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The access hatch
slides open and the head of Starbuck pops up and then the Colonial Warrior
climbs on up to the rookery.
Starbuck is followed in short order by boomer who is followed by
Captain Apollo.
Valdi is climbing up behind Apollo when he spies a tallish
figure dressed in a kahki-colored uniform watching the entrants.
"Hi Cap'n," Valdi speaks up quickly, "This is the
liason-crew from the Battlestar Galactica."
The Captain appraises the three Warriors as they gather together
loosely. Apollo thinks he sees a look of recognition in the ship captain's
eye briefly before the Captain places his hands behind his back, "So you
are my liason-crew, welcome aboard the Communications Cruiser, Radii
Delta."
The Captain leads the liason-crew accross the black traction decking
to the computer moniters the liasons will be using.
Catain Apollo stops to talk with the Captain of the
cruiser," Captain Apollo from the Battlestar Galatica, Commander Adama
has dispatched up to coordinate operations between our ships."
The Captain smiles briefly, "Captain Sidon," he
doesn't offer a hand-shake or arm-clasp, "The Radii Delta has been
engaged in relaying data from the shuttles to your Battlestar," he says,
"And now we are presently working with the survey escorts to clean up
some mapping," The Captain explains briskly.
There is a sharp whistle, "Will you look at this,"
Boomer says from the scan-screen he is already monitering.
Starbuck looks over Boomer's shoulder, "I hadn't realized
that the Galactica had gotten so far away," Starbuck comments,
"She's already fading from the screen.
Captain Sidon glances down at a nearby screen, "Rather
Cainesque," Apollo hears him say quielty.
Valdi has slid into a computer station beside Boomer, "No
Fraqqin'" Valdi remarks as he observes his scan-screen, "I know
it's there, but I can hardly bring it in," Valdi punches a few keys and
buttons, "There, Leiutenant, he says to Boomer, "I've tied in some
of the feeds from the surveyors, try that."
Boomer tries to lock in better with his scanners, "Not much
better, I can make out a mass of sorts, but given the clutter from the
debris, it is difficult to make out type and form," Boomer looks up to
offer his opinion, "If I didn't know that was a battlestar right there,
It could be easily overlooked."
"And with all the juice this cruiser is throwing at it,
plus the surveyors," Valdi calculates, "It'd take a baseship to get
a fix on it."
A distance scanning-station would not be very effective in
detecting it," Boomer agrees, "Or the smaller scanning-systems on a
star-fighter."
"There's always the good-old visual identification,"
Starbuck comments.
"If you knew where to start looking," Boomer answers.
"A place to stash a battlestar," Valdi observes,
"I can see how that could come in handy sometimes."
Captain Apollo notices Captain Sidon look his way, and give a
brief nod of approval.
Colonel Tigh stands on the bridge of the Battlestar Galactica
overseeing the search efforts. He holds a report-sheath in his hands which he
unwittingly crushes and straightens.
Commander Adama steps up and asks, "Tigh, catching up on
the paperwork?"
Colonel Tigh looks at Adama and then down at the mangled
report-sheath, "Commander, I find this exercise becoming
excruciating."
Commander Adama nods, "And the sheath?"
Colonel Tigh unrolls it and glances, "All proceeding at
appropriate levels."
An amber light comes on, Tigh presses a button to activate a
com-link.
Omega comes on, "Dr. Salik reports that we are beginning to
pick up a steady stream of particles from the SpaceBus, plus we are finding
amounts of a substance we beleive to be used by the Piracey as a baffling
reagent."
Tigh punches a few keys and calls up a display of the debris
field, "Commander," he says, "We are entering a region of the
debris field that oens up into open corriders, my guess is that once the
Pirates hit corriders wide enough they picked up all due haste to evacuate
the area."
Commander Adama squares his stance, "Relay this data to the
communications cruiser and the surveyor escorts, transmit the types of
particles we are finding and the approximate heading of the stream of
material."
Rigel's voice comes onto the com-link, "Information being
transmitted as you requested."
Colonel Tigh looks over to Adama and gives a slight grin.
Then Rigel's voice comes back ontothe Com-link with a hint of concern,
"Message coming to the Galactica from the Tribune's Villa," Rigel
reports, "There is some interference from an unexpected ion storm, but
we are patching it through."
