One micron bantering back and forth, and the next blinded by an incredible surge of energy by the strange spheroid, Starbuck blinked furiously to clear his vision. His heart pounded wildly as he struggled to make out Apollo's Viper dead in space.
"Apollo! Do you read? Apollo!" He checked his scanner, noting with relief that Apollo's life signs were still registering. The Viper was slowly rolling away from the spheroid, which had stopped emitting any detectable radion levels, as well as ceased to spin. Apparently, the thing was dormant again. For now.
"Come in, Apollo!" The captain's fighter was dark. No engines, no internal power. Hades, even Apollo's helmet was dark. Wearily, he kept an eye on the spheroid as he nosed his ship closer.
He hadn't been able to do anything to prevent it. If only Apollo had rolled his ship to port, instead of starboard. Then he would have had a clear shot. Might have actually blasted the thing before it fired . . . whatever it was . . . Frack! Once again, he checked the spheroid. It had slowly resumed its spin. Immediately, he took evasive action, getting himself out of range.
Nothing.
What was the thing's range? It hadn't touched him. Sure, it had him seeing stars inside his ship as well as outside for several microns, but his bird was unscathed. He ran a quick diagnostic just to make sure. Yep, not a scratch.
Meanwhile, it had disabled Apollo's Viper, leaving him floating helplessly in space. Waiting for . . . what? Or maybe who was the more pertinent question. It was a perfect trap, really; small, seemingly innocuous, and deadly. Some curious life-form comes along to have a look, and pow! But someone had to come along and pick up the carrion. He had every intention of finding out who after he got Apollo safely out of the way. . . providing that the Commander thought it was an equally wonderful idea.
"Viper Two to Galactica." He blew out a deep breath as he waited. Technically, they shouldn't be out of communication range, but as deep within the asteroid field as he was, it was entirely possible he wouldn't be able to contact the bridge due to the interference. In retrospect, he had a much better chance of proceeding as planned if he didn't check in with the Commander. Still, one had to follow procedure. "Viper Two to Galactica, come in."
Static.
Well, his options were limited. Primarily, he needed to get Apollo safely out of there, and another potential attack from the spheroid was preventing that; therefore, he had to eliminate it. Oh sure, it wasn't the most eloquent of solutions, but then Starbuck had never been accused of being eloquent. Besides, if his gut feeling was right, this wouldn't be the only one lurking around the asteroid belt if command wanted to get a closer look at one.
Again, he targeted the spheroid. He quickly checked how far the captain had drifted. Apollo should be safely out of range of the blast. Really, Starbuck wasn't expecting much of an explosion, but then he hadn't been expecting that his captain would be unconscious right now either.
As before, the computer wasn't any help at all with targeting. It wasn't even picking up the small object. He'd have to do it the old-fashioned way. He deftly performed a manual override of the computer's attack mode and fired. The brief flash of light was almost disappointing, as his laser connected with its target, obliterating it.
He hit his thrusters briefly, nosing towards the captain's front end. Despite the reassurance of his computer's scan, he needed to see his friend. Really see him. If he timed it just perfectly, he could roll right over Apollo's cockpit.
This was the kind of flying he didn't do that often. Every minute manipulation needed to be precise if he wasn't to waste precious time, or destroy two Vipers. He flashed his searchlights. His skill was rewarded as Apollo face was briefly illuminated in the dark cockpit, his eyes closed and his face relaxed.
"Okay, buddy. I'm going to get you out of here." He maneuvered his Viper behind the captain's, nudging between the engines with his fighter's nose to stabilize the steady rotation of the ship. "Lords, I haven't had my nose this far up a superior officer's rear thruster since I was an ensign."
He proceeded to attach a tow line and within centons he was pulling the lifeless fighter through the asteroid belt, keeping an eye on both front and rear scanners as he went. Still nothing. Then again, he knew he would be unlikely to pick up anything until it was almost upon him, the asteroids acting as an effective shield.
It was quite the set up really. The spheroid incapacitated the invading ship, without killing the occupants. The asteroid belt negated any sophisticated scanners, and shielded any signs of an impending task force as the scavengers moved in for the kill. He could almost admire their cunning. The only thing they hadn't counted on was him.
He nodded to himself, as the unsanctioned plan formulated in his mind. They would be expecting to find a dead ship and an unconscious pilot. He had to get back into position quickly for them to be misled. Chances were that the pickup crew wouldn't have the weaponry of the bait, especially if they weren't expecting resistance. And if they were armed, well then he was spoiling for a good fight.
----------
It wasn't exactly cut and dry, but it all seemed to point to one man.
"His name is Myrddin." Oriana explained, her fingers flying over the keys of her computer, bringing up the Empyrean's file.
"Sounds familiar." Luana commented, looking at the identity image. He was rather nondescript. Forty-eight yahrens old, average height, grayish-brown hair worn short, brown eyes, average build.
"He runs a small electronics business, mainly repairing small household items for passengers. He's single, no family post-destruction, and other than belonging to the Archimage Society, he's a loner."
Luana sniffed in amusement. She well knew what Ama thought of the Archimage Society. Parlour tricksters and charlatans she would call them. However, their popularity in the fleet was growing, and they even condescended to showing up for galas and parties to perform their array of tricks to amuse the public. "Did Ama put you on his trail, or did you find him yourself?"
