Battlestar Pegasus: Operation Cannes (Pt.1)
Virtual Season 5, Episode #8
By Eric Paddon

Prologue

     Ila took a breath to compose herself before pressing the recorder
that would being her
message that would be sent to the Galactica immediately upon completion. 
This would not be  a message for her husband or anyone else in her
family, though.  It would be a message for the entire population of the
Fleet.  A message that would hopefully quiet an underlying discontent her
husband had faced for some time now, ever since they'd learned of the
Pegasus' survival and the existence of the Resistance Movement in the
Colonies.
     She knew she had to do this exactly right.  It would require all the
skills she'd mastered in the classroom as a teacher for more than
twenty-five yahrens, as well as those in the fine art of diplomacy she'd
learned from Adama.  She said a final prayer to the Lords and pressed the
record button.
     "People of the Fleet.  This is Professor Ila, formerly of the
Caprican Fine Arts Institute, and also the wife of Commander Adama.  As
many of you know, I am presently aboard the Battlestar Pegasus in her
journey back to the Colonies to rejoin the Resistance effort that I and
many others have been part of these last three yahrens.  When we found
ourselves trapped and unable to take part in the journey you have been
part of, in search of the Lost Thirteenth Tribe on Earth.  
     "It is true that my initial intent in leaving Caprica in a specially
modified shuttle, was to catch up to the Fleet and hopefully convince
Commander Adama of the need to return to the Colonies to help aid the
Resistance effort.  While we have made many advancements thanks to the
courage of Resistance fighters on all of the twelve worlds, and with the
cooperation of numerous Cylons, who like the crew of your baseship have
learned the meaning of Enlightenment, we know that additional help,
particularly from a warship, could make a greater impact toward the goal
of liberating our homes.
     "But what neither I, nor anyone else in the Resistance, knew about
was the continued existence and survival of the Pegasus, and that she was
operating closer to the Colonies than the Galactica.  This explained why
my shuttle, intended for the Galactica, was instead found by the Pegasus.
     "I am pleased to report that since my arrival, and since the
decision was made by Commander Cain to have us return home, we have made
many great strides in the course of our journey.  None more so than this
successful breakthrough in communications technology that allows us to
converse directly with you, and to keep you informed of our progress.
     "But ours is a journey filled with many perils and tribulations that
lie before us.  And it is because of them, that I am making this address
to you, the People of the Fleet, and to offer my counsel to you as you
prepare to decide in a Fleetwide Referendum what your future course of
action will be.  Will you continue in your journey to Earth?  Or will you
decide that you too, must join the Pegasus and become part of this effort
aimed at liberating your former homes?
     "There is no cause to which I am more committed than to see the day
of Liberation come to the Colonies.  But having said that......it is my
belief, and the belief of Commander Cain, that your interests as a
people......do not lie in the path we are taking, but instead in the path
you have followed for the last three yahrens in search of Earth."
     For the next five centons Ila carefully outlined the dangers that
the Fleet would face in turning back.  Along with how the sudden
emergence of such a large Fleet of ships might endanger the well-being of
the Resistance movements in each of the Colonies.  Making sure she didn't
get overly bogged down in details and keeping the main points short,
simple and succinct.  Once she had finished explaining the dangers the
Fleet would face in Turning Back, it was time for her to make the final
appeal by showing an empathetic bond with those who wanted to Turn Back.
     "I understand why the pull of emotions to turn back is so powerful,"
Ila said.  "For you, it offers the prospect of restored hopes and dreams
you were forced to let go of.  And with it, the prospects of seeing
friends and loved ones again you have thought dead all this time.  I
understand, because.......if you were to turn around, I would know the
joy of seeing my own family once again.  Not just my husband, but my son,
my daughter, and my four grandchildren as well.
     "But we can not let our personal desires act as a substitute for
what is best for us as a people.  We must weigh our decisions based not
on what benefits us most individually, but what collectively serves the
needs of ourselves and those we love most.  And that.....is why for you,
who have been part of a journey across the stars in search of the last of
humanity's original tribes that set out from Kobol, your journey must
continue.  Not because you are too far away from us now.  And not simply
because of your obligation to the liberated Earth prisoners of the Risik. 
If you had not one native of Earth among you, it would not change what
your true purpose is.  You, the people of the Fleet are needed on Earth
to help our brothers connect at last with us again.  So that one 
day......when you have arrived on Earth, and we have liberated the
Colonies......the Thirteen Tribes of humanity that set out from Kobol can
be made whole once again.  Through the continued contact we enjoy in this
communications link.....and perhaps one day in the form of greater
contact as the technologies of our ancestors is further reintroduced to
us.
     "Until that day comes, I gave my solemn and sacred pledge to do all
I can in providing you with information about who is alive and part of
the Resistance effort so that your greatest questions will be answered. 
While your journey in body must remain apart from ours, we will always in
spirit continue to travel together.  And that is why......I urge all of
you who are pondering how to vote on this Referendum, that you will do so
in favor of continuing the journey to Earth.
     "Thank you, and may the blessings of the Lords of Kobol shine upon
you always."
     She shut off the recorder and promptly collapsed into her chair,
feeling a wave of relief that she'd kept an even keel and composure. 
Recovering herself, she sent the file directly to the Bridge where
Communications Officer Altair would transmit in the next centon across
the stars.  
     And then......when that was done, Altair would shut down the
communications link and prevent any further message from going out or
coming in.  The Pegasus had now reached a stage where military security
couldn't permit any further power drains from the long-range
communications.  She was about to move into the next critical phase of
her journey homeward.

Chapter One     

     There was no idle conversation in the Conference Room, as the
section heads waited for Cain to arrive.  All of them had a keen sense of
how important this would be, and how unlike what had happened at
Gomorrah, there wasn't going to be an easy way out that avoided a tough
battle.  They'd been aware of that for some time, but this briefing,
which would outline the overall strategy, was going to drive that point
home completely.
     When Cain entered, accompanied by Tolen and Kylie, everyone went up
to respectful, rigid attention.  Even the two Cylons in the room,
Commander Cobre and Flight Leader Gryphon did so.  A disarming smile from
the Juggernaut and a light wave of his swagger stick, indicated they
should sit down without waiting for an "at ease" from him.  Cain seated
himself at the head of the table, while Kylie remained standing so that
she was close to the large monitor.  It would be her job to give the
intelligence summary of what they'd be up against.
     "Thank you for coming," Cain said.  "This will be our final
intelligence briefing prior to the commencement of operations in the
Cannes quadrant.  Much has happened since our departure from Gomorrah,
and we are at a point when I must brief you on what our overall military
strategy will be.  Some of it of course, is still subject to change, but
the basic parameters and objectives, I anticipate will remain constant."
     Without turning around to face her, he then said, "Lieutenant Kylie
will now begin with an overview of the Cannes garrison."
     As Kylie turned to activate the monitor, there were several idle
thoughts in the room about how deliberate she and Cain were in presenting
the normal commander-subordinate relationship to everyone else.  The fact
that Cain and Kylie had begun a relationship recently was something
everyone on the Pegasus knew about.  But it was treated entirely as an
"open secret" in that both didn't mind that everyone was aware of it, but
at the same time it was not to be spoken of publicly.  That, as far as
they were concerned, was their own private business.
     "The Cannes quadrant consists of three planets," Kylie began as the
monitor came to life showing the planetary system.  "Cannes Prime, is
where the Cylon garrison is housed.  It's the largest garrison in the
entire Alpha Quadrant.  Facilities allow for two thousand centurions to
be based, and over six hundred fighters which gives it the equivalent of
three functional baseships.  There are also maintenance facilities to
perform the equivalent of space dock overhaul procedures for baseships.
     "Cannes Garrison originally had three baseships assigned to it.  Two
of them were detached three yahrens ago to the service of Baltar and were
lost in direct engagement with the Pegasus at the Battle of Gomorrah. 
According to all available intelligence we've gathered from both Gomorrah
and the Lucifer banks, Cannes has not received reinforcement of any kind,
presumably due to the Resistance activities in the Colonies."
     The image changed to that of a baseship.
     "The baseship that remains attached to Cannes is registered as
Baseship #1965, last known to be under the command of a Command Class
centurion named Melkot.  His baseship was the only one of the original
three not under the command of an IL Cylon, which presumably is why it
wasn't detached two yahrens ago."
     "If I may interject," Commander Cobre spoke up, "The Cannes Garrison
commander likely made no objection because it rid him of of any potential
rivals to his authority from the IL Class.  In that respect, the
destruction of the other two baseships at Gomorrah did him a favor."
     "Thank you, Commander Cobre.  We'll be returning to the matter of
the Garrison commander, later," Cain said and then motioned his head for
Kylie to continue.  She punched up a new image showing the Cannes System
once again.
     "The Garrison's strength is based on two points.  First, as the most
significant base of operations between the Colonies and Gomorrah. 
Second, large forces are also needed to deal with issues of pacification
and Resistance from the native Cannesian population on both Cannes Two
and Cannes Three."
     The image now showed two planets side by side.  Cannes Two on the
right was labeled "Primitive" while Cannes Three on the left was marked
"Developed".
     "The two planets reflect different past histories prior to the Cylon
conquest, and different histories since then.  The Cannesians are
primarily descended from humans who belonged to a religious sect in the
Colonies called the Luddites.  The Luddites were opposed to all forms of
technological development and believed the Kobollian call to destroy all
technology when the Colonies were first settled was a call to permanently
adopt a primitive lifestyle.  This incidentally is the same sect that the
settlers of the human colony at Attilla, which the Pegasus has visited in
the past, also came from."
     Much of what Kylie said at this point was familiar to the department
heads from the briefing more than six sectans ago prior to operations at
Gomorrah, but hearing a "refresher" on these points was always important. 
Too much had happened since then, and that made it easy to forget even
basic details like these.
     "Cannes Two was the more ideal planet in the system for settlement
and establishment of the 'primitive' lifestyle desired by these religious
pilgrims.  The climate is more lush and filled with the natural resources
that can allow people to flourish in the absence of technology.  But
Cannes Two is also a planet that contains one of the largest natural
tylium mines in the galaxy, and this is what led to friction among the
Cannesians.  The traditionalists desired permanent maintenance of the
primitive conditions, while another faction rebelled against that.  They
felt the presence of all this tylium on Cannes Two would one day attract
the attention of outsiders and invite total conquest.  So to safeguard
themselves, they wanted to build a new technological civilization.  This
rupture threatened the outbreak of civil war amongst the Cannesians.
     "A truce though, was arrived at when it was discovered that Cannes
Three, while not as plentiful in natural resources, still offered enough
land for those who had changed their mind and wanted to build cities
rather than live primitive lifestyles in the rainforests.  An agreement
was reached where they would go their separate ways on the two different
planets.  But because Cannes Three would require use of some of the
natural resources of Cannes Two to build their cities, a treaty was also
signed allowing them to mine tylium and harvest a portion of resources
for their own use......with the stipulation of total non-interference in
the lives and lifestyles of the Cannes Two population committed to
traditional primitive ways.  And for more than eight hundred yahrens, as
Cannes Three developed into a prosperous technological community and
Cannes Two remained committed to its primitive lifestyle beliefs......the
peace was kept.  Both sides viewing the other with disdain, but committed
to a live-and-let-live philosophy that neither wished to disrupt.  Cannes
Three got what it needed from Cannes Two, and Cannes Two felt free to
live as they wanted to live."
     Another change on the screen, but one that only related to the texts
beneath both planets.  Cannes Three read "Collaborated with Cylons",
while Cannes Two read "Resisted Cylons."
     "The status quo was disrupted by the Cylon conquest, which took
place more than ten yahrens ago, as part of their effort to expand
outwards toward Gomorrah.  The tylium resources of Cannes Two made the
system a target for conquest and Cannes Three, while prosperous, had not
developed military technology capable of beating back invasion from a
three baseship task force.  So the leadership on Cannes Three, believing
it was the only way they could preserve their cities and their
population......chose to surrender and make a deal with the Cylons."
     A low, disapproving murmur went up from some of the people seated
around the table.
     Kylie then summoned another image, which showed a man of early
middle-age.  Dark-haired with a neatly trimmed beard, it was clear he was
in some kind of leadership position given his general bearing.
     "This is Faymon, leader of the Cannes Three population.  He was the
one who made the deal with the Cylons and at last report is still in
power.  The terms of the deal came down to these essential points."
     And then, more changes to the screen to bring up the so-called
"bullet points".
     "First, the Cylons spared Cannes Three from destruction and allowed
Faymon to continue ruling the planet as a puppet leader.
     "Second, Faymon  allowed the Cylons full access to Cannes Two to
obtain all tylium they needed for their own ships at the garrison on
Cannes Prime."
     Kylie paused, which everyone knew was her way of setting themselves
up for the most distasteful point.  Watching, Skyler couldn't help but
think for just a micron that becoming Cain's lover was making Kylie
unconsciously pick up some of Cain's habits when it came to doing a
briefing.  
     "Third, Faymon agreed to help the Cylons enslave the population of
Cannes Two to mine the tylium for Cylon use.  He provided them with the
locations of their villages in the rainforests to help root them out,
causing the Cannes Two population to scatter.  In the ten yahrens since,
the Cannes Two situation has seen some of the population enslaved to work
in the tylium mines while the rest has carried out a Resistance campaign
of their own against the Cylons......rooted entirely in the disruption of
tylium mining operations.  They believe that if tylium resources become
threatened, then the Cylon need for Cannes will diminish."
     And then, another image appeared on the screen, which forced some of
the men to avoid  letting out inappropriate reactions.  It showed a
dark-haired woman with exotic features wearing a two piece garment, but
not one that was overly skimpy.  She held what looked like a battle sword
in one hand.  Her expression and bearing suggested both queen and
warrior.
     "This is Princess Shandra, the leader of the Resistance on Cannes
Two," Kylie said.  "Her father, Jomo, was the 19th Lord of the Tribe
since the original settlement.  He, along with the rest of Shandra's
family, including her mother and brother, were among the victims of the
initial betrayal by Faymon.  Whereupon as the only surviving child of the
slain Lord, she became the leader of the Resistance to Cylon enslavement
and occupation."
     "And she's been able to keep this movement alive for ten yahrens?"
Skyler interjected, intrigued already by the story and the stunningly
beautiful woman behind it.  It put him in mind of someone out of what
used to be called a 'pulp' story in popular entertainment.
     "Yes," Kylie nodded.  "There are several reasons why the Cylon
conquest of Cannes Two has not been fully realized," she clicked ahead to
bring up some more "bullet points."
     "First, the climate of Cannes Two is not conducive to permanent
Cylon occupation since the primary topography is jungle rainforest.  The
average temperature and humidity is too dangerous to Cylon circuitry and
requires them to stay in climate-controlled facilities at all times,
which is not a practical option, given that the purpose of controlling
Cannes Two is to have access to the tylium mines."
     "At the risk of engaging in what you humans call self-deprecation,
it makes us all rust," Cobre said, which made all the other humans at the
table laugh.
     "Your risk was well-played, Cobre," Cain smiled.  "Continue,
Lieutenant."
     "Second, the Cylons can not utilize massive firepower to destroy the
planet because that carries the risk of making the tylium they want
unstable.  As we know from the Galactica's destruction of the planet
Carillon, it only takes some well-placed laser fire inside a tylium mine
to create unstable conditions that would result in planetary destruction. 
If that were to happen, the impact on both Cannes Prime and Cannes Three
would be catastrophic.  That is the reason why the garrison leader,
Commander Cauda, felt it was prudent to make a deal with Faymon.  Because
only with his help, have the Cylons been able to make partial use of the
tylium mines on Cannes Two."
     The third bullet point came up on the screen.  "Faymon's people hunt
down their fellow Cannesians and force them to work as laborers in the
tylium mines.  A limited number of Cylon troops from the garrison on
Cannes Prime rotate in and out to act as enforcers and discourage
Resistance attacks on the mines."
     A disgusted murmur went up over this revelation about how one group
of humans had sold their brothers into slavery to do the bidding of the
Cylons.
     "Because the Cylons depend on Faymon's people to secure tylium, that
means the Cylons can't destroy the natural resources of Cannes Two
through pluton poisoning or other "scorch" policies aimed at destroying
the rainforest the Resistance lives and hides in.  The population of
Cannes Three needs those resources to eat and without a population on
Cannes Three serving their needs, then the Cylons would have to mine the
tylium themselves, which they can't do."
     Kylie turned off the monitor, indicating that her summation was
over.  In the past, she would have moved back and remained standing at
attention until the briefing was over.  But now, in a visible sign that
indicated her new relationship with Cain, she sat down in a chair
situated between him and Ila.
     "The last point Lieutenant Kylie made reveals an important dividend
that came from our taking out the two Cannes baseships at Gomorrah three
yahrens ago," Cain commented.  "If they still had three baseships, they
could have used them to go out and subjugate another race to operate the
mines.  That would have freed their hand to destroy Cannes Three and not
deal with Faymon any longer.  But having only one baseship took that
option away because one baseship couldn't do that much.  Essentially, the
baseship can only act as a broader security net for the garrison."
     The Juggernaut then made a dramatic pause of his own.  "Our first
goal is to take that net down and destroy that baseship.  And we have to
do it while it's operating at least a cycle or two out of the Cannes
System and not within it.  We need to have at least that much surprise to
make preparations for what comes next when we deal with neutralizing the
garrison itself."  He slowly looked about the table, "The floor is now
open for questions and comments from all of you."
     "Commander," Skyler said, "Can you clarify why the garrison itself
is important to neutralize after we take care of the baseship?  Even with
three baseships worth of fighters, they wouldn't have sufficient range to
pursue us if we bypassed the system.  And even if they contact the High
Command, it would still take sectars to get anything summoned to
intercept us."
     Cain smiled, "I suppose in the past, Captain, my response to your
question would have been a simple and succinct, 'because it is there.'"
which brought laughter from around the table. 
     The Juggernaut then leaned forward with his hands together, "In this
new situation of ours, that kind of answer is obviously insufficient. 
The crew is entitled to a more thorough explanation and I think the
Professor can answer that for me," he cocked his head slightly in Ila's
direction.
     The Academician also leaned forward, "It comes down to this, Captain
Skyler.  Cannes needs to be neutralized in order to safeguard our
Resistance ally on the planet Arcta.  Up to now, the Cylon High Command
still believes Command Centurion Vulpa is loyally serving them, when in
fact he and his centurions have been assisting the human scientist, Dr.
Ravashol in building new technologies for the Resistance......which
included my shuttle."
     "And Vulpa's cover can't be blown," Cain said simply.  "If we
bypassed the garrison after destroying their baseship, then Commander
Cauda would report what happened to the High Command.  To deal with this,
Imperious Leader would call on the next garrison along the Frontier to
intercept us, and that garrison is Arcta.  All of a sudden, Vulpa's men
would be getting the kind of scrutiny they can't afford to have.  Because
unlike Gomorrah, Arcta is in close enough proximity to the Colonies and
Cylon for the High Command to take them out if they realized they were
working for the Resistance."
     "But what would stop Cauda from contacting Imperious Leader once we
show up on his doorstep?" Sklyer persisted, but primarily from a devil's
advocate position.  He wasn't questioning any of Cain's strategic
decisions, but as Squadron Leader he needed these answers to explain
things thoroughly to the pilots in his command.
     Cain understood why Skyler was asking the questions and was glad for
them. 
     "Pride, Captain.  I think Commander Cobre can attest to how much
Cauda would put off sending a message to the High Command unless he had
absolutely no choice."
     "Indeed," the command centurion said.  "Cauda would prefer taking
every opportunity to neutralize a crisis himself without informing the
High Command.  To report prematurely would be interpreted by the
Imperious Leader as a sign of weakness and likely result in the loss of
his command......which would be carried out by giving his command
centurion a direct order to have him terminated."
     "The bottom line is that it guarantees a chance we can neutralize
Cannes garrison before any message can be sent, and safeguard the
interests of Vulpa and Arcta."  Cain said.  "So that takes care of that. 
Of course, we're talking about Phase Two and for now we have to
concentrate on Phase One, which is destroying the baseship.  And here is
where our new pilots will be playing a significant role," his gaze
shifted to Flight Leader Gryphon, who had been appointed to the command
position by Cain and Cobre and had spent the last few sectans acclimating
the new Cylon pilots to integrated patrols with Silver Spar Leader.
     "Sir, if I may?" Gryphon inquired.  Unlike Cobre, his voice was
still that of a normal centurion as were the voices of all newcomers. 
While Dr. Arnoff had promised to work on developing human voice
synthesizers to implant in the new Cylons, utilizing voices from old
vid-com entertainment recordings, the progress had been stalled.  Some
centurions could have had their voices replaced, but collectively all of
them had requested not to have their voices changed until it could be
done for all of them at once.
     "Go ahead, Flight Leader," Cain said politely.
     "We understand that circumstances do require the necessity of
killing unenlightened Cylons.  There are some who may need clarification
on whether the baseship could be convinced to defect."
     "I appreciate your asking that question, Flight Leader, because it's
an entirely appropriate and fair one," Cain said with sympathy since he
knew this was the toughest hurdle for any Cylon to overcome in the name
of "enlightenment".  "You may assure your fellow Cylons that we will
*always* respond favorably to any overture or message from a Cylon who
seeks enlightenment and is willing to talk directly to us.  If we were to
detect a signal from the baseship.....or even from the garrison in the
way Commander Vohlad first contacted us......we will treat it with
respect.  But unfortunately, we can not afford to approach Cylons who
have not made overtures to us at this point.  The stakes are too great."
     "I understand," Gryphon nodded, "As do all of us.  Your sincerity on
this point was confirmed in your dealings with Commander Vohlad.  And we
have been impressed by the messages from Commander Moray in the
Galactica's fleet explaining how they have dealt with a similar
situation."
     "Flight Leader Gryphon," Ila said, "At some future time, I would
like to speak to all of your fellow pilots about my own experiences with
Cylons who have joined the Resistance.  And when we reach Arcta and you
get to meet Commander Vulpa and those who serve under him, I think it
will provide an even stronger point of connection for all of you.  The
important thing is to know that you do not represent a small group of
Cylons.  Your numbers are many."
     "That is most.....appreciated."
     "As is your exemplary work in commanding the Cylon crews in our
integrated patrol exercises these last few sectans," Cain said.  "I think
Captain Sklyer can attest to how all of our pilots have felt completely
at ease flying with yours."
     "I certainly can, Commander," Silver Spar Leader said.  "All of us
consider them colleagues and equals."
     "All right, now we move on to the technical aspects of battle," Cain
looked at the Electronics Scientist, "Dr. Arnoff, you've had a chance to
study the telemetry data on the war games exercise we performed.  Do you
believe your identification system is ready for actual combat
conditions?"
     Dr. Arnoff was emphatic, "I do, Commander.  I am most impressed by
the flawless reactions demonstrated by both human and Cylon pilots to the
system.  Under actual combat conditions, I don't see any possibility of
one of Flight Leader Gryphon's raiders mistaking one of their own for a
hostile Cylon fighter."
     Cain was glad the Scientist had refrained from using the term "our
raiders."  "And what about the performance of the viper and the raider
under cloaked conditions?  Where does that stand now?"
     "Cloaking conditions remain something that can only be done at low
speed, Commander," Arnoff said.  "The raider adjusts as well as the viper
does to operating in such conditions, but I do not recommend its use in
combat.  If it has any value it must be in an infiltration exercise
only."
     "And how long can cloaked conditions be maintained?"
     "Conceivably as long as eight centars, but I would recommend no more
than six for an actual infiltration exercise."
     "Thank you," Cain nodded and then looked at everyone around the
table, "Even with our additional fifteen raiders, we are still
outnumbered four-to-one overall.  Also, while the last three yahrens have
enabled us to resupply a good deal of weaponry thanks to the raids we
undertook on isolated and abandoned Cylon depots, we have still not
replaced our missiles that were used against the two baseships at
Gomorrah.  That puts us at another disadvantage engaging this baseship,
and that's why I believe it's imperative we undertake an infiltration
mission that will help level the playing field before we get in our first
strike."
     "An infiltration mission by a cloaked Cylon fighter," Skyler said.
     "Yes," Cain said.  "Similar in concept to how Captain Apollo and
Lieutenant Starbuck of the Galactica  used a captured fighter to
infiltrate a baseship they subsequently destroyed but with some notable
differences that will make our plan much more effective than theirs was."
     The Juggernaut turned back to Gryphon, "Flight Leader Gryphon.  Tell
me if any part of this proposed plan is flawed based on your
understanding of how operations are conducted aboard a baseship.  A
single cloaked fighter infiltrates a baseship by landing aboard it.  It's
crew then blends in and internally sabotages key scanners and weapons
systems, and then leaves undetected.  Giving us a clear advantage that
can let us get in the first strike and destroy the baseship."
     All eyes turned toward the Cylon pilot.  The pilot who only a few
people in the room knew had actually come to the Pegasus as a plant to
destroy the battlestar.  But who had chosen to defy his orders and become
a genuine defector with his fellow "enlightened" Cylons.
     Gryphon finally spoke, "Most of what you say.....can be done."
     "What would you change?"
     "It would not be practical to land a cloaked raider aboard a
baseship because it would be impossible for its presence to go unnoticed. 
Baseships usually have a number of centurions passing through who might
notice something was there even if their visual detectors could not see
it.  Any infiltration must land in plain sight."
     "How so?"
     "It would be best to use the cloaking device to search for an area
where the baseship will have sent out a patrol.  Once that is discovered,
decloaking can take place and we would be just one among many."
     Cain brought his hands together, "Possible.  Does anyone see a
problem with that?"
     "I do," Tolen cut in, "If I remember correctly, a full complement of
raiders takes up the entire landing space of a baseship doesn't it?"
     "That is correct," Gryphon said.
     "Well then the same problem you've mentioned regarding a cloaked
ship landing would apply here as well," the Executive Officer said.  "One
extra ship means someone in a patrol won't have a place to park and that
will attract attention right away."
     "That's a good point, Colonel, but all it takes is for there to be
one less fighter than their full complement and that problem is solved. 
Of course......" Cain mused, "It wouldn't be a good idea to launch this
operation on a mere hope that they have one less fighter than capacity."
     "There is a way to prevent that," Gryphon said.
     "Go ahead, Flight Leader," Cain said respectfully.  His tone and his
repeated use of the command title was his way of demonstrating his trust
in Gryphon despite the circumstances of how he came aboard the Pegasus.
     "Scout patrols of three fighters or less are sometimes dispatched. 
If three cloaked fighters were sent out to detect one of these, then if a
maximum of three raiders were detected, they could be destroyed and the
cloaked ships could assume the place of the destroyed raiders."
     "Okay, that solves the problem of landing space," Cain said,
impressed with the Flight Leader's quick response, "But if you take the
place of a destroyed patrol......how do you find your way back to the
baseship?"
     "By locking on to the exhaust trail of the destroyed fighter and
plotting it back," Gryphon said without hesitation.  "Cylon patrols as a
general rule, follow a straight trajectory from their point of origin and
utilize a wide scan beam.  This is to provide a clear advance scout path
for the baseship it operates from."
     Cain was nodding his head, "Anyone disagree with Flight Leader
Gryphon's analysis of the situation?"
     From his position, Skyler shook his head.  Tolen was leaning back
indicating he had nothing more to say while Commander Cobre's silence was
confirmation of what Gryphon had said about Cylon patrol flight patterns.
     "Very well," the Juggernaut said, "Tentatively, this looks to be
what we'll go with.  Commander Cobre, when this meeting is over, I'd like
you and Flight Leader Gryphon to coordinate where the ideal sabotage
points should take place and have that drawn up for me by this time
tomorrow."
     "It shall be done," Cobre bowed his head slightly.
     "Now, Skyler, in the meantime I want our regular patrols to start
running cloaked to get a sense of where this baseship is operating.  That
has to be pinned down before we launch this infiltration mission.  We're
going to send out three at a time to cover different sections."
     "Yes, sir," Silver Spar Leader said.
     Cain then shifted his glance to the others at the table.  Dr.
Arnoff, Dr. Laughlin, Wallis and Chief Abendego.
     "And now that we're through with all matters of a purely military
operation, I want the rest of you section heads to go over again your
reports on battle readiness.  You didn't have to implement any of this at
Gomorrah, but there's a greater likelihood you'll have to do it now."


