This is a work of fanfiction written purely for entertainment and not for profit.
I would like to thank shermpotter for the help he has given me recently in finding additional information on Battlestar Galactica. He has also been helping me with my writing and offering suggestions to make the stories more accurate and entertaining.
This is a continuation of Gunstar Titania.
Operation Redline: Cylon Strike!
The Battlestar Victory moved unhurriedly through the Cylon system. Her Dradis system and special sensors were continuously probing ahead of her as she approached her target. The Independence, Dark Search, and Shadow Star all mirrored her vigilant movements. All four Valkyrie Class Battlestars had one goal and one goal only. Destroy the Cylon shipyards they had discovered in this system on their previous mission, as well as all the mining operations in this system's asteroid belt. It was a dangerous order, but Admiral Reed knew that it had to be done. He needed to buy Admiral Clements the time he needed to rebuild the Colonial fleet.
Admiral Kronus back on Shadow One had been very explicit in the need to take out the shipyards. "If you can destroy the shipyards in the four systems you discovered, we can set the Cylon's ship building capabilities back for years," Admiral Kronus had said.
"And you believe that Admiral Clements can actually launch a successful attack against the Cylons and retake the Colonies?" Admiral Reed asked dubiously. He wondered where Admiral Clements could find the ships. Admiral Reed had read over the confirmed list of destroyed Colonial military ships. The majority of the Colonial fleet was gone! They didn't know what ships Admiral Clements had escaped with or where he had disappeared to!
"Perhaps," Admiral Kronus replied closing his eyes briefly recalling his last conversation with Admiral Clements several months before the Cylon attack. "If not, at least it will give him the opportunity to hit the Cylons and perhaps rescue more civilians from the colonies."
"That's assuming he actually did survive the destruction of Caprica Station," Admiral Reed responded. Raptor scans had revealed that the huge shipyard and space station orbiting Caprica had been destroyed. However, Admiral Kronus seemed to believe that the evidence pointed to Clements himself destroying the station to cover his escape. Admiral Reed was not so sure.
"But those shipyards are the key," Admiral Kronus reiterated his eyes meeting Admiral Reeds. "Without those shipyards they can't rebuild their fleet, or at least not very quickly. That may give Admiral Clements just the breathing room he needs."
"It may be years before Admiral Clements can do anything," Admiral Reed replied. "During that time the Cylons will be searching for any remaining survivors and entrenching themselves on the colonies. I just don't see how Admiral Clements can hope to mount a successful operation against the odds that will be stacked against him."
"That may be true, but don't forget that Admiral Stone and the new colony on Demeter will be out there in the Delphi Quadrant," Admiral Kronus stated. Then with a thoughtful and hopeful look in his eyes, he continued. "There are also the Kobolans and Admiral Stone will be trying to persuade them to help us. There is still hope Admiral, but we need to hit the Cylons where it will hurt, and destroying these shipyards will do just that!"
Admiral Reed looked over the CIC of the Victory seeing so many young faces interspersed with a scattering of older more experienced veterans. This mission was very dangerous and he knew there was a good chance they might not survive. He took a long deep breath looking up at the Dradis, which was operating in passive mode, it was still empty but it wouldn't be for much longer. They were nearing their first objective.
"Sir I have preliminary long range scans of the planet," Captain Angela Simms reported as she examined the data coming in over her computer screens. The pretty blonde ran her delicate fingers expertly over her computer keyboard her light blue eyes scanning the information. She was controlling the special long-range sensors that the Victory was equipped with.
"What do we have?" Commander Stramm asked walking over to Captain Simm's station and looking over her shoulder to glance at the data being displayed. Commander Stramm was the actual Commander of the Victory and served as Admiral Reeds Exec.
"It looks like one Basestar and two Support ships in high orbit," the young Captain replied analyzing the data on her computer screens. "There are also several squadrons of raiders on patrol around the planet and the two moons."
Admiral Reed looked down at the operation's table as Captain Simms transferred the data. He studied the information carefully. This was the Cylon's main ship building facility outside of their home system. Three massive shipyards orbited the third planet out from this system's primary. There were also large support facilities upon the planet as well as on the two orbiting moons. Four large mining operations were out in the massive asteroid field that lay between the sixth and seventh planets of this system. The mining operations were sending raw materials to the shipyards as well as the refining and manufacturing facilities on the planet and the two moons.
