Colonials and Avery's men worked together to move the vipers to the edge of the shopping complex, using debris nearby to conceal the fighter craft. There were over twenty men in Avery's group and Starbuck made a point of shaking hands with each man who came near him and asking their name. Apollo finally asked what he was up to.

"I find it's a lot harder to carve up someone once you've shaken their hand. Or at least I saw that in vid somewhere. Hoping it's true. These guys look like they chew centurions for breakfast."

Some of the group were climbing up and dropping down some parts of the roofing materials of the shopping complex to further obscure the vehicles when a disturbance in the sky drew all their attention. A pulsar cut through the cloud cover, lancing through the asphalt on the far side of the parking lot.

"Everybody inside!" Avery shouted. His men began dashing for the door of the complex. Starbuck was slower to move, looking to the sky, somehow knowing that if there was a raider up there shooting, there had to be a viper as well.

He was not wrong, as off on the horizon, not one, but two vipers dropped down from the murky clouds. The lead viper was trailing flames and smoke, one wing half gone and sparking. The second viper was close beside the damaged vessel, attempting to come up underneath to slow the descent of the crash landing that was coming. Starbuck could not tell from this distance which viper was Rene's. One had to be hers, and both looked like they were on a collision course with the ground at a high speed.

Starbuck tried to calculate where the two might crash. The second viper had made it underneath the damaged vessel with a high pitched screech of metal on metal. Climbing, the viper was trying to push up the damaged vehicle's nose, a risky maneuver that could cause both of them to explode before they even hit the ground. The assisting viper was aiming for somewhere behind the shopping complex. It was Apollo that identified the possible objective, calling out, "Lake Caspian." It was a small lake that Starbuck remembered was a neighborhood over from the shopping complex , in a large park where he'd hung out on many a summer's day trying to catch fish, or watch sunbathing girls, not necessarily in that order.

Any pleasant memories of the place shattered as he heard the shrieking of metal sheering off on contact. The lower viper had been able to change the trajectory of the upper one so it wasn't a missile plummeting into the ground. It was working despite the shower of sparks that said otherwise, but if the pilot offering the assistance didn't ease up, they were both going to crash. When both vessels were almost at the tops of the trees, the lower viper hit its turbos, climbing and rolling, dropping the flaming wreck of a vessel into the lake in a loud explosion of steam. The viper pulled a tight turn and glided back to dip below the tree line.

Starbuck took off running in the direction of the crash, praying with each breath, "Don't let it be Rene. Don't let it be Rene." Of course, the alternative was that it was Boomer. But Boomer would make it. Boomer always made it. He was the guy that did the rescuing, after all. He heard Avery yelling behind him to come back, but he paid the man no attention. He didn't think the guy would blast him in the back, at least he hoped not. It was time to test the "handshake theory".

It seemed to take too long to run the few blocks to the park by the lake. Maybe it was the eerily familiar landscape of residential streets, the sidewalks and houses mostly undamaged, other than the ravages of neglect versus the damage of an attack. He could almost transport himself back in time to a day when he was a teen running through the streets with his friends, anxious to spend a day at the lake. Well almost, that is until another raider dropped from the sky, circling his destination before it sped off.

He poured on the speed and finally rounded a corner where the trees parted. He could see a viper parked on the far shoreline of the lake, but the other craft wasn't visible through the steam rising from the water. On the far shore he could barely make out the pilot that was climbing from the viper, stepping out on the nose of the craft. When the pilot tossed the helmet back into the cockpit he could tell by the blond hair it was Rene. He thanked the lords, until he realized she was yanking off her boots, shrugging off her jacket, tossing all that into the cockpit. She dove from the nose of her viper into the lake below. Starbuck shivered himself knowing it was far from a summer day here on Caprica, in fact it was late fall by his recollection. That water had to be freezing cold and full of Lord's know what toxins. He poured on the speed hoping the footsteps he was hearing behind him were the others coming to offer their aid as well.

