CHAPTER 18—THE DERELICT

[LucianG]

Stadia

Stadia makes her way out of the o club and heads to the bridge. She wondered how she would react seeing Major Lucien. It had been awhile since she had seen him in Medbay.

Lost in thought, she turns the corner and bumps into someone. She looks up to look Major Lucien in the eye.

"Major Lucien!" Stadia exclaims, surprised by running into him. She steps back and straightens her uniform.

"Lt. Stadia."

"Excuse me. I am late reporting for duty." SHe steps away from him and heads to the bridge.

* * *

Doc BKJ

Doc finished the inventory,resupplied the office with supplies that Holodoc needed for her assignment and sat down at her desk. She was glad to see that Holodoc was again requested for a mission. Also the fact that all vipers were now equiped with medical manuals made her feel a little less anxious about injuries out in the field.

Things had turned out very well. The medical staff here on the Callisto had turned into a team that worked well together. Doc closed the file she had been working on and decided to look for Jarryn. She was going to invite her to her room for some late coffee and conversation. Doc took once last glance over the office. She shut off the light and closed the door....

* * *

Brie

Major Lucian,

I feel that I need to make you aware of a conversation that just took place between myself and a member of Black Squadron. I was on my way to the launch bay when I ran into Ensign Stargazor. In talking I told him that it appears that a member of the Gold Squadron Food Mission Team might be missing, and that I had been forbidden by Lieutenant Colonel Charybdis to go looking at this time. Ensign Stargazor quickly came up with a plan to boost the power capacity on a viper. He also suggested that it could be done without the Lieutenant Colonel's knowledge.

It was just a conversation, no rules were broken and no action needs to be taken. It might be wise, however, to go over certain procedures with Ensign Stargazor. I thought I should let you know, I hope that you would do the same for me if it was a member of Gold Squadron.

Sincerely,
Major Brie

* * *

After sending a memo to Major Lucian Brie continued to the launch bay. She felt a bit guilty about sending the memo, Ensign Stargazor was only trying to help, but there were already ten members of Gold Squadron off of the Callisto, many from Black Squadron as well, the bridge crew didn't need to be trying to keep track of a renegade viper. Brie kept telling herself that Amy was okay, it was just part of a transmission that they heard. Cain knew what he was doing, he had the situation under control.

She still decided to check her viper. It couldn't hurt to be prepared.

After everything checked out normal, Brie just sat in the cockpit for a few centons. If they needed someone to go looking for Amy, she would be the one. She was glad that she had pulled Lt. SiressEden off of the shuttle escort mission, Eden had been left in charge of those remaining behind in Gold Squadron countless times and would be willing to again on a micron's notice. Maybe she should inform her, just in case.

"Major Brie! Are you up there?"

Brie recognized at once the voice of Captain Lazant. She hadn't spoken with him in a long time, not since that first day with Ensign Teri. She climbed down out of her viper. "Captain," she said. "What brings you down to the launch bay?"

"Nothing in particular," he replied. "I was just taking a walk, when I saw you in your viper. Thought I'd say hello. Are you leaving on a mission?"

"Maybe, but probably not," Brie replied. "Just checking her out, just in case."

"I won't ask you details," Lazant said. "I know how it is with classified information."

Brie's mind immediately jumped to the classified section of her file. Did Lazant know something? "Nothing's classified," she said quickly. "We just picked up part of a transmission. The location of one of my squadron members was uncertain, that's all."

"Anyone I know?" Lazant asked.

Brie looked away from him. She was one of the few people aboard the Callisto who actually liked Captain Lazant. They had formed a strange sort of friendship, even though Lazant had tried to ruin the career of Lt. Col Charybdis. In a way Brie understood what Lazant had done, Charybdis had used very poor judgement and at the time Brie didn't care if she ever spoke with Charybdis again. But they got past it, and Lazant and Charybdis had developed a resentful, but working, relationship. "Lt. Amy," she said at last.

"Oh." There were several microns of silence. "I hope she's okay."

"Thanks. Me too," Brie said softly.

"Brie," Lazant began slowly, "about last year, with the tribunal and all..."

Brie cut him off. "That's between you and Charybdis. And while it's true that he's probably the closest thing I have to family, he doesn't chose my friends."

"I just want you to know that I regret it," Lazant explained. "I don't make friends easily. People seem to think that I'm power hungry or something."

"That's because you are," Brie said with a smile. "But there's nothing wrong with ambition, as long as it doesn't become all consuming. You're darn good at what you do, Lazant, and I think it's a shame that you haven't been better rewarded."

Lazant smiled as well. "Thank you, Brie, that was a nice thing to say. Well, most of it was. I'll let you get back to what you were doing. Good luck with your flight, but I hope you don't have to take it. Oh," he added as he turned back towards her, "don't forget about the fencing lessons. The offer is still open."

"If things ever calm down I'm going to take you up on that."

Brie ran a hand across her viper as Lazant left. She was still surpised that she actually liked the man, he was hated by so many. The words "classified information" kept running through her head. She had finished with her pre-flight checks and noticed that the side office was empty. She entered and started the computer. "Let's see," she muttered to herself. She typed in her name. One section was still classified. Since it was labeled as "gold" Lazant shouldn't have access to it. Out of curiosity she typed in a few other names. Lots of people had classified sections attached to their files. Nothing sinister about any of these people, she knew that they were mostly medical records. Some of them she had previously read because they were members of her squadron. The sections were classified because the medical records weren't anybody's business. It was as simple as that. She typed in one more name. "C-a-p-t-a-i-n L-a-z-a-n-t," she spelled as she typed. His service record was before her, but even he had a section that was classified. She wouldn't have read it even if she had access to it. But she felt better. She turned off the computer, trying to push the past out of her mind. It was hard, since she had nothing to do but wait for word about Amy.

* * *

Charybdis

I was still in the War Room thinking about what was going on out there. We still had not heard much over the comm. Deadly silence...

An image flashed through my mind. It was Amy in her viper above the surface of a planet. As she descended into the atmospheric mists, there was a terrible shaking. Sirens starting ringing in her cockpit, she lost control, and suddenly... a bright burst of light and then - nothing.

Nothing left of her viper.

"No!" I said to myself. "That's not what happened! She's fine. She has to be. Just my imagination playing tricks on me." I tried to convince myself that I was just thinking the worst.

Hopefully, I was dead wrong with that vision…

* * *

Stargazor

Stargazor waited for another 30 centon’s and was the long waiting and doing nothing tired.
He could not believe that nobody would even go and look for her.
He knew that something had to be done even if the Major from gold squadron told him not to, or without the consent from Lt. Col. Charybdis.
If punishment be getting in the brig or worse he would risk it.
He always believed in the colonial warrior code, maybe this is one unwritten rule: never to leave a warrior behind and always do what’s necessary to protect and save you’re fellow warriors.

So he decided to go get her.
He put on his flight suit and headed towards the launch bay.
He found a two seated viper witch was his prime choice.

(It wasn’t used for combat or protecting the fleet but for training new pilots in actual combat flight.
So this was the perfect choice).
He started to take out the weapons systems and adding the fuels cells to have maximum boost flight.

After another 20 centon’s he was ready to launch and climbed into the viper.
Putting on his helmet he remembered crossing Amy in one of the corridors.
And welcoming onboard with this angel smile.
Then he focuses back on his instruments and he punches the tree turbo buttons and launches.

Meanwhile on the bridge the con. Officer notices the launch and alerts the Lt. Col. Charybdis.
Officer “Sir, we have an unauthorized launch”!

Lt. Col. Charybdis “What, who”!
“Try to raise him on the com. Channel”!

Officer “Viper pilot this is control, identify yourself”!
Pause

‘I repeat, viper pilot identify yourself”!

But Stargazor doesn’t answer because he knows they would only try to talk him into coming back.
Instead he engages maximum thrust and heads for Axces Gamma.

[LucianG]

Charybdis

The viper shot out of the launch tube for an unauthorized flight.

"No answer, sir. Whoever is in that ship is not responding,it seems to be in a flight path to take it to one of the inner planets" came the report from Lt. Aegina.

"Frack," I muttered. My mind immediately raced to think of what Brie had said about going after Amy. But the readouts indicated that it was not her ship, rather a training two-seat viper. Very strange. But two seats? It had to be related to Amy.

"Open comm channel to all vipers -- 'Attention all squadrons, attention all squadrons, there has been an unauthorized launch in a two-seat training viper. We believe they are headed toward one of the larger inner planets where the food survey team is headed. Do what you can to intercept and find out its mission. Repeat, we have an unauthorized launch. Proceed carefully. We do not know who it is or what state they are in."

The call went out to all pilots out in their vipers as well as all the stations onboard the ship.

"Lt. Aegina. Get Majors Brie and Lucian on this bridge NOW !!!" I snapped.

* * *

Brie

It didn't take long for Brie to find out that someone had launched a viper without permission from the other launch bay. "Lt. Col.," she yelled into the comm as she started the engines on her viper, "I'm on this."

"Major," Charybdis replied, "we don't even know who it is yet."

"I've got a pretty good idea," Brie said. "Ask Major Lucian to try and locate Enisgn Stargazor, I'd bet all my cubits that he won't find him. My viper's ready, I'll go track him down. Do I have your permission?"

Charybdis paused. "Yes."

"Thanks. Major Brie out," she said and a micorn later she launched.

* * *

Stargazor

Flying at maximum speed it would take a few centon’s before he would reach Axces Gamma.
So he decided to record a message if something would happen to him, they at least know why he did it.
Now that he was on his way there was no turning back and should he come across a cylon patrol or any other hostile craft there would be only one option – outrun them.
Witch was easy since boosted his this viper.
But something else was also on his mind the other pilots on and around the planet.
No doubt there would be an alert from the Callisto to intercept him.
He would face the problem when it would arise.
Then he got back to checking his systems and flying.

* * *

Lucian

Just as Major Brie launched to pursue the stolen training Viper, Captain Lazant came barreling full tilt into Alpha Bay.

“I’m taking the standby C.O.R.A. Viper, NOW!” he shouted to one of the Techs who tried to get in his way.

“But Captain, we don’t have permis—”

“Neither did the person who stole my two seat training Viper!” he said as he climbed into the Viper. It was one of the standby’s that the Callisto was now keeping for recon and for emergencies during jumps. “Somebody took it, but I’m going to damn well bring it back!”

“But Sir, the standby’s not armed!”

“Neither are any of the two seat trainers!” he said as he flipped switches, getting the Viper ready for launch. “We had to give up the laser gens on both trainers after the Battle of Frodar due to the parts shortage. Whoever took it probably doesn’t even know they don’t have weapons. Clear! Viper Recon 1, ready to launch, priority Academy Zero One One Zero.”

A couple of microns passed before Flight Specialist Geenie replied, “Launch when ready, Captain.”

