Evolution

"Reach your hands out to me brothers and sisters.
Reach your arms up to the stars.  We have been
delivered by a being beyond our understanding, a
benevolent soul that hallowed our corridors for only a
short time.  Our military leaders were blinded by
their own need to maintain control over those of us
without power and cast aside our deliverer, but he
still remembers us."  Tollen's hands lifted to frame
his face as his eyes closed in reverence.  "Even
though we shunned his divine graces, our beloved Iblis
still blesses us with primaries that will sustain us
through this world and into the next."  His eyes
opened once more and the shimmer of tears could be
seen.  "You can see the miracles around you.  You can
feel it in your own body.  Even the Colonial Fleet
can't deny its presence.  Our own Council of Twelve is
taking stock of the wonders that Count Iblis has
bestowed upon."

Adama shook his head slightly as he waved a hand at
the monitor.  "Shut it off," he ordered Omega.
Tollen's broadcast was repeating for the third time
that sectarie thanks to a growing number of followers
requesting the show.  It troubled Adama that so many
were flocking to the misguided words of Tollen, but he
was powerless to stop it.  It only added fuel to
Tollen's commentary that Adama had ordered further
research on the unusual well-being of the fleet.
Rumors were the flame that purged every ship and shows
like Tollen's were popping up regularly on the
Intra-Fleet Broadcasting system.  The Illuminati, as
they liked to refer to themselves, was growing from a
cult into a religion that reached throughout the
fleet.

"Commander," Apollo said simply to announce his
presence on the bridge.

"Ah!  Apollo," Adama returned in greeting and walked
down the few steps from the uppermost level of the
bridge to speak with his son.  "Have you finished your
report?"

Apollo handed the data pad to his father for his
inspection.  "I'm not sure you're going to like it,"
he warned.  "Or maybe you will."  Adama raised a
curious brow then Apollo continued.  "I've never seen
anything like it Father.  Ninety percent of the fleet
is in better physical condition now than they have
been since we fled the Colonies."

"And the other ten percent?"

Apollo shook his head.  "Some have irreparable spinal
injuries, some have cranial dysfunctions that are so
acute they need to be restrained and the others I
simply can't find a reason why they weren't affected."

Adama's brow furrowed.  "I'll be sure to have Dr.
Salik investigate those cases.  Finding out why those
particular people weren't affected may tell us why the
rest of us were."

"I figured that you would want to study it further.  I
went ahead and collected all of the data I could on
each of the individuals.  They're from a variety of
home worlds and, generally speaking, have no
association with each other.  It wasn't easy getting
what little I have since the majority of the
information on the pre-existing cases was lost in the
holocaust."

"Let's hope that Dr. Salik will be able to find the
answers we're looking for."

"And just what are those answers?" Apollo asked and
received a puzzled look from Adama.  "I have to admit
that I'm a little bit confused here.  When I first
heard of Dr. Wilker's research, I was certain that we
would uncover some sort of plot or at least a
manipulation of the facts," he confessed.  "His data
was too incredulous to believe.  But all I keep
finding are things that can only be described as
miraculous.  It makes Dr. Wilker's claims thus far
look like an understatement.  What makes it even more
unsettling is that the only explanation behind it all
seems to be the food from the agro ships.  Half the
fleet believes that we're been sent some sort of
invitation and should go in search of those phantom
lights."  He searched his father's features for some
understanding of their situation.  "What I can't seem
to figure out is, should I be concerned or elated by
the momentum that seems to be building?"

Adama lightly touched the medallion at his throat, a
habit that he had developed of late.  "A little of
both," he returned cautiously.

Apollo sighed.  "That's not exactly comforting."  He
knew that something was troubling his father, but
Adama refused to open up.  Apollo felt at a loss.

Adama smiled as he reached out to put a hand on his
son's shoulder.  "For now we'll look at it as a
blessing, one among many recently."  Adama took the
report that Omega handed to him and gave it a sweeping
glance.  "Do you and Starbuck need a few centars
rejuvenation?"

