then raced down the launch tube, followed by
Starbuck's.    Then, Lieutenant Dietra was the fid too impressed.
"A scouting expedition of two vipers landed on a listening post of
ours in the quadrant Otarsis.  Although the vipers engaged in some
jamming techniques to avoid detection, a patrol was subsequently
launched when jamming indications began and detected by scan, the
two vipers on the surface."
"They were allowed to escape?" Baltar asked pointedly.
"As you instructed," Lucifer nodded.   "Once our outpost's patrol
reached a safe distance it was only a matter of using their long-
range scanner aimed back to detect the two vipers taking off
again."
"How far is this outpost from us?"
"One point five hectars.  Since the Galactica is kept to a minimum
speed because of the slower vehicles under her protection, we can
at light speed overtake them within two centars."
"And their patrol gave no signs that we were aware of their
presence."
"No.   Therefore if we should proceed immediately and strike, our
fighters will be able to take them completely by surprise."
"As they did at Carillonrst of the
trainees to launch, followed by Athena, Serina, Brie, and
the two male trainees, Hanlon and Jameson.
"They all got off smoothly," Killian noted dryly from inside
the launch bay, "Okay Red Group, let's go."


Aboard the bridge, Rigel turned to a somewhat tense Adama,
"All fifteen vipers are away and proceeding, sir."
"Excellent," the commander said and then turned back to
Tigh, "Let's hope the Lords are with us on this."


The instant Serina's viper exited the launch bay and she saw
the expanse of space all around her, she felt a momentary
burst of awe at how different it was to have such an
unobstructed view of the stars, in contrast to the more
confined view from a shuttle cockpit.    Shuttles didn't
allow the pilot to see the vast expanse of stars on all
sides of her peripheral vision.
No wonder men like Apollo love their work so much, she
thought.    It gives you a whole sense of perspective no one
else can have.
As she tucked her viper into position behind the two lead
s?" Baltar gently retorted.  "I believe the
recent experience of the late Imperious Leader is proof enough
that one basestar is not sufficient to assure victory over the
Galactica.   By all means find them, but make sure our patrols
stay beyond scanner range."
"Until we can call for reinforcements from the rest of our
basestars, scattered as they are across such a wide perimeter of
space at this time?"
"Lucifer, surely you realize that such a call runs the risk of
being detected given our proximity to the Galactica.   She would
be alerted and escape."  Baltar's tone now grew admonishing.  "The
only communications we could possibly send would have to be very
long-range scrambled signals that take eons to be received.   A
useless option in this situation."
"Indeed," the IL conceded, but in the back of his second mind felt
a nagging sense of what the humans called uneasiness.
"You see then?" Baltar smiled.  "Now you understand better why the
Imperious Leader put me in command.   To anticipate the ways in
which the Galactica might think and respond to these situations
rather than act impulsively and recklessly as the previous Leader
did."
"But Baltar," there was an air of matter-of-factness in Lucifer's
voice.  "If you will not call for assistance and you will not
attack, is not the end result the same?   The Galactica escapes."
Baltar let out a disarming chuckle.  "Have faith, Lucifer.   I
have a plan.   All I need is the opportunity to present it.   That
will come at the right time."
Lucifer decided not to press the issue for now.   "By your
command," he bowed and departed.
As Baltar swung his throne chair around again, he slowly exhaled
in relief.   He indeed had a plan in mind, but it was nothing like
the one Lucifer or anyone else in the Cylon Empire would have
wanted him to be making.


Chapter Four

For many days, Serina had known that her first attempt at a
solo shuttle flight would be the deciding moment as to
whether or not the inner voice she had been hearing since
thhips of Apollo and Starbuck, she found that there was no
trepidation inside her at all.   The feel of the controls
were the most natural sensation she had ever experienced in
her life.
I missed my calling in life, she thought as she continued to
look about in fascination.   This is the kind of work I was
meant for, not journalism.
Then again, Serina mused, it wasn't as if becoming a warrior
and a pilot were a practical option for her back then.
Certainly not as an unwed mother, which in those days would
have automatically disqualified her from enlisting.
Maybe that was why Fate kept me away from this work all
those yahrens, she thought.   The Lords meant to give me the
joy of having Boxey first.    She knew that she and Apollo
would have to have a long talk with him before the sealing
in order to put his mind at ease about the fact that both of
his parents would now be putting themselves into the
dangerous work of piloting vipers.    But at the same time,
she knew that Boxey was so instinctie Holocaust had spoken the truth.   That the time had come
to put her career as a journalist behind her forver and look
to another challenge in life that would offer something more
meaningful in the effort to help the Fleet find it's distant
dream of the planet Earth.
Since she had taken her first training classes as a shuttle
pilot two sectans before, she had done all she could to keep
the news a secret from Apollo and every one of his close
friends.   She had also been quite firm with Boxey that if
he were to ever drop any hint of what she was doing, she
wouldn't hesitate to offer some stern discipline.   Serina
knew that if Apollo found out before she had taken her solo
flight and settled all remaining doubts in her mind, there
would have been arguments that she didn't want to deal with
now.   If she became convinced that being a shuttle pilot
wasn't meant to be for her, then that would only be as the
result of her decision, and not because of any outside
pressure from Apollo or anyone elsvely fascinated by viper
craft that he would probably think more in terms of how
great it would be to have two parents in that kind of work.
Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye she noticed one of
the other vipers from the trainees go veering off in an
awkward direction, as though the pilot was having trouble
maintaining control of the craft.
"Brie!" Starbuck radioed urgently, "Brie, what's wrong?"
"I don't know----"the blonde trainee started.
"You're losing control!" Starbuck's voice rose.   "Back up
on the power to one half!    Do you hear me?   Back off to
one half power and let yourself get back to even heading!"
All of the pilots that could see Brie's viper held their
breath for what seemed an eternity before the craft finally
leveled off and began to slowly make its way back into the
main group formation.
"Okay, good," Starbuck said, "Now hit your auto control and
you'll stay locked in to the programmed heading.    You did
program the heading, didn't you?"
"Uh....yes.   Sorry.   Gote.
Now, as she guided the shuttle on a leisurely heading that
always kept her within sight of the main bulk of the
Colonial Fleet, she found that with each passing micron that
she held the controls, the doubts were fast evaporating like
the morning mist.  The way she was able to control the
shuttle's movement instilled an air of confidence and
serenity in her that surpassed all of her expectations.
Riding a shuttle as a passenger was one thing, but to
actually fly one was a special kind of experience.  For many
yahrens she'd interviewed numerous pilots and tried to get
them to explain what they felt was the most enjoyable aspect
of flying, and always they had been hard-pressed to put
their feelings into coherent words.   Now, for the first
time, she could empathize with them completely because she
now had the same feeling about flying and even she wasn't
sure she could ever articulate it to someone else.
She glanced at her chronometer and saw that she had logged
thirty centons flight time wh it!   Auto control activated."
"Great," Starbuck's voice relaxed.   "Okay, you've got that
out of the way so let's make it clear sailing from now on."
At the back of the formation, Sergeant Barton of Red Group
had watched and listened with a sense of both disbelief and
queasiness.    He immediately hit the circuit that would let
him talk directly to Red Leader, with the rest of the group
unable to listen in.
"Sir?" he radioed.   "Is that going to be typical of what
we'll have to put up with on this flight?     Anyone who
forgot to program auto lock would get thrown out in a
micron."
"You don't have a say in this, Barton," Killian replied
coldly.  "And how would you have performed if you'd been
thrown into your first combat flight on the same day you
first stepped into a simulator?"
The lack of a response from Barton indicated that he'd
effectively cut him down on that point.   "Okay," Killian
said, "And one other thing, Sergeant.   Don't let me catch
you contacting me on a secure circuit aich was all that was required
of her for the first solo exercise.   Somewhat reluctantly,
she decided it was time to head in.   As she swung the craft
back on a heading toward the Galactica she already was
thinking ahead as to how she should break this news to
Apollo.
As soon as the Galactica was lined up in her field of
vision, she pressed her transmitter, "Core Command this is
Training Mission Delta, requesting landing clearance in
Alpha Bay."
"Affirmative Delta Trainee," Rigel's voice filled her
headset.  "Would appreciate if you could expedite your
landing once inside Alpha Bay.   We have Beta Viper Patrol
returning about three centons behind you."
Oh boy, Serina felt an alarm bell go off inside her head.
Don't tell me that Apollo's following right in my wake and
I'd have to confront him in the next few centons in the
landing bay.
"I copy that Core Command.   Is that Captain Apollo's
patrol?"
"Negative Delta Trainee," Rigel kept her tone normal but
inside was thinking with amusement again.   Anything else
you have to say is going to be for all of our ears.    Is
that understood?"
"Yes sir," Barton mumbled.   As always, Killian knew how to
put him and anyone else that was part of Red Group into
place.
At the head of the group, both Apollo and Starbuck kept
their eyes on the trainees as they proceeded toward their
target. Centons went by, with few words said.    All of them
knew that concentration had to be so intense that no
distractions from conversing could be possible.
Since Brie's initial misstep, there had been little else for
Apollo and Starbuck to express concern over.    A word to
Lieutenant Dietra about keeping her speed under control in
group formation.   Another to Serina about keeping a safe
distance between ships while in formation.    Through it
all, Apollo had to admit that there was nothing that would
make him feel uneasy about their inner talents as potential
viper pilots.    Not yet at least.   The true test would
come when they encountered Cylon fighters for the first
time.
Which if he read his star chart correctly, which showed the
asteroid now coming into view at the edge, would be sooner
than he figured.

X-UIDL: \k-!!Y8^!!8S%#!h=Y!!

As an IL Cylon, Lucifer possessed the gift of a second
computer brain that separated his class from that of the
ordinary Cylon centurion.    It was something he reveled in
completely and loved to show off at times whenever he was in
the company of a centurion, since he always knew that no
matter what the conversation, he would always emerge the
victor in terms of demonstrating intelligence and reason.
The only cause for regret in that arrangment was that while
the centurion might not be able to match him for
intelligence, with that was the incapacity to feel any sense
of anger or frustration over constantly being topped.
That was one reason why Lucifer had welcomed this new
assignment of working with Baltar.    For the first time
he'd have a chance to see up close how the human mind
worked, which woulbout how Serina's
shuttle flight was undoubtedly going to be a surprise to her
fiancee.   "This is Lieutenant Boomer's patrol.  Captain
Apollo and Lieutenant Starbuck just came back into long
range scan and aren't due for another fifteen centons.'
"I see.  Thank you for that information."
"Anytime," Serina could literally hear Rigel's smile over
the radio.  "As per trainee regulations, will now give
verbal readout indication of your track.    You are on
centerline of glideslope, two hundred metrones out.   150.
100.  50.  Over threshold.   Congratulations!"
Serina felt the vehicle come to a stop.   She dutifully
reached over and performed the last tasks that needed to be
done.  "Navigational beacon off.   Turbo ram thruster off.
Headed now into taxiway to clear landing zone.   Power off!"
And then, Serina felt all the emotion inside her release in
a sigh of relief and exhilaration.

X-UIDL: 1[j!!hHC!!22X"!S8O!!

Boomer and Jolly could both make out the shuttle's trailing
lights as they drd be a refreshing change from the company
of centurions.    And he'd also have a chance to
theoretically see if all that he'd been programmed to know
about humans really was true.    Were they completely
incapable of the kind of efficient and rational planning
that the advanced Cylon mind was so noted for?    Or were
there nuances that could still be gleaned by a Cylon mind to
learn from and adapt accordingly?
It was especially interesting to watch and see what kind of
command decisions Baltar would try to implement now that he
had been thrust into this unexpected position of power and
authority only a mere sectar after being on the verge of
execution.    And even more interesting to ponder what kind
of reaction Baltar would have to the news that he was about
to bring to him.
Accompanied by the gold plated command centurion, he entered
the throne room, finding it amusing at how Baltar had so
easily taken to the surroundings of this inner sanctum that
only the Imperious Leader had ever used bew closer to the battlestar.   Immediately,
they both backed off on their speed so as not to run the
risk of flying right up on the tail of the slower moving
craft and sat back to wait, the sergeant's viper assumed the
lead position.
"Beta Patrol Leader to Core Command," Boomer radioed, "How
long until Alpha Bay's clear for us?"
"Give Delta Trainee shuttle about one centon to clear
landing zone.   Will notify when ready."
"Thank you.  Also, please notify Commander Adama that I'll
be contacting him from Alpha Bay as soon as I'm aboard."
As soon as Boomer had finished, he looked ahead where he
could see the shuttle landing on a perfectly smooth arc.
Whoever the trainee pilot was, there was no question that
the cadet had flown like a veteran right away.
A centon later he heard Rigel's voice.  "Beta Patrol,
cleared to land."
"Thank you."  Boomer said, feeling glad that it was finally
over and he could get inside at last.  "Let's putŸ?~em in
Jolly."
Jolly was just about to reply when he suddenlefore.    Whenever
the Leader was absent from his baseship, there was a general
rule that the throne room was not to be occupied by the
commander in charge, whether it was a gold plated command
centurion or another of the IL class like Lucifer.
Clearly though, since promises of power and glory had been
the key to getting Baltar to throw his lot in with the
Cylons, there was no way the Imperious Leader would object
to the human traitor's use of the Cylon ruler's sanctum.
Not for now at least.
"By your command," Lucifer said as he and the centurion came
to a stop in front of the throne chair.   It took three
microns for it to spin around, and the IL Cylon wondered
just what did Baltar do during those idle moments of
isolation?    Or was it all a calculated act to just emulate
the Cylon ruler and put on this show display only when he
knew that there would be visitors arriving soon?    He was
sure that whatever the answer was, it would be something to
factor into his overall assessment of the huy felt a
massive wave of both dizziness and nausea hit him.   It had
come with the swiftness of a clap of thunder on a sunny day,
and had he been standing up he would have collapsed
immediately.    His head rolled back against the cushion of
his headrest and as the wave of dizziness and nausea
increased, he could feel sweat erupting all over his body.
In an instant it had become so intense that his hand slipped
slightly off his control stick, causing his viper to pitch
slightly on an awkward, down trajectory.
"Jolly?"  Boomer radioed with concern as he saw his friend's
viper pitch unexpectedly.  "Jolly, do you hear me?   Are you
all right?  Jolly!"
"Wha...what?" Jolly mumbled as he finally felt the inital
wave pass and he managed to readjust his hold on the stick.
Even so, the relief he felt was only temporary and he had a
dread feeling that it was going to come back soon.
"Get your nose up, Jolly," Boomer grew slightly stern as he
saw that the sergeant's viper was now back on a course
propman mind and
psyche.
"Speak," Baltar didn't disappoint Lucifer by putting all the
authority and pomp into his voice that he could have
expected to hear.
"We have caught up to the Galactica's flight path and are
now maintaining a position parallel to her, outside of
scanner range.    She would not be able to detect us without
sending patrols off to her flank."
"Excellent," Baltar nodded.   "Standard procedure is to send
patrols to the front only in this instance.   What is her
present heading?"
"She has veered away from the outpost in Otarsis sector."
"Quite logical."
"On the contrary," Lucifer decided now was the time to
spring the surprise and see the reaction, "It is not
logical.   Their course is taking them toward the Epsilon
quadrant, toward a magnetic abyss."
The human traitor frowned, "A magnetic abyss?"
"A void," Lucifer said, "A navigational inferno, possibly
endless.    Such phenomena are not uncommon in the
universe."
Baltar's eyes drifted away from the IL Cylon, as though he
er enough so that there was no danger of a crash, but
still carried the danger of an awkward landing that could
damage the viper and the landing bay tarmac.   "That cadet
made a better landing then you're about to make.  Another
five degrees down and I'd have to signal them to prepare for
a collision!"
"Uh...yeah.  Sorry.  IŸ?"" he took a deep breath hoping that
could bring some more temporary relief but he found it
wasn't having any effect.   Inside, he could never recall a
time in his life where he felt more sick then he did now.
Frack, he thought.  And on the day of the sendoff party.
I'll have to go to the Life Station for a whole cycle and
miss everything.
"Are you all right?" Boomer repeated, now relieved to see
that Jolly's viper was back on a normal enough heading.
"I....I don't know, I... There's a buzzing in my ears, my
head's spinning....."
"Okay, relax.   You're probably leaking fuel vapors into
your cockpit atmosphere.   We'll get it checked as soon as
you land."  He then pause
were trying to recall something in the back of his mind, but
was unable to find it.
"At any rate," Lucifer continued, "Logic would have dictated
that they engage our small outpost rather than enter such a
dangerous area."
Baltar returned his gaze to the IL, "Unless they know we are
following them, and they hope that this...void might give
them some form of protective cover."
Lucifer found himself unable to summon an instant reply, as
the traitor's remark was not something he had anticipated.
"Anything is possible," he finally said after exchanging a
quick glance with the command centurion, "But the odds are
astronomically against it."
"You don't know Adama," Baltar gently chided, "He is not a
man apt to feel any sense of overconfidence or easy security
after the sneak attacks of last sectar.    I somehow suspect
that his inclination is to be more careful in trying to
ascertain the potential danger of our presence.   That means
the odds are not astronomically against the possibility they
knd and saw that Jolly's viper had
slid down another five degrees at the nose.   "That is, if
you land, Sergeant.   Now keep your nose up."
"Yeah, yeah....okay.   Nose up."  Jolly took another breath
and now wondered if the nausea was going to overtake him
completely.   If that happened while his helmet was still
on, he knew the results could be fatal.
Finally, Jolly's viper, still pitching slightly to the right
but not at a dangerous rate, entered the landing bay and
came to a stop.   Two centons later, Boomer was aboard as
well.
As soon as the dark-skinned lieutenant got out of his
fighter and his feet hit the tarmac, he sprinted over to
Jolly's parked viper and saw with concern that while Jolly
had his canopy up and his helmet off, he was still seated in
the cockpit taking deep breaths over and over.
"Jolly?"  Boomer looked up.  "Jolly, do you need any help
getting out?"
The corpulent sergeant shook his head slightly and then
seemingly staggered to his feet, awkwardly swinging one leg
outow we're following them, by my calculation."   He paused,
"Another intangible it would seem that the Imperious Leader
recognized that only I could discern."
For the first time in his existence, Lucifer felt what he
believed the human mind would have called "flustered."   So
far, Baltar was demonstrating a cutting level of arrogance
worthy of the finest IL, and Lucifer also realized for the
first time that his reaction was exactly the kind that he'd
always regretted not being able to get from a centurion
during whenever he conversed with them.
"Whatever the case may be," Lucifer finally spoke, "We are
at last in close proximity to the Galactica and are in a
position to destroy her.    Shall we launch all our fighters
against the Galactica?"
Baltar leaned back in his chair and shook his head, "No.   I
remain unconvinced that an all-out ship-to-ship engagement
will work at this stage."
"Then what do you propose?" Lucifer felt he had no choice
but to prod the traitor on this matter, to at least  and then dropping to the floor.   Boomer rushed over,
and helped him back to a standing position.
"Come on," he said gently as he held him by the arm.  "Come
on, let's get you to that decon turbowash right now.   Maybe
that'll help."
"Yeah..." Jolly whispered.  "Yeah...maybe that's it."
He guided Jolly over to the decontamination chamber which
all pilots were required to go through after landing on any
uncharted planetary surfaces just in case a stray germ was
picked up.   The cursory procedure was the decontamination
scan which emitted a powerful beam that was so efficient the
pilot didn't even need to take his clothes off.   An
auxilary chamber provided a more thorough turbowash
procedure as a back-up unit.   The turbowash unit had over
the last several yahrens become a more neglected component
of the battlestar but remained there just in case of an
emergency.   Clearly, this seemed like one of those rare
occasions when it would finally be needed.
Boomer removed Jolly's flight jacket and see if
Baltar was actually serious about trying to come up with a
plan for the Fleet's destruction.
"We will not remain idle," Baltar said, "The Galactica does
send out reconnaisance patrols, do they not?"
"Occasionally," Lucifer admitted, "But mostly to their front
periphery.   When we can detect them, we drop back out of
range before we can be noticed."
"Don't do that with the next group that goes out," Baltar
said, "I want top priority given to capturing one of their
pilots."
"For what purpose?"
Baltar smiled malevolently, "If I'm right, then if things go
according to plan, Adama will turn the Galactica over to me
without firing a shot.   A far happier alternative for the
Imperious Leader in terms of avoiding loss of Cylon
personnel, and also giving him the opportunity of a grand
show trial on Cylon for the last surviving elements of
Colonial civilization."
"By your command," Lucifer bowed, feeling somewhat impressed
by Baltar's reasoning on that point.     As he and the
command centurwas about to help
him with his tunic when the sergeant brushed his hand away.
"Frack, no.  Let me do that myself.  I----I can manage it
from here."
"Okay," Boomer said firmly, baffled as to how his friend
could have grown so violently ill so rapidly.   "And as soon
as you're done, I want you to check into the Life Station
and have Dr. Salik give you a complete look-over."
Jolly struggled to raise his head so he cold look Boomer in
the eye.  "Guess that means I have to miss the party."
"Maybe."  Boomer then patted him on the shoulder.  "But
don't worry, Jolly.  I'll see to it that one bottle gets set
aside for you.   Now you just get yourself inside."
As soon as Jolly was inside, Boomer calmly activated the
scan beam for the regular decontamination procedure.   He
felt the warmth of the yellow beam washing over him,
penetrating his dusty uniform completely.   If he picked up
a germ from any known disease in the annals of Colonial
Medicine, the decon procedure would have been able to
neutraliion left the chamber, he leaned over and said,
"Isn't he wonderfully devious?   We could learn much from
him in the end, it would seem."
But to Lucifer's eternal chagrin, the command centurion had
no response for something he was completely incapable of
fully comprehending.


The lack of conversation amongst the fifteen viper pilots
was almost beginning to strike Starbuck as almost eerie.
He was always used to some kind of byplay between pilots
during a mission as a way of breaking the tension.    But
this time, none of the pilots dared engage in that,
especially as they tried to get used to the feel of a viper
for the first time.
Finally, Apollo broke the silence, "Attention all vipers.
Asteroid now on my scanner, sector Delta five.   Computate
immediately."
Starbuck flicked his scanner for more detailed results, "Got
it."
"Uh...Captain?" the male trainee, Sergeant Hanlon spoke up,
"I don't have it on my scanner yet."
"You and the rest of the group are still outside scanning
range of tze it in an instant.
Once the procedure was done, he picked up his helmet, exited
the chamber and went over to a videocom hookup.
"Beta Patrol leader to bridge.   Request to speak to
Commander Adama to offer report on patrol sweep."
It only took five microns before both Adama and Tigh were
filling the monitor screen.
"Yes, Boomer?" Adama asked with concern.
"Commander, we completed our sweep of the right flank.
It's too dangerous sir, we discovered a Cylon outpost.
Stationed on an asteroid in----" he stopped to consult his
hand-held computer board that contained the data, "Otarsis
quadrant nine-one-one."
"You're sure of that?" the level of concern went up just a
faint trace in the commander's voice.
"It's well-hidden, sir, but it's there.   Probably doesn't
contain a squadron's worth of fighters based on the energy
capacity readings we scanned, but I doubt that means too
much."
"No, it doesn't."  Adama grunted.  "Thank you, Lieutenant."
"By your leave, sir," Boomer said as he saw the monitor go
blank.   As he turned away, he suddenly rubbed his temples
vigorously as he felt the beginnings of a headache.
Great, he thought.  Maybe I'll need to pay the Life Station
a visit myself before I head for the party.   He decided to
check on Jolly one last time before heading up.   He walked
back into the decontamination zone and then peered his head
into the window of the turbowash chamber.
His eyes then widened in horror when he saw Jolly sprawled
out on the floor, the water of the turbowash showering over
him at medium strength.  The rest of his uniform was still
on.
"Jolly!" Boomer pounded on the door and then hurriedly
activated the emergency override so he could get in.   He
quickly shut the turbowash off and helped his friend back to
a sitting position.   "Jolly, what's wrong?"
The corpulent sergeant was literally shaking.  "I....I
don't....oh God, Boomer, I----."
"Okay, okay.  Take it easy.  Take it easy.  I'll get you
some help."  He dashed back out and grabbed the telecom unithe asteroid, Hanlon," Apollo said gently, not
wanting to show any exasperation now.    "Starbuck, Killian,
you keep everyone on an arc just outside the range for now.
I'm going to try a low level approach from the other side of
the asteroid.   If I can catch them by surprise, I might be
able to take out their sentinel guard before they can
scramble the rest of their fighters."
"Captain," Lieutenant Dietra interjected, "You'd stand a
much better chance if all of us just dropped in on the
outpost at once.   We are capable of handling this while the
skies are clear."
"Dietra, you can demonstrate your capability by following
orders," Apollo curtly cut her off.
"Captain, I have to concur with Dietra," Killian jumped in,
"The purpose of this exercise is to do things as quickly as
possible and I think its best we just throw all our strength
at the outpost right now while we've got the element of
surprise."
"I'm in command, Red Leader, and my decision is final,"
Apollo felt some of the exasperation
on the wall and punched the access code for the Life
Station.
"Life Station," he instantly recognized the voice on the
other end as that of Cassiopeia, the one-time socialator who
had captured Starbuck's attention over the last sectan.
"This is Lieutenant Boomer.  I'm in Alpha Landing Bay in the
Decontamination Zone and I need a couple of med-techs down
here, fast!   A pilot has collapsed.   He's violently ill
and needs immediate treatment."
"Okay, Lieutenant!" Cassiopeia's voice suddenly grew urgent.
"We'll be down there in two centons with a gurney unit."
Boomer hung up the telecom and came back over to Jolly.  The
sergeant was still in a seated position, now shaking
violently from the dampness of his uniform.
"Oh God," Jolly whispered.  "Do you think....Boomer....do
you think maybe on the asteroid, we......"
"Hey, hey.  Take it easy."  Boomer grabbed him by the
shoulders.  "I was there with you and I feel just fine.
You must have inhaled some fuel vapors in your viper
cockpit.  That's  slip through since the
last thing he needed was to hear dissent from Killian, which
probably would have all the other Red Group pilots chiming
in with their dissatisfaction as well.   "You and Starbuck
keep them together.  I'm going in now."
Apollo then activated his turbo and peeled off from the rest
of the main group.    As she watched his viper disappear
from view, Serina took a breath and then whispered to
herself, "Good luck, Captain."
Toward the middle of the pack, Corporal Brie, not fully over
her near disaster after launch, had been making a careful
check of all her instrument panels and now frowned when she
saw a solitary blip on her rear scanner.
"Starbuck?" she radioed, "I'm picking up a blip on rear
scan, quadrant Tauƒ?""
"That's the med shuttle, Brie," Starbuck gently chided,
"It's ours."
"Wait a centon," Killian felt a slight trace of alarm,
"Starbuck, I thought you told the shuttle to hold position
in Epsilon quadrant until the area was secure."
"I did."
"Well she said theall.   You breathe too much of that stuff
and it can really frack a guy's system up good."
"I...don't....know, I didn't smell...." he shook his head
again as another wave of dizziness came over him.
Boomer felt a slight trace of alarm go off when he heard
that.  If Jolly had inhaled fuel vapors it would have given
off a distinctive smell.   But he said he hadn't smelled
anything like that.   So was it possible then that he had
contracted something on the surface?   And if that were the
case....
He then shook his head.  No, he didn't have to worry about
himself.   He'd gone through the decon procedure and felt
fine but for the headache so if it was related to that, then
it was probably a case of Jolly being unfortunate enough to
feel the symptoms before he could begin the procedure.
Whatever the case, there was nothing to make Boomer think
that he should feel at risk himself.
He heard the sound of the turbo lift come to a stop and then
the rush of footsteps across the tarmac.   When he looked contact is in Tau quadrant.   How can it
be the shuttle if its not where its supposed to be?"
"And its closing in on us!" Brie's voice rose slightly.
Starbuck let out an exasperated sigh and hit his rear
scanner where he could now see the approaching blip, "Med
shuttle, this is Blue Two.   Why aren't you holding your
position in Epsilon Quadrant?" he radioed.
"Blue Two this is Med Shuttle," the voice of the shuttle
pilot sounded confused, "We are holding position.   What are
you talking about?"
"What the----" Starbuck muttered as he hit his warbook
identification scan, and then his jaw dropped slightly when
he saw that is was a Cylon fighter that was closing in on
them.
"Positive ID of Cylon fighter!" Killian said.
"Frack, that's great.   Killian, you keep the squadron
together.   I'll take care of this one."
"Copy.  We'll stand by here in case that's not just one lone
ship returning to the asteroid.   If there are more, we'll
need to be in position to intercept them and keep them from
ju
up, he saw two med-techs, both wearing full length coveralls
and masks, carrying a gurney unit.
"Take care of him, guys," Boomer said. "And keep me updated
on his progress."
"We'll do all we can for him, Lieutenant," the first med-
tech, who he realized was Cassiopeia, said.   "How do you
feel?"
"I'm okay," Bommer said almost defiantly.  "I've gone
through decon and I haven't felt anything like what he's
going through."
For an instant, Cassiopeia hesitated slightly, wondering if
she should take one other precautionary step.   But then she
realized that Boomer would probably start to argue the
matter with her, and if that happened there would only be
wasted time getting needed attention for Sergeant Jolly.
"Okay, Lieutenant.   You can go."
Boomer leaned down and patted Jolly's hand.  "Hang in there,
buddy.  I'll bring two bottles down later."
He waited to see the med-techs carry Jolly off on the
gurney, and then he took a deep breath and headed for the
turbo lift that would take him up tomping on Apollo."
Starbuck hit his turbo and did a slow turn that sent him in
the opposite direction from the rest of the squadron.    The
Cylon fighter would soon be right in front of him.    Then,
from the corner of his eye he caught sight of something else
and did a double take when he saw another viper pulling up
alongside.   From his vantage point, he could easily
recognize Athena in the cockpit.
"Athena, what do you think you're doing?"
"I was assigned as your wingmate in the patrol formation,
Starbuck," her voice was precise, "And Apollo said in the
training session that a wingmate should stick to a leader at
all times."
Knowing it was a waste of time to argue, Starbuck decided
not to pursue the point.   "Okay, but hold back just a
little.   And ah, like I said before, try not to shoot me
okay?"
Athena angrily gritted her teeth and switched off her radio
for a brief micron, "Just keep it up, Starbuck, just keep it
up and you'll tempt me too much."
Then, shaking off her inner anger,  the Officers Club.


As soon as Adama had finished his brief conversation with
Boomer, the Galactica commander had grimly moved back to the
upper level to take a long look at the giant navigational
board.  Tigh followed behind him, waiting to hear Adama's
next order.
The commander bit his lip as he stared at the board and took
another twenty microns before he finally said without
looking at Tigh, "Colonel, order the helm that we'll be
changing course to this quadrant."  He ran his hand over the
area that Apollo's patrol had gone out to investigate.
"Without waiting for Captain Apollo's report on that
sector?"
Adama let out a grunt, "Well, we can't go that way," he
motioned his hand on the upper section where Boomer and
Jolly had just returned from.  "We know what's in this
sector.   A Cylon outpost that can easily notify their
baseships and put them back on our scent for the first time
in a sectar."  He shook his head grimly, "We'll just have to
hope that Captain Apollo's report is more she turned her radio back
on and activated her attack computer.


X-UIDL: ^91"!pa9"!W'-"!<9p"!

The Cylon outpost on the asteroid had only a complement of
some sixty centurions, which meant that in the event of an
emergency situation requiring the launch of all 15 fighters
stationed there, only 15 would be left to man the base
operations.    From the standpoint of Cylon efficiency,
greater numbers were never deemed practical for such an
isolated outpost.  The asteroid was intended solely to serve
as a sheltered listening post for enemy activity, one that
could detect an enemy's presence without much risk of
detection in return.
On this day however, the positions would be entirely
reversed from the intended roles.
The approaching Cylon fighter, launched from Baltar's
baseship to investigate the status of where the fifteen
vipers from the Galactica were going, had radioed ahead to
the base warning them of the impending attack.   Now, all
the centurions who manned the 15 fighters were quickoptimistic."
"What if it isn't, Commander?" Tigh had to prod him on this
point.  "For all we know, the outpost could be a decoy
designed to make us go off in the other direction where
their strength is more concentrated."
Adama shrugged, "If that were true, then I doubt that Apollo
and Starbuck would have lived to make a return trip, and
scanners show they're on their way back.   For now though,
we need to take some initiative and at least put the Fleet
on a heading where we know we're going in the opposite
direction for where a known Cylon presence is."   He looked
over at Omega, "Omega, how much longer until Alpha Patrol
returns?"
"They're just five centons out now."
"Excellent.  As soon as they're aboard, have them report to
me on the double."
Out of the corner of his eye, Tigh could see the monitor on
his own station that he'd activated to keep an eye on the
party in the Officers Club.   He'd realized that he'd gone
five centons without checking up on that, and it also
reminded him to  to head
for the launch and landing area and scramble to readiness to
meet the approaching danger.
"Scanner indicates only one viper from main group
approaching toward the base," one of the operations
centurions reported to the base commander.
"Destroy it and have all fighters intercept the remaining
Colonial vipers."


As soon as Starbuck and Athena made visual contact with the
Cylon fighter, the enemy craft opened first, unleashing a
wild stream of blue laser fire across their paths.
"Roll to your right!" Starbuck barked as he took his own
viper into a gentle roll, "Set yourself up for reverse
thruster move once out of the roll!"
He saw that Athena had no trouble with the maneuver, which
now put them both alongside each other with their tails to
the approaching craft.
"Stand by on reverse thruster," Starbuck said, "Remember,
keep your tail down before you activate the thruster or
you'll run right into him."
"Tail down," Athena grunted as she saw a streak of Cylon
laser fire sail over bring up something else.
"Ah, Commander," the executive officer said, "I think I
mentioned to you that Apollo's sendoff party is just getting
started in the Officers Club.   Blue Squadron's put a lot
into it, and I hope you won't have to detain Apollo any
longer then he needs to be kept."
"I'll do what I can, Tigh," Adama said sympathetically, but
firmly, "But if it turns out that Apollo has information
that requires a long debriefing, then I'm not about to risk
the lives of everyone in the Fleet just for the sake of my
own son's sendoff party."  He turned and walked away to the
other side of the upper level, then stopped and turned
around again.   This time, his exprssion was considerably
softer.  "However, should events warrant a lengthy briefing,
then I'll have no objections to extending tonight's curfew
so he gets to enjoy the full benefits of the celebration."
He smiled.  "Pass the word to the rest of the guests."
"Yes sir," Tigh grinned and then descended the steps to the
lower level.
her head, and wished he would give the
order now.
"Okay, reverse thruster now!"
The two vipers then moved in that fast backward motion that
always managed to take the simple minded centurion pilots by
surprise.    It never ceased to amaze Starbuck at how Cylon
pilots had not been programmed after all these yahrens to
react more quickly to that kind of maneuver.    Evidently
the thinking in Cylon circles was that the superior numbers
they possessed would always be enough to compensate for the
quirks of individualism that only human pilots could
possess.
Now, the two vipers were lined up behind the Cylon fighter
in position for the kill.    Starbuck glanced over at Athena
and decided that now was the time to make a critical
judgment that could have important long-term consequences if
it came off right.
"Athena, you got him sized up on your attack computer?"
"Got him," she replied.
"Then you perform the honors," Starbuck said without
hesitation, "As soon as he's locked on and blinking, you
o

X-UIDL: I&3"!I7$"!n6l!!8AZ"!

As soon as Boomer arrived in the Officers Club, he had to
push his way through the large crowd of people that were now
gathered inside the room.   It was clear that all of Blue
Squadron's ranks was now present for the celebration, save
for Starbuck and the guest of honor.
"Hey Boomer!   You made it just in time.   We decided the
ambrosia couldn't wait any longer and that we'd give it a
headstart for Apollo."
Boomer barely heard Greenbean's words.   He was beginning to
hear a funny ringing in his ears that had him slightly
worried.  Wasn't that what Jolly said he was feeling just
before.....
He managed to snap himself back to the present and he made
his way through the crush of the pilots and to the bar,
where tankards of ale and chalices of ambrosia filled the
counter.   He decided to have an ale first and reached for
the tankard, and when he tried to lift it, he almost dropped
it.   His entire body had now gone weak, and he felt
completely drained of strenpen fire."
For an instant, Athena was surprised that Starbuck would
suddenly show that kind of faith in her after his previous
cutting remarks about the simulator exercise mishap.   She
looked back at her attack computer and saw that the fighter
was just above the target lock point.   Making a careful
adjustment to her heading, her viper went up slightly, and
as it did the Cylon came down on the attack computer until
finally it locked and began to blink.
Then, with more adrenaline surging through her than at any
other time in her life, her finger came down on the fire
button.   Just two quick shots.....and then it was over as
the Cylon fighter exploded.
"I got him!" She let out a happy exclamation.   "Starbuck,
did you see that?"
Starbuck almost wished he could have played a practical joke
on her by peeling off out of her sight and saying nothing
for a several microns.    But the urgency of the situation
meant there was no time to engage in practical jokes right
now.
"Saw it.   Congratulatgth.   Struggling to take a sip
from his tankard, he then lost his footing briefly and
stumbled across the floor, bumping into two pilots and
slightly spilling his tankard.
"Hey, Boomer watch it!" Corporal Vickers said angrily as he
felt the ale spill on his uniform and he wiped at the stain.
"Boomer, you okay?" Giles came over and held out his hand to
take him by the arm.
"I'm....fine," Boomer muttered.
"Well watch your step, will you?" Giles then grew angry as
he straightened the lieutenant.   "The Colonel's watching us
on the monitor.   Now quit clowning around!"
"Giles, you lousy....." Boomer tried to summon an angry
surge inside him as though that might have overridden the
strange feeling of dizziness he just felt.
"Gentlemen!" Tigh's voice suddenly filled the room as all
heads whipped toward the monitor and saw his glaring
countenance.  "As Captain Apollo is only five centons away
from returning, I was about to inform you that the curfew
had been extended.   But if you men are going tions."  He kept his voice matter of
fact. "But they've clearly had time to warn the outpost
about our presence so let's hook back up with the rest and
give Apollo some support fast!"


It only took one brief scan of the energy readings from the
asteroid for Apollo to pinpoint the location of the outpost.
Soon, he had a visual fix on the blinking signal lights on
the mountain face.   Right now the key was for him to make
some quick hits on that part of the mountain to cripple
their launch capacity.
But before Apollo could make his attack run, he suddenly saw
the rock face move upward, and he realized that it meant
only one thing.   The outpost was launching all of its
fighters.
"Frack!" Apollo uncharacteristically swore and pounded his
fist against the side of the cockpit.   He knew that within
microns as many as fifteen Cylon fighters would emerge from
the launch area, and there was no way he could deal with
that singlehandedly.
He saw the first Cylon fighter emerge and he decided to try
o get falling-
down drunk, I might as well see to it that that order gets
rescinded!"
Boomer managed to straighten himself and summon all the
strength in his voice.  "I am....not drunk, sir.   Just...a
little dizziness."
Tigh continued to glare at them.  "Well anymore
Ÿ?~dizziness' then, and I'll send everyone back to quarters
and have all your supplies impounded.   Is that understood?"
"Yes sir." all the pilots mumbled in unison.
The monitor then went blank and Boomer now saw that almost
every pair of eyes in the room was angrily trained on him.
"Hey look," Boomer said.  "It's not my fault, I just
ahh...." and then suddenly Boomer felt it.   A massive wave
of dizziness and nausea unlike anything he'd ever felt
before in his life.   His knees buckled and he collapsed to
the floor.
"Boomer?  Boomer!" Giles said with alarm as he and Greenbean
grabbed the dark-skinned warrior and helped him over to a
nearby chair.
"Hey, relax man, relax."  Greenbean patted him on the back
as soon as Boomer w
for one quick shot before making a fast retreat.    Without
using his attack computer, he opened fire and managed to
destroy the first ship before it had reached its full flight
capacity.
Apollo then activated his main turbo and began a heading
that would take him back toward the main group of vipers.
Even as he saw the rest of the outpost's fighters on his
rear scan, his first thought wasn't so much about the danger
to himself but to the potential danger to Serina, Athena and
the rest of the trainees.
"Blue Squadron, this is Apollo.   They've launched their
fighters and are headed to intercept.    By the time you get
to me you'll have fighters surrounding you." the force of an
explosion rocked his fighter.
"Copy you, Blue Leader," Killian's determined voice crackled
in his helmet.   "We're ready for them.    Red Group
fighters, assume position on my starboard flank, Blue Group
trainees, assume position on my port.   Stand by to
intercept!"
"Affirmative that, Captain!" Dietra said, clearlyas seated.   "Those deep patrols can be
tough.  We all know that."
"No, I ah....oh my God," as the wave of dizziness and nausea
increased in Boomer, he instantly realized that he'd just
made an awful mistake centons ago down in the Landing Bay.
"Get....contact the Life Station.   Tell them....send gurney
down here."
"Yeah, yeah.  Okay Boomer, we'll do that."  Greenbean
motioned, "Vickers, telecom the Life Station and have them
send some med-techs down here, fast!"


Dr. Salik, the Galactica's Chief Medical Officer and Chief
Medical Officer for the entire Fleet had just gone on-duty
when he saw the gurney bearing Sergeant Jolly enter the Life
Station's isolation unit.  Without waiting for the med-techs
to summon him, the onetime chief of the Canceran Medical
Institute threw on an isolation coverall and mask and
entered the adjacent chamber.
"Cassiopeia, what's wrong with this man?"
"Flight Sergeant Jolly of Blue Squadron," Cassiopeia said as
she and Med-Tech Lycus helped lift Jolly off the chomping
at the bit now.  "We're ready."
"Ten microns and closing," this from Sergeant Mackin, one of
the other female trainees.   "Captain Apollo's in trouble!"
"Blue Group, you're closer to him, try to see what you can
do, if you can't get into position, I'll move in on the
sucker."
"I have him sized up, Red Leader," Serina jumped in, feeling
both tension and determination going through her body.
She maneuvered her viper in ahead of the rest of the trainee
pilots and could now see one Cylon fighter doggedly pursuing
Apollo.   Clearly, this would require the more difficult
maneuver of a lateral shot.    She glanced back down at her
attack computer and could see Apollo's ship move off the
screen, while the Cylon fighter moved across toward the
middle.
He'll move across my line in three.....two......one.....Now!
Serina's finger came down on the fire button and she let out
a startled burst when she felt the power of the lasers
emerge from her craft.   Then, she looked back up just in
time t gurney and
place him on the examination table.   The sergeant was
violently thrashing about.   "He and Lieutenant Boomer just
got back from deep patrol and he passed out in the decon
turbowash.   Dizziness, nausea, ringing in the ears."
"Get the rest of his clothes off and hook him up to a
computer scan, fast!"
It took only a centon for the med-techs to strip off the
rest of Jolly's uniform and hook two lifelines from a
medical computer to his body so they could get precise
readings on his condition.
The instant Salik began to read the results on the computer,
his jaw almost fell open from behind his mask.
"Internal body temperature rising, at least five degrees
above normal," he said.  "Pulse growing rapid.   Lords of
Kobol, has this man been in contact with anyone else?"
"Only Lieutenant Boomer, sir," Cassiopeia began to feel a
sense of horror come over her as she realized what Salik was
getting at.  "He....wasn't showing any signs of illness and
he'd already completed decontamination."
o see the red streaks impact directly on the Cylon
craft.
"Got him!" she let out an excited burst of happiness.
"Captain Apollo, you're now clear of him!"
Apollo shook his head in disbelief at the realization that
it was Serina who had bailed him out.    And already he knew
that he wasn't going to hear the end of it from her once
they returned.
"Thank you, Corporal," Apollo kept his tone professional.
"Okay Killian, I'm resuming command of the squadron.   We
need to take out every last one of them."
"Understood.   Suggest we stay together as one cohesive unit
rather than allow one-to-one engagement."
"Noted and granted," Apollo nodded as he pulled back up
alongside the rest of them.   "All fighters, stay packed
together spaced no more than ten shiplengths apart.   Draw
them into us and they should be sitting ducks."   It was
clearly the more dangerous maneuver from the standpoint of
the concentration of fire that would be raining down on them
from the approaching Cylons, but at the same tim
"If this represents an errant virus that we have no immunity
to, then Decon won't be of any help!"  Salik's tone grew
angry.   "Don't these pilots realize that?   Where's
Lieutenant Boomer now?"
"He's....in the Officers Club."  Cassiopeia had to summon
all her strength to keep from losing control as she realized
that she may have made a terrible mistake in not getting
Boomer down to the Life Station with Jolly.  "There's a
sendoff party going on for Captain Apollo."
"Dear God," Salik whispered in horror. "Get this man in a
support chamber, quickly."   The Chief Medical Officer then
bolted from the isolation unit and headed back into the main
Life Station.   As soon as he was in there, he saw Med-Tech
Nestor holding the telecom.
"Sir," Nestor said, "We've just gotten a telecom from the
Officers Club.   Lieutenant Boomer----"
Salik abruptly came over and snatched the telecom away from
the med-tech.   "This is Dr. Salik.  I want all of you in
that Club to listen to me and to listen to me good!e it would
mean that they could all stay close together and the
experienced pilots could use their superior skills to take
out more of the fighters.
"Got ƒ?~em lined up," Sergeant Barton chimed in.   "Opening
fire now!"
In just a matter of microns, Barton and the other fighters
from Red Group had taken out five of the approaching Cylons.
Now, the Colonials enjoyed the numerical advantage.
"They're peeling off toward your flank, trainees," Killian
said, "Watch yourselves."
"Don't worry, we don't scare easy," Dietra said as she moved
ahead of the rest of the group and sized up two approaching
fighters.   One shot destroyed the lead one, but the second
one managed to roar past before she could take it out.
"Uh-oh," she said with alarm as she backed off on her turbo
power.   "One of them's about to get by!"
"I've got him, Dietra!" this from Brie, still determined to
make up for her earlier mistake.   But her shot was also
erratic, and missed, "Felgercarb!" she cursed.
"Easy, Brie," Serina said   Not a
single person is to enter or leave that room for any reason!
Is that understood?   All of you are to stay right where you
are until Life Station personnel arrive!"
From the other end, there was bewilderment in Corporal
Vickers' voice.  "Uh...yes sir.   We'll wait."
"You'd better, because this is a matter of life and death!"
Salik then hung the telecom up and wheeled around.   "All of
you listen up!   I want every med-tech to get isolation
suits and masks on and have every last support chamber ready
to bring down to the Officers Club!   On the double!   Every
person in that Club is to be brought back here in a support
chamber, no exceptions!"
The Chief Medical Officer then dashed out of the Life
Station and headed straight for the turbolift to the Bridge.

X-UIDL: ]UY"!E"J"!6'I!!DZf!!

"Alpha Patrol arrival, one centon," Omega said.
"Good."  Adama said.  "Course readjusted?"
"Affirmative.   Fleet heading now on path of Alpha Patrol's
trajectory."
"Commander?" Athena called over f calmly as she pushed her craft
gently to starboard and sized up the fighter.    Again, she
did a mental count down from three before opening fire.
And once again, her shot was perfect.
"Got him!" She exclaimed, "They're down to no more than
seven now."
"Make that five," this from Sergeant Hanlon, "Jameson and I
got the ones on the periphery."
"Apollo, I think as a group we can handle the rest of them
at three to one superiority," Killian said.   "With their
launch bay open for recovering these suckers, the outpost
should be a sitting duck against one viper.  Suggest either
you or I go in to take care of that."
"Affirmative Red Leader, you stay in charge of the group,
I'll go back in on the outpost."   Apollo hit his turbo and
headed back toward the asteroid.    It only took him a
centon to be back in the position he had been in earlier for
a strafing run on the outpost.   Only this time, he had an
open and exposed landing bay area that even exposed the
interior of the base itself to his virom her station.
Adama made his way over to his daughter.  "Yes?"
"Father," Athena suddenly dropped her tone, "I just....got a
strange communique from Captain Janus, the head of our shuttle
pilot program."
"I know him," Adama said.  "What did he send?"
"Well...he just sent a congratulatory message about the newest
pilot in the family.   I didn't have the slightest idea what he
was talking about, and when I asked for clarification he got a bit
embarrassed and then didn't say anything more about it.  Do you
know what he's talking about?"
"No," her father frowned and shook his head.  "That sounds odd.
I guess someone played some kind of practical joke on Janus and he
must have fallen for it."
"Doesn't make much sense," Athena admitted, "Still----"
Before his daughter could go on, all activity on the Bridge came
to a halt when they saw Dr. Salik burst into the command center.
The short doctor was out of breath, a look of horror on his face.
"Commander, I must speak to you immediately!   It's a mew.
Apollo took his viper into a steep dive toward the landing
bay, never taking his finger off the trigger.    He could
see the red streaks of laser fire impact inside and set off
a chain reaction of explosions that belched outward.
Finally, several hundred feet from the blazing opening of
the mountain face, he pulled back up, giving himself some
brief dizziness from the g-factor pressure as he climbed out
of the asteroid's atmosphere and back into starry blackness
of space.
By the time he had shaken his head clear of the dizziness,
he could look up and see the other vipers approaching his
position.    There were no other Cylons to be soon.
"Nice shooting, Captain!" he could easily tell Dietra was
grinning.   "They're all probably melted scrap by now."
"Thanks," Apollo smiled, "Looks as though you did the same
to them out here."
"You'll be interested to know, Captain, that the trainees
accounted for nine of the fourteen kills overall, with no
losses whatsoever," Serina said proudly.
"You atter of
grave urgency!"
Adama frowned and came over to where Salik stood.   "Doctor, I
have a patrol squadron returning that I need to debrief
immediately.   Can this wait?"
"No sir, it can not wait."  Salik's tone was grave, "Because this
concerns the well-being of every man, woman and child in the
Fleet."
It took the Chief Medical Officer only a centon to summarize the
situation.   When he was done, there was a feeling of sick horror
in both Adama and Tigh.
"The bottom line Commander is if this virus isn't isolated fast,
then every one in this Fleet could die."
"Damn," Adama clenched his fist, "Boomer had been in such close
proximity to Jolly and it never occurred to him to go into
immediate isolation?"
"Must have been the excitement over the party," Tigh offered
grimly.
"Excitement of the party!" Adama found that anger was the only
safety valve he could employ to keep down the level of panic he
was beginning to feel inside.  "With all of Blue Squadron in those
quarters we've probably all did well under exceptional circumstances," Apollo
said.  "Consider yourselves through the baptism of fire, and
full-fledged warriors from this point forward."  He paused
as he realized that there were two voices he hadn't heard,
"What happened to Starbuck and Athena?"
"They went after a Cylon on our rear flank that warned the
base of our presence," Killian said.  "Indications are they
took care of him and they should be caught up to us any
micron now."
For the first time, Apollo's euphoria faded, "There was a
Cylon in the rear quadrant?"
"Yes.   Just the one."
"Oh boy," Apollo took a breath, "I don't like the sound of
that.   That fighter may not have come from the asteroid."
"Well whether it did or not, we don't have time to
investigate that, Apollo.   We've got to make sure things
stay clear here for the med shuttle to do its job."
"Understood," Apollo nodded and then switched frequencies,
"Medical shuttle, this is Blue Leader.   Asteroid is secure
for you to land on.    But don't takput half our entire defense force at
risk!"  The commander then went over to the intercom.
"Attention, Security.   I want all persons who might have come
into contact with Lieutenant Boomer and Sergeant Jolly in the
Landing Bay placed in quarantine.   Inform Ground Crew Maintenance
not to touch either of their vipers unless they're in full
isolation garments!"
And then, Adama, Tigh and Salik all exited the Bridge at a rapid
pace.


Apollo and Starbuck were both putting their vipers into a shutdown
mode and missed the announcement that had filled the landing bay
concerning the security alert.  As soon as the captain was out of
his viper, he quickly came over to Starbuck and patted him on the
shoulder.   "Thanks a lot, Starbuck.   I owe you one."
The blonde lieutenant shrugged with a sly grin, "Hey, what's a
buddy for if not to make a guy feel comfortable during his last
few cycles before he gets sealed?"  He then guided him toward the
turbo lift.  "Meantime, let's head to the Club and you cae more time than you
have to to get what you need."
There was a brief pause before an answer came back, "This is
Dr. Salik, Captain.   We only need twenty centons and we'll
be off that rock in an instant."
"Copy that," Apollo switched frequencies, "Killian, I want
your fighters and Starbuck to stand by and continue to
provide escort and cover for the shuttle.    Trainees,
you'll accompany me back to the Galactica so we can make our
report of the situation to Commander Adama."
"Affirmative, Apollo," Red Leader said, "With the asteroid
secure, the seven of us are adequate for security escort."
he paused, "My congratulations to all of you in Blue
Squadron.   I know I speak for everyone in Red Group that
it's been an honor to fly with you on this mission."
"Thank you, Captain Killian," Dietra said, "It's been our
pleasure too."
"Okay Blue Group," Apollo said, feeling relieved that it was
over.  "Let's head for home."

X-UIDL: +"J"!M4j!!dXR"!,@;!!

As soon as he received the news direct from n buy me
that drink and fumarello you promised me."
"Uh, just a micron Starbuck."  Apollo said as he came over to the
videocom.  "I'd better check in with the Bridge first and give
them the rundown on that void out there."
"Okay," his friend nodded.  "I'll wait."
As soon as Apollo activated the videocom, located on the opposite
of the Landing Bay from the one next the Decon chamber which
Boomer had earlier used, he saw his sister's face come on the
screen.
"Athena, I need to speak to the Commander.  I've got my report on
our patrol sweep."
"Sorry, Apollo," Athena said.  "He and Tigh just left the bridge a
centon ago."
"What for?" Apollo frowned.  "He had to know we were about to
land, didn't he?"
"He did, but Dr. Salik just stormed in here about something
important.  I wasn't able to listen in."
"I see." her brother's frown deepened.  "Well notify him that
Starbuck and I are back.   We'll be in the Officers Club if he
needs us."
He flicked off the videocom before his sister could reply anApollo, Omega
almost bolted from his chair and ran up the steps to the
upper level where Adama and Tigh held ground.
"Commander," he didn't conceal the excitement he felt,
"Captain Apollo reports mission a complete success.
Outpost destroyed and no casualties.    The med shuttle will
be returning with the samples within an hour."
"Good!" Adama allowed himself a feeling of exhilaration for
just that one word, and then suddenly it was gone.
Already he had the look of someone who now felt the need to
move on to more important business.   "As soon as the entire
squadron has landed, order all ships in the Fleet to close
in on the Galactica and slow down to probe speed."
"What?" Tigh was caught off guard.   "You mean we're still
going into the void?    With the outpost destroyed, that now
clears that sector of space for us."
Adama shook his head, "No it doesn't, Tigh.   That outpost
certainly had enough time to alert every other nearby base,
and there's little doubt that reinforcements will soon bd went
back over to Starbuck.
"That was fast."
"He wasn't there.  We'll probably have to make our report direct
from the Club."
"That's just the way I like to conduct business.  Always mix it in
with pleasure," Starbuck motioned Apollo to get on the turbo lift.
"Come on buddy, let's go."
"I hope this is worth my time," Apollo said as the lift began to
move up.  "I really should pop in Serina now that I'm back."
"Apollo, this will really be worth your time.  You're going to
have an afternoon and evening you'll remember for the rest of your
life."
As soon as the turbolift stopped and they stepped into the
corridor that lead to the Officers Club, they both stopped in
their tracks when they saw a large volume of med-tech personnel
wearing isolation suits rolling large life support chambers toward
the compartment door that lead to the Officers Club.
"What the frack?" Starbuck's jaw fell open in disbelief.  "Hey!"
he called, "What gives!"
The suited figure of med-tech Nestor spun around, "Captaie on
top of that area by the time the rest of the Fleet would be
in that sector.   We have to keep moving on our present
course," he took a breath, "At least the darkness of the
void will give us some cover.   And the Cylons might be
dissuaded from venturing into it themselves."
"It may give us some cover, Commander," Tigh now felt a
sense of exasperation rising to the surface, "But it may
also end up causing who knows how many ships to get lost,
and that void will end up doing to this Fleet what the
Cylons haven't been able to accomplish."
Adama stared at his friend for a micron, not changing his
expression in the slightest.   He placed his hand in his
pocket where he could still feel the letter he had written
to Ila, and then pulled his hand out and touched the
ceremonial medal about his neck that denoted his position as
a member of the Council of Twelve.    Finally, he turned
away from the executive officer and faced a confused Omega.
"We're heading in.   Pass the word to the rest of the n,
Lieutenant get out of this area now!   This area's under strict
quarantine by order of Commander Adama!"
"Huh?" Apollo's bewilderment increased.
"Apollo!  Starbuck!   You heard him!  Come with us!"
The two warriors turned around and saw the grim figures of Adama,
Tigh and Salik marching toward them.   The Chief Medical Officer
came over to Nestor, "How many in there altogether?"
"About forty-seven, sir.   We've barely got enough support
chambers aboard the Galactica to handle them all."
"I'll try to see if the Hospital Ships in the Fleet can have some
more shuttled over if we need them.   Just keep at it and make
sure no one enters that room unless they're suited up!"  Salik
then turned and dashed away to head back to the Life Station.
"Father," Apollo turned to Adama, "What does this all mean?"
The magnitude of the situation now hit Adama in full force as he
slowly shook his head.   Apollo was horrified to see an expression
of helplessness on his father's face that he hadn't seen the nighFleet,
Omega."
"Yes sir," the bridge officer said dazedly as he made his
way back down the steps to the lower level.


As soon as the shuttle landed on the asteroid, the med-tech
team, all clad in full protective garments wasted little
time getting out and beginning their scans of the surface.
"Med scanner reveals high concentrations of the viral strain
largely in the ground, minute concentrations in the air."
Nestor reported.
"The virus thrives in the soil then," Salik said, "The trace
readings in the air are from the emissions in the ground.
Take a large soil sample first.     Cassiopeia, I want you
to take an air sample just as large, and we'll have what we
need to run comparative tests on how it reacts to this
atmosphere and the Galactica's.   I'm convinced the
comparison is the key to figuring out how it breaks down."
As Salik watched his med-techs go to work, for the first
time since the crisis had erupted, he began to feel the
sense of helplessness dissipate.


Aboard the basesht
of the Holocaust. "It could very well mean the end of us all."

X-UIDL: V,3!!@Pf"!0!W!!,@g"!
Five centons later, Adama, Tigh and the two warriors were back on
the bridge.
"And you're certain you didn't come into contact with any launch
crew personnel who were servicing Bommer and Jolly's vipers?"
"No."  Apollo shook his head.  "We were never anywhere near where
they were in the Landing Bay."
"Then that means the two of you should be safe from contamination.
But until we get a thorough check on their vipers and make sure
they didn't leave virus traces in their ships, we have to keep
that part of Alpha Bay sealed off."
"And in the meantime everyone who was in the Officers Club is
infected?"
"Yes." Adama nodded grimly, "Some of them might not develop
symptoms for days, but since they were all within a few metrones
of Boomer and unprotected, at the very least they're carriers."
"Of all the incredibly stupid blunders!" Apollo finally felt it
impossible to hold back his sense of frustration anip, Lucifer again found himself
accompanying the command centurion into the throne room.
The news he had to bring was anything but positive, but at
the very least it would give him further insight into seeing
how Baltar's mind operated.
"His reaction to the news should be very interesting to
observe," he leaned over to the command centurion and
verbalized what he was thinking.   But once again, the
command centurion had no response for him.
When they reached the base of the throne chair, it had
already begun to turn around even before Lucifer could
finish uttering, "By your command."   Clearly, Baltar was
anxious to hear further news at this point.
"Speak."
"Vipers from the Galactica have attacked and destroyed our
outpost."
Baltar's eyebrows went up, "Then the Galactica is on her way
over the outpost now?"
"No," Lucifer might have shaken his bulbous head if he
possessed the inkling, "She is entering the void."
The traitor leaned forward in his chair, his expression one
of disbelief.  "Bud anger over
this serious turn of events.   It was bad enough to think of more
than forty people infected by a deadly virus, but to realize that
the entire complement of Blue Squadron were the ones infected was
almost impossible to take.
"I know," his father waved a hand.  "I know, but we can't wallow
in recriminations over that.   The important thing is to recover
from this and deal with other immediate problems at hand."   They
came up to the navigation board.  "We've had to alter course to
the trajectory you and Starbuck took your patrol sweep on."
"Commander," Starbuck interjected, "I'm afraid that route's out of
the question."
"How come?" the commander raised an eyebrow.  "We had no choice
when Boomer reported a Cylon outpost along his path."
"But there's something potentially more dangerous than a Cylon
outpost on that path."
"What do you mean, Captain?" this from Tigh.
Apollo took a breath.  "We encountered a magnetic sea that seemed
almost endless."
"Magnetic sea?" Tigh frowned.
"At why bother risking detection by
destroying the outpost if they had no intention of moving in
that direction?"
"It is indeed, quite puzzling to say the least," Lucifer
conceded.
"Unless maybe Adama needs something from the asteroid?"
Baltar absently gazed at the ceiling, trying to think,
"Food?  Fuel?"
"The fuel supply at the outpost was only enough to maintain
fifteen fighters on short range patrols.   A mere pittance
for what the Galactica and her fleet would need.    And
there is no supply of food fit for human consumption to be
found on the asteroid."
"Strange," Baltar shook his head as he leaned back in his
chair.
"There is....one other curious matter to report."
"What is it?"

"Reports indicated that many of the Colonial viper craft
that engaged the outpost flew in a most....erratic fashion."
"Evidently they flew well enough to destroy your base,"
Baltar retorted, clearly unimpressed by that detail.
For the first time, Lucifer felt his inner sense of
exasperation increasing.   It black void." Starbuck said.  "It was like going into some deep,
dark bottomless pit into infinity.   There was no way we could
scan the other side.   You should have seen what it did to our
sensors and communications."
"And if Starbuck hadn't flown in after me by the seat of his
pants, I wouldn't have made it back."
Tigh let out an exasperated sigh, "That tears it then, we can't go
that way.   With a Fleet this large to manage we'd run the risk of
seeing who knows how many of our ships get lost."
"What do you recommend then, sir, since the other direction with
the outpost is no good either?" Starbuck asked.
The executive officer shrugged, "Well...maybe a safer option would
be to skirt around the void, keeping in sight of it on our flank
and following its perimeter.   Commander, what do you think?"
There was no response from Adama.   The other three men then
stared at him and saw that the commander had a faraway look in his
eye as though he were totally oblivious to their presence.
"Commander was maddening to see how
Baltar seemed to have the ability to top him with such ease.
Perhaps the time had come to show a little less deference to
him.
"It was a small outpost, caught by surprise since you
determined the Galactica would not strike there."
Baltar broke into a grin and began to laugh, which only
further heightened the IL's sense of inner exasperation.
"Do not fence with me my friend.   We have suffered no
significant setback, and everything continues to proceed
according to my plan.   Except for the fact that you did not
see to it that one of their pilots was captured as I
ordered, while this strike was taking place on the
asteroid."
"To assure such a capture, we would have to risk being
discovered----" Lucifer began to protst, but Baltar quickly
cut him off.
"We went over this before, Lucifer.   And it would seem that
you have failed in this instance to fully execute your
duties as was expected of you."
"I apologize for my impudence," Lucifer bowed his head, as
he realize?" Tigh repeated.
Another five microns went by before Adama spoke, still avoiding
eye contact with them.   "I'll be in my quarters," he then turned
away from them and began to walk away.  "Maintain this course
until further notice."
"But Commander!" Tigh protested as he took a step after him,
"We're headed straight for the void!"
Adama stopped and turned around.  "My decision is final, Tigh.
Keep us on this course for now.   Tell Dr. Salik to contact me in
my quarters as soon as he has more information about the disease."
He then looked at Apollo, "Apollo, as soon as I get that report
from Salik, I'll need to see you and Captain Killian to discuss
the matter of our remaining pilot strength.  I'll let you know
when."
"Yes sir," Apollo nodded, this time baffled by his father's
reaction to news of the void.   It almost seemed as if Adama had
received some kind of mystical insight once he'd heard that piece
of information.
As soon as Adama was gone, Tigh turned back to the pilots.  "How
far untd that Baltar had him on that point.   "One of our
patrol craft did engage the attack force and had warned the
outpost before its destruction, and apparently it was
assumed that the outpost's fighters would be sufficient to
handle that task.   The rest of our patrol did not regard it
as their place to interfere, lest they make the Galactica
think the one craft was not conceivably from the outpost to
begin with."
"Caution in this instance does not serve them well,"
Baltar's tone grew frosty, "My order still stands.   The
Galactica sends out patrols do they not?   Capture one!"
He then turned the throne chair away from him, indicating to
Lucifer that the conversation was over.    As the IL left
the chamber, he found that he was too discouraged inside to
say anything to the command centurion.    The only thing
going through his mind was that accepting this assignment
may not have been such a good thing after all.



Chapter Eight

When Apollo returned to the Galactica, he didn't immediatelyil we reach the void at our regular Fleet speed."
"The void was toward the tail end of our run," Starbuck said, "We
shouldn't reach it for about another two or three days I think."
"Hopefully that'll give us enough time for him to come up with a
better alternative," Tigh grunted. "In the meantime, the two of
you should probably take it easy for now."
"Yeah, we will."  Starbuck then shook his head, "Lords of Kobol,
if it weren't for that party....."
"Skip it, Starbuck.  When all's said and done there's blame to go
around to a lot of people and there's no point singling anyone out
for it.   All we can do is deal with it and hopefully come out of
it."


