"Recon Patrol One to Galactica, come in."
"Our transmission can't make it through the jamming wave. We're still too far away from the Galactica," Starbuck said as he checked his communications link again. The small screen continued to blink at him - Communication Interference.
"How are your systems? You going to make it back okay, or should I tow you in instead?" Boomer asked as he looked over at Starbuck's damaged Viper.
"Huh? What did you say?" Starbuck turned down the volume on his long-range communication channel. All he was getting was static anyway, and it made hearing Boomer all that harder. His head was beginning to throb, with what was certain to be a killer headache, as his left ear continued to ache. He brushed at the dried blood there and was grateful that at least the bleeding had stopped.
"Do you need a tow?" Boomer asked, concerned. He could hear the strain in Starbuck's voice and now wondered if the outside of the Viper was all that had been damaged. "Are you okay?"
"I'll be fine," Starbuck replied, unwilling to acknowledge anything was wrong.
*Be fine?* Knowing Starbuck as well he did, Boomer knew this statement was incomplete. "How bad?"
"I just got a little shook up when we hit, that's all," Starbuck replied casually.
"Uh huh, how shook up?" Boomer persisted.
Starbuck sighed, knowing Boomer wouldn't let it rest until he gave him some information. "I got some kind of shock when I connected with that Dark Raider. I'm amazed it didn't blow out my systems. I'm pretty sure it blew out my ear, though."
"Your ear?"
"Yeah, I can't hear very good out of my left ear right now. Probably just a blown eardrum. Like I said, I'm fine."
Unconvinced, Boomer ignored that comment. "When we get back I'll request a med tech meet us in the bay."
Starbuck just sighed audibly into the com mike. "You know, Boomer, you are really beginning to sound like you're my mother."
Boomer grumbled, "As if."
"I promise, I'll go to the Life Center and get it check out as soon as we land. However, I am certain I don't need a med tech to meet me at my Viper." Starbuck replied in as confidant a tone he could manage. The last thing he needed was Boomer to think he was in any way seriously hurt and force the issue. Granted, his head hurt, but he didn't need the embarrassment of having a med tech waiting for him in the bay. It wasn't that serious, and more importantly, it would ruin his reputation.
"Okay, Bucko. If you don't, I'll just sic Cassiopeia on you," Boomer warned.
Starbuck knew Boomer wouldn't back down on this, so he just sighed and decided to make the best of it. After all, he thought, Cassie would be sympathetic and sympathy was something he could use to get her to tell him what was going on.
Once again Starbuck wondered what Cassie was up to. She'd been very secretive of late. Twice he had caught her talking to Sheba only to have them stop talking the micron they spotted him. No amount of coaxing on his part had gained him any answers.
It wasn't so much the sudden end of all conversation that bothered him - some topics he really didn't want to hear about - it was the guilty looks that followed this abrupt silence.
Starbuck was worried about this disturbing new trend. He had grown very attached to Cassie, more than he had to any of his past conquests. Only this time, she wasn't his conquest, he was hers. Starbuck feared she'd done more than just make him her conquest; she'd stolen his heart. He'd never believed it was possible for him to actually lose his heart to love; he'd never put it on the table. Somehow this time, he'd unknowingly gambled with it and lost the game. Now he hope fervently she wasn't going to take it and run.
Oh, he'd given her several reasons to leave him: Athena, Brie and Dietra just to name a few, but somehow he always come back to her. The others were more of a check and balance, to prove to himself that he wasn't serious about anyone. Yet, the thought of Cassie with someone else drove shards of raw anguish through him. This was a new feeling for him, and it made him all the more concerned over Cassie's actions of late. He knew the games; he'd written the rules.
Boomer's voice abruptly cut off his errant thoughts. "If your systems took a shock, how bad are they?"
"Most of my systems appear to be registering operational," Starbuck replied, having already gone through a checklist of all his major systems. "My left engine's readings are fluctuating a bit but otherwise, I think I'm OK. What does it look like from out there?"
Boomer took his first, long look at the damage to Starbuck's Viper. "Well you're certainly going to piss off your flight crew for crumpling your front sensor array" Boomer came back with as he slowed down his forward momentum, allowing Starbuck's Viper to slowly pass along side him.