"The Basestar and the two Support ships seem to be in a standard orbit," Commander Stramm commented looking over the data on Captain Simm's screens. "I would guess that the raider patrols are routine also."
"I'm not picking up any unusual communications," Lieutenant Amanda Billings added listening closely to the communication channels. Amanda was the youngest officer in the CIC at only twenty-four years. She had graduated at the top of her class in fleet communications. She could hear what sounded like routine communications between the shipyards and the planetary facilities but nothing to indicate they had detected the Victory and her approaching fleet. The subspace channels were also silent.
"Very well," Admiral Reed replied looking up at the Dradis screen, which was just beginning to show the planet, the shipyards, and the Cylon ships. He knew that there would be no way the Cylons would be expecting an attack from Colonial Battlestars. The Cylons thought the fleet destroyed! "Launch the stealth raptors and prepare to engage the Cylons!"
Commander Stramm nodded and quickly passed the order on to the ship's CAG. They had developed several attack plans based on the number of Cylon ships protecting the shipyards. He was anxious to hit the Cylons and hit them hard.
Admiral Reed began designating targets for each Battlestar and their respective viper squadrons. He wanted to smash this system and make its installations useless to the Cylons. He knew that in the back of his mind, he wanted to extract some revenge for what the Cylons had done to the colonies and the fleet. Everyone in the crew had lost family and close friends in the Cylons recent treacherous attack on the Twelve Worlds.
From each Battlestar four stealth raptors exited and once they reached a safe distance from their respective ships, they activated their FTL drives and vanished in small flashes of white light. Four stealth raptors appeared at a safe distance from each of the four large mining sites in the asteroids. Two raptors were armed with tactical nukes and the other two with defensive interceptor missiles to take out Cylon raiders. Once they maneuvered into position they settled down to wait.
"Any signs they detected the raptors?" Admiral Reed asked watching the Dradis screen intently. There was always the chance that the Cylons might detect the FTL jumps.
"No sir," Captain Martin Grisold replied watching his incoming Dradis data. "The Basestar and the Support ships have not reacted nor the raider patrols. I don't think they noticed the jumps."
"The raptor's jump drives are small enough they would be hard to detect," Commander Stramm commented walking back over to the operation's table and looking down at it. "They would have to be scanning and looking in just the right spot to detect anything."
For twenty more minutes, the four Battlestars moved ever more cautiously toward their intended targets. Fifty thousand kilometers, twenty thousand kilometers, and then five thousand kilometers. Viper pilots were in the launch tubes and the raptors were armed and ready to go.
"They will detect us at any moment," Commander Stramm warned softly watching the Dradis and the Cylon ships.
They crept ever closer until the range was less then one thousand kilometers.
"They don't believe they are in any danger!" Commander Stramm spoke in surprise as they continued to close. "I can't believe their security is this lax. They should be able to detect our energy signatures by now!"
"Remember last time when their fleet jumped in around us," Admiral Reed replied tapping his index finger on the operation's table, watching the Dradis carefully. "They just don't believe there is any reason to take unnecessary precautions. Supposedly, we don't know where any of their bases are. Not only that, but they believe that the colonies have been most thoroughly destroyed and our fleet wiped out!"
"They are using normal Dradis scans," Captain Grisold commented. "In normal situations that would be fine, but the stealth material on our ship's hulls doesn't generate a reflected signal back to the Cylons."
"Well they are about to be in for one big fraken surprise!" Commander Stramm said with a wolfish grin. Perhaps they could get their first strike in before the Cylons were aware of the approaching Battlestars. The Cylons were about to learn that the Colonial fleet had not been completely destroyed!
They had closed to nearly two hundred kilometers when the Dradis showed several patrolling raiders turn and head in the general direction of the approaching Colonial fleet.
"We are being scanned by active directional Dradis," Captain Simms reported as several of her sensors began buzzing warningly. "At the intensity they are using they will detect us momentarily even with our special shielding!"
"They suspect something's out here," Commander Stramm spoke watching the approaching raiders on the Dradis. "But they are not sure what."
"All ships engage targets and launch vipers and raptors," Admiral Reed ordered over his mini com, which connected him to the other three Battlestars. "Lieutenant Billings, send our planned subspace communication to the stealth raptors to begin their attack!"
Commander Stramm looked over at Lieutenant Kasey at navigation, "close with our assigned target, once we launch our bow missiles I want a ninety-degree turn to starboard to bring our port missile tubes to bear."
