Starbuck sighed deeply as his Viper was gently set on the foamed, padded landing cradle. He punched open the canopy and hoisted himself out. As his feet hit the deck the bay begin to spin and he staggered back up against his ship. "Whoa," he murmured as he held onto the side of his ship for a moment trying to regain his equilibrium.
A deck hand walked past, not even noticing him, to join the growing group of spectators huddled just past his damaged ship. Starbuck inched his way along the front of his Viper until he could see what had captured their attention.
The huge landing arm was slowly approaching them with the Dark Raider captured in its claw. Now illuminated by the bay lights and away from the black background of space, Starbuck got his first good look at it.
If possible, it appeared even more menacing as it was carried into the bay. Starbuck realized the Dark Raider wasn't all black after all. What he had thought was damage from the power surge, was in fact, strips of gray metal that criss-crossed the whole ship. The lights around the bay reflected oddly off the flat black and gray surface almost as if the skin of the Raider was absorbing them.
The landing arm came to a stop above a hastily modified landing cradle. Beyond it, Starbuck noted the two teams of warriors awaiting it - guns drawn. Behind them, he could see Apollo exiting the lift followed by Shadrick. Apollo walked up behind Boomer and patted his shoulder in approval. Boomer turned and said something to Apollo that made him turn to stare in Starbuck's direction, searching for him. Starbuck knew Apollo probably couldn't see much of him behind the deck hands and the front nose of his Viper, but he must have realized where he was because Apollo flashed a thumbs up at him.
A loud blast of air from the landing arm distracted Starbuck. He turned to watch as it released its grasp on its captive, then smoothly rise up and out of the way.
Starbuck stayed where he was, his vertigo forgotten, as he waited tensely and watched as the first team of armed warriors took positions around the captured ship. The second team spread out around it to provide cover fire, if needed.
One of the warriors, leaning against the Raider, rose up and peered into the darkened cockpit. His sudden duck and nod of his head would have been enough to tell everyone that there were indeed active Cylons on board, but, if they had any doubts, the laser fire that burst through the cockpit's window would have put an end to them.
Immediately, the second team of warriors opened fire, shooting at the moving target they saw through the hold in the window. Return fire proved that at least one Cylon still remained functional.
"Be careful! You don't want to damage the ship!!" Dr Wilker screamed from the other side of the bay, where he waited along with Dr Salik and the rest of the technical teams awaiting their chance to get a close look at this new technology. The warriors ignored him. Starbuck knew from the color of their laser flashes that they were firing an electrical charge, meant to stun or immobilize a Cylon, not vaporize the valuable ship.
While the Cylons were distracted by the frontal fire the first team had opened up the bottom hatch and now tossed in an electro static grenade. As soon as the charge's flash subsided, two warriors leapt into the ship. Laser shots were heard, then nothing. For a heartbeat everyone held their collective breaths. Then one of the two warriors appeared at the hatch signaling the all clear.
Starbuck let out an audible sigh of relief, drawing the attention of the deck hand next to him.
"Oh my Lord!" The deck hand exclaimed, before he began to shout for a medtech.
Amidst requests and all out demands for him to "Please, just sit down!" Starbuck continued around his Viper, intent on getting a closer look at the Dark Raider. He waved off the deck hands, telling them austerely, "I don't need a medtech, I'm fine!"
Unfortunately, removing his hand from the side of his ship had been a big mistake. His vertigo seized him and took him down to the deck in a flash.
"Starbuck!" Both Apollo and Boomer shouted as they raced across the bay toward him.
"I'm fine, I'm fine," he protested as hands pushed him back down, refusing to let him up.
"Starbuck don't move," Apollo cautioned.
"He said he'd gotten some kind of a shock, but assured me it was nothing too serious. I knew I should have requested a medtech meet him in the bay." Boomer explained to his worried and irate Captain.
A breathing mask was forced on Starbuck's face, and he violently ripped it off. "Let me up!! I'm fine, I tell you! I was just dizzy," he shouted at the crowed around him.
"Let me be the judge of that, Lieutenant," came Salik's no-nonsense baritone. Boomer got out of the way as the burly doctor came forward, medical scanner in hand.
"He came around his ship and collapsed to the deck," Apollo was explaining to the doctor as Salik passed his sensor over Starbuck.
"Lie still!" Apollo ordered, as Starbuck tried to sit up, and placed the oxygen mask back onto Starbuck's face.
Frustrated, Starbuck gave an exasperated sigh and laid back. The throbbing in his head seemed to be in rhythm with his angered pulse. Soon Salik had his sensor over Starbuck's face. Gently, he turned Starbuck's head to the side, exposing the injured ear. Then Salik sat back, put his scanner away, and shot something into Starbuck's neck.
"Doctor?" Apollo asked when Salik removed the breather from Starbuck's face.
"Well, the Lieutenant's right. I suspect he *is* quite a bit dizzy. Seems he's blown out his ear somehow," Salk said as he put his instruments away," but, otherwise he's seems fine."
"But..?" and Apollo motioned to the blood that covered the upper left side of Starbuck and the streaks of blood on his upper thighs.
Salk shook his head as he helped Starbuck up into a sitting position. "All from his ear apparently."
"See, I told you I was fine." Starbuck grumbled at them sourly.
"Yah, but you could have warned us about the blood," Boomer reproached.
"Blood?" Starbuck looked down at himself. "Oh," was all he said as he looked at the red brown stains all over his uniform.