He jerked off his flight jacket and boots as he neared the water's edge, plunging into the cold water. He gasped as the iciness enveloped him, before starting steady strokes and getting into a rhythm. One breath, four strokes, he tore through the water, swimming across the lake towards where he saw Rene go down. Steam was still rising from the surface on the far side of the lake. The viper wasn't visible in the water, not even the tail sticking up above the surface that was beginning to calm. Twenty-five metrons later, the steam was dissipating and the residual ripples from the crash were already smoothing out. Rene had been under too long. What if she had gotten caught up on the wreckage too? She and Boomer would both drown. Then again, had she even got the canopy open? Did she know about the manual release? Had she had any reason to use it on Dilmun? Would that have been part of her abbreviated training? Starbuck couldn't help the questions racing through his mind, as he began to count down the centons of air she'd already used and how many she might have left. His heart pounded in his chest and he switched rhythms, allowing himself a breath every two strokes as he tried to close the distance between them.

He was half way there when Rene's head broke the surface, her gasp for air clearly audible across the water. She pulled in a few short breaths, seeing him come towards her before she dove back down. He mentally cursed, wondering if the canopy was open or if Rene was still struggling with it. There was no point in dwelling on it. His chest burned with his exertion, as he strained to close the gap. Breathe, stroke stroke, breathe, stroke stroke.

Rene broke the surface a couple metrons away from him, just as he was wondering exactly where to dive. Thank the Lords, Boomer was in her arms, his head lolling to one side. Rene sucked in ragged breaths, needing to recover before she could do anything for the unconscious warrior.

"He's not… breathing," she gasped as Starbuck reached her side.

He didn't hesitate, grabbing Boomer by the head and exhaling into his friend's lungs. Boomer coughed weakly, not regaining consciousness, but at least he was breathing on his own. It was a darn good thing too, because Starbuck's heart was pounding in his ears so loudly, he couldn't hear what Rene said to him as he gulped in a few breaths for himself. Rene looked okay, and Boomer was breathing. At this point it was like having a full pyramid and wagering a sectar's pay.

He pulled Boomer into his arms, treading water while they both caught their breath. About that time he realized that a beat up rowboat with a hole in the side was cutting through the water, heading their way. Jake stood precariously aboard and manned a single rotten oar as Apollo kneeled, bailing out water with what looked to be a leaky child's toy bucket. It was the most pathetic attempt at a rescue Starbuck had ever seen, and he couldn't have been happier when they arrived.

"Let me have him," Apollo said, reaching down and pulling Boomer aboard as Jake took over bailing. It was clear the capacity of the boat had been exceeded as water began to flood in through other punctures.

"Push!" Rene shouted, getting herself behind the boat and kicking for the shore. Starbuck helped guide Boomer's limp form into the boat before joining her, ignoring the blood pouring from his right leg. They propelled the boat forward as it became lower and lower in the water. Jake rowed like a maniac, Apollo bailing until the bucket broke apart in his hands. At that point he jumped over the side, only waist high in the water as he tugged it towards the beach. Starbuck and Rene both stumbled to their feet, helping for the last couple metrons.

Apollo and Jake picked up Boomer, quickly transferring him to the beach. A quick check confirmed he was alive, his pulse strong. His right pant leg was shredded, the sand beneath him slowly turning red from where his leg had been torn open. Apollo jerked off his belt, tying off the leg until they could ascertain the extent of the injury. At this point Max appeared, sweating heavily and out of breath, having run the perimeter trail of the lake full bore while the others swam or rowed.

"I had to manually release the canopy," Rene said, panting for breath as she leaned over, hands on her thighs. "He was stuck. Think he was unconscious before he landed."

"He's okay?" Max asked desperately as Jake pulled a biomonitor out of a survival pack, running it over the wounded leg once, then cursing aloud and banging it in his palm before trying again. Obviously, the survival pack had become wet in the sinking boat. This time it lit up, displaying crucial data before blinking and dying again.

"Broken leg, a deep laceration, but no arteries. Yeah, altogether not too bad, considering," Jake answered. "We need to straighten out his leg, splint it before he wakes up. You can release the belt, Apollo."

"What happened?" Starbuck asked Rene, as Apollo tossed him the boots and flight jacket he'd discarded on the opposite beach, albeit soaking wet. He nodded his thanks, raising an eyebrow at the condition. It then occurred to him then that both Apollo and Jake were also soaked from the waist down from their foray across the lake.

"They were waiting for us when we came back through. I should have chosen a different spot," Rene replied.

"You weren't supposed to come back," Starbuck fixed her with a stern glare when what he really wanted to do was to order her back into her viper to get the frack out of here.

