BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: A PROMISE KEPT       
                           by
                     Eric J. Paddon

        Based on characters created by Glen A. Larson  

          This is a work of fan-fiction and is not
         intended to infringe on any copyright laws

                          Prologue

   "Good morning sir," Apollo's adjutant Strelka said as the
Governor-General of Caprica entered the outer-office area.
   "Good morning Strelka," Apollo replied politely, "What do the
appointments look like for today?"
   The adjutant smiled, "I took the liberty of seeing to it that your
schedule for today be light.  After all, you and President Adama and
Madame Sheba were here quite late last night."
   "So we were," Apollo admitted, "But not as late as we had expected."
   Strelka's smile faded and he awkwardly lowered his head, "Yes, well I
must apologize again sir.  The Archives had led me to believe that the
Pegasus telemetry covered the entire period in question, but...."
   "I'm not blaming you for that, Strelka," the Governor-General
interrupted with gentle reassurance, "That's the farthest thing from my
mind.  I think all of us are resigned to the fact that we're never going
to learn the full story of how the Pegasus took out the bulk of the Cylon
Empire."
   "Yes sir," Strelka seemed relieved as he settled back in his chair,
"And if I might add, it might not be good for the morale of all our Cylon
workers to learn about how their fall from glory came about."
   Apollo instantly laughed, "Excellent point, Strelka.  I've spent five
yahrens developing a good relationship with my own servant, and I
wouldn't want to ruin that.  Especially since both my children adore
him."
   "Do they?" the adjutant lifted an eyebrow, "It's almost frightening to
consider that future generations will never know what it means to hate a
Cylon."
   "You don't really mean that, do you Strelka?" Apollo smiled back with
an air of gentle chiding.
   "No," Strelka admitted, "I suppose I don't."
   "Since the schedule is light though," Apollo pressed the button that
let the door to his main office slide open, "I'm going to take another
look at one part of the telemetry that's still there.  If anything
important happens, feel free to interrupt me."
   "Yes sir."
   Once Apollo was inside his office, he went over to the Main Computer
from where he, Sheba, Adama, Starbuck and Bojay had spent the previous
afternoon and evening looking at the restored telemetry from the wreck of
the Battlestar Pegasus.  After almost twenty yahrens they had finally
learned exactly what Commander Cain had done when he and his ship had
disappeared after the Battle of Gomorrah, and they had also learned the
full details of how Cain had spent the next two yahrens lying low before
unleashing his grand plan of destroying both Gomorrah and the planet
Cylon.
   At that point, Bojay and Starbuck had decided they had learned all
they needed to know, since Commander Cain's next moves which had led to
the near annihilation of the Cylon Empire had long-ago been revealed by
the dying breath of the Imperious Leader in the great Last Battle. 
Apollo, Sheba and Adama had chosen to stay though and learn the
full-details of the rest of that story, but after returning from a
dinner-break they had discovered to their surprise that the rest of the
data was no longer there.
   Although baffled by the loss of the remaining data, Apollo's reason
for returning to the tapes this morning was not to look for any hidden
clues.  Rather, it was a desire to go over something he had seen in the
earlier data.  Something that had stunned him inside when he'd seen it,
but which he had not said anything about to his father or his wife.
   During the two yahren period when the Pegasus had been lying low,
something had happened to them that touched on a matter that on one other
occasion had also touched his life, long ago.  Something that he'd never
talked about to anyone, and which he had tried to suppress the memory of
ever since.
   Now that he was alone, he felt a burning curiosity to go over that one
incident again.
   Only by doing that, could he feel that at long-last he'd be able to
honor a forgotten promise he'd made long ago.  A promise that he'd always
known was hollow and could only remain broken for eternity from the
micron he'd said it.
   Slowly, Apollo took a breath and pressed the button.
 
                     Chapter One  

   "It has been fully one yahren and one sectan, since the Battle of
Gomorrah, when I made the decision to take the Pegasus into hiding as
part of my current master plan to inflict maximum terror on the Cylon
Empire.  The time since has been devoted both to keeping the Pegasus
hidden from the Cylons, as well as the task of making this battlestar as
close to one-hundred percent efficiency and fighting capacity as is
humanly possible.
   "With all damage to the ship itself fully repaired and replaced after
all this time, the new priority is replenishing our ammunition supply. 
While it is clear that we can not increase our viper capacity of
forty-one, nor replace the four missiles used to destroy two basestars at
Gomorrah, there remain many abandoned outposts and garrisons throughout
the star system that conceivably contain forgotten supply depots that
will enable us to fully restock our ammunition supplies for our vipers
and our laser turrets."
   Just then, the intercom chime sounded, and Cain set the microspeaker
of his computer journal down, "Yes Tolen?"
   "We're approaching the Hatari System, Commander," the executive
officer's voice seemed to have a trace of something different than it's
usual tone of efficiency.
   "On my way," he immediately rose and flicked the switch off.


   Once Cain was on the bridge, both he and Tolen were staring at the
view screen in awe at the blue nebulous cloud that filled their
line-of-vision.
   "After twelve yahrens, it looks the same," Cain said wistfully.
   "Yes," Tolen nodded.  There was more than wistful memory in his tone
though.  Inside, there was a good deal of sadness and regret.
   "They say warriors never return to the scenes of their old battles,"
the Juggernaut continued to look at the cloud grow closer, "But as
always, it looks as though I'm proving to be an exception to everything
they take for granted about a warrior."
   "Sir," the executive officer turned to look at him, "Truthfully, how
would you rank Delta Aquinas out of all the battles you've ever fought?"
   Cain shrugged, "A qualified success, I would say.  The Cylons were
driven from the quadrant, but there was one thing we didn't do, and it's
because of that, that we now find ourselves returning."
   Tolen cast a somewhat sad glance at the floor, "There was one thing I
didn't do back then, Commander.  Unfortunately, it's something that can
never be corrected."
   The Juggernaut looked at him and frowned in amazement, "Tolen, are you
trying to tell me that you still haven't let go of that?"
   "I thought I had sir," Tolen said, "Until I learned that we'd be
coming here."
   Cain slowly shook his head, "Tolen," he said gently, "Captain Martin
was one of the finest men I ever commanded.  But what happened to him was
part of the job.  He knew that.  You've never had any reason to blame
yourself."
   "I was his wingmate," Tolen said quietly, "And I took my eye off him
during the battle.  If I didn't have a reason, then I wouldn't have
resigned as a combat flyer after that mission and transferred to Bridge
Support."
   "And halting your career in its tracks," an edge of coldness now
entered Cain's voice, "You were a damn good combat warrior, Tolen.  You
could have had a career that would have had you commanding your own
battlestar at the time of the Holocaust.  As good a Bridge Officer as you
became, and as good as an executive officer as you've been, you denied me
of your true talents."
   The executive officer was silent.  If he needed any confirmation of
the reason why he'd always known he'd never be given his own command,
Cain had just given it to him.
   "But I'm going to need you to put those talents to use," the
Juggernaut continued, "You're the only other veteran of Delta Aquinas,
Tolen.  That means you'll be responsible for planning and organizing all
that we need to do."
   Tolen frowned, "Sir?"
   "You heard me," Cain was blunt, "I was only a participant from the
bridge of this ship.  You on the other hand, were on Delta Aquinas, and
you know the area.  That's why I'm counting on you to get a team of three
other warriors together."
   "And you expect me to take part in this as well?"
   "Originally, no," he looked him in the eye, "But frankly Tolen, as a
result of this conversation, I have changed my mind.  You are going to be
in command of this assignment.  It's time you bury the ghosts of the past
forever."
   The executive officer visibly stiffened.
   "Start going over the warriors you think will help the most," Cain's
tone became pure business, "As soon as you've done that, assemble them in
the briefing room and let them know what's at stake.  The old battle
charts are at your disposal."
   "Yes sir," Tolen did not even bother trying to protest.  Protest
hadn't worked when he'd first tried to convince Cain of the folly of not
staying with the Galactica.  It certainly wasn't going to work now.  Not
with a man as implacable as the Juggernaut.
   "And another thing," Cain flicked his swagger stick against Tolen's
shoulder, "I expect you to be wearing something other than a bridge
uniform when you get started."
   As Tolen left the bridge, he didn't even bother with a natural
comeback about needing the services of a Caprican tailor.


   When he put on his brown flight uniform and jacket for the first time
in yahrens though, he discovered to his amazement that he wouldn't have
needed a tailor.  It still fit with the same ease he'd worn it during his
first six yahrens of service as a warrior aboard the Pegasus.
   Selecting a team for this assignment had been relatively easy. As
Cain's closest friend and ally, he knew he couldn't dare take the risk of
having Silver Spar's flight leader, Captain Skyler come along as well. 
Skyler was practically the one warrior aboard the Pegasus who'd been able
to keep the vast majority of grumblers in line.  For him to come along
with Tolen would leave Cain surrounded completely by warriors who after
one yahren were still bitter over the Juggernaut's decision to leave the
Galactica and begin a long-term plan of one day annihilating the Cylon
installations in Gomorrah and elsewhere.  Supposedly for the sake of
giving the Galactica long-term security from Cylon pursuit, but which
many thought privately was part of a colossal ego trip on Cain's part in
which every one aboard the Pegasus was condemned to an inevitable death.
   Already, Tolen had decided that he would find three grumblers for this
mission.  The selection had finally come down to Lieutenant Banker,
Lieutenant Angus and Sergeant Doyle.  He had briefly considered
Lieutenant Paris, who was rumored to be the worst of the grumblers, but
decided that he couldn't take the risk that Paris would be less
professional in carrying out his duties.  The other three, he knew he
could trust to get the job done.
   And so, it was those three who now sat in the briefing room and
listened to what he had to tell them.
   "All of you haven't been with the Pegasus long enough to remember the
battle of Delta Aquinas, twelve yahrens ago," Tolen began, "Before you
understand what will be at stake on this mission, some background
information will be necessary."
   The executive officer then projected an image of a star chart on the
screen behind him.
   "This is the Hatari System," he ran his hand across the image, "It's
comprised of literally dozens of planets and asteroids packed together,
at least half of which are capable of sustaining human life."
   Two of the three warriors began taking notes.  All save Banker, who's
expression was massively indifferent.
   "Apparently some thousand to two thousand yahrens ago, prospectors
from the colonies first set out for this system, and according to what
sketchy information we have, long-term settlements did take hold on some
of these planets.  It was because of that sketchy intelligence on
isolated human settlements still existing, that the Cylons moved into
this region twelve yahrens ago for the purpose of building a garrison
here."
   A close-up of a solar system consisting of seven planets now appeared
on the screen and Tolen pointed to the second one.
   "Delta Aquinas, although suitable for human life, was evidently chosen
by the Cylons because the lack of known human settlements facilitated
their timetable by letting them establish a garrison first, before
getting to work on destroying the populated planets.  Once this
information on the garrison construction was intercepted by Colonial
Intelligence, the Fifth Fleet was sent in for the purpose of eliminating
the Cylons from this system."
   "Sir?" Lieutenant Angus raised his hand, "Did the intelligence
indicate how far these settlements had advanced in terms of their ability
to defend themselves?"
   "I'm glad you asked that, Angus," Tolen said, "The intelligence
reports indicated that none of the human settlements had reached a
technology beyond that of the third millennium.  Evidently, the
prospectors who'd originally migrated there long ago, were not very
bright in terms of developing basic technologies.  None of them had any
kind of spaceflight capability."
   "So the Fifth Fleet went in to stop a potential massacre from
happening," Sergeant Doyle noted.
   "Exactly," the executive officer nodded, "We went in full force to
destroy the garrison, and hopefully seize their ammunition storage
bunkers."
   "I think I can guess what happened, Colonel," Doyle jumped in again,
"The garrison was destroyed and the Cylons driven out, but the ammunition
is still there."
   Tolen continued to nod, "It was not for lack of trying to get the
ammunition though.  The Pegasus and the Celestia were able to get in the
first strike, but by the time we got assault teams in to secure the area,
two basestars showed up to try and pull-out all the remaining Cylons."
   Another picture filled the screen.
   "This is the layout of the Cylon garrison," Tolen pointed, "The
ammunition bunkers were located here.  The plan we operated under twelve
yahrens ago, was to send in a one-man shuttle stripped of all excess
weight, and piloted by a Lieutenant Staley, to load all the surplus
ammunition.  Overhead, two squadrons commanded by Silver Spar leader
Captain Martin were to provide escort for Lieutenant Staley's shuttle
back to the Pegasus."
   Tolen paused before resuming, "Lieutenant Staley had not yet gotten
himself off Delta Aquinas when four squadrons of Cylon fighters suddenly
descended on us followed by the two baseships.  What happened next, was
probably the most massive combat engagement the Pegasus went through
until Molocay.  Almost half of Silver Spar group was lost, including
Captain Martin."
   "Some things never change," Banker muttered under his breath, as he
absently gazed at the floor. 
   Tolen glared at the disgruntled warrior for a moment, but decided not
to say anything about it yet.  Instead, he took a breath and went back to
the board.
   "At any rate," he continued, "By the time the battle was over, all
contact with Lieutenant Staley had been lost.  And because we had the two
basestars on the run, Commander Cain decided it was more important to
pursue them then to go back for the ammunition.  Since one of the
escaping basestars was destroyed, the decision turned out to be correct
from a short and long term standpoint."
   "And after all these yahrens, that ammunition is still on Delta
Aquinas?" Angus asked.
   "All intelligence indicates that the Cylons never came back to the
quadrant," Tolen answered, "So yes, it should still be there amidst the
garrison remains," he skipped a beat and chuckled grimly, "Along with
Lieutenant Staley's shuttle."
   Banker continued to look at the floor and shook his head in disgust.
   "We'll be using two shuttles, which is all we can afford to spare.  We
don't have the time to strip them down, so we'll just be trying to load
as much that's humanly possible," the executive officer said firmly,
"It's imperative that we get in and out of there quickly, and avoid all
contact with any of the human settlements on the other planets.  We can't
run the risk of someone spotting ships from the Pegasus and using that
information as leverage with any Cylons that might conceivably come back
here some day."
   He then shut the monitor off and looked about the room, "Angus, Doyle,
report to Alpha Bay and stand by.  Banker, don't go.  I want a word with
you alone."
   As soon as the other two warriors had gone, the executive officer then
came up to where Banker was sitting, with the coldest expression he could
muster.
   "All right Lieutenant," Tolen said with equal coldness, "Suppose we
clear the air right now, before we go any further on this mission."
   "I'm listening," Banker said with flat indifference.
   "You sure as frack didn't give me that impression during the
briefing," Tolen shot back, "Repeat the major details of the mission
assignment, now."
   "Yes sir," Banker looked at him, "Delta Aquinas, the ammunition stored
in sector 4-CG of the abandoned Cylon garrison where we will make the
first attempt to discover the location..."
   "Very good," Tolen said, "Can I expect similar attentiveness during
the mission?"
   Banker got to his feet.
   "Colonel," he said, "Right now, I hate Cain's guts more than any other
warrior on this ship with the possible exception of Paris, and if those
feelings seem obvious at times, then I'm not going to apologize for that. 
But one thing I'm not, is a man who shirks his duty when he's asked to do
a job and I'm not about to start now."
   "Good," the executive officer looked him in the eye with authority,
"Stick to that, Banker.  Now in the meantime, get down there and join
Lieutenant Angus.  Sergeant Doyle will go in my shuttle."
 

