His eyes fluttered open and he stared at the ceiling He was alive and safe. He tried to figure out where he we=was and remembered a woman in white, and voices. He remembered the enemy ship and the finger-like lasers reaching out to him to ensnare him in their icy death grip. It must have been at that micron that he had hit the escape pod release switch. Everything grew hazy after that.
Dr. majel noted the fluctuatiuon in the readings coming from the cryo-chamber and went to investigate. She caught him struggling to sit up.
“Easy there,” she said softly, easing him back onto the pillow. “Lay back and rest. You’ve had a rough day.”
“Where is my brother? Is he alright? Where am I? Are we still under attack?”
“We’re not under attack,” Majel assured him. “I don’t know anything about your brother, but I’m sure he’s fine. As to where you are, you’re aboard the Battlestar STAR KOBOL.”
The young Caprican began to thrash about and the doctor reached for a hyop on a nearby trat table. She put the blunt nose to the lieutenant’s arm and, with a soft hiss, th4e sedative started to course its way through his system. He lapsed into a peaceful slumber. Dr. Majel returned to her desk and put a recording crystal into the computer situated in front fo her.
“Patient, Lieutenant Zac, regained consciousness ta 1740 centars. Patient became delirious and a sedative was administered at 1742 centars. Patient is now resting quietly.”
She rose from her hcair and went back to the boy’s side. Half of his face and portions of his arms and torso were covered with a couple cemtimeters of burn retardant ointment which would eliminate most of the pain and keep the injuries from becoming infected. The ointment contained no greasy substance which would have to be scraped off upon arrival to an equipped Life Center where the burns would be treated. In time skin grafts and other procedures would be invoked to return the lieutenant to his former, active self. The loose bandages were only a precautionalry measure against foreign matter getting into the wounds and irritating the sensitive tissues.
Majel wondered if he would return to duty after his wounds has healed and hoped that he wouldn’t be scarred mentally by hjis injuries. She removed a small holo from her coat pocket. It was probably taken recently because the edges weren;t too badly worn. In the picture Zac was standing behind a lovely young woman who was seated on a stool. He was bent over with his arms wrapped around her shoulders, their cheeks touching. There was something familiar about the woman. Majel had seen her somewhere before but she couldn’t remember exactly where.
☆★☆★☆
Azriel stood in the pit under her Viper working on the ship’s guidance systems as First Lieutenant Allas sat nearby with a toolbox beside him. Allas was assigned to Azriel’s squadron, though Azriel sometimes wished he weren’t.
“There it is,” the blonde woman said to herself. “I knew that short was in here somewhere.”
She moved a couple of steps in a circle to get in a better position to work on the circuit. As she moved the hilt of her sword jabbed her in the ribs.
A sword. Along with the regulation blaster was worn as standard equipment aboard the STAR KOBOL. The sword was never to be out of the person’s possession – just like the blaster. The trend first started when Eyjan took command of the warship. He’d had a discussion about the weapon with one of his superior officers and had convinced the c.o. that he would not part with the blade under any circumstances. Some time later some of the crew members had picked up on the idea until the Commander had issued a ship-wide regulation that everyone under his command would wear a sword and learn to use it well. There was no telling when even the most non-essential personnel would find his or her self in a position where knowledge of blades was essential.
“Allas,” Azriel called. “Would you take this sword off of me? It’s getting in my way.”
“My pleasure, Captain,” the red haired man replied as he stretched out on his stomach.
“I’m sure it is,” she said sarcastically.
“Ah, now I’ve got you where I’ve always wanted you, Cherie’.” The Lieutenant said in a sultry Aquarian accent.
“Just unbuckle the sword, Allas, and no groping.”
“Aw, cher, you never let me have any fun,” the first lieutenant crooned, jokingly.
“That’s right. The sword…”
“Well step over here where I can get at it.”
From where he was, Azriel stood with her back to him. He reached around her waist and started to undo the buckle.
“Wrong buckle, LIEUTENANT.”
“Oops.”
Refastening that buckle he found the right one. The belt came free and he crawled out from under the ship.
