“No, Gamma,” the voice continued. “We do not need to talk to you. We need to talk with Colonel William Adama.”
The normally stoic Adama looked stunned. He stepped forward a moment later.
“And if I do not wish to come?”
“If you do not wish to come,” the voice replied, “I cannot guarantee the safety of the research station or the Battlestar Galactica. If you do visit, both will be quite safe for the duration of your stay.”
Adama frowned. “Will you allow me to talk to Galactica?”
“They have already been informed of your impending visit.”
Adama took a deep breath. “Very well. Give me a few minutes to prepare.”
“Most excellent,” the Dreadnaught’s voice agreed.
CHAPTER
23
Laea was frightened, and not just of the Cylons.
Tom Zarek had outfitted all three of them as best he could. Each of them had a rifle and a handgun, and a large amount of ammunition that he had stuffed into three small packs he’d found in one of the lander’s many compartments. The packs had also been filled with enough rations for three days and some first aid supplies from Zarek’s survival kit.
He smiled at Laea as he checked his rifle. Now that the Creep was here, Tom’s smile didn’t warm her as much as it used to.
“Okay,” Tom said. “I’ll go first, and head right. The Creep will follow me and head left. If we manage to get a good position and can draw the Cylons’ fire, we can cover Laea and you can get out and to a safe spot. If we can get by them, or we can shoot one of them down, maybe we can get up to the cave. I think we’ll be able to defend ourselves a lot better up there until help comes.”
The Creep smiled at Laea. “Hey, I’d like to cover this pretty little thing right now.”
Tom grabbed the other man’s coat. “You talk like that again, Creep, I’ll kill you.”
The Creep looked surprised. “If you can get to your gun fast enough. Hey, we’re all going to die out there anyway. Can’t a guy joke around a little?”
“Didn’t sound much like a joke,” Zarek replied.
Laea kept her distance from both men. They both seemed to hold so much violence in them—so different from the doctor and her brothers. Now that she was trapped inside a small space with these two men, she was finding their emotions more frightening than exciting. She didn’t think Tom would hurt her, at least not on purpose. She tried to keep as far away from the other man as she could. He frightened her.
Not that it mattered. She thought that Tom’s plan would get them all killed.
The two men stared at each other in silence for a moment.
“Have you heard the change?” she said softly.
“What change?” Tom asked.
“They’ve stopped firing their guns. Those little noises are gone from the hull.”
The Creep grinned at that.
“She’s right. Not only pretty but smart.”
Somehow, the Creep made even those words sound dirty. She could see where he got his name.
“Have they left, then?” she asked.
The Creep peered out the window. “Unless they’re just saving their ammunition until we come out.”
“If they’re gone, it’s an even better time to get out of here,” Tom said. “We don’t know if they’re gone for good. They may just be coming back here with a bigger gun.”
“If they’re gone,” Laea said, “we might be able to get back to the research station.”
“Oh that’s a fine idea,” the thin man replied. “Tom and I can get killed properly this time.”
“No,” Laea insisted. “Others have joined us. People from the Colonies. The companions have put away their guns.”
“We’re going to need to be rescued by somebody,” Tom added. “I think Nadu is long gone.”
“He seemed to give up awfully easy,” the Creep replied. “Usually, Nadu won’t leave the table until every scrap of meat is gone. Of course, we don’t know what he was up against out there.”
“Can you get us back to the base?” Tom asked.
Laea thought her only real problem would be finding her way back to the river. “As long as I can get my sense of direction from our sun, I should be fine.”
“I think you’ve got another hour for your sense of direction, then,” the Creep said. “It’s almost nightfall.”
“Maybe we should wait until morning,” Tom suggested. “Get up to the caves before it gets dark and take a look around, see if the Cylons are really gone. If so, we can head back for your home base at first light.”
Laea didn’t want to spend any more time around this Creep than she had to, but she realized Tom’s plan was probably the best. They didn’t want to get lost in the woods when Cylons might still be looking for them.
“All right,” she said.
“Good,” Tom agreed. “Then we should go as planned.”
He kicked open the hatch.
Things were moving much too quickly. Doctor Fuest was never much of one for speed. But he felt he had things he must do.
He needed to be alone—or not quite alone. He walked down the empty hallways—as far as he knew, everyone from the station was still out on the field—and talked to the one he trusted most.
“Betti,” he whispered.
You’re troubled, Vill. I can always tell. She was there immediately. She was always there.
“Things are changing here, Betti. Things I no longer understand.”
You try too hard to control everything! I’ve always told you, you have to learn to let go!
“Perhaps I do. The Colonies have come back to find us.”
He could hear the delight in her voice. Oh, you’ve wanted that for so long!
“But the Cylons have come too, and they’ve been talking to the companions!”
Betti was quiet a moment before she asked. What is it that you want, Vill?
“I want to understand. What the companions think of me. What the Colonies want to do with our research. Everything, I guess.” He thought a moment more, then added, “Someone from the Colonies is going to the Cylon ship to talk about our station. I think I need to go with them. I think I need to learn the truth.”
