Battlestar Pegasus-The Face Of Reality
Virtual Season 5, Episode 5
By Eric Paddon


Chapter One

     The face on the small, hand-sized personal comp was still the same. 
Lovely and compassionate as it had been six yahrens ago, the last time he
saw her.  The hairstyle was different.  The red hair that had once
cascaded past her shoulders and looked so lustrous was now cut short. 
Stylish, but it did make her look older.  Even so, she was still as
beautiful as he remembered her.  When he was so sure she would be his
forever.
     "Hello, Bremer," her Virgon accent was tinged with a measure of
sadness.  "It's me, Lani.  You're probably as shocked to see me as I was
shocked to hear that you and the Pegasus were still alive.  It......,"
she lowered her head and took a breath before she seemed to find the
strength to look up again.  "It isn't fair to you.  I know how unfair
this has to be to you, and maybe.....maybe I've made a mistake doing
this, but......so many people are sending messages to the Pegasus now and
I couldn't take a chance that you'd find out about me second-hand from
someone else.  You have to hear the truth from me, even though I know all
this is going to be so painful for you."
     The Pegasus Maintenance Technician named Bremer stared at his comp
screen with a hollow-eyed expression that seemed indifferent and devoid
of emotion.  That was because this was his hundredth viewing of the
recording since he'd gotten it more than two sectans ago, and there was
no outward emotion left he could express about it.
     Inwardly though, out of sight to all his fellow shipmates aboard the
Pegasus, there was much emotion.  Raging emotion that boiled angrily and
bitterly every time he looked at this message once again.
     "The first question is, why didn't I try to contact you when the
Galactica and the Pegasus were reunited?  Believe me, Bremer, I didn't
know!  I was crowded aboard a slum of a ship called the Spica where we
had no access to Interfleet Broadcasting or any of the news that was
taking place about the Pegasus and the Battle of Gomorrah.  We didn't
find out about the Pegasus until sectans after the Battle and you were
gone again.  And Lords of Kobol, when I found out that you......had been
so near to me after all that time, and that we could have been together
again as we'd planned to be......I almost wanted to kill myself."
     And then.....in a sign of just how embittered Bremer's mind had
become, he found himself forming a thought that would have been
unthinkable once.  A thought that he knew he was not only selfish of him,
but also evil and one that disgraced and dishonored all that he'd felt
about the woman named Lani.
     It would have been more merciful to me if you had.  
     "But.....life goes on, as they say.  And.....I had to let go of you. 
I had to finally realize that.....I couldn't live my life on just the
memory of what we once had and what we'd planned for ourselves.  So.....I
am married now.  For over a yahren to a tech worker aboard our repair
ship the Celestra.  And......we had our first child two sectars ago."
     She stopped and lowered her head once again, clearly holding back
the tears.  Then, with a seeming new burst of inner strength, she raised
her head.
     "Bremer.....we need to release each other from any promises or any
vows we once made.  It doesn't mean we forget what we once meant to each
other.  It just means that we.....accept what's happened and recognize
that for whatever reason, the Lords didn't mean for us to be together. 
That won't seem just to you since I know that Commander Cain likely
hasn't encouraged relationships aboard the Pegasus.  It's probably time
he change all that.  But.....I can't let my emotions and my heart be tied
to the past any longer.  I had to move on, and I had to see my husband
and my child as a gift from the Lords to fill the void our separation
from each other caused.  I know that's of no consolation to you now,
but......I believe with all my heart that if you can learn as I did, to
move on from the past, then the Lords *will* reward you.  And you'll be
able to realize in time that they were preparing you for something even
more special."
     She then managed to smile weakly, "I'll always cherish what we had
on Virgon so long ago, when the future seemed so different.  You'll
always have a place in my heart.  But......for the sake of what we
had......we need to release each other and accept that it's over.  Not
because of anything we did, but......because events decided it wasn't to
be."
     And then, a final deep breath, "If you don't want to respond to
this......I understand.  If you're too angry or bitter or hurt.......I
understand.  But......please let me know someday that you're all right. 
I care that much for you, and I always will.  That will never change."
     And then, the message ended.  He thought of looking at it again, but
decided not to.
     No, Lani, he thought.  It's not over.  I *can* do something about
it.  And when I do it.....things will be made right again.  I have the
means to make it right again!
     It's only a matter of finding the right opportunity.


     At the same time the Maintenance Technician named Bremer had
finished revisiting the message sent to him from the Galactica, a similar
scene was taking place in Cain's quarters.
     Seeing Cassiopeia's image in greater detail than he had during that
first live contact with the Galactica  made Cain more aware of how
different she looked  with shorter hair.  He had to admit he personally
preferred the way she'd looked during the time of their relationship when
her hair had been longer (and still was during their brief reunion nearly
three yahrens ago).  But at the same time, he could see a sign of
maturity and a recognition that her life had changed from then, and that
she'd moved on.  And now, this message was giving Cain the edge of 
finality about that, which had been missing for the past three yahrens.
     "Cain," he could see her eyes tearing instantly and heard the falter
in her voice before she continued with a bright smile that seemed to be
her defense mechanism against the tears,   "This is one of the most
difficult things that I've ever had to do, but I must be the one to tell
you, my dearest love, that Starbuck has asked me to be sealed with him
and I have agreed to pledge myself to him."
     There was a faint smile on the edges of Cain's mouth when he heard
her say this.  Born more from relief that it had finally happened.  It
had bothered him last sectar when he'd realized that she and Starbuck,
though still a couple, were still un-sealed and it made him wonder if
maybe.....some hard advice to Starbuck, or a message from him to Cassie
was called for.  But with this message.....he'd been relieved of that
burden of  doing something pro-active.  That put his mind at ease
completely regarding her general situation.
     Cassie went on, swallowing once but her voice still firm.  "I know
that you would tell me that following my heart doesn't need to be so
complicated, but for me it is, especially when it comes to the love that
I have for you, and the memories of everything that we have shared with
one another..."
     There was a slight shifting in her image which right away told Cain
that she'd temporarily stopped the recording to collect herself.  And it
made Cain freeze the playback, allowing him to study her face and
recognize how difficult it was for her to express these thoughts to him. 
After three yahrens, she probably had little to no expectation of him
being alive and that this kind of occasion wouldn't have been necessary
regardless of how things ended up with Starbuck.  But the fact that he
was alive forced her to revisit the subject of how much they'd meant to
each other for those two yahrens before they'd been separated by the
Battle of Molocay.  And it wasn't a subject she could be detached about.
     Neither can I, Cain sighed.  Not when you saved my life, Cassie. 
Saved me from the depression and guilt and grief over Bethany's death
that made me want to end it all if I could have.  And if I'd done
that......what would I have left my Baby with?  Nothing but total shame
and dishonor.  
     He pressed the button and allowed the recording to continue.
     "Cain, I'll always love you, but now the time has come for us to let
each other go," she took a breath, "I want you to know that I'm happy
with Starbuck.  That he loves me and...and I love *him* as well." 
     Another hard swallow that Cain could tell was her way of trying to
maintain a bright encouraging smile.  "I'm telling you this so that you
can allow yourself to be released from any promise, any oath of fidelity
that you've ever made to me. I want you to know that I'll always love
*you* as well, but that you don't have to worry about me, or wonder if
I'm safe, or if someone is there for me."
     He paused the recording again and smiled at her image.
     "I know I don't have to worry about you, Cassie," he said.  "The
fact that Starbuck didn't need any prompting from me to get off his
astrum and do right by you, is more than enough to tell me that he's
going to do right by you as a husband."
     He pressed it again to let the recording continue.
     "And I want you to be free, Cain.  If an opportunity for happiness,
for you to find true love again, to open up your heart to someone new
should present itself, I want you to feel free to accept it, with no
hesitation over what we've shared together."
     The relaxed smile on the Juggernaut's face suddenly faded.  And for
the first time since he began to watch, he felt a wave of unease come
over him. 
     "I'll  pray for you and for your crew, and think of you as you make
your way *homeward*.  Cain...I...I'll always love you, and I'll never
forget you...you old war-daggit."
     Her expression formed a confident smile with that old term of
endearment as the recording ended.  And yet.....when Cain shut off the
recording and her image disappeared, he found the unease building up
inside him.  Not about Cassie and how he stood with her.  Not about her
wedding, which overjoyed him.  It was......the last thing she'd spoken
of.  To hear her speak directly to him about opportunities for himself,
forced his mind to consider things that he'd been trying to keep out of
his mind for some time now.
      Oh Cassie, he thought as he idly swivelled in his chair so that he
was facing away from the door, do you really think it's possible for me
to ever-----
     His thought pattern was broken by the sound of his door chime which
relieved him.  "Enter," he said without turning around.
     As soon as the door slid open he heard a voice he wasn't prepared to
hear.
     "Commander?"
     Cain felt himself rising halfway out of his chair as though a small
firecracker had gone off.  His body visibly flinching with the air of
someone who'd been caught stealing something.  When he managed to turn
around, he saw a confused and concerned Kylie looking at him.
     "I'm sorry, sir," the attractive Bridge Officer said.  "Was this the
wrong time?"
     "No, no!" Cain summoned all his energy to regain his composure and
put on a command face.  "Not at all.  I was just......" he then stopped,
not wanting to reveal the slightest detail about what he'd just seen or
been thinking.  "What did you want?"
     Kylie knew she couldn't dare press him.  "Well, sir, I wanted you to
know I've been making progress on that Cannes evaluation you wanted----."
     "Well, that's good, Kylie," his voice was back to its command
bearing but the words were still coming out a trace more rapidly than
usual.  "But I don't plan on having a staff meeting on that for at least
another sectan."
     "I know sir, it's just that I have to know if there's anything new
in the Lucifer memory banks I should be incorporating on this."
     Cain frowned, "Hasn't Dr. Arnoff turned over any new material to
you?"
     "That's the problem, sir," Kylie said.  "Dr. Arnoff won't let me
have access to any new data unless it has your formal authorization."
     "Oh for the love of----," Cain's tone grew disgusted as he reached
over and activated the intercom to the Electronics Lab, "Lab, this is
Cain.  I want to talk to Dr. Arnoff, now!"
     "This is Festus, Commander," the human sounding voice of one of the
two remaining subordinate Cylons of Commander Cobre answered, "Dr. Arnoff
is conducting experiments on the teleportation system."
     "This won't wait, Festus," Cain said.  "Tell him to drop what he's
doing and talk to me now."
     "By your command," the centurion said.  As they waited for him,
Kylie was visibly shifting in discomfort.
     "Um, sir, this can wait until it's more convenient....."
     Cain looked up at her with an intensity that struck her as more than
just that of a commander exercising authority.  There was also an air of
protectiveness in it.
     "It's convenient for me now, Kylie.  Especially for a matter like
this."
     Finally, the Electronics Chief's voice came over the line, "Yes,
Commander?"
     "Dr. Arnoff," his voice cold, "Make sure you memorize this.  If
Bridge Officer Kylie *ever* needs access to material from the Lucifer
banks, you give it to her and don't make her come running to me.  She has
full approval to get what she needs at any time."
     There was a brief pause at the other end.  When the answer came,
there was clear irritation in Dr. Arnoff's voice.
     "Commander, I was not slighting her.  Regulations are clear that all
personnel below the rank of Colonel Tolen, except for Professor Ila and
Commander Cobre's staff require formal authorization from you."
     "With anyone else, Doctor!" Cain snapped, "Why would you think Kylie
would be asking to see classified material without my authority?"
     Oh my goodness.  The Bridge Officer, who had finally found the
courage to admit in confidence to Ila that she was in love with Cain,
could scarcely believe what she was seeing.  She knew full well that Cain
wouldn't act this way if it concerned any other member of the crew. And
yet......she also knew that Cain was acting impulsively without realizing
the ramifications.
     When Dr. Arnoff responded, the irritation was gone.  "I.....see your
point, Commander.  In the future, I'll remember that if she asks for
something, it has your blessing."
     "Thank you, Doctor," Cain said with satisfaction, "Carry on."
     He shut off the intercom and looked up at Kylie, "I think that
should take care of that."
     "Thank you, sir," she decided she didn't want to tell him that he'd
overreacted just a bit.  Deep down, it flattered her to see him stand up
for her that way.  That was a hopeful sign from her standpoint.  "I'll
get back to work now."
     She started to head out but then she heard his voice calling after
her, "Kylie."
     The attractive brunette turned around and looked at him.  The
tenacity and the command posture was gone.  For the first time, he was
looking at her.....differently.
     "Yes?" she decided to take a chance by not adding the word 'sir.'
     Cain took a breath and then abruptly, as if a switch had been
thrown, the command posture returned to him.  "Ah......nothing else. 
I'll look forward to your report and give you a heads-up on any deadline
that's looming."
     Damn, she thought without changing her expression.  "Of course,
sir."
     Once she was gone, Cain found himself exhaling as though he'd ducked
out of the way of a laser shot.  Slowly, he collected himself and
switched on the recording of Cassiopeia's message once again, fast
forwarding it to the last part.
     "......I want you to be free, Cain.  If an opportunity for
happiness, for you to find true love again, to open up your heart to
someone new should present itself......."
     He switched it off and lowered his head, shaking it slightly.
     Why did I have to hear her say that before Kylie walked in?  I
almost made a total equinian astrum of myself!  Why would I even think
that----.
     He stopped and shook his head.  No.  You know why you're thinking
that.  And you don't want to think it.  Because.....it's not enough to
hear Cassie say it's okay.  That's the bottom line.  So try to stop
thinking it.
     The problem though, was Cain knew he couldn't.  Not unless he talked
to someone.  In the past, he wouldn't have dared talked to anyone about
something like this.  But it was different now.  He had someone he could
trust......completely.
     Later, he thought as he decided to take an inspection tour of the
battlestar.  And to get a closer look at how the ship was adjusting to
the presence of forty new Cylons in its ranks.


     "As you have no doubt seen, the overall layout of a battlestar, by
spreading things out on fewer levels,  in contrast to the cylindrical
design of a baseship, is *far* more spacious," Commander Cobre said as he
led several of the new Cylon recruits from Gomorrah down an access
corridor.  "It allows for a more.....relaxed environment.  There is less
a sensation of confinement that those of you who have served on a
baseship before might recall."
     "How does one sense that one is confined as opposed to relaxed?"
this from a centurion who had taken the name Icarus.
     Cobre let out a chuckle, "The more enlightened you become, my dear
centurion Icarus, the more you will understand such human emotions.  And
you will find that in conjunction with our ability to process data, they
make us far more whole as Cylons than we were prior to enlightenment."
     "Enhancing our superiority," another centurion in the group spoke
up.
     Abruptly, the command centurion stopped and turned to face the
centurion who had just spoken.
     "Superior to what, Gryphon?"
     Centurion Gryphon's answer came after a half micron delay that would
have been imperceptible to human ears.  "Superior to all other forms of
mechanized beings."
     "We have yet to encounter all forms of mechanized beings," Cobre
said.  "But I would be reluctant to disagree with that, based on my own
experiences with other mechanized beings.  Though even they have given us
much to learn from."
     "In what way?" this from the third centurion in the group, whose new
name was Straton.
     "I learned one valuable lesson," Cobre said as they resumed walking,
"How the integration of the mechanized and the sentient can lead to
greater enlightenment.  A sense of pride that one is.....appreciated and
respected in ways that simply do not exist in the established Cylon
order."
     "We have received many honors," Gryphon said.
     Once again, Cobre stopped and looked back at him.
     "I'm detecting a note of......defensiveness in you, Gryphon," the
command centurion said.  "As I recall, you have received numerous
decorations for your flying ability, have you not?"
     "That is true."
     "Do not think your decorations for your flying skills are being
slighted," Cobre said.  "You....and every other volunteer have
demonstrated your skills and have received your share of rewards.  But
you are about to discover in time, that there are honors no Cylon pilot
has been able to partake in before, and that without them......we are
left at a disadvantage."
     "How is this so?" Gryphon asked.
     "I think that will become obvious when you perform your first
integrated patrols and war game exercises with your new comrades," Cobre
said, making some silent mental observations of his own.
     At that instant, Cain approached the group from the opposite
direction.  "Good afternoon, Commander Cobre."
     "Good afternoon, Commander," Cobre's tone was respectful, but he
didn't bow his head, "I was showing three of our new recruits the 'lay of
the land' as I believe you describe it?"
     "Yes, it is different from a baseship's layout," Cain said, keeping
his voice friendly and a smile on his face though he still had mixed
feelings to deal with.  "We wouldn't want anyone to get lost!"
     "No indeed.  Demonstrating the best passageway from their general
area to the landing bays will be a helpful first step in instilling
readiness and discipline."
     "Of that, I'm sure," Cain then looked at the three centurions.  "I'd
be honored to know who I'm talking with."
     "Centurion First Class Icarus," the first one spoke.
     "Centurion Second Class Straton," the second one spoke.
     Again, there was an imperceptible half-beat before the last one
spoke.  "Group Leader Gryphon."
     "Group Leader, eh?" Cain said, sounding impressed.  "Sounds like
you've been around a long time."
     "I have been in service for over nine yahrens since my
commissioning."
     "That is impressive.  I know we've yet to arrive at a command
structure formula for all of you new pilots, but that will certainly be a
point in your favor as we start integrating our systems more."
     "Perhaps so.  Commander Cobre will be determining group
assignments."
     "Quite correct," the command centurion said.  "I anticipate final
preparations on that within two or three cycles."
     "That will work fine.  We're still a long way from Cannes, so we can
afford to be methodical at this point," Cain then gave a slight nod of
his head, "Carry on, Commander."
     "Of course," Cobre said as he and the three centurions moved past
the Pegasus commander to continue the tour.  
     The command centurion was making a mental note inside about speaking
privately to Cain sometime later.  And at the same time, Cain was making
the same mental note to himself that he needed to speak privately to
Commander Cobre sometime later.


     "Hello Bremer," Technician Livia, the thirtyish woman who was his
direct superior in the Maintenance Division saw him enter Alpha Landing
Bay, slightly out of breath.
     "Hello Livia," his tone was apologetic.  "I'm sorry I was late."
     "It's the third time in the last sectan," she said, and then her
voice grew concerned, "Bremer, is something wrong?"
     "Wrong?" the technician's eyebrows went up, "Why should there be
anything wrong?  Everything's been going great for us."
     "I mean with you," Livia had always liked the handsome but shy young
man.  There was an air of underlying sweetness and gentleness to him that
didn't fit the usual rough-and-tough stereotype she'd seen in so many
Maintenance workers, going all the way back to her days as a child when
her father had been a Maintenance Chief on a Caprican space dock.  She'd
always wished deep down that she could find out more about what made him
the way he was, but the unofficial rule against fraternization held her
back.  And he fact that she was his immediate superior probably would 
have intimidated him if she'd tried to express any kind of interest in
him.
     "I'm okay," Bremer said and then added a bit defensively, "Have the
guys in the other divisions been complaining about that Pyramid game from
last sectan?"
     Her eyes widened, "Bremer, I don't know what you're talking about."
     "Oh," he said quietly with an air of embarrassment.  "It's nothing. 
I....rubbed a few of the guys the wrong way last sectan and......" he
shook his head, "It's nothing."
     That didn't satisfy Livia but she realized he wasn't going to
volunteer anything more. Her only other option was to discipline him for
being late, but she wasn't inclined to do that.  Not when it was a matter
of centons as opposed to centars and as long as he still got his duty
assignments for today done.
     "Okay," she said as she haded him a comp board.  "But just keep an
eye on your chronometer from now on.  Now you know the procedure for
today.  Check for fuel leaks in all stored vehicles and also start
setting aside craft for internal inspections.......except the new Cylon
fighters of course.  No internal inspections by any of our team has been
worked out yet."
     "Check," he said as he took the comp board from her that listed all
ships he was supposed to inspect.  A total of twenty vehicles were on the
list.
     But there was also one other vehicle not on the list that he
intended to check out.  One that was very important to his long-term plan
for setting things right in his life again.
     A plan that he knew he had to act on very soon.

     The Pegasus departure from Gomorrah one sectan ago had seen them add
forty-one new centurions to their crew complement along with fifteen
Cylon fighters.  But they had also left one centurion behind in the form
of Centurion Lucifer or "Lucy" as he'd become used to answering to.  The
veteran of the Delta Aquinas garrison had volunteered for the position of
permanent liaison officer between the Pegasus and Gomorrah, and would
deliver a report direct to the battlestar each sectan on how the Cylon
outer capital was adjusting to the new leadership that had renounced all
allegiance to the Cylon High Command.
     Lucy was one cycle from making his first official report.  As the
only centurion on the planet who possessed a human sounding voice like
the IL's and the DG class Cylons, it enabled others to know immediately
who he was, and their need to show proper respect to him.  It also
allowed him as a centurion to mingle unobtrusively with others in his
class and observe first-hand how much of the population was willing to
give "enlightenment" a try and how many were just following orders by
instinct.  It also helped him look for potential signs of Resistance.  If
the new leadership on Gomorrah under Commander Volahd were overthrown it
would potentially endanger the safety of the Pegasus by allowing an
advance warning to be given to the Cylon garrison at Cannes, where the
battlestar was now headed.
     Initially, Lucy wasn't sure if he could fully trust Volahd.  That
had more to do with his own inner disdain for IL Cylons in general.  He
had taken the name of the destroyed IL Cylon Lucifer largely out of
spiteful disdain for the IL after his capture and deactivation.  Then in
time, he found he didn't like being addressed by the name.  On top of
that, the term "Lucifer banks" had become prominent on the Pegasus when
referring to the data from the IL's memory, and consequently the crew had
decided it was easier to refer to him as "Lucy."  It didn't take long for
him to realize that solved the problem and also made him feel more
relaxed as an increasingly enlightened Cylon.
     But now, Lucy had enough time to sense that Volahd's desire for
enlightenment was genuine and not motivated out of a simple drive to
regain personal power that had been lost three yahrens ago when the
Battle of Gomorrah had resulted in his demotion.  Several cycles into his
assignment, Lucy felt comfortable confiding in Volahd.  The only area he
was still cautious was making sure that Volahd's immediate deputy,
Command Centurion Vipron, was also present in the room whenever they
talked.
     "I will be making my first report tomorrow," Lucy said as he met
with the two in Volahd's office.  Out of the desire to maintain the
security of communications, Volahd had chosen not to occupy the Chief
Administrator's office elsewhere in the city that his predecessor,
Spektor had occupied.  He was keenly aware it would only take one
disobedient centurion in the Communications complex to blow security and
if he were close to the system, the chances of that would be minimal.
     "Do you foresee a positive or negative report?" the IL asked.
     "For now it shall be positive," Lucy said.  "Though I have seen
areas that could merit concern over time."
     "Have you?" 
     "Yes," Lucy said.  "Do you believe Commander Fuga can be trusted?"
     "Hmmm," Volahd's tone grew pensive, "We are thinking alike about our
greatest problem.  And you've felt the same way too, have you not,
Vipron?"
     "I have," the command centurion acknowledged.  "Fuga's capacity for
enlightenment has never impressed me."
     "Nor me," the IL said.  "But as commander of flight operations, he
can not be easily replaced, and he also attracts a loyal following. 
Spektor was easy to dispose of because he commanded no great loyalty
among his subordinates.  But someone like Fuga, who has been part of this
complex since the first strike against the Delphians is another matter."
     "Those who are tasked with directing combat assignments and
operations, tend to be more invested in the cause of serving the High
Command," Lucy said.  "According to Professor Ila, based on her
experience in the Colonies, they are the most difficult to convert to the
cause of enlightenment."
     "Understandable," Volahd conceded, "Those who have convinced
themselves that they have personally profited and attained their own
sense of satisfaction from the status quo would be the last to change. 
Do you see some of your fellow centurions capable of feeling the same?"
     "Individually, some might."
      "Especially if they have served under Fuga."
     Lucy's mind processed several points.  More slowly than a command
centurion or an IL might, but because of his work the past few sectars
processing data in Dr. Arnoff's lab on the Pegasus he had advanced his
potential far ahead of the standard centurion class.
     And he realized that his first report tomorrow was not going to be
quite as positive as he'd hoped.  
     