“I wonder what we’ll find when we get home,” Allas said soberly.
“I don’t care to think about it,” Azriel said. If the armistice was any indication of the Cylon’s true intentions, then her beau, Jameson and her family were dead. She pushed the thought out of her mind. “There’s a leaver I’ve got to get out of the way before I can…”
She let out a grunt as the lever turned suddenly and Allas saw the captain lose her balance. She caught herself and cried out.
“Azriel, what happened?”
“Give me some clean rags, quick,” the woman ordered.
The Sagittaran haistily complied. A centon later the captain walked up the ramp holding the rags firmly against her left wrist. The rags and her tan duty tunic were drenched in blood.
“You didn’t,” he said hoping it wasn;t what he thought had happened.
Azriel looked down at the pool of blood collecting at her feet. The color was draining from her face rapidly. “I did and I’m going into shock.”
Her eyes closed and she started to fall. With lightning swiftness Allas was at her side and had her in his arms running from the bay.
☆★☆★☆
Azriel was sitting up when Phoenix entered the life Center. She was puzzled by the smile on the doctor’s lips.
“It appears that the Captain can’t stand the sight of her own blood, majel said smiling.
“In other words, I fainted,” Azriel quipped.
“I thought you were dead!”
“Disappointed?” the Tauran asked.
“I ought to wring your neck. When the call cme through to the bridge it was so garbled that Eyjan and I got the impression that someone was trying to say that there was an accident and you had died.”
“Ah… that was my fault, Colonel. I kinda got a little hysterical when I called in. “ Allas scuffed at the floor with the toe of one of his boots. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cause any undue alarm.”
“Alright. I’ll note that n the daily report, Lieutenant. Go back to your duties.”
“Yes maam.” Allas saluted and beat a hasty retreat from the ward. Majel finished cleaning up Azriel’s wrist and cleaned up the tray table.
“I’m still gong on that landing party to Sagittara tomorrow.”
“Oh no you’re not,” Phoenix said.
“Oh yes I am,” Azriel vaguely knew the limits to which she could push an argument without Phoenix pulling rank. The two women had shared a sort opf psychic bons since the Tauran woman had been assigned to Sentinal Squadron as Phoenix’s wingmate back when Phoenix was a Captain. “Eyjan’s going to be in that party and I’m not going to let him go down there alone.”
“He won’t be alone. I’m sending Sentinal Squadron down as his escort.”
Azriel laid a hand on the Colonel;s shoulder. “I’m going Phoenix.”
Phoenix turned to Majel. “Doctor?”
“I do want to keep the Captain here for the rest of the day to make sure that the drug I gave her is doing its job and replenishing what blood she lost. Other than that she’ll be ready to go tomorrow.”
“Very well. We’ll see you in the morning. Captain.”
☆★☆★☆
Caprica.
In one corner of the Life Center bomb shelter two women clung to each other in fear. Outside destruction continued to fall upon the city like sheets of rain. People were still coming into the shelter carrying the wounded with them. Babies and small children cried more out of confusion than fear as parents and strangers tried to pacify them. As the women watched the activity their fears disapated. They were safe now.
“Why, Ila?’ the dark skinned woman whispered. “This was to be a day of joy,. Now it’s turned into a nightmare. Oh I wish Tigh were here.”
The woman, Cleopatra, or cCleo as her friends and husband called her, was still a striking beauty for a woman of her yahrens. At the age of eighteen she had won the title of Miss Caprica and later became the first runner up in the Miss Universe pagent.
In celebration of of the end of the war, Ila and Cleo had decided to start out early in the morning for a day of shopping and planning the big feast that would take place when their families were together again. They had stopped for lunch at an outdoor café where they planned the menue then went to see a holo-film at the Presidium Theatre. During the movie the attack on Caprica began and they, along with the other patrons, were ushered to shelter at a nearby Life Center.
“Cleo, the bombing has stopped,”
Both women listened.
“:You’re right,” her companion replied. Ila pulled away. “Ila, no. Don’t go out there!”
“I’ve gotta go home,” the blonde woman called back over her shoulder, “Adama’ll be looking for me.”