   "Pegasus Core Command to Delta Aquinas shuttles, you are cleared to
launch," Major Ham's deep voice intoned.
   "Affirmative, core command," Tolen replied as he made the final
adjustment to his belt, and then switched frequencies, "Beta shuttle,
prepare to follow."
   "We won't be taking our eyes off you, sir," Angus replied.
   Tolen then looked at the console and took a breath.  How long had it
been since he'd last flown one of these things?  At least five yahrens. 
He'd been able to keep flying these things on occasion long after he'd
stopped flying a viper.
   Which, he thought further as he flicked a switch, had happened right
after the last time he'd been here, twelve yahrens ago.  When the man who
had been his wingmate, his squadron leader, and his best friend since
Academy days had been lost in battle.
   As the shuttle roared to life, exited the landing bay and began its
trek toward the nebulous cloud where the planets of the Hatari System
lay, Tolen found himself reflecting further on Martin.  When he'd entered
the Academy, Tolen had never thought he'd meet a man with a greater
passion and zest to become a combat flyer than himself.  That had changed
the micron he met Martin, a fellow native of Virgon.  The two struck-up a
fast friendship after discovering that they shared a mutual passion for
replaying historic battles on the war games computer.  From that point
on, many long centars after Academy classes would find Tolen and Martin
engaging each other in a contest of wills over who had the better mastery
of military strategy, while other evenings would find them in the flight
battle simulators, seeing who could outrun the other in simulated combat.
   After four yahrens at the Academy, it soon became apparent to Tolen
that as good as he was, Martin was better.  Then again, it had long
become clear to Tolen that Martin simply had more desire.  Whereas Tolen
had learned to broaden himself by finding the time for dating young
women, and going out with his fellow cadets on other activities, it
seemed as though nothing could ever break Martin away from the war games
computer and the flight simulator.  It was as if the singular devotion to
combat and fighting the Cylons was all that gave any meaning to Martin's
life.
   And so, when both men were assigned to the Battlestar Pegasus, it
didn't surprise Tolen that his friend rose through the ranks more
rapidly, and that after six yahrens, Martin had already been promoted to
Captain and was the commander of Silver Spar Squadron.  But he'd still
thought enough of his old friend's ability to make Tolen his wingmate,
and Tolen considered that the highest respect he could ever receive from
Martin.  It was something he took to heart every time they participated
in a battle.
   But Delta Aquinas had been different from all the other battles they'd
participated in.  It seemed as though there had been more Cylon fighters
in the heavens than at any other time.  Coupled with the additional
concerns over providing cover for Lieutenant Staley's shuttle, and the
protection of the other planets with their primitive human settlements,
the usual pattern of tight organization that Martin had always kept over
Silver Spar Squadron seemed to collapse.  This time, the vipers and the
Cylon fighters were simply flying all over the place with almost no
coordination.
   Somehow, Tolen had managed to hook-up with Martin just in time to see
a new phalanx of seven Cylon fighters enter their area.  But once Tolen
had radioed that no one could find Lieutenant Staley's shuttle on their
scanner, Silver Spar leader had ordered him to pull back and try to find
it.
   Tolen had hesitated for a brief centon.  As good as he knew Martin
was, the thought of letting his friend go up against seven fighters
seemed like too much of a burden to take up.  But after another forceful
order from Martin to go-back and look for the shuttle, Tolen finally gave
in, hit his turbo and sped back toward Delta Aquinas.
   He arrived to find four more vipers from Silver Spar locked in another
dogfight with ten Cylon fighters.  The battle continued for almost ten
centons until a recall order came from the Pegasus.  The two basestars
were pulling out of the quadrant, and the Fifth Fleet had decided to
pursue.
   By the time the disorganized remnants of Silver Spar had made it back
to the battlestar, Tolen discovered to his horror that Martin was not
among the survivors.  No one else in the squadron could recall seeing him
on their scanner to know how and when it had happened, but whatever the
case may have been, the brilliant life and career of Captain Martin was
over.
   Almost immediately, Tolen found himself plunged into a deep depression
over his friend's death.  Not simply because Martin had been his best
friend aboard the Pegasus, but because he felt that he was ultimately
responsible for what had happened to him.  A good wingmate would never
have heeded Martin's request that he could take care of the seven
fighters himself.  And he knew that if he hadn't been so blinded by
Martin's talents as a flyer that he had seen ever since their Academy
days, then he would have followed his instincts and stayed with him. 
What only made it worse for Tolen was that the reason why he'd been
ordered away, to search for Staley's shuttle, had all been for nothing. 
Just as the battle's intensity prevented anyone from ever locating what
had happened to Martin, so too had it been with Staley's shuttle.  It
seemed likely that it had been destroyed before getting off Delta
Aquinas.
   When the battle finally ended with the destruction of one of the two
basestars, and the Fifth Fleet returned to the colonies for overhaul and
repair, Tolen's depression reached the point where he decided that he
could no longer be a combat flyer.  And so, he had requested a transfer
to bridge duty, which a reluctant Cain agreed to.  And thus began his
second career that in the twelve yahrens since had seen him go from the
Pegasus's weapons officer, to chief bridge officer, and finally to
executive officer.
   He found himself enjoying his new responsibilities, and as time
passed, he discovered that the only way he could prevent the past from
haunting him, was to block all memories of Martin and the battle from his
mind.  It was a subject he felt so strongly about that when he became
married two yahrens later, he pointedly refused to tell his wife why he'd
left flight duty, and it was a vow he'd stuck to throughout their
marriage.  All the way up to the day the Pegasus "disappeared" at the
Battle of Molocay, and he'd been plunged into a similar depression at the
thought that his wife might not ever know he was still alive.
   But those concerns became moot when word of the destruction of the
colonies came through to the Pegasus.  And when they had been reunited
with the Galactica, a check through their Fleet Personnel Computer, only
confirmed what Tolen had already known, that his wife had been one of the
near-billion victims of the Holocaust.
   His wife's death was a tragedy he'd long since been able to put into
perspective, because he knew that there was nothing he could have done to
prevent that.  But Martin's death was different.  He knew he could have
done something then.  And that was why the return to Delta Aquinas after
all these yahrens only reopened those painful feelings he'd experienced
at the time.
   But as the executive officer continued to guide the lead shuttle
through the outermost cloud of the nebulae that would take them into the
Hatari System, practicality finally returned to him.  If he had to give
Lieutenant Banker a stern lecture on the need to put aside his hostility
to Cain in order to get the job done, then he knew he had to practice
what he preached and put aside the bad memories of what had happened
twelve yahrens ago as well.
   After another centon, the swirling clouds of the nebulae faded, and
several planets now became visible to both Tolen and Doyle.
   "Which one is Delta Aquinas?" Doyle asked.
   Tolen motioned his arm to the right, "The one that looks like a place
where the Cylons would build a garrison.  The nondescript grey one right
there," he then adjusted his headset, "Beta shuttle, do you copy?"
   "Took a bump coming through the cloud sir, but we're here," Angus
replied.
   "Good," Tolen said, "Landing coordinates programmed.  We should be on
the ground in fifteen centons."
   "It'll be nice to breathe some real air again after three yahrens,"
Angus added dryly.
   Tolen almost smirked, "I've been there, Angus.  It isn't much.  One
breath there, and you'll already be yearning for the purified recycled
atmosphere of the Pegasus."
   "Cylon residue, no doubt," Doyle grinned.


   Inside the second shuttle, Angus turned to Banker and noticed the
sullen expression on his fellow warrior's face.
   "What's the matter, Banker?" Angus gently needled, "Not willing to
join in the merriment about the planet's air?"
   Banker continued to stare ahead, "Who gives a frack anyway?"
   Angus shook his head in disgust, "Banker, now is not the time to keep
stewing over the Merchant of Death."
   "What else has there been to do, this last yahren?" he kept looking
ahead, "We hop around from system to system, keeping a low profile while
we fix our ship and restock our ammunition.  All so we can die in the
name of the craziest scheme ever designed by an ego-driven lunatic."
   "I hate it too, Banker," Angus turned away from him and returned his
attention to the shuttle ahead of them, "But like Skyler says, we all
took the oath that we'd be willing to die for our nation."
   "Which doesn't mean felgercarb since we lost the war," Banker
retorted, "Maybe if we were still with the Galactica and protecting her
fleet while searching for Earth it would still have some validity, but
not for something like this."
   "So go start a mutiny," there was no sympathy in Angus's voice, "Paris
would join you in an instant.  Maybe you'd get one or two others dumb
enough to go along too."
   "Don't be ridiculous," Banker snorted, "When you're talking about
someone like Cain, you can't get anyone to take a stand."
   "Then do me a favor, and shut up!" Angus roared, "It was bad enough
hearing you cry in your boots for six sectans about how you never found
the guts to tell Sheba what a crush you had on her, and the last thing my
stomach can take is more whining from you over this."
   Banker glared at him but said nothing.
   "I'm as mad too about this whole fracking situation," Angus went on,
"If Cain had told me in advance that this was what he was going to do
after we took out those two baseships, I'd have been on the first shuttle
back to the Galactica before the engagement.  But in spite of all that,
there is a perverse logic to what Cain is trying to do.  And if
sacrificing ourselves gives the Galactica long-term security, then maybe
it ends up being worth something after all.  We're just bitter because we
have to be the ones doing the sacrificing."
   The silence from his fellow warrior almost indicated to Angus that
deep-down, Banker knew he was right.  But there was probably too much
stubborn pride inside him to admit that.
   As Delta Aquinas loomed closer in their field of vision, Banker
finally said aloud with resignation, "Let's just go ahead and get this
fracking job done with."

                       Chapter Two

   The surface of Delta Aquinas was flat and desolate, equally matching
the nondescript image the planet projected from the stars.  As Tolen set
the lead shuttle down and exited, he could see instantly why no human
prospectors had ever settled on this planet.  There was literally nothing
of value to be found here.
   Until now, he gently corrected himself as he and Doyle watched the
other shuttle carrying Angus and Banker land thirty feet behind him.  A
centon later, both warriors emerged and had joined the other two.
   "How far are we from the garrison?" Angus asked.
   "Right over that clearing just ahead," Tolen motioned, "We may have to
blow some of the doors inside there, so bring some low-level charge
packs."
   "Already have them," Banker patted the extra belt around his waist, "I
believe the briefing notes indicated that we might need them for just
such a purpose."
   "Good work, Banker," Tolen smiled thinly, "Glad to see how focused you
are."
   The lieutenant's return smile was equally thin, and equally devoid of
mirth.
   The four warriors then trudged off on the dirt flatland to the small
rise ahead.  When they reached the top, they looked down and saw the
abandoned Cylon garrison, just fifty feet away.
   What had once been an imposing structure designed to strike terror
into the eyes of any non-Cylons who ever beheld it, was now a pathetic
remnant of its former self.  Although the walls remained intact in their
original position, the once-shiny metal showed clear signs of blast and
fire damage, while other sections had slowly rusted over time.
   "My, my," Sergeant Doyle noted, "Looks as though you did an efficient
job of turning this place into a mess twelve yahrens ago, Colonel."
   Tolen allowed himself a small chuckle, "The irony of it Sergeant, is
that it will be better for us if we weren't so efficient.  It won't do us
any good if the ammunition depot was destroyed back then."
   The four made their way down the incline to the garrison entrance. 
The steel door hung open on its rusted hinges, and they went in.
   No sooner were they inside when something caught Tolen's eye and
caused him to abruptly pull out his laser pistol and wheel into a firing
crouch.
   "Colonel, relax," Angus said gently, "It's only a dead centurion."
   The executive officer slowly exhaled as he got back to a standing
position and put his pistol back in his holster.  He then went over to
the long-dead console, where the broken but intact body of a Cylon
centurion still sat in its chair.
   "Can you believe that?" he mused aloud, "Still keeping watch after all
these yahrens."
   "Thank the Lords it's been a silent vigil," Doyle quipped.
   The four resumed walking past more wrecked equipment and more dead
centurions as they went deeper and deeper into the complex.  Numerous
holes in the metal roof above caused the wind from outside to echo
through with a haunting tone amidst the decayed and collapsed garrison.
   "Sure seems spooky," Banker spoke up for the first time, "How much
further to Compartment 4-CG?"
   "Around this corridor up ahead," Tolen said as they stepped   over a
collapsed portion of ceiling bulkhead.
   When they reached the door that led to the ammunition bunker, they saw
that it was sealed in the closed position.
   "Looks like we'll have to blow it open," Banker started to remove one
of the charges from his belt.
   Angus went up to the control panel and then held up a hand, "Hold on,
I don't think we're going to need an explosive."
   "What do you mean?" Tolen frowned.
   "The auxiliary power unit for this section is still intact.  I think
with an adjustment or two, I can get it operating and we'll have power
restored for this whole section of the complex."
   Tolen looked at the other two warriors, "An evaluation please, on
whether that seems prudent."
   "I say we chance it," Doyle said, "With full power back,  we'll save a
lot of time getting this stuff out of here."
   "There is the danger that some live circuits could trigger an
electrical explosion," Banker pointed out, "Twelve yahrens is a long-time
for these circuits to be inactive."
   "No chance," Angus shook his head, "All the wires are in place.  The
wall here is intact, so the safety coating on all of them must still be
intact as well."
   Tolen took a breath and then nodded, "All right Angus, go ahead."
   The lieutenant calmly went to work on the control panel to one side of
the door.  After several delicate adjustments, he then pressed the switch
that would turn the console on.
   After a second's hesitation, a groaning noise echoed throughout the
corridor as machinery came to life for the first time in twelve long
yahrens.  Several of the overhead lights that had been dark suddenly
flickered before coming on.
   "It works," Banker was amazed, "It really works."
   "Who'd have thought it," Doyle chuckled, "The Cylons really knew how
to build them sturdy."
   Angus turned his attention to the panel controlling the door. A micron
later, the compartment door leading to the ammunition storage room
opened.
   As they entered, they could see the restored power taking effect
throughout the entire room.  Long-dead consoles now blinked to life with
activity again.  It seemed as if the room had been functioning smoothly
all this time.
   But on the other side of the room, a large blasted hole in the wall
that exposed the desolate landscape outside provided a sharp reminder of
the battle that had taken place long ago that the restored power could
never eliminate.
   "The bunker lockers are over there," Tolen pointed as he and the other
warriors walked across the room amidst the ghostly echo of the wind
swirling in.
   "Sealed shut," Angus grunted as they came up to them, "But with the
power back on, that should be no problem."
   The four of them took an anxious breath as Angus went to work on the
consoles controlling the storage lockers.  The low beeping noises of the
buttons being pressed sounded, and then to the sound of compressed air
escaping, the lockers all opened together. 
   And then, the anxious anticipation that had been building inside each
of the four men suddenly evaporated and was replaced by expressions of
crestfallen disappointment.
   "It's gone," Banker broke the silence, "It's all gone."
   The executive officer ran his hand inside the empty locker.  They
should have been packed completely with ammunition cartridges.  But there
wasn't a single piece to be found in any of the lockers.
   "Looks as though the Cylons were able to take it with them when they
were chased out of here," Doyle said glumly.
   "Not a chance of that," Tolen shook his head, "I was there.  There
were no Cylon shuttles or cargo ships that could have done it."
   "Whatever the case, it seems as though we came here for nothing,"
Banker said with the faintest trace of bitterness.
   The executive officer then looked back at the gaping hole in the wall
and snapped his fingers.
   "Sir?" Angus frowned as they followed him over.
   "Banker," Tolen leaned in front of the hole, "You're the explosives
expert.  Would you say this hole was caused by laser turbos from a viper,
or from a high-level explosive charge?"
   Banker got to his knees and inspected the charred metal that bent
inward and slowly nodded, "Definitely not caused by viper fire, or else
the rest of the room would have been shot to Hades.  This was done by a
charge planted on the outside, all right."
   "And I know who planted it," there was a look of irony on Tolen's
face, "Lieutenant Staley.  He actually made it in here and loaded the
ammunition into his shuttle."
   "Then we really are at a dead end, Colonel," Banker got to his feet.
   "How so?" the executive officer stood up.
   "We made a thorough scan of the area before we landed, didn't we
Angus?"
   "We did," Angus admitted, "There was no trace of any shuttle wreckage
here or anywhere else on the planet."
   "So that means if Staley was able to load the ammunition from here, as
it seems likely that he did," Banker went on, "Then he took off, and
during the chaos of the battle, the Cylons blasted him into infinity."
   Tolen absently drummed his fingers against the wall.
   "I think sir, it's clear that we came here for nothing," Banker said,
"The sooner we get back to the Pegasus, the better."
   The executive officer was silent for a moment and then slowly shook
his head.
   "Not yet, Banker," he said gently, "Not yet.  There's still one other
thing we have to consider before we scrub the mission."
   "Which is?" Angus asked.
   Before Tolen could respond, a look of concern suddenly passed over
Doyle's face.
   "Something wrong, Doyle?" Tolen asked.
   "Sir, is it my imagination, or am I hearing something funny?"
   The four of them grew silent and listened about.
   "Just the wind from outside, Doyle," Angus said, "I know it sounds
spooky, but that's all it is."
   "No," the same look of cautious concern crossed over Tolen's face,
"That's not the wind.  It's coming," his eyes suddenly locked on to the
compartment door on the other side of the room, "It's coming from there."
   They made their way up to the door, with each warrior cautiously
drawing his laser pistol.
   Tolen pressed his ear to the wall and listened.  The noise was much
more distinct.  A back-and-forth whirring sound that was quite familiar
to him.
   "Holy Frack," he whispered in horror as he backed up, "There are live
Cylons on the other side."
   "How?" Angus and the rest were shocked.
   Tolen looked back at the door they'd come through, "A sleeper
contingent.  When power was restored to this section, it turned them back
on."
   "I'll go shut it off," Angus started toward the entrance.
   "Not yet!" Tolen hissed through clenched teeth, "Not yet.  At any
rate, that's only going to prevent more from waking up.  It's not going
to do a thing for the ones already out there."
   "We have to take them on sir," Doyle said, "A single one of those
tincans could find a way to fix communications and have a basestar in
this area in less than a sectan."
   "Agreed," Tolen nodded, "But there's no telling how many we're dealing
with."
   "We've got to take a look and find out," Banker said grimly, "As soon
as we know, we can drop back and regroup, and then kill the power."
   "Okay, open the door Doyle.  Banker, Angus, cover me."
   The sergeant's heart was pounding as he flicked the switch.
   The door slid open, and they instantly saw three Cylon centurions
standing just in front of the entryway.
   "Fire!" Tolen shouted as they opened fire with all the fury and
intensity they could summon.  The lead two centurions were hit instantly
and collapsed to the floor.
   Quickly, the four warriors began to drop back as several more
centurions became visible.
   "At least five, six more!" Doyle shouted as he resumed position.
   Just then, the new column of centurions entered the room as the four
Pegasus warriors fell back on the main entrance.  Armed with their own
bulkier laser blasters, they returned fire.
   As Tolen backed out into the corridor, he looked frantically at Angus,
"As soon as they're all in, kill the power and get them sealed in there!"
   "That's all of them, just those six!" Doyle shouted as he fired
another shot.
   "Kill the power!" Tolen barked at Angus.
   As the lieutenant frantically went to work on the control circuits, a
shot from one of the centurions then struck Doyle squarely in the chest. 
The sergeant collapsed to the floor in a motionless dead heap.
   A horrified Tolen fired back and took out the lead centurion that had
killed Doyle.  He saw the Cylon crash to the floor just as the door slid
shut and the lights above went out.
   "Doyle!" Banker looked down in alarm.
   "No good, he's dead!" Tolen shook off the anguish going through him. 
Casualties were the last thing he expected to have on a mission like
this.
   "I've got them sealed off from the way they came in, sir, but they can
still get out through the hole in the wall."
   "We've got to cut them off from there!" the executive officer started
to dash down the corridor, "Come on!"
   And then, without looking back at the body of their fallen comrade,
the three warriors ran down the corridor back to the garrison entrance as
fast as they could go.