Apollo shook his head slightly.  "If it's okay with
you, we'd like to help out with some of the repairs on
the Galactica."  He didn't know why, but Apollo felt
the need to stay close to home.  "That way I'll be
able to spend a little time with Boxey."

Adama looked back up at his son and gave him a warm
smile.  "I think that will do you both some good," he
agreed.  "Check with Boomer on the Electronics ship.
He has been helping Dr. Wilker convert the Cylon
technology we allocated.  They may have some of the
equipment ready to install on the Galactica."

"Yes sir."

When Apollo went on his way, Athena caught Adama's
eye.  She was sitting at a control station on the
bridge staring off into empty space.  As Adama
approached her, he could see her eyes darting and her
expression subtly changing.  It wasn't hard to tell
that she was deep in thought.  "How are your studies
coming along?" he asked.

Athena's attention quickly snapped back and she
self-consciously looked down at the monitor she was
using.  "Oh, I was just looking up recreational
activities for my students," she explained as she
distractedly closed out the programs she had been
searching.  "I figured I would give them a break
considering all of the material we've covered lately."

"Oh?" Adama returned curiously.  He had been referring
to Athena's work with Gaea, but the children were
always one of his main concerns.  "Have you been a
hard task master?"

Athena gave a sigh.  "Actually I feel like it's the
other way around.  The children have started absorbing
the lessons.  Most of the things we covered they only
had to read through and they picked it right up."  She
thought about that for a micron.  "I guess they're
just getting older and are better able to retain the
lessons.  We went through nearly a yahren of training
in a little over four sectars."  She shook her head.
"It was a good thing that most of the lessons were
prepared in advance or I never would have been able to
keep up."

When Athena stood to go, Adama took her arm and lead
her over to a private corner on the bridge.  "How are
things going with you and Gaea?" he asked in a soft
voice.  "Has she been able to answer any of your
questions?"

Athena shook her head slowly.  "The one thing that I
have learned is that you don't get a straight answer
out of Gaea," she said with a note of sarcasm.  "She
can be incredibly frustrating at times."

Adama chuckled.  "That was the way of the ancients.
It wasn't so much the answer that was important, but
the way that you interpreted it."

Athena sighed as her gaze drifted off.  "But it can be
so overwhelming at times."

"What?  The answers or the interpretation?"

