The Hunt
for Battlestar Pegasus 5
Illya had warned him that there would be days like this. Adama hadn't slept in 26 centares and it sure wasn't looking like he would be bedding down anytime soon. He held tight to the skywalk railing as the escalator belt whisked him towards his destination, the Academy's Engineer Training Docks. This was where students studying in the field of construction and engineering got their hands dirty refitting, repairing and building small spacecraft from scratch. Lieutenant Tigh was a Warrior and pilot first, but he was also a whiz at structural engineering and electronics. So, this was the perfect place for him to serve while his body healed. From what Adama understood, the young black officer had smashed nearly every bone in his body and nearly lost both legs. He was lucky to be alive.
Even the pilot in Adama found it hard to look over the edge of the skywalk railing. He was a good 300 meters above the ground, speeding in and around Academy skyscrapers and Pyramids that reached high into the clouds of Caprica. As the skywalk in front of him began to descend, he thought quickly of the all too brief reunion with his family. He had stopped by his home in the hills outside Caprica City to see his wife and child before heading out to the Academy. Adama felt that Illya should know that all of her hard work was paying off and that Admiral Jacoby would allow them to get to the bottom of the Scorpian mystery. She hadn't been happy as he rushed right back out the door, but he promised her that he would return as soon as his visit with Tigh was finished. Somehow, they both knew that would be a hard promise to keep. Personally, Adama wanted to put all of this Scorpian business behind them. It all seemed a fools' errand with the Cylons still lurking just a galaxy away. Adama knew it was but a matter of time before they reared their ugly, metallic heads again.
Before he knew it, Adama found himself at his destination. He waited patiently in Tigh's office as a cadet went to inform the Lieutenant of his visitor. Adama was taking in a picture of their graduating class on the wall when Tigh entered.
"They were the best of times", said Tigh gleefully.
"They were the worst of times", added Adama as he turned to face his friend.
Tigh laughed raucously as the two former roommates and wingmen embraced roughly. "My god, Adama! How long has it been?" asked Tigh.
"Too long, old friend", Adama answered.
Tigh smiled as he finally released Adama from his grip and limped over to his desk. "So, what brings you back to the old stomping grounds?"
Adama noted the small office and minimal decoration. Tigh probably intended to leave this post very soon.
The Hunt for Battlestar Pegasus 6
For the second time this day, Adama broke open the seal of his compu- brief and displayed the holo-disks contents. Tigh studied it silently for a long moment before pressing a button at the base of the disc-player, which ordered the computer to print out a full size schematic on paper as well as full-color photographs. A centon later, Tigh's desk was covered with both.
"What are these arrays?" Tigh asked as he peered at the photos.
"Those are the reason I'm here, Tigh. We don't know what they are", sighed Adama. "But, whatever they are, I would assume them to be some new Scorpian advancement on the basic battlestar design. Whether they intend to use it on us or not, remains to be seen."
"But, we wouldn't want any sort of technological advancement to fall into Cylon hands either", Tigh lamented. "I don't know what that fool, Melovich, is thinking. Seceding from the other eleven tribes now?"
"Could it be some sort of new defense shielding system?" asked Adama.
"No", answered Tigh as he continued to study a schematic. "Too close to the Solium storage tanks. It would have to be---"
"What? What is it, Tigh?" demanded Adama.
"Where was this ship built, Captain?" asked Tigh as he slouched back into his seat.
"The Scorpian shipyards at Gamoray."
"That's it, Adama!" exclaimed Tigh.
"What do you mean, Tigh? What's it?" asked the befuddled Adama.
"Datgwen Nichiro", answered Tigh as he began to pace the small room.
Tigh typed information into the personnel computer on his office's main wall unit. As a life size 3D holograph of a man appeared in the center of the room, Tigh faced Adama with a new gleam in his eye.
"He's a Delphian?" observed Adama.
"That's correct, Captain. Nichiro is an officer in the Delphian Empire on Gamoray", answered Tigh. "He is also an engineering and scientific genius!"
The Hunt for Battlestar Pegasus 7
"Continue, Lieutenant!" ordered a now formal Captain Adama.
Tigh returned to the seat behind his desk and sat down. "Well, Captain---several yahrens ago, Nichiro approached Colonial Command with blueprints of a revolutionary cloaking device that would leave a warship practically undetectable to even the most advanced scanners. I sat on the board that determined the technology was simply too dangerous and unstable at that time."
"Dangerous and unstable?" asked a riveted Adama.
"Yes. The power required for a camouflaging force field strong enough to cloak a battlestar is astronomical. The only way to make it work is to use a highly unstable mixture of a Solium-Tylium derivative called Soltium", explained Tigh.
"So, what happened?" Adama asked.
"Nichiro was furious. He vowed to sell his technology to the highest bidder. He would have been arrested right there for intention of treason, but the Delphian government stepped in and cried diplomatic immunity", Tigh said in a most disgusted tone.
"I see", sighed Adama. "And, soon after that, the Delphians were awarded a contract to build Scorpian warships for the Colonial Fleet."
"Yes, that's right", said Tigh as Adama rose to leave.
"Tigh, thank you for your time. You've been most helpful."
"It was my pleasure, Captain Adama", said Tigh proudly. "Perhaps our paths may cross again someday."
