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Warrior
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Beyond the heavens
Posts: 296
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After the battle of Gomoray, the fates of the battlestar Pegasus and her revered commander, Cain, are unknown. Many of the Pegasus warriors now onboard the Galactica wish to leave the fleet in order to search for their lost commander. With Bojay as their leader, the Pegasus warriors begin to meet in secret. Some of these men and women suggest taking by force the ships and supplies that they will need to leave the fleet. Amongst them is Sheba, Cain's only daughter. Silently, she listens to her comrades debate the need for mutiny. Her emotions conflict as she tries to balance the love of her father against the need to stay and protect the last remnants of humanity.
Having returned to Gomoray, Baltar learns that he must now report to Gold Cylon Commander Valkon. Valkon is an ambitious and creative Cylon officer, whose greatest triumph was conceiving the false peace treaty that lured the Colonial fleet to its ultimate destruction. Baltar, hiding his anger and resentment, graciously reports to his new commander as they depart from Gomoray to resume the search for the Colonial fleet.
In the Scyros star system the Galactica discovers a derelict Cylon basestar. Starbuck and Apollo lead an expedition to the dead, but structurally sound ship where they find the source of the crew's destruction -- an advanced Cylon prototype that turned against its brethren and now lies in apparent ruin. Adama reluctantly agrees to allow Doctor Wilker to examine the cybernetic creature.
Commander Adama dispatches Colonel Tigh to the basestar so that he may take command of the vessel. In Tigh's absence, Adama requests that Lieutenant Boomer serve as the Galactica's executive officer. Honored and nervous, the young lieutenant accepts the challenge.
Reactivated along with the baseship, the advanced Cylon warrior attacks Wilker and his team. Once aware of the threat, Colonel Tigh organizes his people in an attempt to destroy the creature. The prototype breaks through the ranks of the warriors and then suddenly stops. Doctor Wilker has managed to gain control of the Cylon by using a computer terminal to correct its programming flaw.
Blue squadron, under the command of Athena, returns from patrol and reports the detection of Valkon's basestar. Adama communicates the Cylon threat to Tigh. With the Galactica not fully repaired from her last encounter with the Cylons, Colonel Tigh recommends using the basestar to lure their enemies away from the fleet. Seeing no other option, Adama agrees.
Bojay uses the turmoil onboard the basestar to attempt to seize control of the vessel. Colonel Tigh boldly defeats the efforts of the mutineers, and orders all warriors back to their post so that they can deal with the approaching basestar.
Baltar, having located the Galactica, launches his attack against the fleet without notifying Valkon.
Tigh's basestar intercepts Valkon's vessel. Tigh ignores the hails of his opponent and orders Doctor Wilker to launch a Cylon Raider with the prototype onboard. Suspicious, Valkon orders a regiment to the landing bay to await the landing of the approaching craft. Moments later, a centurion informs the bridge that they are unable to stop what appears to be a rampaging being of their own kind. The mighty baseships exchange fire as Tigh orders all vipers to launch.
From the stress of battle, the power core on Tigh's ship fractures. The massive ship loses power and drifts out of control. Tigh orders the ship evacuated and all onboard race to the landing bay, hoping to escape before the basestar explodes.
The prototype reaches Valkon's command center and easily defeats his executive staff before engaging the Gold Cylon leader in manual combat.
Tigh is able to evacuate his people from the dying basestar before it drifts into the orbit of a nearby moon and explodes. Apollo informs Tigh that the warriors have completely disabled the basestar's launch bay. Fearing that the Cylons may soon regain control of their vessel, Tigh orders a tactical retreat.
Due to Cylon inflicted battle damage, the civilian freighter, Sidon, is no longer space worthy. Adama orders the ship's captain, Kasus, to land on the surface of Scyros III. The landing is rough, causing multiple hull breaches that allow the planet's harsh atmosphere to pour in.
Impaired and losing energy, Valkon flees from the pursuing prototype through the corridors of his heavily damaged ship. Desperate, he leads his stalker into one of the basestars many armories. Finding an explosive charge, Valkon sets the timer for five centari and retrieves a large, handheld energy weapon that he uses against the prototype. This stalls the machine long enough for Valkon to escape to the corridor. He lurches towards the elevator, enters, and heads for the bridge. Once there, he crawls out just as the armory explodes, destroying the prototype and ripping a massive hole in the side of the ship.
Tigh's people arrive back at the fleet. After landing, Tigh makes his way to the bridge while the warriors refuel their vipers.
Baltar, feeling threatened by the ferocity and skill of the attacking warriors, signals Valkon for reinforcements. Valkon responds, indicating that his ship is in ruins and cannot be of assistance. Baltar orders his forces to withdraw.
Adama does not allow the vipers to pursue Baltar's fleeing vessel. Instead, he orders them to assist with the rescue and repair of the damaged civilian ships. Tigh requests that Adama use only the Pegasus warriors in the retrieval of the Sidon's passengers. Trusting his friend, Adama agrees without asking for an explanation.
At the Sidon's wreckage, the Pegasus warriors come face-to-face with Colonial civilians for the first time in many yahren. Deeply moved by the sight of fellow humans suffering, they assist in evacuating the survivors.
Once all ships are space worthy, and all civilians accounted for, the fleet resumes the quest for Earth.
Colonel Tigh summons all of the warriors that were under his command onboard the basestar to the Galactica's debriefing center. Bojay steps forwards and takes full responsibility for organizing the conspiracy. Tigh ignores Bojay's statement and asks the warrior how he felt while rescuing the Sidon survivors. Bojay is at a loss for words and says nothing. Tigh moves throughout the assemblage and asks each of the Pegasus warriors the same question. None can find the proper words.
The Colonel makes it clear that he would prefer to see the conspirators court-martialed for having loyalty to one man instead of the citizens that they as warriors swore an oath to protect. Stating that the fleet needs soldiers more than military prisoners, Tigh decides to charge the conspirators with insubordination instead of mutiny. Their recommended punishment will be 1000 centons of community service.
The warriors depart, each having to deal with their actions, or inaction's in their own way.
Baltar's baseship arrives at Valkon's disabled vessel. Baltar tells Lucifer that he will personally lead the rescue effort and specifically asks that Lieutenant Xinus accompany him on the mission. Once onboard his rival's ship, Baltar disperses his centurions to search for survivors while he and Xinus seek out Valkon. On the bridge, Baltar enjoys gloating over his badly damaged adversary. Sensing that Baltar means him harm, Valkon struggles to his feet and orders Xinus to disarm Baltar. Xinus fires at Valkon, permanently disabling the Gold Cylon Leader. Baltar thanks his companion and now refers to him as Captain Xinus.
THE END
Last edited by dah66; February 10th, 2003 at 03:40 PM..
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** BG faux book cover ("True Loyalties")