She shook her head.  "The expanse of it all."

~~~

Apollo stepped off of the turbo lift just before it
reached the bottom and walked into the flight deck to
find Starbuck.  "How's it looking?" he asked the
lieutenant who was doing a routine inspection of the
shuttle before they left for the Electronics ship.

"Everything checks out here," Starbuck returned.  He
followed Apollo's gaze across the launch bay to where
Brie's viper was stored.  The hull was charred from
the nose to thrusters with a large chunk taken off of
the dorsal wing.  "The crew is about to start
repairing it," Starbuck explained as they both stared
at the battered ship.

"Maybe we should stop in and see Brie again before
heading out," Apollo suggested.  As if on cue, Brie
walked out of the shadows close to her viper to stare
up it.  Apollo and Starbuck exchanged a surprised look
then quickly walked across the bay to join Brie.  "You
must be psychic or something," Apollo said in jest to
gain Brie's attention.  "We were just talking about
coming to see you."

Brie smiled up at him and gave Starbuck a glance
before looking down at the deck.  "I just wanted to
see it once more," she said nervously.  "My viper, I
mean."

Apollo and Starbuck exchanged a startled look.  "You
say that like you're looking at it for the last time,"
Starbuck said with a smile that quickly faded when she
didn't correct him.

"Look Brie." Apollo began.

"Captain," Brie interrupted.  She smiled nervously as
she let out a sigh.  This wasn't going how she had
planned.  "I've already had the speech by Dr. Salik
and Cassiopia about how important psychologically it
is for me to fly again, but I'm just not sure I can do
it."  Her eyes appealed to him to understand as she
looked up at him.  "I feel like I'm more in the way
out there than of help."  She glanced up at her viper
then away quickly, the image of blue flames encircling
her was as vivid as ever.  "I just don't know if I'm
cut out to be a viper pilot."

"What kind of felgercarb is that?" Starbuck asked
lightly.  "There isn't a pilot on the Galactica who
hasn't had their share of close calls.  We've all
needed help at some point."

"Like when you crashed on Attila," Apollo inserted and
Starbuck nodded at the example.  "Or when you were
taken prisoner on Proteus," Apollo add and received a
suspicious look from Starbuck.  "Or when the Cy."

"I think she gets the point," Starbuck interrupted

When Brie gave a genuine chuckle, Apollo smiled.  He
could tell that Brie was under a lot of stress and
their questioning her wasn't helping.  "What I'm
trying to say is that we need every viper pilot we
have.  We depend on each other out there and, whether
you believe it or not, we need you too.  Don't forget
that you've taken out your share of Cylon fighters,"
he ordered and received another weak smile.  Apollo
reached out and lightly grasped her shoulder so that
she would look up at him once more.  "I just want you
to think about that before you make any decisions."

Brie smiled at him with a little more confidence.  "I
will," she promised.

"How's your hand?" Apollo asked.  He had noticed that
Brie was wearing thin tan gloves that matched her
uniform.

Brie gently cradled her left hand with her right as
she shrugged her shoulders.  "Dr. Salik was able to
repair the skin damage, but there isn't much he can do
for the nerve damage.  That's why I'm wearing these."
She held up her hands briefly then cradled the left
once more.  "My left hand is so sensitive that I can
actually feel the breeze when I walk even with the
glove on."

"Now that's sensitive," Starbuck commented.

"Are you able to use your hand at all?" Apollo asked
with concern.

"Oh yes," Brie returned.  "It's fully functional, but
it still feels like its burning.  Dr. Salik said that
would diminish with time, but that it would always be
sensitive."

"Captain Apollo?"  One of the crew called out to
Apollo from across the bay.  "The shuttle is fully
fueled."

Apollo tossed the crewman a wave then looked back at
his companions.  "That's our cue," he said to Starbuck
then looked down at Brie.  "I expect to see you
pulling patrols as soon as Dr. Salik releases you."

Brie smiled one last time.  "Yes sir."

As Apollo and Starbuck started back to the shuttle,
they caught a glimpse of a familiar face passing by.
"Is that Athena?" Starbuck asked, pointing to a pair
of figures moving across the bay.

Their pace slowed as Apollo's brow furrowed.  "Yes it
is," he said distractedly.  He was already studying
the hooded companion with his sister.  It wasn't the
first time that Apollo had seen her in Athena's
company.  "But who's that with her?"

Starbuck waved his unlit fumarello casually in the
air.  "She's probably some official that Athena got
