TITLE: Proving Ground

AUTHOR: DramaLexy

SUMMARY: Somewhat AU on Season 2.5. When BSG got reinvented, a few original characters got left behind. I decided to bring one of them back.

DISCLAIMER: Roses are red, violets are blue, BSG isn't mine, so please don't sue...

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I've been watching BSG since episode five (where I promptly fell in love with Kara) and I just recently got a chance to see some of the original 1978 show. I like both versions for different reasons, but decided that a little bit of the old show needed to be added to the new one. Hope you enjoy.

It generally wasn't going to be a good day when immediately upon clearing a FTL jump, Dradis was already picking up incoming. There were two options in that situation – engage the enemy if the Cylons were already in weapons range and the FTL drive wasn't ready again, or the Pegasus could jump away as quickly as possible and probably save a few pilots' lives in the process. One of the ship's Raptor pilot, callsign 'Athena', was rather glad to hear the call on the overhead for red team pilots to stand down.

"What's going on?" she asked the CAG as he passed by her in the hangar. "Are we doing jump prep?"

"Don't think so, at least not yet. Apparently the bogey has a friendly ID."

"Friendly? Another transport ship?" She almost would have preferred a Basestar over that; the last time they came across a few civilian freighters, it had turned into an event that those among Pegasus' crew who still had consciences would rather forget.

"Only if their cargo was a compliment of Vipers," he shot back before moving on. Vipers could only mean one thing – the Pegasus had found another Colonial military ship.

Galactica was an old rust bucket of a battlestar, but as the Raptor she was co-piloting lined up for final approach to the port landing bay, 'Athena' didn't think she'd ever seen a more beautiful sight. The ship had taken some damage at the hands of the Cylons, but it was still in one piece, which was more than what most of the fleet could say.

"Galactica, Pegasus Raptor 861. Skids down," she told the LSO as they landed.

"Copy that, Pegasus 861: Skids down, mags secure. Welcome aboard, Admiral."

In Galactica's hangar bay, it seemed as though the entire ship had come to greet the passengers 'Athena' had brought from the Pegasus. She watched from the cockpit of her Raptor as the admiral was approached by the ship's CO. "Admiral Cain, welcome aboard the Galactica."

"Commander Adama, it's an honor."

"Allow me to present to you the President of the Colonies, Laura Roslin," he continued, indicating the woman beside him.

"It's a long story," she said, off of Cain's curious look. "Welcome."

"Madam President," Cain addressed her. "A pleasure." She then turned to the mass of officers and crewmen that were filling the hangar to capacity. "On behalf of the officers and the crew of the Pegasus, it's a pleasure to see all of you. Welcome back to the Colonial fleet." Everyone cheered, and the crews began introducing themselves to each other. There was one person in particular that 'Athena' needed to see – the reason she'd been tasked with flying to the Galactica in the first place – but she could be patient. It had already been a long wait; a few more minutes wouldn't kill her.

"You all set in here, Sir?" 'Athena' heard a voice ask her and turned to see one of Galactica's crew chiefs standing in the hatch.

"Yeah. Just finishing the post-landing." She got up from her seat and handed him the clipboard.

"Thanks. I'm Chief Tyrol, by the way," he said, sticking out a hand. She shook it.

"Lieutenant Ilana Adama. It's nice to meet you."