Rene nodded. "You can yell at me later. We need to move," and then turned to head back into the water.

"Where are you going? Your viper is that way."

He pointed just up the shoreline, but she kept wading in as she yelled over her shoulder, "His pack has a proper hermetically sealed med kit. We're going to need it. Raiders are coming. Get him to cover." Starbuck kept one eye on Boomer and one eye on the water as Rene dove down.

Boomer's cry of pain drew his eyes away from the water. "Help me set the leg," Jake said, "Hold him down. It's going to hurt like hades."

Starbuck laid himself across Boomer's chest while Apollo helped Jake straighten the leg out. Starbuck tried not to puke on his friend as he heard the bones crunching and grinding while Jake manipulated the leg into position. Boomer screamed and then passed out again. "Probably for the best," Starbuck said to his friend even though he knew he wasn't listening at the moment. "We've got you, buddy."

"Splint, we need some branches," Max said.

"The oar," Apollo inserted, eying the splintered piece of wood that was at least mostly straight.

"On it," Max said, pulling the oar into his lap. He snapped it like a twig over his knee, relieved it was as porous as it looked as he passed the pieces to Apollo. As he turned back he scanned the water and saw Rene disappear under the surface diving down to Boomer's viper. She was not under for long, breaking the surface thirty microns later. By the time they had Boomer's leg splinted and were wrapping their belts around the splint to secure it, Rene was dragging the pack to the shoreline near her viper. Jake had tried to clean out the wound, and was wrapping a dressing on it when Starbuck saw Rene running along the shoreline towards them, hopping as she pulled on her boots.

Boomer came to groaning in pain at the same time a raider dropped from the skies, pulsars blazing in a strafing run.

"Head for cover!" Apollo shouted as he hauled Boomer up over his shoulder, ignoring the man's cry of pain.

"We should split up and meet at the mall! We get separated, 45 and 121, right?" Max shouted to Jake.

"We'll draw his fire!" Starbuck shouted. "Move!"

Jake nodded, grabbing up the wet pack and throwing it on his back as he followed Apollo and Max into the brush.

Starbuck took off running along the shoreline towards Rene who was headed in his direction. He grabbed the pack from her, and slung it over his shoulders. They took off running, leaving themselves in the open, making them the obvious target. The raider strafed the ground in front of them and they dove to the ground, not exactly celebrating the success of their plan.

"Back route, more cover," Rene yelled when they got to their feet. She pointed to a wooded area of the park. She dragged him into the cover. Briefly, he saw Apollo and the others make an appearance lakeside as he carried Boomer over his shoulder. They'd clear the park soon and be back on the streets. Starbuck hesitated a moment before following Rene off into the woods. He hoped Apollo, Max and Jake were strong enough to avoid the raiders and get Boomer back to Avery's group.

The raider buzzed over the woods, searching for their quarry. Starbuck and Rene stayed low as they moved methodically through the rough terrain. A few centons later they were still under cover, their course paralleling the streets of the neighbourhood. Rene's sense of direction was true once again. They sprinted towards the shopping center while the way was clear.

Abruptly, a Raider came out of nowhere, strafing the top of the shopping complex in front of them. The lasers easily blew holes into the roof, the edges beginning to burn. He caught up to Rene as she was wedging herself through a gap in a chain-link fence that separated the woods from the building. He followed as she pulled at a door at the back of the building. Finding it locked, she pulled out a blaster that she must have left in her viper before she dove into the water. With all the excitement, he hadn't even noticed she was now armed. Lords, he could have kissed her. She had to give the lock more than one shot to obliterate the handle and get the door to budge.

They stumbled into the darkness of a back corridor to the mall, with many doors leading he assumed to various storefronts. Rene sped down the corridor, heedless of the dark. He didn't realize she had slowed in the near pitch blackness until he plowed into her, tumbling the two of them to the ground. The surprise of hitting her had him sniping at her, "You weren't supposed to come back!"

"I'm supposed to leave you stuck here? What happened to where you go I go?" She found his hand in the dark and the two got to their feet. "Hang on. It will keep you from bashing into me."

She only made it a few more feet, before a laser salvo ripped through the ceiling in front of them, raining debris down as they fell to the floor. The gaping hole in the ceiling solved the issue of the darkness, but gave them a view to a more pressing problem as raider after raider streaked through the sky.