The front nose section of the Viper was scrapped and creased. Boomer could easily follow the path the other ship had taken as it scraped along the front nose section of the Viper, tearing a good size gash down the hull. Where the left gun and front section of the left delta wing should be, there was only a stubby piece of torn metal, sparking into the area around it, like a miniature light show. The gash continued down along the side of the left turbine engine, slicing through the protective covering. "You've got some buckling and a good size tear in your outer skin." Boomer reported as he maneuvered his Viper under Starbuck's. He looked up and let out a low whistle.
"That good huh?" Starbuck responded, trying to make light of the situation.
"Well, the good news is your luck is still holding." Boomer countered.
"The bad news?" Starbuck asked, an edge to his voice.
"I found the front half of your delta wing."
"Huh?"
"It's been twisted underneath and jammed up against your underside," Boomer explained. "Part of it has penetrated your left engines outer casing. A few more microns to the left and it would have punctured your Tylium cells. Looks like you're reputation as the luckiest pilot in the fleet is secure, Bucko."
"Yah well, I not taking any bets on that yet." He said, the stress coming though his voice now. "How's my landing gear look?" He asked.
"I can't tell. The hatch is partially blocked."
"Will it extend?" Starbuck persisted.
"Hard to say, but it looks like your gear should be able to push the debris out of the way." Boomer edged his Viper over trying to get a better look. "Only one way to know for sure, you're just going to have to try it." He said finally.
"Okay, here goes." Starbuck activated the power buss to his landing systems and took a deep breath before grasping the 'Gear Extend' switch between his thumb and finger.
"NO - WAIT! DON'T ACTIVATE IT!! Boomer suddenly yelled out in alarm.
Starbuck jerked his hand away from the switch. "Why? What's wrong?"
"You've got a leak." Boomer stated in a flat strained voice.
"Oh feldercarb, from where?"
"I'm not sure, there are a lot of droplets floating under the broken wing section." Boomer could see the tightly clustered droplets bunched up under the debris. "They're not dark so it's not a power systems leak.".
"It's clear?" Starbuck asked, with dread.
"Yeah, Bucko." Boomer answered evenly. "It could be coolant leak or.."
"Tylium," Starbuck finished. Volatile Tylium. If he tried to lower his landing gear it would push on the broken delta wing and certainly cause a spark. Not good - most assuredly not good.
Starbuck checked his fuel, "My fluid levels seems stable enough. Perhaps it is coolant," he called out.
"It's not a big enough leak to make a dent on your levels yet. I wouldn't cover that bet if I were you."
"Giving me betting advice now, Boomer?" Starbuck tried to sound light." I'll worry about it latter. What do we do about our friend floating over there?"
"We need to take it back. That's the only way we can hope to overcome this technology," Boomer stated.
"Boomer, you always were one to point out the obvious. But, with my leak unknown, I don't think a tracking beam would be wise."
"I'm giving you gambling advice and you're thinking. My what a mixed up day," Boomer teased.
Starbuck grinned and redirected his power from his landing systems to his magnetic tow cables.
"Okay, Magna-lock cables it is then."
__________________________
"Shuttle Delta, you are cleared for landing on Beta Deck, shuttle bay 4."
"Acknowledged, shuttle bay 4."
Omega listened to the com traffic that filtered in through his headset. What he was waiting for was a signal from one of their patrols that they had sent out. Behind him, he could hear muffled footsteps approach him. He' been listening to those footsteps for the past centar as they paced around the bridge like some caged animal. Now, they stopped behind him.
"Still no response from Blue or Green squadrons. Flight Sergeant Jolly's last report said they were heading into the jamming field they encountered." Omega turned in his chair in time to see the worry flash across Apollo's face. Covering his com mike with his hand Omega whispered. "Your father could never stand waiting for word on a missing patrol, either."
"He had yahrens to get use to it. I don't know how he did it," Apollo said in admiration.
Omega shook his head and smiled. "He didn't. He'd just pace around the bridge until word came, one way or another. Just like you."
Apollo looked over at Omega and smiled at the comparison. "Thanks."
"What are you going to tell the Council about the transfer of the Crystal's and Scarab's population? "
"I haven't thought about it. I figured I'd worry about it later."
"Uh, Apollo," and Omega gestured behind him. "I think it's 'later'."
Behind Apollo, four white-robed delegates of the Council of the Twelve entered the bridge.
"Frak, not now!" Apollo hissed.
"Captain Apollo, may we have a word with you," Councillor Yogan requested, in way that was obviously a command.