The Viper shot down the launch tube into space. The fastest ship on the Callisto was now in pursuit of the stolen Viper.

* * *

At the same time Brie was launching, Major Lucian was returning to the Black Squadron office. He’d been in the Communications Center monitoring the incoming messages from his team at the derelict and the boarding party that was approaching it. Due to the distance, there was almost a 15 centon delay, each way, for messages, so he’d been monitoring the situation closely. He’d heard the messages about Lieutenant Amy’s disappearance, but he hoped it was just a communications problem, and that they’d be receiving word of a false alarm any moment. Then, the alarm sounded, and he scrambled to his office to coordinate all Warriors upon learning of the unauthorized launch and the theft of the Viper. He quickly pulled the assignment sheet, and called for the prearranged wing assignments to be ready for immediate launch.

As the Warriors checked in to show that they were in position, he noticed a message from Major Brie. He read the note, then immediately looked at the electronic roster roll call. Ensign Stargazor was not marked present. Putting out the call for the Ensign to report immediately, he contacted the Bridge when there was no response after one centon.

“Major Joey, I have reason to believe that the person in the stolen Viper is Ensign Stargazor. Major Brie reported that he inquired of her about going to locate Lieutenant Amy, but she said told him no. It’s possible that he has decided to be the rescue party after all, especially since our thief took a two seat Viper. I’m forwarding the message now.”

“Got it, Lucian. Be aware that the Viper is fast, fast, fast, according to our Flight Specialists, but we just got word that it’s unarmed. Major Brie and Captain Lazant are in hot pursuit, and on its current course, he’s going to be flying right by the Water Mission team. Charybdis is ordering them to cut him off, but the message won’t get there in time due to signal time. Keep trying to verify if it was Stargazor, and I’ll let the Commander know the situation,” she said.

“If that ship is that fast, how long to the inner planets, and can Brie and Lazant catch it?” Lucian asked.

“It’s about 35 centons to the planet, even at its speed. Brie doesn’t have a chance unless she can take a shortcut, which at the moment doesn’t look possible, but Lazant can if he goes full speed. He’s in one of the recon Vipers, and should catch up with it just before it reaches Axces Gamma.”

“Thanks, Joey. I’m heading to the launch bay to see if we can find Stargazor or get a better idea of what’s happening. Contact me on portable comm if anything happens.”

* * *

Lazant looked at the monitors and saw that he was closing on Brie’s Viper. When he was close enough, he said, “Major Brie, this is Captain Lazant blowing by you now. My stolen trainer is unarmed as am I, so I’d appreciate it if you’d catch up to us as soon as you can so we can bring it and our wayward Warrior or Warriors home in the correct number of pieces.”

“Captain, I think……….”

At Lazant’s speed, just faster than the speed of light, he passed Brie’s standard Viper then immediately started outrunning her standard comm signal. He adjusted the frequency to no avail since her signal could not keep up with his ship. He knew that he’d be able to send messages back to her, but that he would not be able to hear her responses until he slowed down. He wondered what she had been about to say.

As he closed the gap on the Water Mission ships and the stolen shuttle, he also started considering how he would be able to protect the unknown pilot from killing himself or herself and get them to return home safely. He flipped on the C.O.R.A. A.I. to compare his ideas stemming from long experience to those of the computer brain.

* * *

Stargazor

Stargazor was coming up to the planet and started to scan the atmosphere.
He found out that a number of ionic storms wore active around the last course of Lt. Amy.
Knowing what her viper could take he immediately knew her fate wasn’t about a bad radio or storm interference.
He started to make some computer calculations on his onboard computer when he notices a blib on his Radar all the way back coming closer.
Stargazor spoke in his recorder “I’ve found numerous storms on the planet, as i’m trying to re compute the actual flight pattern from Lt. Amy i got a blib on my radar approaching”!
“No doubt it would be on of the recon viper’s”!
“I could hide inside the ionic storm but that could interfere with my comp calculations”!
“Frack, So close, if only i had a little more time”!
“Better switch my int. Viper com. Channel on”!
“Maybe i can talk the pilot into helping me sins we are already here”!
“My computer gives me 9/1 odds she has crashed but an 8/2 probability she survived”!
“They gotta give me a chance to fly low base and scan”!
“This is the only viper with the mkII ultra scan installed”!
(mkII ultra scan gives a more detailed picture from planets and their structures, but was still a prototype and in testing)

Stargazor opens a com. Channel to the viper witch is coming closer.
“Ens. Stargazor to approaching viper identify please”!


The Captain reply’s "This is Captain Lazant"!
“Ens. Stargazor you are in a whole lot of trouble, rejoin my wing and return with me to the Callisto”!

(Knowing the Capt. from training he might have a chance)

Ens. Stargazor reply’s “Sir, i cant do that”, “Lt. Amy is down according to my scanner”!
“There are a lot of ionic storm’s down there if she ran into one of them it could have killed a lot of onboard systems”!
“If not flight capability”!
“Leaving now would mean her dead fore shore”!
“Help me, let me do a low pass scan of the surface”!
“I’ll return with you to the Battlestar once we have rescued her”!

pause

(Begging)
“By the lords, give her a chance”!

The he awaits a reply….

[LucianG]

Brie

Brie was furious with Ensign Stargazor. He didn't have permission, they didn't know for sure if Amy was missing, and even if she was Cain, Najinn and Skyler would find her. How DARE he do this!

She was also slightly mad at Lazant. Although the viper he has was faster, Brie could deal with Stargazor. There was no need for him to be out there as well.

She continued on, turbos all the way. What a needless waste of fuel!

* * *

Captain Lazant was out of his area of expertise, but he didn't let that stop him. He hadn't flown, except for demonstrations, in yarhens. He wasn't used to flying at this speed, but he kept his wits about him. He relied heavily on the computer, and so far it hadn't failed him. Although the renegade viper was still out of reach, he was gaining on it. Every so often he sent messages to Major Brie, plotting his course and informing her of any pertinent information. He knew that she would be furious at him, she had every right to be.

Lazant remember his conversation with Major Brie, just a centar before. She had mentioned that Lt. Amy was in trouble again. Amy. What was it about that girl? He saw her as young and foolish, but everyone else would jump through hoops for her. He knew that he was speeding through space at that moment because of some way that she had messed up yet again.

Although he was still out of range, he decided to send messages to all of the Callisto teams working in the area. When they picked up the extra vipers on their scanners, they might not have any idea who it was, even with Callisto markings. He knew that he and Brie could handle the theft of the viper...and it's thief.

* * *

Stargazor

Stargazor punches his turbo’s again and increases speed.
He had located some of the Gold squadron members who wore on mission.
So he decided to make a pass by them and explain his intentions that way they could stay on their mission while Stargazor looked for Amy.
He knew something was wrong and was determent to find Lt. Amy.
Something was on his mind as he was flying to the colonial warrior’s.
What will happen when he comes near to them and the shuttles, they wouldn’t expect a single viper coming towards them and besides the viper was boosted up at a speed not like any of the colonial vipers.
They could mistake him for hostile craft even with his IFF.
There was only one option to do avoid getting hit and explain everything while zooming by.

Witch was going to be a not so easy job.

As he comes closer to the other colonial vipers his concentration and stress grew.

* * *

Lucian

Captain Lazant sat stewing in his cockpit, thinking of the young Ensign who was still too far ahead of him. Based on the A.I.'s predictions and his earlier path, Stargazor, assuming he was at the stick of the souped-up training Viper, would reach the planet at about the same time as Lazant. Lazant had worked with him some during his time at the Callisto's Training Academy, but he'd never known the young man to be hot-headed or downright dangerous as he appeared to be acting in this case. He prided himself on his earlier training, as many younger Warriors did, at the direction of Colonel Starbuck, but training and experience were two vastly different things.

Lazant had flown for many yahrens in Blue Squadron, and had known Commander Apollo and Colonel Starbuck, sometimes flying with them. He'd been a hot-shot himself then, and had even received the unarmed recon "attack" training from Starbuck that he had been teaching the new cadets for the last three yahrens since he'd been aboard the Callisto. He liked to think that his skills were still sharp from many centars in the SIM sessions and the occassional training flight, sometimes in the STOLEN Viper, but he'd only been in combat twice during that time. At Shonada and at Frodar, he'd survived. Several of his wing mates in those battles had not, however. Now, if he couldn't talk sense into the thick skull in the other Viper, he'd be up against one of those young hotshots with superfast reflexes and relatively limited experience. One wrong move on either Warrior's part...well, it was likely to get them both killed.

He had been formulating his plan since before he'd left the Callisto to chase his stolen trainer. He'd try to talk the Ensign into returning to the Callisto, but if that didn't work, he'd do everything in his power to stop that ship from entering the atmosphere until they'd spoken to the Gold Squadron team already on the ground. Based on the last word received by the Callisto, which he'd downloaded remotely just after launch, they were on their way to search for a crashed ship on the planet's surface. If they felt the atmosphere was safe, which appeared to be the case according to the earlier reports they'd forwarded, he'd try to hold the Ensign off until armed help arrived. That's where it could get dicey...and very, very dangerous.

He bore down on the other ship, which according to the smooth-talking A.I. voice, should be just reaching the Gold Squadron Vipers and the shuttles of the Water Mission. He just hoped he was closing the gap.

* * *

Lieutenant Kellyn in one of the two Vipers guarding the rear of the shuttle group was suddenly surprised by the alarm and the symbol that appeared on her screen, only microns behind her and closing fast. Her onboard computer interpretted the incoming ship to be one of the Callisto's training Vipers, but it was going far too fast to be that. "ONE INCOMING! 180 MARK ZERO!" she called as she prepared to engage the intruder if necessary.

* * *

Stargazor

Stargazor was coming up to the Gold squadron shuttles and viper’s who are on water mission.
He looks at his radar to see that the vipers take defensive positions against him.
Stargazor opens his com. Channel but keeps heading full speed.
Stargazor “Gold squadron this is Recon1, do not attack, i repeat do not attack friendly craft”!

Lt. Kellyn is the one to reply to Stargazor “Recon 1, slow down for inspection”!

Stargazor “Sorry can’t do that Lt. Kellyn, i’m on my way to Axcess gamma”!
“I’m going to search for Lt. Amy”!

Lt. Kellyn “Recon 1, if you do not slow down for inspection we are forced to open fire on you”!
“You’re far to fast to be a colonial viper”!

Stargazor thinks “Sorry gold squadron but i can’t stop”!
He then gets ready to dodge fighters and lasers.

The Gold squadron fighters head towards recon1 to intercept.

But Stargazor sees an opening in their formation and heads straight into it.
The laser shots zoom by his viper missing him only by a few feet.
The he passes the first viper at tremendous speed.
The gold squadron pilot has to dodge o way and before he realizes what’s going on, the recon viper is well past him.

Stargazor passes the other Vipers and zooms by the shuttles as if they are standing still.
Now its only a few centon’s before he reaches the planet.