   When they emerged from the garrison and back into the desolate
landscape, they could see the Cylons emerging from the blasted hole on
the other side of the complex.
   "Felgercarb," Tolen hissed, "I shortcounted them.  There are seven of
them.  That's too much for the three of us to handle."
   "Recommendation, sir?" Banker could scarcely conceal the anger that
was raging inside him.
   The executive officer sucked in his breath, "Okay, here's what we'll
do.  Banker, you and I will fire and create a diversion to get them back
toward here.  Angus, when that happens, you get your ass back to one of
the shuttles and get the landram out."
   "Got it," Angus grimly nodded.
   "Stand by," Tolen motioned to Banker, "Stand by and now!"
   On cue, Tolen and Banker leapt in front and opened a massive volley of
fire toward the seven centurions in the distance.  At the same time,
Angus began sprinting off in the other direction up the incline that led
back to the two shuttles.
   None of the centurions were hit by the barrage from the two Pegasus
warriors.  But the Cylons did turn toward them and lost sight of Angus,
which was all they had hoped to accomplish at that point.
   "Take cover!" Tolen shouted at Banker.  The lieutenant scrambled in
back of a rock outcropping while the executive officer shielded himself
behind the blasted opening of the garrison entrance.
   They could hear the whirring sounds of the centurions draw closer, and
the thud of their metallic boots against the ground grow louder.
   Tolen bolted out and fired one shot that took out the second centurion
in the column.  He ducked back and safely avoided the return fire that
slammed against the door.
   Thank you very much, Commander, he said to himself in disgust as he
heard another barrage hit against the door.
   From the other side, Banker popped up from behind the rocks and took
out another centurion from the rear of the column.  That caused the five
remaining to scatter about in the area near the main entrance.
   Banker looked back over his shoulder, hoping he'd see the reassuring
sight of Angus driving the landram down the incline.  But he knew it
would take at least several centons before Angus could have it started
and away.  He had to keep buying some more time.
   The lieutenant decided to chance it to another outcropping.  He dodged
more than six shots from the five centurions before he made it over.
   From the main entrance, Tolen felt his heart pump faster as he got off
another round but scored no hits.  If any one of them drew closer, he'd
have to retreat back inside the garrison complex, and he'd be trapped
inside for all intents and purposes.
   And then, a loud roar erupted from the distance and caused Tolen and
Banker to momentarily smile in relief.  They could see the landram
descending the incline headed straight for the main entrance.
   The five centurions were caught off guard by the sudden appearance of
the landram.  They all turned their attention to the approaching craft
and opened fire on it.  Several sparks erupted as their blasts ricocheted
off the vehicle's surface.  But now that they were focused on the
landram, the five of them had now left their backs totally exposed to the
two hiding warriors.
   "Take 'em out!" Tolen shouted as he leapt into the open and fired
rapidly.  From behind the outcropping, Banker also leapt out and opened a
barrage.
   In less than ten seconds, all five of the remaining Cylons collapsed
to the ground.
   "Oh God," Banker sighed as he and the executive officer trudged out to
meet each other, while simultaneously the landram came to a stop, "God,
that was the last thing I expected to go up against."
   "Forget it," Tolen said bitterly, "I don't know why I didn't think of
the possibility of a sleeper brigade.  The full responsibility for this
rests with me."
   The landram door opened and Angus stepped out, "Is that all of them,
sir?"
   "That's all," the executive officer said, "Damn."
   "Do we go back for Doyle?" Banker asked quietly.
   "No," Tolen said bluntly, "There's nothing we can do for him, and we
can't take time out to lug his body around."
   "At least we can bury him with some dignity!" Banker protested.
   "Lieutenant," Tolen responded sharply, "We don't have time.  The way
things stand now, I'm not even going to waste time reloading this
landram.  The sooner we get off here, the better."
   "Sir, if you'll forgive me, that's not a good idea," Angus gently cut
in, "The whole point of our mission is to leave no trace that we've been
here, and if the body of one of our men is left in the complex, along
with an abandoned landram, than any Cylon wandering by here is going to
learn right away that the Pegasus is still alive and well."
   Tolen threw up his arms in exasperation, "All right Angus, you go
ahead and reload the landram into the shuttle you took it from.  Banker
and I will...do what we can for Doyle."


   Banker seemed too bitter to say anything as he and Tolen went back
into the complex to retrieve Doyle's body.  When they re-emerged ten
centons later, Angus was already waiting for them,  having finished
returning the landram to the shuttle.
   "We'll have to put him in the cargo hold and jettison him into the
atmosphere," Tolen said bluntly, "I'm sorry if that sounds callous, but
there's no other way.  If it's too risky to leave him here, it's equally
risky to leave a burial site that can be excavated."
   There were no other words spoken as the three of them carried their
fallen comrade back to the lead shuttle, where the body was placed into
the empty cargo compartment.
   Tolen then looked down at gently crossed the arms of Doyle together
and closed the eyes.  The sergeant almost gave the impression of one who
was merely asleep.
   "Sergeant Doyle was a good warrior, who gave his life in the service
of the Colonial nation," the executive officer said solemnly, "We shall
miss him and always remember his bravery and his sacrifice."
   And then, Tolen pressed the button that caused the cargo compartment
door to slam shut.
   "Where to now, sir?" Angus asked quietly, "Back to the Pegasus?"
   "No," the executive officer shook his head, "We still have one option
to consider before we scrub the mission.  We know the ammunition isn't
here on Delta Aquinas.  But we know that if Staley got off the planet
safely, then he could have made it to one of the other planets in this
solar system."
   A look of dubious anger came over Banker's face.
   "Are you saying we have to search six other planets in this system?"
   "Not all six, Banker," Tolen replied with coolness, "Only two other
planets in this system are capable of sustaining human life.  The only
chance we have of finding the ammunition is if Staley made it to one of
them."
   "The two inhabited planets," Angus noted, "Colonel, it is something of
a longshot gamble."
   "And if I didn't take it, Cain would throw our asses in the brig for
incompetence and send in some men who would do it," the executive officer
sharply retorted, "The sooner you both realize that, the easier it will
be for all of us.  As long as I am in command of this mission, we are
going to do every last thing possible to make this mission a success! 
Now have I made myself clear?"
   Angus nodded, "Perfectly."
   "Banker?" the executive officer wheeled.
   It took the disgruntled lieutenant a micron's delay before he too
nodded.
   "That wasn't quick enough," Tolen came to within an inch of him, "When
I give an order, I want to hear you respond immediately.  Is that
understood?"
   Banker tried not to look as if he'd caved-in, "Yes sir!"
   "Then let's get going," Tolen exhaled as he made his way back to the
lead shuttle, "Angus, you'll pilot Beta shuttle solo.  Banker, you're
coming with me."
   The three of them made their way back.  Angus went back to the second
shuttle, while Banker was first to enter the lead one.
   Before entering, Tolen turned around and cast one last look at the
garrison, where the rays of the sun glinted off the bodies of the dead
centurions.
   "Goodbye Delta Aquinas," he whispered under his breath, "You've sure
as frack wrecked my life enough to last a lifetime."
   And then, Tolen entered the shuttle and the hatch slammed shut.

                       Chapter Three

   As soon as the shuttle had reached escape velocity from Delta Aquinas,
a grim-faced Tolen calmly pressed the button that would empty the storage
compartment of its contents.  The computer readout of the shuttle's
weight load was all he needed to know that the task he'd been forced to
perform was done.
   "The Lords of Kobol be with you for eternity, Sergeant Doyle," Tolen
whispered as he took the shuttle on a heading away from the planet.
   Banker cast a look back at the planet, "I almost envy him, Colonel,"
he said wistfully, "At least he doesn't have to do anymore waiting for
the inevitable end we all face."
   "That end comes to every human who was ever fated by God to live,
Banker," Tolen wasn't going to let the disgruntled lieutenant goad him
into another argument, "It's the same for those we left behind on the
Galactica as it is for us."
   "They still have a chance to enjoy things that we never will again."
   The executive officer looked over at him.
   "Level with me Banker," he said, "Is that why you're one of the worst
grumblers on the Pegasus?"
   Banker looked back at him and half-smiled, "Do I get put on report for
saying so?"
   "Not while we're on this mission," Tolen returned it.
   "Okay sir, I admit it," Banker sighed, "I...was looking forward to
settling down with someone at some point.  That despite everything we
went through after the craziness started at Molocay, there'd still be
time someday to have a family.  But now, with all of us fated to die at
the hands of the Cylon Fleet after we start this terror campaign, I have
to be reminded every day for the rest of my life that that's never going
to happen."
   Tolen was silent.
   "And since there are...so few female crewmembers aboard the Pegasus,"
Banker went on, "I won't be getting any chances in the time we all have
left."
   Tolen made an adjustment to the computer and shook his head, "Banker,"
he said, "I'm only going to say one thing, and from this point forward, I
won't tolerate another word about it.  Before you keep moaning about all
the things you're not going to end up enjoying in life, just remember
this.  Fifty million children were killed in the Holocaust."
   The executive officer said nothing else and went back to his computer. 
He didn't bother looking at Banker, who had slouched back in his chair
and was contemplating Tolen's point.
   "Angus?" Tolen radioed, "You copy?"
   "Affirmative sir, just reached escape velocity."
   "Good.  Now here's how the plan of attack goes.  The only two planets
we can check are number four and number six, since they're the only ones
Staley could have escaped to.  I'll start a scan beam of four, and you
take care of six.  The technology of these planets is so ass-backwards
that the wreck of a shuttle or any kind of craft should stick out like a
socialator in an Otori sect gathering."
   "Sir," Banker leaned forward, "I suggest that instead of splitting up
now, it might be better if the two shuttles worked together on one planet
at a time."
   "I agree sir," Angus affirmed, "We should save more time that way."
   Tolen nodded, "Sound thinking.  Okay Angus, follow me in.  Next stop
is a planet called Equellas."
   "Equellas?" Banker raised an eyebrow in amazement, "And before that,
Delta Aquinas?  Who the frack came up with those planet names, anyway?"
   "Search me," Tolen shrugged, "I'd refer you to the Colonial
Astronomical Society and their immaculate records that stretched back
more than two thousand yahrens, but I'm afraid the Cylons put them out of
business a couple yahrens ago."
   Banker then let out a chuckle, "Then I guess there's another thing
I'll never be able to do in my lifetime for me to get depressed about."
   Tolen looked back at him and didn't bother to restrain his laughter.


   Slowly, the fourth planet of the solar system drew closer to them. 
The greenish tinge of Equellas evoked a far more pleasant feeling in each
of the three Pegasus warriors than the foreboding grayness of Delta
Aquinas had.
   "Now that looks like a planet humans would settle on," Banker noted.
   "Agreed," the executive officer, "Angus assume orbital arc opposite to
ours.  This way we should cover the maximum of the planet's surface. 
Keep your scanner on high, coordinated to the metallic composition of a
Colonial craft."
   "Orbit achieved, and now activating scanners."
   "Affirmative that.  Alpha shuttle now activating our own."
   Silence then came over the three warriors as they focused their
attention on the computer readouts.
   "I'm picking up the human settlement," Banker observed, "Looks as
though they've stayed concentrated in just one region on the planet."
   "Looks as though they didn't do much advancing in two thousand
yahrens," Tolen sighed, "Their settlement actually predates the beginning
of the war with the Cylons.  It almost makes you wonder if they ever
learned about it."
   "Now that would be a life worth envying," Banker said.
   The executive officer looked at him, "For the first time Lieutenant, I
concur with you."
   As Banker went back to his scanner, his brows suddenly arched
in interest, "Colonel, I think I'm picking up something.  We've
definitely got a contact on the ground composed of more refined metal. 
Definitely not indigenous to the planet."
   "Good," Tolen's eyes lit up, "Keep with it.  Angus, rendezvous here
and focus your beam on planet sector delta three, mark zero, five,
eight."
   "Sir, look at this!" for the first time Banker sounded a note of
enthusiasm, "I've got two contacts now, the other registering within ten
kilometers of the first.  Both comprised of the same substance."
   "This is something really worth investigating," Tolen could scarcely
believe the good luck that now seemed to be coming there way, "How far is
the location from the human settlement?"
   "About twenty-five kilometers.  Indications are that both contacts lie
outside the agricultural regions and are smack in the middle of the
desert."
   "Colonel!" now Angus' excited voice broke through, "I've got both
contacts now, and let me make a correction there.  I register three
contacts, all within a twenty kilometer range."
   "I've got them too," Tolen's enthusiasm rose, "Let's head on in to a
point somewhere in the center between all three.  If our luck holds,
we'll be out of here in less than a centar."
   Tolen then took the shuttle out of orbit and began a graceful approach
that would take them down to the planet surface.


   When they landed, they found a desert region that seemed more
foreboding than the landscape of Delta Aquinas had been.  Even so, the
knowledge that there was no possibility of finding live Cylons this time
made the region seem infinitely safer.
   Moments after they landed, the two landrams emerged from the shuttles
into the cold desert night.
   "Angus, you head for the first contact to the north," Tolen radioed,
"Banker and I will take the contact to the south.  If both of them turn
out to be dead-ends, we'll try the third one to the west."
   "Okay, I'll keep my channel open."
   As Tolen guided his landram across the sandy surface, the nightwinds
occasionally kicked up some of the sand against the windshield.
   "Hungry sir?" Banker absently nibbled on a protein chunk from  the
ration kit.
   "Don't mind if I do," the executive officer took the offered morsel of
food while keeping his eyes facing front, "God, this tastes like it was
packaged before we last left Caprica."
   "Probably right sir.  I don't think this landram's been used since
long before Molocay, so the ration kit probably wasn't replaced."
   "Now there's a complaint Cain will listen to," Tolen said as he
swallowed the unappetizing chunk, "I'll take it up with him when we get
back."
   A beeping sound then emitted from the scanner on the main console.
   "We're closing in on it," Banker hunched forward, "Can't make it out
visually with the night conditions, but the computer should give a visual
echo in another micron."
   Tolen reduced speed and focused his attention on the console, bracing
himself.
   What emerged on the screen was a familiar looking craft.  But not of
the type they were looking for.
   "That's not a shuttle sir," Banker said, "That's a wrecked viper."
   "Yes," Tolen looked at the image in amazement, "That must have been
someone else in my squadron who was lost in the battle."
   "Would you be able to know who, specifically?"
   "Only if whoever it was, left his helmet in there," a flood of
memories went through the executive officer's head as he tried to recall
the names of everyone who'd been lost in the battle of Delta Aquinas. 
There had been so many.
   Tolen then frowned as another possibility entered his head.  Could it
possibly be that it belonged to...?
   "Sir, shall we move on?"
   "No," Tolen shook his head, "Bring us to a stop.  I'm going to check
that ship out."
   "What for, sir?" Banker asked.
   "I need to see if there's a body in there," Tolen threw on his heavy
jacket, "Because we have to consider the possibility that whoever piloted
this ship crashed here safely.  And given our proximity to the human
settlement, we have to consider the real possibility that live Cylons
aren't the only survivors of Delta Aquinas we'll end up encountering."
   Banker shook his head and chuckled as he brought the landram to a
stop, "An old squadron reunion, then?"
   "Who knows?" Tolen shrugged as he zipped up his jacket, "It'd sure
beat the reunion we had earlier today."
   The executive officer opened the door and stepped out, slowly making
his way forward in the sand.  Even under his jacket, the biting night
wind felt brisk against his face and caused him to shiver.
   After only twenty steps, he could see it.  It was the wreck of a
Colonial viper.  Though largely intact, the yahrens had clearly taken
their toll on the once-sleek fighting machine.  The red paint of the
Colonial markings had long since faded off.  The cockpit canopy was
missing and the front end bent and broken.  Evidently, the landing had
not been a smooth one for whoever had taken it down.
   Tolen then shined his flashlight on the viper and could see a
blackened scorch mark near the tail of the craft.  It was clear that it
had taken a major hit in battle, and that was what had forced it down.
   He walked up to the front of the craft and gently vaulted himself up,
so he could get into the open cockpit.  The exposure to the elements had
corroded and rusted the control panels, while the cushioned seat had
several holes in it.  Evidently, some birds at one time or another had
chosen to sample it.
   Tolen shined his light on the floor and felt his heart pump faster
when he saw a helmet lying there.  He reached down and gently picked it
up.  Like the viper itself, the paint had faded over time, but there was
no mistaking where it had come from.  The equine-logo of the Pegasus was
still distinct.  And the name stenciled on the chin area was also still
legible.
   Tolen felt his heart skip a beat and he almost dropped the helmet.  It
was the helmet of his old friend Martin.
   "You made it," he slowly shook his head in amazement and grinned, "You
beautiful madacca, you actually made it."
   No wonder no one had been able to confirm Silver Spar leader's death. 
He'd taken a hit and crash-landed on Equellas.  No doubt waiting for the
Fifth Fleet to come back and rescue him.  But that rescue had never come
for Captain Martin.
   Tolen looked off into the distance, in the direction of where he knew
the human settlement lay.  The thought that his friend, who's apparent
death had caused so much depression and anguish inside him for so long,
might actually still be alive was a prospect that excited him far more
than the thought of recovering the Cylon ammunition.
   "Sir?" Banker's voice piped through his headset.
   "Yes, Lieutenant?" he kept his new-found exhilaration hidden.
   "Angus just reported in.  The north contact is the wreck of a Cylon
fighter.  He's proceeding on to the west target now."
   "Okay," Tolen dropped back on to the sand, "We'll rendezvous with him
there.  The west target is the last hope we've got that Staley's shuttle
is here."
   But as Tolen carried the battered helmet and reboarded the landram,
he'd already come to the decision that whether they found Staley's
shuttle or not, he wasn't leaving Equellas until he learned what had
happened to Martin. 


   "Incredible," Banker muttered as he looked at the helmet Tolen had set
down, "After all these yahrens, you find out what happened to your old
wingmate."
   "An unexpected dividend of the mission," Tolen smiled thinly as he
started up the landram and it began moving again.
   "I'd still feel better if we could get the main part finished," the
lieutenant grunted, "I don't know why sir, but for some reason, I like
this planet less than I did Delta Aquinas."
   "Hopefully it'll seem cheerier once we reach the settlement."
   Another beep registered on the scanner.
   "Alpha landram, I have you on my scanner now," Angus' voice filled the
interior.
   "Affirmative Beta landram, we read you too.  How much further to west
contact?"
   "ETA in about two centons.  Scanner reading should be sooner."
   "All right, brace yourselves," a tense note entered the executive
officer's voice, "This mission is in big trouble if it isn't Staley."
   "Then that would mean packing up and heading for the sixth planet,"
Angus said, "Frankly, I've found these two to be quite sufficient for one
day."
   "We'll just take the situation as it's presented to us and adapt
accordingly, Angus," Tolen replied.
   Soon, a second beep emitted from the scanner.
   "Sweet felgercarb, we've got it!" Banker grinned, "Contact confirmed
as one beautiful Colonial shuttle."
   "I see it," Tolen matched it, "Okay Angus, get out and meet us in
front of it.  We've got some heavy loading to take care of."
   Once the three warriors were outside and had arrived in front of the
wrecked shuttle, Tolen was the first to notice something that was not
quite right.
   "Look at that," he pointed, "The door's been pryed off."
   "Yeah," Angus nodded as he drew closer, "And it's been pryed off from
the outside."
   "Colonel," an uneasy feeling came over Banker, "I don't want to jump
to any conclusions, but I'm getting the feeling that someone has been
here before us."
   "Could very well be," the executive officer admitted as they drew
closer to the opening in the shuttle's side, "But let's not forget that
Captain Martin could have found his way here."
   Tolen entered the wrecked craft and shined his light toward the front.
   In the front seat, a skeleton in a rotting Colonial flight uniform was
suddenly illuminated.
   "Holy Frack," Tolen recoiled and nearly dropped the light.  As Banker
and Angus entered, the two of them both winced in disgust.
   "Well Colonel," Angus recovered his composure first, "I take it that's
Lieutenant Staley?"
   Tolen made his way forward and hunched over the corpse, "Yeah, it's
Staley.  Looks as though he broke his neck in the crash."
   "Ouch," Banker winced again, "Not a pleasant way to go."
   Angus then shined his light on the rest of the shuttle's interior.
   "Colonel, was the ammunition supposed to be piled up inside here as
well?
   "Certainly was.  That's why this shuttle was stripped down for the
mission."
   "Well this shuttle is still stripped down, Colonel."
   Tolen turned around and shined his light back as well.  The rear of
the shuttle was entirely bare.
   "Great," his shoulders sagged in disappointment, "Someone did beat us
here."
   "Can we even be sure he had the ammunition in the first place?" Banker
asked.
   Angus leaned down and then picked up a square object from the floor.
   "Does that answer your question, Banker?" his fellow lieutenant said
rhetorically, "This is the top of an ammunition crate.  He had it in
here, all right."
   "So where does that leave us now?"
   The executive officer made his way back to them.
   "It means we head toward the settlement and try and get some answers,"
his voice was firm, "Someone who emptied an entire garrison worth of
ammunition isn't going to be able to keep it a secret on a planet like
this."
   "If Captain Martin's alive, he could have wound up getting some
delusions of grandeur," Banker said dryly.
   "And just what do you mean by that, Lieutenant?" Tolen suddenly grew
cold.
   "What I mean sir, is that a man stranded on a place like this with a
cache of ammunition that these people have probably never seen the likes
of before, could easily see an opportunity to vault himself into a
position of considerable authority."
   "Now you listen to me, Lieutenant," Tolen came up to him and said with
cold pointedness, "I knew Martin, and while he was a junior version of
Cain when it came to combat, one thing he wasn't was power-hungry."
   "Sir, just because he was your friend, doesn't mean it's beyond the
realm of possibility," Banker retorted mildly.
   Angus uneasily stepped between them, "Sir, Banker has a point. We have
to consider it, but we shouldn't rush ourselves."
   "Agreed on both counts, Angus," Tolen sighed, "All right,  we'd better
start moving.  As soon as we get reasonably close to the settlement,
we'll try and find a way to hide the landrams.  I don't think it'll be a
good idea to suddenly charge in, especially if someone unfriendly has all
that ammunition."
   As the three warriors got back to their respective vehicles, there was
a uniform sense among all of them that the mission had  taken far more
unexpected twists than they had planned on.
   And where it would all end, Tolen thought grimly as he started the
landram up, only God knew.