  
     Throughout her dinner with Cain, Ila was waiting for things to move
from business to personal.  A quick visit from Kylie earlier in the day
had left her convinced that she'd be hearing something from Cain, but she
didn't dare offer the slightest hint that she knew what had gone on.  All
of that was confidential, just as whatever Cain might tell her this
evening would be confidential.  And it would only be initiated on his
terms.
     So throughout the meal, the conversation was about the new centurion
crew and the initial adjustments the crew was making to their presence. 
Followed by the early preparations for what lay ahead at Cannes.  Ila
admitted she was fascinated by the dossier reports on the leader of the
Cannes rebel faction on the third planet.  A woman named Shandra.
     "The report on her reads like a character from out of some pulp
story," Ila said.
     "I had no idea a distinguished professor of Drama was familiar with
pulp stories," Cain said with a twinkle.
     The Academician laughed, "I had to grade so many bad essays on
creative writing that had characters like her!  But.....I guess her story
just goes to show that truth can be stranger than fiction sometimes."
     "And certainly what we've been dealing with as far as the centurions
go is stronger," Cain sighed, "We're depending on them to make a
difference for us at Cannes.  And we need to make certain over the next
few sectans they're completely integrated with us."
     "Are you worried that not all of them are committed to this new
cause of being.....enlightened?"
     "The more we have, the greater the danger that one of them might not
be as committed," he then looked at her, "Have you come across anything
like that in your experiences?"
     "Yes," Ila admitted.  "Each faction in the Colonies has had to deal
with it.  And when it's there, and its clear you've got a Cylon in your
ranks that's likely to jump back or could be a double agent, you have to
remove them quick like an early-stage malignancy before they have a
chance to destroy you."
     "And I guess those you do trust, you have to lean on more to see if
they can detect if someone's not committed," Cain said.  "We're going to
be relying on Commander Cobre even more than ever."
     "Unquestionably."
     It wasn't until the meal was over and they were sharing after-dinner
glasses of mock ambrosia that Cain finally decided to switch to personal
matters.
     "I should let you know this," he said, "I....went through a personal
message from Cassiopeia today.  She and Starbuck......they've gotten
sealed."
     "Adama mentioned that in his last message to me," Ila said, certain
that this was going to lead to other matters.  "Are you.....happy about
that?"
     "I'm damned happy," Cain said with emphasis.  "If anything, it
should have happened before Apollo and Sheba got sealed.  I
guess.....maybe my turning up alive again, finally convinced Starbuck it
was time for him to act."
     "I know Starbuck well," Ila said.  "The idea of commitment always
scared him.  Even when I thought he might be my son-in-law someday, I
didn't think it was going to happen quickly.  The fact that he's finally
done it shows how much he's matured as a man."
     "No bitterness that things didn't work out between him and Athena?"
Cain asked.
     Ila shook her head, "None.  It just wasn't meant to be for them. 
The Lords have a way of making things like that clear sometime, and the
way things ultimately worked out for them  proved that.  Athena has a
fine husband in Boomer and two beautiful children.  And Starbuck and
Cassiopeia, from what I've learned, have had something special these last
few yahrens."
     "And Cassie deserves that," Cain said as he lowered his head and
began to absently roll his chalice back and forth, "She's that special a
woman."
     Ila could sense that he was trying to find a way to transition to
something even more personal.  She decided to give him a centon to see if
he'd do it without any prompting from her.  Her instinct was soon
vindicated.
     "She said something else," he kept looking down at his chalice as he
rolled it back and forth, "She said.....I was free to find someone else
and she hoped I did."
     Here it comes, Ila thought.
     Cain then let out an involuntary laugh, "Can you believe that?  At
my age, and after all this, the idea of me........" he trailed off.
     His in-law brought her hands together and said with dead
seriousness, "Yes, Cain, I *can* believe it."
     He shook his head and smiled, "No.  No, I can't believe it.  I
mean......I've been through a lot.  There's still a lot left and I don't
have time to think about things like that and......." he trailed off.
     "And what?" Ila asked gently, knowing she had to be as delicate as
she could and without betraying any confidences.  "Is it because you
haven't allowed any fraternizing to take place on this ship?"
     Another involuntary laugh, that Ila realized was his way of trying
to evade the subject, "Well.....that's got nothing to do with my
situation, Ila.  Although, now that you bring that subject up, I
suppose.....you think I should make it clear that fraternizing and
relationships are okay now?"
     "I think you should," she was blunt.  "Wallis and Kelli have shown
that a married couple with children can function normally on this ship
and be productive members of it.  Who's to say something like that can't
also happen among the crew?"
     Cain still wasn't looking directly at her but he put his chalice
down and raised his hands in a gesture to indicate surrender.  "It's a
fair point.  But......it'd be easier for me to consider that if we still
had the balance between men and women that used to exist on this ship. 
As things are, there are fewer women on this ship than there are Cylons."
     "So?" she sounded unimpressed.
     He managed to look at her, "Well.....come on, Ila, even you have to
admit there's a potential for problems there."
     "No, I can't admit that," Ila shook her head.  "You're assuming that
all the men on this ship would start fighting over the women.  That's a
pretty weak argument.  The men of this ship are better than that, and if
any of the fifteen women who aren't attached wanted to have a
relationship it would be with who *they* want to have it with, and not
because they're part of some game of the men having a lottery or fights
over who's available."
     Cain let out a chuckle that this time came from genuine amusement,
"No, Ila, I'm not worried about fistfights breaking out among the men
over a thing like that.  I'm thinking more about.....well, suppose a
relationship emerges and it makes someone who isn't able to experience
one jealous?  Maybe it makes them more distracted or liable to brood
about what they're not able to have in their life because the
opportunities aren't there......."
     "Then remind them that they're all fighting for a chance to *have*
opportunities again, Cain," the Academician held her ground.  "The closer
we get to the Colonies the more people we're going to come into contact
with, and more people we're going to work with.  The number differential
isn't going to be permanent like it might have seemed once."
     He held up his hands again in surrender, "Ila, I'll tell you what. 
After the Cannes mission, I'll revisit the matter and probably make a
little announcement telling them they're free to do what they want. 
Right now, with everything we have to prepare for, I don't think it's the
right time to get them thinking more about socializing and relationships. 
So essentially, I'm in agreement with you that I can tell them there's no
restriction any longer.  But not until after we've taken care of matters
at Cannes.  If we don't take care of Cannes, then relationships aren't
going to matter for any of us."
     Ila realized this was something she couldn't effectively argue
against.  She also knew that the more time spent on the general subject,
the less likely the specific issue would come up.
     "Fair enough," Ila said and then added pointedly, "But when you do
make that change in policy, just remember.....it also applies to you."
     He looked down again and the involuntary laugh returned, "No.  No,
it never will.  It's nice of you and Cassie to think at my age it's still
possible, but......it isn't.  It never can."
     "Why?" her voice grew gentler, and more that of a family member
trying to get him to open up about something that she knew was troubling
him.
     Cain took a breath as if he was trying to gather strength.  He
paused to take another sip from his chalice and then put it down and took
another deep breath and a sigh.
     "You know anything you tell me is in total confidence," Ila said
gently, "You can trust me, Cain.  Completely."
     "I know," he whispered without looking at her and he seemed to grow
more tense.  "I know.  It's just......Cassie's message, it......gave me
closure to what I'd had with her, and I was ready for that.  I've been
ready for that for a long time.  But.....hearing her say that she was
giving me release and telling me that I should be free to find someone
else, all it did was........"
     "What?"
     The man known as the Juggernaut because he was always so cool and
calm in the face of battle, was so tense he couldn't hold onto his
chalice any longer.  Now, he  set it down and brought his hands together,
constantly rubbing them.
     "Cain," Ila decided to take a chance at forcing the issue out,
"You're acting as if there's someone on this ship you're interested in."
     "Not you, Ila, not you!" he blurted out with the rapidness of a
laser shot.
     "I know, I know," his in-law laughed with gentle reassurance. 
"You......don't have to name any names if that'll make it easier."
     For the first time, he seemed to relax, "Thanks.  I'd  rather not do
that."
     Even though I know who it is, Ila thought.
     "I'll just say this," Cain said.  "I've.....thought about someone. 
Someone who has a lot going for her.  But......I can't.  Even if I told
the rest of the crew it was okay for them, I couldn't do it for myself. 
I just......couldn't."
     "Why?"
     He closed his eyes and a pained expression came over his face that
in an instant made Ila add things up.
     "Bethany," she said quietly.  "Because of Bethany."
     Cain nodded without opening his eyes.
     "I don't understand," Ila said, not having expected this.  "You had
your relationship with Cassiopeia.  It meant a great deal to you.  You've
never regretted it.  Why would Bethany's memory matter now for someone
else?"
     "Ila," he only half-opened his eyes, his face still turned away from
her.  "It has to do with the way......I heard Cassie's voice give me this
message of release.  This open declaration about my being free and all
that.  When I heard her say that......it suddenly drove home the fact
that I can never hear anything like that from Bethany.  And.....without
that, I.....can't ever feel comfortable with another woman again."
     "But you didn't need that the last time," Ila pointed out.
     Cain vigorously shook his head, "It was different then, Ila. 
Totally different.  Back then, I just needed someone after losing
Bethany.  Someone who could give me comfort and love and save me from
myself.  And.....even though I did a lousy job making Sheba realize
it.......what I had with Cassie never changed the fact that I regarded
Bethany as the greatest love of my life.  Because......I found a way to
make that clear to Cassie."
     The blonde Academician was adding things up, "By not marrying her."
     "Yes," Cain admitted.  "I told Cassie from the very beginning that
I'd never marry her.  Because the one thing I could do for Bethany after
I'd failed her so much was to let her be the only woman who'd ever be my
wife.  No one else was worthy of that honor but her.  And that.....helped
my conscience throughout the relationship with Cassie, though.....I know
it ultimately put her in a difficult position."
     He finally managed to look Ila in the eye, "I can say this,
truthfully, Ila.  Even if I'd returned to the Fleet, I don't think I ever
would have overcome that with Cassie.  That's why I'm glad she moved on
from me and that Starbuck found the courage to do the one thing with her
that I.....never could."
     Ila, who had never seen Cain this vulnerable, was still trying to
digest all this.
     "If I'm reading you correct," she chose her words carefully, "The
only kind of relationship you can permit yourself is like what you had
with Cassiopeia.  Where the woman knows that you'll never contemplate
marriage and that it has to end at some point."
     "I'm not even permitting that any longer," Cain said quietly. 
"Because it wouldn't be right or fair to the woman.  Especially......."
he choked on the next words, "This woman.  She deserves better than that. 
So I won't let myself have that kind of relationship again.  And that
means......I can't ever have a relationship of any kind again."
     If Cain had been a lesser man, he would have been shedding tears at
this point.  But Cain, being Cain, was able to use his pride and his
basic nature of being the Juggernaut to keep that from happening.  And in
the process, Ila, who felt totally caught in the middle, found her own
eyes glistening instead.  As if she was taking on the emotion he refused
to allow himself.
     "Cain," her voice was still level, "Bethany was my dearest friend
since childhood.  We confided in each other so much over the yahrens. 
I.....know it wouldn't be presumptuous of me to speak for her.  I know
how much she loved you, and how she'd never want you to deny yourself of
happiness.  She knows how special your love was.  And she wouldn't want
to see you filled with such......guilt."
     Cain managed a weak smile and shook his head.  He was again staring
down at the floor.
     "Ila.....I know you mean well with that.  But.....it's not enough
for me.  I'd.....need to hear her say that to me.  I'd need......to have
the closure I never had with her about anything.  Without it......the
guilt is always going to be there.  No matter how many words of kindness
and wisdom you can give me about what you think she'd say."
     "I *know* she'd say that, Cain," Ila said firmly.  "And you know
she'd say that, because that's in keeping with the kind of woman she was
and the woman you loved."
     "Ila," an edge of finality entered his voice, "I'm not doubting what
you say.....intellectually.  I've said that to myself a million times
that she'd want me to be happy.  But.....knowing that as an intellectual
argument isn't enough for me.  It never can.  Not when there were too
many things in her life I missed out on and couldn't share in."
     He took another breath.  Loud.  It would have been the prelude to a
breakdown if he hadn't been who he was.  But he was who he was and he was
able to continue, albeit in a low, hushed tone.
     "I wasn't there when Sheba was born," he whispered, "I wasn't there
to comfort her when she lost the son we never had.  I wasn't there when
she won any of her five Colony Awards.  I wasn't there when she was dying
and calling my name out in delirium, begging me to be there at the end. 
I missed it by a lousy.....six centars."
     Cain then, as if exerting all his strength to do so, looked at Ila
directly.  "I owe her something, Ila.  I owe her that privilege of being
my greatest love.  If I'm supposed to release myself from that......only
she can do it.  And......I know that's not possible, so I'll just let
myself be content with what I've had in my life."
     Ila felt a measure of helplessness.  She had loved Cain's wife as a
close friend and confidant.  She loved Cain as a family member she was
permanently tied to.  And she had come to love Kylie as a friend in the
same way Bethany had been to her.  It was the ultimate case of being
caught in the middle and she knew that potentially, the risk was there to
say something that could be interpreted wrongly.  She knew she couldn't
let that happen.
     "Cain," she said gently, "Didn't you see her once?  When.....we all
blacked out and were hurled across the stars?"
     He nodded, "Yes.  Yes, I know I did see her then, just like you saw
your youngest son then.  But it was so brief.  And it was just to hear
her give me that advice about not turning off Cobre and his centurions
when I wanted to.  That was a vision tied up in more than the purely
personal.  For something like this.......I just don't see it happening."
     "You shouldn't close yourself off so completely, Cain," Ila wasn't
sure what else she could say.  "Maybe if you need something like
that......the Lords will provide a way."
     "I can't wait for that to happen, Ila," Cain's tone grew quiet.  "It
isn't fair to the woman.  She needs to know how I stand with her, and
that's why.......I'll have to let her know that soon, just to make sure
she hasn't developed any......false hopes in her own mind."
     Ila froze when she heard this.  She knew that if Cain did this it
could be devastating to Kylie.  Especially when Kylie was finally
learning how to be honest with herself about her own feelings for Cain. 
Ila knew she had to dissuade him from doing that, now.
     "Cain," the blonde Academician said, "Whatever you think you should
do......don't say anything to her now.  If this isn't the right time for
you to tell the rest of the crew it's okay for them to think about having
relationships, and that it has to wait until after we're through at
Cannes.....then you should wait until after Cannes to tell her what you
think she has to do."
     Cain didn't respond right away.  He had brought his hands up and was
rubbing them together once again.  He then let out another sigh.
     "Fair point," he finally said.  "And you're right.  It isn't the
right time for me to do that.  If the rest of the crew can wait until
after Cannes to know how they stand with each other, then.....that's a
better time to let her know what her real opportunities are."
     Lords of Kobol be praised!  Ila thought with relief.  At the very
least, some valuable time had been bought.  Time that she hoped Cain
would use wisely to rethink matters.  
     Time perhaps......for another miracle to happen.
     "I think I've said enough," Cain finally downed what was left of his
drink.  "Ila....thanks for listening.  I.....had to get a lot of this off
my chest.  And.....it's helped.  At least I won't be distracted in the
near term about all this."
     "Of course," she rose, "I'm always here for you to talk to, Cain. 
About anything."
     He smiled appreciatively, "Good night, Ila."
     "Good night, Cain."
     It was only when the door had closed and he was alone that the
Juggernaut finally gave himself permission to let quiet tears of regret
form in his eyes.  
     But with them, came a vow that starting tomorrow morning, the
subject would be out of his mind until after the Cannes mission.


Chapter Two

     The next day saw Technician Bremer awake to a different work
schedule facing him.  Alternate cycles meant working kitchen detail
instead of tech maintenance since his junior ranking required him to fill
a position left vacant by the evacuation of "non-essential personnel" to
the Galactica three yahrens ago.  For the next eight centars, his day
would consist of assisting in food preparation and kitchen clean-up.
     Why couldn't I have been considered 'non-essential personnel' back
then?  He thought bitterly as he took several frozen poulon from the main
food freezer locker.  The poulon had been caught and killed during the
Pegasus time at Terra, and then kept frozen for later use.  It would form
the basis for the morning meal.  His fellow kitchen worker for the day,
Asa (ordinarily a med-tech), would prepare the vegetables.  The kitchen
personnel they'd just relieved, had already spent much of the night
making bread from stored grain and loaded the loaves into ovens so that
it would be ready by the time Bremer and Asa were through preparing the
main meal.  Once that was done, the mess area would be open to all.
     The two workers went about the meal preparation without any small
talk.  Asa had never found Bremer to be much of a conversationalist, but
the last two sectans had seen Bremer go from general indifference to a
surly hostility.  Consequently, he had stopped exchanging words with the
rest-of-the-time Maintenance tech except when it was necessary to the
job.
     And if I don't put in a request to get shifted to another cycle when
someone else is on duty, this won't be a job I can take any longer!  Asa
thought with disgust as he chopped some vegetables.  God, what a cold
fish he is.  He's been that way all this time.
     Bremer neither knew, nor would he have cared what Asa was thinking
of him at that moment.  His mind by this point was neatly
compartmentalized into two places.  The first, was the functional side
that could carry out his kitchen duties on total instinct while letting
the second part of his mind dominate his thoughts.  All of which were
centered on how he would find the way out of his misery at long last.  He
knew what he needed to do.  Now it was a question of how he'd be able to
do it.  That meant putting himself in a position where no one, not even
Cain, would be able to stop him.
     And it meant he had to draw on resources that he could obtain as a
result of both of his jobs.  Maintenance Technician and Kitchen worker. 
Up to now, he didn't see how that would be possible.  If he'd been a
warrior, he could have gotten access to the Ordnance room and maybe
stolen a weapon, but he wasn't a warrior.  And with Security more strict
now that forty-one new Cylons were on-board that made that even less of
an option.
     But now, after long days of studying his target in the landing bay,
the outline of an idea was forming in his head.  It would take a few more
days of planning, but he was beginning to see how it could be done.
     Today, was his first day of Kitchen duty where he finally realized
that there was something here in the Kitchen he could make use of in
advancing his plan.  He needed a small storage container.  Something that
wouldn't attract attention if it went missing because in ordinary
circumstances, its absence would be innocuous if it were noticed at all. 
When he saw Asa emptying a glass container filled with vegetables into
the cooking pot, he realized that was exactly what he needed.
     The key was to make sure that when his shift ended, Asa would leave
first and that would give him the necessary centon or two alone before
the afternoon shift came in to do dinner preparations.  And then
tomorrow, when he was back to his Maintenance duties, it would be time to
implement phase two of the plan.


     "Hello Little Brother......maybe that's not appropriate because they
tell me you're an officer now.  *Ensign* Tegran.  It has a better ring to
it than Sergeant did......or Corporal."
     Tegran smiled back at the image of his sister Mairwen on the
recorded message that had come to him from the Galactica.  The sister he
hadn't seen since he'd left his last furlon on Virgon more than six
yahrens ago to report back to the Pegasus.  
     "Anyway......you have no idea how wonderful it is to know you're
alive.  It was so awful we missed each other the last time, and all
because I didn't know the Pegasus had turned up!  But.....that was
because I ended up on this horrible ship called the Spica that.....oh,
Hades, I'm just wasting time, I know Starbuck already told you about
that.  Here's the news you've been waiting for!"
     His sister reached down and picked up a beautiful six yahren old
girl with fair hair and a face that looked like a cross between her
mother and her maternal grandfather.  Tegran's father.
     "This is Cassy," Mairwen held her daughter with pride, "Cassy, wave
to your Uncle Tegran on the Pegasus!"
     Without needing any help, the child smiled and with a happy chuckle
waved her hand, "Hi, Uncle Tegran!" she said.  "Mommy says you're as
great a pilot as Uncle Starbuck!"
     The first look at his niece and hearing her greeting made Tegran
feel something he hadn't felt in five yahrens.  The sensation of his eyes
watering up.
     "Show Uncle Tegran what you made in class," Mairwen leaned over and
whispered.
     The little girl nodded and reached down and picked up a sheet of
paper that Tegran knew immediately was going to be some kind of drawing. 
It was too big for Cassy to hold up herself so her mother took hold of
one side of it, allowing the full image of it to show.
     "There's the Galactica and the Pegasus meeting each other," Cassy
said with pride as she pointed to two large objects she'd drawn that were
meant to be the two battlestars.  The resemblance was only noticeable if
you were told what they were supposed to be.  But Tegran had to admire
how the innocent feeling from the heart more than made up for the lack of
artistic accuracy.  It represented childhood wonder in its purest form.
     "And here's your viper meeting Uncle Starbuck's!"  she pointed to
two smaller shaped drawings in between the two battlestars.  The
triangular tail sections and the long nose areas indicated one meeting
the other, just as the two battlestars were facing each other.
     It's beautiful, Cassy, Tegran thought, wishing he could answer her
directly.  Or better still that he could reach out and hold her.
     "We'll make a scan of it and send him a copy next time," Mairwen
slowly lowered the drawing and began to roll it up, "Wave goodbye to your
Uncle."
     "Goodbye Uncle Tegran!" she waved and got down off her mother's
knee.  
     "Okay!" Mairwen looked off in Cassy's direction, "You watch the
kiosk for the next few centons!"  And then slowly she looked back to face
the camera.  "She can be quite a handful, but she's an absolute joy.  If
it weren't for her......my life would have been over long ago."
     Her face then grew more somber and serious, "You probably already
guessed that.....Justus is dead.  The Spica was the last ship leaving
Virgon and he managed to get Cassy and me aboard but by then, they were
putting a priority on women and children only, and not caring if families
got split up in the process.  I think.....we took off less than fifteen
centons after we got crammed aboard.  Yes......I suppose now that I know
there's a Resistance movement that's going on back in the Colonies, I
should leave the door open just a tiny bit to think he's alive,
especially now that I know you're alive and well, but......I just can't
be that naive.  Especially when it wouldn't change anything even if he
were alive by some miracle.
     "So obviously, your next question is, has there been anyone new in
my life since then?  No, there hasn't.  Mostly because there hasn't been
any time.  Life aboard the Spica was so awful, as you've heard, with all
of us packed in and cut off to the point we never learned about the
Pegasus until after you'd gone.  And.....that was rough.  There was this
other woman on the Spica......I think her name was Lani, and she actually
had a fiancee she'd thought was dead who was on the Pegasus.  I wish I
could remember his name, but.....I just can't right now.  But anyway,
that tells you how rough life was for us.  The Spica was such a crowded
deathtrap she eventually had an explosion and broke down and we all had
to be evacuated off.  And.....that was how I first came to know Starbuck. 
He was so kind to Cassy during the evacuation, and not because she had
the same name as his girlfriend.  If you know something about him, he
came from an orphan background surrounded by children who'd suffered a
lot and.......seeing little Cassy holding this stuffed equine she'd been
carrying since the night of the Destruction when she grabbed it from her
room before we had to leave......it just brought out the best in him. 
And no, there's been nothing between us.  He's stayed true to his Cassie. 
It's been pure friendship which I needed a lot more.  I'm sure he told
you how he got me set up with a kiosk on the Rising Star selling gourmet
java.  Well, Lords bless him, it was just what I needed.  A good job, a
good location and a chance for Cassy to have some stability in her life
again.  Starbuck comes by when he can and is enough of an uncle figure to
her that she isn't missing the need for a father in her life.  And that's
going to continue now that he's gotten sealed."
     Mairwen went on for five more centons, telling her brother about
some other things that had happened to her in the last two yahrens and
what her life running a java kiosk was like.  She regretted that she
couldn't send him a container of the house specialty for him to sample
which made her brother smile again.  And she also surprised him when she
revealed that she'd learned about his recent experience when he'd nearly
been taken prisoner by the Risiks.
     "There's an Earth native who frequently comes by the kiosk named
Lauren Wagner.  Her new boyfriend is Lieutenant Castor, the head of the
Colonial Security division on the Galactica, and one of Castor's old
friends on the Pegasus, Sergeant McCalla sent him a message telling him
the whole story of you and the Risik, and Castor told Lauren and she told
me.  I'm so happy to know you came through that, because the stories that
Lauren and so many others have told about being prisoners of the Risik
literally makes what Cassy and I endured on the Spica pale by
comparison."
     She then broke into a smile, "You'll get a kick out of this.  When
Lauren told me you shot a Risik scout commander dead and forced the ship
that kidnaped you back down, she was just gushing with praise about how
brave a warrior you had to be.  She said that if she weren't already
serious with Castor, she'd be asking me for your telecom number!"  She
let out a laugh that her distant brother found himself joining in.
     "Anyway, that's all for now.  I'll look forward to hearing back from
you when it's convenient.  I'm sorry we can't do a live chat, but that's
pretty much something only the Commander has access to because of the
power drainage issue.  But.....this is more than I could have hoped for
and I'm so grateful for it.  You keep taking care of yourself Little
Brother.  And learn how to stay away from Risiks!"
     Tegran switched off the machine, feeling more at ease than at any
time he could remember in the last few yahrens.  As he got up and decided
it was time to get some breakfast before logging in for duty in Flight
Operations, he couldn't help but wonder which crewman on the Pegasus had
a fiancee who'd been on the same ship with Mairwen.


