Chapter 5

Colonel Tigh shrugged on a clean uniform jacket with a sigh of resignation. The last thing that he wanted to do today was escort a bunch of rowdy ex-cons on some sort of pleasure junket. He supposed that Bill was right; they didn't need Apollo frakking things up by trying to settle old scores or enticing any of the prisoners to do the same, but it didn't make him any happier with the duty. He was sick of having to cosy up to the civvies.

Ellen sidled up behind him and put her arms around him.

"Take me with you today Saul," she begged, nuzzling his neck.

"You know that I can't Ellen."

"Why not? Haven't I worked hard enough on this project with you to deserve a little trip? I haven't even been to the planet yet." She pouted up at him.

"I'm going to have enough on my hands without worrying about you being on the planet with a bunch of men who haven't seen a woman in the Lords only knows how long!"

"But if you're there with me I wouldn't be worried. You know you always keep me safe Saul. Besides, we deserve it. We haven't been able to spend a day off together in ages; you were just about to get one and Bill goes and does this. Anyway, you're in charge of this mission. Once we get to the planet you just have to give the orders and then you and I can spend some time together."

He couldn't resist her when she was like this. Actually, he couldn't resist her most of the time. What she was asking for didn't seem like much. The prisoners would be well looked after; he had plenty of marine grunts going along to watch them.

"Alright, Ellen, but not a word to anyone. This is not an official visit in any way."

"I'm struck dumb Saul." She gave him a wide-eyed innocent look as she closed in to kiss him.

-

The trip to the Astral Queen went smoothly. They were taken to Zarek's quarters which were large and spacious. The two men greeted each other coolly.

"Colonel."

"Zarek."

"Ahh, and the lovely Mrs Tigh. So nice to see you again, um….."

"Ellen." She smiled her social smile at him and held out her hand. He gave it a firm shake.

Saul was looking around and missed the look that passed between them.

"Well this is certainly an improvement over a cell." He smiled maliciously at Zarek. "If this is what being on a prison ship is like, I think I'll sign up!"

Zarek chose to ignore this comment.

"Shall we get moving? I'm sure everyone would like a full day on New Kobol."

-

Everything went without a hitch. The Astral Queen landed by the base camp, set up beside one of the many lakes in the part of the planet that had been chosen as the site of initial settlement. The inhabitants flowed out, blinking at the unaccustomed light. Most of the prisoners chose just to laze in the sun: it wasn't something many of them had seen in a long, long time. The marine guards posted around the area watched them half-heartedly, themselves not unhappy with a duty that got them off Galactica for a day.

A pair of marines had been assigned to watch a group known to be Zarek's particular cronies. They had wondered along the shore, some way from the rest of the group. It wasn't long before Evans, the defacto leader of this little clique, realised that they were being trailed. He sidled up to one of the marines, an unlit cigarette dangling between his lips.

"Gotta light?" The marine pulled a lighter from his pocket and lit Evans' cigarette.

"I can't believe that you've still got any. We ran out on Galactica months ago."

"Guy on the Diadulus was so grateful when I fixed their gears that he gave me his last few. Wonna drag?"

The soldier took a hand off his weapon and grabbed the cigarette like a dying man in the desert grabs water and took a deep, long pull, taking the smoke deep into his lungs with a smile of pleasure. He didn't see the lightening fast hand reach out and grab his gun; only felt it as it came crashing up into the side of his skull. He fell to the ground and Evans finished the job with his boot. He bent to pick up his half smoked cigarette. "At least he died happy. Come on," he said to the rest of his companions who had dealt with the other guard.

−

In the tent that served as the COs quarters Tigh was beginning to think that this duty might not be so bad after all. Ellen already had him stripped down to his tanks and pants. She hadn't been this hot for him in a long time. The sight of her in her silk underwear and the feel of her smooth skin as she wrapped herself around him was making him light headed with lust. The sounds of the world outside the tent faded away as he concentrated on making love to his wife. Eventually, however, a sound that didn't seem quite right penetrated his brain.