Meanwhile the Gold squadron members are regrouping when they get another speeding viper on their radar.
Now the confusions is big but they try again to block the intruder.

* * *

Brie

Still way behind, Major Brie was trying to figure out a way to make up some time. Captain Lazant was sending messages back to her every ten centons like clockwork, she was able to plot where Ensign Stargazor appeared to be headed. She discovered that she might have caught a break, due to the orbit of the planet, which was heading towards her, she might be able to approach it from the opposite direction and save some time. It was risky, though, she might lose track of Lazant and Stargazor all together.

The more she thought about it the less upset she was with Captain Lazant. She knew that his equipment was important to him, and how neccessary it was for the training future pilots. She found it a bit ironic that a man who most people didn't think had a heart would risk his life to save a viper. She knew it was more than that, though. It was a matter of pride.

Calculating the time, Brie realized that the disobedient ensign was probably nearing the Gold Squadron shuttle escort. She hoped that they figured out that he wasn't hostile, although she knew that if a two-seated viper used for training suddenly appeared on her screen when it wasn't supposed to be there she'd be suspicious. If someone fired on Stargazor it would be considered his fault, frack, she would be tempted to give them a medal!

Sending a signal to the teams in the area that she knew would arrive too late, Brie decided to take a chance and try the shortcut she had found. There was no way for her to intercept Stargazor or Lazant in space, she'd have to join them on the ground.

* * *

Stargazor

Stargazor was coming up to the planet and he started to scan for a viper inside the atmosphere.
“Dam, can’t seem to get any good readings, this planet is weird”!
“Shore theirs water but this is hardly a normal planet, and why would Lt. Amy fly alone into the atmosphere “?
Stargazor had many things on his mind.
Especially since you always are to go with a wingman to cover you’re six, witch is taught in the academy.
Why wouldn’t the Lt. Col. Charybdis send a search party to find her, major brie was ready to go and find her.

Stargazor made a pass over the location where the lieutenant disappeared but it turned up nothing.
But if he could do some low passes over the surface maybe he could scan for her viper.

Then he got a wake up call his radar signaled something was coming up behind him and fast.

Stargazor taught dam, not now.

[LucianG]

Lucian

Lazant signalled to the ship that was now within his comm and weapons range. That is, would have been in weapons range had his ship been armed. As it was, he was armed with his wit and a ship that was a couple of percentage points faster than the ship he was pursuing. Of course, the person in the lead ship didn't know he wasn't armed, which he might use to his advantage. He decided to go with plan A.

"To the pilot of the Viper in front of me, this is Captain Lazant of the Battlestar Callisto. Take no hostile actions or I will be forced to destroy your ship. Please identify yourself."

"Captain, this is Ensign Stargazor. It is good to hear your voice, but you must understand that I am on a peaceful rescue mission, and destroying my ship would be a complete waste of a perfectly good ship, a hot Warrior pilot, and the Warrior in distress. I've worked with you enough in my time at the Academy to know that you aren't wasteful, and what you propose would be just that. Therefore, since we're here anyway, won't you help me find Lieutenant Amy, Sir?"

Lazant remembered the Ensign from a couple of discussions in war theory class. He'd always seemed logical, even if he was sometimes at a loss for words. Lazant decided to try the same tact. "Ensign, I don't think you were in on any of the briefings regarding this planet. You think the planet is strange because it looks different than what you've seen or experienced, but you have no knowledge to back that up. If you take a chance of entering that atmosphere without knowing what's down there, you could end up in a million small separated molecules in the same way that Lieutenant Amy may have met her doom. You may not know it, but she trained for this mission for almost a sectar, and look at what may have happened to her. Do you have some special super powers that will protect you that were unavailable to her? Ensign, think hard about that, but think quickly. Do you think the Warriors on their way here would not have formed a search party for her? Ensign, there are protocols on our ship for reasons, and one of the biggest ones is that you don't go off half cocked half way across a star system without permission just because you have a hunch that something might be wrong. You have a duty to protect our ship, but you also have a duty to follow orders and let others follow their orders. What you are doing now doesn't make a lot of sense."

"It might not, Sir, but now we're here, and they're not. We've got a two seat Viper," said Stargazor, "and they don't. Logic would seem to say we should take advantage of the situation and rescue her while she's still alive. Wouldn't you agree, Sir?"

Lazant smiled for the first time on the trip. He'd hated to blow by Brie as he'd done since he knew that she'd probably handle the situation better than he would, but now, he had to admit that the Ensign was making some sense in confused argument. "Ensign, I'm transmitting information gathered from the food survey party. You'll probably be pleasantly surprised to find that this planet isn't nearly as strange as the atmosphere would lead you to believe. There. That should allow your ship to plan a better projected path while we search. You lead the way, and I'll take your wing. We'll do a low atmosphere search of Sector 55A. Take her in, Ensign, carefully. Just remember, I and a lot of other good people have invested a significant amount of time and effort in your training, so I swear, if you crack up my trainer or get yourself killed, I'll have your head!"

* * *

Stargazor

Stargazor activates his booster’s and takes his viper in.
Lazant follows on his wing.
While doing so he reply’s to Lazant “Thank you Sir, for giving me a chance”!
“I know i’m right, everything inside me tells me so”!

Lazant reply’s “Well now you have a chance Ensign”!

Both warriors are passing over sector 55A as Stargazor makes scan’s for a viper and its components.
“Frack, i still can’t get head or tails from these readings”!
“Sir, i’m telling you, something is jamming our sensors”!

Lazant shakes his head for a moment and then also activates his scanners.
He also looks at the readings and becomes confused.
He say’s out loot in disbelieve “What, these can’t be right, what the frack is going on down there”!

Stargazor looks for a moment over his shoulder to Lazant and reply’s “I told you sir, the readings aren’t making any sense”!
“The readings you send me and the ones we did dint match, like if the specs of this planet changed”!

Lazant reply’s “You’re right, you always had an instinct for situations like this”!

But Stargazor picks something up on his scanner witch start’s to beep.
As he looks for what it is he makes out a faint reading on the metal alloy from a viper.

“I picked up a reading, but its very faint”!
“Should we go and investigate”?

* * *

Brie

It had been a long, lonely, and unneccessary journey. Major Brie was drawing closer to the planet below her. The readings from the atmosphere were wild, but she had known that they probably would be. Having changed her course she didn't know exactly where Lazant and Stargazor were headed, she didn't even know if they would be landing or not. Somehow she doubted that Lazant would be able to talk Stargazor out of his search. Brie checked her readings again, there was a lot of interference and she couldn't pick up either ship, but she noticed a spot where the readings changed once and then again a few microns later. She decided that must be where Stargazor and Lazant were breaking through the atmosphere. She headed in that direction, mumbling, "I hate planets," under her breath.

* * *

Saying a quick prayer that they would hear her, Major Brie adjusted her comm to a different frequency and tried once again to contact one of the teams in the area. "This is Major Brie to Lieutenant Hawke, do you copy?"

There was more static and then Hawke's voice come over her speaker. "One micron, Major." The static worsened, and then cleared up. "That's better. This is Lt. Hawke. Major, what's wrong?"

"Nothing I can't handle. I want you to inform all the teams in the area that they are to continue on their current missions. No one is to change unless they hear directly from me or from the Callisto. Do you understand?"

"Yes, ma'am," Hawke responded.

"One more thing," Brie continued. "Some of you may have picked up two unidentified vipers a super speeds. They've probably already landed. They're unarmed and to be left alone. One is Ensign Stargazor from Black Squadron and the other is Captain Lazant."

"Captain Lazant? What's he..."

"Don't ask," Brie replied. "And if you can, radio the Callisto. Let them know that I've got everything under control. Got that?"

"Got it," Hawke responded.

"Thank, Lieutenant. Keep up the good work. Major Brie out." She switched all of her attention to the planet below her. She was about to enter the atmosphere.

* * *

Charybdis

I sat on the bridge scanning all incoming information. Nobody wanted to come near me because there was almost steam rising out of my uniform. If those people who launched ever made it back, the last person they would want to see would be me. Better for them if then never returned.

Only Brie had received permission to launch to go after Ens. Stargazor and I had reluctantly given that permission. But her squadron was unraveling and she had to do the only thing she could.

The only other thing on my mind at that moment was how two careers were just about to come to a premature end. One, Ens. Stargazor, was just beginning. He showed promise, but Warriors who blatantly disobey orders when there is hardly any information to be had could not be trusted. He would be dealt with accordingly and probably lose his pilot's status and be busted down to Cadet again, or possibly thrown out of the military and serve jail time.

The other career, a most distinguished one, would come to an end in a big way. Captain Lazant had also launched against orders. If he had any inclination of ever making the rank of Major, it had just vanished when he pushed that button on the stick in his viper. I couldn't help it, but all I could think about him was that I finally had him, I finally had him right where I wanted him: facing courtmartial and being relieved of all duties, just as he thought he had me last yahren at the tribunal.

If he made it back to the Callisto, I would see to it personally that his career would be over.

* * *

Stadia

Stadia turns and sneaks a look at the col. She cant help but giggle at the image of him exploding. She imagines his arm landing on the comm panel and an ear....

"Is something wrong Lt.?" He asked as he noticed her giggling at him.

Stadia straightens up and snaps back to reality. "No Sir!"

"Then lets pay attention to our work."

Stadia turned back to the panel she was monitoring and lets a giggle slip out.

* * *

Charybdis

"You what?!!" I almost screamed at Flt. Spec. Geenie.

She recoiled in fear as she stood in front of me on the bridge.

"I'm sorry sir, since you had given Major Brie clearance for launch, I assumed that Cpt. Lazant was with her search effort and I cleared him for launch too!" was her meek reply.

Geenie had been a good Warrior and a most trusted technician for the past several yahrens aboard the Callisto. She was very much like her older sister, Jenny, aboard the Battlestar Galactica. But, this was out of line.

"You assumed?! You assumed?! Since when does Lazant launch on any mission, Geenie? He's the fracking director of the Cadet Academy!! How often does he go out on search and rescue missions?" I couldn't believe she had done that.

She had given Lazant an out from the courtmartial proceedings that I had all laid out in my mind. He asked permission and he received it...from Geenie!!! No court would convict of him of that since approval seemingly came from the bridge. Frack!!!!

I knew that he could weasel out of this one. No matter, he will still face charges for something and his promotion is as good as gone. It might not be the end of his career, but it won't be going anywhere very fast at the least.

And as for Geenie. "Flt. Specialist Geenie, you are hereby relieved of duties for issueing unauthorized commands during an alert situation. Command clearance is required for all launches and you disobeyed military regulations. I hope for your sake, nobody pays the price. You are to report to your quarters until further notice."

She looked despondent. A tear slowly filled her eye, she stammered out a weak 'yes, sir' and turned to walk off the bridge.