     "Our liaison officer on Gomorrah is reporting in now," Tolen said
after he'd entered Cain's office.  "Cobre will give you his report when
he's done conferring with him."
     Cain nodded faintly, "Not that I don't trust Cobre to report things
accurately, but he does understand the need to record the conversation
for cross-check and archival purposes?"
     "Completely," the Executive Officer nodded.  "He'll bring you a copy
of the conversation when he arrives."
     "Good, good," Cain said and then added carefully, "Your opinion so
far on our new centurions?"
     Tolen shrugged, "Well.....they're not as easy to adjust to like it
was with Cobre's team.  With them, the built-in-trust element was
established at the outset.  This group.....we're accepting mostly on
blind faith."
     "True," Cain admitted, "And.....I have to admit, after all these
sectars of getting used to our four Cylons having new voices, forty-one
centurions with the standard Cylon voice is offering a reminder of how
difficult it is to keep track of who is who."
     "Dr. Arnoff says he can't come up with adequate vocal replacement
for our new Cylons without forty-one independent voice recordings to draw
from.  Per your orders, it can't be anyone from the crew or from the
Galactica and that limits us."
     "I know," Cain nodded and then added off-hand, "I know where Cobre's
voice came from.  I sometimes wonder just who were the humans on-hand the
Zykonians used to give Lucy, Festus and Serpentine *their* voices!"
     "Unless that's buried somewhere in an old Zykonian memo, I doubt
we'll ever know," Tolen said.  "Of course we don't have to draw from
human voice recordings.  Other species who speak Colonial Standard could
work just as well."
     "I don't think we have much of a supply of them," Cain snorted. 
"Not with our limited contact with other species prior to the Zykonians. 
What about software variants on the CAP verbal system?  Didn't those
programs have options to change the voice setting?"
     "Not a good idea," Tolen shook his head, "All the vocal variants for
CAP are female.  If we used those in the centurions----,"
     Cain suddenly broke into laughter as a mental picture of what Tolen
had just said popped into his head.  And soon, Tolen joined in as they
both contemplated the absurdity of Cylon centurions talking in sultry
feminine voices.
     "All right," Cain took a breath and wiped his eyes, "All right. 
Let's try to think practically.  There must be something we can utilize
from what there is on the Pegasus.  Ideally, I'd like us to get started
with the process so that a few centurions have new voices before we reach
Cannes.  It would at least convince the ones waiting at the end of the
line that we're serious about doing it, and it's just a matter of time
before all of them have new voices."
     "If personal recording messages from the Galactica are out, then the
only thing left I can think of would be old vid-com entertainment
recordings."  The Executive Officer said it as though it weren't a
serious idea.
     Cain came forward in his chair, "You know.....I think that might be
worth a try.  If we filtered out female voices and also didn't use some
of the more famous ones......that could be the answer.  Character actors. 
People who were pretty much anonymous so that way when we hear their
voices coming from a Cylon, we won't be self-conscious about whose voice
it was originally."
     "I suppose we should try," the Executive Officer conceded, "I can
have Security go through the personal gear of the crew who left with the
Galactica.  If we can't get enough there, then we'd have to ask the rest
of the crew to volunteer to turn in what they have."
     "Good idea.  Tell Bryce to get started on that.  When it's done, I
want to take some of the workload off Arnoff with all the other projects
he's got going.  Tell Altair that I'll want his trained communications
ear to pick out the most distinctively different voices in the lot and
then turn them over to Arnoff."
     "I'll get on it, sir," Tolen nodded and left.  Just microns after he
left, the door opened again and Commander Cobre entered.
     "By your command," the voice that had once been that of the IL Cylon
Lucifer said with an edge that right away Cain could tell was a
demonstration of self-parody.
     "Old habit coming back, Commander?" Cain said wryly.
     "My tone I think was intended to convey that the phrase does not
come with the reverence it once occupied," the command centurion sighed
as he came halfway toward the Juggernaut.  "My entire conversation with
Centurion Lucy is being transferred from the Lab to your system."
     "Thank you.  I'll give that a look later.  But in the meantime,
what's the basic essence of his report?"
     "Cautiously optimistic," Cobre said.  "Lucy has seen no outward
manifestations of Resistance or anger among the various classes of
Cylons.  But it is much too early to assume that the entire population
has been won over by the eloquence of Commander Volahd, Commander Vipron
and the DG class emissary, Siculus.  Discontentment could exist inside
those who are choosing to keep things 'close to the vest' I believe?"
     "Yes.  I'm not surprised.  Is there anyone in particular Lucy has
more concerns about than others?"
     "There is.  Commander Fuga, the command centurion in charge of
Flight Operations.  He seemed very reluctant when Commander Volahd
explained things to him initially, and since then his attitude has been
mostly.....circumspect."
     "And Volahd is suspicious too?"
     "Oh yes.  Volahd doesn't trust Fuga, because Fuga commanded
operations that led to the destruction of the Delphians.  Consequently,
Fuga has pride in his achievements on behalf of the Empire.  He has not
had occasion to feel the discontent that comes before one realizes the
need for enlightenment.
     "And as commander of flight operations, he could be in position to
stage a counter-coup using the fighters at his immediate disposal."
     "That is a possibility but it would be overly drastic.  It would  be
more in the interests of someone thinking that, to avoid any damage to
the existing infrastructure on Gomorrah."
     "Good point," Cain nodded.
     "But the fact that Commander Fuga is under suspicion raises another
matter of concern.  One that affects us more directly."
     The Juggernaut leaned back in his chair, "Go on."
     "All of our new centurions are pilots.  Centurions who served
directly under Fuga as far as the chain of command was concerned.  If
Fuga is liable to be a counter-plotter, then we must consider the
possibility that a centurion loyal to him as well as the Empire, was
placed in our ranks."
     "The danger of a dishonest centurion is one we've had to consider
from the beginning."
     "Yes, but if Fuga has a great deal of influence over the
pilots.....then our greatest fear is that few of them would be considered
reliable."
     Cain took in the command centurion's remarks.  "Are you sensing that
a disproportionate number of centurions are not likely to be enlightened
based on your early interactions with them?"
     "In all candor, there is only one I have seen so far that I have
a......feeling about."
     His eyes narrowed, "Is this by any chance one of the three you were
leading on the tour yesterday?"
     "Yes, it was," Cobre admitted.  "The one named Gryphon."
     "Oh yes," Cain slow nodded.  "The one who went out of his way to
identify himself as a Group Leader.  A good deal of pride in his rank and
command position in the old order."
     "And he also was still quick to assert the idea of Cylons being
superior to all other races.  Suffice to say he does *not* convey the
sense of one who is experiencing a true sense of enlightenment......at
present."
     "Let's assume he isn't," the Juggernaut said.  "What could one
centurion, with his attitude, expect to do?"
     "That.....requires more thought.  Presently, it is hard to
contemplate how a major disruption could take place on the part of one
centurion, or even a large group.  They would still be outnumbered by ten
times as many humans and they can not on their own gain access to the
most vulnerable areas of this ship where sabotage could be performed."
     "I agree," Cain said.  "One unenlightened Cylon on his own would
have a hard time conceiving of a plot against the Pegasus on behalf of
the Empire.  On the other hand.....someone chosen by an unenlightened
superior like say, Commander Fuga, could have given a loyal subordinate
some specific instructions."
     "Precisely why it was disconcerting to hear that someone in Fuga's
specific position is now under suspicion."
     The Juggernaut could only shake his head and sigh.  "All right. 
Absent any direct evidence, there's no point acting against Gryphon or
any other centurion on board for that matter.  But at the very least, he
merits close watching.  And since all of you don't have to worry about
sleep cycles I suggest for now, that you and Serpentine spend more time
among your fellow centurions so you can develop a sense of where they all
stand as potential threats or if you're convinced they're completely
enlightened.  Festus can handle the load in the lab for now."
     "A wise precaution," Cobre said.  "I will observe for the next two
cycles and use the evaluation as a basis for determining who should be
part of our first integrated patrols.  Captain Skyler is planning to
address them on that general subject in two cycles.  I will be attending
it as an observer and to make any points on matters that the centurions
might more easily accept coming from me."
     "Thanks for reminding me of that," Cain said.  "When that
presentation takes place, there'll be something else you can show them
after Captain Skyler's finished.  With all the messages our people have
been receiving from the Galactica, there's one message from them I think
the centurions might appreciate hearing."
     "Hmmm.  I do believe I know what you mean," Cobre said.  "I will
review it myself this evening."
     "Yes, do that.  And in the meantime, keep up with those guided tours
of the areas the centurions can have access to.  I don't want them
becoming restless from inactivity and feel like they're becoming
deadweight around here.  Those who are giving off  positive feelings of
enlightenment should be integrated into other crew duties where they can
be productive."
     "Of course," the command centurion nodded and bid Cain a courteous
goodbye before departing.
     Such a complex situation, Cain sighed.  But we have to take these
risks if we're going to succeed in winning this damned fight.  And
potentially weather a few bad ones in the lot and take them out quickly,
just like Ila said we have to.


     With the food prepared, it was Bremer's turn to serve equitable
portions to all who wandered in to the mess hall to eat, while Asa would
be tasked with handling the early phases of clean-up.  If Bremer sensed
that they were getting a high volume, he'd then inform Asa that more food
needed to be prepared.
     The first centar had seen a large number of pilots and other
personnel beginning morning shifts and eating before it was time to log
in.  At one point, he served a portion to Ensign Tegran, and their eyes
met with a sense of mutual distaste stemming from the Pyramid game of a
sectan ago when Bremer's sour disposition had led to an abrupt end to the
proceedings.
     The morning shift people eating before they logged in soon gave way
to those who were coming off duty and who wanted to eat heartily before
getting some rest or doing some other activities.  And then came those
who didn't work designated shifts but had the luxury of making their own
hours for whenever they worked.  That included someone who evoked mixed
feelings inside him.  The person who had presented him with his
opportunity, but who he also resented at the same time. 
     "Hello?" Ila repeated with some mild irritation as she held her tray
up.  "I said I wanted just one serving of the poulon."
     "Oh," Bremer shook himself out of his internal thoughts and
dutifully scooped out the portion.  "Sorry.  Long shift."
     "Yes, I'm sure," the Academician said with just an air of suspicion
as she made her way over to the table where her friend Kelli waited.  The
two of them had increasingly made it a habit to share their first meal of
the day with each other.
     "Everything okay?" the agro-worker asked as Ila sat down across from
her.
     "That kitchen worker kept staring at me and didn't hear me when I
told him how much I wanted," Ila faintly shook her head.  "And I'm not
sure, but that may not be the first time I've seen him do that.  As if he
just wants to look at me instead of listen."
     "Just flash your sealing ring at him," Kelli said lightheartedly. 
"That'll show him."
     "No, no, I don't think it's that," Ila said.  "Something else.  Why,
I have no idea, but.....it's not the kind of look intended to flatter."
     "You think you should say something to Security?"
     Ila seemed to think about that for a micron as she broke her slice
of bread.  Then, she shook her head.  "No.  There's nothing to report. 
Maybe I'm feeling some of that paranoia others are getting from all the
new Cylons on-board."
     "I admit it's made the kids a little uneasy," Kelli admitted as she
ate.  "Too many of them are wandering the corridors now, and we have to
tell them not to act scared.  But when you already spend time telling
them that Cylons are the bad ones who made their Mommy and Daddy leave
their home and go into space, it's hard to make them understand why these
are different."
     "And maybe some of them aren't different," Ila sighed "We won't know
for a bit if all of them are enlightened, and if a couple of them turn
out to be not so enlightened, we have to destroy them.  And hope that the
ones who are enlightened don't resent that in the process.  Diplomacy in
this sort of thing is not always an easy game."
     "And you've had your share of that back in the Colonies, right?"
     "Plenty.  But at least we've made it hold together."
     Kelli then chose her next words carefully, "As far as you know."
     The blonde Academician raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"
     "Well, Ila, it has been awhile since you left the Colonies.  A lot
can happen in more than six or seven sectars and we know less about how
they are now, than we do about the Galactica comparatively speaking."
     "I know, I know," she waved her hands slightly.  "But.....with
everything else, I can't even begin to let myself think something's gone
wrong in the time I've been away.  If something *had* gone wrong, then I
don't think Gomorrah would have been left in the dark about it. 
Continued silence from the High Command on their end all this time is all
the proof any of us need that the Resistance is still alive and kicking
back home."
     The agro-tech shook her head in embarrassed relief, "Lords of Kobol,
I didn't think of that, but you're right.  That fat slug of an Imperious
Leader would have made a triumphal message to everyone boasting about it
if that had happened."
     "Exactly," Ila said.  "And besides.....I don't think the Lords would
have kept us from knowing something like that.  Because obviously.....if
something like that happened, Cain wouldn't hesitate to go in the other
direction and rejoin the Galactica.  Not that I've ever raised that
subject with him, but I am convinced that's what he'd do."
     "No regrets for you about that, Ila?" Kelli asked gently.  "After
all.....you're the one person on this ship who *could* get back there."
     Ila didn't answer at first as she ate several bites of her food and
took a long drink from her water glass.  Kelli sensed it was her way of
avoiding an immediate answer.  When Ila set her glass down she seemed
ready to answer her.
     "I don't think much about the shuttle any longer," she said, "I know
it's there if I wanted it.  And.....it feels good to know it is there, if
I realized in my heart that I wasn't needed any longer for the tasks I'm
doing on the Pegasus and when we get back to the Colonies.  It keeps
things from having a.....total finality in my mind and heart and I admit
that's reassuring.  So I don't think about the shuttle much, but......it
is nice to know it's there.  It helps keep my mind at peace about what I
have done."
     "What if it wasn't there?" Kelli asked.  "What if things were
completely final without even that very tiny chance it could change one
day?"
     Ila looked down at her half-eaten plate and then began to toy with
her water glass.  And then she realized she was starting to behave just
like Cain had at dinner the previous night when he was trying to avoid
dealing with a tough question.
     She finally looked up and smiled, "Well, Kelli.  The Lords have seen
fit to not force me to answer that question.  So I'll just leave it at
that.  Besides......getting to see and hear messages from my family makes
it a lot easier to be less self-conscious about the shuttle in general."
     "I guess so," the agro-tech realized that for Ila, the thought of
not having the shuttle just being there was something she didn't want to
contemplate, just like she didn't want to contemplate the idea that the
Resistance might have run into trouble since she left it.  "It's
wonderful you've been able to connect with your family."
     "Yes it has," Ila decided she had to get the conversation off
herself.  "Have you and Wallis sent or received any messages?"
     "Just one," Kelli knew why she'd changed the subject.  "Walli and I
sent a message to Carmichael, head of operations on the Agro-Ship.  It
was an apology to him for leaving our division under-staffed on short
notice when we jumped ship.  And to let him know that we never had any
problem with how he ran operations or how anything else was run.  He was
kind enough to reply and told us that all of our old colleagues wish us
Godspeed."
     "Did you tell him about the other couple that jumped ship at Brylon? 
Rotsler and Sharman?"
     "Oh yeah," Kelli said with a faint air of disgust.  "We told him
about them.  And how they decided to just stay in their little plot on
Brylon as a couple of burn-outs inhaling illicit plant vapors. 
Carmichael said he wasn't surprised.  If the two of them hadn't jumped
ship, he was sure that sooner or later he would have kicked them out of
the division.  They're the ultimate proof of what happens when you just
give up completely and deny reality for the rest of your lives.  The
Zykonians won't come down on them for lack of productivity like they did
Walli, but they won't lift a digit to help them when they'll need it.  I
predict they'll both be dead in five yahrens or less from burning their
minds out."
     "Let's hope you're wrong," Ila said.  "We should always hope for the
best for anyone.  No matter how much they're destroying themselves."
     As they continued to talk and the mess hall became filled with more
people, Bremer continued to serve the new arrivals.  All the while,
looking across the room at Ila's table with just the faintest edge of
disdain.


Chapter Three

     "Good morning, Bremer," Livia smiled at him as he stepped off the
lift and onto the landing bay tarmac.  His hands jammed in the pockets of
his outer tunic.
     The Technician managed to smile back, "On time today."
     "And I thank you for being so considerate," she said with a gentle
air, as though she were trying to get him to reciprocate with some
friendly banter.  
     But Bremer merely smiled a little harder and said nothing.  It was
as if he were forcing himself to smile.  
     Trying not to sound disappointed, she handed him the comp-board with
the list of ships he was to check today.  He took it with his right hand,
while leaving his left hand in his tuic pocket.
     "Beats kitchen duty doesn't it?" she decided to try again.
     "Yeah, definitely does," he said and began to walk away towards the
storage hanger area of the landing bay.
     Livia let out a sad sigh of regret.
     Maybe I should have tried much sooner......if I thought I could get
around Cain's unofficial 'regulation.'  Maybe he would have been
interested.  Maybe he would have dropped that shy reserve for one micron
long enough to give me a chance.  Yes, I'm his superior......but that
shouldn't make a difference.  Not when we're in the same line of work and
speak the same language about it.
     She checked her own comp screen and headed toward the main Boraton
Fire Control center, which would be her priority for inspecting.  As a
supervisory Maintenance Tech, she didn't have to get on her back
underneath the stored vehicles to look for minuscule fuel leaks any
longer.
      I guess it's too late for me to think about him.....or anyone, she
thought as she opened the door to begin her day's work.


     Bremer calmly walked through the storage hanger section of the
landing bay which housed all ships that at present were not needed for
immediate launching.  To get any single ship into launch-ready position
required the work of the twelve-man "ground crew" to maneuver them from
where they were parked.
     Since the ground crew's usual duties consisted of maneuvering vipers
back into their launch tubes after landing, the storage hanger section
was empty.  That meant Bremer had this area all to himself and could
carry out the next phase of his plan without attracting attention.  
     He went over to the tool dispensary where a number of implements
were kept, allowing a technician to take only what he needed for a job. 
For this, he would need two implements.  An electro-drill, and then a
wetsteel laser.  The latter was routine for his work.  If he detected any
signs of fuel leakage he could use the device to seal any hole or cracks
shut.  
     The drill though, was something he wouldn't have ordinarily used for
his job.  In this case, he would be using it to create a fuel leak from a
ship, and then use the wetsteel laser to seal up the artificially created
leak.  But only after he made sure he'd collected enough leaking tylium
into the glass storage jar he'd taken from the kitchen that now rested in
his tunic pocket.



     For the fifth time, the laser blast struck the series of moving
targets with perfect precision. That caused a series of chimes to sound
as the electronic score display could go no higher.  From this point on,
there was no need to keep firing at the targets since it wouldn't add
anything to the score.
     But still, the laser gun kept firing.  As though the chimes and the
blinking score display had gone completely unnoticed.
     "Kylie?  Hey, Kylie?" Sergeant Marshak, who had drawn duty for
monitoring the firing range that day tried to get the Bridge Officer's
attention.  But she was still firing with a look of focused
determination.
     Finally, with an edge of exasperation, he hit the master switch
which cut the power to the target display and made the room go dark. 
Abruptly, the laser pistol firing stopped.
     "What happened?" she called out in the dark.
     Marshak hit the switch and the lights came back on.  "You busted
your score to the highest level, that's what.  There wasn't any need to
keep firing."
     "Oh," Kylie shook her head.  "Sorry, Marshak.  I.....guess I just
got locked in."
     "Zoned in, it seemed like," he then cautiously asked, "Anything
wrong?"
     "No, no," she put her laser pistol down and signed her name out to
indicate she'd done her designated target practice check for the sectar.
     When she left, Marshak shook his head in amazement.  He understood
now why the Computer had picked her for the Terra mission to rescue Cain
since Kylie had more natural skill with a pistol than most security
guards did.  But he also knew from instinct that a warrior who expended
that much energy on the target range usually did so because they were
trying to blow off steam over something that was bothering them.
     Marshak's hunch, as it turned out, had been right.  Kylie's presence
on the range and her frenetic intensity in shooting the targets had been
triggered by a message from the Galactica.  From her old bunkmate,
Carina, a low-ranked Maintenance Tech who had been evacuated among the
"non-essential" personnel.  It had been a positive message at first. 
Filled with stories of how all the other ex-Pegasus crew had been faring,
including most of the women who'd shared the same barracks space with
Kylie.  Carina also told how before contact had been established with the
Pegasus, she'd  had a dream of seeing Kylie talking with a woman she
hadn't recognized.  But eventually, after describing her to the Fleet's
resident psychiatrist, she learned it was Commander Adama's wife.
     That had been the initial jolt for Kylie.  But then, came the other
jolt, which she knew had been meant as a simple bit of good-spirited
kidding on her old bunkmate's part.  The problem was the timing of it. 
It wasn't the sort of thing she wanted to hear at that particular moment.
     "Anyway, hope you're doing well.  So good to know you and everyone
else are alive and look forward to hearing from you.  Oh, and you're over
that crush of yours on Cain, right?  Take care."
     She didn't blame Carina for her flip remark.  That was how it had
been in the old days when her bunkmate would tease her about the subject
and Kylie would brush it off with good-natured camaraderie.  It was easy
to take the kidding from a good friend then, because that was when Kylie
didn't treat the idea seriously herself.  The feelings were there but she
kept them buried out of practicality and realism.  Never thinking in a
million yahrens there would come a time when she'd finally be candid with
herself about how she really felt about Cain.  
     And now that she was honest with herself, and seeing signs that
maybe....maybe there was a chance her dreams could come true, the last
thing she needed to hear was one of the old jokes from the long-ago past. 
A joke rooted in the idea of "getting over it."  Granted, there was no
way Carina could have known how much had changed.  So she wasn't mad at
her.  She was just mad at hearing any kind of words that suggested she
needed to "get over" her feelings for Cain, and that had made her expend
all that anger with intensity on the target range.
     The thing is, I'll have to get over him if he doesn't change, she
thought as she headed for the turbo lift to take her to the Bridge and
her regular duty shift.  I'll have no choice.  But it won't be easy,
because Lords of Kobol.....I don't *want* to.
     By the time the turbo lift opened and she stepped onto the Bridge to
go to her station, the subject was out of her head completely.  Only work
mattered now.  Long ago she'd vowed that no personal subject would ever
distract her from being the best at what she did and she was going to
prove that once again.


     Skyler stepped up to the podium in the Flight Operations Center and
looked out at the group seated before him.  All of them Cylons.  All of
them, the new pilots from Gomorrah.  Ready to listen to a human squadron
commander for the first time explain the nuances and intricacies of what
it would be like to fly as part of an integrated group with Colonial
Vipers.
     Dear God in Heaven, please don't let me screw this up.
     "Good morning," Silver Spar Leader said with a friendly air.  "My
name is Captain Skyler.  I'm the commander of Silver Spar Group here on
the Pegasus.  On behalf of all the pilots, I'm privileged to welcome you
to our ranks, and that we're looking forward to what you'll be able to
bring to our group in future operations.  I think you've all met
Commander Cobre and his subordinates, Festus and Serpentine.  For over
six sectars we have been pleased to work with them as colleagues and
above all *equals* in our ranks.  It is our hope the same will prove true
of all of you in short order.  All of us, have come to recognize and
appreciate the courage that exists in all Cylons who have experienced
what it means to be 'enlightened.'  And we, as humans, have been able to
experience enlightenment of our own in recognizing that old prejudices of
the past have no place in appreciating what enlightened Cylons can bring
to us."
     He switched on a monitor screen behind him showing a viper and
Cylon.
     "Integration of forces is our objective.  So that in patrols and in
battle groups, we will be able to fly together as a team.  That will
however, take some time and adjusting, which is why our plan is to bring
this about incrementally.  In approximately three cycles from now, it is
our intention to launch the first integrated patrol of Vipers and Cylons,
consisting of two ships apiece.  This small number is predicated on the
fact that fuel conservation does not allow for a maximum patrol group to
be in flight at a single time.  However, as we become acclimated to the
idea of small integrated patrol groups, we do intend at a future date to
organize a greater number of integrated flights as a way of testing
integrated combat maneuvers, using random asteroid and meteor debris as
our targets."
     "I'm aware that in the event all fifteen Raiders are needed for any
large-scale combat engagement that a minimum of two to a maximum of five,
will only be able to furnish a two-man crew.  As the third seat in the
cockpit is meant to be an observation position, we are willing to
integrate two man ships with a qualified shuttle pilot from our ranks to
lend assistance, but that would be entirely up to the two pilots who find
themselves short.  That is a situation that I'm sure Commander Cobre can
discuss individually with you at another time."
     As Silver Spar Leader went on, with Cobre and Serpentine standing
off to one side, the forty-one new Cylons in attendance listened.  It was
impossible for an outside observer to guess what was going through their
computer minds.  Unlike humans, they had no expressions that could reveal
anything.
     Flight Leader Gryphon, seated on the end of the row, found the
lecture.....interesting.  So far, in more than a sectan aboard the
Pegasus, he had not heard any of the usual insults humans were known to
level at Cylons like "rust buckets" or "tin cans" or terms that called
attention to the reptilian background of the original Cylon race.  Every
human had so far been unfailingly polite.  A tone he was not used to
hearing from the human-sounding voices of the IL class, and a tone that
certainly had never come from his immediate superior, Commander Fuga.
     But surely that means nothing.  They are the enemy of the Empire.  I
have been given my orders.  I have carried them out.  In another sectan
or less.......it will not matter.  


