BATTLESTAR HERMES SICKBAY
TWO HOURS LATER

Bowman stood near the doorway to the sickbay as he looked across the room at the three black bags that were being wheeled into the morgue. He wanted to say or do something that would have helped ease his anguish over their loss. It was his idea to attempt to salvage fuel from the Hangar Pod. He ordered them out there. The result was three dead crewman, a Raptor pilot in a coma and his Deck Chief being treated for oxygen deprivation after the oxygen line on his suit was severed by debris. Before Devereaux stopped anyone seeing him Imlay had told Bowman that he believed the cause of the explosion was fuel on the other side of the seal leaking from the valve that was ignited by the laser torch. As the door to the morgue was sealed shut by nurse Taylor, Bowman realised that there was nothing more he could do here and he turned to leave in self hatred and shame. He began to make his way to CIC to prepare for the next jump towards Scorpia. The reconnaissance Raptor hadn't long returned from scouting their next jump point and had reported the area clear of Cylon activity but as he neared the CIC he found that every step was getting heavier and heavier the closer he got to it until suddenly he was forced to stop and lean against a wall. His eyes seemed to ache in pain as if the image of the body bags were somehow being branded on his pupils. How could he return to CIC in this state? He was begnning to doubt everything he was doing. Why? Why now? Since the battle above Picon almost a month ago the Hermes had lost close to four hundred crewmembers fighting the Cylons. So why was the loss of these three affecting him so much? Until he knew the answer he couldn't bare to enter that room and turned back. Instead he began to make his way to his office, his body stooping as if pulling a large rock.

BATTLESTAR HERMES COMBAT INFORMATION CENTRE

Captain Chloe Burmeister sat patiently at her station ready to begin the preperations for the next jump. She looked around the CIC and saw that she was not the only one who was waiting patiently. In fact the whole CIC seemed to be holding it's breath waiting for Bowman to arrive and give the order. Some of them, including Burmeister, knew that you shouldn't assume any order is about to be given but since the operation to go to Scorpia had been announced a strict schedule had been drawn up for when each jump should take place. Despite the ill fated salvage mission to the derelict Hangar Pod the crew were now back on schedule. But as Chloe looked at some of the faces of her comrades she saw her own feelings over the incident reflected in their faces. Indeed with the explosion on the Hangar Pod combined with the Hellenic Traveller mission the one thing that seemed to be draining from the Hermes faster than its supplies was that much needed sentiment of any difficult undertaking - hope. There didn't seem to be any left. The explosion and the resulting deaths of three more crewman had extinguished the fire that was left in their hearts. Everyone seemed to be doing things out of habit rather than their thurst for survival and Chloe knew it as the top of her arm seemed to sting at the thought. She looked down at the source of the pain and to her horror saw two very small drops of blood seeping through the fabric of her uniform. They were very miniscule and as she composed herself from the intial shock she thought that as long as no one got too close to her then they wouldn't notice and she could change her uniform later.

Of course not all of the CIC crew had lost their spark. Colonel Caleb Dytto frustratedly paced around the Observation Desk constantly checking his watch as the time to jump continued to approach. It was now less than nine minutes before the next jump and as he continued to circle the desk his mind burned with the image of Bowman as he assessed and then criticised every decision Bowman had made recently starting with the Hangar Pod then working back. Pretty soon Dytto's mind was travelling through time back to the day that he was informed that he would not be taking command of the Hermes. That was the day everything went to hell as far as Dytto was concerned. Dytto had been the Executive Officer of Hermes for four years before Artimus Bowman had shown up. He knew the Battlestar better than anyone else especially an average career officer who probably kissed more than a few Admiral's asses like he presumed Bowman had. Dytto knew he weren't popular with the 'brass'. He had developed a reputation for being outspoken much to his own detriment and thus even though he was sure he was the right man for the job he was turned down and brushed aside in favor of another Admiral's pet.

These thoughts only served to further open the wound he had sustained that day when what should have been the crowning achievement of his career was stolen away from him. The bleeding heart that Dytto now carried in his chest fuelled the angry frustration that was powering him around the Operations Desk until he could take it no more. The nine minutes had passed and it was as if the countdown was not for the next jump but rather to signal the long awaited confrontation between Bowman and Dytto.

"Captain Burmeister!" he announced. Chloe got up from her chair and turned to face Dytto before standing to attention.

