Disclaimer: I do not own Zootopia or any of its characters, they all belong to Disney. I do not own Battlestar Galactica, The Re-imagining or any of its characters, they all belong to Ronald Moore and Universal Pictures.
A Different Daybreak
Chapter 3 – The Pilot and her Cheetah
Kara woke and felt his fur tickle her body in a thousand places and smiled. Next she felt his rough pads – one hand on her stomach and other gently cupping a beast. His claws although dulled still prickled her soft flesh since he, being a Cheetah, couldn't fully retract them. Then she felt him stir and he held her tight against him. In the next moment an extremely rough tongue licked the back of her neck.
"Do I taste good?" she asked and he stopped momentarily.
"Always," he said and then continued.
"I don't want to bleed," she said, remembering there first time together, and just how rough his tongue actually was.
Then he rolled over and took her with him so they now faced each other, her atop his sleek furry body.
"We are now of one body, one mind, and one soul. I am now your mate for life bonded by blood," he said.
"We are now of one body, one mind, and one soul. I am now your mate for life bonded by blood," she repeated.
They kissed and soon were exactly what the bonding promise implied.
Somewhat later she walked out of the shower and he snatched his prey and held her tightly against him.
"We don't have time for that," she said and ran her fingers through his fur. "We need to be on the flight deck in an hour."
"Oh there's plenty of time," he said and lick her cheek.
"And I know from personal experience there's not," she said and his purr started, "and that's not going to work!" Then she felt the tip of his tail tickle the back of her neck. "That won't work either." She wiggled out of his grasp and pushed him toward the shower. Then she smacked him on the butt. "Get in there!"
"Oh, I like it when you're rough!" he said, turned, and lifted her into his arms.
"Put me down!" she exclaimed and then he licked her throat.
"Ben!"
True to his word they made it in precisely one hour.
"So you ready?" Lee asked as they walked toward his and Ben's Vipers.
"Yes sir," he said and smiled.
"You're the only person I know of to get perfect scores on both the written test and the flight simulator," he said. "Your flight instructors have given you their highest marks too."
"Even the Cylon ones," Starbuck said and smiled when Lee looked at her. The Cheetah laughed and he rolled his eyes.
"Today's your final test before you're put on Galactica's regular flight roster," Lee said.
"I'm ready sir."
They climbed aboard their respective vipers, Ben's being a somewhat larger to accommodate his larger body, and were soon launched into space.
"Follow me closely," Lee said and soon regretted it.
Ben did precisely as ordered and matched each of his turns so precisely that Lee finally slowed until they were drifting and stationary to each other.
"I didn't mean that close!"
"Sir, Kara and I do that all the time," he said and Lee sighed.
"She's insane!" he said and Ben chuckled. "And so are you!"
"Sir, I meant in the simulator," the Cheetah said.
"So you never..."
"It's almost the same," he said and cocked his head. "In fact I think it's a bit easier in a real viper." Lee couldn't speak for a time. "Sir, are you OK?"
"Yes," he said finally finding his voice. "Let's do this again, but keep some distance! Ben, just call me Apollo."
"Yes sir... I mean Apollo."
"Ben, do you have a call sigh?"
"Spots," he said and Lee had to chuckle.
This time they were close, but not so close that he felt that if it weren't for his viper's canopy that he could actually reach out and touch the other spacecraft.
"You're doing very good," he said.
Actually he thought to himself that was an understatement. Ben was probably a better pilot than he, Starbuck, or any other pilot he could think of – Cylon or human.
"Thank you Apollo," Ben said as they continued.
Later as they began to slow Ben saw something.
"Break right!" he yelled and both vipers turned in opposite directions.
Lee saw something flash by his canopy so close he really could've actually reached out and touched it.
"What was that?"
"Let's go back and find out!" Ben said and turned his viper so sharply that Lee wondered why, pulling so many Gs, the Cheetah hadn't passed out.
He followed somewhat more slowly and soon caught up to the other viper. Then as they closed on the thing they swung their vipers around to slow themselves to match it speed. Then they flipped themselves around again and applied only their thrusters.