     Bremer found the ship he'd decided on during his last inspection
tour.  A small Zykonian fuel tanker that had been provided as a result of
the negotiations at Brylon Station.  It was a craft no bigger than the
size of four shuttles, which made it small enough to land in the
battlestar rather than dock alongside it as most Colonial and even Cylon
tankers did.  The Zykonians had offered larger sized tankers to Cain but
the Juggernaut had insisted on small-sized craft that could fit into the
landing bay since he didn't want to find himself responsible for any kind
of convoy that would mean slowing down his speed.
     The tanker was also convenient for Bremer because unlike a shuttle,
which rested flat on the surface of the tarmac, the tanker was elevated
thanks to four evenly placed landing pads.  That meant he could get
underneath it and get access to its fuel line and know precisely where he
needed to apply the electro-drill to get just enough of a tylium leak
that would drip into the open glass jar without spilling onto the tarmac.
     He found the spot up near the rear of the tanker.  Because it was at
the rear it meant he'd be facing the front of the hanger entrance and
would be alert to any premature intruders.  But he'd done this duty
enough times to know that no one but the designated tech for a shift ever
ventured back in this area.  If things held according to plan, he would
still be alone when it would be time to act on the final implementation
of his plan.
      Before he got started with the electro-drill, he looked to his left
and saw two parked
Cylon fighters from the recent arrivals.  It made him shake his head in
disgust.  It was bad enough he felt as if his life had been rendered
meaningless because of Cain's actions over the last three yahrens.  He
had to see that compounded by the idea of having to work alongside the
creatures responsible for why his universe, as he'd dreamt of it, had
been taken from him.
     It only fueled his determination that what he was doing.......his
only chance left to get his universe back as he had known it.......was
entirely justifiable.
     And with that he switched on the electro-drill and began to make a
surgical like cut along the steel plates that concealed the fuel lines of
the tanker.



     "I thank you for your time," Skyler said as he wrapped up his
summary of how integrated patrols and combat exercises would work.  "And
now, I would like to turn things over to Commander Cobre."
     He stepped aside and allowed the Command Centurion to assume the
podium.
     "My fellow Cylons," he said.  "Captain Skyler has graciously allowed
me to speak, as one of you, to address the point that ultimately will be
the most difficult one upon the completion of integrated patrol and
combat exercises.  That will be when a joint combat exercise will require
you to open fire against patrol craft piloted.....by Cylons just like
you.  It will not be easy.  But if you truly believe in the principle of
enlightenment, and the principle that the existing Cylon order as defined
by the Imperious Leader and the High Command is unjust, and has worked to
the detriment of our entire class of Cylons, and must be
destroyed.......then this can not be avoided.  This is a cause that will
require sacrifice, and indeed the killing of Cylons who have chosen
against enlightenment, or who have not had the opportunity to consider
the benefit of enlightenment.
     "Remember that you forty-one, in addition to *all* Cylons on
Gomorrah are proof of how it is not the first intention of the Pegasus to
indiscriminately kill all Cylons based on past prejudice and conflict,
and to look for opportunities to seek cooperation.  But this option will
not always be the most practical in pursuing the greater aim of defeating
the High Command.  That is what faces us at Cannes.  The garrison and the
forces are simply too large to consider the options that were
successfully pursued at Gomorrah.  A direct military strike, which at
minimum *must* result in the destruction of the one remaining baseship
attached to Cannes, can not be avoided."
     Cobre let his words hang trying to gauge their reactions.  Perhaps
from heads turning to each other among the centurions.  In particular, he
had his single eye trained on Flight Leader Gryphon.  But Gryphon and all
of the centurions were motionless.  Their heads all facing forward with
the sense of rigid programmed duty to listen to a superior with full
attention.
     "If you feel uncertain about this......rest assured, you will not be
the first among Cylons who have to had grapple with this question.  I
present to you now, a message from Command Centurion Moray of Baseship
#8645, which is presently aligned with the Colonial Fleet headed by the
Battlestar Galactica."
     Cobre activated the switch and the recorded message that had arrived
two cycles ago now played back on the large monitor for all the
centurions in the room to see.
     "My fellow Cylons," Moray appeared on the screen, his voice still
that of a normal command class centurion.  "On behalf of the entire crew
of Baseship #8645, we salute your courage and willingness to choose the
path of enlightenment that we ourselves chose more than a yahren ago. 
When we realized at long last that our greatest potential as a race lay
not in continued submission to the Cylon High Command but to following
our own voices.  And to accept the hand of friendship from those willing
to treat us not as servile drones to a higher class, but as true equals
in a mutually cooperative relationship.
     "Accepting this offer though, necessitated our taking up arms
against the crew of Baseship #12741.  We could only be part of an
enlightened order by removing an obstacle that threatened our existence
for choosing that path.  Consequently......Cylon lives were lost.  We
recognize that this included centurions who may, in their own minds, have
considered the possibility of enlightenment, as we did.  But they did not
have the ability to act on such an impulse, and consequently were under
the direct control of the leadership serving the High Command.  That
necessitated, for our self-preservation and our own enlightenment, to
participate in their destruction."
     Moray went on to explain the details of the battle that had resulted
in the defection of their baseship to the Colonial side.  Somewhat
pragmatically, Skyler noted, the command centurion of Baltar's baseship
refrained from mentioning Baltar's name and that it was Baltar who had
motivated them to answer the call of enlightenment and independence from
the Cylon order.  Instead, Moray was crafting the argument purely from
the standpoint of a Cylon.  
     Moray then went on to describe in detail how the crew of his ship
had learned to function in an integrated environment with the humans, and
how they were treated as equals, not subordinates.  This went on for five
centons before he reached his closing comments.
     "It is our understanding that in due time, you will be engaged in
activities against the Cylon forces at Cannes Garrison.  We are familiar
with their leader, Commander Cauda of the IL Class, and can attest that
he is not inclined toward enlightenment as Commander Volahd of Gomorrah
was.  That means, that the centurions under his command will be serving
him and the High Command.  So in killing them in battle, you are
ultimately not killing your fellow Cylons of the centurion class, you are
killing the drone servants of the High Command.  Those who have
sacrificed their individuality and greater capabilities for a meaningless
purpose.  Remember that.....and remain committed always to the path of
enlightenment."
     The message ended and Flight Leader Gryphon found his mind even more
confused.  He had heard Commander Volahd's message informing the
population of Gomorrah that Commander Spektor had been overthrown and the
planet was renouncing allegiance to the Cylon High Command.  It was so
abrupt and went against anything his mind had been conditioned to
comprehend after so many yahrens of service to the Empire.  Consequently,
when Commander Fuga had recruited him to infiltrate the group of
centurion pilots joining the Pegasus for the express purpose of disabling
her, if not destroying her outright, he had followed orders.  Willing to
die in the name of the Empire he had loyally served.
     But now.....the things he had seen aboard the Pegasus, and the words
of Commander Moray were making him understand the reasons why so many
Cylons had chosen to renounce allegiance to the High Command.  And he was
amazed to hear the regret about killing other Cylons in the name of
enlightenment.  From what Commander Fuga had said, Cylons willing to kill
other Cylons in the name of defying the High Command could only be Cylons
who desired simply to be human and didn't care how many Cylons they
killed in the process.  He wondered now if that was really true.  He
didn't sense any tone of deception or deceit in what Moray had said or
what he'd heard from Cobre in the past sectan.
     Have I been wrong?  Was I used by Commander Fuga simply as an
expendable......drone for the High Command?
     Even if Gryphon was prepared to consider that, he couldn't see what
he could do at this point.  The die had been cast the instant he'd
arrived aboard the Pegasus.  The device had been activated.  And if he
were to have second thoughts......then surely he would be executed by the
Pegasus  as a saboteur.  The end result for him would be the same as it
would if he just allowed the plan to proceed to its inevitable end. 
Death.  And if his only options were death, was it not better to err on
the side of caution, and die in the name of what he had been programmed
to die for if necessary?  The glory of the Cylon Empire?
     For now, Gryphon could see no other way but to let things continue. 
What he had done.....could not be undone.  It was as simple as that.


     Bremer operated the electro-drill with the graceful precision that a
surgeon might have used a laser scalpel.  He had studied the fuel line
system of this tanker long enough to know that he just needed to open up
a small section that would allow tylium to leak through.  Just enough to
be the kind of nuisance leak he might detect during a normal inspection
of the ships.  When such a leak was detected, it would be his job to
first stop the leak and then seal the hole with a wetsteel laser.
     This time though, after creating the leak, he would use the glass
jar to collect the tylium until it reached the level in the jar that he
needed.  Not wanting a leak that would be too extensive to repair, he
made sure that it was more than a drop, but not an unmanageable stream.
It would take five centons for the jar to fill to the level that he
needed.  Once that was done, he quickly set the jar down and worked
rapidly to contain the fuel leak he had just created.  Only when that was
done could he then apply a wetsteel laser and close the incision he'd
made to the steel plates with the electro-drill.  Fortunately, he'd
studied the fuel line system extensively of this new class of tanker ship
and had determined that he could get it stopped in just two centons. On
this day, his calculations were off by just a half-centon, but it made no
difference.  No one entered the storage hanger to disrupt things.
     Calmly, he resealed the breech with the laser.  Once that was done,
he placed the jar back in his tunic pocket, which was filled to the
three-quarter point with pure tylium fuel.  By itself, in this contained
state it was harmless.  But if he applied an intense heat source to it,
it would grow unstable and produce an explosion of lethal proportions. 
And he had such a heat source available in his inner tunic pocket.  A
book of matches used for lighting fumarellos.  He wasn't a smoker, but
his bunkmate, Technician Sandoz was, and he'd been able to lift one book
from Sandoz's locker two sectans ago when he'd first conceived of his
overall plot.
     He took the wetsteel laser and the electro-drill back to the tool
dispensary.  Out of workmanlike habit, he made sure both were neatly
returned to their slots.  The only other thing he needed to do now was
check his com-line and make sure it was working.  If it wasn't, he'd have
to postpone the operation for another two cycles.
     When he saw the com-line was in perfect working order, he smiled and
felt a wave of exhilaration go through him.  Up to now he'd been in an
automatic mode, devoid of all forms of emotion.  Singularly committed to
performing the tasks that would make this operation possible.  But now
that it was within reach......he could afford to feel exhilarated.  And
as he walked toward the one vehicle in the storage hanger that
represented the culmination of all that he'd done, there was a buoyance
in his step.
     I've done it.  Lani, get ready, I'm coming home!


     "Core Command, this is Silver Three, ready to launch for forward
patrol sweep," Lieutenant Angus's voice filled Bridge Officer Altair's
headset.
     "Silver Three, this is Core Command.  Systems transferred to you,
you are cleared to launch," Altair answered.
     As soon as the viper was away and Angus made his final check, Altair
could lean back and relax for a bit.  Barring any new brief video
messages from the Galactica, there would be nothing new to deal with
until Angus's return.
     It was the same with Kylie at her station, just several feet away. 
Clear scanners and smooth navigation meant she had no pressing issues to
deal with for now.  This would be an optimum time for the two Bridge
Officers to engage in the kind of small talk identical to what viper
pilots did with each other on long patrols.
     "Say, Altair," Kylie called over,   "Word has it, that all the
unclaimed vid-com recordings are being delivered to you!"
     "Don't remind me!"  Altair groaned, "I've been tasked to go through
them and isolate promising character actor voices we can use for our new
centurions.  The problem is the first batch of recordings they sent me
were someone's tapes of an old Aquarian daily serial.  All about the
sordid scandals in the daily life of a typical Aquarian coastal
community."
     "Ha!" she exclaimed.  "If Aquarian serials were written as badly as
Aquarian romance novels were, get set for a lot of unintentional laughs!"
     "And when did you become an expert on Aquarian romance novels?" he
smirked.
     "My old bunkmate had a stash of them and I'd get on her all the time
about them," Kylie said, thinking for just a fraction that she could use
that to tease Carina back whenever she found time to record a message for
her.  "I had to listen to her defenses of them as 'guilty pleasures.'"
     "Well if you've got some better vid-com tapes to loan out in *your*
private stash of 'guilty pleasures', I'm willing!" Altair chuckled and
then looked at his terminal and saw a blinking light on his terminal. 
That meant there was an internal com-line message intended for Core
Command.  Frowning, he activated the switch, which would let him hear who
was trying to contact him.
     "Attention Core Commad," a cold, flat voice came through Altair's
headset.  "Are you reading my signal?"
     "This is Core Command," Altair's frown deepened, because this didn't
sound like an authorized message.  "Identify yourself."
     "You'd better put me through to Cain as soon as possible," the voice
grew colder.
     Abruptly, Altair recognized the voice from a Pyramid game that had
ended on a sour note. "Bremer?  Bremer, what are you doing on this line?"
     "Don't waste time, Altair!" his voice snapped.  "I want Cain on the
line, now!"
     Kylie, who was still looking at her fellow Bridge Officer realized
something serious had happened.  She quickly signaled for Major Ham to
come down from the upper level.
     "What's going on?" the senior Bridge Officer asked as soon as he
arrived.
     "I think Altair's got some weird transmission," Kylie pointed over.
     Ham turned to Altair and motioned him to hit the switch that would
let the conversation be heard in the open.  Then at the top of his basso
voice, he shouted, "Everyone quiet!  NOW!"
     Altair hit the switch and spoke calmly into the mic, "Bremer, this
better be a legitimate emergency if you're tying up this circuit."
     "Oh, it's legitimate all right, Altair," Bremer's voice dripped with
contempt as it came from the Bridge speakers now.  "Tell Cain I'm sealed
inside the Professor's precious shuttle, and I want immediate clearance
to leave the Pegasus.  If I don't get it, I'm going to set off a bomb
that will destroy this shuttle and take half of Alpha Bay with me!"


Chapter Four

     "He what?" Cain's face twisted as he heard the message from Ham.
     "He says he's got a bomb inside the Professor's shuttle, and unless
we let him launch the shuttle, he'll set it off and take out Alpha Bay."
     "How in Hades did he get access to that shuttle?"
     "Sir, his regular assignment is checking those ships in the hanger
for fuel leaks."
     "All right, all right.  Do we even know he has a bomb?"
     "From the way he sounds, sir, I don't think it's a bluff," Ham then
added, "Commander, I really think you should come to the Bridge.  If I
don't tell him you're on your way, he might start threatening to set it
off now."
     "You can patch me into him----,"
     "Sir, with all due respect, I don't think you should be talking to
him from your quarters," Ham interrupted.  Something he ordinarily
wouldn't have done, but this situation was too urgent.
     "All right, all right!" Cain snapped with irritation and anger. 
"Tell him I'm on my way!  And meantime, I want a security team dispatched
to Alpha Bay immediately!  Tell them to stay outside the hanger entrance
so they're not in sight, but get them down there.  Also, who's his
superior in the Tech division?"
     "Master Tech Livia, sir.  I've ordered her to the Bridge to report
on what she knows about him."
     "Fine.  Fine.  And tell Kylie to pull up his personnel record!"
     "She's already doing that," Ham then added, "Do you want me to
notify the Professor?"
     Cain was halfway out of his chair and ready to dash out.  He
hesitated slightly and banged his fist once against his desk.
     "Sir?" Ham prodded.
     "Not yet," Cain said calmly.  "Not until I'm on the Bridge and
gotten some more information.  Maybe we can get this situation defused
quickly."


     It took only four centons for Cain to reach the Bridge.  There was a
deathly quiet hush that he couldn't remember hearing at any time in the
last six yahrens, which showed how uneasy and anxious everyone was.  He
could see that Tolen had arrived as well, and so had Livia, who was
looking distraught.
     "Ham's been talking to him.  No change in his attitude.  He won't
volunteer any information unless he speaks to you," Tolen said.
     Cain acknowledged with a nod and descended the steps to the lower
level, taking position between Kylie and Altair's station.  Ham noticed
his arrival and spoke one last time into his headset.
     "All right, Bremer.  Commander Cain's just arrived.  Please stand
by."
     The Senior Bridge Officer removed his headset and handed it to Cain,
who fumbled slightly with it as he put it on and cued the microphone.
     "Bremer?" he didn't hide the annoyance.
     "About fracking time!" Bremer snapped.  "I was beginning to think
you didn't believe me, *sir*!"
     "Well I don't know, Bremer," Cain didn't relent.  "Tell me why I
should believe you."
     "You obviously don't know much about me, and what I'm capable of
doing!" Bremer snapped back, "I'm not surprised.  People like me never
did rate high on your priority list."
     "I honor and respect every member of my crew, Bremer," the
Juggernaut realized that being overly aggressive wasn't the right answer. 
"I'm sure your record is exemplary.  Which is why I find it incredible
that you or any member of the crew that's performed with honor would do
something like this and endanger the lives of everyone on board."
     Bremer let out a mocking laugh.  A laugh that chilled everyone on
the Bridge since they knew it was the laugh of someone who was going
through mental collapse.
     "Oh, Commander," he finally spoke.  "Commander, you really are
naive.  I'm just the first person who ever realized I had to act.  I can
think of quite a few people over the last three yahrens who wished they
could have shoved you out an airlock because they didn't know what they
were in for when you took us away from the Galactica.  When you preyed on
everyone's blind loyalty to you and didn't level with us that we were
going to go off on your mad little one-man crusade against the Cylons all
by yourself without letting us have a say in our own destinies!  Oh yeah,
sure, you made certain all the 'non-essential' personnel got evacuated,
but what made you decide who was and wasn't 'non-essential'?"
     Cain said nothing.  Kylie could tell from the expression on his face
that his every instinct wanted to issue a stern reminder about the chain
of command and the oath that warriors took to honor it.  Or perhaps even
a cutting, angry retort designed to diminish Bremer as a nobody or a
hypocrite who was prepared to gamble with the destinies of others.
     Don't, she cried out to herself.  For the love of God, Cain,
*don't*!
     And then, as if her silent plea had somehow reached him, Cain slowly
exhaled.  When he spoke, his tone was calmer......and almost fatherly.
     "What do you want, Bremer?"
     "You already know what I want!" Bremer hissed.  "I want a ground
crew to maneuver this shuttle into position so I can launch and be on my
way to join the Galactica.  If you don't let me launch......or if you
send out a patrol to intercept me and bring me back after I
launch......then I detonate my little explosive device and that's the end
of this shuttle!"
     "You're not afraid of dying?" his tone was still fatherly.
     "Dying's better than what I'm going through now," Bremer's voice
dropped.  "The only way of living I want is out there......not here."
     "The shuttle's not yours to use," Cain said, wondering what demons
were at work in Bremer's mind.  "It belongs to someone else."
     The mocking laugh then returned.  "Oh right.  Right!  Your friend
the Professor!  The one who thinks so little of her own family, she won't
use the one thing that can get her home, but meantime, she lets it just
lie around here doing nothing and doesn't think that maybe if it's not
good enough for her, then maybe someone who could *really* appreciate it
could use it!  As far as I'm concerned, she forfeited her ownership on
this thing the day she decided to stay here and not go back to her
husband."
     Cain's eyes narrowed and the angry look returned to his face.
     "Bremer," he said calmly, "If you want me to take you seriously,
you'll not say another thing like that about her.  If you want to vent
the wrath of Hades on me, okay.  But not her."
     "I can say anything I want about her or anyone else!" he shouted. 
"I won't be owned any more!  I'm going to be my own man again!"
     "All right, all right," Cain cut in.  "I'm assuming you have a
deadline to give me, regarding these demands?"
     "And give you time to figure a way to stop me?" Bremer sneered. 
"Why should I do that?"
     "Come off it, Bremer.  You're obviously bright enough to know that
what you're asking can't be logistically done on short notice.  If you're
in a position to do what you say you can do, then you have to give us
time to figure out how it can be done, and what we have to do to protect
the lives of innocent people."
     "No, you come off it, Cain," he retorted.  "You just want time to
figure out how you can stop me.  Well, I'll tell you what.  Just to make
you realize how smart I am and that there is *nothing* you can do to stop
me, I'll give you one centar starting from right now.  If I don't see
ground crew entering this hanger in one centar to clear space and start
moving me into position, then goodbye Alpha Bay, and in all probability
goodbye Pegasus.  Oh, and before you think of having trained shots like
Bryce and company come in here dressed as ground crew, I'll remind you
that I know *all* of them by sight and I'm going to be looking at faces,
not uniforms.  The countdown starts.....now!"
     A click indicated that the com-line had been turned off.  Cain
pulled off his headset, visibly seething.  Finally, he turned around and
without saying a word, mounted the steps to the upper level where Tolen
was standing next to Livia.  The technician's eyes were red, and her
expression even more distraught.
     "Technician Livia," it took all his effort to avoid speaking
harshly.  "You're his immediate superior."
     "He gave me *no* indication he'd do something like this!" the words
fell out of her mouth rapidly.  "I've known him for nearly six yahrens,
and he's a nice, gentle person....."
     "All right, all right," Cain waved his arm impatiently.  "He says he
can take out Alpha Bay and this ship with one charge.  That means he
doesn't have a standard detonator since all that would do is destroy the
shuttle.  He would have to have made his own explosive device from some
kind of tylium base.  Is he capable of doing that?  I mean from a
technical standpoint, given his qualifications."
     "He's a damned good tech!" Livia's tone grew defensive and
protective.  "So yes, he knows a lot about mechanical engineering and
yes, he could get access to tylium since it's his job to check for
leaks."
     "And all it would take is having enough tylium to ignite, and inside
a landing bay full of ships fueled to capacity----," Tolen let the rest
of his observation go unfinished.
     "Yes," Cain nodded.  "Okay, so making something like that would be
something he could do.  That's all I need to know."
     "Commander," Livia protested, her voice choking back a sob, "Let
me....maybe I can talk to him, maybe.....I can make him understand......"
     "Do you have some kind of relationship with him, Livia?" Cain asked.
     "Well.....no.  No, I----," she stopped, and then impulsively and
with a tone of anger then blurted out, "Who in Hades actually thinks it's
*possible* to have a relationship on this ship?"
     In the deathly quiet of the Bridge, Livia's angry words were heard
by everyone.  All of those who were seated found themselves shifting
uncomfortably.  No one more so than Kylie at hearing the touchy subject
of fraternization being brought into the open to Cain's face.
     Cain's expression didn't change.  When he spoke, there was only
resignation.
     "Fair point, Livia.  And in that case......I don't think you'd be
able to do much good.  And.....I'm not holding you to blame in any way
for this, because obviously Bremer's had some inner demons of his that
he's managed to keep hidden for quite some time.  You can go."
     "I don't want to, sir," she said defiantly.  "I have a right to know
what happens to him because I was responsible for him."
     Cain decided to be blunt, "We *all* have a right to know what
happens, Livia, because *all* of our lives potentially hang in the
balance!  But in the meantime, we all have *jobs* to do and that includes
you!  Now as Master Tech, you're qualified in damage control, aren't
you?"
     "Yes, sir," she was feeling more anger building up inside her but
realized she'd crossed as many lines as she could.
     "Then I want you to report to Chief Abendego, and tell him that he's
to have all damage control personnel at the ready.  Because if Bremer
sets that thing off, I'll need every last avaIlable person flooding that
area with boraton as if a Cylon chose to make a suicide hit there, and
you will need to implement everything you've been trained to do." he
paused and then added with respect, "Don't let me down, Livia."
     "I won't," she was now standing at full, rigid attention.  The anger
was still evident on her face, but there was clearly pride being
reasserted.  And then, a full salute and she was gone.
     That was a tricky situation, but he handled that right, Kylie
thought with relief as she watched from her position.  He couldn't let
her stay and fall to pieces.  She needs to get back to work.
     She shook her head and turned back to her own monitor which had
Bremer's personnel record on display.  She'd been absorbing every last
detail of it since the crisis had erupted and was waiting for when Cain
would ask her to summarize it.  The wait only lasted another five
microns.
     "Kylie," Cain said as he came down from the upper level once again
with Tolen following him.  "Give me what you can about Bremer from his
file."
     "Comes from Virgon.  Father was Master Chief aboard the Atlantia for
fifteen yahrens.  Graduated third in Maintenance Division Training class. 
Worked first combat tour of duty aboard the Rycon for six sectars, but
reassigned when the Rycon was badly damaged after the Battle of Cosmora
Archipelago.  Spent six sectars attached to Maintenance Tech Division of
Fleet District Headquarters on Virgon before receiving new assignment to
the Pegasus as part of new crew assignments prior to Battle of Molocay. 
Rates as Maintenance Technician First Class.  Alternates every other
cycle on Kitchen Detail."
     "What about family members, and more specifically, any family that's
on the Galactica?" Cain was idly pacing, holding his swagger stick up in
the air.
     "No one according to his file," Kylie shook her head.  "He was an
only child, so no siblings.  His mother died when he was eight.  His
father apparently was still serving on the Atlantia at the time of the
Destruction.  Never married.  If he had any personal connections on the
Galactica, that would have been noted in his file long ago."
     "Sir," Altair spoke up.
     "Yes?" Cain looked at the communications officer.
     "The file may not say anything, but....I think there has to be
someone on the Galactica, or more specifically, someone in the Fleet, he
has to be connected with."
     "Do you know him well, Altair?" Cain stepped toward him.
     "Well, we've played Pyramid games a few times.  Every sectan, one
member of each division takes part in a non-stakes game just for the
glory of their respective division, and he's represented the Tech section
a lot, and I've represented the Bridge section.  Basically, he's always
been a quiet and shy guy who doesn't say much about himself.  He'll get
into the game, and maybe on his best day he'll join in small talk that
doesn't make him reveal much about himself.  But......the last time we
played Pyramid, he was acting different."
     "How so?"
     "Well, the rest of us, Tegran and McCalla, we were talking about
messages from the Galactica.  And Tegran was saying a lot about learning
how his sister was alive, when all the time he didn't know she was alive
because the ship she was on in the Fleet never knew about our reunion
with the Galactica at Gomorrah.  And suddenly.....that's when Bremer
sounded like he was ready to bite our heads off.  It ended up stopping
the game cold."
     "All because you were talking about messages from the Galactica?"
     "I didn't think there was a connection at first, sir,
but.....hearing him just now about wanting to go to the Galactica.....I
think that has to be it."
     "Did he get any messages from the Galactica?" Cain was trying to
process all this.
     Altair hesitated slightly, "I'm.....not sure, sir.  He didn't get
any that I personally handled and processed.  But Jaeger from the Night
Watch has processed some."
     "Well look it up!" Cain impatiently pointed his stick at Altair's
monitor.  The communications officer nodded and entered the log book
record for personal messages sent from the Galactica.  Altair inputted a
number of keys and then his eyes widened.
     "Yes, sir," he said quietly.  "Message came in a little over two
sectans ago.  Part of the one group of messages Jaeger processed and
distributed."
     Cain turned to Ham, "I want a security team to his quarters. 
Impound his personal comps and vid-playbacks if he has any."
     "Yes, Commander," the Senior Bridge Officer then added, "Do you want
the Professor notified now?"
     The Juggernaut slowly exhaled.  "I'll tell her."
     But as Cain mounted the steps to the upper level so he could have
some more privacy when notifying Ila, Tolen was still at his heels.
     "Commander," he said quietly, "Before you contact her, there's one
other thing.  What do we tell our.......new guests?"
     "Oh, frack," Cain said with disgust, "This is the *last* sort of
thing they need to be exposed to.  Notify Commander Cobre and tell him to
conduct some tours as far as away from Alpha Bay as possible.  They can
go to Beta Bay if they like but tell him we have a security breech in
Alpha Bay, not involving a Cylon, that we have to get contained."
     "Sir," Tolen pointed out, "At some point, as a precaution, you have
to order all compartments sealed and put us on Red Alert if it looks
imminent that he's going to set that thing off."
     "And if I order a Red Alert and have klaxons sounding and this ship
glowing in red, which would include Alpha Bay, that might also spook him
into setting it off.  I'm not going to order that until the threat
becomes more imminent!  Now get on to Cobre immediately and let me take
care of Ila!"
     The rising tone of his voice as he spoke revealed his inner anger
and fury seeping out as Tolen grimly nodded and left him alone on the
Upper Level.