"Frack, we have to get out of here now!" Starbuck kicked at the locked door just down the hallway leading into one of the stores. It banged open and the two ran through the store to the atrium area, their hands still clutched together. They burst into the atrium to hear the shouts of men, one of them screaming in agony. Starbuck let go of Rene's hand, reaching for the blaster on her other hip. "Did I mention I love you?" he asked aloud, appreciating that Rene usually doubled up on weapons.

"Make up your mind," she replied before realization lit her features. Of course, none of them had been armed when Boomer and Rene had reappeared.

He shouted at the top of his lungs above the sound of men scrambling for cover and the occasional blast of a pulsar rifle, and the familiar retort of a colonial blaster, "APOLLO!"

The answering call of "Over here," nearly had him whooping in relief. They raced towards the opening of the mall, the ceiling above them on fire, the flames beginning to fall down with the debris as another salvo hit the building. Apollo was staggering under the weight of Boomer, and Starbuck reached to grab his friend from across Apollo's back.

"No, I've got him," Apollo said. "Max and I have been trading off. I'm okay."

Boomer was limp, unconscious again, probably from the pain. Starbuck glanced to see that Jake and Max also had a survival pack. There were three packs between the six warriors. He hoped it would be enough. He didn't know how long they were going to be here on Caprica. He quickly estimated the odds of their vipers remaining intact. The ones near the mall would probably be destroyed. Rene's might make it as it was somewhat secluded from the rest. He calculated if he had time to get to his viper and his pack.

He looked out to the atrium. Avery's men had set up a line of defense aimed at the doors of the mall. It was apparent that they expected the centurions to storm the building, and the Colonials were right in the way.

"Come on," Starbuck tried to help carry some of Boomer's weight as he guided Apollo over to a store front.

"What do you think?" Apollo asked as he crouched down, resettling Boomer's weight.

"Rene brought back two lasers, but we're still underpowered. I think our best bet is with Avery. He has the fire power and they have been hiding for three yahrens. We should go out and join them. Maybe that would convince them we're trustworthy." Starbuck turned towards the opening of the store intent on lending his own firepower to the battle that was coming.

"If I had a blaster, I might agree with you," Apollo replied, cautioning him. "After him putting a knife to your throat, I've not so sure."

Starbuck nodded thoughtfully, considering his friend's words. The fact that the man might enjoy cutting people up a little too much also occurred to him.

"Starbuck, I don't know if Avery is one of those guys who's crazy enough to think we could actually retake Caprica with a small force, or if he's just testing the waters to see what we're willing to do in that direction before he ultimately concedes that he'll let us 'rescue' them. After all, we have their women and children. Yet he's pushing us around like he's the only one with an advantage."

"That's all great, buddy, but right now I'm more worried about surviving this Cylon attack. Let's focus on the next five centons."

Rene reached for Starbuck, grabbing his pack as he looked towards Avery's men. He turned to her, awaiting her input. The way he saw it, they needed him out there or they weren't going to make it out of this building. In the dim light he could see that her eyes were red, puffy and weeping. It was the moment that he comprehended that he wasn't the only one soaked from head to toe. Her uniform was still dripping from lord knows what toxic sludge she had swam through in the murky depths of the lake.

"You okay?" He glanced to the opening of the store, hearing the first blasts of the centurions firing on the entrance, then back to Rene as she pulled at his pack.

"Give me a water bottle." Starbuck dropped the pack from his back and opened a pocket, pulling out the bottle, handing it to her. If her vision was affected and Boomer was injured, they were even more dependent on making sure they stayed with Avery's men. Then again, Apollo was right. Should they throw their lot in with the guy who was threatening to cut off body parts and lacked the honor to fulfil the bargain he'd made with Rene and Boomer, while they waited to see how the hand played out? She cracked the bottle open, pouring some on her hands first before tilting her head back and flushing the lake water from her eyes. "Fracking burned," she exclaimed trying to blink. She dumped the water in her eyes again, then dumped more of the bottle's contents onto her face. She blinked and nodded at his concern. "That's better. Now you." A moment later he startled as she squirted water in his face, flushing any residual lake water from his skin. Although he wasn't suffering the same irritation, it was probably a good idea. "Let's get out of here."