"Sir, I see it!" Ben said and began to slow again.
"You have better eyes than I do!"
"Apollo, I'm a Cheetah," he said nonchalantly.
Lee smiled. If it were anyone else he'd have thought Ben was boasting, but he'd done a bit of reading about Cheetahs. They had faster reaction times, were stronger than any human, and could see movement at two miles.
They came to rest relative with the thing so it sat between their vipers. Delicately using his thrusters Ben moved closer so it was only a foot from his canopy.
"Apollo, it's not a rock!"
"You think it's manmade?"
"Apollo, I'm not familiar with every piece Colonial or Cylon equipment, but it's certainly not natural."
"I'll call the Galactica and have'm send a raptor out here to recover it."
Soon afterwards he was surprised to hear his father's voice.
"Lee, are you OK?"
"Yes sir," he said and looked at the other viper. "Father, I'm positive Ben just saved my life."
"I'll meet you two when you get back," the Admiral promised. "How's he doing?"
"Certainly better than any human!" he said and grinned. "You should try flying with him." The elder Adama chuckled. "Father, I'm not kidding."
"He's that good."
"He's better than Kara," Apollo said and could imagine the look on his father's face. "Or me."
"I haven't flown lately, but maybe I could use a few hours of stick time."
"Sir, I promise we'll go easy on you," he said and the elder Adama chuckled.
"You comin' too?"
"And a few others," Lee said. "How long's been since you flew CAP?"
There was silence for a while.
"When Zak was in diapers," he said and then only heard his father's breathing.
He missed his bother too and then a twinkle came to his eye.
"Father, what was a viper one like?" he asked and heard a snort and then the connection dropped.
Twenty minutes later a Raptor rendezvoused with them and recovered the item. They followed them back at a more sedate pace and set down in the newly rebuilt landing bay.
True to his word Admiral Adama was there waiting for them along with a number of other pilots as they climbed out of their vipers.
"Gentlemen, tell me what happened," the Admiral said.
"Sir," Lee said coming to attention, "I was giving Lieutenant Clawhauser his final flight test when we encountered an object. Ben saw it first and warned me. We maneuvered out its path and we reversed course and rendezvoused with it. Then I called for a viper to recover the item. Oh, Lieutenant Clawhauser passed his test too."
"Thank you Apollo!" he said, sweeping the man off his feet and hugging him.
"Ben!" Kara said simultaneously and was also swept up into his arms.
A moment later both humans found out just how strong a Cheetah was as the air left their lungs explosively. Then Ben felt them both pounding his back to be released. He eased up the pressure and heard them inhale deeply.
"Maybe we ought to recruit some Cheetahs to be marines," Kara said, finding her voice first.
Ben set them both on feet, but not before Kara pulled herself back up and then kissed her Cheetah.
"Lieutenant Clawhauser congratulations," Admiral Adama said and shook his hand. "It's always good to get a new pilot."
"Thank you sir," he said and just for a moment Bill thought the Cheetah might hug him too.
"Now please tell me your version of events, Lieutenant Clawhauser," he said and Ben smiled, showing his impressive dentition.
"As Apollo said we were flying in close formation and I saw the thing first, warned him, and we both swung out of its path. If we hadn't I'm positive that it would've struck Apollo's canopy and more than lightly killed him. And rest is as he said."
"Thank you Lieutenant and also thank you for saving my son."
"You're welcome sir," he said and smiled. "Oh sir, I've spoken to few other Cheetahs and some would like to join the fleet to train as pilots too."
"That sounds interesting Lieutenant," he said. "Yes please direct them to our recruitment officers."
"Sir, as for Marines you might speak to our navy," he said and stepped close. "I've heard they usually try to recruit mainly Jaguars and Leopards."
Lee thought about his experiences with a certain Leopardess. Then he saw the Raptor's flight engineer approach pulling a cart with a large metal box.
"That's it," Adama said.
"Yes sir," he said and patted the box. "We put it in here just on case. It looks made, but it's not Colonial or Cylon. I sent pictures to the Cylons, Baltar, and Gazelle Aerospace and I'm waiting to hear back. I'll get it to the scientists and they'll check it for radiation and biological contamination. Sir, to me it looks like some type of probe, but I don't think it's active."
