Starbuck tapped the pressure gauge of the tow cable and watched as the needle obediently rose out of the red, danger zone and into the green, safe zone.
"Starbuck?"
"Yo."
"We've got company." Boomer's excessively calm voice alerted Starbuck.
"What?" Starbuck checked his scanner. He had set it on forward scan, while Boomer had his on rear scan. Quickly, he switched it back to rear scan. He watched with apprehension as twelve blips appeared behind them.
"Felgercarb."
"They're going to catch up to us at this speed," Boomer confirmed.
"They just don't want us to take their new toy home," Starbuck said as he checked the power levels of the tow cable. The magnetic locks were holding but draining the power from his engines.
"Guess nobody ever showed them how to share their toys," Boomer countered, as he check his own power levels. "We can't outrun them towing this thing. We'll have to jettison the cables."
"Frak that! We have to get this thing back. The technology is too valuable."
"I agree, but you're not exactly up to another fire fight," Boomer admonished.
Starbuck was suddenly distracted by a light flashing feverishly at him, its red color demanding attention. "I don't think it's going to matter, Boomer. We've just been cut off."
"What?!" Boomer checked his forward scanner just as additional blips began to inch across the screen toward them. "Frak it! Are we out of jamming range yet?"
"No. My sensors still show the jamming field at 2400 x 3600. No one beyond two hectars is going to understand anything we transmit," Starbuck angrily answered.
"Frak. How far away is the group behind us?" Boomer asked as he watched the forward group change course to intercept them.
"Six hectars. They'll be on us in approximately five centons. The group in front of us will catch us in about three."
"We don't have a choice. We're going to have to leave your new friend behind," he concluded, frustrated.
"Frak it!" Starbuck pounded the side of his cockpit in impotent anger. "OK, turn to point 46.1. Lets make a run for it."
"We'll never out run them to the fleet," Boomer cautioned, as he started transferring his power systems.
"We don't need to. We just need to get into communication range," Starbuck replied as he also redirected his power from the magnetic cables back to his engines. "If we can't keep this ship, then we have to at least pass on the transmission we intercepted."
"Disengaging tow cable!" Starbuck watched as Boomer's tow cable floated free from his Viper.
"Activating recon beacon on the tow cable. " Starbuck then pulled the release lever. "Tow cable away."
"You're being rather optimistic," Boomer marveled, as they both engaged their turbos.
"'Optimistic' is my new middle name, Boomer!" Starbuck announced.
"I always thought it was 'Dumb Luck'!" came a voice over the com channel.
"Jolly?!"
"You didn't think the Captain would let you two have all the fun, did you?" came the reply as Jolly's Viper rocketed into view before them, followed shortly by the rest of Blue and Green squadrons. The Vipers didn't slow but continued on past Starbuck and Boomer's position. "You don't mind if we play with your friends, do you?"
"No, no! Have all the fun you want!" Starbuck shouted in relief. "Come on, Boomer, we've got some tow cables to catch!"
"Starbuck?"
"Yo."
"We've got company." Boomer's excessively calm voice alerted Starbuck.
"What?" Starbuck checked his scanner. He had set it on forward scan, while Boomer had his on rear scan. Quickly, he switched it back to rear scan. He watched with apprehension as twelve blips appeared behind them.
"Felgercarb."
"They're going to catch up to us at this speed," Boomer confirmed.
"They just don't want us to take their new toy home," Starbuck said as he checked the power levels of the tow cable. The magnetic locks were holding but draining the power from his engines.
"Guess nobody ever showed them how to share their toys," Boomer countered, as he check his own power levels. "We can't outrun them towing this thing. We'll have to jettison the cables."
"Frak that! We have to get this thing back. The technology is too valuable."
"I agree, but you're not exactly up to another fire fight," Boomer admonished.
Starbuck was suddenly distracted by a light flashing feverishly at him, its red color demanding attention. "I don't think it's going to matter, Boomer. We've just been cut off."
"What?!" Boomer checked his forward scanner just as additional blips began to inch across the screen toward them. "Frak it! Are we out of jamming range yet?"
"No. My sensors still show the jamming field at 2400 x 3600. No one beyond two hectars is going to understand anything we transmit," Starbuck angrily answered.
"Frak. How far away is the group behind us?" Boomer asked as he watched the forward group change course to intercept them.
"Six hectars. They'll be on us in approximately five centons. The group in front of us will catch us in about three."
"We don't have a choice. We're going to have to leave your new friend behind," he concluded, frustrated.
"Frak it!" Starbuck pounded the side of his cockpit in impotent anger. "OK, turn to point 46.1. Lets make a run for it."
"We'll never out run them to the fleet," Boomer cautioned, as he started transferring his power systems.
"We don't need to. We just need to get into communication range," Starbuck replied as he also redirected his power from the magnetic cables back to his engines. "If we can't keep this ship, then we have to at least pass on the transmission we intercepted."
"Disengaging tow cable!" Starbuck watched as Boomer's tow cable floated free from his Viper.
"Activating recon beacon on the tow cable. " Starbuck then pulled the release lever. "Tow cable away."
"You're being rather optimistic," Boomer marveled, as they both engaged their turbos.
"'Optimistic' is my new middle name, Boomer!" Starbuck announced.
"I always thought it was 'Dumb Luck'!" came a voice over the com channel.
"Jolly?!"
"You didn't think the Captain would let you two have all the fun, did you?" came the reply as Jolly's Viper rocketed into view before them, followed shortly by the rest of Blue and Green squadrons. The Vipers didn't slow but continued on past Starbuck and Boomer's position. "You don't mind if we play with your friends, do you?"
"No, no! Have all the fun you want!" Starbuck shouted in relief. "Come on, Boomer, we've got some tow cables to catch!"