[[image:Mini-Raygun.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Kara Thrace]] in [[Raymond Lai|Raygun]]'s [[Viper]] in the [[Mini-Series]]. (C. SciFi Channel)]]
{{Character Data
'''Raymond Lai''' was a [[Viper]] pilot who was known as "Raygun" during the first [[Cylon War]].
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|birthname= Raymond Lai
|callsign= Raygun
|seen= Miniseries
|death= Unknown
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|role= [[Viper (RDM)|Viper]] pilot
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A duplicate or original Viper with his name and callsign awaited visitors of the planned [[Galactica Museum]] once the battlestar was decommissioned and placed under the control of the Colonial [[Government]]'s educational branch, under the auspices of then-Secretary of Education [[Laura Roslin]].
Captain '''Raymond "Raygun" Lai''' is presumed to have been a Colonial pilot in the days when the [[Viper Mark II]] was in active service prior to its successor, the [[Viper Mark VII]].
Lai's Viper was part of two squadrons of old Viper Mark IIs in the museum's exhibit area in the newly refitted pressurized starboard [[flight pod]].
A Viper with Lai's name (tail number [[Viper 8547|8547]]) was part of a squadron of Viper Mark IIs in the [[Galactica Museum]].
Raygun's Viper was never to remain a museum piece. When a new [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylon]] menace destroys ''[[Galactica]]'s'' last Mark VII squadron en route to Caprica after the battlestar's decommissioning ceremonies, and with the battlestar itself [[Battle of Ragnar Anchorage|without munitions]], Commander [[William Adama]] orders these old fighters returned to flight status to protect the battlestar.
After word of [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies|renewed Cylon attacks on the Colonies]] and with no ordnance for the recently-decommissioned ''{{RDM|Galactica}}'' and few Viper Mark VIIs on board, Commander [[William Adama]] orders the deployment of the museum Vipers in the ship's defense. Lai's Viper is piloted by [[Kara Thrace]] in ''Galactica''{{'|s}} first sortie since the [[Cylon War]].
Lieutenant [[Kara Thrace|Kara "Starbuck" Thrace]] inherits Lai's Mark II Viper and scores many kills during the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies]].
Starbuck's skillful piloting of Lai's old Viper, despite a strike that damaged one of its engines, saves ''Galactica'' from possibly fatal damage after Starbuck shoots down two of three kiloton [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylon]] nuclear missiles fired by a [[Cylon Raider (RDM)|Raider]] that target the [[Galactica type battlestar|old battlestar]] {{TRS|Miniseries, Night 1}}.{{clear}}
==Notes==
==Notes==
Ray Lai was a concept artist for the 2003 [[Mini-Series]], where this Viper made its debut. Some of his work can be seen on [http://www.galactica2003.net/articles/laiconceptart.shtml Galactica.TV].
*[[Image:Mini-Raygun.jpg|thumb|[[Kara Thrace]] in '''Raygun''''s [[Viper 8547|Viper]] {{TRS|Miniseries, Night 1}}.]][[Ray Lai]] was a concept artist for the 2003 [[Miniseries]]. His name appears in the show as an honorific.
*in the episode "[[The Passage]]," Raymond "Raygun" Lai can be seen on the air group organization chart in the squadron led by Kara Thrace. Since this mentioned-only character existed in the long past of the series's characters, possibly during or shortly after the [[Cylon War]], this mention on the chart is a [[Continuity errors (RDM)|continuity error]].
''The naming of fictional spacecraft after real-life cast, crew, or historic figures is a tradition done in other SF shows such as "Babylon 5" and the various "Star Trek" series, starting with the "Galileo 7", named after the Italian astronomer.''
[[Category: A to Z|Lai, Raymond]] [[Category: Characters|Lai, Raymond]] [[Category: Mentioned-Only|Lai, Raymond]] [[Category: RDM|Lai, Raymond]]
Captain Raymond "Raygun" Lai is presumed to have been a Colonial pilot in the days when the Viper Mark II was in active service prior to its successor, the Viper Mark VII.
A Viper with Lai's name (tail number 8547) was part of a squadron of Viper Mark IIs in the Galactica Museum.
After word of renewed Cylon attacks on the Colonies and with no ordnance for the recently-decommissioned Galactica and few Viper Mark VIIs on board, Commander William Adama orders the deployment of the museum Vipers in the ship's defense. Lai's Viper is piloted by Kara Thrace in Galactica's first sortie since the Cylon War.
Starbuck's skillful piloting of Lai's old Viper, despite a strike that damaged one of its engines, saves Galactica from possibly fatal damage after Starbuck shoots down two of three kiloton Cylon nuclear missiles fired by a Raider that target the old battlestar (TRS: "Miniseries, Night 1").
in the episode "The Passage," Raymond "Raygun" Lai can be seen on the air group organization chart in the squadron led by Kara Thrace. Since this mentioned-only character existed in the long past of the series's characters, possibly during or shortly after the Cylon War, this mention on the chart is a continuity error.