Making sure she could hear me as she walked out, I ordered Lt. Aegina to assume flight control operator in place of Geenie.

This ship was coming apart of the seams and I had to try my best to keep it together. If iron-fisted tactics were going to be the method, then so be it.

Heads were going to roll on this one...

[LucianG]

Brie

Major Brie had entered the atmosphere without too much difficulty. She had been places that were worse. Yarhens of experience had taught he that if you expected the worst you wouldn't be disappointed or unprepared. She guessed that Lazant and Stargazor had already landed, but she wasn't picking anything up on her scanner. She promised herself to have it checked as soon as she returned to the Callisto, even though she had checked it herself before launching. She hoped that there hadn't been a problem, Captain Lazant hadn't been on land in a long time and Ensign Stargazor has never landed a viper on a planet to her knowledge. She suddenly realized that she knew nothing at all about him.

She tried to reach them the only way that she knew how. She promised herself to have her comm unit checked when she returned as well. "Captain Lazant, Ensign Stargazor, this is Major Brie. Do you copy?" Silence. She changed frequencies. "Captain Lazant. Ensign Stargazor, this is Major Brie. Do you copy?" Still nothing. She picked another frequency. "Captain Lazant, Ensign Stargazor, this is Major Brie. Do you copy?" She was starting to grow worried.

"Major," came a voice at last. "This is Captain Lazant. I'm here with Ensign Stargazor. He picked something large and metalic up. Sector 55A. We're going to go check it out."

"I'll meet you there," Brie replied. "Do not, I repeat, DO NOT, leave the sector until I'm there. We don't need yet another search party out looking for us."

"We'll start a scan of the area, but nothing more. Captain Lazant out."

* * *

Having no trouble finding the spot where Lazant and Stargazor had landed, Brie touched down as well and exited her viper. She was angrier at Stargazor than she had been in yarhens. To her surprise he actually seemed happy to see her.

"Major Brie," he yelled excitedly before she had even taken off her helmet. "I think that Lt. Amy's viper is at the bottom of this sinkhole. The readings indicate..."

Controlling her temper, Brie looked Ensign Stargazor directly in the eyes. "You'd better be glad that you're in Black Squadron," she said coldly, "because if you were in Gold I would see to it personally that you were court-martialed."

"But..." protested Stargazor.

"You have put not one, but several ongoing operations in jeopardy," Brie continued. "The reason that a search party wasn't launched is that first of all, we didn't even know yet if there was a problem and second there are nine other members of Gold Squadron in the area that could look for her if it was confirmed that Amy was indeed missing."

"The warrior's code is that you never leave a warrior behind," Stargazor said.

"Sometimes you do," Brie said with ice in her voice. "The warrior's code is that you do what is best for the survival of the human race. If you're not willing to be left behind, then you're not much of a warrior." She paused, knowing that Stargazor probably didn't know about her missing husband. At that moment there was no way that she was going to tell him. "The TRUE warrior's code is that you always obey your superior officers, which you obviously aren't capable of doing. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to try and straighten out some of this mess that you've made."

Brie went back into her viper and was finally able to contact Cain. She told him to continue his mission as planned, she would take over the search for Amy. She climbed back down and Lazant spoke to her for the first time. "Major," was all that he said.

Standing far enough away so that Stargazor couldn't hear Brie said, "I'm surprised that Charybdis let you launch, Captain."

"I didn't get permission from Charybdis," Lazant said. "Or the Commander," he added before Brie could ask.

Brie waited a moment to let that sink in. "So I'm here with not one, but two people who are going to be in big trouble for disobeying orders. Great."

* * *

Stargazor

Ens. Stargazor and Major Lazant kept inside the sector to wait for Major Brie.
Stargazor knew that if Major brie was send after him then the Lt. Col. Charybdis would already know who had launched.
But in his heart he knew he was right, something was terrible wrong on that planet.
Not many people onboard the Callisto knew who Stargazor was as a person and as a warrior.
But Lazant knew the ensign better then anyone else, he knew that Stargazor was some kind of a silent and lonely person.
And that if you needed help or if you are in trouble he would always be right there for you.
Many of the other cadet’s thought that he was weird, some even got jealous of him because of his flying skills and instinct.

Suddenly his thoughts wore broken when major Brie viper came up to the two of them.

* * *

Major Brie Looked real angry now but she knew she couldn’t do much about it right now.
Besides they wore already on the planet.
Brie ordered Lazant and Ens. Stargazor to stick with her, she then said to Stargazor to guide them towards the signal he picked up.

Stargazor took out his hand locator and guided them.
After a few centon’s they arrived but found marks on the ground.
Major Brie replied “Well we must be on the right track”!

Stargazor kept finding more small signals on his scanner in a south-west direction.
So the tree warriors head in that direction.

Lazant made a remark to Major Brie:
Lazant “That could be from her viper”!

After a while they find a helmet on the ground.

* * *

Brie

As Stargazor and Lazant examined the helmet that Stargazor found, Brie checked the storage areas of the vipers. "I suppose it didn't dawn on either of you to check and make sure you had rations." Neither of them replied, giving Brie her answer. She pulled a silver backpack out from behind her viper's seat, then checked the other two. Nothing. She sighed, then walked over to them. "Since neither of those vipers were to be used anytime in the near future, the emergency rations have been removed. Probably because of the food shortage. So there's three of us with enough food for a couple of days. Water might be a bigger problem. Can I see the helmet?"

Captain Lazant handed it to her. "Is it Amy's?" he asked as she looked it over.

"I can't tell." She looked inside and found one piece of blond hair. "It's her color."

Stargazor smiled. "So I was right, she was here."

"There are a lot of warriors in this area right now," Brie said. "Several with blond hair. Still, it's a start. Anything on the readings?"

"There is a large metal object sunk down into the ground over in that area," Stargazor said, pointing. He held a portable scanner.

"Let me see," Brie replied. She took the scanner from him. He was right, there was a lot of metal. Brie adjusted the dials and turned in the opposite direction. The scanner continued to beep. "There's a lot of metal in the planet's crust," she said, slightly disappointed. Although she wasn't happy about the circumstances surrounding her being there, she was glad to be actively looking for Amy. "That might be her viper, it might not." Noticing that night appeared to be coming Brie made a decision. "We'll set up camp here, begin the search in the morning."

"Brie," Lazant protested, "the faster we start searching, the faster we'll find Amy."

"We'll spend the night here, Captain," Brie said, emphasizing his rank a little stronger than she had intended. "We don't know how much light we have left. We'll have a better chance of searching if we're up at sunrise. It will also give me a chance to come up with a plan. It's not like I had a chance to think things through." She looked directly at Stargazor, who looked away.

* * *

The food and water had been removed from the recon viper, but there were a few other supplies. The most useful at the moment were a light and a tent. Captain Lazant was putting up one tent, Brie another, while Ensign Stargazor gathered wood for a small fire. There wasn't a lot of it around. Lazant was thinking about the last few centars, slightly surprised by his actions. He wasn't the type to do anything impulsively. All he had wanted was to get his trainer back, now he was suddenly stuck on a strange planet searching for a girl that he didn't especially like.

Lazant worried about two things. He had few friends on the Callisto, somehow Brie had become one of them. That still amazed him. He had first planned on using her, trying to get her on his side and finally get the promotion that he thought he deserved. Since she was close to Charybdis that was even better. It was almost like infiltrating the enemy camp. But something strange had happened on along the way. He had grown to genuinely LIKE Brie. He enjoyed spending time with her, looked forward to their conversations, valued her opinion. He trusted her. And Brie didn't hold his past actions against him, she seemed to enjoy his company as well. She was honest and upfront with him. He hoped that he hadn't ruin their friendship.

He also dreaded returning to the Callisto. Although he had received permission from Geenie to launch, there were some who might have had a problem with his actions. He had enemies who were just waiting for a reason to bring him down. He had to be careful now, be invaluable in the search. He needed to find Amy, then he might even return to the hero's welcome that he thought he would deserve. Who would have thought that his future would lie in the hands of that bratty little girl.

* * *

The two tents were pitched and Ensign Stargazor was still looking for enough wood for a fire. Captain Lazant decided to take advantage of the moment and talk to Brie. "I hope I didn't ruin things," he said to her quietly.

"What do you mean?" Brie asked.

"Our friendship. It...it means a lot to me."

"We're still friends," Brie assured him. "I'm just wondering why you're here."

Lazant pondered that remark. "I'm not really sure," he told her truthfully. "It just seemed like the only thing I could do at the time. I knew that you'd never catch up to him."

"So you did it for me?" Brie asked with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

Lazant laughed. "You, and because that viper that he took is invaluable for training."

"You really know how to make a girl feel special," Brie said with a grin.

"Brie," Lazant said, "I do realize that you're in charge of this unofficial search party. You outrank me, and I respect that."

"Thanks. I'm, um, kind of glad that you're here."

There were several moments of silence between them. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence which showed how their unlikely friendship had been growing. Lazant was relieved. He could tell from the distant look on Brie's face what she was thinking about. "I doubt that Stargazor knows."

Brie looked at the clouds gathering in the sky. "About Turner? No, none of the new recruits do. His remark just kind of hit home. Whenever I'm someplace like this I can't help picturing Turner's face, wondering where he is and what he's doing."

From what Lazant had heard, he knew that Brie's husband was probably dead. But there had been people thought long gone who had turned up alive, so he didn't begrudge Brie's hope. "Did I ever tell you that I knew him?"

"Turner?" a surprised Brie asked. "You knew Turner?"

"Not well, I just met him a few times," Lazant replied. "Challenged me to pyramid."

Brie laughed. "How much did he take you for?"

"More than I care to mention. He always won."

"That's because he cheated," Brie said matter-of-factly. She saw Ensign Stargazor approaching, his arms full of odd-looking wood. "We'd better hurry if we're going to make a fire. Looks like a storm might be brewing."

[LucianG]

Stargazor

When the evening came Stargazor sat at the fire.
Major Brie and Lazant wore talking to each other a few feet o way.
Stargazor knew it was most likely about him and the things he done.
But his mind dwelled of when he started to look into the fire.
He kept seeing these awful pictures in his mind from people who survived the attacks from the cylon’s and the way his foster parents died.

Without knowing he was breathing harder and Major Brie was standing next to him and was asking for the third time “Stargazor, are you alright”!

Stargazor woke up from the visions and was disorientated.

This got Brie worried, she didn’t know anything about him or his past.
She sat down next to him and said “Do you want to talk about it”!

Stargazor stood up and said “No” then he walked o way.

Lazant had seen this from a few feet o way and came to Major Brie.
Lazant “You got to forgive him that”!

Brie ( a little angry at Stargazor) “Why, do you know something i need to know”!

Lazant looked out in the direction Stargazor walked.
Lazant “From what i know, he went trough some hell”!
“He’s a good man, but keeps his emotions locked, never lets his guard down”!
“Maybe that’s why he’s such a good pilot”!

