“Red Leader One, in trouble. Repeat, in trouble.” Starbuck. As soon as his voice rang out over the comm, she knew who it was. For a milli- centon, Athena’s mouth went dry as she tried to wrap her brain around the fact that he was even alive. Shell shocked, and emotionally exhausted, she was primarily operating on auto-pilot as she manned her station on the Galactica’s bridge. After helplessly listening to her younger brother, Zac, and countless others being blown out of the sky, and after seeing her beloved Caprica and the other Colonies destroyed as the citizens begged for help from their forces—most of which were already annihilated—this was the last straw. It almost would have been easier if he hadn’t come back. If he’d been killed anonymously along with the others. If she could have just read his name on the list of missing in action, providing they actually survived long enough to get around to writing that list. Instead, Athena had to watch one more person she loved . . . She gritted her teeth, bringing herself back under control, as Colonel Tigh lingered to observe, or perhaps to offer his silent support. She wasn’t sure which. She was sure, however, that she wouldn’t break down again in front of her commanding officer. “We read you, Red Leader. How can we assist you?” To her credit, her voice was professional and calm. Far from the way she felt. “I’m battle damaged. Power control circuits shot away on my landing gear.” She could hear the tension in his voice. Knew that he needed her to be at one hundred percent right now. Knew that his life could be hanging precariously in the balance. Ironically, this was her opportunity to prove her abilities to him. To erase any misconceptions that he had that because she was a woman, she didn’t belong on a Battlestar. That instead, she should still be safely filing officious felgercarb at Caprica Command Central as she had for the first yahren of her ‘military’ career. Well, Command Central was somewhere between incineration and ruin right now. “I’m on the line, Starbuck. What’s your condition?” “This is no time for trainees, Athena. I’m in trouble. I mean, I’m in real trouble.” Oh, he certainly knew how to get a girl’s mind back on her job. For some reason, God had granted Starbuck the sole right to fire her temper to an instant blaze like no other person ever had. Her anger enveloped her, somehow lending her strength. “You will be if you keep talking like that. How’s your fuel?” “Dry.” “All right. Run the check with me.” Even though she knew her stuff, and had the computer at her fingertips to guide her through the mostly routine checks, she was still glad that Colonel Tigh was at her side. He leaned in close, but kept quiet, which she knew meant that he approved of how she was dealing with the situation. It was reassuring to a relatively new bridge officer, even though she rationalized that this should be straightforward. But, as with all things regarding Starbuck, it wasn’t. Disbelievingly, each option she offered, every tried and true solution to his Viper’s malfunctions, failed. “Does not respond.” His tone matter-of-fact. It was no surprise to Starbuck. Desperately, she looked to Tigh for an answer. Surely, he knew something that she did not. Surely, there was some alternative, some special piece of information known only to senior officers that could get Starbuck’s ship under control. That could bring him home safely. Instead, Tigh told her, “Bring him in full throttle with shut down at the outer marker. There’s no choice.” “I heard him.” The pilot’s voice was resigned. Then in typical Starbuck fashion he added, “Get everyone out of the way, I’m coming in hot.” Abruptly, the tension on the bridge heightened, with crew running around and issuing directives to prepare for a potential catastrophe in the landing bay. If Starbuck lost control of the Viper that would be hurtling into the landing bay at speeds that would challenge the best of pilots to the limits of their abilities, the damage could be massive. Yeah, that’s what her head was telling her, but her heart . . . She couldn’t just sit there and watch, waiting for it to play out from an impersonal distance. In a split micron, Athena decided. She dropped her headset, flying towards the landing bay, for an instant recalling a gentler time, so full of hope and promise, that seemed so far removed from the absolute chaos that surrounded them now. . .