The story you are about to read is not meant to infringe on any preexisting copyrights. This is just for personal pleasure. This story takes place 20 weeks later after Death Trap part 3. Since then, Starbuck began having nightmares about his crash, so Adama has promoted Starbuck to Captain and has given him a job of teaching young warrior cadets to fly better in combat. For Many years, we have believed that there were other intelligent life somewhere across the vastness of space, but little do we know that other tribes of humans, at this very moment, are struggling to survive. They have conquered many perils, but their one mission is to find a planet that they believed only existed in their myths, a planet known as Earth. This fleet of humans have traveled far and through many unimaginable terrors, but they remain confident that someday soon, they will find Earth, led by the last of the Battlestars. The Last Battlestar by Joshua S. Richards Based on BattleStar Galactica by Glen A. Larson The Legendary Bane Feeling in his body slowly began to come back. He could feel, what felt like a million of tiny needles pricking him everywhere on his body. His strength was not coming back to him as quickly as his senses. He never thought that a man that was a strong as he was, would feel so helpless. His strength was apparent by the shape of his body. He was very tall and a big! His muscles were like mountains, his strength was usually uncanny. His height brought fear to all who set their eyes upon him. He had short brown hair. The first thing he was able to do was open his eyes. He found himself looking up at a dark metal ceiling. He couldn't remember much about what had happen; his memory was coming back to his in tiny pieces. The first thing he could remember was that he was a colonial warrior names Lieutenant Bane, one of the best viper pilots in the colonies. The sight of the dull metal ceiling bored him. He must find out where he was! Bane's determination gave him just enough strength to sit up. Looking forward, he saw something that sparked not only several more memories, but anger as well. He was staring down a shinny silver metal body with a streaking red bean moving from the left to the right as it's eyes. The metal body resembled much like a human body, but with more strength. The figure held a laser rifle, ready to use if needed. He was staring down at the most hated species that the galaxy has ever known; A Cylon centurion guard! "The humanoid has awakened," another centurion guard said from his right. He hated being referred to as a machine by these tin cans! They referred everything as if they were mechanical just like they were. "Ah, excellent!" a more human like voice said, but still with a hint of a android's accent. This voice came from behind him, and he was to sore to turn to see who had responded. Luckily, he didn't have to turn, the Cylon started walking around him to be able to face him. From as much as Bane could remember, he had never seen this type of Cylon before. The body was also like a human body, but much more thinner than a centurion, and his arms were a little too big, which made his neck look like it pushed up the head to high over the shoulders. The Cylon's face was almost perfect resemblance of a human face, except for, : the face was metal, his eyes were lit up, and his mouth lit up whenever he spoke. The Cylon had a cone head, which pointed upward. Bane could see inside the head, were multi-colored flashing lights, blinking on and off in various places, which looked like its brain. Bane could not hold his curiosity back. "What type of Cylon are you?" Band had a very deep, penetrating male's voice. "That's right, I forgot, our type hasn't been made for combat during your time." The Cylon spoke to himself, just like a normal human did. "My type doesn't matter. I am Lucifer, the commander of this basestar that you are on." Basestar! That was where he was! More memories flooding his mind. He had been captured by the Cylons, somehow. They were lucky, that was all. As soon as he gained his strength back, he would tear all their heads off their mechanical bodies. "We have awakened you from your carbonation freeze." Lucifer continued to update the outdated warrior. That's what they did to him! Those stupid tin cans put him on ice! Why, though? Cylons had never cared to preserve a human before. All they cared about was killing every last being in the galaxy. "So, let me guess, you awakened me, hoping that I would forget everything you did to me, and use me to destroy the colonies for you. Forget it, I will never help you tin cans out!" Lucifer let out a playful chuckle. "No, no. There is no need for that. You see, it is now over fifty yahrens since we had put you in carbonation freeze. Back then, we had hoped to start a certain experiment, but it is no longer needed." Fifty Yahrens! He had been asleep for that long? The colonies would assume he would have been killed in the battle back then. They probably have forgotten about him by now. "You see," Lucifer continued to update Bane on current events that he had missed out. "The colonies have all ready been destroyed. All human life has been terminated, except for small fleet led by one last battlestar, who has been giving us a little trouble, but that problem will soon be erased because of my leadership." Lucifer said proudly. Baltar had failed many times under his reign of command. He was a fool. Why he was promoted to commander before Lucifer was, Lucifer would never know. The shock of the terrifying news had settled in. The Cylons had been successful in terminating all the humans. It couldn't be true! The human will to survive was greater than the will of the Cylons to get rid of the race. It had to be! "Anyway, I have been ordered to awaken you from your sleep, and carry out your execution." Lucifer finished up his updating for the outdated warrior. There wasn't much more to live for, now since the human race was destroyed. No! Lucifer had mentions about one battlestar which they had trouble with. If they were having this much trouble with trying to get rid of it, he may actually still have another chance to help the human race survive. This basestar, if his guess was accurate, should at this very moment be following closely behind the battlestar. He knew he could easily escape from these underestimating tin cans, but are they actually following close enough so he will not run out of fuel before reaching the Galactica? "Your execution shall be carried out in one centar, when you are strong enough to stand. In the meantime, one of the centurion guards will provide you with some clothes. Until then, make good out of the short time you have left." Lucifer turned in his spot and headed out of the room. Apparently, the Cylons really do not know about his incredible strengths. This will make his escape even easier. Bane moved his sore arm around. His strength was slowly seeping back into him. One centar, that will be more than enough time. Bane walked around the empty, depressing room. The Cylons had somehow got their hands on a colonial uniform that fit him, and gave it to him. His arms were shackled behind his back. He found them very annoying, but if the escape was to work, he had to take the annoyance just a little bit longer. By now, it was just about time for his "execution." A centurion guard stood at each side of the door, holding their laser rifles in hand, ready to shoot him down, if he had tried anything funny. A gold plated centurion entered the through the sliding door. The two silver plated centurions stood straight in attention. "Bring in the human." This centurion had a deeper voice than the silver ones did. Bane followed the golden plated centurion, while the two silver ones followed behind him, pointing their laser rifles at his back, making sure he didn't try to escape. Bane looked around the halls of the basestar. Not much had changed, design-wise, in over fifty yahrens. The golden centurion brought Bane into the commander's room. Lucifer, instead of sitting in his high throne was standing in the middle of the dimly litted room. Lucifer looked at them, anxious to carry out the execution which had finally came. The centurions forced him to stand in the middle of the spotlight, which was the only light that had shinned on the ground from the ceiling. Lucifer was standing in the shadows, but Bane could see the blinking lights off his head, and the dull blue glowing eyes staring at him so heavily, and with so much evil in his eyes. "Well, Lieutenant Bane, do you have any last words to say, before your sentence is carried out?" Lucifer said. If he had lips, Bane would be able to see his evil grin on his face. "In fact, I do." Bane said calmly, in his very deep manly voice. "I am going to rip your circuitry out of your tin shells, and rip the heads off these centurion's bodies." Lucifer chuckled with delight. "I think not. Centurion, fire!" The golden centurion pointed his laser rifle at Bane's chest, and fired one shot. Bane didn't fall or even move an inch. There was a burnt mark in Bane's shirt where the laser had hit him. Lucifer was astonished at what he had just seen. "This is illogical! No species can withstand a laser fire!" "Oh, I