stuck entertaining.  Looks like they're coming from
the landing bay."  Apollo took a couple of steps in
the direction of his sister and tried to catch another
glimpse of the person with her.  "Come on.  Let's go,"
Starbuck insisted.

Apollo hesitated a moment longer.  "Yeah, you're
probably right."

=====
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Adama stared blindly out the small portal in his
quarters as he tried to recall a specific passage in
the Book of the Word.  His own study of the Ancients
had been rather limited because of his duty to the
Colonial Fleet, but he hoped that Athena would benefit
far more from the teachings.  His brow furrowed even
more as he tried to bring the right passage to mind.
"Something about the depth of the soul consuming the
mind," he muttered to himself then turned quickly at a
rustling sound coming from his desk.

Adama took in a startled gasp when he saw the pages of
the book on his desk flipping on their own volition.
His fingers were immediately drawn to the crest at his
throat.  "By all the lords," he whispered reverently.

Slowly he walked toward his desk and reached out a
hand to touch the pages that had stilled.  It was then
that he felt the light breeze coming through the air
ducts.  He chuckled to himself for thinking, even for
a moment, that there was some mystic force behind the
movement of the pages.

Adama blinked distractedly at the door to his quarters
when a beep sounded to signal someone was waiting to
speak with him.  "Come."

Dr. Salik walked into Adama's office carrying one of
his data pads.  He gave Adama a quick assessment from
head to toe.  "You look like a man with troubles."

Adama held out his hands.  "Is there any other kind of
man in the fleet?" he countered.

Salik gave half a smile.  "If there is, he's probably
heavily medicated."

"You look like you haven't slept in a secton," Adama
commented at Salik's slumped posture and dark circles
under his eyes.

He thought for a moment.  "That would be about right.
I've personally doubled and tripled checked
everything," Salik revealed as he held up his data
pad.

"I take it you're not bringing me good news?" Adama
asked cautiously.

Salik looked down at the list of information as he
shook his head.  "To tell you the truth, Adama, I'm
not sure what to make of it."  He looked back into
Adama's questioning gaze.  "Do you remember the
pregnant woman I told you about?"

Adama nodded.  "Yes, the woman who was unable to
conceive."

"It's as I suspected.  Her pregnancy is moving along
at an accelerated rate.  Everything appears normal
with the fetus, but if you compare the test from a
secton ago to today, there is an obvious change in
maturity."  Dr. Salik shook his head.  "I have gone
over everything from water supply to air quality and
the only explanation I can find for any of this is the
food from the agro ships."

Adama's mind was already racing with the
possibilities.  "How is the woman faring?"

The doctor shrugged.  "She's as healthy as any other
woman in the fleet.  In fact, I can find no evidence
of the defect that was causing the infertility in the
first place."

Adama's brows rose.  "How is that possible?"

Salik gave him skeptical look.  "It isn't."  Adama
took a few steps away as he tried to understand what
was happening in the fleet.  "How's your shoulder?"
Dr. Salik asked.

Adama stopped and looked at him again as he reached up
to touch his left shoulder.  An old war wound plagued
him more and more with each passing yahren.  That is,
until recently.  "I can't recall the last time it
bothered me."

Salik nodded.  "It's the same all over the fleet.
People who use to need assistance just to get to the
turbo flush are all of the sudden playing Triad."  He
sighed heavily as he looked back at his research.
"That's not all Adama," he warned as he looked up at
the Commander.  "There are a total of twelve women in
the fleet who are with child.  Every one of their
pregnancies is progressing at an unusual rate."  He
shook his head again.  "I can't even begin to imagine
the implications from all of this."

Dr. Salik noticed the Book of the Word opened on
Adama's desk and he turned the book so that he could
read the pages.  "As they were weighed and measured
with the goodness that was bestowed upon them, many
sprang forth as scholars and prophets and were
revered.  Others were dragged down into the depths of
their soul and it consumed them."

Salik looked up at Adama one last time.  "A fitting
passage considering our situation," he remarked.  "I
just wonder which we will have to contend with."

Adama couldn't move or speak as Dr. Salik left his
quarters.  The passage that Salik had quoted was the
very one he had been searching for.