* * *

Brie

They fixed a small meal and ate in almost total silence. They were in a bit of a hurry, a storm seemed to be brewing over the horizon. Brie was thinking about the odd group assembled as a search party. If they were going to find Amy, they were going to have to trust each other. Brie had grown to trust Lazant for some reason, but she didn't feel the same way about Stargazor. She didn't know him, although Lazant did. It struck her that this was probably the first time in his life that Lazant was the most popular person in a group.

"Ensign," Brie said at last, "if we're going to make this work we're going to have to trust each other. That means you're going to have to follow orders. You haven't proven to me that you can do that. Will I be able to rely on you?"

* * *

Stargazor

Ens. Stargazor looked up at Major Brie and looked strait into her eyes.
He then said to her “To hell and back, Sir”!

* * *

Brie

Major Brie believed Ensign Stargazor. "Okay," she said. The wind was starting to pick up, and a few drops of rain fell. Off in the distance a lightning bolt lit up the sky. "We'll start the search first thing in the morning. Try to get some rest. It looks like it might be a rough night."

The rain started to fall harder, putting out the fire. Brie retired to one tent, Lazant and Stargazor to the other. It had the makings of a long night.

* * *

Stargazor

Stargazor and Lazant didn’t talk much sins they had to be up early in the morning to search for Amy.
Both men wore trying to sleep as the storm ran over.
And after a while they went asleep.

But for one of the warriors it wasn’t a night for good dreams.
Stargazor had a real nightmare as if something was trying to warn him.
He kept seeing the same thing over and over again.
‘Stargazor in his viper heading into space then suddenly something breaks into the cockpit, and the viper tumbels out of control back towards the planet’

As he woke up he was gasping for air.
When he got his breath back he looked over to Lazant.
He was still asleep, Stargazor went back to lie down.
With his arms under his head he listened to the sounds outside, witch was calm, the storm must have past now.
After a centon or 20 he got up and went outside, got some dry would and made a small fire.
Just enough to make some breakfast for him and the others.
Soon Major Brie and Lazant would awake…

* * *

Brie

Brie lay quietly in her tent, listening to the storm. She tried not to think about what should have been. If things had been done properly she would have arrived, followed shortly by a shuttle. There would have been at least two other Gold Squadron warriors, maybe Lts. SunTea and Mossycat, a med tech in case Amy was injured, and a land ram. That wasn't going to happen. She was part of an unlikely search crew, not really knowing where to start, and they would be searching on foot with little food or water.

She still wasn't sure what to make on Ensign Stargazor. His heart seemed to be in the right place. Brie could tell that he relied heavily on intuition. She didn't know, though, if SHE could rely on his intuition. Lazant had told her to give him a break, he had his ghosts, but that didn't hold much weight with Brie. She had ghosts of her own, and no one had given her a break. Still, she knew that she was going to have to trust Stargazor if they were to be successful in their goal.

* * *

Stargazor

Stargazor was making something he learned from his foster parents.
Witch smelled very good and tasted even better.

The First to get out of his shelter was Lazant.
Lazant “What is this tasty smell”!

Stargazor looks up at Lazant reply’s:
Stargazor “O, something my mother used to cook”!
“Sins i was first up, i taught why not make breakfast”!

At that moment Major Brie’s shelter opened…

* * *

Lucian

It took a couple of attempts, but Lieutenant Rose, with Lieutenant Titon's assistance, finally succeeded in freeing the shuttle from the shards that had been protruding from the ragged edge of the shuttle bay door. They came to a stop about 15 meters off the face of the opening, and both breathed a sigh of relief; however, it was to be short lived as they started the process all over again. As Titon called the distances, Rose nursed the maneuvering thrusters slightly, making adjustments based on the distances.

"Two meters and closing, 6.4 centimeters right, 12.9 left, dead on front to back. 1.5 meters, 4.7 centimeters right, 14.6 left," called Titon. "We're going to bump it. 1.0 meter, 3.9 centimeters right, 15.4 left. We've got to back out."

"No! We can do this!" said Rose as she hit the right thrusters, giving them a quick very small burst.

"Front's clear! Back's swung, 2.4 centimeters right, 16.9 left! We're in!" called Titon.

There were a few whoops from the rear, but the job wasn't over yet. Rose said, "Now let's move this daggit forward so we can engage that overhead docking port. If we can't get it open, this will have all been for nothing."

* * *

JustinB

Watching the Shuttle trying to back out of the damaged shuttle bay, I crossed my fingers. I also was thinking about the second pictogram. If I was only able to solve it and diarm it, I could been of some help to the derelict exploration team.

I let out a sigh, as Rose manages to free the shuttle. Just by looking I could see that they were in for a rough time. Hopefully there were no more traps laying in wait to be activated.

With a thud, the shuttle finnaly manages to land. From here, I could also see that the damage was enough that they might have problems pressurizing.

After a few centons my observation was verified by a message from Rose, "Lieutenant Kris, we are going to have to use the upper universal dock to gain access to the CQ since the shuttle bay doors can't be closed and the bay can't be pressurized. Once access is gained I will contact you."

"Rose, you and people onboard be extremely careful. As mentioned before, JustinB's excursion into the ship was stopped when he'd approached what appeared to be a trap set in one of the emergency exit passages and was forced to be turned back. If you set off any traps be prepared to do what you can to save yourselves first and the ship second,"said Kris.

"Yes Kris, we copy." came Rose's reply.

* * *

Lucian

They got the upper universal dock in place withing a few centons. Finding that they had a good latch and that pressure was holding, the hatch was opened. Titon put a device on the CQ's hatch, but after 50 microns, he removed it, and calmly opened the hatch a very short distance. Having heard JustinB's warning of his experience, Titon checked the perimeter, but found nothing. He opened it a little further, then inserted a small mirror on a stick, which he used to spot a contact mine behind the hatch. If he'd thrown the hatch in when he'd opened it, he, along with half, or more, of the shuttle team, would have been dead.

Carefully holding the hatch to keep it from going too far, Titon entered the chamber and disarmed the mine. It was dark, so the only light was from Titon's helmet and shoulder light. Feeling that it was safe, he moved to the next hatch. Seeing no warnings as JustinB had described, Titon checked the next hatch with the device. Finding nothing, he performed the same procedure as before, but found nothing. As he entered the hatch to allow entry into the main part of the ship, Titon was happy to see that things were in reasonably good condition; however, the bright flashing red light that suddenly caught him aross the face couldn't be a good sign!

[LucianG]

JustinB

Lieutenant Titon decided to check out the flashing red light. As he approached the light, he notices a computer screen next to it. When he stood next to it, it came to life. A timer then appeared with 10:00 on the clock. He turned to walk back to the shuttle to talk with Lieutenant Rose when he heard two beeps. When he turned around the timer had started to count down.

"Rose, we have just set off another device. It had 10:00 on the clock, but started to countdown once I approached the computer screen," he said

"Well, if I had to set a device like that, I would have the override system on the bridge. We better get there as fast as we can," Rose replied.

Lieutenants OSH450, Holodoc, Wendy, Nylah and RaycerX had just climbed out the hatch in time to see Rose and Titon rush out of the Landing Bay.

"I wonder what has got into them," RaycerX said in bewilderment.

OSH450 went to the computer screen and saw the timer ticking down. "Maybe it had to do with us setting of one of those booby traps Lieutenant JustinB told us about. We better inform the patrols outside, what is happening. Viper escorts, this is OSH450, we have tripped a booby trap and we believe the derelict is set to self-destruct. Lieutenants’ Rose and Titon have gone to try and disarm the device."

*************

Seeing that Rose had landed safely, I breathed a sigh of relief. I shut down power to my viper to conserve fuel. Since Lieutenants Anubis and Randrius had just arrived, they offered to patrol while Kris, Phlandor, Vexis and myself powered down. Facing the Caprican Questars' bridge, I started to relax. I was just about to turn off my scanner, when I started to read power fluctuations coming from all over the ship. I felt that something was wrong so I powered up my viper.

"Kris, JustinB. I am starting to read power fluctuations from the Caprican Questar." Just as I hit my turbos, a laser turret started to track me. "FRACK" I yelled.

Over the comm came a message from inside the Caprican Questar. "Viper escorts, this is OSH450, we have tripped a booby trap and we believe the derelict is set to self-destruct. Lieutenants’ Rose and Titon have gone to try and disarm the device."

* * *

Charybdis

Core Command wishes to extend congratulations on meritorious service above and beyond the call of duty for exemplary work in the Medical Lab on the part of Head Nurse Lt. holodoc.

In conjuction with commendation on her service record, Core Command wishes to announce that Nurse holodoc is hereby promoted to the rank of Captain in the Colonial Military.

She will retain her position of Head Nurse under Dr. BKJ.


Congratulations!!!!

<chorus of congratulations!!!>

* * *

Lucian

Captains Cain and Skyler had found a landing site closer to the crashed shuttle or escape pod, so instead of their initial 20 kilometer hike, they were only traveling about seven or eight kilometers through the rough terrain. As they topped another yet another jagged rise, Cain motioned to Skyler to drop to the ground. Skyler crawled forward to Cain's side, and they viewed the scene about 300 meters distant on the other side of the little valley through their digital binoculars. The sides of the valley were relatively steep, so it appeared that the ship had slammed into the side parallel to the valley, then rolled or slid down the side, coming to a rest near the base of the V. Even from this distance, though, neither of the Warriors could recognize the type of ship due to the mangled nature of the wreck. Skyler looked up at the sky, and saw that the local star would be setting within the next centar or so.

"Those poor folks sure chose a lousy place to crash. These sharp rocks," Skyler said, holding up his palm which was bleeding from a small cut, "just ripped it to shreds. Considering this terrain, it's going to take at least 30 centons to get there. We better get going before it gets dark."

* * *

Arriving at the crashed pod just moments before darkness, Cain and Skyler skirted the crash site. Pieces of ship were scattered over several hundred meters, but the main part of the pod had come to rest in one piece after skidding about 150 meters along the side of the ravine. It was in surprisingly better shape than what they'd thought from the opposite side of the ravine, but that wasn't saying much. After they finally satisfied themselves that there was no visible danger, they closed in on the main piece of the pod. Activating their hand torches and holding their laser pistols at the ready, they peered into the cabin.

“Someone’s been here,” said Skyler. “The bodies are gone, along with just about everything else.”

“Yeah,” Cain replied. “They’ve cleared out everything that might be useful. Question is, who are these folks and where are the survivors?”

“Good question, but I don’t think were going to find the answer here. We’ve got to find one of the other pods from that derelict ship. We find them, I’d bet we’ll get our answers.”

“Won’t be tonight, though,” said Cain. “With no natural satellites and that cloud cover, it’s dark as Hades out there. This place seems stable, so let’s camp in here. I’ll take the first watch after I contact Najinn and Major Brie. Her message earlier didn’t make a lot of sense.”