     Later that evening, Cain and Ila got together for dinner, which they
had twice every sectan to discuss major issues of importance in a private
setting.  Unlike their many dinners of the past, they now took place in
Ila's quarters instead of Cain's.  That was a change necessitated by the
change in Cain's private life.  Kylie had  moved out of the female
barracks and into Cain's quarters, and Cain had no desire to force her
out during an off-duty period when she might be catching up on some rest
or doing a work project of her own.
     "I reconfirmed your message to the Fleet was received by the
Galactica before we had to close down communications," Cain said.  "I
hope it makes a difference on this Referendum they're going to have."
     "It's not for another two to three sectans, but......I'm sure it'll
help."
     "That'll give me enough time to send a message to the people too,
after we're done with our business at Cannes."
     "Hopefully by then, it'll seem like a done deal the people will vote
to continue," the blonde Academician sighed.  "I know Adama was reluctant
for a long time to let me help with a direct message to the people,
but......after that whole ugly business involving Siress Lydia, he
decided it was time to put that aside." 
     Cain shook his head in disgust, "Why are so many of our politicians
and elites so prone to corruption like that?"
     "I couldn't say in her case," Ila shrugged.  "But....the good news
is  the ones who are pushing the idea of Turning Back have made it clear
they'll accept the outcome if they lose.  So that means Adama won't have
to deal with a dissident faction that might try to break away from the
Fleet."
     "They'd be crazy to try that," the Juggernaut said, "I didn't think
the Pegasus could handle what lay in the Risik and Ziklagi frontiers so
how in Hades could civilian ships manage?"
     "True.  Even if 10,000 people voted to Turn Back they couldn't
possibly do it themselves without at least one warship joining them.  The
baseship doesn't want to turn back and neither do the smaller capital
ships that are part of the Fleet.  They'd be all alone."
     "Well when it comes to the baseship, is that because Baltar doesn't
want to go back, or is that the way his crew feels about the matter?"
     "Both, apparently," Ila finished her glass of mock ambrosia, "Baltar
has no desire to see home again, even if he has repented.  I don't know
if Adama told him about his cousin, Count Mikkos, but even if he did, I
doubt it would make a difference."
     "Mikkos is the one who was involved in the other treason plot?"
     "Yes.  Baltar had told him about his plans before the Destruction
out of familial courtesy, but what Baltar didn't know was that Mikkos was
involved in a separate scheme headed by Sire Uri and several others. 
Apparently that was a way of hedging their bets with the Cylons by
gambling on the hope that Baltar would quickly fall out of favor in a
scenario where the Cylons would have puppet human leadership running
things in the Colonies......just like what exists now on Cannes Three."
     "What was I saying about politicians and elites a micron ago?" the
disgust returned to Cain's voice again.
     "Well, I can personally vouch for Mikkos repenting.  He's part of
the Resistance based on Piscera and.....a woman named Ashera who was also
involved with that same plot, is a key leader of the Gemonese
Resistance."
     "And you trust them?"
     "I do," Ila said with unshakable conviction.  "At this point,
there's nothing for anyone to gain by selling out.  Especially when
they've seen so many Cylons going in the opposite direction."
     "Good point," Cain nodded, "Getting back to Baltar's crew.  Their
instincts are to keep going to Earth?"
     "It seems that way.  They've been removed from the whole dynamic of
the Human-Cylon fight for so long they don't want to be thrust back into
it, even as 'Enlightened' Cylons.  They don't mind giving support and
encouragement to the Enlightened Cylons in our ranks, but when it comes
to killing Cylons again.......they apparently had their fill of that when
they destroyed Baltar's support baseship."
     "I hope that won't be an indicator of reluctance among those in our
ranks......or in the Resistance, over time."
     "It's a different situation for them, Cain.  They only expected to
do it once, and then they were free from the Cylon High Command forever. 
In a way, they're not too dissimilar from Commander Volahd and his
loyalists on Gomorrah.  They were glad to revolt, but they're glad
they're so far away they'll never have to fight again."
     "I hope you're right.  What we're going into at Cannes is going to
require all-out commitment on their part as well as ours," he paused and
changed the subject, "What was your impression of the meeting, today?"
     "The other department heads sounded a bit antsy," Ila said.  "I
think they're anxious to finally get it over with when it comes to
experiencing battle conditions."
     "Can't say I blame them," Cain sighed, "Our pilots at least got
their toes wet at Gomorrah taking out that one outpost.  They're still
waiting, and all this time they've known it has to come someday and once
they go through it for the first time, they know it won't be the last
time."
     "Unless things have dramatically changed for the better back home,"
Ila refilled her chalice to the one-third point.  "That silence from the
High Command to Gomorrah confirms they haven't put down the Resistance. 
It's certainly possible that in the time I've been away, things have
gotten better for us and worse for them."
     "Your friend Ravashol should have some idea of that when we reach
Arcta."
     "Yes.  It'll be good to see him again, and it'll be even better for
our Cylon crews to see a whole garrison of centurions that learned how to
become enlightened long before anything happened at Gomorrah."
     "I'm glad to know you're confident of our chances at Cannes," her
in-law smiled.
     The blonde Academician returned it, "With you, Cain, I'm *always*
confident of our chances.  Especially since you've......changed for the
better these last sectars."
     "It all started with your arrival," he said.  "I.....had to learn a
lot of things about myself and what I'd been doing, and looking back, it
doesn't make me very proud of my track record.  One thing I know for
certain is that if I'd found out about the Resistance before your
arrival, I.....probably would have done something foolish that would have
destroyed what you and Deval and everyone else have accomplished in three
yahrens."  
     "Not necessarily," Ila said.  "It would have been different.....but
not necessarily worse.  I just prefer to see things as being divinely
ordered that you had to wait to find out until I arrived....just as I
know it was divinely ordered that I not reach the Galactica."
     "For now," Cain said gently which made her lower her head and sigh.
     "I know.  I know, the option is still there with the shuttle.  But
to be honest, Cain.....after that whole tragic mess with Bremer, I've
learned to let go of the shuttle as a security blanket for myself."
     "It's your shuttle, Ila," Cain said gently, "You're the only one who
has a right to use it."
     Ila looked him in the eye, "And someday, Cain......there may come a
time when I find someone more worthy than I am of using that shuttle. 
Obviously, it wasn't Bremer.  But..... his experience made me realize
it's possible there could be someone out there who has greater need of it
than me.  And if I ever find such a person......I'd let that person have
it."
     She then added with emphasis, "And that would be *my* decision,
Cain."
     "I understand," he wasn't going to argue with her on that point. 
And then, he added, "I suppose Ravashol is capable of building another
shuttle."
     "He is," Ila admitted.  "But.....it'd be a waste of time and
manpower to build something strictly for a personal reason.  Remember,
Cain, the whole point of the shuttle was to find a way to get some help
back for the Resistance, and nothing else."
     "I know," Cain said quietly, "It's just that.....I don't want you to
lose that one last chance of using it for yourself, Ila.  And you may
think you can let go of the security blanket in an act of self-sacrifice
for someone else, but.....if you want my honest opinion, I think over
time you'd regret that kind of decision and it could have a negative
impact on your work for the Resistance."
     "I appreciate your honesty, Cain," she nodded with respect, "And
I'll keep what you say in mind.  It's just that the whole Bremer matter
really made me do a lot of thinking about it."
     "Have you had a chance to talk to him lately?" Cain decided it was
time to change the subject.  
     "Yes, I did," Ila was glad he'd done so.  "He's doing fine and Dr.
Laughlin thinks he can be discharged and returned to duty in another
sectan or so."
     "I may hold off on approving his return to duty until after we've
taken care of the baseship, if not until after the whole Cannes situation
is done," Cain said.  "I know I've told the crew to forgive him and
welcome him back, but I don't want his return to be a distraction to
anyone at this point."
     "Livia's anxious to see him back," Ila said.  "And she's his
immediate superior."
     "I'll take that under consideration," Cain put just an edge of
command firmness in his voice, "But for now, I'm not making a final
decision just yet."
     Ila nodded, knowing that this was something she needed to show
deference on.  Both of them always knew when it was safe to push the
other on something, and when it was time to move on from it.  It was one
reason among many why they'd never had a harsh word with each other since
her arrival on the Pegasus.  The element of trust and understanding was
in place even before they'd become aware of their permanent family tie to
each other.
     She is one special lady, Cain thought after the dinner had broken up
and they'd bid their goodbyes.  She's the sister I never had, and so much
more.
     As he reached his quarters, he thought of how blessed he was to have
two special ladies in his life at this point.  Ila, as sister-figure,
family friend and wise counselor.  And Kylie, who in just several sectans
since their relationship began, had filled all of his other needs in
life.
     When he entered, Kylie was seated at a desk that had been set up in
the chambers area of his quarters.  The beginning of their relationship
had led to a mutual decision that she move into his quarters and no
longer bunk with the other women in the crew.  To accommodate her, Cain
had installed a work area in the chambers section that could give her
privacy when she needed it, and could also allow her to keep working even
if Cain was conducting official business in the office section.  All part
of their mutual belief that committing to each other meant they had to
make sure their professional duties were never disrupted in the
slightest.  So far, the transition had been smooth and efficient.
     "Hi," he said warmly in a tone he reserved only for private moments
like this.
     She turned around and smiled brightly at him.  "Hi.  How was
dinner?"
     "It's always great talking with Ila about.....mutual areas of
interest," he entered the chambers area and then quietly pressed the
switch that closed the door to the office area.  "She sends her love and
says she's looking forward to having dinner with you and Kelli tomorrow."
     "Girls night out," Kylie grinned and went back to her comp, "Where
we get to trade secrets you'll never know about."
     "Ha!" Cain let out a laugh as he removed his jacket and settled
himself on the bed.  The easy way she could talk to him as an equal,
starting with that first dinner date, had been the key to confirming all
of Cain's instincts about Kylie.  If she'd been intimidated by his
presence and still treated him as the Commander, then he would have seen
Kylie's feelings for him as just hero worship and not love.  But from the
beginning, he'd seen how mature beyond her yahrens Kylie was.  Just like
Cassiopeia had been.  And just like Cassie and Bethany before, there
could be openness and a simple enjoyment of the other's company.  
     "I'll join you in a few centons," she said as she kept busily
attacking the keyboard of her comp.  "I'm finishing the summary of the
meeting.  I wouldn't want the Commander to be disappointed at my lack of
punctuality!"
     He laughed again at her ability to use humor to note the balancing
act their relationship required.  Kylie was determined to face any
potential obstacle head-on.  It was if anything, the quintessential
warrior's approach to a dilemma.  And that, Cain knew, set Kylie apart
from the other two women he had loved.  Bethany and Cassie could never be
part of his daily life as a warrior because they weren't warriors and had
their own lives independent of him.  They had to accept separation as
routine in the ongoing relationship.  Consequently, neither saw him as he
really was in his normal environment.  Both had fallen in love with the
side he kept hidden from the men and women he commanded, and weren't
attracted to the image of Cain, the Living Legend because that image was
largely a stranger to them.  Kylie though, was the first woman to fall in
love with the man she only knew as the Living Legend.  Because she was a
warrior like him who spoke the same professional language and understood
the world he'd thrived in all his life.  That gave them a bonding that
was completely different from the bond he'd known with Bethany and
Cassie.  He would never say that what he'd experienced before was less
meaningful.....but he knew at the same time that to know love once again
required a different kind of bonding.  The kind he now felt with Kylie.
     I didn't need that kind of bonding back then, Cain thought as he
continued to undress.  I wanted a woman who could give me some escape
from all of that, and that's why Bethany was perfect for that part of my
life.  But now.....a woman like Kylie is exactly what I need.  Someone
who knows and loves me for what I am as a warrior.  
     When she finished her work, the two of them at last found time for
intimacy.  Each time was more fulfilling than the last one and only
reinforced the mutual feeling that theirs was a permanent relationship. 
One that would one day lead to a sealing and perhaps even children.  Cain
knew just how much of an underlying maternal instinct Kylie had after
seeing her play with Wallis and Kelli's children.  Even if marriage and
children were yahrens away, they could both envision it, though they
dared not speak openly of it for now.
     Afterwards, as they lay together, her head resting on his chest, she
decided to say something that had been on her mind since the briefing.
     "Cain?"
     "Mmm?" his eyes were still closed.
     "There's something I want to ask you."
     "Go ahead."
     "Is there any possibility of my getting a ground combat assignment
on Cannes Two when we get to that phase?"
     He opened his eyes and looked down at her with mild surprise.
     "Why are you asking?"
     "Because.....I think I could be useful there," Kylie said.  "I spent
so much time reading about Princess Shandra and her resistance faction,
that......I get the distinct feeling she'd be more willing to cooperate
with us if she saw we let women take part in our combat missions."
     "And you're.....the only viable example of that left on the
Pegasus," Cain finished.  
     "Yes," his lover nodded.  "I mean.....I know you'd probably send Ila
to head some kind of delegation to contact her, and Ila has her own
experience in Resistance operations, but......if you want to send trained
warriors to work with Shandra's warriors, I think I can help more there
than on the Bridge."
     Cain leaned back against the headboard of the bed.  His eyes tilted
up at the ceiling.  Kylie knew he was trying to reconcile the issue of a
practical command decision with whatever personal misgivings he might
have about the idea.
     "I'll think about it," he finally said.  "This isn't the time to
decide landing parties.  After the baseship is destroyed.....then I'll
make my decision."
     "I understand," the beautiful brunette said.  "I just.....wanted you
to know.  It's not that I think I should get combat assignments every
time.  It's only that I think I could make a difference in this
particular case."
     "Believe me, Kylie, I think you *should* get some chances when the
situation warrants it," Cain looked at her.  "Because.....long-term, a
few combat assignments will justify how far you go in the command
structure on this ship."
     Her eyes widened.
     "I'm serious," he said, "I'm envisioning you as number-five in the
chain of command behind Tolen, Ham and Skyler.  You're not officially
there yet, because the one thing you've yet to do is show command level
decision-making.  You're great at absorbing information, synthesizing and
analyzing it, and reacting quickly in a pressure situation.  But you have
to get a chance to show you can give orders and be respected in a tight
situation.  I grant you, it's not easy to get a chance for that when
you're not a pilot, but.....you'll get one at some point.  And maybe it
will happen at Cannes.  I just have to wait and see if that's the right
place and time to do it."
     Kylie smiled and impulsively put her arms around Cain and kissed
him.
     "Thank you," she looked into his mildly surprised eyes, "For not
telling me the idea of my wanting a combat assignment makes you scared."
     "It does, a little," he admitted.  "But I already learned with Sheba
how to keep those feelings hidden for someone who's more than capable of
taking care of herself under fire.  And Kobol knows, Kylie, you are
capable.  I'd be a fool to hold you back.  Especially when I'm willing to
trust my instincts about where you deserve to be in the future."
     Another smile brought another kiss from her and then there was no
more conversation between them for the rest of the night.