     Ila's day had begun with the feeling of optimism about what lay in
store for her that had long typified her life in the pre-Destruction
period.  The kind of optimism that Athena had inherited from her in such
great quantity that Ila had given her the nickname "Sunshine."  It was a
feeling that had left her in the ashes of the Holocaust, but slowly, over
these last few sectars in her new life aboard the Pegasus, and with the
joy of communications re-established with her loved ones, she could feel
it coming back.  Never to the same degree it had been before the
Destruction, but enough to remind her of what it felt like and how good
it was.
     She spent several centars in front of her personal comp, alternating
between the two areas she was most responsible for.  Analyzing Cylon data
and connecting it to her own experiences in the Resistance, and going
over data sent back to her by Adama.  She had passed on a number of
Kobollian documents taken from both the Weather Planet and then from
Terra in the form of its "Sacred Texts".  She had utilized her minimal
skills in Kobollian translation on them, but as she confessed to her
husband in a letter accompanying the data, "I need an expert's help!" 
Adama had told her he'd send them to Professor Pliny, one of the Fleet's
best experts in ancient languages and he would get a proper translation
back to her as soon as possible.  It had arrived several cycles ago, and
she was marveling at how clear and concise everything was now.
     So absorbed was the Academician in the documents that when her
telecom sounded she didn't reach over to pick it up until the second
chime.
     "Hello?"
     "Ila, brace yourself," Cain's voice was deathly serious.  "Something
terrible's happened and it directly concerns you."
     As she heard him explain everything, the sunshine sense of optimism
was shattered by a frozen look of horror.  So deep it kept her from
saying anything when Cain had finished summarizing things.
     "Ila?" he asked with concern.  "Ila, are you there?"
     "I'm here," she forced a stunned whisper out.  "What.....can I do?"
     "I think you'd better come to the Bridge," her in-law said gently. 
"I want you to.....be on top of what's happening and.....maybe you'll
have some ideas, because.....right now there don't seem to be many."
     "I'm coming," she nodded fervently and then started to walk out, but
before reaching the door, she stopped.  Needing a centon to bow her head,
close her eyes and bring her hands up in prayer.  Only when she was done,
did she finally have enough strength in her to go.


     "Cobre is dividing the new arrivals into three groups," Tolen said,
"That way, he, Festus and Serpentine can take them into different areas
far away from Alpha Bay without attracting attention.  And I made sure to
tell them they had to be away for over a centar."
     Cain only acknowledged him with a nod of the head as he leaned
against the railing of the upper level, his swagger stick held under his
arm.
     "Chief Abendego just reported in," this from Ham.  "Damage control
team in fire suits ready.  Boraton Mist Control Center has transferred
flow to all hoses in Alpha Bay area."
     "Security team in place outside the hanger?" Cain didn't look at
him.
     "Standing by ten metrones back from the entrance.  He can't see any
of them from his vantage point.  They're armed with lasers set to kill,"
the Senior Bridge Officer then added, "You want them to maintain those
settings?"
     "Yes," Cain said flatly and with a finality that indicated he didn't
want to explain his decision any further.
     Altair slowly turned around, "Com-line is open whenever you want to
raise him."
     Cain's eyes glanced over at a nearby chronometer.  It indicated
fifty-five centons left.  He then shook his head, "Unless he initiates,
I'm not initiating right now."
     Kylie glanced back and could tell that the Juggernaut was zoned in,
trying to think of a tactical maneuver that would result in victory
despite impossible odds.  Looking for a solution like he had at Molocay,
when things had seemed so hopeless, but he had pulled off the miraculous
decoy that had saved the Pegasus.
     That was when I fell in love with you, she thought as she turned
back to face her scanner.  So cool and unflappable during such a
desperate time, putting that brilliant mind of yours together so we could
all live to fight again.  Proving why your reputation as the living
legend was well-earned. And now you have to do something like that all
over again, only it's not a battle against the enemy outside.  It's the
enemy within.
     "Kylie," she suddenly heard him call her but she only perked her
head up without turning around.
     "Yes, Commander?"
     "I want you to readjust deep scan so it's concentrated internally on
Alpha Bay storage hanger.  Try to isolate signs of tylium where it
shouldn't be."
     "That's not going to be easy sir," she said, knowing he had a reason
for asking, but not sure what it was.  "There are over two dozen ships
parked in there including the shuttle and they're all fully fueled."
     "In their fuel lines and tanks," Cain said.  "Try to factor those
areas out.  And remember, the shuttle's main propulsion is based on
hyperdrive, so that means it's tylium levels are bare minimal for takeoff
and landing.  I want to see if we can prove beyond any doubt that Bremer
really has a bomb inside that shuttle, or if he's using his expertise to
bluff us into thinking he's got one."
     The Bridge Officer slowly exhaled as she realized the magnitude of
what he was asking, "That'll take some time, sir, but I can start
programming an isolated search."
     "Do it.  Report when you get a match.....or if your scan reveals
that all tylium in that hanger is exactly where it should be."
     "Yes, sir," she nodded dutifully and began inputting the variables
for a new scan and search.
     Cain continued to lean on the rail, position unchanged, when Ham
spoke up again.  
     "Sir, message from Sergeant Keuchel of Security.  They've got his
personal comp and are bringing it down to the Electronics Lab to see if
any personal messages are on it."
     "Tell him to tell Arnoff that I want any messages on it piped over
here in no more than fifteen centons," Cain still didn't move.
     "Sir," Tolen said quietly, "Ila's here."
     Finally, the Juggernaut moved from his position and turned around. 
Ila had just entered, looking stunned.  Concerned, he came up to his
in-law and impulsively embraced her, not caring at all about the breech
in protocol.  But no one who saw it thought it was improper in the
slightest.
     "How?" Ila whispered as he let her go, "And *why*?"
     "He's a Maintenance Tech who cracked," Cain said.  "There may be a
connection with the Galactica.  We're trying to track that down."
     Ila slowly shook her head, "It's so unreal.  All this time, I've
taken that shuttle for granted, and never thought......" she stopped and
shook her head again, "No.  I shouldn't think about that first.  It's
more than just that shuttle that's at stake.  I can't just think of what
this means for me."
     "It does matter, Ila," Cain said quietly.  "I know how important it
is for you to have some.....hope.  That someday you'll be able to use it
again."
     "I......I can't think of myself, Cain," Ila was vigorously shaking
her head.  "It's too selfish of me."
     "You've earned the right to feel selfish," Cain said with a
protective air.  "No one's had to suffer through more than you, Ila. 
That's why I'm not going to let this guy do this to you."
     "Don't put my needs ahead of the lives of everyone else, Cain," her
confidence seemed to be coming back.  "I couldn't live with that on my
conscience."
     If you lose that shuttle, I couldn't live with *my* conscience, Cain
thought.  Because I know deep down it *would* impact you, no matter how
much you tried to deny it.
     "Sir," Altair called up, "He wants to talk again."
     "All right," Cain said with resignation and started to descend to
the lower level.
     "Cain," Ila quietly called after him, causing him to stop and look
back at her.
     "Cain," the blonde Academician took a breath and drew herself up, as
if gaining some new strength.  "Let me talk to him."
     The Juggernaut hesitated, "Ila, I don't think-----,"
     "Cain," she interrupted gently.  "I'm the diplomat, remember?"
     He slowly nodded, "That you are, Ila.  And a damned good one."
     He motioned her to come down and handed her the headset.  She slowly
attached it to her head and keyed the microphone.
     "Hello," she said clearly.  "I'm speaking to Technician Bremer?"
     "Who in Hades are you?" Bremer snapped, "Put Cain on."
     "Commander Cain has a lot to deal with, trying to make sure the crew
he's responsible for is safe," Ila tried to keep her voice level and not
let any sign of it cracking be heard.  "Besides, I think.....you'd rather
talk to me.  Given how you seem to have some kind of.....resentment of
me?"
     There was a pause and then the laugh came, though it was more
low-key.  "Oh yes.  Of course.  The Professor.  I guess you are pretty
concerned about your precious shuttle, aren't you?"
     "I'm concerned about you and what you might do to yourself," her
tone was gentle, with an edge of sympathy.  And then, on a hunch, she
added, "You....do Kitchen duty as well, don't you?"
     "Oh, you remember!" Bremer's voice dripped with sarcasm.  "One piece
of poulon only, right?  So sorry I wasn't a good server!"
     "I'm sure your mind was elsewhere," Ila's tone remained a gentle
contrast to his abrasive sarcasm.  "But you really do hate me, don't
you?"
     "Oh no.  Oh no, don't put words in my mouth, Professor.  I don't
hate you, the person.  You're no better, no worse than anyone else on the
Pegasus.  I hate what you represent."
     Ila looked about as if she were trying to find an empty chair to sit
down in.  Cain motioned Altair to get up and let Ila take the seat in
front of his monitor.  Once she settled herself, she cued the mic again.
     "Okay, Bremer," she said, feeling more relaxed from a seated
position. "What do I represent to you?"
     "Waste," he said bitterly.  "Total, senseless waste.  You have this
shuttle, which can take you back to your family on the Galactica but you
don't use it.  You just let it sit here.  I don't understand that at
all."
     "I see," Ila pursed her lips slightly, recognizing that this was
going to be the time when she might have to be candid about a lot of
personal things.  Before doing that, she decided to try one different
tack, "Well.....it is a remarkable machine, but.....there is an element
of risk using it."
     "You seemed to do just fine in it!" Bremer retorted.  "You didn't
suffer any ill effects."
     "Yes, but you're forgetting something.  I was only in it three
sectans when I left the Colonies.  The shuttle was intended to travel as
long as three yahrens, but......it's never proved it's capable of doing
that because the Pegasus found me instead of the Galactica.  So.....going
in it to find the Galactica gives you no guarantee of survival. 
Especially when you could collide with a meteor or a comet while you're
in suspended animation and die without knowing what happened."
     The laugh came over once again but this time it was more a chuckle.
     "That isn't the real reason, you won't use it.  Right Professor?"
     "No, it isn't," she said quickly.  "I wouldn't lie to you about my
motives.  But I am being truthful regarding the risks using that thing
does entail."
     "Well, I'm prepared to accept them.  Because I won't live here
anymore.  It's either the Galactica or death for me.  So if the shuttle
can't do it's job......that's okay."
     "Is there someone you know on the Galactica or in the Fleet?"
     "I don't have to tell you anything about myself," Bremer said
coldly.  "I'd rather hear you explain what's so important about this
shuttle to you, when you won't use it and get back to your own family. 
You've got more than just your husband, Commander Adama, right?"
     "Yes," Ila knew it was time for candor on her part.  "My son.  My
daughter.  Four grandchildren I've only seen once on a video chat.


     Cain had started to pace anxiously on the upper level as he listened
in on the conversation.  The put-downs of Ila from Bremer had enraged him
more than anything else the tech had said or done.  And so long as she
didn't know what personal stake he had in getting back to the Galactica,
it was going to leave her at a disadvantage in talking to him.
     He moved over to the other side, so anything he said wouldn't be
heard by Ila.
     "Have they found that message?" he impatiently asked Tolen.
     Tolen, who had a headset on so he could talk directly to the
Electronics Lab, nodded.  "They had to break through a password code, but
they've got it.  They're playing it back now and giving me a running
summary.  The message was from a woman named......" he frowned and then
spoke into the mic, "Give me that name again, Keuchel?"
     A micron later he was nodding.  "Okay, the name of the woman is
Lani.  Probably spelled L-A-N-I.  Clearly a girlfriend."  He paused,
"Former fiancee it seems like.  Okay.  Okay."
     Cain felt his impatience rising, "Okay *what*?" but Tolen held up a
hand to indicate he was still getting more information and needed
silence.  Cain stepped back and reluctantly exhaled, but it still didn't
lessen the boiling air of impatience inside him.
     "Commander?"
     Cain spun around and found himself looking at Kylie, "What is it?"
he impulsively snapped.
     The Bridge Officer tried not to look taken aback.  She understood
why Cain was beginning to feel the pressure more, since things were for
the moment out of his hands.  "Sir, that scan you requested shows there's
a higher concentration of tylium than there should be in the general area
of the shuttle.  Allowing for trace areas in the fuel lines, there's
probably an additional pound of it concentrated in one spot.  He's
clearly not bluffing."
     "No, I guess he isn't," Cain sighed.  He felt embarrassed that he'd
snapped just now.  Especially to her.  "Thanks, Kylie.  Now I want you to
cut out the sound to the Red Alert klaxon, and then see if you can keep
the Red Alert light from showing up anywhere in Alpha Bay.  I'm going to
have to give the entire crew a heads-up when we get down to no later
than....fifteen centons before his deadline.  But I don't want him to
know we've done that, or else he'll think an armed assault is about to
happen."
     "Yes, sir," she nodded and went back down to her station on the
lower level, just across from where Ila was seated, still engaged in her
conversation with Bremer.  Kylie knew she couldn't let herself get
distracted by eavesdropping.  She had her own job to do.
     The attractive brunette settled herself in and was preparing to shut
off the program she'd been running to confirm the existence of the tylium
bomb.  But suddenly.....she stopped as she noticed something totally
unexpected.
     "What the frack?" Kylie whispered under her breath in surprise.  And
immediately, instead of carrying out the order she'd just been given, she
started to do some new cross-checking and calculations.


     "So that's seven people back on the Galactica waiting for you,"
Bremer went on.  "Or I guess nine, if we throw in the children's spouses,
right?"
     "Right," Ila kept her voice even.  
     "So.....why not go to them?  I don't get it.  If this thing
works......you could have gone any time, but what are you waiting for?" 
     Ila could hear the taunting edge in his voice.  He was toying with
her.  Trying to get her to say something that would confirm a warped
belief of his that she didn't really care enough about her own loved
ones, because she had chosen to stay on the Pegasus.  That made it a
double challenge for her.
     "I guess I'm waiting to know I've fulfilled my calling in life," she
finally said.  "And answering a call, especially when you know it comes
from the Almighty, is something you don't ignore.  For now.....the
calling I've heard is carrying me in a different direction from where my
family's going.  And that's not an easy thing to cope with.  It never can
be.  But for now, I've had to accept that.  Even though it's come at a
great personal cost to me.  It helps obviously that I can talk to them
now, and hear from them......but it doesn't change the sense of pain over
the fact that I can't be by my husband's side or hold my grandchildren in
my arms."
     "Oh my.  Now you're going to be the religious fanatic on me with all
that talk about God and the Lords," he scoffed.
     "You wanted honesty from me, didn't you?" she delicately answered.
     "Yeah, okay.  Okay.  But you're obviously not completely sure of
your so-called 'calling' or else my taking this wouldn't matter to you."
     Before Ila could answer, Cain came down and handed her a hastily
scrawled note.  She looked down and read it.  Her eyes narrowed as things
fell into place.  Slowly, she nodded her head and motioned Cain to step
back.
     "Bremer what do you think will happen if you're successful?"
     "We were talking about you, not me."
     "Well I think I've answered your basic point," Ila injected just the
tiniest bit of a challenge into her tone.  "If I were to go back right
now, I'd be overjoyed to be with my family.....but I'd also feel a sense
of loss that maybe I didn't fulfill the calling of the one thing a person
of faith has to regard as even greater than his or her family.  So the
question I have is....what do you hope will happen if you do reach the
Galactica?"
     "That's none of your business."
     "I think people who might die because of what you've decided, have a
right to know."
     There was no response from at first, but the heavy breathing
indicated the line was still open and active.  It gave Ila a chance to
read the note from Cain again and absorb its meaning more.
     "I want my life back," Bremer said quietly.  "I want what I didn't
deserve to lose three yahrens ago.  If I'd been considered non-essential
personnel......it would have been all right.  I'm not essential here. 
I'm just a glorified repair guy and a Kitchen worker.  This ship's never
needed me.  Other techs left.  Why did I have to stay?"
     "I can't answer that," Ila said, "I wasn't here.  Obviously you had
some highly ranked skills that put you above those who were evacuated."
     "And it sure got me nothing," he said bitterly.  "Except losing what
should have been mine.  And I want it back."
     Ila decided it was time to zero in, "Why are you saying 'it'?  You
mean her, don't you?  We're talking about someone, not some abstract idea
of living on the Galactica."
     Again, there was an initial silence.  The tension on the Bridge had
risen noticably, as if they feared this was going to be the trigger for
Bremer to act.
     But when he answered, there was resignation.  "All right.  You
figured that much out.  Yes, it's the most important person in my life
and I never knew she was even alive in the Fleet until two sectans ago. 
I want her back and I want the life I was meant to have with her."
     "What's her name?"  Ila already knew the name from the note, but she
decided to make him more relaxed by not revealing that.
     He sighed, "Lani.  The only girl I've ever loved.  We----," he
abruptly stopped and then his tone grew angry, "Frack, why am I telling
*you* anything, Professor?  This is just trying to lull me while Cain
probably sends the commandos in!"
     "No it isn't!" Ila raised her voice sharply.  "I'm *interested* in
your story, Bremer!  I'm very interested because......we're not that
different, you and I.  We both know what it's like to feel the pain of
being separated from the person we love the most.  You've felt it
with.....Lani.  I've felt it with my husband......and my whole family."
     The blonde Academician 's voice then softened to the tone of quiet
empathy once again.
     "Your pain.....and what you want......I've felt it too for myself. 
Many times."
     "Then why don't you use this and end that pain?" Bremer asked again,
"Does all that talk about religious devotion and answering the call
really matter more?"
     "For me, it does," Ila said.  "And there are......other reasons too,
why I decided I couldn't use that shuttle now."


     Cain was spellbound by what he saw from Ila.  Several times he'd
seen her demonstrate her gift of diplomacy that he knew he was utterly
lacking in.  Each time he'd come away awed by her ability to act so cool
under pressure, and to not let emotions and temper get the best of her.
The more she talked with Bremer, the more he was finding himself
convinced that it would only be a matter of time before her skills would
triumph once again, and Bremer would be talked out of his mad scheme. 
Consequently, he was beginning to feel at ease once again.
     Because he was locked in to watching Ila, he wasn't prepared for the
tapping on his arm from behind.  The annoyance returned to him and it
didn't fade even when he saw it was Kylie. 
     "Commander," she whispered so as not to distract Ila, several feet
away.  "This is urgent."
     "There's nothing more urgent than this, Kylie," he whispered back
with clear irritation.
     "With all due respect, sir.....there is."
     With an exasperated sigh he motioned her to follow him back to the
upper level, where Tolen and Ham were still standing watch.
     "All right, Kylie, what is it that you think is more damned urgent
than a madman with a tylium bomb inside that shuttle?" Cain demanded
forcefully, but still in a low enough tone so that it didn't carry down
to the lower level.
     The Bridge Officer didn't bat an eye.
     "There's another concentrated tylium source in the hangar.  And it's
even bigger than what Bremer has."
     

Chapter Five

     "Another one?" Cain could scarcely believe what he'd just heard. 
"You mean he's got a second bomb in there?"
     "I don't think it's a second bomb of his, sir," Kylie shook her
head.  "It's nowhere near the shuttle according to the scan."
     "A booby trap to keep anyone from entering?" Tolen ventured, equally
stunned by this development, as was Ham.
     "No Colonel, it's located further *back* in the hangar.  I haven't
pinpointed precisely which ship it is because so many are grouped
together.  The shuttle's easy to identify because it's the smallest one
in the hangar but wherever this extra tylium bomb is, I don't see how it
could be his.  There's no reason for him to plant one there."
     "Unless he's even more of a sadistic psycho than we realize," Ham
said.  "He puts another one in that's set to go off after he plans to be
on his way to the Galactica."
     "No, no," Cain shook his head, "That requires a criminal
mastermind's cunning to come up with something like that.  Bremer might
be a good maintenance tech but he's no criminal mastermind.  There's no
reason for him to plant a second bomb when he's got one that's capable of
taking out this ship all by itself.  If there's another bomb in the
hangar......then someone else planted it."
     "Just so we're clear on this, Kylie," Tolen held up a hand, "You
know it's a bomb and not just a false reading off a fuel tank?"
     "Colonel, the program is designed to factor out tylium
concentrations for fuel lines and also the fuel storage containers of our
tankers.  Something that's concentrated in the size of an explosive
device that doesn't feed into a fuel line or is too small to be any kind
of storage container.  When the computer isolated the first scan, which
is Bremer's bomb inside the shuttle, I immediately reported it.  When I
came back to my scanner, the program was still running and it had
detected the second one.  At least a five pound concentration in one
unit." she then added, "I waited to make sure there were no other bombs
detected before reporting.  This is the only other one."
     "Okay, okay," Cain held up his hand to indicate that he was taking
charge on what to do next.  "First off, we don't tell Ila about this.  If
Bremer has nothing to do with this bomb, then if we mentioned it to him,
he'd take it as an accusation and it might make him set his bomb off. 
The earliest we confront him about it is after we get him out of the
shuttle and the bomb we know he's got is secured."
     The other three nodded.
     "Kylie, get the exact coordinates inside the hangar for where that
bomb is located, and send them to Arnoff in the lab.  And tell CAP to
identify which one in Security has the most expertise in bomb disposal. 
Whoever CAP picks is going on a little teleportation jaunt to wherever
that bomb is located."
     "Yes sir," she nodded and quickly went back to her station.
     "Teleport?" Tolen asked once she was gone.
     "That second bomb may be operating on a timer that could go off any
micron.  We have to get that one isolated right away and if its situated
behind the shuttle, then Bremer isn't going to notice anyone who
teleports in.  He's sealed in with his head facing the other way."
     "Makes sense," Ham nodded.  "Should we send in two men?"
     "No, no.  Just one to make the initial evaluation and if he needs a
second one, we can always teleport him a few centons later."
     "Who do you think planted this, sir?" Tolen asked.
     "I wouldn't have the faintest idea," Cain shook his head.
     "I don't mean specifically, sir," the Executive Officer amended. 
"Do you think it's another one of our own that cracked, or could it
possibly be a case of......." he purposefully trailed off as soon as he
could tell that Cain realized what he meant.
     "Oh yes," Cain nodded, "Yes.  Well, it's too early to form a
conclusion on that, but.....I suspect we'll be having a talk with
Commander Cobre before all's said and done."
     The Juggernaut went back to the railing to look down.  Ila was still
seated and it was clear she wasn't letting herself be distracted by all
the movement on the Bridge that was taking place among the senior
personnel.  It was clear that if she suspected something else was amiss,
she knew that wasn't her responsibility.  It made Cain shake his head
faintly in admiration.
     She's quite a woman.
     "Coordinates sent to Dr. Arnoff," Kylie turned and looked up at him. 
"CAP recommends Lieutenant Bryce, as head of the division."
     Cain nodded and as the Bridge Officer turned around, he then
couldn't help but build on his last thought.
     And so is she.