"Starbuck..." Apollo heaved a sigh as he shook his head. "Boomer why don't you help Salik get Starbuck here, to the life center." Apollo said as he stood up then turned to look at the Dark Raider. "While I take a look at what you've brought home."
A deck hand walked past, not even noticing him, to join the growing group of spectators huddled just past his damaged ship. Starbuck inched his way along the front of his Viper until he could see what had captured their attention.
The huge landing arm was slowly approaching them with the Dark Raider captured in its claw. Now illuminated by the bay lights and away from the black background of space, Starbuck got his first good look at it.
If possible, it appeared even more menacing as it was carried into the bay. Starbuck realized the Dark Raider wasn't all black after all. What he had thought was damage from the power surge, was in fact, strips of gray metal that criss-crossed the whole ship. The lights around the bay reflected oddly off the flat black and gray surface almost as if the skin of the Raider was absorbing them.
The landing arm came to a stop above a hastily modified landing cradle. Beyond it, Starbuck noted the two teams of warriors awaiting it - guns drawn. Behind them, he could see Apollo exiting the lift followed by Shadrick. Apollo walked up behind Boomer and patted his shoulder in approval. Boomer turned and said something to Apollo that made him turn to stare in Starbuck's direction, searching for him. Starbuck knew Apollo probably couldn't see much of him behind the deck hands and the front nose of his Viper, but he must have realized where he was because Apollo flashed a thumbs up at him.
A loud blast of air from the landing arm distracted Starbuck. He turned to watch as it released its grasp on its captive, then smoothly rise up and out of the way.
Starbuck stayed where he was, his vertigo forgotten, as he waited tensely and watched as the first team of armed warriors took positions around the captured ship. The second team spread out around it to provide cover fire, if needed.
One of the warriors, leaning against the Raider, rose up and peered into the darkened cockpit. His sudden duck and nod of his head would have been enough to tell everyone that there were indeed active Cylons on board, but, if they had any doubts, the laser fire that burst through the cockpit's window would have put an end to them.
Immediately, the second team of warriors opened fire, shooting at the moving target they saw through the hold in the window. Return fire proved that at least one Cylon still remained functional.
"Be careful! You don't want to damage the ship!!" Dr Wilker screamed from the other side of the bay, where he waited along with Dr Salik and the rest of the technical teams awaiting their chance to get a close look at this new technology. The warriors ignored him. Starbuck knew from the color of their laser flashes that they were firing an electrical charge, meant to stun or immobilize a Cylon, not vaporize the valuable ship.
While the Cylons were distracted by the frontal fire the first team had opened up the bottom hatch and now tossed in an electro static grenade. As soon as the charge's flash subsided, two warriors leapt into the ship. Laser shots were heard, then nothing. For a heartbeat everyone held their collective breaths. Then one of the two warriors appeared at the hatch signaling the all clear.
Starbuck let out an audible sigh of relief, drawing the attention of the deck hand next to him.
"Oh my Lord!" The deck hand exclaimed, before he began to shout for a medtech.
Amidst requests and all out demands for him to "Please, just sit down!" Starbuck continued around his Viper, intent on getting a closer look at the Dark Raider. He waved off the deck hands, telling them austerely, "I don't need a medtech, I'm fine!"
Unfortunately, removing his hand from the side of his ship had been a big mistake. His vertigo seized him and took him down to the deck in a flash.
"Starbuck!" Both Apollo and Boomer shouted as they raced across the bay toward him.
"I'm fine, I'm fine," he protested as hands pushed him back down, refusing to let him up.
"Starbuck don't move," Apollo cautioned.
"He said he'd gotten some kind of a shock, but assured me it was nothing too serious. I knew I should have requested a medtech meet him in the bay." Boomer explained to his worried and irate Captain.
A breathing mask was forced on Starbuck's face, and he violently ripped it off. "Let me up!! I'm fine, I tell you! I was just dizzy," he shouted at the crowed around him.
"Let me be the judge of that, Lieutenant," came Salik's no-nonsense baritone. Boomer got out of the way as the burly doctor came forward, medical scanner in hand.
"He came around his ship and collapsed to the deck," Apollo was explaining to the doctor as Salik passed his sensor over Starbuck.
"Lie still!" Apollo ordered, as Starbuck tried to sit up, and placed the oxygen mask back onto Starbuck's face.
Frustrated, Starbuck gave an exasperated sigh and laid back. The throbbing in his head seemed to be in rhythm with his angered pulse. Soon Salik had his sensor over Starbuck's face. Gently, he turned Starbuck's head to the side, exposing the injured ear. Then Salik sat back, put his scanner away, and shot something into Starbuck's neck.
"Doctor?" Apollo asked when Salik removed the breather from Starbuck's face.
"Well, the Lieutenant's right. I suspect he *is* quite a bit dizzy. Seems he's blown out his ear somehow," Salk said as he put his instruments away," but, otherwise he's seems fine."
"But..?" and Apollo motioned to the blood that covered the upper left side of Starbuck and the streaks of blood on his upper thighs.
Salk shook his head as he helped Starbuck up into a sitting position. "All from his ear apparently."
"See, I told you I was fine." Starbuck grumbled at them sourly.
"Yah, but you could have warned us about the blood," Boomer reproached.
"Blood?" Starbuck looked down at himself. "Oh," was all he said as he looked at the red brown stains all over his uniform.
"Starbuck..." Apollo heaved a sigh as he shook his head. "Boomer why don't you help Salik get Starbuck here, to the life center." Apollo said as he stood up then turned to look at the Dark Raider. "While I take a look at what you've brought home."