It had been over two hours since the last jump. The fleet had jumped six times over thirty-two hours since the destruction of DAEDALUS. The fleet remained at condition two. The cylons were still targeting the fleet. The last two attacks they focused on the two remaining battlestars. HYPERION was able to escape without any major damage CEREBRUS wasn't as lucky. A damaged cylon raider exploded within the starboard flight pod causing enough damage to knock out the electrical system to render the hanger useless until repairs could be completed. Civilian travel within the fleet was still restricted and tensions were building. Jason Tillman, Cmdr McKnight, Colonels Hayes and Canton were in the Situation Room going over reports trying to figure out how the cylons were finding them so easily. Walker hung up the wireless handset and walked over to the Admiral.

"CEREBRUS reports that they should have the starboard pod operational again in forty-eight hours." Walker began. "They are asking if we could temporally house most of their vipers until it is up and running.

Tillman didn't understand the request until McKnight explained that when the ship was originally recovered, the port flight pod repairs were a low priority and only four of her catapults were operational.

"Tell Captain Dyson to find room for them." Tillman told Walker before dismissing her and rejoining the group at the situation table.

PAN GALACTIC 1554 – OBSERVATION LOUNGE

Thomas Sylvan and Lankaster Jorden were sitting down talking to Saul Blythe, Marcus Leland and Karl Whitmore. They were the civilian leaders of the original colonization mission. They were trying to persuade the men to talk with the other colonist into forming a government and having the military recognize it as well.

"Mr. Leland, the military has always answered to a civilian government. It looks like we can never return to the colonies and some people are asking what our next step is and we're not getting any answers." Sylvan stated.

"Admiral Tillman has kept us protected." Mr. Whitmore injected.

"Yes we realize this. We are not questioning that. All we want is that civilians be involved in the process and to this point we haven't." Jorden replied.

"It's my understanding that after the initial attacks the Admiral told you that representatives from the civilian fleet would be included in general briefings and the decision making process." Sylvan began, "How any meetings have you attended? Were you included on the meeting where all but the CEREBRUS and DAEDALUS, two ships that were heavily damaged and under repair, was left to protect fifteen civilian ships?

"Since the military made that unilateral decision, the fleet has come under attack half a dozen times." Jorden finished.

"What type of government would we have? It's my understanding that GALACTICA has the new President of the Colonies and the Quorum of Twelve." Mr. Blythe asked as he looked around the table.

"We don't even know if the that fleet is still alive." Whitmore interjected.

"We have just over ten thousand civilian survivors. It could be done on a smaller scale. It could be something along the line of a People's council and mayor. But, it's not a decision that needs to be made today all we ask is that you think about it." Jorden asked as he stood.

"Very well, we'll bring it to our people in a few days once things have settled down." Mr. Leland concluded. The men stood and shook hands Jorden and Sylvan waited for the others to leave before continuing their conversation.

"I think they bought it." Sylvan began. "If we can get them to agree to a three man council we can run the whole fleet."

"Once we get the people behind us, we get control of the civilian ship and I get my refinery ship back and control the Tylium distribution we control everything!" Jorden smirked as he sipped his drink.

HYPERION – SITUATION ROOM

"We're missing something gods damn it!" Canton growled as he tossed the reports on the plotting table in frustration.

"Could the cylons have captured PEGASUS?" pondered Hayes.

"I don't think so, the cylons have jumped into the center of the fleet every time. That's too precise. Somehow they're getting information from within this fleet." Tillman said as he looked on through numerous reports.

"Take a look at this." McKnight said as he looked at dradis and CAG reports from the most recent attack.

"What are we looking for?" Hayes asked.

"There's a pattern!" McKnight began, "When they jumped in, they've gone after military targets multiple times with one exception, TRINITY. She was attacked once when a pair of raiders made a strafing run on her ventral side two attacks ago. They used only two raiders against TRINITY in six attacks. That doesn't seem right especially when she was heavily damaged. During the first attack they took out DAEDALUS and them went after the battlestars. Why not TRINITY?"

"You think there's a cylon infiltrator onboard? It can't be! We constantly run visual checks against know skin-jobs!" Hayes retorted.