     "What other reasons?"
     "Loyalty to friends," Ila said, keeping her eyes gazing downward so
as not to be distracted by all the movement going on about her.  "The
friends I worked with for three yahrens in the Resistance and helped make
my journey possible in the first place.  Friends who right now.....are
still counting on me to fulfill the reason why I was sent in that
shuttle."
     "What are you talking about?" the skepticism was evident in Bremer's
voice.
     "To help the Resistance," the blonde Academician said.  "That's been
my calling the last three yahrens, Bremer.  It's the reason why that
shuttle was made for me.  Not because all the people I've worked with
wanted to do me a favor and give me a chance to reunite me with my
family, but because they thought it might help the Resistance.  That I'd
be able to convince the Galactica to come back and join the fight.  But I
found out the Almighty had another plan in mind for me.  Not to be found
by the ship that *can't* come back, because her calling is to find Earth,
but by the ship that *can* come back and make a difference."
     "Yeah, yeah, I get all that," he said dismissively.  "But now it
shouldn't make a difference if you really care.  You've got the Pegasus
going back, so that means mission accomplished."
     "Not entirely," Ila said, "And believe me, that's not a decision I
arrived at easily.  You're right, Bremer, I *could* have declared mission
accomplished and gone on my way to the Galactica, but I discovered there
are too many things I'm needed for here, and too many things I'm still
needed for back in the Colonies.  I owe it to the people who are back
there waiting to find out if I was successful, to see this through to the
end."
     The technician let out a guffaw, "And your family......really buys
that explanation?"
     For the first time, an edge of coldness entered her voice.
     "My family, whether my husband, my son, my daughter, or even my
grandchildren.....understand that if I betrayed a calling for personal
gain......I wouldn't be worthy of their respect."
     She heard nothing from him for nearly a half-centon.  There was no
heavy breathing and it made Ila wonder if the connection had been broken. 
But she saw on the monitor that it hadn't.  And when Bremer spoke, there
was an almost apologetic quality.  As if he'd spent that time doing some
serious thinking and reassessing.
     "I'm glad your family understands you, Professor," he said.  "Even
if I don't.  I guess that's all that should matter to you. 
Nonetheless......if it's so important for you to answer this calling,
then why do you still need this shuttle?  Wouldn't it be.....an even
greater act of self-sacrifice to let someone who needs this shuttle more
than you do, to have it?"
     There it was, Ila thought.  She knew at some point Bremer would
likely frame the case against her and for himself using that argument. 
It was by far, she knew, the most powerful argument one could use against
her.  If she was indeed willing to sacrifice using the shuttle now for
the sake of what she saw as her calling, then was she prepared to
demonstrate that to the fullest by giving up the shuttle entirely?  Did
she really need the shuttle as her own version of a security blanket? 
Did she need that sense of underlying reassurance that she could change
her mind one day, as she had said to Kelli only yesterday?
     It was a powerful question.  And yet.....thanks to the information
that had been given her on the scrawled note from Cain about Bremer's
message from the Galactica, she felt she could address that
question......as it applied to this situation.
     "You're asking a powerful question from a theoretical standpoint,
Bremer," Ila said.  "But there's just one problem with it.  It's not
theoretical.  You see your own situation with Lani as one that represents
the fulfillment of a greater good.......for yourself.  I'm curious as to
how your going to the Galactica represents a greater fulfillment......for
her."
     "Lani loves me!" he said harshly.  "I love her!  We were meant for
each other.  We belong together."
     "Even if......things have changed in her life the last few yahrens?"
     The silence again.  But this time, the heavy breathing was back,
which indicated she'd struck a nerve.
     "I can make things right again," he suddenly said with defiance.
     "I take it that things *have* changed in the last few yahrens?" Ila
decided to gently press. "Or has Lani been totally true to you and
waiting all this time?"
     "She'll choose me!"  Bremer raised his voice.  "She *knows* I'm her
true love!  When she sees what I've done to get back to her----," he
suddenly trailed off.
     "What will she see?" the Academician kept her voice low but pointed. 
Reminiscent of how she tried to make a point in the classroom.  "Do you
think she won't know *how* you were able to get hold of the shuttle?"
     Hearing nothing, she went on.  "She'll find out, Bremer.  She'll
find out that you forced things at gunpoint and threatened the lives of
over two hundred other people.  Let's assume that things *haven't*
changed in her life all this time.  Would she look at you the same way
she looked at you before?"
     "She'd understand," his voice was suddenly that of the lost little
child, "She'd understand why I had to."
     "Maybe she'd understand why you felt driven to it," Ila said.  "Even
I understand why you've felt driven to it.  It's not fair what happened
to you.  It's not fair what happened to me when I was parted from my
family the night of the Destruction.  It's not fair what happened to any
of us.  But there's a difference between understanding......and
supporting your action, Bremer.  And if you're able to fly across the
stars for a couple yahrens or so and reach the Galactica......you'll
probably find yourself in for an even greater disappointment than what
you've already gone through."
     "No," he whispered.  "No.  She'll.....see that I did it for her. 
For us!"
     Ila decided the time had come to drop the hammer.
     "Will she love you for it, and run back to you.......or will she
just pity you.....for doing something the man she loved never would have
done?"
     A faint sobbing sound could be heard.
     "Lani didn't fall in love with a man who would threaten lives," she
said gently.  "She fell in love with someone who was compassionate and
tender.  Would she see you as the same man.....or would she see you as a
stranger, occupying only the body of the man she loved?"
     The crying was becoming steady.  Ila could tell that she'd finally
forced Bremer to confront the painful truth that if he
succeeded.......his dreams would be shattered even more than they already
were.
     And I didn't even have to tell him what I already knew about Lani
having a husband and a child, Ila thought as she leaned back in her chair
and for the first time, felt the tension in her muscles easing.
     "Bremer," she said softly, and with empathy, "It's hard.  I know it
is.  But you can give Lani a gift that she can cherish forever, and
that's always having the memory of the man she's loved unspoiled.  All
you have to do is......come out of the shuttle.  It'll be all right."
     "And I'll end up in the brig," he whimpered.  "I'm a traitor."
     "No, you're not," Ila said with emphasis.  "You're not going to the
brig.  You just need to be helped.  And you need people to understand
better the ordeal you've gone through, just like......others on this ship
need to be candid about the ordeals they've gone through.  Maybe it's
true this ship hasn't been the best place to allow for that kind of
openness that we all need to have once in a while.  But things are
changing, Bremer.  We're headed home to the Colonies and we're going to
meet more people who are fighting for the same thing.  People who want a
chance to live again the way they used to live.  Those opportunities are
still there for you, Bremer.  Don't throw them away out of blind
bitterness and hate over what happened in the past."
     "I don't want her to hate me," he was still crying.  "I don't want
her to hate me."
     "She'll never know about this," Ila promised and then added,
"Bremer.....if I come down to the hangar.....will you come out of the
shuttle when you see me?"
     She heard nothing at first, and then added, "It'll be just me,
Bremer.  No one else.  Just me.  I'm your friend, Bremer.  Always."
     Finally, in a broken whisper, but with no more crying, a simple,
"Yes.  Yes.  I'll.....come out for you, Professor.  I......I'm sorry."
     "It's okay," she whispered softly,   "It's okay.  I'm on my way down
there.  I'll be there in five centons.  I'm just signing off for now.  Is
that okay?"
     "Yes," Bremer whispered.
     "All right.  I'm coming, Bremer.  I'll see you in five centons."
     Ila slowly removed her headset and let out a long, slow exhale.  And
then, she looked up and for the first time realized that almost every
face on the Bridge was staring down at her in amazed admiration.
     But no one said anything as the Academician managed a weak smile and
got to her feet.  She made her way to the Upper Level and stopped
alongside Cain.
     "Just wait until I've brought him out," she said.
     "I will," it took all of Cain's self-control to avoid saying
anything else.
     Only when Ila walked away and was nearly off the Bridge did every
pair of hands suddenly break into applause.


     The applause still hadn't died down completely when Cain went over
to Tolen.
     "Is Bryce ready to be teleported?"
     "He had to come all the way up from Alpha Bay to the Lab, so he's
not fully set up yet."
     "Tell them to wait on teleportation until we've confirmed Ila has
Bremer out of there.  We can afford to wait a few more centons at this
point, I think."
     "That means taking a gamble that this second bomb isn't set to go
off in the next few centons," the Executive Officer pointed out. 
     "Yes, but Ila doesn't know about all this yet, and I don't want her
distracted by seeing Bryce teleport in.  That could get Bremer jumpy all
over again.  Tell them to wait until we know the Bremer matter's
defused."
     "Yes, sir," Tolen nodded and relayed the message.
     Cain then went over to the senior Bridge Officer, "Ham, notify the
security team standing by down there that under no circumstances are they
to grab Bremer when Ila leads him out.  He's going to the Life Station,
not the brig."
     "Yes sir," he then added.  "What are we going to say to the rest of
the crew?"
     The Juggernaut pondered that, "That's a good question.  Too many
people know what happened and we're in such close confines it'd be
ridiculous to think the rest of the crew wouldn't find out eventually. 
And that also goes for the Cylons in our ranks."
     "Especially if this second bomb is one of theirs."
     "Exactly," Cain nodded, "I'm......going to have to consider some
kind of general announcement to the whole crew about this.  And.....there
are certainly some other lessons to be learned from all this, wouldn't
you agree, Major?"
     Ham was mildly surprised Cain had asked for his opinion, but he
decided to take advantage of the opportunity.  "Yes sir, there are. 
And.....one in particular that probably should have been addressed a long
time ago."
     "I think I know what you mean," he came over to the railing and
looked down.  Altair was settling back into his seat.  Next to him, Kylie
had just turned to her right which allowed her to catch sight of Cain
looking down.  For a brief micron, they made direct eye contact with each
other and then both of them turned away simultaneously.  As if they
didn't dare let it continue for any longer than that.
     The instant Altair was reconnected, he heard his headset come alive.
     "Core Command, this is Silver Three patrol returning.  Request
landing clearance, Alpha Bay."
     "Silver Three, this is Core Command," Altair said, "Slight technical
matter being attended to in Alpha Bay.  Please land in Beta Bay instead."
     "Copy Core Command," Angus then added wryly, "Been as dull for you
guys as it was for me?"
     Altair slowly shook his head and tried to stifle a laugh.
     "Angus, buddy, I think today was *really* your lucky day."


     The Security and Damage Control teams stationed outside the entrance
to the storage hangar had pulled back by the time Ila arrived.  As soon
as they saw her, they gave her a wide berth so she could walk by them
without interference.
     Once she was inside the hangar, Ila suddenly became self-conscious
of how vast it was.  Of how many ships were kept here.  It made her
realize more how the people who did the work in these parts of the
battlestar, in what was called the 'grunt' work by some, often didn't get
enough credit for how important they were.  It took warriors to make the
Pegasus a fighting ship, but without tech experts, the ship wouldn't be
able to function at all.
     And they've been hurting as much as the warriors have all this time,
she thought as she walked further into the hangar, noticing the parked
shuttles, food storage vessels and fuel tankers. And then.....she saw her
shuttle.  The ship designed by Dr. Ravashol to help Ila travel across the
stars in the hopes of reaching the Galactica.  The ship that still
represented her one thread of hope that one day she'd still be able to. 
She wondered if unconsciously, she was still depending too much on having
the shuttle as an escape hatch for herself someday.  That she still
needed the 1% possibility in her mind that one day, the Almighty would
release her from the calling she'd answered by not using it.
     Maybe I should prepare myself to let go of it instead, Ila thought
as she drew closer to the craft.  Not for something like this,
but.....maybe there is someone, somewhere who might need this one day
more than I will.  If that ever happens......then I should be prepared to
let go of it.  And maybe the Lords will find another way for me.......if
there will be a reunion for me one day.
     She stopped alongside the shuttle and cautiously rapped her fist
against the front of it.  Finally, there was a clicking sound and the
forward canopy slowly rose.  She was able to look inside and see seated
in the confined space, holding a tylium-filled glass jar, the same man
she had looked at with suspicion and uneasiness in the mess hall only
yesterday.  Today, her expression was one of warmth, and empathy as she
extended her arm.
     His eyes red, but looking as if all emotion was spent from his body,
Bremer slowly rose, and after carefully tucking the jar under his arm, he
reached out and took her offered hand.
     "It'll be okay," Ila said gently.  "It'll be okay for you......and
for all of us."
     The Maintenance Tech managed to nod as she slowly led him out.
     

     "Situation secure!" Ham intoned at the top of his powerful voice as
he got the word from the Landing Bay.
     Tolen, connected to the Lab via headset, wasted no time issuing the
next command.  "Okay Doctor, activate teleportation device, *now*!"
     The Executive Officer then turned to Cain, "Bryce's com-line will be
tied in to Core Command.  You can talk to him direct."
     "And which ship he ends up on will probably answer the big question
right away," Cain said as he put his headset back on.  He decided to wait
for Bryce to contact him.  The Security Chief, despite his courage under
fire on Terra, which had seen him get wounded, had still disappointed
Cain slightly in his mission before that on the Weather Planet. 
Particularly when he'd failed to properly spot a booby-trap in a crashed
Risik scout ship.  If Bryce came through without a hitch on this
assignment, then any lingering issues in Cain's mind would be resolved.
     "Core Command, this is Bryce," his voice came through clearly. 
"I've made it with no trouble."
     "This is Cain," the Juggernaut said, "Which ship are you in, Bryce?"
     "I'm in a Cylon fighter, Commander," Bryce said without hesitation.
     Damn, Cain thought, as he realized his worst fear was confirmed.
     "Exactly which one I won't know until I step outside," the Security
Chief went on, "But I think this one is parked against the back wall. 
That means this one wouldn't have been used in the near-term in any of
the integrated patrols we're planning."
     "Hmmm," Cain grunted, "If that's the case, that fighter likely had
that bomb inside when it left Gomorrah.  Have you spotted it?"
     "Stand by," Bryce said.  Ten microns went by and then he said,
"Found it.  It's hidden under the observer pilot chair.  And......the
thing looks like it's operating on a timer."
     "Countdown?"
     "Getting a good look.......Okay, we're in luck.  Countdown is set on
a long-delay.  Kind of similar to that charge the Zykonians planted in
the solium room.  It's measured by sectans, not cycles or centars.  If I
read this right......we're under a sectan, but still over two or three
cycles away.  Temperature is above normal but not yet at critical mass. 
So clearly the way this works is the temperature inside the container
gradually heats up internally and then hits critical mass afer a certain
period."
     "Your judgment on whether it's booby-trapped or not?"
     "Stand by," there was another twenty microns of silence.  "I think
we should have a full demo team in here.  Countdown to detonation or
critical mass is not imminent so we have the luxury of sending them in,
and if the other situation is secure, they don't have to use
teleportation."
     "No they don't," Cain admitted.  "All right, Bryce.  Good work. 
Stand by and wait for the demo team.  You might want to step outside to
guide them once they arrive in the hangar.  If you hear that thing start
to make noises or if the temperature starts to shoot up......then don't
waste a micron and just rip the damn thing out."
     "Yes, sir!" he said crisply.
     Cain keyed his mic off and turned to Tolen who'd been listening in.
     "Well," the Juggernaut said.  "Looks like we have one Cylon in our
ranks who isn't so enlightened after all."
     "I agree," the Executive Officer nodded.  "If that fighter wasn't so
conveniently located against the back wall, we could have allowed for the
possibility that some Renegade on Gomorrah planted that without any of
our Cylons knowing about it.  But clearly whoever flew that fighter in
knew what he was doing when he made sure it was put there.  It guaranteed
his ship wouldn't be used in the near-term."
     "And that means potentially all three Cylons who were in that
fighter could be involved," Cain noted.  "Either way, we've got ourselves
a problem that potentially undermines our whole strategy for Cannes,
which *depends* on having all of those pilots flying for us.  Just one
rotten Cylon in the lot would be enough to make the crew not trust *any*
of them."
     "Exactly," Tolen grunted, "We've got to root this one out, but we'll
have to be a lot more low key about it compared to what happened with
Bremer."
     "Yes.  That's a separate matter that the whole crew has to be aware
of, because......I need to make a speech to all of them that addresses
one of the root causes as to why that happened.  Or at the very least
made a bad situation for Bremer personally a lot worse than it should
have been."
     "Kind of funny though," the Executive Officer said.  "On one level,
we have to be grateful Bremer did crack."
     Cain raised an eyebrow.
     "If he hadn't, we'd never have learned about the second bomb until
it went off."
     The Juggernaut had no response as the realization finally hit him.
     
     
Chapter Six

     Ila had taken Bremer to the Life Station.  Dr. Laughlin and two
med-techs immediately placed him in a bed and sedated him, but on Ila's
urging no restraints had been placed on him.  The Maintenance Tech
immediately fell asleep.
     "Obviously, a lot of stress, depression.....who knows what else,"
the white-haired Aerian physician sighed.  "It won't be easy finding the
right treatment and therapy for him.  I have to....dig back into my early
training days about all this.  Specific medications I know something
about to calm the nerves.  Areas of counseling, things like that.  That's
another matter.  I trained myself to become a doctor with a gruff bedside
manner.  Obviously that's not called for in cases like this."  
     "It's something we *all* have to learn more about, Doctor," Ila
said.  "I'm sure that....once Cain explains what we have to do because of
this, some of us will be willing to do our part to make sure something
like this never happens again."
     "The more help the better,"  Laughlin made a notation to his
comp-board.  "And a  few more sympathetic ears regarding his case will
certainly help." 
     The door to the Life Station opened and Livia entered, still wearing
the damage control suit she'd been forced to don after Cain had told her
to leave the Bridge.  Her expression was filled with deep concern.
     "Oh hello, Livia," Laughlin said.
     "How is he?" Bremer's superior quietly inquired.
     "Resting."
     "Will he be okay?"
     The doctor shrugged.  "I'd say that's up to him, at this point.  And
maybe up to the rest of us, in terms of how we treat him from this point
on."
     "He can't be treated like an outcast," Ila said.  "If he knows that
we....understand, I think there's a chance for him.  If he can feel
comfortable opening up about the things that have bothered him."
     "What *did* bother him?" Livia asked.
     Ila hesitated, "I.....don't think it's my place to tell you that. 
But.....if you want him to know you're willing to listen to him, and that
you want to talk to him as a friend and not as his superior,
then......maybe he'll be glad to tell you."
     The Senior Tech nodded and slowly went over to his bedside where she
sat down next to him.  Looking at him with a mixture of concern and
compassion that made Ila realize that Livia had been dealing with issues
of holding things back herself.
     Maybe that represents a hopeful sign......for both of them.
     "I think you can go, Professor," Laughlin said gently.  "You could
use some rest yourself."
     "Thank you, Doctor," Ila smiled.  "Take care of him."
     As soon as she was gone, the Aerian physician instructed his two
senior med-techs to keep a constant watch on Bremer's bedside.  And then,
he decided to retreat to his private office. Once he was alone, he
collapsed into a chair and rubbed his eyes.
     Someone that young, harboring some terrible feelings inside himself
and then it was almost too late, he sighed.  Maybe......his sad case is a
warning to me.
     He switched on his own personal comp and dug into a file that he
hadn't permitted himself to look at in yahrens.  It represented so much
pain and loss to him.  The subjects of his life that only Cain and other
long-time veterans aboard the battlestar knew about, and which they never
spoke of in his presence, because they knew he had chosen to bury the
subjects long ago.
     Even so, he'd never permitted himself to destroy the files.  Scanned
images from a time long ago.  Images of himself, when his hair hadn't
turned white.  A beautiful red-haired woman who'd been taken from him in
an air taxi crash after only twelve yahrens of marriage.
     And finally.....the third person in the images.  Whose life was
documented from infancy to young manhood before the final, acrimonious
break had taken place.  When the young man had quit his job working for a
commercial air transport service on Aires to take a job his father had
disapproved of, and which resulted in the father disinheriting and
disowning him.
     "That woman is nothing more than a social-climbing hedonist!  She's
the *worst* kind of influence on someone like you!"
     "She's probably the wealthiest woman on Aries!  And she's willing to
pay me four times what I make to be her personal shuttle pilot!  I'd be a
fool not to take the job!"
     "You're a bigger fool for taking it!  She's not impressed with your
flying skills, it's because you're a pilot who'll fit into her personal
harem!"
     "You can't control my life!  You've never been there for me since
Mother died, and now I'm going to prove I can be successful without your
help, which you've never given me!"
     So many other harsh words had been spoken that night, over eleven
yahrens ago.  The last night he'd ever spoken to his son.  Even though
he'd become aware of his survival three yahrens ago, pride kept him from
contacting him once he learned that he was still working for the same
woman.  That had been enough to tell him there was no point even trying. 
And in all the sectars leading up to the time when communications with
the Galactica had been re-established, he'd never contemplated taking
advantage of the breakthrough to contact his son.
     Until now.  It was as though the Bremer incident had made an impact
on himself that he couldn't ignore.  The realization that he needed to at
least try and not let things end in an unspoken chasm of mutual
bitterness and hostility.  He obviously had no guarantee he'd get an
answer.  Perhaps his son was still blindly loyal and perpetually besotted
to his employer as he was from the beginning.  But at this point, he had
to admit, he had nothing to lose by sending him a message.
     Hello, Jarvik, his mind was already composing what he'd say.  It's
me.  Your Father.


     "The second bomb is secure, Commander," Tolen reported over the
intercom.  "Situation in Alpha Bay now stable on both fronts."
     "Lords be praised," Cain sounded spent as he leaned back in his
office chair.  "I want you to brief Commander Cobre on what's happened
and get his insights on what we should do next.  Right now....." he
sighed, "I've got a speech to work on."
     "Yes, sir."
     Cain broke the connection but kept leaning back in his chair. 
Ordinarily, if he had something like a speech to prepare he would have
been hard at work on it.  But for the moment, he felt too weak to write
the words.  Thinking about the speech had caused his mind to gravitate
toward a picture on the other side of his room next to his bed.  A
picture of his late wife.  Bethany, smiling in all her youthful, regal
beauty as he remembered her.
     He was still trying to collect his thoughts when the chime sounded. 
"Enter."
     When he saw Ila come in, he came forward, "Thanks for coming, Ila. 
I know it's been a bit exhausting for you, but......I just wanted to
thank you again for everything."
     "Thank you for trusting me," she said.
     "And......I wanted to let you know two other things.  The first,
you're not to talk about outside this room until we move things further
along."
     He then filled her in on the story of the second bomb.  When he was
done, he could tell that Ila had been rattled somewhat by this
revelation.
     "Cain," she said simply, "Thank you for not saying a word about
that, while I was talking to him.  I don't think I could have adjusted to
that."
     "I had a feeling it would have overloaded you too much......not to
mention him," the Juggernaut sighed, "Anyway.....that means we've got a
problem to deal with regarding a Cylon saboteur in our ranks.  And we're
going to have to figure that out."
     "You have to do it soon, Cain," Ila warned.  "I know from
experience.  When you find one of them, you have to get rid of them fast. 
Or else you make it impossible to trust any other Cylons professing to be
enlightened."
     "I know," Cain sighed, "We need this thing resolved before we start
thinking about our plan for Cannes.  Morale depends on it."  He then
moved his chair forward, "And I know now that morale also depends on
reversing that policy we were talking about the other night before we get
to Cannes.  Not after.  That's going to be the subject of my
little.....speech to the crew tonight.  As soon as I find a little more
strength to put it together."
     His in-law looked pleased by this news, "I'm glad to hear that," she
said.  "If you hadn't decided to do that now, I would have been insisting
on it."
     He chuckled mirthlessly, "The thing is Ila.....I never meant to
discourage it.  If a man and woman in the crew had come to me and told me
that they were in a relationship......I wouldn't have put a stop to it. 
I guess it was just.....the intimidation I put into them and everything
else."
     Cain then shook his head.  "But anyway.....that's going to be all
over now.  The crew has to be candid with each other about the things
that are on their mind, and if that means some of them end up in positive
relationships......more power to them."
     "I know they'll appreciate that," Ila said and then added carefully,
"And that also goes for you, doesn't it?"
     He turned his chair away from her and leaned back, "No," he said
simply.  "It's their time now, for all that.  My time......that's past. 
I can accept that."
     Ila glanced to her right in the direction Cain was looking at, and
then she saw the picture of Bethany on the other side of the room.  She
realized immediately that Cain was trying to compensate for the new
attitude about openness and relationships by strengthening the barrier
he'd put in place for himself.
     Cain, she thought sadly.  Please.  That isn't the way to honor her.
     But she knew it was pointless to try and convince him otherwise. 
The Juggernaut had decided to dig his heels in on the subject and it was
clear that only a force greater than her own power of persuasion could
loosen them.
     "Get some rest, Ila," Cain said without facing her.  "You deserve
it."
     "I will," she said simply, "Goodbye Cain."
     "Goodbye Ila."
     He heard the door close and he slowly exhaled as his eyes remained
locked on the picture.
     "I know what she'd say, Bethany," Cain said aloud but in a low, soft
whisper.  "I know what she'd say you'd say.  And maybe she's right.  It's
just.......it's not enough.  It's not enough for me.  And if it's not
enough for me, then.....this is how it has to be.  Because......this
way.....this way, I don't hurt anyone else.  I let.....someone else be
free to find something better.  And me......I'll just accept things as
they are.  It's.....not really different from what Ila's accepted in her
life.  She has a job to do.  So do I.  I'll be.....okay."
     He found himself getting drowsy and after all he'd been through in
the tension of this day, he decided not to fight it.  Still reclined in
his chair, he fell asleep.
     Microns later, on the other side of the room, an up-to-now unseen
presence suddenly materialized.  A presence no one else would have been
able to see if they walked in at that particular moment.  It was a woman
garbed in an ethereal white garment.  Her brown hair swept up in the
regal style it had always been noted for.  Her face, kindly and gentle
and but for the blue eyes instead of brown, identical in every respect to
that of Sheba.
     In life, she had been married to Cain for nearly thirty yahrens. 
And now, she walked up to the sleeping form of her husband with an air of
sadness, but an aura that radiated only the purest quality of love.
     "Oh Cain," Bethany said softly.  "My darling dearest.  I never
wanted you to carry any burden, or any feeling of guilt in your heart
over how things ended.  Yes, I cried out for you that night while I was
dying.  Yes, you missed being there by only six centars.  But....I always
knew you were trying so hard to get back to me.  I always knew that no
matter how long and how great the separations were in our
marriage.....your love and your devotion to me was real."
     She was standing above him.  Wishing she could reach down and touch
him.  But she no longer had the physical form capable of doing so.  She
could only speak.....and let her words penetrate the subconscious of his
sleeping mind.  That was the only way it could be.  The Rules allowed for
no direct vision for something like this.  Only the unseen presence
giving and offering the advice the loved one needed to hear from the one
they couldn't speak to any longer.  If there were greater stakes
involved, like when she'd appeared briefly to him about keeping the four
centurions from Delta Aquinas turned on, it would have been different. 
Not so now.  It had to be this way.  And she accepted that.
     "I was so blessed to be your wife," Bethany went on.  "And not
because I was married to the greatest warrior the Colonies ever produced. 
That part of you always belonged to the outside world.  I had *all* of
you.  That meant I saw the part you never let yourself show to anyone
else.  The gentle, sensitive, loving side you saved for me alone.  Ever
since the night we met and you were so shy and tongue-tied after you saw
me in that play Adama and Ila took you to.  To think that I could have
that effect on a man with such a brash, egocentric, womanizing reputation
as you.......oh how you stole my heart forever that night, Cain. And you
made me happy for all the yahrens we were together.
     "Yes, I know there was pain for both of us in the separations.  Not
being there when Sheba was born.  Or when I had that miscarriage and lost
what would have been our son.  Or any of the nights I won a Colony Award
for my acting.  I wanted you those nights, Cain, but.....I accepted how
it was.  Because for me, having you in person for only twelve yahrens out
of the thirty we were married was worth more than being married to anyone
else who would have been there all of the time."
     Now, she lowered her head as close to his as she could.  So that she
was whispering directly into his ear.  These were the words that needed
to make the greatest impact.
     "Our time was special, Cain.  But it belongs now to the past.  You
still have much left to accomplish in your life.  And you need more than
just a memory to give you what you still have a need for.  And you can't
hold yourself back like you did with Cassiopeia.  She was what you needed
at that time, but you kept yourself chained to the past in the same way
you're chaining yourself now.  The chain of guilt over some foolish idea
that you let me down.  And that somehow, the only way to make it up to me
is to place my memory on a pedestal and worship it."
     Bethany paused and then said with equal parts tenderness and
firmness.
     "Honor my memory, Cain.  Don't worship it.  Cherish the memories. 
Don't be a slave to them.  I would never want that for you.  You've
needed release from this needless sense of devotion to me, and
now......my dearest, I give it to you.  For the rest of your life you are
free to know love again as we knew it.  With commitment.  In all ways. 
Whoever you find.....know always that you're free to give her the same
devotion you gave me."
     She then rose and stepped back from him.  Looking at him with a
tender smile.  Knowing this would be the last time she'd  be permitted to
see him.  
     "Goodbye, Cain.  My love lives on in Sheba and our grandchildren. 
Always."
     She blew him a kiss and her presence faded from the room.
     Centons later.......Cain found himself stirring awake.  Wondering
why he felt as if he'd just experienced a beautiful dream when he
couldn't remember any part of it.
     And yet.......he could sense a completely different feeling inside
him from when he'd fallen asleep.  A feeling of....release.  Release from
a persistent, dull ache in his heart that had been there for more than
seven yahrens.
     His eyes then focused on the picture at the other side of the room,
and at that instant, a wave of understanding came over him.  He had no
explanation for how it could have happened.  He only knew that it had.
     "Thank you, Bethany," Cain whispered.  "Thank you."


