Starbuck looked around, waiting a moment for his eyes to grow accustomed to the lack of light. Clutching a small pouch to his chest, he quickly sprinted across the bay, heading for a shuttle. He reached the shuttle hatch, stopped, looked around again and softly called out, "Apollo?"
Apollo stuck his head outside the shuttle hatch, saw Starbuck and quickly looked behind him, to see if he was alone.
"What are you doing here?" he said.
"I'm coming with you," Starbuck said, tapping his flight bag.
"No," Apollo said. "I thought we agreed on this. This is my gamble. I'm the only one who thinks there's something wrong with Count Iblis."
"You're the only one with guts enough to take him on," said Starbuck. "I'm coming with you and that's that. Now what's your plan?"
"Yes, I'd be interested in hearing that myself," said a voice from behind them.
The two pilots spun around, startled, to see Commander Adama standing in the shadows just behind them. Apollo glanced accusingly at Starbuck. The other pilot shrugged helplessly.
"I'm sorry," Starbuck said. "I was sure I wasn't followed."
"You weren't," Adama said, stepping up to them. "Boxey told me he saw Apollo slipping off with a flight bag. Well . . . let's hear it."
"Father, what I feel probably doesn't make any sense," Apollo said, "but I cannot put my faith into Count Iblis. I refuse to go along with everybody else."
"And why not?" said Adama. "He has done all that he promised, hasn't he?"
"Has he?" said Apollo. "Father, there are rational explanations for everything that's happened. The energy field projected by those mysterious ships or whatever they are . . . Doctor Wilker feels that they could have spurred the growth of our food. Baltar's sudden appearance, as if in answer to Count Iblis' prophecy, I think it was simply a coincidence, another result of those unexplained lights. He was as frightened as we were."
"And what of Count Iblis' knowledge of Earth?" Adama said.
"That hasn't been proven."
"How can it be, until we allow him the chance to show us the way?"
"There is one more thing," said Apollo. "The ship, the one he claims to have come from."
"You saw the wreckage with your own eyes," said Adama.
"But we didn't examine it."
Adama frowned. "How could you have? The radion levels were dangerously high, isn't that what you reported?"
"Well, yes," said Starbuck. "I was handling the sensor. It reacted to the crash site, throwing off my readings. Count Iblis said that it was radion. I took his word for it."
"But if a people's intelligence has reached a state where they can move objects telekinetically . . ." said Adama.
Apollo nodded. "Maybe they can will sensors to react to nothing at all. That had occurred to me."
"What do you propose?" Adama said.
"I want to go back and examine the wreckage of that ship," Apollo said. "I want to see if I can find any evidence to verify the state of technology of that craft and its people. I want to be sure. It may not be much to go on, but I want very much to know why Count Iblis didn't want us going near that ship."
"And I want to go with him," Starbuck said.
"Because you also sense a deception?" said Adama.
Starbuck hesitated. "No. Because Apollo does. I'm half convinced that Count Iblis is everything he claims to be, but when it comes to following hunches, I'll put my life in Apollo's hands any day."
"Then go," Adama said.
"You don't object?" said Apollo.
"I had to play the devil's advocate," Adama said. "I wanted to be sure you two weren't going off half cocked. Officially, I cannot support you. But you're free men. If you don't choose to follow Count Iblis, that's your right."
Apollo sighed. "Thank you, Father. You understand, I would have cleared this with you first, except that—"
"You didn't want to put me into a position of having to say no. And then disobeying my orders, anyway." Adama smiled. "Now the only problem I have is avoiding the count. His abilities to pick up thoughtwaves could be dangerous to you."
Apollo nodded. "We'll try to get there and back before we're missed."
"God speed."
A short while later, on the bridge, a puzzled Colonel Tigh turned to Adama.
"Sir? A shuttle is requesting a launch. I don't seem to have any missions scheduled and there have been no advance requests for interfleet shuttles. Captain Apollo said to check with you."