"Our transmission can't make it through the jamming wave. We're still too far away from the Galactica," Starbuck said as he checked his communications link again. The small screen continued to blink at him - Communication Interference.
"How are your systems? You going to make it back okay, or should I tow you in instead?" Boomer asked as he looked over at Starbuck's damaged Viper.
"Huh? What did you say?" Starbuck turned down the volume on his long-range communication channel. All he was getting was static anyway, and it made hearing Boomer all that harder. His head was beginning to throb, with what was certain to be a killer headache, as his left ear continued to ache. He brushed at the dried blood there and was grateful that at least the bleeding had stopped.
"Do you need a tow?" Boomer asked, concerned. He could hear the strain in Starbuck's voice and now wondered if the outside of the Viper was all that had been damaged. "Are you okay?"
"I'll be fine," Starbuck replied, unwilling to acknowledge anything was wrong.
*Be fine?* Knowing Starbuck as well he did, Boomer knew this statement was incomplete. "How bad?"
"I just got a little shook up when we hit, that's all," Starbuck replied casually.
"Uh huh, how shook up?" Boomer persisted.
Starbuck sighed, knowing Boomer wouldn't let it rest until he gave him some information. "I got some kind of shock when I connected with that Dark Raider. I'm amazed it didn't blow out my systems. I'm pretty sure it blew out my ear, though."
"Your ear?"
"Yeah, I can't hear very good out of my left ear right now. Probably just a blown eardrum. Like I said, I'm fine."
Unconvinced, Boomer ignored that comment. "When we get back I'll request a med tech meet us in the bay."
Starbuck just sighed audibly into the com mike. "You know, Boomer, you are really beginning to sound like you're my mother."
Boomer grumbled, "As if."
"I promise, I'll go to the Life Center and get it check out as soon as we land. However, I am certain I don't need a med tech to meet me at my Viper." Starbuck replied in as confidant a tone he could manage. The last thing he needed was Boomer to think he was in any way seriously hurt and force the issue. Granted, his head hurt, but he didn't need the embarrassment of having a med tech waiting for him in the bay. It wasn't that serious, and more importantly, it would ruin his reputation.
"Okay, Bucko. If you don't, I'll just sic Cassiopeia on you," Boomer warned.
Starbuck knew Boomer wouldn't back down on this, so he just sighed and decided to make the best of it. After all, he thought, Cassie would be sympathetic and sympathy was something he could use to get her to tell him what was going on.
Once again Starbuck wondered what Cassie was up to. She'd been very secretive of late. Twice he had caught her talking to Sheba only to have them stop talking the micron they spotted him. No amount of coaxing on his part had gained him any answers.
It wasn't so much the sudden end of all conversation that bothered him - some topics he really didn't want to hear about - it was the guilty looks that followed this abrupt silence.
Starbuck was worried about this disturbing new trend. He had grown very attached to Cassie, more than he had to any of his past conquests. Only this time, she wasn't his conquest, he was hers. Starbuck feared she'd done more than just make him her conquest; she'd stolen his heart. He'd never believed it was possible for him to actually lose his heart to love; he'd never put it on the table. Somehow this time, he'd unknowingly gambled with it and lost the game. Now he hope fervently she wasn't going to take it and run.
Oh, he'd given her several reasons to leave him: Athena, Brie and Dietra just to name a few, but somehow he always come back to her. The others were more of a check and balance, to prove to himself that he wasn't serious about anyone. Yet, the thought of Cassie with someone else drove shards of raw anguish through him. This was a new feeling for him, and it made him all the more concerned over Cassie's actions of late. He knew the games; he'd written the rules.
Boomer's voice abruptly cut off his errant thoughts. "If your systems took a shock, how bad are they?"
"Most of my systems appear to be registering operational," Starbuck replied, having already gone through a checklist of all his major systems. "My left engine's readings are fluctuating a bit but otherwise, I think I'm OK. What does it look like from out there?"
Boomer took his first, long look at the damage to Starbuck's Viper. "Well you're certainly going to piss off your flight crew for crumpling your front sensor array" Boomer came back with as he slowed down his forward momentum, allowing Starbuck's Viper to slowly pass along side him.