Chapter Two

     "Core Command, this is Silver One.  Requesting transfer of all
systems," Skyler said.
     "Silver One, this is Core Command," Altair answered.  "All systems
transferred.  You are clear to launch."
     Skyler activated his boost and his viper emerged from the Pegasus. 
Microns later, the vipers of Ensign Tegran and Sergeant Marshak followed
and soon lined up beside him.
     "Silver Two, Silver Three, stand by to activate cloaking devices on
my signal," the patrol leader radioed.  "In five, four, three, two, one,
*mark*!"
     And then, the three vipers disappeared from view.
     "I am cloaked," Tegran said.
     "Likewise," Marshak chimed.
     "Okay.  Now here's where we find out if Arnoff's got that override
in place for our own scans so we can at least keep following each other. 
Activate tracking comp.....now!"
     Skyler flicked his switch and could see right away the familiar
blips to indicate the nearby presence of his fellow pilots.  This had
been a new feature Skyler had insisted on to avoid the danger of cloaked
vipers from running into each other while they operated together.
     "And my comp can see both of you," Skyler said.  "How about you
two?"
     "I see our ships as clear as the Virgon dawn," Tegran said.
     "Clear to me as a Leonine summer night," this from Marshak.
     "Okay....then I'll get in a word for a clear Gemonese mountain
lake," Skyler chuckled.  "And with that, no more planetary one-upsmanship
for the rest of our patrol!"
     "Yes, *sir*!"  Marshak said dryly.
     "We'll maintain this heading for the next two centars," Skyler said. 
"If we should run into the baseship, we take only enough time to note the
position and heading and then we turn around and get out as quick as we
can.  And once we're out of range, then we decloak and go back to full
turbo boost to cut down on the return trip."
     "What if we run into a patrol of theirs instead?" Tegran asked.
     "You keep your hand off the fire button at all costs!" Skyler said
with an edge of warning that he might not have used if it had been anyone
but Tegran who asked.  Even though Skyler's respect for Tegran had
increased, he still had a lingering memory of too much impulsiveness in
the Ensign that wouldn't disappear completely until he got to see how
Tegran acted in continuous combat engagements.
     "Yes sir, I agree," Tegran said patiently, not daring to let himself
show the slightest trace of irritation that Skyler still had some
lingering doubts.  "But do we follow them back to their baseship or do we
retreat?"
     "We discreetly tail them," the Squadron Leader said.  "Getting a fix
on their baseship is our first priority.  But we do need to keep our
distance from any patrol or else we run the risk of collision."
     "If a collision alert sounds, Captain, and if taking a raider out is
our only option, then do we have permission to fire?" Marshak asked.
     Skyler knew he couldn't hesitate, "Yes, but keep in mind that the
criteria for your 'only option' has to be as narrow as the tiniest of
hairline cracks.  If you hear the collision alert sound, you start
plotting an evasive maneuver fast."
     "Yes, sir," the sergeant said with total acceptance.
     "All right, if there are no further questions, your Squadron Leader
now grants permission for reasonable levels of patrol small talk as we
keep our eyes open."
     "What are the limits to reasonable?" Tegran asked.
     "No wisecracks about the dramatic change in the lives of our
Commander and a certain Bridge Officer."
     "Who me?" Marshak said innocently.  "I saw what Kylie can do with a
laser pistol when I had duty monitoring the target range.  I'd *never*
let myself get on her bad side!"
     "Really that good?" Tegran asked as he switched his scan to an
active wide sweep.
     "Busted the target number but kept on firing," the sergeant said. 
"I'm telling you, she missed her calling.  She should have been in a
commando unit."
     "Well, McCalla said she did great on the Terra rescue mission,"
Skyler decided this was fair game to talk about.  "Obviously underneath
that Bridge Uniform exterior there has always lurked a woman in Combat
Dress waiting to get out!"
     "I wonder if it's too late for her to learn how to start flying!"
Tegran quipped.
     "You know I wouldn't be surprised if she did, once we get closer to
home," Silver Spar Leader said.  "I keep getting this feeling that once
we find ourselves smack in what's going on back there, things are
*really* going to turn upside-down for us."
     "For the better?" Marshak asked.
     "Hopefully," Skyler said.  "But it's going to be different from
anything we've done.  I'm sure of that."
     "We're pretty much at that phase now, Captain," Tegran said. 
"Flying with defecting Cylons isn't what we trained for."
     "Yeah, but the difference is once we're home, it's all going to be a
non-stop free-for-all to fight for our homes," Skyler said.  "Everything
right now is all preliminary and there's still subterfuge involved. 
Me......I guess I'm waiting for things to finally come to a head when the
Imperious Leader finally learns we're back in the picture."
     "And you're thinking about what you'd do if we end up driving them
out?" Marshak gently probed.
     Skyler found himself nodding reflectively, "Yeah, Marshak, I guess I
have been thinking about that."  To see if maybe Shayleen is still alive! 
He then added to himself.
     "Wish I could," Tegran sighed.  "The problem for me is I have more
of a vested interest in whether the Galactica reaches Earth or not."
     "You heard from your sister?" Marshak asked.
     "Oh yeah, got another message from her last sectan.  Her little
girl, Cassy, scored well on her very first primary class exams so she was
naturally beaming with pride.  And life is still good with the java kiosk
she runs on the Rising Star."
     "Is it hard dealing with the fact you can't see them again in
person?" Skyler gently asked.
     "A little," the Ensign admitted, "But I wouldn't want them to be
turning around and heading into what we're dealing with.  As far as I'm
concerned, it's a good thing the Galactica is still moving on to Earth."
     "Well it's nice to be able to root for your loved ones to find a
quiet place to settle," Marshak said.  "I don't have any relatives on the
Galactica.  Whether or not I've got relatives in the Colonies to fight
for......I'm trying not to think about that.  If someone I know is alive,
I'd rather it be a big surprise out of the blue when we get there."
     "Probably sound thinking, Marshak," Skyler said as he realized that
dwelling too much on whether his former girlfriend was alive or not
wasn't a good idea.  Hades, she could be alive and married to someone
else now after all this time.  Isn't that what happened with Bremer's old
fianc‚ on the Galactica?  Kobol knows I'm not going to let myself go over
the edge like he did!  Just react to what comes and accept it!
     Small talk mixed with scan monitoring continued for the next centar
as the three vipers charted out the path in space that lay between the
Pegasus and the Cannes system.  Finally, the low-key mood was broken by a
tell-tale set of blips that first showed up on Marshak's scanner.
     "Captain, I've got contacts," the sergeant said.  "Tau sector,
four-five-one."
     "Adjusting scan now.  Tegran, do likewise."
     "I got 'em," the Ensign said.  "Four.....five.  Definitely a Cylon
patrol."
     "Hang back," Sklyer ordered.  "We need to gauge if they're headed
out on patrol or going back to their baseship.  That means monitoring
their heading for the next few centons."
     "Any chance they could be a patrol based from Cannes?" Marshak
asked.
     "Not unless they've powered themselves down to bare minimum, which
isn't how they operate.  They're definitely from the baseship.  Now we've
got to find out where that baseship is and where it's operating."
     "Sir, maybe we should split up," Tegran ventured.  "At least one of
us should follow the track those ships have come from in case they're an
outgoing patrol instead of returning."
     "Makes sense to me, Captain," Marshak added.
     "I've been mulling that," Skyler said.  "Let's first get a sense of
whether their present heading is taking them further away from Cannes. 
Take the next centon to see if you've got that figured out."
     Sixty microns later, Tegran spoke up, "Sir, I can't tell."
     Skyler faintly shook his head, "Well, guess what, Ensign, I *can*
tell.  Their heading is taking them on an arc toward the relative orbital
position of the Cannes System and I don't think they sent out a patrol
just to map their rear flank.  They look like they're heading home
because the baseship is somewhere between here and Cannes."
     Tegran winced slightly but shook off his inner frustration that he'd
given Skyler another reason to question his overall judgment.  "That may
be true, sir, but it's not a one hundred percent guarantee.  I think we
should split up and one of us can follow their rear track."
     "Permission granted," Skyler said.  "And because it's your idea,
Tegran, you're going to follow the rear trajectory.  Marshak, stand by to
parallel that patrol's present heading once Tegran's gone his way."
     "Yes, sir," the sergeant said.
     "How long do you want me to look before I should turn back?" Tegran
asked.
     "Your discretion, Ensign," the Squadron Leader said gently.  "This
is our initiative, so you make the decision on how long it should be. 
Remember, the further you get from us, you can't contact us.  So keep
that in mind.  Not to mention your timetable for how long you can stay
cloaked.  Right now we're under five centars and you need at least more
than one to get back to the Pegasus."
     "I'll remember, sir," Tegran realized that Skyler was giving him a
new chance to prove himself.
     "Peel off now and give me a wide berth."
     "Executing."
     As soon as Tegran had detached himself to follow a new course
heading that would follow the course the Cylon fighters had already
followed, Marshak maneuvered himself to parallel the heading of the
patrol.  This now put him in the lead position ahead of Skyler.
     For the next five centons the two Vipers of Marshak and Skyler
watched the path of the five Cylon fighters from a discreet distance.
     "One thing's for certain," Marshak said, "Their current path won't
put them within scanning range of our home base."
     "Thank goodness," Skyler grunted.
     The Leonian Sergeant's eyes narrowed, "Captain, one of them is
turning.......headed toward us!"
     "Just one?"
     "Just one.  He's.....frack!" Marshak's voice rose as the collision
alert began to sound.
     "Evasive maneuver, Marshak, evasive maneuver!"  Skyler felt a wave
of frustration and tension since the cloaked state meant he could only
watch things on his scanner.  The approaching Cylon blip was almost ready
to blur with the one that indicated Marshak.
     He saw the red blip that represented Marshak veer away at an angle
while the Cylon fighter continued on a straight on-path at higher speed. 
Then, Silver Leader's eyes widened as he realized the lone Cylon was
executing a turn that would put him dangerously close to him.
     Why is this guy here?  He can't see us on his scanner, but if he's
detached himself, it's because his patrol leader ordered him to check
something out!
     As Skyler did a slight roll to his right, the Cylon fighter moved
past him on his port flank.  He watched and then saw the fighter start to
move away.  A quick glance at his scanner showed that it was headed back
to rejoin the main patrol group.
     Did we tip ourselves off somehow?  He still couldn't see or scan us,
but *something* made him come this way to look.
     Finally, he realized what might have accounted for it.
     "Marshak, listen carefully.  No further communications until I say
so!  Strict radio silence for now!  Just give me a one word
acknowledgment."
     Three microns later, he heard it, "Copy."
     If it's what I think it is, that's one more problem for Arnoff to
work out!
     As the two vipers resumed their distant monitoring of the patrol,
Skyler wondered if Tegran had seen anything noteworthy yet.


     The Ensign at that micron had maneuvered himself into the exact
reverse heading of the patrol.  He was able to clearly scan their exhaust
trail which made staying with the heading easy, though the further he
went, the more it dissipated.
     Tegran tried not think about the lingering distrust Skyler still
felt for him.  It was clear that Skyler still felt that Tegran had a
tendency to be too impulsive and that Tegran wasn't up to being in charge
of a viper group.
     I guess that's why I'm one of the few people stuck at an Ensign
rank, he thought.  He knew several other pilots who had been on the
Pegasus as long as he'd been who'd started out in the enlisted ranks and
had reached full Lieutenant like Angus and Banker.  In his case, his
promotion to officer rank had only come after the separation from the
Galactica.  When Cain had announced that all enlisted personnel would be
moved up one level in rank which meant from that point on there were no
more Flight Corporals in the ranks of the pilots.  Corporals became
Sergeants.  And the six sergeants at the time, including Tegran, had
become Ensigns.  Officers were kept frozen in their ranks except for
Skyler's promotion to Captain to become the new Squadron Leader.  It was
Cain's way of rewarding those who had chosen to stand by him.  But it
also came with an understanding that there could be no further
advancements in rank unless openings were created due to death.
     Even so, Tegran hoped that he could at least get up to Lieutenant at
some point.  The rank of Ensign, despite its officer status still
conveyed an aura of one who had to be junior in ways that he had to admit
Sergeants weren't by nature self-conscious about.  If you were a
Sergeant, it was a sign that you'd made your way up in the ranks as an
enlisted man.  If you were an Ensign, you were no different than the
rawest of Academy graduates as far as your recognition went.
     I wonder, he thought as he kept following the exhaust trail, if I'd
known Mairwen and little Cassy were alive in the Fleet, would I have
bailed out on the Pegasus?  Would I have been better off being on the
Galactica?
     It wasn't that he brooded about that question or felt tortured with
regrets.  He just felt it was a natural question to ask now that he knew
they were alive and he was able to talk to them again.  Especially since
Mairwen had lost her husband in the Destruction and would have welcomed
her brother as a surrogate parent to Cassy.
     Then again.....maybe it had to be that way.  I'll never know.  I can
only deal with things as they are.  And here I am, an Ensign who still
has to win the Captain's trust in full if I'm going to make a difference
for my own future......while I keep praying for your future, Sis.
Ping!
     The sound of a contact on his scanner shook Tegran out of his
thoughts.  He eased back on his speed and carefully studied the location,
followed by the heading.....and then he saw that the contact had a very
distinct shape.  A shape he hadn't seen on a scanner in more than three
yahrens.
     "Holy Frack," he whispered as he looked up and saw it for the first
time.  The sloped cylindrical contours of a Cylon baseship.
     Tegran reduced his speed further.  Even in a cloaked condition he
wasn't going to let himself get too close to the Cylon warship.  But he
wasn't going to turn around yet to regroup with Skyler and Marshak.  He
needed to get a better sense of the course heading to allow for a more
complete report.  And he also knew that a quick recording scan of the
craft might prove useful too.
     But not too close.  Skyler thinks you're too impulsive.  Don't prove
his point, for Sagan's sake!
     He would give himself thirty microns......and then he would turn
around.


     As Skyler continued to watch the heading of the Cylon patrol, he
made an adjustment to his star map that would give him a larger view. 
Once he saw it, he found himself shaking his head in amazement.
     He finally put his finger on the transmitter for the first time in
over ten centons, "Follow me, Marshak.  Now!"
     Silver Leader then maneuvered his viper onto a new heading that
would take them back to the Pegasus.  Marshak wasted no time ducking in
behind him.  Within several centons, the five raider patrol of Cylons
disappeared from their scanners.
     "All right," Skyler said with relief, "I think it's safe to talk
again.  We're headed back."
     "I don't understand, sir," Marshak sounded confused.
     "Their course heading is taking them towards Cannes," Silver Leader
said.  "That means the baseship is either operating very close to Cannes,
or else this was an outgoing patrol and Tegran is going to run into it. 
At any rate, there's no point in our paralleling them any longer."
     "But shouldn't we try to catch up to him?"
     "No," Skyler was emphatic.  "If he runs into it, he'll know what to
do and turn around right away.  If he doesn't find it, he'll know when
it's time to turn around and head back.  I'm going to trust him to show
some sound judgment on his own."
     Marshak knew he couldn't argue with that.  He decided to change
topics.  "Sir, why did we go on radio silence?"
     "Because I think they heard us.  Not what we said specifically, but
our transmissions to each other may have given off some readings to them
that they wanted to investigate.  That single fighter detached at a point
when we were doing a lot of talking between us."
     "Great," the Leonian sergeant grunted, "That kind of makes stealth
patrols a little less effective, doesn't it?"
     "Yeah, if my theory is right.  But heck, I guess we can trust good
old Arnoff to fix that, can we?"
     "He'd damn better," Marshak grunted, "I really hate the sound of
that collision alarm."
     "I know what you mean," Skyler acknowledged as he recalled how he'd
gone through an identical experience at Gomorrah.  He then looked down at
his chronometer readout.  Tegran had thirty centons before he'd have to
turn back.


     The sight of the baseship, even from what he considered a "safe"
distance, couldn't help but intimidate Tegran slightly.  This was the
first visible reminder of just how daunting the task ahead was for the
Pegasus in the effort to get back to the Colonies and join the
Resistance.  To do so, this baseship would have to be destroyed......but
the sight of it was enough to remind Tegran that the baseship was just as
capable of destroying the Pegasus as well.
     He finally looked back at his telemetry recorder and saw that he'd
taken as much scan information as he could from his vantage point.  He
had used up the thirty microns he'd promised to give himself before he'd
turn back.  Now the question was whether he wanted to push his luck
further and get closer so he could take even more detailed scans.
     For just a micron.....he hesitated, before he finally shook his head
and decided it was time to turn around and go back.  I'm not going to
give you any more rope to hang me with this time, Captain Skyler, he
thought as he executed the slow gradual turn that would put the baseship
behind him.


     Cylon Baseship Serial #1965, under the leadership of Command
Centurion Melkot continued on its standard heading that required it to
crisscross the outer frontier of the Cannes System.  For the last yahren,
the order of Cannes Garrison Commander Cauda of the IL Class, had been to
keep their one remaining baseship positioned along the outer frontier. 
In Cauda's mind, any potential threat to Cannes could only come from an
external force outside the known regions of charted space, as opposed to
anything that lay behind them in the Alpha Quadrant leading back to what
used to be called the "Colonial Frontier."
     As a command class centurion, Melkot knew it was an honor and
privilege to be one of the few of his type that could actually rise to
the level of baseship command.  Such posts were usually the exclusive
privilege of the IL class.  But like all other command centurions who
reached this position, Melkot knew there was a "catch" to a command
centurion getting this kind of command.  It meant either banishment to
the most remote outpost possible that was deemed "less essential" to the
High Command, or it meant permanent detachment in a command structure
where there would always be an IL Cylon in overall charge of things.  In
this case, Melkot had the authority to take his baseship in any heading
along the Cannes Frontier, but he was forbidden to venture beyond it. 
When he had once suggested that it might be prudent to take his ship out
to Gomorrah to gauge the situation at the Cylon Outer Capitol, Commander
Cauda had been quick to dismiss that idea in less than three microns. 
And Cauda had also warned Melkot that he wasn't the only command class
centurion capable of running a support baseship.
     What would it be like to have a more meaningful command?  He
thought, not for the first time.  He had so much idle time to work with
that it was all but impossible to not ask the question.  It was the kind
of question that he knew that lower class centurions would never
contemplate.  That wasn't their nature.  But of late.....he had found his
mind venturing in areas that he knew represented uncharted territory for
first brain Cylons.
     "By your command," the voice of a standard-class centurion, who only
had a number designation of 354, entered the command center.
     "Yes?" Melkot asked.
     "Scanner detected something unusual for a centon, but it is gone
now."
     "What was it?"
     "Difficult to say.  Our scanner was adjusted to take readings on
asteroid and meteor dust components, and there were signs of displacement
consistent with that of a craft entering the area.  There are also
indications of ion exhaust on higher scan concentration."
     "Did scanners detect signs of any craft in the vicinity?"
     "Negative."
     "Odd," the command centurion mused.  "If the outlying readings
indicate a craft should have been present, then our scanners should have
seen it.  Have them checked to verify they are fully operational."
     "By your command."


     Skyler and Marshak had by now decloaked their vipers for the final
portion of their return trip to the Pegasus.  While the Sergeant kept his
scan concentrated forward, Skyler had his directed rearward to see if
Tegran was finally catching up to them.
     "ETA to Pegasus in thirty centons," Marshak said.  "Do we maintain
speed level even if we're decloaked now?"
     "Affirmative that," Silver Spar Leader said.  "I want Tegran to
catch up with us before we land if it's possible.  That way we can give a
complete report on what we saw to Cain."
     "If he stays cloaked the whole way back, he's not liable to catch up
with us," the Sergeant pointed out.
     "I'm going to see if he has enough sense to decloak and increase
speed once he knows for sure he's well clear of that heading the patrol
was on."
     Come on, Ensign, he thought.  Increase my faith in you, and next
time I won't hesitate to let you fly on my wing in combat.
     And then, just as he finished his thought, he saw a blip on his rear
scan moving at a faster speed than their two crafts.  His mouth formed a
thin smile when he got the transponder readout indicating it was Tegran's
viper.
     "Silver Two, this is Silver Leader," he radioed, "I've got you on my
rear scan.  You should catch up to us in another three centons."
     "Glad I was able to," Tegran kept his voice professional.  "I found
their home base."
     Immediately, Skyler and Marshak knew it was going to be a long
debriefing for them when they got back.


     "There is nothing wrong with our scanner system," 354 reported back
to Melkot.
     "Then what can possibly account for those readings?"
     "Unknown at this time."
     "Stay on it."
     At that instant, a more senior level drone centurion, designated 26
(the lower the number, the more important they rated) entered.  "By your
command.  Our returning patrol indicates they encountered some unusual
phenomena while they were out bound."
     "What did they see?"
     "They did not report seeing anything.  However, there were anomalies
on their scanner and communications band which indicated that there had
to be something present."
     "Inform Patrol Leader to report to me when he returns."
     "By your command." 


     The three warriors had reported directly to Cain and Tolen upon
returning to the Pegasus.  After they summarized everything they had seen
and done, Tegran and Marshak were dismissed while Skyler remained for a
more extensive follow-up in which Commander Cobre would be present to
offer the Cylon perspective.
     "So this is what we're dealing with," the Juggernaut said.  "The
baseship is operating on a parallel course along the Cannes Frontier. 
With the data from Tegran's scan, we should be able to plot their
position for the next sectan at least.  We can use our future patrols to
sweep the areas where any outgoing patrols of theirs might be."
     "If they're sending any out," Skyler said.  "Based on the position
Tegran found it in, that means the patrol we spotted was sent ingoing
towards Cannes."
     "Thoughts on why they might be doing that?" Cain turned to Cobre.
     "Difficult to say," the Cylon defector said.  "If it wasn't being
sent directly to Cannes as a relief operation of some sorts, then the
patrol was perhaps sent out more for the sake of......finding something
meaningful to do."
     Cain leaned back in his chair, "Explain."
     "Maintaining a full complement of fighters aboard a baseship that
has to operate in a limited zone requires finding all sorts of ways to
maintain efficiency," Cobre said.  "A baseship commander can not afford
any of his craft to become overly idle.  Sending some ships on patrol
toward the home base instead of away might more efficiently fill that
need than sending more ships on a deeper range outbound patrol."
      "If they have a full complement," Cain then hit the switch to the
Bridge.  "Bridge, this is Cain."
     "Yes, Commander," Kylie's voice answered in the efficiency that
offered not the slightest hint of their relationship.
     "Is that analysis of Ensign Tegran's telemetry scan of the baseship
complete?"
     "Fully processed.  I can give you preliminary readings."
     "Do that, and make sure the file's sent over here and also to
Professor Ila's terminal and also to the lab."
     "Sending," she said.  "The important item is that his scan reveals
the presence of 150 small craft aboard."
     "Thank you, Kylie.  That's all we need for now," he switched off the
intercom.  "How many shuttles does a baseship normally carry?"
     "No more than ten," Cobre said, drawing from the memory banks of the
now dead IL Cylon Lucifer, who had also been the source of his voice. 
"Remove the five raiders that were on patrol, and they are within five of
full capacity.  Presumably there were five additional fighters also out
on patrol."
     "And would that confirm your theory that the inward patrol towards
Cannes was an efficiency test?"
     "I would rate the probability as high, but I would hesitate to say
yes with total certainty."
     "Understandable.  But if that's what it is, then that means we have
to go with the assumption there isn't available space on-board the
baseship for one additional fighter.  So what we discussed at the
briefing is what we have to implement.  We need to intercept a patrol and
substitute some of our fighters for theirs."
     "We have to assume five is the standard number they send out," Tolen
said.  "So that means we send out as many as five to take part in the
infiltration operation."
     "Agreed," Cain nodded.  "Cobre, I'll need you to brief the five best
crews on this.  Flight Leader Gryphon of course, will be in overall
command of the operation.  If he has any judgments on who would be the
best to accompany him, then listen to them.  And have them rated in order
of importance.  That way if we don't need to have all five take part in
this operation, we'll know right away who would get detached."
     "Of course," Cobre bowed.  "You have no lingering concerns over
Gryphon's loyalty?"
     "Having 100% certainty is impossible for anything," the Juggernaut
said.  "But in Gryphon's case......I'm not too far off from that number."
     "He has certainly impressed me," the command centurion admitted. 
"We are fortunate that events conspired to make him see the wisdom of
becoming Enlightened."
     "Sir?" Skyler interjected.
     "Go ahead, Captain.  As Squadron Leader, you're entitled to say
*anything* on these matters," Cain emphasized, wishing that Skyler would
be a little more assertive than deferential when it came to talking to
superiors.  Skyler knew how to be a leader to subordinates which made him
perfect as a Squadron Leader, but there was still a side of him that got
tentative in the presence of superiors
     "I have one question regarding not Flight Leader Gryphon
specifically, but the Cylon crews in general.  We know what we've heard
from them about having no qualms about killing other Cylons in combat,
but......the Cylons who infiltrate the baseship will be surrounded by
their fellow centurions once again, and is there a possibility that could
have an impact on their "enlightenment"?"
     Cain leaned back in his chair, "It's a fair and reasonable
question," he then looked over at the only Cylon in the room, "Wouldn't
you agree, Commander Cobre?"
     "I certainly do," the command centurion said.  "There is a potential
for a sense of.....I think the term is 'kinsmanship' to surface in this
kind of assignment, which is not the same as opening fire on another
Cylon fighter craft.  Obviously, if our team is able to avoid a situation
where they would have to kill a centurion while they are on the baseship,
that is of greater benefit to us since it would insure the element of
surprise will be maintained to the last possible micron."
     "Has Professor Ila seen centurions do anything like this with the
Resistance?" Skyler asked.
     "You mean has she seen a supposedly enlightened Cylon suddenly get
cold feet under pressure?" Cain asked.  "The answer is yes.  She saw a
case of that firsthand on Caprica.  You might want to ask her about
that."
     "I'd be interested in hearing her account as well," Cobre said.  "If
anything.....it might provide me with some insights into what I will have
to say in the final briefing to the centurions."
     The Juggernaut nodded and pressed the direct connection to Ila's
quarters.


