fire blasted chunks of rock from the wall. Starbuck and Apollo returned
the fire, and two centurions fell.
"Do you have another weapon?" Cassiopeia, who had crawled up to
Starbuck, said blearily. "I can handle a laser pistol. One of my many
socialator's talents."
Starbuck started to tell her to get back, she was still too drugged.
Instead, he said, "See if one of these zombies has a pistol in his
holster."
He pointed to the three uniformed men, then turned and shot at the
centurions blocking the corridor that led to the elevator. His and
Apollo's shots kept finding targers, and soon there was a pile of Cylons
with nobody fighting back.
"Hades!" Cassiopeia said, unsteadily pointing the pistol she'd
liberated down the corridor. "It's a fake. These guys are carrying fake
pistols!"
"I'm not surprised. Let't get out of here. That shoothout's got to
draw some curious intruders."
Before he waved the group on, he touched the wall beside him. It
was illuiminated with a dim, but increasing glow.
"Apollo!' Starbuck said. "You thinking what I'm thinking?"
"Yeah. With all this Tylium starting to burn, this could grow into
a fire that could turn this whole bloody planet into a bomb."
"Um, let's tiptoe out of here, huh? This way, c'mon."
"Are you sure?"
"This is not time for a vote. Let's move."
A lone Cylon leaped out at them from behind the pile of corpses. He
released one shot toward Starbuck which ignited more rock. Starbuck
reacted quickly and killed the ambushing alien.
Maneuvering around the corpses, they traveled down another short
corridor and into the lobby containing the elevator bank.
"What'd I tell ya, Captain. We're saved."
The door to the elevator that Apollo and Starbuck had tampered with
opened suddenly, and a bemused-looking Boomer stepped out. He smiled
broadly when he saw that Starbuck and Apollo were standing across the
lobby from him.
"Hey, guys," he said. "What's going on? You guys hot-wire this
elevator? I looked all over---"
He was interrupted by laser fire emerging from the darkness of a
corridor to his left. His weapon was immediately drawm and he went into
a crouch as he fired at the source of the attack. Boomer's fire provided
a cover by which Apollo and Starbuck could lead Cassiopeia', Boxey, and
the three men across the open area. When they reached the elevator and
herded their people in, Starbuck shouted, "We might get trapped in that
thing?"
"Does it matter?" Apollo shouted back. "If those fires combine and
spread and explode the Tylium, it doesn't matter where we are. Get in.
C'mon, Boomer!"
Starbuck joined Boomer to allow him extra firepower in backing into
the elevator. As Starbuck leaped into the elevator between the leading
edges of the closing doors, a centurion appeared just in front of the car
and took dead aim on the young lieutenant. The doors closed just in time
but flamed briefly as the centurion's shot hit them dead center.
*****
Serina had searched throughout the whole room for B oxey, and was
rapidly becoming frantic. She tried to obtain Colonel Tigh's help, but
the commander's aide, intent on a small electronic device concealed in
his hand, waved her away. She didn't know what to do. If Apollo wold
only return, she thought, he would know what to do.
On the podium, Zalto had brought the crowd to several cheers and a
couple of ovations. He had reached the main point of his speech.
"And so I ask you to join with me in the spirit of this great
communion and put your trust in me, just in me, and go to the Cylons.
For I tell you, my countrymen, that this night will be remembered as the
foundation upon which the floor of peace was leid, to last forever. I
give you the hope that----huh?"
His speech was stopped abruptly by the charging of Apollo, Starbuck,
and Boomer from thje elevator. Apollo pointed his gun toward the ceiling
and fired. Everyone in the room turned toward him.
"Oh, boy! Him again," groaned Zalto's doll, which was, at present,
occupying a table a scant distance away from the podium.
"Everyone begin to move quickly and orderely towards the exits.
That's an order!"
"Stay where you are!" Zalto shouted from the podium. "I'm in charge
here!"
Before Apollo could respond, a group of centurions had joined the
Ubbo-Sathla at the entranceway and began firing. Everyone began
scrambling for cover.
"Uh oh," Zalto's doll said flatly, green eyes flashing wildly, like
an alert claxon.
"Listen to Apollo!" Zalto hollered. "Do what he says. He's in
charge here!"
Boomer and Starbuck wiped out the entire contingent of guards at one
doorway, and Zalto, collecting his doll from the seat of the table it had
been occupying, was the first to hightail it through to the outside. The
rest of Red Squadron had produced weapons and laser fire crisscrossed in
all directions. Voices screamed, and lights, hit by random shots, began
to flicker and die.
Serina dodged around tables and fallen chairs toward the elevator
bank.
"Boxey! Boxey!" she hollered.
She discovered the boy cowering behind Apollo. She picked him up in
her arms.
"Over that way!" Apollo cried. "That entrance is clear now!"