A full centar had passed since all of the pilots from Blue
Squadron had been moved out of the Officers Club in life support
chambers and brought into the Life Station.    It had been an
almost traumatic time for Cassiopeia who found herself brooding
inside over her decision not to force Boomer to come down for
immediate examination.   She knew 
leave the landing bay to make his report to Adama.
Instead, he lingered for several centons, waiting for the
vipers of the seven trainees to land first.    Watching each
of them get out with a feeling of both relief that it was
over, combined with exhilaration that all had gone well.
And waiting for Serina to get out and come over to him, so
he could have his first private talk with her since before
the news of the mission.
The two male trainees, Hanlon and Jameson came up to him
first, both of them patting each other on the back.
Apollo instantly noticed how the two of them almost seemed
to have aged by a yahren now that they had taken part in
their first mission.   Which once again proved that what his
old instructor at the Academy had said was true.   The
Baptism Of Fire ritual always took away a part of one's
feeling of youthful innocence.
"Congratulations, gentlemen," Apollo said.
"Thank you, sir," Hanlon came to attention.   "Do we resume
normal training exercises on the simulators tthat had she taken decisive
action none of the men who now lay in the chambers would be where
they were now.
What only added to the difficulty was seeing how so many of them
were protesting violently that they didn't need to be treated.
That they felt fine.   And then suddenly, she would see the
symptoms take hold over most of them.
"....Damn it, is this necessary?" Giles was protesting from inside
his chamber, and he almost looked as though he were ready to pound
his fists on the glass case that shielded him from the outside.
"I feel fine.  I never----"
And then suddenly, she saw Giles go into a series of violent
shakes, the sweat breaking out all over his body.   She glanced at
his life scan readings and saw that his internal body temperature
had shot up more than three degrees in an instant.   She had to
turn her head away and go off to another part of the Life Station
to try and put herself at ease for now.   But no matter how much
she tried, the sense of guilt and anger with herself onlyomorrow?"
"Yes, for Level Four tests of all out attack on the Fleet,"
Apollo nodded.   "Report there at 0900."
"We'll be there," Jameson said as the two walked away.
Apollo looked back at the five female trainees who were all
gathered together, conversing vigorously about the mission
they had just completed.    It was more than a centon before
Serina finally bothered to look in his direction and see him
standing by the support pillar, motioning her to come over.
"You go ahead, I'll catch up with you, later," he could hear
Serina say to them as she then came over to him while the
others headed for the turbo lift at the other end of the
landing bay.
"Hi," Apollo smiled crookedly, "Thought it was time we have
a little talk now that it was over."
"Of course," Serina returned his smile, but inside she felt
just a little bit of tension.
"You did a good job out there, Serina.   You and all the
trainees.   It's a lot more than I would have expected under
these circumstances."
"Thank you," Serina didn't change her expression.
"Oh and ah...." he lowered his head and seemed to shuffle
his feet, "Thanks for bailing me out too."
"Just doing what you've trained us all to do, Apollo," she
said.
He looked up at her almost quizzically, "Is that all you
felt when you found yourself in that position, Serina?"
"No it isn't," his fiancee didn't bat an eye, "I felt a lot
of things going through my head at that centon when I saw
that I had to make a lateral shot to take out that Cylon.
Just like I know you felt a lot of things going through your
head when you realized I had to take part in this mission,
and you saw me out there for the first time.    But what do
you expect me to do, Apollo?   Collapse in a burst of
released emotions now that the first mission is over?"  She
shook her head, "I can't ever do that, Apollo.   Not if this
is going to be my life's work from here on.   Just like
you've never let yourself do that since you became a
warrior."
Apollo let out a sigh of resignation as he awkw seemed
to deepen.
Maybe I'm not cut out for this kind of work after all, she thought
as she leaned against the bulkhead.   Maybe being a socialator was
the only thing I was ever capable of being good at.
"Cassiopeia?"
She looked up and saw Salik approaching her with concern.
"Are you okay?" he put a hand on her shoulder.
Cassiopeia managed to straighten herself.  "I'm....fine.  I just
needed a centon away from all that."
"I understand," he nodded and looked back at the almost endless
row of life support chambers that had been brought in.  "This is a
crisis we've never had to face the likes of in who knows how many
yahrens.   Colonial medicine was always so well advanced to deal
with every known disease and virus, that it's been forever since
we had to deal with the danger of contagious unknown virus."
His words were too much for Cassiopeia's psyche to bear.  She
needed to finally speak out about what she was feeling.  "Doctor,
it's my fault.   I handled the transport of Jolly to the Life
Sardly looked
at the floor again.
"It still bothers you, does it Apollo?" Serina reached out
and touched his arm.   "Even after you've seen how good I
can be out there?"
"Especially now that I've seen how good you can be out
there," Apollo didn't look up.  "That's what bothers me the
most, Serina.   I wish you weren't doing this, but I don't
have a single valid reason to argue why you shouldn't do
this.    Not after you've proved yourself today."
"Then drop it," her voice grew both quiet and firm at the
same time.   "If you value what we mean to each other, and
value our future together, then drop it now.   Please."
Serina took his chin and lifted it so that he was now
looking at her, "Apollo, I'm not going to be the kind of
warrior who'd take a foolish risk.    That's never been your
style and it's not going to be mine.   You've kept yourself
out of trouble for seven yahrens, and all I need to do is
follow your example and I know we never have to worry about
each other's safety."
Apollo kntation and I could have stopped Boomer from ever leaving that
area and he never would have gone to the Officers Club."
Salik stared at her for an instant with no change in expression.
When he spoke, his tone was as gentle as it could be.
"Boomer talked you out of it, didn't he?"
"Yes." she nodded.
"And he wasn't showing signs like Jolly was, and he fed you the
line about going through Decon procedures?"
"Yes."
"Then don't be too hard on yourself."  He put his hand on her
shoulder again.  "You made an error in judgment, but it was an
understandable error, just like Boomer's error was understandable.
If he were showing symptoms at that particular micron the both of
you wouldn't have hesitated to act as you should have.   It was
just a cruel trick of fate that the disease hadn't yet hit him
then."
"But the bottom line Doctor, is that I should have known better.
How can I ever be a responsible med-tech if I----"
"Cassiopeia," his voice took on an almost parental air.  "You've
had to learn a paiew he was beaten.   He had to admit the inevitable,
and the sooner he did, the better it would be for the both
of them.
"Serina," he touched her shoulder, "I'll drop it.   But if
it seems like it's taking me awhile to put it all behind
me....just please promise me you'll be patient.   I....don't
want to lose you.   Ever."
Serina smiled warmly at him and then pulled him to her so
that they were now embracing.   "You never will, my
captain," she kissed him on the lips, "We've got a lot of
yahrens ahead of us."


Five centons later, Apollo was on the bridge making his
report to Adama.
"The trainees proved themselves beyond what I expected,"
Apollo said.   "I would have no objections to taking them on
any other mission where they might be needed."
"Hopefully that won't be necessary," Adama said, "Assuming
Salik is able to find a cure for the disease, we might have
Blue Squadron back to full readiness the next time a mission
is needed."
Hearing his father say that immediately made Apollo realnful lesson, but you aren't the first person in
the medical profession, be it a med-tech or a doctor, who's gone
through something like that.   No one's died because of this, and
if we are able to isolate this virus and find a cure then this
will be something you need not ever worry about again."  He took a
breath.  "But even if that doesn't happen, I don't want you to
beat yourself over this.   And I don't want to see you develop any
second thoughts about being a part of this staff.   In just one
sectar, you've shown more natural ability than any med-tech
trainee I've ever worked with.   I think you've got the potential
to go a long ways in the medical profession, Cassiopeia."
For the first time, Cassiopeia felt some of the depression inside
her ease a bit.   Since she'd joined the staff just after the
escape from Carillon, she'd found Salik to be a magnificent
teacher, mentor and father-figure to her.   The first person since
the death of her father ten yahrens before, who could provide that
ize
there was something he hadn't bothered to ask him before,
and the answer might end up adding a new wrinkle to the
matter of Serina's future.
"Father," he lowered his voice, "Assuming we do get Blue
Squadron back, then....what would become of all the
trainees?    We'd.....have more pilots than there are vipers
for them to fly."
Adama's eyes narrowed as he realized what his son was
getting at.   "Your professional judgment with regard to
these trainees was that they did an excellent job, was it
not?"
"Yes," he admitted.
"Then there is no possibility of my taking them off flight
status," Adama said firmly.   "It may be that some of them
will prove to be more qualified than some of the junior
members presently in Blue or Red Squadron when it comes to
being on active status.   But at the very least, Apollo, all
of them are going to be part of a reserve contingent that
will be expected to fly at a centon's notice if they're ever
needed.   They've gone through the training, and those
skills 
kind of role to her.   If Salik was convinced that she could still
make it as a med-tech, then there was indeed no reason for her to
keep brooding about the events that had just happened.   She
needed to get back to her job immediately and do all she could to
help.
"Thank you, Doctor," she smiled and then assumed a business-like
posture.  "I'm ready to get back to work now."
He gave her another smile of encouragement and they walked back
over to the row of life support chambers.   She looked down at the
one that held Greenbean, and consulted the readouts.
"Doctor, his life readings are going critical."
"This pattern's going to repeat itself with all of them," Salik
grunted.   "Cassiopeia, lower the cryo-temps on every support
chamber to minus 7.2.   That's as low as it can go for the body to
keep functioning, but at least it'll buy us the maximum time in
terms of the virus' ability to spread through them."
"That gives us about two sectans at best before their bodies can't
take the cryo-freezare going to be put to use in the future even if we
get all of Blue Squadron back."  He paused, "Anyone who
doesn't want that status would have to opt out voluntarily,
Apollo.   But no one is going to be removed from that status
unless its for dereliction of duty or incompetent
performance."
"I understand," Apollo nodded vigorously, "And I agree
completely.   We have to continue to draw on their skills
after the crisis has past."
"I'm glad you see it that way," Adama said cautiously,
hoping that his son would cease to look for any hope that
Adama would find some loophole that would get Serina off
flight status.
"Commander," Omega came up to them, "Already we're getting
some early signs of interference with our systems from the
void, and we're still two centars from penetration."
"Begin recalibration of system scanners, and continue the
process of closing the Fleet to smaller spacings between
ships." Adama said.    The bridge officer nodded and walked
away.
Apollo looked at his father with e process any longer."
"I know," the Chief Medical Officer nodded.   "Let's just pray to
God that we find the cure long before then."
"Sir?" Med-tech Nestor came up to them.  "Commander Adama requests
an update on the situation.   He's in his quarters."
"I'll give him the blunt truth."  Salik went over to the nearby
videocom unit.


Since he had returned to his quarters, Adama had spent most of the
time consulting his copy of the Book of the Word, the chief
collection of holy writings in Colonial religion.    He had always
found it to be the greatest source of inspiration and comfort to
him during times of crisis.   Now, he needed to search it for a
potential answer to a question that had formed in his mind the
instant Apollo and Starbuck had mentioned the strange report of a
vast magnetic void.   If he could find the answer, then maybe, for
the first time since their flight from the Colonies had begun more
than a sectar ago, an answer to the question of where their final
destination lay cosurprise, "We're going to
enter the void?"
"Yes," the commander said, "Events leave us with no other
alternative at this time.    Thankfully the matter of
getting what was needed from the asteroid was accomplished
before we entered it."
"Father, I nearly got lost forever inside that place.   I'm
not sure it's a good idea for a Fleet this size to----"
"Apollo, you mentioned your suspicion that the one Cylon
fighter Starbuck took care of may not have come from the
asteroid," Adama gently cut him off.  "If that's the case
then we're dealing with the likely possibility that one of
their baseships is closer than they've been to us at any
time since Carillon.    Entering the void will at the least
offer us some potential shelter from that danger."
"It might be at too high a cost."
Adama slowly shook his head, "I have a feeling it won't be,
Apollo.   Not in the least bit."
"Commander," this from Rigel, "Medical shuttle has left the
surface of the asteroid and is now enroute back from the
asteroiduld be found.
But as he searched through the Book of the Word, trying to find
the relevant passage, he found that the more immediate problem of
the strange illness that had struck down the entire complement of
Blue Squadron deserved more attention.   For if that problem could
not be addressed quickly, then the other question would become
irrelevant for all eternity.   And so, instead of looking for the
answer to the first question, he spent his time re-reading the
more familiar passages that dealt with Divine reassurance and
guidance during times of crisis and tragedy.   They had helped him
get through the Holocaust, and now he needed them again to help
him through this crisis.
A centar had gone by with no news from the Life Station about the
pilots, so he shut off his computer text of the Holy Book and
decided it was time to get some answers.
The instant he saw Salik's face on the videocom screen, he got
straight to the point.
"Dr. Salik," he said bluntly, "What is the status of Blue
Squadr with the rest of our vipers.   They'll be aboard in
fifteen centons."
"Excellent!" Adama said as he mounted the steps to the
command deck, "Inform all ships that all shuttle flights
between vessels in the Fleet will be suspended in exactly
one centar until further notice.   We can't risk the
possibility of shuttle pilots getting lost once we're inside
the void.    All supply shuttles are to make their
deliveries immediately before that suspension goes into
effect."
"Yes sir."
"Father----" Apollo started.
"Do you have any alternate plan to propose, Captain?" Adama
looked down at him from his higher position on the upper
deck, which had an intimidating effect on his son.
"No," he shook his head.  "No, I don't.   I'll...be in my
quarters if I'm needed."   He then straightened himself and
left the Bridge.
X-UIDL: 8;e!!&IP!!\f7"!g^=!!

Throughout the shuttle ride back to the Fleet, Cassiopeia
could tell that Salik was literally chomping at the bit to
get to his lab and begin his study of theon."
Salik shook his head, "I don't have any good news to report,
Commander.   The disease has spread through all of the men who
were at that party, and in the two Ground Crew workers who
serviced Boomer and Jolly's vipers after they landed.
Fortunately they didn't come into contact with anyone else so the
only good news I suppose I can report is that we've contained the
disease from spreading any further in the Galactica."
"But what about the men who are infected, Doctor?" Adama's voice
rose.  "That's the more urgent matter now."
"I'm sorry, Commander.  I can't isolate the virus yet.   This is a
strain that doesn't match anything in the annals of Colonial
medicine.   We need to go through more than fifty thousand major
bacteria strians just to look for any similarities we can start
with, and even with med-techs working the computers round the
clock, Kobol only knows how long that would take."  He paused.
"For now, all I can do is put every one who's been infected in
cryogenic suspension, whi samples they had
collected from the asteroid.    They had spent the entire
time in a sealed off section of the shuttle to prevent
contamination, forced to keep their decon suits on the whole
time, but even with them on, there was no mistaking the
Chief Medical Officer's determination.  The whole time he
simply sat on the bench located on the side of the
compartment, hunched over slightly and occasionally banging
his gloved hands together as though some ideas were
occurring to him.
What a remarkable man, Cassiopeia thought.   With someone as
dedicated as Salik heading the operation, it was little
wonder that Cassiopeia felt a real sense of purpose in her
work as a med-tech.   Which for the former socialator,
represented another chance at a road she had not taken once
before.    Five yahrens ago, she had taken med-tech training
courses at the University she'd attended on Aeries.    But
she had also at the same time been reading up and learning
about the ways of the Socialator, and had found hch will at least buy us some time to look
for a cure.   But if we can't find it soon, then not even cryo-
freeze will save their lives."
Adama found it amazing at how blunt and to the point Salik was.
A total contrast from his predecessor as Chief Medical Officer of
the Galactica, Dr. Paye, who had been among the casualties of the
Ovions at Carillon.   Whereas Paye tended to dance around bad news
with a lot of long-winded prefaces and qualifications, Salik
believed in cutting through the felgercarb in an instant.
"Doctor," Adama's tone grew more grave, "You understand the
significance of these men, don't you?   They represent more than
half the fighting force that we need to defend this Fleet against
Cylon attack.   Without them, our defenses become weakened to an
almost totally unacceptable level!"
Salik sighed with sadness, "I understand all that, Commander.  But
I'm afraid that's your problem to deal with.  Mine is just keeping
them alive."
An uneasy silence now filled the air that lasted erself torn
as to what would be a better option for her, and what would
provide a greater sense of purpose in her life.
Ultimately, she had chosen the path of a socialator, and it
had led to many experiences in her life in the five yahrens
leading up to the Destruction that had produced both
happiness, satisfaction, and with it, sadness as well.
But nothing more sad than the one time in that five yahren
span that she had allowed her services as a socialator to
turn into something more than it was supposed to.    The one
time in her life that she had genuinely fallen in love with
a man, and had hoped to see it become something permanent.
And the relationship had not just been with any ordinary
man, but with one of the most renowned figures in Colonial
civilization, Commander Cain of the Battlestar Pegasus.
Even now, nearly two yahrens since she'd last seen Cain she
could still close her eyes and see that handsome face of the
man called the Juggernaut quite clearly in her mind.
Commander Cain'for nearly a half
centon.
"By your leave, sir?" Salik gently asked.  "I really must get back
to my duties."
"Yes, yes." Adama nodded.  "Stay with it, Salik.  Give me updates
every centar no matter what you find or don't find."
The commander then shut off the videocom and warily rubbed his
temples.   He cast a glance at the holopicture of his wife Ila on
the edge of his desk that he'd finally found the strength to take
out of storage recently, and once again yearned for the comfort
and strength she had always been able to provide him.
Knowing that he needed to take charge of the situation, he then
contacted the Bridge.
"Omega," he said.  "I want the complete data on all Colonial
Service personnel in this Fleet with any flight experience sent up
to me immediately."



Chapter Five

Apollo and Starbuck had parted company after leaving the Bridge,
as both found themselves unable to talk now that the nightmare
scenario of their entire squadron struck down by illness was
confronting them.   s reputation as one of the greatest warriors
the Colonies had ever produced had long been known to her,
but when she'd met the man, she'd found him griefstricken in
a Caprica City bar, over the recent death of his wife.   Not
knowing at the time who she was talking to, she had offered
her services and the end result had led to a relationship
that Cassiopeia still cherished in her heart to this day,
even though it had been marred by the feelings of hatred
Cassiopeia had received from Cain's daughter, Sheba.    The
relationship had ended when Cain had taken the Pegasus and
other ships of the Colonial Seventh Fleet off to engage the
Cylons in the Molocay System.   An engagment Cain never
returned from, leaving Cassiopeia devastated inside.    It
had taken her many sectars to accept the reality that her
lover was gone, and finally return to the world of the
socialtor that she was convinced she'd left behind for good
when she'd realized how serious her relationship with Cain
had become.
To this dThe brash lieutenant headed immediately for
the Life Station for a closer look at how his fellow pilots were
doing, while Apollo decided that the only way he could get his
mind off what had happened was to go see Serina.
He reached the compartment door that lead to the quarters Serina
shared with Boxey.   They were not that spacious, with one room
for bunk space and a second room with a turbo-dispenser, and
Apollo reminded himself that at some point he and Serina needed to
look at the possibility of finding quarters elsewhere on the
Galactica that would provide just a bit more space that was needed
for a married couple with a child.   It would not be an easy
request since space was already at a premium aboard the
battlestar, but one thing Apollo wasn't going to stand for were
quarters that offered only space for a bunk set-up where Boxey
would have to sleep in the same room.   At the very least some
concession to a married couple so they could have a modicum of
privacy had to be allowed.    Evay, her relationship with Cain was a secret she
guarded quite zealously and had no intention of ever
revealing to any of her new friends aboard the Galactica.
Especially not to Starbuck, whom she'd become attracted to
since they'd first met aboard the Gemonese freighter.    She
could only wonder how Starbuck would react if he ever found
out that she had once been the lover of one of the most
famous warriors ever, and she could only see him becoming
intimidated by such knowledge.    That he might
instinctively back off from her on the grounds that there
was no way he could ever compete with the aura of Cain's
memory in her heart, and that it was best to move onto
someone he felt more confident of easily impressing.    But
even if she didn't have those concerns, she doubted that she
would ever feel the strength to tell him or anyone.    As
far as she was concerned, her relationship with Cain, as
well as her entire career as a socialator, belonged to the
distant past, and it was, as she had saiden if it meant moving off the
Galactica altogether to quarters aboard a passenger freighter,
Apollo was determined that he and Serina get the space they
needed.
When he opened the compartment door he saw that Boxey was playing
with his robot daggit Muffit Two.   Apollo had gotten the somewhat
eccentric Electronics Scientist Dr. Wilker to build the robot as a
replacement for Boxey's daggit that had been lost during the Cylon
attack on Caprica City.   The instant the robot had been presented
to Boxey, the little boy had immediately fallen in love with his
new pet and was soon inseparable from it.  So much so, that it had
almost put his life in jeopardy when Boxey had gone after his
wandering daggit on Carillon and came within microns of being
struck down by a Cylon centurion when the turbo-lift he had been
riding had gone down to the bottom of the mine shaft levels of
Carillon.   Apollo still considered it a miracle that he and
Starbuck had been in the corridor investigating at the time and
bee to Starbuck, time
for fresh beginnings.
As soon as the shuttle came to a stop inside the Galactica,
Salik suddenly sprung up from the bench and spoke for the
first time since before they'd taken off.   "All right
everybody!   As soon as we get out of these suits, we take
these samples to the Life Station and then we get set to
work through the night if we have to.    By tomorrow, I
expect us to find the answer we're looking for."
As Cassiopeia got up and followed the other med-techs out,
she shook her head in amazed admiration again.   There was
something about Salik that reminded her so much of her late
father, an Aerian merchant who had singlehandedly raised
Cassiopeia while maintaining a full and active career.
The same determination, the same willingness to plow ahead
during difficult times.    And with it, a sense of
underlying compassion that one could always sense.
Even though it had been a long day for her, as well as the
other med-techs, she had every intention of staying up to
won able to save Boxey's life.
In the wake of the Carillon experience, both Apollo and Serina had
worried that Boxey might show signs of emotional scars and trauma
after all he'd been through.   Living through the fiery
destruction of Caprica City all around him.   Losing all his
friends, which included his primary class schoolmates and a kindly
old woman named Thalia who'd lived next door to Serina, and who'd
always been known as "Auntie" to him.   And then the Carillon
experience of escaping a brush with death and then seeing with his
own eyes the horrifying results of what the Ovions had done to so
many of the human visitors to Carillon.
Yet amazingly, Boxey seemed to show more resilience then either
Apollo or Serina could have expected.   Within a day after the
Galactica had put Carillon behind them, Boxey was already back to
his usual precocious self and showed no signs of being scarred by
any of the traumas he'd been through.   Maybe it was the fact that
he knew he had such a tight circle rk through the night with Salik.


Adama knew it was approaching the point where he should
finally consider turning in for a much needed sleep cycle,
but the looming presence of the void just ahead was keeping
him awake and determined to stay on the Bridge for as long
as he had to.   As he looked out the main viewing screen, he
could already see the first visual sign of what lay before
them.    One small block at the bottom center of the screen
was uncharacteristically black in contrast to the starlit
points of the rest of the screen.    That signaled the
location of the void to them like a beacon.
"Commander," Omega came over to him, his expression growing
more concerned with each new report he had to give,
"Navigation report is getting worse.    Instruments are
fluctuating radically due to magnetic interference."
"And we still haven't penetrated the void yet," Tigh added,
"Commander, don't you think----"
Adama shook his head and cut the executive officer off,
"Steady on course."
"Commanof new friends to count on that
had helped.   Especially the thought that he was about to gain for
the first time in his life, a real father.   It was one thing he'd
never had at any time in his life since his natural father had
been a university classmate of Serina's, who'd panicked and
disappeared after a night of misguided drunken passion had left
Serina pregnant and determined to keep her baby.  So bitter was
Serina about the experience that she refused to tell Apollo what
his name was.   It was as if she didn't want Apollo to ever get
the idea of making a check to see if Boxey's natural fath But
Serina never would have had to worry about Apollo checking up on a
matter like that.   Over the last sectar he'd built up a close
relationship with Boxey to the point where he wanted Boxey to
regard him as his true father for all time once Apollo became
sealed to Serina.   When that happened, the fact that Boxey wasn't
his son by blood would be totally irrelevant.  Indeed, Colonial
law was quite eder," Rigel called over from her station, "We're
receiving a number of Priority One emergency calls from the
Rising Star, the Antares and other passenger ships."
"The Fleet's beginning to panic," Tigh persisted, "Once we
get inside that thing, it can only get worse."
The Commander stood in silent contemplation for several
microns, and then went over to Rigel's station where he
picked up the unicom signal that would broadcast his voice
to the entire Fleet.
"This is Commander Adama.   At this time, as we prepare to
enter this void, all captains are ordered to move their
ships into visual range of the Galactica and maintain visual
contact at all times.    Also, all ships are to keep every
running light and every porthole area lit as well to provide
full visual reference for those nearby.    In case of
communications interference, visual signals via signal
lights will be employed for ship to ship communication."
He put the unicom down and moved back to Omega, "Time to
penetration of the void?"
xplicit on that point.   Ancient tradition going
back many thousands of yahrens stipulated that any child of an
unmarried woman or widow automatically became the son of whoever
his mother happened to marry in the fullest legal sense of the
term.   Only if the mother was divorced and then remarried did the
new husband become regarded as a "stepfather" only.
Apollo noticed that Boxey was pointing his finger at Muffit, as
though he were mimicing a warrior about to fire a laser pistol.
He then cocked his finger and said, "Zap!" three times and then
Muffit, who had been standing on his hind feet abruptly dropped to
the floor.
"Pretty good aim."  Apollo grinned.
The six yahren old child looked up and smiled wide.  "Apollo!"
"How've you been?" he reached down and lifted him up.
"Great.  Muffit's helping me learn how to be a warrior."
"You're doing a good job, Muffit," Apollo looked down at the
daggit then lifted Boxey up to his eye level again.  "Your mom
in?"
"Yeah, she's ah...." abruptly, the lit"Fifty centons."
Adama looked out the viewing screen again and let out a slow
exhale as his eyes locked on the ominous zone of darkness at
the bottom center of the screen.    Events had reached the
point where nothing more could be done for now.
"I'll be in my quarters but not on sleep cycle," Adama said,
"Notify me immediately on video-com if there are any new
developments."



When Starbuck returned to the Blue Squadron Officers
Quarters, he saw that Apollo was lying in his bunk, but
still fully dressed and wide awake.
"Hey," the blonde warrior said as he removed his flight
jacket, "How come you're still up?"
"Can't sleep," Apollo said as he stared at the ceiling.
"You ought to try to.   We've got another day of training
them tomorrow."
"I'm a few centons away from having it postponed form 0900
to 1400, at least for those who flew today.    The enlistees
should probably get their first cracks at the simulators in
the morning session and the ones who flew today could use a
few extra cetle boy went silent.
"Hey, what's this?  Secrets?"  Apollo's grin took on a sly edge.
"What's she doing?"
Boxey remained silent.
"I'll bet I know what it is.   She's trying on her sealing gown,
right?   And I'm not supposed to see."
The little boy shrugged, "Sort of."
"Apollo?" Serina's voice sounded from the next room.  "I'll be
right out.   Just give me another micron."
Apollo walked over to the compartment door that led to the next
room, still carrying Boxey.  "Don't worry.  I've never believed in
that old Gemonese superstition about bad luck to see a bride
before the sealing ceremony."
The door then slid open and Apollo froze in disbelief when he saw
Serina step out, wearing not her sealing gown, but the tan tunic
of a Colonial warrior.
"Flight Corporal Serina reporting for duty, Captain."  Serina
smiled and gave a brisk military salute.   Inside though, she was
churning with anxiety, hoping at least that some disarming humor
and Boxey's presence would be enough to soften the blow Apollntars off."
"Not a bad idea," Starbuck shrugged as he sat down and began
pulling off his boots.
"Get any indications from Salik on what they found on the
asteroid?"
"They gathered their samples.   That's all I know for now.
Who knows how long it'll take them to run their tests.
Maybe they can do it in one night, maybe it'll take a half
sectan."   He let out a sigh, "I'm crossing my fingers real
good on this."
"Me too," Apollo admitted, "I guess now it feels like things
are really out of our hands as far as their lives are
concerned, and we just have to hope for the best."
"But at least we've got hope tonight.   We didn't have that
yesterday," Starbuck noted.
"True."
Starbuck pulled off his other boot and collapsed onto his
bunk.   Ordinarily, he regarded it as hard and generally
comfortable, but this time it felt as soft and relaxing as a
bed in a luxury resort might have.    "Ahhhh.   This has
been one long day.    Eight centars of training these new
pilots, and then the mission.    I hoo had
to be feeling at that instant.
Apollo slowly lowered Boxey and stared at her further, his air of
disbelief only deepening.
"Is this some kind of a joke, Serina?"
"No," she shook her head.  "You're now looking at a fully
qualified shuttle pilot who just completed her first solo training
flight this morning."
Her fiancee dazedly shook his head, as though he thought he might
snap himself out of a dream.  "When did you find the time to do
something like that?"
"What do you think I've been doing these last two sectans when you
and I weren't seeing much of each other?" Serina answered.  "I've
been in shuttle training the whole time."
"I see," Apollo said blankly.   He then looked down at Boxey,
"Uh...Boxey, can you excuse us for a couple centons?   Your mother
and I need to talk alone."
"Sure," the little boy nodded and walked away from them, calling
over to his pet, "Come on Muffit, they're going to argue."
"We are not going to argue!" Serina bristled slightly as she
glared at her son.
Jpe tomorrow's better."
"May not be," Apollo kept looking at the ceiling, "We're
headed into the void, you know."
The blonde warrior frowned and looked over at Apollo,
"You're kidding.   I thought taking out the asteroid would
change the dynamic."
"It hasn't.   We're headed in because the Commander thinks
the Cylons are closer than we realize.    I almost would
have preferred the possibility of taking them on than
heading into the void though."
"You really mean that?"
"I do.   Starbuck, you have no idea what it felt like in
there when I got lost and thought I was gone.   I got so
disoriented, I had no sense of what my heading had been
before I entered so I had no clue as to which direction I
should go to get back out, or at least pierce the side
perimeter.   It was....like the worst childhood nightmare
about being scared of the dark come to life.    Another five
centons and I might have been expecting some space monster
from hell to suddenly pop out from nowhere."
"Well, it's different now.ust as the doors to the compartment opened and Boxey and Muffit
exited, they were able to hear him say just before the doors shut,
"Yes they are."
"Yes we are," Apollo said quietly, but without disguising the
anger he now felt.   "What in Hades do you think you're doing with
this?"
"Something I need to do, Apollo."  His fiancee matched his tome.
"Something to give my life a sense of purpose."
"Serina, you can't be serious!" Apollo now raised his voice.
"You're the most famous journalist in all the Colonies, and the
Fleet's about to set up an information service that you'd be
perfect for!   Why would you turn your back on something like
that?"
"Because I don't want to be a journalist anymore, Apollo." Serina
said.  "We don't live in a society anymore where journalists can
be productive people going around and ferreting out information
that the people have a right to now.   We're now living in a
closed society where the military has to keep everything under
tight control in the name of surviva   At least the whole Fleet's
together."
"Doesn't change how I feel." Apollo said.  "I keep thinking
if I go to sleep I'm going to wake up to something more
dangerous than the Cylon threat is."
Starbuck's eyes narrowed, "And?"
Apollo sighed, "I don't know.   It's just....here I am on
the verge of the happiest time of my life with Serina, and I
keep worrying that something's going to keep me from
experiencing it.   It's almost like a.....premonition."
"Well I'll tell you this, buddy," Starbuck stretched himself
out, "I'd rather take my chances with the void than the
Cylons any day.   Because as far as I'm concerned I can't be
afraid of something I can't see.    And having the entire
Fleet go in isn't the same thing as just you and me
wandering into it on patrol."
"You've got a point there," Apollo conceded, "Still....."
"I got a suggestion," Starbuck said.   "Why not give
yourself something happy to focus on while we muddle our way
through the void.    You and Serina thought of moving up
yol and security.   Whatever
broadcast network the Fleet sets up is good enough for empty-
headed anchors like Zara and Zed, but not for me.   I need to feel
like I'm making a diference, and the only way I can do that is to
do something a lot more meaningful then reading off pre-screened
releases from a military censor."
"So you go off and enlist in the service and take a shuttle
training course without so much as telling me about it?" Apollo's
nostrils flared.
"I knew you would have raised questions about it, then," she held
her ground.   "I wanted to go through the training without any
outside pressure from you to see if I could hack it.   If I found
out I had no aptitude for it and washed out, then that way I could
forget the whole thing with a clear conscience and never tell you
about it.   But now I'm telling you about it because I've found
this is something I'm good at."
"Serina, a shuttle pilot's life is too dangerous.   I won't let
you do it."
"You don't have any choice in the matter, ur sealing date?"
"No," Apollo seemed surprised, "Why bother?   Two sectans
from now seems like just as good a time as it should be."
"If you really think trouble's brewing ahead, I'd speed up
your timetable for all the fun things in life you're looking
forward to." Starbuck said, "You know what my motto is.
Just live for today cause you never know what tomorrow might
bring."
"I'm not like you, Starbuck," Apollo said, "I can't let
myself do things like that during times of crisis.   I
always end up----"
"Feeling like you're shirking your duty, I know," Starbuck
cut in.   "But for sagan's sake, Apollo, maybe you should
just put that aside this time.   Don't bother waiting for
news about what the void leads to, or whether Salik's found
a cure, or whether these pilots who flew today will get
better or worse.   Just seize the chance now.    Just say to
Hades with the formal ceremony and all that felgercarb and
do it tomorrow.    All you need is to find someone with the
authority to act as an ovApollo," Serina shot
back, wondering inside whether something catastrophic that she
hadn't anticipated was brewing.
"Serina, we're about to get married!"
"What has that got to do with anything?" her bewilderment
deepened.   "You should be used to this.   Your own sister's a
shuttle pilot too!   All I'd be doing is the same kind of work
she's trained for."
"Athena's my sister!   Not my wife to be!"  Apollo waved his arm
angrily.
Serina had now reached a breaking point inside.   She had expected
Apollo to not be too enthusiastic initially.   She had even
expected some momentary displeasure with her for keeping the news
of her training secret.   But now, Apollo was going too far from
her standpoint.
"Well if that's what it comes down to, we can take care of that in
an instant, can't we?" she then turned away from him and came
within an inch of opening the door to the next compartment, but
then stopped, keeping her head down and her arms folded.
A few microns later, she felt Apollo's hand toucherseer during a tribunal, and he
can marry you right then and there."
"You would think that," Apollo sighed, "If you ever got
sealed, that's how you'd do things, right?"
"I'd be more open to that.    Assuming I ever did get
sealed."
"Oh that's right, I forgot," the tone of mock solemnity
entered Apollo's voice, "Good old Starbuck cherishes his
freedom so much that none of the women who find him so
irresistible to his patented charm will ever get the better
of him."
"Well..." Starbuck shrugged and grinned sheepishly, "If
present trends continue."
Apollo finally turned his head toward Starbuck, "There are
times when I think it must be a miracle that you and I, as
different as we are, got to be such good friends."
"I like to think we complement each other," Starbuck said,
"You give me something I'd lack without your guidance.   Why
do you think I always say when we meet strangers, Ÿ?~I'm
Starbuck and this is my conscience, Apollo'?" he paused,
"Although tonight, I kind of feel like the positiing her shoulder.
When she turned around, the anger was gone from his face,
indicating that her words had made a sobering impact on him.
"Serina," his voice was now gentle and tender.  "I love you.
Don't you understand that I just don't want anything to happen to
you?"
His fiancee bit her lip slightly, "Don't you think I feel the same
way when it comes to you and your career, Apollo?   You're a viper
pilot who has to go off into combat on a micron's notice.   But
when I accepted your proposal, I was willing to let myself live
with that fear for the rest of my life because I love you so much.
Why isn't it easy for you to deal with the fact that I'm just
going to have a lower risk job of being a shuttle pilot?"
"Serina, don't you know the risks that are involved in that?"
Apollo's tone was less argumentative this time, as though he
realized inside that she'd made a telling point that was difficult
to rebut.  "We lost shuttle pilots at Carillon."
"I know that," Serina nodded, "But if you'll recaons are
reversed a bit."
"Starbuck," Apollo said, "I appreciate what you're saying,
but as much as I'm anxious to go ahead with the wedding, I
want to do it when things will be a bit more settled.
Besides, I wouldn't want to distract Serina when she needs
more time to feel spread her wings as a pilot."
"You're resigned to that for good, aren't you?"
"Yep," he nodded.  "I have to accept it.   She's a warrior
now.   And probably one of the most naturally gifted I've
ever seen in terms of unleashing a previously hidden
talent."  He then shook his head, "I never thought I'd say
this, but it only seems to make her more attractive from my
standpoint.   Maybe her entering this work will make it
easier for us to get along as a married couple."
"And you can guarantee that Boxey will be wanting to sign up
before his next natal day celebration."
"I guess so," Apollo smiled faintly, "I just hope that what
Serina and I do as warriors, won't take us away from the
time we need to spend with him as he growll, I ended up
being in more danger as a mere civilian on the planet.   And we
ended up losing more civilians then we did shuttle pilots."
Serina then took his hand and squeezed it tightly, "Apollo, we're
living in a universe where no one is completely safe any longer.
People from all walks of life have to train themselves to help
this Fleet survive, or else they end up being no better than Sire
Uri and all his cronies on the Rising Star who just want to waste
themselves away in luxury.   Can't you understand why I want to be
among those who do something positive for this Fleet?   As a
shuttle pilot I can be the difference in saving lives when we have
to transport goods and materials to the ships in the Fleet that
badly need them.   I can be part of the system that keeps us going
until we find that planet Earth that Adama wants to lead us to.
That's more meaningful to me than journalism ever could be again."
Apollo lowered his head and let out a deflated sigh.   He turned
away from her and sees up."
"You'll find a way." Starbuck then paused briefly, "Are you
going to issue that order letting the pilots sleep till
1400?"
"Frack, thanks for reminding me," Apollo said as he got to
his feet.   "Might as well do that now."
"And in spite of the void, could you remember to turn out
the light when you get back?"  Starbuck said as he rolled
his head to the side of his pillow.
Apollo let out a bemused chuckle, and then nodded before
leaving the room to head for the nearest telecom unit in the
corridor.   By the time he returned, the brash lieutenant
was already fast asleep.

X-UIDL: +m\"!_@l!!(90"!IeQ!!

Serina had hoped that Boxey would be asleep by the time she
returned to her quarters, but when she arrived she saw that
her son, though lying in bed, was still awake.   That meant
she'd probably have to have the talk with him about her new
responsibilities tonight.
"Hi, Mommy!" he smiled brightly.
Serina knelt down beside her son's bunk and hugged him, "Hi
Boxey," her voice was full omed to pace back in thought.   Serina
wondered if she had made an impact, or if Apollo was still
desperately seeking for an excuse.
When Apollo turned around to look at her again, he let out another
uneasy sigh, but this time it seemed like he was beginning to
accept the inevitable.    If he truly loved Serina, he needed to
be willing to understand her feelings on this matter.
"So," he finally spoke, for the first time sounding an upbeat
tone.   "How did you rate in the program?"
His tone immediately made Serina relax.  "Captain Janus rated me
at the top of fifteen cadets who enlisted at the same time."
A smile finally formed at the corner of Apollo's mouth as he came
up to her and took her in his arms, "I've always trusted Janus's
judgment," he said.  "So you'd better prove him right, because
you're going to be married to a squadron commander."
Serina relaxed in his embrace, grateful that it had all worked out
after all.   "Yes sir, my captain."
And then, they met in a long passionate kiss. f mother-love.  "Were you
waiting up?"
"Yep." his smile faded, "They said you went flying vipers
today."
"I did," his mother nodded.   "Not just the simulator.   I
got to fly for real in a viper with Apollo."
"You kill any Cylons?"
"Yeah," she tried to keep from sounding too enthused, "Two
in fact."
"I didn't know you could fly just like Apollo."
"Before today, neither could I," Serina laughed.   "But...I
guess that just goes to show why Apollo and I are going to
get sealed.   We've got more in common than we ever
realized."
"You're not arguing with him anymore, are you?"
"I told you, we did not argue yesterday," she leaned over
him and kissed him on the cheek.   "Apollo understands why
I'm doing this, and he's going to help me get better and
better when it comes to flying." she paused, "And when you
start going to school again, you can tell all the other kids
that you've got two parents who know how to fly vipers."
"That's the only thing about school I'm looking forward to,"
he grinned.  It went on for
more than two centons and Apollo almost felt on the verge of
making a suggestion that they escape to someplace more private
when the sound of the unicom filled the air.
"Attention.   Captain Apollo and Captain Killian are to report to
Commander Adama's quarters immediately."
"Duty calls," Serina sighed as she released him.
"Yeah," Apollo said, as the magnitude of what had happened to the
pilots of Blue Squadron suddenly hit him again.   "And you have no
idea just how serious this meeting's going to be."
"What is it?" she frowned with concern.
"I'll fill you in later," he headed for the door then stopped to
blow her a kiss, "Bye."
"Bye," she returned it, wondering how serious a matter it could be
that required the presence of both the Commanders of Blue and Red
Squadron.

Since he'd received Salik's bleak report, Adama had spent the last
half centar organizing personnel files of all members of the
Colonial Service with some kind of flight experience.   After he'd
reorganize
Serina smiled brightly at him again.   "Apollo and I will
tell you more about what it's like to fly vipers tomorrow.
Now in the meantime, you get some sleep."  She retucked the
blanket in the side of the bunk and then kissed him again.
"Goodnight, my darling son."
"Goodnight, Mommy," he kissed her back on the cheek and then
turned himself over on his side, which always helped him
fall asleep faster.
Serina turned out the light and made her way over to the
turbo-dispensary area so she could take off her uniform in
privacy.   Before she entered the adjacent area, she stopped
and frowned as she realized there was something about the
room in the dark that didn't seem normal.
She finally realized that it was the total lack of starlight
that usually streamed in through the porthole.    She made
her way over to it and looked out, and was greeted to the
sight of total blackness, punctuated only by the running
lights of a passenger freighter in the distance.
So this is what a void is like, she thoud the list, he'd made the announcement for Apollo and
Killian to come down to his quarters.   Now, as he waited for the
two squadron commanders, he decided to spend a few more microns
going through the Book of the Word again, hoping to find the
passaged he'd been looking for earlier.
As the passages came up on the monitor on his desk, he stopped and
leaned forward as he finally saw the one he'd been looking for.
His eyes narrowed intensely as he studied the text.   Finally, he
decided to read it aloud.
"After their home planet Kobol was known to be doomed, the twelve
tribes set forth across a great void which had enveloped the
surrounding environs of space, unable to find the reference points
of the heavens that had once filled the Kobollian night sky.   And
then, by a miracle from the Lords, a bright shining star appeared
from nowhere and guided them to safety.  Leading them out of the
darkness of the void, and back into the brightness of the star-
filled heavens, from which the twelve tribesght.   Ordinarily,
she might have been frightened by the sight of it.   But
after today's experience of being thrust into a viper for
the first time, and then a combat mission, she didn't think
there was anything that could frighten her anymore.
There are only things to look forward to, she thought as she
moved away from the sight of the void.


In the Life Station, none of the staff would have been able
to take note of the Galactica's entry into the void as it
was located deep in the center of the ship.    But even if
they had been able to see it, they likely wouldn't have paid
any attention to it.   Not after the intensity of their work
for the last several centars to try and find the secret
behind the disease.
"One centar's exposure to the Galactica's environment,"
Nestor had his attention trained on a sealed container where
the samples from the asteroid had been placed in an
environment resembling the Galactica.    Next to it was an
indentical container where the sample was in an envir of Kobol were able to
find their new homes."
Next to the text was a crudely drawn star map next to some ancient
writings, formed mostly from pictorial symbols than from a written
language.   He stared at the text and the illustration in rapt
fascination until the sound of the chime interrupted his thoughts.
"Enter."
The door slid open and Apollo entered alongside Captain Killian.
The commander of Red Squadron was still in a daze over the news of
what had happened to Blue Squadron.  He could only think of how
fortunate it was that his firm order to Red Squadron not to crash
the party had saved all of Red's pilots from the disease that had
now struck down Blue Group.
"Thank you for coming," Adama didn't get up from his desk.  "We
have important matters to discuss concerning our pilot strength."
"Any news on whether the disease can be cured?" Apollo asked.
"There's no progress on it for now," Adama grimly shook his head.
"We have to face the sad fact that for who knows how long, Blue
Squadron onment
identical to the asteroid's.
"Any change?" Salik had been pacing the room the entire
time.
Nestor consulted the readout and nodded with an air of
guarded optimism.   "Yes.  Breakdown process already
beginning.   Not enough to keep it from being lethal if
anyone were exposed to it at this point, but the decay
process has started."
"Transfer telemetry to my station," Salik went over to his
computer terminal that recorded all the results of the
scientific experiment.   He sat down in front of the monitor
and watched the initial results come up.    For over a
centon he stared at it in silence, and then vigorously went
to work on the keyboard, calling up new files in the data
base to use for comparative purposes.
"All right," he said as he rose from his chair and faced the
med-techs.  "All of you except Nestor, start manning a
terminal and run cross-checks of what the telemetry data
shows with every viral strain in the book.   Go through the
entire encyclograph of Colonial Medicine if yoconsists entirely of you and Starbuck."  He turned to
Killian, "Captain, could you please give me the status of your
group's pilots?"
"All of them in good condition, sir.   No one from Red Squadron
was ever near the party.   I have forty-three men who are ready
for duty whenever they're needed."
"Which means we have forty-five experienced pilots available to
defend the Fleet from potential Cylon attack."  The commander
paused.  "I think the both of you realize that is an unacceptable
level in terms of what we need to furnish adequate security for
this Fleet.   Should we ever run up against a single basestar's
complement of fighters we'd be looking at a massacre.   With Blue
and Red Squadrons together, the odds would be two to one against
us.   Difficult, but acceptable given our superior flying skills.
In a four to one defecit, we face risks that we should never have
to undertake when the defense of 220 civilian ships is also part
of the viper pilots duties."
"So what you're saying Commander,u have to.   I
think these results may finally start giving us some answers
about this virus we can figure out."
Without saying a word, all of them nodded and went to the
various terminals throughout the room, each prepared for a
very long, sleepless night.


Tigh's sense of uneasiness had failed to lift now that the
Galactica and the rest of the Fleet had entered the void.
For centons, he stood on the upper level, seemingly waiting
for news of the first crisis to break out.    To his
amazement though, nothing was happening.    Finally, the
lack of information caused him to go down to the main level
where a tense Omega remained glued to his seat, with the
same air of tension.
"Anything to report?" the executive officer inquired.
"No," Omega shook his head without turning around.   "So
far, all ships indicate they've assumed fixed positions in
sight of each other and the Galactica.   No indications of
any distress at this point."
"But their navigation systems are going haywire, aren't
the is that we need to replenish our
ranks as fast as we can without waiting for Blue Group to
recover."  The ex-Columbia pilot said.
"Exactly," Adama nodded and handed over a small computer to
Apollo, "I had Colonel Tigh and Omega draw up a roster of all
members of the Colonial Service with some form of flight
experience.   Unfortunately, what it comes down to is a few old-
time warriors with various disabilities, and our full complement
of shuttle pilots."
Apollo suddenly froze.  "Shuttle pilots?"
"Yes," Adama nodded.  "We have no choice, Apollo.   Every last
shuttle pilot in this flight needs a crash course in training for
viper duty.   You and Killian are to not only get them flight
ready, they're to be combat ready as quickly as possible."
Apollo looked into his face, feeling a sensation of dread sickness
fill his heart.  "You can't be serious."
"I'm deadly serious, Apollo.   The shuttle pilots are younger,
healthier and stand a better chance of adapting to viper training
and these emergency conditions, than the old-time disabled pilots
do.   We have to concentrate on them as our best hope for now."
"Father," Apollo found himself growing oblivious to Killian's
presence that he slipped into informal language, "The viper is the
most advanced flying machine ever designed by man.  You don't just
turn one over to a....shuttle pilot."
"What in Hades has gotten into you, Apollo?" Killian suddenly
spoke up, feeling both angry and bewildered by Apollo's reaction.
"The commander's right, we have no choice.  Unless maybe you want
my group to handle an impossible task of defending this entire
Fleet all by ourselves?   You might as well just have us surrender
to the Cylons without firing a shot if that's the case!"
"I'm not saying that!" Apollo suddenly turned around and gestured
angrily at Red Leader, "I'm just saying that to expect a group of
shuttle pilots....."  He then trailed off.
"Yes?" Adama found his son's reaction puzzling as well.
His son slowly exhaled, "Father, have you read thy?"
"The smaller ships are reporting the worst trouble with
those, but so far they've compensated by staying in visual
contact."  Omega looked at the scanners, "Apparently,
boosting the power to the scanners and systems by an
additional 80% helps compensate the void's effects to a
degree.   That means cutting back on the power elsewhere."
"Interesting dilemma," Tigh grunted, "To keep the scanners
operating, they have to reduce power to the lights which
runs the risk of losing visual contact."
"Which is why the smaller ships are preferring to let their
scanners stay haywire instead."
"But apart from that, things are pretty much....as normal as
they can be?"
"For now at least."
"Okay," Tigh glanced out at the blackness that filled the
viewing screen and calmly exhaled, "I'm going off-duty now.
Notify Commander Adama I'll be stopping by his quarters."


Since Salik had assigned each of the med-techs to individual
terminals, there had only been silence in the Life Station
in terms of voices speaking.    But the frenzied activity of
fingers hitting computer keyboards and chimes sounding to
indicate new programs being accessed made the room anything
but a quiet place.
A half centar went by, and suddenly all activity came to a
stop when Cassiopeia, stationed at one of the terminals,
suddenly blurted out, "Doctor Salik!"
The Chief Medical Officer came over to her console, while
other heads in the room whipped in their direction.   "What
is it, Cassiopeia?"
"Take a look," she pointed at the terminal.   "The telemetry
off the samples indicate the exact composition of elements
in the atmosphere of the asteroid down to the last detail.
Now compare them to the full composition of the Galactica's
atmosphere.   Isolate the elements that are present here but
not in the asteroid....."  she trailed off, realizing she
didn't need to explain any further.
Salik was staring at the screen and nodding his head
vigorously.   "Cassiopeia, you've given us a start.
Nestor!  Lycus!   Start putting toge names of all of
the shuttle pilots in our ranks?"
The commander's eyebrows went up, and he took the computer back
from Apollo.   He scanned the bottom of the list and then froze
when he saw the name of Serina on it.   All the time, the shuttle
pilots had just been a number to him and he hadn't bothered
looking up specific names.
"I'm sorry, Apollo," his voice dropped to a whisper.  "I didn't
know."
"No," he nodded, "I guess you didn't.   I didn't either until just
a few centons ago."
"Will someone tell me what's going on?" Killian angrily raised his
voice.
Adama snapped back to attention.   "I apologize, Captain.   It's
a....personal matter that has Captain Apollo upset.   But he
understands clearly the situation as it is, and why we have no
choice but to train these shuttle pilots for duty." he then looked
his son in the eye, "Isn't that right, Captain Apollo?"
Apollo's head was still lowered.   He felt more anguish then he'd
felt at any time in his life since the Holocaust.   All he couether derivatives from
these elements and run some experiments on how a sample
reacts to them.   If we're lucky, we may find something that
will kill this thing by morning!"

X-UIDL: Z9\!!kYb!!3Lc!!eL3!!

Even though it had been more than two centars since Adama had gone
off duty, he'd remained awake and fully dressed.   Not once did he
bother rising from his chair to look out the porthole at the sight
of the void.   Instead, he remained behind his desk, alternately
absorbed in both the printed and computer versions of the Book of
the Word, with the works of some leading Colonial theologians
mixed in as well.
His attention was distracted with word from the Bridge that
Colonel Tigh was on his way to see him.   After acknowleding the
message, the Commander closed his books and took out a bottle of
ambrosia and two chalices, in case his friend was interested in a
drink.   He wanted this meeting to be reminiscent of the kind of
after-hours conversations he and Tigh used to engage in during
theld
think of was the prospect of seeing Serina suffer the same fate
his mother and Zac had already suffered.
Finally, he managed to nod.  "That's right, Commander."  He then
straightened himself.  "We'll get to work on training these pilots
at dawn, and work a round-the-clock cycle with them."
"Good," Adama nodded.  "Killian, I want you and as many of your
men that you can spare to assist both Captain Apollo and
Lieutenant Starbuck in these training exercises.   For the time
being, divide your squadron in half by alternate sleep cycles."
"Yes sir."  Killian nodded, feeling better that the mystery as to
Apollo's behavior had been cleared up slightly.   "Sir, may I make
one other suggestion?"
"By all means."
"How many shuttle pilots do we have for these training exercises?"
Adama checked the computer again.  "At least thirty who can be
detached from duty for these training missions.   We still need
shuttle pilots to handle routine matters of inter-fleet transport
so only those directly in the Sir days together as viper pilots on the Battlestar Cerberus.
For Adama, they had been special times of bonding in friendship
with a new pilot fresh out of the Academy as Tigh was at the time,
an experience Adama was grateful for since his best friend aboard
the Cerberus, Lieutenant Cain, had transferred to the Battlestar
Pegasus six sectars earlier to become a squadron commander.
Adama also knew that this would likely be the time for him to
renew part of an old philosophical discussion he and Tigh had once
shared during their conversations so many yahrens ago.    And he
wanted the atmosphere to be as relaxed and friendly as possible.
The chime sounded, and Adama decided to get up and answer the door
personally.   He opened it and immediately smiled warmly at his
old friend, whose expression was still somewhat pensive.
"Come in, Tigh," Adama motioned.   "Can I get you a drink?"
"Wellƒ?"" the executive officer hesitated a bit, but then nodded.
"I might as well.   Thank you, sir."
"Drop the formaervice will be trained first."
"Then commander, may I also recommend that you open up the
training to all other members of the Colonial Service who might be
interested in transferring to viper duty?"  Killian offered.  "I
think that even those in Security or Maintenance might have some
untapped flying skills that can be put to use."
The commander nodded, "A good idea.  I'll make an announcement to
that effect that anyone in any Service branch is free to volunteer
if they think they can handle the training.   In the meantime, I
suggest that both of you get some sleep and prepare yourselves for
a long day tomorrow."
"Yes sir," Killian nodded and then saluted.  "By your leave?"
"Dismissed."
Red Leader headed for the door and then turned to see if Apollo
would follow.   When he saw that Blue Leader hadn't moved, he
shrugged and left.
An uneasy silence filled the air as Adama rose from behind his
desk.
"I'm sorry, Apollo," Adama said gently.  "I know this won't be
easy for you.   But we've been lities, Tigh," Adama said as he poured the ambrosia
into a chalice and handed it to him.   "We're off duty.  I want
this conversation to be like the old days aboard the Cerberus."
Tigh allowed himself a faint smile as he took a sip, "Thank you,
Adama."
"Now that I've established the guidelines for us," Adama poured
his own chalice and then resumed his place behind the desk,
"Perhaps you can speak freely about my decision to take us into
the void."
The uneasiness then returned to Tigh's voice, "It's really not my
place to comment now that the decision's been made.   All I can do
is accept your order and move on from it."
"Tigh, you're not dropping formalities," Adama gently reproached.
"Now start over and answer my question the way I want you to
answer it.    I respect your views, and besides," he let out a
weary sigh, "I really need someone to talk to tonight.  Give me
your thoughts."
Tigh took another sip as though he felt he needed it to gather
strength, and then set his chalice down on Adleft with no other choice on this
matter."
"Isn't there some way you could----" he started then stopped and
shook his head as though he were ashamed of what he was about to
say.
"You were about to ask if there was some way I could keep Serina
off this roster?" Adama decided to finish for him.  "Transfer her
to the non-Service section that needs to handle inter-Fleet
transport?"  He shook his head.  "You know I can't do that,
Apollo.   If I were to ever show that kind of favoritism to a
family member, as she nearly is, then it would only take a micron
for the Council to rescind its edict of last sectar granting me
sweeping powers under the Martial Law statute."
"I know that," Apollo nodded, "I'm sorry, it's just thatƒ?"" he
tried to collect himself.   "Father, I'm just scared of the idea
of something happening to her."
Adama put a hand on his shoulder, "Son," he said, "I live with
that every centon of my life when it comes to you.  I had to live
with it when it came to Zac, and now I have to ama's desk.
"Adama," he said in a more relaxed tone, "The possibility exists
that this void could very well be endless.    Blackness stretching
out into infinity.   Suppose we've entered something like that?
How much longer could we realistically keep this Fleet together?
And how soon before we lose our ability to realistically plot our
way back out, or at least pierce the perimeter of it?"
"That is your primary concern."
"Yes," Tigh nodded.  "This represents fear of the unknown, Adama.
The Cylons at least are an enemy that doesn't offer us any
surprises."
The commander leaned back in his chair.  "It is possible though
that this void is not endless, Tigh."
"What do you mean?"
Adama set his chalice down and then opened the bound volume of the
Book of the Word to the position he had marked, "The Book of the
Word tells us that a great star guided the Lords of Kobol across
an endless black sea that had enveloped the heavens surrounding
they dying mother planet."
A quizzical expression came overlive with it with
regard to Athena."
Apollo looked up at him.
"Yes," his father, "She's on the roster too."
"Great," Apollo sighed, "That's just great.   Why does it have to
be our family that gets filled with these burdens?"
"You're asking a question that doesn't have an easy answer,
Apollo," his father said firmly, trying to summon the kind of
parental advice that he tried not to use too often with his
children now that they were grown up.  "And in light of what all
of the people in the Fleet have been through in the last sectar,
it's the kind of question that really has no business being asked
anymore.   So the only advice I can give you, is that you use all
the strength you have as a viper commander to be a good teacher to
the ones you love, and that way there'll never be any doubt
whatsoever of their ability to survive."
Apollo knew there was no point discussing it any further.  "I
will," his voice was just a whisper.  "Good night, Father."
As soon as his son had gone, Adama returned to the executive officer's face.
"The void," he said, "You think this could be the same void?"
"I believe it a distinct possibility," Adama said, "Especially as
this is the first void we have encountered since leaving the star
systems of the Colonies."
Tigh's eyebrows went up to indicate that his bewilderment was only
deepening.   Finally, he just shook his head.
"Adama," he said, "You know that I consider myself a skeptic when
it comes to matters of religion, and that includes the origins of
the human race.   I've....never given too much stock to the idea
that the Colonies were originally settled by a single race that
was guided to our worlds by some Divine purpose.   To me, religion
is probably something that was merely devised by our primitive
ancestors to try and find simple answers to complex questions of
how life began.   And even if I did believe that we were settled
by a race from another planet originally, then whatever reasons
accounted for that had little to do with acts of Divine pur his chair and once
again, felt the need to gaze at Ila's holopicture in the hopes of
drawing some badly needed strength.   And then he said a prayer to
God asking that his son receive some too.

When Apollo came out of Adama's quarters, he saw that Killian had
chosen to linger in the corridor.
"You need something, Killian?"
"I think you and I should have a talk before we part company for
the night," Red Leader said.  "We should work out the logistics of
how these training sessions are going to work and that way,
tomorrow morning we can wake up and start with a plan of attack
right away."
"Okay," Apollo said with more than an air of resignation.
"Starbuck and I will handle the first load of trainees from 0700
to 1600 in the Main Simulator room.    If we really push the ones
with the best aptitude hard, we might be able to have some of them
in mock-up simulators by the end of the day."
"How many viper mock-ups are there on the Galactica?"  Killian
asked as they resumed walking down the corripose
either."
"You haven't changed in the fifteen yahrens since we last had a
conversation about such matters," Adama smiled thinly.
"I have the highest respect for those of deep faith like you.
I'm glad that religion instills a sense of morality and purpose in
so many people, and that's why I never wear my skepticism on my
sleeve.   But...if our lives are being put at risk because of what
the ancient writings say, then I do have to wonder just a bit."
"You didn't raise your voice in protest when I first announced
that it was the Book of the Word's reference to a Thirteenth Tribe
on a planet called Earth that would form the basis for our
journey." the commander noted with the gentle air of a debater.
"Adama, I had no reason to protest.   Because there is no
alternative for us but to flee across space from the Cylons to a
place of safety," Tigh said matter-of-factly.   "The only thing I
differ with you on when it comes to our journey is that I doubt
we'll ever find some highly developed civilidor.
"Five."
Red Leader stopped and frowned in disbelief.  "Five?   I thought
battlestars were supposed to have at least ten of those aboard."
"That was on the older Ricon class battlestars like the Columbia.
The Galactica class ships have fewer mock-ups because they were
never intended to take a major role in training exercises for
student pilots."
"Well that's just great," Killian said sourly as they resumed
walking.   "With only five active mockups at our service, that
slows down our ability to get more trainees flight ready."
"I think the Celestra has a couple of mockups to assist their
repair efforts on vipers."   Apollo said, "You might want to check
that with Commander Kronus.   If he has them, then maybe a couple
of your men should handle some of the other trainees over there
while Starbuck and I take care of the ones here on the Galactica."
"Sounds reasonable."  Red Leader nodded, "Assuming we go at this
break-neck pace, how long do you realistically think it would take
to get say, zation that was an
offshoot of our own ancestors.    But ultimately, the goal I think
we can realistically hope to achieve is that of finding sanctuary
and safe haven on some distant planet, so we're not too far apart
when it comes to that.   You believe we'll find a brother tribe.
I believe we'll just find an empty, but perfectly habitable planet
for us to settle on in safety."
Adama brought his fingertips together.   "Suppose it were possible
to find definite, tangible proof of Earth's existence and general
location?"
Light suddenly dawned on Tigh.   "You think this void could
provide a clue to that?"
"Why do you think I've gone to this great risk of taking the
Galactica and this Fleet into it?"
Tigh slowly nodded, "Because you believe you'll actually find this
mother planet the Book of the Word speaks of, and on there, you'll
find some clue left behind about the Thirteenth Tribe."
"Exactly.   For a whole sectar since we left Carillon, there's
been no sense of rhyme or reason to explain thten to fifteen pilots qualified for actual flight?"
"I wouldn't want to make a guess at this point."
"I think you'd better, Apollo," Killian warned, "We need to have a
goal to shoot for."
"Okay," Apollo sighed, "Let's say, within maybe a half sectan,
those pilots with the highest flight aptitude ratings and who were
at the highest levels of their shuttle training classes should get
their first crack at actual flight.   That's assuming we allow
ourselves not a micron's rest during that time."
"I'm up to that challenge," Killian said defiantly.   "And maybe
by then, that blasted Salik will have cured the rest of your boys
and rendered this whole thing irrelevant."
"I hope you're right," Apollo's tone grew quiet as the troubling
thought of Serina flying a viper again filled his mind.
Killian stopped and gave him a cautious look, "What was that
personal matter the Commander was talking about?"
Apollo wanted to tell him off, but then decided there was no point
risking an ugly confrontation with Ree course we take
through space.   What we need to find before we leave the environs
of charted space forever, which we inevitably will within five or
six sectars, is some kind of clue that can point the way for us."
"I see," Tigh sat down in the chair across from him.  "How long do
you propose we search this void, trying to find this....star that
will guide us to the mother planet?   Is that how it would work?"
"I do not believe the wait will be long," Adama said with
confidence.   "The star that guided the Lords away from the mother
planet was what guided them out of the void.   That means our
penetration of the void should lock onto it early enough in our
journey for us to be able to retrace our way out."
The executive officer let out a sigh to indicate his continued
skepticism.   "Adama, even if the story of the void in the Book is
true, there are probably as many voids in the universe as there
are....ideas.    The odds that we've stumbled onto that very same
void are so against it, I couldd Leader, "My fiancee is
among those shuttle pilots."
"Ah," Killian nodded in understanding, "In that case, I think it
best that you handle whatever group she's in tomorrow.   If you're
bothered by her having to train for this, then the only way you
can keep yourself at ease is to keep an eye on her and watch her
skills up close."
"I'll keep that in mind," Apollo said.  "There's one other thing."
"Yes?"
Apollo took a breath, "It concerns the way you've been keeping Red
Squadron's identity separate from the rest of us."
"It's all a matter of morale, Apollo," Killian said as they kept
moving, "My boys and I have flown together as a unit for more than
two yahrens.   Staying together is what makes us better flyers in
the end."
"I haven't any gripe with that," Apollo said, "But what I'm really
getting at Killian, is the matter of your squadron's helmets."
Red Leader stopped and glared at him.  "What about them?"
"It's been more than a sectar now, Killian.   You and your men are
part of the Galac probably retire on just a one
cubit wager."
Adama then opened his desk drawer and took out an object that he
then held up to the light.   It was an ornamental box, and inside
a plush backing was a gold medallion that had a raised shape in
the center.   At first glance, Tigh thought it was a Pyramid, but
then he realized it had four sides.   He knew there was a
technical term for the shape, but his mind couldn't remember it at
that instant.
"You recognize this, Tigh?" Adama said with near reverence.  "This
medallion is the symbol of our faith.   There wasn't a single
cathedral or temple in all the Colonies that didn't have this
symbol on top of their domes."
"I know," Tigh said quietly as he finally recognized the symbol.
"And through the millennia, these medallions have been handed down
to each member of the Council of Twelve.   To me, it's a reminder
of how at so many critical junctures in history, the Almighty God
that the Lords of Kobol taught us to honor and worship, has always
been abltica and now you have to help train new pilots to
become part of the Galactica's infrastructure of pilots.  I think
it would be better for morale and the idea of teamsmanship if your
squadron started wearing Galactica helmets."
"Absolutely not," Killian's voice suddenly grew angry.  "That
point is not subject to discussion, Apollo.   My men will continue
to wear our Columbia helmets.   We don't do that because of any
feelings of disrespect for the Galactica, it's because those
helmets mean something to us.   They're the last tangible reminder
in this universe of what we used to have, and ever since Commander
Fairfax was killed they've come to mean a lot more to us."
"I'm sure they mean a lot to you and your men, Killian, and I
respect that," Apollo said patiently.  "But times are rapidly
changing for all of us, and when it comes to the matter of
recruiting new pilots and training them, which is eventually going
to require integrating them into your Squadron as well as mine
over the long haul, e to provide us with inspiration and guidance that will
remind us of His presence.   And that He is ultimately watching
over us, ready to deliver us again as He did the Lords when they
left their dying planet....and when He also guided us away from
the Destruction last sectar."
Tigh was silent.   The skeptic within him wanted to retort about
how it was difficult to believe that in light of the Destruction
that had left more than fourteen billion people dead, but the
reverent sincerity of Adama's words were powerful enough to keep
him from doing that.    Adama could never succeed in converting
Tigh, but he always managed to instill a respect for his faith
whenever he spoke about it, that Tigh never would have felt right
to put down those beliefs.
"With all our magnificent machinery," Adama's eyes were focused on
the medallion, "Can we turn our backs on the inspiration that
delivered our people before?"
"You think the void is a sign, then."
"With all my heart.   If it were not, then I truly belif we're lucky enough to get Blue Squadron
back, I really don't think it's a good idea for them to see your
men wearing Columbia helmets all the time."
"Why not?" Killian's sense of anger didn't abate, "Why should they
care one way or the other what helmets we wear?"
"Because it gives them the idea that there are cliques among the
pilots and they might have second thoughts about becoming pilots
if they think there's a chance they're going to get frozen out for
not having some sort of status that others do."  Apollo paused,
"There's been a lot of that going on already between your squadron
and mine, Killian.  True, it actually helped in a perverse way
because that meant that none of your guys were at the party, but
it's something that should really come to an end if we're ever
going to be a fully integrated unit of pilots.   Because the only
thing that can happen over the long run is bad blood and
suspicion, and someday that could bite us all on the astrum in a
combat situation when teamwork wiieve a sign
would have been offered to us that would have made avoiding the
void a priority.   But that has not happened.   I believe we've
been led in here for a purpose, Tigh.   A purpose that will offer
us the greatest hope yet for this quest we find ourselves on."
Tigh picked up his chalice and calmly downed the remainder of its
contents.  "Adama, you know how I feel.   But regardless of that,
I want very much to be proved wrong.   Because..." he hesitated
for an instant, "Because if I am not wrong, then I fear that we
face the end for all of us."
Adama said nothing in response.   He knew he had gone as far as he
could in explaining things to Tigh.   It was now a waiting game
for all of them from here on.