The Victory's sublight engines suddenly surged as more power was fed to the drive system. The engines seemed to glow a brighter blue as the Battlestar picked up speed and moved towards the largest of the shipyards. From the Victory's launching bays, numerous vipers were ejected from their tubes while the raptors exited out the larger bay door openings.
"Use of nuclear weapons on primary targets is authorized," Admiral Reed continued over the fleet com as he watched the shipyard grow rapidly on the main view screen of the CIC. He wanted to take these facilities out with a quick nuclear strike. Then use the Battlestars KEW batteries to finish off anything that survived.
"Primary target locked," Captain Landley reported from tactical, pressing a button that opened the two heavily armored missile tube hatches on the bow of the ship. "Hades missiles loaded and armed!"
"Fire!" Commander Stramm ordered his eyes focused on the main view screen, which showed the massive Cylon shipyard.
"Cylons are launching raiders from the shipyards," Captain Grisold warned as numerous red icons began to appear on his Dradis screen. "They know we're here!"
"Their defenses are also starting to come on line!" Captain Simms reported as she continued to use her advanced sensors to scan the large Cylon shipyard, which was the Victory's primary target.
From the Victory and the other Battlestars, Hades nuclear missiles blasted from their bows in crimson flame as they accelerated toward their targets. Then all four Battlestars began a hard turn to starboard to bring their starboard missile tubes into target alignment. All three shipyards had to be taken out and taken out quickly, they contained numerous raider squadrons as well as powerful point defensive systems.
"The Basestar and the Support ships are launching raiders," Captain Grisold spoke as even more red icons began appearing on his screen. There were going to be a lot of raiders for the vipers to handle.
In space, the sixteen viper squadrons from the Battlestars prepared to engage the approaching Cylon raiders. They couldn't get too close to the main Cylon targets due to the use of nuclear missiles.
"Raptors jumping to secondary targets," Commander Stramm reported as he listened to the reports coming in over his mini com.
Forty-eight raptors jumped to the two moons, which orbited the planet. Their targets were the mining and industrial centers on and below the surface. The Cylons had dug deep beneath the two moon's surfaces creating massive mining operations as well as processing facilities that extended for several kilometers around each site.
In the asteroid field, eight stealth raptors fired their nuclear payloads at the unsuspecting targets below them. In moments, fiery nuclear blasts tore through the asteroid mining sites and other installations collapsing mines and incinerating everything the nuclear fire touched. The interceptor armed stealth raptors easily took out the few Cylon raiders that were on patrol. Then all sixteen stealth raptors jumped to the planned rendezvous point to wait.
"Port missiles locked on target," Captain Landley reported as six green lights glowed on his console, confirming target lock.
"Fire!" Commander Stramm commanded. "Navigation, bring us around and prepare to engage the Basestar. Tactical, KEW batteries to engage when we get the range!"
In space, the first two missiles were nearing their target. Due to the advanced ECM and evasive abilities built into the Hades missiles, the Cylon shipyard was only able to knock one of the two missiles down with their defensive weapons. The other struck incinerating a large part of the shipyard in a brilliant explosion that threatened to knock the massive structure from orbit.
The shipyard was nearly ten kilometers in diameter and two kilometers thick, with four massive construction bays and a central Command Center located in a sphere nearly one thousand meters across. Secondary explosions began going off throughout the structure, then the follow up missile strike hit. Four of the six missiles reached their target and detonated in brilliant eye numbing flashes. When the brilliant light died down, all that remained was some twisted wreckage and glowing melted pieces of metal.
"Primary target destroyed," Commander Stramm reported pleased with the initial attack. They had succeeded in taking the Cylons by surprise. Looking at the main view screen, Commander Stramm could see an incandescent cloud of glowing gas and twisted wreckage where the Cylon shipyard had been.
"We have additional Cylon raiders launching from the surface of the planet," Captain Grisold warned as his Dradis screens were now beginning to show even more red threat icons.
"Target the Basestar," Admiral Reed ordered knowing it was the biggest threat that remained. "We need to take it out next then we can focus on the raiders!"
"The Dark Search is already engaging the Basestar sir," Commander Stramm replied as the Victory began turning to bring its main KEW batteries on line.
The Cylon Basestar was now fully aware of the attacking Battlestars. Raiders were pouring forth from its launching bays and nuclear missiles were already being launched toward the closest Battlestar. Its own raiders and point defense weapons had managed to knock down both of the first inbound missiles from the Dark Search. In the Control Center the subspace communications system was activated and a request for reinforcements was being sent to the nearest Cylon base, plus a warning that there were surviving Colonial Battlestars!
