Seeker
Part Three of the Mailman Saga
by Chaoseternus

Chapter 8: Contact

E&E Seeker

How did Seeker end up as a happy ship?

We're a forgotten ship in wartime, our homes are gone, we don't know how to get to the one known safe harbour, the ship is desperately undermanned and in dire need of resupply and yet morale is a staggering high.

It shouldn't be so, it seems so wrong, goes against all I was taught about combat operations and yet it appears to be so. I'm not complaining, a happy crew is an efficient crew and we certainly need that now, but I would love to know what secret it is that is keeping the crew so happy and together.

But that is another issue, right now, I have two missing Viper pilots, they are almost certainly gone, killed or worse captured by the Cylons but the outer limit for their mission is not yet up. Whilst they are overdue, they do have about thirty minutes of oxygen supply left, so, when an hour is up, we go, and mourn the passing of two more of our own.


The strident, alarmed shout of 'new contact' broke me from my thoughts in an instant, the added 'close aboard' bringing more then a slight shiver to me as I barked orders to bring the ship to general quarters, which given our depleted and worn state was probably a joke of epic proportions, and to rig the ship for jump.

Only then did I attempt to ascertain who the new contact might be and the result was more then mildly shocking.

It was Pegasus.

How could this be?

She was supposed to be all the way at our new home, way off in the Sol system, safely away from the heretical cylons and yet, her IFF, her profile, all suggested that Cain's command ship had managed to jump to within knife fight range of my command.

I had to consider the possibility that the ship had been seized and corrupted by the cylons but I also knew, all to well, that Seeker had been out of contact with any form of central command for months. Pegasus could have legally been ordered into the area, perhaps to seek us out, perhaps to engage the cylons, perhaps even just to reconnoitre, yet the timing of the appearance…

Could she have found my missing pilots?

A part of me liked to think so but the chances of Pegasus just stumbling along the two vipers, especially given the masked route they craft were following, was astronomically small.

Either way, I knew my duty, if Pegasus was genuine then together we would be stronger and more able to resist the cylons and make them pay, doubly so if Cain or his successor could spare supplies and crew enough to bring Seeker to operational status. Or at least, provide the crew and then provide cover for us whilst we acquired the ores we needed to make supplies, something we had not done so far due to a lack of crew and repairs, if we had been attacked whilst mining, we would have died.


BSG Pegasus

"She sounds both hopeful and scared," Sheba noted.

"That is certainly true," Cain chuckled, "but she has her jump drives up, and our sensors are screaming that we have been target locked. At this range, her under strength weapons will not matter, if she decides to fire she will cripple us. Oh yes, and she contacted us before we could call her. Got balls and brains this one"

"You sound as if you admire her," Sheba glanced up at her father surprised, "I thought you said you could never admire anyone unless you had seen them stand firm in the stress of combat"

"If her two pilots are to be believed," Cain said, straightening his uniform and picking up his swagger stick as he stepped towards the door of his quarters, "Cade has done that and more"

Shrugging, Sheba followed her father, her flight suit rustling, "perhaps, but we also know that Seeker has been compromised"

"Yes," Cain's reply was somewhat pensive, "that we do. Unfortunately, we have little choice but to trust that Cade has dealt with that and the ship is secure. Whatever else happens, any surviving Colonials are a very rare and useful resource indeed, doubly so if they come with a hyper capable warship, but an Exploration and Evaluation hull? Such craft are now worth their weight in gems not merely for their combat capabilities but because they are the most effective platform ever devised to support a long range deployment of ships. That may not have been intentional, but all the little details that made these ships so effective at long term lone wolf exploration apply equally to supporting other ships"

"True enough," Sheba shook her head, glancing around automatically as they stepped into Pegasus's port launch bay, "but consider this. All four of the pilots we recovered were quite specific in stating that Seeker's crew situation was almost untenable"

Cain stopped, his expression deepening, "yes, I'm hoping they were merely exaggerating but I got the distinct impression that they might have been understating the matter"

"If they are to be believed," Sheba replied, leaning carefully against the Viper VII she would soon be taking once more into space, "then we do not have enough crew we can spare to bring Seeker back to operational readiness and you know as well as I that Cade's idea of rescuing survivors from the surface is incredibly risky, not just the operation itself but the infiltration hazard as well and likely to fail. The cylons have been actively seeking out and destroying survivors wherever they can"

"You're suggesting we should head home," Cain replied levelly.

"Prejudice against fleeing aside," Sheba shot her father an even look, "sometimes running one day just means you can come back all the stronger and more ready the next"

"Perhaps you are right my Child," Cain shrugged, walking across to the waiting Raptor, "but for now, I have the pleasant task of stepping into the Lions den"


E&E Seeker

It is difficult to truly ascertain someone's true face, true intentions over the radio, doubly so when you are trying to make sure you are not discovered and when you have to remember that the enemy has a human face as well, but at some point you have to take that step.

At some point you have to offer up enough trust that a face to face meeting is possible, a far better platform from which to judge the intentions of a possible ally, potential enemy.

Cain is coming aboard, I hope that it is truly him and that our two ships will be bale to work together to make the Cylons pay for their abominations but I also plan should not everything be as it seems.

Plans I hope I do not have to use, but after the Commander… I certainly know enough to have them ready should it be necessary. If he proves to be not all that he claims, he dies and so does Pegasus . I don't expect Seeker to come out unscathed, indeed, it may be the end of us, but a corrupted battlestar is the worst of all possible enemies.

I can hear the rhythmic clunking of the lifts hydraulics now, Cain, however or whatever he may be has landed now, soon I will see him, soon perhaps I will know.

Here he comes, here he comes…

How long are they going to take getting that Raptors hatch open? I need to see!

I see, it's him, oh my Lords, it's him.

May The Lords continue to shine upon and bless me, for I may no longer be alone.