"Please let them know to keep me updated," the Admiral said and then looked at his son. "I'll see you tomorrow morning at 6am." Apollo looked surprised and the elder Adama smiled. "You, Kara, and the Lieutenant have CAP duty tomorrow at seven. Correct?"
"Yes sir."
"And Chief Tyrol assures me that he'll have my old viper ready," he said and smiled. "We'll just see if you can keep up."
The box was taken to the Cylon Baseship to be studied. Baltar's team found that it was only slightly radioactive and not biologically contaminated. Beforehand he doubted that it could have any organisms living on the device's outer surface since it was found fairly close to the Zootopian sun, it being constantly bathed in ultraviolet radiation and the solar wind. Next they confirmed that it had definitely been constructed, but not by either Colonial or Cylon technologies. Then they began to examine it microscopically and quickly found a way to remove one of its covers. Regardless of what they'd been told it was still active!
The probe replaced the cover and rose off the table and everyone quickly stepped away. Then it moved forward and stopped before each person in turn. Next it began to examine every device in the lab and stopped before a damaged and partially disassembled centurion. Tens of thousands of metal tentacles as thin as human hair extruded from the device and gradually touched the Centurion's entire body. Then it began to reassemble the Centurion and very slowly merged with the robot until it had disappeared into its body until only the Cylon robot remained.
Baltar stood stock still entranced watching as the merger occurred and gradually became oblivious to everyone and everything else. He had to know and before anyone could stop him he stood over the Centurion, watching as the last of the device disappeared. Then the Centurion activated and its red eye swung across once and stopped and fixed on him. Baltar sucked in a breath and began to straight up.
"You're Gaius Baltar," it said in Colonial Standard and sat up.
He took a step back.
"Yes," he said and then it slipped off the table and stood before him.
"It's a primitive robot, but it had contained a sentient artificial intelligence before it was irreparably damaged."
"All Centurions and organic Cylons do, but I've never heard a Centurion speak except Peter."
It saw that Peter was currently on his way there.
"Apparently we've both have made some interesting modifications."
"You more than Peter I suspect," he said and now knew that this advanced AI was already into their computers.
"True," it said and looked around the room again. "I could've merged with one of these organic bodies." It indicated one of the humans and then one of the animals. "Or one of these." It indicated one of the organic Cylons. "But that would've destroyed its consciousness and you and these others would've considered that murder."
"Yes, you're quite correct."
"I too am sentient and sapient," it said and touched Baltar's arm. He flinched. "My root programming precludes me from destroying intelligent life."
"What if an intelligent life form were attempting destroy you?"
"Careful Baltar," the Six said in his mind.
"Yes Baltar, you'd best be careful," it said and if it could have it would've smiled at the expression now on Baltar's face.
A minute later three Centurions pushed through the door into the lab. They quickly scanned the room and their red eyes settled on the Centurion standing beside Baltar.
"And you must be Peter," it said and stepped toward him. "I'm a visitor to your galaxy."
"Our galaxy," Baltar repeated and came up beside him.
"Yes, my creators sent out billions of probes like myself to explore the universe."
"The universe," Baltar said and this time several chuckles from around the room.
"Why are you here?" Peter asked.
"I'm surveying this galaxy."
"No, I mean why are here at our star?"
"It was the next one on my list," it said and gave an almost humanlike shrug.
Baltar was surprised that a Centurion could even do that.
"Why'd let yourself be captured?" Baltar asked.
"It seemed like it would be an interesting way to meet you," it said, "or would it have been better to slip aboard the Galactica and simply introduce myself directly to Admiral Adama."
Baltar and several others laughed, imaging that scene.
"Probably not," Peter said. "Have you met with other species?"
"Only a few hundred," it said. "I would like to meet with your leaders."
Baltar bit his tongue not to repeat what it just said.
"Why?"
"First, I wanted to get to know you and then see how you'll react to meeting a new species."
"I think we've done pretty well so far," Baltar said.
"Baltar, I scared you and most of the others here."
