DR: Hey, I know that this is against my normal update timetable, but as I'm in such a good mood as of late (hence the warning last chapter), and you've all left reviews, I've decied to let you have the next chapter now!
Fiona: You really are a big softy arn't you?
Carter: Of course he is. Why else would he have so many of us finally hitching up with our true loves?
DR: Yep, Hopeless Romantics 'R Us, that's me. (grins) Now, lets let Apollo out of the limbo we left him in...
Chapter 37: Rescue, Approach and Resolve
Mal yelled out as Apollo fell away. Shock and horror warred to control his face as he watched this man fall to his doom. He had only known Apollo for a short time, but already he like the man. For him to die like this…
From above him he heard a bellowing roar, before a vast royal blue body freight-trained past, the slipstream of the massive zoid tugging at him as it dove after the falling Colonial…
X-X-X-X-X-X
Kaylee sobbed as everyone watched the man fall. Dozens had gathered in the streets, every one of them tracking the falling body with sick fascination. They all knew what was going to happen, and yet they were unable to tear their eyes away.
Just then a deafening bellow split the air, and something came tearing down from the skies above. Wings folded close to his body, Mnementh dove, his eyes focused on the falling man.
X-X-X-X-X-X
Apollo knew he was going to die. He was slowly tumbling as he fell, the rock face rushing past in a blur. It was strange, now that he thought about it. He had always assumed he would die in battle, going up in a flare of flame as his Viper exploded under Cylon fire. Or that he would one day die in bed, resting comfortably with his family. It was the dream of many a Colonial Warrior; to die peacefully.
He fell past the landing field, catching a glimpse of Serenity and the former Eastern Alliance destroyer that had been given to the inhabitants of this city. Ahead, down, lay the outermost and last circle of the city.
As he fell, Apollo looked back on his life. Images from throughout flashed before his eyes. The smiling face of Zac before that final mission, Serina's face when they had been sealed, Starbuck sitting at a table, a cigar locked in his smirk.
More came. The sight of Raiders blowing apart under his guns… the cruel face of Count Iblis… Sheba…
Only Microns to go now. He was just passing the second level's walls.
Even more images. His father and mother, reunited. The face of Achilles as he congratulated Apollo... Sheba, once again, this time when she had been wounded at Gamoray… Another of Sheba, this time when he had awoken on that Ship of Light.
And then there was the time when they had been alone together in that Raider… before the mission to cripple the Base Star.
He could see the pattern in the stones that he was falling for now. Just a couple more…
Suddenly his felt his gut being pulled up sharply. Massive things clamped round his body, and he suddenly got the impression of something vast above him.
The ground was streaking past him now… he skimmed over the tops of peoples heads. Above him there was a great groan.
For an instant the ground stopped closing, and then it started to recede! The City's outer walls flashed past before he flew out over the green fields and waterways that made up the plains before the city.
Stunned at the events and his near death experience, it took Apollo a few centons to gather his wits enough to look around.
Above him a vast curved form filled the air, covered in royal blue plates. Directly over his head a massive wing stretched out, the segments shifting and sliding as one. He was held between three limbs as thick as his torso, massive golden claws starting just ahead of him. The inside edges of those looked incredibly sharp.
Craning his neck, he looked to were he guessed the zoid's head would be. His eyes met the gaze of Mnementh, his own head turned back on it self to look down at Apollo. The wind caused the two black head tails to fold back and flap above the dragons head as he slowly banked round.
"THANK YOU!" Apollo yelled, but his voice was lost in the wind.
However, Mnementh still heard him. …You're welcome. Only next time, don't sit on the edge of a cliff… I might not be around to catch you!
As he turned his head back to face forwards, Mnementh heaved a sigh of relief. It had been a close thing. A couple of seconds more and they both would have crashed into the ground. And while he could take such a hit, Apollo would have not survived. Indeed, he would have ended up as nothing more than a red smear down the dragon's belly. Not a pleasant thought.
As it was, it had been close enough. Mnementh had actually been below rooftop level as he pulled up. Fortunately he had managed to pull into one of the streets, giving him room to make the turn. He had felt his wings straining under the task he had demanded of them.
At a gentle pace, he banked round to glide back to the city's plateau.
X-X-X-X-X-X
Kane shook his head as he watched Mnementh begin to return to the city. "I'm going to have to reassess my opinions of that guy…" He muttered to himself.