This time, Lucifer did not bother to have the command centurion
accompany him into the throne room.   More and more, he was
finding it unnerving to leave the throne room feeling resentment,
and not be able to express those feelings to someone who could
understand what he was going thll be really essential."
"Apollo," Killian dropped his voice to a whisper.  "This subject
is closed.   My men keep their helmets and that's final.  And I'll
thank you not to question the professionalism of my squadron
again, because it wasn't one of my men who was too obsessed with
getting to a party that he didn't take a necessary precaution by
checking into the Life Station when he should have."
Red Leader's retort finally caused Apollo to snap.  "Yeah, you
guys are so professional that you like to rat to Security in your
spare time about ambrosia!"
"Oh, is that a fact?" Killian shot back, "Well it just so happens,
Captain that I gave them orders to steer clear of your party, so
don't blame me for the fact that I have just one man with a
disciplinary problem!"
"And don't ever blame one of my men for making a perfectly natural-
---" he then cut off as he realized the spectacle they were making
of themselves over something entirely trivial.    He saw that the
same realization had come over Rerough.   Only another IL Cylon
would have filled that purpose, but there was no one else from
that class stationed aboard the baseship.    In terms of a Cylon
equal, he was completely alone and at the mercy of having to deal
with the increasingly insufferable Baltar.    And Lucifer already
knew that by the time this next conversation came to an end, his
frustration would only have increased.
"By your command."
The throne chair turned around, and again Baltar stared down with
that disdainful expression of haughty authority.   "Speak."
"The news is not good, Baltar," Lucifer began.   "Our scout
patrols report that nothing has been launched from the Galactica
since she recovered her fighters from the assault on the outpost
and entered the void."
"Translated, you have still not succeeded in capturing a Colonial
pilot," Baltar's disdainful tone was thick.   "My patience begins
to wear thin, Lucifer."
"So long as the Galactica does not launch any scout patrol, which
is of course the prudent thing d Leader too.
"Sorry," Apollo exhaled, "Let's forget that and start over."
"Yeah," Killian nodded, "Let's.  I guess...this has been too long
a day for the both of us."
"In every sense," Blue Leader admitted and then clasped Killian's
hand in a ritualistic handshake that warriors shared, "Let's save
our wrath for the trainees, not each other."
"Agreed," Killian returned the strength of the clasp, "From this
micron on, there's no squadron rivalry whatsoever.   We're all in
it together."
After parting company with Killian on a friendly note, Apollo then
returned to the Officers Quarters for Blue Squadron.  When he
entered the room, he let out a wince when he saw all the empty
bunks.   If anything, seeing all those empty bunks when they
should have been filled was a more chilling sight then seeing them
all in their support chambers in the Life Station.
For Apollo, it would be a night where he would sleep poorly.
Hoping that when he woke up, he'd have found that the entire day's
events had been ifor them to do now that they are in
the void, there is little chance of being able to capture one."
"Then tell our patrols that its time they started making their
presence known to the Galactica," Baltar said.   "Instead of
holding back beyond their scanner range, have them start
encroaching within their scanner range.   Just barely.   Give them
something that will cause them concern that they will have no
choice but to investigate."
"Baltar, you are forgetting something," Lucifer said, "We have now
been forced to enter the void ourselves, and it is fast becoming
impossible for us to maintain a proper fix on the Galactica and
her Fleet.   Especially if we are to maintain ourselves beyond
their normal scanning range."
"I am not interested in your excuses, Lucifer," Baltar shook his
head with disgust.  "I want some results.   Order the patrol teams
to do what I just said.   And the next time you return, I expect
it to be news of success."
Lucifer realized there was nothing more to say.   "By yon his subconscious.



Chapter Six

Despite going through a largely sleepless night, Apollo
found himself fully alert when he got out of bed and went
with Starbuck down to the Flight Operations Center where the
first wave of trainees would gather.    If anything, sheer
adrenaline and the desire to make sure every shuttle pilot
was meticulously trained could easily overcome the normal
desire for sleep.
When they reached Operations, they saw a cluster of thirty-
five people seated at the tables in the ready room.
Killian and his squadron deputy, Lieutenant Taggs stood off
to one side at the head of the room, while Apollo and
Starbuck took their position on the opposite side.    Blue
Leader glanced at Red Leader, who motioned for him to begin.
"Fellow warriors," Apollo began.  "I think I don't need to
waste any time rehashing the details of why all of you have
been summoned here by Commander Adama.   Suffice to say, all
of you must prepare yourself for a level of training and
discipline thur
command," he bowed and departed.



Chapter Nine

At 0700, Apollo's sleep was disturbed by the piercing chime
of a telecom ringing in the Officers Barracks.    He warily
rose from his bunk and looked over at Starbuck, who with his
face still in his pillow, was waving his hand to indicate,
"You answer it."    Shaking his head in amusement, the dark-
haired warrior went over and grabbed it.
"Yeah?"
"Captain Apollo?" Cassiopeia's voice was trembling with
enthusiasm.
"Yeah," Apollo blinked and glanced at his chronometer which
indicated it was five centars before he'd planned on
arising.
"This is Cassiopeia in the Life Station.   Captain, we've
found a cure!   We found a cure for the disease!"
Apollo felt all the drowsiness evaporate as he snapped to
attention.  "You're sure of that?"
"Yes, we were up all night trying to isolate it, and then
just three centars ago we found the solution!   We've
already begun injections of the pilots and the first signs
are positive."
"How positive?" Aat most, if not none, of you ever expected to
go through at any time in your life as a member of the
Colonial Service.    So all I can say to those of you who
have volunteered for this training, if you aren't willing to
put up with an eighteen centar day of crash training to get
you up to flight status within a sectan, then you might as
well get up and leave now."
He paused for a moment to see if anyone would get up from
their chairs.    No one did, so he resumed.   "This training
begins immediately on the flight computer simulators in the
next room.    All of you who have been part of the shuttle
program will immediately accompany me and Lieutenant
Starbuck for that phase.    Those of you who are part of the
volunteer recruits, will remain with Captain Killian and
Lieutenant Taggs here in the Operations Center for a
preliminary lecture and introduction to basic flight
equipment.   If there are no questions at this time, we'll
get started right away.    Shuttle pilots, please follow me
and Lpollo wasn't ready to let himself get
carried away.   Experience always told him to wait to see
things for himself.
"We've begun taking them out of cryo-freeze," Cassiopeia
said.  "Boomer's awake now.   You and Starbuck can come down
and talk to him."
Now, Apollo felt some of the excitement enter him.   "We'll
be right down there!"  He hung up the telecom and dashed
over to Starbuck's bunk, where he gave the lieutenant a hard
shove.   "Get up Starbuck, you're coming down to the Life
Station."
"Only in my dreams, Apollo," he murmurred, still half in the
throes of sleep.
"They found the cure!" he shouted.
Abruptly, Starbuck turned over and came to a sitting
position.  It only took two centons for him to get himself
fully dressed and follow Apollo out.


When they arrived in the Life Station, five centons later,
they saw an exhausted Salik hunched over Boomer's support
chamber, studying some new readings.    When he looked up at
the two warriors, both Apollo and Starbuck could see the
rednieutenant Starbuck."
Apollo saw more than twenty of the people in the room rise
to their feet.   He was struck immediately by the fact that
Serina and Athena were not the only female shuttle pilots in
the group.   In fact, almost two-thirds of the shuttle
pilots were female.
I wonder if that makes things easier or harder, Apollo mused
as he stood in the doorway that lead to the Main Simulator
room adjacent to Flight Operations.   He couldn't recall a
time in his life when he'd seen so many female warriors as
part of a viper training program.    While it was not
uncommon for there to be female recruits at the Academy, for
the most part few ever bothered to go through the more
advanced phases of viper training, thus accounting for the
low number of female viper pilots in the ranks of the
Colonial Fleet through the yahrens.
When Athena passed him, she gave her brother a faint smile
and a thumbs up.   Serina was the last of the shuttle pilots
to come by him, and she stopped to flash a warm smileess in Salik's eyes that indicated he'd been up all
night.
"Doctor," Apollo said, "Cassiopeia said you've found a
cure."
"We have," Salik rose and rubbed the back of his neck.
"Praise the Lords, it works.   The answer was simple enough
once we factored the differences in the asteroid's
atmosphere."
"How long will it take them to recover?"
"A minimum of several cycles, perhaps a sectan to get their
internal body strength back," Salik said, "You can talk to
Boomer now, but make it brief.   Just a couple centons."
"We will," Apollo nodded as they drew up to the support
chamber, while Salik moved off to the other side of the
room.   They looked down and saw Boomer lying on his back,
eyes open and taking a number of deep breaths.   He was
still visibly sweating and seemed exhausted, but there was
no mistaking the general look of relief on his face.
"Boomer?" Apollo gently spoke.  "Can you hear us?"
Boomer took another deep breath.  "I hear you," he
whispered.  "Cassiopeia....she told me what yo at
him.
"I won't get another chance to say this all day, Apollo,"
she whispered, "I love you."
Apollo smiled back and hoped no one close by had heard her
remark.   "Noted and logged, Corporal.   Now get moving."
"Yes sir!" she resisted the temptation to salute as she
moved into the room.
When Apollo entered the room, the fifteen women and five men
had taken their seats in front of the various computer
consoles spread across the room.   Starbuck had gone to the
head of the room next to a large master computer assembly.
"Okay, let's go through roll call before we get started,"
Starbuck said as he held up a pocket computer board with the
names of all shuttle pilots in the program.   "Sound off
when I get to your name.   Lieutenant Dietra!"
"Present!" an attractive dark-skinned woman spoke up.
"Lieutenant Athena!"
"Here," she raised her hand, trying hard not to let any
emotion show.   The one thing she was hoping would come out
of this experience as a side benefit was a hope that
Starbuck wou and the
others did....Taking that risk going back with all
those....trainees.   Thanks."
"How do you feel?" Starbuck asked, thinking it almost
miraculous that he could be speaking to him again.
Boomer sighed.  "In a word, awful," he whispered.   "I feel
like I swallowed a hand detonator and it imploded inside and
now all my organs have shifted.   And now, since the
injection, I'm feeling them slowly shift back to their
normal positions and it makes me want to hang my head inside
a turbo-flush for the rest of my life."
Apollo and Starbuck both grinned as they immediately
realized Boomer was making light of the situation.   He was
feeling the effects of recovery, but painful as they were,
it represented progress at last.
"But I'll tell you this," Boomer added, "Feeling like
felgercarb sure beats being dead, anytime."  He paused and
his eyes darted up toward Apollo.   "Am I on report for not
going directly to the Life Station?"
"Consider all disciplinary action on that suspended
indefiniteluld finally start to take some notice of her
again.
"Corporal Serina!"
Serina raised her arm high without giving a verbal response.
"Corporal Brie!"
"Present," this from the nervous voice of a small, willowly
blonde woman.
On the roll call went through eleven more women and four
men.   When it was over, Starbuck looked out and asked,
"Anyone whose name I missed?"
"Yeah," a curly haired man spoke up, "Mine."
Starbuck's eyes narrowed in on the source and his expression
suddenly went dubious.   The last person he expected to see
at that instant was a man he had despised for yahrens,
Sergeant Ortega.    The two had once been in the same
freshman class at the Colonial Academy, and when Starbuck
and his fellow cadets discovered that Ortega had been
stealing cubits from their lockers to finance his gambling
losses, they had sent a petition to the Academy Commandant
that had resulted in Ortega's expulsion from the Colonial
Academy, though he was still free to join the service as a
regular enlistey."
"Thanks," Boomer managed the faintest of smiles.   "I guess
they also had to destroy all that ambrosia in the Club
because of contamination, right?"
"Just the opened bottles, from what I hear," Starbuck
joshed.  "I...ah...plan on making arrangments to retrieve
the sealed bottles later."
"You'd better save it all for us," Boomer pushed his head
deeper into the pillow.   "We've earned it."
"You sure have," Apollo kept grinning.   "We won't keep you
up any longer.   You keep getting your strength back, and
Starbuck and I will keep looking after the squadron."
"Just don't let them take our jobs permanently," Boomer kept
smiling faintly, "I'm itching...to get back in there."
"Won't be long," Apollo patted his hand on the glass of the
support chamber.  "You just hang in there, buddy.    Take
care."


As soon as they left the Life Station, Apollo and Starbuck
both let out intense sighs of relief.
"Well, the worst is over." Starbuck said.
"For them at least," Apollo said.  "We've still got te.   When Starbuck had first noticed Ortega
among the survivors a sectar ago, it was the only time he
found himself sorry to see a particular individual alive.
"Sergeant Ortega, right?" he said calmly, "You're not on the
roster.   As a matter of fact, I don't believe you're part
of the shuttle program."
"I've got shuttle flight experience," Ortega protested.
"More than a sectar's worth.   That's more than most people
here have...."
"Ortega," Starbuck interrupted coldly as he silently
motioned for help from Apollo, "If you're not an active
shuttle pilot, you've got no business being here.   Go back
to Flight Ops with the rest of the volunteers."
"That's so typical of you, isn't it Starbuck?" Ortega
angrily got to his feet.   "After all these yahrens, you
still want to----"
"That's enough, Sergeant!" Apollo suddenly barked as he came
up to Starbuck and glanced down at the computer chart.   He
then glared at the curly-haired sergeant.  "What's your
designation, Sergeant?"
"I've got shuttle exhe void
to deal with."
"Hey, if we can conquer this disease, then what can a
harmless little void ever do to us?" Starbuck pulled out a
fumarello from his jacket and lit it.   "First time in days
one of these seem appropriate.    Now what's say we head by
the Officers Club and reopen it in grand fashion?"
"I'm game," Apollo sighed, "Might as well live it up before
we hit the simulators with the new pilots again at 1400.
I'm too keyed up to go back to sleep."
When they arrived at the Officers Club, which still had the
residue of the now removed quarantine label clinging to the
door, they saw to their surprise that it was already
occupied.    All five of the female pilots who had flown
yesterday were there, sharing drinks and engaging in
spirited discussion about the battle they had taken part in.
"Look at that," Apollo whispered to Starbuck in amazement,
"One day and already they're trading war stories like
seasoned veterans."
"Just goes to show you how one day out there changes you
foreverperience!"
"I said your current designation!" Apollo repeated angrily.
Finally, Ortega grudgingly realized he was beaten, "Colonial
Security."
"Then you do what the Lieutenant told you to do, and get
back into Flight Ops with Captain Killian's group, and do it
now!"
Ortega threw them both a dirty look and then shook his head
in disgust, muttering only a half-hearted "Yes sir," as he
slunk out of the room.
An uneasy silence filled the room as all of the remaining
pilots had awkward expressions on their faces.
"All right then, let's move on," Apollo said, trying to take
charge of the situation again.   "We're going to begin with
a computer flight simulation exercise, to get you accustomed
to handling the control stick smoothly.   As you know, this
kind of flight exercise is reduced to the format of what the
recreation minded would call a computer game, complete with
high scoring and all based on maneuver execution and number
of enemy ships destroyed.   But do not treat this as a game
at any ." Starbuck whispered back as they entered and picked
up some drinks from the bar.    They then settled themselves
down in comfortable chairs across from where Serina, Brie,
Dietra, Athena and Mackin were still engaging in their back
and forth exchange.
"....the lateral shot was what worried me the most," Serina
was saying as she moved one had across in front of the other
to try to duplicate what it was like.   "They moved so fast
across my field of vision you knew it wasn't going to blink
on the attack computer so all I could do was make a guess
and count down from three."
"I'm glad I didn't have to try one of those," Brie said.  "I
didn't do so well out there."
"Hey, you're alive, aren't you?  That means you did fine,"
Mackin patted her on the shoulder and took a sip from her
tankard, which caused Starbuck's eyes to widen in disbelief
since from what he remembered of Mackin from the one time
they had a date more than a yahren ago, she didn't drink.
"Guess flying can also give you an iron stime.   You're working this exercise for a serious
purpose.  That means if you have trouble initially, don't
get frustrated.   Just let your skills come naturally to
you.   You have two centars to run these exercises, and
those who have demonstrated the highest proficiency after
that time will move on to the next phase, which is working
the same simulator program in a full viper mock-up."
Apollo checked his chronometer.  "The exercises begin..
Starbuck flicked several switched on the master computer
bank, and then on the individual consoles of each cadet, a
flight simulation mission came up, with a joystick
resembling the viper control stick complete with the same
buttons controlling their movements.    It took only an
instant for all of the trainees to take on expressions of
intense concentration.
Apollo leaned over to Starbuck, "I'm going to let Killian
know that Ortega might be a problem for him.   Take over for
now."
"You ought to have him kicked out of this right away,"
Starbuck muttertomach too," he
leaned back and whispered to Apollo.
"You never needed flying to give you that," Apollo nudged
him as he continued to listen in.
"You're right about that," Starbuck grinned as he took a
puff on his fumarello.
"....Simulators are one thing," Brie went on, "It's still
easy to feel safe in one of those things because you know
its not real and that if something goes wrong, you can shrug
it off and start over.    But out there," she shook her
head, "you become a lot more aware of what the danger's all
about."
"Don't I know it," Athena chimed in, "Starting with the g-
factor.   The simulator doesn't really prepare you for the
jolt you get riding down the launch tube."
"That part was easy for me," Dietra said, "It's maintaining
position with a group formation that gives me trouble.   I
prefer the thought of going off on single ship-to-ship
engagements."
On and on the conversation went, with the five women
seemingly oblivious to Starbuck and Apollo's presence.
Finally, the brash led with contempt.
"I haven't the authority.   The program's open to anyone who
wants to volunteer and only if they flunk the training can
we dismiss them.   We're so strapped for pilots as it is,
that means we have to take guys with bad attitudes like him,
because that means we still end up with one more pilot
defending the Fleet."
"Talk about scraping the bottom of the barrel," Starbuck
grunted.  "All right, leave things to me for now."
"Thanks," Apollo patted him on the shoulder and left.
As soon as Apollo was gone, Starbuck idly moved up and down
the rows of trainees, glancing down to see how they were
doing.
He noticed that Athena's expression was slightly frustrated.
"Take it easy, Athena.  The first time's never a smooth
one."
"Sorry," she gritted her teeth.  "It feels like no matter
what I do with the stick it doesn't go where I want it to
go."
"Hey remember, you're a flying viper." he said with the
gentle firmness of an instructor who tried not to be
intimidating.  "Just thinking ieutenant spoke up slightly, "So....ah,
Apollo got anything planned for your living quarters
arrangments after the sealing?"
At first, Apollo's eyebrows went up in bewilderment, but
then he realized what Starbuck was doing.   And he decided
that his system could use a bit of relief.
"Oh, I'm glad you asked, Starbuck!" he smiled and talked in
an almost sing-song fashion.  "Why, I've heard that nowadays
its possible for newly sealed couples to get two room
dwellings just about anywhere they want, and they can pick
their own view."
"Mmmm, sounds good," Starbuck said wryly, "You'd probably
need to commission a decorator, right?"
"Will we!" Apollo went on, raising his voice just a bit,
"You know I spent a whole centar the other day just trying
to decide what color to pick for the blinds.   You just
can't rush these things."
They then glanced over at the pilots, and they still
continued to talk among themselves about the previous day's
mission.
Apollo decided to try again, "Oh, Starbuck!   Did Iwhat you want it to do is
enough to make it happen.   All you need to do is stay loose
and she'll respond like a dream."
Athena nodded and allowed her body to relax slightly as she
got set for another round.
As Starbuck continued to make his way around the room, the
sting of the encounter with Ortega still left a bad taste in
his mouth.   He only hoped he never had to be in the
position of bailing him out in the middle of a combat
situation.

X-UIDL: 3Y+#!'^#"!g>U"!]:&#!

In Alpha Landing Bay, one section had been completely walled off
by a plastic shield, marking the zone where Boomer and Jolly's
vipers had been brought for maintenance after their return to the
Galactica.   Now, four suited Life Station personnel, including
Salik, were carefully inspecting the cockpits of both ships,
hoping that they might learn some answers they had yet been able
to detect so far.
"What are the contamination levels in Jolly's cockpit?"  Salik
asked from his vantage point on the tarmac.
Nestor climbed o mention
that when I was through with the decorator, he told me how I
could get my hands on a supply of....valcron?"
"Valcron?" his eyebrows went up, "You mean the translucent
fabric they use to make women's ahhhh......." he trailed off
suggestively, and then glanced over again at the group.
They were still wrapped up in their own conversation.
"Maybe we're too subtle," Starbuck sighed as he leaned back
and took a puff on his fumarello.
"Maybe," Apollo shrugged, wondering why he was treating it
as a big deal anyway.   Cliques among viper pilots wasn't an
uncommon experience.   He'd already seen it in the voluntary
segregation between Blue and Red Squadrons.    Now it looked
as though another clique was forming based on gender, and if
that was the case there probably wasn't much that could be
done about it.
Finally, Serina looked up and she seemed surprised to see
them both.  "Oh!   Apollo, Starbuck, we didn't know you'd
come in."
"Oh that's okay," Starbuck said wryly as he tapped the ashes
ut of the viper and dropped down next to the Chief
Medical Officer, "There's no mistaking it, sir.   The readings are
much lower than they were yesterday."
"You're sure of that?"
"Yes sir, no question.   And the same indicators check in Boomer's
cockpit."
Salik put his gloved hand to his chin, shielded by the hood of his
decon suit as he tried to contemplate this information.
"Boomer didn't come into any contact with anyone between here and
the Officers Club.   Lords only know how many people passed
through that area later on, but no other cases of the disease have
broken out.   And the readings in the Officers Club are also down
from what they were yesterday after we removed everyone from
there."
"So what does it mean, sir?"
Salik sighed, "That somehow, this virus only seems to thrive when
it's able to  plant itself in a living host and be transmitted to
another living host.   But the virus itself cannot survive away
from its natural environment without a host to take hold in.   If
it coul
of his cigar on the floor, "I'm not the kind of guy that
likes to make an impression when I enter a room, right
Apollo?"
"Right," Apollo rolled his eyes.
"Well we're just celebrating because we heard the good news
about Blue Squadron and that they're going to be okay,"
Athena said.   "We figured we owed it to them to celebrate,
rather than sleep some more."
"Now that I approve of," the sarcasm faded from Starbuck's
voice as he smiled brightly, "The true mark of a warrior is
to learn how to make this Officers Club one's real home when
one is off-duty."
"You had that mastered before you ever got your commission,
Starbuck," Athena decided to test his reaction to getting
the needle from her.   How he reacted might indicate whether
or not there was still hope for her as far as a relationship
with Starbuck was concerned.
"Hey, I wasn't about to waste my time on the mundane classes
at the Academy." Starbuck just smiled and Athena instantly
felt a surge of relief go through her when she saw that hd, then by this point now the disease should have spread
through the entire ventilation system of the Galactica
theoretically."
"So in other words, this whole area and the Officers Club should
be safe now."
"It's possible," Salik nodded, "But I'm not lifting the quarantine
on this section just yet, when it's only a theory.   But if it's
true, then that means there are properties within the virus that
cause it to break down.   Maybe because the environment of the
Galactica is different from that of where it came from, it can't
survive indefinitely."  He looked back at the two vipers and
gritted his teeth.  "I should have taken contaminated samples
yesterday and kept them under analysis overnight.   We might have
been able to see how it breaks down.   But at the rate these
levels have dropped already, there's no way we could get an
accurate reading on what causes it."
"Should we draw a sample from inside the bloodstream of one of the
men and maybe subject it to tests that way?"
"I guess we have'd
taken it goodnaturedly.   "Now you and Dietra, you were both
Academy graduates, right?    Remember the basic general
requirement courses they made us take?   Specialized cooking
courses for sagan's sake!   Just so we could figure out how
to make the most in case we ever got stranded on a planet
and had to make do with the local food sources in creative
ways."
"I remember that," Dietra nodded, "A whole sectan learning
the fine art of boiling roots to make them edible.   Ugh!"
"Hey that was nothing," Starbuck moved into the circle of
women, "Did your class have a session on the treatment of
soil slugs as a last resort?   Because I skipped out on that
one."
"Yeah," Athena nodded.   "I skipped that one too.   If
that's my last resort for survival, then forget it!"
"Yuck, I agree with that," Mackin said with disgust.
I don't believe this, Apollo thought with incredulity.  Now
Starbuck's worked his way in and forgotten about me!
Finally, he saw Serina get up and ease her way out of the
throne to," Salik sighed, "It won't be as good a test as
using a sample that hasn't entered someone, but it will have to do
for now."
The two entered the partition separating the rest of the Landing
Bay from the quarantined zone, discarded their suits and left for
the turbolift.


Two centars passed, and both Apollo and Starbuck had found
themselves saying little throughout the entire time as they both
silently paced up and down the room, stopping occasionally to peer
over and see how an individual trainee was doing.   Both of them
found that it was better if they say nothing at this point and
just let the trainees spread their wings and grow comfortable with
the simulation.    That way they could get a more accurate gauge
of which of the trainees possessed the more natural skills that
would mean immediate promotion to the next level.
Finally, the chime went off indicating the end of the first
session.   Apollo and Starbuck both went back to the head of the
room and consulted the readings on theg, so that she could come over to her fiancee.
"You look like someone who feels neglected," she said
sympathetically.
"I guess so," Apollo admitted.
She kissed him on the cheek, "Feel better?"
"Yes," he smiled. "But remember, if you keep up that kind of
visible fraternization with an officer, you can end up on
report."
"Don't worry, my captain," she dropped her voice to a
whisper that no one else but Apollo could hear, "I only want
to fraternize when I'm wearing some of that valcron you said
you'd acquired."
His eyebrows went up.
"You see?" Serina smiled mischievously.  "You weren't
ignored after all."
The two of them both laughed heartily and went over to the
bar to refill their tankards.

X-UIDL: +7E!!S4U!!oK7!!,Z%!!

Adama had arrived on the Bridge feeling in a good mood over
the news of a cure against the disease, but when he saw Tigh
hunched over Omega's shoulder on the lower level, he could
tell that there was considerable concern in the Executive
Officer's face.
"Something wron master computer, which
recorded the scores of each exercise for each trainee.
"Okay," Starbuck said, "The following trainees have posted the top
five scores on the simulation exercises and will move on to the
viper mock-ups.   Lieutenant Dietra.  Lieutenant Athena.
Corporal Brie.   Sergeant Hanlon."  He then flashed a slightly
uneasy glance at Apollo before reading off the last name,
"Corporal Serina."
Apollo didn't change his expression.   He was more surprised by
the fact that four of the top five scores came entirely from among
the female shuttle pilots, then he was that Serina was among them.
It was enough to make him realize that he needed to do some
rethinking about his general attitude on the ability of female
trainees to handle the intense levels of viper training.   If they
all made it through this next, more difficult phase, then a lot
more than just rethinking would be needed.
"Okay then," Apollo said, "One little detail before we proceed.
All of you remembered to put on pressure g, Colonel?" he inquired as he came over to
them.
"I'm not sure, Commander.   Take a look at this."
Adama looked at the scanner, which was clear and empty, and
frowned.  "I don't see anything."
"Not now," Tigh admitted, "But for the last few centons,
something's been popping in our rear flank scan.   Just
barely there for a micron, and then it was gone."
Adama's eyes narrowed as he continued to look at the
scanner.   As though he were waiting for something to
happen.   And then, he saw it.   At the far left of the
screen, a tiny blip that appeared for a half micron.   Then
it was gone.
"There it is again!" Tigh exclaimed.   "Exactly like it's
been for the last few centons."
"And not visible long enough to get a scan on what it might
be," the commander grunted with concern.   "All right, let's
first consider the natural explanations for that.
Meteor?"
"Unlikely, sir," Omega spoke up.  "When that thing pops into
the scanner its always in the same quadrant.   Delta nine.
If it's a meteor, itsuits under your uniforms
before coming down here?"
The five candidates, who had all stood up once their names had
been read, nodded.
"Then in that case, I can dispense with the lecture about what
role they play and all that.   Those of you who aren't moving on
just yet will continue to work the simulator exercises for another
two centars, and then there'll be a fifteen centon break.   At
that point, the next leading candidates will likely move on to the
mock-ups, depending on the status of the first group."  He turned
to Starbuck, "Lieutenant, continue to monitor their progress
here."
"Yes sir," Starbuck nodded, putting more formality into his tone
then at any other time in all the yahrens he'd known Apollo.
As Apollo saw both Athena and Serina make their way toward the
door that lead to the next room where the mock-ups were kept, he
finally felt a delayed reaction to their moving on to this level
kick in.   Not knowing to be proud of them for showing more
natural instinct than any of the o's following us."
"Noted," Adama nodded, "But merely because it's following us
doesn't automatically mean that's a craft of some kind.   If
it isn't a meteor, it could also be a comet that we can't
see because there's no sun or star to shine off it and make
it's tail visible."
"Possible," the executive officer, "But still, there's the
simple fact that if the Cylons had any ships operating in
the vicinity after we destroyed the outpost, they had to
have known we entered the void and it could be they've
decided to take a risk pursuing us."
"Dangerous move on their part, if they have tried that."
Adama said, "But if it's Cylons, then why not go for the
kill?   Why hang back, and then just pop into range?
They'd have to already know where we are and have enough
time to radio back to their flagship to send out a strike
force."
"We can speculate all we want, Commander," Tigh pointed out,
"But the bottom line is that we should send out a patrol to
investigate."
Adama looked at him.  "I'm not keenthers in the room, or to be
frightened by the thought that both of them were now one step
closer to putting their lives completely at risk.


"Adama?"
Adama looked up from his computer screen, where he'd been  again
consulting the passages from the Book of the Word that had caught
his attention the previous day.    He was slightly surprised to
see the face of Sire Anton, former aide to the late President
Adar, and a member of the Council of the Twelve.
"Sire Anton," Adama rose from his chair.  "What brings you here?"
"Sort of an unofficial mission on my part for the Council, Adama,"
Anton said as he shook hands with the commander and sat down.
"I'm sure you know that once word got out about what happened to
half the Fleet's pilots, some of our colleagues were...how shall I
put it, in a state of considerable uneasiness."
"I can understand that," Adama nodded, "By far, this is the
greatest test we've faced since our escape from Carillon.   And
whether we can overcome it....well, unofficially  on that idea, Tigh.
Sending out vipers entails the risk that they could lose
their bearings and get lost in the void altogether.    And
with Blue Squadron a few cycles away from recovery, I'd
rather not take that risk with an experienced pilot or two."
"Granted," Tigh conceded, "But Adama, if that contact is a
Cylon probe, and not an attack force, then it could be that
its function is to monitor us while staying in contact with
its baseship.   If we could eliminate that probe, then maybe
the baseship, if there is one, will then lose its ability to
track us further into the void."
"You're dealing in a hypothetical, Colonel," Adama still
wasn't convinced.  "I'd need more substantive proof that it
is a Cylon probe before risking the lives of at least two
pilots on a mission like that."
The sound of the blip caught their attention again.   Their
heads both darted back to the scanner and again, they saw
the tiny image on the left side of the screen for two
microns, and then it was gone.
"CommanSire Anton, I can
only tell you and the rest of the Council that it remains to be
seen.   We should be grateful at least for the fact that we don't
face the immediate danger of nearby Cylon presence."
"Quite true," Anton conceded, "For now, I can assure you that you
have our full and unified support with regard to whatever measures
you deem necessary.   It would only take an extraordinary failure
of leadership on your part that would make some of the....less
cooperative members suggest a reexamination of our edict of last
sectar extending new powers to you."
Adama smiled without mirth, "Sire Anton, if I were ever to engage
in an extraordinary failure of leadership, I doubt very much that
the Council would be able to dissect the aftermath."
"Precisely," Anton nodded, "I'll inform them that you have the
situation quite well at hand, and that there is no need to
distract you at this time with the nuisance of a formal session."
"Thank you, Sire," Adama was pleasantly surprised to see the
genial Ader," Tigh pointed at the scanner, "We're going to
keep seeing that thing for who knows how long, just
wondering what in Hades it is, and by the time we can get a
concrete answer from here using the Galactica's scanners for
detailed analysis, it might be too late for us.    We have
to deal with that and establish what it is, now."
The commander put his hands behind his back, "Very well," he
finally said, "Captain Apollo and his designated wingmate
will go out and investigate.   I believe he's in the
Officers Club celebrating the recovery of the pilots, so go
down and brief him on the situation."
"Yes sir," Tigh nodded and departed.


Apollo and Serina had continued their quiet conversation at
the other end of the Officers Club, occasionally glancing
over at Starbuck who was still conversing easily with the
other four pilots.
"I hope he's not talking about more survival cooking
preparations," Apollo quipped as he finished his tankard.
"Those classes always made me want to fast for a whole
nton showing such unqualified support for him.   Only a
sectar ago, Anton had been among those who had willingly gone
along with Sire Uri's dangerous scheme of settling on Carillon and
proposing to destroy all their weapons.   Now, he almost seemed to
be doing all he could to compensate for what he regarded as an
indefensible error on his part.   "I appreciate your courtesy."
"It's my pleasure, Adama," Anton bowed slightly, "My blessings and
prayers be with you during this crisis."
As soon as the Council member had departed, Adama sat down and let
out a sigh of relief that at least for now, events had not
conspired to stick him with a political headache.   All things
considered though, it was a very small favor to be grateful for.
He activated the vid-com that connected him to the Life Station,
"Dr. Salik, please?"
"Dr. Salik is detained, Commander," he saw the face of Cassiopeia,
"He's running some new tests on the virus strain."
"Is he closer to a breakthrough?" Adama hunched forward, tryingsectan."
"Well at least it would explain where the Galactica's Mess
Hall chef got his training."   Serina said lightheartedly.
The Officers Club door opened and they saw Colonel Tigh
enter.   Dietra suddenly got to her feet and snapped to
attention, and the other three female pilots, Athena, Brie
and Mackin did so as well.   Only Starbuck didn't get to his
feet, much to the mild annoyance of the other three.
"Hey relax girls, this is the Club.   The Colonel knows
that, right sir?" he looked over and grinned.
Tigh resisted the urge to make an authoritative sounding
comeback.   "Starbuck, I want to talk to you and Apollo.
Now."
"Uh-oh, looks like I stand corrected.    Well, take care
girls." he waved to them.
"Apollo," Serina started as Apollo left her side to follow
Tigh and Starbuck out, "Wait.   If this is----"
He didn't stop to listen to her, and left the room.   Serina
let out an exasperated sigh and quickly went after him.
By the time she was in the corridor, the executive officer
was 
not to fight back any feelings of false optimism.
"I'm not in a position to answer that, Commander.   I'm sure he'll
contact you personally when he's done with these latest tests."
"Please tell him to do that.  Thank you."  Adama switched the vid-
com off and stretched himself out, staring at the ceiling totally
lost in thought.    After a centon, he glanced back down at his
desk, where the holopicture of Ila smiled brightly at him.  It was
the perfect image of how he had last seen her.   Her blonde hair
with the faintest streaks of silver at the sides lending her a
more regal bearing.    Her face, still totally unlined and
retaining every aspect of her youthful beauty.   Her blue eyes,
betraying just the slightest hint of the loneliness she'd been
forced to endure in life ever since Zac, the last of her three
children had gone off to the Academy and left her alone for the
most part.
Adama sighed with an air of sadness he had no intention of ever
letting a single living soul.   Even though halready deep in conversation with the two warriors as
they continued to walk away.
"ƒ?"the order is for you and your wingmate to go out and
investigate whatever it is."
"Wait up!" Serina came over to them.
Tigh frowned at Serina, "Serina, this is confidential
information.   It's for Apollo and Starbuck only."
"Well just a centon," Serina said, "You said ƒ?~you and your
wingmate'.   Did you mean Apollo and his wingmate or
Starbuck and his wingmate?"
Tigh frowned.  "Serina, what are you talking about?"
A wave of horror passed over Apollo's face as he finally
added things up.  "It doesn't mean anything, Colonel.
Serina, go back to the club."
"No, I won't!" Serina protested.   "According to the flight
roster, I am Apollo's wingmate for any future engagement we
go in, because standard procedure dictates assigning an
experienced pilot with a trainee----"
"This isn't a mission for trainees, Serina!" Apollo wheeled
on her.
"Colonel," Serina looked with determination at the executive
officer.  "Wae was long past the
point where he could feel tears over his wife's death, it was
still hard for him to accept the feeling of emptiness her death
had left in his life.    Even though he had been separated from
her so often, he had always treasured the fact that so often he'd
been able to write letters to her from aboard whatever ship he
happened to be stationed on, and have them sent by Courier from
the nearest liberty port his ship would put into.    Always, those
letters were his outlet for opening up during times of difficulty,
and without them he'd always felt that he'd never have been able
to remain a committed warrior all his life.
Right now, was one of those occasions where if he couldn't talk to
Ila directly, he could at least write her a letter and reveal
everything to her about what was going through his mind, and share
things he'd never have revealed to another living soul.  And
eventually, after many sectans, a reply would always be waiting
for him at the next planet his ship woulds the order for Apollo and Starbuck
specifically, or was it for Apollo and his wingmate?"
Tigh felt himself flush with embarrassment, "The order was
for Captain Apollo and his wingmate.   I just----assumed
thatƒ?"ƒ?""
he trailed off.
"Then that means that the orders posted on the flight roster
would be for me, not Starbuck," Serina held her ground. "Now
unless you want to waste a lot of time changing the roster
and reprogramming the viper launch computers, which would be
calibrated for mine, not Starbuck's----"
Apollo felt all of the morning's optimism evaporating in an
instant.   "Colonel, you can't-----"
"I'm afraid she's right, Apollo," Tigh said, "If the order's
been posted, then the programming's already been set in both
your ships, and it would take too much time to undo that for
Starbuck's viper.   And we don't have time to dawdle when it
comes to finding out what's trailing our wake right now."
Apollo felt helpless at this point.   He angrily looked at
Starbuck, who'd been silent th put into.   Always
filled with the advice, reassurance and love that he'd needed to
sustain him from afar.
There were isolated centons when he almost felt the need to take
up his writing implements and write a letter to her anyway, as
though she were still alive.    To at least put down on paper the
things he would have said to her and admitted, and then perhaps
reasoned what her response might be.   Always, he had pushed away
the thought as a sign of wallowing in the past too much, and
refusing to accept reality.
But now though, he wondered if in light of the extraordinary
difficulties he now faced; of seeing half the Fleet's defense
force rendered useless by a disease, of dealing with an even
larger question of whether he had stumbled on to a clue that
offered a key to the discovery of where he hoped to lead the Fleet
to safety, or whether he was about to lead them into a greater
danger they could have ever envisoned, and finally the concern
over seeing a new member of his family be subjece whole time, awkwardly
shuffling his feet while the conversation went on.
"Ah, look," Starbuck finally spoke up, "Let's not make a big
deal about this.   I'd....rather just go back to my quarters
and get another centar's sleep."  He patted Apollo on the
shoulder, "Take care of yourself out there," he then walked
away.
"Starbuckƒ?"" Apollo protested.
"Captain, will you drop it and pay attention to me?" Tigh
didn't hide the exasperation in his voice.   "We have a
target that's trailing our wake and I want you and Serina to
find out whether it's a natural phenomena or----"
"Just a centon," Apollo cut him off, his eyes still fixed on
Starbuck's retreating form down the corridor, "If Starbuck's
going back to his quarters, he's not going the right----"
Suddenly, Starbuck's distant form broke into a wild sprint
and he disappeared from view.
"That crazy madacca, he's headed for the Launch Bay!"
Apollo began to sprint after him, with both Serina and Tigh
following.


Starbuck quickly got on the ted to the risks
of taking part in the dangerous life of a viper pilot.
Ila, he silently cried out.   I wish I could just talk to you once
more.   To lend some closure to everything.
But that was one prayer he knew the Lords would never grant to
him.   If he wanted to see and talk to his wife again, then he
would have to see his life come to an end.   And that was
something he had no intention of letting happen for as many
yahrens as it could possibly be.
He cast an idle glance at the writing implements on his desk,
still wondering if he should just write a letter as a form of
catharsis, and then cast another eye back on his computer screen
where the charts from the Book of the Word still stared back at
him.
"Commander?"
He looked back at his vid-com and saw that a concerned Tigh ahd
contacted him from the Bridge.
"Yes, Colonel?"
"Commander, long range scans are beginning to pick up the void
Apollo and Starbuck told us about yesterday," he said, "Even from
this far out, it's giving us readfirst turbo lift he could find,
and as soon as it came to a stop several levels down on the
flight deck, he promptly sprinted across the tarmac and
dashed over to Apollo's waiting viper.   Immediately, the
ground CWO Jenny, who was making final adjustments at the
front end, looked up at frowned.
"Starbuck?"  Her eyes narrowed in disbelief, "This is
Apollo's ship.  What are you doing?"
"We switched patrols," Starbuck snatched the flight helmet
from in front of the cockpit and snapped it on.   He then
took only five microns to lock the canopy into place.
"Intercept one, launch controls now transferred to you," he
heard Rigel's voice come through his helmet.  "Launch when
ready."
Starbuck didn't bother making an acknowledgment.    He
immediately pressed his finger on the launch button and in
an instant, had roared his way down the tube and out into
the blackness of the void.     He activated his auto-lock
which would bring him on the pre-programmed heading toward
whatever it was that needed toings I don't like.   I think it
would be advisable to alter our course so that we skirt around its
perimeter."
Adama shook his head, "Negative, Colonel.  Maintain heading for
now."
Tigh was still taken aback slightly by how the Commander seemed so
adamant on this point.   But for now, he had no other suggestions
to offer, so he merely nodded, "Yes sir."
As soon as the executive officer's face disappeared from the
screen, Adama drew himself up, and with firm resolution, knowing
that he needed to get what he was feeling out of his system, he
picked up the implements and began to write.
"....My dearest Ila...."

X-UIDL: 6bf"!O!:"!c9-"!Zgm"!

"No, no!" Apollo snapped as he came up to the viper mock-up
where Corporal Brie was strapped in, running a simulation program
that utilized video images to recreate the environment of a combat
mission.   "Tail down before you use reverse thruster to shake off
a pursuing Cylon.   You don't do that and you're going to collide
with him while you're moving b be investigated.


It took more than three centons for another turbo lift to
arrive that could take Apollo, Serina and Tigh down to the
launch bay.    When they got there, Apollo immediately
noticed that his own viper was gone.   "Felgercarb," he
cursed, and dashed over to Serina's viper, "Well, like it or
not Serina, he's taken it out of your hands.   This is the
only other viper with the programmed coordinates."
"No!" Serina protested, as she grabbed him by the arm, "I'm
assigned to this mission, so that means I'll just take his
viper instead."
"No you won't!" Apollo barked, "Now you just sit tight."
Then, not wanting to leave her on an angry note, he
impulsively gave her a quick kiss and embrace before
hoisting himself up into the viper.
"Damn it," Serina whispered in frustration as Tigh came up
to her.  "I'm his wingman.   This is my assignment."
"Serina, don't let it----"
But she didn't bother to let the executive officer finish.
Instead, she dashed over to the other side of the lauackwards."
"Uh...sorry, Captain," the blonde trainee sounded slightly
rattled.  "That's....back on the stick before reverse thruster,
right?"
"Right," the captain nodded, his voice calmer.   For two centars
now, he'd been monitoring all five of the trainees who were now in
the mock-ups, and he could begin to feel the long morning already
taking its toll on him.   "Remember, your comp scan provides all
the data you need on where the pursuing Cylon is and what your
bearing is.   Don't waste time looking behind for a visual fix all
the time in a situation like that."
She nodded and pressed the button that would restart the
simulation exercise.    Around Brie's mock-up, video images of
stars moving about filled her field of vision as it did for the
others.
Apollo let out a weary sigh and went over to the mock-up where
Serina was strapped in.   At that instant, her simulator was
moving up and down and the video images around her depicted an
intense fight with multiple Cylon fighters, with more thnch
bay, where Starbuck's viper was.
"Serina, wait!" Tigh called after, but it was to no avail.
Finally, the executive officer threw up his hands in disgust
and decided that his sanity dictated he get back to the
Bridge.

X-UIDL: iN[!!oXA!!mo$#!Hk>"!

As soon as Apollo was away he immediately activated his auto
lock which he knew would put him on the same course Starbuck
was on.    He then concentrated his scanner and to his
relief saw Starbuck's viper at the edge of his scope.
"Starbuck, this is Apollo.    Back off on your power and let
me catch up to you, or you might lose your fix on the
Galactica."
He didn't hear a reply.    But before he could prompt him
again, he then saw another viper pulling up alongside him.
He already knew who it was and he felt a wave of anger go
through him.
"Serina, you get your tail back aboard the Galactica now!"
"Not a chance, Captain," there was an air of coolness in her
tone.   "I'm merely following standard procedure if a
scenario like this happens.  an one
viper flying across her field of vision as well.    Immediately,
Apollo was impressed by the fact that Serina was on a more
difficult simulator exercise since the next phase involved having
to handle uncoordinated combat conditions, as opposed to the first
level which just involved simulating maneuvers of single ship-to-
ship combat.
He saw the showers of explosions erupt on the screens surrounding
Serina's mock-up and then the images shut off.    Serina popped
open her cockpit and looked down at her fiancee with a satisfied
smile.
"Completed level three test, Captain," she didn't bother hiding
the pride she felt.
Apollo shok his head in amazement, "If you're done with level
three Corporal, that means you've earned the right to take the
next centar off and free this mock-up for someone from the next
group."
"Very well," she removed her helmet and climbed out of the mock-
up.   "But the way I've been going, I'd just as soon try level
four now."
"No one's doing level four today," he s I was assigned to this flight,
that means I fly it even if I had to take a viper without
preprogrammed coordinates.    Now I suggest you give me
those coordinates now for me to put into my auto-lock."
Apollo felt his anger replaced by concern mixed with fear at
this point.   "Delta nine.   Butƒ?""
"Thank you," she said.   "Activated and will now stay with
you in formation."
"No!   Serina, look I know you're a good pilot.   My head
believs that even though my stomach doesn't, but this void
can swallow up good pilots, so go back.   Starbuck and I can
handle this."
"Quit arguing, Apollo, and start focusing on what it is the
Colonel wanted us to find out."
"Serinaƒ?"" his protest was then cut off by Starbuck's
voice, which already was surrounded by a moderate crackle of
static.
"Apollo, whatever the Galactica picked up is still beyond
scanner range.    I can't go any further without losing my
fix."
"Then go back."
"I don't think the Commander or the Colonel would appreciate
abandoning the maid, "That involves
simulating all out attack conditions on the Fleet and having to
chase Cylons down while flying through the laser turret crossfire
from the Galactica.   Today, we're just concerned with getting as
many people as we can up to level three on the simulator."
"Probably sound thinking," she admitted, "So after my centar
break, I just come back for more refinement on the lower levels?"
"Yeah, that's it."  Apollo nodded.   "And a couple of the Red
Squadron boys will arrange a tour of the Celestra so you can get a
handle on the operations there and what they do in case your viper
ever needs serious maintenance."
A bright flash to one side in front of a mock-up caught Apollo's
attention, and he walked over to where Sergeant Hanlon, the lone
male among the four trainees, was rubbing his eyes after they'd
been blinded briefly.
"What happened?" he asked.
"I don't get it," Hanlon blinked several more times.  "I was lined
up behind him and he pulled this slow reverse move on me."
"Alwayission objective this early in the game,
Apollo," Starbuck wasn't in the mood to hear Apollo be so
overly cautious.  "I think a better idea would be for me to
keep my fix on you, while you focus on the home base.   We
can double our range that way."
"Starbuck?" Serina chimed in, "We could triple it if Apollo
kept his fix on me, and I kept it on the Galactica."
"Serina?" Starbuck was surprised to hear her voice, "That
you?"
"Starbuck, you just forget about checking this out
yourself."  Apollo deliberately ignored what his fiancee
said, "You're right that this has to be checked out but if
anyone's going to do this, it'll be me.    I'm in command."
Serina abruptly decided to stop being placid, "Apollo,
there's no point in your switching positions at this point
when Starbuck is already further out and we can take care of
staying in contact with the Galactica if we follow my
suggestion of tripling the range!   Now why don't you stop
with the maudlin concern for my safety and your sense of
self-ss peel off to your starboard flank the instant you see him
start to move backwards on you."  Apollo said with an air of
impatience.  "Remember, they don't react to the unexpected.
Their minds aren't trained to think of a ship peeling off to
counter a straight line reverse.   Give it another run through and
try again."
"Yes sir," Hanlon sighed, wondering if he was going to be able to
withstand all the onslaughts that were still to come.
When Apollo moved away from the mock-up, he saw that Starbuck had
entered the room.   The blonde lieutenant had an air of concern on
his face.
"I have two trainees who I think should have a crack at the mock-
ups now," he said, "I take it a couple of them are free now?"
"Serina's done for now," Apollo said.   "Andƒ?"" he then moved
over and glanced at the master computer console.   "Lieutenant
Dietra should probably be out in a centon or two."
"Okay," Starbuck said, then added carefully, "Want me to take over
here for now?   You look like you could use a centaracrifice, and start making some decisions objectively
like a squadron leader should!"
"Serinaƒ?"" Apollo angrily started but Starbuck cut him off.
"I think she's right, Apollo.    Anyway, consider my taking
deep patrol my wedding present to the both of you.   Going
to turbo now and will keep my fix on you."
Then, before either Apollo or Serina could reply, Starbuck
had gone to his turbo and raced completely out of their
field of vision into the menacing blackness of the void.


Starbuck slowly exhaled as he brought his viper onto the new
heading.   Half of his brain was screaming at him for having
done such a crazy risk of defying orders and pulling this
assignment, but his memory of how Apollo had gotten lost in
the void during the first encounter had weighed too heavily
in the end.   That had literally been the first time in the
five yahrens that he'd been flying with Apollo, that he'd
seen him lose his bearings and his confidence as a flyer.
At the very least, Starbuck knew that when he  off."
"I'm fine," Apollo waved his hand.  "I just----" he then stopped
and went back over to Hanlon's mock-up as he saw another flash,
"Peel off to starboard flank, blast it!   Starboard!   Now try it
again!"
He then moved back to where Starbuck was standing before the
nervous Hanlon could mumble anything in reply.    The lieutenant's
expression had grown more concern.
"Apollo," he said gently, "I'm serious.  You get out of here for a
centar and let me take over.    You're not going to boost their
confidence like that.   Let them see me and my sunny disposition
instead."
"Sunny dispositions aren't what's going to get them combat ready,"
Apollo said, "Iƒ?"" he then caught Serina standing by the
compartment doorway out of the corner of his eye, and her
expression immediately had a sobering effect on him.   "Sorry,
you're right.   I think this is all starting to get to me in every
sense.   You take over for now."
"Glad you see it my way," Starbuck patted his friend's shoulder as
he stuck an uhad gone into
the void he had been able to keep his wits about him a lot
more effectively, and to Starbuck that meant that he had a
better chance of venturing safely into the void then Apollo
did.     And the fact that his taking the viper would at
least keep Serina out of harm's way too, only furthered that
determination to do what he had just done.
He activated his scanbeam so that it was focused in front of
him, directing all power there for just five microns so he
could an indicator of what lay out in the blackness of the
void.    Immediately, his blood chilled when he saw more
than a dozen contacts and the warning light "Condition Red"
flash on his screen.
Starbuck frantically reactivated his rear scan to try and
pick up Apollo but found to his horror that Apollo wasn't
anywhere to be seen on his rear scanner.
Frack, he thought.   I lost my fix on him in just five
microns.   I didn't cut back on the power soon enough.
Now I'm totally lost.
"Apollo?" he radioed, "Can you hear me?   I'venlit fumarello in his mouth and went over to the mock-
up where Athena was.
Apollo let out a slow exhale as he came back over to his fiancee.
"Sorry, it's been a long day for me."
"Let's talk outside," Serina said as she led him out.   Once they
were in the corridor, she finally spoke up.   "I have to ask you
something.   Are you happy or disappointed that I've already made
it this far?"
"Serina, please," Apollo protested, "I haven't got time to worry
about you.   I'm more concerned with seeing us get our fighter
strength back to an acceptable level."
"I'm sure you are, Apollo," she folded her arms.   "But I have to
know this.   I want us to be completely honest with each other.
Would you feel easier if I'd been struggling up to this point and
been on the verge of getting flunked out?"
He stopped and looked her in the eye, "Serina," he said, "Right
now, you're showing a lot of natural talent for someone who never
flew any kind of ship until two sectans ago.   That's an
accomplishment you sho got multiple
contacts!    And I'm pretty sure its Cylons.    They might
be on top of me in-----"
Suddenly, he broke off when from out of the darkness, twelve
Cylon fighters suddenly emerged and instantly took up a
formation surrounding him that in effect, boxed him in
completely.
"Colonial viper," he heard the meachanical voice of a Cylon
pilot come over the unicom frequency.  "Slow speed to
surrender.  Do not attempt to escape or you will be
destroyed."
Starbuck leaned back in his seat and sucked in his breath.
They only wanted to capture him instead of shoot him out of
the sky, but he wasn't sure whether he could take comfort in
that or not.    It only meant that he would become a
prisoner and conceivably subjected to something worse than
getting blown up might be.
For a micron he was tempted to just go down fighting in a
blaze of glory and shoot as many Cylons as he could before
he would be inevitably destroyed.    But however much that
impulsive act appealed to his brash instincts, heuld be proud of, and I'm not going to say or
do anything that would take that pride away from you."   He put
his hands on her shoulders, "I love you, Serina.   And I want you
to be happy spreading your wings in what you think you're best at.
That's never going to change for as long as we're together."
Serina relaxed and smiled.  "Are we off-duty for now, my captain?"
She asked slyly.
He smiled back, "We are."
Their arms went around each other and they shared a brief,
passionate kiss on the lips.    When they let go of each other,
Apollo seemed more at ease than he'd been a centon before.
"Starbuck was right.   I needed to get away from there for a
centar."  He sighed, "I'm going to head down to the Life Station.
I need to see if there's been any change."
"I hope there has," Serina said, "Much as I like the feel of a
viper mock-up, I want to see all of them recover first."


Salik had spent nearly a centar since his return from the landing
bay hunched over a lab table with his right eye peer also knew
from a practical standpoint that it would be a suicide
serving no meaningful purpose.    Better to take his chances
as a prisoner for now and if necessary, commit a more
meaningful act of martyrdom later.
With resignation, he took up a new position and began to
follow the lead column of Cylons toward whatever destination
they planned to take him to.


"Starbuck?" an edge of panic was entering Apollo's voice.
"I couldn't make out your transmission, what was that about
contacts?"
He listened helplessly but heard only static.
"Starbuck?" Apollo barked, "Do you copy?   Answer!" he
switched frequencies, "Serina, can you pick him up?"
"Negative," she shook her head, "I'm getting the same thing
you are.   Just static."
"Frack!" Apollo banged his fist against the cockpit canopy
in frustration.
"Galactica core command to intercept patrol," he now heard
his father's voice, slightly stern.   "What is your status?"
Apollo warily answered, "Core command, this is Blue Leader.
Lieutenant Sting through an
ultra magnifier.    Looking for the slightest sign of change that
would give him the answer he was now desperately hoping to find.
Finally, after seeing nothing, he got up and let out a grunt of
exasperation.
"No change," he muttered.  "Absolutely no change at all.   The
virus still feeds off the cells of the blood sample even in this
state.   This is absolutely worthless in terms of recreating how
the virus broke down in the viper cockpits and the Officers Club."
"We'd literally need a fresh zone of contamination then," Nestor
noted.
Salik looked up at the med-tech, his hand on his chin, "What's
that you said?"
"I said, we'd literally need a fresh sample of the virus that had
been brought back and exposed to conditions aboard the Galactica
to recreate what happened."
Salik rubbed his chin in thought, his eyebrows narrowing as a new
idea formed in his mind.
"Nestor," he got to his feet and patted him on the shoulder, "I
think you've finally given me the answer."

X-UIDL: learbuck has disappeared while investigating
contact.   Unable to tell whether it was due to encounter
with contact or whether he lost his bearings in the void."
There was a grim silence from the other end before Adama
replied.   "Intercept patrol, you are to return to the
Galactica immediately."
"Commander, give us some time to see if he can make his way
back!" Apollo protested.
He could hear his father take a breath, and then speak in an
almost angry tone, clearly intending to intimidate Apollo
with his remarks.
"You may hold your position for the next five centons and
see if he makes his way back to you.   Under no
circumstances are you to go out and investigate.   And at
the end of five centons, you and Serina are to return to the
Galactica, and I expect you to follow that order to the
letter, Captain!"
"Understood," Apollo nodded, his voice totally obedient.
"Will hold position for five centons and then return if no
change in situation."
For the next five centons, there was a helpless s9!!Cc2!!9E&#!%(j!!

Adama had spent a centar writing his letter to Ila that no one but
himself would ever see.   When he was finished, he found that he
couldn't avoid the old habit of placing it in a container and
sealing it, just as he'd always done so many times over the
yahrens.   And then finally, writing in bold print on the front of
the container, her name and their address on Caprica.
He looked down at the sealed letter and let out a sigh of relief.
Writing the letter had made him feel much better.   Now, it was a
matter of hoping that time would give him the kind of insight that
he knew Ila would have been able to give him had she still been
here and been able to respond to the things he'd written.
"Commander?" he heard Tigh's voice from the video-com.
"Yes, Colonel?" Adama said as he put the letter down on his desk
and answered the video-com.
"Commander, I must request that you come to the Bridge
immediately.   I think you need to see specifically what kind of
readings that void is ilence
between Apollo and Serina as they continued to listen and
watch, hoping that they would see or hear Starbuck
returning.    But after the time had expired, there was no
change and with that, Apollo reluctantly turned his viper
around.
"I'm following you in, Serina," his tone was deflated.
There was no response from his fiancee, who was trying not
to tear up at that instant.     For the both of them, the
sadness they felt as they made their way back to the
Galactica was the greatest they had felt since the
Destruction one sectar before.


Chapter Ten

Ten centons went by before Starbuck finally saw it.   The
menacing form of a Cylon baseship, which was clearly his
final destination.    Seeing it so close immediately
reminded him of Carillon, one sectar before, when he, Apollo
and Commander Fairfax had made the tricky deception that had
forced the baseship down to the surface and contributed to
its destruction.   But at the cost of the Columbia
commander's life as it had finally turgiving us."
"I'll be there in a centon," Adama switched the video-com off.
Before heading to the door, he picked up the sealed letter and
looked at it thoughtfully, wondering what he should do with it
now.   Not comfortable with the thought that he should dispose of
it right away, he stuck it in his uniform pocket, as though having
it close to him might be able to give him some form of symbolic
strength.


When Apollo reached the Life Station, he felt a sense of great
helplessness go through him when he saw all the pilots of Blue
Squadron lined up one-by-one in support chambers.    All of them
had now been placed in cryofreeze and to Apollo, it almost
conveyed the hideous illusion that they were dead already.
He walked up to Boomer's chamber and looked down at the comatose
form of the one man in Blue Squadron he was closest to other than
Starbuck.   He knew that from a technical standpoint, Boomer's
error in judgment carried the risk of disciplinary action once he
returned to duty.   But asned out.
Too bad they're not above a planet surface about to blow up
this time, Starbuck thought.   Then I know I'd do the same
thing Fairfax did and just drop on them viper and all.
For now though, it was clear that he needed to just stay
alive and wait for a better opportunity.
He guided his viper into the recessed opening on the upper
section of the baseship where the rest of the Cylon fighters
were landing.   Instantly, Starbuck marveled at how wider
the landing space was then the Galactica's landing bays,
which he realized was done so the Cylons could launch a mass
attack more quickly, which was the only kind of attack they
knew how to specialize in.  As soon as he was inside though,
he could see that the advantage in a wider zone of takeoff
and landing, was largely negated by the fact that all ships
would usually come in packed together at the same time on
some narrow tarmac space for final landing.    Even so, he
had no difficulty bringing his viper to a stop, sandwiched
between two o far as Apollo was concerned, he was
going to do all he could to make certain the technical letter of
the military code wasn't enforced on this occasion.
"Can I do something for you, Captain?"
Apollo looked up from the chamber and saw Cassiopeia approaching
him.   He had not gotten much chance to see her since the Carillon
experience, when he and Starbuck had rescued her from the Ovions
with centons to spare.    The first thing that struck Apollo was
how different Cassiopeia seemed now that she was wearing a med-
tech's uniform instead of the provocative gown of a socialtor.
She seemed so at ease in her surroundings that no one would ever
have guessed that she had once been a socialtor.
He'd already heard some idle remarks from Athena about how
Starbuck had been taking a good deal of interest in Cassiopeia
over the last sectar, so much so that it had put a considerable
strain on the relationship Athena and Starbuck had once shared.
If that was so, then the one thing Apolo had to concede was thther Cylon craft.
For a long time, Starbuck remained motionless in his
cockpit, not bothering to open his canopy or take off his
helmet, and not even looking anywhere but straight ahead.
Directly in front of him was the cylindrical hub of the
central core which connected the top and lower sections of
the baseship.
So that's how they assemble these things together, he
thought.   He'd always found it amazing that even though the
war between humans and Cylons had gone on for nearly 1000
yahrens, human intelligence on the nature of a Cylon
baseship and what comprised its inner workings, had long
been vague and sketchy.   Then, he inwardly cursed as he
remembered that if he was going to be a prisoner who
harbored hope of survival and eventual return to the
Galactica, the sooner he started taking better notice of his
surroundings, the better.
He looked over to his right and saw standing on the tarmac,
two centurions with weapons pointed up at him.   But what
puzzled Starbuck was the sight of the at
whatever attraction Starbuck continued to feel for Cassiopeia had
to be more than just physical.   If it had been, he couldn't have
envisioned Starbuck continuing the relationship after she'd given
up her former profession.
"Well, no.  Not really."  Apollo said, and then amended himself,
"That is, has there been any change?"
"I'm afraid not, Captain."  She shook her head.  "Dr. Salik has
formed some theories about whether the virus breaks down when its
not inside a host organism, but nothing that can be of any help
just yet."
"I see," Apollo nodded and looked back down at Boomer.  "Are
they....feeling any pain right now?"
"They shouldn't.   Cryofreeze is quite efficient.   They aren't
aware of anything right now."
"I guess that's the only thing to be grateful for at this point,"
Apollo sighed, "That even if the worst happensƒ?""
"The worst isn't going to happen, Captain," Cassiopeia interrupted
sharply.   "We're going to find the answer and we're going to cure
them all."
Apollo smiled tother Cylon standing
behind the two centurions.    It was a Cylon robot Starbuck
had never seen the likes of before.   This one was taller
than the centurions, with a bulbous head and a long red robe
that covered its main frame.   Clearly, this one belonged to
a more advanced class of Cylons than the typical centurion
did.

Cautiously, he opened his canpoy and removed his helmet,
staring down at them coldly, refusing to speak first.
"Welcome aboard, Lieutenant," the tall robot spoke, "If you
will come down and accompany us."
Starbuck's eyebrows went up as he heard normal human speech
emanate from the tall robot, and not the usual mechanical,
robotic sound that he was already used to hearing from Cylon
centurions.   That was something he never thought Cylons
would have been smart enough to develop for themselves.
He decided to save his quips and cutting remarks for the
moment, and hopped down to the tarmac.   Immediately, the
two centurions shoved their pistols into his side.
"Ah, ah," he hhinly at her, "I appreciate the optimism,
Cassiopeia."
"If we weren't optimists in this profession, we'd never bother
trying to treat anyone."
"I guess not," the captain admitted.  "I'll let you and the team
here keep working on that.   Thanks."
As Apollo left the Life Station and prepared to return to the mock-
up room, he suddenly realized that the way Cassiopeia had spoken,
exuding a kind of determined optimism in the face of some grave
odds, was almost exactly the kind of thing Starbuck might have
said.
Maybe they have a lot more in common than I realized, Apollo
thought.   And if that were true, he almost wondered if in
Cassiopeia there was a chance Starbuck had found someone who might
actually be even more compatible for him than Athena was.
Whatever the case, that was certainly not an insight he had any
intention of sharing with anyone, let alone his sister at anytime
soon.