Cleo started after her friend but an orderly caught her and held her back. He apparently hadn’t seen Ila leave.
“Stay here, maam. It’s too dangerous for you out there,” he said.
no subject
Dr. majel noted the fluctuatiuon in the readings coming from the cryo-chamber and went to investigate. She caught him struggling to sit up.
“Easy there,” she said softly, easing him back onto the pillow. “Lay back and rest. You’ve had a rough day.”
“Where is my brother? Is he alright? Where am I? Are we still under attack?”
“We’re not under attack,” Majel assured him. “I don’t know anything about your brother, but I’m sure he’s fine. As to where you are, you’re aboard the Battlestar STAR KOBOL.”
The young Caprican began to thrash about and the doctor reached for a hyop on a nearby trat table. She put the blunt nose to the lieutenant’s arm and, with a soft hiss, th4e sedative started to course its way through his system. He lapsed into a peaceful slumber. Dr. Majel returned to her desk and put a recording crystal into the computer situated in front fo her.
“Patient, Lieutenant Zac, regained consciousness ta 1740 centars. Patient became delirious and a sedative was administered at 1742 centars. Patient is now resting quietly.”
She rose from her hcair and went back to the boy’s side. Half of his face and portions of his arms and torso were covered with a couple cemtimeters of burn retardant ointment which would eliminate most of the pain and keep the injuries from becoming infected. The ointment contained no greasy substance which would have to be scraped off upon arrival to an equipped Life Center where the burns would be treated. In time skin grafts and other procedures would be invoked to return the lieutenant to his former, active self. The loose bandages were only a precautionalry measure against foreign matter getting into the wounds and irritating the sensitive tissues.
Majel wondered if he would return to duty after his wounds has healed and hoped that he wouldn’t be scarred mentally by hjis injuries. She removed a small holo from her coat pocket. It was probably taken recently because the edges weren;t too badly worn. In the picture Zac was standing behind a lovely young woman who was seated on a stool. He was bent over with his arms wrapped around her shoulders, their cheeks touching. There was something familiar about the woman. Majel had seen her somewhere before but she couldn’t remember exactly where.
☆★☆★☆
Azriel stood in the pit under her Viper working on the ship’s guidance systems as First Lieutenant Allas sat nearby with a toolbox beside him. Allas was assigned to Azriel’s squadron, though Azriel sometimes wished he weren’t.
“There it is,” the blonde woman said to herself. “I knew that short was in here somewhere.”
She moved a couple of steps in a circle to get in a better position to work on the circuit. As she moved the hilt of her sword jabbed her in the ribs.
A sword. Along with the regulation blaster was worn as standard equipment aboard the STAR KOBOL. The sword was never to be out of the person’s possession – just like the blaster. The trend first started when Eyjan took command of the warship. He’d had a discussion about the weapon with one of his superior officers and had convinced the c.o. that he would not part with the blade under any circumstances. Some time later some of the crew members had picked up on the idea until the Commander had issued a ship-wide regulation that everyone under his command would wear a sword and learn to use it well. There was no telling when even the most non-essential personnel would find his or her self in a position where knowledge of blades was essential.
“Allas,” Azriel called. “Would you take this sword off of me? It’s getting in my way.”
“My pleasure, Captain,” the red haired man replied as he stretched out on his stomach.
“I’m sure it is,” she said sarcastically.
“Ah, now I’ve got you where I’ve always wanted you, Cherie’.” The Lieutenant said in a sultry Aquarian accent.
“Just unbuckle the sword, Allas, and no groping.”
“Aw, cher, you never let me have any fun,” the first lieutenant crooned, jokingly.
“That’s right. The sword…”
“Well step over here where I can get at it.”
From where he was, Azriel stood with her back to him. He reached around her waist and started to undo the buckle.
“Wrong buckle, LIEUTENANT.”
“Oops.”
Refastening that buckle he found the right one. The belt came free and he crawled out from under the ship.
“I wonder what we’ll find when we get home,” Allas said soberly.