must have forgotten to tell you, I have built up a mild resistance to your laser rifles, thanks to my very deep and thick skin.." Bane remarked. He pulled his arms apart, shattering the shackles that had embraced him, and he raised his arms to show what was left of the shackles that they had put on him. If Lucifer had facial expressions, he would have had a look of horror on his face. "This can not be! Guards, stop him!" The golden centurion dropped his rifle and went to draw his sword, but Band had turned around and punched the centurion so hard, his fist went through the face of the centurion. As he pulled his fist out of the centurion's face, it's head ripped off it's shoulders. Broken wires sparked from where the head use to be, and the body dropped down with a quick thump. Bane through the head of the golden centurion at one of the silver centurions. The impact had knocked off that centurion's head off as well. The third centurion guard charged at Bane, with it's sword held ready to strike down the strong human. Seeing the charging centurion guard with the corner of his eye, he turned and caught the centurions wrist as it swung the sword. Bane's grip was so strong, the wrist ripped off the centurions arm. Bane grabbed the sword, in the centurions confusion, he threw it at Lucifer. Before he could react, the sword went through the thin chest of the commander. Lucifer's chest started sparking and letting out steam. The Cylon leader fell unto his back, and shut off. Bane quickly ran out of the commander's room, knowing it will be only time until the whole basestar was made aware of what had happened to it's commander. Bane only hoped that he remembered correctly where the launching bay was. Fortunately, Bane knew that there was not many rooms in the basestar, so any door that he saw could easily be the launching bay. Machines didn't need much else beside a control center, a radar center, a commander's room, and the launching and landing bays. They needed no rooms to sleep in, they never sleep. That was one of the few advantages the Cylons had over the humans. Two, unexpecting centurion guards were marching down the hallway, when they saw Bane running right at them like a thrusting colonial viper. The two guards had no time to react. Bane had simply stuck out his hands, like a football player, and knocked them both down. He was coming up into a circular room which led nowhere, except for a ladder going up a thin round pipe. He recognized it, and remembered that that was where the launching and the landing bays were. Bane quickly raced up the stares that went up quite a ways. When he reached the top, he pushed open the heavy round metal hatch and climbed out, closing it behind him. Bane found himself in another hallway, but there were a few doors on the right side. One just a few feet away from him, and another several yards further down. If he remembered right, the closer one was the launching bay. Bane could hear the faint sound of clanging metal. There were many clanging on the metal floor. The centurions were unto him, and they were coming right towards him! Bane quickly ran into the first room, and found his guess to be right. The room was full of at least over a hundred of fueled Cylon raiders, line up diagonally. As he made his way towards the closest one, the door slid behind him, and a large group of centurion guards stood their, with their guns aiming at the fleeing human. Bane reached a raider and quickly flew up the ladder, just as the group of centurions opened fired. The first round of fire was heading right for his ankles, but he had pulled them up into the raider just a sixth of a micron away from being hit. Bane ran up to the cockpit and kneeled between the two pilot seats. Cylon Raiders were flown by two Cylons, but there was only one of him. He knew this was going to be very uncomfortable and hard, but it beats being executed, any day. Bane fired up the engines, and placed both of his thumbs on the two thumb pads, and slowly the Cylon raider lifted up off the ground, and he piloted right out of the basestar. The group of centurions quickly hustled to their raiders and in pursuit of the escaping colonial human. The human had to be terminated, and not allowed to join the other humanoids who they were currently following, or it could mean disaster for the Cylon race. Bane quickly turned on his radar and tracking systems, knowing full well that they were not going to allow him to just fly off to find the battlestar which they were trying to destroy. He may be ruining a plan they had developed, or there was even a small chance that they allowed him to escape as part of the plan, but Bane doubted that option very heavily. Those tin cans couldn't think up of that brilliant of an idea. That would be more of a human method of attacking. Just as he had predicted, the Cylons wasted no time in following him. This proved, without a doubt, that they didn't allow him to escape, much as he had thought. A line of Cylon raiders had flown up behind him, ready to shoot at him. Bane counted only eight perusing raiders. This was going to be easy as cake. Bane piloted his raider twenty degrees upward, and then rolled off to the right, predicting this move would cause the line to separate and attack him signally. The line of eight Cylon raiders split up into two groups of four. One group followed him, the other continued forward, in an attempt to predict where he was going, so they could attack him from the front. Bane knew he had only a short time until the second group of raiders will attack him by the front, and he had that amount of time to destroy the group that was on his tail, that was trying to get a lock on him. It was time for Bane to pull one of his special maneuvers. Bane pulled his raider and flew straight up. The G force pushed made him slide back a little, but he his hold on the two control panels kept him between the two seats. The Cylons did exactly the same, and flew straight up. Bane quickly turned his raider back around and thrusted straight down, right at the group of four Cylon raiders. The four Cylon raiders separated just enough for him to race right through the group. Bane quickly piloted his raider to fly straight up again, and now he was on all four of their tails before they realized what had just happened. Just as the group of raiders were about to disperse and fly back down, Bane open fired, and was able to knock out one of the four fighters. Due to the high, abnormal angle of their raiders, the centurions were staggering to gain control back of their fighters, as they tried to fly back down. One of the raiders were so out of control, it accidentally crashed into another raider, destroying the both of them. Three down, one to go in the following group. Bane saw the second group of raiders coming straight at him, and as he had expected, the last raider in the first group was coming straight down at his back. Bane quickly flew downward and under the second group. The one raider flew right through the second group of raiders, crashing into the last raider in the formation. The three remaining ships were flying in all directions, dazed and confused at what had just happened. They had never seen this kind of piloting before, and they had no warning of just how good this human was. Now the three raiders were flying in different directions, unsure about how to proceed from here. Bane quickly took advantage of their confusion, and got on the tail of one of the raiders. Bane let out round of laser fire at the raider, easily erasing it from existence. Two more raiders to go! The two Cylon raiders had regain their senses and had somehow sneaked up on his tail. They had acted like they were confused, to be able to get back on his tail. Very clever, he thought to himself. Bane grabbed lightly to his control panels and spread out his legs to push up against the two seats, to avoid any sliding in this next maneuver he was about to do, and started making rapid three hundred and sixty degree spins over and over. "Where is the human?" the centurion sitting in the middle command chair asked the two piloting centurions. "We have lost him." One of the pilots replied in response. "Impossible. A raider doesn't have the capability of cloaking!" Just like old times, the Cylon's vision was still extremely limited, and couldn't see anything that made rapid movements like he was doing, a trick he had learned many yahrens ago. He continued spinning as he flew downward, to allow the Cylons to pass him. The two remaining raiders flew past him, unaware of his current location. Bane quickly stopped his spinning, and pulled up right on their tails. "The human has appeared right behind us!" the left centurion pilot exclaimed in warning. "Break formation!" The commanding centurion ordered urgently. Bane released a heavy volley of laser fire at the two last Cylon raiders. He was only able to turn one of them in burning vapor dust, the second had rolled off to the right. Bane followed closely behind, not allowing the last raider to sneak up on his tail. Again, he let out a volley of laser fire, and the last raider was destroyed. Bane sighed with relief. His knees were hurting from kneeling between the two pilot seats. Bane slowly stood