Adama arrived on the Bridge and noticed right away that Tigh
seemed more on-edge than he usually was.
"Comeld up his hands, "I bruise easy."
Immediately, Lucifer found himself impressed with the young
warrior.   Making a joke at a moment when a lesser human
would be inclined to quiver in fear.    When he had the
chance he knew he'd want to have a long probing conversation
with this one, just to compare the differences between him
and Baltar.
"You will hardly be bruised, Lieutenant," Lucifer spoke,
"Our commander wishes to speak with you."
"Well, you might as well tell him that I won't be good for
stimulating conversation," Starbuck said, deciding now was
the time to project all the brashness he was capable of
summoning, "Because you see, I only plan on telling him
three things.   One, my name's Starbuck, two, my rank is
Lieutenant, and three, my commission number is 751958."
"Hmmm," Lucifer mused aloud.  "I...have a feeling that might
change, once you meet our commander."
Starbuck looked at him quizzically, "You mean there are
actually Cylons with charisma now?"  he increased the
cockiness in hmander," Tigh pointed to the monitor, "These are the scan
readings we've been able to take from the void.    We're twenty
four centars out from it at this point, based on our current
speed."
Adama seated himself in front of the monitor and looked at the
readings.   They were enough to make the most hardened of
warrirors feel uneasy.    But as he rubbed the pocket of his
uniform and felt the letter inside, he knew immediately that the
one thing Ila would have told him was to not be dissuaded from
something he felt he was right about.
"Inform the captains of the other ships in the Fleet to close
ranks to a distance of no more than twenty microns spacing."
Tigh frowned, "Adama, that would indicate you're still serious
about taking the Fleet into that."
"For now, that is my decision," Adama said, "We can count on the
fact that should we enter the void, we will have been given some
shelter from any pursuing Cylon force."
"But Adama," Tigh pointed at the monitor.   "You can see for
yourself.   Thiis tone, "That'd be a first."
Lucifer shook his head in amazement.   Already he was
convinced that if human leadership had possessed the
qualities of brashness and courage this Starbuck so readily
demonstrated, then the easy destruction of human
civilization would not have been a forgone conclusion.
"Come this way, Lieutenant."  The IL Cylon motioned.
"Hey, does this mean I get the grand tour or something?"
Starbuck decided he might as well keep it up for now.
Clearly they weren't going to kill him now just for
insulting them.
"Not too extensive, Lieutenant," Lucifer said as he lead
Starbuck and the two centurions into a turbo lift in the
central core shaft.    They rode it down for only several
microns and then the doors opened.    Starbuck looked about
and was struck by how much wider the corridors were than on
the Galactica.   Yet despite the fact they could easily
accomodate more equipment to be put in place, the corridors
were nothing more than empty walls on all sides.
They reached a s void has all the appearances of being infinite."
"Not infinite, Colonel.   Just beyond our scanner's ability to
probe the other side."
Adama wondered if at this point, he should reveal to Tigh the real
reason why the void intrigued him.   It would certainly clear up
some of the frustration the executive officer was now feeling at
this point over Adama's decision.   But he also knew that Tigh was
not the right man to broach the subject with at this point.   Tigh
had been a religious skeptic all his life, and that meant that he
couldn't possibly begin to understand Adama's motives.   Not yet
at least.   Not until they were in the void, when hopefully the
answer Adama was looking for would reveal itself.
"Commander?"
Adama and Tigh turned around and saw that Salik had arrived.
"Doctor, what brings you here?"  Adama felt a faint edge of hope.
"Have you discovered a cure?"
"I haven't discovered a cure, Commander," Salik said carefully,
"But I have found one avenue of hope that could lead to a cuset of transparent doors that Starbuck
noticed lead into a vast, high ceilinged chamber, which to
the warrior's amazement was empty save for a large pedestal
in the middle.
"I'll tell you something," Starbuck said as they entered the
chamber, "I like the way you guys don't go overboard on
furniture."
Lucifer looked at him and decided it was time to test the
warrior's reaction further.  "Things would go better for you
Lieutenant, if you would just show a little more respect."
Starbuck looked at him nonchalantly and then pulled out a
fumarello from his pocket.   He stuck it in his mouth and
then with equal nonchalance, struck a match against one of
the two centurions.
"You mean things could get worse?" his tone stayed casual as
he lit his cigar and took a puff.
Incredible, Lucifer was almost awed.   He found himself
wishing that Baltar had been more like this one.   A human
like Starbuck offered possibilities for seemingly limitless
conversation that he could enjoy.
"That all depends," Lucifre."
Adama leaned back in his chair, "Go on."
"It comes down to the fact that the virus has properties that
cause it to break down outside its natural environment if there's
no living organism like a human being for it to take host in.
That accounts for why the contamination readings in the Officer
Club and in the cockpits of those vipers that brought it here have
now dropped."
"And theoretically, the same thing should happen inside over time
to a victim of the virus?"
Salik drew himself up, "I think there's a connection, Commander.
But right now, the problem is that I need a fresh sample of the
virus to analyze in the Galactica's environment to understand why
it breaks down.   Without that kind of analysis, I can't begin to
explore a potential avenue for finding a cure for the men."
"So what are you saying, Doctor?"  Adama raised an eyebrow.
The Chief Medical Officer decided to plunge head on in,
"Commander, to get a fresh sample, I need to take a med-tech team
back to the source of the virer said and then looked up at the
throne chair.   "By your command.    We have captured a
pilot from the Galactica as ordered.   Lieutenant Starbuck
is his name."
The chair turned around and now for the first time Starbuck
had a view of the occupant perched high above him.    And
when he immediately recognized him, the fumarello almost
fell out of his mouth in disbelief.
"Lieutenant Starbuck," Baltar smiled cordially at him.   "It
is a pleasure to meet you."
Starbuck now found his dangling cigar a distraction and he
dropped it to the floor, crushing it under his boot, which
was exactly what he wished he could do to the person he now
faced.
"Baltar," he whispered, "You lying, traitorous piece of
bilge scum.   I should have known you'd now be in charge of
some set-up like this after what you did!"  He took a step
toward him,  "Right now, I'd trade my life for just one shot
at you."
Baltar was non-plussed by Starbuck's remarks.   They were to
be expected.   "Lieutenant," he said with the almous.  Seal a sample in a container,
and subject it to full lab conditions aboard here."
"Wait a centon," Adama held up a hand.  "You're saying you want to
go back to the asteroid where Boomer and Jolly landed?"
"Yes sir, that's exactly what I'm saying."
"Doctor, that's out of the question," Tigh cut in.  "That asteroid
is more than a parsec behind us, and even if it weren't so far off
our path now, it also has a Cylon sentinel post.   You wouldn't
have a chance without proper viper escort, and right now that's a
luxury we can't afford to give you, in light of what's happened to
Blue Squadron."
"I'm aware of that, Colonel," Salik was almost defiant.  "But my
team is willing to take the risk of taking a shuttle and getting
in there without being detected."
"Absolutely not," Adama said firmly, indicating it was not a
subject for debate.   "Given the distance between the Fleet and
that asteroid, were you to go in without escort, you still run the
chance of the Cylons being able to track your progrst gentle
reproach of a school headmaster, "You will in due time come
to understand that your feelings of hate are misplaced.   I
had nothing to do with the destruction of the Colonies."
"Oh right," Starbuck's voice dripped with sarcasm, "You just
decided to hop off the Atlantia for a little joyride in
space a centon before the attack force came down on us,
right?"
"I too was a victim, Lieutenant," Baltar went on, avoiding
Starbuck's question since he knew that no explanation he
tried to come up with could ever sound credible on that
point.   "Used by the Imperious Leader for his own selfish
and evil purposes.   The price I paid in suffering was no
less than yours or anyone else's."
"Yeah, you sure look like a victim right now, sitting all so
high and mighty on that throne chair.    If being a victim
is what it takes to get command of a baseship, mind telling
me how I can sign up for my own command?"
"There have been some changes in the Cylon Empire since that
tragedy, Lieutenant.   Changesess all the way
back to us, even if by some miracle you were able to get out
safely.   Going in there without proper escort would only amount
to suicide."
"Very well, Commander," Salik responded with equal firmness, "But
I must let you understand the severity of this situation.   I
could continue to spend the next two sectans trying to find
another avenue of attack in terms of figuring out how that virus
works, and what can kill it.   But I may not end up finding the
answer before cryofreeze becomes useless and all of those men die.
Right now, I do have an avenue of hope to pursue, and it could
well be the only one left.   But only if you let me and a team go
back to that asteroid and get a fresh sample in its natural
environment."  He paused, "In short, Commander.  Going back there
is the only realistic hope Blue Squadron has for surviving."
"As far as you can determine."  Adama noted.
"Commander, I do not believe that you should be gambling with
their lives based only on the hope that I can most favorable to humans and
their predicament.   That is why I find myself in this
position now.   Spared, thanks to the generosity of the new
Cylon Imperious Leader."
Starbuck's angry, bitter expression now turned into a frown.
"New Imperious Leader?"
"Yes," Baltar nodded, "The Leader who was responsible for
the destruction of the Colonies, the one who duped us all
out of his mad desire for power is dead.    Killed by his
own foolish folly at Carillon."
For the first time, the brash Lieutenant had been left
speechless.   If what Baltar said was true, then that meant
that the baseship he and Apollo and Commander Fairfax had
taken out at Carillon had been the Cylon ruler's.    A
dividend that none of them ever would have expected, and one
that now made him feel more proud of the accomplishment.
"I can tell you're impressed by this news," Baltar continued
to smile, "Perhaps that will convince you of what I say?"
Starbuck snapped himself out of his reverie concerning
Carillon and the destruc find another avenue
to explore without going back to that asteroid."  Salik found his
patience wearing thin, and he didn't care if he ended up
committing insubordination before it was all over."
The commander was silent for a long centon, feeling the terrible
weight of another difficult decision coming over him.  He got to
his feet and for the next half centon, paced idly in front of
Salik and Tigh, who were both staring at him intently, waiting for
him to speak.
Adama ran his hand over his uniform pocket, where he could feel
the letter inside.   He then drew himself up to his full bearing.
"Doctor," he said firmly, "Get your team ready.   Within the next
few centars, they'll be underway."
"Thank you, sir," Salik smiled faintly in satisfaction and he
quickly left the Bridge.
"Commander?" Tigh came up to him, "If you're approving the
mission, then how----"
"They'll have fighter escort.  Of that, there's no question.  It's
only a matter of who is to provide them with escort."  He took a
breath.  "Tell Captain Apollo and Captain Killian to report to the
Bridge immediately.

X-UIDL: Qk1!!6--!!>Rk!!N'h"!

"There, you see Hanlon?" Starbuck grinned, "Nothing to it.   Four
Cylon fighters atomized in a space of two centons."
The male trainee leaned his head back against the cockpit seat in
relief.  "Thanks.   I almost wondered if I was going to stay stuck
on level two all afternoon."
The blonde lieutenant patted him on the shoulder and moved over to
the simulator of Sergeant Jameson, another male shuttle pilot from
the second group that had entered the mock-ups.   He saw that
Jameson was still working his way through level one, but so far
without too much difficulty.   He decided to move elsewhere.
At the end of the room, Athena was gritting her teeth, looking
slightly uptight as a simulated shower of sparks went up around
her mock-up.
"Okay Athena," Starbuck said gently, deciding that now was the
perfect time to let his trademark charm achieve a different,
practical kind of result tion of the baseship.   "Not
exactly," the skepticism and sarcasm had returned part way
to his voice.  "Maybe you could do that by just letting me
go back to the Galactica to tell them all this wonderful
news you're bringing?"
"In time, Lieutenant," the traitor said warmly.  "And when
that time comes you may tell them that I come with an offer
of peace that is truly genuine this time.    The new
Imperious Leader is by far the most enlightened species of
Cylon ever produced.   He, like all of those who serve
aboard this ship, wishes only to be our friend."
"Seems to me I've heard that one before from you, Baltar."
Starbuck felt all his skepticism restored at this point.
The manner in which Baltar talked was exactly the way he'd
heard the traitor speak about peace offerings so many times
in public speeches and BNC interviews for sectars leading up
to the Holocaust.    About how he had spoken personally with
the Imperious Leader and that the Cylon ruler's desire for
peace and friendship was genwith Athena.   "Take it easy and let's
try it again."
"Maybe the fifth time on this will be the charm." she grunted.
"Tell you what," Starbuck reached over to the computer that
controlled her simulation exercise and flicked several switches.
He then grabbed a communications headset and put it on.  "What's
say this time, we work together.   I'll communicate with you as
you run the simulation in real time, and this'll give you a chance
to coordinate with someone live and in the flesh instead of those
fake voices on the simulator tape.   Besides," he grinned at her,
"I'm better company than those artificial voices, aren't I?"
Immediately, Athena relaxed slightly and she smiled back.   "I
guess so."
"Okay, here we go."  Starbuck activated the level three exercise.
"We're wingmates headed in and our scanners picking up three
Cylons ahead of us.   Where does you scanner show them?"
"Sector four, delta quadrant," Athena replied.
"Okay, I'm staying ahead of you, two points to port.  Range, ten
microuine in every sense.
"Why would I offer something you would have no instinctive
reason for believing, unless it were true, Lieutenant?"
Baltar gently reproached again.   "Think about that."
"Thinking about you isn't how I like to pass my time,"
Starbuck shot back.
Baltar ignored the barb and then spoke to the two
centurions.  "Take him below.   See that he's fed and kept
comfortable.   Normal procedures regarding prisoner
treatment do not apply in this instance."
"Translated, you've probably got some new torture methods in
mind, right Baltar?"  Starbuck said sarcastically.   "Won't
do you any good, I took a whole course in resistance at the
Academy."
The two centurions then prodded him toward the door with
their pointed weapons, and Starbuck suddenly felt the need
to say once again.  "Hey, I told you guys I bruised easily.
Didn't they install ears in your helmets?"
As soon as Starbuck and the two centurions were gone,
Lucifer looked back up at Baltar, and when he spoke it was
full of bewilns and closing."
"Activating attack computer," Athena's voice was now more
disciplined and had the professional edge expected of any viper
pilot.   "Fife microns."
"Okay.   Stick right on my tail, Athena.   I've got them lined
up."
"Right behind you, Starbuck," Athena replied as she could see the
filmed image of another viper off to her left, slightly ahead of
her, and two Cylon fighters coming into visual range.
Starbuck decided now was the time to spring the unexpected on her
that he'd programmed in, "Frack, my laser pump's jammed!    You'll
have to take both of them!"  He raised his voice with all the mock
dramatic effect he could summon.
Athena was slightly rattled at first, but kept her eyes locked on
the attack computer which now showed one Cylon fighter blinking.
She pressed the button and opened fire.    A simulated explosion
went up.    Without waiting to hear anything else, she refocused
herself quickly on the second fighter and opened fire again.
Another explosion went up, and Athderment.
"This is your plan for capturing the Galactica?   To
convince them that we now come bearing the twig of peace
under our new leader?"
Baltar didn't bat an eye as he nodded, "Yes."
"It is illogical to assume they would ever trust you again,
Baltar.   To pass yourself off as a victim rings very hollow
since you could not even answer the Lieutenant's question
regarding your leaving the Colonial Fleet before the attack
began."
"A trifling detail that is irrelevant in the end, Lucifer."
Baltar waved his hand disdainfully.  "What you underestimate
is the human need for hope.   Properly presented and at a
propitious centon, they will come willingly to my arms.
And then, the final destruction of humanity will have been
made possible without any battle, and without any
debilitating loss of Cylon personnel.   That is an outcome
your Leader would prefer to a rash engagement and you know
that, Lucifer."
Unfortunately, Lucifer almost groaned inwardly.   It was all
Baltar needed to keep the uppeena felt herself break into a
satisfied grin.  "I got them both!"
"That's right, Athena," Starbuck said cheerily, "You got them
both.   But there's just one little problem."
"What?" she frowned.
"Take a look at your scanner."
She looked down.   "I don't see anything."
"That's right.   But you should be seeing my viper too, remember?"
He then shut off the simulator and came over to her, "You see, not
only did you get the Cylons, you got me too."
Athena looked up at him in bewilderment, "How'd I do that?"
"After you blasted the second Cylon, you were so happy, you moved
across my tail with your lasers still firing.   So that means I'm
dead." he grinned.
She leaned back and shook her head, half disappointed that she'd
bobbled one part of the exercise, but also wondering if there
wasn't a bit of metaphorical justice in that, in light of the
strained relations they'd gone through since the Holocaust.
"Sorry," she wished she could think of a better comment.
Preferably a witticism to parry his remr hand for now.
"Maintain our discrete pursuit of the Galactica."  Baltar
continued.  "The Lieutenant will be of use to us at the
proper time, but that has not yet come.   In the meantime,
you are to make him feel as though he is our guest, not our
prisoner."
"Of course," Lucifer bowed, "I will attend to that, Baltar."
It was by far an order from Baltar that Lucifer was glad to
carry out.   As he left the chamber, the only thing that
went through his mind, was the thought of how conversing
with this Starbuck might be what he needed to restore his
inner sanity at this point.


When Apollo and Serina returned to the Galactica, both were
too stunned by what had happened to say anything to each
other.   Apollo had then gone straight to the bridge where
Serina knew he was going to spend the next several centars
looking at the scanner to see if Starbuck would find his way
back.    She decided to leave him be for the duration.
After five centars though, Serina knew that if Starbuck was
still flyarks.
"You mean that?" Starbuck's grin hadn't faded.  He reached over
and flicked the switches.  "Okay, try it without me again.  I need
to check up on the others."
As soon as he was done, he moved over and saw that Apollo had
returned.   The captain seemed more relaxed then he'd been
earlier.
"How are they doing?" Apollo asked.
"Pretty good."  Starbuck said.  "Dietra's finished level three and
is done for today.   Hanlon, Brie and Athena are all still working
on level three but doing okay, all things considered."
"And the next group?"
Starbuck glanced over at the master computer, "Sergeant Jameson
and Sergeant Mackin, both on level two now."
"So all seven who've gotten into a mock-up are past level one,"
Apollo noted, "Not bad for the first day."
"A little better than I would have expected," Starbuck admitted.
"Although when I worked together with Athena on a level three
exercise, she ended up shooting me by accident."
"You sure it was an accident?" Apollo gave the lieutenant a
friendly ning, his fuel would be almost exhausted from what
had only been planned as a short-range flight.   And during
that time, she had done a good deal of soul-searching of her
own, and decided that now was the time to do what she could
to not only ease Apollo's grief, but to end some additional
feelings of torment that had come over her with the
realization that Starbuck was gone.   Because losing
Starbuck made it all to easy for her to see how she could
easily lose Apollo in an instant as well.
She arrived on the bridge and saw that her fiancee was
hunched over a scanner at an otherwise unoccupied auxilary
station.   She came up to Rigel first, whose expression was
somber.
"Anything happen?"
"No," she shook her head.
"Has he been there the whole time?"
"He hasn't budged a millimetron since he came down here."
Rigel paused.  "I think you'd better talk to him."
"I intend to."  She came over to him, and gently placed her
hand on his shoulder.   "Apollo?"
There was no response from him at first.  udge.  "Any word from Killian on how he's handling the
volunteers?"
"He just brought a few of them into the computer simulation room
about ten centons ago.   There's a chance the most naturally
talented non-flyers in our ranks could be getting their first
crack at level one in here before the cycle ends."
"Attention!" the voice of Rigel on the Galactica's unicom filled
the room.  "Captain Apollo and Captain Killian, report to the
Bridge immediately."
"Well, guess you'll have to keep at it here for a bit longer,"
Apollo sighed and then gave him a crooked smile, "And if you run
another exercise with Athena, try not to get killed again, will
you?"
"Me?  Try to get killed?" Starbuck raised an eyebrow.  "You ought
to know me better than that.  Survival's my real given name."
"But of course," Apollo said with mock solemnity as he exited the
room again.


Blue and Red Leaders both arrived on the Bridge at the same time.
Apollo noticed that Killian seemed even more spent than he was,
from the lon He seemed
oblivious to her presence.
"Apollo, how long are you just going to stand there looking
at that scanner?"
Apollo finally let out a sad sigh, "I don't know," he
whispered.  "I just don't know."
"You can't look forever." she paused, "You know, you and I,
we're both supposed to be doing more flight training right
now."
"I already talked to Killian.  He said he could handle them
all today."
"Okay," she tried to find that difficult blend between
gentleness and firmness.  "But Apollo....you're just going
to have to start....accepting things."
"I know, I know," Apollo said and then let out another sad
sigh, "It's just that.....I can't believe he's gone.   After
all I went through last sectar with Zac and Mother, to then
have to go through this again with Starbuck."
Serina put her arm around his shoulder so she could draw
closer to him.   "He was even more of a brother to you than
Zac was, right?"
Her fiancee nodded.
Serina took a breath to summon all her inner strength.
"Apollo....I'g day.   He wondered if the natural exasperation one
might have expected to feel with a lesser qualified group, in
contrast to the more experienced shuttle pilots, might have had
something to do with that.
"Thank you for coming," Adama rose from his command chair.  "Could
you both give me a full report on the status of the trainees and
recruits?"
"Captain Apollo's group is the one that's furthest along, sir,"
Killian motioned to Blue Leader, "He's handling the shuttle
pilots."
"I see," Adama nodded, "Apollo, how would you rank their skills
after one full day of training?"
Apollo folded his arms, "Pretty good, considering that most of
them probably didn't get closer to a viper than at an Armament Day
display until today."
Adama chuckled, "A nice way of putting things, but could you give
it to me in more specific terms of how much they've accomplished
today?"
"We have seven trainees who are past level one on the mock-ups."
Apollo said, "Two of them have completed level three altogether."
"Sed come to love him the same way in just a
sectar.  As a brother.   That's why....I think he'd
understand and approve."
For the first time, Apollo looked at her.  "Understand?
Approve?   What do you mean?"
She took another breath, "Apollo, marry me tonight.
Let's....move everything up to tonight and just go ahead
with it."
Apollo was taken aback as he rose to his full posture.
"Serina, what are you saying?   That we should just suddenly
get married right now in the middle of-----"
"In the middle of what?" she interrupted, "A void?  A
disaster?  An endless night?   Apollo, do you have any idea
of what we've had to go through in just the last day alone?
I've suddenly gone from a rookie shuttle pilot to a veteran
combat flyer, and now we've lost Starbuck, and we're headed
into....who knows what else that might finally mean the end
for you or me, or the whole Fleet.   But to me, that's a
reason why we should go ahead with it now.   Because I've
spent the last five centars since we got back wondeven," Adama rubbed his chin.  "That is impressive for one day.
Much more than I would have expected."  He paused and decided to
come to the heart of the matter.  "There's another reason why I've
summoned you both.   Dr. Salik wants to send a medical team back
to the asteroid where Boomer and Jolly contracted the virus.   He
thinks it's the only way to find the root cause of how it works,
and the only way to find a cure."
Apollo and Killian both frowned.  "Commander, that's liable to be
a one-way mission."   Red Leader said.  "There's a Cylon listening
post there."
"Yes," Adama nodded, "A listening post, not a fully armed outpost,
so that means they would have a not too significant amount of
fighters at their disposal.   So therefore, Dr. Salik should have
an escort of at least ten vipers, should he not?"
"At least!"  Apollo said, and then froze as he suddenly had an
inkling of what his father was getting at.
Killian immediately caught on to it too, and jumped in,
"Commander, if it's a questioring if
two more sectans means waiting for a time that will never
come for you and me.   That's why...." she now found herself
choking back a sob in her voice, "That's why I want us to be
married now."
Apollo began to absently pace a few steps away from her,
feeling torn between his sense of duty that told him it was
crazy to think of his own happiness first in the midst of
tragedy and disaster.   And yet, he also could remember
Starbuck's conversation with him the previous night when the
brash lieutenant had been making the very same suggestion to
him.   Maybe there was something to be said for Starbuck's
philosophy of living for today just in case tomorrow never
came.
"Serina," he began awkwardly, "Iƒ?"" then he stopped, still
feeling torn between the two perspectives.
Serina folded her arms and decided she needed to push him
further, "Apollo, do you love me?"
He stiffened slightly, "Do I have to marry you tonight just
to prove that to you, Serina?"
"No," she shook her head and realized n of ten vipers, I've got ten men in
Red Group who could do the job in an instant."
Adama shook his head, "I'm sorry, Killian.   We cannot spare one
quarter of Red Squadron for an operation like this.   We have to
factor in the prospect that once our presence is made known at
that outpost, the Cylons will in all likelihood be able to
broadcast our presence to wherever the main Cylon Fleet is
searching for us.   And that means that we need our one full
squadron of fighters right here on the Galactica to handle the
worst case scenario as a safety factor."
"Commander, you're saying that these seven trainees should
suddenly go into a combat mission right away?"  Apollo was
flabbergasted.
"That's exactly what I'm saying, Apollo," Adama said, "You and
Starbuck will of course accompany them.   And in the interests of
providing more experience for them on this first mission, you will
be temporarily detached from Red Squadron to take part in it,
Killian.   That gives us the ten vipers we need with ourshe'd gone too far,
"I'm sorry I said that.   It's just....I want every centon
we have left with each other.   And if.....the worst ever
happened, then I know I could at least have no regrets in my
life.   That's all."  She paused, "Maybe it's selfish of me,
Apollo.   And maybe there'll be people who'll think it's in
bad taste to want to do it the same day Starbuck dies,
but....I don't care.   I want this for both of us so much
that I just....can't wait for it any longer."   She then
looked him in the eye, "Can you?"
Apollo came back up to her so that they were now inches
apart.   He then slowly shook his head, "No," he whispered,
"I can't.   Because I want it to be now, too."
And then, with no regard whatsoever for the fact that they
were on the bridge, they met in a long embrace and kiss.


A centar later, they were in Adama's quarters explaining
their decision.
"Can it be done tonight, Father?" Apollo asked.  "Would
it...cause any undue complications?"
His father was still slightly tak three
best pilots in the Fleet to lead the way."
"Commander, just a centon."  Killian held up a hand.  "If you
detach me from Red Group for this, you're defeating the whole
purpose of keeing Red Group here on the Galactica."
"I want the three best pilots available on this mission if seven
new trainees have to take part," Adama cut him off coldly.  "Your
squadron knows how to fly together as a unit.   They can spare you
alone for this mission.   Ten vipers is another matter."
"Father, with all due respect, this isn't the prudent solution.
Killian's right, you should let ten vipers from Red Group handle
this."
"Apollo," Adama's tone grew more cold.  "This isn't a subject for
debate.   Red Group is not detaching ten fighters for this
mission.   Maybe if I put it to you this way, you'll understand
why the trainees have to handle it with three experienced pilots
in the lead.   This mission, dangerous as it sounds like, is still
the kind of operation that corresponds to the conditions of level
twen aback over this
development.   "Well....actually, no.   Not if the situation
remains the same.   Whatever that....contact was, it hasn't
made any reappearance since you both returned."
"We can do it in the Great Hall then?    That is where we
wanted it done, but if that's not feasible...."
"It's feasible." Adama cut him off, then phrased his next
question delicately, "Did you mention this to Athena?"
"No," Apollo shook his head, "I felt it was more important
to ask you first."
"It may be more important to ask her if she's up to being a
bridesmaid tonight," Adama said, his tone still delicate.
"She...hasn't exactly been in good spirits since this
morning."
Apollo and Serina both suddenly flushed red with
embarrassment, "Oh Good Lords of Kobol, I'd completely
forgotten." Apollo felt ready to lower his head in shame.
"All this time, I've been brooding about Starbuck and I'd
forgotten that she'd be-----"
"I'll talk to her, Adama," Serina spoke up, "And you're
right, we should have spoken too and three on the simulator.   Those are levels that all of the
trainees have had experience with today.    But defending this
Fleet from all out attack, which is a risk we might very well end
up incurring as a result of this, is the kind of scenario they
haven't begun to tackle on the simulators.   Now who should I be
keeping in reserve for that contingency?   Red Group, which is
experienced to handle that, or the trainees?"
Apollo felt a sense of helplessness come over him as he realized
that he had no answer.
"Sooner or later, these trainees have to face real combat
conditions.   That's why they're in this program already.    We
might as well give them their first baptism of fire now that we
have no other choice."
"Commander," Apollo decided to try a new tact, "If it must be
them, then I insist on at least one more cycle of training before
they do this.   At least let them get up to a cycle of actual
viper flight first."
"There isn't time for that, Apollo.   Another cycle means more
dist her first.   If
she....doesn't feel up to it, I'm willing to let it wait
until tomorrow night to give her more time to recover."
"It's ultimately your decision and Apollo's, Serina," Adama
rose, "I wouldn't let Athena's feelings dictate matters.   I
just... think it's important that you be aware of them.
That's all."
"Of course," his son nodded, "We'll take care of that right
away."
"Apollo, I'd better do it alone."  Serina held up a hand.
"I'll be back as soon as I'm done."   Before either Adama or
Apollo could say anything else, she had left the room.
Apollo awkwardly sat down across from his father, whose
expression was largely neutral.
"Father," he said, "I'm sorry.   I....guess that's always
been my biggest problem since I was a kid.   Never getting
along with Athena or Zac that much, it....always means I
never instinctively give any thought to what either of them
might be going through during a tragedy.   I....should have
gone to see her right after I got back.   Instead, I just
letance between us and the asteroid and that makes the mission
even more dangerous than it already is.   The mission leaves in
the next three centars."
"This is just too risky!" Apollo found he had nothing else he
could say at this point.
"Everything we do in this profession, has an element of risk.  You
should be the first to know that, Captain."
"Commander," Killian spoke up again, "I'm afraid I understand
where Apollo's coming from.   These are still shuttle pilots after
all."
"They're warriors, Killian."  Adama said, "And all warriors know
the centon they enlist, that they might have to sacrifice their
lives."
"But not throw them away!" Apollo protested.
Adama finally sensed there was another reason why Apollo was
reacting so stubbornly on this matter.   With Killian present, he
knew he could only raise the subject delicately, and indirectly.
"Would you prefer to leave the lesser qualified pilots behind from
this group of seven, then?"  He chose his words carefully.   He
couldn't imagine t myself get wrapped up in my own sorrow about what
Starbuck meant to me."
Adama folded his arms, "I'm glad you realize that, Apollo,"
he said quietly.   "Never let yourself forget that little
insight from here on."
"I won't," he nodded, "I won't."
"It's been hard for me too." Adama said, "Starbuck
was...about as close to a third son as I ever could have
had.   That's why it wasn't easy to have to give you that
order to return."
"You did the right thing," his son nodded, "There's...no
point in my throwing away my own life needlessly.
Starbuck...
wouldn't have wanted that."
"No," his father agreed, "He wouldn't have." he paused, "Do
you blame me in any way for his disappearance, Apollo?"
Apollo frowned, "Why would I?"
"It was my decision to take us into the void," Adama decided
there could be no stones left unturned at a time like this.
"Some could argue that that decision was what lead to his
disappearance ultimately."
"If there are, I'm not one of them, Father," Apollo said
forcefully.  hat Serina would be one of the pilots who had
been at the top of the group, given that she'd only spent two
sectans in a shuttle and had only completed her first solo the
previoud day.
Apollo immediately realized what his father was getting at.  "I
appreciate what you're saying, Commander.   But if one of them
gets held back, then all of them get held back.   I don't think a
single one of them, not even those who've completed level like
three like Lieutenant Dietra and Corporal Serian are qualified for
this mission."
Adama's eyebrows went up at the information that Serina was in
fact at the top of the group, rather than the bottom.   But he
knew he couldn't say anything about that.
"Your opinion is noted and logged, Captain Apollo."  He turned to
Red Leader, "Do you concur, Captain Killian?"
Killian took a breath, "Commander, I think prudence would dictate
letting my squadron handle this, and integrating the trainees into
the rest of Red Group for emergency contingency possibility.   I
do no "I know the burdens you have to go through as
our commander and our leader.    I know that your decisions
are based on what's best for our people, and if you believe
that being in the void is ultimately better than taking our
chances with what might have come after we destroyed the
outpost, I respect your decision on that point."
"But it isn't what you might have done?"
"Father, I'm not in your position.   I can have ideas of
what I might have done if I had my druthers, but I don't
have the burdens of making those ultimate decisions."  He
paused, "Besides, you already proved me wrong yesterday when
it came to having the trainees go on that mission against
the outpost."
"So I did," Adama admitted, "Serina's....shown quite a lot
of natural skill for someone who never got into a cockpit
until yesterday."
"She has.  It surprised me too, but I think she can really
become a good pilot full-time."
"You're willing to accept her as that?  No more looking for
loopholes to get her back to less hazardt believe we face the immediate danger from a mass attack on
the Fleet that warrants your decision on that point."
Adama paused.  "Would you feel differently if I detached several
more pilots from Red Group to work with the trainees on this
mission?"
Killian stopped to ponder that briefly.   "The intelligence report
says this is a sentinel post, right?"
"Yes.  Lieutenant Boomer's report was that a full squadron could
not be based on such a small outpost."
"Then that means we're talking about something in the neigborhood
of perhaps 15 to 20 Cylon fighters," Killian said, "Commander, I
will withdraw my objection if you allow a total of five vipers
from Red Squadron to take part in the mission.   If we bring our
numbers up to the point where it's one to one, then I think that's
something the trainees could best handle."
Adama looked at Apollo, "Captain?"
Apollo knew he couldn't get Adama to budge on the matter of the
trainees going on this mission.   At the very least, he knew this
would give tous duties?"
"No," Apollo shook his head, "I accept her for what she
wants to be and what she's capable of doing.   That's why we
can both go ahead with our marriage right now with no
doubts."
Another few centons went by and Serina returned, looking
somewhat relieved.
"I talked to Athena," she said, "She said she understands
the way we feel about wanting to be married now, and she has
no problem with it.   She wants to take part in the ceremony
tonight."
"How did she seem?"
"What you'd expect from someone who lost someone they love,"
Serina said. "But she's not hysterical or anything like
that.   And she doesn't want to be the cause of our not
going forward tonight, if that's what's worrying us."  She
paused, "Your sister's a very strong person, Apollo."
"She is," Apollo nodded.
"Well in that case, I don't think we need to worry anymore
about whether this is the right decision or not," for the
first time Adama tried to inject a brighter edge into his
tone.    "Assuming our situation remaihem more protection.   "I agree that it would greatly
improve the odds in favor of success."
"Very well.   Captain Killian, you may assemble four pilots of
your choosing from Red Group for this mission except for your
deputy commander, who must stay behind.   They will report to
Flight Operations for full briefing with the trainees within the
centar."   He paused, "Dismissed."
Knowing they could say nothing else, the two squadron leaders left
the room.   Both of them too stunned to say anything to each other
about the unexpected turn of events of the day.



Chapter Seven

When Apollo saw the pilots selected for the mission enter
the Flight Operations Center, it took all his inner strength
to keep from letting any sign of emotion reveal itself.
The idea of seeing Serina thrust into a combat situation
after one day of training only made him wonder if the Fates
were setting him up for the same cruelty he'd gone through a
sectar before during the Destruction.
He looked out and for an instanns stable, I'll begin
seeing to the preparations for tonight."  He then paused,
"And let me just say to the both of you, that I know the
blessings of the Lords will be with you both as you do
this."
The two of them smiled in acknowledgment and then left.

As soon as it was evening by the official Fleet chronometer
(which remained set to Caprican Standard Time), a group of
ten people gathered themselves in the Galactica's Great
Hall, the site for all formal ceremonies and where Adama had
one sectar before made his announcement about leading the
Fleet to a lost brother colony on a planet called Earth.
On this evening though, the ceremony was of a different
kind.   One that Adama saw as providing a brief interlude of
hope amidst the darkness and uncertainties of the last few
days.
On the left side of the chamber stood the four female pilots
of Blue Squadron, each of them in dress uniform.    Athena
stood on the end of the row, her expression largely somber
in light of the grieving she had gont let himself lock eyes with
Serina.   And then, without showing the slightest trace of
emotion, he began to address the group.
"There's been an unexpected change in your schedule for
today." he said.  "You seven have shown remarkable
proficiency for your first day in training that as a result,
you will be taking part in your first actual flight, and
your first actual mission within the centar."
There was a visible stir from the group, as they all
exchanged glances with each other.   All except Serina, who
had her arms folded and her expression completely stoic,
never taking her eyes off her fiancee.
Apollo then spent the next five centons summarizing the
mission objective and showing a star chart of the region to
them. When he was through, he looked out at them with all
the authority he was capable of summoning.
"You'll have eight experienced pilots accompanying you on
this mission.   Myself, Lieutenant Starbuck, Captain Killian
and five additional pilots from Red Squadron.   We'll do all
e through for Starbuck,
but mixed with that was a determination to perform her
duties as bridesmaid, and so far she had been a steady rock
the entire evening.
Next to Athena, smartly attired in a blue tunic that
resembled a bridge personnel uniform, was a beaming Boxey.
The little boy was perhaps the only person in the room
oblivious to the unease and tension felt by everyone over
the void and the Cylon pursuit, and it only served to
increase the joy he felt over the ceremony and how for the
first time in his life he would be gaining a real father.
Finally, next to Boxey was Serina.   Looking as radiant as
any woman could be in her light gold sealing gown.    And
next to her, wearing an uncharacteristic special dark blue
dress uniform that most flight warriors never wore more than
once in their lifetimes, stood a confident, smiling Apollo.
There were fewer people on the right side of the chamber, as
this would ordinarily have been where Apollo's friends from
Blue Squadron would have stood, wwe can to make you feel at ease.   Just remember, there was
a first time for us as well.   Once you've gotten through
your baptism of fire, from then on in, its never as
difficult again." he then allowed himself a slight smile.
"And I know that all of you, as patriots and warriors, will
be giving nothing less than what you're all capable of.
And since you've shown in this one day that you have plenty
of capability, you shouldn't feel daunted by this
challenge." he then made that characteristic pause that
always preceded the last words.   "Dismissed.    Report now
to your vipers in Beta Bay for launching."
Apollo kept his eye on Serina as the trainees rose and
departed.   She only glanced back at him once, and gave him
the faintest smile of reassurance before she followed the
others out, leaving only Apollo and Starbuck in the room.
"Okay buddy," Starbuck broke the silence, "Let's head down
there."
The captain nodded and the two of them departed as well.
When they reached the corridor, they sith Starbuck standing next
to him as best man.    But all of Blue Squadron's pilots
were still recovering in the Life Station and could only
express their regrets through their support chambers when
Apollo had stopped by earlier in the day.   So on this
evening, Apollo found himself flanked only by Colonel Tigh,
who was there as Adama's guest, and Captain Killian, whom
Apollo had asked at the last centar to act as a best man
stand-in.    Although not certain at first whether it was
proper for him to accept such a request, Apollo had won
Killian over with a simple appeal to the fact that he now
considered it an honor to have flown with him on the recent
mission, and that he wanted to use the occasion as an
opportunity to break down some of the barriers that still
existed between the Galactica and Columbia pilots.
Apollo's sincerity had touched Red Leader deeply and he had
returned the honor by showing up with a Galactica insignia
hastily affixed to his uniform in place of his usual
Columbia oaw that the medical
team for the mission was passing by.
"Got your team set, Doctor?" Apollo inquired of Salik, who
was at the head of the line.
"We're all set, Captain," the Chief Medical Officer said
with determination.   "And I've given them careful
instruction on how they can gather a sample in as little
time possible."
"Good thinking on that," Blue Leader nodded, "Owing to the
speed differential, you'll be launching ahead of us by a few
centons.   We'll end up overtaking you anway not long
afterwards and our priority will be to make sure there are
clear skies over the asteroid to give you time to settle
down.   If we're still in sustained combat at that point,
we'll be flying in cover formation over your target zone the
whole while.   Just make sure you've contacted us so we can
pinpoint your landing zone so we can form a good cover
formation."
"We won't forget," Salik nodded, "Good luck to you,
Captain."
As the rest of the med-team walked toward the turbo lift
that would take them tne.
At the center, between Apollo and Serina, stood Adama, with
a copy of the Book of the Word at his side.    As a
battlestar commander, Adama had the right to perform any
sealing ceremony, and he had done so on many occasion over
the past twenty yahrens.  But while he knew the words by
heart, he nonetheless wondered if his own sense of pride and
joy would cause him to stumble over any of the familiar
words.
Mercifully, he'd been proved wrong and he'd gone through the
opening remarks with total ease.   Now, he turned to his
left to face Boxey, who continued to beam with enthusiasm.
"Will Serina's protector consent to relinquishing his
responsibilities to Apollo, the man she has consented to
marry?"
Some of the spectators wondered if Boxey would have been so
awestruck by the ceremony that someone would have had to
nudge him at this point.   But the little boy needed no
prompting as he looked up at his parents and said simply,
"Yes."  Technically, the words that should have been spoken
woulo the other section of Beta bay where
their shuttle awaited, Starbuck noticed Cassiopeia at the
rear of the group passing by.
"Hey, Cassiopeia?" he grabbed her arm, "Got a micron?"
She stopped and looked slightly uneasy, "I'm not sure,
Starbuck."
"It'll only take a micron.   You won't even miss the turbo
lift."
"Okay," she nodded, "But make it quick."
"Look, ah Cassie," he lowered his tone, "I just....wanted to
say that I appreciate what you and the whole staff is doing
to try and save our buddies lives.   It takes....some real
special people to show that kind of dedication."
The med-tech's eyebrows knitted slightly in surprise, "Thank
you.   We're....doing our best, and hopefully this mission
will be the key to saving them."  She then paused and
decided to say something just to see what Starbuck's
reaction would be, "Not the sort of thing you expected from
a former socialator, is it?"
Starbuck frowned, "Why would you say that?" he asked, "I
mean, when you get right down to it, you can almd have been, "I do consent", but Adama had already
decided long ago that a simple yes from Boxey would sound
more from the heart than some words that he'd need to have
taught to him, so he hadn't bothered to give Boxey that
complex set of instructions.    And just as Adama had
figured, Boxey's simple word expressed all the joy that
everyone knew was going through him at that instant.
"Apollo, will you at this time state your vow of devotion
unto Serina?"
Apollo and Serina now turned to face each other, and they
clasped hands.
"I pledge myself unto Serina as her husband for all time,
unto the rest of my life.  I pledge before the Lords of
Kobol to protect her and give my undivided love and devotion
to her, so that I may be truly worthy of this great
responsibility."
"Serina, will you at this time state your vow of devotion
unto Apollo?"
Serina clasped Apollo's hands even tighter.   "I pledge
myself unto Apollo as his wife for all time, unto the rest
of my life.  I pledge before the Lords toost say that
a med-tech's job stems from the same kind of.....caring
impulse."
Cassiopeia allowed herself to smile.   Starbuck had now
given her another reason to believe that his interest in her
stemmed from reasons far greater than the fact that she had
been a socialator when they'd met last sectar.    And in
doing that, she was also more determined to reciprocate the
interest he was showing in her.
"But channeled to more appropriate ends," she said, "If
anything good came from the destruction of the Colonies it
was the opportunity for....fresh beginnings." she paused and
looked him in the eye, "We should both learn how to take
advantage of them."
Starbuck grinned, "I'll remember that after the mission." he
then motioned his arm for her to go by, "Better catch that
turbo lift."
"Of course," the blonde med-tech returned the grin, "Good
luck."
As soon as Cassiopeia was gone, Apollo, who had discreetly
remained several feet behind, came up to his friend.
"Couldn't help but hear the last pa honor him and to
give him my undivided love and devotion so that I may be
truly worthy of this great responsibility."
And then, Adama removed the ceremonial Council medallion
from his neck and wrapped it about their wrists according to
the ancient tradition.
"These simple words are the most powerful in the universe.
They seal a union between this man and this woman, which is
not only for now but for all eternity."
The commander skipped a beat as he stopped to smile ever so
faintly at them before continuing.   And letting himself
have just an instant to let his mind say, Ila my darling,
how I wish you were here to see this.
"Apollo, Serina.  Under the eyes of God, and bound by the
symbol of the faith of the Lords of Kobol, I declare you
sealed."
With that declaration, Apollo and Serina came together in a
gentle kiss.   For almost a centon it went on, and the scene
became almost totally surreal, with the other eight people
in the room watching them amidst the dim candlelight of the
Great Hart of that," the captain
said.   "She's right about fresh beginnings.    I just hope
we all have the chance to make the most of them."
"We'll have it, buddy," Starbuck said with his
characteristic bravado, "No reason to never think we will."


"Medical shuttle now launching from Beta Landing Bay deck."
Rigel's voice filled the cockpits of the fifteen vipers that
now waited one deck above in the launch bay area.   "Stand
by now to launch Viper escort detail.    Rendezvous with
medical shuttle will be in coordinates Alpha three-seven."
"Coordinates Alpha three-seven, confirmed," Apollo said as
he methodically went over his instrument panel and wondered
how many of the seven new pilots were feeling intimidated by
their surroundings at that instant.
"Core Control now transferring launch systems to all
fighters.   Launch when ready."
"Acknowledged," Apollo then switched frequencies.   "Blue
Leader to all pilots.   Launch will proceed in this order.
Myself and Lieutenant Starbuck first, followedll.
And then....the scene suddenly took on a greater quality of
surrealness when on the main viewing screen at the far end
of the Great Hall, which had remained dark the whole time
because of the void, suddenly pulsed brightly.
"What theƒ?"" Colonel Tigh turned around and was the first
to react with surprise.    Soon, everyone else in the room,
including the newly married couple, was staring out the
screen at the pulsing brightness of a single star.
"What is it?" Athena managed to speak, just barely above a
whisper because she found herself awed by the sight.   "The
end of the void?"
"More than that," Adama said with the most reverent look of
excitement on his face.   "The answer to what we've been
looking for!"
Tigh's head darted back to the commander as he suddenly
recalled the conversation they'd shared the previous night.
"Colonel," Adama could barely contain his excitement,
"Notify the bridge to scan for a planetary system within
three parsecs of the star.    They should find indicatio by the seven
trainees.   Captain Killian and the five members of Red
Group will bring up the rear.    Stand by."
"And remember, just think of them as no different from the
simulators," Starbuck chimed in, "That means keep a careful
hand on your instruments at all time because after all
they're as sensitive as-----"
"We get the idea, Starbuck," Athena's voice interrupted, not
wanting to hear Starbuck complete an analogy she had first
heard him use during one of their intimate nights together
before the Destruction.
"Okay," Starbuck said, "By the way Athena, try not to repeat
that sim exercise this time, if you know what I mean."
Do I ever, Athena thought with a faint trace of disgust as
she looked at her instrument panel, almost wishing that fate
would let her repeat the incident for real.
"Okay, Blue Leader ready to launch."  Apollo cut in,
"Follow according to predetermined plan."
Apollo's viper then raced down the launch tube, followed by
Starbuck's.    Then, Lieutenant Dietra was the fins
of a dead star and one planet orbiting the dead star."
"A planet?" Apollo whispered as Tigh hurriedly went over to
the telecom unit on the other side of the room.
"Yes," Adama continued to look at the pulsing brightness of
the single star.   "If I'm right, it's the planet Kobol."
"Kobol?" Serina said with amazement as she took her new
husband by the arm.   "You mean....the mother world itself?"
"Yes," Adama's reverent air increased to a level that even
Apollo could not recall seeing in him before, "Where all
human life began."
All eyes remained fixed on the sight as Tigh returned from
the telecom unit.   "Commander, you were right," he was
totally incredulous.   "Scan reveals a dead star three
parsecs from this star, and one planet orbiting the dead
star."
"Estimate time to arrival to planet?"
"One full cycle at present speed."
"Have the Fleet plot immediate course for the planet,
Colonel."  Adama finally managed to pull his eyes away from
the sight and get some of his command bearings rst of the
trainees to launch, followed by Athena, Serina, Brie, and
the two male trainees, Hanlon and Jameson.
"They all got off smoothly," Killian noted dryly from inside
the launch bay, "Okay Red Group, let's go."


Aboard the bridge, Rigel turned to a somewhat tense Adama,
"All fifteen vipers are away and proceeding, sir."
"Excellent," the commander said and then turned back to
Tigh, "Let's hope the Lords are with us on this."


The instant Serina's viper exited the launch bay and she saw
the expanse of space all around her, she felt a momentary
burst of awe at how different it was to have such an
unobstructed view of the stars, in contrast to the more
confined view from a shuttle cockpit.    Shuttles didn't
allow the pilot to see the vast expanse of stars on all
sides of her peripheral vision.
No wonder men like Apollo love their work so much, she
thought.    It gives you a whole sense of perspective no one
else can have.
As she tucked her viper into position behind the two lead
sback.
"Inform the Fleet to resume all normal shuttle activities
now that the star is there to act as a beacon for us."
"Yes sir," Tigh nodded, and then stopped to shake hands with
Apollo and Serina.   "Apollo, Serina.   Congratulations."
"Thank you, sir," Apollo said gratefully, as he and Serina
continued to look out in awed fascination at the sight,
their arms locked in each other.
"It's incredible," the reverence was deep in Serina's voice,
"It's almost like....seeing a divine vision in a way."
"You're right, Serina," Adama said, "That star we see now,
is the star that led our ancestors out of the void when they
left the mother planet.    It was the very divine gift they
needed to assure the survival of human civilization."  He
paused, "And hopefully it will now provide that gift to us
again."
Apollo and Serina looked at him with slight puzzlement,
"What do you mean, Commƒ?"", Serina started then caught
herself, "Father?"
Adama looked at her and smiled, glad that she had
remembered.  "Inhips of Apollo and Starbuck, she found that there was no
trepidation inside her at all.   The feel of the controls
were the most natural sensation she had ever experienced in
her life.
I missed my calling in life, she thought as she continued to
look about in fascination.   This is the kind of work I was
meant for, not journalism.
Then again, Serina mused, it wasn't as if becoming a warrior
and a pilot were a practical option for her back then.
Certainly not as an unwed mother, which in those days would
have automatically disqualified her from enlisting.
Maybe that was why Fate kept me away from this work all
those yahrens, she thought.   The Lords meant to give me the
joy of having Boxey first.    She knew that she and Apollo
would have to have a long talk with him before the sealing
in order to put his mind at ease about the fact that both of
his parents would now be putting themselves into the
dangerous work of piloting vipers.    But at the same time,
she knew that Boxey was so instincti due time, when we send a scouting party to
the surface of the planet.   I suggest that in the meantime,
the two of you enjoy your first night together as a married
couple."
His son's lips faintly curled up in a smile, and he wrapped
his arm around his new bride, pulling her tight to him.
Then, they turned away from the screen, and slowly made
their way out of the Great Hall, stopping briefly to shake
hands with the others who by now, were only able to offer
quick congratulations.  All of them still seemed completely
captivated by the pulsing brightness of the single star.
When they reached the end of the Hall, Serina found herself
smiling impishly at her husband, "Well, my captain," she
said, "It looks as if we were upstaged a bit."
"Looks that way," he returned the smile and looked back at
the screen at the other end of the Hall.   "But at least the
timing was nice in that it didn't appear until after the
ceremony was officially done."
"Maybe that's all the more reason to think it's truly vely fascinated by viper
craft that he would probably think more in terms of how
great it would be to have two parents in that kind of work.
Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye she noticed one of
the other vipers from the trainees go veering off in an
awkward direction, as though the pilot was having trouble
maintaining control of the craft.
"Brie!" Starbuck radioed urgently, "Brie, what's wrong?"
"I don't know----"the blonde trainee started.
"You're losing control!" Starbuck's voice rose.   "Back up
on the power to one half!    Do you hear me?   Back off to
one half power and let yourself get back to even heading!"
All of the pilots that could see Brie's viper held their
breath for what seemed an eternity before the craft finally
leveled off and began to slowly make its way back into the
main group formation.
"Okay, good," Starbuck said, "Now hit your auto control and
you'll stay locked in to the programmed heading.    You did
program the heading, didn't you?"
"Uh....yes.   Sorry.   Gota
divine sign," Serina looked back as well, her tone suddenly
reverent again.
Apollo was struck by how she managed to sound as reverent as
his father had.   In the sectar that he had come to know
Serina, he had never before seen this side to her.   While
Apollo had always taught himself to honor the faith his
parents had raised him in, he had never devoted himself to
it with the same vigor his father did, and as a consequence
he had never really bothered to probe Serina too much for
her feelings on faith and religion.   Now, he was
discovering for the first time just how deep her own sense
of faith really was.
"Come on," he smiled as he took her by the arm again, "You
heard the commander give us an order.   We're to enjoy our
first night together as a married couple."
She looked back at him and the mischievous smile suddenly
returned, "It will be my pleasure, my captain."
And then, arm-in-arm, they left the Great Hall.


Chapter Eleven

After being removed from the throne room, Starbuck it!   Auto control activated."
"Great," Starbuck's voice relaxed.   "Okay, you've got that
out of the way so let's make it clear sailing from now on."
At the back of the formation, Sergeant Barton of Red Group
had watched and listened with a sense of both disbelief and
queasiness.    He immediately hit the circuit that would let
him talk directly to Red Leader, with the rest of the group
unable to listen in.
"Sir?" he radioed.   "Is that going to be typical of what
we'll have to put up with on this flight?     Anyone who
forgot to program auto lock would get thrown out in a
micron."
"You don't have a say in this, Barton," Killian replied
coldly.  "And how would you have performed if you'd been
thrown into your first combat flight on the same day you
first stepped into a simulator?"
The lack of a response from Barton indicated that he'd
effectively cut him down on that point.   "Okay," Killian
said, "And one other thing, Sergeant.   Don't let me catch
you contacting me on a secure circuit a had been
taken down two levels to what he immediately recognized as a
holding area for prisoners.    What wasn't normal about the
site though, was that a small cot, a table and two chairs
had been set up.   From what he recalled from intelligence
briefings, Cylon holding areas were always spartan and
empty, designed to force the prisoner to stay on his feet at
all times.    At the very least, if Baltar was selling him a
bill of goods, he wasn't tipping his hand yet.
"I think I take back what I said upstairs," Starbuck said as
he sat down at one of the chairs behind the table, "I do
like the way you've gone overboard on furniture."
"Centurions," Lucifer turned to the two who had escorted
Starbuck down, "Leave us for now.   Wait outside the holding
area at all times in case you are needed."
"By your command," the lead one nodded and with his fellow
centurion accompanying him, they left the room, leaving the
IL Cylon alone with the prisoner.
"So tell me, Lieutenant," Lucifer said as he eyed Stgain.   Anything else
you have to say is going to be for all of our ears.    Is
that understood?"
"Yes sir," Barton mumbled.   As always, Killian knew how to
put him and anyone else that was part of Red Group into
place.
At the head of the group, both Apollo and Starbuck kept
their eyes on the trainees as they proceeded toward their
target. Centons went by, with few words said.    All of them
knew that concentration had to be so intense that no
distractions from conversing could be possible.
Since Brie's initial misstep, there had been little else for
Apollo and Starbuck to express concern over.    A word to
Lieutenant Dietra about keeping her speed under control in
group formation.   Another to Serina about keeping a safe
distance between ships while in formation.    Through it
all, Apollo had to admit that there was nothing that would
make him feel uneasy about their inner talents as potential
viper pilots.    Not yet at least.   The true test would
come when they encountered Cylon fightearbuck,
"What are your impressions of our commander?"
Starbuck looked at him with amusement, "What do I get for
giving an honest answer?"
"There is nothing to give at this point, Lieutenant.   As
our commander has said, you are not to be tortured but to be
treated as our guest.    So as such, this conversation
serves no purpose other than an intellectual exercise for
myself."
"Ahh," Starbuck nodded in understanding, "In other words
when it comes to humans, Baltar doesn't give you enough of
an intellectual exercise?"
Lucifer found his admiration for Starbuck increasing by the
micron, and his latest remark only confirmed every instinct
he'd been developing.    "Hmmm.   Perhaps I should say that
since Baltar is the first human I have ever met, he has left
me hoping that he is not....typical."
"I can confirm that for you," Starbuck leaned back and
pulled out another fumarello.   "Do you mind the smell of
these things?"
"An illogical question, Lieutenant, since as I am sure you
are aware we Cyrs for the first
time.
Which if he read his star chart correctly, which showed the
asteroid now coming into view at the edge, would be sooner
than he figured.

X-UIDL: \k-!!Y8^!!8S%#!h=Y!!

As an IL Cylon, Lucifer possessed the gift of a second
computer brain that separated his class from that of the
ordinary Cylon centurion.    It was something he reveled in
completely and loved to show off at times whenever he was in
the company of a centurion, since he always knew that no
matter what the conversation, he would always emerge the
victor in terms of demonstrating intelligence and reason.
The only cause for regret in that arrangment was that while
the centurion might not be able to match him for
intelligence, with that was the incapacity to feel any sense
of anger or frustration over constantly being topped.
That was one reason why Lucifer had welcomed this new
assignment of working with Baltar.    For the first time
he'd have a chance to see up close how the human mind
worked, which woullons do not have the needless sensation of
smell."
"Sorrry, just figured that since you're the first Cylon who
actually talks normal you might have some more normal
features built in," Starbuck shrugged as he lit a match and
took a puff.
"Actually Lieutenant, what you call Ÿ?~normal speech' has
always been part of the advanced class of Cylons, including
all civilians."  Lucifer ordinarily wouldn't have dared
reveal such a piece of information about Cylon culture to
any human, but he saw it as a triviality in the broader
scheme of things.
"Really?" the blonde lieutenant took another puff and raised
his eyebrows, "And here I was thinking that some of you
Cylons got bored after a thousand yahrens of hearing all
your centurions sound alike.    You know I can still
remember the first time I heard a centurion talk on tapes at
my Academy class."  He suddenly got to his feet, and assumed
a stiff posture, his arms locked to his sides.   "Ÿ?~By your
command.   All humans must die.'" his voice became d be a refreshing change from the company
of centurions.    And he'd also have a chance to
theoretically see if all that he'd been programmed to know
about humans really was true.    Were they completely
incapable of the kind of efficient and rational planning
that the advanced Cylon mind was so noted for?    Or were
there nuances that could still be gleaned by a Cylon mind to
learn from and adapt accordingly?
It was especially interesting to watch and see what kind of
command decisions Baltar would try to implement now that he
had been thrust into this unexpected position of power and
authority only a mere sectar after being on the verge of
execution.    And even more interesting to ponder what kind
of reaction Baltar would have to the news that he was about
to bring to him.
Accompanied by the gold plated command centurion, he entered
the throne room, finding it amusing at how Baltar had so
easily taken to the surroundings of this inner sanctum that
only the Imperious Leader had ever used ba flat,
robotic monotone as he mimicked the speech patterns of a
centurion.  "I couldn't stop laughing for a centar after I
heard that for the first time." he chuckled as he relaxed
and resumed his seat.
"Centurions are hardly the backbone of this Empire,
Lieutenant," Lucifer said, almost wishing that he'd been
programmed to laugh, "We need not waste vital resources by
giving them advanced speech patterns."
"What is the backbone of the Empire?" Starbuck's tone
suddenly became serious, indicating that this was something
he was genuinely interested in.
"I don't believe that information should be made available
to you."
"Why not?" Starbuck gently retorted.   "Does that mean what
Baltar said about you guys being our friends isn't true
after all?"
Ingenious, Lucifer thought.   Starbuck's relaxed air had
managed to get Lucifer to let his guard down, and he
realized that he needed to compensate for that fast.    It
was clear to the IL, that Starbuck's bravado masked a
cunning brilliance underneaefore.    Whenever
the Leader was absent from his baseship, there was a general
rule that the throne room was not to be occupied by the
commander in charge, whether it was a gold plated command
centurion or another of the IL class like Lucifer.
Clearly though, since promises of power and glory had been
the key to getting Baltar to throw his lot in with the
Cylons, there was no way the Imperious Leader would object
to the human traitor's use of the Cylon ruler's sanctum.
Not for now at least.
"By your command," Lucifer said as he and the centurion came
to a stop in front of the throne chair.   It took three
microns for it to spin around, and the IL Cylon wondered
just what did Baltar do during those idle moments of
isolation?    Or was it all a calculated act to just emulate
the Cylon ruler and put on this show display only when he
knew that there would be visitors arriving soon?    He was
sure that whatever the answer was, it would be something to
factor into his overall assessment of the huth that made him a foe to be
reckoned with.
"Not at all, Lieutenant," Lucifer tried to sound disarming,
"Old habits die hard.   As to the backbone of our Empire,
that would be our civilian class and those advanced brain
Cylons like myself, who enjoy the full benefits of Cylon
society."
"What are the benefits of Cylon society?" Starbuck prodded,
"I mean, what exactly does a Cylon like you do in your
neatly ordered worlds?"
"We have plenty of means of stimulating ourselves,
Lieutenant," Lucifer decided it was best to be as open as he
could with Starbuck.   If Baltar suspected that anything
Lucifer said had caused Starbuck to continue doubting his
peace offering, then he could easily imagine Baltar making a
report to the Imperious Leader that would not look favorably
upon him.
"Do you," Starbuck took another puff, "Okay, what's a
Cylon's favorite form of recreation?"
"Pure intellectual contemplation, Lieutenant.   Utilizing
the gift of our second brain to the fullest capacity."
"Sounds increman mind and
psyche.
"Speak," Baltar didn't disappoint Lucifer by putting all the
authority and pomp into his voice that he could have
expected to hear.
"We have caught up to the Galactica's flight path and are
now maintaining a position parallel to her, outside of
scanner range.    She would not be able to detect us without
sending patrols off to her flank."
"Excellent," Baltar nodded.   "Standard procedure is to send
patrols to the front only in this instance.   What is her
present heading?"
"She has veered away from the outpost in Otarsis sector."
"Quite logical."
"On the contrary," Lucifer decided now was the time to
spring the surprise and see the reaction, "It is not
logical.   Their course is taking them toward the Epsilon
quadrant, toward a magnetic abyss."
The human traitor frowned, "A magnetic abyss?"
"A void," Lucifer said, "A navigational inferno, possibly
endless.    Such phenomena are not uncommon in the
universe."
Baltar's eyes drifted away from the IL Cylon, as though he
dibly dull."
"To your human mind, perhaps.   But only those who possess a
second brain can ever know what it's like to experience the
stimulation of total meditative contemplation."
"A good Pyramid game is the best kind of stimulation I know
of," Starbuck said disdainfully with a wave of his hand.
"Really," Lucifer said, "And how does this....Pyramid game
as you call it, provide stimulation to humans?"
Starbuck suddenly broke into a grin.
"I was hoping you'd ask that," he said as he pulled out a
pack of pyramid cards from the pocket of his jacket.
"What's say you get a chance to find out?"


Apollo and Serina awoke, both in a state of bliss after a
night of almost uninterrupted lovemaking.   As Apollo rubbed
his eyes, he could see that the pulsing brightness of the
star was shining more brightly through the porthole of their
quarters.
"Good morning, my captain," Serina whispered throatily as
she kissed him on the neck and wrapped her arms about his
shoulders.
"Good morning," Apollo took 
were trying to recall something in the back of his mind, but
was unable to find it.
"At any rate," Lucifer continued, "Logic would have dictated
that they engage our small outpost rather than enter such a
dangerous area."
Baltar returned his gaze to the IL, "Unless they know we are
following them, and they hope that this...void might give
them some form of protective cover."
Lucifer found himself unable to summon an instant reply, as
the traitor's remark was not something he had anticipated.
"Anything is possible," he finally said after exchanging a
quick glance with the command centurion, "But the odds are
astronomically against it."
"You don't know Adama," Baltar gently chided, "He is not a
man apt to feel any sense of overconfidence or easy security
after the sneak attacks of last sectar.    I somehow suspect
that his inclination is to be more careful in trying to
ascertain the potential danger of our presence.   That means
the odds are not astronomically against the possibility they
knher hand and kissed it, as he
continued to stare out the porthole.  "Looks like we covered
a lot of distance last night to be this close to it now."
"Seems that way," she nodded as she came to a sitting
position and joined him in looking at the star.   "It seems
like Adama knew it would be here, and that's why he took us
into the void."
"Yeah," Apollo nodded, "And to think that we're actually
going to see Kobol itself.   Who only knows what kind of
things there are to see down there."
"Too bad this isn't peacetime," Serina sighed, "Discovering
Kobol would have ordinarily been the greatest scientific
story of the millennia."
"That's so true," her husband sighed, "And if this were
peacetime, I would have been at the head of the expedition
that found it."
She looked at him with slight surprise, "You mean you never
would have been a warrior?"
"No," he shook his head, "Not in a million yahrens.   The
only reason why I ever became one was because I felt a sense
of duty and obligation.   What I row we're following them, by my calculation."   He paused,
"Another intangible it would seem that the Imperious Leader
recognized that only I could discern."
For the first time in his existence, Lucifer felt what he
believed the human mind would have called "flustered."   So
far, Baltar was demonstrating a cutting level of arrogance
worthy of the finest IL, and Lucifer also realized for the
first time that his reaction was exactly the kind that he'd
always regretted not being able to get from a centurion
during whenever he conversed with them.
"Whatever the case may be," Lucifer finally spoke, "We are
at last in close proximity to the Galactica and are in a
position to destroy her.    Shall we launch all our fighters
against the Galactica?"
Baltar leaned back in his chair and shook his head, "No.   I
remain unconvinced that an all-out ship-to-ship engagement
will work at this stage."
"Then what do you propose?" Lucifer felt he had no choice
but to prod the traitor on this matter, to at least eally wanted to be most
was a historian or a scientist studying the past." he
paused, "But I just couldn't bring myself to not enter the
service when the time came.    Maybe if I wasn't Adama's son
and just came from a non-military background it would have
been different, but....I had to learn a lesson about how the
things we want to do, aren't necessarily the things that
Fate has intended for us."   He paused, "But I guess that's
a lesson we've all had to learn about this last sectar."
"I know," his wife admitted, fascinated by this revelation.
"And sometimes....that same....fate if you will, leads us
into things that we could never have expected all in the
name of a greater good."
"Like that star appearing?"
"Perhaps," she admitted, "I....was kind of thinking more
about how....we came together."
"What do you mean?"
Serina let out a sigh, "Apollo, I never thought I'd find
myself telling you this, but did you ever wonder why it was
that I sought you out after we were all loaded aboard the
see if
Baltar was actually serious about trying to come up with a
plan for the Fleet's destruction.
"We will not remain idle," Baltar said, "The Galactica does
send out reconnaisance patrols, do they not?"
"Occasionally," Lucifer admitted, "But mostly to their front
periphery.   When we can detect them, we drop back out of
range before we can be noticed."
"Don't do that with the next group that goes out," Baltar
said, "I want top priority given to capturing one of their
pilots."
"For what purpose?"
Baltar smiled malevolently, "If I'm right, then if things go
according to plan, Adama will turn the Galactica over to me
without firing a shot.   A far happier alternative for the
Imperious Leader in terms of avoiding loss of Cylon
personnel, and also giving him the opportunity of a grand
show trial on Cylon for the last surviving elements of
Colonial civilization."
"By your command," Lucifer bowed, feeling somewhat impressed
by Baltar's reasoning on that point.     As he and the
command centurFleet following the Destruction?"
"Because Boxey was upset about losing his daggit and you
thought I could help him."
"That was only half the reason, Apollo," Serina said.
"When I sought you out, I thought I was dying at the time."
Apollo's eyebrows went up in surprise.   "Dying?"
"My practitioner back on Caprica had given me a diagnosis
saying I was suffering from a malignant brain tumor with a
25 percent chance of survival."  Serina said, glad she was
finally getting this off her chest.   Being married to
Apollo now made her determined to keep no secrets from him,
ever.   "And I thought that there was no way I could ever
get that treated, and so I was worried about where Boxey
would end up, and....after I saw the way you were so kind to
him on Caprica when he wanted a look at your viper,
I....instinctively zeroed in on you as the man I hoped would
look after him once I was.....gone."
A look of concern came over Apollo's face, "But you aren't
really....that is....."
"No, no," she hastily cion left the chamber, he leaned over and said,
"Isn't he wonderfully devious?   We could learn much from
him in the end, it would seem."
But to Lucifer's eternal chagrin, the command centurion had
no response for something he was completely incapable of
fully comprehending.


The lack of conversation amongst the fifteen viper pilots
was almost beginning to strike Starbuck as almost eerie.
He was always used to some kind of byplay between pilots
during a mission as a way of breaking the tension.    But
this time, none of the pilots dared engage in that,
especially as they tried to get used to the feel of a viper
for the first time.
Finally, Apollo broke the silence, "Attention all vipers.
Asteroid now on my scanner, sector Delta five.   Computate
immediately."
Starbuck flicked his scanner for more detailed results, "Got
it."
"Uh...Captain?" the male trainee, Sergeant Hanlon spoke up,
"I don't have it on my scanner yet."
"You and the rest of the group are still outside scanning
range of tut him off, "After I sought you out,
I went down to see Salik, and he ended up telling me that
the diagnosis was a fraud.   My practitioner it turns out,
was a crook who had a known record of giving phony diagnoses
to his patients in order to make them pay exorbitant sums
for operations and treatments they never needed.    Once he
had enough, he was hoping he'd be able to disappear into a
life of total luxury, but the Cylons ended up disrupting his
plans."
"That's sick," Apollo shook his head in disgust, "I hope
that practitioner was one of the victims."
"The Ovions got him," Serina said, "I saw him on Carillon
later, and then I found out he was among those who had
disappeared in the mining levels."
"Served him right," Apollo said, shuddering as he recalled
the horrible sight of the Ovion pod chambers.
"True," Serina said, "But look at it this way, Apollo.   If
it weren't for him, I never would have bothered seeking you
out the way I did.   And then....I wouldn't have had the
chance to fallhe asteroid, Hanlon," Apollo said gently, not
wanting to show any exasperation now.    "Starbuck, Killian,
you keep everyone on an arc just outside the range for now.
I'm going to try a low level approach from the other side of
the asteroid.   If I can catch them by surprise, I might be
able to take out their sentinel guard before they can
scramble the rest of their fighters."
"Captain," Lieutenant Dietra interjected, "You'd stand a
much better chance if all of us just dropped in on the
outpost at once.   We are capable of handling this while the
skies are clear."
"Dietra, you can demonstrate your capability by following
orders," Apollo curtly cut her off.
"Captain, I have to concur with Dietra," Killian jumped in,
"The purpose of this exercise is to do things as quickly as
possible and I think its best we just throw all our strength
at the outpost right now while we've got the element of
surprise."
"I'm in command, Red Leader, and my decision is final,"
Apollo felt some of the exasperation in love with you after I realized it was safe
for me to do that."  She looked back out at the star, "I
guess it's things like that that have always made me reject
skepticism when it comes to matters of faith.   It's not
that I consider myself a paragon of total virtue when it
comes to everything the Book of the Word teaches, it's just
that.....I've always known in my heart that there's
something very real behind all of those teachings."
Before Apollo could say anything else, he heard the telecom
chime.   He got out of bed and went over to answer it.
"Hello?"  A half centon went by as he listened and then he
nodded, "We'll be there."
"What was that?" Serina asked as she threw back the sheets
and stepped out of bed.
"Adama wants to see us both in a centar about going down to
the surface of Kobol." he smiled, "There's some interesting
background material he wants to fill us in on."
Serina looked at him thoughtfully, "He did say in a centar,
didn't he?" a coy edge entered her voice and she gent slip through since the
last thing he needed was to hear dissent from Killian, which
probably would have all the other Red Group pilots chiming
in with their dissatisfaction as well.   "You and Starbuck
keep them together.  I'm going in now."
Apollo then activated his turbo and peeled off from the rest
of the main group.    As she watched his viper disappear
from view, Serina took a breath and then whispered to
herself, "Good luck, Captain."
Toward the middle of the pack, Corporal Brie, not fully over
her near disaster after launch, had been making a careful
check of all her instrument panels and now frowned when she
saw a solitary blip on her rear scanner.
"Starbuck?" she radioed, "I'm picking up a blip on rear
scan, quadrant Tauƒ?""
"That's the med shuttle, Brie," Starbuck gently chided,
"It's ours."
"Wait a centon," Killian felt a slight trace of alarm,
"Starbuck, I thought you told the shuttle to hold position
in Epsilon quadrant until the area was secure."
"I did."
"Well she said thely sat
back down on the bed.
Her husband let out a chuckle, "Yes he did."
She smiled mischievously, "There's still a lot one can do in
half a centar, my captain."
"Let's prove that hypothesis," Apollo said as he wasted no
time climbing in next to her.

