Classic Battlestar Galactica Vol. 2 7

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Classic Battlestar Galactica Vol. 2 7 a.k.a. "Dreams of the Thirteenth, Part One" An issue of the Dynamite series.
Issue No.	7
Writer(s)	Dan Abnett
Illustrator(s)	Dietrich O. Smith
Penciller(s)
Inker(s)	{{{inker}}}
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Letterer(s)
Editor(s)
Collection Design	{{{designer}}}
Cover Artist(s)	Colton Worley (Main Cover) Chris Eliopoulos (Subscription Cover)
Adaptation of
Published	November 20, 2013
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Collected in
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Pages	32
ISBN	725130204622
Population	0 Survivors
Special	{{{special}}}
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Classic Battlestar Galactica Vol. 2 #6	Classic Battlestar Galactica Vol. 2 7 a.k.a. "Dreams of the Thirteenth, Part One"	Classic Battlestar Galactica Vol. 2 #8 a.k.a. "Dreams of the Thirteenth, Part Two"
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The beginning of a staggering - and terrifying - new story arc. The Galactica leads the fleet [sic] into an uncharted storm zone to escape the Cylons, but what dark secrets await them there? Are the dreams the Colonial crews start experiencing genuine dreams of the lost colony Earth, or nightmares of something very different?

Plot

• Xam slumbers, dreaming intensely of Earth, the mythical shining planet Adama promises to lead them to. He is violently ripped away from this dream by his crew chief, who notes that Xam's shift began ten microns ago, and that it is not like him to oversleep.
• Adama leads a meeting of his senior staff regarding the day's situation report. The meeting's participants include Col. Tigh, Capt. Apollo, Lt. Starbuck, Lt. Athena, and the primary psychologist, Dr. Madusa. Adama recounts the fact that the Fleet presses further into the storm zone, despite the hazards of exotic energies that they do not fully understand that are preferable to death by the Cylons.
• The Cylons have not ventured into the storm zone, and Apollo reaffirms that conclusion, noting that the Fleet's Viper patrols are overlapped during every shift and the sensors are focused towards the "back" of the Fleet.
• Starbuck questions whether the Cylons know more about the zone than they do, leading to a fight between Athena and Starbuck, itself quickly defused by Adama who suggests a proper venue, including a bar or a public gladiatorial arena.
• Tigh reports that Ariadna has begun to fall behind, and advocates to keep nursing the ship another few million "light years" to Adama's agreement.
• Madusa reports an unusual spike in dreams about Earth; Adama rebukes this, seeing it as nothing out of the ordinary as Earth is their ultimate destination. However, she shares her further concern as the dream is precisely the same—"a consensual agreement of the subconscious"—regardless of the person reporting it: "A vision of a perfect blue planet. White clouds. Radiance. The sun breaking the skyline. Warmth. Life." She notes that the feeling that it is within the storm zone is also a shared characteristic.
• Adama concedes that it may simply be an affect of the storm, and asks her to monitor the situation. The meeting ends and the participants begin dispersing, with Starbuck commenting on Madusa being "hotter than a thruster on full retro." This prompts a snide rhetorical question from Athena about Madusa being out of Starbuck's league.
• In Galactica's laser range, Starbuck and Xam fire their laser pistols at holographic targets of Centurions; Xam scores far lower than Starbuck, as his shots are heavily sporadic. Starbuck reminds him of the importance of their exercise, in case the Cylons ever board Galactica. Xam admits that he has not been sleeping, and is yet another recipient of the dreams of Earth that others have reported.
• In their quarters, Apollo and Boxey prepare for their day with breakfast. During breakfast, a tired Boxey tells his father that he dreamt of Earth.
• Blue flight launches from Galactica, lead by Starbuck and consisting of Breena, Greenbean and Hightail. They embark on their patrol backward to ensure the Cylons remain at bay.
• During the patrol, Breena chides Starbuck on his newest attempted "conquest," Dr. Madusa. Athena apparently was the one who told her, as she relays Athena's belief that Madusa is "out of [his] class." Hightail snaps at the banter, but apologies, noting that he is exhausted and on a hair-trigger due to the dreams he's had. Hightail asks if they've all had the same dream of Earth.
• In core command, Apollo and Tigh spar over continuing their course; Apollo, concerned about the dreams that've been reported, wants them to turn back -- even if it means facing the Cylon task force behind them. Tigh bristles at Apollo's assertion that Adama's orders are "flawed," and Athena intercedes before the difference in views escalate.
• Adama arrives, with Apollo reiterating his concerns about further penetrating the storm zone, believing it to be the source of the dreams and that the unknown factor, which he calls "quantum tricks," are being played upon their minds. Athena also casts her lot with Apollo, while Tigh sternly disagrees and advocates that their decisions need to be made by the scientific method of "sold facts and the details of our scanners."
• Adama concedes that turning about would be the "prudent and safe option," but shocks them all when admitting that he ignores that option, pressing on because of the dream of Earth that he too has experienced.