You always know what’s best, Betti replied. Wherever you go Vill, I’m never far away.
“I’ve always depended on you, Betti.”
As I have depended upon you, and always will, my love.
Doctor Villem Fuest smiled.
It was good, then. He could go out and tell the others what he needed to do.
Captain Tigh couldn’t believe it.
“This is madness, Bill. If you go in there, you’re never coming back.”
“I think that’s likely,” Adama agreed. “But maybe this way I’ll have a chance to save the rest of you—the station and Galactica both. If I don’t do it, I think the Dreadnaught will destroy them both.”
“So you’re set on this thing?” Tigh asked.
Adama nodded his head. “Yes, I am.”
So be it. Tigh took a deep breath. “Well then I’m going with you.”
“What?”
“Tell the toasters it’s a condition for your cooperation. They want you bad enough, they shouldn’t mind someone else tagging along. Remember, I’ve been inside one of those big boats before.”
“So you’ve told me. But you never wanted to talk about it.”
“Only because I didn’t want to bring it back any more vividly than I remember it already. I remember every minute I was in that place, every day of my life.”
“And you’re ready to go back in there again?”
“Hey, you’ve backed me up in plenty of fights. It’s time for me to return the favor.”
“Then how can I say no?” Adama asked.
“Excuse me, gentlemen?” Doctor Fuest stepped forward from where he had been standing behind them. He had been so quiet, Tigh hadn’t even realized he was there.
“Yes, Doctor?” Adama asked as if h
e hadn’t been surprised at all.
“I would like to go to this ship as well. I would like to do it for my station.”
“Thank you, Doctor,” Adama replied, “but I don’t think—”
“You will need me,” Fuest insisted. “Out of all the humans alive, no one knows the Cylon mind better than I.”
“You make a convincing case,” Adama agreed. “Very well. I will state my conditions to the Dreadnaught as we prepare for takeoff.”
“You know, Doctor,” Tigh said softly, “none of the three of us might leave that place alive.”
“Or because there are three of us,” the doctor said with the slightest of smiles, “we all might survive after all.”
Athena was glad to see Skeeter smile. He sat up in bed, propping his back up against the pillow. “They say I should rest, after losing all that blood. But things are happening, aren’t they? These companions here don’t tell me anything!”
Athena had decided it was time for visitors. Vin and Jon had come with her, and the senior companions weren’t far behind.
Beta bowed slightly. “We were attempting to see that Mr. Skeeter got some rest. He should be able to move around quite freely, so long as he is careful not to do something that would open the wound. The prognosis is good for a full recovery.”
“I’m glad to see you,” Skeeter said to Athena. He waved at the two other beds nearby. “These guys don’t do anything but sleep. So did Laea get back yet?”
Athena shook her head. “No, no one’s seen her, and it’s after dark.”
Skeeter frowned. “Can you take the shuttle back up?”
“The shuttle’s being used for something else. The Cylons have shown themselves, and they’re asking to see Colonel Adama.”
“And I thought I had problems. Maybe if you took one of the Vipers?”
“It wouldn’t be much good now. Like I said, it’s after dark. And I don’t think the Cylons are very keen on having anyone do any unauthorized flying. We could end up with a new firefight on our hands while the colonel is visiting the enemy.”
“Not a good idea.” Skeeter struggled to come to a full sitting position, then apparently thought better of it. He collapsed back against the pillow. “Is there any way I can help?”
“You can be our contact back here. Adama and Tigh are going to go visit the Cylon ship, along with Doctor Fuest.”
“We hope that the three of them together will get the Cylons to see reason,” Gamma added.
“None of us anticipated that this would happen,” Epsilon agreed. “We were only thinking about the longterm safety and security of the station.”
“Now I think you’re trying to explain things too fast,” Skeeter said. “So I’m going to be the only fleet guy left?”
“They’re jamming our radio signals,” Athena replied. “If the companions find any way to break through, it’s up to you to contact the admiral.”
“I’ll do my best.” Skeeter grinned again, no doubt glad to have something to do. But his smile faltered as he asked, “But how will you find Laea?”
Athena frowned in return. “I think I’ve got to go on foot. If I follow the river, I think I can find her easily enough.”
Jon shook his head. “You’re not going alone. We’ll come with you.”
“Hey,” Vin added, clapping Jon on the shoulder, “she’s our sister.”
“This is our fault, too,” Jon added. “We’ve been so busy with the station, we’ve been ignoring her. We should have listened to what she had to say.”
Athena had heard this before. Protect the little girl, but don’t listen to her. It was a big reason she had become a Viper pilot. Now people paid attention.
The companions studied each other in silence for a moment.
“Gamma and I will come too,” Epsilon stated finally. “In a way, she is our sister as well.”
“If Cylons still pursue her,” Gamma added, “they will not expect us to take your side. It will add an element of surprise.”
“We will go at dawn?” Jon asked.
“We can leave before then,” Epsilon said. “We have an amphibious craft that will take us down the river, and lights to guide our way.”
Athena frowned. “I don’t know if I can judge the exact spot without daylight.”