X-UIDL: LD&"!;G]!!5%E!!mW!#!

A centar later, totally relaxed and ready to face the challenges
of the new day, both Apollo and Serina were in Adama's quarters.
The commander had his monitor set to the relevant page from the
Book of the Word, showing it to them with the eagerness of a
schoolboy.
"What does it say, Father?" Apollo asked, finding it difficult to
read from his position.
Adama smiled and read aloud:
"After their home planet Kobol was known to be doomed, the twelve
tribes set forth across a great void which had enveloped the
surrounding environs of space, unable to find the reference points
of the heavens that had once filled the Kobollian night sky.   And
then, by a miracle from the Lords, a bright shining star appeared
from n contact is in Tau quadrant.   How can it
be the shuttle if its not where its supposed to be?"
"And its closing in on us!" Brie's voice rose slightly.
Starbuck let out an exasperated sigh and hit his rear
scanner where he could now see the approaching blip, "Med
shuttle, this is Blue Two.   Why aren't you holding your
position in Epsilon Quadrant?" he radioed.
"Blue Two this is Med Shuttle," the voice of the shuttle
pilot sounded confused, "We are holding position.   What are
you talking about?"
"What the----" Starbuck muttered as he hit his warbook
identification scan, and then his jaw dropped slightly when
he saw that is was a Cylon fighter that was closing in on
them.
"Positive ID of Cylon fighter!" Killian said.
"Frack, that's great.   Killian, you keep the squadron
together.   I'll take care of this one."
"Copy.  We'll stand by here in case that's not just one lone
ship returning to the asteroid.   If there are more, we'll
need to be in position to intercept them and keep them from
juowhere and guided them to safety.  Leading them out of the
darkness of the void, and back into the brightness of the star-
filled heavens, from which the twelve tribes of Kobol were able to
find their new homes."
"I think I'm a little confused, Father," Apollo said
apologetically.   "If a single star led them out of the void, then
how can it be in such close proximity to the mother planet now?
And how come we didn't see it when we first entered the void?"
"For a simple reason, Apollo," Adama said.  "We didn't enter the
void from the same position the Kobollians left it.    By our
calculations, it took us one full day in the void before we saw
the star.    But the trajectory taken on Delta eight heading,
starting from here," Adama pointed to the chart showing the star
at the center, "Will have us out of the void in two centars flight
time."
"You're sure of that?" Serina inquired.
"I've already had scanning and an advance probe during the night
confirm it.   Once we attend to our business here mping on Apollo."
Starbuck hit his turbo and did a slow turn that sent him in
the opposite direction from the rest of the squadron.    The
Cylon fighter would soon be right in front of him.    Then,
from the corner of his eye he caught sight of something else
and did a double take when he saw another viper pulling up
alongside.   From his vantage point, he could easily
recognize Athena in the cockpit.
"Athena, what do you think you're doing?"
"I was assigned as your wingmate in the patrol formation,
Starbuck," her voice was precise, "And Apollo said in the
training session that a wingmate should stick to a leader at
all times."
Knowing it was a waste of time to argue, Starbuck decided
not to pursue the point.   "Okay, but hold back just a
little.   And ah, like I said before, try not to shoot me
okay?"
Athena angrily gritted her teeth and switched off her radio
for a brief micron, "Just keep it up, Starbuck, just keep it
up and you'll tempt me too much."
Then, shaking off her inner anger, on Kobol,
leaving the void will be a simple matter of going out the way the
Kobollians left it, and not going back out the way we came in.
And the star will still be in full view by the time we leave it."
"Okay," Apollo rubbed his chin, "I understand all that.   But
Father, is there a reason why you took a chance that this would be
the actual void containing Kobol?   Is there something of
significance down there that can help our immediate needs?"
"I think it very likely, Apollo."  Adama got to his feet.  "I
believe that the key to telling us what direction we should take
that will lead us to the Thirteenth Tribe, will be found there."
"To Earth?" Serina asked.  "You think the key to that is on
Kobol?"
"It's a possibility that must be considered," Adama said, "And in
light of how we have had no tangible course to guide us since we
fled the Colonies, anything that could give us a clue as to where
our quest will ultimately end, is something we have to take
advantage of.   That's why I decided wshe turned her radio back
on and activated her attack computer.


X-UIDL: ^91"!pa9"!W'-"!<9p"!

The Cylon outpost on the asteroid had only a complement of
some sixty centurions, which meant that in the event of an
emergency situation requiring the launch of all 15 fighters
stationed there, only 15 would be left to man the base
operations.    From the standpoint of Cylon efficiency,
greater numbers were never deemed practical for such an
isolated outpost.  The asteroid was intended solely to serve
as a sheltered listening post for enemy activity, one that
could detect an enemy's presence without much risk of
detection in return.
On this day however, the positions would be entirely
reversed from the intended roles.
The approaching Cylon fighter, launched from Baltar's
baseship to investigate the status of where the fifteen
vipers from the Galactica were going, had radioed ahead to
the base warning them of the impending attack.   Now, all
the centurions who manned the 15 fighters were quicke would take the Fleet into
the void the micron you first brought back word of it, Apollo."
"And is there a specific location on the planet that would be more
promising than others?" Apollo asked.  "We don't exactly have all
the time in the world to conduct a search of the entire planet."
"True," Adama conceded, "But based on the Book of the Word, the
key is to find Kobol's capital city, Eden.   That was the largest
of all Kobollian cities, and it was where all the Lords who ruled
the planet kept their seat of power.   Once we pinpoint Eden, we
then search for the tomb of Kobol's last ruler, the Ninth Lord of
Kobol."
"Kobol's ruler at the time of the Exodus that led to the
settlement of the Colonies," Serina spoke up, which immediately
caused Adama to lift an eyebrow in surprise that she would know
that.
"Yes.  Any mention of the Thirteenth tribe would have to be found
in his tomb if it mentions the departure of the other twelve
tribes."
"When do we leave for this?"
"As soon as our viper pr to head
for the launch and landing area and scramble to readiness to
meet the approaching danger.
"Scanner indicates only one viper from main group
approaching toward the base," one of the operations
centurions reported to the base commander.
"Destroy it and have all fighters intercept the remaining
Colonial vipers."


As soon as Starbuck and Athena made visual contact with the
Cylon fighter, the enemy craft opened first, unleashing a
wild stream of blue laser fire across their paths.
"Roll to your right!" Starbuck barked as he took his own
viper into a gentle roll, "Set yourself up for reverse
thruster move once out of the roll!"
He saw that Athena had no trouble with the maneuver, which
now put them both alongside each other with their tails to
the approaching craft.
"Stand by on reverse thruster," Starbuck said, "Remember,
keep your tail down before you activate the thruster or
you'll run right into him."
"Tail down," Athena grunted as she saw a streak of Cylon
laser fire sail over obes conduct a survey of the planet,"
Adama smiled, "And when that's done, I want you and Serina to
accompany me to the surface."


Red Squadron had launched first to make surveys of the planet
surface and feed the data back to the Galactica's bridge for
analysis by Adama, who seemed to be the one person in the Fleet
who could best use the Book of the Word to correlate the scan data
to reference points described in the Book.
"That's it!" Adama had exclaimed excitedly as soon as data came in
that indicated the capital city of Eden.   "That's where our
survey team will base itself.   Colonel, prepare my shuttle
immediately."
"Commander," Tigh said cautiously, "I just want to go on record
that I'm against having you go down to the planet surface when we
still don't know for certain if the Cylons chose not to pursue us
through the void.    It's possible that their baseships chose to
backtrack around the perimeter and that could make them pierce it
at the point where the star could lead them strher head, and wished he would give the
order now.
"Okay, reverse thruster now!"
The two vipers then moved in that fast backward motion that
always managed to take the simple minded centurion pilots by
surprise.    It never ceased to amaze Starbuck at how Cylon
pilots had not been programmed after all these yahrens to
react more quickly to that kind of maneuver.    Evidently
the thinking in Cylon circles was that the superior numbers
they possessed would always be enough to compensate for the
quirks of individualism that only human pilots could
possess.
Now, the two vipers were lined up behind the Cylon fighter
in position for the kill.    Starbuck glanced over at Athena
and decided that now was the time to make a critical
judgment that could have important long-term consequences if
it came off right.
"Athena, you got him sized up on your attack computer?"
"Got him," she replied.
"Then you perform the honors," Starbuck said without
hesitation, "As soon as he's locked on and blinking, you
oaight to us."
"I appreciate your concern, Colonel, but I must go to the surface
to take readings.   Unless you can scrounge up on half a centar's
notice a scholar in the Fleet who can read ancient Kobollian
script."
"Obviously I can't," Tigh was already resigned to defeat on this
point.   "But I must insist that the survey team you take part in
be heavily armed and fortified."
"Noted," Adama said, "Blue Squadron trainees and all Red Group
pilots currently conducting scanning sweeps will base themselves
on the planet surface in the environs of Eden."


"Come on, bulbhead, I haven't got all night."
Lucifer looked up from the pyramid cards he was holding, and
resisted the urge to shake his head in admiration once again at
Starbuck's unflappable bravado.
"It is obvious Lieutenant, that you were never taught to show any
respect whatsoever for your opponents."
"Who's showing disrespect?" Starbuck retorted gently. "After all,
if we're going to be really living together in peace after all,
some fpen fire."
For an instant, Athena was surprised that Starbuck would
suddenly show that kind of faith in her after his previous
cutting remarks about the simulator exercise mishap.   She
looked back at her attack computer and saw that the fighter
was just above the target lock point.   Making a careful
adjustment to her heading, her viper went up slightly, and
as it did the Cylon came down on the attack computer until
finally it locked and began to blink.
Then, with more adrenaline surging through her than at any
other time in her life, her finger came down on the fire
button.   Just two quick shots.....and then it was over as
the Cylon fighter exploded.
"I got him!" She let out a happy exclamation.   "Starbuck,
did you see that?"
Starbuck almost wished he could have played a practical joke
on her by peeling off out of her sight and saying nothing
for a several microns.    But the urgency of the situation
meant there was no time to engage in practical jokes right
now.
"Saw it.   Congratulatriendly terms of endearment couldn't hurt."
He did it again, Lucifer thought.   Finding a way to see if he
could trap the IL into revealing that Baltar was just presenting
another false offer again.   There was no longer any doubt in
Lucifer's mind that if human leadership had possessed all the
instincts Starbuck had, then the sneak attack of a sectar ago
never could have been pulled off.
"Quite true, Lieutenant, quite true, though as I am sure you are
aware, we Cylons seldom find need to use any terms of endearment,
not even to our fellow Cylons."  He paused, "Insults, are another
matter when it comes to inferior classes of Cylons."
"Ah," Starbuck said, impresed by this.  "Interesting.   At any
rate, it's still your move.   Hover or one more card?"
"I do not need another card.   I will therefore hover, as you put
it."
"Okay," Starbuck smiled, "Now let's assume we're making bets in
the highest wages of Colonial currency.   Think in big numbers if
you're so certain that your hand is better thaions."  He kept his voice matter of
fact. "But they've clearly had time to warn the outpost
about our presence so let's hook back up with the rest and
give Apollo some support fast!"


It only took one brief scan of the energy readings from the
asteroid for Apollo to pinpoint the location of the outpost.
Soon, he had a visual fix on the blinking signal lights on
the mountain face.   Right now the key was for him to make
some quick hits on that part of the mountain to cripple
their launch capacity.
But before Apollo could make his attack run, he suddenly saw
the rock face move upward, and he realized that it meant
only one thing.   The outpost was launching all of its
fighters.
"Frack!" Apollo uncharacteristically swore and pounded his
fist against the side of the cockpit.   He knew that within
microns as many as fifteen Cylon fighters would emerge from
the launch area, and there was no way he could deal with
that singlehandedly.
He saw the first Cylon fighter emerge and he decided to try
n mind."
"Big numbers, Lieutenant?"
"Yeah, like maybe the amount your last Leader used to buy off
Baltar."
Lucifer instantly realized that Starbuck was trying to bait him
again into tripping him up.   But this time, he was prepared.
"I believe no such transaction ever took place, Lieutenant.   At
any rate, I think I would prepared to wager any amount that the
hand I possess is better than yours.   Provided of course that you
have accurately explained all the rules to me as to what
constitutes a better hand than others."
"Hey, wouldn't think of leading you astray on that.   After all, I
wouldn't want to rile you up when you can still tell the
centurions to shoot me for cheating you out of a nice pot.   So
what do you have?"
Lucifer laid down his cards on the table.   It was a three
quarters Pyramid, but with each section from different colors.   A
good hand, but by no means the best.
Starbuck grinned, "Sorry," he set his cards down.  "My perfect
half pyramid with capstone of the same color b
for one quick shot before making a fast retreat.    Without
using his attack computer, he opened fire and managed to
destroy the first ship before it had reached its full flight
capacity.
Apollo then activated his main turbo and began a heading
that would take him back toward the main group of vipers.
Even as he saw the rest of the outpost's fighters on his
rear scan, his first thought wasn't so much about the danger
to himself but to the potential danger to Serina, Athena and
the rest of the trainees.
"Blue Squadron, this is Apollo.   They've launched their
fighters and are headed to intercept.    By the time you get
to me you'll have fighters surrounding you." the force of an
explosion rocked his fighter.
"Copy you, Blue Leader," Killian's determined voice crackled
in his helmet.   "We're ready for them.    Red Group
fighters, assume position on my starboard flank, Blue Group
trainees, assume position on my port.   Stand by to
intercept!"
"Affirmative that, Captain!" Dietra said, clearlyeats your three-
quarters pyramid because you don't have the same color for each
section and you don't have the capstone."
"Hmmmm," Lucifer looked at the table with mild disdain, "It would
seem Lieutenant, that if the rules are to be that complicated,
then it is little wonder that only the foolhardy would immerse
themselves in it."
A centurion then entered the room and came up to Lucifer.  "By
your command.   We have received new information of great
importance."
"Very well," Lucifer rose, feeling somewhat relieved that he
wouldn't have to go through another hand of the silly game again.
As much as he had found Starbuck fascinating from an intellectual
standpoint, the Lieutenant did have some annoying idiosyncracies
that after four centars of conversation had started to wear him
down.    He could use the diversion of more information.
"Nice talking to you," Starbuck leaned back in his chair and lit
another cigar in satisfaction.  He too had enjoyed the last few
centars on an intellectual lev chomping
at the bit now.  "We're ready."
"Ten microns and closing," this from Sergeant Mackin, one of
the other female trainees.   "Captain Apollo's in trouble!"
"Blue Group, you're closer to him, try to see what you can
do, if you can't get into position, I'll move in on the
sucker."
"I have him sized up, Red Leader," Serina jumped in, feeling
both tension and determination going through her body.
She maneuvered her viper in ahead of the rest of the trainee
pilots and could now see one Cylon fighter doggedly pursuing
Apollo.   Clearly, this would require the more difficult
maneuver of a lateral shot.    She glanced back down at her
attack computer and could see Apollo's ship move off the
screen, while the Cylon fighter moved across toward the
middle.
He'll move across my line in three.....two......one.....Now!
Serina's finger came down on the fire button and she let out
a startled burst when she felt the power of the lasers
emerge from her craft.   Then, she looked back up just in
time tel, but unlike Lucifer, was
genuinely sorry it had come to an end.   Talking to a Cylon with
normal human intelligence was a refreshing contrast to what he
could have expected from a centurion's interrogation.
And yet, Starbuck thought further as Lucifer exited the room,
leaving the warrior alone, there was one thing disconcerting about
meeting a Cylon like Lucifer for the first time.   For the first
time, Starbuck could see more in the Cylon Empire than just a
group of robotic machines acting on programmed orders with
seemingly no rhyme or reason.   A Cylon like Lucifer who talked
normal and thought normally, brought home a chilling point that
most humans had never realized before.     That dark emotions of
pure evil could be found in the core of Cylon leadership, and that
their actions were not simply the result of unthinking machines
that had gone out of control long ago.    The advanced levels of
Cylon robots had not only found a way to emulate human speech,
they had appropriated all of tho see the red streaks impact directly on the Cylon
craft.
"Got him!" she let out an excited burst of happiness.
"Captain Apollo, you're now clear of him!"
Apollo shook his head in disbelief at the realization that
it was Serina who had bailed him out.    And already he knew
that he wasn't going to hear the end of it from her once
they returned.
"Thank you, Corporal," Apollo kept his tone professional.
"Okay Killian, I'm resuming command of the squadron.   We
need to take out every last one of them."
"Understood.   Suggest we stay together as one cohesive unit
rather than allow one-to-one engagement."
"Noted and granted," Apollo nodded as he pulled back up
alongside the rest of them.   "All fighters, stay packed
together spaced no more than ten shiplengths apart.   Draw
them into us and they should be sitting ducks."   It was
clearly the more dangerous maneuver from the standpoint of
the concentration of fire that would be raining down on them
from the approaching Cylons, but at the same time dark sides of human nature and
none of the positive ones.
Unless of course, all that talk about changes in the Empire were
true.   So far, he had yet to see any reason to make him think
this story was any more genuine than the false peace of a sectar
ago.   But at the same time, he was determined to bide his time
and watch for something more specific before making a final
judgment.

X-UIDL: Bk?!!pjT"!*>:!!==("!

As soon as Apollo brought the shuttle to a stop on the planet
surface, his attention immediately went to the distant sight that
filled the view through the cockpit.   Three massive pyramid
shaped structures that towered higher than any structure ever
built on Caprica or any other planet in the Colonies.    The shape
of the structures was all the visual proof one needed to know that
this planet influenced all of Colonial civilization, since the
pyramid was the standard shape for so many structures.   But to
see these Pyramids built on such a grander scale could only mean
that Koboe it would
mean that they could all stay close together and the
experienced pilots could use their superior skills to take
out more of the fighters.
"Got ƒ?~em lined up," Sergeant Barton chimed in.   "Opening
fire now!"
In just a matter of microns, Barton and the other fighters
from Red Group had taken out five of the approaching Cylons.
Now, the Colonials enjoyed the numerical advantage.
"They're peeling off toward your flank, trainees," Killian
said, "Watch yourselves."
"Don't worry, we don't scare easy," Dietra said as she moved
ahead of the rest of the group and sized up two approaching
fighters.   One shot destroyed the lead one, but the second
one managed to roar past before she could take it out.
"Uh-oh," she said with alarm as she backed off on her turbo
power.   "One of them's about to get by!"
"I've got him, Dietra!" this from Brie, still determined to
make up for her earlier mistake.   But her shot was also
erratic, and missed, "Felgercarb!" she cursed.
"Easy, Brie," Serina saidllian civilization had indeed once possessed technical
knowledge that their descendants had never been able to equal.
"Exactly as the Book described them," Adama said with reverent awe
as he came up alongside his son to take in the view. "There's no
question the Ninth Lord's tomb must lie somewhere within that
complex."
"Then I guess we shouldn't waste any time, should we?" Serina
smiled as she came up to the front too.
"Just a centon," Apollo said cautiously as he activated his
communications set, "Blue Squadron, this is Apollo.   Are you in
place on the surface yet?"
"Affirmative Apollo," Athena's voice came through the shuttle.
"Landrams now deployed and we're setting up basecamp at position
one thousand metrones southeast of Pyramids.    That's where the
sand ends and the ruins begin."
"Copy.  Who's in charge of operations?"
"Lieutenant Taggs of Red Squadron is senior.   He's maintaining
viper sweep above planet with the rest of Red Group.   Captain
Killian's remained on the Galactica fo calmly as she pushed her craft
gently to starboard and sized up the fighter.    Again, she
did a mental count down from three before opening fire.
And once again, her shot was perfect.
"Got him!" She exclaimed, "They're down to no more than
seven now."
"Make that five," this from Sergeant Hanlon, "Jameson and I
got the ones on the periphery."
"Apollo, I think as a group we can handle the rest of them
at three to one superiority," Killian said.   "With their
launch bay open for recovering these suckers, the outpost
should be a sitting duck against one viper.  Suggest either
you or I go in to take care of that."
"Affirmative Red Leader, you stay in charge of the group,
I'll go back in on the outpost."   Apollo hit his turbo and
headed back toward the asteroid.    It only took him a
centon to be back in the position he had been in earlier for
a strafing run on the outpost.   Only this time, he had an
open and exposed landing bay area that even exposed the
interior of the base itself to his vir now."
"Thanks.  Will be in touch later."  Apollo shut off the
communicator and rose, "We can haul out the landram to get closer
to the tombs, unless you'd rather walk."
"I'm for walking," Serina said, "This is a sight I just want to
absorb to the fullest."
"Sound thinking, Serina," Adama smiled at his daughter-in-law, "I
think we'd all find it invigorating."
They left the shuttle and began the walk toward the Pyramids in
the distance.   As they drew closer and saw the sands of the
desert give way to broken columns of smaller buildings that had
long ago collapsed, their sense of awe increased to the point
where none of them found they could say anything to each other.
"I'm going to check this entry point here," Adama said.  "I'll be
back in a centon."
As soon as he had moved off, Apollo instinctively wrapped his arm
about Serina's waist, and she then turned toward him so that they
could come together in an embrace.
"Feel like finding a secluded spot to be alone until the Fleet
leaves?" sheew.
Apollo took his viper into a steep dive toward the landing
bay, never taking his finger off the trigger.    He could
see the red streaks of laser fire impact inside and set off
a chain reaction of explosions that belched outward.
Finally, several hundred feet from the blazing opening of
the mountain face, he pulled back up, giving himself some
brief dizziness from the g-factor pressure as he climbed out
of the asteroid's atmosphere and back into starry blackness
of space.
By the time he had shaken his head clear of the dizziness,
he could look up and see the other vipers approaching his
position.    There were no other Cylons to be soon.
"Nice shooting, Captain!" he could easily tell Dietra was
grinning.   "They're all probably melted scrap by now."
"Thanks," Apollo smiled, "Looks as though you did the same
to them out here."
"You'll be interested to know, Captain, that the trainees
accounted for nine of the fourteen kills overall, with no
losses whatsoever," Serina said proudly.
"You all did well under exceptional circumstances," Apollo
said.  "Consider yourselves through the baptism of fire, and
full-fledged warriors from this point forward."  He paused
as he realized that there were two voices he hadn't heard,
"What happened to Starbuck and Athena?"
"They went after a Cylon on our rear flank that warned the
base of our presence," Killian said.  "Indications are they
took care of him and they should be caught up to us any
micron now."
For the first time, Apollo's euphoria faded, "There was a
Cylon in the rear quadrant?"
"Yes.   Just the one."
"Oh boy," Apollo took a breath, "I don't like the sound of
that.   That fighter may not have come from the asteroid."
"Well whether it did or not, we don't have time to
investigate that, Apollo.   We've got to make sure things
stay clear here for the med shuttle to do its job."
"Understood," Apollo nodded and then switched frequencies,
"Medical shuttle, this is Blue Leader.   Asteroid is secure
for you to land on.    But don't tak smiled coyly at him.
"It's tempting," he smiled back and kissed her on the lips.  "Very
tempting."
He then looked over her shoulder and saw Adama returning, and
reluctantly he let go of her.
"Come this way," his father sounded eager.   "I think we're even
closer than I realized."


After receiving his briefing from the centurion, Lucifer had
promptly gone to the throne room, wondering if this news would at
last force Baltar to implement his plan.    To his surprise, he
saw that Baltar had come down from the throne chair and was pacing
in front of it.
"Yes?" the traitor inquired as he saw the IL enter.
"A curious development, Baltar," Lucifer said, "This one will, I
am sure, take you by surprise."
"Nothing takes me by surprise, Lucifer.   What is it?"
"A star."
"What star?"
"A star has appeared out of nowhere, and has guided the Galactica
to a dead planet."
"Dead planet?" Baltar frowned, "What do you mean, a dead planet?"
"A planet devoid of vegetation and natural resources in every
see more time than you
have to to get what you need."
There was a brief pause before an answer came back, "This is
Dr. Salik, Captain.   We only need twenty centons and we'll
be off that rock in an instant."
"Copy that," Apollo switched frequencies, "Killian, I want
your fighters and Starbuck to stand by and continue to
provide escort and cover for the shuttle.    Trainees,
you'll accompany me back to the Galactica so we can make our
report of the situation to Commander Adama."
"Affirmative, Apollo," Red Leader said, "With the asteroid
secure, the seven of us are adequate for security escort."
he paused, "My congratulations to all of you in Blue
Squadron.   I know I speak for everyone in Red Group that
it's been an honor to fly with you on this mission."
"Thank you, Captain Killian," Dietra said, "It's been our
pleasure too."
"Okay Blue Group," Apollo said, feeling relieved that it was
over.  "Let's head for home."

X-UIDL: +"J"!M4j!!dXR"!,@;!!

As soon as he received the news direct from nse.   Such a planet could be of no meaningful use to the
Galactica or the Fleet from the standpoint of finding supplies she
would need."
Baltar shook his head in disbelief, "If Adama knows I'm closing in
for the kill, why should heƒ?"" he then stopped as the fragment of
a childhood memory came back to him.   Memories of a lesson he'd
been taught in his worship studies class, which he'd largely
consigned to the realm of worthless superstition long ago.
"Of course," he whispered in amazement, "The endless black void
and the majestic star in the heavens.   Adama in his desperation
has taken his Fleet on a homecoming to the birthplace of human
civilization."
"Quite a curious development, indeed," Lucifer admitted, "By far,
an action that makes even less sense than the destruction of our
outpost."
"But what it indicates, my dear Lucifer, is that the time at last
has come for me to implement my plan that will guarantee our
complete and total victory," a triumphant smile came over Baltar's
face.
Apollo, Omega
almost bolted from his chair and ran up the steps to the
upper level where Adama and Tigh held ground.
"Commander," he didn't conceal the excitement he felt,
"Captain Apollo reports mission a complete success.
Outpost destroyed and no casualties.    The med shuttle will
be returning with the samples within an hour."
"Good!" Adama allowed himself a feeling of exhilaration for
just that one word, and then suddenly it was gone.
Already he had the look of someone who now felt the need to
move on to more important business.   "As soon as the entire
squadron has landed, order all ships in the Fleet to close
in on the Galactica and slow down to probe speed."
"What?" Tigh was caught off guard.   "You mean we're still
going into the void?    With the outpost destroyed, that now
clears that sector of space for us."
Adama shook his head, "No it doesn't, Tigh.   That outpost
certainly had enough time to alert every other nearby base,
and there's little doubt that reinforcements will soon b"And how will this plan be implemented, Baltar?"
"Quite simply," he turned to face him.  "Prepare my personal
shuttle for launch."
"And an escort?"
"No," he shook his head.  "I go alone.   A second shuttle is to
stand by and launch one centar after I depart, to the same
coordinates with the prisoner, but that too will carry no escort."
"Indeed?" Lucifer was mildly taken aback, "To what end?"
"I have made that clear to you, Lucifer.   The opportunity to trap
the Galactica into a new offer of peace must be made under
conditions that are absolutely right.   To appear before Adama
with an armed escort and a visible presence of fighters will
negate any chance of success."
"How do you plan to communicate with us for further instructions?"
"I shall communicate in due time," Baltar's voice rose slightly,
"This is my risk that I am taking, Lucifer.   But remember that
only I, have the ability to deliver the Galactica to your
Imperious Leader."
"Of course," there was just a hint of dryness in Lucifer'e on
top of that area by the time the rest of the Fleet would be
in that sector.   We have to keep moving on our present
course," he took a breath, "At least the darkness of the
void will give us some cover.   And the Cylons might be
dissuaded from venturing into it themselves."
"It may give us some cover, Commander," Tigh now felt a
sense of exasperation rising to the surface, "But it may
also end up causing who knows how many ships to get lost,
and that void will end up doing to this Fleet what the
Cylons haven't been able to accomplish."
Adama stared at his friend for a micron, not changing his
expression in the slightest.   He placed his hand in his
pocket where he could still feel the letter he had written
to Ila, and then pulled his hand out and touched the
ceremonial medal about his neck that denoted his position as
a member of the Council of Twelve.    Finally, he turned
away from the executive officer and faced a confused Omega.
"We're heading in.   Pass the word to the rest of the s tone as
Baltar turned away and left the throne room.   For a long time, he
stared at the doorway where Baltar had exited before he finally
left the room himself.


Adama led the way, as he, Apollo and Serina moved into the heart
of the ruins that surrounded the base of the tallest Pyramid
structures.   They could see many elaborately carved figures of
humans wearing headgear that Apollo recognized as an early version
of the viper helmets.   Surrounded by them were vast quantities of
writing, which Apollo noticed was based entirely on pictorial
symbols.   It struck him as fantastic to think that an entire
civilization's language could have been based on a seemingly more
complex form of communication.
As if Adama was reading his mind, his father spoke, "All of this
writing is the language of Kobol's Lords.   The rulers of the
planet.   It represented the language they first developed at the
very dawn of time itself, and over the thousands of yahrens that
life flourished on Kobol, it remaineFleet,
Omega."
"Yes sir," the bridge officer said dazedly as he made his
way back down the steps to the lower level.


As soon as the shuttle landed on the asteroid, the med-tech
team, all clad in full protective garments wasted little
time getting out and beginning their scans of the surface.
"Med scanner reveals high concentrations of the viral strain
largely in the ground, minute concentrations in the air."
Nestor reported.
"The virus thrives in the soil then," Salik said, "The trace
readings in the air are from the emissions in the ground.
Take a large soil sample first.     Cassiopeia, I want you
to take an air sample just as large, and we'll have what we
need to run comparative tests on how it reacts to this
atmosphere and the Galactica's.   I'm convinced the
comparison is the key to figuring out how it breaks down."
As Salik watched his med-techs go to work, for the first
time since the crisis had erupted, he began to feel the
sense of helplessness dissipate.


Aboard the baseshd the official royal language.
This was to insure that only well-educated men could ever rise to
power, because it required the most formal and advanced training
to master it."
"Was Eden the largest of Kobol's cities?" Apollo inquired as he
stopped to admire one of the carved pillars.   The weathered
smoothness indicated thousands of yahrens of erosion, but it still
managed to have a noble quality to it.   And then, he stopped to
think of what future civilizations of alien races might see in the
ruins of the Colonies many thousands of yahrens later, and if they
would still retain any noble reminders of their past greatness.
Somehow, he couldn't envision that at all.
"By far," Adama said.  "And it was the last of the cities to fall.
Because of that, the Ninth Lord of Kobol, the last ruler, kept
himself walled up in his palace and his trappings of wealth and
luxury to the very end, believing until it was far too late that
the setbacks taking place on Kobol were only temporary.  And that
the Almip, Lucifer again found himself
accompanying the command centurion into the throne room.
The news he had to bring was anything but positive, but at
the very least it would give him further insight into seeing
how Baltar's mind operated.
"His reaction to the news should be very interesting to
observe," he leaned over to the command centurion and
verbalized what he was thinking.   But once again, the
command centurion had no response for him.
When they reached the base of the throne chair, it had
already begun to turn around even before Lucifer could
finish uttering, "By your command."   Clearly, Baltar was
anxious to hear further news at this point.
"Speak."
"Vipers from the Galactica have attacked and destroyed our
outpost."
Baltar's eyebrows went up, "Then the Galactica is on her way
over the outpost now?"
"No," Lucifer might have shaken his bulbous head if he
possessed the inkling, "She is entering the void."
The traitor leaned forward in his chair, his expression one
of disbelief.  "Buighty would one day let things flourish as they once did
during the Golden Age."
"Why did Kobol die?" Serina asked, "Was it all a natural phenomena
or was it their fault the planet died?"
"A combination of both," Adama said.  "Being here now validates
the reality of a text that many of our theologians weren't sure
could be included as part of the Book of the Word.   A text that
purportedly was the journal record of one of those who first
settled on Caprica that documented things about Kobol's last days
that the Book of the Word didn't mention.   It was called the
testament of Arkada."
"I remember my instructor dismissing that as unreliable because
the earliest copy of that text dates to about one thousand yahrens
after the Colonies were settled."  Apollo said, fascinated by this
discussion as well as the sights.   This was exactly the sort of
thing Apollo had always dreamed of doing.  For the first time, a
taste of a life that might have been for him, was being sampled
and it was everything ht why bother risking detection by
destroying the outpost if they had no intention of moving in
that direction?"
"It is indeed, quite puzzling to say the least," Lucifer
conceded.
"Unless maybe Adama needs something from the asteroid?"
Baltar absently gazed at the ceiling, trying to think,
"Food?  Fuel?"
"The fuel supply at the outpost was only enough to maintain
fifteen fighters on short range patrols.   A mere pittance
for what the Galactica and her fleet would need.    And
there is no supply of food fit for human consumption to be
found on the asteroid."
"Strange," Baltar shook his head as he leaned back in his
chair.
"There is....one other curious matter to report."
"What is it?"

"Reports indicated that many of the Colonial viper craft
that engaged the outpost flew in a most....erratic fashion."
"Evidently they flew well enough to destroy your base,"
Baltar retorted, clearly unimpressed by that detail.
For the first time, Lucifer felt his inner sense of
exasperation increasing.   Ite'd always envisioned.
"It was a valid objection," Adama admitted.  "But I think the
evidence of the planet itself proves that the account is accurate
and it was just a matter of earlier translations being lost." he
looked about, "The testament of Arkada talks of how Kobol's
scientists first discovered that the sun was dying.   Unable to
give off anything more than the late afternoon level of
illumination we experience now, at a given time.   It was as
though every life giving property of the sun that enabled the eco-
system was just suddenly, for no reason their advanced science
could comprehend....shutting itself down for good."
"But the planet with its technology could have had the means to
sustain life, couldn't it?"
"That was where Kobollian arrogance proved their ultimate
downfall."  Adama said.  "The latter stages of Kobol's Golden Age
had caused corruption and waste to infect the planet.   With that
came a pillaging of the planet's resources.   It reached a point
where when the sun be was maddening to see how
Baltar seemed to have the ability to top him with such ease.
Perhaps the time had come to show a little less deference to
him.
"It was a small outpost, caught by surprise since you
determined the Galactica would not strike there."
Baltar broke into a grin and began to laugh, which only
further heightened the IL's sense of inner exasperation.
"Do not fence with me my friend.   We have suffered no
significant setback, and everything continues to proceed
according to my plan.   Except for the fact that you did not
see to it that one of their pilots was captured as I
ordered, while this strike was taking place on the
asteroid."
"To assure such a capture, we would have to risk being
discovered----" Lucifer began to protst, but Baltar quickly
cut him off.
"We went over this before, Lucifer.   And it would seem that
you have failed in this instance to fully execute your
duties as was expected of you."
"I apologize for my impudence," Lucifer bowed his head, as
he realizegan to die, the combined results were
catastrophic."  He shook his head, "The rivers and oceans were
contaminated.   The skies couldn't even support the heartiest of
creatures.   Their technology had given them all of the material
comforts they could have asked for, but now in a moment of crisis
they no longer knew how to use it properly and it proved the key
to Kobol's destruction."  He stopped to stare at the ruins.  "And
when the last of these survivors settled in the Colonies, they
turned on that very same technology that they hadn't used
properly, and destroyed everything.   The ships that carried them
to the Colonies.   The machines that had powered their systems.
In effect, when they started anew on the Colonies, they turned the
clocks back to the dawn of civilization, as though somehow they
felt it was a sign of repentance they needed to make to the
Almighty for their arrogance that had resulted in the destruction
of their home civilization."
Serina shook her head in fascination, "It ad that Baltar had him on that point.   "One of our
patrol craft did engage the attack force and had warned the
outpost before its destruction, and apparently it was
assumed that the outpost's fighters would be sufficient to
handle that task.   The rest of our patrol did not regard it
as their place to interfere, lest they make the Galactica
think the one craft was not conceivably from the outpost to
begin with."
"Caution in this instance does not serve them well,"
Baltar's tone grew frosty, "My order still stands.   The
Galactica sends out patrols do they not?   Capture one!"
He then turned the throne chair away from him, indicating to
Lucifer that the conversation was over.    As the IL left
the chamber, he found that he was too discouraged inside to
say anything to the command centurion.    The only thing
going through his mind was that accepting this assignment
may not have been such a good thing after all.



Chapter Eight

When Apollo returned to the Galactica, he didn't immediatelylmost sounds like
history has repeated itself with us."
Adama looked at her, impressed again by her insight, "That's
certainly true to an extent.   Only when we find Earth, I don't
think we'll feel motivated to destroy our technology.   This time,
when we settle anew, it will be with a deeper understanding of the
frailties in man's character that can cause destruction.   Not the
mere possession of technology."
They resumed walking through the ruins, and Apollo found himself
staring again at the pictorial inscriptions, shaking his head in
frustration over his inability to comprehend.  "What I wouldn't
give to have taken a course in the ancient languages while I was
at the Academy."
"It's difficult," his father conceded.  "Even with all the studies
I've made over the yahrens, I don't consider myself proficient in
all this.   But I do know enough to get the basic gist of
everything."
The commander stopped in his tracks as his dark eyes focused on
one elaborate wall carving which more sheltered 
leave the landing bay to make his report to Adama.
Instead, he lingered for several centons, waiting for the
vipers of the seven trainees to land first.    Watching each
of them get out with a feeling of both relief that it was
over, combined with exhilaration that all had gone well.
And waiting for Serina to get out and come over to him, so
he could have his first private talk with her since before
the news of the mission.
The two male trainees, Hanlon and Jameson came up to him
first, both of them patting each other on the back.
Apollo instantly noticed how the two of them almost seemed
to have aged by a yahren now that they had taken part in
their first mission.   Which once again proved that what his
old instructor at the Academy had said was true.   The
Baptism Of Fire ritual always took away a part of one's
feeling of youthful innocence.
"Congratulations, gentlemen," Apollo said.
"Thank you, sir," Hanlon came to attention.   "Do we resume
normal training exercises on the simulators tover the yahrens,
still retained traces of its original paint and gilding.
"Look at that," he whispered.   "We've found what we were looking
for.   Those pictures refer to the Ninth Lord of Kobol.  That
depicts his burial ceremony."  He took several steps forward, his
body almost trembling, and peered at the next wall.  This time,
his eyes locked on something different from the previous wall.
This time, there was an elaborate carving that depicted a circular
symbol with a four sided shape in the middle.  Radaiting outward
were lines that ended in numerous smaller shapes.
"The Ninth Lord's seal," Adama's awe increased as he pointed,
"We're right on top of the entry to his burial chamber.  If only
there were a passageway somewhere."
"Father!" Apollo pointed to his left, "Over there."
Adama looked and saw a darkened doorway at the far end of some
ruins.   He almost went into a sprint as he made his way inside.
The outside light barely managed to illuminate the interior, but
it was enough for theomorrow?"
"Yes, for Level Four tests of all out attack on the Fleet,"
Apollo nodded.   "Report there at 0900."
"We'll be there," Jameson said as the two walked away.
Apollo looked back at the five female trainees who were all
gathered together, conversing vigorously about the mission
they had just completed.    It was more than a centon before
Serina finally bothered to look in his direction and see him
standing by the support pillar, motioning her to come over.
"You go ahead, I'll catch up with you, later," he could hear
Serina say to them as she then came over to him while the
others headed for the turbo lift at the other end of the
landing bay.
"Hi," Apollo smiled crookedly, "Thought it was time we have
a little talk now that it was over."
"Of course," Serina returned his smile, but inside she felt
just a little bit of tension.
"You did a good job out there, Serina.   You and all the
trainees.   It's a lot more than I would have expected under
these circumstances."
"Thank you," Serina dm to see an identical carving of the symbol
they had just seen outside, with the lines radiating outward.
The only difference was that above this one, lay more traditional
inscriptions.
"Can you read it?" Serina felt her heart beginning to pump with
excitement.
"Yes," Adama nodded, "It says, ƒ?~Beyond this portal lies the
Ninth Lord of Kobol in eternal peace.   Enter on pain of death.'"
At that instant, Apollo couldn't help but think of what Starbuck
might have said in response to that.   He decided he owed it to
him to say it.  "You don't suppose there's someone back there
ready to enforce that, do you?"
Adama turned around and noticing his son's expression, matched his
thin smile of understanding.   "Would you care to find out,
Apollo?"
"I'm willing." his smile turned into a grin, and Serina found
herself chuckling too.   Then, her eyes caught sight of Adama's
Council medallion hanging about his neck.
"Your medallion!" she exclaimed.  "The seal is the same as that
symbol."
"Yes," Adama nidn't change her expression.
"Oh and ah...." he lowered his head and seemed to shuffle
his feet, "Thanks for bailing me out too."
"Just doing what you've trained us all to do, Apollo," she
said.
He looked up at her almost quizzically, "Is that all you
felt when you found yourself in that position, Serina?"
"No it isn't," his fiancee didn't bat an eye, "I felt a lot
of things going through my head at that centon when I saw
that I had to make a lateral shot to take out that Cylon.
Just like I know you felt a lot of things going through your
head when you realized I had to take part in this mission,
and you saw me out there for the first time.    But what do
you expect me to do, Apollo?   Collapse in a burst of
released emotions now that the first mission is over?"  She
shook her head, "I can't ever do that, Apollo.   Not if this
is going to be my life's work from here on.   Just like
you've never let yourself do that since you became a
warrior."
Apollo let out a sigh of resignation as he awkwodded, "The symbol of our faith.   Retained through
the millennia from Kobol to the Colonies.   And in this
instanceƒ?"" he looked back at the symbol, "The key to our ability
to enter."
He detached the medallion from his neck and taking a breath, he
placed it on top of the symbol.   Suddenly, from somewhere inside
there was the sound of machinery being activated.   Coming to life
again for the first time in more than seven thousand yahrens it
groaned slightly and then rose to a whirring tempo.   Microns
later, the door slid open revealing total darkness inside.
"Get out your illuminators," Adama said as he stared into the
blackness that lay ahead.   "We're about to find out if this trip
to the mother world has been worth it."
"Just a centon," Apollo detached his micro-communicator.  "Apollo
to basecamp.   Do you copy?"
The voice of Lieutenant Taggs, the deputy flight leader of Red
Squadron sounded back, "We copy you, Captain.   Where've you and
the Commander gone off to?"
"We're about to entardly looked
at the floor again.
"It still bothers you, does it Apollo?" Serina reached out
and touched his arm.   "Even after you've seen how good I
can be out there?"
"Especially now that I've seen how good you can be out
there," Apollo didn't look up.  "That's what bothers me the
most, Serina.   I wish you weren't doing this, but I don't
have a single valid reason to argue why you shouldn't do
this.    Not after you've proved yourself today."
"Then drop it," her voice grew both quiet and firm at the
same time.   "If you value what we mean to each other, and
value our future together, then drop it now.   Please."
Serina took his chin and lifted it so that he was now
looking at her, "Apollo, I'm not going to be the kind of
warrior who'd take a foolish risk.    That's never been your
style and it's not going to be mine.   You've kept yourself
out of trouble for seven yahrens, and all I need to do is
follow your example and I know we never have to worry about
each other's safety."
Apollo kner the tomb situated twenty five metrones
within the perimeter of ruins by the westernmost Pyramid," Apollo
said.  "We may not be able to communicate once we're inside.   If
you don't hear from us within a centar, send a guard unit to the
entrance to that tomb."
"Affirmative.  Anything else?"
"Yeah," Apollo said, realizing that if one of Red Group's pilots
was talking to him, that meant none of them could still be up in
the air conducting the patrol sweep.  "Have you stood down from
patrol sweep above the planet?"
"Yeah, the Galactica said they can maintain watch over the skies,
so we've all based ourselves down here.   We're keeping the whole
area of ruins secure."
For just a micron, Apollo wasn't sure if he liked the sound of
that information.   Given how the void was still capable of
playing havoc with the Galactica's scanners, it was still possible
for them to not maintain a perfect sweep of the entire area
surrounding the planet.   And that could leave an opening that a
watchful Cylon tew he was beaten.   He had to admit the inevitable,
and the sooner he did, the better it would be for the both
of them.
"Serina," he touched her shoulder, "I'll drop it.   But if
it seems like it's taking me awhile to put it all behind
me....just please promise me you'll be patient.   I....don't
want to lose you.   Ever."
Serina smiled warmly at him and then pulled him to her so
that they were now embracing.   "You never will, my
captain," she kissed him on the lips, "We've got a lot of
yahrens ahead of us."


Five centons later, Apollo was on the bridge making his
report to Adama.
"The trainees proved themselves beyond what I expected,"
Apollo said.   "I would have no objections to taking them on
any other mission where they might be needed."
"Hopefully that won't be necessary," Adama said, "Assuming
Salik is able to find a cure for the disease, we might have
Blue Squadron back to full readiness the next time a mission
is needed."
Hearing his father say that immediately made Apollo realask force could conceivably exploit.
"Apollo," Adama called to him.  "We need to look at this
immediately."
He shook his concerns off, and nodded.   After giving a final
acknowledgment to Taggs, he shut his communicator off, and
detached the illuminator from his weapons belt.   Serina did
likewise with hers.   The illuminator was a conveniently small-
size tool that could fit easily in one's palm but could cast a
light over distances of up to 500 metrones on the highest setting.
It would serve perfectly for this occasion.
As soon as the three of them were inside the inner chamber, Adama
noticed a row of larger sized illuminators lined up in a neat row,
as though they were waiting to be picked.   Since he didn't have
an illuminator of his own, he instinctively reached for it.
Suddenly, as the device came loose in his hand, the door behind
them abruptly slammed shut throwing them into total darkness.
But then, Adama's illuminator automatically came on, while Serina
and Apollo hastily activated ize
there was something he hadn't bothered to ask him before,
and the answer might end up adding a new wrinkle to the
matter of Serina's future.
"Father," he lowered his voice, "Assuming we do get Blue
Squadron back, then....what would become of all the
trainees?    We'd.....have more pilots than there are vipers
for them to fly."
Adama's eyes narrowed as he realized what his son was
getting at.   "Your professional judgment with regard to
these trainees was that they did an excellent job, was it
not?"
"Yes," he admitted.
"Then there is no possibility of my taking them off flight
status," Adama said firmly.   "It may be that some of them
will prove to be more qualified than some of the junior
members presently in Blue or Red Squadron when it comes to
being on active status.   But at the very least, Apollo, all
of them are going to be part of a reserve contingent that
will be expected to fly at a centon's notice if they're ever
needed.   They've gone through the training, and those
skills theirs.
The Galactica commander shook his head in disgust, "My fault.  I
should have remembered that there'd be some kind of automatic
closing system tied into this console."
"Can we get out?"  Serina asked with concern.
Adama shined the illuminator on the backside of the door that was
now closed.   He could see the symbol of the Ninth Lord identical
to the one on the other side.   "Yes.  It only requires my
medallion again to get us out, just as it did to let us in."  He
smiled reassuringly.  "We don't need to bother getting it open
again just now.   Let's just proceed forward and see what there
is."
His words immediately had an effect and his daughter-in-law
smiled, "Lead the way, Commƒ?"ƒ?"."  She then stopped and for the
first time said the word she'd never thought she'd be comfortable
saying, "Father."
Apollo patted his wife on the shoulder and the three of them began
their trek that would carry them deeper inside the long forgotten
tomb.


Chapter Twelve

    The void was playing are going to be put to use in the future even if we
get all of Blue Squadron back."  He paused, "Anyone who
doesn't want that status would have to opt out voluntarily,
Apollo.   But no one is going to be removed from that status
unless its for dereliction of duty or incompetent
performance."
"I understand," Apollo nodded vigorously, "And I agree
completely.   We have to continue to draw on their skills
after the crisis has past."
"I'm glad you see it that way," Adama said cautiously,
hoping that his son would cease to look for any hope that
Adama would find some loophole that would get Serina off
flight status.
"Commander," Omega came up to them, "Already we're getting
some early signs of interference with our systems from the
void, and we're still two centars from penetration."
"Begin recalibration of system scanners, and continue the
process of closing the Fleet to smaller spacings between
ships." Adama said.    The bridge officer nodded and walked
away.
Apollo looked at his father with havoc with Baltar's scanner as he
guided the shuttle
on an approach toward Kobol, but he refused to panic.   The
planet itself
offered a perfect reference point, and he also realized that
if the void was
doing this to his own scanner it also worked to his own
advantage in that no
one from the Galactica would be able to scan him for now.  A
sudden,
unexpected entrance was the only thing that could work to
his advantage at
this point.
    The ideal situation from Baltar's standpoint would be to
find Adama on
the surface so he could present his offer to him directly
and instantly.   He
knew he couldn't dare run the risk of going to the Galactica
since they would
be apt to throw him into the brig the instant he showed his
face, so for now
it was a matter of finding someone on the planet to talk to,
and if Fate was
with him, Adama would be there.
    As soon as he hit the atmosphere, his scanner detected
signs of a large
human presence near the ruins of one major city.
Instantly, he guidsurprise, "We're going to
enter the void?"
"Yes," the commander said, "Events leave us with no other
alternative at this time.    Thankfully the matter of
getting what was needed from the asteroid was accomplished
before we entered it."
"Father, I nearly got lost forever inside that place.   I'm
not sure it's a good idea for a Fleet this size to----"
"Apollo, you mentioned your suspicion that the one Cylon
fighter Starbuck took care of may not have come from the
asteroid," Adama gently cut him off.  "If that's the case
then we're dealing with the likely possibility that one of
their baseships is closer than they've been to us at any
time since Carillon.    Entering the void will at the least
offer us some potential shelter from that danger."
"It might be at too high a cost."
Adama slowly shook his head, "I have a feeling it won't be,
Apollo.   Not in the least bit."
"Commander," this from Rigel, "Medical shuttle has left the
surface of the asteroid and is now enroute back from the
asteroided his
shuttle on an arc that would take him first away from that
settlement, and
then gradually back in so he could land just beyond their
ground scan range.
    When he stepped out of the shuttle, he could see the
imposing form of
three large Pyramids several kilometers away to the south.
The Colonials
had clearly set up a basecamp to investigate the region, and
that was where
he needed to engage in some stealth to hopefully find out
where Adama was.
    It took Baltar almost half a centar to reach the
perimeter, and he found
that by ducking behind the ruins he could spy on the
warriors patrolling the
flank and listen in, without being noticed in return.   His
plan was to
eavesdrop for the next ten centons, and then if that didn't
yield the
information he needed, he was prepared to come out into the
open.   One thing
he couldn't afford to do was delay things longer than one
full centar, which
was when the second shuttle would land with Starbuck.
Above all, he needed
to be sure he  with the rest of our vipers.   They'll be aboard in
fifteen centons."
"Excellent!" Adama said as he mounted the steps to the
command deck, "Inform all ships that all shuttle flights
between vessels in the Fleet will be suspended in exactly
one centar until further notice.   We can't risk the
possibility of shuttle pilots getting lost once we're inside
the void.    All supply shuttles are to make their
deliveries immediately before that suspension goes into
effect."
"Yes sir."
"Father----" Apollo started.
"Do you have any alternate plan to propose, Captain?" Adama
looked down at him from his higher position on the upper
deck, which had an intimidating effect on his son.
"No," he shook his head.  "No, I don't.   I'll...be in my
quarters if I'm needed."   He then straightened himself and
left the Bridge.
X-UIDL: 8;e!!&IP!!\f7"!g^=!!

Throughout the shuttle ride back to the Fleet, Cassiopeia
could tell that Salik was literally chomping at the bit to
get to his lab and begin his study of thehad made his move before the Galactica warrior
showed his face
to his fellow Colonials again.
    He noticed a medium-sized warrior conversing on a micro-
communicator and
inched closer so he could listen in.
    "We copy you, Captain.  Where've you and the Commander
gone off to?"
    "We're about to enter the tomb situated twenty five
metrones within the
perimeter of ruins by the westernmost Pyramid," a voice
crackled back over
the communicator.  "We may not be able to communicate once
we're inside.   If
you don't hear from us within a centar, send a guard unit to
the entrance to
that tomb."
    Baltar's eyes widened in stunned amazement at how he'd
found the very
answer to what he needed to know so easily.   It was enough
to make him think
that the Fates were conspiring in his favor more than ever.
To give him at
long last the chance he'd been dreaming of for nearly a
sectar now.
    Slowly, without making a sound, he disappeared into the
ruins.  Headed
for the location he had hea samples they had
collected from the asteroid.    They had spent the entire
time in a sealed off section of the shuttle to prevent
contamination, forced to keep their decon suits on the whole
time, but even with them on, there was no mistaking the
Chief Medical Officer's determination.  The whole time he
simply sat on the bench located on the side of the
compartment, hunched over slightly and occasionally banging
his gloved hands together as though some ideas were
occurring to him.
What a remarkable man, Cassiopeia thought.   With someone as
dedicated as Salik heading the operation, it was little
wonder that Cassiopeia felt a real sense of purpose in her
work as a med-tech.   Which for the former socialator,
represented another chance at a road she had not taken once
before.    Five yahrens ago, she had taken med-tech training
courses at the University she'd attended on Aeries.    But
she had also at the same time been reading up and learning
about the ways of the Socialator, and had found hrd over the communicator.


    There was a mixture of both trepidation and exhilaration
inside Adama,
Apollo and Serina as they made their way deeper into the
darkened passageways
of the Ninth Lord's tomb.   So far, the corridors contained
no carvings, and
only signs of thousands of yahrens of decay.
    Suddenly, Serina let out a startled yelp as her
illuminator shined on
three decaying skeletons sprawled across the floor.   As
soon as Adama
spotted them, his boot came in contact with the rib cage of
one of them and
the gentle force instantly caused the bones to crumble to
dust.   The
commander looked down and grimly shook his head in disgust.
    "Tomb robbers," he muttered.   "Foolish imbeciles who no
doubt tried to
plunder the Ninth Lord's tomb of its wealth before they
hoped to leave the
planet."
    No sooner had Adama finished when an iron gate suddenly
slammed down in
front of them, blocking their path.   Apollo suddenly
whipped out his laser
pistol in a reflex action, theerself torn
as to what would be a better option for her, and what would
provide a greater sense of purpose in her life.
Ultimately, she had chosen the path of a socialator, and it
had led to many experiences in her life in the five yahrens
leading up to the Destruction that had produced both
happiness, satisfaction, and with it, sadness as well.
But nothing more sad than the one time in that five yahren
span that she had allowed her services as a socialator to
turn into something more than it was supposed to.    The one
time in her life that she had genuinely fallen in love with
a man, and had hoped to see it become something permanent.
And the relationship had not just been with any ordinary
man, but with one of the most renowned figures in Colonial
civilization, Commander Cain of the Battlestar Pegasus.
Even now, nearly two yahrens since she'd last seen Cain she
could still close her eyes and see that handsome face of the
man called the Juggernaut quite clearly in her mind.
Commander Cain'n shook his head as he
realized it was a
pointless gesture.
    "Stay calm," Adama cautioned.   "These tombs were noted
for traps that
simply caused doors to lock and access routes to be blocked.
They weren't
noted for booby traps that could instantly kill someone.
There should be
another key to reopen the gate somewhere."
    "Over here, Commander," Serina pointed to the wall,
where another carving
of the Ninth Lord's symbol was visible.   Adama only needed
to place his
medallion on it again, and the gate immediately rose.
    "Those who possess the seal of the Lords are the ones
privileged enough
to gain access to these sacred shrines."  Adama said as he
tentatively moved
forward, "For the ancients knew that only those who carried
that symbol would
ever enter out of total respect, and not for reasons of
greed like those
behind us."
    They made their way forward again, and this time the
walls showed more
signs of elaborate carvings and inscriptions.  The deeper
they penetrated,
s reputation as one of the greatest warriors
the Colonies had ever produced had long been known to her,
but when she'd met the man, she'd found him griefstricken in
a Caprica City bar, over the recent death of his wife.   Not
knowing at the time who she was talking to, she had offered
her services and the end result had led to a relationship
that Cassiopeia still cherished in her heart to this day,
even though it had been marred by the feelings of hatred
Cassiopeia had received from Cain's daughter, Sheba.    The
relationship had ended when Cain had taken the Pegasus and
other ships of the Colonial Seventh Fleet off to engage the
Cylons in the Molocay System.   An engagment Cain never
returned from, leaving Cassiopeia devastated inside.    It
had taken her many sectars to accept the reality that her
lover was gone, and finally return to the world of the
socialtor that she was convinced she'd left behind for good
when she'd realized how serious her relationship with Cain
had become.
To this dthe more Apollo noticed how the floor began to gradually
slope downward
indicating that they were going deeper and deeper
underground.
    "We're getting closer to the crypt itself," Adama
whispered, breaking the
awed silence that had come over them.  "It shouldn't be much
longer."
    Five centons passed and the narrow corridor opened up
into a wide doorway
while the floor leveled off.   Adama entered and saw that he
was now inside a
vast chamber, filled with paintings and carvings on all
sides of the walls
that showed not the slightest trace of erosion or decay.
All of them still
retaining their original painting, and jeweled
ornamentation.    But it was
the sight at the center of the chamber that attracted
Adama's attention.   A
golden rectangular crypt, six feet by four feet.  On all
sides of it, there
were large quantities of colorful gems and precious stones.
The slab on top
was decorated with the carving of a man in ceremonial
headdress, holding a
scepter.
    "Behold," Adamaay, her relationship with Cain was a secret she
guarded quite zealously and had no intention of ever
revealing to any of her new friends aboard the Galactica.
Especially not to Starbuck, whom she'd become attracted to
since they'd first met aboard the Gemonese freighter.    She
could only wonder how Starbuck would react if he ever found
out that she had once been the lover of one of the most
famous warriors ever, and she could only see him becoming
intimidated by such knowledge.    That he might
instinctively back off from her on the grounds that there
was no way he could ever compete with the aura of Cain's
memory in her heart, and that it was best to move onto
someone he felt more confident of easily impressing.    But
even if she didn't have those concerns, she doubted that she
would ever feel the strength to tell him or anyone.    As
far as she was concerned, her relationship with Cain, as
well as her entire career as a socialator, belonged to the
distant past, and it was, as she had said to Starbuck, time
for fresh beginnings.
As soon as the shuttle came to a stop inside the Galactica,
Salik suddenly sprung up from the bench and spoke for the
first time since before they'd taken off.   "All right
everybody!   As soon as we get out of these suits, we take
these samples to the Life Station and then we get set to
work through the night if we have to.    By tomorrow, I
expect us to find the answer we're looking for."
As Cassiopeia got up and followed the other med-techs out,
she shook her head in amazed admiration again.   There was
something about Salik that reminded her so much of her late
father, an Aerian merchant who had singlehandedly raised
Cassiopeia while maintaining a full and active career.
The same determination, the same willingness to plow ahead
during difficult times.    And with it, a sense of
underlying compassion that one could always sense.
Even though it had been a long day for her, as well as the
other med-techs, she had every intention of staying up to
wo whispered, "The Ninth Lord of Kobol."
    The commander went up to the crypt, and knelt by it in
total awed
fascination.   Just inside the doorway, Apollo and Serina
were unable to say
anything as they knelt in front of the inscriptions so they
could read them
better.  Their own sense of awe and wonder was deeper than
either could have
imagined.
    "I know exactly how you feel.....old friend."
    The three of them suddenly bolted to their feet and
their heads darted to
the source of the voice that had filled the chamber.    And
then, to the
stunned bewilderment of all of them, they saw emerging from
the shadows,
carrying one of the ancient illuminators, Baltar.   Around
his neck was a
medallion identical to Adama's.
    "Baltar," Adama whispered in shock.   This was the last
man he ever
expected to see again in his life.   His fellow member of
the Council of
Twelve who had presented the false offering of peace one
sectar before, and
whose manipulation of President Adar had preventrk through the night with Salik.


Adama knew it was approaching the point where he should
finally consider turning in for a much needed sleep cycle,
but the looming presence of the void just ahead was keeping
him awake and determined to stay on the Bridge for as long
as he had to.   As he looked out the main viewing screen, he
could already see the first visual sign of what lay before
them.    One small block at the bottom center of the screen
was uncharacteristically black in contrast to the starlit
points of the rest of the screen.    That signaled the
location of the void to them like a beacon.
"Commander," Omega came over to him, his expression growing
more concerned with each new report he had to give,
"Navigation report is getting worse.    Instruments are
fluctuating radically due to magnetic interference."
"And we still haven't penetrated the void yet," Tigh added,
"Commander, don't you think----"
Adama shook his head and cut the executive officer off,
"Steady on course."
"Commaned the
Colonial Fleet from
launching fighters to intercept the incoming Cylon attack.
Whose treachery
was responsible for the deaths of 15 billion human beings,
including Ila and
Zac, and the seven thousand yahrens of Colonial Civilization
that had arisen
from the ruins of where they now stood.   Long ago, Adama
had vowed that if
he ever set eyes on Baltar again, he would kill him with his
bare hands.
Now, that instinct of total hate suddenly took hold of Adama
as he bolted
toward him and grasped his hands around his throat.
    "Adama, stop!" Baltar protested as he dropped his
illuminator and
struggled in the commander's grasp.   This reaction he
hadn't counted on at
all.  "Listen to me!"
    "Father, let him go!" Apollo dashed up and pulled his
father away from
the traitor.  Baltar staggered back, still caught off guard
by Adama's
reaction, and Apollo took the opportunity to seize the laser
pistol from the
traitor's belt.   In an instant, he had it trained on him.
"That's not the
der," Rigel called over from her station, "We're
receiving a number of Priority One emergency calls from the
Rising Star, the Antares and other passenger ships."
"The Fleet's beginning to panic," Tigh persisted, "Once we
get inside that thing, it can only get worse."
The Commander stood in silent contemplation for several
microns, and then went over to Rigel's station where he
picked up the unicom signal that would broadcast his voice
to the entire Fleet.
"This is Commander Adama.   At this time, as we prepare to
enter this void, all captains are ordered to move their
ships into visual range of the Galactica and maintain visual
contact at all times.    Also, all ships are to keep every
running light and every porthole area lit as well to provide
full visual reference for those nearby.    In case of
communications interference, visual signals via signal
lights will be employed for ship to ship communication."
He put the unicom down and moved back to Omega, "Time to
penetration of the void?"

way.   Leave him to the Council for trial!"
    "Adama, what is this madness?" Baltar struggled back to
his feet, rubbing
his neck, "You could have killed me!"
    "You need to ask about madness, Baltar?" Apollo raged,
"Selling out your
own flesh and blood!"
    "Selling out?" Baltar's eyes widened in seeming
disbelief.  This was the
one part of his presentation that he knew he could not be
truthful about, but
if the rest of his offer was to ring with any sincerity, he
needed to lie
about this, or else he knew he wouldn't have a chance.
"What lies have you
been telling behind my back, Adama?   Is that the excuse
you've sold to
everyone to explain what happened?"
    Apollo looked at him incredulously, "You're saying you
didn't arrange the
destruction of our Fleet?   Of the Twelve worlds?  Of more
than fifteen
billion men, women and children in the Colonies?"
    "Are you mad, Captain?" Baltar whispered, "What sane
human being would do
a thing like that?"  He looked at Adama, who was "Fifty centons."
Adama looked out the viewing screen again and let out a slow
exhale as his eyes locked on the ominous zone of darkness at
the bottom center of the screen.    Events had reached the
point where nothing more could be done for now.
"I'll be in my quarters but not on sleep cycle," Adama said,
"Notify me immediately on video-com if there are any new
developments."