up, and listened to his knees cracking. It felt good to get off the floor. He sat down in the left pilot seat and reached over with his right hand to the control panel for the second seat. It felt awkward to reach out to fly, but it was better than being dead! Bane flew forward, in the direction that the basestar was heading, hoping that the battlestar was in that direction. Bane thought about his younger brother, which now may look way much older than he was, due to his suspended animation. He wished he was able to settle all their arguments before Bane was captured. They had always argued. Bane's younger brother was always jealous of Bane's popularity as a warrior. Bane's brother goal was to command a basestar, so he held different positions than Bane, and he had always was upset at Bane for being more popular. With any luck, his brother may be in the last battlestar, or may even be commanding it! Bane looked down at the fuel gauge. With any luck, he'll have enough fuel to make it to the battlestar. Starbuck was at the officer's lounge with his best friend, Apollo, drinking a cup of ambrosia, their favor alcoholic beverage. The time they spent together had been dramatically shorter, due to the fact that Starbuck was unable to fly out into battles with Apollo. Starbuck had been paralyzed in a crash landing on the Galactica shortly before finding the planet Toltron. Since then, Starbuck had been promoted to captain, and was moved to teach cadets how to survive during battles in their vipers. Starbuck and Apollo were in two totally different departments of the Galactica, and had hardly enough time to sit down together like old times. "So, Captain Starbuck," Apollo emphasized "captain." "How are the new recruits doing?" "They are doing great." Starbuck admitted. "They'll be ready to go out to battle with you very shortly. I taught them everything I know." Starbuck said pridefully. Apollo grinned. "I guess I'll be flying with twelve of you up there. And I thought one of was enough for anyone." Starbuck smiled at his friend's joke. "You can never get enough of a good thing." Starbuck returned, taking another sip of his alcoholic beverage. Apollo laughed and also took a sip of his ambrosia. After swallowing the cool tingly feeling of the ambrosia, Apollo changed topics to something he had troubles believing that Starbuck had done. "How is your marriage life, Mr. Starbuck? You've been married for how long now, three sectares?" "That's right." Starbuck nodded, also unable to believe that he was now married, and had given up his bachlerhood. "Cassiopeia and I hope to have our one yahren anniversary on Earth, that would make such a great honeymoon for us." "Yes, it would." Apollo agreed, painfully remembering the fact that he and Serina never had a honeymoon before her death. Serina was just a news reporter back on Caprica, but since the Cylon's holocaust back at the colonies, Apollo was able to meet her and Boxey. That's when they first fell in love. Shortly afterwards, they were married. The wedding service had just finished when they had found the lost planet of Kobol, and it was there Serina was killed, not even twenty-four centares later. Serina was killed by the Cylons, and he had never quite gotten over it since recently when he and Sheba, the daughter of the legendary Commander Cain, started going steady. Recently, their relationship was endangered, when Serina returned to the Galactica, exclaiming that the Cylons had brought her back alive, and she was able to escape. Apollo was blinded by his passionate love that still burned for her, that he failed to see that she was a Cylon android, who planned to deliver the Galactica to Baltar. It was funny, when Apollo was married, Starbuck said that he was sort of jealous of him, and now it had turned around, Apollo was now feeling a little jealous of Starbuck. Before Starbuck could say anything else, Cassiopeia rushed into the officer's lounge towards him. For the first time, that Starbuck could recall, Cassiopeia wasn't smiling, but had a nervous look on her face. Starbuck didn't like the look on her face, it usually meant that something was wrong. "Starbuck, can I talk to you alone for a centon?" "Sure thing, Cass. Excuse me for a micron." Starbuck said to Apollo has he backed up his hover chair, and followed his wife towards the sliding door, where there were less people around. Cassiopeia stopped shortly before reaching the sliding door. Starbuck hovered around her to face her. "What's wrong, honey?" "Starbuck..." Her nervous didn't sit well with him, seeing the nervous look on the face of a beautiful woman with long straight blond hair. "I awakened this morning, and I felt sick to my stomach." "Maybe you ate some bad food last night?" Starbuck suggested. "No, it's not food problems." Cassiopeia assured. She was a nurse, she knew when it was food poison or indigestion. "Then, what is it?" Starbuck asked with a concerned and a confused look on his face. The concerned look on face disappeared when Cassiopeia gave a small smile, which he knew meant that nothing was seriously wrong. "Starbuck, I'm pregnant." Starbuck sat there staring at her, stunned at the news that he had just been brought. He wasn't expecting to have children so soon after their marriage. He wasn't expecting to have children, period. He never thought of the possibility of him being a father, and now it was apparently time to start thinking about it. "Are you sure? We've only been married for three sectares." "I'm sure, Starbuck. Cassiopeia smiled. "We're going to have a child." Starbuck began to feel joy over this news. He was going to have a child! He was actually going to have a child! "Whoo!" Starbuck shouted with joy, pulling her down on his lap and kissed her. Starbuck's screaming had caught the attention of every warrior in the room. Everyone was staring at them, some turned back to whatever they were doing. Cassiopeia stood up from his lap. "Let's go tell Apollo." The two of them headed back to the table, where Apollo watched them coming back to him with a interest look on his face. "What happened?" "Get this Apollo, Cass and I are going to have a child!" Starbuck had his childlike enthusiastic look on his face. "Get out of here." Apollo smiled looking up at Cassiopeia for a confirmation to this news. Cassiopeia nodded to let him know that it was true. "That's fantastic!" Apollo jumped to his feet, reached over the table, and shook his best friend's hand, and a friendly hug to Cassiopeia. "Come on! We have to tell everyone!" Boomer was in his tan uniform when he met everyone outside the door to the bridge. Athena had just come out from the bridge, shortly following her father, Commander Adama. Starbuck and Cassiopeia were all ready out there when the crowd began to form because of Apollo going around calling everyone one out. Kornel had walked up with Apollo and Sheba, happy to get away from cleaning his new lab, which was almost finished doing. Apollo had his arm around Sheba, the beautiful brown haired warrior, and the daughter of Commander Cain, who Apollo was going steady with. Athena broke the tension, and spoke out the question that everyone had on their mind. "Apollo, what is this exciting news you have for us?" Athena was anxious to knowing what it was. "Yea, I was in the middle of a good dream." Boomer let out a long yawn, and rubbed his watery eyes. "It's not my good news. Tell them." Apollo looked over at Starbuck and Cassiopeia. Cassiopeia was embarrassed from all the attention but Starbuck just plain out felt stupid. He had almost forgotten that this announcement was big. The coming of a child usually called for a celebration of friends and family. They took this announcement as one of the greatest blessings in a humans life. Starbuck never thought that he would ever be in the middle of one of these celebration. "Well, Cass just informed me that we will be having a child." "Your pregnant!" Sheba's eyes opened wide with joy, looking over at Cassiopeia. Cassiopeia nodded, unable to say a word from her embarrassment. All the girls seemed to squeal with delight as they gathered around her and congratulated her, while all the men gather around Starbuck. "Congratulations, Starbuck!" Boomer patted Starbuck on his shoulders. "Yes, Congratulations, and may the lords of Kobal bless you two during this blessed time. A celebration is in order!" Adama announced to everyone. Colonel Tigh came rushing out the doors to the bridge and straight toward Commander Adama. "Commander, we a have a Cylon raider approaching." Adama noticed that there was no S after raider. "Just one?" "Affirmative, Commander." Colonel Tigh answered. Adama looked at his atrusted son, the squadron leader of the blue squadron. "Apollo, you; Sheba; and lieutenant Boomer go shoot the one fighter out of the sky. No doubt that it was sent out to find us. When you three return, all of us will head toward the officers lounge and celebrate this joyous occasion." "Yes, Father." Without him telling them, Boomer, and Sheba followed him toward the launching bay. Starbuck remembered the time when Commander Adama had always put his name up there with Apollo's. Apollo and he always went out together. Starbuck was one of the best pilots out