                    Chapter Four 

   Equellas had been settled more than a thousand yahrens ago by
prospectors who had set-out from the far-away twelve colonies in crude
deep-space convoys, hoping to discover enormous wealth and riches in
mineral deposits that unmanned scout probes had hinted at.
   For those who'd landed on Equellas, the experience had turned out to
be a colossal letdown.  The indications from the scout probes had turned
out to be completely erroneous, owing to the less than accurate scanning
equipment that had been installed in the machines.  Though quite suitable
for basic agricultural development, there wasn't anything else on the
planet that would enable a thriving technological society to take hold.
   The original settlers soon realized that for better or worse, there
could be no going back to the colonies.  The convoy that had brought them
to the Hatari System was not capable of making a return journey, and soon
after, all contact with the colonies was lost.  The final communications
they'd received over the fuzzy and broken gamma frequencies indicated
that a major war had erupted between the colonies and some strange race
of machines that had attacked the Hasari civilization.  No details ever
came through about who the new enemy was though.
   And so, the settlers were forced to begin a new society rooted
entirely within a primitive agricultural system.  As their original
supplies were exhausted and the original settlers died off, the knowledge
of the more advanced civilization they had come from was totally
forgotten over time.  The capacity to return to the distant stars from
which they'd come was gone forever.  So too, the laser technology that
had powered the weapons and equipment they'd brought.  As time passed and
the spartan resources of the planet were adapted into cruder and more
primitive devices needed to survive, the sixth millennium explorers who'd
come to Equellas had succeeded in creating a late second millennium
agricultural civilization, that one thousand yahrens later had changed
very little.
   Unless one belonged to the small elite of the well-educated who could
afford to attend the school in the nearby ramshackle town, hardly anyone
on Equellas knew of the great society beyond the heavens their ancestors
had come from.
   An exception to that was the family that occupied the farmland on the
outermost edge of the agricultural region, a scant ten kilometers from
where the soil and the woodlands beyond ended, and the desert began. 
Twice, in a span of ten yahrens, their lives had been impacted by events
from far beyond the stars.  On both occasions, it had brought joy as well
as tragedy.
   "You finished with the feedstock, Puppis?"
   The blonde youth of eleven was jolted from his gaze at the stars, and
he hastily went back to spreading the grain in his bucket along the
bottom of the fenced area where the six livestock animals they maintained
for breeding purposes were kept.
   "Sorry Jason," he replied with a trace of embarrassment, "Another
three centons and I'll be in."
   "You know it's not good to linger out here," his middle-aged second
cousin stepped up to him, "Ever since the lupus trouble started up
again."
   "Hey, I know how to handle a lupus," Puppis patted the primitive
firearm slung around his shoulder that was called a numo.  It operated
under the principle of firing lead pellets from a compressed air
mechanism.  In the three millennia prior to the development of the laser
pistol, it had been a standard weapon of Colonial civilization.  Here
though, it represented the maximum that Equellas was capable of
developing, "I've killed them before, you know."
   "I know," Jason sighed, "But you know how your mother worries."
   Doesn't she always?  Puppis said silently to himself with a trace of
disgust.  Did it seem as though his mother was always going to be trapped
in a never-ending cycle of worry and overprotectiveness?  Damn it all,
why couldn't she show some respect for his own ability to take care of
himself, just once?
   "She doesn't have to," he said calmly, "No reason why I can't spend a
few centons taking things in."
   "Looking up at the stars and wondering if he's ever going to come
back," Jason sadly shook his head, "Puppis, there comes a point where
you've got to learn to stop dreaming."
   "Not much else I can do, is there?" the boy turned away and looked
back at the endless expanse of stars that filled the night sky, "Between
Marco and all his henchmen, that's about the only thing left to hope for. 
If he did come back, he'd be able to help us.  Just like last time when
he killed Red-Eye."
   Jason found himself unable to say anything.  Deep down, he felt the
same way as his cousin's son.  After all that had happened in the last
yahren, when it had first seemed as though a miracle had happened, and
some quiet calm had been restored to the life of every human on the
planet, the nightmare had returned on a more hideous scale than at any
time during the days of LaCerta and Red-Eye.
   And if this nightmare were to end, it would probably take another
miracle from the stars to bring it about.
   But if one had the ability to travel through the stars as the Great
Ancestors had done, as Martin had done, and as Apollo did, then it seemed
likely that one could find enough things out there to keep oneself
occupied for a lifetime.  Things far more important than what was
happening on some isolated little speck called Equellas.
   "Come on Puppis," he gently laid his hand on the boy's shoulder,
"Let's go."
   Puppis let out a sigh and started to walk back up the short path that
led to the house, when something caused the two of them to stop in their
tracks.
   "Hear that?" the blonde youth asked as he looked off toward the nearby
woodlands.
   "Yeah," Jason nodded and frowned, "That doesn't sound like any kind of
animal I've ever heard before."
   "Look, there's some kind of light!" Puppis pointed.
   Two sets of bright lights accompanying the sounds could now be seen. 
From time to time, they became briefly obscured by the foliage as they
seemingly moved about, but still showed no sign of going away.
   The strange sound slowly dissipated, and the lights stopped moving. 
The instant the noise stopped, the lights abruptly winked out.
   "If that's another one of Marco's new toys, we've got even more
trouble," Jason sucked in his breath as both he and Puppis continued to
look ahead.
   "I think someone's coming," Puppis dropped his voice to a whisper.
   The sound of multiple sets of footsteps could be heard, and through
the darkness, they could see three shadowy figures start to approach.
   Instinctively, Puppis cocked his numo to a firing position.
   "Easy," Jason gritted his teeth and nudged his second cousin slightly,
"Easy."
   Just then, the door to the house opened and a somewhat attractive
blonde woman in her late thirties wearing a simple, ragged homespun dress
emerged.  A look of both concern and anger lined her face.
   "Puppis!" she shouted, "Get in here now!"
   "Shhh," Jason turned around and impatiently waved his hand at his
cousin, "Someone's coming, Vella."
   "Who?" Vella lowered her voice and came up to them.
   "Can't tell," her son gritted his teeth as he continued to aim his
numo, "We should know soon enough."
   His mother's instinctive revulsion for guns came to the forefront, "Be
careful with that."
   "Only if it's one of Marco's men," Puppis calmly replied.
   The three shadows grew closer.  The light from the house and the farm
equipment now shined off them.  Their faces were still indistinct, but
not their clothing.
   Clothing that the three Equellans instantly recognized.
   "My God," Vella whispered in shock, "Apollo?"
   Puppis slowly lowered his numo as the three drew closer.  Both he and
Jason were also in near-shock to see three men wearing the uniforms of
Colonial warriors, just as Apollo had, and as Martin once did.
   A brief flash of disappointment crossed their faces as the three men
drew closer and they realized that none of them was Apollo.  But it
didn't lessen any of the shock at seeing them.
   "Hello," Tolen said as he and Banker and Angus came to within twenty
feet of the Equellans, "Don't worry, we mean you no harm and we're quite
friendly."
   "We're sure of that," Jason managed to speak as his mouth hung open,
"You three men are Colonial warriors?"
   "Yes," Tolen frowned, not expecting to hear that, "You know what we
are?"
   "We certainly do," Vella managed to whisper.
   The executive officer of the Pegasus decided to take a chance, "In
that case, you might be able to help us.  We're looking for a friend of
ours who crashed his ship nearby a long time ago."
   "You're looking for Apollo?" Puppis spoke up for the first time as he
cautiously returned his numo to the sling around his shoulder.
   "Who?" Tolen's frown deepened.
   "Apollo.  He crashed here almost two yahrens ago, but---"
   "Just a micron son," Banker stepped forward as he tried to comprehend
all this information, "Do you by any chance mean Captain Apollo of the
Battlestar Galactica?"
   "I don't know about any Galactica, but he's a captain," Puppis went on
with concern, "Didn't he make it?"
   The three Pegasus warriors exchanged equally confused glances.
   "Uh....no, we're not looking for him," Tolen uneasily resumed, "We're
looking for someone else.  We're looking for someone named Martin."
   Vella almost fainted from the additional shock and Jason had to grab
his cousin to keep her from collapsing.
   Puppis decided to respond, "He was my father."
   It was now Tolen's turn to look shocked.
   For almost a centon, there was a long confused silence as no one
seemed sure what to say next.  Too much information was passing between
them much too fast.
   Angus was the first to shake himself out of the stunned stupor that
afflicted all of them.
   "Uh, look," the lieutenant said, "I think it's obvious that we all
have some information to share with each other, so do you think it's
possible that we could come in and perhaps talk the whole thing over?"
   "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea," Jason nodded, "Come on inside
and make yourselves at home, gentlemen."


   With Tolen and Vella acting as the spokespersons for the respective
groups, the next several centars were spent sharing all that they knew to
each other.
   Vella went first, telling the Pegasus warriors how twelve yahrens ago,
she had found a dazed Martin, virtually incoherent after his crash far
out in the desert.  She had nursed him back to health and fallen in love
with him.  They had been married and had a son, Puppis.
   As she talked, Tolen found his eyes darting over to the eleven year
old boy, looking for some trace of Martin in the face.  It was hard to
detect at first.  Puppis had inherited his mother's hair and general
facial characteristics.  But once he studied the eyes and the jawline
more carefully, it finally clicked.  The way Puppis hunched forward in
his chair almost looked identical to the gesture Martin would make when
he'd be hard at work on the Academy war games simulator.
   "He never talked about his old life," Vella sighed, "But I could
always tell it haunted him.  It seemed like every night, he'd lie out on
the front looking at the stars.  Saying nothing, but always dreaming
about what had been taken from him."
   Tolen awkwardly lowered his head.  He could think of a score of people
who would have envied what had happened to Martin.  Alive and safe from
the craziness of the thousand yahren war with the Cylons, with a loving
gentle wife and a child to raise.  But not Martin.  Not the man who had
aspired to be the next generation's Commander Cain.  Martin's whole life
had been devoted to the purpose of killing the Cylons and becoming the
best warrior in the Colonial Service.  And that whole sense of purpose
had been taken from him when he'd found himself stranded on this planet
with no way of ever getting home.  For all the love and tenderness that
Vella could provide him, there was no way that the void in Martin's life
could ever have been filled. 
   "And then when Puppis was only two," Vella choked back a sob as the
memory returned to her, "Red-Eye showed up."
   "Red-Eye?" Banker frowned.
   "He was what you call, a Cylon I think," Jason spoke for the first
time as he handed a cup of nourishing hot broth to Tolen, who gratefully
sipped it after having only had the unappetizing food from the ration
kit.
   Angus set his own cup down and suddenly snapped his fingers, "Must
have been from that wrecked Cylon fighter out in the desert I spotted.  I
didn't pay much attention to the reading at first, but I only noticed two
centurions in the cockpit wreckage."
   "What happened?" Tolen felt an uneasy tension come over him.
   She told them how the town crimelord LaCerta had found the lone Cylon
and how it had impulsively obeyed all of his commands.  Armed with a
laser pistol, the Cylon dubbed 'Red-Eye' had become a deadly enforcer for
collecting outlandish sums of tribute from all of the local farmers.
   Vella then broke down into sobs, as she was unable to go further. 
Jason came over to her and put his arm around his cousin, trying to
provide some kind of comfort.
   "I'll tell them Mom," Puppis said with an air of nonchalance that also
seemed hauntingly familiar to Tolen, "When Red-Eye first came by here to
collect tribute from us, and my father saw him, he went berserk.  He
grabbed his old laser pistol and tried to kill him."
   Tolen let out a sad sigh of dejection, "I think I can guess what
happened next."
   "There was no reason to be so impulsive," Vella slowly recovered
herself, "He wasn't wearing his old clothes, so Red-Eye wouldn't have
known what he was.  But he just...."
   The Pegasus executive officer shook his head in frustration as he took
another sip of broth.  That was the Martin he knew, all right. 
Impulsive.  Shoot first and ask questions later.  And in this instance,
two yahrens away from the job he'd loved doing had eroded his skills and
unleashed itself in a wild frustration when he first saw a Cylon again.
   And as he saw Vella wipe her eyes, nothing needed to be said that the
results had indeed been quite deadly and tragic.
   That crazy madacca, he thought.  Right up to the end, Martin had to
die doing his best imitation of Cain and trying to win the war all by
himself.  That was why he'd ordered Tolen away and vowed to take out the
seven fighter phalanx himself.  That was why he'd been so damn impulsive
when he really should have known better.
   But strangely enough, amidst all the sadness he felt at learning what
had happened to his friend, Tolen almost felt the guilt he'd carried
inside his heart since the Battle of Delta Aquinas ended, evaporate
completely.  True, perhaps he could still fault himself for the
circumstances that had caused Martin to crash.  But now that he knew what
had happened since, he could see that Cain had been right.  He didn't
have to blame himself for Martin's death because Martin had died as a
result of his own foolish instincts.
   Not that that would lead him to request a return to flight status, he
thought further.  Once this fracking mission was over, he was going to
put his foot down the micron Cain asked him to do something like this
again.  This one mission was quite sufficient for him.
   He settled back in his chair as Vella regained her composure and
resumed her narrative.  She talked of how the next eight yahrens had seen
LaCerta use Red-Eye on a literal reign of terror for collecting unseemly
sums of tribute, turning the farmers into virtual slave laborers.
   "But then something incredible happened two yahrens ago," for the
first time her voice seemed to brighten, "A miracle came from the stars."
   "This is where Captain Apollo comes in?" Banker cautiously asked.
   "Yeah," Puppis chimed in, "The greatest man I ever met."
   For a brief instant, both Banker and Angus found their minds drifting
back to that unpleasant exchange with Apollo in the Pegasus launch bay
after Commander Adama had relieved Cain of his command.  The two of them
had joined a group with Sheba, Bojay and virtually every other top
Pegasus warrior that was ready to organize a mutiny for their commander. 
The sudden start of the Battle of Gomorrah had prevented that, but both
Banker and Angus could always remember how they wished they could have
torn the Galactica warrior's head off at that moment.  Which only made it
strange for them to hear someone else attach such greatness to the man.
   Vella then went on and told the Pegasus warriors how Apollo's ship had
run out of fuel and landed on Equellas.  How Apollo had been hesitant to
use his laser pistol to kill Red-Eye despite the urgings of her brother
Bootes because he feared that Red-Eye had some kind of connection with a
large force of other Cylons.
   "Oh boy, was he wrong about that," Angus interjected at that point,
"There hasn't been another Cylon in this quadrant of space since the
battle that stranded Martin and Red-Eye here."
   "But he didn't know how Red-Eye had been found," Puppis spoke up with
defensiveness, "Even we didn't know until after it was all over."
   "He played it by the book," Tolen nodded as he finished off his broth,
"With the situation Apollo's people are in, he couldn't take a chance
that there was another garrison in the background."
   "What situation is he in?" the blonde youth asked, anxious to learn
more about Apollo, "We never had time to find out more about him."
   Tolen held up a hand, "If you don't mind Puppis, I'd like to hear your
mother explain the rest of what happened.  You'll be hearing a lot from
me as soon as she's done."
   Vella seemed to smile weakly as she resumed.  She described how her
brother Bootes had been shot dead by Red-Eye, and how just after that
tragedy, Apollo had learned the truth about the Cylon's origin from one
of the young women who'd hung close to LaCerta and his ex-henchman Marco. 
And only then, had Apollo been able to take action and kill Red-Eye with
his own laser pistol.
   "He left not too long after that," Vella sighed, "I almost sensed that
he wished he could stay here with Puppis and me, but...well he mentioned
that he had a son waiting for him back on his great ship in the stars,
and that because of that he had to find a way to get back.  So I took him
to the wreck of Martin's ship and he used some of the old fuel tanks in
there to give him what he needed to get his own ship working again."
   "He did say he'd try to come back again," Puppis jumped in, "The last
thing he said to us before we watched his ship go off into the sky.  He
said he'd come back....someday."
   "But I guess we don't even know if he made it back," his mother added
   "He did," Tolen said gently, feeling thoroughly drained from the
magnitude of all these revelations.
   Vella leaned forward, "You know that?"
   "We do," Banker spoke up, "He was here two yahrens ago.  Our ship, the
Pegasus, caught-up with his ship, the Galactica, a little more than a
yahren after that."
   "Is he all right?" Puppis asked.
   "Oh yeah," Banker nodded, "He's one of their best warriors, and right
now, he's probably still doing his job well protecting the people of his
fleet."
   "You mean he's not with your ship anymore?" this from Jason.
   "No, um...that's not easy to explain," Tolen said awkwardly, "Look, I
might as well start from the beginning."
   Now, it was Tolen's turn to become the storyteller, while Vella,
Puppis and Jason became the listeners.  He began by explaining the nature
of the war between the Cylons and the colonies, and how the Holocaust and
Exodus had come about.  He explained that Apollo's ship, the Galactica
was searching for a legendary thirteenth colony of humanity on a distant
planet called Earth, while his ship, the Pegasus was staying behind to
fight the Cylon Empire.
   "So Apollo and his ship can never come back?" Puppis asked with a
crestfallen expression.
   Tolen looked at him and decided that Martin's son had to be strong
enough to hear the blunt truth, "Puppis, if you want my honest opinion,
the Galactica and Apollo will never be within infinity's range of this
system again.  They're totally committed to the goal of finding Earth,
and once they do I still doubt that they'd ever come back for any
reason."
   The blonde youth sullenly looked off toward the fire that burned at
the other end of the room, "I guess that was just an empty promise then."
   "Look, don't blame him for not being able to keep it," Tolen said
gently, "It's been a difficult situation for him and all his people."
   "He's right, Puppis," Vella looked over at her son, "When you get down
to it, Apollo was a lonely person who was grateful that there were people
kind enough to help him, and that he'd been able to do something for us."
   Puppis looked back at her, "He shouldn't have made that promise if he
knew he couldn't keep it."
   Jason uneasily cleared his throat and changed the subject, "This is
all very interesting Colonel Tolen, but could you explain why you and
Banker and Angus have come here after all this time?  From what I gather,
your coming here wasn't an accident like it was with Apollo and Martin."
   "No, it wasn't," Tolen smiled thinly, "I said we were looking for
Martin, but that isn't the main reason.  We're here because another
friend of ours who was lost in the same battle as Martin, also crashed
his ship here."
   "Who?" Vella frowned.
   "You wouldn't know him, because he was killed when his ship crashed,"
Tolen said, "We already found the wreckage before we came here.  But what
we're interested in, is the cargo his ship was carrying."
   "Cargo?" Jason frowned.
   "His ship was loaded with ammunition just like this," the Pegasus
executive officer held up his laser pistol, "Literally hundreds and
thousands of rounds that would power a single one of these."
   For the first time since they'd first seen them, the three Equellans
all froze in shock.
   "Good Lord," Jason's mouth once again hung-open in amazement, "That
explains it.  That explains the whole miserable nightmare."
   "What are you talking about?" Angus lifted an eyebrow, "From what you
said, I thought Captain Apollo took care of your major problem with
LaCerta and Red-Eye."
   "He took care of that," Vella admitted, "But a few sectars after he
left, the trouble started up again."
   "You see, after Red-Eye was destroyed, LaCerta literally became a
marked man," Jason went on, "A lot of angry townspeople
and farmers were ready to have his fat body hung from the nearest tree
they could find as a form of payback.  Well to save his neck, he took off
for the desert.  There have always been rumors of other human settlements
elsewhere on the planet, so maybe he thought he could find his way to one
of them."
   "Dear God," Tolen whispered, "He found Staley's shuttle with all the
ammunition inside."
   The middle-aged cousin nodded, "Once LaCerta found that ammunition, he
knew that he'd found the key to getting himself and his whole
slavedriving operation back in business.  So he quietly made his way back
and sought out his old number two man, Marco.  Well Marco willingly
joined in LaCerta's scheme to recover all that laser ammunition, but that
only caused LaCerta to sign his own death warrant."
   "How?" Banker asked.
   "Marco had always resented the fact that LaCerta pushed him into the
background after he found Red-Eye, and he saw this as his big chance to
become the top man himself.  He gathered a dozen of his own friends to
recover it, and once they got there, LaCerta was quietly disposed of."   
   "So Marco is now using the ammunition as a means of collecting
tribute?" Tolen inquired.
   "He's even worse than LaCerta was with Red-Eye," the anger and
bitterness crept over Jason's face, "Red-Eye was just one.  But Marco has
a gang of a dozen who've learned how to use those pistols, and they can
go out and literally destroy a whole farm on one of their raids if
someone fails to pay up."
   "But they are mortal," Angus noted, "Unlike Red-Eye, you could kill
them with your own numos."
   "No one can go up against a man with one of those laser guns," Vella
shook her head, "Kill one of them, and another willing recruit signs on
to take his place.  Besides, as long as Marco's gang has the whole supply
under control, there's nothing you can do."
   "I used to have my own farm," Jason added with bitterness, "I'd worked
at it for twenty yahrens, keeping up the tribute payments when it was
LaCerta.  But Marco forces you to go double what LaCerta demanded, and I
had to give up everything or else I would have been dead.  And since I'm
the only relative Vella has left, I wasn't about to be a crazy martyr
like Martin and Bootes were."
   "So for the last yahren and a half, you've just let Marco and his
thugs have their way," there was a slight edge in Tolen's voice.
   Vella noticed it and was angry, "What can any of us do?" she demanded,
"Throw away our lives for no purpose?"
   "I'm not suggesting that," Tolen replied gently, "But a monster like
that has to be dealt with.  One man with all that ammunition could
literally hold on to power for generations."
   "So what can you do?" Jason asked pointedly, "You're only three, and
Marco has over twelve men who've learned how to handle those guns."
   "We have more experience with them," Tolen patted his holster.
   "It won't be enough," Jason didn't let-up, "You'd need to take every
last piece of ammunition in order to get rid of Marco and everyone else
who thinks like he does."
   "Well that's just what we're going to do," the executive officer
suddenly took on a firm, determined tone as he got to his feet, "If we
can find out where Marco keeps that ammunition, then we'll do what we can
to get it."
   "I don't know where it is," Jason said, "That's one of Marco's trade
secrets."
   "We have to find out," Tolen said pointedly, "Because we're not
leaving this planet until we get it."
   "How?" 
   The executive officer smiled, "We have some things that not even Marco
has ever seen the likes of before."
   Puppis suddenly looked away from the fire for the first time in a
while, "You mean those things you were riding in before we first saw
you?"
   He even thinks like his father, Tolen said to himself. "Yes, Puppis. 
Those things are called landrams and they have an interesting item on top
that makes even one of these laser pistols seem insignificant by
comparison."
   "Can I see one of them?" a note of eagerness entered his voice.
   "No!" Vella suddenly shouted, in a tone so forceful it caught the
three warriors off-guard, "Look, the three of you do what you have to do,
but leave my son and the rest of us out of this.  I won't let there be
any more killing."
   "I wasn't suggesting that," Tolen replied gently, "I wasn't suggesting
that at all.  Look, right now the only help we need is how to make
contact with this Marco."
   "You can find him in town, sitting from that throne in the local
tavern where his old boss LaCerta used to rule from," Jason said, "If you
want, I can lead you there.  If he isn't out shooting up another
recalcitrant farmer's land, he should be there."
   "We'd appreciate that," Tolen said and then turned back to his fellow
warriors, "Banker, Angus, I think we'd better get back to work."
   As Jason led the three warriors out, Puppis rose from his chair and
came over to his mother.
   "They're not like Apollo," he noted.
   "No," Vella sighed, "They're....different."
   "You think they can really do something about Marco?"
   "I don't know," she shook her head, "I just don't know."

