The Rovers were perfect for the asteroid field due to their smaller size, and surprisingly supple maneuverability. First, he needed to get the feel of his new ship, and then he had to fly the tail off of Bex.

Starbuck grinned as he weaved closer and closer to each outcrop of rock while he raced through the belt. There had been one spot in particular that would work to his advantage, if he could just find it again. He glanced down at his scanner seeing Bex in pursuit, but the man was dropping further and further behind. Obviously, he was having difficulty navigating the larger Viper through the increasingly narrow passages. Simply put, he lacked style.

"Hey Bex, where'd you go?" Starbuck ridiculed him. "At this rate, I'm going to have to pull over at the next pirate pit stop to wait for you."

"I'm right behind you, ass wipe." Bex snarled, accelerating in response.

"Funny, I thought that was my ion trail. I'm sure the Viper was bigger than that the last time I looked . . . unless you've severed some parts in the meantime." He chuckled as he heard an answering growl. The pirate had increased velocity again.

"You know, the Viper is the most sophisticated fighter craft known to man. It takes yahrens of experience, not to mention real talent, to really do her justice. Actually, it's a real shame to waste it on a mong-for-brains, lumbering troglodyte like yourself." Starbuck taunted again, laughing at the resulting tide of vulgar and disparaging remarks.

He monitored Bex's progress on the scanner as the Viper closed the gap between them. He abruptly deked beneath an asteroid and a burst of laser fire narrowly missed him, striking the asteroid and sending rock blasting into space.

"Getting sloppy, Starbuck!" Bex taunted. "Damn nearly fried your butt that time."

Starbuck smiled, letting the other man think so. He opened the fighter's throttles wide, getting every bit of power he could out of the Rusty Rover. He could feel her tremble as he whipped around the next asteroid, Bex hot in pursuit. "C'mon Baby, give me all you've got."

"That ain't a lot, when it comes to that old bucket. Believe me, I speak from experience." Bex told him, grinning with confidence as he narrowed the margin once again. Just a little to the right . . . He lined up the Rover for the kill on the Viper's attack computer.

At the last micron, Starbuck veered off again. However, this time the laser blast was close enough to rock his small ship, and he frantically compensated to avoid crashing into another hunk of rock. He let out a deep breath. A bit close, Bucko. He could hear Bex laughing heartily on the comm. C'mon . . .

"No smart ass remarks, Starbuck?" Bex taunted him.

"Let me check my crib sheet." Starbuck grinned, pushing the small fighter just a little bit harder, coaxing every scrap of power from her old engines, until she was giving everything she was willing to give . . . and then he pushed her again. He was practically caressing the asteroid surface with his afterburners as he circled around it, closing in on the corkscrew tunnel that he had seen earlier that day from the other side of this particular chunk of rock.

He whipped the small fighter into a spin it was barely capable of without flying apart, careening in through the tunnel that was the only route out of there—short of stopping on the spot, turning around, and going back the way you came. He realized for certain that the larger Viper would never make it. It was a damn good thing he had decided against trying it so many centars ago he reflected, as he heard and felt the Rover's left wingtip scrape against the tunnel. "Goodbye, Bex. Say hello to Torg for me. He's saving a spot for you in Hades Hole." He whooped with exhilaration as he came through the other side, for the most part unscathed.

"What the fu . . .?"

A blood chilling scream filled the comm for a micron before it was abruptly cut off. Starbuck saw the ambient glow of the resultant explosion from behind him. He cut back on the throttle, easing up on the fighter before he overtaxed her engines permanently. After all, Boomer would never blow an engine.

----------

Sheba hit the tarmac running as she dropped down from her Viper, and headed towards the task force carrying the two wounded men towards the shuttle. At first she had been furious that Apollo had relegated her to the third task force, defending the shuttle and vigilantly patrolling for an early warning if the marauder's squadrons should reappear. He had hidden behind his role as Strike Captain, giving her no opportunity to challenge him on a personal level, and she had been forced to maintain her professional decorum as the plan was quickly put in place for the attack. But as she went about her duties, she had found her mind wandering as she wondered if her father was still alive, and what had become of the Pegasus. She hadn't quite forgiven Apollo for his decision, but perhaps she understood a little better why he had made it.

Bojay stepped forward to intercept her. "It's Dorado and Rooke. They were lured into the asteroid belt by one of the pirate ships while on long-range patrol with Szabo. It was just the three of them. Cain probably never knew what hit them or where they disappeared to." Bojay told her, holding her gently by the upper arms and watching her eyes sweep anxiously from his face to their former shipmates, still on their way to the transport.

"Then he really is alive." Sheba studied Bojay intently. She blinked as she felt the moisture welling in her eyes. "He really . . ."