When Starbuck returned to the Blue Squadron Officers
Quarters, he saw that Apollo was lying in his bunk, but
still fully dressed and wide awake.
"Hey," the blonde warrior said as he removed his flight
jacket, "How come you're still up?"
"Can't sleep," Apollo said as he stared at the ceiling.
"You ought to try to.   We've got another day of training
them tomorrow."
"I'm a few centons away from having it postponed form 0900
to 1400, at least for those who flew today.    The enlistees
should probably get their first cracks at the simulators in
the morning session and the ones who flew today could use a
few extra cestill
breathing heavily in
rage at the sight of him, "Adama, you and I have known each
other many
yahrens.   We've had our quarrels before, but do you think
so little of me
that you believe that I could have done such a thing?
Surely you have not
supported such lies!"
    Adama drew himself to his feet, still breathing heavily.
Too angry to
say anything at this point.
    "How could you think me so evil?" Baltar went on, his
tone still that of
one pleading bewilderment.  "Look," he held up his
medallion, "I too hold the
seal of the Lords.   Am a member of the Council of Twelve.
I was as much a
victim as any of you.   I lost everything.   My wife.  My
family.  My people.
  Everything that had meaning to me on Piscera.   What do
you think I
actually gained, if I was so evil as you think me?"  His
voice rose in pitch,
and this time it required no acting on his part to summon
this sense of
betrayal he felt.   For he had indeed lost all that had
meaning to him, and
which he had wanted tntars off."
"Not a bad idea," Starbuck shrugged as he sat down and began
pulling off his boots.
"Get any indications from Salik on what they found on the
asteroid?"
"They gathered their samples.   That's all I know for now.
Who knows how long it'll take them to run their tests.
Maybe they can do it in one night, maybe it'll take a half
sectan."   He let out a sigh, "I'm crossing my fingers real
good on this."
"Me too," Apollo admitted, "I guess now it feels like things
are really out of our hands as far as their lives are
concerned, and we just have to hope for the best."
"But at least we've got hope tonight.   We didn't have that
yesterday," Starbuck noted.
"True."
Starbuck pulled off his other boot and collapsed onto his
bunk.   Ordinarily, he regarded it as hard and generally
comfortable, but this time it felt as soft and relaxing as a
bed in a luxury resort might have.    "Ahhhh.   This has
been one long day.    Eight centars of training these new
pilots, and then the mission.    I hoo make part of his total kingdom on
Piscera.    And that
was exactly the reason why he now wanted so desperately to
make his new offer
to Adama.
    Adama finally summoned the strength to speak, "If what
you say is true,
Baltar," he voice still held the same level of anger and
hatred that had been
there when he tried to strangle him.  "Then explain
yourself.  Why did you
leave the President's battlestar before the attack began?"
    Baltar had spent the entire trip from the basestar
rehearsing the speech
he'd make on this point because he knew that it was the one
weak link in any
story he could present to Adama about being a total victim.
He was glad
he'd finally been given the opportunity.
    "Because it was only at the last centon that I realized
what the Cylons
were up to!" Baltar shouted.  "When I saw those approaching
ships meant to
attack us, I realized that I needed to warn my people!   If
those approaching
Cylons were going to destroy the Fleet, then the Colonies
were at rispe tomorrow's better."
"May not be," Apollo kept looking at the ceiling, "We're
headed into the void, you know."
The blonde warrior frowned and looked over at Apollo,
"You're kidding.   I thought taking out the asteroid would
change the dynamic."
"It hasn't.   We're headed in because the Commander thinks
the Cylons are closer than we realize.    I almost would
have preferred the possibility of taking them on than
heading into the void though."
"You really mean that?"
"I do.   Starbuck, you have no idea what it felt like in
there when I got lost and thought I was gone.   I got so
disoriented, I had no sense of what my heading had been
before I entered so I had no clue as to which direction I
should go to get back out, or at least pierce the side
perimeter.   It was....like the worst childhood nightmare
about being scared of the dark come to life.    Another five
centons and I might have been expecting some space monster
from hell to suddenly pop out from nowhere."
"Well, it's different now.k too,
and I simply panicked out of fear for my own people!   Does
that make me a
traitor, Adama?"
    Adama's contemptuous glare did not lessen.   That
explanation did not
wash with him, for Adama knew that Baltar had left the
Atlantia's bridge long
before he had first broken the news to Adar that the Cylon
"welcoming
committee" was firing on the viper of his son, Zac.    And
there was already
a mountain of circumstantial evidence tying members of
Baltar's inner circle
to additional acts of treachery, such as his personal pilot
Charybdis, who
had been identified as the saboteur of the Colonial Defense
Network.   Not to
mention the false reports on mining operations on Carillon
that had been
intended to lure visitors from the Colonies into a horrific
trap.
    Still, he decided to say nothing.   As far as he was
concerned, Baltar's
statements were so incriminating that all he needed to do
was recount them to
the Council of Twelve to insure a conviction on high
treason.   And for the   At least the whole Fleet's
together."
"Doesn't change how I feel." Apollo said.  "I keep thinking
if I go to sleep I'm going to wake up to something more
dangerous than the Cylon threat is."
Starbuck's eyes narrowed, "And?"
Apollo sighed, "I don't know.   It's just....here I am on
the verge of the happiest time of my life with Serina, and I
keep worrying that something's going to keep me from
experiencing it.   It's almost like a.....premonition."
"Well I'll tell you this, buddy," Starbuck stretched himself
out, "I'd rather take my chances with the void than the
Cylons any day.   Because as far as I'm concerned I can't be
afraid of something I can't see.    And having the entire
Fleet go in isn't the same thing as just you and me
wandering into it on patrol."
"You've got a point there," Apollo conceded, "Still....."
"I got a suggestion," Starbuck said.   "Why not give
yourself something happy to focus on while we muddle our way
through the void.    You and Serina thought of moving up
yo
first time, Adama felt a sense of anger that Colonial
jurisprudence had in a
burst of humanitarian liberalism, formally suspended all
forms of the death
penalty one hundred yahrens before.   The maximum punishment
Baltar could
receive under Colonial law was life imprisonment in a prison
facility, and
there was nothing that could be done to change it.   Even if
he had the
Council vote to lift the suspension of the death penalty, it
couldn't be
applied retroactively to crimes that occurred while the
suspension had been
in effect.
    "And when I left I found myself trapped between the
Atlantia and Piscera.
   I was captured by the Cylons and dragged like an animal
to face a show
trial as the last surviving member of the Council of Twelve,
whom they wanted
to make an example of."
    "But apparently they saw fit to release you, and found
you to be a friend
of the Cylon Empire!" Serina spoke up for the first time,
her tone
contemptuous as she thought of the suffering she had
witnessed firsthand as
Caprica City burned all around her.
    "No," Baltar shook his head, grateful that he no longer
needed to fudge
the record.   From this point forward, everything was the
truth.  "After the
Imperious Leader was killed at Carillon, I was spared to
lure you into a new
offer of peace from a supposedly more benevolent Leader.   I
was given my own
command of a baseship to track you down and find a way of
luring you into
this trap so as to minimize Cylon losses."  He paused,
"Adama, I am not a
fool.  My usefulness to the Cylons ends the micron you and
your Fleet are
delivered.   I don't have any rational reason to serve their
cause because my
execution date was only postponed in their minds.   But I do
have a reason
for taking advantage of the opportunity they've given me to
see to it that we
all make our revenge on those demons!"
    Adama's stare remained cold and implacable.   "Get him
out," he whispered
with all the hate he could summon.
    "Hear me out!" Baltar protestedur sealing date?"
"No," Apollo seemed surprised, "Why bother?   Two sectans
from now seems like just as good a time as it should be."
"If you really think trouble's brewing ahead, I'd speed up
your timetable for all the fun things in life you're looking
forward to." Starbuck said, "You know what my motto is.
Just live for today cause you never know what tomorrow might
bring."
"I'm not like you, Starbuck," Apollo said, "I can't let
myself do things like that during times of crisis.   I
always end up----"
"Feeling like you're shirking your duty, I know," Starbuck
cut in.   "But for sagan's sake, Apollo, maybe you should
just put that aside this time.   Don't bother waiting for
news about what the void leads to, or whether Salik's found
a cure, or whether these pilots who flew today will get
better or worse.   Just seize the chance now.    Just say to
Hades with the formal ceremony and all that felgercarb and
do it tomorrow.    All you need is to find someone with the
authority to act as an overseer during a tribunal, and he
can marry you right then and there."
"You would think that," Apollo sighed, "If you ever got
sealed, that's how you'd do things, right?"
"I'd be more open to that.    Assuming I ever did get
sealed."
"Oh that's right, I forgot," the tone of mock solemnity
entered Apollo's voice, "Good old Starbuck cherishes his
freedom so much that none of the women who find him so
irresistible to his patented charm will ever get the better
of him."
"Well..." Starbuck shrugged and grinned sheepishly, "If
present trends continue."
Apollo finally turned his head toward Starbuck, "There are
times when I think it must be a miracle that you and I, as
different as we are, got to be such good friends."
"I like to think we complement each other," Starbuck said,
"You give me something I'd lack without your guidance.   Why
do you think I always say when we meet strangers, Ÿ?~I'm
Starbuck and this is my conscience, Apollo'?" he paused,
"Although tonight, I kind of feel like the positi, "I have been to the
Cylon seat of power.
  It is in chaos.   The reason why they spared me to look
for you is because
their commanders are unable to perform the task, and as a
consequence the
entire baseship fleet has been scattered throughout all the
star systems.
Do you know what that means?   It means that the route back
to the Cylon home
planet itself is totally undefended.    One single
battlestar could destroy
the home planet and bring the entire Cylon Empire to its
knees!"
    Adama remained unmoved, "You have the tounge of an
angel," he almost spat
at him, "But the soul of a serpent."
    "I can prove my good intentions!" Baltar now began to
feel an edge of
panic.  He hadn't expected Adama to be this unyielding.
"That I have the
power to lead you back to Cylon supposedly as my prisoners,
but to instead
launch a devastating counterattack against those demons."
    "How can you prove it, Baltar?" Apollo's tone was just
as angry as
before, but inside he was beginning to wonderons are
reversed a bit."
"Starbuck," Apollo said, "I appreciate what you're saying,
but as much as I'm anxious to go ahead with the wedding, I
want to do it when things will be a bit more settled.
Besides, I wouldn't want to distract Serina when she needs
more time to feel spread her wings as a pilot."
"You're resigned to that for good, aren't you?"
"Yep," he nodded.  "I have to accept it.   She's a warrior
now.   And probably one of the most naturally gifted I've
ever seen in terms of unleashing a previously hidden
talent."  He then shook his head, "I never thought I'd say
this, but it only seems to make her more attractive from my
standpoint.   Maybe her entering this work will make it
easier for us to get along as a married couple."
"And you can guarantee that Boxey will be wanting to sign up
before his next natal day celebration."
"I guess so," Apollo smiled faintly, "I just hope that what
Serina and I do as warriors, won't take us away from the
time we need to spend with him as he grow if maybe this
time, there was
some truth to what the traitor was saying.
    "By ordering the immediate release of one of your
officers," he took a
breath, hoping that this would have an impact.  "Lieutenant
Starbuck, who was
taken captive by a patrol only yesterday."
    For the first time, Adama looked caught off guard, while
both Apollo and
Serina froze in disbelief.
    "Starbuck?" Serina whispered, "Starbuck is alive?"
    "Yes," Baltar nodded, "He's been brought to the surface
on a shuttle that
left one centar after I did.   It won't be long before he
will have made his
way over to your basecamp."  An almost pleading edge entered
his tone, "You
must give me a chance to prove myself!"
    "At what price?" the coldness returned to Adama's voice
and he turned
away in disgust.   "Remove him, Apollo."
    But by contrast, Apollo's expression had now changed to
one of cautious
uncertainty.
    "Father," Apollo said, "What if he can prove what he's
saying?   Baltar
doesn't know who s up."
"You'll find a way." Starbuck then paused briefly, "Are you
going to issue that order letting the pilots sleep till
1400?"
"Frack, thanks for reminding me," Apollo said as he got to
his feet.   "Might as well do that now."
"And in spite of the void, could you remember to turn out
the light when you get back?"  Starbuck said as he rolled
his head to the side of his pillow.
Apollo let out a bemused chuckle, and then nodded before
leaving the room to head for the nearest telecom unit in the
corridor.   By the time he returned, the brash lieutenant
was already fast asleep.

X-UIDL: +m\"!_@l!!(90"!IeQ!!

Serina had hoped that Boxey would be asleep by the time she
returned to her quarters, but when she arrived she saw that
her son, though lying in bed, was still awake.   That meant
she'd probably have to have the talk with him about her new
responsibilities tonight.
"Hi, Mommy!" he smiled brightly.
Serina knelt down beside her son's bunk and hugged him, "Hi
Boxey," her voice was full oStarbuck is, unless what he's saying is
true."
    "Maybe it's true about Starbuck being alive," Adama
turned back, his
expression still unmoved, "But if they've sent you, Baltar,
then it is a
trap."
    "Then why haven't they attacked?" Baltar shouted,
incredulous that Adama
was being this thickheaded.
    "I cannot tell you," he shook his head.  "But what I do
know, is that our
safety doesn't lie behind us, with you or the Cylons, and in
false promises
of revenge.   It lies somewhere out there," he gestured with
his arm, "With
the Thirteenth Tribe.   The tribe that colonized the planet
Earth."
    "Earth?" Baltar's face twisted in disbelief.   Did this
explain Adama's
thickheadedness?   If so, then Baltar was convinced that
Adama had totally
lost his sanity.   "You can't be serious.   That's nothing
but a fable."
    "I believe it is real as the existence of the Thirteenth
tribe," Adama
refused to be intimidated by the traitor.   "And the key to
that tribe and
where they went, isf mother-love.  "Were you
waiting up?"
"Yep." his smile faded, "They said you went flying vipers
today."
"I did," his mother nodded.   "Not just the simulator.   I
got to fly for real in a viper with Apollo."
"You kill any Cylons?"
"Yeah," she tried to keep from sounding too enthused, "Two
in fact."
"I didn't know you could fly just like Apollo."
"Before today, neither could I," Serina laughed.   "But...I
guess that just goes to show why Apollo and I are going to
get sealed.   We've got more in common than we ever
realized."
"You're not arguing with him anymore, are you?"
"I told you, we did not argue yesterday," she leaned over
him and kissed him on the cheek.   "Apollo understands why
I'm doing this, and he's going to help me get better and
better when it comes to flying." she paused, "And when you
start going to school again, you can tell all the other kids
that you've got two parents who know how to fly vipers."
"That's the only thing about school I'm looking forward to,"
he grinned. here.  Locked away somewhere.  I'm
certain of it!"
    He went back over to the far wall to look at some of the
inscriptions.
But Apollo's attention was still on Baltar, and there was a
look of
uneasiness on his face.   There was something too abrupt in
the way Adama had
brushed off Baltar, as though his father was so locked into
the decision to
look for Earth, that maybe he had blinded himself to the
possibility of an
alternative that needed to be explored.   Because whether or
not Baltar was
guilty of treason, that still didn't explain his knowledge
of Starbuck.   At
the very least, Starbuck had to be alive, and if it was true
that Starbuck
was going to be released, that raised some more questions
that he wasn't sure
could be easily dismissed.
    "Father," his son spoke in a more calm tone.  "With all
due respect----"
    The commander got to his feet and glared at him.  "Don't
let yourself be
deluded by him, Apollo," he said coldly, "We made that
mistake once before,
and we saw
Serina smiled brightly at him again.   "Apollo and I will
tell you more about what it's like to fly vipers tomorrow.
Now in the meantime, you get some sleep."  She retucked the
blanket in the side of the bunk and then kissed him again.
"Goodnight, my darling son."
"Goodnight, Mommy," he kissed her back on the cheek and then
turned himself over on his side, which always helped him
fall asleep faster.
Serina turned out the light and made her way over to the
turbo-dispensary area so she could take off her uniform in
privacy.   Before she entered the adjacent area, she stopped
and frowned as she realized there was something about the
room in the dark that didn't seem normal.
She finally realized that it was the total lack of starlight
that usually streamed in through the porthole.    She made
her way over to it and looked out, and was greeted to the
sight of total blackness, punctuated only by the running
lights of a passenger freighter in the distance.
So this is what a void is like, she thou the results.   And those like your mother and Zac
were the ones
who paid the price."
    The mention of his brother and mother had a sobering
effect on Apollo,
and he slowly found himself recognizing the wisdom of what
his father was
saying.  And yet.....
    "Take him to the surface and keep him under total guard.
As soon as its
convenient, remove him to the Galactica." Adama said as he
continued to study
the inscriptions.   "I'll remain here."
    "We need your medallion to get past the barriers," his
son pointed out.
    "Use his," Adama said.  "How else could he have gotten
down here?"
    Apollo pointed his laser at Baltar and motioned, "Hand
it over, Baltar."
    The traitor was feeling a burning sense of anger
mounting inside him.
All of it aimed squarely at Adama.   Adama was no longer
listening to reason
at this point, and was destroying all of his carefully laid
plans, and only
because of his mystical belief in an ancient myth.
    As Apollo and Serina motioned him out intght.   Ordinarily,
she might have been frightened by the sight of it.   But
after today's experience of being thrust into a viper for
the first time, and then a combat mission, she didn't think
there was anything that could frighten her anymore.
There are only things to look forward to, she thought as she
moved away from the sight of the void.


In the Life Station, none of the staff would have been able
to take note of the Galactica's entry into the void as it
was located deep in the center of the ship.    But even if
they had been able to see it, they likely wouldn't have paid
any attention to it.   Not after the intensity of their work
for the last several centars to try and find the secret
behind the disease.
"One centar's exposure to the Galactica's environment,"
Nestor had his attention trained on a sealed container where
the samples from the asteroid had been placed in an
environment resembling the Galactica.    Next to it was an
indentical container where the sample was in an environment
identical to the asteroid's.
"Any change?" Salik had been pacing the room the entire
time.
Nestor consulted the readout and nodded with an air of
guarded optimism.   "Yes.  Breakdown process already
beginning.   Not enough to keep it from being lethal if
anyone were exposed to it at this point, but the decay
process has started."
"Transfer telemetry to my station," Salik went over to his
computer terminal that recorded all the results of the
scientific experiment.   He sat down in front of the monitor
and watched the initial results come up.    For over a
centon he stared at it in silence, and then vigorously went
to work on the keyboard, calling up new files in the data
base to use for comparative purposes.
"All right," he said as he rose from his chair and faced the
med-techs.  "All of you except Nestor, start manning a
terminal and run cross-checks of what the telemetry data
shows with every viral strain in the book.   Go through the
entire encyclograph of Colonial Medicine if yoo the corridor,
he realized that
at this point, Adama's son was likely the only hope he had
of getting through
to the Galactica commander.   And he could only hope at this
point, that
Starbuck's arrival would be the key to that.

--part1_61.1f41b636.2a059f99_boundary
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Chapter Twelve

The void was playing havoc with Baltar's scanner as he
guided the shuttle on an approach toward Kobol, but he
refused to panic.   The planet itself offered a perfect
reference point, and he also realized that if the void was
doing this to his own scanner it also worked to his own
advantage in that no one from the Galactica would be able to
scan him for now.  A sudden, unexpected entrance was the
only thing that could work to his advantage at this point.
The ideal situation from Baltar's standpoint would be to
find Adama on the surface so he could present his offer to
him directly and instantly.   He knew he couldn't dare run
the ru have to.   I
think these results may finally start giving us some answers
about this virus we can figure out."
Without saying a word, all of them nodded and went to the
various terminals throughout the room, each prepared for a
very long, sleepless night.


Tigh's sense of uneasiness had failed to lift now that the
Galactica and the rest of the Fleet had entered the void.
For centons, he stood on the upper level, seemingly waiting
for news of the first crisis to break out.    To his
amazement though, nothing was happening.    Finally, the
lack of information caused him to go down to the main level
where a tense Omega remained glued to his seat, with the
same air of tension.
"Anything to report?" the executive officer inquired.
"No," Omega shook his head without turning around.   "So
far, all ships indicate they've assumed fixed positions in
sight of each other and the Galactica.   No indications of
any distress at this point."
"But their navigation systems are going haywire, aren't
theisk of going to the Galactica since they would be apt
to throw him into the brig the instant he showed his face,
so for now it was a matter of finding someone on the planet
to talk to, and if Fate was with him, Adama would be there.
As soon as he hit the atmosphere, his scanner detected signs
of a large human presence near the ruins of one major city.
Instantly, he guided his shuttle on an arc that would take
him first away from that settlement, and then gradually back
in so he could land just beyond their ground scan range.
When he stepped out of the shuttle, he could see the
imposing form of three large Pyramids several kilometers
away to the south.   The Colonials had clearly set up a
basecamp to investigate the region, and that was where he
needed to engage in some stealth to hopefully find out where
Adama was.
It took Baltar almost half a centar to reach the perimeter,
and he found that by ducking behind the ruins he could spy
on the warriors patrolling the flank and listen in, without
y?"
"The smaller ships are reporting the worst trouble with
those, but so far they've compensated by staying in visual
contact."  Omega looked at the scanners, "Apparently,
boosting the power to the scanners and systems by an
additional 80% helps compensate the void's effects to a
degree.   That means cutting back on the power elsewhere."
"Interesting dilemma," Tigh grunted, "To keep the scanners
operating, they have to reduce power to the lights which
runs the risk of losing visual contact."
"Which is why the smaller ships are preferring to let their
scanners stay haywire instead."
"But apart from that, things are pretty much....as normal as
they can be?"
"For now at least."
"Okay," Tigh glanced out at the blackness that filled the
viewing screen and calmly exhaled, "I'm going off-duty now.
Notify Commander Adama I'll be stopping by his quarters."


Since Salik had assigned each of the med-techs to individual
terminals, there had only been silence in the Life Station
in terms of voices being noticed in return.   His plan was to eavesdrop for the
next ten centons, and then if that didn't yield the
information he needed, he was prepared to come out into the
open.   One thing he couldn't afford to do was delay things
longer than one full centar, which was when the second
shuttle would land with Starbuck.   Above all, he needed to
be sure he had made his move before the Galactica warrior
showed his face to his fellow Colonials again.
He noticed a medium-sized warrior conversing on a micro-
communicator and inched closer so he could listen in.
"We copy you, Captain.  Where've you and the Commander gone
off to?"
"We're about to enter the tomb situated twenty five metrones
within the perimeter of ruins by the westernmost Pyramid," a
voice crackled back over the communicator.  "We may not be
able to communicate once we're inside.   If you don't hear
from us within a centar, send a guard unit to the entrance
to that tomb."
Baltar's eyes widened in stunned amazement at how he'd founspeaking.    But the frenzied activity of
fingers hitting computer keyboards and chimes sounding to
indicate new programs being accessed made the room anything
but a quiet place.
A half centar went by, and suddenly all activity came to a
stop when Cassiopeia, stationed at one of the terminals,
suddenly blurted out, "Doctor Salik!"
The Chief Medical Officer came over to her console, while
other heads in the room whipped in their direction.   "What
is it, Cassiopeia?"
"Take a look," she pointed at the terminal.   "The telemetry
off the samples indicate the exact composition of elements
in the atmosphere of the asteroid down to the last detail.
Now compare them to the full composition of the Galactica's
atmosphere.   Isolate the elements that are present here but
not in the asteroid....."  she trailed off, realizing she
didn't need to explain any further.
Salik was staring at the screen and nodding his head
vigorously.   "Cassiopeia, you've given us a start.
Nestor!  Lycus!   Start putting togd
the very answer to what he needed to know so easily.   It
was enough to make him think that the Fates were conspiring
in his favor more than ever.   To give him at long last the
chance he'd been dreaming of for nearly a sectar now.
Slowly, without making a sound, he disappeared into the
ruins.  Headed for the location he had heard over the
communicator.


There was a mixture of both trepidation and exhilaration
inside Adama, Apollo and Serina as they made their way
deeper into the darkened passageways of the Ninth Lord's
tomb.   So far, the corridors contained no carvings, and
only signs of thousands of yahrens of decay.
Suddenly, Serina let out a startled yelp as her illuminator
shined on three decaying skeletons sprawled across the
floor.   As soon as Adama spotted them, his boot came in
contact with the rib cage of one of them and the gentle
force instantly caused the bones to crumble to dust.   The
commander looked down and grimly shook his head in disgust.
"Tomb robbers," he mutterether derivatives from
these elements and run some experiments on how a sample
reacts to them.   If we're lucky, we may find something that
will kill this thing by morning!"

X-UIDL: Z9\!!kYb!!3Lc!!eL3!!

Even though it had been more than two centars since Adama had gone
off duty, he'd remained awake and fully dressed.   Not once did he
bother rising from his chair to look out the porthole at the sight
of the void.   Instead, he remained behind his desk, alternately
absorbed in both the printed and computer versions of the Book of
the Word, with the works of some leading Colonial theologians
mixed in as well.
His attention was distracted with word from the Bridge that
Colonel Tigh was on his way to see him.   After acknowleding the
message, the Commander closed his books and took out a bottle of
ambrosia and two chalices, in case his friend was interested in a
drink.   He wanted this meeting to be reminiscent of the kind of
after-hours conversations he and Tigh used to engage in during
theed.   "Foolish imbeciles who no
doubt tried to plunder the Ninth Lord's tomb of its wealth
before they hoped to leave the planet."
No sooner had Adama finished when an iron gate suddenly
slammed down in front of them, blocking their path.   Apollo
suddenly whipped out his laser pistol in a reflex action,
then shook his head as he realized it was a pointless
gesture.
"Stay calm," Adama cautioned.   "These tombs were noted for
traps that simply caused doors to lock and access routes to
be blocked.   They weren't noted for booby traps that could
instantly kill someone.   There should be another key to
reopen the gate somewhere."
"Over here, Commander," Serina pointed to the wall, where
another carving of the Ninth Lord's symbol was visible.
Adama only needed to place his medallion on it again, and
the gate immediately rose.
"Those who possess the seal of the Lords are the ones
privileged enough to gain access to these sacred shrines."
Adama said as he tentatively moved forward, "For the
ancieir days together as viper pilots on the Battlestar Cerberus.
For Adama, they had been special times of bonding in friendship
with a new pilot fresh out of the Academy as Tigh was at the time,
an experience Adama was grateful for since his best friend aboard
the Cerberus, Lieutenant Cain, had transferred to the Battlestar
Pegasus six sectars earlier to become a squadron commander.
Adama also knew that this would likely be the time for him to
renew part of an old philosophical discussion he and Tigh had once
shared during their conversations so many yahrens ago.    And he
wanted the atmosphere to be as relaxed and friendly as possible.
The chime sounded, and Adama decided to get up and answer the door
personally.   He opened it and immediately smiled warmly at his
old friend, whose expression was still somewhat pensive.
"Come in, Tigh," Adama motioned.   "Can I get you a drink?"
"Wellƒ?"" the executive officer hesitated a bit, but then nodded.
"I might as well.   Thank you, sir."
"Drop the formants knew that only those who carried that symbol would
ever enter out of total respect, and not for reasons of
greed like those behind us."
They made their way forward again, and this time the walls
showed more signs of elaborate carvings and inscriptions.
The deeper they penetrated, the more Apollo noticed how the
floor began to gradually slope downward indicating that they
were going deeper and deeper underground.
"We're getting closer to the crypt itself," Adama whispered,
breaking the awed silence that had come over them.  "It
shouldn't be much longer."
Five centons passed and the narrow corridor opened up into a
wide doorway while the floor leveled off.   Adama entered
and saw that he was now inside a vast chamber, filled with
paintings and carvings on all sides of the walls that showed
not the slightest trace of erosion or decay.   All of them
still retaining their original painting, and jeweled
ornamentation.    But it was the sight at the center of the
chamber that attracted Adama's lities, Tigh," Adama said as he poured the ambrosia
into a chalice and handed it to him.   "We're off duty.  I want
this conversation to be like the old days aboard the Cerberus."
Tigh allowed himself a faint smile as he took a sip, "Thank you,
Adama."
"Now that I've established the guidelines for us," Adama poured
his own chalice and then resumed his place behind the desk,
"Perhaps you can speak freely about my decision to take us into
the void."
The uneasiness then returned to Tigh's voice, "It's really not my
place to comment now that the decision's been made.   All I can do
is accept your order and move on from it."
"Tigh, you're not dropping formalities," Adama gently reproached.
"Now start over and answer my question the way I want you to
answer it.    I respect your views, and besides," he let out a
weary sigh, "I really need someone to talk to tonight.  Give me
your thoughts."
Tigh took another sip as though he felt he needed it to gather
strength, and then set his chalice down on Adattention.   A golden
rectangular crypt, six feet by four feet.  On all sides of
it, there were large quantities of colorful gems and
precious stones.   The slab on top was decorated with the
carving of a man in ceremonial headdress, holding a scepter.
"Behold," Adama whispered, "The Ninth Lord of Kobol."
The commander went up to the crypt, and knelt by it in total
awed fascination.   Just inside the doorway, Apollo and
Serina were unable to say anything as they knelt in front of
the inscriptions so they could read them better.  Their own
sense of awe and wonder was deeper than either could have
imagined.
"I know exactly how you feel.....old friend."
The three of them suddenly bolted to their feet and their
heads darted to the source of the voice that had filled the
chamber.    And then, to the stunned bewilderment of all of
them, they saw emerging from the shadows, carrying one of
the ancient illuminators, Baltar.   Around his neck was a
medallion identical to Adama's.
"Baltar," Adama whisama's desk.
"Adama," he said in a more relaxed tone, "The possibility exists
that this void could very well be endless.    Blackness stretching
out into infinity.   Suppose we've entered something like that?
How much longer could we realistically keep this Fleet together?
And how soon before we lose our ability to realistically plot our
way back out, or at least pierce the perimeter of it?"
"That is your primary concern."
"Yes," Tigh nodded.  "This represents fear of the unknown, Adama.
The Cylons at least are an enemy that doesn't offer us any
surprises."
The commander leaned back in his chair.  "It is possible though
that this void is not endless, Tigh."
"What do you mean?"
Adama set his chalice down and then opened the bound volume of the
Book of the Word to the position he had marked, "The Book of the
Word tells us that a great star guided the Lords of Kobol across
an endless black sea that had enveloped the heavens surrounding
they dying mother planet."
A quizzical expression came over the executive officer's face.
"The void," he said, "You think this could be the same void?"
"I believe it a distinct possibility," Adama said, "Especially as
this is the first void we have encountered since leaving the star
systems of the Colonies."
Tigh's eyebrows went up to indicate that his bewilderment was only
deepening.   Finally, he just shook his head.
"Adama," he said, "You know that I consider myself a skeptic when
it comes to matters of religion, and that includes the origins of
the human race.   I've....never given too much stock to the idea
that the Colonies were originally settled by a single race that
was guided to our worlds by some Divine purpose.   To me, religion
is probably something that was merely devised by our primitive
ancestors to try and find simple answers to complex questions of
how life began.   And even if I did believe that we were settled
by a race from another planet originally, then whatever reasons
accounted for that had little to do with acts of Divine purpered in shock.   This was the last man
he ever expected to see again in his life.   His fellow
member of the Council of Twelve who had presented the false
offering of peace one sectar before, and whose manipulation
of President Adar had prevented the Colonial Fleet from
launching fighters to intercept the incoming Cylon attack.
Whose treachery was responsible for the deaths of 15 billion
human beings, including Ila and Zac, and the seven thousand
yahrens of Colonial Civilization that had arisen from the
ruins of where they now stood.   Long ago, Adama had vowed
that if he ever set eyes on Baltar again, he would kill him
with his bare hands.   Now, that instinct of total hate
suddenly took hold of Adama as he bolted toward him and
grasped his hands around his throat.
"Adama, stop!" Baltar protested as he dropped his
illuminator and struggled in the commander's grasp.   This
reaction he hadn't counted on at all.  "Listen to me!"
"Father, let him go!" Apollo dashed up and pulled his father
awapose
either."
"You haven't changed in the fifteen yahrens since we last had a
conversation about such matters," Adama smiled thinly.
"I have the highest respect for those of deep faith like you.
I'm glad that religion instills a sense of morality and purpose in
so many people, and that's why I never wear my skepticism on my
sleeve.   But...if our lives are being put at risk because of what
the ancient writings say, then I do have to wonder just a bit."
"You didn't raise your voice in protest when I first announced
that it was the Book of the Word's reference to a Thirteenth Tribe
on a planet called Earth that would form the basis for our
journey." the commander noted with the gentle air of a debater.
"Adama, I had no reason to protest.   Because there is no
alternative for us but to flee across space from the Cylons to a
place of safety," Tigh said matter-of-factly.   "The only thing I
differ with you on when it comes to our journey is that I doubt
we'll ever find some highly developed civiliy from the traitor.  Baltar staggered back, still caught
off guard by Adama's reaction, and Apollo took the
opportunity to seize the laser pistol from the traitor's
belt.   In an instant, he had it trained on him.   "That's
not the way.   Leave him to the Council for trial!"
"Adama, what is this madness?" Baltar struggled back to his
feet, rubbing his neck, "You could have killed me!"
"You need to ask about madness, Baltar?" Apollo raged,
"Selling out your own flesh and blood!"
"Selling out?" Baltar's eyes widened in seeming disbelief.
This was the one part of his presentation that he knew he
could not be truthful about, but if the rest of his offer
was to ring with any sincerity, he needed to lie about this,
or else he knew he wouldn't have a chance.   "What lies have
you been telling behind my back, Adama?   Is that the excuse
you've sold to everyone to explain what happened?"
Apollo looked at him incredulously, "You're saying you
didn't arrange the destruction of our Fleet?   Of the Twelvezation that was an
offshoot of our own ancestors.    But ultimately, the goal I think
we can realistically hope to achieve is that of finding sanctuary
and safe haven on some distant planet, so we're not too far apart
when it comes to that.   You believe we'll find a brother tribe.
I believe we'll just find an empty, but perfectly habitable planet
for us to settle on in safety."
Adama brought his fingertips together.   "Suppose it were possible
to find definite, tangible proof of Earth's existence and general
location?"
Light suddenly dawned on Tigh.   "You think this void could
provide a clue to that?"
"Why do you think I've gone to this great risk of taking the
Galactica and this Fleet into it?"
Tigh slowly nodded, "Because you believe you'll actually find this
mother planet the Book of the Word speaks of, and on there, you'll
find some clue left behind about the Thirteenth Tribe."
"Exactly.   For a whole sectar since we left Carillon, there's
been no sense of rhyme or reason to explain th
worlds?  Of more than fifteen billion men, women and
children in the Colonies?"
"Are you mad, Captain?" Baltar whispered, "What sane human
being would do a thing like that?"  He looked at Adama, who
was still breathing heavily in rage at the sight of him,
"Adama, you and I have known each other many yahrens.
We've had our quarrels before, but do you think so little of
me that you believe that I could have done such a thing?
Surely you have not supported such lies!"
Adama drew himself to his feet, still breathing heavily.
Too angry to say anything at this point.
"How could you think me so evil?" Baltar went on, his tone
still that of one pleading bewilderment.  "Look," he held up
his medallion, "I too hold the seal of the Lords.   Am a
member of the Council of Twelve.   I was as much a victim as
any of you.   I lost everything.   My wife.  My family.  My
people.   Everything that had meaning to me on Piscera.
What do you think I actually gained, if I was so evil as you
think me?"  His voicee course we take
through space.   What we need to find before we leave the environs
of charted space forever, which we inevitably will within five or
six sectars, is some kind of clue that can point the way for us."
"I see," Tigh sat down in the chair across from him.  "How long do
you propose we search this void, trying to find this....star that
will guide us to the mother planet?   Is that how it would work?"
"I do not believe the wait will be long," Adama said with
confidence.   "The star that guided the Lords away from the mother
planet was what guided them out of the void.   That means our
penetration of the void should lock onto it early enough in our
journey for us to be able to retrace our way out."
The executive officer let out a sigh to indicate his continued
skepticism.   "Adama, even if the story of the void in the Book is
true, there are probably as many voids in the universe as there
are....ideas.    The odds that we've stumbled onto that very same
void are so against it, I could rose in pitch, and this time it
required no acting on his part to summon this sense of
betrayal he felt.   For he had indeed lost all that had
meaning to him, and which he had wanted to make part of his
total kingdom on Piscera.    And that was exactly the reason
why he now wanted so desperately to make his new offer to
Adama.
Adama finally summoned the strength to speak, "If what you
say is true, Baltar," he voice still held the same level of
anger and hatred that had been there when he tried to
strangle him.  "Then explain yourself.  Why did you leave
the President's battlestar before the attack began?"
Baltar had spent the entire trip from the basestar
rehearsing the speech he'd make on this point because he
knew that it was the one weak link in any story he could
present to Adama about being a total victim.   He was glad
he'd finally been given the opportunity.
"Because it was only at the last centon that I realized what
the Cylons were up to!" Baltar shouted.  "When I saw those
approa probably retire on just a one
cubit wager."
Adama then opened his desk drawer and took out an object that he
then held up to the light.   It was an ornamental box, and inside
a plush backing was a gold medallion that had a raised shape in
the center.   At first glance, Tigh thought it was a Pyramid, but
then he realized it had four sides.   He knew there was a
technical term for the shape, but his mind couldn't remember it at
that instant.
"You recognize this, Tigh?" Adama said with near reverence.  "This
medallion is the symbol of our faith.   There wasn't a single
cathedral or temple in all the Colonies that didn't have this
symbol on top of their domes."
"I know," Tigh said quietly as he finally recognized the symbol.
"And through the millennia, these medallions have been handed down
to each member of the Council of Twelve.   To me, it's a reminder
of how at so many critical junctures in history, the Almighty God
that the Lords of Kobol taught us to honor and worship, has always
been ablching ships meant to attack us, I realized that I
needed to warn my people!   If those approaching Cylons were
going to destroy the Fleet, then the Colonies were at risk
too, and I simply panicked out of fear for my own people!
Does that make me a traitor, Adama?"
Adama's contemptuous glare did not lessen.   That
explanation did not wash with him, for Adama knew that
Baltar had left the Atlantia's bridge long before he had
first broken the news to Adar that the Cylon "welcoming
committee" was firing on the viper of his son, Zac.    And
there was already a mountain of circumstantial evidence
tying members of Baltar's inner circle to additional acts of
treachery, such as his personal pilot Charybdis, who had
been identified as the saboteur of the Colonial Defense
Network.   Not to mention the false reports on mining
operations on Carillon that had been intended to lure
visitors from the Colonies into a horrific trap.
Still, he decided to say nothing.   As far as he was
concerned, Baltar's state to provide us with inspiration and guidance that will
remind us of His presence.   And that He is ultimately watching
over us, ready to deliver us again as He did the Lords when they
left their dying planet....and when He also guided us away from
the Destruction last sectar."
Tigh was silent.   The skeptic within him wanted to retort about
how it was difficult to believe that in light of the Destruction
that had left more than fourteen billion people dead, but the
reverent sincerity of Adama's words were powerful enough to keep
him from doing that.    Adama could never succeed in converting
Tigh, but he always managed to instill a respect for his faith
whenever he spoke about it, that Tigh never would have felt right
to put down those beliefs.
"With all our magnificent machinery," Adama's eyes were focused on
the medallion, "Can we turn our backs on the inspiration that
delivered our people before?"
"You think the void is a sign, then."
"With all my heart.   If it were not, then I truly belements were so incriminating that
all he needed to do was recount them to the Council of
Twelve to insure a conviction on high treason.   And for the
first time, Adama felt a sense of anger that Colonial
jurisprudence had in a burst of humanitarian liberalism,
formally suspended all forms of the death penalty one
hundred yahrens before.   The maximum punishment Baltar
could receive under Colonial law was life imprisonment in a
prison facility, and there was nothing that could be done to
change it.   Even if he had the Council vote to lift the
suspension of the death penalty, it couldn't be applied
retroactively to crimes that occurred while the suspension
had been in effect.
"And when I left I found myself trapped between the Atlantia
and Piscera.    I was captured by the Cylons and dragged
like an animal to face a show trial as the last surviving
member of the Council of Twelve, whom they wanted to make an
example of."
"But apparently they saw fit to release you, and found you
to be a frieieve a sign
would have been offered to us that would have made avoiding the
void a priority.   But that has not happened.   I believe we've
been led in here for a purpose, Tigh.   A purpose that will offer
us the greatest hope yet for this quest we find ourselves on."
Tigh picked up his chalice and calmly downed the remainder of its
contents.  "Adama, you know how I feel.   But regardless of that,
I want very much to be proved wrong.   Because..." he hesitated
for an instant, "Because if I am not wrong, then I fear that we
face the end for all of us."
Adama said nothing in response.   He knew he had gone as far as he
could in explaining things to Tigh.   It was now a waiting game
for all of them from here on.


This time, Lucifer did not bother to have the command centurion
accompany him into the throne room.   More and more, he was
finding it unnerving to leave the throne room feeling resentment,
and not be able to express those feelings to someone who could
understand what he was going thnd of the Cylon Empire!" Serina spoke up for the
first time, her tone contemptuous as she thought of the
suffering she had witnessed firsthand as Caprica City burned
all around her.
"No," Baltar shook his head, grateful that he no longer
needed to fudge the record.   From this point forward,
everything was the truth.  "After the Imperious Leader was
killed at Carillon, I was spared to lure you into a new
offer of peace from a supposedly more benevolent Leader.   I
was given my own command of a baseship to track you down and
find a way of luring you into this trap so as to minimize
Cylon losses."  He paused, "Adama, I am not a fool.  My
usefulness to the Cylons ends the micron you and your Fleet
are delivered.   I don't have any rational reason to serve
their cause because my execution date was only postponed in
their minds.   But I do have a reason for taking advantage
of the opportunity they've given me to see to it that we all
make our revenge on those demons!"
Adama's stare remained cold rough.   Only another IL Cylon
would have filled that purpose, but there was no one else from
that class stationed aboard the baseship.    In terms of a Cylon
equal, he was completely alone and at the mercy of having to deal
with the increasingly insufferable Baltar.    And Lucifer already
knew that by the time this next conversation came to an end, his
frustration would only have increased.
"By your command."
The throne chair turned around, and again Baltar stared down with
that disdainful expression of haughty authority.   "Speak."
"The news is not good, Baltar," Lucifer began.   "Our scout
patrols report that nothing has been launched from the Galactica
since she recovered her fighters from the assault on the outpost
and entered the void."
"Translated, you have still not succeeded in capturing a Colonial
pilot," Baltar's disdainful tone was thick.   "My patience begins
to wear thin, Lucifer."
"So long as the Galactica does not launch any scout patrol, which
is of course the prudent thing and implacable.   "Get him out,"
he whispered with all the hate he could summon.
"Hear me out!" Baltar protested, "I have been to the Cylon
seat of power.   It is in chaos.   The reason why they
spared me to look for you is because their commanders are
unable to perform the task, and as a consequence the entire
baseship fleet has been scattered throughout all the star
systems.   Do you know what that means?   It means that the
route back to the Cylon home planet itself is totally
undefended.    One single battlestar could destroy the home
planet and bring the entire Cylon Empire to its knees!"
Adama remained unmoved, "You have the tounge of an angel,"
he almost spat at him, "But the soul of a serpent."
"I can prove my good intentions!" Baltar now began to feel
an edge of panic.  He hadn't expected Adama to be this
unyielding.  "That I have the power to lead you back to
Cylon supposedly as my prisoners, but to instead launch a
devastating counterattack against those demons."
"How can you provfor them to do now that they are in
the void, there is little chance of being able to capture one."
"Then tell our patrols that its time they started making their
presence known to the Galactica," Baltar said.   "Instead of
holding back beyond their scanner range, have them start
encroaching within their scanner range.   Just barely.   Give them
something that will cause them concern that they will have no
choice but to investigate."
"Baltar, you are forgetting something," Lucifer said, "We have now
been forced to enter the void ourselves, and it is fast becoming
impossible for us to maintain a proper fix on the Galactica and
her Fleet.   Especially if we are to maintain ourselves beyond
their normal scanning range."
"I am not interested in your excuses, Lucifer," Baltar shook his
head with disgust.  "I want some results.   Order the patrol teams
to do what I just said.   And the next time you return, I expect
it to be news of success."
Lucifer realized there was nothing more to say.   "By yoe it, Baltar?" Apollo's tone was just as
angry as before, but inside he was beginning to wonder if
maybe this time, there was some truth to what the traitor
was saying.
"By ordering the immediate release of one of your officers,"
he took a breath, hoping that this would have an impact.
"Lieutenant Starbuck, who was taken captive by a patrol only
yesterday."
For the first time, Adama looked caught off guard, while
both Apollo and Serina froze in disbelief.
"Starbuck?" Serina whispered, "Starbuck is alive?"
"Yes," Baltar nodded, "He's been brought to the surface on a
shuttle that left one centar after I did.   It won't be long
before he will have made his way over to your basecamp."  An
almost pleading edge entered his tone, "You must give me a
chance to prove myself!"
"At what price?" the coldness returned to Adama's voice and
he turned away in disgust.   "Remove him, Apollo."
But by contrast, Apollo's expression had now changed to one
of cautious uncertainty.
"Father," Apollo said, "What iur
command," he bowed and departed.



Chapter Nine

At 0700, Apollo's sleep was disturbed by the piercing chime
of a telecom ringing in the Officers Barracks.    He warily
rose from his bunk and looked over at Starbuck, who with his
face still in his pillow, was waving his hand to indicate,
"You answer it."    Shaking his head in amusement, the dark-
haired warrior went over and grabbed it.
"Yeah?"
"Captain Apollo?" Cassiopeia's voice was trembling with
enthusiasm.
"Yeah," Apollo blinked and glanced at his chronometer which
indicated it was five centars before he'd planned on
arising.
"This is Cassiopeia in the Life Station.   Captain, we've
found a cure!   We found a cure for the disease!"
Apollo felt all the drowsiness evaporate as he snapped to
attention.  "You're sure of that?"
"Yes, we were up all night trying to isolate it, and then
just three centars ago we found the solution!   We've
already begun injections of the pilots and the first signs
are positive."
"How positive?" Af he can prove what he's
saying?   Baltar doesn't know who Starbuck is, unless what
he's saying is true."
"Maybe it's true about Starbuck being alive," Adama turned
back, his expression still unmoved, "But if they've sent
you, Baltar, then it is a trap."
"Then why haven't they attacked?" Baltar shouted,
incredulous that Adama was being this thickheaded.
"I cannot tell you," he shook his head.  "But what I do
know, is that our safety doesn't lie behind us, with you or
the Cylons, and in false promises of revenge.   It lies
somewhere out there," he gestured with his arm, "With the
Thirteenth Tribe.   The tribe that colonized the planet
Earth."
"Earth?" Baltar's face twisted in disbelief.   Did this
explain Adama's thickheadedness?   If so, then Baltar was
convinced that Adama had totally lost his sanity.   "You
can't be serious.   That's nothing but a fable."
"I believe it is real as the existence of the Thirteenth
tribe," Adama refused to be intimidated by the traitor.
"And the key to that pollo wasn't ready to let himself get
carried away.   Experience always told him to wait to see
things for himself.
"We've begun taking them out of cryo-freeze," Cassiopeia
said.  "Boomer's awake now.   You and Starbuck can come down
and talk to him."
Now, Apollo felt some of the excitement enter him.   "We'll
be right down there!"  He hung up the telecom and dashed
over to Starbuck's bunk, where he gave the lieutenant a hard
shove.   "Get up Starbuck, you're coming down to the Life
Station."
"Only in my dreams, Apollo," he murmurred, still half in the
throes of sleep.
"They found the cure!" he shouted.
Abruptly, Starbuck turned over and came to a sitting
position.  It only took two centons for him to get himself
fully dressed and follow Apollo out.


When they arrived in the Life Station, five centons later,
they saw an exhausted Salik hunched over Boomer's support
chamber, studying some new readings.    When he looked up at
the two warriors, both Apollo and Starbuck could see the
redntribe and where they went, is here.
Locked away somewhere.  I'm certain of it!"
He went back over to the far wall to look at some of the
inscriptions.   But Apollo's attention was still on Baltar,
and there was a look of uneasiness on his face.   There was
something too abrupt in the way Adama had brushed off
Baltar, as though his father was so locked into the decision
to look for Earth, that maybe he had blinded himself to the
possibility of an alternative that needed to be explored.
Because whether or not Baltar was guilty of treason, that
still didn't explain his knowledge of Starbuck.   At the
very least, Starbuck had to be alive, and if it was true
that Starbuck was going to be released, that raised some
more questions that he wasn't sure could be easily
dismissed.
"Father," his son spoke in a more calm tone.  "With all due
respect----"
The commander got to his feet and glared at him.  "Don't let
yourself be deluded by him, Apollo," he said coldly, "We
made that mistake once before, aness in Salik's eyes that indicated he'd been up all
night.
"Doctor," Apollo said, "Cassiopeia said you've found a
cure."
"We have," Salik rose and rubbed the back of his neck.
"Praise the Lords, it works.   The answer was simple enough
once we factored the differences in the asteroid's
atmosphere."
"How long will it take them to recover?"
"A minimum of several cycles, perhaps a sectan to get their
internal body strength back," Salik said, "You can talk to
Boomer now, but make it brief.   Just a couple centons."
"We will," Apollo nodded as they drew up to the support
chamber, while Salik moved off to the other side of the
room.   They looked down and saw Boomer lying on his back,
eyes open and taking a number of deep breaths.   He was
still visibly sweating and seemed exhausted, but there was
no mistaking the general look of relief on his face.
"Boomer?" Apollo gently spoke.  "Can you hear us?"
Boomer took another deep breath.  "I hear you," he
whispered.  "Cassiopeia....she told me what yod we saw the results.   And
those like your mother and Zac were the ones who paid the
price."
The mention of his brother and mother had a sobering effect
on Apollo, and he slowly found himself recognizing the
wisdom of what his father was saying.  And yet.....
"Take him to the surface and keep him under total guard.  As
soon as its convenient, remove him to the Galactica." Adama
said as he continued to study the inscriptions.   "I'll
remain here."
"We need your medallion to get past the barriers," his son
pointed out.
"Use his," Adama said.  "How else could he have gotten down
here?"
Apollo pointed his laser at Baltar and motioned, "Hand it
over, Baltar."
The traitor was feeling a burning sense of anger mounting
inside him.   All of it aimed squarely at Adama.   Adama was
no longer listening to reason at this point, and was
destroying all of his carefully laid plans, and only because
of his mystical belief in an ancient myth.
As Apollo and Serina motioned him out into the corridor, he
reu and the
others did....Taking that risk going back with all
those....trainees.   Thanks."
"How do you feel?" Starbuck asked, thinking it almost
miraculous that he could be speaking to him again.
Boomer sighed.  "In a word, awful," he whispered.   "I feel
like I swallowed a hand detonator and it imploded inside and
now all my organs have shifted.   And now, since the
injection, I'm feeling them slowly shift back to their
normal positions and it makes me want to hang my head inside
a turbo-flush for the rest of my life."
Apollo and Starbuck both grinned as they immediately
realized Boomer was making light of the situation.   He was
feeling the effects of recovery, but painful as they were,
it represented progress at last.
"But I'll tell you this," Boomer added, "Feeling like
felgercarb sure beats being dead, anytime."  He paused and
his eyes darted up toward Apollo.   "Am I on report for not
going directly to the Life Station?"
"Consider all disciplinary action on that suspended
indefinitelalized that at this point, Adama's son was likely the only
hope he had of getting through to the Galactica commander.
And he could only hope at this point, that Starbuck's
arrival would be the key to that.

X-UIDL: 0ND"!(L;"!gp:"!0&$!!

Baltar had barely been gone from the baseship more than a centon,
when Lucifer had decided to retreat to the command throne room,
and test out the high throne chair for himself.   Since this
throne room had been used only a sectar ago by the current
Imperious Leader before command of this ship had been turned over
to Baltar, he found that it gave him a keener insight into how
things looked from the Cylon ruler's perspective.   And with it,
came a burning sense of both resentment over his current position
within the Cylon Empire, and a sudden burst of enlightenment as to
what he felt Baltar's plan really was.
He heard the doors slide open, and then the lower toned voice of
the command centurion, "By your command."
When he spun the throne chair around, he almoy."
"Thanks," Boomer managed the faintest of smiles.   "I guess
they also had to destroy all that ambrosia in the Club
because of contamination, right?"
"Just the opened bottles, from what I hear," Starbuck
joshed.  "I...ah...plan on making arrangments to retrieve
the sealed bottles later."
"You'd better save it all for us," Boomer pushed his head
deeper into the pillow.   "We've earned it."
"You sure have," Apollo kept grinning.   "We won't keep you
up any longer.   You keep getting your strength back, and
Starbuck and I will keep looking after the squadron."
"Just don't let them take our jobs permanently," Boomer kept
smiling faintly, "I'm itching...to get back in there."
"Won't be long," Apollo patted his hand on the glass of the
support chamber.  "You just hang in there, buddy.    Take
care."


As soon as they left the Life Station, Apollo and Starbuck
both let out intense sighs of relief.
"Well, the worst is over." Starbuck said.
"For them at least," Apollo said.  "We've still got tst wondered if the
command centurion had the faintest sensation of surprise at seeing
him assume this lofty perch.   Ridiculous, since centurions, not
even command ones, were capable of such sensations, yet just the
same he felt the need to say disarmingly, "Just getting the feel
of it, centurion."  Then a brief pause as his voice grew more
authorative, "What have you to report about our commander?"
"Two centurions have escorted the prisoner to the co-ordinates as
requested.   They report no word from Baltar for over a centar."
"Hmmmm," the IL settled back in the throne chair.  "A pity.  I'm
afraid that we can only assume that Baltar's plan has failed.
Whatever that plan truly was." he placed a hint of frost on the
word truly, something he knew that the command centurion would be
incapable of understanding.   On the one hand, the command
centurion would be pliable and blindly follow whatever he had to
say, which was certainly to his advantage.   Yet at the same time,
Lucifer found himself yearhe void
to deal with."
"Hey, if we can conquer this disease, then what can a
harmless little void ever do to us?" Starbuck pulled out a
fumarello from his jacket and lit it.   "First time in days
one of these seem appropriate.    Now what's say we head by
the Officers Club and reopen it in grand fashion?"
"I'm game," Apollo sighed, "Might as well live it up before
we hit the simulators with the new pilots again at 1400.
I'm too keyed up to go back to sleep."
When they arrived at the Officers Club, which still had the
residue of the now removed quarantine label clinging to the
door, they saw to their surprise that it was already
occupied.    All five of the female pilots who had flown
yesterday were there, sharing drinks and engaging in
spirited discussion about the battle they had taken part in.
"Look at that," Apollo whispered to Starbuck in amazement,
"One day and already they're trading war stories like
seasoned veterans."
"Just goes to show you how one day out there changes you
foreverning for the intellectual challenge of
another IL, or perhaps even a human like Starbuck to parry his
arguments.   He knew he was going to miss the captured warrior's
company for that reason alone.
"His instructions were quite specific," the command centurion
said, "To stand by to escort the Galactica and her fleet back to
Cylon."
"Yes," Lucifer nodded, "But the thought that has intrigued me
about our commander's plan, was just who was to be whose
prisoner?"
"The orders were quite specific.   They were to be our prisoners."
What dimwitted fools those centurions are, Lucifer thought.  But
more importantly, what a dimwitted fool the Imperious Leader is
for not having the sense to realize what I've now realized.   So
certain did Lucifer feel at that moment, that he felt he could
express his inner thoughts aloud, albeit in the subtle way that
would go completely over the centurion's head.
"Oh, you centurions are so limited in your appreciation for the
human mind," Lucifer sighed, "But unfortunat." Starbuck whispered back as they entered and picked
up some drinks from the bar.    They then settled themselves
down in comfortable chairs across from where Serina, Brie,
Dietra, Athena and Mackin were still engaging in their back
and forth exchange.
"....the lateral shot was what worried me the most," Serina
was saying as she moved one had across in front of the other
to try to duplicate what it was like.   "They moved so fast
across my field of vision you knew it wasn't going to blink
on the attack computer so all I could do was make a guess
and count down from three."
"I'm glad I didn't have to try one of those," Brie said.  "I
didn't do so well out there."
"Hey, you're alive, aren't you?  That means you did fine,"
Mackin patted her on the shoulder and took a sip from her
tankard, which caused Starbuck's eyes to widen in disbelief
since from what he remembered of Mackin from the one time
they had a date more than a yahren ago, she didn't drink.
"Guess flying can also give you an iron sely it would seem that
even our new Imperious Leader is afflicted by the same limitation
when it comes to Baltar.   Has it not occurred to him, that a man
who was so close to the executioner's blade at the hands of one
Leader, would be more apt to realize that he remains close to it
so long as he is serving the Cylon cause?"
There was no response from the command centurion.
"There is something else about our Leader, indeed about all
Imperious Leaders that you are probably not aware of," Lucifer
went on, this time not caring what kind of risks he was indulging
himself in.   Not even command centurions ever dared to make
reports about superiors behind their backs.  "When an Imperious
Leader is killed, as happened to our esteemed ruler at Carillon,
succession is automatically drawn from the ranks of the second
brain Cylon classes, which of course includes my own class, the IL
series.   Did you know that our current leader was previously an
IL series Cylon?"
The command centurion was still silenttomach too," he
leaned back and whispered to Apollo.
"You never needed flying to give you that," Apollo nudged
him as he continued to listen in.
"You're right about that," Starbuck grinned as he took a
puff on his fumarello.
"....Simulators are one thing," Brie went on, "It's still
easy to feel safe in one of those things because you know
its not real and that if something goes wrong, you can shrug
it off and start over.    But out there," she shook her
head, "you become a lot more aware of what the danger's all
about."
"Don't I know it," Athena chimed in, "Starting with the g-
factor.   The simulator doesn't really prepare you for the
jolt you get riding down the launch tube."
"That part was easy for me," Dietra said, "It's maintaining
position with a group formation that gives me trouble.   I
prefer the thought of going off on single ship-to-ship
engagements."
On and on the conversation went, with the five women
seemingly oblivious to Starbuck and Apollo's presence.
Finally, the brash l, so Lucifer plowed on,
almost talking aloud to himself.  "If it was the IL series they
wished to draw from, they would have done much better to choose me
than the one they ultimately selected.   But...such is fate it
would seem." he paused, "Of course, if there were ever a major
military victory under my command, that might influence the matter
of succession at some future time."
Finally, the command centurion broke his silence.  "What is your
command?"
Lucifer looked down at him for a long centon, wondering if this
was the time to make his move.   If his instincts were correct,
then he would indeed be setting himself up to become the next
Cylon Imperious Leader.    But his own sense of self-preservation
told him that if he was wrong, he carried the risk of being
permanently exiled to a meaningless post, or even worse, scrapped
and recycled into component parts for centurions.
He decided that he would allow just a reasonable amount of
precaution to take hold.  Enough so that if something didieutenant spoke up slightly, "So....ah,
Apollo got anything planned for your living quarters
arrangments after the sealing?"
At first, Apollo's eyebrows went up in bewilderment, but
then he realized what Starbuck was doing.   And he decided
that his system could use a bit of relief.
"Oh, I'm glad you asked, Starbuck!" he smiled and talked in
an almost sing-song fashion.  "Why, I've heard that nowadays
its possible for newly sealed couples to get two room
dwellings just about anywhere they want, and they can pick
their own view."
"Mmmm, sounds good," Starbuck said wryly, "You'd probably
need to commission a decorator, right?"
"Will we!" Apollo went on, raising his voice just a bit,
"You know I spent a whole centar the other day just trying
to decide what color to pick for the blinds.   You just
can't rush these things."
They then glanced over at the pilots, and they still
continued to talk among themselves about the previous day's
mission.
Apollo decided to try again, "Oh, Starbuck!   Did I go awry,
the blame could not be affixed on him.  "Oh....just thinking
aloud.   However," he paused, "If there is no word from our
commander within another centar, we are to take appropriate
action.   All fighters are to stand-by for my launch order.   If
an attack becomes necessary, then our squadrons are to concentrate
first on whatever encampments the Colonials have set up on the
planet surface.   After all, Baltar would not have gone there if
he did not believe that their warriors and top personnel would be
there."
"By your command," the command centurion turned and departed.


As soon as Apollo and Serina returned to the surface with Baltar
in tow, the captain had seen to it that the traitor be kept under
guard in the tent adjacent to where the heart of the ruins began.
For now, he wasn't comfortable with the idea of having Baltar
removed to the Galactica.   There was a strange logic to much of
what Baltar had said, and if it was enough to make him contemplate
the mere thought that his mention
that when I was through with the decorator, he told me how I
could get my hands on a supply of....valcron?"
"Valcron?" his eyebrows went up, "You mean the translucent
fabric they use to make women's ahhhh......." he trailed off
suggestively, and then glanced over again at the group.
They were still wrapped up in their own conversation.
"Maybe we're too subtle," Starbuck sighed as he leaned back
and took a puff on his fumarello.
"Maybe," Apollo shrugged, wondering why he was treating it
as a big deal anyway.   Cliques among viper pilots wasn't an
uncommon experience.   He'd already seen it in the voluntary
segregation between Blue and Red Squadrons.    Now it looked
as though another clique was forming based on gender, and if
that was the case there probably wasn't much that could be
done about it.
Finally, Serina looked up and she seemed surprised to see
them both.  "Oh!   Apollo, Starbuck, we didn't know you'd
come in."
"Oh that's okay," Starbuck said wryly as he tapped the ashes
 father was wrong, God only knew what
kind of effect such an offer could have on the entire Council of
Twelve.    Apollo might only waver just a bit before accepting his
father's reproach, but given how the Council had acted only a
sectar ago at Carillon, they probably would give Baltar an instant
pardon after hearing his offer, and maybe even give his seat on
the Council back.
"Don't let anyone other than the commander or myself enter this
tent," Apollo said coldly to Lieutenant Taggs, who was standing by
to guard the traitor.  "If I find out anyone else comes in, that
person is on report along with you, Taggs."
"Yes sir," the deputy leader of Red Squadron found it annoying
that he'd been put in this subordinate position, but he'd always
trained himself to rigidly follow orders without question and he
wasn't going to deviate from that now.
"Captain!" Baltar protested.  "Give me five centons alone with
you, and maybe you'll have the sense to realize that your father
has lost control of his sa
of his cigar on the floor, "I'm not the kind of guy that
likes to make an impression when I enter a room, right
Apollo?"
"Right," Apollo rolled his eyes.
"Well we're just celebrating because we heard the good news
about Blue Squadron and that they're going to be okay,"
Athena said.   "We figured we owed it to them to celebrate,
rather than sleep some more."
"Now that I approve of," the sarcasm faded from Starbuck's
voice as he smiled brightly, "The true mark of a warrior is
to learn how to make this Officers Club one's real home when
one is off-duty."
"You had that mastered before you ever got your commission,
Starbuck," Athena decided to test his reaction to getting
the needle from her.   How he reacted might indicate whether
or not there was still hope for her as far as a relationship
with Starbuck was concerned.
"Hey, I wasn't about to waste my time on the mundane classes
at the Academy." Starbuck just smiled and Athena instantly
felt a surge of relief go through her when she saw that hnity!"
"That's enough from you, Baltar!" Apollo shouted back.  "You'll
have your say later, in another forum."
He then stepped out of the tent and took a deep breath.   The
cool, night air of Kobol felt invigorating.   Around him, the
pyramids and the ruins were cast in a silhouetted glow that only
underscored the otherworldliness of this place.   As advanced as
the Colonies had become before their destruction, the ruins of
Kobol suggested advances that the Twelve worlds had never begun to
approach.    It could only make him shake his head in awed
fascination.
"A cubit for your thoughts, my captain?"
He turned around and saw his wife smiling at him.   Immediately,
he reached out and pulled her to him.   Arm-in-arm, they both
looked up at the awesome sight of the massive pyramid structures
that towered over the rest of the ruins and the basecamp.
"Those writings down in the tomb have my father beguiled." Apollo
sighed.   "But I get the feeling there's more to that tomb than
just the writings e'd
taken it goodnaturedly.   "Now you and Dietra, you were both
Academy graduates, right?    Remember the basic general
requirement courses they made us take?   Specialized cooking
courses for sagan's sake!   Just so we could figure out how
to make the most in case we ever got stranded on a planet
and had to make do with the local food sources in creative
ways."
"I remember that," Dietra nodded, "A whole sectan learning
the fine art of boiling roots to make them edible.   Ugh!"
"Hey that was nothing," Starbuck moved into the circle of
women, "Did your class have a session on the treatment of
soil slugs as a last resort?   Because I skipped out on that
one."
"Yeah," Athena nodded.   "I skipped that one too.   If
that's my last resort for survival, then forget it!"
"Yuck, I agree with that," Mackin said with disgust.
I don't believe this, Apollo thought with incredulity.  Now
Starbuck's worked his way in and forgotten about me!
Finally, he saw Serina get up and ease her way out of the
thronthat has him spellbound.   It's as if
he's....waiting for something more."
"He feels the hand of God leading him," Serina said as she looked
up at the heavens.  "The holy writings of the Book of the Word led
us here.   He now waits for the next revelation."
Apollo looked at her in amazement at seeing this streak of faith
and piety inside his wife show itself.   "You really believe that,
Serina?"
"With all my heart," the reverent air in her voice increased.
"Your father has more gifted insight into matters of faith than
anyone else I've met, Apollo." she looked at him.  "Don't tell me
that didn't rub off on you, just a bit."
"It rubbed off," Apollo admitted, "But....not with the kind of
depth you know, Serina."  He paused, "I guess I've still got a lot
to learn."
"At least the Holocaust didn't destroy your faith," Serina said,
"I know it did with Athena."
"Yeah," her husband nodded, "Athena...I think her problem was that
before all the horror, she was too innocent and trusting about the
goodg, so that she could come over to her fiancee.
"You look like someone who feels neglected," she said
sympathetically.
"I guess so," Apollo admitted.
She kissed him on the cheek, "Feel better?"
"Yes," he smiled. "But remember, if you keep up that kind of
visible fraternization with an officer, you can end up on
report."
"Don't worry, my captain," she dropped her voice to a
whisper that no one else but Apollo could hear, "I only want
to fraternize when I'm wearing some of that valcron you said
you'd acquired."
His eyebrows went up.
"You see?" Serina smiled mischievously.  "You weren't
ignored after all."
The two of them both laughed heartily and went over to the
bar to refill their tankards.

X-UIDL: +7E!!S4U!!oK7!!,Z%!!

Adama had arrived on the Bridge feeling in a good mood over
the news of a cure against the disease, but when he saw Tigh
hunched over Omega's shoulder on the lower level, he could
tell that there was considerable concern in the Executive
Officer's face.
"Something wrong, Colonel?" he inquired as he came over to
them.
"I'm not sure, Commander.   Take a look at this."
Adama looked at the scanner, which was clear and empty, and
frowned.  "I don't see anything."
"Not now," Tigh admitted, "But for the last few centons,
something's been popping in our rear flank scan.   Just
barely there for a micron, and then it was gone."
Adama's eyes narrowed as he continued to look at the
scanner.   As though he were waiting for something to
happen.   And then, he saw it.   At the far left of the
screen, a tiny blip that appeared for a half micron.   Then
it was gone.
"There it is again!" Tigh exclaimed.   "Exactly like it's
been for the last few centons."
"And not visible long enough to get a scan on what it might
be," the commander grunted with concern.   "All right, let's
first consider the natural explanations for that.
Meteor?"
"Unlikely, sir," Omega spoke up.  "When that thing pops into
the scanner its always in the same quadrant.   Delta nine.
If it's a meteor, itness of Providence.   She...never thought something evil like
that could happen in an orderly universe."
"I should have a talk with her sometime about what true faith
really is," Serina sighed. "I know she's closed herself off to
Adama as far as understanding that goes.   Maybe someday I can
make her see what she's not realizing."
"Maybe that's another calling in life you missed," Apollo smiled
wryly.  "Instead of a journalist or a warrior, you could have been
a Caprican priestess."
Serina returned his smile, "Post-fourth millennia of course, when
the Holy Council revoked the celibacy clause and gave Caprican
priests and priestesses the option to marry."
"Of course," Apollo pulled her tighter and kissed her on the lips.
When they were through, they resumed their awestruck look at the
sight of the ruins.
"I think it's still comforting to know that there's more to this
place than ruins and a burnt-out sun," Serina said.  "That
somehow, even in a universe gone mad by the Destruction, there's
st's following us."
"Noted," Adama nodded, "But merely because it's following us
doesn't automatically mean that's a craft of some kind.   If
it isn't a meteor, it could also be a comet that we can't
see because there's no sun or star to shine off it and make
it's tail visible."
"Possible," the executive officer, "But still, there's the
simple fact that if the Cylons had any ships operating in
the vicinity after we destroyed the outpost, they had to
have known we entered the void and it could be they've
decided to take a risk pursuing us."
"Dangerous move on their part, if they have tried that."
Adama said, "But if it's Cylons, then why not go for the
kill?   Why hang back, and then just pop into range?
They'd have to already know where we are and have enough
time to radio back to their flagship to send out a strike
force."
"We can speculate all we want, Commander," Tigh pointed out,
"But the bottom line is that we should send out a patrol to
investigate."
Adama looked at him.  "I'm not keenill room for miracles."
"Funny, that you should mention miracles."  a voice from off to
their left suddenly spoke.   Apollo's and Serina's heads then both
whipped around and their jaws fell open when they saw Starbuck,
standing there with a giant grin.
"Starbuck!" Apollo came up and gave him the biggest fraternal
embrace he'd ever given to anyone in his life.   Even despite
Baltar's earlier comments about him being alive, he hadn't been
prepared to believe it fully until he saw the blonde warrior with
his own eyes.
"Hey, hey, take it easy, buddy," Starbuck said nonchalantly.
"Isn't it against regulations to hug a junior officer?   Unless of
course, you mean it."
"You'd better believe it!" Apollo exclaimed, and then he stopped
as he realized that Starbuck's release carried bigger implications
that he needed to address fast.   "Starbuck, where did you come
from?"
"You didn't know then?" the blonde warrior frowned.  "Didn't
Baltar show up ahead of me and tell you?"
"Yeah, he did," Apollo nodde on that idea, Tigh.
Sending out vipers entails the risk that they could lose
their bearings and get lost in the void altogether.    And
with Blue Squadron a few cycles away from recovery, I'd
rather not take that risk with an experienced pilot or two."
"Granted," Tigh conceded, "But Adama, if that contact is a
Cylon probe, and not an attack force, then it could be that
its function is to monitor us while staying in contact with
its baseship.   If we could eliminate that probe, then maybe
the baseship, if there is one, will then lose its ability to
track us further into the void."
"You're dealing in a hypothetical, Colonel," Adama still
wasn't convinced.  "I'd need more substantive proof that it
is a Cylon probe before risking the lives of at least two
pilots on a mission like that."
The sound of the blip caught their attention again.   Their
heads both darted back to the scanner and again, they saw
the tiny image on the left side of the screen for two
microns, and then it was gone.
"Command.  "He said you were alive, but....we
weren't exactly ready to believe him.   We're keeping him under
guard for the moment."
"I don't blame you," Starbuck conceded, "He said he wants to make
some new peace offer, and releasing me is supposed to be a sign of
goodwill.   But...I gotta tell you Apollo, I'm not too sure
whether he's on top of the situation or not."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, I had a chance to talk a lot with Baltar's second in
command while I was prisoner.   I get the feeling that if Baltar's
idea is peace, that isn't what his underlings have in mind.   I
heard too many slips of the tounge that made it clear that they
weren't being kept in the loop about that."
Apollo looked at Serina, who was also frowning.
"Starbuck, that doesn't make things any clearer for us."  Serina
said.  "Baltar said his proposal is to trick the Cylons into
ultimately launching a counterattack on them.   That would mean
that if what you say about his underlings is true...."
"Then it actually lends morder," Tigh pointed at the scanner, "We're going to
keep seeing that thing for who knows how long, just
wondering what in Hades it is, and by the time we can get a
concrete answer from here using the Galactica's scanners for
detailed analysis, it might be too late for us.    We have
to deal with that and establish what it is, now."
The commander put his hands behind his back, "Very well," he
finally said, "Captain Apollo and his designated wingmate
will go out and investigate.   I believe he's in the
Officers Club celebrating the recovery of the pilots, so go
down and brief him on the situation."
"Yes sir," Tigh nodded and departed.