The front nose section of the Viper was scrapped and creased. Boomer could easily follow the path the other ship had taken as it scraped along the front nose section of the Viper, tearing a good size gash down the hull. Where the left gun and front section of the left delta wing should be, there was only a stubby piece of torn metal, sparking into the area around it, like a miniature light show. The gash continued down along the side of the left turbine engine, slicing through the protective covering. "You've got some buckling and a good size tear in your outer skin." Boomer reported as he maneuvered his Viper under Starbuck's. He looked up and let out a low whistle.
"That good huh?" Starbuck responded, trying to make light of the situation.
"Well, the good news is your luck is still holding." Boomer countered.
"The bad news?" Starbuck asked, an edge to his voice.
"I found the front half of your delta wing."
"Huh?"
"It's been twisted underneath and jammed up against your underside," Boomer explained. "Part of it has penetrated your left engines outer casing. A few more microns to the left and it would have punctured your Tylium cells. Looks like you're reputation as the luckiest pilot in the fleet is secure, Bucko."
"Yah well, I not taking any bets on that yet." He said, the stress coming though his voice now. "How's my landing gear look?" He asked.
"I can't tell. The hatch is partially blocked."
"Will it extend?" Starbuck persisted.
"Hard to say, but it looks like your gear should be able to push the debris out of the way." Boomer edged his Viper over trying to get a better look. "Only one way to know for sure, you're just going to have to try it." He said finally.
"Okay, here goes." Starbuck activated the power buss to his landing systems and took a deep breath before grasping the 'Gear Extend' switch between his thumb and finger.
"NO - WAIT! DON'T ACTIVATE IT!! Boomer suddenly yelled out in alarm.
Starbuck jerked his hand away from the switch. "Why? What's wrong?"
"You've got a leak." Boomer stated in a flat strained voice.
"Oh feldercarb, from where?"
"I'm not sure, there are a lot of droplets floating under the broken wing section." Boomer could see the tightly clustered droplets bunched up under the debris. "They're not dark so it's not a power systems leak.".
"It's clear?" Starbuck asked, with dread.
"Yeah, Bucko." Boomer answered evenly. "It could be coolant leak or.."
"Tylium," Starbuck finished. Volatile Tylium. If he tried to lower his landing gear it would push on the broken delta wing and certainly cause a spark. Not good - most assuredly not good.
Starbuck checked his fuel, "My fluid levels seems stable enough. Perhaps it is coolant," he called out.
"It's not a big enough leak to make a dent on your levels yet. I wouldn't cover that bet if I were you."
"Giving me betting advice now, Boomer?" Starbuck tried to sound light." I'll worry about it latter. What do we do about our friend floating over there?"
"We need to take it back. That's the only way we can hope to overcome this technology," Boomer stated.
"Boomer, you always were one to point out the obvious. But, with my leak unknown, I don't think a tracking beam would be wise."
"I'm giving you gambling advice and you're thinking. My what a mixed up day," Boomer teased.
Starbuck grinned and redirected his power from his landing systems to his magnetic tow cables.
"Okay, Magna-lock cables it is then."
__________________________
"Shuttle Delta, you are cleared for landing on Beta Deck, shuttle bay 4."
"Acknowledged, shuttle bay 4."
Omega listened to the com traffic that filtered in through his headset. What he was waiting for was a signal from one of their patrols that they had sent out. Behind him, he could hear muffled footsteps approach him. He' been listening to those footsteps for the past centar as they paced around the bridge like some caged animal. Now, they stopped behind him.
"Still no response from Blue or Green squadrons. Flight Sergeant Jolly's last report said they were heading into the jamming field they encountered." Omega turned in his chair in time to see the worry flash across Apollo's face. Covering his com mike with his hand Omega whispered. "Your father could never stand waiting for word on a missing patrol, either."
"He had yahrens to get use to it. I don't know how he did it," Apollo said in admiration.
Omega shook his head and smiled. "He didn't. He'd just pace around the bridge until word came, one way or another. Just like you."
Apollo looked over at Omega and smiled at the comparison. "Thanks."
"What are you going to tell the Council about the transfer of the Crystal's and Scarab's population? "
"I haven't thought about it. I figured I'd worry about it later."
"Uh, Apollo," and Omega gestured behind him. "I think it's 'later'."
Behind Apollo, four white-robed delegates of the Council of the Twelve entered the bridge.
"Frak, not now!" Apollo hissed.
"Captain Apollo, may we have a word with you," Councillor Yogan requested, in way that was obviously a command.