Cain listened to his daughter intently about the visit to the GOLIATH and the destruction of the Cylon Grasshopper probe. Syke was there to hear from Higgins about the disposition of the fighter wings on board the battlecruiser.
"So Sassinak is a CAG now, eh?", Syke asked. He knew her personally. Not a girlfriend though. When Syke was a new lieutenant back on the Battlestar AUSTRALIS, he had wanted to try out for the 'Golden Arrows', but couldn't make the final cut. It was Sassinak who delivered to him the bad news.
"She's running a tight wing, CAG", Higgins said.
"I'm glad that they received the raptor, the spare parts and SSM's okay", Tricia had said.
"It was a pity that we couldn't stay any longer though, thanks to that tin-head probe", Hunter mentioned ruefully. He didn't have any opportunity to be with Sever this time.
"You'll have another chance soon, Hondo", Higgins consoled. He - like the others - were annoyed at the necessity of the abrupt departure. Tolen saw the change in mood and adroitly changed the 'path' of the debrief.
"Well, what they gave us in return for the raptor and the other materiel is going to keep the mess boys happy", Tolen said, "not to mention the rest of us for the foreseeable future".
Tolen was referring to the refrigerated pallets that had been placed in the AVENGER's APC bay after the SSM's had been removed. There were several tons of fresh fruits, vegetables, and dairy produce within them. When Chief Krag had opened up the first container, his shout of delight could be heard several decks away. Now everyone was looking forward to having fresh produce supplementing their adequate - though rather monotonous - fare at mealtimes.
Syke was happy too, but not so much for the food as for a pouch that had been placed in the AVENGER with the label, SILVER SPAR CAG - FOR YOUR LIPS ONLY. It was a goodly amount of the special coffee blend that Masters and Syke had both enjoyed back at VTT. Masters had dipped into his personal stash in order to provide his friend with enough to keep him happy for a month. With it was a note:
Gene, thanks for the missiles and the raptor. Hope you enjoy this little thanks from me for what you brought us. Logan.
"XO", Cain said to Tolen, "Has Comms received the information required for the 'Polaris' supply rendezvous?".
"It's been sent up to CIC, Commander", Tolen replied, "We have twenty-two days, which will give us plenty of time to get ready for our next trade. Who knows, perhaps by then we will have found the GALACTICA".
Tolen had diplomatically pointed out as a reminder the primary reason why they were out here in the Promar Sector. The news about the GOLIATH was great, but the GALACTICA was going to be sorely needed when the time came to start taking the fight back to the enemy.
Cain nodded, looking down at the CEO-stamped envelope that Tricia had given him at the opening of the briefing. Time enough to look at them later. For now...
"Well done, all of you. Lieutenant Hunter, you and Sims will commence normal recon patrol schedule with Black Knight Wing starting tomorrow. With the raptor we donated no longer available for Captain Voight to use, you'll have to fill in the gap", Cain said. Hunter and Sims nodded.
"We'll still be able to take trainees with us, though?", Hunter asked. After all, it made sense to have others qualified to fly the Peregrine. Cain nodded.
"Lieutenant Cain, Lieutenant Higgins", Cain said next, "You're on stand down until Beta watch tomorrow. Get some rest, you deserve it".
Cain stood. The others stood. The debriefing was at an end. Cain picked up his envelope and walked out. Tolen followed him. Higgins, after saying a quick "Good night", to both Syke and Tricia, left to head to mess, along with Hunter and Sims. He wanted to have a great meal with what they had brought back before he hit the sack.
Syke and Tricia were now alone in the debriefing room. After quickly making sure that the door was closed, Both of them hugged and kissed.
"Glad you made it back okay, Tricia", Syke whispered in her ear, "and good shooting too", he mentioned, referring to the Grasshopper she blasted.
"Hey, I had to come back, Gene", Tricia teased, Aafter all, you can't run your wing alone now, can you?", she teased.
"If you want to run the wing, Tricia", Syke replied just as teasingly, "I can arrange a couple of weeks in admin. I'm sure that Vansen would appreciate your help there...". His voice broke off as she kissed him again.
After breaking the kiss, Syke asked, "So do you want to have some dinner? I might as well start getting used to fresh vegetables and fruit again".