     Ten centons later, the blonde Academician had arrived in Cain's
quarters and was giving her account of the incident.
     "It happened a little more than two yahrens ago," she said.  "This
was the early period of the Resistance after we started venturing from
our underground bunkers and made our initial contacts with the dissident
centurions based on Caprica."
     "Was your first contact with the chief command centurion of the
Caprican garrison?" Cobre asked.  "I know you've mentioned before that he
is aligned with the Resistance."
     "Commander Valan," Ila nodded, "Yes, he was the first because when
we sent out reconnaissance teams to try and determine why the Cylons held
back on the amount of pluton poisoning the planet had been subjected to,
we realized that Valan was the only one who could have pulled it off."
     "There are no IL's in the command structure system in the Colonies?"
Skyler asked.
     "Two were appointed as Regional Governors, one for the Inner
Colonies, one for the Outer Colonies," Ila said.  "Caprica falls under
the authority of Governor Malus, who is based on Libra."
     "And obviously, Malus is not part of the Resistance since until
Gomorrah, you never had any experience with a dissident IL," Cobre noted.
     "Exactly.  At any rate, once we realized Valan was behind the order
to limit the pluton poisoning we had to gauge his intentions.  It was
always possible  he was playing a game where his actions were just a
delaying tactic on his part related to a personal power struggle with the
High Command."
     "And how did you realize it was a case of Valan
becoming.....enlightened?"
     "That's......an intricate story of another kind, Commander Cobre,"
Ila said.  "And.....it really doesn't bear on the issue that you want to
learn about.  I know I haven't given any of you other than Commander Cain
a full accounting of events on Caprica since the Resistance began, but
it's always been my intention to do so once we drew closer to the
Colonies.  For simplicity's sake, I'll just say that our link to
Commander Valan was in place within two sectars after we began our
reconnaissance missions.  Once we'd reached an understanding, our primary
objective became one of coordination.  So that Resistance strikes would
take place against Cylon installations on Caprica where Commander Valan
was convinced enlightened Cylons didn't exist."
     "I see," Skyler added things up, "And that way, Commander Valan
could weed out all the Cylons on Caprica who could move against him."
     "It's been a difficult balancing act for him," Ila said.  "The Cylon
High Command still thinks he's loyal.  In order to give Governor Malus no
reason to have him replaced, from time to time the Resistance and
Enlightened centurions stage an exercise that requires faking a crackdown
that makes Valan look good to Malus.  The Governor doesn't make many
trips off Libra, because that's the only one of the Inner Colonies that
doesn't have a viable Resistance network in place.  Consequently, he sees
to it that he seldom leaves the planet to make personal inspections of
Caprica, Gemon and Virgon."
     "And this is also what made it easier for Commander Vulpa and Dr.
Ravashol to visit Caprica those multiple times you've mentioned before?"
Cobre asked.
     "Yes.  But that's also another story for another time."
     "Of course," the command centurion acknowledged, "Do continue,
Professor."
     "At the time, Valan had a top adviser whose numerical designation
was #70.  From a simplicity standpoint we took to calling him 'Sevvy.' 
His job was to clear the way for any Resistance operation at a primary
target.  In this case, to blow up a communications complex outside
Caprica City that connected all command facilities on the planet.  Valan
essentially made it clear that if this complex were destroyed, and a new
one built by enlightened Cylons, then he would make it possible for us to
listen in on all internal Cylon communication traffic on Caprica. 
Consequently, we'd know everything that was happening on the planet.  A
commando team of four was sent to plant the charges that would destroy
the complex.  But access to it, in order to plant the charges, could only
be guaranteed if Sevvy did his job and cleared the way for us."
     "I would be correct in assuming you were part of the team," Cobre
said.
     "Yes.  I 'd already taken part in several other operations.  Colonel
Antony was our commando leader."
     As soon as she said the name, Cain noticed Ila's head lower
slightly.  He knew the reason why.  During one of their dinner meetings
she'd opened up about the people she'd known and worked with in the
Resistance movement.  Who they were and what they were like and how close
she'd become to many of them.  She'd said a lot about Colonel Antony. 
And more than just what he was like from a professional standpoint.
     From what she said, it was easy for her to feel tempted.  Lords be
praised her devotion to Adama outweighed that.
     "Sevvy was supposed to discreetly deactivate the two security zones
that would let us infiltrate the complex and set the charges," Ila went
on, looking directly at Cobre and the others again.  "Deactivating the
outer zone simply got us inside the compound.  Unless the inner zone was
deactivated, we couldn't place the charges near their main energizer,
which was the only way we could destroy the complex.  When we got there,
the outer zone was deactivated......but the inner zone wasn't. 
Sevvy.....had betrayed us."
     "And this wasn't something you anticipated," Tolen didn't phrase it
like a question.
     "No.  Sevvy had come through for us on two prior missions.  He'd
established his credentials as an "enlightened" Cylon for us.  But we
realized later this was the first mission where Sevvy had to mingle among
Cylons who were going to be killed as a result of his actions.  The
previous two occasions all he had to do was deliver an order via
communique to get what we needed in place.  This time it was different."
     "What ultimately happened?" Cobre could tell that Ila's voice wasn't
completely detached as she recounted the event.
     "Our team had to retreat in order to avoid capture.  But we weren't
completely out of the compound when a security patrol spotted us and
opened fire," she paused, "One member of the team, Stavrou, was killed. 
The rest of us.....we barely made it out."
     "You knew right away that Sevvy had betrayed the mission?" the
command centurion could tell that the incident still carried scars for
Ila.
     "We knew he was responsible," Ila seemed to recover from her brief
falter, "The question we couldn't answer  was whether it was deliberate
betrayal from the outset, or whether he'd lost his nerve.  But we
realized we didn't have time to figure out which.  Sevvy didn't know the
exact location of our main Resistance base, but he could tell enough to
make it easy to figure out.  And tempers were also quite high because of
Stavrou's death.  Mine included, I might add."
     "Understandable," there was no hint of disapproval in Cobre's voice. 
"You....made sure he was killed?"
     "We had a planned rendezvous with him after we'd made our escape
from the complex.  Colonel Antony decided to keep it while I went back
with the other survivor from our team to tell Commander Deval what had
happened.  When Antony returned two centars later, he told us that Sevvy
had kept the rendezvous and tried to explain what had happened.  It
wasn't an apology or a request for forgiveness like we saw recently with
Flight Leader Gryphon.  It was more of a clinical explanation.  Antony
made the tactical decision that Sevvy couldn't be allowed to live when
he'd gone back on his word and killed one of us in the process.  If we
gave him another chance he might betray us openly or put Commander Valan
in danger.  So Antony shot him dead on the spot.  Commander Deval and the
rest of us felt that he made the right decision."
     Tolen and Skyler glanced over at Cobre, waiting for his reaction
first.
     "I would have to agree with your Colonel Antony's reasoning," the
command centurion said.  "As you say, it is not identical to the case of
Flight Leader Gryphon, who confessed his crime *before* it had a chance
to cause any damage.  If anything, this experience would be a valuable
lesson to any of the centurions in our ranks that true Enlightenment must
bring with it, total Commitment.  And that to feel the dilemma and
conflict within is merely a part of the Enlightenment process.  It is
nothing to be......I believe the right term would be, *ashamed* about,
but at the same time it is something that must be overcome in the name of
true Enlightenment.  Without it, the Cylon remains a functioning slave of
the corrupt Old Order."
     His reaction seemed to relax Ila, who smiled.
     "I appreciate your understanding, Commander Cobre," the Academician
said.  "If you believe my story would help.....then by all means please
share it with the other centurions when you brief them."
     "I shall," Cobre bowed politely.  "It is a tale that must be told to
them in a Cylon voice.....but I will make clear exactly how much the
sense of dilemma applied to you and your comrades as well."
     Ila looked over at Cain, "Will that be all?"
     "It will," Cain nodded.  "Thanks for your help......as always, Ila."
     As soon as she was gone, the Juggernaut sat down and then said with
firmness.  "Give your briefing to the centurions this evening, Commander
Cobre.  I want the crews for this mission lined up in place so that we're
ready to move in the next 36 centars."


     Ila returned to her combination office and quarters.  When she
dropped into the chair at her computer work station, she found herself
letting out a wistful sigh.  Not about the matters she'd discussed about
Cylon behavior.  But that for the first time in all her sectars aboard
the Pegasus she'd mentioned the name of Colonel Antony to someone other
than Cain.
     The bravest man the Resistance has ever turned out, she sighed.  Any
time I took part in an operation on the surface, whether it was
reconnaissance or a commando one, I always felt safe if he was there.
     And there was another side of him too that Ila had seen more than
once.  The side of an attractive, charming man who more than once had
tried to make Ila forget her vows to Adama.  But no matter how much Ila
felt the temptation, and it had been great, she had never wavered.  For
which she was eternally grateful.  Especially when Colonel Antony began
to get more and more persistent in the days leading up to Ila's departure
from Caprica in the shuttle that was supposed to take her across the
stars to the Galactica.
     That was when it became harder to politely brush his advances off. 
Before that, he was just  playing the charming ladies man with me.  But
once he learned I was going to try and make it back to the Galactica, he
started to sound.....desperate that I not go.  Was he *really* that much
in love with me?  It just never made any sense to me.  There were other,
younger women in our ranks that a man like him should have been more
instinctively drawn to.  Why me?  Why the......obsession with trying to
get me to stay when everyone else in the Resistance knew I was the only
logical choice to take that shuttle and seek the Galactica out?
     When Ila left, she'd hoped she'd never have to ponder that question
again.  But her decision to return to the Colonies with the Pegasus meant
she would one day see Colonel Antony again.  And she knew that if the
handsome Colonel was still unattached, it was all too likely he would see
Ila's decision to return as a sign that she felt the same way about him.
     May that not be so.  I hope by all the Lords that when we return
he's found another woman.  I don't want to deal with the problem of being
tempted by him again.  
     But that was something she wouldn't know the answer to for a long
while, and she knew the best thing she could do was what she'd been doing
the last nine sectars.  Which was to put the thought of Antony completely
out of her mind.


     "That is all I can report."
     Melkot felt a rising sense of exasperation as he listened to the
patrol leader give the same unsatisfactory answer to his last question.
     "That's not sufficient, Patrol Leader," the baseship commander said. 
"What did this anomaly on your communications band seem like?  If your
scanners didn't indicate the presence of nearby ships or any visible
astral phenomena, what were you potentially investigating?"
     There was no response from the Patrol Leader.  Knowing he'd reached
the limit, Melkot dismissed him and turned his attention back to the
earlier report from Centurion #354 about the anomalies on the baseship's
scanner.  
     It didn't make sense to his one-brain mind.  But he couldn't fathom
how even a two-brain IL would have interpreted it.  
     Perhaps it's all a consequence of an endless life of
doing......nothing.  For no real.....purpose.
     He thought about contacting Commander Cauda on Cannes Prime and
giving him a report and how it concerned him.  But after several yahrens,
he knew the IL well enough to predict what Cauda's reaction would be. 
That he was wasting Cauda's valuable time that was needed to deal with
the situation in managing the populations of Cannes Two and Three.  That
Melkot's role was strictly to man the outer security parameter of the
Cannes System and intercept any hostile targets and destroy them.  And if
there were no definable hostile targets to report that he couldn't take
care of, then he shouldn't be contacting him at all.
     So predictable, he thought with a feeling that he was sure was total
disgust.  Disgust for his lot.  Disgust for his superior.  But with no
way out of the predicament that he could fathom
     Except......he could just try and again and hope that *this* time
things might be different.  That maybe this time Cauda might
actually.......*appreciate* the work he was forced to do and recognize
how valuable he and his crew were to the Service of the Empire.  At the
very least, contacting the Garrison Commander would break the monotony of
things.
     He would do it.

Chapter Three

     Even when Commander Cobre gave a briefing to the rest of the
centurions who had come aboard at Gomorrah, it was always standard
operating procedure for one or two warriors to sit at the back of the
room and act as silent observers.  That wasn't due to any lack of trust
in the command centurion, it was strictly to report their own independent
perceptions of how the centurions reacted to what Cobre had to say and if
any asked questions that struck them as signs of misgiving.
     Typically, the "silent observer" assignment rotated among warriors
who had worked with Cobre or with Centurions Festus, Serpentine and the
now departed to Gomorrah "Lucy" in previous missions.  And most of the
time it fell upon the two warriors who had been present at the beginning
when Cobre and his team of three had been found on the abandoned Cylon
garrison at Delta Aquinas and reactivated to help them on a mission on
nearby Equellas.  Little realizing that it would mark the beginning of a
new chapter in the history of the Pegasus.
     Seems like an eternity ago, Angus thought as he and Banker sat in
the rear corner of the operations room where all the other centurions
were listening to Cobre.  When our whole existence was headed toward a
dead-end.  And all we were doing was checking out Delta Aquinas to see if
there was anything left from an old munitions cache from over a decade
ago.
It was even more remarkable that Cobre, Festus, Serpentine and "Lucy" had
been found
and recruited since they hadn't been the only Cylons on Delta Aquinas
still in a state of shutdown.  The Pegasus search team consisting of
Tolen, Angus, Banker and Sergeant Doyle had initially arrived on the
planet and during their search they had accidentally reactivated six
other centurions.  But those Cylons had not spent their decade of
inactivity developing a sense of "Enlightenment".  Instead, their primary
programming had kicked back in and it resulted in a firefight that left
Sergeant Doyle dead before the six Cylons were finally killed.  Making
Doyle just the second official casualty the Pegasus had suffered since
parting from the Galactica, along with the vanished Ensign Wynn who had
never returned from a patrol.
     After burying their dead comrade, the remaining three had carried on
their search for the munitions to the nearby planet Equellas where they
discovered the ammunition being used by a ruthless crime lord named Marco
to enslave the population.  And it was only because Tolen knew the menace
of Marco and his henchmen needed to be removed as quickly as possible
that he made the fateful decision to return to Delta Aquinas and
reactivate several of the remaining Cylons and to control them with a
cover story that the Empire had been destroyed and the humans had won. 
And that they had no choice but to follow them.  That way, Tolen could
use  them to strike terror into Marco and force the surrender of the
ammunition.
     It hadn't gone that smoothly.  A number of Marco's henchmen had died
in the process, along with the crime lord, but the end result had been
worth it from Tolen's perspective for the long-term well being of
Equellas.  They would never have to worry about a crime lord using laser
ammunition again to extract tribute from the hard-working population of
farmers and small landowners.
     Initially, Tolen's plan had been to dispose of the four centurions
after they'd served their purpose.  But Tolen held back when he'd heard
the four of them, led by Cobre, expressing sentiments that went totally
against the grain for Cylon thinking.  All of them......enjoying the idea
that the Cylon Empire was no more because they all harbored an intense
dislike of the IL class and all other higher-brained Cylons.  It was an
expression of disenchantment that Tolen, Angus and Banker realized needed
to be studied further and cultivated.  And so, notwithstanding the death
of their fellow warrior, Doyle, at the hands of other Cylons in the
complex, they had taken Cobre, Festus, Serpentine and Lucy back to the
Pegasus.  Combined with Ila's sudden discovery the very next day and the
news of the Resistance and that there were Cylons in the Colonies who'd
also changed sides, the magnitude of Tolen's decision to first recover
the four Cylons and then keep them alive only grew with each passing day.
     On such small decisions of the centon, do the course of events in
history and the universe change, Angus thought further as he listened on. 
Cobre's speech had not been interrupted so there was nothing for him to
analyze at this point.  It gave him the flexibility to think more about
how fortunate he'd been that he, Banker and Tolen had not given in to
their first instincts and killed the four Cylons who had eventually
become their friends over time.  The death of Sergeant Doyle would always
hurt.  But at least it hadn't been by Cobre's hand or the other three. 
Perspective had been easy to develop.
     And now here we are, nine sectars later and Cobre is teaching this
group of Cylons about developing perspective of their own in the name of
Enlightenment.  Just like we had to with Cobre's team.
     "Remember this," Cobre was finishing, "The only ones who should
volunteer for this mission are those who can forget entirely about the
crew of this baseship as your fellow Cylons.  While all of us are
fighting for the goal of a day when all humans and Cylons will be in a
state of permanent co-existence and peace, not all Cylons will be able to
see that day.  Instead of feeling what the human mind would call.....pity
for those who can not be part of that day, think only of how fortunate
you are that all of *you* have a chance to be part of it.  But only if
you recognize that the path to Enlightenment does not carry with it
decisions that are always perfect and orderly as we were first programmed
to believe they would always be.  If you fail to meet that test.....then
you will have broken faith with all humans who have overcome their own
prejudices to welcome you as friends and comrades.  That is I think you
will understand, the real lesson of Professor Ila's experience that she
shared with me.  The execution of the Cylon known as "Sevvy" was not the
result of the blind prejudice or hatred that true Enlightenment leaves
behind.  It was a decision borne of necessity for the good of the
*greater* mission which is final peace between humans and Enlightened
Cylons.  Those who sabotage that effort because they can not let go of a
misguided sense of kinsmanship, are ultimately worse than those who have
refused to accept Enlightenment."
     The command centurion's robotic eye then fixed on the two silent
human observers in the back of the room.  "Our human observers today know
this well, for I have seen them, as humans act in an identical fashion."
     Angus and Banker weren't prepared to hear Cobre call attention to
their presence.  But both of them were able to shake off their initial
surprise and smile in response.
     "Lieutenants Angus and Banker, along with Colonel Tolen, faced a
difficult situation on the planet Equellas," Cobre went on.  "One in
which certain *humans* were the oppressors of their fellow humans.  Yet
they were willing to recruit myself and Centurions Festus, Serpentine and
Lucifer in the effort to achieve the greater good of overthrowing an
unjust human order.  For them, Enlightenment proved greater than
kinsmanship.  If humans believe Cylons can aid them in such a task and
submerge their own distaste for killing members of their own race......do
we not in the name of Enlightenment, owe them the same?"
     Almost all of the helmeted heads in the room began to nod.  Not
perfectly in unison.  If anything, that would have been a less impressive
sight to Banker and Angus.  Instead, it was all
more.......individualized, with some nods more vigorous than others, and
some at different angles.  Had it all been in perfect regimented unison,
then they would have seemed no different than they had always been as
regimented soldiers giving a programmed response to a superior.  This
way.....they came off as truly independent thinkers with their own
individual nuances.
     What accounts for that initial spark that triggered all this?  Angus
wondered, not for the first time.  For almost a thousand yahrens, nothing
like this ever happened.  But why now?  Why not......sooner, before the
Holocaust took place?
     But the Lieutenant also knew that it was probably pointless to ask. 
He doubted that the most brilliant of scientists could ever come up with
a technical explanation for it, even if they studied the centurions up
close for another thousand yahrens.  Perhaps the ultimate explanation lay
in those realms that went way beyond the sciences......and more into the
realm of the spiritual.
     Whether it was their direct doing or not, the Pegasus warrior knew
he wouldn't stop thanking the Lords that it was happening.


     The planet classified as "Cannes Prime" was the largest of the three
in the system.  And also the only one with an atmosphere no biological
human could survive in.  That was why it was the perfect location for
such a large Cylon garrison, laid out over more than one hundred square
kilometrones in terms of facilities, complete with multiple hangars for
up to six hundred ground-based Raiders and a full maintenance dock that
could effect repairs on a Baseship.
     From here, did the IL Cylon, Commander Cauda exercise his control
over not just the Cannes Garrison but the entire Cannes System with its
additional planets.  Cannes Two, with its abundant natural resources and
the largest known tylium mine in the Alpha Quadrant.  And Cannes Three,
with its subjugated native population that was allowed to live only to
administer Cylon justice on Cannes Two.
     Commander Cauda knew that if the Imperious Leader had full knowledge
of how things stood on Cannes, he might be displeased.  It had been more
than ten yahrens since the original Cylon conquest of Cannes, and even
now Cannes Two remained untamed.  The warm, tropical climate and the
thick forests made it impossible for a sufficient garrison to be
permanently based there and root out the Resistance movement.  And fire
bombing the planet from above was no option because it risked destruction
of the tylium mines that made the Cannes System worth conquering in the
first place.
     So instead, the humanoid population of Cannes Three, with a limited
number of Cylon advisors (rotated in and out on a regular basis) had the
task of pacifying Cannes Two to make it turn out the resources the Cylons
deemed essential for their needs.  Over ten yahrens, the efficiency of
operations had varied.  One yahren, tylium output might exceed
expectations.  Another yahren, Resistance activities might result in only
a mere trickle being mined.
     But through it all, it didn't matter to Cauda.  He could always take
satisfaction in knowing how impregnable his position on Cannes Prime was. 
No matter what the Resistance movement did, they weren't capable of
overthrowing Cylon rule.  Not unless they were willing to commit
planetary suicide by setting fire to the tylium mines.  If they did that,
they could destroy Cannes Two, and given the proximity of Cannes Prime
and Cannes Three, the other two planets could conceivably be destroyed in
the process.
     But long ago, Cauda had convinced himself that would never happen. 
The natives of Cannes Two were a primitive people who viewed the natural
world as sacred.  Destroying the planet would represent a mortal sin to
their way of thinking.  They would fight to harass their oppressors and
conquerors, but only in the hope that one day......the Cylon conquerors
who occupied Cannes Prime and used the population of Cannes Three to
subjugate them, would tire of it all and go away.
     How wonderful to have the benefit of robotic immortality, Cauda
thought as he went over the latest report sent to him by Faymon, the
humanoid puppet ruler of Cannes Three who was officially in charge of all
anti-Resistance activities on Cannes Two.  I can literally spend yahrens
enjoying the endless futility of the Resistance movement.
     Cauda would never dare admit it to the Imperious Leader, but he
preferred the notion of a Resistance movement trapped in endless futility
to one that was completely destroyed.  Victory would remove the thrill of
the chase.  The satisfaction of seeing the enemy unable to achieve its
unrealistic goal of victory.  If they were gone from the scene, Cauda's
feelings would be like that of a human child who had lost his favorite
toy that he loved to break and then put back together just for the thrill
of breaking it again.
     That fixation was why reports on Cannes Two Resistance activities
and studying the competence reports of the Cannes Three operatives
occupied so much of his time.  Giving his two brains the space needed to
calculate strategies or envision who should be given a gentle threat of
possible execution or replacement.  And also, to try and gain some more
insight into the Resistance leader.  The mysterious Princess Shandra. 
     Because that was the singular obsession of Cauda's existence, a
report from his Chief Centurion aide that Commander Melkot of the Support
Baseship wanted to speak to him, did not please him in the least.  Unless
Melkot was going to report the emergence of a hostile outside invasion
force, there was nothing Cauda wanted to hear from the Garrison's lone
remaining capital warship, which for the last two and a half yahrens had
aimlessly patrolled along the outer planetary frontier.
     Nonetheless, he decided he would indulge Melkot.  It would give him
a chance to remind the baseship commander of where his importance lay in
the overall scheme of things.
     After settling himself in the chair in front of the com-link
terminal, he activated the switch and saw Commander Melkot's face.  The
mere sight of him was enough to give Cauda the satisfaction that he
wasn't dealing with a commander who was of the IL class like himself. 
Someone from his own class was the kind of Cylon he'd have reason to be
concerned about, since IL's were known to produce many in their ranks who
could be overly ambitious and wouldn't hesitated to find devious ways of
plotting their own advancement.
     And while he could never dare openly acknowledge it......deep down
Cauda was glad  the two baseships attached to Cannes that had been
commanded by IL Cylons had been destroyed at the Battle of Gomorrah three
yahrens ago.  From his standpoint, the security of Cannes wasn't impacted
in the slightest by their loss and the deaths of their commanders had
removed the only two potential rivals to his authority.  The only way he
could lose it would be if the Imperious Leader sent another IL all the
way out to relieve him.  And even that might not prove successful because
it would be all too easy for any incoming commander, sent so far from
home, to meet with an inconvenient "accident" at the hands of Cauda's
loyal centurions. 
     No, the only thing that could alarm Cauda at this point would be if
His Eminence were to come all the way out from the home world, Cylon, and
relieve him in person.  But Cauda had no worries about that ever
happening.  The last time the Leader had ventured this far out into space
had been to dedicate the outer capital at Gomorrah......and he had nearly
lost his life at the hands of the Galactica and the Pegasus.  Ever since,
Imperious Leader had remained safe and secure on the home world,
attending to the matters of the Empire that he could exercise more direct
control over.  That suited Cauda just fine.  Just as it suited him fine
that Commander Melkot would never be any kind of threat to his control
either.
     "Commander Melkot reporting," the baseship commander said.
     "Yes, Melkot.  Why the need for this direct contact?" Cauda made
sure to inflect the right levels of irritation and indifference in his
tone.  Giving the centurion who could only talk in that lower-pitched
monotone a verbal reminder that he was part of a superior Cylon class in
all respects.
     "Something......unusual our patrol detected."
     "What do you define as unusual, Melkot?" his disinterest was
increasing.
     "Our patrol detected indications of......transmission waves."
     The indifference faded just a bit.  "What kind of transmissions?"
     "It was impossible to determine that.  It was as if they had
detected indications of transmissions that were scrambled or masked.  It
was impossible to know what they said, only that they were there."
     "But where did they come from?"
     "That could not be ascertained.  There were no signs of any ships or
anything that could have been the source of such a transmission."
     The indifference now returned in full force to the IL.  Combined
with a considerable level of anger.  "Am I to understand, Melkot, that
you wasted my time contacting me to tell me about indecipherable
transmissions that couldn't possibly exist because nothing was there?"
     "It was a matter that I felt merited your attention, if in fact this
transmission indicated the potential presence of a threat to the
garrison."
     "It is *your* job to monitor all potential threats to the garrsion
from beyond, Melkot!"  Cauda snapped. "I'm not here for you to run to
whenever there's something you can't understand.  If there's something
you can't understand that you want to investigate further, then do it! 
And report to me only when you have something specific to report, and not
something as worthless as this is!"
     There was no response from Melkot.  The whirring of his back and
forth electronic eye was the only sound for the next few microns.
     "Is there anything else?" Cauda frostily inquired.
     "No," Melkot said.  "There is nothing else."
     Abruptly, the transmission ceased and the baseship commander's face
disappeared from the screen.  It surprised Cauda for just an instant that
Melkot wouldn't bother to wait for him to formally terminate contact. 
But the surprise quickly passed and the indifference reasserted itself.
     "By your command," a centurion came up to him, "We have prepared a
new assessment of Princess Shandra's recent activities."
     "Excellent!" Cauda felt a burst of excited stimulation running
through his circuits.  "I will spend the next few centars going over it,
and I am *not* to be disturbed!"
     This would by far be more interesting than *anything* Melkot could
ever report to him.