“I don’t care to think about it,” Azriel said. If the armistice was any indication of the Cylon’s true intentions, then her beau, Jameson and her family were dead. She pushed the thought out of her mind. “There’s a leaver I’ve got to get out of the way before I can…”
She let out a grunt as the lever turned suddenly and Allas saw the captain lose her balance. She caught herself and cried out.
“Azriel, what happened?”
“Give me some clean rags, quick,” the woman ordered.
The Sagittaran haistily complied. A centon later the captain walked up the ramp holding the rags firmly against her left wrist. The rags and her tan duty tunic were drenched in blood.
“You didn’t,” he said hoping it wasn;t what he thought had happened.
Azriel looked down at the pool of blood collecting at her feet. The color was draining from her face rapidly. “I did and I’m going into shock.”
Her eyes closed and she started to fall. With lightning swiftness Allas was at her side and had her in his arms running from the bay.
☆★☆★☆
Azriel was sitting up when Phoenix entered the life Center. She was puzzled by the smile on the doctor’s lips.
“It appears that the Captain can’t stand the sight of her own blood, majel said smiling.
“In other words, I fainted,” Azriel quipped.
“I thought you were dead!”
“Disappointed?” the Tauran asked.
“I ought to wring your neck. When the call cme through to the bridge it was so garbled that Eyjan and I got the impression that someone was trying to say that there was an accident and you had died.”
“Ah… that was my fault, Colonel. I kinda got a little hysterical when I called in. “ Allas scuffed at the floor with the toe of one of his boots. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cause any undue alarm.”
“Alright. I’ll note that n the daily report, Lieutenant. Go back to your duties.”
“Yes maam.” Allas saluted and beat a hasty retreat from the ward. Majel finished cleaning up Azriel’s wrist and cleaned up the tray table.
“I’m still gong on that landing party to Sagittara tomorrow.”
“Oh no you’re not,” Phoenix said.
“Oh yes I am,” Azriel vaguely knew the limits to which she could push an argument without Phoenix pulling rank. The two women had shared a sort opf psychic bons since the Tauran woman had been assigned to Sentinal Squadron as Phoenix’s wingmate back when Phoenix was a Captain. “Eyjan’s going to be in that party and I’m not going to let him go down there alone.”
“He won’t be alone. I’m sending Sentinal Squadron down as his escort.”
Azriel laid a hand on the Colonel;s shoulder. “I’m going Phoenix.”
Phoenix turned to Majel. “Doctor?”
“I do want to keep the Captain here for the rest of the day to make sure that the drug I gave her is doing its job and replenishing what blood she lost. Other than that she’ll be ready to go tomorrow.”
“Very well. We’ll see you in the morning. Captain.”
☆★☆★☆
Caprica.
In one corner of the Life Center bomb shelter two women clung to each other in fear. Outside destruction continued to fall upon the city like sheets of rain. People were still coming into the shelter carrying the wounded with them. Babies and small children cried more out of confusion than fear as parents and strangers tried to pacify them. As the women watched the activity their fears disapated. They were safe now.
“Why, Ila?’ the dark skinned woman whispered. “This was to be a day of joy,. Now it’s turned into a nightmare. Oh I wish Tigh were here.”
The woman, Cleopatra, or cCleo as her friends and husband called her, was still a striking beauty for a woman of her yahrens. At the age of eighteen she had won the title of Miss Caprica and later became the first runner up in the Miss Universe pagent.
In celebration of of the end of the war, Ila and Cleo had decided to start out early in the morning for a day of shopping and planning the big feast that would take place when their families were together again. They had stopped for lunch at an outdoor café where they planned the menue then went to see a holo-film at the Presidium Theatre. During the movie the attack on Caprica began and they, along with the other patrons, were ushered to shelter at a nearby Life Center.
“Cleo, the bombing has stopped,”
Both women listened.
“:You’re right,” her companion replied. Ila pulled away. “Ila, no. Don’t go out there!”
“I’ve gotta go home,” the blonde woman called back over her shoulder, “Adama’ll be looking for me.”
Cleo started after her friend but an orderly caught her and held her back. He apparently hadn’t seen Ila leave.
“Stay here, maam. It’s too dangerous for you out there,” he said.