there! Because of his accident, around twenty sectares ago, he never again will feel the joy of fighting along side his best friend. It was times like this that he really began hating being paralyzed. As if she could read his mind, placed her warm, sensitive hand on his shoulder. She hated seeing him like this. It pained her when he was tortured by not being able to go out into battle. Yes, she never really liked him going out and getting shot, but she also hated seeing him depressed, which was more important than her personal feelings. "You two can come in, this shouldn't take long." Commander Adama offered, feeling guilty that he was forced to break this joyous occasion which seldom came since the destruction of the colonies. Starbuck and Cassiopeia followed the commander and Colonel Tigh inside. Starbuck almost forgot what is was like being on the bridge; he had been away from it way to long. Since his accident, he became more like a civilian, Just like he remembered, to his left was the rectangular radar board with red, curvy lines. In front was the stairwell to the posts where officers had control of the battlestar. To his right was the ramp up to the Commander's station, where he had his personal comlink, and where he can pull up stats from any of the stations. This placement put Adama and Colonel Tigh above the officers who controlled the battlestar. There was a railing in between the commander and the small fall to where the officers were. This was to prevent the commander from falling just in case of the ship being attack and taking a few powerful hits. Adama sat on his black leather chair, looking on his personal radar screen. Colonel Tigh pointed out the triangle shape of the green monochrome screen grid. "This is not like the Cylons to send out just one raider to attack an entire basestar!" "Don't forget Commander, we're talking about Count Baltar." Tigh reminded his older friend. In fact, their age was very close, but Colonel Tigh had been fortunate that his hair was not graying as fast as his old friend. Just hearing the name Baltar brought back the anger against the most hated person in the galaxy. The person who first sold out his own colonies which caused their deaths, and then later lead the second human holocaust. "Quite true." Adama admitted. Adama stood up straight from his chair and shouted out to the officers, "Close shield!" The window in front of the bridge was slowly covered by two metal protectors on the outside of the ship. As soon as the shield was totally closed, Adama let out another command. "Let's launch out three vipers to intercept. "Apollo is ready to launch." Athena called out to her father from her station. "Proceed to launch the three vipers." Adama gave the final command to have his son and his friends to launch out into space." The three vipers raced down their launching tubes and penetrated the emptiness of space. The vipers made a U-turn and flew past the Galactica, towards the incoming Cylon Raider. "Let's make this quick and easy and get back to the Galactica to celebrate. Flip on your scanners." Apollo announced. Boomer and Sheba did as instructed. The blank dark green screen turned into a monochrome screen with a light green grid with several squares. A triangle was slowly moving down the round screen. The rectangle was the Cylon raider. "I can't believe Starbuck is actually going to be raising a family." Boomer commented, the news that he received back on the Galactica, still fresh in his mind. "It felt like just yesterday that he was up here with us, and kissing every girl that he meets." "I know. I never thought of Starbuck as someone who would settle down either, but I think it is the best thing for him to do at this point." Apollo agreed. He remembered when he broke his bachelor days to marry Serina, but unfortunately, that marriage lasted very shortly, when she was killed by a Centurion. It has only been recently, back at Toltron, when he and Sheba started getting closer. Before then, he had been afraid of letting her get close to him. When the first they met, he was basically at her throat most of the times. He guessed that it was the first sign that he was falling in love again. "The Cylon fighter is approaching, Captain!" Sheba announced, not knowing that she had interrupted his thoughts. "Let's get this overwith. Stay in formation, and fire at will." Boomer let out the first shot at the Cylon raider. The Cylon, instead of retaliating, pulled upwards to fly above them. "He's not shoot at us!" Boomer couldn't believe that they haven't been fired at. "He's going on a kamikaze flight towards the Galactica! Let's stop him!" Apollo ordered. The three vipers pulled upward to prevent the single Cylon raider from getting past them, but just a few feet away from them, the Cylons made a ninety degree turn downward, going beneath them. "No Cylon could do a maneuver like that!" Sheba exclaimed. "Break Formation, and attack from all sides. We have a smart one here!" Apollo said urgently. The three vipers broke off in separate direction. Apollo followed the Cylon closely on his tail. Sheba was coming on the Cylon's left while Boomer was coming up to it's right. Apollo almost had a lock on the Cylon raider, and his thumb waited patiently to switch from the thrutster button on the left on the control stick, to the red fire button on the right. Before his viper was able to lock on, the Cylon raider twisting around in circles in it's spot. The viper's tracking system could not lock on the raider. "That can't be a Cylon in that fighter!" Apollo said unable to believe what he was witnessing. "Have they destroyed the Cylon yet?" Adama asked Colonel Tigh, who was looking onto his daughter's station. "Negative, Commander. The fighter isn't firing at anyone, and it giving our pilots the slip. Apollo believes that the raider is not being piloted by Cylons." "What does Baltar have up his sleeve that we do not know about?" Adama asked more to himself than any other person. This tactic was totally against Baltar's way of thinking. "Commander, listen." Colonel Tigh said. Adama kept quiet and listened to whatever Colonel Tigh heard. He could barley make out a series of low pitched beeping sounds with obvious patterns to them. "What do you make of it?" Tigh asked. "I don't know. Is that coming from the Cylon ship?" "Affirmative, Commander," Tigh responded. "Wait a minute!" Starbuck hovered his hoverchair closer to the Commander's station to listen to the series of low pitched beeps. "That sounds a lot like an ancient type of communication that the colonies had used before the Millennia War. I remember learning this form of code back at the Academy." "The fighter is trying to communicate with us with the old Morris code form of communication?" Tigh asked, unsure if this was even possible. "Can you understand it?" Adama asked. "I believe so." Starbuck sat there, carefully listening to each pattern. "...am not-Cylon. Am-warrior. Permission-to land." "Do you think that this code can be true?" Colonel Tigh looked over to Commander Adama, who was carefully thinking about the current situation. "That pilot of that raider is not flying like Cylon, plus he hasn't fired a shot at us." "A trap." Adama said. "But Commander, no android had ever understood this form of communication as far as we know. I find it very unlikely that they have just recently learned it to get at us," the colonel stated his thoughts. "The Cylons are sneaky. I will take no unnecessary risks." Adama said firmly. Adama hated the Cylons just as much as the Cylons hated humans. A few times they had tricked them into a trap, but Adama was not going to let it happen now, not when they are so close to Earth. "Commander, I have an idea. Why don't we send out a code back telling the fighter to land on a certain landing bay. If they land on the wrong one, then we can always send down our best soldiers to attack the intruder, but if it lands on the right one, then maybe there is a human or humans on that ship. The Worst possible scenario is that we have to get rid of three centurions." Starbuck suggested. Something inside of him told him to trust the visitor. "What if they are human and still land on the wrong landing bay?" Colonel Tigh asked Starbuck. "We look, before we shoot. It's the only way to be sure." "What if there is a homing device on the fighter itself." Adama pointed out. "It will lead the Cylons straight for us." "We can have the landing bay crew inspect the ship for a homing device. " Starbuck really wanted to know who that pilot was who still knew the old fashion colonial communication code. "Very Well. Call back all vipers!" Adama ordered the officers down at the stations toward the front of the bridge. "Send out a Morris code transmission to the fighter, instructing it to land on landing bay ALPHA, but have both landingbays ready for landing." "Yes, Commander." Colonel Tigh replied. "The fighter hasn't attacked the Galactica, and the Cylon's maneuvers will not allow us to take a clear shot!" Sheba exclaimed. She didn't know what to make of this whole situation. What were they suppose to do? "Let's bring it back to the Galactica. The Galactica is allowing the ship to land on landing bay ALPHA. Let's head for landing bay