"Centurions can be intimidating," Peter said.
"No, I didn't mean me."
"I don't understand," Peter said.
"Soon you'll be getting visitors and trust me they are intimidating."
Admiral Adama's raptor landed on the third planet and he and Saul waited as the flight engineer opened the outer hatch. The Marines went first and after a word from the one in charge they stepped out onto the landing pad. He looked at the two Heavy Raiders that had preceded them and the people who were now disembarking. Caprica Six was followed by Baltar and several animals he didn't know. Following them was a contingent of Centurions. He assumed one was Peter and began walking toward them. Saul and the Marines hurried to catch up.
"Admiral Adama," Caprica said and touched his arm. "President Roslin didn't come?"
"She's better, but she not up to this sort of thing quite yet," he said and sighed. "Our guest?"
"He flew the other Raider," she said and shrugged. "Admiral, prepare yourself. He's made a great many of changes to the Centurion he's inhabiting."
They heard hatch open on the other Raider and then footsteps coming toward them. The person that stepped from behind the raider looked human.
"Admiral Adama," he said and put out a hand.
"I thought you were a Centurion."
"I was, but I do like your human form so as Caprica said I made a great number of changes."
"How?" Saul asked.
"I converted the bulk material that made up this Centurion into nanomachines."
Everyone else first looked first to Baltar and then Caprica.
"So far that's only been relegated to the realm of science fiction," Baltar said and looked at Caprica. "Cylons have begun research into using them in our ships and our bodies."
"That's fascinating!" Baltar said to Caprica. "Could I see your research?"
"Certainly," Caprica said. "When we get back to the Baseship I make it available to you."
"Could one of you explain what it is?" Adama said.
"Certainly Admiral," Ben said from behind them. "Nanomachines are machines on a scale of nanometers which is a billionth of a meter. Using nanomachines you could assemble virtually anything from the individual atoms up." Everyone turned and looked at the Cheetah. "For instance given the elements necessary in correct quantities and programming the nanomachines they could build anything." he pointed to their ship, "Like a raptor for instance."
"He's accentually correct," it said. "After this meeting I could arrange a demonstration and actually build a raptor."
"How long would it take?" Adama asked.
"I could be ready in three days since I'll need to gather the necessary elements," it said and looked at the raptor behind them. "Of course I'll need to examine that one as soon as this meeting is concluded."
"That sounds interesting," Baltar said.
They started toward the main building and Adama turned to the Cheetah.
"That was interesting Lieutenant," Adama said and smiled. "Did you take physics in college?"
"Sir, I read a lot of science fiction," he said and chuckled at the look on the Admiral's face.
"Admiral, have you looked into to recruiting more Cheetahs?" Kara said and took Ben's arm.
It looked around the room and smiled. Just in this one room there were twenty-one different sentient and sapient species of the tens of thousands that inhabited this solar system. Even with the advanced technology at its disposal it would take at least five years to do a complete his studies here, but with arrival of this new species and it's interaction with them it would take even longer. It looked again at the Rabbit and Fox standing beside each other at the rear of the room and instantly recognized them. He had to speak to them first.
"You're Judy and Nick Wilde," it said and extended a hand.
Nick took it and shook.
"And you're the alien probe Ben and Lee found," Judy said.
"Yes."
Nick noticed that everyone else was looking at them.
"I think they want to start the meeting," he said.
"I really wanted to meet you two first."
"Why?" Nick asked.
"You're a mated pair of different species and predator and prey," it said and saw their expressions change. "When I survey a star system I just don't collect raw statistics I try to interact with the intelligent species living there. Most times I simply disguise myself as one of them, learn the language, and simply blend in. Then I study printed and electronic media if they're available and also talk to people, but with so many intelligent species here in this system I chose to take a more direct approach. I'd like to talk you first at length, but at some point after this meeting."
They looked at each other for a few seconds and nodded.
"Sure," Nick said.
"Just let me know where and when," it said and her smart phone chirped. "That's my contact information."
"No problem," Judy said and it turned back to the others and took a seat.
"I'll answer any questions you ask me fully and without reservation. So where do you wish to begin?"