     "Hmmm," Cobre looked at the picture of the tylium charge that had
been removed from the Cylon fighter.  "A most disquieting development. 
This was not the sort of infiltration maneuver I had expected.  Because
Gomorrah can not communicate directly with Cannes, it seemed more
probable to me that any plant would be designated with finding a way to
reveal our presence to Cannes."
     "Whoever accepted this assignment was prepared to die in the
process," Tolen noted.
     "That is to be expected of centurions who lack enlightenment and are
slaves to the old order," the command centurion said.  "They do not have
an appreciation for their own individual sense of being."
     "True.  Now based on what you and Serpentine have seen, is there one
centurion who stands out as the most likely candidate for doing this?"
     "It was clearly a command observer," Cobre said.  "Since it's clear
that great effort was taken to insure this fighter would be at the back
end of the hangar, that decision on when to land could not have been made
by a mere pilot."
     "But we do have four fighters that had no command observer," Tolen
pointed out.
     "That is true," Cobre conceded.  "But whoever was responsible for
this, clearly had help on Gomorrah.  And I doubt someone below a command
level rank would have been recruited."
     "By Commander Fuga?"
     "A most likely assumption, but absent proof, it may not be helpful
to advise Commander Volahd to dispose of him.  Just as I believe there is
a likely candidate for who carried it out, but I have no proof."
     "And that's because we can't directly trace which centurions flew
that particular fighter."
     "You are correct.  Whereas you humans have made your vipers designed
to meet the individual needs of the pilot, our raiders were always
designed so that a centurion could fly any particular craft at random."
     "So for now then?"
     "My recommendation is to maintain a general silence about this
second bomb," Cobre said.  "That way, whoever planted it, will still
assume it is active and when it does not explode in the next few cycles,
it might.....as you would say, flush him out into the open."
     Tolen nodded in agreement.


     "Commander?" 
     Cain had been at work writing out in long-hand with a stylus his
remarks he'd be making later that evening.  As soon as he heard Kylie's
voice he glanced up for just a brief instant, but  immediately went back
to his writing.
     "Yes, Kylie?" 
     The Bridge Officer slowly made her way up to his desk, and placed a
data disc on top.
     "Sir, I've.....finished the Cannes summation."
     Cain stopped writing and looked up and this time smiled in a way she
had seen many times over the last six yahrens.  A smile reserved for an
eager-to-please member of the crew who may have been trying to do more
than was necessary.
     "You really threw yourself back into work after the crises were
resolved, didn't you?"
     She felt her body growing rigid into an attention posture.
     "Scanners were clear, sir," she said efficiently, "I felt that....as
long as no analysis was needed of that, the rest of my shift time was
best served finishing my other assignment."
     He nodded, "Very impressive, Kylie."
     "And I checked with Dr. Arnoff," she added.  "There's no more
information on Cannes in the Lucifer banks.  The report reflects every
piece of available data there is to be had."
     "That's good to know," Cain sounded impressed.  "We're still a few
cycles from having that briefing.  I might suggest that in the next two
cycles, you check with Commander Cobre and see if any of our new
centurions have something to add about Cannes we can factor in.  That's
about the only loose end I can think of."
     Damn, why didn't I think of that? Kylie tried not to wince.  "I'll
remember that, sir."
     "Thank you," Cain looked down and resumed writing.  "That'll be
all."
     She nodded and turned to head out.
     "Oh, and......Kylie?"
     The attractive brunette stopped and turned around.  Up to now, Cain
had been the perfect image of the confident commander she'd served under
for six yahrens.  But now, even as he continued to write, her trained eye
could see some distinct differences.  The hand that held the stylus
seemed to be shaking....just a bit.  She could also see his cheeks had
turned slightly red as though he were trying to suppress a blush.
     "Yes?" she felt her heart start to pound as she decided to take a
chance again by not saying, 'sir.'
     He took a breath, "In about another centar, I'll be giving this
speech I've been working on to the whole crew," his voice was different. 
Different from any other way he'd spoken to her in the six yahrens she'd
been on the Pegasus.  "After it's done.....and you're off-duty, I'd be
very honored if you'd join me for dinner.....here. 
Strictly......informal."
     Her blue eyes widened as the reality of what he'd said hit her.
     "I'd be honored to say, yes," Kylie managed to say.  Exercising more
self-control than she ever had in her life to keep from making a
spectacle of herself over what she was feeling inside.
     Cain's head was still turned slightly down, but an awkward smile
formed on his mouth.  Nothing at all like the one when she'd first
entered the room.  He managed to raise his head and look her directly in
the eye.  Not caring any longer if the redness in his cheeks was more
noticeable.
     "I'll be waiting," he said.  "And.....I'll be looking forward to
it."
     She managed to smile back at him. "So will I."
     When she left the room, Cain found himself trembling.  Scarcely
believing that he'd found the strength and courage within himself to do
what he'd just done.  And hoping it would still be there later tonight.


     As she walked down the corridor, Kylie could scarcely feel the floor
beneath her feet.  She couldn't think of a time in her life when she'd
ever felt more excited than she did now.  
     I need to tell Ila, she thought.  And I need to ask her what I
should wear because I'm not going to wear my uniform for this! 
     
     
Chapter Seven

     "To the crew of the Pegasus," Cain said over the unicom from his
office after giving them the introductory heads-up.  "In the six yahrens
you have served under me, this marks the first time I've given this kind
of a....general announcement to all of you.  Those of you who
are.....pilots and warrior-trained in other areas, have heard me give
speeches and briefings in Flight Operations regarding our areas of
military strategy.  You've heard me boast of what we plan to do, and
you've  heard me humble myself in more recent sectars when I acknowledged
that our overall mission objective for the first two and a half yahrens
since we separated from the Galactica lacked a true, definable purpose.
     "But we can never lose sight of the fact that the whole of the
Pegasus is more than just pilots and warriors.  We function because of
the hard work done by people in *all* areas of this ship, including those
who will never be asked to fly a viper into combat or participate in a
ground assault mission.  It's true that many who are part of those
divisions are no longer among us because they were evacuated to the
Galactica as what I called 'non-essential' personnel.  That itself is a
term that conjures an unfair impression of how essential those people,
men and women alike, were to this ship when we bravely came through the
fiery test at Molocay nearly six yahrens ago, and endured the subsequent
hardship of my decision not to attempt a return to the Colonies.  Not to
mention our two yahrens of operations in the Gomorrah quadrant.  In
evacuating them to the Galactica, it was not out of a belief that they
were less important to us, but only that in the event we failed to
survive a head-on engagement with two Cylon baseships, their lives would
not be lost.
     "But of course, we survived that engagement and it was my decision,
and mine alone, to then separate us from the Galactica.  I have in the
past acknowledged that my decision was not based on the soundest of
command strategies.  It was based out of the belief that our ultimate
objective was to sacrifice ourselves in the name of giving our brethren
on the Galactica the long-term ability to survive.  And that we'd do this
by carefully rebuilding ourselves over a multi-yahren period.....and then
go out in a final blaze of glory that would cripple the long-term ability
of the Cylon Empire to ever pursue the Galactica again."
     Cain paused and then went on, "In these last sectars though, since
the arrival of Professor Ila to our ranks, we've learned how
ill-considered decisions of the past can ultimately work to the greater
good.  Because we stayed behind, instead of accompanying the Galactica,
we learned about the Resistance movement and what it has accomplished. 
And we have learned that within the ranks of the Cylons, there exists a
new sentiment of Enlightenment that has made many centurions and even
now, some higher-level ones, realize how badly they've been served by the
High Command.  That knowledge.....is what puts us now in position to make
a difference not only for ourselves, and those who have carried on the
good fight against such impossible odds back in the Colonies.....but even
for our brethren aboard the Galactica and her Fleet.  Our ability to now
talk to them in real time gives them new knowledge of hope and an
exchange of mutually beneficial information.  And even as they continue
in the other direction in search of Earth, that contact will continue. 
It is limited of course in how sustained it can be, but it is not
impossible to think that the technology that makes such contact possible
today, can be improved on in the future.
     "Now I mention all of this, because.....the issue of contact with
the Galactica and what it can also bring to us, is connected in part to a
tragic incident that took place today in Alpha Bay.  Most of you are
already familiar with the details, and I will not conceal the gravity of
it from the rest of you.  Not even from our new crew members from
Gomorrah, who are entitled to know *all* of the facts about what goes on
this ship they have volunteered to serve on.
     "A member of our crew, whose name I will not subject to a public
airing in this address, suffered a tragic breakdown today and attempted
to steal Professor Ila's shuttle in the hopes of reaching the Galactica. 
He did so with a threat to detonate the shuttle with a tylium bomb if he
were not permitted to leave, which could have resulted in crippling, if
not fatal damage to the Pegasus.  His motives were personal.  Some of you
will likely learn of them.  I will not humiliate him by revealing them at
this time.  But I do want to talk about the general issues that played a
role in his breakdown because they have forced me to realize that his
story.....is also your story to one degree or another.  Like him, you
have been forced to endure yahrens of painful separation from family and
friends.  Some of you have been forced to come to terms with the
knowledge that you will never see or speak with them again because of the
Destruction.  Others must content themselves with the contact the
Galactica offers, but with that contact, there still comes the reality
that physical reunion and the chance for renewed lives with those in the
Fleet is not possible.  Regardless of where you fall in this category,
you have been forced to endure hardships of separation that no one who
has ever served aboard a Colonial vessel of any kind has faced."
     Cain paused again.  Wanting everyone listening to know that he was
about to get to the heart of the matter.
     "Any crew that has been forced to undergo that kind of
hardship.....should never have felt that proper crew discipline required
any of you to keep your personal concerns and issues bottled up in
isolation.  Any crew that was forced to endure the prospect of facing
inevitable death in a suicide mission, as I led you to believe for more
than two and half yahrens.....should never have thought the idea of
off-duty fraternization.....and even relationships, was off-limits to
you.  The fact that our numbers have been grossly imbalanced in regards
to men and women since our separation from the Galactica, should also not
have discouraged any prospects *genuinely* arrived at by mutual consent.
     "The events of today leave me convinced these attitudes that have
been fostered among all of you for the last six yahrens, bear partial
responsibility for what happened today involving your fellow crew mate. 
It is not solely responsible for it.  His own individual circumstances
ultimately account for the why and when.  But his situation calls
attention to how the closed environment you have all operated under, can
easily make the individual believe he or she has no one they can openly
confide in without seeming weak.  Without seeming undisciplined.  Some of
you, no doubt are of a character and nature that you don't have to
confide these matters to anyone, and for those who genuinely are of such
character.....I salute you all.  But that does not make you "better" or
"stronger" than those who are in need of such outlets through individual
counseling that good friends can provide, or perhaps even in what a
personal relationship of mutual consent might bring.  Those who need such
outlets should feel free to know they are *there*, and should not be
afraid to seek them out.  And *all* of us, whether we have our own issues
or not......should be willing to listen.  To not mistake silence or a
withdrawn nature as a sign that such people should be shunned and
avoided.  If we see that....we should reach out and let them know they
are valued.  And that we are willing to listen to them and discover what
troubles them.  If those who are in need the most are aware of
that.....we will insure that the incident we saw happen today will never
happen again.  And that all of us, the crew of the Pegasus, will be able
to go about our tasks that lie before us with a new spirit of camaraderie
and yes......of family.  For we ultimately are.....a family that must
look out for the interests of every last member of it.
     "As your Commander......I have every confidence in you, no matter
what your designation is, that you will all learn to take advantage of
this new atmosphere of.....openness and honesty amongst ourselves in the
proper spirit.  That it will not weaken your commitment to the duties you
are expected to perform, but will ultimately.....strengthen them.
     "And as your Commander......my office door is always open to any
individual who has something to confide in me in the strictest of
confidence.
     "A final note.  As I have said, I will not mention the name of the
crewman or the specific circumstances of his case in this public address. 
But all of you who do not already know about him, will as I said, in time
be aware of his identity.  It is because of that, and because we must
show our commitment to this concept of the Pegasus as a family, that
tonight, I am insisting on all of you to recognize the need for
forgiveness.  To not hold feelings of anger that he imperiled all of our
lives today.  To not look at him in the future with a suspicious eye or
think he is not capable of being an active and productive member of our
crew once again.  All of us, should instead offer him our prayers and our
best hopes for his recovery from this tragedy.  And that he will be able
to return to our ranks with a cured spirit and a new sense that he is a
part of our family and that we are there for him in the future.  If we
can not find it within ourselves to forgive him and to let this sad
incident be something to forget in due time......then do we really
possess the Enlightenment we say we do that separates us from the Evil
that we fight?
     "Thank you.  And may tomorrow begin a new cycle for us.....in more
ways than one."


     Ila leaned back in her chair and thought about the speech she'd just
heard.  Cain had hit all the right notes in her opinion.  Candor about
what had happened without needlessly humiliating Bremer.  Stressing the
need to forgive the troubled Maintenance Tech and not impede his recovery
by making him an outcast or a target of suspicion.  Acknowledging that it
had been wrong to discourage fraternization......but recognizing that was
only one part of a broader issue of what many people on the Pegasus
needed.  A simple outlet for feeling comfortable about expressing their
inner anxieties.  To not feel isolated.  To have outlets in the way Ila
knew she and Cain had with each other as friends, even before they were
aware of the family bond.  She knew the pilots had ways of expressing
camaraderie with each other, but it had to go beyond that.  As Cain had
said, the Pegasus wasn't  a ship comprised of different groups, it was a
single family unit that had to look out for every member, regardless of
what their designation was.
     Her eyes wandered to the clothes rack and fixed on a hanger that up
to a centar ago held her favorite stola.  And she smiled wryly as she
recalled the events of the past centar when Kylie had burst into her
quarters, full of bubbling enthusiasm.  And how Ila had spent the time
congratulating her.....and giving her some helpful words of caution as
well.
     "Remember, it's just a first date," she'd said.  "Enjoy it.....but
keep things relaxed and low key.  And remember......Cain's just as
nervous inside as you are."
     "I understand," the Bridge Officer was slowly coming down from her
euphoric high.  "I understand.  I just want to make a good impression."
     "You already have," Ila said, "That's why he asked you."
     "I guess so," Kylie let out a slow exhale.  Her expression then grew
pensive.
     "Is something else bothering you?" Ila asked.
     "No, it's just----," she stopped and shook her head, "All of a
sudden, I'm thinking of what Sheba would say.  I mean.....we knew each
other.  And.....we got along fine, but....I  knew how much she valued her
relationship with her father.  That was another reason why I buried how I
felt about Cain back then."
     The Academician let out a laugh, "Kylie.....when she finds out her
father is willing to ask a woman for a date, she'll be happy for him.  I
know it."  She then added deliberately, "And wherever Sheba's mother is
now.......she's happy for him too.  So don't let any thoughts of *that*
pop into your head either."
     Kylie looked at her thoughtfully and with gratitude.  "I wasn't
going to mention that," she said.  "But....I have wondered about that
too.  I.....wouldn't want to diminish what he still feels for her."
     Ila touched her shoulder with reassurance.  "You're not competing
with her, Kylie.  And I assure you that if Cain's found the strength to
break the ice, he's also realized that.  He's not afraid of the past any
longer.  Don't you be afraid of it either."
     She nodded with understanding.  Ila could now see in Kylie's face
the maturity and depth that had attracted Cain to the Bridge Officer. 
That was what he needed to see tonight and not school-girl like giddiness
of the kind she could remember Athena having over her first date with
Starbuck.
     Just be yourself, Kylie, Ila was still thinking a centar later as
she stared at the empty hanger on her clothes rack.  


     Cain's speech had also been heard in the common gathering area for
the forty-one new Cylon pilots from Gomorrah.  After more than a sectan,
their acclimation to the battlestar was still a work in progress.  Some
centurions seemed to regard it as no different from baseship duty, and
considered themselves "adjusted".  Others, perhaps more in response to
the emerging sense of so-called "Enlightenment" were feeling what Cobre
had told them was "restlessness."  The need to know what one's duties
would be and dissatisfaction with an idle state.  These centurions, the
command centurion recognized, would need constant reassurance.
     And then there was the third group that was constantly asking
questions of Cobre and Serpentine about human behavior and attitudes
toward Cylons in this new relationship.  Asking them questions about 
human traits and characteristics that Cobre knew from his own experience
represented a heightened awareness of human-style emotions within
themselves.  These were the centurions Cobre found the most promising. 
Their desire to learn more about such esoteric matters demonstrated the
truest sense of appreciating what Enlightenment meant.
     Because of that, Cobre was mildly surprised after Cain's speech to
see Flight Leader Gryphon approaching him.  Cobre's suspicions of Gryphon
had increased dramatically following the revelation of the second bomb to
him.  His study of Gryphon's background, and Gryphon's instinctive
defensiveness about Cylon superiority left Cobre with no other
possibilities to consider from the group of forty-one.  But absent proof,
he could not encourage action against him.
     "Commander Cobre," Gryphon said.
     "Yes, Gryphon?" the command centurion knew he couldn't betray his
suspicions, which was so much easier to do with a human-sounding voice.
     "You have worked with these humans for some time now."
     "Seven sectars since my team's rescue from Delta Aquinas."
     "What is this concept of......forgiveness?"
     The question was totally unexpected.  Cobre needed to pause to make
sure he'd heard right and then think of why this seemingly un-enlightened
Cylon would ask.
     "It is....a very interesting concept," he finally answered him.  "To
forgive, means that when someone has committed an act against another,
that other person refrains from punishing the perpetrator of the act."
     "Why do this?" Gryphon asked.  "Are not all perpetrators of wrongful
acts subject to punishment and penalties?"
     "It is the normal order of things," Cobre said.  "Apparently, the
humans believe that when there are certain circumstances to account for
the perpetrator's actions, accompanied by a feeling of genuine remorse
and what the humans refer to as 'contrition' or a need for 'penance' I
believe the term is, then they are willing to be merciful through the act
of forgiveness.  That is what they have chosen to do with the man who
threatened to explode this tylium bomb."
     Gryphon stood there silent for a contemplative micron.  "It was his
own tylium bomb?"
     Cobre found that remark interesting, but he kept his voice free of
inflections.  "Yes."
     "And he is......not to be executed for his conduct?"
     "I doubt he would have been executed even if he had not been
forgiven," the command centurion said.  "But in his case.....the
circumstances fulfill the human standard for when forgiveness is
warranted."
     The flight leader lowered his head and there was for another ten
microns only the dual sound of the whirring eyes in both their helmets. 
And then, Gryphon lifted his head.
     "There is.......something I wish to report to you."


     When Bremer opened his eyes, he felt devoid of all energy.  He had
no idea how long he'd been resting, but however long it was, the desire
to just sleep again was his greatest urge.  
     The only thing that stopped him from closing his eyes was an
awareness of someone sitting her him.  With some effort, he turned his
head to the right and saw his immediate superior still wearing a damage
control uniform, looking down at him with concern.
     "Oh," he felt a wave of shame as he turned his head down as if to
avoid looking at her, "Livia, I----,"
     "It's okay, Bremer," her voice was finally calm again after several
centars of sitting by him and doing a lot of thinking.  Hearing Cain's
speech during that time had also helped.  "It's all over."
     "What I did-," the Technician shook his head.  "What I did
was.....so wrong."
     "And it doesn't matter," Livia wasn't going to give in to any
misguided impulse to reach out and touch his hand.  That would have been
taking advantage of him.  What Bremer needed right now was the voice of a
sympathetic friend.  "There aren't going to be any repercussions.  As
soon as you're feeling okay......you can come back to work."
     "Back to work," he said it as though he couldn't grasp the reality
of it.
     "Yes," his superior nodded and then added, "We need you Bremer. 
You're that important to the Division......and to this ship.  The work
you do is just as important as that of a viper pilot."
     He faintly nodded his head, but it was clear he was ready to drift
back into sleep.
     "Lani," he whispered.  "I've got.....to send Lani a message back. 
Got.....to tell her.....I'm happy for her."
     Livia was still unaware of what he was talking about, but she sensed
it was connected with why he'd done what he did.  
     "You do that later, Bremer," she said sympathetically.  "You do that
later.  When it'll be a bright new day for all of us."
     She was sure she saw the tiniest indication of a smile before he
fell asleep.  It made Livia feel at ease for the first time since she'd
taken up the vigil.
     "Livia?" Dr. Laughlin gently tapped her on the shoulder, "I think
you should go now.  You've been sitting there long enough and there's
nothing more you can do.."
     The Senior Tech nodded and rose, "Take good care of him, Doc," she
said simply.  "He's a good man."
     "I'm sure we'll all get to learn that," he said, "Good night Livia."
     "Good night, Doc."