                     Chapter Five

   After leaving Angus to guard the two landrams, Tolen and Banker got on
to the back of Jason's equine-driven cart, which would take them to the
nearby town, ten kilometers away.
   "How do you plan on approaching Marco?" Jason asked as he tugged at
the animal's rein and the cart began moving.
   "Bluntly," Tolen grabbed at the rail as the cart passed over the bumpy
surface of the dirt road, "We won't hide our uniforms and we'll let him
get a good look at our own lasers."
   "And then?" the Equellan asked with a hint of skepticism.
   "And then, Lieutenant Banker and I will do a bit of creative
improvisation," he looked over at his fellow warrior who seemed slightly
dubious, "Won't we?"
   "Of course," the lieutenant nodded, "Whatever you say, Colonel."
   "Whatever you have planned, I hope it works," Jason said as he
negotiated a turn, "We've all been praying for a miracle for a while
now."
   "I sort of got the impression that Puppis and Vella were hoping it
would be Apollo specifically."
   "You're right about that, Colonel," Jason admitted, "More so with
Puppis.  Apollo wasn't here that long, but he's practically the only
father-figure that boy's ever known.  There isn't a night that's gone by
where he hasn't taken some kind of long look at the stars hoping he'll
see his ship come back some day."           "Ouch," Tolen winced
slightly, "And I had to tell him that that's never going to happen."
   "I'm sure it's something he always knew," Jason went on, "Vella too. 
But I guess it's never pleasant when the last ray of hope is shattered
forever."
   "I know the feeling," Banker said with just a hint of double-edged
sarcasm that was for Tolen's benefit.  The executive officer noticed it,
but said nothing.
   For the rest of the journey to town, Tolen asked Jason numerous
questions about Marco and the men who surrounded him, their known habits
and customs, as well as the general layout of the entire human
settlement.  By the time the cart pulled on to the main street, the two
Pegasus warriors felt they'd learned enough to get by for what Tolen had
already planned on doing.
   Tolen looked about the crude wooden structures that lined the street
and shook his head in amazement.  He'd once visited a "living history"
museum on Virgon that had been devoted to preserving what life had been
like during the second millennia, through the use of a completely
reconstructed village where the tour-guides wore period costumes and
lived according to the technology of the era.  Even after spending nearly
a full-day there, he'd found it impossible to believe that people had
actually lived this way, and if so, then he was grateful that he'd been
born more than five thousand yahrens later.
   Ironic then, Tolen thought, that his advanced civilization was now
burnt-out ruins while this outpost of humanity that was permanently stuck
in the second millennia, continued to endure.
   The cart pulled to a stop in front of the local tavern, where some
annoying music that reminded Banker of the sounds that used to fill the
turbo-lifts of downtown shopping areas in Caprica City was playing loudly
from a crude electronic player.  The two Pegasus warriors calmly got off
and stood outside the doors that swung into the building.
   "I don't think I should be seen with you two," Jason looked back at
them, "I've had too many run-ins with Marco before.  I'll take it around
the block to the feedstore and wait there until I see you come out."
   He then pulled at the rein and the cart moved off down the avenue
toward the stores at the other end.
   Tolen sucked in his breath before moving.  It was time to tap into
everything he'd learned in his Academy counter-intelligence class so long
ago.
   "Ready, Banker?"
   "Lead the way, Colonel," the lieutenant smiled and motioned to his
superior.
   With all the self-confident swagger he could muster, Tolen gently
pushed open the doors and entered.
   There were almost thirty people inside, seated at various wooden
tables, each enjoying whatever food and drink they had come to sample. 
All of them were dressed in the same type of worn, homespun garments that
Jason, Vella and Puppis wore.  Given the general lack of valuable
resources on the planet, it seemed unlikely that anyone on Equellas, be
they farmer or townsman, would ever be known for sartorial splendor.
   The instant Tolen and Banker walked in, all activity in the room
stopped.  The sight of the two warriors in their sharp brown uniforms was
cause for interest enough, but when the people saw the laser pistol
holsters strapped around their waists, and the guns protruding from the
sides, a buzz started to go through the tavern.  The sight of a laser
pistol usually meant only one thing to the ordinary Equellan, but it was
clear that these new visitors had nothing to do with that.
   At the back end of the tavern, a slightly pudgy, red-haired man of
about Tolen's age, dressed in a more elegantly designed outfit than the
other people in the room, was engaged in a card game.  The large number
of chips on his side indicated his success.  The two imposing men who
flanked him with laser pistols clutched in their hands, indicated right
away to the Pegasus warriors that this was clearly the hated crimelord
Marco.
   As the low buzz spread throughout the room, the man looked up and
seemed as stunned as the rest of the crowd to see the two warriors
carrying their laser pistols and approaching him.  But determined as he
was to live up to the reputation he had carved out for himself over the
last yahren and show no sign of public weakness, the stunned look quickly
passed from his expression.
   Tolen drew to within ten feet of him and looked him in the eye with a
dead-serious expression.
   "You're the one they call Marco?"
   Banker was slightly taken aback to hear the executive officer's
normally efficient voice suddenly assume the heavy drawl of a Virgon
native.  Clearly, Tolen was going to be playing his part to the hilt.
   "I am," the man smiled with a tinge of malevolence, "Although I've
been called other things too."
   "I'm sure you have," Tolen returned it.
   "I don't believe I've ever seen you or your friend before, and yet
I've always prided myself on my ability to know every face there is on
Equellas."
   "I'm sure a man of your stature requires that," Tolen continued to
smile, "My name is Tolen, and this is Banker.  We've actually come from
quite a long-ways just to meet you."
   "Have you now?" Marco lifted an eyebrow, "And how far away would that
be?"
   "As far away as it took for a mutual acquaintance to come here," Tolen
sat down in the chair opposite him.  At the same time, a strikingly
attractive dark-haired woman in a provocatively cut dress that reminded
Banker of a primitive socialator's costume, came over from the bar to
listen in.
   "Really?" Marco tried not to seem too impressed, "Who might that be?"
   "A gentleman by the name of Staley," Tolen said, "You wouldn't know
that.  But I do think you have met the man, or at least, all that's left
of him now inside an empty carcass of a ship somewhere out in the
desert."
   This time, Marco was unable to hide his stunned expression.  Right
away, the two henchmen flanking him suddenly appeared to tighten their
grip on the laser pistols that Tolen could recognize as bearing the Cylon
insignia from the Delta Aquinas garrison.
   The crimelord abruptly cleared his throat and tried to resume his
normal edge, "If he was your friend, then you have my sympathies."
   "Well he wasn't exactly my friend," Tolen said, noting the irony to
himself that that was true to an extent.  Staley had always been one of
the more aloof warriors on the Pegasus, "You see, a long time ago, Mr.
Staley took something that didn't belong to him.  And I've got myself a
boss from where he and I both come from, who's been upset about that for
quite some time.  That's why I came a long ways to find Mr. Staley so he
could be punished for what he did, and to return what he had no business
taking to the rightful owner."
   "Ah," Marco smiled with obviously false sympathy, "And you have now
discovered to your regret that this Mr. Staley is now beyond all
punishment, and that your mission is a failure."
   "Only partially," Tolen admitted, "But I do believe that the other
part is still capable of being accomplished."
   "How so?" Marco wasn't giving an inch.
   Tolen looked him in the eye with all the determination he could
summon, "I do believe that the contents of what Mr. Staley took are now
in your possession.  As a matter of fact," his eyes darted over to the
two henchmen, "I also believe that your friends there are carrying a part
of that load right now."
   Marco looked at him for a long moment and then started to laugh.
   "I see," he said and then looked up at the dark-haired woman who was
now listening in, with a cold expression, "Is there a reason why you're
hanging close, Macy?"
   The woman flushed slightly in a mixture of embarrassment and fear,
"No, sorry."
   "Then do what you're supposed to do," Marco shot back coldly, "Another
pitcher of vinia for me and for these visitors.  Now."
   He then snapped his fingers, and as if on command, the girl named Macy
went over to the bar on the other side of the room.
   Tolen kept a faint smirk on his expression, "You seem to have a way
with people."
   "That should not surprise you though, in light of what you already
seem to know," the crimelord matched it.
   "I guess not," Tolen showed no sign of being intimidated.
   Marco leaned forward, "I believe you were saying something about your
lost cargo, that Mr. Staley took from you and your... boss?"
   "Yes," the Pegasus executive officer nodded, "I might as well come
straight to the point, Mr. Marco.  You are holding on to something that
doesn't belong to you, and if my boss doesn't get it back," he let his
words hang for effect, "Let's just say there could be some very grave
consequences."
   "Is that so?" the crimelord chuckled, "And how would you define 'grave
consequences'?"
   "Well you probably think that having a lot of those fancy laser guns
puts you at the top of any kind of power you can achieve," Tolen motioned
to the two henchmen, "But from where Mr. Banker and I come from, we've
got things that would make your entire stash that you took from poor Mr.
Staley seem quite puny by comparison."
   "Such as?"
   "Oh we have to keep our trade secrets, Mr. Marco," Tolen's drawl grew
thicker, "But unless you want to see things capable of firing more than a
hundred rounds of laser fire in a micron, then I think you'll do the
prudent thing."
   The crimelord's eyes widened slightly, as did those of the henchmen,
but Marco barely skipped a beat before resuming.
   "I see," he grinned, "Just turn the whole thing over to you and your
friend Mr. Banker, just like that?"
   "Well that would be the way my boss would like to see it." 
   "Your boss must be a very determined man."
   "That he is," Tolen nodded.
   "Mr. Tolen," he shook his head and kept grinning, "I get the feeling
that a man as courageous as you and your friend are, to come in here with
your pistols brandished and your open threats, is also not stupid.  Now
what you've just said may very well be what your boss wants to see.  But
I get the feeling that you would not be here unless you had something
more advantageous to the both of us in mind."
   The discomfort level was rising inside Banker, though he didn't show
it.  He didn't have the slightest idea where the executive officer was
going now.
   Tolen simply chuckled disarmingly, "You're very perceptive, M. Marco. 
As a matter of fact, I do have a proposal in mind.  In return for a
portion of Mr. Staley's cargo, which would be enough to satisfy my boss,
because he'd never know the difference if it wasn't the whole thing, I'd
be happy to let you be the first person in this entire settlement to be
the proud owner of one of our little trade secrets that I mentioned."
   Marco looked at him with a genuinely intrigued expression, "A hundred
rounds in a micron, you said?"
   "That's what I said."
   The crimelord continued to smirk and drummed his fingers on the table.
   "And how would we arrange this mutually beneficial transaction?"
   "Simple," Tolen leaned forward so that he was only two inches from
him, "Three centars from now, at the place where you've stashed all that
ammunition, I'll be showing up with the trade secret.  We give that to
you in return for half your stock.  And then Mr. Banker and I return to
our boss and tell him we did the best we could but half was all that was
left."
   Just then, Macy returned with the pitcher full of the fermented
beverage vinia.
   "Well I guess I misjudged you, Mr. Tolen," a dark cloud came over
Marco's face as he motioned Macy to pour, "Because if you think I'd be a
fool enough to tell you my biggest trade secret, then I guess you're
something of a fool yourself."
   "Then it's no deal Mr. Marco," the cordiality faded from Tolen's face,
"I bring my trade secret to you, only if you bring me to yours." 
   Marco then looked up with annoyance at the young woman, "Get your
pretty ass out of here."
   Once again, Macy was forced to make a quick retreat.  As the crimelord
sipped at his drink and returned his attention to Tolen, she quietly made
her way to the front door and slipped out into the night.
   "Then I guess your boss is going to have to remain disappointed,"
there was coldness in his voice, "Perhaps if he is determined as you say
he is, then he could come back and demonstrate that himself."
   "If you choose not to cooperate Marco, then that's exactly what will
happen," the executive officer rose from his chair, "We'll come back in
another two centars and give you another chance to consider what you're
forfeiting.  After that, you'll only be inviting trouble for yourself."
   "On the contrary," the malevolent edge returned to Marco's face, "I
think it's you and your friend who have just run out of luck."
   The crimelord suddenly snapped his fingers and motioned his head at
the two imposing henchman.  But the Pegasus warriors had already
anticipated that before Marco had finished, and quickly whipped out their
own laser pistols.
   The yahrens of experience held by Banker and Tolen was no match for
the two henchmen.  Before they could get their own pistols into an aiming
position, they were both felled by shots to the chest from the two
warriors.  Several customers in the tavern screamed in horror as the
henchman both collapsed to the floor on each side of Marco.  From the
doorway, Macy glanced at the scene with an expression of stunned
amazement.  
   A hush came over the room as a stunned Marco looked up at the grim and
determined expressions of both Tolen and Banker.
   "Two centars, Mr. Marco," Tolen said quietly with no drawl as he
started to back away, "Just think about it.  You've got a chance to
prosper, or end up just like your two lackeys."
   And then, both he and Banker turned and departed with every  pair of
eyes in the room focused on them in amazement.
   As soon as they were gone, Marco saw the gaze of the crowd shift to
him, and he promptly rose with a furious expression, holding on to one of
the dead henchman's laser pistols.
   It had it's desired effect, and slowly the customers returned to their
normal activity.
   One of the crimelord's other associates, Argo, who had been over at
the bar, promptly rushed up to him.
   "Follow them," Marco hissed under his breath, "Find out where they
came from and then kill them."