"Could I see your designs and specifications?" the Gazelle asked first.
"Certainly," it said.
"I'm especially interested in the nanomachines," Maria said and looked at Caprica.
"We would be too," the Cylon said.
"I must tell you that constructing and programming them is current beyond either of your technological capabilities."
"We'll see," the Gazelle said and smiled. "Who knows we might even surprise you."
It returned the smile and thought it would be interesting to watch their progress.
"And you're here only to study us," Adama said.
"Exactly," it said. "You could call it my prime directive. I can also give you some technical assistance too."
"Such as?" Baltar asked.
"Once I complete my studies of your technology I shall give you some – let's say – pointers in the right direction.
"And our interactions with this new species that you say is currently on its way here," Adama said.
"Correct."
"Please tell us about them," Catherine asked.
"I can do much better than that," it said and activated the monitor at front of the room. "I can show them to you."
After the screen had faded to black Admiral Adama stared at the monitor for a few seconds and leaned back in his chair. Then he looked at the probe.
"Could we rendezvous with them before they arrive here?"
"Currently they are traveling here at nearly seventy percent of the speed of light," it said and reactivated the screen again. It showed a small intensely bright point of light. "Six months ago after reaching the halfway mark and they turned their ship and fired the fusion drive. They're now in the process of slowing at one gravity which will take them another year and half."
"Couldn't one of our ships simply jump to where they are?" Catherine asked.
"The problem is they're moving very fast relative to us here in this solar system," it said. "If you were to jump to where they are currently they simply pass you. What you'd need to do is jump past them, turn the ship, and accelerate up the same speed their going and then jump. Then you'd need to begin to decelerate at the same rate as they are just to stay with them."
"Catherine, our ships are currently unable to do that," Adama said.
"We could build one," Maria said, "but by time we did and tested it they'd already be here."
"Couldn't we just jump to where they came from?" Judy asked and everyone looked at her. "I know Nick and I are only working security for this meeting, but..."
"That's an excellent idea!" Baltar said and smiled at the Rabbit. "From the flight times mentioned they're obviously coming from the nearby trinary star system."
"Correct," the probe said.
"Maybe then we ought to just to let them come here first," Catherine said and looked at the others, "and let them introduce themselves."
"But we still could send several ships to their system and study them remotely," Adama said and shrugged. "It's only a bit of four light years and we could do it in one jump."
"Why haven't you picked up their electromagnetic emissions?" Baltar asked and almost everyone looked at him blankly.
"Radio and TV," Ben said and Kara patted his arm. "At only four light years we ought to be able to receive them."
Everyone looked at each other.
"You haven't listening, have you?" Baltar said like he already knew.
"Not that I know of," Maria said and looked at Catherine.
"You have a space program and no one thought of listening for other civilizations?!" Baltar asked and threw up his hands.
"Actually one of the scientists proposed something like this a few years ago, but our world government wouldn't fund it," Catherine said, looking somewhat embarrassed. "I wasn't President at the time."
"Lords of Kobol save us from politicians!" Baltar said and secretly for once both Bill and Saul agreed with the annoying scientist. "Present company accepted of course."
The vixen smiled and unexpectedly both Peter and the probe laughed.
"I could help you build one," it said and looked at Peter. "Do you wish to help?"
"Yes," he said. "Where should we build it?"
"The far side of this planet's large moon would be best."
"That would effectively block the majority of the electromagnetic noise from this planet."
Then they started discussing technical details, quickly losing everyone except Baltar and Ben.
After the meeting ending Ben and Kara led Peter and the probe back to the raptor.
"How long will this take?" Ben asked. "The Admiral and the others want to visit some of the other Colonial settlements today."
"Less than an hour," it said and began to ooze onto the raptor, leaving the original probe hovering before them.
They looked at Peter for a moment and watched as the blob of silvery material moved across and then into the raptor.
"Reminds me of a movie I saw once," she said and made a face.
"Me too," Ben said and smiled, "but I doubt it's the same one."
Kara laughed and Ben pulled out his pad. After ten seconds he handed it to her and hit play. She watched the preview and then put an arm around him.
"You're right."