Twenty centons later, Cain finally gave up. The portable comm would not work in the ravine, and it was much too dark to try to climb to the top to give it a better chance of picking up any of the other ships. They ate some of the rations they’d brought along, then Skyler settled down for a few centars of rest while Cain provided cover.

* * *

Skyler was on watch when the distant sky started to glow bright red over the tops of the hills. Knowing that it would be a long cycle, no matter what, and that on some worlds, a reddish sky early in the morning meant bad weather later in the cycle, he woke Cain and they made a quick breakfast of nutrition bars and nutri-drink. They'd noted some fruit on some of the strange trees they'd passed in coming to the wreck, but they weren't sure if the fruit was safe or nutritious, so they'd decided to leave it alone for their expert--when she was found.

Taking a few digital photos to record the site conditions, they packed their few belongings and started the long hike back to their Vipers. They'd been traveling for about 20 centons when Axces started to peak above the hills, highlighting the ravine with strange long shadows that seemed to slowly sink back on themselves.

They reached the top of the other side of the ravine and started down, winding their way among the rocks. They hadn't gone very far when Cain suddenly held up a hand for Skyler to stop and listen. Both men concentrated intently for almost two centons before Cain said, "That's either thunder or weapons fire, but in this place, I can't tell which. It's pretty far away, whatever it was, but those storm clouds are gathering over that way."

"We're here to find any survivors. If that could be them...."

Cain nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Let's go see what there is to see."

* * *

As they traveled toward what they thought was weapons fire or possibly thunder, raindrops started to fall on the two Warriors. Skyler wiped the water from his face and peered into the distance. The sounds of thunder were now evident, booming through the rough terrain. He looked back at Cain, who said, "I still think it sounded like weapons fire."

Skyler nodded, "Me too."

They continued onward.

* * *

They'd searched and found nothing. The rain was coming down hard, and the thunder was intense, but Cain and Skyler pressed onward. Finally, Cain said, "If there's anyone here, I don't think we're going to find them like this."

"Looks like you're right. This rain sure isn't helping. How about if we return to the Vipers and do a low atmosphere search. We can cover more ground a whole lot quicker from just above those rainclouds. If we pick up anything, we can always land again."

"Right. Let's do it. I'll let the other team know," said Cain. Activating his comm link, he said, "Captain Cain to Water Mission. Captain Cain calling Water Mission."

He was answered by static. Skyler activated his portable comm link as well, but received the same reply. After repeated attempts with no results, both men shook their heads. They'd lost contact, and would have to contact the others when they returned to their Vipers. They continued their hike, as the rain continued to fall.

* * *

They walked in relative silence, with only the sounds of the light rain, the wind, and their footsteps interrupting their thoughts. Based on what they'd seen, it was unlikely that anyone had survived the crash of the escape pod, but someone had stripped the pod of anything valuable and removed the bodies, so someone was out there, possibly waiting to be found. The trouble was, neither Warrior had any idea where.

About twenty centons before they arrived at their landing area, the rain finally ended. When they walked into the clearing where the Vipers sat, their eyes caught the problem at exactly the same time. Both men dived for cover and drew their laser pistols. They rolled apart, and both searched frantically, looking for intruders, but saw nothing. After crawling around in the wet sand for a few centons, they finally decided that they were alone, and looked back at what had caused the original alarm.

The canopies on both Vipers were sitting open....

* * *

The Water Mission ships arrived a little after dark. Using instruments and the night imaging, the lead shuttle with Sergeant Brinfort and his team had landed on a wide sandy beach on the small island in the middle of the inland sea in Sector 56B. It had been relatively uneventful trip until they had been forced to deal with not one, not two, but three Warriors hell-bent on getting to Axces Gamma to rescue a missing Warrior. Brinfort had briefly wondered who and why, but he had other concerns about his mission, so he concentrated on it, leaving the other matters to those better equipped to deal with them.

When the shuttle came to a stop, Brinfort’s team exited the shuttle and scattered. Within a centar, they had set up both portable laser cannons, and two of the heavily armored troopers were digging a pair of defensive positions about 50 meters apart. Moments later, additional shuttles were landing, while the Vipers overhead monitored their progress. As soon as the last came to rest, the crew of each shuttle started removing their portable treatment facility from the hold where the Ram would ordinarily be stored. Hoses were removed, but they were left stacked until the Vipers landed. A couple of the engineers were testing the water and confirmed that it had a slight salt content as expected, but it wouldn't take too much to purify it. A fresh water river would have been much better since a stage of the purification process could have been skipped; however, defending such a site, in the event that it became necessary, might have proved far more difficult than the spot chosen.

“Water One to Hawke. Beach is secured. We’re ready for you to bring your ships down to join us on what one of the Troopers has oxymoronishly dubbed Water Island. That atmosphere is very choppy, but you shouldn’t have too much trouble. Be careful on hitting the beach. There may be some soft spots, and I don’t relish the thought of having to sweep any of you guys up. Don't poke around about it too much, though. We've got hoses to stretch across the beach into the sea, and water to collect and treat.”

[LucianG]

Expatkiwi

Kiwi silently grumbled to himself as the other pilots of the viper escort landed on "Water Island". Hawke had detailed him to maintain fighter cover while he and the other pilots headed in to land.
Kiwi knew that it made sense: In case there WAS unwelcome company nearby, a patrol made sense. Still, it meant another centare before he could be relieved.
Kiwi's partol grid was a radius of fifty hectars around the island. So far, both visual observaton and the viper's scanner showed all clear. Kiwi punched in the patrol route on the autopilot and activated it. At least he could relax a little while the viper went onto automatic control....

* * *

Charybdis

Core Command wishes to announce that Cadet Ursiaon has graduated from the Callisto Training Academy and has been commissioned an Ensign in the Colonial Military.

He has chosen to serve under Maj. Lucian in Black Squadron.

Welcome our newest Warrior!!

<chorus of welcomes!!!>

* * *

Nefeteri

Ensign Nefeteri did the worst of the worst. She looked to the right and left and instead of communcating she slowed her Viper to see what was above the horizon of the planet. She looked back for the squadron with the shuttles and they were gone. She was lost in space.
"Nefeteri to bridge of Callisto, come in please," Teri attempted to not sound rattled.
"Callisto here." Oh brother, it was Lt. Col. Charybdis. "What's the problem, Teri."
"Sir, I thought I saw something on the horizon that could possibly be a hostile and then I looked back to the squadron and everyone was gone. Sir, I didn't slow down that much."
The Lt. Colonel closed his eyes. It wasn't as if he had a lot on his mind and now he had a lost Ensign.
"Give us your flight coordinates and we'll track you. Brie has come out there. Charybdis out."

* * *

She couldn't believe the task force was there and then it wasn't. It wasn't even on her scanners. It was though they had vanished. She only slowed down a tad from Hawke but knew she was his wingman. She dare not leave his side and she really didn't nor did she think she did. They were playing a joke on her. That was it. Cute, this was a milk run so they had time to play games? She had heard the chatter over the comm about Black Squadron being attacked. What had happened to her people.
"Ensign Nefeteri in to Lt. Col. Charbydis, please" Teri started again.
"Yes, Ensign, we got your coordinates and someone will be out to get you to the planet. You may have to join Black Squadron for a while. We cannot raise your task force. Perhaps you didn't lose them."
"Curiouser and curiouser!" Teri mumbled to herself. "Is Major Brie available?"

* * *

Lucian

The comm had been silent for several centons as Teri searched, trying to find the rest of the team. Suddenly, it sounded, Kreeeheeehheeeehhhheeeeeh "-ant Hawke to Lieu-" kreeheh "ri. Come in Teri. We're feeding landing coordinates wi-" kreeehheh "sage. Follow it in and joi-" kreeheehheeeh....

A light on the nav computer started blinking, acknowledging that the coordinates had been received.

* * *

On Water Island, Hawke activated the comm again in frustration. He'd not been able to reach Brie, Teri, or Cain and Skyler. Kiwi was circling far overhead and was in need of relief, and Najinn was threatening to go find the missing Lieutenant Amy on his own, despite having had little rest. With his command threatening to come apart at the seams, he had some tough decisions to make.

* * *

JustinB

With Lieutenant OSH450's warning, none of the Vipers were hit. "Black Squadron, lets get to work knocking out the laser turrets," ordered Lieutenant Kris, "and whatever you do, don't cause any more damage than you have too. Ensign Vexis on my wing now,"

"Yes Ma'am" came Ensign Vexis reply.

I also got Lieutenant Phlandor to get on my wing. One thing I always remembered from the academy, 'You never leave your wingman.'

Lieutenants Anubis and Randrius were on the far side of the vessel. I hoped beyond hope that nobody got hit. I had just blasted two turrets on the starboard side, when a shot from a third missed me but hit Phlandor on the top engine.

"FRACK" Phlandor yelled. "Phlandor, are you alright" I asked.

"Yeh, but I have been hit on my top engine." he said. I came around and blasted the responsable turret.

'I just hope those inside, especially Rose were alright' I thought to myself.'
**********************

Back inside the Caprican Questar, Rose and Titon faced their own problems. As they made their way to the bridge they found that certain doors they could just not open. Titon turns to Rose and says "I hope we are not being herded towards more booby traps." Rose nodded in agreement.
**********************

After a few centons of fancy flying and accurate shooting, all the turrets were destroyed. Lieutenant Kris sent off a Situation Report to the Callisto. She mentioned the laser turrets and the fact of the Caprican Questar about to Self-destruct.

When she had sent the SitRep I said to Kris, "Kris, we might have to get Phlandor back to the Callisto. His top engine is hit and I don't think you want to tow him back. We can send him back with Ensign Vexis. What do you think?"

'Rose, please be alright,' I thought again as I stared out space.

* * *

Brie

Major Brie came out of her tent to the wonderful smell of breakfast. Ensign Stargazor seemed rathered pleased with himself. "Nice job, Ensign," Brie told him. "We'd better eat up. Our rations are going to have to last us for a while."

After finishing their breakfast, they started the search for Amy. They didn't really have a set plan, but Stargazor had found a few threads that looked like they were from a Colonial uniform, so they headed in that direction. When they had been gone over a centon the comm in Brie's viper started to beep. Since they were on foot she never heard it.

* * *

Stargazor

Stargazor was getting into it.
He really liked to roughen it out.
He knew the rations would not be enough for the tree of them so he started to looks for food at the same time he was looking for traces of Amy.
Lazant had a hard time keeping up with Major Brie and Ens. Stargazor.

* * *

Brie

Noticing that Lazant was lagging behind Brie suggested that they take a bit of a break. Stargazor didn't seem to like the idea, so Brie gave him permission to search the area for more traces of Amy. They had found clothing fibers twice so far. Stargazor seemed to think that they were on the right track. It was obvious that he relied heavily on intuition.