~~~

"Thanks for giving us a lift over to the Rising Star,"
Boomer said as he leaned against the back of
Starbuck's seat.

"It's the least I could do after you went to all the
trouble to make me a player for those gamma
transmissions," Apollo said, holding up the compact
player as he glanced back at his friend.  "Now I've
just got to find the time to install the recorder."

"I know what you mean," Sheba returned, looking over
Apollo's shoulder as she stood behind his seat to join
in the conversation.  "If we're not on patrols we're
trying to get all of this Cylon equipment installed.
I can't believe how much the Cylons had stockpiled on
that planet."

"But, with that kind of hoard, it's a good bet that
there aren't any other base ships in the area,"
Starbuck inserted as he adjusted their flight pattern
to meet with the Rising Star.

"That base star was probably there to reload and
refuel which was why we were able to catch it off
guard," Boomer added then shook his head.  "Now don't
get me wrong, I'm grateful that we are finally getting
to repair parts of the fleet, but I could sure do
without the extra work."

"At least we don't have it as bad as Dr. Wilker,"
Sheba said.

Apollo quickly glanced back.  "How is his research
going?  Has he had any volunteers?"

"Any vol." Boomer began incredulously.  "There's an
endless stream of people through the electronics ship.
 We had to put a guard on the equipment because we
weren't able to keep track of everyone and people were
walking off with it."

"Dr. Wilker and Komma have been working round the
clock to get the data into the computers," Sheba said.
 "There's just so much of it."

"What are they doing for med techs?" Starbuck asked.

Boomer held his hands out.  "Volunteers.  It's unreal.
 I haven't seen the fleet this motivated since we left
the Colonies."

"It's a shame everyone isn't as motivated when it
comes to converting the electronics," Sheba added.

"Tell me about it," Boomer admitted.  "Sheba and I
have been up to our eyeballs with electronic
felgercarb and we can't bribe anyone to help us.
We're doing everything we can to get the repairs for
Wilker's lab on the Galactica finished.  That way we
can move all of electronics to the Galactica and get
away from that insane asylum."

Apollo turned as best he could to get a glimpse of
Sheba behind him.  "I had no idea that you were
interested in electronics."

She smiled and tilted her head to better see his face.
 "There's a lot about me that you don't know," she
teased then her smile broadened.  "My father insisted
that everyone on the Pegasus have a working knowledge
of all of the stations.  Electronics and computers
turned out to be my strong suit."

"Thank the lords for that," Boomer insisted.  "She was
able to correct a problem with the sound on the player
for you," he informed Apollo.

"It was no big deal," Sheba returned.  "Just a glitch
in the programming."

"If you two are so busy," Starbuck interrupted.  "Why
are you heading to the Rising Star?"

"We've got a hot date," Boomer replied, clapped his
hands together and rubbed them bawdily.

Sheba chuckled.  "We're starving and Boomer managed to
blackmail the steward on the Rising Star to get us a
private room."

Starbuck perked up.  "Blackmail?"

"It was merely an exchange of services," Boomer
corrected.  "He needed a cooling enhancement for the
Rising Star and I obliged."

"Yeah, after you informed him that he was at the
bottom of a long list of repairs and that it would
take at least a secton before you could get to it,"
Sheba added.