"Yes sir?" she asked.

"Take the Con please!" and with that he stormed out leaving Burmeister fearing the worst.

"I have the Con!" she said almost in a whisper as she moved her shoulder to displace the pain that had once again risen in her self inflicted wounds.

BATTLESTAR HERMES BOWMAN'S OFFICE

Bowman didn't know what he expected to find in his office. Perhaps it was some momentary solace from locking out the rest of the world? Perhaps with the shutting of the hatch he was also shutting away the ghosts of all those who had died under his command since the war had began? War? This isn't a war! This is a slaughter! As he sat there slumped almost pathetically in his chair his eyes glanced down at his Colonial uniform and felt like he was some kind of doll dressed up to pretend to be something that he isn't anymore. He may have trapped the ghosts of those dead men and women on the other side of the hatch but he had imprisoned himself with his own self loathing. He asked himself if those ghosts on the other side would have forgiven him for not keeping them alive and as if to answer him there was a loud knocking on the hatch.

"Come in!" he yelled snapping himself out of his downward spiral. The circular handle spun around before the door arched open and Dytto entered the room. He hadn't even said anything to Bowman before he began to shut the hatch behind him so they wouldn't be disturbed. Bowman said nothing as he watched with interest as to how this was going to play out. With the hatch securely sealed Dytto marched up to the front of Bowman's desk and stood firmly in front of him. Bowman felt like somehow he had entered into a boxing ring but even so he still refused to respond to Dytto's forceful intrusion.

"The ship is ready and the crew are waiting for your orders...Sir!" spat Dytto angrily venting the now glowing frustrating that was emanating from him. Bowman's eyes looked down at the top drawer of his desk stubbornly refusing to look at Dytto. Bowman didn't really know what to say right now. It was as if his entire body had shut down refusing to respond to his brain's commands. Dytto's eyes ran down the back wall until they rested on Bowman's slouched body. "Did you hear me?" he uttered with poison spewing from every word.

"I heard you Colonel" sighed Bowman. "So what do you want? The order?" There was a pause between the two men.

"Permission to speak freely?" shot Dytto through gritted teeth. The request had brought a momentary smile to Bowman's lips as he told himself a private joke.

"You've never had a problem before" he said. "Don't disappoint me now."

"How many more is it going to take until you are satisfied? Going to Scorpia is a mistake! Just like that so-called salvage mission to that piece of frakking debris that killed three good people. Are you so smug and arrogant that you cant even admit your own mistakes? Huh?"

"I don't need to admit it" said Bowman calmly. "I have you to point them out for me. A year now. Almost everyday for one whole year I've had to listen to your scorn. Your poison. You question almost every decision I make and I tolerated it and for what?" Bowman was keeping his cool with Dytto. On the contrary if he was angry at anyone he was angry at himself. "Because you were on this ship for four years before I stepped in and maybe I respected that. Maybe some part of me thought that you'll get over it? Hell you might even have proven useful to me. But my respect wasn't enough for you. You continued to sow poison into the crew. Then the Cylons attacked and I just had to accept I was stuck with you. But maybe that was a weakness on my part? My mistake. Just like the mistake to send those three young people to their deaths. Well I'm done with it. I'm done making mistakes." Bowman stood up and unclipped the Commander's pips from the neck of his uniform and placed them one at a time on the desk.

"What the frak are you doing now?" asked Dytto, his face one of complete shock and surprise. His assault had been cut down in the frist wave. Bowman hadn't even given him chance to build up the energy before he counter attacked. Dytto suddenly felt like he was on the defensive. "This isn't about me."