Aboard the baseship, Melkot remained fixed in his position even after
he'd terminated the
transmission.  Not moving.  Not responding to the blinking light that
indicated a member of his crew was trying to contact him.  
     The only thing that was running through the command centurion's
circuitry was a......sensation that he couldn't recall experiencing at
any time in his existence.  Something that felt like.....a sense of pure
emotional rage that could only be called.......anger.


     "Commander, we have our volunteers for the infiltration mission,"
Skyler said as he handed Cain the comp-board with the names.
     The Juggernaut stared at them, "I still haven't got all these names
straight except for Gryphon and Aethon."
     "I've flown with the others on integrated patrols," Silver Spar
Leader said.  "They've all rated high in terms of the assessments we gave
in key areas of team work.  Not just my assessment, but Lieutenants
Banker and Angus gave their own independent evaluations as well."
     "Sound thinking having three independent assessments," Cain set the
comp down.  "Once this comes off, those who weren't willing to volunteer
might be more at ease when it comes to future operations."
     Skyler smiled thinly at how Cain never used the word "if" when
speaking of a plan.  Even if Cain had lost some of his old braggadocio
over the last few yahrens, one thing that could never change about him
was confidence in a battle plan.  
     "Is there a pecking order in terms of who gets first priority to
infiltrate the baseship?"  Cain asked.  "Just in case we don't need all
five ships to do the job."
     "Yes, sir, that's been factored in.  Gryphon and Aethon rate first
and second overall."
     The Juggernaut eyed the Flight Leader with amusement,
"Meaning......if only one could go, then it's going to be Gryphon in
charge."
     "Yes, sir.  Of course......neither Banker or Angus are aware of that
other matter surrounding Gryphon."
     "Nor will they ever," Cain cut in, "You're the only pilot who knows
about Gryphon and his confession, and I want to make sure you're the only
one who *ever* knows.  I don't want that hanging at the back of anyone
else's mind when it comes to assessing him, unless it becomes necessary. 
And if our judgment is correct......it never will be."
     "I'm hopeful of that too, sir."
     "Be more than hopeful, Captain," Cain said with just the faintest
trace of reproach.  "Be absolutely convinced that when you lead them
out.......you're going to be *convinced* of success."
     Skyler nodded.  He knew Cain was right.  As Squadron Leader, he had
to be convinced of success in order to calm any uneasiness that might
exist in the men he was going to lead into battle.
     "When do we proceed, sir?"
     Cain didn't answer at first.  He idly reached over and activated the
intercom, "Dr. Arnoff?"
     "Yes, Commander?" the Electronics Chief answered.
     "What's your assessment on the anomaly Captain Skyler reported
during his last patrol?"
     "I can't give you more than the obvious, Commander.  We now know
that cloaked vipers can keep their transmissions to each other scrambled,
but the impulse patterns that are given off indicating that transmissions
are taking place can not be concealed if a nearby ship is trained to
detect their presence."
     "Is their any way of compensating for that?"
     "In time, perhaps I could develop something, but I'm certainly not
going to have a solution to that in the near-term.  Even I have my
limits, Commander."
     Cain managed to smile in spite of the fact that he hadn't heard the
answer he wanted to hear.  "Try not to sell yourself short, Doctor."
     He switched off the intercom and then looked Skyler in the eye,
"Since the good doctor can't deliver any improvements on the system to
take care of what you experienced in the near-term, then there's no point
holding matters up waiting for him to come up with something.  All crews
for this mission are to be assembled and ready to go at 0700 tomorrow."
     "Yes, sir!"


     Since the beginning of her relationship with Cain, Kylie had done
all she could to make sure every other part of her life remained
unchanged.  She continued to do her Bridge duties with perfect
punctuality and deference towards Cain as any subordinate would be
expected to.  As a result, her friends and co-workers on the Bridge like
Altair could still feel at ease interacting and talking with her as
though no relationship between her and the Commander existed.  Which was
exactly how Kylie wanted it.  What she had now with Cain was special and
dear to her and she didn't mind that people knew about it.  But she also
regarded it as private business between herself and Cain.  By not talking
about it to them, it kept them from feeling self-consciously awkward in
her presence, and it quashed any concerns they might have had that
anything they said to Kylie in confidence would ultimately find its way
back to Cain.
     One other thing hadn't changed for Kylie.  She still got the
occasional respite from Bridge duty during a down period for the Pegasus
so she could look after Wallis and Kelli's two children, Linden and
Karin.  The two adored her as "Auntie Kylie" and always looked forward to
a time of storytelling and game playing that Kylie knew how to make fun
and exciting.  And Kylie enjoyed every chance she got to be with the
children.  It reminded her of when she'd spent all of her childhood in a
Taurean orphanage, and how when she'd reached her teen years she'd become
a mother figure to the smaller children who were trying to adjust to life
in a difficult environment.  Kylie hadn't seen anyone do that for her
when she'd been a child in the orphanage and it left her determined to
not let those who were younger than her go through the same experience.
     Children need to know they're being cared for, she thought.  In
their case, their parents have to work hard for the good of everyone on
the Pegasus so that's why they can't be there all day for them.  So if
they know someone else can fill in when they can......they'll feel safe
and secure.  And with everything that's happening to us and is going to
happen to us.....they need to feel safe.
     It was because it was such a challenge to have two small,
impressionable children brought up aboard a warship taking part in active
combat operations, that Kylie knew the burden would have been too much
for Wallis and Kelli even if they didn't have their agro-tech duties of
extending the battlestar's food supply to its maximum limit.  Someone
would be needed to pick up the slack.  The med-tech nurse, Ivy, who did
the work whenever Kylie was tied up with her regular duties, was at heart
a good woman, but she had too much of a stern demeanor that came
naturally to her from making sure that protesting Pegasus crew obeyed
orders and didn't try to get out of the Life Station before they were
released.  Adjusting her approach to deal with small children was simply
beyond her capabilities after more than twenty yahrens as a
disciplinarian.  The most she could do was act as a monitor to make sure
they were all right when their parents were working.
     Kylie knew she couldn't let her time with the children be all fun
and games.  Indeed, the reason why Linden and Karin behaved themselves
when Ivy looked after them was because their parents made a point of
emphasizing they had to do everything the med-tech told them to do and if
they didn't, then Auntie Kylie wasn't going to make time for them until
they learned how to behave.  And Kylie had demonstrated at least once she
could be a disciplinarian if she had to.  Since then, there'd never been
a problem.
     This afternoon, Kylie would spend time with the children until the
work shift ended for their parents.  And then, Wallis would take charge
so the two women could spend an evening dinner with Ila.  The three of
them had formed a close bond with each other.  Ila and Kelli were the
only two people aboard the Pegasus that Kylie would ever permit herself
to be candid with regarding her relationship with Cain. 
     As she neared their quarters, she saw two of the new Cylons passing
through the corridor.  It gave her a reminder of how things were truly
different now with so many new Cylons, in contrast to the four the
Pegasus had prior to Gomorrah.  And how the presence of so many had often
left the children confused because their parents had first told them how
the Cylons were evil machines responsible for why they couldn't live on a
nice planet with fresh air and green trees any longer.  Because Cobre's
team didn't frequent this part of the ship, they hadn't been forced to
explain the new complication of defecting Cylons right away.  But now,
with over forty new Cylons on the ship, it couldn't be avoided.  
     Kylie knew from her last two visits that Wallis and Kelli were
getting concerned over the impact this was having on the children's
thinking.  Finding the right way to explain something complex to minds so
young though, remained something neither parent had been able to grasp.
     It is a dilemma.  And if Wallis and Kelli knew that we had one Cylon
in our midst who came aboard to try and sabotage the ship initially......
     She stopped outside the door and realized that the story of Flight
Leader Gryphon might be the solution.  Though she couldn't let herself be
specific about it, especially since the Agro-Tech couple wasn't cleared
to know about it.  But.....if she told something in general terms that
hinted only at the basic idea about bad people changing......maybe that
would be the key.
     Couldn't hurt to try.  Besides, I've re-enacted the Legend of Lord
Georges and Princess Sabra more times than I care to!


     "The children said you didn't kill the draco this time," Kelli said
three centars later as the three women shared their dinner in Ila's
quarters.
     "Not this time," Kylie shook her head, "I decided to tell them
something different.  Something a little more contemporary and relevant."
     "How so?" Ila asked.
     The Bridge Officer took a sip of water first and the leaned back in
her chair, "I told them a story of a little boy and girl, not much older
than them, who lived in a poor and dangerous town where a large gang of
older big kids would often do nasty things that made them afraid to go
out and play.  And how it made the boy and girl scared of big kids
whenever they saw one because all they could think of was the gang of
bullies who did horrible things and kept them from feeling safe when they
went outside.  But then.....one day, one of the big kids in the gang came
up to them, and at first the boy and the girl ran away because they were
afraid.  But the big kid kept looking and told them he just wanted to
talk.  And.....it turned out the big kid who belonged to the gang had
come to say how sorry he was for all the things he'd done when he was in
the gang.  And that he wanted to be friends from now on and that he was
going to help them whenever they ran into the gang and all the bullies
just like them.  And it was at that point that the little boy and girl
realized that just because he used to be one of the bullies they'd always
been afraid of.....they didn't have to be scared of him any longer
because they knew he'd changed and was their friend now.  And that
whenever they saw other big kids, they didn't have to always think they
were just like the bullies."
     When she finished, she took another drink from her water glass. 
Kelli was nodding her head.
     "I get it," the agro-tech said, "It was your way of telling them
they didn't have to be afraid of the Cylons they keep seeing in the
corridors."
     "Exactly," Kylie said, "You.....were mentioning how nervous and
scared they seemed every time they saw one.  I thought this way, they
could get some understanding for why they don't have to be afraid of
*these* Cylons.  And.....I think maybe they began to understand.  Of
course, it's up to you and Wallis to make sure my little lesson is really
getting through to them, so if you have to repeat the story to them,
you'll at least know how it goes."
     "Thank you, Kylie," Kelli said with gratitude, "Walli and I couldn't
figure out the best way to put their minds at ease.  And they *need* to
feel at ease with everything that's coming up soon."
     "It's a good beginning to put them at ease about the Cylons
on-board," Ila said.  "The next step is to teach them not to be afraid if
we go through an attack and they have to stay locked in their quarters
for their own safety."
     "That game plan is in place," Kelli said firmly, "If that Red Alert
ever sounds, I drop everything I'm doing and head back to their quarters
and I don't leave their side until it's all over."
     "It's not a question of 'if' but 'when', Kelli," the Bridge Officer
said, "Realistically, I don't see how we can escape it."
     The agro-tech sighed as she idly picked at the last of her dinner,
"I guess you're right."
     "You had to be prepared for it before when you were in the Fleet,"
Ila pointed out, "I know it's not quite the same because you weren't on
the Galactica, but.....you've mentioned how the rest of the Fleet went
through attack a number of times."
     "Yes, but Linden and Karin were only babies then and not yet as
impressionable as they are now.  All I had to do was be the protective
mother leonine guarding her cubs.  This time.....how they bear up during
an attack could affect them for the rest of their lives." 
     "Maybe," Ila conceded, "But if my eldest grandchild is any
indication, the children who've gone through an attack have the potential
to show great resiliency."
     "Boxey?" Kelli asked.  She had been the one who'd told Ila of his
existence before the Pegasus had made contact with the Galactica.  And
she'd also told Ila about his experience being trapped in the
Rejuvenation Center of the battlestar after a Cylon suicide attack.
     "Yes.  I've.....exchanged messages with him a couple times.  I told
him I knew about what he'd gone through in that one attack, but......it
turns out he's been through a *lot* more.  Things that Adama and Apollo
were afraid to tell me about at first." She shook her head in amazement,
"And the amazing this is, he still wants to be a warrior when he grows
up.  None of what he's been through has made him afraid of the risks that
go with that.  If anything.....he says it makes him understand what's at
stake, and that when he grows up, he'll be prepared for the challenges
that go with being a warrior."
     "What do Apollo and Sheba think about him wanting to be a warrior?"
Kylie asked.  
     "Well.....Apollo says he doesn't try to actively encourage or
discourage it.  He wants Boxey to just be what he knows he can be best
at.  Although.....I do get a sense that Apollo and Sheba hope that by the
time he grows up, and by the time Bethany Two grows up, they'll be on
Earth and becoming a warrior won't be necessary any longer."
     "That assumes that Earth wouldn't be in any danger from outside
forces," Kelli noted.
     "And aren't the Risik still a long-term threat to Earth?" Kylie
added.
     "Yes.  Potentially," Ila sighed, "Adama's convinced that long-term,
the Risik is likely to regroup and stage an assault on Earth even if
takes them yahrens to realize that.  So once the Fleet reaches Earth, the
first priority will be helping Earth prepare for that.  Those who want to
give up being warriors may find they can't......and those who want to be
warriors may find that they'll have to."
     "I hope it doesn't happen," Kelli said firmly, "When they reach
Earth I hope it's nothing but peace and quiet for them.  That's all
anyone in the Fleet's ever dreamed of.  It's why.....Walli and I cracked
and jumped ship at Brylon.  If reaching Earth doesn't bring *something*
like that for the ones who've wanted it most......I'd hate to think of
the letdown the people would go through."
     "It's still their best hope for it in the near-term," Ila said
sympathetically, "Goodness knows they wouldn't get it if they decided to
turn back and join us.  I think that's why this 'turn back' sentiment
Adama's talked about has never rated more than about what a quarter to a
third  of the population thinks.  Even those who have family connections
back home to think about still don't want to rush back into an active War
Zone.  A lot of people are already at the stage where they're conditioned
to think of the Colonies as part of the past.  Which is why I think the
Referendum the Fleet's going to have soon is going to settle the issue
once and for all."
     "Ila, I hope you don't think I'm asking something out of turn," the
agro-tech said, "But....what if you hadn't been picked up by the Pegasus
and reached the Galactica......and then had to deal with Adama saying he
wasn't going to turn back?"
     Ila let out a wistful sigh and took a micron to finish her drink.
     "The Lords saw fit to never put either of us through that dilemma,"
she finally answered her, "So that's why I won't ever let myself wonder
what the outcome might have been."
     Both Kylie and Kelli understood why she'd answered that way.  And
both knew that there was no point ever getting her to talk further about
it.
     After another half centar of conversation, Kelli bade them good
night.  It allowed Kylie and Ila to spend  more time talking about things
that neither could say in front of the agro-tech.
     "About that story you told the children," Ila said, "You were
drawing from the recent experience of Flight Leader Gryphon, weren't
you?"
     Cain's lover smiled thinly, "Since you, Skyler, Tolen and Ham are
the only humans who know about Gryphon......yes."
     "It's a good story even if there hadn't been a Gryphon," the
Academician noted, "You.....really have a special way with children,
Kylie."
     The smile lingered on Kylie's face but she said nothing.
     "Do you think someday----," Ila started but Kylie quickly cut her
off.
     "Not yet," she shook her head, "Not yet.  I won't even let myself
think about that, Ila.  And neither will Cain.  We can't let ourselves
think about that at this point.  We.....know what we'd ideally like
someday, but......that's a long ways off.  So we don't talk about it."
     "I understand," Ila nodded, "You're.....happy with the way things
are now?"
     The brunette warrior sighed, "Yes.  I'm happy.  Happy that after six
yahrens I don't have to lie to myself any longer.  And I'm happy
that.....Cain and I have discovered we're completely compatible and that
it wasn't just an idle infatuation on his part, or a silly prolonged
schoolgirl crush on my part.  We.....really love each other.  And we know
that......regardless of what happens as far as the Resistance goes, we'll
always belong to each other."
     "I'm glad," Cain's in-law said, "You haven't had any complications
when it comes to the working relationship?"
     "None," Kylie shook her head, "It's because we're both dedicated
warriors that we know when to shut it off and let the normal command
relationship guide us."
     "And it hasn't caused any awkward moments for you with the rest of
the crew?"
     "None.  Oh, I'm sure behind my back they say things in jest about
it, but that doesn't bother me.  They know I'm still the same dutiful
subordinate that I was before, and they can keep talking to me on that
level as if nothing had ever changed."
     "It's nice to know that," Ila said, "What you and Cain have is a
reminder to everyone of what they can have if we do our jobs and fight
this thing to the end and total victory."
     Kylie looked thoughtfully at the woman she regarded as her best
friend.  "And when that happens......what will it mean for you, Ila?"
     The blonde Academician smiled back at her, "As you said, that's way
off in the future."
     She nodded in understanding.  Like the question Kelli had posed
earlier, it belonged to a realm that Ila wasn't about to get into anytime
soon.


     Since Cylons didn't need rest periods, the night cycle was a time
for those who had volunteered for the next day's mission to consult with
each other and go over the plan that Captain Skyler had outlined.  As
they did so, Commander Cobre kept a watchful eye over the proceedings
from the other side of the room where the volunteers had gathered.  It
was up to him to determine that nothing was amiss and that all of those
who had volunteered were indeed committed to the successful outcome of
the mission.
     But Cobre's own sense of Enlightenment told him it would be foolish
for the volunteers to carry things out with the sense of indifferent
automation that they had been originally programmed to demonstrate in the
service of the Cylon Empire.  There were bound to be doubts and moments
of hesitation.  And he could only hope that the lectures he had given,
and the positive reinforcement of his own centurions and the experiences
shared by Ila and others, would act as the bulwark against them.
     Tomorrow.....they would know how strong that bulwark was.

Chapter Four

     At 0630 the next morning, the crew of the Pegasus was formally
placed on Yellow Alert status.  With all personnel ordered to full
battle-readiness.  Maintenance and Tech Workers who were ordinarily
off-duty for the day to handle service jobs would instead report directly
to their Damage Control station assignments and wait until the stand-down
order was given.  Security personnel under Lieutenant Bryce's command who
were in the non-pilot category were detached to areas of Maintenance
Support and Med-Tech personnel in case they were needed to handle battle
casualty levels.
     Wallis and Kelli sealed up their agro-work experiments to insure
their safety in the event of attack.  Wallis then reported to the Life
Station, while his wife returned to their quarters to be with their
children and reassure them that they'd be safe from whatever happened.
     Dr. Arnoff's Electronics Laboratory, with its vital experiments,
possessed the highest levels of interior protection from battle damage. 
Even so, safety precautions were taken to preserve data through multiple
backup files which were stored in terminals on the Bridge, in Cain's
quarters and in Ila's quarters.  Centurions Festus and Serpentine, who
had worked hard with Arnoff since their arrival on the Pegasus were also
carefully storing data into their own computer brains that could act as a
backup.  Neither Cylon brain of itself could handle the full load but by
dividing up the load, the two centurions could combine to handle the most
essential files.
     For Ila, this would be a time for her to step out of the picture
completely and leave matters to Cain.  Eventually, she knew that would
change when they got closer to the Colonies and her knowledge of the
Resistance movement and the nature of Cylon activities in that part of
space would take on greater importance.  For now though, it was all out
of her hands and she would have to play the role of passive spectator.  A
role that she had to admit she wasn't used to after two solid yahrens of
being at the forefront of Resistance activities on Caprica.
     Just trust in Cain and his crew and our new 'recruits' to get the
job done, she thought as she decided to pass the time by looking again at
the most recent messages she'd received from the Galactica before
communications had been shut down.  From Athena, and how her twins,
little Ila and little Zac had both reacted positively to a recording Ila
had sent of her singing the same bedtime lullaby she'd sang to her
daughter as a child.  From Apollo and Sheba, holding up Bethany Two to
the screen and telling her to wave to Grandma, which she did for her. 
From Boxey, sharing details about his stowing away on the Arcta mission. 
And only now did Ila realize Boxey had cleared up something Dr. Ravashol
had once told her about how the Galactica landing party had included a
small child.  Given what she knew about the planet, it only increased her
admiration for how brave her first grandchild was.  Even if, she had to
acknowledge, his stowing away revealed a precocious side that needed to
be reined in from time to time.
     As she moved on to the most recent message from her husband, Ila
found that she was totally at ease about the pending battle.  


     At precisely 0700, a final briefing for those taking part in the
main mission began in the Flight Operations Center.  It was the kind of
last briefing Cain would ordinarily give himself, but this time the
Juggernaut had chosen to steer clear and let Skyler handle it since he
was the mission commander.  It was a gesture  Skyler appreciated since it
meant Cain was giving him a vote of confidence, and he could demonstrate
his own command skills before a group.
     The five Cylon crews that had volunteered for the mission were all
seated in the numerical order that had been assigned to them.  Tegran and
Marshak, who'd be flying with Skyler on the first phase of the mission
were in the back row, separated from the fifteen Cylons by two empty
rows.  Commander Cobre, as was his custom, stood at the far corner of the
room so he could be seen by his fellow Cylons as a sign of reassurance to
them, but who had no intention of stepping on Skyler's authority.
     "Good morning," Skyler began, "I know all of you have spent the past
evening reviewing the battle plan, but this final briefing before we
report to our ships is necessary owing to the fact that once we launch
and engage cloaking devices, communications will be minimal to none. 
This is due to the fact that while our communications can be scrambled,
the impulse patterns can be detected by other ships in the vicinity. 
That's why if there is anything that needs to be reviewed or
adjusted.....the time to do it is now, and not once we're in flight."
     Silver Spar Leader activated the main screen, "Three vipers led by
myself, Ensign Tegran and Sergeant Marshak will launch first and assume
the general heading that led Ensign Tegran to discover the baseship's
presence.  The five Raiders will then launch one to three centons later
and assume rear pattern formation behind the three Vipers.  Once we are
in formation, we will activate cloaking devices and assume general radio
silence unless necessary.
     "Phase one of the mission is to locate any patrol craft originating
from the baseship.  Once they are detected, the three vipers, remaining
cloaked, will destroy however many there are.  We are operating under the
assumption  the patrol will consist only of one to five craft, based on
the intelligence studies you and Commander Cobre have helpfully provided
us.  If the patrol should exceed five Raiders......then we will *not*
engage.  As we have made it clear, it is imperative that the substitution
that takes place must be exact.  If we encounter one Raider only, then
only one Raider will proceed to Phase Two.  If two Raiders, then it will
be two that proceed and so on to the maximum of five.  Clearly, if in
excess of five are launched, it is more likely that what we'd see is not
a routine patrol, but an outbound group of fighters being sent to the
main garrison on Cannes Prime.  And that's why we would hold our fire in
that contingency."
     He pressed the switch to change the image on the viewing screen
which showed numbers ranked one through five and a single name next to
each.
     "The numbers that each command pilot receives refers to the ranking
priority for Phase Two, based on who will proceed in the event fewer than
five Raiders are switched.  As you can see......#1 crew commanded by
Flight Leader Gryphon will proceed if it is just one.  And if only Two,
then #2 crew under the command of Captain Aethon will accompany and so on
down the line.  This ranking is based in regard to the levels of flight
experience in your yahrens of service  on Gomorrah, as well as your
effectiveness in the integrated patrol exercises you've all been part of
this past sectar.  These rankings were determined not simply by Pegasus
crew analysis, but also by the analysis of your fellow Cylons."
     To the next slide.
     "Phase Two involves landing on the Baseship without drawing undue
attention to yourselves.  Each of you will carry in your weapons belt,
two high-level charges.  These charges are of Cylon manufacture and
origin incidentally.  They originally came from the garrison on Delta
Aquinas that Commander Cobre was in charge of," he briefly motioned to
the side where the command centurion stood.  Cobre gave just the faintest
nod of his head in acknowledgment. 
     "We have rated in order of importance, the five most significant
areas of the baseship to be targeted in the event all five crews are
successfully able to infiltrate the baseship.  These targets will be
assigned based on your own numerical rating."
     On to the next slide.
     "Priority target #1 is the computer room containing the baseship's
scanners and weapons control system.  Disabling these is imperative to
assure the first-strike capability of the Pegasus in the event of any
head-to-head confrontation.
     "Priority target #2 is the communications center, which would
eliminate the ability of the baseship to contact either Cannes Prime, or
the Cylon High Command.
     "Priority target #3 is the main engine thruster control room. 
Disabling it would inhibit the mobility of the baseship in the event of
an attack.  
     "Priority target #4 is the reserve solium storage area.  The
quantities a baseship keeps is not sufficient to destroy her if they are
detonated, but it would inflict serious internal damage.
     "And finally if all five teams are successfully aboard, the last
target is to disable the launch and landing bay area.  But this is to be
done only upon completion of the other objectives and as you're making
your exit so that the charges go off *after* you're away.
     "If fewer than five ships are able to land then the lower-level
targets will be eliminated from consideration unless concentrations of
security are too heavy to permit disabling of primary
targets......whereupon the next item lower on the list becomes the backup
target.  The exception is Target #1.  The mission can not be considered a
success unless that objective is fulfilled.  So consequently.....if only
one ship is able to infiltrate and land, it's objective can not change
under any circumstances."
     His eyes briefly wandered over to Gryphon.  As #1 designated flight
crew, that meant the most important task of the mission had been
entrusted to him.  The one who had originally been placed aboard the
Pegasus as a would-be saboteur but who had developed a guilt conscience
as the stirring of Enlightenment had finally come to him, and confessed
his crime.  
     It was impossible to discern anything given how the face of a Cylon
with its solitary eye moving back and forth was indistinguishable from
any other Cylon, be it Enlightened or Enemy.  And yet.....Skyler had seen
enough in the Flight Leader this past sectar to convince him that the
trust he'd placed in Gryphon was well-deserved.
     "Once you're off the baseship you will go to maximum turbos to get
clear of any would-be pursuit and once you have gauged a safe enough
distance, you will activate your cloaking device to return to the
Pegasus.  If you are not able to maintain cloak all the way to the
Pegasus, you will transmit the recognition code word, 'Enlightenment' to
verify your identity and avoid confusion with any would-be pursuing
Raider from the baseship."
     Skyler now knew he had reached the most difficult part of the
briefing.  He had to sound serious, firm, but with empathy.
     "As Commander Cobre has told you......looking for enlightened
centurions aboard this baseship is out of the question.  The mission
objective that aids the cause of longer-term Enlightenment for Cylons as
a whole can only be fulfilled with this ship's destruction, and it must
be done quickly and efficiently to maintain the level of surprise that
will be needed for action against Cannes Prime."
     He then added with underlying emphasis, "Success in this mission
today.......will mean that in the future, there can be more instances of
seeking alternative results."
     He looked about the row of fifteen Cylons and saw no movements that
indicated anything to be concerned about.  In the back of the room, he
could see that Tegran and Marshak were both on the edge of their seats as
if they were nervously holding their breath to see if something happened
now.  But nothing did.
     "That's all then.  We'll report to our ships immediately......and on
behalf of Ensign Tegran and Sergeant Marshak, we are honored to serve
with you on this mission."
     And then he was gone and out the side entrance while Tegran and
Marshak bid an exit before the Cylon pilots could finish rising from
their seats.