When Kane had realised just what was happening, he had frozen for a second. Then he realised that in order for him to save Apollo, he would have to change. It was something he did not want to do, but he had seen that Apollo would very important in the near future. He had begun to prepare himself when Mnementh bellowed for the second time and dove after the Colonial. When he had risen again, Apollo safe in his grasp, Kane had heaved a sigh of relief.
Now he looked once more at the royal blue dragon as he flew in. When they had first meet, Kane had seen him much like any other zoid. Far more powerful and intelligent, but still only a zoid. As he had had more contact with Christian, and therefore Mnementh, he begun to realise that the mighty dragon zoid was much more. But still, he had not really realised just how much more.
Mnementh's display today drove the point home, for he acted totally alone, on the spur of the moment. No other zoid Kane knew of, not even those he owned, would or even could do that. The organoids sometimes did, but generally he had to give them a verbal command, or tell them in advance what he wanted them to do.
The fact that Mnementh had acted on instinct, without stopping to check with anyone else, showed that he was far more intelligent than even Kane had thought. And that intelligence brought power. When he had had his first chance to look the dragon over, he had felt almost disappointed at the lack of weapons. Surely a zoid of this size and power should be bristling with guns! Closer examination had revealed that his weapons were powerful, but even still, Kane had personally thought that he could do with a few more. Mnementh must have been listening, as he had chuckled when Kane thought that.
But now he realised the truth, and why the dragon had chuckled. Mnementh's real power was his mind. Compared to the power of the mind, even the mightiest arsenals could not hope to withstand.
Realising that he had been wrong, and may be wrong about so many things, Kane turned back to the delicate work he had been doing. Christian had held him back after the meeting the previous day, wishing to speak on another matter. Kane had been intrigued, and so had stayed.
And then Christian had laid out young River Tam's situation, and what he knew. Kane instantly knew the kind of person who would have done something like that to a young girl, and he had thrown himself into devising a solution for the poor girl.
Working on a microscopic scale, he continued to work on the neural implant that he had designed last night. The implant that fused Zoidian & Cybrid technology, along with some of his own. Technology that no one other than his wife knew about. And he aimed to keep it that way, for as long as he could.
X-X-X-X-X-X
When Mnementh reached the parapet of the plateau, the whole crew of Serenity had gathered by the fountain, along with Christian, Van, Fiona, Raven & Resse. Back winging gently, the mighty dragon eased down, gingerly bringing his forepaw down and around so that Apollo could stand upright. Once he was orientated correctly, he opened his paw, and Apollo dropped only an inch or two before his feet touched the ground.
"You all right there?" Mal called to Apollo, whose face was still as white as a sheet. Behind him Mnementh brought his foot back to mirror the other, the inner digit swinging around to line up next to the middle one as he laid it down.
"Yes… yes I am." Apollo said slowly, the realisation that he came that close to dieing rushing in.
"Oh honey…" Kaylee stepped over and took his arm, pulling him gently over to the fountain where he could sit for a bit. Inara however moved to Mal's side, worried at the look on his face.
"What is it Mal?" She asked, concern lacing her tone.
"I… I couldn't hold him." Mal answered faintly. He averted his eyes, unable to look at her. "Just a couple seconds more and…"
"Hey, you did what you could." Van said as he stepped up besides Mal. "Anyone else I know would not have been able to hold on even half as long as you did."
While they tried to comfort Mal, Fiona stepped over to where Christian had his hand on Mnementh's mighty snout. "You did good…" He was saying as she laid a fine, delicate hand besides his.
"You still continue to surprise me, great Guardian." She was one of the few who still used his title. Her tone was filled with respect and awe.
Apollo sat there for the moment, trying to get his racing heart back under control, until he saw the downcast look on Mal's face. Waving Simon off, he stood up and approached the man.
"Captain Reynolds?"
Mal looked at his voice, and for a long moment both men stood like that, staring at each other.
At last Apollo bowed. "I am in your debt. Both for your aid, and for what you said before. You have my word as a warrior that I will repay what I owe you." The show of respect drove the self doubt from Mal's face.
Seeing how the other man was no longer blaming himself, Apollo turned to regard Mnementh. The Ancient zoid lifted his head up enough to bring it over the top of every one else so that he could drop it down before Apollo. The Colonial stared into those burning blue eyes for a long moment.
"I do not know how I can ever repay you for saving my life…"
…All I ask is that you defend this world when the time comes. It is my sacred, everlasting mission. And now it is yours… The voice was silent for a moment. …Also, return to who you are, and take a chance on love once more. It is time to let go of the pain of the past…
Apollo understood what the massive zoid was saying.