They hadn't seem anything that could resemble food, and that was worrying Brie. The plant life looked almost primative to her. She had seen things similar in her ancient history lessons growing up.

As soon as they stopped Captain Lazant sat down. Brie couldn't help wondering what was wrong. He shouldn't be having a problem, he was, after all, the fleet's fencing champion several yarhens running. "Are you okay?" Brie asked.

Lazant rubbed his ankle through his boot. "I twisted it back aways," he said with some embarrassment. "I'll be fine," he added quickly.

"Let me see," Brie said.

"Brie, it's okay."

"Captain," Brie said with a slight grin, "I said let me see."

"Yes Ma'am." Lazant grimaced as he took off his boot. His ankle was swelling and a bruise had appeared. "See, I'm still all in one piece."

She didn't have much medical knowledge but she knew that his ankle shouldn't be used. "What do you think, Lazant? I could go back and get your viper, you could head back to the Callisto."

Captain Lazant knew that the only way to save his career was to help find Lt. Amy. If the group was to head back without her it would be bad enough, but if he were to return due to a minor injury.....his career would be over AND he'd be a laughingstock. "I hope that's not an order, Major."

"No," Brie replied, "just a suggestion. We've got to take it slowly anyway, keeping our eyes open for clues as to where Amy might be. But I don't think you should put much weight on it. So what to you think?"

"I'm in this until the end," Lazant said determinedly.

"Okay," Brie said. She looked around for Stargazor. "Ensign," she called. She had been constantly reminding him of his rank ever since she landed. "We need to find something that Captain Lazant can use as a crutch."

"I'll find something," Stargazor responded quickly.

* * *

Stargazor

Stargazor looked for something to help Lazant out.
As he walked a little further he, sees something that resembles large human size branches.
He picks two of them up and looks at them for a moment and comes up with an idee
When he returns to Major Brie and Lazant they look a little surprised, seeing him with these two branches.
Lazant asks “What in the holy frack are you gone do with those”?

Even Major Brie has this questioning look in her face.

Stargazor puts the two branches to the ground and takes his vest of.
He puts the two branches in his vest sleeves and asks the Major to do the same.

Stargazor “Well, i thought i would make a stretcher out of this, and drag him behind me”!
“That’s the best i can do at this moment”, “ what do you say Major”!

[LucianG]

Brie

Lazant took one look at the branches that Stargazor was holding and spoke up. "Major, it's not THAT bad. Maybe if I could just have something to lean on. I've been walking on it for a while now anyway."

Brie thought about it for a micron. "It's up to you, Captain. Whatever you think you can handle. But you've got to be honest, because remember, we still have to hike the whole way back as well."

"It's not broken," Lazant insisted. "I can put some weight on it. As I said, I just need something to lean on."

"Okay," Brie agreed. "We can probably make a crutch out of one of these branches. But we'll bring them both with us, just in case it gets worse."

Stargazor looked a little bit disappointed. As Lazant used one of the branches to pull himself to his feet Brie approached Stargazor. "It's a good idea, Ensign," she whispered, "but the Captain isn't the type to rely so heavily on others."

* * *

Lucian

Lazant pulled a utility knife from his pocket, and opened one of the attachments. Within a few microns, he'd sawed off a 20 cm section of the second branch. With a second, he drilled a hole a couple of centons deep, then used the blade to smooth it up. Eying the first pole, he made a few swift cuts and was soon rounding it to the same size as the hole. It took a couple of tries, but it was soon a press fit. He slid a sliver into a couple of small gaps to tighten up the fit. Then, he cut a couple of sword plant blades growing nearby, slit the blades into several pieces, and started plaiting a cord. Stargazor nodded, cut several more with Lazant's knife, and soon, Lazant was lashing the tee to the crutch. Stargazor helped measure the length of the first pole, and Lazant cut it off, leaving a couple of extra centimeters, just in case.

"You always have a blade with you, don't you?" asked Brie.

"Yes, and they're always super sharp," said the swordsman with a grin. They were on their way again.

* * *

Stargazor

The tree warriors wore back on their way.
But Stargazor couldn’t stop his mind from wondering About Major Brie, was she really this though or is she just putting up an act, and Lazant could he keep up with this bad leg.
He knew the Major was trained for this search operation and because of his actions they wore in a not so good predicament.
He felt responsible and knew he had to look after these to and make shore they survive these hard conditions.

Suddenly he saw a few feet from him in the sand some strange tracks.
The wore in a zig zag kind of way in the sand, he asked himself what could make these kind of tracks.
He signaled the two others who wore about a mile or so behind him.

* * *

Brie

Stargazor had gone ahead of the group, Brie had hung back with Captain Lazant. He was obviously embarrassed, and Brie was enjoying that more than she cared to admit. "If Charybdis could just see this," she kept thinking to herself.

"I'm sorry," Lazant said to Brie for about the hundreth time.

"Would you please stop saying that?" Brie pleaded.

"But I'm holding up the group," Lazant pointed out.

"No you're not," Brie insisted. "W need to go slow, keep our eyes open. You're helping us keep at the correct pace."

"I'm still sorry," Lazant said.

Brie noticed that Ensign Stargazor was signaling them. He was obviously excited. Brie went ahead of Lazant to see what Stargazor had found.

* * *

Stargazor

Stargazor felt the sand tracks just with the tip of his fingers.
At that moment Major brie and Lazant come up to him.

Major Brie said “Just some tracks from some kind of life form on this planet”!

But Lazant and Stargazor weren’t so shore.
Lazant “I don’t know, it looks more like a pattern or mark of some kind”!

Stargazor stood back up “I think you’re right”!
“More then that even, iv got this feeling something is watching us”!

Major Brie Looked at the two for a moment and said “you two are starting to get paranoid”!

Stargazor answered “No, i’m used to this heat and hiking”!
“Something is watching us for quite a while now”!

He looks around but sees only sand.

* * *

Brie

Stargazor's attitude towards Lazant had changed a little bit, it seemed that Stargazor believed that Lazant was putting them in danger. Lazant had told Brie that if he couldn't go on he would let her know. He was sure that he could keep going. He didn't want to disappoint Brie, if he were to lose her friendship he wouldn't have any real friends at all. He was suprised at how important she had become, he used to see friends as a sign of weakness.

The tracks that Stargazor had found didn't look unusual at all to Brie. If something were following them it wouldn't leave tracks out in the open. "If something is watching us, it's because it's scared of us. But that doesn't put us in danger. We keep going, Captain Lazant with us, until we have a reason to believe otherwise." She knew as they started to walk again that Stargazor would be keeping his eyes open. But something following them wasn't what was worrying Brie. Their food and water was growing low.

* * *

Stargazor

Stargazor was very cautious now.
He knew something was watching them even if the Major didn’t’ care about it he wasn’t going to let down his guard.
The heat was intense and the food and water was becoming low.
And with Lazant slowing them down they could loose precious time.
But Stargazor knew well enough not to go twice against major Brie.
So he kept his tought’s to himself.

He then asked the Major if she had an small band radio in her backpack.

* * *

Brie

Stargazor had asked Brie if she had a small band radio in her backpack. "Sorry," Brie replied, "but most of the radios had to be taken apart for use in the viper's comm systems. So they're not standard issue in emergency supplies at the moment. They still have half a dozen or so for viper pilots on the Callisto, but they were all signed out already."

They continued to walk, mostly in silence. Lazant kept the pace slow, but Brie wouldn't have wanted to go any faster because they might miss something. They had traveled so far, Brie wondered if they were closer to the other Gold Squadron groups than to where they had landed their vipers.

Up ahead there was something that looked out of place. Brie pointed it out, and Stargazor was more than happy to go and retrieve it. "It's a laser, Ma'am, Colonial issue. It must be Amy's."

Leaving Lazant behind, Brie ran to see the laser. As soon as Stargazor handed it to her she knew it wasn't Amy's. "This is too new," she said matter-of-factly. "I know Amy's laser, I've seen it enough since we're room-mates." She turned it over. "Amy's has a long scratch on the bottom. This one looks almost brand new. Strange."

* * *

Stargazor

Stargazor remarked “A colonial Laser so far out”!

He looked around but , nothing was in sight.
Strange…
Brie stored the laser in her backpack and the tree went on in the same direction.
Keeping conversation to a little, to concentrate on their task.

* * *

Nefeteri

Teri blinked her eyes and there they were. Evidently she had been caught in a space fog. The cadets had been warned about them. One second something would be there and the next it wasn't, then it was. She quickly resumed her wingman position on Hawke's left rear. Chattering calling for the vipers to land came over the comm. Teri looked over to Hawke who seemed to know nothing of her absence from his wing, thank the Lords of Kobol. He gave a thumbs up to her and spoke with the rest of the task force.
"It is time to land. The water mission has begun laying their hose to the water, Sergeant Brinfort has informed me.
We are ready to land but be careful. There are soft spots in the sand."

That was great. With everything that had happened to Teri so far as an ensign she would surely sink. She planned on that not happening.

One by one the Vipers peeled off following Lt. Hawke. Teri was excellent at flying formations in the simm but now for the real time, she did just as expertly.

Teri's Viper touched very softly on the ground. Brinfort was right about it's being soft. Hopefully she had picked a spot near Hawke where it wouldn't swallow her up in a hole.
"Water Island," she repeated what Brinfort has stated on the comm. She needed to get her land legs back. She jumped down out of the Viper and almost collapsed. Luckily again no one seemed to notice.

* * *

Lt. Hawke approached Brinfort to report. He had spoken with his team to stay put until they had their complete orders. No one needed to get tangled up in the hose coming from the water and their Gold Squadron team was there mainly to assist in case of any "beasties" showing up.

As the Gold Squadron would soon find out, Teri was the most curious human around. If the "beasties" didn't come to them, she felt, then they should go to find the "beasties". She didn't feel out right warfare should be waged because after all, it wasn't The Callisto's island but the "beasties". Teri would stay put because that was an order but she kept hearing something in the nearby vicinity and no one in command was close to tell her to check it out or not. "Curiouser and curiouser" the sound was. She fidgeted from one foot to the other wanting to go see what the sound was. No one would miss her if she just checked and then came back. What to do?

[LucianG]

Expatkiwi

It had been half a centare since the rest of the Gold Squadron escort viper pilots had landed, Kiwi grumbled to himself as he maintained the lone aerial patrol around "Water Island". Normally, Kiwi rationalized to himself, the SIC would assign the "Lone Wolf" patrol person, but Hawke insisted that he do so. Why? Was it because he trusted him to do a better job than the others, or was it because of something else?
Kiwi put those thoughts out of his mind and remembered one the eleven principal general orders regarding patrol watches: To continue only until properly relieved. So only when Hawke sent up one of the pilots to relieve him on the "Lone Wolf" patrol circuit could he land and enjoy the pleasures of the island.
Looking down at his fuel gauges, he saw that he had ample fuel for several centares of patroling, though he hoped that Hawke would not forget him.....otherwise, releived or not, he would have to either land, or to return to the CALLISTO. Despite that concern, Kiwi did rather enjoy solo flying and since the scanners stil showed clear, he might as well enjoy the flight time....