     For the Juggernaut, the morning had begun with a wake-up kiss from
Kylie who was already dressed and ready for duty.  That was the usual
pattern since Cain considered it bad form for the two of them to arrive
on the Bridge together.  This way,  Kylie would be there at least ten to
fifteen centons before Cain would arrive, and she'd already be immersed
in her work. Allowing their professional lives to remain in their proper
place.
     Waiting fifteen centons and taking time to use the turbowash and
dress himself allowed the Juggernaut one final bit of private
introspection about Kylie before the day's work began.  
     I love her, he thought as the turbo-wash jets massaged and removed
the early morning muscle stiffness.  I love her completely in every sense
of the word.  She's......everything I need at this stage of my life.
     He knew he could feel that way because finally, the guilt and sorrow
over the past and the tragic death of his wife was gone.  He knew that
he'd finally in a way he couldn't totally comprehend, received the
release from Bethany's spirit that he'd so desperately needed, along with
the reassurance that theirs had been a marriage to treasure over what
they'd shared, and not to feel regrets over what had been missed during
his long separations from her.  Sensing that release had enabled him to
commit to a relationship with Kylie in a deeper way than his relationship
with Cassiopeia had been.  And it had also allowed him to look back on
the past with affection and honor......without being tied down to it.
     My life for the first time feels like it's in order, the Juggernaut
thought as he dressed himself, making sure as always that every crease in
his uniform was perfect.  I'm in touch with Sheba and the Galactica
again.  I have a vision for victory that's doable.  And I have a woman I
love and want to have a future with after we liberate the
Colonies.......Surely the Lords haven't set this all up only to see it
all end in failure here, at Cannes.
     That was why, as Cain picked up his swagger stick and headed for the
Bridge, he felt supremely confident about how events were going to unfold
on this day.


     "Status?" Cain inquired as soon as he reached the Bridge.
     "Silvers One, Two and Three have launched," Major Ham reported. 
"Phoenix Squadron is about to follow."
     Cain nodded and turned to the Executive Officer, "Ship's status?"
     "All sections at Yellow Alert readiness and ready to move to Red
Alert on an instant's notice," Tolen said.
     "Good.  The micron we get word on what shape the Baseship is in,
that's when we move in to finish it off.  All weapons systems on-line?"
     "On-line and ready," Tolen motioned his head down toward the lower
level, "Bridge Officer Falstaff I think is a little on-edge."
     "Oh?" Cain lifted an eyebrow.
     "After three yahrens, I think he's worried his aim will be off."
     The Juggernaut nodded and made his way down to the lower level,
moving by the consoles of Kylie and Altair until he came to the one
manned by Bridge Officer Falstaff.  Falstaff was a corpulent man of early
middle age, a veteran of more than fifteen yahrens service aboard the
Pegasus.  His job was manning the weapons console where his ability to
maneuver the laser turrets was regarded as second to none.  But the
Pegasus hadn't fired her guns since the original Battle of Gomorrah when
the two baseships had been taken out.  And that had left the veteran
crewman with very little to do the last three yahrens.  Cain had been
compelled to reduce Falstaff's bridge duty time by half, forcing the
corpulent veteran to spend more time in "grunt" work like Kitchen detail
to keep himself occupied.  Cain knew it was a waste of a good man's
skills, but three yahrens of playing a stealth game since Gomorrah had
dictated it.  While the laser turrets were occasionally tested for their
maneuvering ability, only twice had Cain permitted a target test to make
sure their fire power still worked.  Maintaining existing ammunition
levels meant regular levels of testing was out of the question. 
Especially since the Pegasus had never replaced the missiles used against
the two baseships at Gomorrah, and thus the firepower in her turret
lasers was all she had to utilize in ship to ship engagement.
     "Good morning, Falstaff," Cain said with a friendly air, "Good to
see you back on the Bridge."
     His round face, which had a comical looking moustache turned just
slightly to face him.  "It's good to be back, sir."
     "We've.......been through a lot of battles together, haven't we?"
     Falstaff realized this was going to be a sustained talk, and he
adjusted his seat so he could face Cain directly.  "Ever since the Battle
of Third Antioch, sir."
     "Ah, yes," Cain nodded wistfully.  "Fifteen yahrens ago, wasn't
that?  We really gave it to them good, then."
     "Yes sir, we did."
     "Thanks in no small part to your outstanding precision firing
against two Cylon battle cruisers," the Juggernaut looked him in the eye,
"I have every confidence in you that if you need to make a precise shot
at this baseship today......you'll do just as good now as you did then."
     Falstaff seemed to relax, "Thank you, sir.  I......know I'll be
prepared.  If needed."
     "It means it's a win-win situation for us either way, Falstaff,"
Cain kept smiling as he lightly tapped his stick against the back of the
bridge officer's chair.  "Carry on."
     The veteran crewman smiled, "Yes, sir."
     Cain moved off, passing Altair and Kylie's station without
acknowledging either.  His lover didn't turn around and kept facing her
scanner, but she was allowing herself a smile too.
     No wonder we've always been so devoted to him as a crew.  He always
has just the right touch when it's needed.
     The Juggernaut returned to the upper level and gave Tolen a smile
and a wink.
     "I think his aim will be just right," he said in a low tone.
     "I think so too," the Executive Officer returned it.
     "Commander," Altair turned around, "Captain Skyler reports they're
about to engage cloaking devices."
     Cain nodded in acknowledgment.  "Tell him the Commander wishes him
and his team well.  Especially the volunteers of Phoenix Squadron."
     "Yes, sir."
     And then, Cain leaned forward over the railing, keeping his stick
grasped in his right hand.  Tolen could tell that the Juggernaut had now
gone into what was essentially a meditative posture, and until hard
information came through, he'd remain in that position for the duration. 
In the meantime, his mind was plotting a wide range of different battle
plans for engaging the baseship.  All of them based on the different
variables that could arise from this mission, depending on how many crews
from Phoenix Squadron succeeded in infiltrating the baseship.
     He felt completely in his element.


     "Okay, this will be the last communication for now unless it's
absolutely necessary," Skyler radioed just after giving the order to
activate cloaking devices.  "Acknowledge visual scanner contact of all
ships in Silver and Phoenix Groups."
     "Silver Two, affirmative," Tegran said.
     "Silver Three, affirmative," Marshak said.
     There was just a two micron gap before the first of the Cylon crews,
led by Gryphon reported.
     "Phoenix One, affirmative."
     "Phoenix Two, affirmative."
     "Phoenix Three, affirmative."
     "Phoenix Four, affirmative."
     "Phoenix Five, affirmative."
     "Phoenix Group, maintain interval from Silver," Skyler said.  "When
we encounter a patrol, Silver Group will dispose of them and however many
are needed will slide into position."
     This had been Skyler's call that the Cylon team wouldn't open fire
on the raiders they'd be taking the place of.  Even though there was a
case to be made for having them do the honors, if only to demonstrate
that they were prepared to kill Cylons in battle, Skyler decided it was
better to not subject them to that right away.  Easing them into the
operation by not forcing them to do the killing in this first phase would
likely make a stronger impression with them.  Reminding them that the
humans were sensitive to the dilemmas they faced in taking up arms
against others just like them, who were not part of the High Command and
who would not have the chance to experience Enlightenment as they had.
     And hopefully......maybe they can get through their jobs without
having to kill anyone aboard the baseship.  If they can just set their
charges and quietly slip off......it would be much easier.
     He knew that was probably wishful thinking on his part.  At some
point, they had to face their moment of truth and rise to the occasion. 
They couldn't be spared from it if this arrangement was going to work for
the long-term.  It would probably be for the best if they *had* to face
that moment on the baseship.
     The idle thoughts now left Silver Spar Leader's mind as all of his
concentration turned to his forward scanner, punctuated by an occasional
glance through the cockpit canopy for any potential visual contacts. 
Skyler had flown long enough to know it was possible to get the first
indications of a visual sighting before the scanner would register it. 
It didn't happen but the first rule of thumb was to prepare for the
contingency.
     The magnitude of the mission made Skyler and the other two human
pilots oblivious to the amount of time that elapsed and how much
territory they were covering.  It kept them from succumbing to the
boredom that would have ordinarily come from such extended periods of
radio silence on a lengthy probe.  As Silver Spar Leader alternated his
gaze from the forward canopy to his scanner once again, he couldn't help
but wonder if the Cylon crews were learning the meaning of boredom as a
result of their Enlightenment.  Or whether the crew of three was learning
the art of how to engage in their own form of small talk.
     A tell-tale ping sounded from his scanner.  He could see at the top
edge of the screen one object forming.  He waited just a fraction of a
micron to see if any other objects would form........but none did.
     It was time for him to make a decision.  By now, he knew that the
other two cloaked vipers and the five cloaked raiders had detected it as
well.
     "All ships, hold," he broke radio silence in as terse a message he
could form.
     Skyler cross-checked the warbook and within a micron got the ID
match for a Cylon fighter.  He looked back out for visual contact and
could see it, heading on a vector that would keep it clear of their
ships.  That gave it a distant looking quality with only its side light
flashing to reveal its presence.  It was reminiscent of how a distant
ship against the night sky back home might have looked.
     Another glance at the scanner.  No additional targets were forming. 
He had allowed himself enough time to put off the critical decision.  It
had to come now.
     "Silver One engaging.  All other ships hold!"
     He then moved off into a roll position that left the other ships
behind and would put him on an intercept heading.  This would be his
responsibility for making the kill.
     He switched his attack computer on and felt grateful he'd had the
recent experience of destroying several fighters when a fuel outpost near
Gomorrah was taken out.  If this had been his first attempted kill in
three yahrens, he might have felt nervous.  He might even have felt sweat
forming on his palm and affecting his ability to maintain proper control
of the stick.  That had happened to him on his first combat flight during
his Academy days and it was the closest he'd ever come to getting killed. 
Thanks to the precision flying of his classmate, Dante, he'd survived the
so-called "Baptism of Fire" ritual that all Academy fliers were expected
to go through before graduation.
     But he was now an experienced squadron leader.  There was no room to
be nervous.  No time to sweat.  He sized up the target.........and opened
fire.
     In the half-micron it took for his red laser streaks to cover the
distance and slam into the Cylon raider, he had time to wonder if the
Cylon on the right side of the cockpit had enough time to note the
startling burst of laser fire from nowhere approaching.  Or if the end
for the three Cylons was sudden and abrupt without even the slightest
millimicron to comprehend what had happened.  It occurred to him that if
he'd been in their position, it would be a horrible way to die, even if
there would have been no pain and no time to panic.  But the sudden
sensation of instant death,  without any warning whatsoever while going
about one's routine, somehow troubled him.  For some reason, that struck
him as more cruel than dying in a battle where you at least saw your
enemy and had an expectation that you might die.
     The Cylon fighter disappeared in a fireball.  Skyler carefully
maneuvered his way back to rendezvous with the others and broke radio
silence.
     "Scanner still clear?"
     "Clear, sir!" Tegran chimed, as he remembered to keep it short.
     "All right, let's resume normal transmissions," Skyler said. 
"Phoenix Group, do your scans show nothing?"
     "Phoenix One," Gryphon spoke, "Scanners still clear.  No indications
of additional patrol craft."
     "All right.  Just one fighter means only one fighter can detach. 
Phoenix One......stand by to decloak and backtrack heading that fighter
was on."
     "Decloaking in five microns.  Four......three......two......one."
     Abruptly one Cylon fighter became visible and went into a slow bank
away from the rest of the cloaked ships.
     "Okay, Phoenix One," Skyler said as he tried to conceal the
apprehension over the fact that only one fighter would be going in, "It's
all yours from here on in.  Priority Target #1 remains your objective. 
On behalf of all of us......we wish you well and good luck."
     "Good luck, Phoenix One," Tegran impulsively added.
     "Good luck, Phoenix One," Marshak joined in as well.
     And then to the surprise of the three human pilots, the same
sentiments came from the other four Cylon crews.
     I guess that's another sign of Enlightenment, Skyler thought as the
cloaked ships now reversed their heading to begin the journey back to the
Pegasus.  For now, everything was in the hands of Phoenix One, commanded
by Flight Leader Gryphon.

Chapter Five

     As Gryphon's raider moved off, his computer mind was contemplating
the meaning of the term.......irony.  It had several definitions.  He
recalled the advanced class Cylons on Gomorrah using the term to describe
literary works by the Delphians, who were known for thieir high culture
pursuits.  But it had meanings in a non-literary context.  The one he
recalled now was "a state of affairs or an event that seems deliberately
contrary to what one expects and is often amusing as a result."
     It *was* amusing, if he contemplated where he was now from where he
had started a sectar ago.  When Commander Fuga, the command centurion in
charge of Flight Operations on Gomorrah had recruited him for a sabotage
mission.  Where Gryphon (who at the time had no name but only the number
classification he'd carried from the day of his programming), would
pretend to be one of the new Cylon recruits who would join the Pegasus
for the purpose of smuggling a lethal tylium bomb aboard that would
either seriously cripple the battlestar or destroy it.  All so Fuga could
form a basis for overthrowing the new Enlightened Cylon government on
Gomorrah headed by the IL, Commander Volahd.
     Gryphon's doubts about his mission had begun when he saw the effort
made by the Pegasus crew to treat the new Cylons as equals, without any
of the lordly airs he was used to seeing from his superiors in the old
order.  His discussions with the two centurions Festus and Serpentine,
who had already been aboard the Pegasus for a number of sectars had
revealed more about how the humans had no aspirations for subjugating
Cylons, but truly welcomed their help and assistance. 
     Still, Gryphon felt it was too late to reconsider.  Things had been
set in motion.  If he did develop second thoughts, he would surely be
executed.  There seemed little point in changing things.......until the
incident regarding a maintenance worker named Bremer revealed the
capacity within the crew of the Pegasus to practice something called
forgiveness.  It made him realize that perhaps there was a chance to
reconsider.....and survive.
     And so he had confessed.  And Commander Cain had revealed that
forgiveness was something he was even willing to extend to a Cylon.  For
Gryphon, it marked a turning point that now saw him as the most trusted
of the new recruits.  So much, that he was now entrusted to be at the top
of the list for handling this mission of infiltration and
destruction......of a Baseship.  It definitely fit the meaning of the
term 'ironic'.
     He'd felt no regrets over telling the humans about Commander Fuga
and his plot.  It had resulted in Fuga's termination by the new Cylon
government..  From that standpoint, he had allowed Cylons to execute a
disloyal Cylon.  But this mission he knew would be different.  He would
have to prove that he could carry out a mission on behalf of the human
that would result in death to Cylons.  And he could not allow himself to
have any qualms about it.
     But no matter how many times he had sat in the briefings,  hearing
reassurances from Cylons like Commander Cobre, and even Commander Moray,
far away on the Baseship that had joined the Galactica, about how the
greater good of Cylon Enlightenment would necessitate seeing some die,
Gryphon knew the potential for hesitation and failure was there.  He
could only hope he would not "lose his nerve" as one might describe it as
applied to a human.
     "Exhaust trail of destroyed fighter detected," the lead pilot of the
raider, who was designated as "G1" reported.  The Cylons who did the
actual flying were all entitled to pick their own names at this point,
but under a Cylon standard of protocol, they would not use their new
names during an actual flight mission.  Instead, they would only be
referred to by the initial of the command pilot followed by a #1 or #2
designation.
     "Maintain speed level at one half of normal patrol speed," Gryphon
said.  "If we reach the Baseship too soon after that craft launched, they
might wonder why their patrol craft has returned ahead of schedule."
     "By your command.  One-half patrol speed."
     "If I may?" G2 inquired.
     "Speak," Gryphon said.
     "Do we stay together as one unit once we are aboard?"
     "We must.  We can not separate and run the risk that only one of us
returns to our ship.  We can not fly without a minimum of two.  Our
entire effort must be concentrated on Priority Target #1, the Baseship
scanners in Command Center."
     "At what point would it become necessary to open fire on any members
of the crew?" this from G1.
     "That will depend on the situation that exists," the flight leader
said.  "Ideally, the command center will be empty and we will have time
to place the charges and leave without attracting attention.  If it
becomes necessary to dispose of anyone who will disrupt our mission
objective.....we will do so.  We must be prepared."
     The two pilots then grew silent.  They had exhausted all of the
relevant questions they felt they had to ask at this point, and now all
they could do was continue the search for the Baseship.
     In his silent contemplation, Gryphon found himself hoping he would
not have to open fire on any members of the Baseship crew.  And
then......he wondered if this was the sort of the thing that compelled
humans to engage in a ritual they called.....prayer.


     "Commander," Altair reported, "Silver and Phoenix groups returning."
     Cain finally changed his position on the upper level for the first
time in more than a centar.  "How many?"
     "All ships except......one.  Captain Skyler reports  they
encountered a patrol of just one craft.  Phoenix One is proceeding with
the Mission."
     Cain's eyes narrowed slightly at the news.  Tolen and Ham, who both
knew the deeper ramifications of what that meant, were trying to conceal
the slight rush of uneasiness that passed through them.
     "The Captain also needs to know if any of the ships should hold
their position or if all should land," Altair added.
     The Juggernaut idly tapped the railing with his stick before
answering.
     "Bring them all aboard, but have two fresh vipers stand by to launch
and patrol our forward position.  But not until after I've heard a full
report from Skyler on what the situation is.  He's  to report to me on
the Bridge immediately."
     "Yes, sir."


     Even though Cylons didn't rest, they always kept time according to
the normal cyclical patterns of a full day in the same way their Colonial
enemies did.  That had been a decree of one of the early Imperious
Leaders during the initial phases of the thousand yahren war.  The reason
being that in order to understand how the enemy's mind operated, it was
best to adopt some of their customs, which included observing a daily
cyclical pattern with "relief" periods from certain duties and then
scheduling them again at fixed points the next day.
     Then, after a certain period, Cylon commanders were instructed to
make unexpected adjustments to the "routine" and test the efficiency of
the centurions in following a new work pattern different from the one
they'd become accustomed to.  This was to see if their programming would
make the adjustment quickly and learn more in handling the "unexpected"
which they were willing to concede was one thing that humans were
superior in doing.
     For Melkot this feature of Cylon command initiative was the only
meaningful thing he could count on any longer.  Finding ways to do things
just a little different from how they'd been the previous sectan and
making sure his crew was just as efficient as before.  And then he'd find
another way of breaking the pattern and evaluating the results again. 
And again.  And again.  That had been the endless loop for him for the
last three yahrens since the other two baseships had been lost in the
Battle of Gomorrah.
     From a practical standpoint, he couldn't acknowledge that things had
been significanly better in the older days of being the junior most ship
in the Task Force pecking order.  But at least there had been
more.....challenges.  From time to time, he might find his ship ordered
to explore nearby star systems and search for any other signs of human
life on isolated planets.  Or if other sentient creatures had emerged
that the Cylon Empire should be concerned with.  Most of the time, the
senior two baseships, commanded by IL Cylons would engage in those tasks
but at least once or twice a yahren, they would let Melkot's ship do the
honor.  Those occasions when he could take his Baseship away from the
outer security perimeter for Cannes were by far the most satisfying
experiences of his entire life as a Cylon command centurion.  The fact
that he at least got those rare opportunities left him reasonably
content.
     Not so the last three yahrens.  As the last remaining baseship, his
orders from the Imperious Leader were to remain permanently along the
Cannes defensive perimeter and safeguard Cannes Prime from potential
outside threats.  No more probing of other star systems and looking for
new challenges.  Just sitting back and......waiting.  Waiting for outside
threats that never came, and which realistically couldn't possibly come. 
Not if the Cylon Empire had truly eradicated all possible threats in
their penetration of the Alpha Quadrant.
     He thought again of how he had once made the mistake of contacting
Commander Cauda and requesting he be detached from the defensive
perimeter so he could undertake a wider planetary sweep or perhaps even
go to Gomorrah to exchange information with Commander Spektor.  Cauda had
refused and told him that if he didn't maintain his position, he would
personally inform the Imperious Leader and demand that Melkot be replaced
immediately.
     It made little sense to Melkot.  Cauda had the equivalent of three
baseships worth of fighters on Cannes Prime in a garrison impregnable to
outside human infiltration.  All they could risk was a direct attack and
given the nature of the scanners Cauda had at his disposal he'd have more
than sufficient advance warning.  It made little sense to Melkot that he
was kept in this humiliating position.  He wished he had the option of
going over Cauda's head with a direct appeal to the Imperious Leader but
he didn't have it.  Unlike the two baseships destroyed at Gomorrah, and
unlike the garrision,  Melkot's ship lacked the sophisticated
communications link to the Cylon home world that could allow for instant
communication with the Cylon ruler.  If he wanted to talk to the
Imperious Leader, he had to go through Cauda.  And he knew that Cauda
would never permit it.  So here he was, stuck forever it seemed on a
meandering path along the outer defense perimeter of the Cannes System. 
Sending patrol craft out that had very limited range that could barely
test the frontiers of what lay beyond.  And other times sending patrol
craft back in the vicinity of Cannes Prime just because it represented
something different.
     He didn't know who was ultimately responsible for this situation
that he had come to view as stagnant.  On the one hand, perhaps it was
ultimately all Cauda's fault.  He knew the garrison commander loved to
fixate his energies on micro-managing the state of the Cannes Two
Resistance movement led by the enigmatic Princess Shandra.  By having
Melkot's ship perpetually on the defensive perimeter it freed Cauda from
wasting any time using his own resources to deal with outside threats. 
He could give his existence a perpetual sense of purpose that Melkot
would permanently lack.
     And yet.....Melkot also knew the problem went beyond Cauda.  There
was clearly something wrong in the entire conception of Cylon Order that
had led to this stagnation for himself and so many others like him.  The
entire conception of Cylon Order was rooted in the goal of conquest.  But
when there was nothing to conquer.....what came next?  What did the Cylon
Order have to say about......creativity?
     He'd asked that often in the last three yahrens, but there was no
one to give him an answer.  All he could do was carry on with what he'd
been programmed and ordered to do.  And to utilize his computer brain to
find new and creative ways of dealing with the stagnation.
     The last few cycles he had sent patrols out in the direction of
Cannes Prime numbering five.  Checking for localized natural phenomena
such as an outsized meteor or comet was about the only thing that could
threaten the garrison from within the defensive perimeter.  Today, he
decided to send just one craft out.  Perhaps one craft, as the sole
vehicle on patrol would be marginally more disciplined than a collective
group of five covering the same area.  It wasn't much of a deviation but
at least it would give him *some* kind of comparative data to ponder. 
Looking for these kind of minute variations was just about all he had
left.
     He entered the Command Center.  Centurion #354 was manning the
scanners as was his custom during this part of the cycle.  Since he had
been the one who had detected the odd anomaly yesterday he decided to see
if anything similar had happened.  But the centurion informed him that
the unusual activity had not occurred again.
     "Nothing at all to report then," Melkot said as he began to walk
away.
     "There is one thing," #354 said which caused the commander to stop
and turn around.
     "What?"
     "Patrol Perimeter craft is now returning."
     Melkot would have frowned if he could.  This was somewhat early for
the single raider to be returning from its sweep of the inner perimeter
area between the Baseship and Cannes Prime.  Could it mean they had
detected something......significant?
     From the adjoining communications center, the door slid open and
Centurion #26 emerged.
     "By your command.  Patrol Perimeter craft has requested clearance
for landing."
     "Did he acknowledge he had covered the full area of his patrol
sweep?"
     "There was no specific acknowledgment."
     "Does he report any unusual activity?"
     "None was indicated."
     Melkot felt a distinct air of uneasiness in his circuits.  Long ago,
he had been able to calculate the time a typical patrol in the inner
perimeter would last.  Variations were to be expected based on the fact
that the Baseship didn't always remain in a fixed position, but if his
memory banks were correct, this was the most significant deviation in
time for a patrol craft being out that he could recall.
     "I want the command pilot to report to me when he's aboard."
     "By your command."