BETA." "What!" Boomer couldn't believe what he had heard. A Cylon fighter was being given permission to land on the Galactica, something he could envision. "Apparently, the pilot had made contact with the Galactica. We are instructed to land and join the warriors in seeing who is this pilot." "Okay." Boomer agreed, not sure that if this was a smart idea. Allowing that fighter land on the Galactica could be trouble if the pilot came to destroy the battlestar. A few good shots in the landing bay, and the whole battlestar could explode. Commander Adama, Colonel Tigh, Starbuck, Cassiopeia, and over a dozen warriors entered landing bay ALPHA. Apparently, the pilot knew which landing bay to go to. All the warriors stood in front of the commander and colonel to protect them just in case any centurion guards jumped out of the fighter and began a shooting spree. All the lasers were pointed toward the Cylon raider, with intensity building every second. Finally, someone began climbing down out of the Cylon fighter. They were human feet, which lightened some of the intensity, but no one dared put down his arms. The human was totally our of the fighter and standing before the warriors. The man was huge! He had to be six and a half cubics (foot = cubic) easily! His muscles stretched his colonial uniform out to as far as the material would go. This guy was like a walking mountain. The man's straight, brown hair was cut short. His face showed no fear, and strength could be seen through his eyes. Adama and Tigh was a little more relaxed when they saw him wearing a colonial uniform. They took several steps in front of the warriors. The Warriors cautiously moved for them to get through. "Welcome to the battlestar, Galactica!" Adama greeted. The man looked around, like he had never seen ship like this before, but what he said broke that theory. "It still feels like home." The man had a very deep mans voice. The man looked over at the Commander. "You must be the commander of this battlestar. What was the name of it again...Galactica?" "That is correct." Adama answered. The warriors behind them saw the peaceful intentions of the visitor, and lowered their lasers while the tall man shook the commander's and colonel's hands. "I am Commander Adama, and this is Colonel Tigh," Adama introduced. "I am lieutenant Bane," the tall man responded. "Bane!" Starbuck hovered up to the commander and colonel. Cassiopeia rushed to catch up with her husband. "You can't be lieutenant Bane! He was killed over fifty yahrens ago during an attack on Caprica! Bane was the greatest viper pilot that the colonies have ever seen!" "I was assumed to be dead, but the Cylons had actually put me on ice for fifty yahrens." "On ice? That is not like the Cylons to put anyone in carbonate freeze. Even now it is rarely attempted." Adama commented. "I wish I knew. They said something about some sort of experiment, but that it was no longer needed due to the destruction of the colonies. That is why they released me with intentions of executing me. I had other plans." Bane smiled. "Oh by the way, those three pilots you sent out after me, they were good. Maybe some of my knowledge can turn your pilots into several tough squadrons which will give the Cylons much trouble. I know many of the Centurion's disabilities." "Was that flying you did out there one of your special tricks against the Cylons?" Colonel Tigh asked. He couldn't help but be fascinated about this legendary warrior. "Yes. The Cylons, much against everyone's belief, has very poor eye sight. Their read beam eyes can not see any ship that is in constant movement. Their vision is based on the shapes of objects. If an object constantly changes shapes, it basically turns invisible to the Cylons and they often get confused long enough to be able to destroy them." "I never realized that!" Starbuck said in amazement. Starbuck was totally stunned at the knowledge that this one warrior has that can save the Galactica many times in battles to come. Commander Adama was also fascinated with this tid bit of knowledge. He wished he would have known this information back when he was a warrior. Inside of Adama, hew as absolutely sure that this person was telling the truth. "Bane, I would like to get a DNA sample from you, and file it along with the other samples of all the warriors, if you do not mind." Cassiopeia asked this tall man, almost feeling embarrassed by the tremendous height difference between them. "I do not know if that will be possible. You see, I have very thick skin, but I'm willing to give a try." Bane agreed, remembering his small burn mark on his chest from the Cylon's trying to execute him back on the basestar. "Well, I guess this means you will be staying with us with the rest of our journey toward Earth. It will be an honor in having a legend like you with us on board the Galactica." Adama greeted, giving him a handshake to welcome him to their battlestar. "Father!" Apollo called out, racing into the landing bay along with Sheba and Boomer. "Ah, Excellent timing, Apollo." Adama greeted as the three warrior joined the small group. "Bane I want you to meet the three pilots that were chasing you. The first one, the captain of the Blue Rouge Squadron is my son, Apollo." Bane revealed a friendly smile on his face as he reached his hand out to greet the Commander's son, Captain Apollo. "That was some flying you three did out there. I'm sure you keep the Galactica well protected." "Funny, I was going to say the same thing to you." Apollo smiled shaking his hand, accepting his greeting. "This is lieutenant Sheba." Adama pointed out to the lovely long brown haired woman. She had the face of an angel, but seeing her by Apollo's side, Bane assumed the two of them were close. "Nice to meet you." Sheba smiled, also reaching her hand out. "My pleasure." Bane responded, shaking her hand. "And this is Lieutenant Boomer." Adama finished is introduction by pointing to him. "How are you doing." Boomer said, shaking Bane's hand. Boomer noticed the very strong grip that he had. His hand was sour, but he didn't want to show it. "This is lieutenant Bane." Commander Adama informed the three warriors. "Wait, you are the legendary Bane! You are the one known as the greatest viper pilot in the colonies!" Apollo couldn't believe what he was hearing. He had learned about this warrior in the academy. "In the flesh." Bane grinned. "How do you still look so young?" Boomer asked. "The Cylons captured me and put me on ice, keeping me in suspended animation." Bane informed the obviously confused warrior. "If you'll excuse the colonel and I, we must return to the bridge for a little while, because a celebration is going to be taken place. Starbuck and Cassiopeia over here are going to have a child." "A child?" Bane looked over at the crippled warrior, where a curly blond woman, who must have been Cassiopeia, was standing by his side, holding his hand in hers. "That's great news indeed!" He said, also excited about the news. "Congratulations to you two." "Thanks." Starbuck responded. "Well, you people get to know each other, the colonel and I must go." With that the gray hair commander and the colonel left the hanger bay. "I must say, Commander Adama has himself some fine pilots." Bane commented. "We have to be to stay alive." Apollo pointed out. "The best of the pilots had to have been Starbuck." Apollo pointed Starbuck out. Bane walked up to the crippled warrior. "So, your friends here say that you were the best of the pilots." Bane said. Bane's voice was very deep. "I don't like to brag, but I was one of the best, until a little accident put me in the condition that I am right now." "I'm sorry. That must be painful for you?" Bane apologized, feeling guilty to have unknowingly triggered unhappy memories. "It's okay," Starbuck assured the tall warrior. "Hey, at least you'll have a family! There's nothing in the galaxy like having a happy family." "Did you have a family?" Cassiopeia asked, hoping this was not going to bring up bad memories. "Yes, I had a younger brother. He and I use to get in fights all the time. He was jealous of my strength and my popularity. We never got along together. One time he ran off, and I never saw him again. I had always hoped to make up for our harsh relationship." "What is your brother's name?" Starbuck asked. "Cain." Bane answered. Everyone's eyes widen, hearing that name once again. This had taken everyone for a big surprise. "You're Commander Cain's older brother!" Apollo said in disbelief. "He's a commander now! where can I find him?" "I don't think that will be possible." Starbuck said carefully, so not to hurt this warrior. "Commander Cain is in command of the Pregasus. At first , it was thought that his battlestar had been destroyed, until we ran into him. In a big battle at Gamoray, the Pregasus disappeared while attacking a basestar. No one knows if he is alive or not." Bane's face was full of sorrow from this heart breaking news. "Well, I guess I'll never be able to make up with him." "Your brother has also become a legend. He is known as the greatest commander of all time." Apollo added. "At least he got what he wanted. Popularity. I just will never be able to settle matters with him as I had hoped." "I think there is