Tigh and Adama step over to veiw a com-moniter. The image of the
Acting-tribune comes on. It is grainy from the unexpected ion storm. The
audio is scratchy, but they can make out what the Tribune is saying.
"This is Acting-Tribune Ptomely, speaking on behalf
of the Preident's office, the Quoroum, and the Twelve Colonies. Until this
office has had an oppurtunity to reveiw and confirm all activities of the
military units stationed within the Colonies and in space abroad, it has been
decided to issue a request that all such units, not engaged in the vital
security of the Colonies themselves to stand down and suspend operations
until further notification. As Acting-Tribune, I do not make this request
lightly, but given the scale and magnitude of this office wish to be allowed
to make myself familiar with the contingent situation at hand."
The moniter then crackles and they lose the com-link entirely.
Tigh looks over at Adama, "Commander, you don't suppose
that the com-link was directed at the Galactica, do you?"
"Tribune Ptomely is honorable enough," Adama thinks,
"It would not be his way to countermand a Commander in the field
directly. Ptomely would allow a Commander to decide the merit of
field-situation on their own accord."
Tigh does add, "Or to erect their own scaffold."
Adama considers matters, then leans forward and hits the
com-link button himself, "Omega, are we clear of the debris field?"
The voice of Omega answers, "No Commander, but we seem to
be nearing an edge and can be clear of it shortly."
Commander Adama answers decisively, "That will not be
necessary," And then Adama leans forward and speaks loudly enough for
the entire bridge to hear his clear orders, "All Stop, bring the
Galactica to stationary and hold position."
The Galactica which has been traveling at minimum loses all
velocity, and grinds to a dead stand-still.
Colonel Tigh looks over, "Commander?"
Commander Adama looks over to Tigh and smiles slightly,
"The lives of our people are of some merit, I beleive the Tibune's
request allows the Galactica to remain in a supporting role and remain within
the spirit of the request."
On the Radii Delta, on the conning deck known as the
Rookery, the relay and liason crews are busy processing the debris and
trajectory data being transmitted by the Battlestar Galactica. The
information is in the process of being absorbed and systemized when the
Acting-Tribune's request comes in.
The Radii Delta's specialized communications relays are able to catch the
signal and filter out some unexpected interference.
The Rookery Crew and the liason team are silent as they listen
to Acting-Tribune Ptomely request that all military vessels on non-essential
duty cease operations.
"Don't that beat all Fraq." Valdi speaks up
sarcastically, "Hey Cap'n what do we do now, return to
installations?"
Lieutenant Starbuck glances back to see Captain Sidon standing
there looking a bit bored with all the sudden change of events. Starbuck
instinctively has the impression that Sidon would not be a highly lucrative
mark for an evening of Pyramid.
The Acting-Tribune's request does give the Captain reason for
pause. He folds his arms accross his chest.
Then Captain Sidon answers calmly, "The lives of the
Citizens are also something of a priority, and," he almost gives his
shoulders a shrug, "We are a civilian vessel of sorts, the government
has never gotten around to fully defining the status of auxillary shipping.
so."
Captain Sidon turns to Captain Apollo, "I assume that the
Commander will follow the Acting-Tribune's request," the Captain tilts
his head, "but would I be right to assume that he would not be offended
if we continued the search with the resources on hand?"
Captain Apollo nods,"If I know the Commander, he would
think that it is to be your call."
Captain Sidon levels his brow, "Very well then, Valdi,
instruct the Escorts to form up line abreast witht the Radii, together we
will combine our scanning power to search for patches of debris or
baffling substance. Upon location of areas of debris or baffling, one escort
will lock on and remain in the immediate vicinity of the find while the Radii
and the remaining escort will pull ahead to search for the next strata. At
which point, the remaining escort will lock into the newly found strata, and
the tailing surveyor will swing forward to join the Radii Delta in searching
for the next strata. The escorts will alternate their role, beginning with
the port-side escort being the first tail."
Valdi is busy relaying the Captain's plan of action to the
survey escorts.
Captain Sidon explains to the others on the Rookery, "This
will take time, but I have no intention of allowing the Galactica's trove of
information go to waste."
Captain Apollo observes, "There is a certain risk with
civilian ships entering unsecured space unescorted."
Captain Sidon turns and is looking out one of the bay-windowage,
"These are desparate times," he replies.
Valdi mutters just loud enough for Boomer and Starbuck to pick
up on, "And this can be a pretty desperate ship too, you know."
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