   "Do you think that was wise?" Banker said as soon as they were
outside.
   "We have little time and few choices, Banker," Tolen said bluntly as
they walked down the avenue toward the feedstore where Jason was waiting,
"In case you've forgotten, we've been away from the Pegasus for more than
ten centars.  If we don't get this thing finished soon, then Cain is
going to be pulling the Pegasus out in the interest of survival.  You
know how the procedure is for every system we've been hoping to."
   "Oh I'm aware of that," the lieutenant was struggling to keep his
emotions under control, "But does recovering the ammunition mean so much
that we have to start getting involved in a potential massacre?  We're
going to have to use both the landrams to get the ammunition now in a
firefight."
   "That's exactly the idea, Banker," the executive officer said bluntly.
   Before Banker could say anything, they suddenly heard a soft feminine
voice calling from the shadows of one of the adjacent building, "Hey!"
   The two warriors stopped and looked over to see a trembling Macy
emerge.
   "Yes, miss?" Tolen gently inquired.
   "Look, I need to talk to the both of you," she said as she stepped
forward, "I think I can help you."
   "How?"
   The attractive young woman sighed, "There isn't a chance Marco is
going to change his mind.  If you try to come back here, he's just going
to have a dozen men armed and waiting to kill you both."
   "Don't worry," the executive officer said reassuringly, "I wasn't
lying about the trade secret."
   "But like you said, you can't do anything and get what you want unless
you know his trade secret," Macy said pointedly, "That's where I can help
you."
   Tolen lifted an eyebrow, "You know where he keeps the ammunition?"
   "Yes," she nodded fervently, "The only reason why I've ever demeaned
and degraded myself for him ever since he took power, was so I could
become one of the privileged few who knows that secret.  I...I just hoped
and prayed that some day there'd be someone brave enough to take on Marco
just like Apollo was when he killed Red-Eye, who could use that
information."
   "You knew Apollo?" Banker asked.
   "I was the one who told him how LaCerta had found Red-Eye," she said,
"And when he learned that, he said that was when he knew it was safe to
kill him and end that monster's reign of terror.  I...figured that as
long as I was able to help then, I might be able to do it again someday
if I kept myself close to Marco and....did all he wanted me to do."
   "That was very brave of you," Tolen said with genuine admiration,
"Where is the ammunition kept?"
   Macy took a breath, "It's in an abandoned granary tower, on the
western edge of town.  His entire gang guards the road pass leading to it
in shifts."
   "How many?" Tolen felt his pulse race.
   "Twenty in all," she said, "Actually eighteen, now that you've just
killed two of them.  They all get large percentage cuts of the tribute
Marco collects."
   "How good are they with the laser pistols?"
   "Not as good as you two are," Macy looked over her shoulder, "But
efficient enough to intimidate anyone else in this settlement from taking
them on with a numo."
   "I think we can handle that," Tolen nodded, "On the western edge of
town?"
   "Only eight kilometers from here," she took another breath, "And I
hope and pray that it helps you.  If Marco loses his ammunition, then he
has no power left."
   She started to walk away from the two warriors.
   "Hold it miss," Banker called after her, "You know you're taking a big
chance on your own life telling us this."
   Macy looked back and smiled crookedly at them, "I know," she said,
"But like Apollo told me a long time ago, only animals should respond to
someone snapping their fingers.  As long as Marco has all that power, I
might as well be living the life of an animal."
   And then she disappeared into the shadows of the buildings and was
gone.
   With a renewed sense of urgency, the Pegasus warriors resumed walking
at a faster pace to the feedstore.

   
   Macy felt as though a burden had been finally lifted from her heart as
she continued to walk away from where she'd confronted Tolen and Banker. 
For more than a yahren, ever since Marco had killed LaCerta and taken the
newly discovered ammunition as his means to becoming the new crimelord,
she'd been forced to subject herself to a life of shame and degradation. 
Since Macy had been LaCerta's mistress during his reign of terror, the
new crimelord felt he was automatically entitled to her as well.
   It had seemed so unfair to her.  When the kind stranger called Apollo
had killed Red-Eye and caused LaCerta's downfall, she'd finally been
liberated from what had long been a sickening experience to her.  She'd
let LaCerta seduce her ten yahrens earlier, when he had only been an
ambitious and successful entrepreneur (and not so disgustingly obese)
who's forays into crime and corruption were not too distasteful, and she
had thought this was a way to rise to a higher standard of living.  But
once the mysterious robot dubbed Red-Eye had fallen from the skies and
been found by LaCerta while he and Macy had been on a riding trip, things
had changed.  Thanks to Red-Eye, LaCerta became a hideous monster,
literally turning the settlement farmers into his own slave laborers who
had to give over half their crops and livestock to the crimelord as
tribute.
   And she had found herself trapped.  Powerless to do anything about
what LaCerta did, while becoming more and more forced into a life where
she was no more than his personal toy.
   But when Apollo had killed Red-Eye, thanks to the information she had
given him, and ended LaCerta's reign of terror, her life had finally been
given back to her.  She was free to live like a human being again.
   Then came Marco's stunning comeback just a few sectans later, and a
new reign of terror that made everyone yearn for the days of LaCerta and
Red-Eye.  She had become trapped again.  Her only reason for living, the
thought that she might one day meet another man like Apollo that she'd be
able to help.
   And now, Macy praised the Lords that that day had finally come.  That
the yahren of sacrifice and shame had not been in vain.
   She suddenly saw a figure approaching from the shadows ahead of her. 
Right away she knew it was the looming form of Argo, the chief deputy of
Marco's operation.
   Already, she knew what was coming.
   But she didn't care about that anymore.
   Now that she'd done what she'd had to do, she could feel secure with
the through that dying like a human being was infinitely preferable to
living like an animal.


   "Puppis, come to bed," Vella said quietly.
   The blonde youth was looking out the door of the house, "That poor man
Angus shouldn't be staying there alone.  There's been too much lupus
trouble around there."
   "He can take care of himself," his mother's voice rose, "He has one of
those guns, and he'll be perfectly safe."
   "But he doesn't know where the lupus come from.  Someone's got to keep
him company," Puppis protested.
   "I said no!" she shouted.
   The boy had finally decided that he'd had enough.
   "I don't care what you say, Mother," he said calmly, "It isn't right. 
I'll come in when Jason and the others get back, but I should be out
there helping him."
   Vella was stunned.  This was the first time she had ever heard him
defy her so openly.
   "I don't want to do it to be brave or heroic," he went on, "Like
Apollo would say, it's just something I have to do."
   She lowered her head and let out a forlorn sigh, "All right," she
waved her hand but didn't look at him, "Do it.  But the micron the others
are back, I want you in."
   "I will," he said as he grabbed his numo, opened the door and went
out.
   Vella collapsed into her chair and almost felt like crying.  The early
elation she'd felt about the return of more warriors was long gone. 
Replaced only with a fear that the nightmare they'd all been living
through since the rise of Marco was about to turn another hideous corner. 
Just as the rise of LaCerta had turned a hideous corner that led to the
death of her husband, she now feared that the rise of Marco was going to
take a turn that would lead to the death of all her remaining family.
   She would gladly take two lifetimes of paying more tribute to Marco if
she could be assured that her son would never be taken from her.


   "Did you find out where they were going?" an angry Marco demanded as
Argo re-entered the tavern.
   "No," his number-two man shook his head, "But at this stage that
doesn't matter.  Macy talked.  Told them exactly where all the ammunition
is."
   The crimelord's face suddenly contorted with all the fury he could
summon.
   "That miserable socialator scum," he whispered, "She'll pay for that."
   "She already did," Argo flashed a toothy grin at his boss, "No need to
worry about that anymore."
   Marco did not seem entirely pleased with that information, "That's the
sort of thing I prefer to do myself, Argo.  She was mine to do as I saw
fit."
   Argo stiffened slightly in embarrassment.
   "But I guess that's not the thing to worry about right now," he gave
his one of his malevolent smirks, "You'd better get everyone together and
have them ready for when their 'trade secret' arrives."


   Amidst the darkness and the density of the forest, Angus found his
lonely vigil in front of the two landrams to be increasingly eerie.  It
finally reached the point where he decided that he'd feel more secure
from the laser turret position on the vehicle's top.
   When he heard a rustle from the trees below, he felt his arms wrap
tightly around the massive piece of firepower in tension.
   "Angus?" he heard Puppis' voice and instantly the Pegasus lieutenant
felt himself relax.
   "I'm up here," he waved to the boy.
   "Why are you on top of that?" Puppis frowned.
   "Well this is the most special feature of these things.  This is a
laser turret cannon."
   "Is that even better than your laser pistol?"
   "It sure is," Angus nodded, "Come on up here and I'll show you."
   Puppis mounted the handrails on the landram's side and settled next to
Angus' position.
   "You see with this thing, we literally have the power of a dozen men
armed with laser pistols," he pointed to the control panel, "It really
comes in handy when you have to take on things a lot bigger than Red-Eye
was."
   The blonde youth looked at the panel with awe, "I'll bet my father and
Apollo used this too."
   "They sure did," Angus nodded and then amended, "In Apollo's case, I'd
say he still does."
   Puppis then looked at the Pegasus warrior with a trace of bitterness,
"Do you know Apollo well?"
   "I've met him, but I wouldn't say we're good friends or anything like
that," Angus said, "I've always known about his reputation though.  He
comes from a great family of warriors.  His father in fact, is the
commander of the whole fleet of ships that he belongs to."
   "Why would he make a promise he couldn't keep?" the boy kept his voice
quiet, but there was no mistaking the frustrated bitter edge that told
how much Puppis had always taken those words for granted, "He said he'd
come back some day.  I always thought..." his voice trailed off.
   Angus sighed.  How do you try to relate to someone bitter over a
broken promise?  Especially since he came from a situation aboard the
Pegasus where he felt Cain had made a broken promise to the entire crew
about what would happen when the Battle of Gomorrah was over.  He'd felt
for sure they'd be sticking with the Galactica permanently.  Where there
were friends of his from the colonies that he'd never had a chance to
talk to during that brief period of reunion.
   He tried to recall what Skyler had told him so many times about
looking at the whole thing from Cain's perspective, and how one could
make a patriotic case for what the Pegasus' current battle plan was.  It
now seemed as though it was time to apply that advice from the current
leader of Silver Spar Squadron to this situation.
   "Puppis," he put his hand on the boy's shoulder, "I don't know Apollo
enough to get into his mind, and explain everything from his perspective. 
But let me tell you about someone who made a promise just like that to
someone he loves a great deal, but is never going to be able to keep it."
   "Who?"
   "My commanding officer, Cain," Angus took a breath as he found it hard
to believe that he, one of the leading grumblers aboard the Pegasus was
going to be doing this, "You remember how Tolen explained how our ship,
the Pegasus, isn't going with Apollo's ship, the Galactica, to this place
called Earth?"
   "Yeah," Puppis nodded.
   "Well you see, our commander, Cain, he's got someone he loves a great
deal who used to be stationed with us on the Pegasus in our squadron. 
That's his daughter, Sheba."
   Puppis frowned, "You mean they let women fly ships too?"
   Angus suddenly laughed, "Why does that surprise you, Puppis?"
   "Well it's just because my mom hates guns so much.  She couldn't hit
the side of a granary tower from ten feet."
   "Not all women are like your mother, Puppis," Angus went on, "The way
things are with our people in this long war with the Cylons for the last
thousand yahrens, women have been needed just as much as the men to take
part in the fighting."
   "Are they good?"
   "Some are better than others," Angus admitted, "But Sheba, having
learned a lot from her father the commander, is one of the best.  As a
matter of fact, she's even better than Banker and me."
   The boy shook his head in amazement.
   "That's just another reason why her father loves her a lot, and why
they've always been close," the warrior resumed, "But you see, when the
Galactica and the Pegasus were together, Sheba was hurt during the battle
we were fighting.  And she had to get evacuated to the Galactica to be
treated before we went off on our own battle."
   He took another breath as Skyler's words in Cain's defense one evening
in the Officer's Club came back to him.  When Angus had offered his
vigorous approval to Paris's comment that Cain only had his ego to worry
about when it came to making the decision to leave the Galactica, Skyler
had literally stopped the conversation cold when he pointed out that by
leaving Sheba behind, Cain was losing something as dear to him as all the
others who had friends and relatives aboard the Galactica were.  And
everyone at the table, knowing the closeness that had existed between the
father and the daughter, had been unable to come up with a response to
that.
   "You see, Cain loving his daughter as much as he did, made a promise
to her that he'd see her again some day.  And when he told her that, he
was making it from the heart without any intent to deceive.  But...the
way things are now, he can never keep that promise to her and see her
again."
   "Why?" Puppis asked with interest.
   "Well it's like Tolen said, the Galactica and the Pegasus have two
different jobs to perform.  Theirs is taking 7000 people to a place of
safety on Earth.  Ours is to stay behind and cause trouble with the
Cylons so they can never go looking for the Galactica," he paused, "The
way things are, Cain can never keep his promise to his daughter, just
like the way things are for the Galactica, Apollo can never come back
here.  It's not because Cain tried to deceive his daughter or Apollo
tried to deceive you or your mother, it's just...." he didn't know what
else to say.
   Puppis looked at him in silence for a moment and then lowered his
head, "I guess they all have a lot of work to do."
   "Yeah," Angus nodded, "Life is full of those dirty tasks we don't like
to do, but still have to do."
   The boy then sighed and continued to look away, "I guess I shouldn't
be hard on Apollo anymore," he said, "He has to do his work out there,
which I guess matters a lot more than anything here."
   Angus was silent.
   Puppis then suddenly looked up, "Is this friend of yours, Sheba,
married?"
   "No," he shook his head and frowned slightly.
   "Is she pretty?"
   "Very," Angus admitted, "Don't ever mention this to Banker, but he had
a big crush on her.  So did I, to a lesser extent.  Why are you asking?"
   "I was just thinking," Puppis mused, "Apollo seemed like a real lonely
person when we met him.  He said he'd lost his wife to one of those
Cylons, and that he had a son younger than me to take care of.  If he's
still lonely now, and if Sheba is lonely because her father left her,
then maybe they should probably get together."
   Angus lifted an eyebrow.  The way he'd seen Apollo and Sheba literally
go at each other's throats during that controversy when Adama had
relieved Cain would never have made him think of that possibilit9.
   But then again, he thought, it did seem as though there had been a
funny look in Apollo's eye when he'd first come down to the Pegasus'
Officers Club looking for the pilot who had outflown him and nearly
blasted his ship out of the stars.  Maybe it wasn't as farfetched as it
initially sounded.
   Whatever the case, he certainly would never know if that in fact, was
how things would happen between Commander Adama's son and Commander
Cain's daughter.
   But one thing was certain to Angus now.  From this moment forward, he
knew he'd never be one of the grumblers again.