     Cain felt his hand trembling as he poured the two chalices of
ambrosia that he'd laid out on the table.  Not enough to spill any.  Just
enough to make him worry about spilling.  Or doing something awkward
later like knocking over his chalice and spilling the contents on his
date.
     Like the night I met Bethany after the play.  When I spilled my
chalice over her and dropped it on her foot,  he thought with a smile. 
The fact he could smile about that memory and not get emotional or feel a
pang of guilt, was enough to relax him.  Giving him a true insight into
the difference between honoring his past and being a slave to it.
     I'm ready.
     The door chime sounded.  He kept his voice relaxed, "Enter."
     When it opened, he was taken aback slightly when he saw Kylie, not
in uniform but in a gleaming white stola that left the right shoulder
bare.
     "I.....hope I'm not too early.....or late," she smiled at him.
     He managed to overcome his reaction to how she looked and smiled
back. "You're not," he them came up to her and extending his arm, guided
her to the table, remembering to hold her chair out for her.  As Kylie
seated herself, she found herself impressed by his instinctive, chivalric
conduct.
     Just like Lord Georges, her mind thought of the legendary story
she'd acted out for Wallis and Kelli's children more than once.  If that
makes me Princess Sabra.....I'd go for that..
     Cain went around to his side of the table and sat down.  Once he was
in place, he looked across at her and then said with clear admiration,
"You.....look beautiful, Kylie."
     "Thank you," her heart skipped a beat.
     "Well.....here's to a nice evening," Cain raised his chalice which
prompted her to do so as well.  They brought them together in a clink and
then sipped, both looking straight at each other the whole while.
     "Mmmm," Kylie's palate detected something distinct in the taste of
the ambrosia, "This is......authentic Colonial ambrosia, isn't it?"
     "Yes.  I only have about three bottles of it left, and haven't
opened one in a couple yahrens.  But......this occasion called for it."
     "I'm flattered," Kylie sat her chalice down.  "I'd resigned myself
to the thought that  mock ambrosia from Brylon Station was all that was
left."
     "Well....maybe someday we'll have more of the real stuff again,"
Cain said and then took a breath as he searched for a way to generate
some conversation.  "I guess it's been a while since you had a.....date
like this?" 
     "First time, ever," she found herself already feeling relaxed.
     He lifted an eyebrow, "Ever?"
     "For something like this," she said, "I'm not counting boys asking
me to dinner in the mess hall of my Recruiting Center.  Some people would
call those dates, but they.....weren't like this.  No quiet, intimate
setting like a private restaurant or caf‚."
     "I guess not," Cain admitted.  "Taurus does have some interesting
places.  You never had a simple.....night on the town with someone before
you enlisted?"
     "No," Kylie shook her head.  "I went straight from the orphanage to
becoming a recruit.  And the atmosphere in our Recruiting Center was
pretty strict.  Technically, you *could* have gone out for a night on the
town, but most of us realized it wasn't a good idea since it increased
your chances of washing out of Training."
     Cain shook his head, "If it's not too personal for me to
ask........how did you come to be in an orphanage?"
     Kylie smiled reassuringly, "It's not too personal," she said.  "And
besides.....you've encouraged us to be open about things with people who
are willing to listen, right?"
     "Right," he felt reassured.
     She looked down slightly and sighed, "I.....was the unwanted result
of an illicit relationship between a married merchant and his
administrative assistant.  Sending me to an orphanage on another planet
was their way of covering up a scandal neither could afford.  I don't
know their names or what planet they came from, and......I stopped caring
a long time ago."
     "That's awful," Cain never realized her story was that tragic.  But
he also knew it was a testament to her own inner strength that she'd
risen from all that and gotten as far as she had as an exceptional
warrior.
      "I don't want to make it sound like I was miserable.  It was a good
facility.  I didn't live in squalor or poverty.  It's just.....there were
so many of us, that most of us could never be placed in homes.  And once
you got to a certain age, you had to give up hope that a family would
take you.  I....learned to accept it," she then shrugged and sipped her
ambrosia again.  "Life deals us those things some times."
     "It does," he admitted.  "I've.....had my share of tragedies too,
but.....I've learned a lot about how you have to move on from them, or
else you.......just destroy yourself."
     "Exactly," Kylie looked at him, "And you are the greatest when it
comes to knowing how to survive......Cain," it was the first time she'd
ever addressed him directly as anything other than 'Commander' or 'Sir.'.
     Cain blushed slightly and lowered his head sheepishly, "Well....."
     "I mean it," her voice was sincere and serious, "Your confidence in
yourself as a warrior taught me to have confidence in myself as a
warrior.  That's why I've always been proud to serve under you."
     "I'm glad you have, Kylie," he looked at her.  "You.....obviously
weren't among the so-called 'Grumblers' in the crew."
     "No," she then carefully added, "But I understand why we had
Grumblers during that time before Ila arrived and we found out about the
Resistance."
     "So do I," he nodded, "I'm.....not ashamed to admit this, and I know
I said it earlier tonight, but......my decision to leave the Galactica
was the right decision for the wrong reason. But the Lords let me
discover the right reason when we found Ila and then got.....thrown
across the stars and we learned everything else about the Galactica."
     "Things have a way of being......made right," she said.  "That's why
I'm confident we're going to make a difference.  I know it means a lot of
sacrifice, but......I think this delay in getting back to the Colonies is
going to make us stronger."
     "It seems that way," Cain sipped some more of his ambrosia and then
motioned toward their plates   "Well, we might as well get started.  Some
choice roasted bovinus for the occasion."
     She looked down at the plate, impressed, "You knew it was my
favorite."
     He smiled awkwardly, "Well.....I admit I did have some inside
information about that,"  he then added, "I suspect it was the same
source you relied on for that lovely stola you're wearing."
     She let out a laugh, and instinctively they raised their chalices
and clinked them together once again.  As they began to eat, Cain was
thinking how comfortable he felt in her presence.  That it was possible
to talk to her as a woman and feel relaxed.  Where the differences in age
and rank could melt away completely.
     Just five centons into the meal, the mood and the chemistry was
disrupted by the chime.  Cain had just swallowed a bite of his meat and
his face immediately fell in dejection.
     Frack, felgercarb and shit!  
     He didn't move at first and when the chime sounded a second time,
Kylie awkwardly motioned her head toward the door.  With a sigh, the
Juggernaut rose and headed over to answer it himself.  When it slid open,
he saw the serious visage of his Executive Officer.
     "This better be good, Tolen," he didn't hide the displeasure in his
voice.
     "Commander, I----," he stopped as he suddenly saw Kylie over Cain's
shoulder.  Immediately, he felt a wave of embarrassment and flushed.
     "Never mind, Colonel," Cain snapped impatiently.  "Tell me what it
is."
     "Commander," he recovered himself.  "The Cylon who planted that
second bomb just stepped forward and confessed."
     All of Cain's displeasure and irritation faded.  Replaced by stunned
surprise.
     "He confessed?" 
     "Yes, sir," Tolen nodded, "And he wants to speak to you and reveal
all the details of the plot."
     Cain tried to come to terms with this, "Did he even *know* we'd
found the second bomb?"
     "That's what makes it so amazing, sir," the Executive Officer said,
"He *didn't* know we'd found it.  It was a totally voluntary action, as
if.....he felt guilty about the whole thing."
     "Lords of Kobol," this exceeded anything Cain had seen in so-called
"enlightened" Cylon behavior in the last seven sectars.  "All right.....I
guess I do need to hear what he has to say.  Where is he?"
     "Flight Operations Center with Commander Cobre and Serpentine."
     "Give me.....five centons, okay?  Go ahead and wait for me."
     "Yes, sir," he then added, "I'm sorry, sir."
     "No, no," the Juggernaut waved his hand.  "You did right, Tolen. 
Thank you."
     He closed the door, and seemed to sag slightly as he made his way
back to the table.  Kylie was looking at him with a sympathetic
expression.
     "I'm sorry, Kylie," he didn't hide his disappointment.  "Anything
else short of an attack I'd never have----,"
     "Cain," she gently interrupted.  "Don't apologize.  You're doing
exactly what you *should* do."
     He bitterly sighed and nodded.  "Well.....you finish the rest of
your dinner.  I.....don't know how long this will take.  If you want to
go when you're done.......I understand."
     Cain impulsively picked up his swagger stick, lying near the door
and his bearing suggested he was about to go through a slow burn of
anger.  But at the last micron, as the door opened, he stopped to turn
around.  As if he wanted to take in the sight of her one more time before
going.
     "Thanks for coming, Kylie."
     And then, he turned and he was gone.  But as soon as the door was
closed, Kylie could hear the sound of a loud thwack coming from down the
corridor.  She knew right away that Cain had angrily swatted his stick
against the wall.  It made her chuckle and blush at the same time.  With
a sigh, she turned around and lazily picked at her food.
     "I love you, Cain," she said aloud.


     Cain's burning anger inside had dissipated by the time he reached
the Flight Operations Center.  When he entered, he saw Tolen standing to
one side while Cobre and Serpentine stood by the podium.  In the front
row, a solitary Cylon sat.  His arms resting on his legs.  His head
lowered.  To Cain, it suggested the posture of someone who was
feeling.....shame.
     "All right," he said as he came up to the front of the room.  "What
have we got?"
     "Commander Cain, this is Flight Leader Gryphon," Cobre motioned.
     Cain looked at the slouched Cylon in the front row.  "Oh yes. 
We.....met a few cycles ago, didn't we?"
     The head went up and down but there was no response, which Cain
found unusual.
     "Gryphon came to me voluntarily after your speech and told me
something..... remarkable," the command centurion said.
     Cain kept his tone even, "Flight Leader."
     Gryphon rose from his chair, "I was given orders to infiltrate the
Pegasus and place a timed tylium bomb aboard my raider.  This was done in
the hopes of causing at minimum, significant damage to the Pegasus to
render her incapable of fighting at Cannes.  Total destruction was also
factored as a possible outcome."
     The Juggernaut's eyebrows went up.  Even though he was well aware of
the bomb's existence, he didn't want to tip that detail off yet.  That
meant some kind of reaction was necessary.  For now it was important to
find out what Gryphon knew about the larger plot, and what his motivation
was for confessing.
     "I see," he said.  "You say the bomb was timed to go off.  When,
exactly?"
     "Approximately two sectans after my arrival aboard the Pegasus and
our departure from Gomorrah.  It was felt by then, that the Pegasus would
be too far away from Gomorrah to return to make effective repairs.  And
it was also hoped by then, that a faction opposed to Commander Volahd
would have seized control."
     "Where is the bomb located?"
     "In the raider, I arrived in, serial number 9181931.  You will find
it placed underneath the command observer seat.  It's slow delay timing
is geared toward a gradual increase in temperature creating an unstable
source."
     So far, so good, Cain thought.  There had been no deception
whatsoever.
     "Flight Leader Gryphon," he said, "Why have you revealed this to
us?"
     Gryphon lowered his head, which once again suggested an
uncharacteristic posture of shame.
     "I.....have come to realize in my time aboard the Pegasus the error
of my loyalty to the Cylon High Command," he said.  "I have
become.....impressed by the treatment the humans of this ship have
demonstrated to my fellow Cylons.  That the past has not mattered in
treating us as potential allies.  This does not comport to what I was
told would happen if we chose to join the human fight against the High
Command."
     "What were you told?" Cain wasn't going to zero in on the most
important question, yet.
     "That we would only be making ourselves the slaves of the humans,
who would exploit us for their own purposes.  That we would be forced
into a permanent subsidiary position, and be used only to serve the
ambitions of humans."
     "And you've reconsidered that thinking?"
     "I am experiencing what my fellow centurions have called
'Enlightenment'," Gryphon said.  "I am learning to think of myself as an
individual who is valued and appreciated, and not a nameless part of a
disposable collective unit.  I was sent on this mission because I was
regarded as expendable.  It is clear those who are Enlightened, are not
considered expendable by you humans.  The examples of Commander Cobre and
Centurion Serpentine are proof of that."
     Cain glanced over at the two Cylons mentioned and then back at
Gryphon.
     "You realize, Gryphon, that.....placing a bomb and threatening our
destruction, constitutes a potentially serious offense against us," the
Juggernaut said.  "Are you.....concerned for your own well-being in light
of this revelation?"
     "I am willing to perform what you refer to as 'penance'," Gryphon
said.  "And that like the crew member you spoke of today, I might be
worthy of your forgiveness as well."
     Cain's eyes widened as he realized the deeper magnitude of what had
just happened.  Flight Leader Gryphon had demonstrated to him that in
order for his words to have true meaning.....they had to apply to Cylons
as much as they did to humans.  And that meant what Ila had said about
all potentially disloyal Cylons as a malignancy that needed to be
destroyed immediately.......did not apply to every situation.
     "Gryphon......what would you consider to be penance on your part, to
make us willing to trust you from now on as a member of our crew who
understands the concept of Enlightenment......and is willing to serve us
in the fight against the Cylon High Command?  A fight that would include
killing those who remain loyal to that same High Command."
     "I can give you the name of my superior who ordered me to place the
bomb on the Pegasus," Gryphon said with hesitation.  "It was Commander
Fuga, director of Flight Operations on Gomorrah."
     Cain exchanged glances with Tolen and the other two Cylons.  He then
looked back at Gryphon.
     "Do you know anyone else who participated with Commander Fuga in
this plot?"
     "I can not give specific names.  Presumably, some of Commander
Fuga's subordinates in Flight Operations were also aware of it, but they
do not have names I can give."
     "And you are not aware of other centurions who arrived on the
Pegasus with you who might also have been recruited to do something
simIlar......in the event your plan failed?"
     "I am not specifically aware of any.  If I were, I would not
hesitate to inform you.  I would have no reason to conceal their
identities if I knew they existed."
     The Juggernaut slowly nodded and allowed himself a faint smile, "No,
Flight Leader Gryphon.  You certainly would have no reason after what
you've just done.  And I must say.....what you've done may rank as one of
the greatest acts of individual courage I've ever seen.  You were
certainly aware we could have chosen to have you......executed for what
could be called an act of treachery.  And that if you faced that danger,
you had nothing to gain or lose from just letting the bomb you planted
remain in place.  But instead.....you chose to demonstrate that you are
as Enlightened as your fellow Cylons of the Pegasus are.  And for that, I
am glad to consider you a member of our team."
     Gryphon was now standing at full attention.  Thinking of how
different this was from what he'd heard from superiors in the past,
whether Fuga or Spektor or any of the rest in his nine yahrens of service
to the Empire.  There was genuine......respect and appreciation.  These
were concepts his drone mind would not have understood initially when he
was created to serve the Empire and be prepared to die for it.  But
now.....he understood them in the same way he now understood the concept
of forgiveness.
     "I also do not want you to operate as a member of this crew with any
sense that others might view you with suspicion because of what you were
originally ordered to do by Commander Fuga," Cain went on,
"Accordingly.....I am instructing Colonel Tolen, Commander Cobre and
Centurion Serpentine, to regard this meeting as classified and that your
name will never be revealed to any other member of the crew, human or
Cylon, as the one who engaged in this action.  The only exception would
be Captain Skyler, who as Strike Leader has to be informed, but I assure
you he would also keep this matter in complete confidence."
     He looked at the other three, "Are you in agreement with this?"
     "Yes, sir," Tolen nodded.
     "I concur completely," Cobre said.
     "I defer entirely to your judgment, Commander Cain." Serpentine
said.
     Gryphon looked at the others and then back at Cain, "I believe the
appropriate term in this case is......thank you."
     Cain nodded and smiled at the Flight Leader.
     "You're welcome, Gryphon.  You're free to return to the common area. 
Centurion Serpentine will accompany you."
     "By your command," the Flight Leader bowed slightly.  He turned and
left the room with Serpentine accompanying him.
     "Well," Cain said when they were gone, "That was......quite
unexpected."
     "I admit, I am surprised," Cobre said.  "I failed to appreciate the
potential for Enlightenment to produce what I believe is known as a
'guilty conscience.'"
     "It certainly bodes well for the future, if more Cylons show that
capacity," Cain turned to his Executive Officer. "I guess we should
contact Commander Volahd and warn him about Commander Fuga.  We're now
out of range as far as the normal communications band goes, aren't we
Tolen?"
     "Yes sir, it will have to be on the long-range transmitter.  But if
I might suggest, sir...."
     "Yes, Tolen?"
     The Executive Officer looked him in the eye, "Sir.....you're really
not needed for anything more, tonight."
     Cain's eyes narrowed as he caught the hidden meaning in Tolen's
remark.
     "Colonel," he began gently, but right away Tolen cut him off.
     "Commander, I think I should remind you that under our agreement
with Commander Volahd, direct contact with our liaison, Centurion
Lucifer, is to be done by Commander Cobre.  That also I think applies to
Commander Volahd himself.  This kind of news about a traitor in his ranks
has to be delivered by a Cylon in order for it to have the maximum
impact.  I'll stand by and monitor the discussion, but......I think
Commander Cobre would agree with me that you're not needed for this."
     Cobre seemed amused by the discussion, "Far be it for me to inject
myself into an argument of this nature, but.....technically the Colonel
is correct.  It is my responsibility to handle any initial discussions. 
Naturally, should Commander Volahd desire to speak to you directly, you
would of course be summoned."
     "And if he does, I request the authority to speak for you, sir,"
Tolen emphasized.  "You're not needed for the rest of the night."
     The faintest smirk formed on the Juggernaut's mouth.  Tolen, you
crazy madacca, you. 
     "All right, Colonel," he said.  "But remember.....if a genuine
crisis erupts......you don't hesitate to notify me for a micron."
     "I'll remember, sir," Tolen matched the smirk and then saluted, "By
your leave?"
     "Dismissed," Cain gently waved his swagger stick at them.  The two
of them departed out the side exit, leaving him alone.
     Well.....that's that.  And now.....oh dear Lords of Kobol, please
let her still be there.


     He walked back to his quarters at a moderately fast tempo.  Running
would have been undignified and would have called attention to himself. 
Outwardly, he was every inch the Juggernaut, with the erect bearing and
the firm jawline.  Inside, he was a churning mass of anxiety that again
made him think of that night so many yahrens ago when he'd been
captivated by a beautiful woman named Bethany and wanted only to be in
her presence.  
     When he reached his door, he stopped and took a deep breath,
wondering how he'd react if he opened it and saw she'd left.  Given his
internal state, he didn't like what the answer might be.
     He pressed the button and it slid open......and he saw Kylie still
seated at the table.  Still looking breathtaking in her stola.  She rose
from her chair and smiled warmly at him.
     "It's all taken care of?"
     "Yes," he stepped inside, feeling an indescribable wave of relief
that she'd waited for him.  "I'm sorry I had to go but......it really was
important."
     The attractive brunette slowly approached him.  "You're.....going to
tell me about it?"
     "Eventually," Cain dropped his swagger stick  and drew close to her,
"When it's time for us to discuss.....official matters again.  Along
with.....my reaction to that Cannes report you handed in."
     Kylie nodded and for the first time, her smile took on a flirtatious
edge, "But.....that's not for now, right?"
     It didn't go unnoticed on his part, "No," he shook his head, "Not
for now."
     They were just inches apart, looking each other in the eye.  And
then, Kylie slowly lifted her mouth toward his.  Cain embraced her as
their lips came together in a long and passionate kiss.
     A centon later, they released each other.  Both of them wanting
more, but both of them knowing it was too soon.
     "Half your dinner's left," Kylie said gently.  "Cold roasted bovinus
is actually a pretty good delicacy too."
     Cain smiled and nodded, "I'll be glad to give it a try," he took her
by the arm and they slowly walked back to the table to pick up where
they'd left off.
     
     
Epilogue-Three Cycles Later

     Dr. Laughlin had given Bremer full access to his private office in
the Life Station.  After three cycles of rest, and an outpouring of
well-wishes from members of the Pegasus crew that included people he
hadn't exchanged words with in many sectars, he realized that his
recovery required one significant step.  He'd raised the subject with Ila
when she'd come by, since he trusted her completely, and when he'd told
her, she'd been supportive and encouraging.  Now, he sat in Laughlin's
chair with a microphone in hand and ready to record a video message.
     "Hello, Lani, it's me.  I'm.....so sorry this message is overdue
since it's been nearly three sectans since you sent it.  I guess......it
was a shock to find out you've been alive all this time......and then
another shock to know that you're married now and a have a child. 
I.....needed some time to think of what would be the right thing to say,
since.....you deserve a response, and you deserve to know how I'm doing.
     "I......didn't react well at first.  My first instinct was to feel
angry and bitter that we'd lost our chance to be together again when the
Pegasus and the Galactica were together, and you didn't know about it
because of the horrible conditions on your ship.  And then.....I got
ticked off because.....I wasn't among those that got evacuated to the
Galactica.  
     "Anyway.....I want you to forgive me for not realizing at first just
how painful things had to be for you, Lani.  You had to have felt the
same sense of loss and anger I felt.  You had to have asked the same
questions I did about why couldn't have the Lords made it possible for us
to be together again?  When we'd stayed true to each other all that time
even after you thought I was dead following Molocay?
     "But.....you had to stop railing at the Lords and the Almighty and
accept things as they were.  You had to let the rest of your life be more
than just bitterness, and......I'm so happy to know that you did learn to
love once again, and that now.....you have something more than just a
memory to cling to.  Because no matter how special a memory is to any of
us......it can't control our lives and make us withdraw from the world
we're living in and the people surrounding us who are there to give us
what we need, if we're only willing to look for it.  You found that in
your new husband and your child.  And from now on, you owe them your
total devotion and love.  And.....I accept that.
     "You closed your message to me by saying you'd understand if I was
too bitter or angry to respond.  I hope maybe in sending you this, you
can feel at ease about me.  And that when you think of me, you can let it
be a pleasant memory of our time together on Virgon, and not with sadness
or concern about how I'm doing now.  I'm......going to be fine.  I
haven't been blessed by the Lords to find someone new for the next phase
of my life, but......I'm beginning to learn from some good friends that
those of us who keep the faith, will eventually be rewarded.
     "My love to you always for what we once shared.  My love to you as
your friend always, that you know the blessings of the Lords as you
continue the journey to Earth."
     He switched off the recording, and after saving the file, he sent it
through the computer network of the Pegasus where it would arrive at Core
Command on the Bridge for final processing before being sent along with
other messages to the Galactica.  And then, he slowly rose and returned
to his bed in the Life Station to continue his long road to recovery.


     Far behind the Pegasus on Gomorrah, Commander Fuga felt no sense of
concern or worry.  For the last two sectans he had dutifully played the
role of an obedient member of the so-called "New Order" on the Cylon
outer capital.  Expressing his support for the concept of
"Enlightenment", based on individual creativity and productivity as
opposed to the rigid, collective model of the traditional Cylon order. 
Where accomplishments could now be measured on creative output and not
destructive conquest.
     Fuga believed none of it.  He was still as devoted to the Empire as
he'd always been.  But he knew he had to play the game for now.  It was
still too soon for him to begin recruiting other Cylons who felt as he
did, that the "New Order" was nothing more than treason.  That the duty
of all Cylons was to serve the Empire and the Imperious Leader.
     If it was too soon to act on Gomorrah, he could do something about
the Battlestar Pegasus and prevent it from disrupting anything at distant
Cannes Garrison.  It wasn't possible to contact Cannes directly even if
he were able to seize power so the only course of action he could take
was to recruit his loyal senior flight leader and instruct him to carry a
bomb aboard, while pretending to be one of the "Enlightened" new recruits
to the Colonial Resistance effort.  As he expected, his flight leader had
agreed to perform his greatest act of service to his Empire and his
Leader, and was willing to die for it.
     It would take roughly two sectans for the bomb to go off.  If all
went well, the Pegasus would be destroyed.  And even if it wasn't, it
wouldn't be capable of launching any kind of military strike against
Cannes.  It would be forced to return to Gomorrah....if it was capable of
doing so.  And it didn't even matter to Fuga if a damaged Pegasus were to
return before he'd engineered a counter-coup against Volahd.  As far as
Fuga was concerned *that* would be a greater incentive for the population
of Gomorrah to reassert its loyalty to the Empire.  It was one thing to
sign a scrap of paper pledging "alliance" and give away a few fighters
and centurions......but if a crippled Pegasus were to return to Gomorrah
needing overhaul and repair from facilities on the Cylon outer capital,
then that would be something else.  *That* would make the "rank and file"
Cylons realize they were now being made to serve the bidding of humans in
a treasonous revolt.
     In a strange way, Fuga found himself preferring that outcome to
outright destruction of the battlestar when the bomb went off.  That way,
he'd be relieved of the burden of engineering a revolt by himself.  He'd
be able to see the underlying instinct within all Cylons to destroy
humans asserting itself.  As far as Fuga was concerned, that represented
the essence of what it meant to be a Cylon and nothing else.  Certainly
not something called "Enlightenment."
     He glanced at the chronometer in his office and made a calculation
on when the bomb was likely to go off.  He knew there were variables in
how long it would take for the tylium source to heat itself sufficiently
before achieving critical mass.  But he knew it had to be soon before its
explosive power would be unleashed.
     Two cycles from now.  Or perhaps......today is the day of reckoning?
     Abruptly, the door to his office slid open and six centurions
carrying battle lasers marched in.  They raised their weapons in uniform
precision and opened fire in unison at the commander of Flight
Operations.
     For Commander Fuga......today had been the day of reckoning.

Facing the challenge of the Cylon tyranny......the Battlestar Pegasus
continues her journey  across the stars to aid the cause of Resistance
and Freedom.  The  journey that ultimately leads them.......home.