"What about the raid we conducted last week? TRINITY took a viscous pounding and was boarded. Not to mention that warhead that they had to disarm. What if they missed something?" Major Canton said as he read SAR Raptor Three's report. "Dooley noted that Blackjack Squadron took out six heavy raiders near TRINITY. Two of the damaged raiders spiraled into the dorsal section just aft on the port flight pod and broke up."

"What if some of those things survived?" McKnight posed.

"They could have tapped into TRINITY's communication systems not to mention dradis." Hayes injected. "If the cylons are monitoring her wireless they'll be alerted."

"We need to isolate TRINITY from the fleet." McKnight stated.

"What's her status?" Tillman asked.

"She's running with less than a skeleton crew and about ten to twelve eight-man repair teams…. Maybe two twenty to two-fifty people." Hayes said.

"How do we alert them without alerting the cylons? Canton asked as he looked to the others.

"We give them alternate jump coordinates and send them somewhere else." McKnight suggested.

"What about the crew? We can't strand them out there." Hayes pondered.

"We don't. TERTIUS and PROTEUS will make the jump with us to the alternate site. Once there we'll begin an immediate evacuation and search TRINITY's hull with four raptors. Each one of you will have to personally deliver the jump coordinates to each ship." Tillman announced.

"We should deliver the real coordinates the same way as well." McKnight suggested.

"We'll have to get this in place quickly there's no telling when the cylons will reappear. Have Blackjack Squadron deliver the real coordinates to each civilian ship in the fleet." Jason ordered.

DAY ONE HUNDRED TWENTY SEVEN – HYPERION CIC (0415 hrs.)

"All vipers recovered!" shouted Captain Dyson who was acting XO while Hayes was on TRINITY.

"All military ships jumping!" Walker announced.

"Execute jump now!" Tillman ordered as he stood at the plotting table.

A moment later HYPERION joined TRINITY, TERTIUS and PROTEUS.

JUNO - CIC

"One ship unaccounted for! GEMINON TRAVELER 0889 is missing!" Haggerty reported.

"Is it possible that they jumped to the same location as HYPERION? Brice asked.

"No that wasn't in the packet I received." Commander Jones said as he checked dradis. "Launch the CAP and get a raptor prepped to jump back to our previous coordinates. Have ADELPHIA take up position mid fleet."

"Is there any way we can notify HYPERION?" Brice whispered to Jones.

"No. We have another issue to contend with. We can't stay here. If GEMINON TRAVELER 0889 was comprised we need to come up with an alternate jump coordinates." Jones ordered.

TRINITY - CIC

" Only three other ships! Where the hell is the rest of the fleet?" Commander Roberts asked from the center of CIC.

"Recalculating the jump coordinates! Checking our position!" Lieutenant Kirby announced.

"HYPERION is launching vipers and raptors. PROTEUS is closing on our position!" Colonel Marcus reported.

Commander Roberts turned to Colonel Hayes and stared for a moment before asking him a question. "Would you care to enlighten us?"

"We think TRINITY has been compromised." Hayes announced to the command staff, as everyone stood silent.

"What makes you think that?" asked Roberts.

"During the last six attacks there's been only one strafing run against TRINITY. The cylons have jumped into the center of the fleet every time. When they jumped in last time TRINITY was the closest ship and they went out of their way to attack CEREBRUS. We think a few cylon centurion could have survived and tapped into the communication system." Hayes told the staff.

"Sir, TERTIUS is requesting permission to dock portside." Kirby reported as he looked toward the commander.

"We need to get as many as people off the ship while we search. The four raptors will conduct a visual search of the exterior." Hayes told Roberts.

"Let TERTIUS dock. Get everyone off the ship except for a few engineers to monitor the systems." Roberts instructed.

An hour into the search the trouble began.

HYPERION - CIC

"Two cylon baseships one to our port the other one is on the other side of TERTIUS and launching raiders!" Lt. Walker announced.

"Helm, bring us within fifteen hundred meters of TRINITY and roll us thirty degrees to port! Ensign McCall, order TERTIUS to sever its connections and break away! " Tillman ordered.

