View source for Stories for Season Two of the Original Series

== The Return of the Pegasus ==

Lieutenant {{TOS|Boomer}} reports to the bridge, notifying them that the [[Cylons (TOS)|Cylons]] are approaching ''{{TOS|Galactica}}'' so rapidly that they don't have time to prepare an effective defense. [[Starbuck (TOS)|Starbuck]], [[Apollo (TOS)|Apollo]] and [[Sheba]] are ready to launch. Starbuck objects to Sheba going on the mission, much to Sheba's chagrin; Apollo overrules him and they launch. In the battle, Sheba dies and the battle seems all but lost when Colonial {{TOS|Viper}}s from ''{{TOS|Pegasus}}'' turn the tide. 

After leading ''Pegasus'' to the [[The Fleet (TOS)|Fleet]], they discover that {{TOS|Athena}}'s entire body has been engulfed in flames. Adama's hands have also been burned, in attempting to smother the fire that consumed Athena's body. Starbuck and [[Cassiopeia]] bring Athena's body to the [[life center]] and place her in a polar-thermal unit. While treating Adama, Cassiopeia informs him that medication and pain-killers will keep Athena alive, however it will take extensive plastic surgery to repair Athena's face. 

While suffering one tragedy, Adama must face another. His son, consumed with guilt over Sheba's death, wishes to step down as [[Blue Squadron (TOS)|Blue Squadron]]'s commander. To complicate matters, a guilt-ridden Adama wishes to step down as the leader of the Fleet, and wishes to place that trust in Commander Cain. 

However, Apollo himself doubts Cain, noting that Cain has changed since their [[The Living Legend, Part II|last encounter]]. These doubts are completely dispelled by [[Renata]], Cain's executive officer. Her manner is described as "warm, almost subserviant [sic] and she knows how to make men feel important". Apollo believes that he has one mission in his life, and that is to "shield her and protect her from any possible harm," culminating to a heated disagreement between Apollo and Starbuck: Apollo accuses Starbuck of being a poor sport after Starbuck tells him of all the faults with ''Pegasus'' and Cain.

Starbuck explores the ship to assuage his suspicions, finding a "labrynth [sic] of intrigue and strange 'goings on' that combines the best of the suspense world from [[w:Alfred Hitchcock|[Alfred] Hitchock]] to ''[[w:Coma (film)|Coma]]''" with ''Pegasus'' crew members being moved in and out of a "strange series of labs". Starbuck discovers that the crew members are all being converted into Cylon androids: as Cain himself has become. Starbuck rushes to tell Apollo, who has inadvertently told Renata of Starbuck's "foolish defense mechanism". 

Renata asks after Starbuck's whereabouts, which Apollo furnishes. She notifies the crew of a "dangerous intruder" aboard ship and reveals that she is an "android" that is half-human, half-machine: a new breed of Cylon. In a typical clichéd fashion, she reveals the fact that she and the android the Colonials believe to be Commander Cain are going to destroy the Fleet once and for all.

After this is revealed, she tries to garrote Apollo in a move "faster than the speed of light," but he is able to break the wire with his hand in an "equally abrupt karate chop". While his hand is injured, he disarms her of the [[laser pistol (TOS)|laser pistol]]. With Starbuck's help, they cast Renata into space, since she cannot be killed by normal means. 

Apollo and Starbuck fight hand-to-hand to the [[launch bay]], where they help defend ''Galactica'' from the "subverted intelligence cells of the legendary Commander Cain".

=== Questions ===

* How did the Cylons manage to infiltrate ''Pegasus''? Was this a result of the [[Battle of Gamoray]]? 
* What happened to Colonel [[Tolan]]?