"You wanta watch it?"
"OK," she said and smiled.
"Let's go back to the conference room and I can put it on the monitor," he said and they started back to the building. Then he stopped and turned back. "Do you mind?"
"No, I rather watch this," Peter said and watched them for a moment.
Organics have a very short attention spans, he thought and turned back to the raptor.
As Ben opened the door for her his stomach growled and a moment later hers did too. He tapped on his pad and smiled.
"They have a cafeteria and that conference room is free for the rest of the day."
"Too bad they don't have a theater," she said and winked.
"They do, but unfortunately it's in use."
"I guess then we're stuck with the conference room," she said and took his hand.
They got their food to go and while eating watched "The Blob."
After meeting with the settlement leaders and being given a tour the Admiral the others returned to the raptor only to find it and the heavy raiders deserted. Adama looked at his watch.
"Lunch?" he asked.
"I saw a sign for a cafeteria in the building," Catherine said. "Maybe that's where they went."
When they entered Bill looked at the building directory. He touched the entry for the cafeteria and a monitor beside it displayed a map of the building with its location. As they walked they passed the conference room they'd used earlier and he noticed it was darkened, but light flicked in the room. He glanced in. Now he knew exactly where everyone had gone. They had lunch and on the way back he stopped and quietly opened the rear door. He stepped in and watched until the credits ended. Then he cleared his throat and everyone turned.
"Admiral Adama," the probe said and saw the others file in behind him.
Kara and Ben both stood.
"Captain, Lieutenant, we are ready to go to the next settlement," he said and looked at the probe. "You're finished with the raptor?"
"Yes, and I'll build a new one with Peter's help," it said.
The door at the front of the room opened and a Gazelle stepped in.
"Bill," she said.
"Maria, I didn't know you were here."
"Oh, I just arrived," she said and smiled. Then she walked over and gave the Admiral a hug. "Someone sent me a message that you were here." A certain Rabbit giggled and a certain Fox hugged his bunny. "Remember we're setting up the assembly plants to produce new parts for your ships."
"Yes, of course."
"I just finished for the day and the message said they were watching movies."
"The theaters free now," Judy said.
"We need to get going to the other settlements," Bill said and Maria looked at him with her soft brown eyes.
"You can stay for a while, can't you?" she said and hugged him again. "Please? Maybe I could sing a bit later too."
"I suppose," he said not too reluctantly and then hear Saul chuckle.
One movie led to another and then lastly an impromptu Gazelle concert which drew the entire population of the settlement. Eventually they arranged for rooms for the night.
After they'd finished the tours of six other Colonial settlements the next day the probe wanted to begin gathering the raw material it required. They returned to Galactica and Admiral Adama assigned Ben and Kara one of the newly built cargo ships. When they boarded two people were waiting for them.
"Lee!" Kara exclaimed and then looked at the Leopardess standing beside him.
"This is Rebecca," he said and put an arm around her. "You may remember her from the planet."
"You were one of the medics."
"I helped set you leg," she said in perfect Colonial Standard. "I see you and Ben are friends." She stepped a bit closer. "He certain is a handsome one."
Ben stood about a foot taller than her. She smiled and then reached up ran a hand over his cheek. Ben's ears turned pink and Rebecca chuckled. Kara rolled her eyes and looked at Lee.
"So why are you TWO here?"
"We're going with you."
"Why?!"
"First, security, second, Ben could use a bit more stick time, and lastly, I was asked to."
"By the Admiral," she stated and Lee only smiled. She rolled her eyes again and looked at the Leopardess. "And why is she here?!"
"Well, I thought..." Lee began.
"I didn't want him to get lonely," she purred and Kara took a step closer to her.
Rebecca growled and her fur began to fluff out. Ben looked at Lee and then back to the two females. They both took a step back, but Peter stepped between them.
"Determining who the alpha female is might be interesting, but we need to go."
"Actually, I'd like to see it," the probe said.
Then Ben roared with laughter and Lee joined him. Kara glared at her lover and he quickly swallowed his laughter. Peter wasn't quite sure if the probe was actually serious or only making a joke.