"Found him myself through the process of elimination. Why? Does Ama know him?" Oriana asked.
"I doubt it. Ama wouldn't give the time of day to someone in the Archimage Society." Luana smiled ruefully. "What's the connection with fixing games? Other than the fact that he's placing bets against Starbuck and winning."
"I'm not absolutely sure, but I think it has to do with the ball." Oriana told her. She brought up a vid-file of Starbuck's last game. "Watch the ball leave his fingers."
In slow motion, Starbuck jumped into the air, sharply twisting his body and releasing a shot, the ball slipping smoothly from his fingertips on a path towards a quick point. Oriana hit a key, freezing the frame. "Looks like it's going in, doesn't it? I would swear on my family's graves that it was on target. Wouldn't you?"
Luana nodded her agreement. "Go on."
Oriana hit another key, resuming the vid-file. The ball slammed into the edge of the target, rebounding back into play. "I have thirty-six files just like this one. You're certain it's going in, and then at the last millimicron, he somehow misses."
"But how?" Luana asked, her mind trying to wrap around the poser.
"That's what I'm hoping to find out today." Oriana smiled. "Myrddin is going to be on the Rising Star for that new secton-end market they're trying out. Have you heard about it?"
"Oh, yes." A collection of kiosks selling wares and featuring unique talents, much as used to be featured in the colonies on a regular basis. It was one more attempt at reestablishing familiarity and normalcy into somewhat bleak lives. "He'll be performing?"
Oriana nodded. "It's the perfect chance for me to get into his workshop and take a look around. A lot of Empyreans are planning to make the trip. The Quorum is encouraging their participation."
"You're going to break in?" Luana asked, wide-eyed. "I'm not sure I'm comfortable with that idea."
"Probably not necessary." Oriana replied. "You know that nobody locks their doors on the Malocchio. I prefer to think of it as browsing." She shrugged indifferently. Either way, she needed to get to the bottom of what was going on. Blowing open a story like this could get her the break she needed to begin a real career in investigative journalism. She would do anything to see that happen. Anything. Just like when she had picked up Borka and Kaden trying to get information out of them, after overhearing them talk about the special care and attention they were using to prepare the court for the next big game. "Are you in, or not?"
Luana sighed. She never thought she would be rummaging through one of her own people's belongings without their permission or knowledge . . . but if it would help Starbuck . . . "I'm in."
----------
"Commander, encoded transmission coming in from Viper Two." Omega informed him from his station. "Estimate an approximate delay time of forty microns due to their distance from the fleet."
"Encoded?" Adama repeated.
"Yes, sir. Decrypting now."
"Viper Two to Galactica. We have been attacked by a . . . a weapon that has disabled Viper One with some kind of highly intensified radion wave. Transmitting short-range telemetry now. I'm reading life signs, so have to assume that Captain Apollo is merely unconscious, though I have no way of knowing for sure. I have guided his ship to what I believe is a safe rendezvous point, transmitting vector coordinates now."
"Receiving telemetry, Commander." Omega confirmed.
"On screen." Adama ordered.
Starbuck's transmission continued. "I believe that the weapon's purpose it to incapacitate a ship in order to capture it. I'm returning to our original coordinates to try and intercept the snitrads responsible for that baby, so we can assess the potential danger to the fleet. Will report when able. Lieutenant Starbuck out."
"Negative!" Adama roared, even as he watched the spheroid change from a seemingly harmless cask to a malignant weapon capable of disabling their most sophisticated fighter craft with a single burst of energy. Every man and woman on the bridge held a collective breath, as they watched the scene play out. "Lieutenant Starbuck, remain with Viper One until reinforcements have arrived!"
"Commander, Fighter Patrol Two is ready to launch in Alpha Bay." Colonel Tigh informed him.
"Receiving relayed vector coordinates, sir." Omega added.
"Lieutenant Starbuck! Respond!" Adama ordered. He slammed his fist down on the console while he watched in horror as his son's Viper drifted helplessly.
Athena adjusted the resolution, replaying the painful attack. "Commander, I calculate an approximate output of one half million wattron units, on a twelve thousand gigacycle wavelon with a single blast. Range appears to be no more than ten metrons."
"No response from Viper Two, Sir." Omega told him grimly.
"He was likely already in the asteroid belt before we transmitted your order." Tigh pointed out.
"And knowing Starbuck, that was exactly what he had in mind. Of all the rash, foolhardy, impetuous . . . Blast!" Adama sucked a deep breath in between his teeth. "Launch Patrol Two to intercept Viper One and stand by. Have an additional two fighters and a shuttle rendezvous with them to . . . facilitate the recovery of Viper One. Medical personnel to attend." His jaw tightened with suppressed tension and frustration. "Vipers Three and Four will then locate Lieutenant Starbuck, and drag him back here by his tail vapours."
"Yes, sir!"
Once back in the asteroid field, Starbuck looked around for a good place to hide. He soon found it; a crater on a fair-sized asteroid, near where they had sighted the object. Slowly, he maneuvered his Viper down into it, giving him a good view of the area. He shut down everything but passive scanners and bare life support.
And waited.