Starbuck let out a soft laugh that sounded more like a
sigh.  "I think I'm starting to rub off on you."

~~~

Adama adjusted the tunic of his fresh uniform as he
walked from his sleeping quarters into his work area
then stopped short when he saw the hooded figure
standing in the center of the room.  "You're still one
for surprise entrances, I see," he rebuked lightly.
"And I thought I locked that door."

"You did," she said softly.

Adama chuckled as he reached out his hand in greeting.
 "It's been a long time Gaea."

"Too long," she returned as she took his arm.  "But
unavoidable."

Adama attempted to study her shadowy features even
though he knew that he would never be able to draw any
conclusions from Gaea's expression.  She was too
guarded to let something as insignificant as a facial
expression to give away her thoughts.  "I heard that
you had sequestered yourself on the Gemini freighter.
Was it for protection or preparation?"

She smiled at his intuitiveness.  "A little of both,"
she confirmed.  "The fleet is changing so quickly that
the solitude was necessary to understand what was
happening."

Adama gestured to the small sitting area where they
both took a seat.  "And have you gained that
understanding?"

She lowered her head and the shroud of her hood nearly
eclipsed her entire face.  "We are babes entering the
flame," she returned elusively.  Silence hung in the
air for several microns before Gaea brought her head
back up.  "I must ask you, Adama.  Do you fully
understand the realm with which you are giving your
daughter to?"

Adama sighed heavily.  "I know the risks," he
returned.  "I have had some training in that area,
enough to recognize the potential in Athena, but even
the powers that you possess are beyond my
understanding."  He leaned forward and took Gaea's
small gloved hand into his own.  "That's why I
contacted you.  There's no one I could trust more to
guide Athena through the ancient rituals."  He sighed
heavily.

"And what of Apollo?"

Adama shook his head.  "My son has many talents, but
logic dominates everything he does.  It even disturbed
him when he saw me practicing telekinetic.  He would
never be able to venture down the road you have
taken."

Gaea nodded.  "You have thought this through then,"
she approved.

"I've thought of little else," he confessed.  "I've
sensed the change in the fleet as well.  I've even
seen my own abilities resurrected to a point that I
never expected.  I've thought long and hard about what
Athena could go through and, regardless of Dr.
Wilker's experimentation, Athena will be affected just
as everyone in the fleet has been.  It's going to be a
difficult journey for her and I know that she needs a
strong presence with her if she is to survive."

"Death would be a blessing if the darkness should
enfold her."  She leaned forward much as Adama had a
moment before.  "Are you prepared to sacrifice your
daughter to that madness?"

Adama drew back slightly.  "I would prefer to take
that risk myself."

"Unfortunately, you don't have that luxury, Adama."

He nodded solemnly.  "I'm praying that Athena's inner
strength will be enough to sustain her."  He smiled at
Gaea.  "She reminds me of her mother in that regard."
His expression grew serious once more.  "I'm trusting
you with my baby girl's life."

Gaea's head bobbed once in acceptance.  "I will trade
my life to protect hers," she swore then her gaze
turned toward the door as if watching some unseen
force entering the room.  "The dreams have begun."

~~~

Athena tossed in her bunk as the hiss of the viper
filled the air around her.  The long corridors twisted
in the surreal world of her dream.  She could hear the
voices of those screaming around her, but even the
sound of terror couldn't drown out the hiss.  She knew
she had to find it.  She had to close in the serpent
before it could strike.  Shrouded figures ran passed
in every direction, fleeing for their lives.  Still
Athena struggled to find the hiss.

Suddenly the halls around her were cleared.  She
searched the corridors, but everyone had vanished.
Yet the hiss remained.  She felt herself compelled to
follow the sound.  She moved in desperation searching.
 Then, as she drifted into one of the compartments,
she found her brother cornered by a viper poised to
strike.  She couldn't move.  She couldn't speak as she
watched the serpent lunge then her brother dropped to
the floor.

"Apollo!"

Athena bolted upright in her bunk and looked around
quickly.  Her heart was pounding in her chest and she
felt more exhausted than before she went to sleep.
She touched a hand to her sweaty brow as she tried to
calm herself.  "It was just a dream," she whispered.
"Just a dream.  Nothing more."

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Adama's brows were drawn together as he contemplated
his conversation with Gaea.  When she had sensed that
Athena was awake, Gaea went in search of her.  Adama
was amazed at the connection Gaea had already
established with his daughter and it gave him hope
that Gaea would be able to keep her promise.

"Commander," Tigh said as he bounded up the stairs to
Adama's side at command center on the bridge.  "We may
have a problem."

"Only one?" Adama asked as he turned to face the
colonel.

"The Nomen on the Borella freighter have started some
sort of ceremony.  The flight commander there says he
thinks it's a war ritual."

"What's the security like on the Borella?"

"There is none," Tigh said breathlessly.  "The Nomen
drove out Council security.  The only people on board
other than the Nomen are the command crew."

"Has Captain Apollo returned from the Electronics
ship?"

"Not yet Commander."

Adama thought for several microns.  "Have Bojay
investigate with a short squadron.  I don't want to
invite combat with the Nomen by sending in a large
force.  Does anyone know what touched them off?"

"The flight commander said that he recently heard a
rumor we had the Nomen on the prison barge executed."