"Oh, yes, Colonel," said Adama, "my fault. I neglected to check with you when I gave them clearance. One of the passenger ships requested some firsthand instruction in triad for some of the children. Apollo thought it would be wise to have some experienced players conduct the lessons, since it could be somewhat dangerous, even with the modified rules for the youngsters. Besides, I thought that it would impress the children to have some real champions come out to teach them."
"A nice idea," said Tigh.
Adama smiled and nodded, then turned to leave the bridge. He hesitated a moment.
"Oh, by the way," he said to Tigh, "you wouldn't happen to know the whereabouts of Count Iblis at this moment, would you, Colonel?"
"Yes," said Tigh, "I believe he's visiting the Agro Ship. With Sheba, if I'm not mistaken. I remember giving clearance to the shuttle."
"Ah. If he should ask to see me, would you convey my apologies? I'm bone weary and I must take a sleep period."
"For how long, sir?"
"Until further notice. I'm sure you can handle things for a while."
"Thank you, Commander. Have a good rest."
Adama left the bridge, en route to his private quarters. Tigh went back to his post, checked the scanners and frowned slightly.
"Athena," he said, "the shuttle just launched. Have they communicated their docking instructions with one of the passenger ships?"
"Passenger ships?" said Athena, checking her monitor. "I don't think I follow you, Colonel. This doesn't seem to be an interfleet flight. Shuttle Alpha just headed off away from the fleet."
"Away from the fleet?"
"Yes, Colonel. Is something wrong?" Athena said.
"No, no, probably not. What could be wrong? I must have misunderstood . . ."
Tigh thought for a moment. He was certain that the commander had told him that Apollo was going on a short interfleet hop, but then if the shuttle was heading away from the fleet . . . He shrugged. Apollo knew what he was doing. If there was any trouble, he would most certainly have communicated with the bridge. The commander's son was a stickler for doing things by the book. Perhaps he was using the flight as an opportunity to check himself out on the shuttles once again. There was no telling when a Cylon attack might catch a pilot in an undefended vehicle. A good pilot made certain that he was always in practice, able to execute complicated evasive maneuvers and such. Of course, that had to be it. Apollo would want to put the shuttle through its paces well away from the fleet. And it was just like him to kill two birds with one stone, combining a routine flight with a practice flight. Tigh ceased to concern himself with the matter.
Sheba stretched out on the ground next to Count Iblis. He put his arm around her shoulders and she nestled her head against his chest. She felt relaxed and completely at peace with herself and with the world around her, the world that was an artificial forest, enclosed by cold metal. Yet, on the Argo Ship, it was possible to forget that she was a refugee without a world to go home to. It was possible to pretend, at least for a little while, that she was lying on a green carpet of moss, staring up at the starlit sky of Caprica.
"It's so beautiful here," she said softly.
"Yes," Count Iblis said, smiling. "It is a garden, a veritable paradise."
"It's the only place that comes close to what we lost," said Sheba. "Even if it's drifting through space, it's alive. You can feel it."
Iblis suddenly stiffened. The smile vanished from his face. He sat up, quickly, dislodging Sheba.
"What is it?" she said.
Count Iblis stared up at the dome, out at the stars.
"What are you up to?" he said.
"What?" said Sheba. "I wasn't doing any—"
Count Iblis rolled to his feet and quickly hurried away from her, moving toward the shuttle bay.
"Wait!" said Sheba, starting after him, a confused expression on her face. "Where are you going? What's the matter?"
She barely managed to catch up to him, but no matter what she said, she could not break through to him. All the way back to the Galactica, he ignored her questions. He sat very still, bolt upright, his hands clenching and unclenching on his knees, a faraway look in his eyes, a look of fury on his face. Sheba could not imagine what had happened. What had she said to offend him? Perhaps he wasn't feeling well? What? He would not respond. When the shuttle docked with the Galactica, he was out the hatch in a flash, running down the corridor. She could not keep up.