Notes

Publication Releases

• A version of this issue, the Battlestar Galactica #7 Exclusive Subscription Variant, released in November 2013. Per the publisher:

  A super-special, exclusive Chris Eliopoulos Cute cover, only available to comic shop subscribers and limited to initial orders!

Timeline

• The Battlestar Galactica: Death of Apollo series, also written by Dan Abnett, establishes the events of this comic take place in 7351, three yahrens into the Fleet's journey.

Nods

• Xam uses the term "Starhound" to talk about the Viper—a term that has dubious canonical connections, but has been used in "fanon" to describe the class of Vipers used in the Original Series.

Miscellany

• The laser range, mentioned fleetingly in Original Series' "Murder on the Rising Star", is depicted in this issue.

Errata

• Tigh uses the term "years" instead of yahren when noting that he would gladly nurse Ariadna, a ship experiencing deleterious engine trouble, a few million more light years, instead of abandoning it.

Analysis

• The Fleet's mental health is a feature not truly covered in the Original Series, particularly after such a massively devastating and displacing event. The introduction of Dr. Madusa is a unique stroke not before discussed, outside of {Adama's statement of the catharsis treatment to Athena in Original Series' "Saga of a Star World", and lays the groundwork for the future issues wherein Adama's own issues are discussed—including the potential of the succession for command of the Fleet.
• In keeping with the "everyone pitches in" motif, Starbuck—and other Colonial Warriors—are responsible for training and certifying reservists amongst Galactica's crew, including Xam. This allows non-Warriors the ability to defend Galactica in case Galactica is boarded by Cylons. In the case of Xam and Starbuck, this allows the reader to get to know more about Xam, beyond that of a "fixer."
• Uncharacteristically, Col. Tigh and Capt. Apollo find themselves at odds with the other, hewing more towards the relationship that their Re-imagined Series counterparts (Saul Tigh and Lee "Apollo" Adama) shared versus their Original Series namesakes. The comic story's division would continue through the Vol. 2 series, particularly as Adama's command capacity — and Tigh's willingness to sacrifice himself to protect the Fleet in later issues — are brought to the fore.
• Boxey plays a small role throughout the series, culminating later in Classic Battlestar Galactica Vol. 2 #12. It is begun with Apollo discovering that Boxey has the "shared dream" of Earth, and later when Athena demonstrates concern for her adopted nephew, after she overhears the fact that Boxey has had the shared dream. This is a subtle nod to the trope of Boxey getting into some kind of trouble during the series (c.f. Original Series' "The Gun on Ice Planet Zero", "Fire in Space").

Questions

Answered

• What is the source of the Earth dream experienced throughout the Fleet? (Answer)
• Has Xam fully recovered from his incident? (Answer)

Unanswered

• Why have the Cylons not entered the storm zone?
• What is the storm zone's nature?

Noteworthy Dialogue

• Adama comments on the argument between Starbuck and Athena during a command conference:

Athena: You ever think... maybe the quantum effects of this zone play havoc with their cybernetic sysems and they can't follow us?

Starbuck: Sure, Athena, sure. I did think that. Or—you know what? Maybe they know something about this storm zone we don't. You ever think that?

Athena: You ever think, Starbuck? At all?

Adama: Enough. Amusing though an argument between you and Starbuck always is, a command briefing is not' the venue. The bar, maybe? A public gladiatorial arena?

• Apollo and Tigh argue about turning back:

Tigh: Since when were you an expert on stellar navigation, Captain? The commander has given his orders.

Apollo: And I believe they are flawed, Tigh.

Tigh: That would be "Colonel" Tigh to you, son. I don't care if you're Adama's boy, show some decorum!

Related Imagery

Covers

• 
  Main Cover
  Art: Colton Worley
• 
  Subscription Cover "Cute Exclusive"
  Art: Chris Eliopoulos

Preview Pages

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

• 
  Page 1
• 
  Page 2
• 
  Page 3
• 
  Page 4
• 
  Page 5

External links

• Dynamite.com: BATTLESTAR GALACTICA #7 (web.archive.org backup link)