"Oh but it is" explained Bowman calmly. Bowman was the picture of control whereas Dytto was like a rabbit caught in the headlights of a car. "You think you could do better don't you? Well here's your chance. Take them." Dytto's eyes fell upon the pips sitting on the desk. He was stunned. He was truly caught with his pants down. This was not what he expected, not at all and he didn't know how to react. "What's the matter?" asked Bowman noting Dytto's hesitance. "Got no guts? Are you a coward? Or have you let the bitterness consume you so much that it's all you have left?" Not even Bowman knew if he truly meant it. Even he admitted the idea of just relinquishing command of the Hermes over to someone else was a powerful one. Only a few who have ever commanded a Battlestar can ever understand the pressure that one comes under in such a role and in Bowman's case the situation was magnified many times over now that there was no longer a fleet or a command structure to fall back on. It was just him. But as he looked at who would be replacing him if he did step aside Bowman realised that Dytto would only lead the ship and the people on it to ruin. Bowman was not perfect. He knew that. But he also knew that every decision he had made came with consequences and lives were lost but the ship, and more importantly humanity, would go on. For all his dislike of Dytto he had to acknowledge that were it not for him standing there in front of him ready to spit his poison Bowman wouldn't have pulled himself out of his sudden descent into self doubt. Several seconds had passed and Dytto still stood there as if standing on the edge of a cliff afraid to move for fear of falling. Bowman reached down and picked up the pips. The window of opportunity had closed. Dytto had failed Bowman's test. He looked deep into Dytto's eyes as he spoke to him, "If you cant take command when its offered to you across a desk, how the frak do you expect to cope when I am killed or incapacitated and it is forced on you? You'll crumble." Bowman suddenly stood firm and to attention as he went on. "And as the commanding officer of the Battlestar Hermes in a time of war I cannot afford to allow that to happen. Colonel Caleb Dytto, I am hereby relieving you of duty until further notice. My reasons for this is that you are unfit to carry out your duties in an effective manner and to leave you in your current post any further would be an act of negligence on my part."

"Y-You cant do this!" gasped Dytto completely in disbelief.

"I can and I just have" chanted Bowman. In sheer panic Dytto dived over the table and grabbed Bowman by his shirt.

"You cant do this to me!" Dytto shrieked like a spoilt child.

"Colonel unhand me immediately!" ordered Bowman. Dytto ignored him.

"You son of a bitch! You never deserved this ship! I did! Me! Not you!" Bowman repeated his order to unhand him but the now hysterical Dytto continued onwards. Bowman was left with no choice. All the frustration and anger built up inside him suddenly travelled to his right arm and it thrust at Dytto's jaw with such force that Dytto's head seemed to whip to the right as he fell back and onto the floor.

Bowman's right hand immediately began to swell from the force of the impact. He was still standing there looking down at Dytto laying flat on his stomach barely moving. Bowman found himself fighting the urge to continue to beat Dytto until he was dead. The Gods surely knew he wanted to. But he was a better man than that and so he picked up the handset from the side of the wall just behind his desk and held it to his ear. It was not long before Burmeister's voice came through on the other side.

"CIC!" she announced.

"Captain, this is Commander Bowman. Have a Marine guard report to my office on the double!"

"Sir!" gasped Burmeister at the nature of the order. "Is there a -."

"Just do it Captain!" interjected Bowman not wanting to talk to her at this particular time about what had just transpired with Dytto. Bowman went on, "And have Major Adonia report to me!" There was a pause before Burmeister acknowledged her orders.

BATTLESTAR HERMES COMBAT INFORMATION CENTRE

The military side of the ship had been awash with rumours for almost thirty minutes. Burmeister waited for news as she continued to direct the CIC but you didn't have to be a good psychologist to figure out that her mind was elsewhere. Her expression was vague and her eyes were almost empty. She occasionally overheard the whispers of some of the crew but tried not to listen as best she could but the information still managed to sneak in somehow and play with her own thoughts.

Suddenly Bowman marched in to the CIC followed quickly by Griffon who had a look shock on his face as if he suddenly found himself on a runaway train. No sooner had the two men entered the CIC that the whispers suddenly fell silent. After recieving a brief situation report from Burmeister, Commander Bowman confirmed he had command before moving to the Operations Desk and picking up the handset on the side. He selected loudspeaker and a klaxon sounded alerting everyone that he was about to address the ship.

"This is the Commander!" he said as his voice boomed over the ships loudspeaker.

BATTLESTAR HERMES SICKBAY

Dytto sat on the edge of the bed as Devereaux worked on his broken jaw when Bowman's voice echoed through the room.

"A short while ago I was forced to relieve Colonel Caleb Dytto of his post as the Executive Officer of this ship. From this day forward Major Adonia will act as my new Executive Officer. A replacement CAG will be announced shortly. In the interim my orders stand. We are going to Scorpia. All departments prepare to jump!"

Bowman's voice died away leaving the crew to continue with their duties. The extremely sore Dytto felt dead inside. After he had finished his work Devereaux watched as the Marine guided Dytto out of the sickbay.

"Well this is interesting" he uttered to himself.