On the bridge, Tigh stood by his scanner.
"Athena, do we have a progress report on Shuttle Alpha?" he said.
"It is just leaving scanner range, Colonel," she said.
"Leaving scanner range? But that makes no sense whatsoever. Why would they do that? What is their course?"
"Heading toward the planet where—"
"Where my ship crashed," said Count Iblis, coldly.
Tigh jerked, startled by Count Iblis' sudden arrival.
"Count Iblis! Where did you come from? I didn't hear you walk—"
"Who is in that shuttle?" Iblis said, his voice like ice.
"I don't know, exactly," Tigh said, wary of Iblis' tone.
"Captain Apollo and who else?" said Iblis, his eyes blazing.
"I really don't know, I—"
"Where is Adama?"
"Well, he's—"
"Thank you, Colonel."
Iblis turned and left the bridge. Tigh hurried over to his communicator. Microns later, Commander Adama's face appeared on the screen.
"Yes, Colonel? What is it?" said Adama.
"I'm sorry, sir, but it's Count Iblis. I think he's on his way to see you. And I believe it has something to do with the shuttle you cleared for—"
Adama stiffened. "Thank you, Colonel. I'll handle it."
No sooner had Tigh's image disappeared off the screen than the door to Adama's cabin opened and Count Iblis walked in.
"I was under the impression that the door was secured," said Adama.
Iblis ignored the remark. "You gave your word that you would follow me," he said.
"How have we broken our word?" Adama said.
"You have sent your son in search of my identity."
Adama met his stare.
"I thought you told us your identity, Count Iblis," he said evenly.
"Don't play games with me," said Iblis. "When a mortal breaks a bargain with me, there is a high price to be paid."
"Then take your toll on me, Iblis. I have done what I had to do. The people in the fleet are my responsibility."
"No, Adama," Count Iblis said. "Forfeiting your life would be too easy. And too little. There is a greater price that you will pay."
Count Iblis spun around and walked out the door. Adama paled when he realized just what that price would be. And suddenly, he knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that Count Iblis could exact it.
"No, wait! I beg of you, take me . . ."
He rushed out into the corridor. He looked both ways. There was no sign of Count Iblis. Adama sagged against the bulkhead. Sheba came running down the corridor, trying to catch Count Iblis. She stopped when she saw Adama, who appeared to be on the verge of tears.
"Adama! What is it?"
"We have sold our souls to a demon," said Adama in a broken voice.
"What are you talking about?"
"Count Iblis," said Adama.
Sheba smiled. "Why can't you understand?" she said. "He only means what's best for us. Why don't you trust him? He is the answer to all our prayers! Our deliverer . . ."
"Tell that to my son," Adama said. "And Starbuck."
Sheba stared at him, not understanding.
"Why?" she said. "What have they done? Where are they?"
"They have gone to prove Count Iblis for what he really is," Adama said. "God help them."
"Why?" said Sheba. "I don't understand. What could Count Iblis—"
"Commander!" Tigh came running down the hall from the opposite side. "Are you all right?"
"Did you tell Count Iblis where Starbuck and Apollo went?" Adama said.
"I didn't tell him anything about the shuttle, Commander," Tigh said, "but he knew."
"Did you pass him in the corridor?" Adama said, already knowing, fearing what the answer would be.
"No."
"Is he still on board?"
"So far as I know," said Tigh. "Nothing else has launched toward the planet where we found his ship."
"So that's where they've gone!" said Sheba. "Those fools! All of you, fools! Don't you know what you've done? We gave him our word!"
"Sheba, you don't see what he—"
"I only see that you've ruined everything!" she shouted. "All he ever wanted to do was help us! And now you've . . . you've . . ."
She couldn't finish. With a look of hatred, she turned and ran back down the corridor, heading for the launch bay.
"Sheba!" Tigh started after her, but Adama held him back.
"Let her go," Adama said. "She's too blinded by Count Iblis to listen to reason. Quickly, Tigh, we must find him, we have to stop him somehow."