Apollo and Serina had continued their quiet conversation at
the other end of the Officers Club, occasionally glancing
over at Starbuck who was still conversing easily with the
other four pilots.
"I hope he's not talking about more survival cooking
preparations," Apollo quipped as he finished his tankard.
"Those classes always made me want to fast for a whole
e credence to his story." Apollo
finished, as he felt the uneasy feeling of doubt he'd experienced
in the tomb return to him.
"Counterattack?" Starbuck frowned.  "Lords of....that one I didn't
expect, but if you're putting it that way...."
"Just one other thing," Apollo said, "How much escort was there
that brought you to the surface, and where are they?"
"Just one shuttle with two centurions," Starbuck said.  "We landed
about five kilometers on the other side of the ruins, and the
centurions just told me to make my way over to basecamp and they
would stand by and wait for Baltar's instructions.   As far as I
know, they have to still be in their shuttle because they know
they wouldn't stand a chance against a whole fortified base."
"I think we'd better get moving," Apollo said as he turned and
dashed back toward the tent on the edge of the ruins where Baltar
was being kept under guard.    Serina and Starbuck both followed
him.   When they reached it, they saw that Athena and Dietra had
joinedsectan."
"Well at least it would explain where the Galactica's Mess
Hall chef got his training."   Serina said lightheartedly.
The Officers Club door opened and they saw Colonel Tigh
enter.   Dietra suddenly got to her feet and snapped to
attention, and the other three female pilots, Athena, Brie
and Mackin did so as well.   Only Starbuck didn't get to his
feet, much to the mild annoyance of the other three.
"Hey relax girls, this is the Club.   The Colonel knows
that, right sir?" he looked over and grinned.
Tigh resisted the urge to make an authoritative sounding
comeback.   "Starbuck, I want to talk to you and Apollo.
Now."
"Uh-oh, looks like I stand corrected.    Well, take care
girls." he waved to them.
"Apollo," Serina started as Apollo left her side to follow
Tigh and Starbuck out, "Wait.   If this is----"
He didn't stop to listen to her, and left the room.   Serina
let out an exasperated sigh and quickly went after him.
By the time she was in the corridor, the executive officer
was  Taggs outside the tent.
"Starbuck!" Athena suddenly shouted in stunned surprise when she
saw him.   She impulsively threw her arms around him and kissed
him passionately on the lips, surprising the blonde warrior only
briefly, as he realized that his disappearance and apparent death
obviously would have been just as hard, if not more, on her than
Apollo.
"I guess you missed me," he grinned, and then decided to
reciprocate her kiss.
"You'll never know how much," Athena whispered as she let go,
wondering if maybe now he'd realize how much he meant to her, and
that she wanted to put aside the unpleasantness of that experience
in the locker room a sectar ago.   But all that would depend on
how deep his fascination with the socialator turned med-tech
Cassiopeia ran, and she knew that any decision he might make
wasn't going to come here.
"So what happened, Starbuck?" Dietra said as she moved in, and
shook hands with him.  "We thought you were lost for good."
"Well, what's a littleƒ?"" he then stoalready deep in conversation with the two warriors as
they continued to walk away.
"ƒ?"the order is for you and your wingmate to go out and
investigate whatever it is."
"Wait up!" Serina came over to them.
Tigh frowned at Serina, "Serina, this is confidential
information.   It's for Apollo and Starbuck only."
"Well just a centon," Serina said, "You said ƒ?~you and your
wingmate'.   Did you mean Apollo and his wingmate or
Starbuck and his wingmate?"
Tigh frowned.  "Serina, what are you talking about?"
A wave of horror passed over Apollo's face as he finally
added things up.  "It doesn't mean anything, Colonel.
Serina, go back to the club."
"No, I won't!" Serina protested.   "According to the flight
roster, I am Apollo's wingmate for any future engagement we
go in, because standard procedure dictates assigning an
experienced pilot with a trainee----"
"This isn't a mission for trainees, Serina!" Apollo wheeled
on her.
"Colonel," Serina looked with determination at the executive
officer.  "Wapped as he remembered that
this was not a good time to be flip about something as serious as
a nearby baseship, especially since there were too many questions
surrounding Baltar and his plans that needed to be answered.   He
turned around and noticed that Apollo and Serina had both
disappeared inside the tent.  "Ah, I'll fill you in later." he
stepped in to join them.   Apollo was glaring angrily at the
traitor.
"I want some answers now, Baltar!   And this time it had better be
the truth!"
Baltar smiled as he saw Starbuck enter, "Ah, you've arrived at
last, Lieutenant.   Now I don't think I need to do anything else
to prove my good intentions, do I, Captain?   So I would suggest
that you go down to that tomb and pry Adama away from those
ancient writings and talk some sense into him."
"Apollo," Serina said, "Whatever this means, we do have to tell
him."
Her husband nodded, "You're coming with us, Baltar."
"Captain, there is no point in my accompanying you back down there
when you already has the order for Apollo and Starbuck
specifically, or was it for Apollo and his wingmate?"
Tigh felt himself flush with embarrassment, "The order was
for Captain Apollo and his wingmate.   I just----assumed
thatƒ?"ƒ?""
he trailed off.
"Then that means that the orders posted on the flight roster
would be for me, not Starbuck," Serina held her ground. "Now
unless you want to waste a lot of time changing the roster
and reprogramming the viper launch computers, which would be
calibrated for mine, not Starbuck's----"
Apollo felt all of the morning's optimism evaporating in an
instant.   "Colonel, you can't-----"
"I'm afraid she's right, Apollo," Tigh said, "If the order's
been posted, then the programming's already been set in both
your ships, and it would take too much time to undo that for
Starbuck's viper.   And we don't have time to dawdle when it
comes to finding out what's trailing our wake right now."
Apollo felt helpless at this point.   He angrily looked at
Starbuck, who'd been silent thve my Council medallion to give you access.
The sooner you get your father up here and out of that daydream of
his, the better."
"You're going to move, now, Baltar." Apollo pointed his laser
pistol at him.   "Serina, come with me.   Starbuck, you're now in
charge of basecamp operations until we get back.   I want you to
have all warriors ready to take to their vipers at a micron's
notice.   And try to get word back to the Galactica about the
approximate location that basestar you were on would have to be
in.   We can't let them be caught dead with just half of Red
Squadron available to them."
"Gotcha," Starbuck nodded, "Think things are going to turn for the
worse?"
"I'm not sure, but we'd better be prepared in case they do."

X-UIDL: ]IV"!5_l"!LS]!!2RP!!

It took almost fifteen centons to renegotiate the turns through
the tunnels that led back to the Ninth Lord of Kobol's crypt.
When they arrived, Adama was no longer studying the writings on
the wall but was idly pacing back and forth in e whole time, awkwardly
shuffling his feet while the conversation went on.
"Ah, look," Starbuck finally spoke up, "Let's not make a big
deal about this.   I'd....rather just go back to my quarters
and get another centar's sleep."  He patted Apollo on the
shoulder, "Take care of yourself out there," he then walked
away.
"Starbuckƒ?"" Apollo protested.
"Captain, will you drop it and pay attention to me?" Tigh
didn't hide the exasperation in his voice.   "We have a
target that's trailing our wake and I want you and Serina to
find out whether it's a natural phenomena or----"
"Just a centon," Apollo cut him off, his eyes still fixed on
Starbuck's retreating form down the corridor, "If Starbuck's
going back to his quarters, he's not going the right----"
Suddenly, Starbuck's distant form broke into a wild sprint
and he disappeared from view.
"That crazy madacca, he's headed for the Launch Bay!"
Apollo began to sprint after him, with both Serina and Tigh
following.


Starbuck quickly got on the front of the crypt
with his fingers on his medallion, as though he were waiting for
something.
When the commander saw Baltar standing between Apollo and Serina,
he glared angrily, "I thought I told you to remove him to the
Galactica."
"Father," Apollo said as evenly as he could.  "He told the truth.
Starbuck just turned up at basecamp alive and well."
Adama's face twisted in disbelief, "What about Cylon escort?"
"He says just one shuttle with two centurions, who are standing by
five kilometers away waiting for Baltar's instructions." he
paused, "Father, this has reached a point where it doesn't matter
any longer if Baltar's telling the truth or not.   We need to
evacuate this planet as fast as we can.   So far, the void's
interference is providing some protection, but that can change
soon and Baltar's baseship has to be close enough to mount an
attack that could wipe us all out."
"No," Adama shook his head, "We cannot leave.  Not until I find
the answer we need to find."
Baltar struggled tofirst turbo lift he could find,
and as soon as it came to a stop several levels down on the
flight deck, he promptly sprinted across the tarmac and
dashed over to Apollo's waiting viper.   Immediately, the
ground CWO Jenny, who was making final adjustments at the
front end, looked up at frowned.
"Starbuck?"  Her eyes narrowed in disbelief, "This is
Apollo's ship.  What are you doing?"
"We switched patrols," Starbuck snatched the flight helmet
from in front of the cockpit and snapped it on.   He then
took only five microns to lock the canopy into place.
"Intercept one, launch controls now transferred to you," he
heard Rigel's voice come through his helmet.  "Launch when
ready."
Starbuck didn't bother making an acknowledgment.    He
immediately pressed his finger on the launch button and in
an instant, had roared his way down the tube and out into
the blackness of the void.     He activated his auto-lock
which would bring him on the pre-programmed heading toward
whatever it was that needed to keep his exasperation in check. "Listen to
reason, Adama.   If you do find what you're looking for, what
would you ultimately gain?    The chance to drift around forever
in space, and in search of what?   A planet that may be the myth
of half-drunken star voyagers who came back to their home planet
to die here?" he paused, "The longer you dawdle in this crypt, the
more you run the risk of all of us dying here.   Unless I give the
appearance that I've delivered you to the Empire.   We must attack
them and seize power and bring the Cylon Empire to its knees!   It
would take them completely by surprise."
Adama turned around, looked Baltar in the eye and then pointed
straight at him.
"I trusted you once!" he almost spat the words out.  "I, and all
my brothers on the Council you served on.   I, and all the other
15 billion people who lived in the Colonies listened to you.   I
will not risk what is left of that civilization you destroyed by
listening to you again."
"Damn you, Adama, why are you th be investigated.


It took more than three centons for another turbo lift to
arrive that could take Apollo, Serina and Tigh down to the
launch bay.    When they got there, Apollo immediately
noticed that his own viper was gone.   "Felgercarb," he
cursed, and dashed over to Serina's viper, "Well, like it or
not Serina, he's taken it out of your hands.   This is the
only other viper with the programmed coordinates."
"No!" Serina protested, as she grabbed him by the arm, "I'm
assigned to this mission, so that means I'll just take his
viper instead."
"No you won't!" Apollo barked, "Now you just sit tight."
Then, not wanting to leave her on an angry note, he
impulsively gave her a quick kiss and embrace before
hoisting himself up into the viper.
"Damn it," Serina whispered in frustration as Tigh came up
to her.  "I'm his wingman.   This is my assignment."
"Serina, don't let it----"
But she didn't bother to let the executive officer finish.
Instead, she dashed over to the other side of the lauis stubborn?" Baltar exploded,
finding it incredible that even now Apollo wasn't pushing his
father hard on the matter.  "The longer you hold me under guard
and don't let me communicate with that shuttle that brought
Starbuck, the more you run the risk of causing those Cylon
subordinates of mine to do something rash.   They will assume that
my plan to capture you has failed and they could end up launching
an attack on us all!   And if that happens Adama," Baltar sucked
in his breath and summoned all the inner contempt he could manage,
"Then the blood will be on your hands.  Not mine."
Apollo could feel the conflicting emotions return to him again.
He was convinced that if he were an ordinary warrior and not the
commander's son, he might have already cracked and been forcefully
arguing Baltar's case.   Only his longstanding trust in his
father's judgment stood in the way at this point, and that was a
bond that had been nurtured all his life and was one that he
wasn't about to disregard.
Beforench
bay, where Starbuck's viper was.
"Serina, wait!" Tigh called after, but it was to no avail.
Finally, the executive officer threw up his hands in disgust
and decided that his sanity dictated he get back to the
Bridge.

X-UIDL: iN[!!oXA!!mo$#!Hk>"!

As soon as Apollo was away he immediately activated his auto
lock which he knew would put him on the same course Starbuck
was on.    He then concentrated his scanner and to his
relief saw Starbuck's viper at the edge of his scope.
"Starbuck, this is Apollo.    Back off on your power and let
me catch up to you, or you might lose your fix on the
Galactica."
He didn't hear a reply.    But before he could prompt him
again, he then saw another viper pulling up alongside him.
He already knew who it was and he felt a wave of anger go
through him.
"Serina, you get your tail back aboard the Galactica now!"
"Not a chance, Captain," there was an air of coolness in her
tone.   "I'm merely following standard procedure if a
scenario like this happens.   he could say anything, his father had placed his medallion
in another slot alongside the wall.   Abruptly, a tiny recessed
slot in the ceiling opened to reveal a faint glimpse of the
outside, some fifty feet above.   Through the slot, Apollo and
Serina could see the more distant bright star that had guided them
to the mother world directly overhead.
"Adama?" Baltar fumed, "Are you going to just stand there like one
of these dead pieces of stone?   You have to let me go, now!"
Suddenly, there was a sensation of brightness filling the room,
and both Apollo and Serina could see that it was caused by the
single star beginning to pulse.   Even through the tiny opening,
the brightness was enough to illuminate the crypt even without the
benefit of illuminators.
The awe filled Adama's voice, "It's as if that opening was placed
there for a reason.   To be discovered by me at this very micron."
"Damn you!" Baltar would have gladly shot Adama at this point if
he were armed.   He turned and looked at Apo I was assigned to this flight,
that means I fly it even if I had to take a viper without
preprogrammed coordinates.    Now I suggest you give me
those coordinates now for me to put into my auto-lock."
Apollo felt his anger replaced by concern mixed with fear at
this point.   "Delta nine.   Butƒ?""
"Thank you," she said.   "Activated and will now stay with
you in formation."
"No!   Serina, look I know you're a good pilot.   My head
believs that even though my stomach doesn't, but this void
can swallow up good pilots, so go back.   Starbuck and I can
handle this."
"Quit arguing, Apollo, and start focusing on what it is the
Colonel wanted us to find out."
"Serinaƒ?"" his protest was then cut off by Starbuck's
voice, which already was surrounded by a moderate crackle of
static.
"Apollo, whatever the Galactica picked up is still beyond
scanner range.    I can't go any further without losing my
fix."
"Then go back."
"I don't think the Commander or the Colonel would appreciate
abandoning the mllo and Serina,
deciding that Adama was past reasoning with at this point.   But
the two of them were equally lost in the awed wonder of the sight
and it was clear that there was no one who would listen to him for
now.   And since Apollo still had Baltar's medallion, there was no
way he could simply leave on his own.   The only thing filling the
traitor's mind now was how all his carefully laid plans that he
had spent more than a sectar formulating, just waiting for the
opportune time to put into effect, were all being destroyed
because of one man's obsession with ancient myth and superstition.
Already, he was becoming more convinced that if he didn't get word
back soon, then Lucifer was apt to act on the assumption that
Baltar was dead or imprisoned.  What he'd been able to glean of
his second-in-command after a sectar, was his certainty that the
IL Cylon had a very rash and impulsive side that would leap at an
opportunity like this.
Oblivious to Baltar's ranting, Adama watched the pulsing liission objective this early in the game,
Apollo," Starbuck wasn't in the mood to hear Apollo be so
overly cautious.  "I think a better idea would be for me to
keep my fix on you, while you focus on the home base.   We
can double our range that way."
"Starbuck?" Serina chimed in, "We could triple it if Apollo
kept his fix on me, and I kept it on the Galactica."
"Serina?" Starbuck was surprised to hear her voice, "That
you?"
"Starbuck, you just forget about checking this out
yourself."  Apollo deliberately ignored what his fiancee
said, "You're right that this has to be checked out but if
anyone's going to do this, it'll be me.    I'm in command."
Serina abruptly decided to stop being placid, "Apollo,
there's no point in your switching positions at this point
when Starbuck is already further out and we can take care of
staying in contact with the Galactica if we follow my
suggestion of tripling the range!   Now why don't you stop
with the maudlin concern for my safety and your sense of
self-sght of
the star stream down through the opening, until finally it struck
the center of his medallion.   Suddenly, a beam of blue light shot
across the room hitting the eyes of two life-sized statue until it
formed a pyramid shape directly over the Ninth Lord's crypt.   The
sight was so glorious that even Baltar found himself struck dumb
by it, his ranting totally forgotten for now.
"A key," Adama whispered, "A key to the ultimate truth."
The slab of the crypt abruptly slid forward, and to the surprise
of everyone revealed not the inner coffin that would have been
expected, but a stairway leading down.
A sudden dawn came over Baltar as he abruptly darted for the
stairs and descended them.   If he was right, then down there lay
more indescribable riches than any man could have expected to see
in one's lifetime.   This was something he knew he had to see for
himself.
"Baltar!" Adama shouted as he, Apollo and Serina suddenly took off
after him, "Wait!"


"Galactica, this is basecamp.   Do you acrifice, and start making some decisions objectively
like a squadron leader should!"
"Serinaƒ?"" Apollo angrily started but Starbuck cut him off.
"I think she's right, Apollo.    Anyway, consider my taking
deep patrol my wedding present to the both of you.   Going
to turbo now and will keep my fix on you."
Then, before either Apollo or Serina could reply, Starbuck
had gone to his turbo and raced completely out of their
field of vision into the menacing blackness of the void.


Starbuck slowly exhaled as he brought his viper onto the new
heading.   Half of his brain was screaming at him for having
done such a crazy risk of defying orders and pulling this
assignment, but his memory of how Apollo had gotten lost in
the void during the first encounter had weighed too heavily
in the end.   That had literally been the first time in the
five yahrens that he'd been flying with Apollo, that he'd
seen him lose his bearings and his confidence as a flyer.
At the very least, Starbuck knew that when he copy?"  Starbuck was
sitting in Athena's viper, trying to boost the signal on the
communications band.   Finally, amidst a jumble of static, he
could make out Omega's voice.
"This is Galactica Core Command.   We copy you, basecamp."
"Thank the Lords," Starbuck grinned.  "How do things look on your
end?"
"All clear in our sector.   Unfortunately, interference makes scan
readings around the planet too difficult to fully compute."
"But if something were to spring out on you and the Fleet, you'd
be able to see it?"
"Affirmative," there was a pause, "Lieutenant Starbuck, is that
you?"
"Yeah, and believe me Omega, you haven't tapped into a signal from
the hereafter.   I'll tell you about it when I get back.   The
instant you get scan readings of anything, give us a holler and
we'll be off the surface in no time.   Be advised that a single
baseship lies outside scanner range, though approximate fix cannot
be ascertained."
There was a pause and then Colonel Tigh's voice could be heard.
"Starbuck, had gone into
the void he had been able to keep his wits about him a lot
more effectively, and to Starbuck that meant that he had a
better chance of venturing safely into the void then Apollo
did.     And the fact that his taking the viper would at
least keep Serina out of harm's way too, only furthered that
determination to do what he had just done.
He activated his scanbeam so that it was focused in front of
him, directing all power there for just five microns so he
could an indicator of what lay out in the blackness of the
void.    Immediately, his blood chilled when he saw more
than a dozen contacts and the warning light "Condition Red"
flash on his screen.
Starbuck frantically reactivated his rear scan to try and
pick up Apollo but found to his horror that Apollo wasn't
anywhere to be seen on his rear scanner.
Frack, he thought.   I lost my fix on him in just five
microns.   I didn't cut back on the power soon enough.
Now I'm totally lost.
"Apollo?" he radioed, "Can you hear me?   I'vethis is Tigh.   I won't bother asking how you can still
be alive, but can you give us any other indicators on that
baseship's position?"
"Sorry Colonel," Starbuck shook his head.  "When I left it, I
didn't have any indicator on the heading or fix other than it
being outside your scan range.   However, I think I can say with
some certainty that if it makes any move, it will be in our
sector, not yours."
"Have you notified Commander Adama?"
"He's being notified right now.   I expect word on his intentions
within the centar."
"Just tell him not to cut things too close."
"Affirmative that.   Basecamp out."
"My recommendation is we pull out now, Lieutenant," Taggs said.
"You know we can't do that without orders from the Commander."
Starbuck said as he slung his legs out and dropped to the sandy
surface.   "We'll just stand by for now at full readiness.
However," his eyes darted about, "Taggs, you and the Security unit
make sure the landram cannons are manned and ready.  Keep their
ground scans t got multiple
contacts!    And I'm pretty sure its Cylons.    They might
be on top of me in-----"
Suddenly, he broke off when from out of the darkness, twelve
Cylon fighters suddenly emerged and instantly took up a
formation surrounding him that in effect, boxed him in
completely.
"Colonial viper," he heard the meachanical voice of a Cylon
pilot come over the unicom frequency.  "Slow speed to
surrender.  Do not attempt to escape or you will be
destroyed."
Starbuck leaned back in his seat and sucked in his breath.
They only wanted to capture him instead of shoot him out of
the sky, but he wasn't sure whether he could take comfort in
that or not.    It only meant that he would become a
prisoner and conceivably subjected to something worse than
getting blown up might be.
For a micron he was tempted to just go down fighting in a
blaze of glory and shoot as many Cylons as he could before
he would be inevitably destroyed.    But however much that
impulsive act appealed to his brash instincts, herained north of the ruins.   If any ground units try
to make their way in, they'd likely hook up with the two
centurions who are already on the ground."
Red Group's deputy leader nodded and dashed off, leaving Starbuck
with the seven trainees of Blue Squadron.
"He might be right, Starbuck," Dietra said, "Since they can't scan
anything heading for the planet, we could get attacked and never
know what hit us."
"It's the commander's call on whether we stay or pull out,"
Starbuck emphasized again.  "All we can do is just stay at the
ready until he gives us the word."
Athena suddenly put her hand up to her forehead to shield her
eyes, "What's going on with the star?"
Starbuck noticed the sudden brightening of the landscape and when
he glanced over at the star, had to squint to keep from being
blinded.   The pulsing was growing more intense.
"Incredible," he whispered, "I don't think I've ever seen a more
beautiful astral phenomena than that."
"I wonder if it means something," Dietra mused.
"Just also knew
from a practical standpoint that it would be a suicide
serving no meaningful purpose.    Better to take his chances
as a prisoner for now and if necessary, commit a more
meaningful act of martyrdom later.
With resignation, he took up a new position and began to
follow the lead column of Cylons toward whatever destination
they planned to take him to.


"Starbuck?" an edge of panic was entering Apollo's voice.
"I couldn't make out your transmission, what was that about
contacts?"
He listened helplessly but heard only static.
"Starbuck?" Apollo barked, "Do you copy?   Answer!" he
switched frequencies, "Serina, can you pick him up?"
"Negative," she shook her head, "I'm getting the same thing
you are.   Just static."
"Frack!" Apollo banged his fist against the cockpit canopy
in frustration.
"Galactica core command to intercept patrol," he now heard
his father's voice, slightly stern.   "What is your status?"
Apollo warily answered, "Core command, this is Blue Leader.
Lieutenant St a normal scientific phenomena," Athena said.
"Is there anything about this void or about this planet that
classifies as normal?" Starbuck said as he looked back at her.
"Maybe not," Athena shrugged.  "Still, I don't think that means
much.   Unless..." she trailed off as her expression suddenly grew
uneasy.
"Unless what?" Dietra asked.
"Unless maybe a phenomena like that could give the perfect cover
for an attack?"
"Felgercarb, that's----" before Starbuck could say anything else,
the minicom on his beltpack suddenly crackled and an urgent voice
came over.
"Starbuck, this is Taggs!   Our scanner shows contacts bearing
down on us, ETA fifteen microns!"
"Ground or flying?" Starbuck said after he'd snatched the minicom
from his belt.
"Flying!   Looks like we're under attack!"
"Frack, okay, okay!   Get those landram guns trained on any that
make an overhead pass, and in the meantime all pilots get back to
their vipers immediately!"
Starbuck shut off the com and looked at the trainees from Blue
arbuck has disappeared while investigating
contact.   Unable to tell whether it was due to encounter
with contact or whether he lost his bearings in the void."
There was a grim silence from the other end before Adama
replied.   "Intercept patrol, you are to return to the
Galactica immediately."
"Commander, give us some time to see if he can make his way
back!" Apollo protested.
He could hear his father take a breath, and then speak in an
almost angry tone, clearly intending to intimidate Apollo
with his remarks.
"You may hold your position for the next five centons and
see if he makes his way back to you.   Under no
circumstances are you to go out and investigate.   And at
the end of five centons, you and Serina are to return to the
Galactica, and I expect you to follow that order to the
letter, Captain!"
"Understood," Apollo nodded, his voice totally obedient.
"Will hold position for five centons and then return if no
change in situation."
For the next five centons, there was a helpless s
Group.   "This is going to be pretty intense.   A lot more than
that strike on the asteroid wasƒ?""
"Starbuck, don't give us any of that felgercarb!" Athena said
brusquely, "Let's just get moving and do our jobs!   Unless you'd
rather we just sit here on our astrums and get vaporized!"
She and the other pilots then scattered toward their own crafts,
causing Starbuck to shake his head in amazement again at how it
had taken very little for the new warriors to act like fully
seasoned veterans.   He wasn't going to make the mistake of
underestimating any recruit's determination again.
For just a micron, he remembered that Apollo, Serina and Adama
were totally cut off from the rest of them down in the labyrinth
maze of the Ninth Lord's tomb along with Baltar.   But he also
knew that there was no time to deal with that situation in the
face of an impending attack.   The best chance he had of saving
their lives was to knock down as many of the attacking Cylon
fighters as fast as he and the rest of tilence
between Apollo and Serina as they continued to listen and
watch, hoping that they would see or hear Starbuck
returning.    But after the time had expired, there was no
change and with that, Apollo reluctantly turned his viper
around.
"I'm following you in, Serina," his tone was deflated.
There was no response from his fiancee, who was trying not
to tear up at that instant.     For the both of them, the
sadness they felt as they made their way back to the
Galactica was the greatest they had felt since the
Destruction one sectar before.


Chapter Ten

Ten centons went by before Starbuck finally saw it.   The
menacing form of a Cylon baseship, which was clearly his
final destination.    Seeing it so close immediately
reminded him of Carillon, one sectar before, when he, Apollo
and Commander Fairfax had made the tricky deception that had
forced the baseship down to the surface and contributed to
its destruction.   But at the cost of the Columbia
commander's life as it had finally turhe Galactica's pilots
could do.

X-UIDL: h(*"!PDP"!^5<!!5%D!!

As soon as he was inside the inner chamber, Baltar immediately saw
it.   The solid gold coffin, decorated with more precious stones
and gems than he'd ever seen before in his life.  Without any
hesitation he went over and found himself pulling the top open.
"Baltar, don't touch that!" Apollo shouted as he entered the
chamber and dashed over.   But before he could reach the traitor,
the top was off and now they could all see it.   Wrapped in strips
of cloth covering the body with an ornamental mask and headdress,
was the body of Kobol's last ruler.   Clasped in one hand, a solid
gold scepter that Baltar recognized as the symbol of absolute
power.   Without hesitation, he plucked it from the mummified
body's grasp and held it admiringly.
"You dare defy the holy crypt?" Adama whispered in horror, his
contempt for Baltar now greater than he could ever have imagined.
"Defy what, Adama?" Baltar snarled, "Do you think I believe in any
ned out.
Too bad they're not above a planet surface about to blow up
this time, Starbuck thought.   Then I know I'd do the same
thing Fairfax did and just drop on them viper and all.
For now though, it was clear that he needed to just stay
alive and wait for a better opportunity.
He guided his viper into the recessed opening on the upper
section of the baseship where the rest of the Cylon fighters
were landing.   Instantly, Starbuck marveled at how wider
the landing space was then the Galactica's landing bays,
which he realized was done so the Cylons could launch a mass
attack more quickly, which was the only kind of attack they
knew how to specialize in.  As soon as he was inside though,
he could see that the advantage in a wider zone of takeoff
and landing, was largely negated by the fact that all ships
would usually come in packed together at the same time on
some narrow tarmac space for final landing.    Even so, he
had no difficulty bringing his viper to a stop, sandwiched
between two o
of that primitive nonsense?" he then wheeled on him.  "But if the
stupid sanctity of this chamber is what concerns you so much, then
damn you, listen to me and realize that what I've been telling you
about my plan to strike back is the truth!"
Adama eased himself back to a normal posture, and for the first
time the hatred from his expression faded just a bit.
"Put that back, Baltar," the commander said as calmly as he was
capable of sounding.  "And then we can talk."
"I want your word, Adama," for the first time, Baltar felt as if
he were regaining the upper hand at last, "Will you let me
communicate with the shuttle and buy us some time?"
Before the commander could respond, there was a sudden rumbling
from somewhere above, and instantly the room began to shake
violently.   Some of the aged walls began to crack and debris fell
on both the floor and the four occupants of the room.
A wave of panic filled Baltar, and he suddenly looked up to the
heavens, convinced that he was receiving some formther Cylon craft.
For a long time, Starbuck remained motionless in his
cockpit, not bothering to open his canopy or take off his
helmet, and not even looking anywhere but straight ahead.
Directly in front of him was the cylindrical hub of the
central core which connected the top and lower sections of
the baseship.
So that's how they assemble these things together, he
thought.   He'd always found it amazing that even though the
war between humans and Cylons had gone on for nearly 1000
yahrens, human intelligence on the nature of a Cylon
baseship and what comprised its inner workings, had long
been vague and sketchy.   Then, he inwardly cursed as he
remembered that if he was going to be a prisoner who
harbored hope of survival and eventual return to the
Galactica, the sooner he started taking better notice of his
surroundings, the better.
He looked over to his right and saw standing on the tarmac,
two centurions with weapons pointed up at him.   But what
puzzled Starbuck was the sight of the  of divine
punishment.  "I didn't mean it!" he shouted, "No, I meant no
harm!"
Another explosion from above suddenly caused a large stone block
to come down in the doorway they had just entered.
"Father, it's blocked!" Apollo shouted.
"What?" Baltar felt the panic inside increase, as he clawed his
way past Apollo and Serina and pounded his fists against the slab.
"No!  Out, I want out of here!"
Adama stared at him in dismay as he now realized for the first
time exactly what Baltar's motives had been in selling out the
Colonies.   A simple act of cowardice and self-preservation was
undoubtedly what had guided Baltar's actions.   Those same motives
were now surfacing again, demonstrating how powerful their hold
was on Baltar's psyche.
"Adama?" the traitor turned and pleaded with him.  "Use your
power!   The Lords will hear your voice!"
Another low rumbling filled the chamber, and Adama immediately
realized what it meant.
"We're under attack," he whispered and shook his head.  "It seems
Baltaother Cylon standing
behind the two centurions.    It was a Cylon robot Starbuck
had never seen the likes of before.   This one was taller
than the centurions, with a bulbous head and a long red robe
that covered its main frame.   Clearly, this one belonged to
a more advanced class of Cylons than the typical centurion
did.

Cautiously, he opened his canpoy and removed his helmet,
staring down at them coldly, refusing to speak first.
"Welcome aboard, Lieutenant," the tall robot spoke, "If you
will come down and accompany us."
Starbuck's eyebrows went up as he heard normal human speech
emanate from the tall robot, and not the usual mechanical,
robotic sound that he was already used to hearing from Cylon
centurions.   That was something he never thought Cylons
would have been smart enough to develop for themselves.
He decided to save his quips and cutting remarks for the
moment, and hopped down to the tarmac.   Immediately, the
two centurions shoved their pistols into his side.
"Ah, ah," he hr, that your friends have chosen to take matters into their
own hands."
"What?" Baltar's eyes widened.  "You mean it's not the Lords
punishing me for....butƒ?"" he stopped as he realized that now,
the Fates had chosen to deal him another cruel hand at an
inopportune time.   "Damn you, Lucifer," he whispered, his rage
now directed at his second in command.   Even though he knew from
a practical standpoint that the IL was bound to act sooner or
later, the fact that it was coming just when he'd finally achieved
a breakthrough was almost too much for him to bear.   "If I ever
get my hands on you!"
The other three didn't understand at all what he was referring to,
and they decided to move away from him.
"Father," Serina said, "What are we to do?"
"We can't do anything for now."  Adama said calmly.  "We can only
ride this out until it's over."
"Are we deep enough to withstand this kind of assault, Father?"
Apollo asked.
"We can only hope at this point, Apollo." Adama kept his voice,
"Our fate is eld up his hands, "I bruise easy."
Immediately, Lucifer found himself impressed with the young
warrior.   Making a joke at a moment when a lesser human
would be inclined to quiver in fear.    When he had the
chance he knew he'd want to have a long probing conversation
with this one, just to compare the differences between him
and Baltar.
"You will hardly be bruised, Lieutenant," Lucifer spoke,
"Our commander wishes to speak with you."
"Well, you might as well tell him that I won't be good for
stimulating conversation," Starbuck said, deciding now was
the time to project all the brashness he was capable of
summoning, "Because you see, I only plan on telling him
three things.   One, my name's Starbuck, two, my rank is
Lieutenant, and three, my commission number is 751958."
"Hmmm," Lucifer mused aloud.  "I...have a feeling that might
change, once you meet our commander."
Starbuck looked at him quizzically, "You mean there are
actually Cylons with charisma now?"  he increased the
cockiness in hin the hands of the Lords." he glanced over at the
walls.   "Apollo, give me the illuminator.   I think----"
"You think what?" his son asked as he handed it to him.
"I think this is what we've been looking for!" Adama exclaimed
with the excitement of a schoolboy as he saw a long row of carved
tablets lining the wall.   "Yes!  Yes, this talks of Kobol's last
days!   In just a few centons we can have the answer that will
lead us to Earth!"
But will we be able to make use of it?  Apollo thought grimly as
he and Serina hunched over Adama's shoulder to read.


Forced to commandeer one of the vipers, Starbuck tried to overcome
the uneasiness he felt about Apollo, Serina and Adama as he
assumed lead formation of the viper group.
"Galactica, this is Blue Two," he radioed, "We're dealing with a
pretty heavy attack on the Kobol basecamp now.   Recommend that
all remaining vipers you have be sent in to join us.   All
indications are that this comprises their total attack force."
"Affirmative, Starbuckis tone, "That'd be a first."
Lucifer shook his head in amazement.   Already he was
convinced that if human leadership had possessed the
qualities of brashness and courage this Starbuck so readily
demonstrated, then the easy destruction of human
civilization would not have been a forgone conclusion.
"Come this way, Lieutenant."  The IL Cylon motioned.
"Hey, does this mean I get the grand tour or something?"
Starbuck decided he might as well keep it up for now.
Clearly they weren't going to kill him now just for
insulting them.
"Not too extensive, Lieutenant," Lucifer said as he lead
Starbuck and the two centurions into a turbo lift in the
central core shaft.    They rode it down for only several
microns and then the doors opened.    Starbuck looked about
and was struck by how much wider the corridors were than on
the Galactica.   Yet despite the fact they could easily
accomodate more equipment to be put in place, the corridors
were nothing more than empty walls on all sides.
They reached a ," there was just a hint of urgency in
Tigh's voice, "Killian and the rest of Red Squadron will be away
in a few centons."
"Thanks.  We'll welcome the assistance.   Let Killian know that
he'll assume charge of tactical ops the micron he gets here.  Blue
Two out."  He shifted frequencies so he could now talk to the rest
of the vipers.  "Okay, first order of business is to get them off
the basecamp.  Red Group, you all tucked in?"
"Tucked in and ready, Starbuck," Taggs said. "Just give us the
word."
"Here's how it goes," Starbuck said, summoning all the command
instincts he'd never seen himself as possessing.   "When they make
their attack run, they need to pull back up for another pass.
That's where we surprise them.   They'll be thinking so much about
the run they just completed, that they won't be expecting us at
all."
"That should work for the first few of them, but what happens when
they realize what we're up to and change their tactics?" Dietra
asked.
"These are Cylons we're dealing witset of transparent doors that Starbuck
noticed lead into a vast, high ceilinged chamber, which to
the warrior's amazement was empty save for a large pedestal
in the middle.
"I'll tell you something," Starbuck said as they entered the
chamber, "I like the way you guys don't go overboard on
furniture."
Lucifer looked at him and decided it was time to test the
warrior's reaction further.  "Things would go better for you
Lieutenant, if you would just show a little more respect."
Starbuck looked at him nonchalantly and then pulled out a
fumarello from his pocket.   He stuck it in his mouth and
then with equal nonchalance, struck a match against one of
the two centurions.
"You mean things could get worse?" his tone stayed casual as
he lit his cigar and took a puff.
Incredible, Lucifer was almost awed.   He found himself
wishing that Baltar had been more like this one.   A human
like Starbuck offered possibilities for seemingly limitless
conversation that he could enjoy.
"That all depends," Lucifh, Dietra," Starbuck injected
more bravado into his tone, "By the time they figure that out, we
should have them all knocked down."


Aboard the Galactica, Tigh had already given the Red Alert order
and authorized the immediate launching of the remainder of Red
Squadron.   As soon as the vipers were away, he walked down to
Omega's station.
"Scanning telemetry on the area above Kobol starting to come
back," the bridge officer said.  "Indications show some pretty
heavy damage to our basecamp."
"At least all of our warriors seem to have gotten off the surface
and can deal with them," the executive officer said with relief.
"Once the rest of Red Group arrives we'll have everything we can
throw at them."
"Not quite, Colonel."
Tigh turned around, and to his surprise saw a weary Boomer
standing on the upper level that led to the bridge exit.   He was
in full uniform holding his helmet, and alongside him were Jolly,
Giles and Greenbean.
"Dr. Salik released us from the Life Station a centar ago," er said and then looked up at the
throne chair.   "By your command.    We have captured a
pilot from the Galactica as ordered.   Lieutenant Starbuck
is his name."
The chair turned around and now for the first time Starbuck
had a view of the occupant perched high above him.    And
when he immediately recognized him, the fumarello almost
fell out of his mouth in disbelief.
"Lieutenant Starbuck," Baltar smiled cordially at him.   "It
is a pleasure to meet you."
Starbuck now found his dangling cigar a distraction and he
dropped it to the floor, crushing it under his boot, which
was exactly what he wished he could do to the person he now
faced.
"Baltar," he whispered, "You lying, traitorous piece of
bilge scum.   I should have known you'd now be in charge of
some set-up like this after what you did!"  He took a step
toward him,  "Right now, I'd trade my life for just one shot
at you."
Baltar was non-plussed by Starbuck's remarks.   They were to
be expected.   "Lieutenant," he said with the almoBoomer
said, sounding somewhat drained and his legs seemed to wobble
slightly.   "He told us that if you gave the okay, we could be
returned to duty as well."
Tigh moved toward the group of warriors, staring at them in
amazement.   "Are you talking about the four of you, or the whole
squadron, Lieutenant?"
"The whole squadron, Colonel," Jolly's voice also sounded drained
but there was no mistaking the determination in it.
The executive officer still seemed disbelieving, "It's obvious
that despite your recovery, none of you can stay standing."
"Well, that may be true, sir," Boomer said.  "But then again, a
viper is flown from the seated position."
Finally, Tigh allowed himself a faint smile.   "So it is,
Lieutenant.   All things considered, I pronounce you and the rest
of Blue Squadron fit for duty."
"Thank you, sir," Boomer said and he and the others moved off with
a newfound spring in their steps.

X-UIDL: A@6!!PR5"!7g=!!9ch"!

"Okay, here they come," Starbuck said as he kept himself in st gentle
reproach of a school headmaster, "You will in due time come
to understand that your feelings of hate are misplaced.   I
had nothing to do with the destruction of the Colonies."
"Oh right," Starbuck's voice dripped with sarcasm, "You just
decided to hop off the Atlantia for a little joyride in
space a centon before the attack force came down on us,
right?"
"I too was a victim, Lieutenant," Baltar went on, avoiding
Starbuck's question since he knew that no explanation he
tried to come up with could ever sound credible on that
point.   "Used by the Imperious Leader for his own selfish
and evil purposes.   The price I paid in suffering was no
less than yours or anyone else's."
"Yeah, you sure look like a victim right now, sitting all so
high and mighty on that throne chair.    If being a victim
is what it takes to get command of a baseship, mind telling
me how I can sign up for my own command?"
"There have been some changes in the Cylon Empire since that
tragedy, Lieutenant.   Changesthe
lead position, and held his breath.   "And....now!"
He opened fire and took out the first two Cylon fighters that came
out of their strafing runs over Kobol.    After peeling off, he
saw that Athena had taken out the next one, while Brie and Dietra
followed through with kills of their own.
To Starbuck's chagrin though, it did not take long for the Cylons
to change their tactical strategy and soon the entire cluster of
fighters shot out of the atmosphere of Kobol and reassumed a new
attack formation aimed straight at the vipers.
"Uh-oh," Athena said uneasily as she studied her scanner, "About
eighty, no make that ninety of them----"
"Athena, quit counting, you're not on the bridge!" Starbuck
snapped.   "Let's regroup and try to deal with them."
"Four to one odds against us, Starbuck," Taggs grunted.  "Doesn't
look good.   We could sure use that help."
"Just hang in there, Taggs, your Squadron Leader's got a good
reputation."
"Starbuck!" Dietra blurted.  "We just lost one from our group!
 most favorable to humans and
their predicament.   That is why I find myself in this
position now.   Spared, thanks to the generosity of the new
Cylon Imperious Leader."
Starbuck's angry, bitter expression now turned into a frown.
"New Imperious Leader?"
"Yes," Baltar nodded, "The Leader who was responsible for
the destruction of the Colonies, the one who duped us all
out of his mad desire for power is dead.    Killed by his
own foolish folly at Carillon."
For the first time, the brash Lieutenant had been left
speechless.   If what Baltar said was true, then that meant
that the baseship he and Apollo and Commander Fairfax had
taken out at Carillon had been the Cylon ruler's.    A
dividend that none of them ever would have expected, and one
that now made him feel more proud of the accomplishment.
"I can tell you're impressed by this news," Baltar continued
to smile, "Perhaps that will convince you of what I say?"
Starbuck snapped himself out of his reverie concerning
Carillon and the destrucJameson, he----"
"Easy, take it easy Dietra!" Starbuck cut her off, trying to keep
an even keel, but already he was beginning to sense that a fast
deteriorating situation now faced them.   "Just ignore it for now
and keep your attention focused."
"Starbuck, three on my tail!" this from Brie.  "I don't think I
can----"
"Roll, Brie!   Go into port roll at half turbo and then reverse
thruster!"
"Copy.   Frack, they hit my rear flap!"
"Hang on, hang on," Sergeant Barton raced in.  "Got him!   You're
clear Brie, get back on my wing and you'll be okay from here on
in."
"Lieutenant, we've now lost three fighters," Taggs said grimly,
"We can't keep up this ratio much longer."
"What's your scanner say about those Red Group reinforcements?"
Starbuck managed to get his question out as he hurriedly destroyed
two fighters that had drawn too close to Athena.
"Uh...just a micron, I...got ƒ?~em!   And, wait Starbuck my
scanner shows an extra thirty vipers tailing them too!"
"Extra thirty?" Starbuck's eyestion of the baseship.   "Not
exactly," the skepticism and sarcasm had returned part way
to his voice.  "Maybe you could do that by just letting me
go back to the Galactica to tell them all this wonderful
news you're bringing?"
"In time, Lieutenant," the traitor said warmly.  "And when
that time comes you may tell them that I come with an offer
of peace that is truly genuine this time.    The new
Imperious Leader is by far the most enlightened species of
Cylon ever produced.   He, like all of those who serve
aboard this ship, wishes only to be our friend."
"Seems to me I've heard that one before from you, Baltar."
Starbuck felt all his skepticism restored at this point.
The manner in which Baltar talked was exactly the way he'd
heard the traitor speak about peace offerings so many times
in public speeches and BNC interviews for sectars leading up
to the Holocaust.    About how he had spoken personally with
the Imperious Leader and that the Cylon ruler's desire for
peace and friendship was gen widened.  "You got to be kidding,
that's not possible unlessƒ?"ƒ?"" he broke off as he suddenly
realized what it meant.   And in that same instant, all his
optimism and bravado was quickly restored.
"Starbuck!" Taggs radioed.  "I think they've spotted them too, and
now they're all headed back into the atmosphere for another
strafing run on the base!"
"Too late to do anything down there," Starbuck said, "We just have
to hope the ground teams have all cleared out.   Our job is
keeping ourselves together for the best strike that will knock all
these pieces of felgercarb down."


"You see?" Adama kept whispering excitedly as he shined the
illuminator on the tablets.   "This talks about the last days of
Kobol itself!  A record of the very first Exodus of humanity!"
Apollo hunched over his shoulder, wishing he could understand the
writings himself.   And wishing that this discovery could have
happened but a centar before when all was still quiet.
"Probes had been sent out yahrens before to surveuine in every sense.
"Why would I offer something you would have no instinctive
reason for believing, unless it were true, Lieutenant?"
Baltar gently reproached again.   "Think about that."
"Thinking about you isn't how I like to pass my time,"
Starbuck shot back.
Baltar ignored the barb and then spoke to the two
centurions.  "Take him below.   See that he's fed and kept
comfortable.   Normal procedures regarding prisoner
treatment do not apply in this instance."
"Translated, you've probably got some new torture methods in
mind, right Baltar?"  Starbuck said sarcastically.   "Won't
do you any good, I took a whole course in resistance at the
Academy."
The two centurions then prodded him toward the door with
their pointed weapons, and Starbuck suddenly felt the need
to say once again.  "Hey, I told you guys I bruised easily.
Didn't they install ears in your helmets?"
As soon as Starbuck and the two centurions were gone,
Lucifer looked back up at Baltar, and when he spoke it was
full of bewily the distant
planetary systems."  Adama gave a simplified translation.  "Their
probe craft was far ahead of anything our technology has ever
developed.   They were capable of sending back telemetry data from
across the farthest possible reaches of space!" his eyes darted
down.   "A cluster of twelve worlds was located relatively nearby,
each offering conditions for settlement favorable to human
existence.   Those were the Colonies we knew!   Twelve tribes of
Kobol decided to travel together to seek out those worlds!"
crouched down, he managed to move over to his right to read on.
"But the thirteenth tribe was more interested in another planet
that had been surveyed by another more distant probe.   Reports of
a planet teeming with more life and bounty than the other twelve
worlds put together, but separated.   Distant and far removed
across the far reaches of the galaxy from the system that
contained the other twelve worlds.   Thus, a grave risk involved
in undertaking the journey that would lderment.
"This is your plan for capturing the Galactica?   To
convince them that we now come bearing the twig of peace
under our new leader?"
Baltar didn't bat an eye as he nodded, "Yes."
"It is illogical to assume they would ever trust you again,
Baltar.   To pass yourself off as a victim rings very hollow
since you could not even answer the Lieutenant's question
regarding your leaving the Colonial Fleet before the attack
began."
"A trifling detail that is irrelevant in the end, Lucifer."
Baltar waved his hand disdainfully.  "What you underestimate
is the human need for hope.   Properly presented and at a
propitious centon, they will come willingly to my arms.
And then, the final destruction of humanity will have been
made possible without any battle, and without any
debilitating loss of Cylon personnel.   That is an outcome
your Leader would prefer to a rash engagement and you know
that, Lucifer."
Unfortunately, Lucifer almost groaned inwardly.   It was all
Baltar needed to keep the uppeead to this planet that the
Kobollians chose to give the name Earth."
"Does it give coordinates, Father?" Apollo felt his heart
pounding.  "What were the coordinates?"
"In a micron," Adama tried to relax himself, not letting himself
get too far ahead lest he make a mistake in translation.  His eyes
slowly wandered over to the inscriptions where he knew the
coordinates lay.
He had barely had time to focus on the first set of figures, and
could just make out the first words.  "Quadrant Alpha----"
Suddenly, Adama was cut off as a violent blast from outside rocked
the interior of the tomb.   Portions of the ceiling gave way as
Adama, Apollo and Serina were violently thrown to the floor
causing them to drop their illuminators.   For a terrifyingly long
micron, everything was now black.
"The illuminators!" Adama shouted frantically, "Get them relit!"
"Adama!" Baltar's voice rasped from the other side of the room,
where he'd been ignoring them in frustrated anger and disdain the
whole while.  "Helpr hand for now.
"Maintain our discrete pursuit of the Galactica."  Baltar
continued.  "The Lieutenant will be of use to us at the
proper time, but that has not yet come.   In the meantime,
you are to make him feel as though he is our guest, not our
prisoner."
"Of course," Lucifer bowed, "I will attend to that, Baltar."
It was by far an order from Baltar that Lucifer was glad to
carry out.   As he left the chamber, the only thing that
went through his mind, was the thought of how conversing
with this Starbuck might be what he needed to restore his
inner sanity at this point.


When Apollo and Serina returned to the Galactica, both were
too stunned by what had happened to say anything to each
other.   Apollo had then gone straight to the bridge where
Serina knew he was going to spend the next several centars
looking at the scanner to see if Starbuck would find his way
back.    She decided to leave him be for the duration.
After five centars though, Serina knew that if Starbuck was
still fly!  I'm.....trapped."
Apollo felt the dust covering his entire body as he groped in the
dark and finally felt the handle of the illuminator.  Microns
later it was back on, and he could see that he was lying on top of
his wife, who was coughing violently as she'd inhaled some of the
dust.
"Serina?" he helped her to her feet and said with deep concern,
"Are you okay?"
"I'm okay," Serina coughed and then turned to her left, where they
could see a stunned Adama staring at the wall he'd been fixated on
just microns before.   But now, the elaborate carved tablets that
lined the wall were gone.   Replaced by a recessed cavity that
indicated they had been jarred loose by the explosion and
collapsed to the floor, where weakened by age they had crumbled
into dust.   The key to the answer of where the Planet Earth lay,
now lay in ruins by his feet.
"Gone," Adama whispered in shock, "The writings are gone."
"Adama!" Baltar shouted again, "Help me, damn you!   Help me!"
Dimly, Apollo turned toward Baltar ing, his fuel would be almost exhausted from what
had only been planned as a short-range flight.   And during
that time, she had done a good deal of soul-searching of her
own, and decided that now was the time to do what she could
to not only ease Apollo's grief, but to end some additional
feelings of torment that had come over her with the
realization that Starbuck was gone.   Because losing
Starbuck made it all to easy for her to see how she could
easily lose Apollo in an instant as well.
She arrived on the bridge and saw that her fiancee was
hunched over a scanner at an otherwise unoccupied auxilary
station.   She came up to Rigel first, whose expression was
somber.
"Anything happen?"
"No," she shook her head.
"Has he been there the whole time?"
"He hasn't budged a millimetron since he came down here."
Rigel paused.  "I think you'd better talk to him."
"I intend to."  She came over to him, and gently placed her
hand on his shoulder.   "Apollo?"
There was no response from him at first.  and saw that the traitor was
sprawled on the ground, covered with dust.   His left leg was
pinned completely under a massive slab of wreckage.   Apollo
blinked and then realized that the slab that now trapped Baltar
was the sealed door that had trapped them inside until now.
"Father!" Apollo shouted.  "The door's been blasted open!  We can
get out of here."
"Gone," Adama didn't acknowledge him, as he continued to stare at
the empty wall in a disbelieving stupor that he had come so close
only to be denied.
"Father!" Apollo grabbed him by the arm.  "If they make one more
pass on us, the whole Pyramid is liable to collapse on us.   We
have to get out of here, now!"
"Help me out of here!" Baltar continued to rage.
Not knowing why he was bothering to do it, Apollo knelt by the
slab and tried to lift it.   It refused to budge.   The traitor's
left leg, below the knee remained buried beneath it.
"Apollo," Serina said as she brushed herself off, trying not to
panic, "It would take a team of a dozen  He seemed
oblivious to her presence.
"Apollo, how long are you just going to stand there looking
at that scanner?"
Apollo finally let out a sad sigh, "I don't know," he
whispered.  "I just don't know."
"You can't look forever." she paused, "You know, you and I,
we're both supposed to be doing more flight training right
now."
"I already talked to Killian.  He said he could handle them
all today."
"Okay," she tried to find that difficult blend between
gentleness and firmness.  "But Apollo....you're just going
to have to start....accepting things."
"I know, I know," Apollo said and then let out another sad
sigh, "It's just that.....I can't believe he's gone.   After
all I went through last sectar with Zac and Mother, to then
have to go through this again with Starbuck."
Serina put her arm around his shoulder so she could draw
closer to him.   "He was even more of a brother to you than
Zac was, right?"
Her fiancee nodded.
Serina took a breath to summon all her inner strength.
"Apollo....I'warriors to lift that."
"You're right," Apollo said as he got to his feet and pulled his
father over, "Let's go, Father."
The commander nodded sadly, "Yes, you're right.   We have no
choice."
The reality of what they planned to do, now sunk in on Baltar,
"No!   You're not going to leave me down here?"
Adama glanced at him more out of pity at this point.   He was too
stunned by the turn of events to feel hatred any longer.
"Baltar," he said as he began to follow Apollo and Serina out the
doorway, "You've left us with no choice.   Your friends have
sealed your fate.   And ours it would seem."
Adama then stopped and glanced back at him one last time.  Without
saying another word, he removed his Council medallion and dropped
it by the traitor's side before exiting the tomb.
As soon as Adama was gone, all of the pent-up rage inside the
traitor exploded with its greatest possible fury.  "You
gallmongering lunatic, Adama, this is all your doing!   I gave you
a chance!    A real offer!   You broughtd come to love him the same way in just a
sectar.  As a brother.   That's why....I think he'd
understand and approve."
For the first time, Apollo looked at her.  "Understand?
Approve?   What do you mean?"
She took another breath, "Apollo, marry me tonight.
Let's....move everything up to tonight and just go ahead
with it."
Apollo was taken aback as he rose to his full posture.
"Serina, what are you saying?   That we should just suddenly
get married right now in the middle of-----"
"In the middle of what?" she interrupted, "A void?  A
disaster?  An endless night?   Apollo, do you have any idea
of what we've had to go through in just the last day alone?
I've suddenly gone from a rookie shuttle pilot to a veteran
combat flyer, and now we've lost Starbuck, and we're headed
into....who knows what else that might finally mean the end
for you or me, or the whole Fleet.   But to me, that's a
reason why we should go ahead with it now.   Because I've
spent the last five centars since we got back wonde this on, Adama, not me!
Not me!   You'll come to regret this, Adama!   You will regret
this day for the rest of your life!  I swear by everything in me,
I will make you pay for this!   You have not heard the last of
me!"
There was no response as Baltar heard the sound of their footsteps
receding in the distance.   The only emotion he now felt in his
body and soul was an all-consuming hatred of Adama and everything
he and his remnant of human civilization now stood for.   A hatred
greater than anything he'd ever felt in his life.
And yet, within that hatred, he could feel a burning sense of
reinvigoration pumping through his body.   His hate now fueled the
desire to live and achieve his revenge on the one who had caused
things to come to this.
The traitor managed to raise his body to a sitting position and
began digging his hands into the ground around his trapped leg.
It took more than a centon of digging before he realized that the
force of the doorway slab had knocked his leg beneath the sring if
two more sectans means waiting for a time that will never
come for you and me.   That's why...." she now found herself
choking back a sob in her voice, "That's why I want us to be
married now."
Apollo began to absently pace a few steps away from her,
feeling torn between his sense of duty that told him it was
crazy to think of his own happiness first in the midst of
tragedy and disaster.   And yet, he also could remember
Starbuck's conversation with him the previous night when the
brash lieutenant had been making the very same suggestion to
him.   Maybe there was something to be said for Starbuck's
philosophy of living for today just in case tomorrow never
came.
"Serina," he began awkwardly, "Iƒ?"" then he stopped, still
feeling torn between the two perspectives.
Serina folded her arms and decided she needed to push him
further, "Apollo, do you love me?"
He stiffened slightly, "Do I have to marry you tonight just
to prove that to you, Serina?"
"No," she shook her head and realized urface
of the ground so that the slab no longer rested directly on top of
it.   All he needed to do was dig deep enough and then lift his
leg out.
With his hate guiding him for strength, he continued to dig madly.
Finally, after more than two centons of struggle, he attempted to
pull his leg out from under the collapsed slab.   He felt a
horrific pain shoot through him as it moved, but the will to
escape was stronger than the pain and he managed to swing it out
from under so that he was now free.   But still unable to get to
his feet.
Baltar crawled on the floor and snatched the discarded medallion
Adama had left.   Clearly, Adama intended to use Baltar's own
medallion to open the passageways above that might still be
locked, thus explaining why he had chosen to discard his own.   If
it had been intended as some final act of compassion on the
commander's part, it made no impression at all on Baltar.  All it
did was further fuel his anger and hatred of the man.
He managed to crawl his way bacshe'd gone too far,
"I'm sorry I said that.   It's just....I want every centon
we have left with each other.   And if.....the worst ever
happened, then I know I could at least have no regrets in my
life.   That's all."  She paused, "Maybe it's selfish of me,
Apollo.   And maybe there'll be people who'll think it's in
bad taste to want to do it the same day Starbuck dies,
but....I don't care.   I want this for both of us so much
that I just....can't wait for it any longer."   She then
looked him in the eye, "Can you?"
Apollo came back up to her so that they were now inches
apart.   He then slowly shook his head, "No," he whispered,
"I can't.   Because I want it to be now, too."
And then, with no regard whatsoever for the fact that they
were on the bridge, they met in a long embrace and kiss.


A centar later, they were in Adama's quarters explaining
their decision.
"Can it be done tonight, Father?" Apollo asked.  "Would
it...cause any undue complications?"
His father was still slightly takk up the stairs into the outer room
they had been in before, and he saw that the opening in the
ceiling where the pulsing star had shone its light through, had
now been blasted open completely giving him a wide expanse of the
night sky.   But this time, there was more than just the single
star to see.  He could see far above, the signs of battle.   The
red streaks indicating Viper fire, and given the greater intensity
of the red streaks, that meant the progress of the battle had been
turned in the Colonial's favor.
He found himself laughing over that.  Lucifer had chosen to act
rashly, and had failed miserably.   In a sense, he was almost glad
of that.   At the very least, that meant he'd be in a position to
reassert his authority with a vigorous determination that had
never been their before.
"When I get through with you, Lucifer," he whispered as he
continued to crawl across the floor, "I'll tear you limb from
limb!  Circuit from circuit!"
Finally, he came to a stop directly underneath the en aback over this
development.   "Well....actually, no.   Not if the situation
remains the same.   Whatever that....contact was, it hasn't
made any reappearance since you both returned."
"We can do it in the Great Hall then?    That is where we
wanted it done, but if that's not feasible...."
"It's feasible." Adama cut him off, then phrased his next
question delicately, "Did you mention this to Athena?"
"No," Apollo shook his head, "I felt it was more important
to ask you first."
"It may be more important to ask her if she's up to being a
bridesmaid tonight," Adama said, his tone still delicate.
"She...hasn't exactly been in good spirits since this
morning."
Apollo and Serina both suddenly flushed red with
embarrassment, "Oh Good Lords of Kobol, I'd completely
forgotten." Apollo felt ready to lower his head in shame.
"All this time, I've been brooding about Starbuck and I'd
forgotten that she'd be-----"
"I'll talk to her, Adama," Serina spoke up, "And you're
right, we should have spoken toopening in the
ceiling.   There would be no question at this point of him being
able to make a clear transmission to the two centurions in the
shuttle who had brought Starbuck to the surface.    Simple
prudence would have dictated that they remain where they were
during the battle, since there was nothing they could
realistically do to contribute.
He pulled out his micro-communicator from his right pocket,
feeling relieved to see it was intact and glad that it had not
been confiscated earlier.   Then, he activated the switch.
"Centurions," he summoned all the strength in his voice, "This is
Commander Baltar.   Do you acknowledge my transmission?"
There was thirty microns of silence, and then Baltar repeated his
message.   Finally, the monotonical sound of a centurion replied
through the speaker.
"By your command.   We have maintained our position, awaiting your
signal."
"Get to me, now!" Baltar summoned all the command authority he was
capable of into his voice.  "Inform Lucifer that I am al her first.   If
she....doesn't feel up to it, I'm willing to let it wait
until tomorrow night to give her more time to recover."
"It's ultimately your decision and Apollo's, Serina," Adama
rose, "I wouldn't let Athena's feelings dictate matters.   I
just... think it's important that you be aware of them.
That's all."
"Of course," his son nodded, "We'll take care of that right
away."
"Apollo, I'd better do it alone."  Serina held up a hand.
"I'll be back as soon as I'm done."   Before either Adama or
Apollo could say anything else, she had left the room.
Apollo awkwardly sat down across from his father, whose
expression was largely neutral.
"Father," he said, "I'm sorry.   I....guess that's always
been my biggest problem since I was a kid.   Never getting
along with Athena or Zac that much, it....always means I
never instinctively give any thought to what either of them
might be going through during a tragedy.   I....should have
gone to see her right after I got back.   Instead, I just
letive and
trapped in the tomb of the second Pyramid in the main ruins!
Inform him, and then get over here and free me!   Now!" he then
paused, "And if you so much as see a single human between there
and here, then kill them immediately!"
"By your command.   We will notfiy base, and proceed to your
position."
Baltar shut the micro-comm off and for the first time began to
feel as though the danger to his life had passed.   He found
himself grinning with menace.
"I swear it, Adama," he whispered, "You will know my wrath."

X-UIDL: @pR"!&+\!!E[g"!G5P!!

"This is Red Leader, assuming command," Killian said as he pulled
his viper in ahead of Starbuck's, "Blue Squadron also here as
well.   On my signal, head on in with an unlimited barrage of fire
and get them to scatter, fast!"
"Give the word, Killian," Boomer spoke up, "We've all got some
catching up to do."
"In three, two, one, mark!" Killian then hit his high turbo and
sped into the atmosphere of the planet.   Soon the rest of the
vipers foll myself get wrapped up in my own sorrow about what
Starbuck meant to me."
Adama folded his arms, "I'm glad you realize that, Apollo,"
he said quietly.   "Never let yourself forget that little
insight from here on."
"I won't," he nodded, "I won't."
"It's been hard for me too." Adama said, "Starbuck
was...about as close to a third son as I ever could have
had.   That's why it wasn't easy to have to give you that
order to return."
"You did the right thing," his son nodded, "There's...no
point in my throwing away my own life needlessly.
Starbuck...
wouldn't have wanted that."
"No," his father agreed, "He wouldn't have." he paused, "Do
you blame me in any way for his disappearance, Apollo?"
Apollo frowned, "Why would I?"
"It was my decision to take us into the void," Adama decided
there could be no stones left unturned at a time like this.
"Some could argue that that decision was what lead to his
disappearance ultimately."
"If there are, I'm not one of them, Father," Apollo said
forcefully.  owed behind him.
Microns later, the night skies of Kobol were now filled with the
incredible sight of dozens of Colonial vipers trading shots with
the Cylon fighters still strafing the base.   The sudden
concentrated barrage of fire instantly staggered the Cylon force
and in only three centons, all of the fighters that had been
strafing the base had been destroyed.
"Got ƒ?~em!" Jolly said excitedly as he scored his third kill.
"The skies are all clear here!"
"Starbuck, this is Killian.   Your scanner pick up the rest of the
Cylons?"
"I read them....mark delta two, they...are not headed toward the
Galactica's position but that could change any micron."
"Pursue!" Red Leader barked, "All vipers pursue!   The last thing
we need is an intact fighter force for them to launch a
counterattack on the Fleet with!"
All of the vipers now assumed mass formation and exited the
atmosphere of Kobol.   Leaving beneath them a planet of both
ancient ruins, and freshly smouldering ruins.