                     Chapter Six 

   The sound of the returning cart caused a tense Vella to bolt out from
the house and make her way over to where Jason brought the vehicle to a
stop.
   "Thank God," she said with relief, "I was afraid of something terrible
happening."
   "I'm afraid something big is about to happen, Vella," her cousin said
with grim determination as Tolen and Banker both got off.
   "What?" her tension increased.
   "Something that isn't going to be pretty," Tolen said, "But if the
Lords are with us, it will be the end of Marco."
   The three of them started walking back to the wooded area where Angus
and Puppis were waiting.
   "Wait!" Vella called as she caught-up to them, "What do you mean? 
What do you have in mind?"
   Jason turned around and smiled grimly at her, "Those fancy things they
drove-up in are going to take care of Marco and all his other cronies. 
And then they'll get ahold of the ammunition and that will finally be the
end of it."
   "You're not going with them, are you?"
   "If they need me, I am.  Right now, they need me for one important job
before they can get started."  
   As her cousin walked away to catch up with the Pegasus warriors, the
sick feeling only deepened inside her.  By the time she had recovered
enough to follow, they had already reached the parked landrams.
   "Okay, Angus," Tolen called up to his fellow warrior, "Start up Beta
landram.  We're moving out."
   "You found out where he keeps the ammunition?"
   "We did," Banker admitted, "From probably the bravest girl I've ever
met.  She probably signed her death warrant when she told us."
   "But we're not going there, first," Tolen added.
   "We're not?" Angus frowned.
   "We have to make a trip to gather some reinforcements for the battle
that's going to happen."
   Vella had arrived just in time to hear the end of the conversation,
and she suddenly exploded.
   "Now you listen to me!" she said sharply, "If you're planning on some
kind of horrible gunfight with Marco just to get your precious
ammunition, then you do me a favor and leave my family out of this."
   "I'm going to be helping them, Vella," Jason said firmly, "We've
reached a point where this is the only chance we have left to get rid of
Marco."
   "That's not worth throwing your life away, Jason," her cousin
retorted, "My God, look what Martin did, look what Bootes did."
   "It's not going to be like that," he responded gently, "This is
exactly like when Apollo killed Red-Eye."
   "No it isn't," she shook her head vigorously, "I knew Apollo, and he
was nothing like the three of you are.  He only killed Red-Eye because he
had to do it, and because he wasn't trying to be a crazy hero like Martin
and Bootes were.  The only thing you three care about is your precious
mission to get ahold of your ammunition.  All so you can use it to go off
and do more crazy missions elsewhere in the stars.  And for what?"
   "That's not fair, Mother," Puppis suddenly protested, "They've got a
good reason."
   She then glared at her son, "And as for you, Puppis, you said you'd go
to bed when they returned.  Well they have, so go now!"
   Puppis shook his head in disgust as he dropped from the landram's roof
to the ground.  He then started to dash back up the path to his house as
fast as he could go.
   "Jason," Tolen said calmly, "I believe you said that when Red-Eye was
killed, Apollo returned Martin's laser pistol to you."
   "He did," the middle-aged cousin admitted.
   "Get it," the executive officer said flatly, "You'll be needing it for
this first phase."
   Jason nodded and also went back up the path.  Vella was now alone with
the three warriors.
   "Guns, killing," she shook her head, "That's always the story of your
lives, isn't it gentlemen?  I'm almost surprised you didn't ask Puppis to
come along with you."
   "Jason says he's never seen anyone more gifted with a numo," Tolen
admitted, "And I'll be honest, Vella.  If I didn't have this contingency
plan, I would have asked him, and I would have gladly accepted his help."
   "For what?" Vella glowered at him, "To throw away his life like his
father did?"
   "No," he shook his head, "To do something that has to be done."
   She indignantly shook her head, "I learned the true meaning of doing
something that has to be done a long time ago from Apollo, Colonel.  But
I would rather pay three times the amount I'm giving Marco right now,
then take a chance that I could lose all that's left in the world that I
care for."
   Tolen motioned to the increasingly uncomfortable Angus and Banker,
"Get inside the landrams and wait."
   The two warriors nodded and got inside their respective vehicles.
   The executive officer looked her in the eye, "I take it you have a
very pacifistic streak inside you, Vella."
   "I despise all kinds of guns," she said firmly, "If we didn't have
lupus trouble, I'd destroy every numo on the planet."
   "Marco is another kind of lupus, just like Red-Eye was," Tolen softly
retorted, "And until there are people willing to do something about him,
he's going to remain a parasitic leech on this whole settlement.  We're
willing to do that.  So is Jason, and if Puppis were needed, so would
he."
   "No cause is worth dying for."  
   "Felgercarb," Tolen suddenly decided to stop being placid,  "That is
utter felgercarb."
   "Is it?" she matched his hostile tone, "I saw what your kind of cold
impulsiveness leads to, Tolen.  And Martin paid the price for that,
without giving any thought of me or Puppis.  How can any of you live like
that?"
   "I knew Martin," Tolen held his ground, "He was my best friend.  And I
know he represented the dangerous extreme of what a dedicated warrior can
be driven to.  But if you ever stopped and listened to yourself Vella,
you'd find that you represent the worst kind of extreme in the other
direction."
   Her anger briefly faded, "What do you mean?"
   "You say you'd destroy all guns, you say there's no kind of cause
worth dying for," Tolen went on, "We had some people in our governing
Council who felt the same way.  That if we just stopped building our
weapons and just realized it was crazy to go on fighting for a thousand
yahrens, then the Cylon Empire would see the light and be willing to make
peace with the colonies.  Well in case you've forgotten what I said
earlier, the price we paid for that kind of thinking was the destruction
of our entire civilization, and hundreds of millions of people dead," he
skipped a beat, "Including my wife."
   For the first time, Vella seemed intimidated into silence.
   "We learned the hard way that there are some things worse than death,"
Tolen went on, "And one of those things is living under slavery.  If
something isn't done to stop Marco now, no matter how ugly it might be,
then Puppis and every other child in this settlement is going to grow-up
in a life that isn't going to amount to anything."
   The anger was gone from Vella's face.  Replaced now by the weight of
realization that Tolen had made a legitimate point.
   "Now I agree that there are wrong ways and foolish ways of taking a
stand," he softened his tone as if to assuage her feelings, "Martin's way
was foolish.  Bootes' way was foolish.  But what we're doing is the right
way, just like Apollo's was.
You have to believe that, Vella."
   "But why do you have to act, now?" she asked in a calmer tone, "This
has been going by too fast for me to keep up with.  Surely, you don't
have to rush into a battle now.  Apollo waited until he had more
information."
   "Because we're racing against time, Vella," Tolen said, "Our ship is
under strict orders to get out of the area if we linger more than
twenty-four centars without returning from this mission.  And not to
sound disrespectful, but none of us want to spend the rest of our days
here."
   "I suppose not," Vella smiled weakly, "You warriors all want to be
where you belong, out there in the stars."
   Just then, Jason returned brandishing the laser pistol that had
belonged to Martin.
   "Okay," he said, "I'm ready."
   "Get in the first landram with Lieutenant Banker, Jason," Tolen
motioned, "I'll need to bring Angus up-to-date on what the plan is."
   He nodded and stepped inside the first vehicle.  Tolen and Vella were
now looking at each other with mutual concern.
   "Tell Puppis we'll be all right," he said, "We'll be back in about
four centars."
   She suddenly took his hand.
   "The Lords be with you," she whispered.
   He smiled and squeezed it in return, and then stepped inside the
second landram.
   Vella stood there and watched as the landrams suddenly roared to life
and started to move off back through the woods in the direction of the
desert.
   She lightly brushed away a tear from her eye and then went back up the
path to the house.


   "You said we weren't going straight to where the ammunition's kept,"
Angus noted as the landram continued to move.
   "No," Tolen admitted, "With eighteen armed men guarding it, I think
some reinforcements are called for."
   "Who do you have in mind?  More people from town?"
   "Not a chance," he shook his head, "We can't take the risk that one of
them would decide to tip Marco off.  We're getting some professionals for
this."
   Angus looked ahead and noticed that the landram was going back the way
it had come, "We're going back to the shuttles aren't we?"
   "We are."
   "So we're going to be contacting Cain for help?"
   "Of course not," Tolen's voice was nonchalant, "You know the rule
about radio silence when we're this far from the ship."
   "Then if we're not getting help from town or from Cain, where
could---"
   Angus broke off and suddenly looked at Tolen with an incredulous
expression.  The executive officer was grinning.
   "Oh boy," the lieutenant sunk back in his chair, "How crazier can this
mission get?"


   A centar later, the two shuttles were back on the desolate landscape
of Delta Aquinas, and the four men were walking down the incline toward
the abandoned Cylon garrison that the three warriors had traversed
earlier.
   Jason, the newcomer, was still trying to overcome the sense of awe
that travelling in the shuttle into the stars had instilled in him.
   "I still can't believe this," he said as they drew closer.  And then,
the Equellan stopped in his tracks when he saw the seven dead centurions
from the earlier firefight lying about the compound area in front of the
main entrance.
   "Believe it," Tolen said as they resumed walking, "You're the first,
and hopefully last Equellan who'll ever have to travel this far."
   Their footsteps echoed through the corridors as they walked toward the
empty ammunition storage compartment.
   "God, it's amazing that all these Red-Eyes had all this power so close
to us," Jason said in amazement, "How did we get so lucky that they never
came our way?"
   "Thank Martin and Commander Cain and every one else in the Colonial
Fifth Fleet who won the Battle of Delta Aquinas over the Cylons," the
executive officer said.
   "And I imagine that would include yourself, Colonel?" Jason asked.
   Tolen smiled crookedly at him, "Let's just say that I'm not ashamed of
my performance in the battle."
   As they drew up to the entrance, Banker suddenly noticed something
lying on the floor.  He stopped to kneel down and pick it up.
   "What is it?" Angus asked.
   "Doyle's laser pistol," Banker sighed, "We forgot to retrieve it."
   A grim silence then came over the three warriors as the memory of
their lost comrade came back to them.  Even Jason, who had been told of
the sergeant's death beforehand, felt somber as Banker got to his feet
and they resumed walking.
   "Good thing we didn't blast the power unit when we made our exit,"
Angus noted as they reached the door, "Or else this whole idea wouldn't
be worth felgercarb."
   "We'll have to blow the door and the one beyond, this time," Tolen
said, "I'm not turning the power back on until we're ready."
   Banker detached the low-level charges from his belt and applied the
first one to the door.
   "Back up everyone!"  Tolen shouted as the four moved back forty feet
down the corridor.
   Once the door had been blasted open, the four walked through the
opening into the abandoned storage room.  The hole in the wall blasted
yahrens ago by Lieutenant Staley, remained the only jarring feature of
the room.
   Banker then went up to the next door that led to the area where the
sleeper contingent of centurions had emerged from, planted his second
charge and microns later, it too had been blown open.
   "Angus, go back and stand by at the power unit.  Wait for our signal."
   Tolen, Banker and Jason entered the next room.  They had only gone
fifteen feet, when they came face-to-face with the remaining four
deactivated Cylons, each one seated with its weapons at the ready.
   "There they are," Tolen said, "Waiting for the day to be turned on
again.  After twelve yahrens, that day has come."
   Jason let out a low whistle.  One dented Red-Eye had been an imposing
sight for all those yahrens that it had terrorized the people of
Equellas.  To see eight of them, was even more astonishing.
   Incredible, the Equellan thought.  For ten yahrens, a single Red-Eye
had been a source of terror.  Now, four of them held the key to ending a
new wave of terror.
   "Boy," he shook his head, "If Marco's men see four of these, half of
them would turn and run in an instant."
   "Exactly the idea, Jason."
   The three of them carefully removed the weapons the centurions were
clutching.  In order for this to work, the centurions had to be unarmed
when they were brought back to life.
   "I hope your creative improvisation is even better than it was with
Marco," Banker grunted.
   "If you thought that story was outlandish, wait until you hear the one
I'm going to give them," Tolen chuckled slightly and then stepped back
toward the open door, "Okay Angus, hit it and get your ass over here
now!"
   There was a click and slowly the lights and equipment started to come
back on.  With it, the circuits the deactivated centurions were plugged
into, also began to hum with activity.
   Angus dashed in and the four men held their pistols at the ready,
waiting for the whirring sound of the Cylons to start up again.
   After a long centon's delay, the first of them, a gold-plated command
centurion came to life.  It's red light on the top of the helmet that had
led the Equellans to dub the first one they'd seen "Red-Eye" moved back
and forth in accompaniment to the whirring sound.
   Slowly, the other three also came on.
   The command centurion's hand instinctively went for his weapon
holster, discovered it was empty and then looked up at where the four
humans held their pistols aimed at him and all the others.
   "You're the command centurion?" Tolen barked.
   The command centurion got to his feet, "I am," it spoke in that
lower-toned mechanical voice that also distinguished it from the ordinary
silver-plated centurion.
   "Well all of you get up," Tolen continued to bark with authority,
"There's no sense trying to resist.  Your weapons have all been taken
from you, and if you even try to make a move you'll all be dead."
   "Why have you reactivated us?" the command centurion asked.
   "There's a good reason for that commander," Tolen smirked, "Your
friends in the Cylon Empire aren't around to reactivate you.  Your entire
Empire has been destroyed."
   Banker and Angus had to summon all the self-control they could muster
to avoid chuckling or betraying the truth.
   "The thousand yahren war between the colonies and the Cylons ended
shortly after you were deactivated twelve yahrens ago," Tolen continued
forcefully, "And human ingenuity, the very component that you machines
have always lacked, once again came to the forefront and emerged
triumphant to total victory.  Because of that, you and all remaining
survivors of the Cylon Empire are to act entirely at our bidding."
   "You are lying," the command centurion said flatly.
   "Am I?" the executive officer snorted and didn't bat an eye, "If
that's the case, how come your friends have never come back for you,
while we have?"
   None of the centurions seemed able to answer that question, for which
Tolen and the others were grateful because it was a question that had
even puzzled them somewhat.
   Good thing the Cylons prefer to just build new centurions rather than
look for old ones, Banker thought.
   "You're fortunate that we didn't just kill you all while you were
still inactive," Tolen continued, "Because the end of the war and our
victory has brought about two different climates of opinion with regard
to what we do with all the remaining Cylons that are left."
   The executive officer began to pace up and down in front of the eight
centurions, "There are some who think we should just destroy all of you
in the interests of keeping the universe pure from the stench you and
your filthy empire brought for more than a thousand yahrens.  To show no
mercy to any of you, and let you all either turn to rust or be melted
down for scrap."
   Some of the centurions exchanged glances at each other.  The other
three humans wondered if that was from any kind of sense of unease.
   "But there are others who wish to be more charitable," Tolen went on
in that forceful bark, "Those who believe that you Cylons can still
perform useful tasks within the Colonial Empire, and that it is wiser to
let you live, provided that all of you remember that now and for
eternity, your original programming to kill and destroy humans no longer
has any relevance or any purpose or any meaning.  You can be allowed to
continue functioning, and even prosper in a long life of service, so long
as you always remember who your new masters are now."
   The executive officer then paused for emphasis, "What's it going to
be, centurions?  Do you obey us?  Or do you suffer the same fate that was
delivered to no less than your Imperious Leader, when he was formally
executed after the Battle of Cylon?"
   Again, Tolen allowed his words to hang in the air.
   Finally, the command centurion stepped forward and bowed slightly, "By
your command."
   It set off a chain reaction among the others.  The next one stepped
forward and also said, "By your command," until they had all done so.
   When they had all finished, Banker and Angus both had to restrain
themselves from the desire to applaud.
   "Very good, centurions," Tolen smiled, "Come with us, and you will all
be rewarded later."
   Slowly, the four centurions began to move forward and were motioned
out into the next room, and then outside the hole in the storage room out
into the daylight and back towards the shuttles.
   As Tolen led his new and unlikely allies, he realized that the next
difficult hurdle had been cleared, and that the last one, and the most
dangerous, was all that remained now.

                       Chapter Seven

   The granary tower that housed the ammunition stock lay on an abandoned
farm outside town that had been seized yahrens earlier as tribute by
LaCerta.  Still abandoned at the time Marco had risen to power, it became
the perfect facility for storing the instruments that enabled him to
perpetuate his power on a scale that his old boss could never have
dreamed of.  LaCerta had only had one enforcer, Red-Eye, with one laser
pistol.  On the other hand, he had enough laser ammunition to hold on to
unquestioned power forever.
   That had been his whole smug way of thinking until those strangers had
walked into the tavern.  Unlike that mysterious Apollo who had killed
Red-Eye, there was something about those two that was even more
frightening.  When that man Tolen said he had something more powerful
than anything he had stored inside the granary, he felt sure he could
believe it.
   But he'd spent so many yahrens in LaCerta's shadow, serving as his
lackey, and then he'd endured the humiliation of having to play second
fiddle to that infernal machine Red-Eye for another ten yahrens.  He'd
paid his dues waiting for his chance to finally get the power he'd always
felt he was entitled to, and he was damned if two arrogant little daggits
were going to take it away from him. 
   So he had spent the last three centars waiting.  And for this, he had
more than just his remaining eighteen men who received percentage cuts of
tribute in return for their unflagging loyalty to him.  He'd also taken
an extra precaution as well.  He'd also sent Argo out to gather some of
the farmers who'd been forced to give up their land and livestock when
they couldn't keep up the tribute payments.  The promise of having their
lands restored to them, seemed like something worth dangling in front of
their eyes to get them to join in the defense of the granary as well.
   He took a look around and made a mental note of which farmers had
decided to come.  And then he went over to where Argo had already taken
up position with his own laser pistol.
   "Very impressive," Marco said, "At least ten more decided to join."
   "The only one I couldn't get was Jason,"  he grunted.
   "Oh?" Marco lifted an eyebrow, "Did he say why he wasn't interested in
a chance at getting his stinking farm back?"
   "He wasn't there," Argo shook his head, "That damned cousin of his,
Vella, said he was in town.  Wouldn't say anything else.  But I'd just
come from town and no one saw him there."
   "That's interesting," the crimelord put a finger to his lips, "You
know Argo, if you'd just think a little more before acting, you might
learn something.  I have a feeling that when our friends from the tavern
show-up, Jason is going to be with them."
   Argo slowly shook his head, "I ought to give that slut just what I
gave Macy."
   "Later," Marco smiled malevolently, "A time and a place for
everything, my dear Argo." 


   After Tolen and Angus landed the shuttles closer to the settlement,
the two landrams, each containing two humans and two Cylons, started off
on their journey toward the granary.
   Jason uneasily cast a glance toward the back where the two centurions
sat at attention.
   "I wish they didn't make me so nervous," he whispered to Angus.
   "Don't," the warrior whispered back, "Boss them around just like
LaCerta did with Red-Eye.  They'll obey."
   Angus then darted back to look at them as well, "We won't unleash them
right away.  Tolen wants to save them as a surprise if Marco turns out to
be more stubborn than we realize.  Right now though, the bigger problem
is getting someone on top of the turret cannon once we move into
position.  You don't know how to either drive this thing or man one."
   "So how's this going to work?"
   "I'll have to do the cannon," Angus said, "Once I bring her into
position, I need you to cover me until I can get up there.  Think you can
do that?"
   Jason gestured his pistol and grinned, "It'll be my pleasure,
Lieutenant."
   Angus returned it and continued to follow Tolen's landram.
   "By the way Angus," the Equellan's tone became more serious, "When I
was getting Martin's laser pistol from the house, Puppis told me about
the talk you and he had about Apollo, and about... things on your ship. 
I want to thank you for that.  I think he's come to terms with Apollo
never coming back now."
   "I'm glad about that," the Pegasus warrior admitted, "I know from
experience that Apollo can seem like a pain in the ass at times, but he's
not the kind of person anyone should ever hold a grudge against for any
reason," he paused slightly, "This mission's also taught me a few things
about not holding grudges as well."
   And Angus had already made a silent vow to himself that when he got
back and heard another crack about Cain as the 'Merchant of Death' from
Paris or anyone else, he was going to punch that person right in the
nose.