"I don't think I understand," said Tigh.
"That's because it's almost incomprehensible," Adama said.
They ran to the bridge together. Once there, every scanner, every communicator was used in an effort to track down Count Iblis, but Adama was almost certain that they would not find him. They communicated with each and every deck of the battlestar, quickly organized search parties, but it was to no avail. It was as if Iblis had disappeared without a trace.
"No sign of Count Iblis on any of the decks, Commander," Tigh said, checking with the search parties throughout the battlestar.
"And nothing from any of the other ships in the fleet," said Rigel. "No one has seen him. Absolutely no one. How is that possible?"
"If he were anywhere on the Galactica, or on any of the ships within the fleet, we'd know it," Tigh said.
"There is one possibility," Athena said. "A single Viper launched without a clearance just a little while ago."
"Sorry," Tigh said. "That was Sheba."
"Sheba?" said Adama. "Then she's gone after them."
Tigh nodded. "The ground crews in the launch bay confirmed it. They tried to stop her, but . . ." His voice trailed off and he spread his arms out from his sides in a gesture of resignation. "Evidently she got a little violent with some of them and, well, you know Sheba. I'd hesitate to get in her way if she didn't want to be stopped."
"Father," said Athena, looking up from her console, "you're going to have to make some sort of statement. All the comcircuits are jammed. Our search has word spreading throughout the fleet. They want to know what happened."
"She's right," said Tigh. "For Count Iblis to simply disappear like that, I mean, we've got to find him. He has to be here someplace. There must be someplace that we've overlooked."
"No," said Adama, sinking down into his chair. "We won't find him."
"But how can we explain that?" said Athena.
"We can't," Adama said. He leaned forward and put his head in his hands. For a long while, he didn't speak and everyone on the bridge stared at him anxiously.
"Commander?" Tigh said, finally.
Adama did not respond.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Everything around them was the color of dried blood. Starbuck and Apollo moved up the hill of red grass, having landed their shuttle at the base of the crater. They had spotted the wreckage of the giant ship from the air, as they had before. Nothing had changed. Only this time, nothing would prevent them from descending dow
n to the ship. They reached the crest and looked down.
Even though they had seen it once before, the size of the wrecked ship astounded them. It made them feel like insects. Next to the wrecked ship, the Galactica, a ship of the battlestar class, the largest craft ever built by humans, would appear to be little more than the size of a Viper fighter. It was awesome and it was frightening. Even more so now that they knew something of the nature of the beings that had flown it. But they didn't know enough.
"That's where the answer lies," Apollo said. "If there is an answer."
Starbuck smiled weakly. "I'm not even sure I understand the question."
"Let's go," said Apollo.
They started down the hill toward the wreckage, holding their sensors out before them.
"Nothing," Starbuck said.
"I knew it," said Apollo. "The radion danger was a myth. Iblis manipulated our sensor readings somehow."
"How is that possible?" said Starbuck. "I mean, telekinesis is one thing, but . . ."
"How is anything Count Iblis does possible?" Apollo said. "He did it, that's all that concerns me right now. Let's go have a look at her crew."
They entered the wreckage.
Sheba arrived in time to see them go into the ship's carcass. She started to cry out to them, then thought better of it. She ran down the hill, almost losing her footing several times. She wasn't even sure why she had come.
What was the point of it all? What could they possibly hope to accomplish, except to prove to Count Iblis that they were not worthy of his trust. As her Viper fighter had raced toward the red planet, she had tried desperately to sort out her thoughts and feelings. She couldn't seem to think clearly. All she knew was that she loved Count Iblis. She had never met anyone like him before. There was an aura about him that was incredibly compelling. She could not resist him and she didn't want to. He was more than a mere man. He hadn't lied to them about that. Hadn't he told them all that he was from a race that was far advanced beyond theirs?
Battlestar Galactica 7 - War Of The Gods Page 10