someone you should meet." Apollo pulled Sheba into him, comforting her. Hearing all this brought back the pain of not being able to see her father, Tears were strolling down here face. "Sheba here is Cain's daughter." "You're Cain's daughter?" Bane approached her and placed a hand on her shoulder. Sheba continued to wipe the tears from her face and nodded in response. She was too choked up to answer vocally. "I can't believe this! I am your uncle! I'm sorry about your father." Bane said apologetically, knowing how much more pain she had to be in with not being able to see her father again. "Thank you." Sheba responded, finally able to speak. "You answered several questions that I never knew about my father. It feels like part of him is in you." "I'm sure your father is still alive. He cheated death quite a few times when he was young. I'm sure he had managed to do so again.." "Not to be rude or anything, but I want to go finish the nap I was taking earlier. I'll see you all later." Boomer interrupted this sober moment, not wanting to begin crying like the rest of the warriors. Boomer headed out of the hanger bay and towards the men's bunking area. "I think I'll do the same. The celebration is coming up, and I haven't had a decent amount of sleep for awhile now. I'll see you around, Bane." Apollo smiled. "No problem, have a good rest." Bane responded. He wasn't tired. He was wide awake with all the excitement that was going on. He was now back on a battlestar, part of a crew once again.. "I'm coming with you too." Sheba announced. She and Apollo left the landing bay. "How about you two?" Bane looked over to Starbuck and Cassiopeia. "I Have to get to work, it's my shift in the medical center." Cassiopeia responded. "I'm free." Starbuck shrugged. He too was too excited to sleep. Today was just one of those days that everything was going right. "Excellent. Why don't you show me some of your moves in combat. I want to see what you got." Bane smiled. "One minor problem, I can't feel my legs." Starbuck reminded the hefty warrior. "I'm talking about the simulator. The Galactica does have a flight simulator, doesn't it?" Bane asked. Starbuck wanted to hit himself for forgetting about the simulator. He was there everyday teaching young cadets how to pull tricky maneuvers in combat. How could he have forgotten about the simulator? "Yes, we do. Let's do it!" Starbuck said excitingly, almost like a little kid again. The two warriors headed for the exit until Cassiopeia caught up with Bane and stopped him for a second. "Bane, Starbuck really needs what you are about to do. He has started having nightmares about the crash, and I am afraid he may begin to fear flying into battle." Cassiopeia informed him, somehow feeling deep trust in this man that has just entered the Galactica. "I know how it's like. Do not tell anyone, but when Cain and I were young, I accidentally hurt him, and paralyzed him in a accident. Luckily Cain was later able to feel his legs again, and built up the strength in his legs until he walked just like he had always done. Cain was very much in Starbuck's condition, but I helped him through it." "Thank you, Bane. I haven't seen my husband this excited since we were married." Cassiopeia smiled. "It's no problem at all." Bane returned the friendly smile, and caught up with Starbuck who was still hovering for the exit. For some reason, Bane really liked Starbuck. In many ways, Starbuck reminded him of his brother. Maybe that had something to do with it. It's funny, his younger brother would probably now look older than him. By now, if Cain was still alive, Cain would have gray hair. "So, what do you do now, since the accident?" Bane asked, looking down at the brown haired warrior in the hover chair, who hovered beside Starbuck. "I train cadets to be better pilots, by teaching them everything I know. For this job, Commander Adama had promoted me to Captain. "If you don't mind me asking, how did you become paralyzed." Bane asked, not intending to bring back uncomfortable memories of that dreadful day. "I was flying with all of our warriors fighting off a Cylon raid against the Galactica, when I was hit. I flew back to the Galactica to make an emergency landing. Instead I ended up crashing in the landing bay, and here I am." Starbuck said, as if the question had not affected his thoughts or emotion, but Bane couldn't be sure if Starbuck was holding back on his emotion or not. "It must be hard for you not being able to go out into space and help your friends defend the Galactica. I see you as being just like me. Someone always looking for trouble, and enjoying being shot at and the thrill of battle." "Yea, I heard someone describe me something like what you just said." Starbuck remembered the events shortly after the destruction of the colonies. He went to apologize to Athena for blowing up at her, and that was when everything was laid out on the table, and where she described him as someone who "went it with their guns blazing." "Well, let me tell you something from experience. There is still a chance for you to walk again, even if you were told it was only a small chance. I've seen someone who was crippled in an accident walk once again and make a full recovery. Don't ever give up your hope." "Has my wife been talking to you?" Starbuck said jokingly. "No." Bane defended. Bane didn't want Starbuck to know that Starbuck's wife did express her concerns to him. The two warriors began passing a hallway on Bane's side when Athena nearly walked into Starbuck. "Oops! I'm sorry, Star-" Athena's eyes were fixed on the tall warrior besides Starbuck. The warrior was very muscular. His hair was shortly trimmed brownish colored. He was probably the most manly man she had met. "No problem, no one can ever see me from down here." Starbuck noticed that Athena was unknowingly staring at his companion beside him. He grinned and had to force back a chuckle. "Athena, I want to introduce you to Lieutenant Bane." "How are you doing?" Bane asked politely in his manly deep voice. "Uh, fine. I-I just came from being on duty and I-I'm going to go take a nap. So, I'll-I'll be off now." Athena walked in the direction the two warriors had just came from. Starbuck watched her walk off, Athena looked back at Bane again, and then continued back on her way. "I think she has taken a shine on you." Starbuck looked up at Bane with a grin on his face. "You really think she likes me?" Bane asked looking down at Starbuck. "Oh, most definitely. I know that face anywhere. Congratulations, you have been here less then half a centar and you are all ready catching women!" "Are you sure she wasn't staring at me because of my height and built?" Bane asked innocently. "I'm sure. I use to date her. I know when she has taken a shine on people." The two warriors continued on their way to the simulation room. After walking for several more centons, they finally reached the doors to the simulation room. Bane allowed Starbuck to go first. As the crippled warrior hovered toward the door, the door slid open, allowing the two warriors to enter in. Inside the room was a full sized colonial viper but without legs, and the belly glued to the metal ground. "How am I going to get in?" Starbuck asked "Like this." Bane bent down, and put his left arm under his knees and his right arm on his back. Bane lifted Starbuck out of the hover chair as if he weighed next to nothing. "Whoa!" Starbuck exclaimed as he was lifted from his hover chair. "Shesh! You're the strongest man I have ever seen!." "Yes, I probably am. Having uncanny strength has it's advantages and disadvantages." Bane said while sitting Starbuck in the cockpit of the viper simulator. Here was a feeling that he hasn't felt for a long time. He still felt that he belonged behind the cockpit of a colonial viper. "I miss this." Starbuck admitted, "Well, it's about time you returned to it. This kind of thing is something you should never lose." Bane closed the hatch of the viper simulator. Starbuck, from in the cockpit of the simulator, buckled up and did the normal preparations for takeoff. Starbuck put on the same kind of helmet, that was worn in a real viper. Starbuck turned on the helmet comlink. He heard Bane's voice come on. "Are you ready?" "Yes. I feel lie one of my students now!" Starbuck remarked. "Okay, show me your stuff." Just as Bane finished speaking, the tinted windows of the hatch turned into the blackness of space with little white shinning stars. Starbuck turned on his radar and targeting systems. He applied his thumb to the left white button on his control stick, and he felt the viper thrust forward. As Starbuck peeled off to the right, a triangle shape on the monochrome radar screen appeared. Starbuck turned on the war book, and it identified the intruder as a Cylon raider., even though he knew what it was going to be. The Cylon was coming, fast, up behind him. "Let's see what you are made of." Starbuck piloted his viper to make a U-turn, so he could take on the fighter head on. Bane's voice came on his helmet comlink. "You're crazy, Starbuck, you know that?" Bane commented. "That's what comes with the territory." Starbuck answered his comment. He kept his thumb on the thruster button, ready to quickly push