Part 2: Battlestar Galactica, Dawn: Collision

Chapter 3

III

"And so, ladies and gentlemen, I am honored to be commanding this new Battlestar. A Battlestar which combined the talents of men and women from both the Colonies and Earth. It will be staffed with men and women from all thirteen worlds that men are known to inhabit. It is a shared affirmation of the commitment by those of us who arrived here five years ago to defend Earth as if it was our own, and a commitment from the people of Earth to help make sure that what happened on the Colonies will never happen to Earth. We lift off today praying that Pegasus will never be used in anger, but confident that if called upon her crew will defend the people of this planet."

Lee stepped away from the microphone to thunderous applause. It was estimated that more than five million people had descended on the area near Pegasus' construction site, to witness it as it rose into space for the first time.

"Good speech", Lee's father said to him as they shook hands.

"I don't know, Lee, I think it was a little wordy myself", President Bond said deadpan as he also shook the younger Admiral's hand. Lee tried to stifle a laugh but failed miserably.

"Well, you're the speech-maker sir, not me!" he said while still trying to stop laughing.

"Oh, I don't know, Lee...uh I mean Admiral", Kara remarked sweetly, "It wasn't bad. All that hot air could probably put The Beast in orbit all by itself" Bill Adama was just taking a sip from his bottle of water and almost spit out the liquid when Kara said that. He had naturally begun choking from some of the water going the wrong way.

"That's the funniest damn thing I've heard in a long time", the elder Adama said, still choking with laughter.

Lee shot both his father and Kara a look of mock venom.

"OK, everyone, enough of 'let's joke about the Admiral'. You're heading aboard my ship now, and if you mock me there, you'll be in the brig", he said sardonically, making sure he had the last laugh on the platform. "Shall we go aboard?"

Ten minutes later, they were all in the new CIC. It looked like nothing Bill Adama had ever seen. It was thoroughly modern, with LCD screens, touch-screen interfaces, brand new communications systems. It was the new state-of-the-art. Galactica was going on ninety years old, as counted on Earth. She looked positively prehistoric compared to the new Pegasus.

The CIC was now more like a bridge from...well, from Science Fiction, thought the elder Adama. It was a bit further forward than the old design allowed, and while it still had the center area for Admiral, XO, and Tactical, it also had a forward-facing window, made of highly machined composite glass, that could withstand the pressure of space. When needed, a blast shield would cover the large window to protect the CIC. But it gave the CIC less of a claustrophobic feel than her predecessors, who had relied only on Dradis to "see" what was going on.

After the dignitaries and media who were not staying aboard Pegasus had departed, it was time for her Admiral to prepare for lift-off. None of them had ever left a planet surface aboard a Battlestar, and they weren't sure exactly how it would feel. But they were all anticipating the trip.

"XO, go around the horn." Lee glanced over at Helo.

"Aye, Admiral! Attention on the ship, Pegasus preparing to depart, all departments report in."

One by one, Commander Agathon called out to the different duty stations on the ship. Each, without fail, reported "GO!" to him.

"All stations report they are good to go, Admiral." That smile crossed Helo's face.