At that moment something began to beep from within Christian's coat. Reaching into one of the deep pockets, he pulled out a comm handset. "Masters." He said as he received the signal.
On the tiny screen before him Cassiopeia looked out. "Sire Masters, is Serenity still with you?"
"Yes. In fact the whole crew is here right now."
"Good. Then could you tell Miss Serra that we're almost ready for her. Should be within a Centare… I mean, just over an hour." Cassiopeia blushed as she corrected herself.
Christian smiled. "That's okay ma'am. I'll pass along the message." Snapping the unit shut, he looked across at the ship's crew. Inara still had an arm round Mal, quite a change from when they had first landed.
"Miss Serra?" He called as he stepped over. Both she and Mal looked up at him. "I just got a call from Cassiopeia. Their almost ready. By the time you reach the Galactica, everything should be done." He didn't know exactly what was wrong with her, only that it involved some form of binary drug. Cassiopeia had showed him the data, wondering if he had ever seen anything like it. Sadly, even with his long years of experience, he hadn't.
A pained look flashed across Inara's face, too fast for her to hide from him. She turned to Mal. "Mal, I need to head up there…"
"I know Inara." Mal comforted her before looking back at Christian. "So what's happening about Wash?"
"At the earliest, sometime tomorrow morning." Christian answered after a second, having to recalled the chart of size verses growth time for the nurturing chambers.
"Captain, I'm staying here." Zoe stepped forwards, hands on her hips, her eyes cold. "You can't order me to go, not this time."
Mal took in her defiant stance, and decided to let her go this once. "All right, this one time. But I expect you back on board and working just as soon as he's back, you hear me?"
"Loud and clear sir." Was her terse reply.
"What about River?" Simon asked, his concern for his sister surfacing once more.
Christian smiled. "The foremost expert in the fields of medicine and advanced technology is working on that implant as we speak. He couldn't give me a time estimate, but I do know that something like that can't be rushed."
"Interesting combination…" Mal commented.
"Well… he's an interesting man." Christian half smiled.
"I'd rather stay." River spoke up, her voice wavering. "I think I… need those lessons…" It was clear to all that she was barely hanging on to her sanity at that moment.
"River…" Simon stepped over to her, taking her head in his hands before gently kissing her temple. "Mal… if she stays I stay." He said, his tone broking no arguments.
"Can't argue with that. However…" Mal looked at Kaylee apologetically. "I'm going to need my mechanic watching over my ship. She's liable to break down without your careful attentions Kaylee."
Kaylee nodded, understanding what Mal was saying. Mal turned to Apollo.
"Need a lift Major?"
X-X-X-X-X-X
Slowly the Firefly approached Galactica's Alpha landing bay, the colossal engines to their right dwarfing the small transport. Ahead Mal could see the rows of lights blinking in a pattern that led into the heart of the landing bay. He could make out those fighters of theirs resting on cradles, and there were people moving about. He shook his head as he considered just how advanced these people were.
"Just a little to the right…" Apollo said. Mal grunted as he adjusted the controls to match Apollo's directions. With River back in the city, Mal had taken the helm. Calling up the mighty battlestar and getting docking clearance had been easy enough, though when they said they had landing clearance it had thrown him a bit.
Then Apollo had directed him to approach from behind, and he understood. The rear end of both of the side pods were open ports leading into the heart of the massive ship's fighter bays. Now Apollo was directing him into the yawing mouth of the bay.
"It looks so much bigger…" Kaylee's voice was barely above a whisper as she craned her neck to gaze out at the battlestar. Mal could see how her eyes ran over every little feature of the warship, looking for anything that was familiar.
"Any ship does… you sure we'll fit in that?" He asked Apollo as they drew nearer the opening.
Apollo smiled. "We got those Eastern Alliance destroyers through." He didn't need to comment further. Mal had noted the other ship that rested on the Cities landing field, which bore no resemblance to anything he had seen before, or to the Colonial's ships. Apollo had given him a brief run down of where those had come from. Several times wider and at least fifty percent taller, they were lean and sleek craft.
Mal eased Serenity in slowly, pitching the engines to ten degrees while lowering the landing gear. They passed through the opening with room to spare. Releasing the breath he had not been aware he had been hold, Mal tweaked the controls to bring his ship down were the men below directed him to.
As he killed the engines, Apollo patted him on the shoulder. "Smooth landing Captain."
"Thanks." He replied gruffly. Mal knew how to fly, just, but he was not an expert. It was just one of the reasons he had others fly for him.
Still, when needed, he could fly the ship.