"He is." Bojay grinned and pulled her into his embrace. "He really is." They both grinned ear to ear and he lifted her, twirling her in a circle as they laughed in pure indulgent joy for a precious moment. He set her back on her feet, catching Apollo's skeptical look before the captain disappeared into the shuttle with his charge.

"How's Rooke?" Sheba asked after a moment, stepping back from his grasp.

"Out cold from a head injury." Bojay put an arm around her shoulders guiding her towards the shuttle. "One of these pirates crowned him with a pipe pretty good. We'll know more once Giselle assesses him."

Sheba hesitated as she took her first really good look at the rescued people. She felt her stomach want to heave in revulsion. "Lords Bojay, they look like refugees from one of those concentration camps we heard about at the Academy." She whispered. "It's . . . awful."

"Yeah, no wonder that guy, Dayton, wants revenge. C'mon, let's go see how they're doing."

----------

"Nicely done." Boomer stated, as he formed up on Starbuck's left wing.

"Thanks." Starbuck nodded. He should have felt elated; instead, he was only tired. Dragged out, bone-weary, out of fuel . . . at least figuratively . . . "How's she look?" He knew Boomer would be checking out the damage on the small craft.

"Surprisingly intact. You know, I wouldn't have gone through there, not in a million yahrens." Boomer observed.

"Your point is?"

"I'm curious. How certain were you that you'd make it?"

"Certain? Hey, I'm here. Bex isn't."

"C'mon, I'm serious."

Starbuck shrugged to himself. "I don't know. Ninety-odd percent."

"And you still tried it." Boomer shook his head in disbelief. "Of all the cock-eyed. . ."

"I didn't try it, Boomer, I did it." Starbuck grinned, grimacing slightly when his raw facial skin cracked again.

"But you weren't altogether sure . . . "

"Doesn't matter. The odds were right. I knew I'd make it." He said with certainty.

"I've seen you lose at Pyramid playing your odds."

"But not at life." Starbuck pointed out. "I play life much more seriously."

"Play life? Do you listen to yourself?"

"Hey, sometimes I'm the only one who does." Starbuck chuckled in response. "How much time do we have?"

"Not much. Orders are to rescue any detainees and get back to the Galactica. We're avoiding a conflict with their squadrons if possible."

"Has the shuttle moved out yet?"

"No. I just heard from Giles. They've loaded two wounded, and five walking and talking. Giselle has to stabilize one of them before they lift off."

"Who?"

"One of the Earth guys. I didn't get a name."

Starbuck hesitated as he thought about it. "Then there's no plan to destroy the pirate base?"

"No. Quick in and out only."

"While it certainly has its charms, I always prefer a more prolonged encounter." Despite his light-hearted words, it still left a sour taste in his mouth. "Still, that base is pretty well hidden, Boomer. It wouldn't take much for the Cylons to convert it for their use, if they ever come this way. And from what some of the guys were saying, there are inhabited systems close by. Whether by the Cylons in the future, or the pirates right now, it's a danger to any human population."

Boomer nodded his silent agreement. "Commander's orders, Bucko, although once we get back, we can bring that up. This place is awfully well hidden. If we hadn't found that Viper from the Pegasus, we probably wouldn't even be here right now."

"Viper? What Viper?"

"Crashed on an asteroid. At first we thought it was you. Jenny and Dr. Paye discovered otherwise. Some Ensign Szabo. It's a long story, but the long and the short of it was the Commander knew we had an opportunity to find out what happened to the Pegasus if we attacked the base and freed any potential prisoners . . . including you."

"Wait until he meets the astronuts from Earth." Starbuck smiled. The Commander would flip . . . or maybe just rock forward on his feet with his hands entwined behind his back, as he smiled in pleasure.

"Astronuts?" Boomer asked with a smirk. It sounded like something they should serve at the bar in the OC.

"Yeah. Something like that." Starbuck paused. "Apollo didn't really order us to report to the base, or to the Galactica."

"That's one possible interpretation. What are you getting at?" Boomer asked.

"There are ten Dynamos between here and the edge of the asteroid field. They're deactivated for now, but that doesn't mean they can't reactivate them and make life miserable for some other poor schmuck who might fall into their trap."

"So you want to blast them to space dust so that doesn't happen."

"Exactly. You see things so clearly, buddy." He checked his scanner. The Galactica was just on the edge of his range. He glanced at the fuel gauge.

Boomer sighed. "Starbuck, I don't think you want to take the time to do that. I should have told you earlier . . . "

"Boomer, this is important. If we're not going to decimate the bastards, then we have to at least put them out of business."

" . . . but you cut me off." Boomer finished, letting the silence on the line speak for him.

Starbuck sighed heavily. "What?" he asked impatiently.

"It's about Luana. I really think you should get back to the Galactica as soon as you can."

"Boomer . . . " A cold dread abruptly seeped through his body, gripping him by the throat and choking off any further thoughts of Dynamos or pirates.

"I'm really sorry, buddy, but . . . "