"What?  But they escaped with the Eastern Alliance and
landed on Lunar 7."

"Apparently the Nomen believe that is a cover story."

Adama's brow furrowed as he clasped his hands behind
his back.  "It's not like we can present them with any
proof," he thought aloud.  He signed heavily.  "If
necessary, we'll arrange a council of war with the
Nomen leader.  Hopefully we can stop this before it
gets out of hand."

~~~

"What's going on here?" Apollo asked as he and
Starbuck brought the shuttle to a halt on the Rising
Star's landing bay.

"Looks like a mob scene," Starbuck returned.  "But
where's security?"

Sheba and Boomer unbuckled their harnesses and went to
see what the others were talking about.  "Oh great,"
Boomer said with distaste.  "It's Tollen and his crew.
 They're annoying, but basically harmless."

"Who?" Apollo asked simply.

"You must not have seen the IFB lately," Boomer
returned.

"Apollo and I have been ship jumping for the past
several sectaries," Starbuck explained.

Sheba and Boomer exchanged a glance, knowing that they
wouldn't like what Tollen stood for.  "Tollen is the
leader of a group of people called the Illuminati.
Basically, they pay homage to the force that ignited
the growth of our food supply in our agro pods."

Starbuck looked at the crowd outside then back at
Boomer.  "They look a little rowdy for people who
worship food," he said sarcastically.

"I can't say that I blame them entirely," Apollo said.
 "Those ships of light are far beyond our
capabilities.  It's understandable for people to
revere something so advanced especially when their
mere presence provided us with such an abundance of
primaries."

Sheba and Boomer exchanged another look.  "It's not
the ships of light that they honor," Boomer corrected.
 "It's Count Iblis," he added and received shocked
reactions from both Apollo and Starbuck.

"You've got to be kidding," Starbuck insisted.  "That
guy was straight out of Hades and they worship him?
If it were left up to him, half the fleet would be
dead an."

"Starbuck," Apollo interrupted and discreetly shook
his head.  Apollo suspected that Sheba had never
really forgiven herself for falling for Count Iblis'
wiles.

"It's okay Apollo," Sheba said as she gave him a
teary-eyed smile.

"Well, what do you thing about checking this guy out?"
Starbuck suggested to change the subject.

"I'm right behind you," Apollo returned.

The four of them stepped off the shuttle into the
midst of cheers.  "Tollen!  Tollen!"  Over the din, a
boisterous laugh could be heard and the crowd stilled.
 "Thank you my brothers and sisters, but it is not I
that you should be venerating.  I am merely one of the
flock.  I too have been blessed with the gifts of the
gods and I too give thanks to those that protect us."

As Tollen continued to speak a low murmuring chant of
"Iblis" began.  "The Ancients were visited by one such
as our beloved.  In the Book of the Word, it speaks of
the luminous beings and the miraculous gifts that were
bestowed on those who believed."  Tollen held his arms
wide.  "We are receiving those gifts once more.  I
don't know what frail scrap of our human existence
that these beings see in us, but because of it, we
have been deemed worthy.  They have come in search of
us once more, as they had our ancestors, and what did
we do?  We cast them out!  Our beloved Count was
marooned on an alien planet and yet he still provides
his blessings."  Tollen searched the eyes of his
captivated crowd.  The multitude of people still
carried on their soft chant.  "And what did Count
Iblis ask in return?  Merely to follow him.  Nothing
more."

"Nothing more than your very soul," Apollo said,
unable to remain silent any longer.

"And here we go," Starbuck whispered as he caught
Boomer's eye.  They knew that Apollo wouldn't be able
to control his anger once he found out what Tollen's
crusade was about.

Apollo walked along the outskirts of the crowd as he
drew closer to Tollen.  "Iblis wanted nothing more
than to subjugate the entire fleet."

"And what is the difference between Iblis leadership
and Adama's?" Tollen shot back.  "Are we not expected
to follow Adama's laws and edicts?"

"Commander Adama's first concern has always been the