He led Serina and Boxey through the archway. Outside, rain stung
their faces. Beams from Cylon helmets cut through the drkness. Apollo
took Serina and Boxey to cover behind the grog fountain.
All around and inside the chancery the battle raged.
"We haven't enough firepower," Apollo said to Serina. "There were
too many fake guns among that fake Blue Squadron."
"What fake Blue Squadron?"
Apollo explained about the strange imposters in the squadron's
uniforms.
"I don't know what was in my father's mind when..."
Over the hill near the fountain, a landram appeared, with Lieutenant
Jolly mounted on a gun turret. The fat lieutenant started blasting away,
and a group of centurions began to fall. Jolly had zeroed in on them by
the light of their helmet beams.
Telling Serina to stay under cover, Apollo ran to the landram upon
which Jolly sat. Another two landrams had appeared, and their gunners
were firing at centurions and Ubbo-Sathlas.
"Assemble squadron!" Apollo cried, as he reached the landram and
scrambled aboard.
"Where in all that's holy did you come from, Jolly?"
"We're here courtesy of Commander Adama, Captain."
"But why----"
"He sent the landrams to cover for you guys in case any fighting
broke out in the chancery. Clairvoyant your father is, Captain. He also
ordered us to collect Red Squadron and shuttle them back to the
Galactica.
He's expecting a fight, he says."
"Red? Why just Red?"
Jolly smiled as he fired off another round, dropping several of the
helmeted Cylons.
"Blue squadron didn't get to go to the party, sir. Except for
Boomer and Starbuck, who had to play hero with you down here at the
Sire's little celebration. Guess all three of you had to go so Zalto
wouldn't get wise he didn't have all the military personnel at the
party."
"If the Blues didn't go to the party, who were those oddballs
wearing our uniforms?"
"Anyone the commander could find up in the fleet to fill the
uniforms. You shoulda seen the guy who got mine."
'I think I did, Jolly."
Shooting suddenly stopped. The Ubbo-Sathlas were scattering, while
the centurions were beating a retreat away from the chancery.
"What are those damn Cylons up to now?" Apollo said.
"I'm not sure. Just before hell broke loose, I received a report
that air activity had been tracked by scanner on the Galactica. They
thought it might be Cylon fighters. Those guys might be returning to
their ships."
"Then we'd better get to ours and damn fast!"
Apollo jumped off the landram. From the main entranceway, the rest
of the guests----civilians, warriors, and civilians in warrior
uniforms---scrambled out toward the landrams. The authentic warriors
were being assembled by Starbuck and Boomer. Apollo joined them,
explained as succinctly as he could what Jolly had told him.
"Red Squadron's got to go on ahead in the first landram. We may not
have m uch time. Starbuck, you and Boomer take care of the civilians.
Round them up and get them to the shuttles.
"But Captain," Starbuck complained. "I want to get to my ship,
too."
"Do what you're orderd, bucko. Get up there fast enough and I'll
see if I can save you a couple of Cylon stragglers for target practice."
"Thanks a bunch, Captain."
Apollo gestured for the Red Squadron to follow him to the first
landram. Boomer and Starbuck began, with Cassiopeia's help, to calm the
panicking civilians and get them organized. Tigh joined Red Squadron.
He was holding his left arm, which hung limp at his side.
"Are you all right?" Apollo asked. "A Cylon stray shot?"
"Yeah, but I took out at least five of them."
Serina, Boxey at her side, waited by the landram.
"They'll take you to the shuttles," Apollo said. "I'm sorry, but..."
"We'll be fine," Serina said. "Get going."
*****
Athena had noticed that the token force left on the bridge had grown
to a full crew since the alert had gone out, but she had been too busy to
wonder about it.
"Form scan positive," she announced as the information came up on
her screen. "Multiple three-passenger vehicles."
"Raiders, then," Adama said. "Athena nodded.
"So they spring their trap. Recall our personnel from Carillon's
Lot."
"Evacuation activity has already begun," said a communications
officer. "I just received a report. They had some kind of set-to down
there, and Plan R is in effect." He listened for a moment longer. "Tigh
reports that Red Squadron has reached the shuttle and taken off."
"Good."
Athena, puzzled, looked toward her father.
"You knew the Cylon attack craft would be here?" she asked.
"Yes. Call General Quarters."
The claxon sounded immediately, as if an officer's finger had been
placed on the alarm button awaiting the order. The screen showing the
pilot's ready room switched on, showing countless warriors scrambling
away from card games, reading, and sleeping.
"Father," Athena cried, amazed. "Where are all the warriors coming
from? A full squadron is answering the call. There aren't that many
pilots left onboard."
"There are. I couldn't let you in on it, couldn't tell anyone who
was not integral to the plan. Sorry, Athena."