“Then we will wait until an hour before dawn,” Epsilon replied, “so we will reach the spot just after first light. We all wish to rescue Laea. I will arrange for supplies and weapons.”
“Then we will meet here one hour before dawn?” Jon asked.
Athena nodded. “We will leave from here.” She looked down at the patient. “See, Skeeter? We’ll keep you in on the action.”
“We are almost ready to fly to the Dreadnaught,” Adama said to the wireless mic.
“You say ‘we’,”, the voice replied. “We only require your presence.”
“I will not come alone,” Adama replied. “I will bring Captain Tigh to pilot the shuttle, and Doctor Fuest, who wishes to speak personally with those in charge aboard your ship.”
The voice did not respond for a moment.
“Very well,” it said at last. “If you feel safer bringing the others, we will not deny your request. But please arrive quickly. It is important that we talk with you before we receive our final commands.”
“We will bring the shuttle now,” Adama replied.
“We will allow the shuttle to approach us. Any other ship, originating on either the planet’s surface, or from the deck of the Galactica, will be shot down. We want no tricks.”
“I understand. You will get none.”
“Are you prepared to leave?”
Adama glanced at both Tigh and the doctor.
“I see no reason to wait.”
“Then the Dreadnaught Invincible stands ready to welcome you.”
Adama shut off the comm controls. He glanced back at Athena.
“Skeeter knows what to tell the admiral,” she said.
He nodded. “I’m looking forward to talking to all of you tomorrow.”
Nobody said anything for a moment.
“I—I’m sure we will, sir,” Skeeter stammered into the silence.
Adama grinned. “Stranger things have happened.”
CHAPTER
24
DREADNAUGHT INVINCIBLE
Captain Saul Tigh remembered this place all too well: the Dreadnaught.
The thing hung in the sky like a small moon. It was close to ten times the size of the Galactica, its surface pockmarked with a thousand different holes—and every hole hid a different laser or missile bay or launch chute. The thing held a hundred different methods of death and destruction. Tigh remembered, when the first Dreadnaught was launched, how pleased its makers had been to come up with so high a number. It was the last excessive ship of an excessive era, just before humankind’s wealth and populations were decimated by the Cylon War.
Tigh flew in through the primary chute, a hole at the very center of the monstrosity. They were not challenged or questioned. They heard no comm chatter at all.
The silence didn’t help Tigh—it only reminded him that the Dreadnaught no longer held life. Now it was the home of far too many Cylons.
He set the shuttle down in a deserted hangar bay. The room was huge, almost the size of a small domed city. A hundred or more Cylon Vipers hung from cradles along the walls. They reminded Tigh of holstered weapons, just waiting to be drawn. Masses of new machinery, most of which Tigh did not recognize, sat on the floor beneath the Vipers. A lot of the equipment in here looked like it had been improved far beyond those early models he had seen in that first Dreadnaught so many years ago.
But the room was just as vast, the lighting as dim and yellow, the feeling of being very, very small just as great as it had been then.
Back in the war, his group of commandoes had commandeered a Cylon troop carrier—which the Cylons had stolen from the Colonies only a year before. They had used the carrier to land inside the Dreadnaught Supreme, and the
n started to cut their way through the Cylons.
The Dreadnaught had been a great success for the Cylons in the early years of the war, but the Cylons had apparently never devised a plan to defend their huge ship from an internal attack. The eight commandoes in Tigh’s unit virtually quick-marched from the landing area to the heart of the ship, mowing down any machine they came across that might stand in their way.
That was when it got strange.
“I guess we don’t get a welcoming committee,”
Adama said. Tigh snapped out of his reverie, and looked out again at the silent hangar.
“Yeah, I guess they don’t want the Cylons to scare us away.”
“So we won’t see any Cylons at all?” The doctor sounded disappointed.
“Oh, I’m sure we’ll see them sooner or later,” Tigh reassured him. “They’re just saving things up for a surprise.”
The colonel unstrapped himself and rose from his seat. “Well, we might as well see what they’ve got waiting for us.”
Adama opened the hatch and stepped out first. Tigh and the doctor followed. Their boot heels echoed in the vast silence that surrounded them.
“Is that Bill Adama I see?” a voice boomed from far above—a voice far different from the emotionless tones they had heard back at the research station. This voice, Tigh thought, sounded like some long-lost boisterous uncle in the middle of a holiday dinner.
“It is!” Adama called back. “And who am I talking to?”
“Oh, you’ll recognize me soon enough,” the voice said with a chuckle. “I thank you for coming—all of you. But you particularly, Bill. I’ve got a favor to ask of you. They allow me that sort of thing, now and again. But why should I explain anything when I can show you? Follow the lighted path and all will become quite clear.”
“Well, this is different,” Tigh remarked.
“The Cylons are capable of great versatility,” the doctor added. “I don’t think the Colonies ever fully appreciated that, before the war.”
“Here’s the path.” Adama pointed to a row of lights that led across the hangar to a distant corridor. More loudly, he asked, “Will we be going far?”
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