Steampunk Battlestar Galactica 1880 3

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Steampunk Battlestar Galactica 1880 3 An issue of the Dynamite series.
Issue No.	3
Writer(s)	Tony Lee
Illustrator(s)	{{{illustrator}}}
Penciller(s)	Aneke
Inker(s)
Colorist(s)	Alex Starling
Letterer(s)	Marshall Dillon
Editor(s)
Collection Design	{{{designer}}}
Cover Artist(s)	Ardian Syaf (Cover A) Sergio Fernandez Davila (Cover B)
Adaptation of
Published	October 8, 2014
Collects
Collected in
Reprints
Reprinted as
Pages	{{{pages}}}
ISBN	725130219275
Population	0 Survivors
Special	{{{special}}}
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Steampunk Battlestar Galactica 1880 2	Steampunk Battlestar Galactica 1880 3	Steampunk Battlestar Galactica 1880 4
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Summary

As Starbuck and Athena face a terrifying enemy under Carillion, and Apollo, Boomer and Jolly face Baltar's Cylonic Giants, the Aethership Galactica heads to Gemini to stop an invasion! But will it be their greatest battle - or their LAST? Come with us on this Steampunk re-imagining of Battlestar Galactica by #1 New York Times bestselling author Tony Lee!

Plot

Battle at Gemini

• Professor Baltar gloats over the "short, brutal and one-sided" victory against "aetherships piloted by dreamers"—those dreamers being Galactica and its small flotilla. In sum, that small fleet and Gemini have been destroyed.
• As Baltar issues his demand to the remaining ten Colonies, Lu-c-fer cuts the transmission to update Baltar on their status. The battle against Galactica cost them dearly with over 50% of their forces destroyed and another 20% ineffective. Were they to attack Sagitaria at their current strength, they would only have a 10.4% chance of success.
• After a reluctant Baltar agrees to Lu-c-fer's course of action—to return to Gamoray for reinforcements while the humans consider Baltar's demands—Baltar completes his gloating transmission.

Helia

• The despondent Crown Prince Adama views Baltar's transmission, fearing his father has died. Boomer assures Apollo that Adama is simply too stubborn for such a fate, and shares with Apollo a discovery Jolly uncovered.
• Baltar's plans for the next evolution of Cylonics were to integrate a human mind into the Cylonic Centurion, as it would take only one human mind to control them as opposed to five punchcard Cylonic brains.
• Buoyed by this, Jolly began testing his hypothesis against a Cylonic Centurion's head (separated from a body in the construction facility).
• Jolly discovers a connection that fits into a port in his prosthesis, and makes a connection. He is overwhelmed and hears the summons from Lu-c-fer to return to Gamoray. Boomer manages to unplug Jolly from the device. Jolly informs both Apollo and Boomer of his findings, convincing them to strike Gamoray instead of rushing to defend Sagitaria.
• Iblis reports to Apollo that he's completed repairs on four freighters, which will be enough to allow the escape of the entire prison population. Iblis also voices his support to Jolly's choice of target.

The Remains of Carillion

• The Ovions bring their captives from Starchaser into the caverns under the remains of Carillion.
• Starbuck tells Athena that it is entirely possible that they're being lead to their slaughter, as rumors of Ovions using Warriors and others as food sources during the Ovion Wars were abundant.
• They find themselves in Queen Lotay's chamber, with Lotay herself still alive and well. Her subject presents the prisoners to Lotay, claiming they disrespect her by returning to the very planet the humans destroyed.
• Starbuck turns to speak, but Boxey informs Starbuck that the Ovions are matriarchal. As such, Starbuck tells Athena that she should speak to them, and offers advice: "Be strong."
• Athena takes this to heart, becoming a force to contend with much to Starbuck's astonishment. Athena explains why they landed on Carillion, and upon Lotay's questioning why they hadn't simply returned to their home planet, she informs Lotay that Baltar and his Cylonics laid waste to Caprica.
• Lotay insultingly questions what they intend to do about that, half-expecting for the humans to "roll over and beg as the dogs you are." Athena replies they intend to strike back and ask for the Ovions help, noting that Baltar went beyond his orders when launching his destructive attack upon Carillion.
• Lotay calls Athena out, publicly declaring that they are aware of Athena's complicit nature in the creation of the Cylonics they now fight, and her role in the Ovion Wars. Athena offers herself up for a war crimes tribunal and acceptance of any ruling against her, including her own execution, in return for the Ovions' assistance against Baltar.