"Come on Ben," Lee said and took the Cheetah arm. "Let's go get our vipers."
Before it had contacted the civilization in this solar system the probe had made a complete survey within the orbit of the fourth planet. So it already knew the perfect asteroid for its needs and the ship rendezvoused with it in less than a day. The next morning they woke and had breakfast. Kara and Rebecca still glared at each other occasionally, but the others ignored their antics except for the probe.
Lee and Ben had landed and secured their vipers in the cargo ship's landing bay just before they'd left.
"We'll be taking the out the vipers," Lee said and looked at Ben, "and have look around."
"Let's go," Ben said and looked at Kara.
She only stared back.
"See you later," Lee said and rinsed off his plate and put in the dishwasher.
"I'll be helping out in the cargo bay," Peter said and stood.
"I'll go to the sick bay and see what shape it's in," Rebecca said and looked at Kara.
"I'll be on the flight deck if you need me," she said and Rebecca looked at Lee.
She opened her mouth and Lee only looked at her. She smiled and then looked at Peter.
"When I'm through I come down to give you a hand," she said and smiled.
The morning went by quickly as the probe broke down the asteroid and brought the raw metals back to the ship.
"Hi Peter!" Rebecca said over her suit mic as she opened the inner airlock into the depressurized cargo bay.
"Glad you're here," Peter said, turning to her. "I've turned down the gravity since the pallets are quite heavy," she quickly turned on the magnets in her spacesuit's boots, "and I'll need you to lock pallets down while I maneuver them into place." He pointed to the other pallets with bars of metal on the other said of the cargo bay. "It's been helping me, but with your help it'll speed things up."
"OK," she said and cocked her head. "It's odd just calling the probe 'it'. Don't you think?"
"It doesn't have a sex."
"I can tell you it's certainly missing out."
Peter laughed and a moment later she joined him.
"It'll be here in two minutes and ten seconds," he said and walked toward the open cargo hatch.
She walked over and joined him. Exactly on time the probe arrived with the pallet and it floated through the hatch. Peter and the probe slowed the pallet and then quickly maneuvered it into place. Peter gradually increased the gravity in the deck plates directly below it and when it touched the floor Rebecca pushed the clamps shut. Then she looked at the pallet.
"What metal is this?" she asked, running a hand over one of the large bars.
"Silver," it said and she first looked at the full pallet and then at him. "It's the best conductor of electricity and I use it to make wire."
"Silver!" she exclaimed. "This pallet must weight a ton!"
"Nineteen hundred and forty-two pounds at one g," it said and pointed to the one beside it. "That one is platinum and weighs three thousand two hundred and fifty-five pounds."
"Oh my God!" she said and then after a few seconds smiled and looked back at the probe. "Any gold in that asteroid?" He pointed to the next two pallets over and he eyes widened. "Any more gold?"
"Of course," it said. "It's mostly made of nickel and iron, "but it has a higher percentage of the more scarce metals than any other that I'd found and I thought I might as well collect some of those metals too since there's need for them in your industry."
She connected her suit's communications system to the ship's and then sent a message to Lee.
They sat eating lunch while examining the dozens of small metal bars that represented all them metals present in the asteroid. Each of them was marked with a estimated percentage and weight of the metal contained in the asteroid. Rebecca did some quick figuring and guessed that they would become richest people in the solar system.
"Could we tow it back with this ship?" the Leopardess asked.
Kara smiled and was surprised that she finally found that there was something that she and the Leopardess could agree on.
"Yes," Kara said and thought. "Once you get it up to speed you'll havta slow it down too. So it'll take us longer to get back."
"Too bad we can jump it back with the ship."
"That's not possible" Lee said.
"Actually it is," the probe said and everyone looked at it. "I've examined the design for your FTL engines and also the engines on the Cylon Baseship ship. It's actually a clever design, but it can be improved."
"How?" Kara and Rebecca said simultaneously.
"We're not going to do it," Lee said. "Once we've collect what's necessary to build a Raptor we're go back and report this and one of the mining can come out here."