the middle white button to stop his thrusters and push the red fire button on the right on the control stick. Starbuck counted down to when the Cylon raider was going to enter into his view. "Four-three- two-one-" From a distance, Starbuck could see the coming oval shape of the Cylon raider. The Cylon opened fired, earlier than what normal Cylons would do. Something, Starbuck was not expecting. "I see you are not going to make this easy." Starbuck observed. "You have no idea." Bane replied. Starbuck could imagine the grin on Bane's face at that moment, as Bane watched him fight the Cylon raider. Starbuck pulled upward, avoiding the Cylon's line of fire. Starbuck thrusted over the Cylon, taking the Cylon by complete surprise. Starbuck let go off the thrusters and peeled of to the left to pursue the Cylon. As soon as Starbuck was straight with the fighter, Starbuck thrusted his viper toward the raider. The odds were now changed, as Starbuck was now on the Cylon's tail. The Cylon tried to lose Starbuck, but Starbuck kept close to the Cylon, so his targeting system can lock on. As the raider entered the middle of the green monochrome screen, the targeting system began bleeping. "See ya later." Starbuck said as he pushed the fire button on the right of the control stick. In front of him, Starbuck watched as the Cylon raider erupted and exploded into millions of scattered pieced of burning metal. "Nice." Bane commented. "Thanks." Starbuck responded. The excitement in Starbuck was starting to rise. "It feels great doing this again!" Watching from the door, Cassiopeia, in her brown nurse's uniform, enjoyed hearing her husband happy again. Starbuck had not been this happy since their marriage. Cassiopeia walked towards bane at the controls station in the corner of the room. Bane noticed her walk in and looked up at her. "Thank you." She whispered to Bane. Bane nodded, just happy to see both of them happy again. He quickly looked back toward the bouncing viper, which was moving the way Starbuck controlled it, giving him the feeling that he was actually flying in space. "You want more practice?" "Go for it! Boy, I miss doing this." Starbuck said excitingly from the cockpit of the viper simulator. "I imagine." Bane responded. Cassiopeia headed back out of the simulation room, and headed towards the medical center to get to work. Telex entered the throne room where Baltar was walking around the oval room, deep in thought. "Sire, may I asked what is troubling you?" Telex asked in android like innocence. Telex desired to understand the human emotion and why they showed certain emotions contradict their feelings. Baltar stopped prancing around the room to answer the question. "It's nothing. Nothing that you would understand anyway. Do you have a report for me on the Galactica?" "Yes, we are nearing the edge of the Galactica's scanning range. We are remaining out of their range." Telex reported. "Set out a full fledged attack on the Galactica. I want every fighter sent out, but keep the basestar beyond the Galactica's scanning range." "Sire, is that a wise move?" Telex asked. "I would think that going in with our fighters would give us a chance for victory." "I don't want to destroy the Galactica as of yet. I want the Galactica destroyed in an eye catching way, so I may impress the superior leader. When he sees this victory, I will regain his trust, and I am guaranteed to be promoted to higher ranks in the Cylon empire. For now, I just want the Galactica crippled, so I can think up of a appropriate destruction of the fleet." "Ah, I see your logic, and may I say that it is a stroke of genius!" Telex commented excitingly. "Thank you Telex." Baltar smiled at his complement. "Now, let's go get the supreme leader's attention!" "By your command." Telex replied. Telex turned and rushed out of the throne room to accomplish his given tasks. "Commander!" Colonel Tigh came running toward Adama, faster than Adama had ever seen his old friend run. In their old age, they seldom ran unless their was a major threat to the fleet. Adama immediately assumed that something was up. Adama looked turned around to look at his atrusted colonel, with his arms behind his back, and with a face of eternal peace. "A fleet of Cylon raiders is approaching. A whole basestar full!" Once again, Starbuck's and Cassiopeia's celebration was put on a longer wait as another even has interrupted this time of what was suppose to be joy and happiness. "Battle stations. Lower the shield. I want all vipers ready for launch." Adama ordered out loud to the officers down at their stations. Adama looked calmly towards Colonel Tigh. "I want the captain of the gold squadron to be replaced by Bane. I want to see him in action." "But Commander, Captain Rodgiez-" "Apologize to Captain Rodgiez, but I want Bane out there. His skills may make this an easy battle, and bring it to a quick end so we can go to the celebration." "Yes, Commander." Colonel Tigh nodded as he rushed out of the bridge to go find this legendary hero that had joined the infamous crew of the Galactica. Bane sat with Starbuck in the officers lounge. A friendship was being built between the two men. Starbuck saw Bane almost like an overgrown child, who had grown attached to him. Starbuck, too, had grown attached to Bane. Starbuck was almost like a kid who was fortunate enough to meet his favorite hero, and befriend him. "So I punched the centurion through the head, and I ripped the centurion's head off it's mechanical body." "This is great! The Cylons don't have a prayer with you on our side!" Starbuck exclaimed excitedly. Starbuck was impressed with the tremendous strength of this man. The sirens began to sound throughout the halls of the battlestar, which lasted only a centon. When the sirens turned off, a red light began flashing throughout the battlestar. All the warriors in the officers lounge jumped out of their seats and ran for the door. Starbuck watched all the warriors rush off to their vipers. "Talking about the Cylons-" Bane remarked. "Hey, why don't you go out with the other warriors! I'm sure you would really kick some Cylon-" "I just got here, Starbuck. I'm sure Commander Adama hadn't had enough time to get the preparations for me to-" Colonel Tigh rushed into the officer's lounge, knowing that this was the most probable place for a new warrior to hang out. Colonel Tigh stuck out like a sore thumb. He never entered the officer's lounge unless something was terribly wrong. "Lieutenant Bane! Commander Adama has requested that you go out with the other warriors as Captain of the gold squadron for this battle." "How many raiders are we talking about." Bane stood up at attention. "A whole basestar full." Colonel Tigh answered. "That's almost a hundred Cylon raiders!" Starbuck exclaimed in amazement. At times like this, Starbuck wished he could go out and help defend the Galactica. In this case, the Galactica would need as much help as they could get. "If we're lucky, we could match only half that!" "That is why Captain Bane's help is needed. Bane, you know more fighting secrets against the Cylons than all of us put together. Do you think you could remember how to fly a viper?" "It'll be much more easier than it was piloting a Cylon raider alone." Bane commented. His heart starting racing. Things were starting to back to the way he remembered them. "Excellent! Let's get you to your viper!" "Hey!" Starbuck controlled his hover chair next to Bane, and placed a hand on his muscular arm. "Good luck." Captain Rodgiez quickly walked toward his prepared viper. Being the captain of the gold rouge squadron was great honor for him, but at times like this, it just wasn't fun anymore. "Hey Captain, did you hear the news! The legendary Bane is on the Galactica right now!" a lieutenant from his squadron walked up to him, apparently excited by the news he had just told Captain Rodgiez. "What!" Rodgiez responded with a look of disbelief on his reddish skinned face. "That is impossible. Lieutenant Bane was killed over fifty yahrens ago!" "Rumors say that the Cylons didn't kill him, instead they iced him, and recently revived him for execution, but escaped before it could be carried out." "Lieutenant, don't believe all the rumors you here. Most rumors that go around the battlestar usually are false." Captain Rodgiez started climbing the ladder up to the cockpit to his viper when Colonel Tigh's voice yelled his name from across the hanger. Captain Rodgiez climbed back down and turned around to face the approaching colonel to see a very tall and muscular man walking with him. "Yes, Colonel?" "You have been working double shifts lately. Take a break. We'll have Captain Bane take your place for this mission as captain of the gold rouge squadron. Captain Rodgiez stared at the tall warrior, his eyes almost like tennis balls. "It's true? You're the legendary Bane!" Bane was getting tired of hearing him described as legendary, but he held back his protest. Yes I am. Please to meet you, Captain." Bane's deep male voice gave Rodgiez shivers. His voice was enough to penetrate anyone's soul, and make them back down from challenges with trembling fear. His voice accurately depicted his large body, and probably did a good job in depicting his