The Aether

• On course to Gemini, the four transports from Helia attempt to reach Galactica. Jolly reports that he has sent a punchcard aether message, hoping that Galactica may pick up on that.
• A freshly clean shaven Iblis arrives as the freighter's scanner detects a small cluster of ships: Cylonic Raiders. As the Raiders engage, Jolly reveals that the freighters are unarmed; Iblis commands the other vessels to protect their Crown Prince by all means available.
• Apollo vehemently disagrees with this and begs maneuvering their craft thus forcing the Cylons to ram each other. However, two Raiders lock on to them and come in for the kill. A freighter thwarts this by ramming into the two Raiders in a suicide dive. Apollo still insists on doing things his way, despite Iblis objection that if Adama were truly dead, then Apollo becomes their Archduke and must be protected at all costs.
• Down to only two freighters, they attempt to out run the Raiders vainly. However, Starbuck's Starchaser arrives to dispatch all but one of the remaining Raiders, much to Apollo's astonishment.
• Following the battle, Starbuck announces that he wishes to dock as he has someone who wishes to greet him: Athena.
• Apollo tasks Boomer with finding him a working weapon, so that he may kill Starbuck after he hugs his sister.

Galactica

• Adama orders Tigh to bring up auxiliary power, hoping to have eluded their Cylonic aggressors. They find that the Cylonics have retreated towards Gamoray.
• Adama orders Tigh to set course for Gamoray, deducing that the Cylonics are hurting and that the time to strike is before the Cylonics regroup.

The Aether

• Starbuck assures Muffit that he may have to only would Apollo.
• Apollo hugs Athena, and then quarrels with Starbuck over deserting during the war.
• Starbuck explains his side of the story, while Muffit and Boxey take bets on the outcome of this encounter.
• Apollo buys the fact that Starbuck couldn't "trust the people I flew with," and states that he "may have over-reacted!"
• Boxey wins the bet, while Athena and Starbuck are introduced to Boomer and Jolly.
• Iblis reveals himself much to Athena's shock, resulting in Athena striking Iblis to the ground. Athena seethes with anger at what they've done to the Ovions by creating the Cylonics. Apollo manages to talk her down, relating that Iblis was indeed a prisoner of Baltar on the planet Helia. Boomer backs up this assertion, noting that Iblis had been imprisoned with him and the other prisoners for months.
• With that settled, Starbuck asks where they will go, and Apollo explains that they must go to Gamoray and strike the Cylonics. Before he can explain, Boxey arrives and announces that a large ship has exited aetherspace and is atop them. They rush to the command deck of the ship, and Apollo demands identification of the new craft.
• Adama chides Apollo over taking that tone with his father, and updates them on their plans to attack Gamoray: Jolly and Boomer will commandeer the two Cylonic Centurions, while Iblis will disable Lu-c-fer and allow the forces of the Ovions and the Rising Star's pirates to assault a diminished Gamoray.
• The force of Galactica, Starchaser, and two transports set their courses to Gamoray.

Notes

• Starbuck's comment regarding the rumor of Ovions using captured soldiers as food is a nod to their Original Series' counterparts.
• Boomer notes that Iblis had been imprisoned with them for months. This may suggest that only a short time had passed since the end of the Ovion War and the beginning of this tale, although it is not firmly confirmed.
• The use of the word "months" can be forgiven as the Original Series also mixed up nomenclatures, using "Earth" and "Colonial" timekeeping terminology interchangeably.