"What was that?"

"What was what, Saul? I didn't hear anything." She resumed kissing him passionately.

"Damn it Ellen, that's gun fire."

"Yes it is Colonel." The flaps of the tent were pulled back and Evans stood at the entrance, a gun pointed at Tigh. "Come with us. The boss wants to see you."

They grabbed Tigh and bound his hands behind his back, before marching him over to the main shelter. All the prisoners seemed to be there; many armed to the hilt and guarding the marines. Tigh looked around in shock, trying to take in the sight of Captain Kelly and the other staff tied up on the floor. How the hell had this happened? Where in the Lords name had they gotten all those weapons from? Evans dug him in the back with his gun and pushed him towards Zarek who was standing, very much at ease, by the communications console.

"How nice of you to join us, colonel. Sorry to interrupt your little, er, party," he said mockingly. Ellen appeared, now dressed, and went and stood next to Zarek. Tigh looked from Zarek to Ellen and back again, the penny dropping.

"How could you Ellen?"

"Quite easily Saul. Did you think that I would be content to stay on Galactica being the perfect little wife? You never had any ambition Saul. Just happy to be Bill Adama's stooge. I worked out pretty quickly where the power was going to lie in the fleet sooner or later."

"Better Bill Adama's stooge than Zarek's. You bitch. I should have listened to Bill when he told me that you were nothing but trouble, but I wanted to believe your starting over story. Gods what a fool I've been!"

"Yes, that just about describes it. You have no idea how easy it was to pry the codes for the arms lockers out of you. Did you know that you talk in your sleep Saul? You talk even more loosely after a few glasses of ambrosia."

An animal like snarl escaped Tigh and he hurled himself towards her. Evans and his men immediately grabbed him and held him back. Evans swiped him across the head with the butt of his gun and Tigh fell in a heap on the floor.

"Take him away and secure him in one of the storage tents." Zarek looked down at the broken man at his feet with disgust. As Tigh was dragged away Ellen came close to him and put a hand on his chest suggestively.

"I hope now that I have delivered all that you asked of me I'm going to get the reward we discussed," she purred.

"Oh you will get a reward alright Ellen." He grabbed her chin and forced her head up to look at him. "But I'm just not sure that I can trust you. If you're prepared to betray the man you've been married to for ten years for the mere promise of sex and power, I don't doubt you wouldn't think twice about betraying me in an instant." Without warning he viciously twisted her neck, snapping it like twig, then let go. She fell to the floor at his feet.

"Ahh boss, you could have let us have had a bit of fun with her first."

"She's served her purpose and I want what brains you've got in your heads not your pants. Now get me Galactica on the radio."

−

"Sir, I have a transmission from the planet."

Adama frowned but picked up his headset, wondering if something were wrong.

"Colonel?"

"No, not your dear XO."

"Zarek! What's going on? Where's colonel Tigh?" The admiral's sense of foreboding was immediately raised.

"He's quite safe, along with Captain Kelly, but the facilities here are now under my control, including the ground to air defence you so conveniently had installed last week. I am taking control of the fleet admiral; if you co-operate and do not launch any attack on this position or try and stop me in any way then I will return your men to Galactica unharmed."

"If I don't agree to your blackmail?"

"I will not hesitate to use the ground to air defence system against any military craft that approach this planet."

Adama didn't bother to reply, just pulled off the headset and signalled the specialist to cut the transmission. He bowed his head in frustrated thought for a few moments. This was all they needed! That damned terrorist getting delusions of power again!

"Sir, I think you should listen to this. It's being broadcast to the fleet."

Zarek's voice boomed around the CIC.

"People of the colonial fleet, this is Tom Zarek. You have been failed yet again by your government. A new home has been found but you have not been allowed to populate it on the word of a military dictator who has the president in his pocket. I believe that you should be freed from this petty tyranny. The planet has now been taken back into the right civilian hands. I'm declaring New Kobol free and open to any members of the fleet who wish to join us."