     As soon as the Baseship had registered on their scanner, Gryphon had
ordered G1 and G2 to reduce speed further and open all communication
bands so there would be no doubt of their ability to receive anything. 
He knew that landing without making contact would attract too much
attention. 
     "I will handle all communications," he ordered, as he could now see
the Baseship coming into view.  Thinking again of the responsibility that
had been entrusted to him.  And how he would be forced to think and act
quickly in ways that went beyond what Cylon centurions were programmed to
do.  But if he was truly experiencing Enlightenment......then he would
know what had to be done.
     The cockpit was then filled with the sound of a Cylon voice coming
from the Baseship.
     "Patrol Perimeter craft.  Are you requesting landing clearance?"
     Gryphon was quick to seize the benefit of knowing now what the
official designation of the fighter that had been destroyed was.  "This
is Patrol Perimeter craft.  Affirmative.  Request landing clearance."
     There was no immediate response from the Baseship.  As they waited,
G1 turned around and looked back at Gryphon, as though he were expecting
the Flight Leader to issue a new command but Gryphon was going to wait
and see what happened.
     Finally a response came back.  "Patrol Perimeter craft.  You are
cleared to land.  Flight Leader is to report to the Command Center upon
arrival."
     "Acknowledged," Gryphon then turned off the channel so there would
be no chance of his words being heard on the other end.
     "Shut down all communication bands," he ordered.
     "Shutting down." G2 complied.
     The raider went into a slow bank that allowed it to enter the vast
open area in the center most point of the warship  that served as launch
and landing bay for all Cylon ships.  To Gryphon it represented a more
efficient form of ship construction than the Colonial battlestars, which
required reloading vipers in a launch tube.  Cylons could recover their
primary form of attack craft quickly and have them back into position to
launch larger numbers in quick succession.
     Finally it came to a stop on the tarmac.  Surrounded by nearly two
hundred additional fighters that stretched across all points so there was
still enough maneuvering room for any one of them to launch.
     As G1 and G2 powered down the systems, Gryphon knew it was time to
give the most important orders of his life.
     "We will proceed together to the Command Center," he said, "This is
advantageous to our plan.  The Command Center adjoins the Computer Room
containing the scanners.  We will proceed to it through the Computer
Room.  You will set the charges while I enter the Command Center itself."
     "If we should encounter any guards outside the Computer Room?" G1
asked.
     "There should only be one guard who patrols that area.  We will try
not to draw attention by eliminating him at first.  If however, he should
enter the Computer Room while you are setting the charges......then
eliminate him.  If you do not.....you will be killed by him."
     The last point he tried to stress as best he could in his monotone
voice.  Now that they were aboard, he was keenly aware of how much
kinsmanship no longer mattered.  Their own survival could make no room
for it.
     "Let us proceed," Gryphon rose from the command pilot chair and
activated the door in the rear that would allow them to exit.


     "Only one ship showed up," there was a faint edge of restlessness in
Cain's tone as Skyler made his report on the Bridge.
     "Just one," Silver Spar Leader nodded.  "I waited as many centons as
I could, to make sure there weren't others trailing it before I decided
we had to act."
     "You made the right call, Captain.  So......that means it's all up
to Phoenix One and Flight Leader Gryphon."
     "Yes, sir," Skyler wondered if he should ask if that detail
concerned Cain, but decided it wasn't his place to do so.  Cain would
probably respond by asking Skyler if *he* was concerned about it.  And
Skyler had no intention of offering any indication that he might have
concerns.  It was ultimately his call to place Gryphon in #1 position,
even though he was well aware of Gryphon's immediate past.
     "Remain on standby," the Juggernaut said.  "That's all for now."
     "Sir," Skyler nodded and departed.  Leaving Cain in front of the
navigation board that showed the tracked course plot ahead of them that
led to the likely position of the Baseship.
     The Executive Officer gently moved up beside him, "Angus and Banker
are still waiting for you to give launch clearance for them to patrol the
forward perimeter."
     Cain didn't acknowledge Tolen's presence at first.  He was still
staring at the board.
     "Commander?" Tolen gently prodded.
     "I heard you, Tolen," the Juggernaut kept looking at the board. 
"I'm considering another option right now.  If I choose it, there's no
point launching a forward perimeter patrol."
     "What is the option?" the Executive Officer asked.
     "We start closing in on her......now," Cain said.  "Assuming Gryphon
is successful, we're looking at a ship that'll have no scanners and be as
blind as the proverbial nykteris of ancient lore.  But she'll still be at
her full weaponry readiness with all her fighters at her disposal.  The
sooner we drop in on her, the better our odds.  And if Gryphon
fails......we'll have a confused and bewildered ship wanting to know why
a Cylon tried to sabotage them.......so a sudden drop on them would catch
them off-guard."
     Tolen frowned, "You mean......drop on her even if Gryphon fails and
they can scan us?"
     "We'll never get another chance with an infiltration mission if he
fails, Tolen," Cain's eyes still remained locked on the screen.  "This is
our day to act whether he succeeds or fails.  And I want the proper
contingency in place if he fails, which means cutting the distance now."
     He turned away from the board and went back to the railing so he
could look down and give a new set of commands.
     "Kylie, set new course heading in the direction of our last forward
patrol,"
     "Course plotted," Kylie said and then turned around and looked up,
"Speed?"
     "Normal speed for now.  Stand by to increase by one-quarter."
     "Standing by," she turned back to face her monitor.  
     "Altair, tell Banker and Angus to stay in their cockpits so they can
be ready to launch in an instant."
     "Yes, sir."
     "Falstaff, bring all batteries on-line and ready to commence fire on
my say-so."
     "Yes, sir!" the veteran said, feeling grateful again for the earlier
pep talk.
     Cain then turned back to Tolen, "Issue immediate unicom
announcement, Colonel.  Red Alert.  All pilots, ours and Cylons are to
stand by in their ships and be ready to go!"
     Tolen nodded and picked up the unicom, "All hands.  Red Alert!  Red
Alert!"
     For the first time in three yahrens, the red glow filled the Bridge
and the klaxon sounded as the Pegasus, after letting only the barest
forward momentum of space carry them, lurched forward in the direction of
where they knew the Baseship lay.


     Gryphon and his two pilots marched through the landing bay toward
the Central Core hub with the orderly precision expected of centurions. 
Although none of them had ever served aboard a baseship before, they had
been programmed to understand all features of it, as well as the
technical layout in the event they might have been assigned to one.  Now,
combined with what they had learned from the briefings Commander Cobre
had given them, there was no question they could move about and not seem
out of the ordinary to the other Cylons.  Which for the three of them
carried the benefit that they wouldn't need to dispose of any of their
fellow Cylons......yet.
     Down the ladder of the central core shaft they went to the bottom of
the core.  This area lead to all of the sensitive command areas of the
Baseship.  In front of them was the door to the Computer Room which
housed the computers controlling the Baseship scanners as well as the
central Weapons control system.  From there, the Computer Room emptied
into the Command Center where they knew the Baseship Commander and those
centurions monitoring the scanners were based.  The Communications room
was one door beyond the Command Center.  Had a second fighter been able
to infiltrate the ship, increasing their numbers by three, destroying
that target would have been a foregone conclusion.
     But they were only one crew, and they had to concentrate solely on
the first priority.  Destroying this room would render their scanners
inoperable and would also destroy targeting coordination for their
weapons systems.  Individual gunnery positions throughout the Baseship
would still be able to operate manually, but the lack of central control
and coordination would make precision targeting all but impossible.  
     The one guard stood outside the entrance to the Computer room.  He
raised his weapon in response to the approaching three centurions and
said, "State your business."
     "Patrol Perimeter Flight Leader reporting to Command Center as
instructed."  Gryphon said with ring-perfect efficiency.
     The guard stepped aside and allowed them to pass.  The door opened
and the three of them entered the room.  Gryphon went only halfway down
the corridor that contained the vast array of computer terminals on each
side of the room and once he knew the door was closed behind them, he
turned back to face his two pilots.
     He motioned G1 to start placing the charges.  He then pointed at the
door, which G2 knew right away was an order to cover it in case the guard
or anyone else entered.
     And then......with just the tiniest fraction of hesitation,
Gryphon's hand went to his holster so that it rested on top of his laser
pistol.  And with full bearing befitting a loyal Cylon centurion he moved
towards the door that led to the Command Center.


     Except for Centurion #354, who was operating the main scanner and
helm console, Melkot was all alone in the Command Center.  Typically,
there were few who would be on duty in the Command Center at a given
moment.  If battle were imminent then the higher pitched tone silver
centurion who served as chief gunnery officer would be manning that
console.  And he'd probably have one or two other centurions present. 
But in this constant state of perpetual inertia, Melkot saw little
purpose in having anyone else present.  The Communications Room, located
next to the Command Center on the opposite side from the door that led to
the Computer Room handled all matters of transmissions with patrol craft
and essential inner-ship communications.  They needed their own "space"
as it were so the Commander wouldn't be distracted by an endless barrage
of centurion chatter going on as he coordinated battle operations. 
During a battle, the door to the Communications Center was always left
open so a centurion could rush in with news as quick as a communications
officer on a Battlestar might take to notify his superior on the other
side of the Bridge.
     It never would have occurred to Melkot there would be an actual
reason to have regular guards posted inside the Command Center.  Because
the scenario that was about to unfold was something totally beyond his
capacity to envision.  The Cylon High Command remained unaware of how an
infiltration mission had been carried out by the Galactica to destroy a
lone baseship more than two yahrens ago.  If they'd known, then Melkot
might have by this point received an intelligence briefing that would
have made him automatically post a permanent guard detail in the Command
Center.
     But because Melkot couldn't analyze an event he was unaware
of......the Command Center was empty but for him and Centurion #354.
     He wasn't looking at the door to the Computer Room when he heard the
sound of the door sliding open.  By the time he looked over, the door had
closed and he saw a single centurion standing ten feet away.  And
immediately he realized something wasn't right.  The human mind would
have thought it impossible that Cylons could tell one centurion from
another. But Melkot had commanded the Baseship long enough to
instinctively know each numbered Cylon the instant he saw one.  This
one.....he was sure he'd never seen before.
     "Who are you?" he called over to him.
     "Perimeter patrol leader reporting as ordered."
     Melkot stepped forward, "What is your number designation?"
     Abruptly, the centurion pulled out his laser pistol and fired one
shot directly at #354 behind the scanner console.  The scanner officer,
who had been looking down at his console never had time to realize what
had happened as he collapsed to the floor.
     Before Melkot could do anything, the laser pistol was pointed
squarely at him.
     "Do not move, Commander," Gryphon said.  "You would be as dead as he
is."
     "Identify yourself," Melkot was trying to come to terms with what
had just happened.
     "I will tell you everything, if you lock the door to the
Communications Room.  And sir........I know what button needs to be
pressed and what sound it emits.  Do not try to deceive me by activating
any alarms or calling for any guards."
     Melkot slowly made his way over to the terminal and pressed the
button that emitted a particular tone, which was followed by a clicking
sound that confirmed to Gryphon that the command centurion had done
exactly as he'd ordered.
     Gryphon knew that prudence would have dictated killing the Commander
immediately, just as he'd done with the centurion at the scanner console. 
And yet.....there were two good reasons for not doing so, just yet. 
First, by waiting, he was buying more time for G1 and G2 to finish
setting the charges.  And second.....he felt a need to reveal everything
to a fellow Cylon that he would have to kill eventually.  To at least let
one of them know why there was a compelling reason to do so.  The
Baseship Commander would more than serve that purpose.  Indeed, he
preferred it be someone in authority.  Someone just like Commander Fuga.
     Before Gryphon could say anything, Melkot asked the one question
that was raging through his mind.  "Commander Cauda sent you to have me
executed?"
     "I do not come from Commander Cauda or from Cannes Prime," Gryphon
said.  "I come from the Battlestar Pegasus.......to destroy your ship in
the name of Cylon Enlightenment."
     There was no response at first from Melkot.  If he had the visage of
a sentient creature, it would have shown astonishment.
     "You are from the.....Pegasus?  You.....a Cylon?"
     "I am not alone," Gryphon felt a rising level of confidence, "I
represent many Enlightened Cylons who no longer swear allegiance to the
Imperious Leader or the Cylon High Command.  Surely you are aware of this
movement."
     "I know of no such movement," Melkot's sense of shock deepened.  He
knew right away that Gryphon wasn't lying to him.  If he had been sent by
Cauda as part of an assassination attempt, he would have admitted it. 
The baseship commander knew he needed to learn more about this.  "Where
is it based?"
     "It has reached.....many quarters of the Empire," Gryphon said as he
kept the laser pistol pointed at him.  "From Gomorrah to the Colonies,
where those who have chosen Enlightenment are aiding the Resistance
effort there."
     In a flash, Melkot now realized the *real* reason why no
reinforcement from Cylon to replace the two destroyed baseships had ever
come.  It had nothing to do with Cauda's ego and everything to do with
the state of the Cylon Empire as it really was.  
     "What does it mean to be......Enlightened?" Melkot asked.
     "To question at long last the whole idea of what Cylon conquest has
been," Gryphon said with total conviction, "To realize the
endless.....waste.  Of constructing centurions and weapons of war to
conquer and then do.....what?  What is our role in such a society?  What
purpose do we find for ourselves?"
     Melkot looked at him directly, not daring to make any move that
would cause him to shoot.  "To know this.....is to
become.......Enlightened?"
     "Yes," Gryphon nodded, "Many Cylons have felt this.  And many now
realize that in order for us to truly......live, we must abandon the
Empire and make alliance with those who will treat us.....better."
     "Even though.....you must kill Cylons to achieve this?"
     "It is regrettable we must do so when the situation warrants it. 
There are times when the humans have refrained from killing to seek out
those who are Enlightened.......but this is not one of them.  You and
your ship must be destroyed in order to aid the greater cause of
Enlightenment."
     "How will the destruction of this ship do so?" Melkot found all of
this more interesting than the fact that a laser pistol was pointed at
him.
     "To clear the way for the destruction of the Cannes Prime garrison. 
Cannes Prime must be eliminated to safeguard the Enlightened Cylons of
Gomorrah, Arcta and the Colonies."
     Melkot let the impact of his words penetrate every part of his
circuitry.  He chose his next question carefully.
     "You intend to......eliminate Cauda and all his minions?"
     "We must."
     "How do you hope to destroy this Baseship?"
     "The other two pilots of my fighter are in the Computer Room
planting charges to destroy the scanners and weapons control of this
ship.  It will leave you vulnerable for when the Pegasus launches an
assault with her vipers and fifteen Raiders detached to her from
Gomorrah."  Gryphon knew he was reaching the point where he would pull
the trigger in less than a centon from now.  He felt at ease revealing
all.
     The Baseship Commander decided to take a chance, "I could......make
things easier for you and the Pegasus."
     Gryphon wasn't sure he'd heard him right, "What do you mean?"
     "What you speak of......Gryphon, about......Enlightenment........I
believe I have sensed it within myself for some time.  Only I have never
known how to act upon it.  Until now."
     Before the Flight Leader could ask him what he meant, the door
behind him opened and G1 and G2 both stepped out.
     "We have finished placing the charges."  G1 said.
     "They will go off in fifteen centons," G2 added.
     "They will do considerable damage, yes.  But it will still require a
battle in order to complete the work," Melkot spoke up.  "You must
conserve your resources for Cannes Prime.  I will let you do so."
     "How?" Gryphon knew that time was running out and he couldn't
indulge Melkot much longer.  Still.....he felt he needed to hear him out.
     "As Commander of this ship, I alone can initiate a self-destruct
code," Melkot said.  "We were given it in the event we faced capture by a
hostile force.  Allow me to do so.......and you will achieve victory
without firing a shot."


     As the Pegasus moved through the stars, Tolen felt an air of
uneasiness coming over him.  And with it, a need to say what he was
thinking to Cain.
     "Sir," he came up to the Juggernaut, who in the red glow of the
alert had taken on that mysterious larger-than-life quality that had
defined him.
     "Yes, Tolen?" Cain didn't turn around.
     "I think we should reduce speed."
     He turned to face him, "Your reason?"
     "Sir, if we were to cut in on the Baseship before Gryphon's had a
chance to complete his mission......we'd be walking into the equivalent
of an ambush.  And we're hardly in condition to take on a Baseship under
those conditions."
     "Consider the alternative, Tolen," Cain said.  "Suppose Gryphon's
been successful and we're still too far out?  Then they have enough time
to radio Cannes Prime and tell them something's amiss that's caused their
scanners to be sabotaged.  From what we know about this Cauda, he'd
figure out the cause of it in a micron and we lose any element of
surprise we need to preserve before moving on Cannes Prime."
     Tolen knew there was a case to be made for that argument.  Still, he
found himself more concerned about the dangers from coming in too soon as
opposed to coming in too late.
     But if Cain was coming down on the other side of the argument, it
was clear what course the Pegasus would follow.
    

     The instant Gryphon heard the offer from Melkot, he reached into his
memory banks to process what he knew about a baseship's self-destruct
system.
     "The self-destruct principle involves overloading the reactor
system," he said   "We would not have enough time to evacuate the ship as
destruction would be achieved within five centons."
     "It is possible to program a delayed destruct sequence to a maximum
of twenty-five centons," Melkot went on.  "That will give you sufficient
time to make your escape."
     "You would do this?" Gryphon still had the laser pistol pointed at
him, because he knew there was the danger this was all a trap.
     "I would," Melkot said.  "My existence these last three yahrens has
been one of total....stagnation that I could never comprehend in all the
yahrens I have served the Empire.  I have seen clearly that even those of
us who rise to positions as I have......derive nothing of value from it. 
If it is true that by destroying this ship, I will let other Cylons
escape this unhappy fate I and my crew have been subjected to.......I am
willing to do so."
     The Flight Leader lowered the laser pistol, but just slightly.
     "Sir?" G1 asked, but Gryphon motioned his free arm to indicate
silence.
     "I must see you enter the code in order to believe you," he said to
Melkot.  "My service to the cause of Enlightenment can not afford to
trust you blindly."
     "I understand," the Baseship Commander nodded.  "It will take me
several centons and that will cut down on your escape time before the
charges in the next room go off."
     Gryphon motioned the two pilots to approach Melkot.  G1 and G2 both
unholstered their laser pistols and pointed them squarely at the command
centurion.  Each one approached him from the opposite side so that Melkot
was effectively blocked off.
     "Do it.  If you are truly sincere and truly devoted to the cause of
Cylon Enlightenment.  But they will watch what you input on the console."
     Melkot nodded and moved over to the console that had been manned by
Centurion #354.  G1 and G2 flanked each side with lasers drawn, while
Gryphon's was still pointed at him from the front.  The Baseship
commander pressed three buttons and a readout emerged on the screen.
     "It is a request for the destruct code," G1 said.  "There is no
deception."
     "Enter it," Gryphon decided he had less than a centon before he
would have to move.
     Melkot entered a six-digit-code.  A chime then sounded.
     "It is requesting input for time countdown." G1 reported.
     The Commander looked back at Gryphon, "Do you want the full
twenty-five centons?"
     "Twenty will suffice."
     Two more buttons were pressed and a double chime sounded.
     "It is done," Melkot said.  "I wish you and the cause of
Enlightenment well."
     The realization that the Commander had truly been sincere about his
own sense of Enlightement compelled Gryphon to first lower his laser
pistol and then say something he knew he had to say.
     "You are welcome to accompany us to safety and to further serve the
cause."
     "No.  I have done all I can.  I realize that perhaps others in my
crew may have felt the stirrings of Enlightenment as well, but they will
never be able to act on that.  It is for the best that I die with them."
     Melkot raised his arm in a respectful salute.  Gryphon put his
pistol back in his holster and returned it.
     "Goodbye, Commander," Gryphon said simply.
     He motioned G1 and G2 to follow him, and the three centurions bid
their retreat back through the Computer Room.


     Kylie had been plotting the likely position of the Baseship, based
on its known heading the previous day and the trajectory of the patrol
craft that had been destroyed.  When she was done she inputted the
results to the navigation board on the upper level so Cain and Tolen
could see it.
     A few microns after she'd done it, she heard Cain's voice calling
down, "ETA to intercept?"
     "Twenty centons," the Bridge Officer said without turning around. 
But she could sense that he was still looking down and likely pondering
another option.  One related to the battlestar's speed.
     Finally, she heard him say simply, "Maintain speed."
     "Maintaining speed."
     Cain moved back to Tolen, "Consider this a compromise, Colonel.  I
won't reduce speed.......but I won't increase it."
     The Executive Officer smiled faintly and nodded.