Character Comparisons

1880 Character	TOS Counterpart	Notes
Queen Lotay	Queen Lotay	The 1880 counterpart is drawn with a more feminine appearance and clothing, whereas the Original Series counterpart doesn't share that appearance. As for the Lotay in 1880, she is far more outwardly aggressive than her TOS counterpart.

Non-Character Counterparts

1880 Nod	TOS Counterpart	Notes
Cylonic Raiders	Raiders	The 1880 Raiders take after the Raiders from the Re-imagined Series, in both configuration and the visible "eye slit" at the head.
Dog	Daggit	The word "dog" is used to describe an animal known to the Ovions, likely similar to an actual canine as Daggits in the 1880 series are a bi-pedaled alien species.
Gamoray	Gamoray	Gamoray is the Cylons' "outer capital" depicted in "The Living Legend, Part II," while its 1880 counterpart is the "Cylonic warehouse" that the Cylonics retreat to in order to regroup.

Analysis

• Iblis continues to be protective of Apollo, likely for his own aims that have yet to reveal themselves in this issue. There are indications that Iblis wants to seek retribution against Baltar, given some of his snide comments regarding his former captor.
• Athena continues to feel remorse for her role in the creation of the Cylonics, manifesting in her willingness to subject herself to capital punishment by the Ovions. Her instant reaction against Iblis manifests this anger, as her first desire was to attack him.
• Starbuck reveals to Apollo that he overreacted when abandoning the Colonial war effort near its end, which is in keeping with the behaviors of his Original Series counterpart. Such behaviors from the Original Series counterpart included his evasive nature manifesting itself in wanting to muster out of the military to "hire a vocal group" in "Saga of a Star World," to avoiding a tribunal on a murder charge by breaking out of a brig and assaulting officers in "Murder on the Rising Star."
• The Ovions disparagingly view humanity as "dogs," and may show some insight into why they began the conflict with the humans. The exact tipping points that ignited the conflict remain unstated.

Questions

• Why did the Ovions attack the humans?
• How have the Ovions survived?
• Do the rumors of Ovions' use of humans as a food source have any truth to them?
• Are there other outposts for the Cylonics beyond Gamoray?

Noteworthy Dialogue

• Athena parlays with Queen Lotay:

Lotay: You fight him? Or you roll over and beg like the dogs you are?

Athena: We fight him. We intend to beat him--but he is strong. With his Cylonics he is perhaps too strong. It's true that we were at war, Queen Lotay--but the enemy of my enemy is an ally. Baltar did this to you. He went beyond is orders. Join us and gain your revenge.

Lotay: And what of you, daughter of Arch-Duke Adama? Did you not think that we wouldn't recognize you? Did you hope we would not know of your involvement in the Cylonics creation? What do you offer us?

Athena: Help us defeat Professor Baltar, and I'll submit to your war crimes tribunal. I'll accept any punishment you decide--including my execution.

• Apollo reacts to Iblis' freshly shaven appearance:

Apollo: You took the time to shave?

Iblis: If I'm going to die at Baltar's hands, I'm gong to make sure I look better than he does.

• Apollo and Starbuck face off:

Apollo: You piece of felgercarb! You ran from the fight! You deserted us!

Starbuck: I deserted you? I had to make a strategic retreat after you left me to die!

Apollo: Wait--are you telling me that you didn't desert us? Then why did you quit the fleet?

Starbuck: Because I didn't trust the people I flew with! I may have overreacted!

Related Imagery

Covers

Even though the covers are not identified with letter designations on the cover identification sheet inside of the issue, they are used below for consistency and order purposes.

• 
  Cover A Main colorized cover.
  Art: Ardian Syaf
  Inks: Guillermo Ortega
  Colors: Kyle Ritter
• 
  Cover B: Adama Concept Art Incentive Cover.
  Art: Sergio Fernandez Davila
  
• 
  Cover C: Muffit Concept Art Incentive Cover.
  Art: Sergio Fernandez Davila

Preview Pages

Please Note: These are used for promotional purposes by the publisher, and are provided here in the same vein.

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