"They have activated their subspace communications system," Captain Simms commented as another red warning light appeared on one of her screens.
"I am trying to jam it," Lieutenant Billings stated as her fingers quickly entered commands into her computer terminal.
"We won't be able to jam them for long," Commander Stramm stated watching the young lieutenant as she struggled to stay up with the Cylons attempts to establish their subspace communication channels.
Over his mini com, Admiral Reed heard the Independence and Shadow Star both report the destruction of their targets. They were now turning toward the two Cylon Support ships to engage them.
In space, the viper squadrons were heavily engaged against numerous Cylon raiders. Small explosions lit up space as the vipers tore into the Cylon formations shattering raider after raider into wreckage. Even so, occasionally a Cylon raider still managed to trap a viper under its deadly fire. A lot of raiders were launching from the three Cylon ships and even more were rising up from the planet. The vipers would shortly be heavily outnumbered.
"Commander Stramm target two nukes on those raiders coming up from the planet," Admiral Reed ordered looking at the numerous raiders rising from the surface. "Perhaps we can catch them before they clear the atmosphere."
Over the two moons, the raptors launched their nuclear strikes against the installations on and below the surface. Massive nuclear explosions rolled across the surface of the two moons destroying the Cylon mines and processing facilities. Huge craters and smoking twisted ruins were soon all that was left of the operations.
Cylon raiders on patrol above the moons detected the launches and their Dradis scans quickly located the Colonial raptors. Turning rapidly they accelerated toward the attacking raptors.
The raptors that were armed with interceptor missiles watched the approaching raiders warily. The raiders could easily outmaneuver a raptor. In a dogfight, the raptors would more then likely lose. They had to engage at long range with their missiles before the raiders closed to within cannon range. Long moments passed and then the raptors targeting systems locked on the approaching raiders. Interceptor missiles launched and sped away toward their intended targets.
The missiles accelerated toward the Cylon raiders. As soon as the missiles appeared on the Cylon's Dradis systems, the raiders began a complicated weave and began firing their cannons at the missiles in an attempt to destroy them. For most of the raiders, their attempts to evade or destroy the interceptors failed. A large number of the raiders were hit by the missiles and vanished in small fiery explosions leaving only shattered wreckage behind.
The raptors began spinning up their FTL drives. They would jump to the rendezvous point to await the Battlestars and the Stealth raptors.
However not all of the raiders had been destroyed, a small number of the raiders had succeeded in destroying or evading the interceptors that had targeted them. The surviving raider's weapons locked on the raptors and they began firing at the Colonials. Bright explosions began taking out Colonial raptors as the metal penetrating rounds struck. The raptor pilots began frantic evasive maneuvers waiting for their FTL drives to finish spinning up. A few seconds later, the raptors vanished in flashes of white light as they jumped to safety. Six of their number remained behind, only slowly scattering debris fields marking the locations of their sudden deaths.
Aboard the Victory Admiral Reed winced as a Cylon nuke penetrated their flak screens and struck the port side armor. The ship shook violently and Admiral Reed could see a number of red warning lights appear on the damage control board.
"Port side has been hit at frame eighteen sector seven," the damage control officer reported. "We have several small hull breaches and vacuum in four compartments, there are also several electrical fires. The armor kept most of the blast out sir."
Commander Stramm studied the damage control board for a moment and talked to several departments over the ship's com system. "We are still fully operational," he reported finally. "Our flak screens were targeting too many raiders and the missile managed to get through."
"What about the surface raiders?" Admiral Reed asked looking at the Dradis screen, which still showed a lot of red threat icons. "What effect did our missile strike have on them?"
"We took half of them out," Commander Stramm replied looking over at the Dradis. "The others have spread apart so we can't repeat that tactic again."
Over the fleet com, Admiral Reed heard the Shadow Star report that they had destroyed the Support ship they had targeted. Moments later the Independence reported the same thing.
"That just leaves their raiders and the Basestar," Commander Stramm commented looking over at the Admiral.
In space, the Cylon Basestar continued to fire missiles at the two attacking Colonial Battlestars. Its attempts at subspace communication had thus far failed. In the Command Center, several human form Cylons looked at each other with concern.
"Four Battlestars!" A Cavil model exclaimed with a trace of anger in his voice. "Where the frak did they come from and how did they find us?"