As they waited for the cargo ramp to be lower, Mal turned his head to look at Apollo. "I hope everything goes all right on your end."
"So do I…" Apollo answered. Then he looked back at Mal. "And I hope that you meet with success too."
Mal nodded, tightening his grip on Inara a touch.
When the ramp was fully down they all walked off. Already a number of men in orange jumpsuits were gathering around, curious about this new ship. But it was the two warriors that stood ahead of them that drew Apollo's attention.
"Starbuck, Boomer! When did you get back?"
"A short while ago." The blond haired man answered. He then grinned in the direction of Inara. "And my Apollo, you seem to ride in good company. Look's like Sheba kicking you off her shuttle had some benefits!"
"Starbuck, don't even bother. Both the women on this ship are already attached." Apollo shook his head. Starbuck would just never quit.
Starbuck just shrugged. "No harm in looking." He grinned once more.
Apollo rolled his eyes. "Well, since you clearly have too much time on your hands, why don't you escort Captain Reynolds and Siress Serra to the Life Centre?" He gestured to Mal and Inara as they stepped up besides him. His tone was friendly, but clearly there was an order underneath.
"Uh… Sure Major." Starbuck answered, all of a sudden looking a little skittish.
"And while you're there, look up Cassie. You two need to put that argument behind you." Apollo told him in a more gentle tone of voice.
Starbuck grinned once more. Inara noted that it was a really handsome, 'lady-killer' grin. One she might have fallen for, had she not been Companion trained. "Hey, it's me."
"That's what I'm worried about." Apollo muttered. As the warrior turned away, he half faced Mal and Inara. "Could you two make sure he actually talks to Cassie?"
"Sure." Mal answered for them both as they started after the irrepressible warrior.
"Apollo, I don't think anything can contain Bucko." Boomer commented.
"You're likely right Boomer." Apollo turned back to regard his other long term friend. The handshake turned into a back slapping hug. "We've missed you round here Boomer."
"Well it's been rather quiet on the Pegasus, I can tell you that." Boomer smiled.
"Speaking of which, when do you have to head back?" Apollo asked as they stepped apart.
"Not for another seven centares… why?"
"I don't know if you've heard yet, but Captain Reynolds is going to start working for us, helping us get our people onto the surface." He waved a hand back towards Serenity. "In exchange, we'll upgrade his ship to our level of technology."
"Hmmm…" Boomer ran his eyes over the ship before him, taking in every curve, every line and panel. "Interesting design."
"Very. I know she looks crude, but she does fly. Before she starts her runs though, I'd like you to have a good look at her. You've got the most mechanically minded brain of any of us Boomer…"
"Doctor Wilker's better." Boomer countered.
"Yes, but I don't really trust Wilker anymore. I trust you." Apollo clapped a hand on Boomers shoulder.
Boomer sighed. "All right Apollo. Who do I work with?"
"I think the one who keeps the ship going… Kaylee? Could you come here please?"
Boomer's eyes widened as young Kaylee came over from where she had been gazing at one of their Vipers with an almost hungry look. This was the ships engineer, this young woman who looked barely twenty yahrens old?
"Kaylee, I'd like you to meet Captain Boomer, my most technically minded pilot." Apollo said once she was close enough. "I'm assigning him to take the first look at your ship."
"Really? That's shiny." Kaylee turned a dazzling smile on Boomer, who found himself reacting to this girl's… woman's, obvious joy for life.
"Uh… yea. Hi." He managed to say.
Apollo smirked at Boomers discomfort. "Now remember Kaylee, none of that other language you guys spew every now and again."
Kaylee turned her bright eyes up to him. "What, you mean the Chinese?"
Apollo nodded. "I guess that is what you call it. Either way Boomers going to have enough on his plate understanding your ship without you speaking in a language he can't understand."
"Okay." Kaylee nodded, smiling widely.
"Good." Apollo smiled before he began to walk away.
"Hey, wait Apollo." Boomer called. "Where are you going?"
Apollo froze for a moment. "I'm going to right a big mistake I've made.
"I'm going to see Sheba."
DR: Now, I don't consider that a cliffhanger... but then who am I to judge?
Weir: You cna't control your readers perceptions DR. So you might as well write what you wish, and let them take it however they will.
DR: True... say, shouldn't you be planning your big day with John?
Weir: (blushs) Just having a break...
DR: Hmm, I'm sure. Anyway, normal service will be resumed next Saturday, when we join Mal and Inara as they make their way through the mighty battlestar. Until then!
Shadow: And don't forget to leave a review!