Part 2: Battlestar Galactica, Dawn: Collision

Chapter 2

II

Newly minted Admiral Lee Adama was a busy man. The brand-new Pegasus was still under construction and would be for about another four months. When his father had told him about President Bond's invitation, he couldn't say no. He had too much admiration and respect for the American President who had done so much for the Colonial people in making them feel welcome on Earth. So he had met with President Bond, and after having dinner with the President and his family, whom Lee adored, he immediately returned to San Diego. He would fly his Raptor from UED Headquarters in that city to the Arizona Shipyard just West of Phoenix in three days.

He already knew who his officers would be. An Earth pilot from Germany, call sign "Reaper" would be Viper CAG. His real name was Rudi Beck, who had been Germany's top fighter pilot for a decade. He was as good as anyone in a Viper as Lee had ever seen-himself included. The new Falcons, a faster, modern fighter, which would someday replace all the Vipers, would have Hotdog as CAG. He had shown his metal from day one, when on one of his first days in the cockpit and actually flying, had defended Kara, even disobeying orders, when the Cylons had suddenly appeared. He even shot a Cylon fighter down that day. He wasn't a kid anymore, and Lee knew he was the best man for that spot. He trusted both Reaper and Hotdog, but he felt it only fitting that a Colonists get a shot at being CAG with the new Falcons.

With Helo being his XO, the logical choice for Raptor CAG was Athena Agathon. Had someone asked Lee five years ago if he could ever have imagined a Cylon being among his officers, he'd have laughed in their face. Athena Agathon, a Number Eight of the Cylon skin jobs, was as good a Raptor pilot as there had ever been. It had taken a long time for his father, and the rest of the crew of Galactica to accept Athena completely, especially after Sharon "Boomer" Valleri had tried to assassinate his father, and then had worked with Cavil to kidnap Hera and try and destroy The Fleet. Now he couldn't imagine not having Athena to lead the Raptor Wranglers.

They wouldn't be arriving for another month. They were all aboard Galactica or in simulators, training like mad for the moment that Pegasus would lift off from the Arizona desert and begin her shakedown cruise. If all went well, she would be fully commissioned by this time next year. A few months after Pegasus went into the stars, the new Galactica would follow her from the Spanish Shipyard.

He made a call up to Galactica to talk to his soon-to-be XO.

"Karl, from everything I've read and seen, you've done a marvelous job getting the Bridge crews ready for the mission. The Old Man tells me during the last drill, the entire team received almost a perfect score. Congratulations."

"Thank you sir", and Lee could see that wry smile on Karl's face, which he always flashed when getting or giving good news. "I can't take much of the credit. The crew has worked their asses off, and have earned all the good reviews. Maintenance, Weps, the jocks-everyone has really shown they're ready. One thing I can say about Earth, among many good things, is they know how to train their military personnel. They're as good as anyone we ever produced, and I'm not lying on that point."

"You sound really impressed with Reaper. I flew with him about a month ago on a training run, and he's as good as anyone that I've seen in a long time."

"He's an incredible pilot. I've had other jocks from other nations tell me that the Germans are always cool customers, and he is. Nothing rattles the guy. He's like ice in the cockpit, but he also is very fond and protective of his pilots."

"A good combination. How's Athena doing with the Wranglers?"

"About the same. Her pilots love her to death and would do anything for her, but they also know she's The Boss, and there's no question of that. We've got some good up and coming pilots and right-seaters. And with a full complement of Raptors, Vipers, and the new Falcons, if the Cylons show up, they'll meet a sledgehammer if they take us on."