Word Count: 1,307
Date: 2004
Series:
Rating: K
Category: Character
Pairing/Focus: Tyrol
Warnings:
Summary:
Spoilers/Disclaimers: Miniseries
It had taken days for Tyrol to get a chance to access Captain Lee Adama’s Mark VII Viper. It was set up as a courier ship when Apollo landed. It’s missiles and missile carriers had been removed. This increased the Vipers range, speed and mobility. It also permitted a small amount of cargo space. As currently configured it was not a war ship.
Although Baltar’s software changes had been proven to fix the Cylon sabotage, Tyrol was in no hurry to work on Apollo’s ship. Tyrol was personally offended by Apollo’s disrespect for Commander Adama, the Galactica and the privilege he had been given to fly his dad’s ship at the decommissioning ceremony. Further the ship he used when the fleet left Rangor, landed on its canopy and one wing had been sheared off. In Tyrol’s opinion Apollo was a sorry excuse an officer and a pilot. But Apollo was now Lead Pilot and they were short of ships.
Tyrol’s mentor had said, “Show me a pilot’s viper and I know everything I need to know about the pilot and the man.” Tyrol understood this statement to mean that a skilled maintenance chief could tell the pilot’s skill, the care the pilot takes of his ship, the pilots relationship with his maintenance crew, and his status among his fellow pilots by examining his ship.
The evaluation started out pretty much as expected. The ship was approximately six months old. The ship had come from the fleet’s flagship. Tyrol expected it to be well maintained. Captain Adama had been a special assistant to Admiral Nagala and a registered courier. Tyrol thought of Apollo as the fleet’s highest paid messenger boy. The extra navigational computer was probably demo equipment provided by some vendor trying to interest the Admiral in new equipment.
Apollo had told Tyrol that the Mark VII was hotter than he was used to. Tyrol thought Apollo was taking a jab at Tyrol’s work on Mark IIs, not talking about this particular ship. This ship was tuned way beyond usual specifications. Starbuck was the only pilot he knew who could handle a bird like this. Tyrol remembers Captain Adama’s ‘hands on landing’ when the first arrived on the Galactica was extremely well executed.
Tyrol is relieved to find that the ships tactical and guidance systems are fully intact and up to the latest release. Tyrol notices that the pilot’s seat is a retro fit from a Mark V. Mark V seats are the best seats ever manufactured. They were replaced with less expensive seats in later ships. This is not the type of modification you get because you’re the Admiral’s pet. You only get this if the crew chief is willing to scavenge or trade for it.
Tyrol stared noticing other things. This ship had an extensive set of ‘in fleet’ modifications. There is the official set of manufacturer developed and admiralty approved updates and revisions. Beyond that there are ‘in fleet’ modifications. They are developed by air group engineering and maintenance crews to meet timely real world needs. These upgrades are communicated informally between Battlestar maintenance crews. Most vipers have a few. In order to install these updates you have to have a pilot who listens and understands the necessary procedural changes to use them safely. Apollo had clearly been listening to his last crew chief.
Tyrol examines the exterior of the ship. It’s in nearly perfect shape. There are six areas were the hull of the ship has been reinforced. It takes Tyrol a while to figure out why this had been done. Then it hits him. This ship was set up for hot swap between armed and unarmed. Tyrol runs a metallurgical sweep on the ships wings. Tyrol can tell that this ship has been fully loaded most of the time. This ship was kept armed unless it was on a courier mission. There had been a custom frame on the Battlestar Atlantis support this capability. Tyrol’s counterpart on the Battlestar Atlantis wanted Apollo armed and in the air was if there was a fight.
Tyrol’s assessment is that Captain Adama’s ship is in excellent condition. Replacing the missile carriers, arming the ship, downloading Baltar’s software update and a standard diagnostic of tactical and guidance systems should make the fully operational. The reinforced hull sections will make it a simple procedure. Tyrol decides to schedule the work for the next shift.
Tyrol looks in the cargo area. This space will be needed for ammunition storage. The cargo area is full. Tyrol is embarrassed. He should have had it unloaded when Apollo arrived. There is a pouch for Commander Adama, and a pouch for Galactica’s mail officer, and a pouch for Admiral Nagala. The rest of the cargo is under Captain Adama’s courier seal. It could be anything cigars for the admiral, computer chips, videos or instructional manuals. Tyrol distributes the cargo. The Commander receives his pouch and the Admirals. The mail officer gets his pouch. The rest Tyrol has delivered to Captain Adama according to procedure.
This ship told Tyrol things about Apollo that didn’t match Tyrol’s first impression. Tyrol thought Starbuck was backing Apollo and she didn’t suffer fools. And although he had trashed his viper, he’d positioned himself to protect the rookies and had become an ace.
Apollo had assigned pilots to help Tyrol’s crew. The pilots that didn’t have technical skills helped clear the landing bay.
Life Station had been overwhelmed with injuries from the Galactica and the civilian fleet. Ambulatory crewmembers were just being released. Captain Adama had stood up to the Chief Medical Officer making sure that if a member of the air group was released from life station, a release plan was in place. Members of the Maintenance Crew were met and seen safely to their quarters. Crewman got the support they needed fluids, meals, medicine or help getting to life station for further treatment.
Tyrol is ambivalent. Captain Adama was clearly disrespectful toward the Commander. Tyrol is still outraged that this pup had the nerve to order him to get some sleep. But he might have potential. Tyrol decides to keep an open mind on the subject of Captain Lee Adama ‘Apollo’.