   "Four kilometers to go," Banker could slowly feel the tension rise in
his voice as the landram continued to trod over the dirt roads, "Looks as
though Marco pulled back the men he has blocking the roads and has them
all waiting at the granary."
   Tolen rose from his chair, "Take over the driving, Banker."
   The executive officer slowly made his way to the back, where the
command centurion and another Cylon were seated.
   "Do you all understand explicitly what it is we expect you to do?" 
Tolen brought his voice to that posture of authority he'd been using ever
since they were turned back on.
   "Affirmative," the command centurion spoke, "We are to await your
order to attack the renegades."
   "That will come when I say so," Tolen said firmly ,"But don't let-up
until they're all dead or have surrendered.  This is a bad group of
people we're dealing with.  They're causing trouble with the established
order of things as they're supposed to be on this world.  Now since I
know how much your Imperious Leader used to stress the need of
maintaining order on behalf of your destroyed Empire, you can certainly
appreciate the seriousness of this situation."
   "We do," the command centurion nodded.
   "Excellent," Tolen smiled approvingly, "The more reason for all of you
to do your job well and earn the appropriate rewards."
   He then moved back to the front where Banker was looking at him
quizzically.
   "What kind of rewards do you have in mind for them?" Banker whispered.
   "One thing at a time, Banker," Tolen settled into his seat, "One thing
at a time.  I'll slow down and let you get in position on the turret
cannon now."
   Banker nodded and opened the door on his side.  The landram slowed to
a crawl as Tolen waited for the lieutenant to get into position in the
cannon on the roof.
   A thump from above indicated that he was in, and the executive officer
gingerly picked up speed again.
   Tolen could feel his heart pumping faster as they drew closer.


   The thirty members that comprised Marco's line of defense could all
feel the tension they'd been going through for the last two centars since
the crimelord had rounded them up, rise as well.  Some of the farmers
who'd only signed-up because they'd jumped at the chance to get their
confiscated lands back, were feeling decidedly more nervous than Marco's
regular band of enforcers.
   "I'm beginning to regret this," one farmer whispered to another, "If
Marco's worried about something taking away his weapons, maybe we're on
the wrong side."
   "He said it means someone worse than he's been to us," the second
farmer whispered back as they continued to look ahead with their awkward
feeling laser pistols in their grasp.
   "I'm not so sure there can be someone worse than him."
   "Quiet!" Argo's voice snapped from behind, which promptly intimidated
them into silence.
   At the base of the granary, Marco leaned forward slightly and frowned.
   "Do you hear that?" he took a step toward the others, "It sounds as
though they're coming."
   And then, a stunned silence came over the thirty men as the two
landrams suddenly came into sight.  Never before had any of them ever
seen a vehicle move without animal propulsion.
   "So that's Mr. Tolen's trade secret," the crimelord kept up his
external bravado, but inside his stomach was churning with anxiety,
"Looks as though he was telling the truth."
   The anxiety was even deeper inside some of the other men, "Sir, if
he's come to make an offer, it might...."
   "Not a chance," Marco gritted his teeth, "He won't settle for anything
less than all the ammunition and I'm not letting him get one piece of
it."
   The landrams suddenly came to a stop fifty feet from where Marco's
front-line was positioned.  Through the glare of the spotlights, Marco
could see one man stationed on top of the lead one.
   He then heard Tolen's voice come over some kind of speaker from
inside, "Marco, you have exactly two centons to pull all your men out of
there, now."
   The crimelord laughed.
   "Not a chance, Mr. Tolen.  You'd do yourself a favor by just begging
for mercy from your boss."
   "Sorry, my boss is not that forgiving," Tolen replied bluntly, "We'll
just have to give you and those poor souls you've rounded up a little
demonstration.  Lieutenant!"
   And then, Banker aimed the laser cannon at the back end of the 
structure adjacent to the granary.  A single blast suddenly caused
created a hole ten feet wide in the building and sent shards of wood
flying.
   "I wasn't lying about the hundred rounds per micron either, Marco, now
step aside!  If you don't, then the deaths of your men are all going to
be your responsibility, not mine!"
   The first farmer suddenly bolted to his feet with a look of terror,
"Marco, you never said it was anything like this.  There's no way I'm
gonna try and fight one of those things.  Not even to get my land back."
   "I'm so sorry for you," Marco glared at him and then promptly shot the
farmer right in the chest with his own laser pistol.
   Some of the other men, even those who were among Marco's regular group
of enforcers began to look uneasy.
   "The next one who tries to desert me is going to get the same!" the
crimelord shouted, "Now all of you move in, and kill them!  Now!  Now!"
   Argo promptly fired the first laser round at the landrams.  It was
enough to make every other member in Marco's group, act accordingly.
   Banker promptly returned fire and the battle had begun.


   As soon as the shots had started, Angus promptly kicked open the door
to his landram, "Cover me, now!" he shouted at Jason.
   The Equellan burst out of the shuttle and unleashed his own laser
volley in the direction of the granary.  Several screams from ahead
indicated that already, there were casualties on the other side.
   From the first landram, Banker increased the barrage, always aiming
carefully to make sure he didn't hit the granary tower itself.
   But as more shots erupted from the crimelord's gang that were aimed
directly at his position, the lieutenant found himself ducking more and
more, and increasingly unable to keep up his precision.  As a result, the
intensity of fire from the cannon was drastically reduced.
   From the top of the second landram, Angus settled into position and
could see a group of seven men from the front-line inching their way
forward as they kept up their barrage of laser pistol fire and moved in
toward where Jason was trying to hold them back.
   "I'm in Jason, take cover yourself!" Angus shouted as he fired his
first barrage toward the group of men.
   The first blast promptly took out the lead three, and the Equellan
ducked behind the safety of the landram door, as he continued to fire.
   From inside the first landram, Tolen could hear the fire intensity
diminishing from the roof and he decided it was time to increase the
tempo of the battle.
   He grabbed hold of the control stick and the landram moved forward
toward the granary.
   "Stand by centurions!" he shouted behind him, "Stand by!"
   "Awaiting your command," the command centurion said in that same
unemotional drone.


   As the lead landram moved forward, some more men in the front-line
panicked and fell back.  Their shots against the landram structure had
virtually no effect.
   "Aim at the top!" Marco shouted as he kept firing his own pistol, "Aim
at the top!  Take out both those men, and we'll overwhelm them!"
   It finally reached the point where Banker could no longer expose
himself to use the turret cannon.  He ducked below the shield and
switched to his own laser pistol, trading off shots with the next group
of six that now tried to rush the vehicle.
   Banker saw one try to mount the handrails that led up to where he was. 
He promptly brought the butt of his pistol down on the man's skull and he
collapsed to the ground.
   Another one had begun to fumble with the door that led to where Tolen
was seated.  The executive officer was forced to shoot the would-be
intruder right between the eyes.
   "Now!" he turned around and shouted as he hit the switch that opened
the rear door, "Now centurions!"
   "By your command."
   The command centurion rose and the two of them with their weapons at
the ready, then walked out through the rear door that Tolen had just
opened.
   When the Cylons emerged, the gang outside went into a state of shock
that exceeded anything they'd seen up to that point.
   For six of them, it proved to be fatal.
   "They've got a whole group of Red-Eyes!" the second farmer shouted,
"Forget it Marco, I surrender!"
   The crimelord was also in a state of shock.  Too shocked to shoot the
second farmer down, as he had done the first.  Even Argo was in a state
of shock.
   As a result, when the blast from the two lead centurions struck them
both full force, their own laser pistols were still frozen at their
sides.


   Through the windshield, Jason could see the first group of centurions
emerge from the lead landram.  He then hit the rear door switch Angus had
indicated and motioned to the two centurions in the back.
   "Go up there and help!" the Equellan commanded, "Go up there and
help!"
   "By your command."
   As soon as the Cylons had left, he heard several more screams come
from the lead echelon that had been harassing his landram.
   "Don't shoot!" one of them shouted as he threw down his pistol and
dropped to the ground, "We surrender!  We surrender!"
   Jason bolted out of the landram and grinned.  These henchmen of
Marco's who had run them into the ground with their slave labor tactics
had finally learned the meaning of fear.
   "We've done it Angus!" he shouted with exhilaration, "We've done it!"
   But there was no response to the Equellan's joyous exclamation.
   "Angus?" Jason looked up with concern.
   The Pegasus lieutenant was slumped over the turret cannon, one arm
dangling over the shielding.  He made no movement at all.
   "Damn," the Equellan whispered as he felt the tears come to his eyes,
"Damn."

   
   Ahead, the last survivors of the gang promptly threw down their
weapons and dropped to the ground.  Immediately, Tolen barked an order to
the centurions to cease their procession that had silenced the remaining
opposition.
   The four Cylons pulled back to the landram, while Tolen and a drained
Banker began to collect the laser pistols strewn about.
   It was a sickening sight to Tolen, to see almost half of the thirty
men Marco had assembled lying dead as a result of the battle.  It felt
horrifying to think that he'd been forced into a position where for the
first time in his life he'd had to kill other human beings, and even
resort to using Cylons to do so.
   But when Tolen came to Marco's body, he looked down at the crimelord's
blank stare of death, he remembered that evil was something not just
confined to the Cylon Empire.  It was even rampant among members of his
own race, and this man had been living proof of that.  The blame for the
carnage could only rest with Marco for using the ammunition that had
fallen from the sky as a means of beginning a monstrous reign of terror
akin to slave labor.
   He gingerly picked up the pistol the crimelord was carrying and
suppressed the desire to kick the pudgy corpse.
   "All right everyone!" Tolen shouted to the survivors, "Listen up! 
You're going to help us load everything inside the granary, and then
we'll be on our way, and you can all go home!  No one is going to be
using these things to collect any more tribute from anyone!"
   Warily, the survivors got to their feet in surprise as if they'd
expected Tolen to declare himself the new crimelord.
   Just then, a shaken Jason came up to them.
   "Sir," his voice was trembling, "Angus is dead."
   Both Tolen and Banker winced and lowered their heads.
   "Frack," the executive officer said under his breath as he struggled
to clear his throat, "Frack."
   "Sir," the command centurion suddenly broke the silence that came
over, "What is your next command?"
   Tolen looked up and saw the four Cylons standing in a neatly aligned
row.  He then motioned Banker and Jason to come close and whispered
something in their ears.  They both nodded, and took a position on both
sides of the executive officer.
   "Centurions," Tolen spoke firmly, "You have done your job well, and
for that we shall reward you for your service, now!"
   And then, a barrage of laser fire from Tolen, Banker and Jason
suddenly sent all four of the centurions crashing to the ground in a pile
of motionless metal.
   "Sorry guys," Tolen hunched over the broken remains of the gold-plated
centurion, "But since your leader didn't keep his word at the Peace
Conference, there's no reason why I had to keep mine to you."
   The three exhausted men then went to work on the granary tower.


   The wait had been agonizing for both Vella and a still-awake Puppis,
especially after Argo had come by to try and recruit Jason.  She could
only wonder now at what might happen if her cousin's involvement with the
Pegasus warriors was found out, and Marco decided to take some kind of
revenge on her and her son.
   Another three centars passed before they suddenly heard the
wonderfully reassuring sounds of the landrams.
   "They're back!" the blonde youth shouted as he bolted out the front
with his anxious mother trailing.
   The landrams came to a stop by the woods.  The doors opened, and Jason
and Banker emerged from the first one, while Tolen came out of the
second.
   "Jason, thank God," Vella embraced her cousin.
   "It's over," he said in a drained tone, "Marco's dead and there'll be
no more of his like to take his place."
   "Where's Angus?" the boy asked with concern.
   The grim silence from the three men gave them the answer before Tolen
could say it.
   "He's dead," he finally said it, "But he died...bravely."
   "It's true," Jason said, "Angus saved my life at least twice during
that whole awful exchange."
   Puppis lowered his head and wiped away a tear as he tried to remember
everything the warrior had told him about the need to do difficult jobs.
   Tolen slowly exhaled, "I'm afraid we can't stay any longer.  We've
packed every last laser pistol and every crate that was in the tower
inside these two landrams.  We'll be loading them back into the
shuttles...and then we'll be going."
   Jason then came up to Tolen and shook his hand.
   "It was an honor to serve under you, Colonel," he said, "Thank you. 
And you too, Banker.  The Lords be with you in the things you still have
to do."
   "We hope so," Tolen said, "And I hope to God that nothing like what
just happened ever has to happen again to any of you."
   "I think maybe this time, that prayer's going to be answered," Jason
smiled, "Those men we took on were the worst of the lot on the whole
planet.  If they have to be worried about the possibility of seeing
firepower like that again, then none of them will ever have the nerve to
try and become the next LaCerta or Marco."
   "And they won't have any ammunition, or any other kind of thing that
doesn't belong in a society like this," Tolen admitted and then handed
him an extra laser pistol, "But from where I come from, we had to learn
the lesson about keeping our defenses ready even during a time of
tranquility, because you can never anticipate where the next madman is
going to come from.  So Jason, take this and take one crate of
ammunition.  Guard it and keep it hidden, and only use it as a last
resort if another lunatic decides to start another reign of terror."
   "In case there's ever something that we...have to do," Vella said with
understanding, "I guess we have to learn not to keep looking to the stars
and hoping that our problems can only be solved by visitors from far
away."
   She then put her arm around Puppis, "If he ever has to do a horrible
job like you were just forced to do, he'll be ready."
   Tolen smiled thinly and patted the boy's head.
   "Puppis," he said gently, "Learn from your father's instincts as a
fine warrior, and a man of sharp discipline.  But always temper that with
your mother's sense of good judgment."
   "I will," the boy nodded, "Tolen, if...you ever get a chance to see
Apollo again, you can tell him that you and Angus and Banker kept the
promise for him."
   "I'll tell him that," Tolen kept smiling, "I...promise."
   He shared a friendly embrace with them, and then after Jason had
removed the one crate of ammunition, both Tolen and Banker got back into
their respective landrams.
   The three Equellans watched until the vehicles had disappeared into
the woods beyond and the sounds of their engines had faded completely.


   Twenty centons later, both Tolen and Banker were bringing their
shuttles into a standard orbit that would take them away from Equellas
for the last time.
   "You haven't said a word for quite some time, Banker," Tolen radioed
him, "Haven't you got anything to say?"
   There was a long silence before the lieutenant answered.
   "No sir," the voice was the same flat, bitter tone that he'd first
heard in the briefing room before the mission, "After all that's
happened, I don't have anything more to say."
   The executive officer sighed.  When all was said and done, two men
were dead, and it seemed as though the bitterness that had raged through
Banker was even deeper than before.
   And yet for himself, Tolen had to admit that the reason for why Cain
had sent him on this mission, to bury the ghosts of the past, had been
vindicated.  Totally.  He could go back to his duties as executive
officer with an even clearer conscience about what lay ahead of them.
   As the weighted shuttles moved away from Equellas and Delta Aquinas,
and reached the nebulae cloud that marked the exit point from the Hatari
System, Tolen finally pressed the communicator switch.
   "Alpha shuttle to Pegasus Core Command, come in.  This is Alpha
shuttle to Pegasus Core Command, come in."
   "Tolen," he heard the relieved voice of Cain fill the cockpit, "Thank
the Lords we were starting to worry."
   "It turned out to be a lot rougher than expected, Commander," Tolen
said, "We ended up with some casualties.  Lieutenant Angus and Sergeant
Doyle are both dead."
   There was only a brief pause from the other end.
   "I'm sorry to hear that," the Juggernaut finally spoke, "Was the
mission still a success?"
   Tolen didn't respond at first.  Hearing that question made him turn
around and look behind where the glowing orbs of both Equellas and Delta
Aquinas were still visible for one more brief instant.
   "Tolen?" Cain repeated.
   As the last glow of the two planets faded from view, Tolen smiled and
said in a totally relaxed and confident tone of voice, "Yes sir, the
mission was a total success in every sense of the word."

                      Epilogue 

   It seemed like an eternity passed since Apollo had pressed the button
and gone back to this one section of the Pegasus telemetry.  But as he
finally switched it off and checked his chronometer, he discovered to his
amazement that it had only been less than one centar.
   He swivelled around in his office chair and then was stunned to see
his wife standing there.
   "Hello Apollo," Sheba was smiling sympathetically.
   Her husband flushed and seemed thoroughly embarrassed, "Sheba, I
didn't know...."
   "I'm sorry I startled you," she came up to him, "I came down to bring
you something you'd left at home, and Strelka just let me in."
   "How long have you been there?" Apollo asked still trying to recover.
   "Fifteen centons," Sheba sat down on the edge of the desk, "Tolen's
action report on Delta Aquinas and Equellas was one of the more
interesting parts of the telemetry we saw last night.  Probably the most
interesting thing that happened to the Pegasus in the two yahrens before
she went on the offensive again."
   "Yeah," Apollo nodded and then sighed, "Look Sheba, there was another
reason why I went back to it.  I...I should have told you about it last
night, but...."
   "You knew that family on Equellas, didn't you?" her expression was
still sympathetic, "Tolen never mentioned your name in the report, but I
did notice an interesting look on your face when he mentioned Equellas,
and about how the widow and son of Captain Martin had played a big role
in leading to the success of the mission."
   Apollo nodded, "It was...just after I lost Serina."
   "When you disappeared on a Recon patrol inside the Hatari System,"
Sheba finished for him, "Athena told me about that once, and how you'd
never told anyone about what had happened to you there."
   "I didn't want to tell anyone," the Governor-General of Caprica
awkwardly turned away from her and stared out the window where the
thriving downtown of Caprica City was in plain view, "I was...still a bit
of an emotional wreck at the time, and here I was suddenly cut off from
home, and this compassionate woman and her son who helped me a great
deal..." he trailed off.
   "Were you ever tempted to just stay where you were and never come
back?"
   Apollo forced himself to look at his wife, "Yes I was," he admitted,
"And if I hadn't had Boxey to think about, I probably would have."
   "I'll bet you made some kind of promise to them about coming back some
day," Sheba placed a hand on her husband's shoulder.
   His wife's intuition never ceased to amaze Apollo.  Always, it seemed
as though she had a special way of knowing exactly how his mind worked. 
But then again, that had always been one of the reasons why their
marriage had always been so solid.
   "I did," he finally said, "But the micron Starbuck and Boomer picked
my viper up, I knew I wasn't going to be able to keep that promise, ever. 
And Sheba, please believe me.  She doesn't mean anything to me."
   "Now don't say things like that just because you think that's supposed
to make me feel better," Sheba's voice took on a chiding edge, "If you're
really the compassionate man I love, she should mean something to you in
one sense of the word."
   Her husband was silent for a long moment before he finally responded.
   "I'll admit that," Apollo said, "But now that I've had a chance to
look at the telemetry one last time, I won't worry about my broken
promise any more.  I almost get the feeling that Tolen's being there to
help them at another critical time helped keep the promise for me."
   "That's a good way of looking at things," his wife's smile returned.
   Apollo sighed and looked into her eyes with an expression of pure love
for his wife.
   "I'm grateful that I had Boxey to think of," he said, "Because that
way, I had the strength to return and wait for the woman the Lord really
planned for the next phase of my life."
   He gently placed his hands on her face and lowered it to his so that
they met in a tender kiss.
   Just as the previous evening had seen Sheba chase the last ghost from
her mind about her father's fate, so too had a similar one finally been
chased from Apollo's.

The End