She cursed louder as she heard the loud clanking steps of centurions entering the building, followed by weapons firing. Despite the circumstances, he still couldn't leave a bunch of civilians to defend themselves against a unit of Cylons. Starbuck started to head for the front of the store to take up arms with Avery and his men. His laser was in his hands when Rene pulled at him again.

"We stick together or we die. Think of Boomer. Down, we need to go down. Jake, where would it be?"

"Service area? Back of the building? I think…I don't know, out in the street? They're beating a retreat!" Jake pointed out to the atrium, where Avery and his men were beginning to disappear, running deeper into the building.

Starbuck issued orders, trying to think quickly. "We'll follow. Don't wait for us. Just stick with Avery's men. I'm going to help Apollo with Boomer. We'll be right behind you."

The three younger warriors looked at each other and didn't move.

"That's an order!" Starbuck shouted, helping Apollo back up to his feet. Rene reached for the pack on Starbuck's back, but he pulled back. "Go!"

"Give me the pack and weapon. You can't carry Boomer and the pack. And we don't leave people. Come on. We'll cover your backs."

Starbuck started to pull the pack back awkwardly, but Boomer's groan as he was beginning to come to, followed by the sound of raider salvos hitting the roof again, told him there was no time for any argument. They needed to get out of here. He handed her the pack and laser as he helped Apollo reposition Boomer across his back.

Rene shouted at Jake to lead the way as she tossed him a weapon. "Find me the way down. We know we can lose them down there."

Stepping out of the storefront, Jake turned to face the centurions as he ran backwards firing. Some of Avery's men were still arrayed about the opening, taking down the centurions as they entered the building, one by one, providing his people the cover they needed to escape. Rene followed Jake's lead, providing cover as Starbuck and Apollo fled deeper into the building. Jake kneeled down, aiming for the main entrance of the building, taking down a couple of centurions before he turned to follow Rene and Max. They wove through the large mall, and wound up in the food court Starbuck remembered from his past. It was a wide open area near the back entrance to the complex that afforded little cover. Many of Avery's men had gathered near the back entrance.

"Where to now?" Starbuck asked a man he'd met earlier named Wies.

"Normally we head out through the woods, but they have us blocked in. We're going to have to fight our way out."

"Not here," Apollo said. "We need to find another way out, another entrance. We don't have enough firepower here, and too many of us are unarmed." He glowered at Avery as he said this.

"Want to explain to me how two of you became rearmed?" Avery spat back.

"I'd rather tell you about how it's going to stay that way," Apollo shot back, adjusting Boomer's weight once again. "And if you want our help, and you want to ensure that your families see you again, you'd be advised to return our weapons so we can work together to defeat these Cylons, right now."

"Or at least get the frack out of here," Starbuck added, standing beside his friend. "Make a decision, Avery, are we your allies or your enemies?"

"I'm not sure yet!" Avery replied heatedly, his indecision clear.

"Really?" Apollo replied. "Would it help if I told you that we're sworn to protect humans?" He paused as Avery leaned towards him, practically frothing at the mouth. "Don't you dare throw the destruction back in our faces again!" Apollo's face flushed with the ferocity of his words. "In the face of massive annihilation and the destruction of our Fleet, we were trying to save what we could of the Twelve Colonies. I'm sure you're not the only ones who were left behind, but if we'd combed what was left of our worlds for every last survivor, we'd have all died. It would have been genocide. We're here now! We came back to help! Make up your mind, Avery!"

The man looked to his men indecisively, before turning back to Apollo. "Fine. Return their weapons!" The men present who had Colonial lasers grudgingly returned them, some of them looking almost relieved with the tentative truce.

"Is there another entrance?" Starbuck asked, remembering Rene's words to Jake.

"No, but we can go down," Rene said. "They don't like it in the sewers . . ."

"Can't imagine why," Starbuck muttered to himself.

"Just give me a direction to head and I can get there," Rene continued. "Jake, find the opening." Jake split off to disappear into one of the stores. "Which way? Into the city, into the hills? Where?"

"We're in the hills. East. We need to head east."

Rene nodded and took off on the same route Jake had taken, heading for another store front. Starbuck followed, reaching for Rene. "You sure you want to do this?"

"We have a choice? We have to get Boomer out of here." She reached for Apollo who had followed with Max guarding his back. "We get out and regroup."