welfare of the fleet," Apollo argued.  "He doesn't
demand to be worshipped."

"But he does expect us to follow him," Tollen
countered then chuckled.  "Why else are we on this
endless voyage across the heavens?"

"To escape the Cylon Empire."  Apollo stated the
obvious.  "To ensure the survival of our race.  To
make sure that we live free and are not dominated by
any power other than our own."

Tollen held his hands out once more.  "But we had the
opportunity to eliminate the Cylon threat.  Count
Iblis could have removed them far from us, but
warriors such as yourself decided that you didn't want
to lose control.  You condemned the entire fleet to a
ceaseless pursuit from the Cylons by abandoning our
only hope."

Apollo was about to respond when a loud hiss filled
the air and everyone's attention was drawn to a
maintenance crew member stumbling into the landing
bay.  A fine white mist began to seep from the
ventilation ducts as the crewman collapsed onto the
deck.  Apollo was the first at his side.  "What is it?
 What happened?" he asked the barely conscious man.

"Solon leak," he managed between hacking coughs.
"Meds."  He gestured toward the door he had just come
through before passing out.

As Boomer, Starbuck and Sheba crouched down beside the
unconscious man, Apollo was already on the move toward
the door.  "Get those people out of here," he ordered.
 "There's a solon leak."

"Hey!  Where are you doing?" Starbuck yelled at
Apollo's back.

"He said the meds were in there.  Hopefully there will
be something to counteract the poisoning," Apollo said
simply then took a deep breath and hurried down the
mist-filled corridor.

"You heard the man," Boomer ordered in a loud voice to
get above the growing panic in the bay.  "Everyone
into the shuttle now!"

Starbuck jumped up and grabbed the lieutenant's arm.
"Boomer.  The shuttle is flying on vapors.  We need
fuel before we can launch or we'll never make it back
to the Galactica."

"There's no time," Boomer returned.  "Getting as many
people out of here as possible is our only concern
right now.  We've got to get them away from the solon
gas.  We'll worry about how to get them back on board
later."

When the warning lights went off, Starbuck and Boomer
looked around quickly and saw that Sheba had gotten to
a control panel to set off the alert.  Boomer looked
back at Starbuck.  "We need to make sure that as many
people as possible get on every available ship docked
here."

Apollo emerged once more from the foggy corridor with
a life mask on and carrying a medical kit.  He quickly
pulled off his mask and slipped it onto the
unconscious man as he knelt beside him.  "Sheba?"  He
looked for her just as she ran back to his side.  "I
need you to find the counter-agent in this kit and get
this man on the shuttle."

"Wait!"  She grabbed his arm when he rose.  "Where are
you going?"

"We've got to shut down the ventilation system before
it floods the entire ship."

"But what about the life mask?" she asked.  "If you
breath in any of that solon."

"I'll find another one along the way," he said and
disappeared around a corner.

Apollo was met head on with dozens of people pushing
and shoving their way to the launch bay.  Each time he
passed an emergency kit mounted on the wall, he
checked for masks, but every one had been taken.  As
the mist began to fill the corridors, Apollo's head
began to pound.  He kept his mouth covered with the
lapel of his uniform jacket, but he knew that it would
do little good as a filter.

He began to cough when he finally managed to find the
main ventilation, but he was able to shut down the
system without incident.  Before leaving, he checked
the medical kit for a life mask and found that it had
been pirated just like the rest.

His next thought was to alert the Galactica.  His eyes
began to water heavily, but he was able to punch the
code into the unicom to give him an outside link.
"Mayday.  Mayday.  This is Captain Apollo aboard the
Rising Star.  Mayday, may."

Apollo felt his knees buckle and he tried to catch
himself as he stumbled.  The room began to spin as he
braced himself against the wall.  Microns later, he
landed hard against the metal floor.