* * *

Lucian

"Hoses in the water! Pumps in place! All clear!" came the call from one of the Techs.

Engineer Leila, a young woman who'd been with the Callisto's environmental controls crew since just after the battlestar joined the fleet, gave the order to begin the operation. The gate valves opened, the pumps flooded, self-priming, and water was soon rushing into the portable purification plants which had been set up on the beach. It would take three centars to fill the temporary tanks on all six shuttles, so Leila ordered a couple of her Techs to deploy a large tent for use by the various teams that would be visiting the island over the next cycle or so.

Down the beach, Sergeant Brinfort was completing his IR scan. The island was only 2 km long and about a km wide at its widest point, so he'd been able to get a view of almost half from atop one of the shuttles. There were no naturally warm-blooded beasts on the island, but he had spotted some smaller images of what were most likely cold-blooded creatures basking in Axces' warmth. His troopers had reported seeing flying lizards a few centons ago.

* * *

Expatkiwi

Ben's viper soared up from the island about thirty centons after Kiwi's grumbling about being stuck up on patrol. Needless to say, Kiwi was pleased that Ben was the new "Lone Wolf" for a while.
After bidding Ben a quiet patrol, Kiwi took his viper off the autopilot and headed his craft down to Water Island. He skillfully landed his viper close by the others and shut down the engines.
Stretching, he opened the canopy nas stood up, breathing in deeply the fresh air. He hopped down from his shut-down viper and went over to were the water collection teams were working.

* * *

Ursiaon

Ok, now that I have caught up on what’s currently happening, I start looking around for the Major to see where I bunck up and stow My gear. I start looking in the squad room and the O club to see if He is anywhere to be found.
thinking all the time frack its good to finnally become a warrior after all these years of trying and doing other things to get by it nice to have finally found a slot for Me to fit into.
takes a deep breath and smiles.
* * *
Lucian

Ursiaon asked Lieutenant Nightscape where to find the Major when they passed in the corridor. Nightscape, coming from Beta Bay, said that the Major had been down there checking Viper status only centons before.

"Thanks!" said the new Ensign, who headed that way.

When he arrived, he saw Lucian speaking sternly with several Techs who were holding maintenance logs. They all looked like their favorite daggit had just died....

"Those ships protect not only my Warriors but this ship. If this happens again, I'll bring the lot of you up on charges and have you enjoying your free time in the brig. A little short cut here or there may not get you caught for a while, but eventually, something breaks, and someone gets killed, and a Raider blasts through the hole and hits this ship." Catching one of the Techs rolling his eyes, Lucian whirled on the young man and bellowed, "DO YOU GET THE PICTURE, MISTER? DO YOU THINK THAT'S FUNNY? If one of those ships gets through, then this ship, and you, MAY BE DEAD! If you're too dense to see that, son, I WANT YOU OFF MY FLIGHT DECK, NOW!"

"Um, no Sir. I'm sorry, Sir," came the weak reply.

"Very good, crewman. Now, I want every line on every one of those ships rechecked in the next two centars. Chief Mechanic, you're to bring in Second Shift personnel if necessary. Just get it done, now. We don't know what we face in this system, and we can't afford to take any chances just because someone wanted a little more free time."

He walked away, but then saw Ursaion. "Ah, Ensign, sorry about that scene. I suspected that some of our support staff were cutting corners based on the attitude I saw when our team took off to the derelict, so I had to do some creative investigating to prove it. Turned out to be even worse than I'd imagined, but I think things are fixed now. By the way, did you not get your things stowed in the barracks? I'm heading back to the office, so let's go find you a spot and get you into our rotation."

"Yes, Sir. Sir, creative investigating?"

"Yeah, I told them I knew what was going on, and expected every one of them to come clean and to fix it. My bluff worked, they confessed, and they won't do it again now. That's our little secret, though, understood, Ensign?"

* * *

Nefeteri

Teri leaned against her Viper wishing she had been chosen for Kiwi's "Lone Patrol". She would rather have spent her first centars as a real colonial warrior in flight rather than eyeing Hawke as he continued to speak with Brinfort. Her ship was so far away from the others that Teri kept hearing eerie sounds around her. She could swear someone was over the next dune but she couldn't get Hawke's attention to point to the fact that she was going to check the sound out. She had learned from experience with Charbydis that tugging on coat tails was dangerous business. It could get one in hot water with one's superiors.

She pulled her blaster from it's holster and crept over the sands of the dune. There was nothing but desert sound it seemed. She stepped one foot further and that was enough. Quickly she sank into a sinkhole grabbing for anything she could. That was not good enough. The last thing seen was her long red hair being sucked into the hole with her. The only thing left was her blaster on the sand. Seemingly it's weight did not cause it to sink with her. Her helm was back in the seat of the Viper. Teri hit the ground of a cave with a thud wiping the sand out of her eyes. She quickly got up to attempt to jump back through the hole but the ceiling had covered itself up. Teri brushed herself off and looked around. The caves walls gave off a glow that lit the cave up without lights from above. What was this strange alien place?

Alien? Lords of Kobol, was she in a cave with aliens and no weapon to protect her? Teri crept up the path of the cave she had sunk in. On the ground was a rock which she picked up to protect herself. Seemingly she had been a good aim at throwing things even if officers didn't admit to them having been thrown. That was neither here nor there. She needed the rock for some protection. At the end of the passage way the cave split into three different sections. Which route to take? The question was answered quickly as Teri saw a tall and foreboding shadow on the wall.

* * *

Teri backed down the passage way from the tall shadow approaching her. She held her rock in an angle to throw when the shadow shrank and turned into what it really was. Teri was face to face with a child. The child was painted in different colors, wearing little clothing, and had different styles of beads in her dark matted hair. She did not seem concerned with the huge rock with which Teri was threatening her. Teri swallowed hard and attempted to speak to the child.

"Hello," Teri began as the child wandered past her at first seeming not to notice her but then turned back to see if Teri was following. Teri still held onto to the rock but followed the child at a distance. Where there were small ones, bigger ones had to be.

The child smiled and Teri smiled back wondering where this child was leading. Perhaps to a way out or to meet her parents. Perhaps to meet her doom. The only way out was to follow this little one. Soon Teri saw other shadows on the walls but this time these shadows turned into beings much like herself, just a little less dressed. They all frowned at her. Somehow they seemed to disapprove of her. One bent down to a pile of clothes that had been discarded and threw a warrior's boot at her feet. Recognition started setting in. Lords of Kobol, these people were cannibals and must have eaten another wayward warrior. Lt. Amy? She had been missing with no trace. This is what happened to her. Was Teri to meet the same fate? This time Teri drew back her hand to throw the rock and run. The beings dressed in the same fashion as the child picked up spears and raised them above their head to throw at Teri.

"Hmmm...," Teri surmised. "Looks like I'm to be a meal...but not without a fight." Teri threw the rock and headed back the way she came.

* * *

Teri's exit down the corridor was brief. As soon as she started down, she headed straight into another pack of the sparsely dressed, painted people. They were speaking but she didn't understand a word they said. Soon she was halted by both advancing parties. She had no more rocks and felt her fists were nothing compared to the spears that were carried by this tribe. What to do? She glanced up at the ceiling but it was too high for her to jump and touch it. She wanted to see if the way down could be the way back up.

She wondered if anyone missed her yet. Certainly Kiwi or Hawke would have by now.
"I'll never wander off my post again," Teri vowed in a whisper to herself. Learning the hard way was getting even harder.

A tall older tribesman halted everyone and signaled his people to put down their weapons. He brought forth Lt. Amy's Warrior jacket and pressed it against Teri's shoulder showing the others that it matched. In some way that seemed to make a difference. One of the other tribesmen even broke out in a smile. Another, a female, stood a silent distance from Teri. Teri's eyes had grown accustomed to the light and she stared at this one particular being. She did not seem to belong. Why did this one look so out of it and why did she stare at Teri. Again Teri attempted communication.

"Hello," Teri smiled as she spoke. She walked up to this female and tried again. "Hello?" The female shaped the words on her lips but nothing came out. This female definitely did not belong. Teri noticed that the parts of skin that weren't painted were the same color as her own.

"Who are you?" Teri cocked her head to one side as the female finally answered back. "Who are you?" the female mimicked Teri. This couldn't be but then again Teri had never met her. Was it?

* * *

Just as Teri was about to touch the female's hair another of the tribesmen gave her a hard push. Teri fell to her knees but with a spear near her face she did not attempt to get up. The other female helped her to her feet but said nothing. Teri realized that this had to be Lt. Amy. She did not have all the dressing on that the tribe did. Teri noted in getting up that this person was dressed in what once was a Colonial Warrior's uniform. The pants had been cut off at the knees and the shirt sleeves torn out. She was painted from head to toe and her hair blackened with something. It was braided with the same beads of the tribe.

The female did not make a sound in Teri's tongue yet spoke to the elder tribesman in his. He nodded his head in agreement and answered in whatever language they were speaking. Suddenly the tribe began shoving Teri and who now she assumed to be Amy back down the path that the small child had taken Teri. Amy was being led along seemingly not knowing where they were going. Teri was not so sure either. They ended up in a huge enclosure that held a beautiful clear blue lake in its middle. The elder tribesman pointed to Teri to partake of the water. She found it refreshing but also dizzying. She was not going to come under whatever spell Amy had been. She backed away from the lake. This did not please the tribe.

She looked toward Amy for help but realized quickly that Amy was not in her right senses. She was to be of no use. Teri knew the search for Amy was fierce above and now no one knew where either of them was. Were they lost to the island? Suddenly one of the boys from the tribe jumped into the lake and sunk into what seemed to be the deepest part. He did not come back. No one seemed upset. Centons later he re-emerged with some land grass in his hand that Teri had seen above. He strode through the water and handed it to Teri. He then pointed upward. Was this lake a possible means of escape for the two Colonial Warriors? Surely they were not showing Teri how to leave. The elder tribesman pushed Teri toward the water.

"All right already! Enough! I'll go," Teri spoke harshly. This brought a frown to the man's face. Teri dove into the water and did as the boy had done. She came up for air but the tribesmen were determined to either drown her or allow her escape. The water was refreshing and Teri could not remember how she had gotten down to these people but she did remember Amy. One more dive into the blue lake and Teri found an opening to a cave. She emerged from it. There on the other side of the water was what seemed to be an entrance or exit to the outside world. She had forgotten something or someone. Her boots were filled with water and weighted her down. Boots? That was it. She needed to go back for Amy. No matter at what cost.