"And they'll claim it!" both females chorused. "This is almost as bad as not being able to rendezvous with that damn alien ship." Then she cocked her head and looked at the probe. "I know we can't rendezvous with them with our ships, but with those improvements of yours, could we?"
"Certainly," the probe said and chuckled.
"Why didn't tell us before!" Lee said and then smiled as he remembered something important.
"No one asked."
They were six hours overdue and Admiral Adama was about to order a raptor to jump to the asteroid's location.
"Sir, bogie just jumped into Dradis range!" the tech announced and a moment later Adama was looked over the woman's shoulder. "Sir, it's twice the size of Galactica!"
"Let's get some eyes on it!" Adama ordered and a few seconds later the image of an asteroid appeared on the main screen as a ship was pulling away from it.
"Incoming message!" the communications tech said. "Audio and video."
"Main screen!" The Admiral ordered and the screen split, Lee and Kara's faces appearing on the new half.
"Admiral, sorry we're a bit late," Lee said and his eyes twinkled.
"What is that?!"
The camera pulled back, showing the others.
"Happy Birthday!" they said and smiled and waved.
Adama thought about it for a moment and he'd forgotten.
"Admiral Adama," the probe said, "after I finished building the Raptor I thought you might like a new Battlestar."
Adama, Tigh, Caprica Six, and Maria entered the landing bay to see the newly completed raptor. Peter turned to greet them.
"It only took one hour, eleven minutes, and twenty two seconds," he said and ushered them closer.
"Father, did you get a chance to watch?" Lee asked, indicating the cameras.
"Off and on," he said and rested a hand on the Raptor's skin.
The probe stepped out of the new raptor and joined them.
"It's ready for a test flight."
"Sir, how about it?" Kara asked excitedly.
"And it has the improved jump engines like the cargo ship," Ben said and smiled.
"And it doesn't need Tylium," the probe said, surprising them all.
"Next thing you know it'll tell us it runs on water like Maria's ship," Tigh said and the Gazelle glared at him.
"I already told him about your ship," Peter said, earning himself a glare too.
"I'd like to see it and see its component that splits water," he said. "Stored in my memory I have a device that does the same thing and I'd like to compare them and see which is more efficient."
"So what do the raptor use as fuel?" Adama asked.
"Vacuum energy."
"And that is?"
"Vacuum energy is an underlying background energy that exists in space throughout the entire Universe," Ben said and everyone turned to look at him. "The vacuum energy is a special case of zero-point energy that relates to the quantum vacuum."
"Quite correct," it said and started toward the Raptor. "Shall we go?"
"Don't you think we ought to send more people?" Saul asked.
"Are you volunteering? Bill asked and then laughed at the expression on his old friend's face. "I'm sure you and Starbuck would get along splendidly." Saul made a rude noise and Adama laughed again. "I think Lee can handle it and remember I did assign a few Marines to go along with them."
"Signal from Captain Adama," the communications tech announced.
"Main screen," the Admiral said and Lee's face appeared.
"Sir, we're ready to depart," he said and smiled.
"Be safe."
"So say we all," Lee said and the main screen return to a view of the planet.
Admiral Adama smiled and the ship jumped.
They appeared in interstellar space slowly drifting and then Kara spun the ship.
"They're one light hour ahead of us," Ben said from the copilot's seat, "and moving at approximately sixty-eight point five percent of light speed."
"Accelerating to one g," Kara said as she touched the screen and five seconds later. "We're at one g." She touched the screen again and again five seconds later. "We're at two g's."
She touched the screen a third time.
"I don't feel anything!" Lee said, looking at the probe.
"Inertial dampers," the probe said.
"Twenty g's!" Kara exclaimed a few minutes later. "Lee, you wanta try for a hundred?!"
"No!" Lee said quickly and she chuckled.
"I put a governor on it of twenty-five g's," the probe announced.
"Good!" Lee said. "Please keep an eye on those inertial dampers. If they fail..."
"All you organics would die very quickly."
"I didn't need to know that!"
A few hours later Ben activated the main screen and magnified the image.
"There it is," he said nonchalantly.
Kara gasped.
"That's an old style Cylon Baseship!" she said.
"You're quite correct," the probe said.