"Alert vipers are away! Omega and Blackjack Squadrons are in the tubes!" Dyson shouted.

"Sir, we have a targeting solution on the port baseship." Walker called out from her station.

"All Ventral Batteries commence firing!" Tillman ordered over the loudspeaker.

TRINITY - CIC

"Gunfire reported near the engine compartment! Moving toward aft damage control!" Colonel Marcus bellowed.

"TERTIUS reports that they've been ordered to sever connections! TERTIUS Actual said they only need two minutes to clear the port deck. " Kirby reported.

Roberts called down to the flight deck and ordered his deck chief to trip the pressure sensor on the blast door effectively sealing them off from the rest of the ship.

"Colonel Hayes, get on the wireless and have the three raptors land on the starboard flight deck and have the other one dock at the aft storage bay airlock to see if they can get those people out of the engine room." Roberts began as he turned to Kirby. "Mr. Kirby take a marine get six emergency pressure suits out of the locker down the corridor and get back here ASAP!

"How much time do you think we'll have?" Marcus asked his commander.

"Maybe seven or eight minutes," Roberts began before Hayes interrupted him.

"TERTIUS reports they've sealed and breaking all umbilical connections! Dradis is picking up six heavy raiders inbound port side!" Hayes finished as he watched Kirby return.

"Kirby have everyone left head for the starboard flight deck." Marcus said as the klaxons sounded.

"The cylons made it to the aft damage control. Get your suits on now!" Hayes bellowed.

"Lieutenant Kirby, I want you to take Colonel Hayes down to the flight deck while Colonel Marcus and I disable the navigation systems.

CYLON BASESHIP – COMMAND CENTER

"The centurions have begun venting the atmosphere. The ship should be ours shortly!" The Cavil clone confidently.

"The other baseship is reporting that their FTL is offline!" The Simon clone informed the group.

"Have them slowly pull back. See if they can draw the battlestar away." Simon suggested.

"It won't matter in a few minutes the battlecruiser will be ours, brothers! All we have to do is turn its weapons on the HYPERION and they'll jump away. Cavil said in a condescending tone.

TRINITY – STARBOARD FLIGHT DECK

"Colonel Hayes, Raptor 589 is away!" Ensign Harrison began. They were only able to recover two from the aft. The rest were killed when the ship was vented but they were able to open the emergency fuel dump valves on the starboard side. We're dumping fuel! CAP reports three heavy raiders entered the port flight pod two minutes ago."

"Sir, Commander Roberts reports he has just left CIC and is on his way!" Kirby reported.

"Tell them to head for airlock two and instruct Lt Addison to meet them there." Hayes said as stood near the raptor.

As Hayes watched the raptor ascend towards the top of the pod, a cylon centurion entered the flight deck from the aft elevator. It fired toward the men and the raptor still on the deck. The advancing centurion instantly struck down Ensign Harrison and a marine. Hayes was hit as he dove for through the hatch. Kirby returned fire from inside the rear of the raptor. The cylon exploded as it was struck by gunfire from the third raptor in the bay.

"Colonel has been hit twice! His suit is losing pressure! Seal the hatch and get us out of here!" Kirby yelled as he reached for the med kit.

"Where's my ECO?" Powers bellowed.

"He's dead and the Colonel will be too if we don't get out of here. Once we clear, jump us to the rendezvous and head for JUNO!" Kirby said as tore into a med kit knowing it was the only chance to save Hayes.

The raptor lifted a few feet off the deck and streaked down the flight deck as Kirby continued to try and stop the bleeding. As they cleared the flight deck, the raptor jumped.

Roberts, Marcus and their escort were able to reach the upper airlock while engaged in a running firefight. Addison's ECO lobbed a grenade down the corridor as the trio passed allowing everyone enough time to escape. As the raptor cleared TRINITY, Two of HYPERION'S ventral rail guns fired at TRINITY'S engines. The explosion caused the battlecruiser to spin to port.

RENDEZVOUS POINT – RAPTOR 594

"Where's the frakking fleet?" asked Powers before continuing Dradis is picking up two ships. Raptor 297 and TERTIUS."

"Head for TERTIUS! Informed them we have a wounded!" Kirby replied as he tried to stop Hayes from bleeding out.