"Starbuck, get the others," Apollo gestured to Avery's men who were trying to set up a defense. "Our best bet is to keep everyone together."

"And if they don't want to follow?"

"Charm them like you always do. Lead the way, Rene."

Starbuck headed back into the food court, shouting above the din of battle, "This way if you want out! There's too many of them. Retreat. Let's go!" The few that Starbuck had met didn't hesitate to get up and head his way, encouraging the others to follow the beacon of hope that the Colonial Uniform represented. He sorely wished he represented the returning hero come to offer salvation. It was going to be a harsh moment when they realized he had nothing to offer them but his insignia and some skill with his blaster.

He turned to lead the way into the store where Rene waited for him at the entrance. Once in the store, Jake's whistle cut through the blasts from behind them.

"He found it, let's go." She ran off in the direction towards the back of a store, heading again to the service ways behind the various businesses. It was dark as the roof was mostly intact in this section, but a glow from an illuminator drew them forward. Jake was struggling to get the hatch off of the sewer access. Max stepped around the group and over the illuminator on the ground to lend his muscle to the task. Between the two they were able to get it off and moved aside.

Max looked down into the darkness. "You can't be serious, sweetheart? They can see in the dark. We can't."

"It's cold, hides our heat. Cramped and wet. If you have another suggestion I am all for it." She reached inside the neck of her uniform, pulling out the compass she had on a chain around her neck, transferring it to Jake.

Max began cursing creatively, "Mother of Mong, but this frack is far from fun. I like hanging with you sewer rats, that doesn't mean I wanted to really become one." He unslung his pack to start digging for an illuminator.

One of Avery's people lit a fumarello lighter and both Rene and Jake shouted loudly, "NO! Put it out!"

Rene moved to knock the flame from the man's hand sending it skittering down the corridor. "Methane. It explodes," she added in explanation to the man's confused face. The footfalls of men running down the corridor towards them made up their minds. Apollo began to descend the ladder with Boomer on his back. Starbuck ushered Max down, then Jake.

"Come on, Sweet Lady." Starbuck held his hand out to her.

"You first. I'll follow. And don't give me that look. You're on my terrain now."

"You weren't supposed to be here at all, remember?" Starbuck didn't climb all the way to the bottom unwilling to drop into the darkness until he saw that she was headed down after him. The area they landed in was a fairly large access way with tunnels leading off in four directions, but those tunnels narrowed, with a small walkway on the side that was barely wide enough for one man.

"Single file," Rene ordered pointing down one of the tunnels. "Jake take point, Max join him. Apollo, then Starbuck. I'll wait to direct Avery's men."

"I'm not going without you," Starbuck said firmly. You need cover." Starbuck motioned for Apollo to move on. Apollo nodded in agreement as he shifted Boomer's weight to his other shoulder. Boomer mumbled that he could walk, but his voice was groggy and Apollo didn't put him down. "Not enough room for me to support you on the walkway." Boomer didn't protest, just grunted as Apollo tried not to drop him into the dark water that filled the tunnel.

Rene directed Avery's men to follow as more men streamed down the ladder, heading off into the dark, chasing the distant glow of Jake and Max's lantern. Starbuck took the opportunity to dig in the pack Rene was carrying to pull out an illuminator, turning the brightness to low so there was just enough to light a few steps down the tunnel, but not to draw attention from up above. The ground rocked under their feet a few times, but then stopped. Starbuck surveyed their surroundings. It wasn't as smelly as he thought it would be, but then again there hadn't been anyone using the turboflushes in this neighborhood for at least three yahrens.

Rene asked the next man down the ladder if that was all of them. It was Avery that turned to her. "I'm the last." Off in the distance they could hear a man's scream in pain that was quickly silenced by a Centurion's pulsar rifle.

Avery loomed over Rene. "When is the help coming? Why haven't they gotten here yet?"

"Are you seriously still asking that?" Starbuck asked incredulously. "Old head injury?" He shouldn't be shocked that the man's attempt at intimidation had no effect, but to watch Rene pushing at the heavily armed man to get him moving down the tunnel had Starbuck a bit worried for her safety.

"We told you, we're it. Now go!" Rene barked. The sound of centurions echoing down the hatch motivated Avery to begin running.