"I hope so", said Adama before leaving.
Illya had warned him that there would be days like this. Adama hadn't slept in 26 centares and it sure wasn't looking like he would be bedding down anytime soon. He held tight to the skywalk railing as the escalator belt whisked him towards his destination, the Academy's Engineer Training Docks. This was where students studying in the field of construction and engineering got their hands dirty refitting, repairing and building small spacecraft from scratch. Lieutenant Tigh was a Warrior and pilot first, but he was also a whiz at structural engineering and electronics. So, this was the perfect place for him to serve while his body healed. From what Adama understood, the young black officer had smashed nearly every bone in his body and nearly lost both legs. He was lucky to be alive.
Even the pilot in Adama found it hard to look over the edge of the skywalk railing. He was a good 300 meters above the ground, speeding in and around Academy skyscrapers and Pyramids that reached high into the clouds of Caprica. As the skywalk in front of him began to descend, he thought quickly of the all too brief reunion with his family. He had stopped by his home in the hills outside Caprica City to see his wife and child before heading out to the Academy. Adama felt that Illya should know that all of her hard work was paying off and that Admiral Jacoby would allow them to get to the bottom of the Scorpian mystery. She hadn't been happy as he rushed right back out the door, but he promised her that he would return as soon as his visit with Tigh was finished. Somehow, they both knew that would be a hard promise to keep. Personally, Adama wanted to put all of this Scorpian business behind them. It all seemed a fools' errand with the Cylons still lurking just a galaxy away. Adama knew it was but a matter of time before they reared their ugly, metallic heads again.
Before he knew it, Adama found himself at his destination. He waited patiently in Tigh's office as a cadet went to inform the Lieutenant of his visitor. Adama was taking in a picture of their graduating class on the wall when Tigh entered.
"They were the best of times", said Tigh gleefully.
"They were the worst of times", added Adama as he turned to face his friend.
Tigh laughed raucously as the two former roommates and wingmen embraced roughly. "My god, Adama! How long has it been?" asked Tigh.
"Too long, old friend", Adama answered.
Tigh smiled as he finally released Adama from his grip and limped over to his desk. "So, what brings you back to the old stomping grounds?"
Adama noted the small office and minimal decoration. Tigh probably intended to leave this post very soon.
The Hunt for Battlestar Pegasus 6
For the second time this day, Adama broke open the seal of his compu- brief and displayed the holo-disks contents. Tigh studied it silently for a long moment before pressing a button at the base of the disc-player, which ordered the computer to print out a full size schematic on paper as well as full-color photographs. A centon later, Tigh's desk was covered with both.
"What are these arrays?" Tigh asked as he peered at the photos.
"Those are the reason I'm here, Tigh. We don't know what they are", sighed Adama. "But, whatever they are, I would assume them to be some new Scorpian advancement on the basic battlestar design. Whether they intend to use it on us or not, remains to be seen."
"But, we wouldn't want any sort of technological advancement to fall into Cylon hands either", Tigh lamented. "I don't know what that fool, Melovich, is thinking. Seceding from the other eleven tribes now?"
"Could it be some sort of new defense shielding system?" asked Adama.
"No", answered Tigh as he continued to study a schematic. "Too close to the Solium storage tanks. It would have to be---"
"What? What is it, Tigh?" demanded Adama.
"Where was this ship built, Captain?" asked Tigh as he slouched back into his seat.
"The Scorpian shipyards at Gamoray."
"That's it, Adama!" exclaimed Tigh.
"What do you mean, Tigh? What's it?" asked the befuddled Adama.
"Datgwen Nichiro", answered Tigh as he began to pace the small room.
Tigh typed information into the personnel computer on his office's main wall unit. As a life size 3D holograph of a man appeared in the center of the room, Tigh faced Adama with a new gleam in his eye.
"He's a Delphian?" observed Adama.
"That's correct, Captain. Nichiro is an officer in the Delphian Empire on Gamoray", answered Tigh. "He is also an engineering and scientific genius!"
The Hunt for Battlestar Pegasus 7
"Continue, Lieutenant!" ordered a now formal Captain Adama.
Tigh returned to the seat behind his desk and sat down. "Well, Captain---several yahrens ago, Nichiro approached Colonial Command with blueprints of a revolutionary cloaking device that would leave a warship practically undetectable to even the most advanced scanners. I sat on the board that determined the technology was simply too dangerous and unstable at that time."
"Dangerous and unstable?" asked a riveted Adama.
"Yes. The power required for a camouflaging force field strong enough to cloak a battlestar is astronomical. The only way to make it work is to use a highly unstable mixture of a Solium-Tylium derivative called Soltium", explained Tigh.
"So, what happened?" Adama asked.
"Nichiro was furious. He vowed to sell his technology to the highest bidder. He would have been arrested right there for intention of treason, but the Delphian government stepped in and cried diplomatic immunity", Tigh said in a most disgusted tone.
"I see", sighed Adama. "And, soon after that, the Delphians were awarded a contract to build Scorpian warships for the Colonial Fleet."
"Yes, that's right", said Tigh as Adama rose to leave.
"Tigh, thank you for your time. You've been most helpful."
"It was my pleasure, Captain Adama", said Tigh proudly. "Perhaps our paths may cross again someday."
"I hope so", said Adama before leaving.