"We've been cleared to dock at the secondary airlock. A medical team will meet us there." Powers responded.

It only took few minutes for the raptor to dock and Doc Compton and the med team to reach Hayes but it would be too late.

"ATTENTION" the voice crackled over the PA system, "HYPERION HAS RETURNED TO THE FLEET!"

"You better call up to CIC and tell them." Compton told Cpl. Spang.

HYPERION – ADMIRAL TILLMAN'S QUARTERS

It had been a little over four hours since Admiral Tillman watched his brother escort the body of his Executive Officer off the raptor. Jason had just lost someone who he considered another brother. Sitting at his desk with the room's lighting dimmed, Jason topped off is third glass of Ambrosia and then offered to due the same for Roberts, McKnight and Braylen who politely refused while returning to his chair.

"CIC reports the no-joy from Raptor 297 and they are bingo fuel. That makes a total of thirty-five jumps." Braylen said as he was still nursing his first.

"Do you think they're still alive?" McKnight asked as he finished off his.

"Could be, as long as they didn't jump in to something." Roberts replied.

"Commander McKnight, you are now the acting Exec of HYPERION. In this role you will also handle all of the day-to-day operations." Tillman said as placed his empty glass on his desk. "Major Canton will become her second officer. Ltjg Carter is now the acting tactical officer until further notice. Colonel Marcus is to be assigned to TERTIUS as her Executive Officer. Please notify him of this posting."

"Yes, sir." McKnight replied as stood as he put his glass down as well. "Anything else sir?"

"Yes, have Perry's deck crew assemble twelve of the twenty-four Mark II vipers that we recovered. I want everyone who has ever sat behind a stick qualified to fly again." Tillman announced.

"Everyone Sir?" McKnight asked

"Everyone up to the age of forty is included. Senior and command staff as well." Tillman said as he stood up.

"Understood, I know this will affect PROTEUS. Captain Baker was a pilot." McKnight said out loud.

"No exceptions major. The extra vipers will be necessary with the loss of a battlecruiser. I need to discuss other matters with Commander Roberts." Tillman said as a matter of fact.

Jason waited for the room to clear before grabbing handset and switching on the address system, "Attention all hands, this is Admiral Tillman, Commander McKnight is now the Executive Officer of this ship. All division heads are to file a status report to him within the hour."

"I'll notify Cmdr Jones that you'll be taking command of JUNO. I'm sure he's expecting the move…." Jason began before getting interrupted.

"Jason. Wait…" Roberts began, knowing that he had to tell Jason sooner than he planned.

"I can't take the ship. I have stage one leukosaima (Leukemia)!"

Tillman was silent as the news took him by surprise after a moment Jason finally was able to say something.

"I'll sorry John, why didn't you tell me. What can be done?"

"I've been in remission for years but the ship's doctor found that it had come back about two weeks ago. As for treatment, I was scheduled to start doloxan treatments this week. I figured I could manage for a few weeks before telling you and recommending McKnight take over." Roberts said as he finished his drink.

"Matt is a very smart man and a good officer. He won't let you down." Roberts said as Jason refilled his drink.

Jason was still reeling from Hayes' death and this was not helping matters. They both remained quite for a while until Jason could find a way to keep his friend and mentor involved. "AULUS has become the hub of the fleet. We could set up an administrative wing of the military. All military vessels can send personal and supply requests through that office and take the load off HYPERION. We could also use a liaison to the civilians. Lieutenant Amanda Walker is pregnant and wants to reduce her role. She could head up your staff. John, I still need you."

"We could convert the AULUS security facility. It's a secured facility designed with a separate communication system." John pondered as he adjusted to the idea. "It would also allow me to monitor Jorden and his group and see what they were up to."

"I'll have Walker start making arrangements in the morning. Hopefully it'll be up and running in a few weeks." Jason said as he polished off the bottle. He shook his mentor's hand and told him he would see him sometime in the next day or so.

Jason waited for his mentor to leave and sat back down again reached in his bottom draw for a bottle. Before closing the draw, he pulled out one of Admiral Greene's old journals and opened it to a page he had marked sometime ago and continued to read…..