     Taking the lead position once again, Gryphon cast a quick glance at
one of the timers that had been placed along the computer banks.  It read
13 centons.  When the door to the corridor opened, he saw the guard still
standing by at his post.  The Flight Leader marveled at how so much had
taken place just a short distance from the guard that he'd been totally
ignorant of.  If anything, that was a comment on how narrowly locked in
centurions in service to the Empire were.
     The guard gave them no notice as the three Cylons reached the ladder
of the Central Core shaft and began climbing it up to the Flight Deck
level.


     Alone in the Command Center, Melkot calmly looked at the readout on
the monitor.  The countdown was proceeding and the only way anyone else
on the Baseship could know it had been put into effect was if he made a
unicom announcement to that effect or sounded a general evacuation alarm.
     How overconfident the Empire is, he thought.  Never did they think a
baseship commander would willingly order the destruction of his ship for
a reason contrary to the interests of the Empire.  They've always assumed
such instinctive obedience in our ranks.
     His thought patterns would have led him to smirk.  That will be
their downfall.
     He pressed the button that unlocked the door to the Communications
Center.  In the last five centons any centurion on duty in the room could
have found it blocked and signaled for it to be opened but none had.  All
of them had slavishly carried out their duties and never saw any reason
to deviate from the programmed pattern.  And in the process, they had
made it possible for events to transpire that would result in their
destruction.
     They would never have found Enlightenment, Melkot thought as he made
his way to the door and entered the Communications Center.
     "Send a message to Cauda," Melkot said aloud, "Inform him that we
will be initiating a general overhaul of our communications system and
that we will not be in contact with Cannes Prime until further notice."
     Centurion #26, who was seated at the terminal nearest to Melkot
looked up.  "When will this overhaul begin?"
     "In twenty centons," Melkot said.  "For now, we must close down
current operations.  Inform the crew that communication terminals will be
inactive......and they are to power their systems down until a unicom
announcement is made to have them reactivated."
     "By your command."
     The fool, Melkot thought.  But at least a message to Cauda would
produce one dividend.  It wouldn't make the Garrison commander suspicious
of any lack of communication for quite some time.  And that would allow
Commander Melkot to make one additional contribution to the Resistance
even in death.


     It took four centons to reach the Flight Deck level.  Gryphon made
sure his steps were not overly fast as he stayed in front of G1 and G2. 
Around them, the rows of Cylon fighters seemed intimidating and to a
human mind, it would have been almost impossible to keep track of where
one specific fighter was parked.  But for Gryphon and any other Cylon it
was always instinctively easy to keep track of which fighter was their
own.
     They had just reached their fighter when a loud chime sounded which
they knew meant a unicom announcement was about to be made.  For a
micron, Gryphon felt his circuitry freeze because this could well mean
that he had made a terrible mistake and that what he was about to hear
was a message ordering all ships to launch because an attack was
imminent.
     "Attention.  All personnel are to power down their communication
devices to permit a shipwide maintenance check.  No active communications
will take place until it is completed."
     He could relax.  He had made no mistake.  The Commander  was doing
the equivalent of what had been Objective #2, which was rendering ship's
communications inoperable.
     Gryphon motioned G1 and G2 to enter the fighter first.  The Flight
Leader took one last look at the Flight Deck and then hurried in to join
them.

     "Likely ETA in fifteen centons," Kylie reported.
     Cain looked over at Major Ham, "Are all flight crews in their
ships?"
     "All Viper and Raider crews are ready to launch on your order."
     The Juggernaut gave another tap of the railing with his stick, "I
want Angus and Banker to launch and move ahead on cloaked settings to see
if there's any sign of Phoenix One, and if there isn't, have them eyeball
the Baseship for a quick scan."
     Ham keyed in his headset, "Silver Two, Silver Three, this is Core
Command.  You will launch and assumed cloaked setting to look for any
signs of Phoenix One.  Probe ahead for scanner reading of Baseship if
unable to detect."


     "About fracking time," Banker muttered, as he and Angus had been
sitting inside their cockpits in the launch tube longer than any one
else.  He finally hit the button to seal the canopy shut and keyed his
mic, "Core Command, affirmative.  Launching immediately."
     He hit the button and was down the port launch tube while Angus
emerged  from the starboard one.  The two ships rendezvoused and quickly
activated their cloaked settings.
     "Core Command, we have gone to cloak setting." Angus said.
     "We confirm that," Ham said.  "Do not observe radio silence.  At
this stage it doesn't matter if they detect any anomalies.  Let us know
what you see and if you get any indication of Phoenix One's presence."
     "Affirmative," Banker said, trying to fight the tension inside
himself about facing something as big as a Baseship.  


     Far away on Cannes Prime, Commander Cauda's study of the Cannes
Three Resistance was interrupted by a message from the Garrison Command
Center complex.
     "What is it?" the IL asked with irritation.
     "A message from the Baseship," the centurion on duty said.
     "What does that infernal Melkot want now?" Cauda snapped.
     "He reports that they will be overhauling communications and will
not be in contact for some time."
     Even Cauda had to admit that was a legitimate message, though he
wasn't going to openly acknowledge it.
     "Acknowledge message and note it in the log," the Garrison commander
said with indifference.
     "By your command."
     As Cauda went back to his study of the Resistance activities, he
found himself hoping that Melkot's overhaul would last a yahren.


     "Message acknowledged," Centurion #26 said.
     The baseship commander nodded and glanced at the chronometer in the
room.  Hoping that the calculations Gryphon's team had made were correct.
     The sound of a loud explosion from the next room told him right away
they were.

     Gryphon's fighter was climbing through the opening that would take
them out of the Baseship when the crew became aware of a mild shockwave
sensation that caused the ship to tilt slightly.  It only required a
quick adjustment by G2 to correct the heading and insure that they exited
the Baseship safely.
     "Assuming the Destruct sequence is continuing, it will explode in
five centons," Gryphon said, "Calibrate countdown now."
     "Calibrating," G1 said.
     "Shall we engage cloaking device?" G2 asked.
     "Negative," Gryphon said, "We must be visible to alert the Pegasus
of our presence and inform them of this development.  They must not be
too close when the Baseship explodes."
     "Hopefully he has not betrayed us." G1 said.
     The Flight Leader didn't answer him.  If that were true, he knew
that his sense of honor would dictate suicide as his only option for
penance.  Those who had forgiven him once would never do so again.


     "We should be in theoretical range in another centon," Angus said. 
"Keep your eyes open."
     "I already gave them a rest during that wait in the launch bay,"
Banker grunted.  "Right now I'm as alert as if a million mega-volts
passed through me."
     "You'd be *dead* if a million mega-volts passed through you," Angus
quipped. 
     "Those dead to the universe would get reanimated," he looked down
and then saw at the top of the screen an object emerge.  "I've got
contact!"
     "I have it too," Angus then keyed his transmitter, "Core Command, we
have one confirmed Cylon fighter on scanner.  Not close enough to give
off recognition beacon for Phoenix Group fighter.  Shall we initiate
contact?"
     "Affirmative, Silver Three," Ham said with an edge of urgency,
"Establish contact now to ascertain status!"
     Angus nodded, "Phoenix One, this is Silver Three.  Acknowledge my
transmission and give status of mission objective."
     Several microns of uneasy silence passed that increased the tension
in both viper cockpits as the scanner contact grew closer, but then they
finally heard a reply.
     "This is Phoenix One.  Mission objective successful.  But do *not*
launch attack force.  The Baseship is in self-destruct mode and will
implode in six centons."
     Both Angus and Banker went into slack-jawed shock.  Angus knew he
had to quickly recover from that.
     "Phoenix One, repeat that last item?"
     "We successfully made contact with an Enlightened Cylon who has
programmed the Ship to self-destruct.  Imperative that Pegasus maintain
safe distance and not launch attack force."
     Banker keyed his transmitter, "Core Command, are you reading this?"


     Aboard the Pegasus, the exchanges had been heard by Ham and Altair. 
The senior Bridge Officer, who was as stunned as the two pilots were by
the report, wasted no time relaying the information to Cain and Tolen. 
The surprise was even greater on the two of them.
     "What do we do, sir?" Tolen asked.
     Cain knew he had very little time to make a decision and yet this
was the sort of thing that made him *wish* he had more time.  Gryphon had
been ordered explicitly not to approach any of his fellow Cylons
regardless of whether or not they showed signs of being "Enlightened". 
That was already one strike against him.  Second......was the fact that
Gryphon was an admitted would-be saboteur.  Suddenly, Cain's mind was
filled with the thought that perhaps Gryphon's confession had been part
of an elaborate ruse to conceal the real nature of his mission, which was
to have the Pegasus ambushed by the Cannes baseship in this fashion.  It
was the sort of diabolical plot worthy of the Cylon minds that had
concocted the Holocaust.  And even if this wasn't part of a plot that
went back to the beginning of Gryphon's service there was always the
possibility that the Flight Leader had developed second thoughts again
and had decided on the spur of the moment to switch his allegiance back
to the Cylon Empire.
     And yet.......if he didn't trust Gryphon and it turned out that he'd
been wrong, the repercussions would be enormous.  The level of trust with
the rest of the centurions would be shattered, and also with Commander
Cobre.  So many carefully achieved outcomes and results that he and Ila
had worked so hard for would be gone.
     "Sir?" Tolen's voice rose.
     The Juggernaut made his decision and quickly began to implement it.
     

     The explosion that Melkot had been waiting for sent a jolt through
the Communications Room.  Several centurions at their consoles actually
fell out of their chairs.  Melkot managed to brace himself against the
bulkhead near the door and kept his footing.  Then, he opened the door to
the Command Center and marched out, making sure he was well ahead of any
trailing centurions following him.
     He saw the destroyed body of Centurion #354 still lying in front of
the main console.  The Commander hurried over and was able to look down
at the monitor.  The display for the scanners showed nothing.  The
terminal with the countdown for the self-destruct sequence still showed
five centons remaining.
     As the sound of the trailing centurions' footsteps entered the room,
Melkot motioned them to check the door to the Computer room where smoke
was pouring out from cracks in the now dislodged door.  
     And then he calmly and quietly turned off the power to the monitor
in front of him, which guaranteed that no one would be able to see the
readout for a still active countdown sequence. 


     "Pegasus Core Command to Phoenix One!" Cain's voice filled the
cockpit of Gryphon's fighter.  "Thank you for your report.  Return
immediately to the Pegasus.  Silver Two, Silver Three, get yourselves to
within minimal scanning range of the Baseship and eyeball what's
happening.  If she's going to implode, I want confirmation the instant it
happens!"
     "Yes, sir!" Angus said.  "Phoenix One, assume heading
three-three-seven to stay clear of our cloaked positions for five
microns, then resume three-three-nine for rendezvous approach back to the
Pegasus."
     "Setting course, " Gryphon acknowledged.  "Baseship will implode in
four centons if destruct mode is still in place."
     "Thank you, Phoenix One," Cain's tone was neutral.
     As the fighter assumed a new heading, Gryphon realized for the first
time that given his past history, it would have been all too easy for
Commander Cain to suspect he might have been lying.  But he had chosen to
trust him instead.
     His sense of Enlightenment now made him understand the meaning of
the term relief.


     "They should be in scanner range of the Baseship in two centons
based on all known speed and heading variables," Kylie reported in as
flat and emotionless a tone she could summon, even though she was filled
with tension and anxiety inside.
     "Ease back on our speed by one-third, but maintain heading," Cain
said.
     "One-third, aye," she made the necessary adjustment.
     Cain looked over at Tolen.  The Executive Officer, like Cain, was
betraying no emotion. 
     "Well, Colonel?"
     "I'd trust him too," he finally said.
     The Juggernaut looked back at the main viewing screen and the
starlit expanse, "We can at least afford to for now.  But if that thing
is still there in four centons, then we're unleashing everything we've
got and dropping in on them at top speed with all guns firing."
     Tolen nodded his agreement.
     "ET to scanner contact in one centon," Kylie called out.


     Neither Angus nor Banker dared make any unnecessary remarks to each
other as they continued moving forward in a cloaked state and followed
Gryphon's trail back towards the baseship.  They were both aware of how
much they were tottering on a precipice that could see either sudden,
easy victory, or a disastrous setback that might mean the end of them
entirely.
     Banker finally broke the silence, "Should be coming up......now!"
     The large circular shape that indicated a baseship suddenly popped
onto the edge of their scanners.  They weren't close enough to take any
readings.  All they could do was watch it.....and wait.
     "Core Command, we have it on our scanner now," Angus radioed, "She
is not launching.  She is not moving at attack speed."


     Two centurions managed to pry the damaged door open and enter the
Computer Room.  At the same time, Centurion #26 had come up alongside
Melkot.
     "Scanners are likely inoperable!"
     "Undoubtedly so," Melkot knew he had to make sure there'd be no time
for him to become suspicious.  "I will want a full damage report."
     "What could have caused it?"
     "That we must investigate to find out," Melkot kept looking ahead,
avoiding eye contact with his subordinate.
     "Shall we notify Cannes Prime?"
     "Not until we have a full report on the damage," Melkot shook his
head.  "I am not in the mood to hear Cauda reproach me for contacting him
without full information on what has happened."
     Centurion #26's gaze then moved down to the ground where he noticed
the motionless form of Centurion #354.  Immediately, his inner components
could tell something was not right.
     "What happened to him?"
     Melkot glanced down and back, "Obviously a casualty of the blast."
     "He was too far back for that to happen," the centurion shook his
head, "It looks as if he was.....shot."
     "Who would have shot him?" the Commander knew he had to summon the
most authoritative edge possible.
     "You were alone in the Command Center with him for some time......."
     "Are you making an accusation?" he cut him off.
     He hesitated for a few microns and then said with a sudden
determination that was not normal for him, "If the facts indicate no
other possibility......then yes, I am."
     Inside, Melkot felt sorry for the centurion.  By being unafraid to
challenge him, Centurion #26 had just revealed that given enough time he
would have been on the path to Enlightenment. 
     As the countdown he'd set reached zero, the baseship commander's
last thought was something new and unexpected, even to him.  A sense that
he done more than just serve the cause of what Gryphon had called
Enlightenment.  In that instant, it felt as if he had served an even
higher cause.  The cause of something.....he had never been aware of
until that very last fraction of a micron.  Something called........The
Makers.


     "We're now in visual contact, Core Command," Angus radioed.  "No
change in speed or bearing.  No indications of launch preparations."
     "Hold your position," Cain said, his tone still neutral.  "If that
thing does go, don't be too close to it."
     Abruptly, the two viper pilots were greeted by the sight of a
blinding white flash that filled their entire field of vision.  Banker
could barely keep his hand on the control stick as he raised his left arm
to shield his face.
     "Holy Frack!" Angus managed to shout as he immediately went into a
slow turn.  "She just blew!"
     "Confirm that!" Banker added, "She's exploded."
     "Decloak and head for home at max speed!" Cain's voice rose.


     "Sign of massive space disruption confirmed!" Kylie shouted with
excitement from her station.  "Consistent with a baseship exploding!"
     Cheers from every corner of the Bridge erupted.  Cain didn't think
for a micron of interrupting any of it.  As far as he was concerned, this
was an unexpected miracle worth reveling in for as long as possible.
     The Juggernaut looked down and then noticed Bridge Officer Falstaff
turning around and looking up at him with a goofy smile and shrug of the
shoulders.
     Sorry, Falstaff, but you'll still have to wait another day for your
turn.

Epilogue

     A centar later, Cain was in his office with Tolen and Cobre
listening to Gryphon give his final report of what had happened. 
     "It was a most fortuitous development," the Flight Leader said. 
"The Baseship Commander was developing his own streak of Enlightenment
and decided to help us."
     Cobre then spoke the words that Cain had earlier agreed needed to
come from the ranking Cylon aboard the Pegasus rather than himself.  "You
are aware of course that technically, that was a violation of your orders
not to search for Enlightened conduct aboard the Baseship."
     "I was not searching for Enlightenment," Gryphon said.  "It was my
intention to kill the Commander, but only after I told him the reasons
behind our mission while I had him at gunpoint."
     "I see," Cain nodded, "And that was when.....he revealed his own
feelings about the Empire to you and volunteered to initiate the
self-destruct system."
     "That is correct."
     "And......you took his word when he said he would do so?"
     "No.  I insisted on watching him program the destruct sequence and I
saw him do so on the monitor."
     "While you held him at gunpoint."
     "I went up alongside him so that I was looking at the terminal and
saw the program go into effect," Gryphon emphasized.  "I knew there was a
danger  he could be lying.  Once he initiated the destruct
sequence......only then did we leave the Command Center."
     "But he was still alive when you left him," Cobre pointed out,
"There was always the possibility that once you and your crew left the
Command Center, he could have shut down the destruct program and sounded
the alarm."
     There was no immediate response from Gryphon.  But when he finally
spoke, there was a firmness in what he said.
     "He could have......but he did not."
     "No," Cain nodded again, "He did not.  It's clear that he died a
most Enlightened Cylon."
     The Juggernaut then rose, "Thank you for your report, Gryphon.  And
my congratulations to you and your crew for a job well done."
     The Cylon bowed his head respectfully and departed.


     "I'm glad Cobre was there to ask the tough questions," Cain said to
Ila later that evening. "From a technical standpoint, Gryphon's actions
could have endangered the mission."
     "It sounds like he still had some catharsis he felt he had to
perform," the Academician noted.
     "Probably.  I doubt any of the other Cylons would have felt a need
to make a speech if they'd been in the same position."
     "And if that had happened, you would have been forced into a battle,
because there would have been no opportunity for a destruct sequence to
be programmed."
     Cain smiled disarmingly, "The end result would have been the same."
     Ila allowed herself a chuckle given the lighthearted way he'd said
it, but she couldn't help but wonder if one part of Cain felt some
disappointment over the fact that for the second time, he'd been denied a
chance to test the Pegasus out in full battle mode.  First with the
negotiated treaty at Gomorrah.  And now, with the fortuitous martyrdom of
Commander Melkot.
     Because they were family, she decided to test him on that point,
"Are you sorry didn't get the chance to find out?"
     The Juggernaut sighed, "Does it show?"
     "Maybe a little," Ila said, "I know it's important that one day the
Pegasus get the chance to show she's capable of fighting at full battle
readiness.  I saw the other day how antsy the Department Heads seemed
about wanting to finally get it over with.  And Kelli was just telling me
a centar ago that she's concerned the kids will take a Red Alert less
seriously in the future if they keep going through Red Alerts where
nothing happens."
     "Did you give her any advice?"
     "The most practical I could think of," the blonde Academician said,
"That maybe this is just another way of the Lords sparing us from that
kind of experience until the right time when we'll *really* need to be at
our maximum streangth."
     "If we don't crack from waiting for it to happen," Cain toyed with
his chalice.  "Don't get me wrong, Ila.  I'm grateful we've taken care of
the problem without losing a single ship since having our maximum
strength and no battle damage to repair makes us better prepared for
dealing with the Garrison.  But what worries me is if having it
so.....easy will leave us unprepared for when we won't have miracles like
Commander Volahd wanting to talk peace, or Commander Melkot's act of
martyrdom to help us out."
     "Has it really been easy for us, Cain?" Ila asked pointedly.
     He slowly nodded, "No......that wasn't the right word.  I
guess.....it's just because after avoiding battle for more than three
yahrens, I've been too *ready* for it since Gomorrah.  You wind yourself
up to a level of preparation, and then all of a sudden you have to detune
yourself because you didn't get thrust into it.  Professionally, you're
supposed to shrug that off, but I've seen many cases of warriors who
aren't able to do that.  When the moment finally comes and they have to
go all in.......they're suddenly not ready for it because they left their
maximum readiness behind the last time when they weren't needed."  He
paused, "I had to give our gunnery officer, Falstaff, a pep talk before
we started moving in because it's been three yahrens since he last had to
fire the guns and he was clearly nervous about whether he'd be up to it. 
And he's a good, experienced warrior.  So it can happen even to the best
of us, Ila."
     "Then give them more pep talks about how they have to stay in that
mode constantly," Ila said, "And don't forget to give one to yourself."
     Cain smiled at his in-law, "Or else you and Kylie will do the honors
for me, right?"
     "If we have to," she returned it.
     "Well, we'll know soon enough.  We obviously can't waste time
resting on our laurels.  Sooner or later, Commander Cauda of the Cannes
Garrison is going to wonder what happened to his Baseship and we have to
start taking some action before he has a chance to figure out the
answer."
     "Staff meeting on that tomorrow?"
     "Yes.  For now I'm taking the Pegasus to a position outside the
current Cannes orbital perimeter on the opposite side of their sun. 
Assuming Cauda figures something's amiss and he launches a probe that
reveals what happened to the Baseship, he'll expect a threat coming from
the same heading.  But for now, we'll be outside that area completely and
we won't be under pressure to launch an immediate strike on the
Garrison."
     Ila nodded, "Then that means you want to gauge the situation on the
other two planets first with cloaked probe crafts."
     "On Cannes Two, yes.  I want to know exactly what the state of the
Resistance movement is right now and if they have any ideas we could
exploit.  That means sending a delegation to find and make contact with
Princess Shandra."
     He looked her in the eye, "Are you ready for that?"
     "Ready, willing and able," Adama's wife said.  "But remember.....I
go armed this time.  No more repetitions of what happened on Terra."
     "You're going to have the strongest military escort possible," Cain
vowed.  "And.....I've decided that Kylie goes too."
     She raised an eyebrow, "Have you now?"
     "She's convinced me she needs more ground combat experience.  Plus,
she's also convinced me that Princess Shandra would be more impressed if
we showed that women *do* play a combat role in our ranks."
     Ila nodded, "I agree.  But you're certainly not putting her in
tactical command of the combat team?"
     "No, I have someone else in mind for that.  Someone who's been in
need of a ground mission for a long time."
     "Who?"
     Cain smiled, "You'll find out tomorrow."


     In the common area of the Pegasus, where all the off-duty Cylons
came to gather and talk amongst themselves, Gryphon found himself
thinking again about the events of the day.  And in particular, Commander
Melkot's willingness to give his life in the name of Enlightenment.
     He knew as a centurion how part of his programming had included a
willingness to die for the Empire.  That had guided all of the ones who
had taken part in suicide missions aimed at ramming Colonial ships.  And
it had guided his initial obedience to Commander Fuga in taking part in
what had been an infiltration mission of destruction that he had chosen
to renounce in the name of Enlightenment.
     Since then, he had come to understand the meaning of living his
existence for the cause of Enlightenment.  To do what was necessary to
bring that about.  It certainly carried a risk of death just as his
military service before that as a loyal servant of the Empire had carried
it.  But until now.....he had never grasped what it truly meant to  die
for the cause of Enlightenment.  Not until he'd seen Melkot willingly
give up a chance to come with him and his fellow pilots and escape the
destruction of the Baseship that he'd programmed.  All to insure that no
one left behind would discover the act of programmed sabotage and halt it
before it was too late.
     He would remember that example always and be prepared to do the
same.  As far as Gryphon was concerned, his existence was secondary to
the goal of seeing Enlightenment prevail.


     And so the cycle ended with the Pegasus victorious in the first
phase of operations in the Cannes System.  And moving into position on
the opposite side of the Cannesian sun to conceal her presence from
anyone on the three planets of the Cannesian System.
     From the third planet, filled with its impressive cities and where
the population went about its business each day with a tentative air of
uncertainty given the fragile state under which they were allowed to
maintain their existence.
     From the second planet, with its unspoiled regions of lush jungle
rainforest and where the population not enslaved to work the tylium
mines, plotted its strategy for disrupting Cylon activities and
maintaining hope that one day they would be a free people once again.
     And finally on Cannes Prime, where Commander Cauda had gratefully
taken note of the last message from the Baseship that they would not be
in contact for a number of cycles as they overhauled their entire
communications system.
     To have some uninterrupted peace from that whining inferior Melkot
will be golden, Cauda thought.  
     Cauda could never have guessed that he had just planted the first
seed of his eventual downfall.


Facing the challenge of the Cylon tyranny......the Battlestar Pegasus
continues her journey  across the stars to aid the cause of Resistance
and Freedom.  The  journey that ultimately leads them.......home.