BATTLESTAR HERMES STARBOARD HANGER DECK

Raptor Zero-Seven was towed off the flightline into a parking area in the cavernous hanger deck. As the hatch fell open Burmeister was the first to step out leaving both Stinger and Joshua still laughing and joking. She began to make her way across the deck when suddenly she was stopped by the executive officer Colonel Caleb Dytto. Dytto stood in front of her with an expression reminiscent of an angry father looking down at his disobedient child.

"Hello sir!" she greeted him warmly but Dytto's face remained firm.

"Have a good shore leave Lieutenant?" His voice was dry but obtrusive. Chloe merely smiled it off momentarily forgetting that he was her superior officer and that their past acquaintance was irrelevant on this ship. "Did you spend any time with Lt Albert?" he asked as they began walking through the corridors of the Battlestar.

"I don't know what you mean?" she said teasingly.

"Chloe!" he said angrily grabbing her arm. "Whatever you maybe thinking about or have done forget it! I've seen how hard you've worked and I don't want you throwing that all away." Dytto's concern was genuine. He had suspected they were in a relationship but had no proof that they were and so he chose to believe that they were still just colleagues. But no matter how hard Chloe and Joshua had tried to hide it Dytto had figured out the attraction at least.

"Your concern is noted" said Chloe with an understanding smile. "But I can assure you that as far as this ship is concerned my relationships are strictly professional. She made a point to stress the word professional implying that it included him as well and she walked off shortly afterwards leaving Dytto to ponder exactly what that meant with regards to Joshua. Dytto had always had a kind of father figure role in her life prior to her joining the fleet so it was natural for him to worry.

BATTLESTAR HERMES COMMAND & CONTROL

The panel doors to the Hermes C&C tilted open as Dytto walked in. Bowman had a star chart laid out on the control desk that dominated the centre of the room. Four screens hung from the ceiling each arranged into a complete circle and displayed on all four was a 3D Dradis scan although they were capable of displaying other information.

Bowman looked up as Dytto walked to his side.

"Ah Mr Dytto" he said. "Are all crew present and correct?"

"The last Raptor arrived a little over fifteen minutes ago. All crew members are present and correct sir!" replied Dytto.

"Excellent" said Bowman. "In that case I'm sure you have no objection to beginning preparations for an FTL jump to the Pendine Weapon Range?" Dytto quietly scorned Bowman's words. It was clear to everyone that Bowman had, for the time being, put Dytto in his place and that unless justified Dytto would follow his orders without question as a good executive officer should.

"No sir" said Dytto standing firmly. "No objections. "

"Very good. Have all sections begin jump prep! Destination – the Pendine Weapons Range."

"Aye sir" said Dytto as he picked up the telephone in the corner of the control desk. He selected loud speaker and a klaxon sounded throughout the ship before it echoed with the sound of his voice. "All hands this is the XO. Begin jump preparation! Repeat begin jump preparation. Lt. Burmeister to the bridge." He put down the telephone and watched the screen in front of him as each department of the ship began to report in that they were ready. The doors opened again and Lt Chloe Burmeister raced in and went straight to her station on the far side of the room.

"Welcome back Lieutenant" said Bowman.

"Thank you sir!" she said smiling. As if he were a guard dog Dytto jumped in and said "compute co-ordinates for FTL jump to the Pendine Range please Lieutenant!"

"Aye sir!" she replied formally as she went to work. Looking back at the screen Dytto watched as a diagram of the Hermes turned all green signalling that the ship was ready.

"All departments report ready for FTL jump sir!" he reported,

"Jump co-ordinates computed sir" added Burmeister.

"Very good" said Bowman who paused to savour this moment. He was glad to be finally leaving Picon. It was not right that a Battlestar should be chained to one location. Now that everything was ready he could finally say it. "Jump!"

To the casual observer nearby it would look as though the Hermes was the only ship in orbit of Picon such was the distances involved in space flight. In reality there were hundreds of ships orbiting the lush blue world but were so far away that the naked eye couldn't see them. And as the mighty Battlestar disappeared in a brilliant flash of light as its FTL drive engaged the planet Picon, home to over a billion humans, seemed to be left defenceless.

THE END