Adama had taken th "I know the burdens you have to go through as
our commander and our leader.    I know that your decisions
are based on what's best for our people, and if you believe
that being in the void is ultimately better than taking our
chances with what might have come after we destroyed the
outpost, I respect your decision on that point."
"But it isn't what you might have done?"
"Father, I'm not in your position.   I can have ideas of
what I might have done if I had my druthers, but I don't
have the burdens of making those ultimate decisions."  He
paused, "Besides, you already proved me wrong yesterday when
it came to having the trainees go on that mission against
the outpost."
"So I did," Adama admitted, "Serina's....shown quite a lot
of natural skill for someone who never got into a cockpit
until yesterday."
"She has.  It surprised me too, but I think she can really
become a good pilot full-time."
"You're willing to accept her as that?  No more looking for
loopholes to get her back to less hazarde medallion that had been Baltar's from his son,
and calmly put it about his neck.   Ordinarily, he might have felt
a sense of revulsion over wearing what had been the traitor's
medallion, but he was in such a depressed state of mind that for
the first time, the certainty of his faith had been dealt a severe
blow.   It made no rational sense to him to think that the
Almighty could have led him to this spot and snatched away the
solution to his most pressing problem at the last possible
instant.
"Father, look," Apollo pointed.  "Those blasts destroyed much of
the integrity of these other chambers as well.   We can just walk
out without unlocking any of the doors."
"Just as well, then," Adama said glumly, "These things are not so
powerful after all, it would seem."
"Father," Serina could see the look on his face, and it had her
worried.   "Did you see anything?   Any piece of the coordinates
at all?"
"Only the very first part," Adama didn't look at his daugheter-in-
law.  "Quadrant Alpha.   Thous duties?"
"No," Apollo shook his head, "I accept her for what she
wants to be and what she's capable of doing.   That's why we
can both go ahead with our marriage right now with no
doubts."
Another few centons went by and Serina returned, looking
somewhat relieved.
"I talked to Athena," she said, "She said she understands
the way we feel about wanting to be married now, and she has
no problem with it.   She wants to take part in the ceremony
tonight."
"How did she seem?"
"What you'd expect from someone who lost someone they love,"
Serina said. "But she's not hysterical or anything like
that.   And she doesn't want to be the cause of our not
going forward tonight, if that's what's worrying us."  She
paused, "Your sister's a very strong person, Apollo."
"She is," Apollo nodded.
"Well in that case, I don't think we need to worry anymore
about whether this is the right decision or not," for the
first time Adama tried to inject a brighter edge into his
tone.    "Assuming our situation remaiat only tells us the most general
quadrant of the galaxy encompassing thousands if not millions of
pathways the Thirteenth Tribe took.   Without a proper vector
heading, we can't narrow the pathway they took."  He shook his
head in frustration again, "We were so close.  So close."
Serina then grabbed his arm, "But it was a start at least.  Maybe
not much, but you found out for certain that Earth really does
exist.   That what the Book of the Word has said all these yahrens
isn't just a story, but something real.   Something definite that
lies out there.   And at the very least, we know which general
part of the galaxy it lies in if we know it's in Quadrant Alpha.
How many billions of other pathways were eliminated from
consideration with that one piece of information alone?"
Adama stopped and looked at her in amazement at how she was so
vigorously trying to restore his faith at this terrible time.
"Adama, of all people alive, you're the one person who can never
lose faith," she squeezed his arns stable, I'll begin
seeing to the preparations for tonight."  He then paused,
"And let me just say to the both of you, that I know the
blessings of the Lords will be with you both as you do
this."
The two of them smiled in acknowledgment and then left.

As soon as it was evening by the official Fleet chronometer
(which remained set to Caprican Standard Time), a group of
ten people gathered themselves in the Galactica's Great
Hall, the site for all formal ceremonies and where Adama had
one sectar before made his announcement about leading the
Fleet to a lost brother colony on a planet called Earth.
On this evening though, the ceremony was of a different
kind.   One that Adama saw as providing a brief interlude of
hope amidst the darkness and uncertainties of the last few
days.
On the left side of the chamber stood the four female pilots
of Blue Squadron, each of them in dress uniform.    Athena
stood on the end of the row, her expression largely somber
in light of the grieving she had gonm more tightly.  "It wasn't the
complete answer to a prayer, but it gave us something.  If we come
away with that, then we will be led to where our destiny lies!"
Apollo was also amazed to see this side of her surfacing again.
It could only make him marvel at how blessed he was to have been
led to someone such as her.
"She's right, Father," Apollo felt her strength touching him as
well.   "We have to go on and take the good from this, as surely
as we took what good there was left to find after the
Destruction."
The despair now faded from Adama's face, and for the first time
his old sense of vigor seemed to return.
"You're right," the commander said, "You are so right." he then
looked ahead where the end of the corridor that led out of the
tomb's surface entry point could be seen.   "Let's get out of here
and get off this planet, fast."


The combined assault from both Blue and Red Squadron inflicted a
lethal blow on the retreating Cylon forces.    What amazed
Starbuck most was to see how we through for Starbuck,
but mixed with that was a determination to perform her
duties as bridesmaid, and so far she had been a steady rock
the entire evening.
Next to Athena, smartly attired in a blue tunic that
resembled a bridge personnel uniform, was a beaming Boxey.
The little boy was perhaps the only person in the room
oblivious to the unease and tension felt by everyone over
the void and the Cylon pursuit, and it only served to
increase the joy he felt over the ceremony and how for the
first time in his life he would be gaining a real father.
Finally, next to Boxey was Serina.   Looking as radiant as
any woman could be in her light gold sealing gown.    And
next to her, wearing an uncharacteristic special dark blue
dress uniform that most flight warriors never wore more than
once in their lifetimes, stood a confident, smiling Apollo.
There were fewer people on the right side of the chamber, as
this would ordinarily have been where Apollo's friends from
Blue Squadron would have stood, well everyone was able to fight
together on this occasion.   Blue and Red Squadrons both.
Galactica and Columbia pilots.   The veterans and the trainees.
All barriers had disappeared into total irrelevancy.
One thing's for certain, Starbuck thought, I'm never cutting Red
Squadron out of any private parties again.
"Red Leader to Galactica," Killian felt the deepest sense of
satisfaction he could ever recall since the Holocaust.   "Cylon
attack force, estimate 80% destroyed.   Remainder fleeing.
Difficult to pursue further given void interference, but am
willing to follow them back for assault on their baseship."
A half centon later, Tigh's firm voice filled every pilot's
cockpit.   "That is a negative, Red Leader.   There will be no
pursuit of the survivors and no engagment with any baseship.
With 80% losses, she'd be too crippled to mount an effective
counterattack against us, and I doubt that one baseship is anxious
to try a head-to-head match with us on those terms.   They need to
withdraw fith Starbuck standing next
to him as best man.    But all of Blue Squadron's pilots
were still recovering in the Life Station and could only
express their regrets through their support chambers when
Apollo had stopped by earlier in the day.   So on this
evening, Apollo found himself flanked only by Colonel Tigh,
who was there as Adama's guest, and Captain Killian, whom
Apollo had asked at the last centar to act as a best man
stand-in.    Although not certain at first whether it was
proper for him to accept such a request, Apollo had won
Killian over with a simple appeal to the fact that he now
considered it an honor to have flown with him on the recent
mission, and that he wanted to use the occasion as an
opportunity to break down some of the barriers that still
existed between the Galactica and Columbia pilots.
Apollo's sincerity had touched Red Leader deeply and he had
returned the honor by showing up with a Galactica insignia
hastily affixed to his uniform in place of his usual
Columbia one.
At the center, between Apollo and Serina, stood Adama, with
a copy of the Book of the Word at his side.    As a
battlestar commander, Adama had the right to perform any
sealing ceremony, and he had done so on many occasion over
the past twenty yahrens.  But while he knew the words by
heart, he nonetheless wondered if his own sense of pride and
joy would cause him to stumble over any of the familiar
words.
Mercifully, he'd been proved wrong and he'd gone through the
opening remarks with total ease.   Now, he turned to his
left to face Boxey, who continued to beam with enthusiasm.
"Will Serina's protector consent to relinquishing his
responsibilities to Apollo, the man she has consented to
marry?"
Some of the spectators wondered if Boxey would have been so
awestruck by the ceremony that someone would have had to
nudge him at this point.   But the little boy needed no
prompting as he looked up at his parents and said simply,
"Yes."  Technically, the words that should have been spoken
woulrom this quadrant to get reinforcement and what we need
to do is get out and lose them before they get that
reinforcement."
Killian felt just a twinge of frustration in him, but he also knew
that from a strategic and tactical standpoint, nothing could be
gained from keeping up the pursuit.   The executive officer had
perfectly summarized the situation.
"All right, Colonel," Red Leader said.   "We understand.   We'll
assume new heading for home."
"Colonel, this is Blue Two," Starbuck jumped in, "Any word from
the Commander or Apollo?"
"Negative," Tigh said, not letting his concern show, "No word from
basecamp since the attack began.   There may be too much
interference from the void to get them clearly at this time.
Especially since all the communications traffic during the battle
has fouled up most of our frequencies as it is."
"In that case, Colonel, request permission to take a few vipers
back to basecamp to survey the situation."
"Request granted.   But no more than three to five vipers fd have been, "I do consent", but Adama had already
decided long ago that a simple yes from Boxey would sound
more from the heart than some words that he'd need to have
taught to him, so he hadn't bothered to give Boxey that
complex set of instructions.    And just as Adama had
figured, Boxey's simple word expressed all the joy that
everyone knew was going through him at that instant.
"Apollo, will you at this time state your vow of devotion
unto Serina?"
Apollo and Serina now turned to face each other, and they
clasped hands.
"I pledge myself unto Serina as her husband for all time,
unto the rest of my life.  I pledge before the Lords of
Kobol to protect her and give my undivided love and devotion
to her, so that I may be truly worthy of this great
responsibility."
"Serina, will you at this time state your vow of devotion
unto Apollo?"
Serina clasped Apollo's hands even tighter.   "I pledge
myself unto Apollo as his wife for all time, unto the rest
of my life.  I pledge before the Lords toor any
escort mission you need to fly for shuttles." Tigh said firmly,
"You have two centars before you have to be back on the Galactica.
We can't wait any longer to get the Fleet underway and get us out
of the void."
"Copy that."  Starbuck acknowledged and switched frequencies.
"Killian, I'm detaching all Blue Group trainees to go with me."
"Affirmative, Starbuck.   Bring the Commander home safe."  Red
Leader then peeled off and began to lead the bulk of the vipers
back to their home base.
"Starbuck," Athena said, not hiding her concern as she took
position behind him, "You think they're okay?"
"They have to be, Athena," the blonde warrior said as Kobol now
filled his entire field of vision.   "I won't accept any other
possible outcome."


When Adama, Apollo and Serina stepped out of the tomb entrance
into the Kobol night, the first thing they noticed was how eerily
quiet it now seemed.  The single pulsing star now reigned alone as
the only thing visible in the night sky.   Only the glow  honor him and to
give him my undivided love and devotion so that I may be
truly worthy of this great responsibility."
And then, Adama removed the ceremonial Council medallion
from his neck and wrapped it about their wrists according to
the ancient tradition.
"These simple words are the most powerful in the universe.
They seal a union between this man and this woman, which is
not only for now but for all eternity."
The commander skipped a beat as he stopped to smile ever so
faintly at them before continuing.   And letting himself
have just an instant to let his mind say, Ila my darling,
how I wish you were here to see this.
"Apollo, Serina.  Under the eyes of God, and bound by the
symbol of the faith of the Lords of Kobol, I declare you
sealed."
With that declaration, Apollo and Serina came together in a
gentle kiss.   For almost a centon it went on, and the scene
became almost totally surreal, with the other eight people
in the room watching them amidst the dim candlelight of the
Great Haof
distant fires from the basecamp offered indications of what had
gone on over the last terrifying centar.
The commander paused to glance one last time at some of the
undamaged pillars and carvings that still lined the colonnade.
It made him wonder how many eons would pass before any human eyes
ever beheld the sight of this mother world again.    Just as he
had wondered that night of the Destruction as he'd stood in the
ruins of his home on Caprica if any human eyes would see these
familiar sights again.   And once again, he found himself thinking
that perhaps billions of eons would pass, and the wait would still
be in progress.
"Basecamp, this is Apollo," Apollo spoke into his
microcommunicator, now that they were outside.  "Do you copy?"
There was only a burst of static.   He tried again, and still
nothing.
"You think maybe we're the only ones left on the planet?" Serina
thought as they continued to make their way toward the glowing,
distant flames.
"If that's the case, we just find an ull.
And then....the scene suddenly took on a greater quality of
surrealness when on the main viewing screen at the far end
of the Great Hall, which had remained dark the whole time
because of the void, suddenly pulsed brightly.
"What theƒ?"" Colonel Tigh turned around and was the first
to react with surprise.    Soon, everyone else in the room,
including the newly married couple, was staring out the
screen at the pulsing brightness of a single star.
"What is it?" Athena managed to speak, just barely above a
whisper because she found herself awed by the sight.   "The
end of the void?"
"More than that," Adama said with the most reverent look of
excitement on his face.   "The answer to what we've been
looking for!"
Tigh's head darted back to the commander as he suddenly
recalled the conversation they'd shared the previous night.
"Colonel," Adama could barely contain his excitement,
"Notify the bridge to scan for a planetary system within
three parsecs of the star.    They should find indicationdamaged shuttle and clear
out," Apollo said.
Just then, his micro-com crackled to life, "ƒ?"--pollo, this is
Starbuck.   Do you copy?"
"Yeah!  Starbuck, I copy you!" Apollo felt relief go through him.
"Where are you?"
"On the edge of basecamp at the foot of the ruins."
"Then we should be where you are in half a centon."  He switched
off the micro-com, and began to pick up his pace, with Adama and
Serina trailing him.    When they reached the end of the ruins,
they could now see the flaming remains of the basecamp tents, but
to their relief saw no destroyed vipers on the ground.
"Apollo!" Starbuck stepped out from their right.  Behind him was
Dietra.  "There you are!   Glad to see you're okay."
"What happened up there?" Serina stepped in between Apollo and
Adama.
"It was rough going, but we managed to fight them off," Starbuck
wasn't going to let himself be flip at a time like this.  "We did
lose a couple of the trainees.   Jameson and Hanlon."
"Athena?" Adama suddenly felt a wave of parentns
of a dead star and one planet orbiting the dead star."
"A planet?" Apollo whispered as Tigh hurriedly went over to
the telecom unit on the other side of the room.
"Yes," Adama continued to look at the pulsing brightness of
the single star.   "If I'm right, it's the planet Kobol."
"Kobol?" Serina said with amazement as she took her new
husband by the arm.   "You mean....the mother world itself?"
"Yes," Adama's reverent air increased to a level that even
Apollo could not recall seeing in him before, "Where all
human life began."
All eyes remained fixed on the sight as Tigh returned from
the telecom unit.   "Commander, you were right," he was
totally incredulous.   "Scan reveals a dead star three
parsecs from this star, and one planet orbiting the dead
star."
"Estimate time to arrival to planet?"
"One full cycle at present speed."
"Have the Fleet plot immediate course for the planet,
Colonel."  Adama finally managed to pull his eyes away from
the sight and get some of his command bearings al concern for his
daughter hit him.
"She's okay.   She and the rest of the trainees are standing by in
orbit to give your shuttle escort back to the Fleet.  We set our
vipers down next to it, and we know it's still intact."
Starbuck's dead serious tone increased, "Colonel Tigh feels we
should get underway within the next two centars before the Cylons
get any reinforcement they need to start pursuing us again."
"He's right," Adama's sense of regret and sorrow over what had
happened in the tomb was gone completely.   Only the task of
survival mattered now.   "We must get off the surface.   As
quickly as possible."
Without saying a word, they all fell out into a straight line and
began to descend the steps that would take them out of the area of
ruins altogether.   Dietra and Starbuck in the lead.  Followed by
Adama, then Apollo, and at the rear of the group, Serina.
Apollo's feet had just hit the sand when he suddenly heard it from
behind.   The distinctive sound of a back and forth whirring
back.
"Inform the Fleet to resume all normal shuttle activities
now that the star is there to act as a beacon for us."
"Yes sir," Tigh nodded, and then stopped to shake hands with
Apollo and Serina.   "Apollo, Serina.   Congratulations."
"Thank you, sir," Apollo said gratefully, as he and Serina
continued to look out in awed fascination at the sight,
their arms locked in each other.
"It's incredible," the reverence was deep in Serina's voice,
"It's almost like....seeing a divine vision in a way."
"You're right, Serina," Adama said, "That star we see now,
is the star that led our ancestors out of the void when they
left the mother planet.    It was the very divine gift they
needed to assure the survival of human civilization."  He
paused, "And hopefully it will now provide that gift to us
again."
Apollo and Serina looked at him with slight puzzlement,
"What do you mean, Commƒ?"", Serina started then caught
herself, "Father?"
Adama looked at her and smiled, glad that she had
remembered.  "Inmotion.   There was just a fraction of a micron's worth of
disbelief passing through his mind before he managed to whip his
head around to see what was there.   Once he did that, his eyes
widened in horror as he saw two Cylon centurions emerging from
behind one of the pillars with their battle lasers trained on
them.
"Look out!" he shouted.
It took just another fraction of a micron for Apollo to realize
that Serina, being at the rear of the group was the one in the
most danger.    He desperately found himself lunging toward her.
Hoping he could push her out of the line of fire.
But perhaps two or three fractions of a micron before he could
push her to safety, a blue barrage of laser fire struck his wife
squarely in the back.    She immediately crumpled to the ground.
Apollo found himself flying over her fallen body and tumbling into
the sand next to her.
In that same span of time, Starbuck, Dietra and Adama had all
turned around and the two armed warriors managed to frantically
unleash a ret due time, when we send a scouting party to
the surface of the planet.   I suggest that in the meantime,
the two of you enjoy your first night together as a married
couple."
His son's lips faintly curled up in a smile, and he wrapped
his arm around his new bride, pulling her tight to him.
Then, they turned away from the screen, and slowly made
their way out of the Great Hall, stopping briefly to shake
hands with the others who by now, were only able to offer
quick congratulations.  All of them still seemed completely
captivated by the pulsing brightness of the single star.
When they reached the end of the Hall, Serina found herself
smiling impishly at her husband, "Well, my captain," she
said, "It looks as if we were upstaged a bit."
"Looks that way," he returned the smile and looked back at
the screen at the other end of the Hall.   "But at least the
timing was nice in that it didn't appear until after the
ceremony was officially done."
"Maybe that's all the more reason to think it's truly urn barrage of fire that instantly caught both
centurions in vulnerable positions.   The two Cylons collapsed to
the ground in dead heaps.
Apollo scrambled to his feet and looked down at the fallen form of
his wife.   Serina was alive, but was gasping for breath, unable
to say a word.   There was an expression of horror and pain on her
face that he had never seen before in his life, and it only served
to magnify the sense of stunned shock and horror he now felt.
"No," Apollo whispered, unable to comprehend this latest turn of
events.   He touched Serina's face, trying to think of words that
could provide some comfort for her, but he found none coming at
that instant.    His mind was too numb from shock to feel anguish,
or to offer her comfort.
"Oh my God," Starbuck whispered in horror as he, Adama and Dietra
came up alongside him.   "The two centurions who brought me back
to the planet.   I'd forgotten about them."
"How is she?" Adama knelt beside his son, looking down at his
daughter-in-law,a
divine sign," Serina looked back as well, her tone suddenly
reverent again.
Apollo was struck by how she managed to sound as reverent as
his father had.   In the sectar that he had come to know
Serina, he had never before seen this side to her.   While
Apollo had always taught himself to honor the faith his
parents had raised him in, he had never devoted himself to
it with the same vigor his father did, and as a consequence
he had never really bothered to probe Serina too much for
her feelings on faith and religion.   Now, he was
discovering for the first time just how deep her own sense
of faith really was.
"Come on," he smiled as he took her by the arm again, "You
heard the commander give us an order.   We're to enjoy our
first night together as a married couple."
She looked back at him and the mischievous smile suddenly
returned, "It will be my pleasure, my captain."
And then, arm-in-arm, they left the Great Hall.


Chapter Eleven

After being removed from the throne room, Starbuck who was still gasping for breath.
"I don't know," now Apollo felt the shock wearing off, and the
frantic emotion hitting him, "Oh dear God, I don't know!" the
tears already began to stream down his face.
"Get her to her feet!   We've got to get her to the shuttle and
get her to the Galactica Life Station now!" Adama got to his feet.
"Dietra, notify the Galactica immediately and have Salik and all
the med-techs he can spare waiting in the landing bay!"
"Yes sir!" Dietra managed to overcome her own shock and sprinted
off toward her viper as fast as she could go.
"Come on!" Adama barked at Starbuck and Apollo who were still
hunched over her in shock, "Get her to her feet!"
Starbuck finally responded and grabbed her by the left arm.  He
had to nudge his friend to get Apollo to finally do likewise with
her other arm.   Serina continued to let out nothing but gasps of
pain and then a louder exclamation as she got to a standing
position.   Then, with Apollo and Starbuck each holding onto her,
they  had been
taken down two levels to what he immediately recognized as a
holding area for prisoners.    What wasn't normal about the
site though, was that a small cot, a table and two chairs
had been set up.   From what he recalled from intelligence
briefings, Cylon holding areas were always spartan and
empty, designed to force the prisoner to stay on his feet at
all times.    At the very least, if Baltar was selling him a
bill of goods, he wasn't tipping his hand yet.
"I think I take back what I said upstairs," Starbuck said as
he sat down at one of the chairs behind the table, "I do
like the way you've gone overboard on furniture."
"Centurions," Lucifer turned to the two who had escorted
Starbuck down, "Leave us for now.   Wait outside the holding
area at all times in case you are needed."
"By your command," the lead one nodded and with his fellow
centurion accompanying him, they left the room, leaving the
IL Cylon alone with the prisoner.
"So tell me, Lieutenant," Lucifer said as he eyed Stmanaged to start moving as fast as they could toward the
distant shuttle.   Throughout the seemingly endless five centon
journey, as he continued to hear his wife gasp out in pain, as
though the life were slowly ebbing away from her, Apollo could
only feel one thought going through his mind.   The thought of
wishing he were dead.

X-UIDL: P_3!!hf2!!a9c"!Zd2"!
Chapter Thirteen

Throughout the shuttle ride to the Galactica, Apollo never
once left Serina's side.   He had managed to use the
shuttle's med-kit to administer her a painkilling injection,
so that she no longer was gasping frantically in pain.
Now, her breaths were still rapid but quiet this time.
Even so, he was seeing nothing encouraging about her
condition, and already his mind was facing the awful
prospect that he was going to lose her before he'd had a
real chance to share his life with her.
"Please God," he whispered pleadingly, "Please God.  Save
her."
Only once through the long journey, did Serina manage to
make eye contacarbuck,
"What are your impressions of our commander?"
Starbuck looked at him with amusement, "What do I get for
giving an honest answer?"
"There is nothing to give at this point, Lieutenant.   As
our commander has said, you are not to be tortured but to be
treated as our guest.    So as such, this conversation
serves no purpose other than an intellectual exercise for
myself."
"Ahh," Starbuck nodded in understanding, "In other words
when it comes to humans, Baltar doesn't give you enough of
an intellectual exercise?"
Lucifer found his admiration for Starbuck increasing by the
micron, and his latest remark only confirmed every instinct
he'd been developing.    "Hmmm.   Perhaps I should say that
since Baltar is the first human I have ever met, he has left
me hoping that he is not....typical."
"I can confirm that for you," Starbuck leaned back and
pulled out another fumarello.   "Do you mind the smell of
these things?"
"An illogical question, Lieutenant, since as I am sure you
are aware we Cyt with her husband.   And as if she were
summoning all her remaining inner strength, she managed to
smile weakly at him.
"You're going to be all right, Serina," he took her hand.
"You're going to be all right."
But no sooner had he said that, then he could almost sense a
response in her eyes.   A response that was saying no to
him.
When the shuttle arrived on the Galactica, the hatch opened
and a med-team consisting of Salik and Cassiopeia
immediately dashed aboard with a gurney unit.    Salik
immediately ran a med-can unit over Serina, and as soon as
he saw the results his expression grew even more grim.
"Doctor?" Apollo was pleading, "Doctor, can you do
anything?"
"Get her hooked up to a full life support unit!" Salik
ordered sharply as he and Cassiopeia lifted her onto the
gurney.  As soon as she was in place, the med-tech wheeled
it out of the shuttle as fast as she could go.
"Doctor?" Apollo repeated, his eyes tearing up.  "Please.
Can you do anything for her?"
Salik looked at him wilons do not have the needless sensation of
smell."
"Sorrry, just figured that since you're the first Cylon who
actually talks normal you might have some more normal
features built in," Starbuck shrugged as he lit a match and
took a puff.
"Actually Lieutenant, what you call Ÿ?~normal speech' has
always been part of the advanced class of Cylons, including
all civilians."  Lucifer ordinarily wouldn't have dared
reveal such a piece of information about Cylon culture to
any human, but he saw it as a triviality in the broader
scheme of things.
"Really?" the blonde lieutenant took another puff and raised
his eyebrows, "And here I was thinking that some of you
Cylons got bored after a thousand yahrens of hearing all
your centurions sound alike.    You know I can still
remember the first time I heard a centurion talk on tapes at
my Academy class."  He suddenly got to his feet, and assumed
a stiff posture, his arms locked to his sides.   "Ÿ?~By your
command.   All humans must die.'" his voice became th a deep sense of discomfort.  He
then looked over at Adama, who was trying hard to keep
himself calm, then back at Apollo.
"Captain," he put a hand on his shoulder, "There is nothing
I can do to save her.   Her entire spinal column has been
severed and she is completely paralyzed for all intents and
purposes.   It's a miracle she hasn't died already after
going this long without immediate treatment."
"No," Apollo felt the tears going down his face, "You can't
mean that.   She has to live."
"Apollo," his voice grew gentle and almost parental.  "Her
spinal injury isn't the only problem.   Now I can give you
all kinds of graphic descriptions about what else that laser
shot has done to her, with all of that radion contamination
going through the rest of her body, but that would be bad
taste on my part and wouldn't change a thing.   The bottom
line is that I can only keep her comfortable until the rest
of her bodily functions shut down completely.   It may take
a few centars for that happen, bua flat,
robotic monotone as he mimicked the speech patterns of a
centurion.  "I couldn't stop laughing for a centar after I
heard that for the first time." he chuckled as he relaxed
and resumed his seat.
"Centurions are hardly the backbone of this Empire,
Lieutenant," Lucifer said, almost wishing that he'd been
programmed to laugh, "We need not waste vital resources by
giving them advanced speech patterns."
"What is the backbone of the Empire?" Starbuck's tone
suddenly became serious, indicating that this was something
he was genuinely interested in.
"I don't believe that information should be made available
to you."
"Why not?" Starbuck gently retorted.   "Does that mean what
Baltar said about you guys being our friends isn't true
after all?"
Ingenious, Lucifer thought.   Starbuck's relaxed air had
managed to get Lucifer to let his guard down, and he
realized that he needed to compensate for that fast.    It
was clear to the IL, that Starbuck's bravado masked a
cunning brilliance underneat it is an irreversible
process.   That's what a laser shot set to the kill level is
designed to do.   It's just that....we're used to seeing it
strike someone in the heart or the head which brings
instantaneous death."  He shook his head sadly, "She was
literally hit in the one spot of the body that can do
something like this.   Cause a long, terminal death.   It's
almost a one in a million chance that it could have
happened, but it did.   And that's something we can't do
anything about.   You might as well be asking me to bring
back someone who's already dead from such a shot."
Apollo lowered his head, and his legs felt so weak, he was
certain he'd collapse to the floor.    This was the worst
moment of his life, bar none.   None of the traumas and
tragedies of the Holocaust, not even losing his mother or
Zac, could measure up to the sense of loss he now felt.
And once again, he could only think of how much he wished it
had been him lying dead on the sands of Kobol instead.   He
was certainth that made him a foe to be
reckoned with.
"Not at all, Lieutenant," Lucifer tried to sound disarming,
"Old habits die hard.   As to the backbone of our Empire,
that would be our civilian class and those advanced brain
Cylons like myself, who enjoy the full benefits of Cylon
society."
"What are the benefits of Cylon society?" Starbuck prodded,
"I mean, what exactly does a Cylon like you do in your
neatly ordered worlds?"
"We have plenty of means of stimulating ourselves,
Lieutenant," Lucifer decided it was best to be as open as he
could with Starbuck.   If Baltar suspected that anything
Lucifer said had caused Starbuck to continue doubting his
peace offering, then he could easily imagine Baltar making a
report to the Imperious Leader that would not look favorably
upon him.
"Do you," Starbuck took another puff, "Okay, what's a
Cylon's favorite form of recreation?"
"Pure intellectual contemplation, Lieutenant.   Utilizing
the gift of our second brain to the fullest capacity."
"Sounds incre that he had hesitated just a fraction of a
micron too long before responding to the two Cylons and that
at the one time in his life when he should have acted with
all the skills of training that he possessed, he had failed.
"I'll do what I can to make the end comfortable for her,"
Salik said.  "I'll even see if I can relieve some pressure
so she can talk to you.   That's all I can do at this
point."
He then turned and stepped off the shuttle, leaving Apollo
alone with his father.   It took almost a centon before
Adama dared to summon the strength to come over to him.
When he reached his son, he did something that had never
come naturally to him as a parent.   He took Apollo in his
arms and embraced him with all the tenderness he could
summon.
"I'm so sorry," Adama said as he held his son, trying to
comfort him.   "I am so sorry.   It's not right for you to
have to go through this.   Not right at all."
He then looked Apollo in the eye, "Always know that the
people you still have who love yodibly dull."
"To your human mind, perhaps.   But only those who possess a
second brain can ever know what it's like to experience the
stimulation of total meditative contemplation."
"A good Pyramid game is the best kind of stimulation I know
of," Starbuck said disdainfully with a wave of his hand.
"Really," Lucifer said, "And how does this....Pyramid game
as you call it, provide stimulation to humans?"
Starbuck suddenly broke into a grin.
"I was hoping you'd ask that," he said as he pulled out a
pack of pyramid cards from the pocket of his jacket.
"What's say you get a chance to find out?"


Apollo and Serina awoke, both in a state of bliss after a
night of almost uninterrupted lovemaking.   As Apollo rubbed
his eyes, he could see that the pulsing brightness of the
star was shining more brightly through the porthole of their
quarters.
"Good morning, my captain," Serina whispered throatily as
she kissed him on the neck and wrapped her arms about his
shoulders.
"Good morning," Apollo took u, will always be here for
you, son."
There was no response from Apollo.   The tears were still
coming down his face, and he seemed like someone who'd been
kicked and beaten and could never get up again.
"Go be with her," Adama said gently.   "I'll get Boxey."
"Oh Lord," Apollo now spoke, and his sense of anguish only
increased, "How do I tell him this?"
"It's quite simple, son," his voice was still gentle and
loving, but also with the firm sense of parental guidance
that he had always tried to give his son.  "You be there to
do for him, exactly what I'm doing for you right now at this
very instant.   Because Boxey needs that more than anything
else, and you owe it to him and to Serina to give him that."
Finally, his son nodded and wiped away the tears from his
eyes.
"You go to her," Adama patted him again.  "I'll bring him
down as soon as I can."
Apollo said nothing as he stepped off the shuttle.   An
anguished Starbuck was the only other person waiting
outside.   He bit his lip when he sher hand and kissed it, as he
continued to stare out the porthole.  "Looks like we covered
a lot of distance last night to be this close to it now."
"Seems that way," she nodded as she came to a sitting
position and joined him in looking at the star.   "It seems
like Adama knew it would be here, and that's why he took us
into the void."
"Yeah," Apollo nodded, "And to think that we're actually
going to see Kobol itself.   Who only knows what kind of
things there are to see down there."
"Too bad this isn't peacetime," Serina sighed, "Discovering
Kobol would have ordinarily been the greatest scientific
story of the millennia."
"That's so true," her husband sighed, "And if this were
peacetime, I would have been at the head of the expedition
that found it."
She looked at him with slight surprise, "You mean you never
would have been a warrior?"
"No," he shook his head, "Not in a million yahrens.   The
only reason why I ever became one was because I felt a sense
of duty and obligation.   What I raw Apollo move past him
without an acknowledgment and then he felt the need to call
to him.
"Apollo?" he tried to keep his voice from cracking.
His friend stopped and looked at him, his expression now
largely vacant, as though his mind was in another world
completely.
"Apollo," Starbuck took a breath, "I'm sorry.  It was my
fault.  I should have scanned the region to see if those
Cylons were still there, but----"
Apollo put a hand on Starbuck's shoulder and gently cut him
off.  "You're never to say that again," his voice was filled
with finality.  "Because it isn't true.   You have
absolutely no reason, and I mean no reason for feeling that
way.   Always remember that, because I don't ever want to
know that you're feeling upset over that when you don't have
a reason to."  He paused, "You owe me that, Starbuck."
Starbuck sighed, and nodded.  "You've got it, Apollo."
The two of them then walked in silence to the Life Station.
Starbuck didn't feel the strength to say anything to his
friend ateally wanted to be most
was a historian or a scientist studying the past." he
paused, "But I just couldn't bring myself to not enter the
service when the time came.    Maybe if I wasn't Adama's son
and just came from a non-military background it would have
been different, but....I had to learn a lesson about how the
things we want to do, aren't necessarily the things that
Fate has intended for us."   He paused, "But I guess that's
a lesson we've all had to learn about this last sectar."
"I know," his wife admitted, fascinated by this revelation.
"And sometimes....that same....fate if you will, leads us
into things that we could never have expected all in the
name of a greater good."
"Like that star appearing?"
"Perhaps," she admitted, "I....was kind of thinking more
about how....we came together."
"What do you mean?"
Serina let out a sigh, "Apollo, I never thought I'd find
myself telling you this, but did you ever wonder why it was
that I sought you out after we were all loaded aboard the
 this point, not completely sure what was the right
thing any longer.   It would be a long time before the shock
would pass for him, and he could feel comfortable giving
Apollo any kind of helpful advice.
When they reached the Life Station, they saw that a small
crowd had gathered outside as if in a waiting vigil for news
on Serina's condition.   Athena, Dietra, Boomer, Killian and
Tigh.   None of them said anything as Starbuck quietly took
a place alongside Athena and allowed Apollo to enter the
room alone.
"Well?" Athena broke the silence, "Any indication?  Salik
didn't say a word when heƒ?"" she broke off and then choked
back a sob.
Starbuck let out a sad sigh and shook his head.  "What do
any of you really think the chances are when you're shot
square in the spinal column?"
There was no response from any of the others, but it was
clear they all understood.
"It's not fair," Athena whispered, "It's not fair that this
should happen." she already knew that if she hadn't
renounced her faithFleet following the Destruction?"
"Because Boxey was upset about losing his daggit and you
thought I could help him."
"That was only half the reason, Apollo," Serina said.
"When I sought you out, I thought I was dying at the time."
Apollo's eyebrows went up in surprise.   "Dying?"
"My practitioner back on Caprica had given me a diagnosis
saying I was suffering from a malignant brain tumor with a
25 percent chance of survival."  Serina said, glad she was
finally getting this off her chest.   Being married to
Apollo now made her determined to keep no secrets from him,
ever.   "And I thought that there was no way I could ever
get that treated, and so I was worried about where Boxey
would end up, and....after I saw the way you were so kind to
him on Caprica when he wanted a look at your viper,
I....instinctively zeroed in on you as the man I hoped would
look after him once I was.....gone."
A look of concern came over Apollo's face, "But you aren't
really....that is....."
"No, no," she hastily c a sectar ago after the Holocaust she
would have done it right now.   Now that she no longer
believed, it wasn't possible for her to rail at Fate or God
any longer from her standpoint.   She could only just
quietly brood over how unfair and meaningless life was in
the end.
"Is it ever fair for any of us?" Killian spoke up.  "After
all that's happened this last sectar, I guess there's none
of us who can be left immune from this kind of tragedy.
Even those who should be immune from it."   He looked at the
sealed door to the Life Station and sadly shook his head, "I
wish I knew how much more of this we all have to face before
we find Earth.   I don't know if my system can take seeing
things like this happen on a constant basis."
Starbuck looked at Red Leader with a greater sense of inner
admiration than he'd ever known before.   Now there was more
than just the shared battle experience that had broken down
the barrier between the two squadrons.   For the first time,
there was a bond between theut him off, "After I sought you out,
I went down to see Salik, and he ended up telling me that
the diagnosis was a fraud.   My practitioner it turns out,
was a crook who had a known record of giving phony diagnoses
to his patients in order to make them pay exorbitant sums
for operations and treatments they never needed.    Once he
had enough, he was hoping he'd be able to disappear into a
life of total luxury, but the Cylons ended up disrupting his
plans."
"That's sick," Apollo shook his head in disgust, "I hope
that practitioner was one of the victims."
"The Ovions got him," Serina said, "I saw him on Carillon
later, and then I found out he was among those who had
disappeared in the mining levels."
"Served him right," Apollo said, shuddering as he recalled
the horrible sight of the Ovion pod chambers.
"True," Serina said, "But look at it this way, Apollo.   If
it weren't for him, I never would have bothered seeking you
out the way I did.   And then....I wouldn't have had the
chance to fall two groups during a time of
tragedy such as this.
"We all stick together," Boomer said, "That's how we
overcome it.   We just....all stick together.   Just like
all of you did for me and the rest of us when it seemed like
we were about to die.   And now....we do the same for
Apollo."
"And we bring him through it," Starbuck said with a new
sense of determination, "By God, we bring him through it."

X-UIDL: 5o-!!LI]"!+n*#!o"L"!

Twenty centons went by as Salik and Cassiopeia worked on
Serina, hooking her limp body up to a life supporting unit.
They then sealed off the area she was in and performed some
quick surgery designed to relax the muscles above her neck
so she could at least regain some temporary movement of her
head.   Once that was done, they also knew it would be
possible for her to talk.   When they finished the
procedure, they allowed Apollo to come by her side and wait.
Hoping that the procedure would have been worth it.
Finally, another ten centons passed, and Serina managed  in love with you after I realized it was safe
for me to do that."  She looked back out at the star, "I
guess it's things like that that have always made me reject
skepticism when it comes to matters of faith.   It's not
that I consider myself a paragon of total virtue when it
comes to everything the Book of the Word teaches, it's just
that.....I've always known in my heart that there's
something very real behind all of those teachings."
Before Apollo could say anything else, he heard the telecom
chime.   He got out of bed and went over to answer it.
"Hello?"  A half centon went by as he listened and then he
nodded, "We'll be there."
"What was that?" Serina asked as she threw back the sheets
and stepped out of bed.
"Adama wants to see us both in a centar about going down to
the surface of Kobol." he smiled, "There's some interesting
background material he wants to fill us in on."
Serina looked at him thoughtfully, "He did say in a centar,
didn't he?" a coy edge entered her voice and she gentto
tilt her head and look at her husband, whose face was still
a tortured mask of anguish.   She summoned a smile and then
whispered in a faint voice, "Hi."
"Hi," he whispered back and took her hand, which was limp
and motionless.  Incapable of even squeezing his back.
"I guess I....." she then trailed off.
"No, no, no," he shook his head vigorously, "You didn't do
anything wrong out there.   You're a great warrior.   You
have more natural skill than anyone I ever met.   I mean
that, Serina.  You're that good."
"But even good warriors aren't invulnerable," Serina sighed,
"I guess that's the way we should look at it."
"Serina," Apollo knelt by her and felt the tears returning,
"You're going to be okay.  You'reƒ?"" he then stopped as he
saw her shaking her head again.
"No.  No, Apollo.  You and I know better.   Let's....just
view this as the time to.....say goodbye."  She managed to
take a breath, "In a way....it's kind of good it happened
this way.   Most....of the time it's so sudden.
You.ly sat
back down on the bed.
Her husband let out a chuckle, "Yes he did."
She smiled mischievously, "There's still a lot one can do in
half a centar, my captain."
"Let's prove that hypothesis," Apollo said as he wasted no
time climbing in next to her.

X-UIDL: LD&"!;G]!!5%E!!mW!#!

A centar later, totally relaxed and ready to face the challenges
of the new day, both Apollo and Serina were in Adama's quarters.
The commander had his monitor set to the relevant page from the
Book of the Word, showing it to them with the eagerness of a
schoolboy.
"What does it say, Father?" Apollo asked, finding it difficult to
read from his position.
Adama smiled and read aloud:
"After their home planet Kobol was known to be doomed, the twelve
tribes set forth across a great void which had enveloped the
surrounding environs of space, unable to find the reference points
of the heavens that had once filled the Kobollian night sky.   And
then, by a miracle from the Lords, a bright shining star appeared
from n...don't get a chance to say all the things you want to
make sure....have been said before the end comes."
"Serina," Apollo wiped his eyes with the other hand as he
continued to squeeze her hand, "I love you so much.
You're...everything to me."
"And you are to me, Apollo," she whispered.  "Is...Boxey
here?"
"Father's bringing him down," he said reassuringly, "He'll
be here."
Serina managed to smile again, "I knew....from the micron I
first saw you, you were the one who could take care of my
boy.   And I know you'll keep doing that."
"Always," he began to stroke her hair, which spilled out
over the pillow.  "I swear by all the Lords, I'll take care
of him."


When Adama entered Boxey's room and saw him playing with
Muffit, there was a deep sense of hurt and anguish inside
his heart that he'd have to be the first to break the news
to his new grandson about what had happened to his mother.
This was something he'd done many times through the yahrens
when he'd been forced to inform family memowhere and guided them to safety.  Leading them out of the
darkness of the void, and back into the brightness of the star-
filled heavens, from which the twelve tribes of Kobol were able to
find their new homes."
"I think I'm a little confused, Father," Apollo said
apologetically.   "If a single star led them out of the void, then
how can it be in such close proximity to the mother planet now?
And how come we didn't see it when we first entered the void?"
"For a simple reason, Apollo," Adama said.  "We didn't enter the
void from the same position the Kobollians left it.    By our
calculations, it took us one full day in the void before we saw
the star.    But the trajectory taken on Delta eight heading,
starting from here," Adama pointed to the chart showing the star
at the center, "Will have us out of the void in two centars flight
time."
"You're sure of that?" Serina inquired.
"I've already had scanning and an advance probe during the night
confirm it.   Once we attend to our business here bers of warriors
killed in action that they had lost a loved one.   Doing
that so many times in his life had never fully prepared him
for the emotional hurt that came with it, especially when
the scenario impacted on him personally like this one did.
"Hi, Grandpa," the little boy looked up at him brightly when
he saw Adama enter.   Already, he had learned how to discard
the title of "Commander" and immediately embrace Adama as
his new grandfather.
"Hello, Boxey," Adama smiled weakly, his hands behind his
back.
"Are Mommy and Dad back?"
"Yes," he nodded, "They're back.  And...you need to see your
mother, now.   She...has something very important to tell
you," at this moment Adama could only hope and pray that
Salik had been telling the truth about Serina being able to
talk.   It was going to be a lot easier on Boxey if he would
get the chance to talk to his mother one last time.
Something that had been denied to Adama with Zac and Ila,
and which still haunted him to this day.  Boxey would beon Kobol,
leaving the void will be a simple matter of going out the way the
Kobollians left it, and not going back out the way we came in.
And the star will still be in full view by the time we leave it."
"Okay," Apollo rubbed his chin, "I understand all that.   But
Father, is there a reason why you took a chance that this would be
the actual void containing Kobol?   Is there something of
significance down there that can help our immediate needs?"
"I think it very likely, Apollo."  Adama got to his feet.  "I
believe that the key to telling us what direction we should take
that will lead us to the Thirteenth Tribe, will be found there."
"To Earth?" Serina asked.  "You think the key to that is on
Kobol?"
"It's a possibility that must be considered," Adama said, "And in
light of how we have had no tangible course to guide us since we
fled the Colonies, anything that could give us a clue as to where
our quest will ultimately end, is something we have to take
advantage of.   That's why I decided w
less scarred for life if he could be spared that part of the
tragedy.
"Is something wrong?" Boxey frowned.
Adama took a breath, "I'm afraid there is, Boxey.  Your...
mother will explain it to you.   You come with me, now."
"Okay," he hopped off his bed, and then looked at his
daggit, "Muffit, you wait here.   I'm going with Grandpa."
The robot let out a complying bark and went off to the
corner of the room.   Boxey came up to his grandfather, who
took him by the hand and led him out through the corridor,
and then to the turbo lift that would take them to the
corridor just outside the Life Station.   Nothing was said
between the two during that time, and already Adama sensed
that Boxey was beginning to suspect what this was all about.
It was as though he didn't need to say anything else to him
at this point.   Not until after the moment when the little
boy would have to face the sight of his mother, dying and
helpless.
Instinctively, Adama fingered the letter he had written to
Ila, that ste would take the Fleet into
the void the micron you first brought back word of it, Apollo."
"And is there a specific location on the planet that would be more
promising than others?" Apollo asked.  "We don't exactly have all
the time in the world to conduct a search of the entire planet."
"True," Adama conceded, "But based on the Book of the Word, the
key is to find Kobol's capital city, Eden.   That was the largest
of all Kobollian cities, and it was where all the Lords who ruled
the planet kept their seat of power.   Once we pinpoint Eden, we
then search for the tomb of Kobol's last ruler, the Ninth Lord of
Kobol."
"Kobol's ruler at the time of the Exodus that led to the
settlement of the Colonies," Serina spoke up, which immediately
caused Adama to lift an eyebrow in surprise that she would know
that.
"Yes.  Any mention of the Thirteenth tribe would have to be found
in his tomb if it mentions the departure of the other twelve
tribes."
"When do we leave for this?"
"As soon as our viper prill lay in his pocket after all this time.   He
hoped that some of the strength that he had drawn from it
these past few days could be transferred to Apollo and to
Boxey.   They would both need it more than ever.
They reached the area outside the Life Station, where
Starbuck, Athena, Dietra, Boomer, Killian and Tigh were
continuing their vigil.   Only now, Cassiopeia had emerged
from the room and had her arms around Starbuck, as though
she had been crying.   As soon as they saw Boxey and Adama,
they all suddenly came to a rigid attention, as though none
of them felt they could dare say a word or show any emotion
in front of Serina's son.   They stayed that way for almost
a half centon after both Adama and Boxey entered the room.
Adama immediately let go of Boxey's hand once they were
inside and allowed him to run up to his mother's side.   The
commander saw that Apollo was now standing up, his bearing
erect and normal.  He could also see that for now, he'd
managed to wipe away all the tears fobes conduct a survey of the planet,"
Adama smiled, "And when that's done, I want you and Serina to
accompany me to the surface."


Red Squadron had launched first to make surveys of the planet
surface and feed the data back to the Galactica's bridge for
analysis by Adama, who seemed to be the one person in the Fleet
who could best use the Book of the Word to correlate the scan data
to reference points described in the Book.
"That's it!" Adama had exclaimed excitedly as soon as data came in
that indicated the capital city of Eden.   "That's where our
survey team will base itself.   Colonel, prepare my shuttle
immediately."
"Commander," Tigh said cautiously, "I just want to go on record
that I'm against having you go down to the planet surface when we
still don't know for certain if the Cylons chose not to pursue us
through the void.    It's possible that their baseships chose to
backtrack around the perimeter and that could make them pierce it
at the point where the star could lead them strrom his eyes.
"Mommy," Boxey looked at her, and immediately he realized
that all of his inner suspicions were true.   Instinctively,
he reached for her hand, which he had felt squeeze his so
many times in reassuring comfort all his life.   Only now,
it wasn't capable of squeezing back any longer.
"Hello, my precious," Serina managed to smile.
"You...won the war out there?" at this point, Boxey wasn't
sure of what he could say.
"Yes," she was determined to keep smiling the whole time,
"But I had a little help too.....Warriors always know how to
help each other."
The reality of the situation now seemed to crash on Boxey in
full force and immediately the tears sprung from his eyes,
"You're....going away, aren't you?"  He used the same
euphemism his mother had been forced to use with him a
sectar ago, when she'd had to explain why his first daggit
named Muffit wasn't coming back.   And also the kindly old
lady named Thalia, who'd lived next door to them on Caprica,
and who had been like an auntaight to us."
"I appreciate your concern, Colonel, but I must go to the surface
to take readings.   Unless you can scrounge up on half a centar's
notice a scholar in the Fleet who can read ancient Kobollian
script."
"Obviously I can't," Tigh was already resigned to defeat on this
point.   "But I must insist that the survey team you take part in
be heavily armed and fortified."
"Noted," Adama said, "Blue Squadron trainees and all Red Group
pilots currently conducting scanning sweeps will base themselves
on the planet surface in the environs of Eden."


"Come on, bulbhead, I haven't got all night."
Lucifer looked up from the pyramid cards he was holding, and
resisted the urge to shake his head in admiration once again at
Starbuck's unflappable bravado.
"It is obvious Lieutenant, that you were never taught to show any
respect whatsoever for your opponents."
"Who's showing disrespect?" Starbuck retorted gently. "After all,
if we're going to be really living together in peace after all,
some f to Boxey.  "Going away" had
been the most gentle way of describing death that Serina's
journalist mind had been able to think of.   Now, it was the
only thing Boxey had to say at this point.
"Yes, Boxey" his mother managed to nod, "I'm...going away.
But....your father will be there to love you and take care
of you.   And....so many others are there to love you too.
Your....grandfather...your Aunt Athena.....you have a whole
new family to love you, Boxey.  Always....know that."  She
wished at that instant that she could reach out and wipe the
tears away from his face.   "And....never forget that I love
you.   You... won't forget that, will you?"
"No," he shook his head, and now the little boy's voice was
a near sob.  "I...won't forget, Mommy."
The sight of him crying so heavily was making it difficult
for Serina to maintain the smile she felt she had to keep
for as long they kept talking.   "Don't cry, Boxey," she
whispered, "That's no way for a junior warrior to act.   Be
strong.   Be... thriendly terms of endearment couldn't hurt."
He did it again, Lucifer thought.   Finding a way to see if he
could trap the IL into revealing that Baltar was just presenting
another false offer again.   There was no longer any doubt in
Lucifer's mind that if human leadership had possessed all the
instincts Starbuck had, then the sneak attack of a sectar ago
never could have been pulled off.
"Quite true, Lieutenant, quite true, though as I am sure you are
aware, we Cylons seldom find need to use any terms of endearment,
not even to our fellow Cylons."  He paused, "Insults, are another
matter when it comes to inferior classes of Cylons."
"Ah," Starbuck said, impresed by this.  "Interesting.   At any
rate, it's still your move.   Hover or one more card?"
"I do not need another card.   I will therefore hover, as you put
it."
"Okay," Starbuck smiled, "Now let's assume we're making bets in
the highest wages of Colonial currency.   Think in big numbers if
you're so certain that your hand is better thae kind of brave boy I know you are.   And
the brave man I know you'll...one day be."
Weakly, Boxey managed to raise his arm and wipe his eyes
with his sleeve.
"That's better," Serina seemed to relax, "Much better."
Her son choked back another sob and then threw his arms
around his mother's neck, so he could kiss her on the cheek
one last time.   "Goodbye, Mommy," he whispered.
"Goodbye, my precious son," Serina wished she had the
strength to hug him.   But at least she was grateful for the
fact that they'd had a last talk and that there was no loose
end from that standpoint.
Adama came up to them, and knelt over his daughter-in-law so
he too could kiss her on the cheek.   There was so much that
Adama wished he could say to the woman he now loved as if
she were his daughter by blood, but he didn't know where he
could have possibly begun.   But the smile on Serina's face
was enough to tell him that she understood completely.
The commander then took Boxey by the hand and without
looking back, n mind."
"Big numbers, Lieutenant?"
"Yeah, like maybe the amount your last Leader used to buy off
Baltar."
Lucifer instantly realized that Starbuck was trying to bait him
again into tripping him up.   But this time, he was prepared.
"I believe no such transaction ever took place, Lieutenant.   At
any rate, I think I would prepared to wager any amount that the
hand I possess is better than yours.   Provided of course that you
have accurately explained all the rules to me as to what
constitutes a better hand than others."
"Hey, wouldn't think of leading you astray on that.   After all, I
wouldn't want to rile you up when you can still tell the
centurions to shoot me for cheating you out of a nice pot.   So
what do you have?"
Lucifer laid down his cards on the table.   It was a three
quarters Pyramid, but with each section from different colors.   A
good hand, but by no means the best.
Starbuck grinned, "Sorry," he set his cards down.  "My perfect
half pyramid with capstone of the same color bthey left the room.   Apollo and Serina were
now alone for what they both knew was the last waning centon
for them both.   He reached down and stroked her hair again.
"Oh, Apollo," her voice was growing weaker and it was now
hard for her to keep from shedding tears now, "This really
isn't fair to you."
"To me?" Apollo's voice cracked, "No.  It's not fair to you.
If I could trade places with you now...."
She shook her head, and in that instant a strange glow of
serenity, as befitting her name, seemed to come over her.
"Don't.   I....look on my life now, and I see a full life.
I... want you to know that....I consider myself very, very
lucky." she took a breath, "Even if...all we had was...such
a precious short time...it was worth an eternity to me."
"We'll have an eternity," Apollo said as firmly as he could
through his tears.  "You and I both.  We'll....see each
other again.   I know that."
Serina managed to smile again.   "Your heart truly believes
that, Apollo?" her voice was growing more ieats your three-
quarters pyramid because you don't have the same color for each
section and you don't have the capstone."
"Hmmmm," Lucifer looked at the table with mild disdain, "It would
seem Lieutenant, that if the rules are to be that complicated,
then it is little wonder that only the foolhardy would immerse
themselves in it."
A centurion then entered the room and came up to Lucifer.  "By
your command.   We have received new information of great
importance."
"Very well," Lucifer rose, feeling somewhat relieved that he
wouldn't have to go through another hand of the silly game again.
As much as he had found Starbuck fascinating from an intellectual
standpoint, the Lieutenant did have some annoying idiosyncracies
that after four centars of conversation had started to wear him
down.    He could use the diversion of more information.
"Nice talking to you," Starbuck leaned back in his chair and lit
another cigar in satisfaction.  He too had enjoyed the last few
centars on an intellectual levndistinct.
"You....haven't lost your faith, even now?"
"No," he shook his head firmly, "My faith is stronger than
it ever could be, thanks to you.   A spirit like yours can
never end.  It has to go someplace with those just like
you."
"Always let Boxey know that," Serina felt the beginning of a
strange sensation come over her.   Something that felt
neither painful nor horrible, but strangely wonderful and
reassuring to her.  Something that she knew signaled an end
in this world, and a beginning in the next.  "I love you,
Apollo." she managed to whisper.
"I love you," he said as quickly as he could.
The last thing Serina's eyes saw was her husband drawing
closer to her, to kiss her on the lips.   And then, the
sensation she had begun to feel took hold of her completely.
When Apollo finished his kiss of her, he looked down and saw
her eyes closed, and her smile of contentment as deep as it
could possibly be.   He took a deep breath, and then wiped
away all the remaining tears from his face.  el, but unlike Lucifer, was
genuinely sorry it had come to an end.   Talking to a Cylon with
normal human intelligence was a refreshing contrast to what he
could have expected from a centurion's interrogation.
And yet, Starbuck thought further as Lucifer exited the room,
leaving the warrior alone, there was one thing disconcerting about
meeting a Cylon like Lucifer for the first time.   For the first
time, Starbuck could see more in the Cylon Empire than just a
group of robotic machines acting on programmed orders with
seemingly no rhyme or reason.   A Cylon like Lucifer who talked
normal and thought normally, brought home a chilling point that
most humans had never realized before.     That dark emotions of
pure evil could be found in the core of Cylon leadership, and that
their actions were not simply the result of unthinking machines
that had gone out of control long ago.    The advanced levels of
Cylon robots had not only found a way to emulate human speech,
they had appropriated all of th Now was the
time for total strength on his part.   He moved toward the
door and idly straightened his uniform so that when the
doors opened, everyone on the other side saw him at his full
bearing.
No one dared say a word to him.   Adama was now comforting
Athena, while Starbuck had his arm about Cassiopeia.   The
other warriors, Tigh, Dietra, Boomer and Killian had the
deepest looks of empathy they could show.
Apollo came over to Boxey, who was still putting up a brave
facade and took him down the corridor.   Once they were out
of sight of the others, he gently put his hands on his
shoulders and looked him in the eye.
Almost immediately, Boxey's facade cracked and he was crying
again, "I don't want her to go!" he sobbed, "I don't want
her to go!  It's not fair!"
"Boxey, it's okay, it's okay," he hugged him.  "It's just
her body that's gone.   Not her spirit, and not her love for
us.   We'll always have that, and nothing can ever take that
away from us."
Suddenly, Boxey stopped crying and e dark sides of human nature and
none of the positive ones.
Unless of course, all that talk about changes in the Empire were
true.   So far, he had yet to see any reason to make him think
this story was any more genuine than the false peace of a sectar
ago.   But at the same time, he was determined to bide his time
and watch for something more specific before making a final
judgment.

X-UIDL: Bk?!!pjT"!*>:!!==("!

As soon as Apollo brought the shuttle to a stop on the planet
surface, his attention immediately went to the distant sight that
filled the view through the cockpit.   Three massive pyramid
shaped structures that towered higher than any structure ever
built on Caprica or any other planet in the Colonies.    The shape
of the structures was all the visual proof one needed to know that
this planet influenced all of Colonial civilization, since the
pyramid was the standard shape for so many structures.   But to
see these Pyramids built on such a grander scale could only mean
that Koboin that instant, Apollo
realized that his bond to Boxey as a father to a son, had
truly been cemented for eternity.
"I guess I won't make a good warrior," he said weakly.
"You'll make a fine warrior," his father said as he got to
his feet and then took him by the hand.   "Come on, son.
Let's go."
And then, the two of them walked away.   For both, the
beginning of a new chapter in their lives.


Epilogue

Centars passed for Baltar as he continued to lie sprawled on
the floor of the outer chamber to the Ninth Lord's tomb.
Still not able to get to his feet thanks to the injury his
leg had sustained.   His only sense of time was the sight of
the open ceiling, which now showed the Kobollian night
turning into the overcast day.   Time enough for his hatred
of Adama to increase to levels he never thought he could
have summoned.
But why not?  It was Adama's fault that he was now in this
predicament.   He had presented the best possible offer of
repentance he was capable of offering to his fellollian civilization had indeed once possessed technical
knowledge that their descendants had never been able to equal.
"Exactly as the Book described them," Adama said with reverent awe
as he came up alongside his son to take in the view. "There's no
question the Ninth Lord's tomb must lie somewhere within that
complex."
"Then I guess we shouldn't waste any time, should we?" Serina
smiled as she came up to the front too.
"Just a centon," Apollo said cautiously as he activated his
communications set, "Blue Squadron, this is Apollo.   Are you in
place on the surface yet?"
"Affirmative Apollo," Athena's voice came through the shuttle.
"Landrams now deployed and we're setting up basecamp at position
one thousand metrones southeast of Pyramids.    That's where the
sand ends and the ruins begin."
"Copy.  Who's in charge of operations?"
"Lieutenant Taggs of Red Squadron is senior.   He's maintaining
viper sweep above planet with the rest of Red Group.   Captain
Killian's remained on the Galactica fow humans,
and thanks to Adama's obsessive belief in an ancient myth,
those hopes of redemption had been shattered beyond all
possible repair.   Now it wasn't possible any longer to make
the Cylons pay for the previous Imperious Leader's
doublecross of him.   He had lost his only avenue of
achieving that goal thanks to Adama, and now he had been
left with only one alternative if he was to survive.   The
time had now come for him to truly devote himself as a
genuine convert to the Cylon cause of exterminating
humanity.   For only by achieving that goal did he have any
possible hope of long-term survival.   To achiveve fame and
glory within the Cylon Empire by doing something no other
Cylon had been able to accomplish.   He would be the one to
destroy what was left of So be it, he vowed.  If he needed
to purge himself of whatever scrap of humanity still existed
in him after all this time, then he would do it.    As far
as he was concerned, he owed the human race nothing from
this point forward.r now."
"Thanks.  Will be in touch later."  Apollo shut off the
communicator and rose, "We can haul out the landram to get closer
to the tombs, unless you'd rather walk."
"I'm for walking," Serina said, "This is a sight I just want to
absorb to the fullest."
"Sound thinking, Serina," Adama smiled at his daughter-in-law, "I
think we'd all find it invigorating."
They left the shuttle and began the walk toward the Pyramids in
the distance.   As they drew closer and saw the sands of the
desert give way to broken columns of smaller buildings that had
long ago collapsed, their sense of awe increased to the point
where none of them found they could say anything to each other.
"I'm going to check this entry point here," Adama said.  "I'll be
back in a centon."
As soon as he had moved off, Apollo instinctively wrapped his arm
about Serina's waist, and she then turned toward him so that they
could come together in an embrace.
"Feel like finding a secluded spot to be alone until the Fleet
leaves?" she
But all of this hinged on his finally getting out of this
hole that he'd been stuck in for many centars now.    The
lack of response on the mini-com indicated to him that for
whatever reason, the centurions from the shuttle had not
been able to make it.   Now, his hope rested solely on
Lucifer.   That the IL would have been notified by the
centurions before they left, and that he would send down a
search team himself.   Given his second-in-command's
actions, that was not necessarily a hope he could be fully
confident of.
Finally though, after more centars of waiting, and seeing
the overcast day turn to twilight, he heard the unmistakable
sound of Cylon fighters in the sky.   That meant that
Lucifer had decided it was clearly in his best interest to
investigate the centurions' report.
Ten centons passed and then he heard the distant sounds of
metallic footsteps followed by the whirring noises of
centurions.  Drawing closer and closer, until he finally
looked up and saw Lucifer enter, flanke smiled coyly at him.
"It's tempting," he smiled back and kissed her on the lips.  "Very
tempting."
He then looked over her shoulder and saw Adama returning, and
reluctantly he let go of her.
"Come this way," his father sounded eager.   "I think we're even
closer than I realized."


After receiving his briefing from the centurion, Lucifer had
promptly gone to the throne room, wondering if this news would at
last force Baltar to implement his plan.    To his surprise, he
saw that Baltar had come down from the throne chair and was pacing
in front of it.
"Yes?" the traitor inquired as he saw the IL enter.
"A curious development, Baltar," Lucifer said, "This one will, I
am sure, take you by surprise."
"Nothing takes me by surprise, Lucifer.   What is it?"
"A star."
"What star?"
"A star has appeared out of nowhere, and has guided the Galactica
to a dead planet."
"Dead planet?" Baltar frowned, "What do you mean, a dead planet?"
"A planet devoid of vegetation and natural resources in every
sed by two centurions.
"Thank goodness, Commander," the IL spoke as soon as he saw
Baltar, "We are glad to see that the report was true."
"Are you really, Lucifer?" Baltar decided he could afford to
talk down to his second-in-command.   At this point, he knew
that Lucifer was in a situation he could never explain
satisfactorily to anyone in the Cylon high command.   Least
of all, the Imperious Leader who had specifically trusted
Baltar with the full command responsibilities, and who would
not be pleased to learn of what had happened.   And Baltar
had every intention of making a report to the Leader that
would insure that such defiance on Lucifer's part would
never happen again.
"But of course, Baltar," Lucifer bowed with deference.  "We
had feared the worst, when no word came from you, so
naturally I felt compelled to take some initiative.
Unfortunately, I discovered that such an attack was not well-
planned or well-thought.   I regret to report the loss of
80% of our fighters, and the unfortunse.   Such a planet could be of no meaningful use to the
Galactica or the Fleet from the standpoint of finding supplies she
would need."
Baltar shook his head in disbelief, "If Adama knows I'm closing in
for the kill, why should heƒ?"" he then stopped as the fragment of
a childhood memory came back to him.   Memories of a lesson he'd
been taught in his worship studies class, which he'd largely
consigned to the realm of worthless superstition long ago.
"Of course," he whispered in amazement, "The endless black void
and the majestic star in the heavens.   Adama in his desperation
has taken his Fleet on a homecoming to the birthplace of human
civilization."
"Quite a curious development, indeed," Lucifer admitted, "By far,
an action that makes even less sense than the destruction of our
outpost."
"But what it indicates, my dear Lucifer, is that the time at last
has come for me to implement my plan that will guarantee our
complete and total victory," a triumphant smile came over Baltar's
face.
nate news that the
Galactica has made good her escape for now.   We will need
at least a day to receive immediate reinforcement from one
of our additional outposts before resuming the chase."
"Your first lesson then, Lucifer.   Always err on the side
of caution," the traitor grunted, "Now help me out of here."
"Of course.   Centurions, help Baltar up and guide him to
the shuttle."
The two centurions managed to lift Baltar to his feet and
with each one holding him, were able to carry him out of the
tomb.   Lucifer waited for a bit before following them out,
trying now to comprehend where he stood at this point.   Any
thoughts of ambition that he had been harboring only a day
ago would now have to be put on some kind of indefinite
hold.   If anything, he was going to have to perform the
distasteful task of showing more deference to Baltar to
regain some kind of trust in their working relationship.
Without that, he knew that his future opportunities would be
reduced to nothing.
If showing more"And how will this plan be implemented, Baltar?"
"Quite simply," he turned to face him.  "Prepare my personal
shuttle for launch."
"And an escort?"
"No," he shook his head.  "I go alone.   A second shuttle is to
stand by and launch one centar after I depart, to the same
coordinates with the prisoner, but that too will carry no escort."
"Indeed?" Lucifer was mildly taken aback, "To what end?"
"I have made that clear to you, Lucifer.   The opportunity to trap
the Galactica into a new offer of peace must be made under
conditions that are absolutely right.   To appear before Adama
with an armed escort and a visible presence of fighters will
negate any chance of success."
"How do you plan to communicate with us for further instructions?"
"I shall communicate in due time," Baltar's voice rose slightly,
"This is my risk that I am taking, Lucifer.   But remember that
only I, have the ability to deliver the Galactica to your
Imperious Leader."
"Of course," there was just a hint of dryness in Lucifer' deference and humility to Baltar was going
to be his lot in life for the short-term, then the only
thing he found himself wishing was that Starbuck was still
their prisoner aboard the baseship, if only to keep from
seeing both of his two computer minds from overloading into
self-destruct.
Fifteen centons went by, and soon Baltar was loaded aboard
the shuttle.   It then took off, followed by the two escort
fighters for the journey back to the baseship.   Leaving
behind them, the desolate landscape of Kobol and its
crumbling ruins, which now settled back into the empty
loneliness it had known for the last seven thousand yahrens,
and would continue to know unto eternity.






s tone as
Baltar turned away and left the throne room.   For a long time, he
stared at the doorway where Baltar had exited before he finally
left the room himself.


Adama led the way, as he, Apollo and Serina moved into the heart
of the ruins that surrounded the base of the tallest Pyramid
structures.   They could see many elaborately carved figures of
humans wearing headgear that Apollo recognized as an early version
of the viper helmets.   Surrounded by them were vast quantities of
writing, which Apollo noticed was based entirely on pictorial
symbols.   It struck him as fantastic to think that an entire
civilization's language could have been based on a seemingly more
complex form of communication.
As if Adama was reading his mind, his father spoke, "All of this
writing is the language of Kobol's Lords.   The rulers of the
planet.   It represented the language they first developed at the
very dawn of time itself, and over the thousands of yahrens that
life flourished on Kobol, it remained the official royal language.
This was to insure that only well-educated men could ever rise to
power, because it required the most formal and advanced training
to master it."
"Was Eden the largest of Kobol's cities?" Apollo inquired as he
stopped to admire one of the carved pillars.   The weathered
smoothness indicated thousands of yahrens of erosion, but it still
managed to have a noble quality to it.   And then, he stopped to
think of what future civilizations of alien races might see in the
ruins of the Colonies many thousands of yahrens later, and if they
would still retain any noble reminders of their past greatness.
Somehow, he couldn't envision that at all.
"By far," Adama said.  "And it was the last of the cities to fall.
Because of that, the Ninth Lord of Kobol, the last ruler, kept
himself walled up in his palace and his trappings of wealth and
luxury to the very end, believing until it was far too late that
the setbacks taking place on Kobol were only temporary.  And that
the Alm