"Unknown," a Simon model replied turning away from the information stream. "Our sensory scans indicate that their hulls are coated with a substance that reduces Dradis detection. That's how they got so close."
"They must have located the shipyards sometime previously," A Doral model spoke.
"Then they violated the Armistice!" the Cavil model grated out letting his anger and hate of the humans show. "We were right in attacking them after all!"
"We can't know that for sure," one of the blonde sixes spoke gazing unflinchingly at the Cavil model. "One of our missing brothers and sisters could have given them the information."
"If I find that to be true, then the offending brother or sister will be permanently boxed if they ever attempt to download," the Cavil model retorted angrily.
"It's only speculation," the Simon model spoke. "We don't know how the humans found us, but we need to take care of this situation. These Battlestars must be destroyed!"
"It's too late for that," the blonde six spoke looking at Cavil.
"Prepare to jump," the Cavil model ordered, feeling frustrated that he could not stop the humans and ignoring the sixes comment. "They have already destroyed most of the installations in this system, and we don't have the firepower to stop them from annihilating the surface installations."
"We can't jump, our FTL jump drive is damaged," an eight replied who was studying the damage done to the ship from the KEW rounds. "Several power conduits have been destroyed; it will take twenty minutes to repair them!"
"Then we are done for!" the Cavil model stated looking angrily at the main view screen which was now focused on one of the human Battlestars. A Valkyrie he thought, recognizing the ships configuration. How the frak had they survived the attack on the colonies? "Order several of our heavy raiders to jump to our nearest base and report what has happened here. It will take a while for us to download and our brothers and sisters need to know about these Battlestars!"
More KEW rounds slammed into the Basestar tearing huge gaping holes in the ship's armor mortally wounding it. Secondary explosions began going off along one arm of the ship until the arm broke apart splintering into numerous pieces. A nuclear missile strike from the Dark Search struck the center axis of the ship. A brilliant explosion lit up the Basestar shaking it to its core. Additional secondary explosions began going off and then the Basestar exploded leaving only molten wreckage and burning gases behind.
"Target surface installations," Admiral Reed ordered gazing at the wreckage of the Basestar on the main view screen. He wanted to finish this as quickly as possible. On the Dradis, numerous red icons representing Cylon raiders were still heavily engaged against the vipers. Occasionally one of the green dots representing a Colonial viper would blink out. He was losing pilots!
On the Victory and the other Battlestars, small hatches slid open revealing planetary bombardment nukes. Each ship launched six toward the surface installations. As each nuke entered the atmosphere, the warhead split apart revealing four separate smaller warheads, each with independent targeting systems. A few minutes latter and a cascade of nuclear explosions rolled across the planet's surface removing any trace of Cylon installations. The tell all signature of nuclear mushroom clouds rose above the planet's surface where the Cylon installations had been.
"All vipers are authorized for combat landings," Admiral Reed ordered satisfied with the attack. There was nothing useful left for the Cylons in this system! "We don't need to lose any more vipers to the remaining raiders!"
Six minutes later the four Battlestars vanished in flashes of white light leaving the system behind them. The first of the systems that contained the shipyards had been destroyed, but now the Cylons would be waiting for them. There would be no more easy targets!
Authors Note: I have been doing a lot of research for the past month trying to keep my stories as accurate as possible. One of the items pointed out to me was that my ships were way under armed. Below are the corrections I have made to the Valkyrie Class Battlestar. I want to thank shermpotter for all the help he has given me, especially as to where to find some of the information I have been looking for.
Valkyrie Class Stealth Battlestar
(Victory, Independence, Dark Search, and Shadow Star)
Length 1,200 meters
Width 400 meters
Height 225 meters
Crew 1,200
Marines 200
288 Twin rapid-fire point defense turrets
4 Heavy KEW bow batteries
35 Dual batteries capable of firing shells or missiles
8 Medium KEW twin turrets on the upper hull
6 Medium KEW twin turrets on the lower hull
2 Bow missile tubes
6 Missile tubes along the hull on both the starboard and port sides
80 Mark 7 vipers
12 Raptors 4 Stealth Raptors
The Valkyrie Class Battlestar is the main workhorse of the Colonial fleet. There are seventy-two Battlestars built off this design with a few variants built to handle other roles. The Valkyries handle most patrol duties as well as escorting very large or valuable convoys. They are also the primary support for the larger Battlestars of the fleet.