"Sounds great, Gene", Tricia said, "and after...?", she asked.
"I'm off duty until Alpha Watch tomorrow", Syke said, "which gives us the night together...".
"It's a date", Tricia said with a smile, "so let's go and get something to eat. We're going to need to build up some energy, after all".
Syke laughed. With that, both left the debriefing room. And they were both right: Dinner was awfully good. What followed with those two in Syke's quarters later on that evening was even better...
Back in the Cyrannus System, a 'man' and a 'woman' were also talking, but unlike Syke and Tricia, this couple were talking business.
"Anything on the Chespek System probe?", Number One asked Number Eleven.
"The intense gravitational field of the brown dwarf star has left no traces", Number Eleven informed her.
"The probe was designed to avoid such gravity wells, surely?", Number One asked.
"Yes, Number One, unless it detected something unusual and changed course to investigate", Number Eleven replied.
So. It could be anything. Not necessarily hostile action, but still...
"We'd best start increasing the frequency of our probe patrols. I'm ruling out nothing at this stage and the worst-case scenario - lost to hostile action - cannot be discounted", she decided.
"By Your Command", Number Eleven acknowledged.
To: Commander Cain, Commander PEGASUS From: Commander Hawke, Commander GOLIATH
Sir, it is with great regret that I inform you of the loss of the Guardsman cutter CHYMERA. This intel was not in the first dispatch due to our finding out about it ourselves just prior to Peregrine 1's launch for their first meeting with Peregrine 5. I should also inform you that my former Commander Gerald Flinn who once served under you was killed during the evacuation of Tartulas. I apologize for not telling you this before. It was his story of your rescuing him at Karnak using your 'Shell Game Gambit' that inspired my strategy during the ITHACA extraction. I hope you don't mind my borrowing it.
Because of this we have had other losses as well. Our Squadron strength aboard the GOLIATH now stands at 30 Vipers. One full squadron of 40 aboard Valhalla station, and 10 in reserve on our colony. As 'Sheba' has no doubt told you, I have scheduled a resupply meet at point 'Polaris' in 22 days. The fleet tender WARLOCK with Colonel Lennox commanding will be the designated vessel. Unless you hear from us prior, in 20 days a probe will be sent to point 'Nebula'. we will send a confirm (bets to you) or abort (Full Colors) code at that time to let you know if the WARLOCK is ready to proceed.
No further humanoids have been detected here thus far, but we are not relenting in our safe guards or in our search for them. Included in the 'code orange' disk is a gift from our Psy-Ops section. They include a number of staged messages in codes that we believe the Cylons will break, eventually. They look like our current ones in a number of ways, but really have nothing to do with them. Once broken they will give the tin heads targets that are decoys that take place during our actual rendezvous. I recommend that they be transmitted 'in the open' in locations that they will be able to pick up, but not in locations included in our cipher pad and current charts (point locations) that we have personally exchanged. As will we in our responses.
Almost nothing will please me more than watching them chase their own tail for awhile. Eventually, they will figure out this has all been a ruse, but until then we can have some fun with them. It is our intention to seek out possible smuggler posts within the Chespek sector. These small bands of pirates may be a possible resource of ships and material for us. I know they are outlaws and deserving of arrest and prosecution, but right now they are assets and humans. Ones I intend to exploit if they still exist and can be located. If their bases of operations are in tact I will pass along their locations for you to use as another Anchorage.
Yours Cordially, Matthew Hawke, Commanding.
Cain sighed as he absorbed the contents of Hawke's letter. He wondered if perhaps he could ask for volunteers from both wings to be transferred over to the GOLIATH at the next rendezvous. There were enough reserve vipers and pilots available to allow a squadron of twenty - without compromising the striking power of the PEGASUS, and several pilots were itching to do more damage to the Cylon war machine. If enough volunteers could come forward, then perhaps Hawke will be a little better off. Maybe a squadron rotation between both warships could be done on a regular basis as well. He would approach both CAG's tomorrow and see what they thought about it. For the moment, he had a certain disk to take up to Sanders. He liked the idea of sending the Cylons false information. Anything to help make them regret ever attacking the colonies...
END OF BOOK SIX.