strength as well. "Take my viper!" Rodgiez stepped to the side, to allow the famous colonial warrior to climb into the viper. "Thanks, Pal!" Bane smiled, giving him a manly pat on the back. Rodgiez grimaced in pain, but held most of it back. The man was definitely strong. "Good luck, Captain." Colonel Tigh looked up at the legendary warrior. Tigh was still impressed with the height of this man. He easily was over six and a half cubics. "Thank you, Colonel." Bane climbed up the latter and sat down in the cockpit. C maintenance man, standing on the viper, handed Bane his helmet. As Bane put on his helmet, the maintenance man closed the hatch for him. The cockpit was like being home again. The feeling was all to familiar. He was ready to take on the whole Cylon army, himself. Getting too excited, Bane almost forgot to turn on his helmet comlink. He quickly switched it on, and now he was ready for battle. "All vipers are ready for launch!" Rigel looked back at Commander Adama from her station. Adama stood above the crew pit, near his station on the platform above them. Adama leaned on the railing that stopped him from falling on top of the officers. "Launch when ready." One by one, the vipers thrusted out of the battlestar, forcing each pilots back into their seats. As soon as each viper had entered the blackness of space, each viper slowed down to group up in their squadron, relieving each of the pilot's body from the tremendous force. "Squadron check. Red leader, do you read me?" Apollo called out. "That's an affirmative. Red squadron all present and accounted for!" A male voice responded to his call. "Gold leader, do you read me?" "Yes, Captain Apollo. Gold squadron is all present and accounted for!" Bane's deep voice come through on Apollo's helmet comlink. "Bane, is that you?" Apollo asked, surprise to hear his voice among the many warriors that came out to fight the intruding Cylons. "That's an affirmative." Bane smiled, and said with enthusiasm. "It looks like we'll be able to win this battle after all." Boomer commented. "All right, men! Let's show these tin cans that we aren't afraid of them!" Bane roared excitedly. "I like your enthusiasm." Apollo laughed. "Hey Sheba, are you ready?" Apollo wanted to make sure that she was with them and was ready to fight. He had really began to protect her as much as he could, something he was unable to do with Serina. "As ready as ever, Captain." Sheba responded professionally. "Here they come!" Boomer announced, turning on his targeting system. "Here is a quick tip for everyone who hasn't heard it yet. The Cylons have very poor eyesight. Quick and constant moving will basically cloak you from their visibility. Their targeting system will not be able to lock onto you as well." "I think that tip may save many lives in this battle. Thanks for telling us!" Apollo said. He was ready to try out the new trick that Bane had mentioned. He had to see it for himself that it actually was true. "All squadrons, get into battle formation!" "Look how many of them their are!" a young male warrior's voice called out nervously. Bane fired a volley of laser fire, not aiming at any particular ship. He hoped to take out several ships before they actually began attacking. Two Cylon raiders in the front of the formation exploded, forcing several near by ships to pilot out of formation for a couple microns before returning back to their position. In retaliation, the fleet of Cylon raiders opened fired at the fleet of colonial vipers. "Break formation!" Apollo ordered. All the vipers began peeling off into separate directions, just before the Cylon's round of fire had destroyed anyone. The Cylon fleet separated and began fighting with individual fighters. Bane was on the tail of a raider, not allowing it to give him the slip. Bane found it ironic, the rolls had been switched. Now Bane was the hunter, and they were the hunted. No longer was Bane going to be caught off guard. The viper's tracking system beeped as it locked on to the raider in front of it. "This is for my people who you murders back at Caprica!" Bane pressed the red fire button on the control stick, and in a micron, the Cylon raider was turned into billions of floating scraps of metal. "Bane, you pick up one!" a warrior warned him. "Get a load of this, you tin cans!" Bane commented. He began twisting his viper around and around. While spinning in place, Bane pulled downward and the Cylon raider pursuing him flew right by, unaware of what had happened to their target. "Incredible!" Apollo exclaimed, watching the whole thing from his viper. "The target has disappeared!" one of the piloting centurions announced to the centurion seated in the middle. "Impossible. Find him!" A green blip appeared on their scanner. The right centurion pilot reported to the commanding centurion. "The target has reappeared underneath us!" Bane pulled upward, toward the bottom of the Cylon raider. Pane opened fire, and the ship exploded. Bane flew right through the flames of the explosion, not hurting his viper in the least. Apollo was tailing a viper of his own. The Cylons tried several tricky maneuvers to try to lose him, but Apollo would not let them go. As soon as the targeting system locked on to the raider, Apollo fired. The raider exploded. "Apollo, I need help!" Sheba called urgently! Apollo looked around to find Sheba, determined to rescue her before the Cylons could destroy her. He wasn't about to lose another woman; not to the same species that killed Serina. Apollo found a viper off to his right which was closely being pursued by two Cylon raiders. "I'm on my way!" "So am I!" Bane added. Bane's and Apollo's viper met and together went after the Cylon who was chasing Sheba. The Cylon was too busy trying to get a lock on Sheba to notice the two colonial vipers sneak up behind it. "Hurry, Apollo!" Fear was easily recognizable in her voice. In just a few more microns, she would be obliterated. "Bane, take the one on the right. I'll take the one on the left." Apollo ordered. "All ready on it!" Bane responded as he fired at the right raider. The Cylon was engulfed in a fiery ball, which lasted only half a micron due to the lack of oxygen in space. Apollo fired and destroyed the second Cylon raider. Sheba's voice came back on the helmet comlink, with a voice of relief. "Thanks you two!" "Man, your tip is working. Not one of us has been destroyed, and the Cylons are dropping like flies!" Boomer exclaimed excitedly. "Excellent, let's keep our guard up, and not get cocky!" Bane responded. "Baltar, I have the most distressing news!" Telex began speaking as he entered the throne room. Baltar was not going to be pleased. "The humans are taking out our fleet without a problem. We all ready lost twenty Cylon fights, and we haven't destroyed any of theirs yet!" "How is this possible! Do they have new battle statagy? That would be so unlike Adama!" Baltar shook his head in disappointment. "Call them back to the basestar. It's not worth the risk; we'll get the Galactica soon enough." "By your command." Telex responded. "Apollo, the Cylons are beginning to retreat!" Boomer announced with a big smile on his face. All the warriors began to cheer at their amazing victory! Apollo sighed with relief. "This wasn't going to be a full fledged attack. This was only to let us know they are still out there." Apollo commented. "You're probably right! It isn't like the Cylons to just turn around and retreat." "I don't know about you two, but I want to get back and begin the celebration!" Sheba announced to the two captains. "Great idea!" Apollo said, just remembering about the great news that Starbuck and Cassiopeia had given them. "Let's head back!" The three squadrons headed back to the Galactica. Four centurion guards were working at a table, where the colonial human once use to lay, but due to his escape, the table was not being used for a human. A fifth centurion guard stood out from the group of tables. The guard just seemed to be standing there watching the centurions work. "He is repaired." One of the four centurion guards announced to the one guard standing out of the group. "Activate him." Lucifer sat up from the metal table. "Stop-" Lucifer noticed four centurion guards were surrounding him. "What has happened? What are you all waiting for? Go after that human!" "The colonial human has escaped." One of the four centurions responded. "The human is going to find the Galactica! Find him!" "The human is out of scanning range, it is doubtful that he will find the Galactica." "That's right?" Lucifer would have grinned if he had lips. "He doesn't know what direction the Galactica is. Before he ever finds the Galactica, he will run out of fuel and oxygen. His dead body will forever be drifting in space. Inform the superior leader that the human's execution has been carried out." "By your command." The last battlestar, Battlestar Galactica, continues to lead the only human survivors of the deadly Cylon holocaust to a mythical planet known as earth. NEXT: The Galactica runs into an unexplainable phenomenon which sends the fleet hundreds of light years past Earth, where they run into another warship, struggling to survive a deadly Cylon attack. Be here for volume 5: The Second Journey.