On the launch board, squares of light flashed on, indicating each
ship warming up in launch cribs. When all the lights had flashed on,
Adama bellowed, "Launch when ready!"
"I see," Athena said. "You keep some pilots back. An entire
squadron?"
"Yes."
"Exactly what I would have done!"
Adama smiled affectionately.
"I'm sure," he said.
They watched the launch through the starfield. The Vipers, flying
in pre-battle formation, were an awesome sight, and Adama felt confidence
rise up in him. Each of the vipers peeled off and, as ordered, flew
through the flight corridor the three heroes had formed with their
exploit, and went out single file to confront the approaching enemy. A
bridge officer reported that the Cylon task force was overwhelming, three
entire flights.
"Our squadron won't stand a chance," Athena protested.
"They won't be alone for long," Adama said. "The others are on
their way and, using the contingency battle plan, they'll be joining the
first squadron."
"It may be too late. Where the hades are they?"
"Shuttle approaching landing deck," a bridge officer said.
"That soon enough for you, Athena?" Adama remarked.
But Athena was too busy staring at the screens showing the launching
bay, and the pilots getting into battle gear on the run, to listen
closely to what her father had said.
*****
The rain was falling harder in the fields where the shuttles sat.
Boomer and Starbuck hustled the panicky people off the landrams and up
the gangways to each ready ship. A cold breeze drove the rain
uncomfortably into their faces.
"I hate milk runs," Starbuck shouted.
"Look," Boomer cautioned, "each job's important, okay?"
"Ah, that sounds like one of the commander's lectures."
Cassiopeia, who had been helping people off the last landram,
reported that everybody was off the vehicles. Her eyes showed she was
alert now. Starbuck hollered at the last stragglers to get a move on.
"Boomer," he said, "soon as we dock these shuttles, we head for the
launch cribs. I want a piece of the action."
The rain lessened abruptly and Starbuck's attention was caught by a
ship sitting on the slope of a nearby hill.
"What's that?" he said, pointing toward the ship.
Boomer looked.
"That's one of the Ubbo-Sathla Tylium freighters."
"Is it carrying a full load?"
"Yeah, it must be. Why?"
"I'm taking it up."
"But that stuff's lethal. One attack and they could blow you out of
the sky."
"Great. That's the way I always wanted to go. You take care of the
shuttles, I'll..."
"I want to go with you."
"You've got your job, Boomer. Do it."
"But what do you know about flying an Ubbo-Sathla ship?"
/>
"I can fly anything, Boom-Boom."
"You can fly your head into the clouds, that's what you can do."
"Goodbye, Boomer."
Starbuck started toward the tanker. Suddenly he was aware of
Cassiopeia running beside him.
"What're you doing?" he roared.
"I'm going with you."
"But..."
"You can used me. I'll explain later."
*****
Everybody on the bridge tensed as Athena announced, "First defense
wing about to make contact with the attack force."
As the defense wing was revealed on the main console screen, Adama
was struck by how pitifully small they looked against the wall of the
Cylon armada.
"By all that's holy..." One of the wing's pilots yelled over his
com.
One of the lead Cylon ships went into a roll and fired as it flew by
a Viper. The viper took the hit full on, and exploded. Almost
concurrently two more Viper ships were wiped out by Cylons. Greenbean's
voice resounded through the bridge.
"There's too many of them. Roll out, hit 'em from the sides!"
The Colonial vipers peeled off, but they looked too thinly spread to
do much damage.
"Where's the Red Squadron?" Greenbean hollered.
Turning back to the screen, he saw two more vipers exploding.
"So much for trying to hit 'em from the sides," he shouted angrily.
"Where are they?" Adama said.
Then his son's voice came through the comline.
"Revved and ready for takeoff."
The launch lights came on.
"Your wing ready, Jolly?" Apollo said.
"Ready, sir."
"Let's go!"
Apollo's Red Squadron streaked across the sky and into the minefield
corridoir.
"The shuttles are arriving, sir," a bridge officer said. "Reports
show other ships rising up from the surface of Carillon's Lot."
"More Cylons?"Athena said.
"Running visual idents now."
On the comline Greenbean shouted, "Yaaaaaahooooooo," as he observed
the arrival of Apollo's squadron.
*****
In the freighter's compartment, Cassiopeia made Starbuck's jaw drop
open. The tall oung socialator obviously knew the robes when it came to
the bizaree technology of an Ubbo-Sathla tanker. Devices that seemed
meaningless to Starbuck were duck soup for her. She started throwing
levers and pressing buttons before she even settled herself in the
copilot's seat.
"You been on one of these before, Cassy?" Starbuck asked.
"My dad, for the brief times I was allowed to see him, piloted a
freighter. And you call me Cassy again and I'll see to it personally
this ship blows up."
The ship began to rumble all around them.