A/N: Due to a partnership between the Battlestar Hyperion Universe and FUBARInbound's Halcyon Over: Draconis' Story, I will be slow to update my main FanFiction, Battlestar Hyperion. So for now, enjoy this two part story and Battlestar Hyperion: The Hunt for Kobol, if you haven't already...
Battlestar Hyperion:
War Games #57
Colonial Flight School, Leonis:
09:00 AM, 4 Years, 129 days Before the Attack on the Colonies (BTA)
It was a sunny day on Leonis. Admiral John Jenkins, CO of Battlestar Group 53 and the Battlestar Hyperion, stepped out of his transport shuttle alongside his XO, Colonel Matthew Virgon, and his CAG, Major Jenson 'Bellow' Hilton. The three men walked over the buzzing landing strip as other shuttles took off and landed all around them. Outside the door to the main building to the Leonis Flight School, Fleet Admiral Vince Walker, an older man with a receding hair-line, stood awaiting the crew representing the Hyperion. "Good morning Admiral Walker," John Jenkins, another tall, aging Admiral with neatly folded gray hair, said.
"Admiral Jenkins," Vince replied. "Thank you for participating in these war games. Admiral Redon of the Battlestar Colombia has been sent on Aerilon to watch over the crop transfers. You remember what happened last harvest..." John nodded solemnly as they entered the building behind them.
"So what're the war games for today?" Matthew Virgon, another older man with short, thinning hair asked as they entered the control room of the flight school.
"Well, we need to test the Block-II Mercury-classes in a fleet scenario," Vince replied as he stepped around the command centre, which was similar to a CIC on a Jupiter-class Battlestar.
"Why do you need us then? Why not get two Block-IIs to..." Jenson Hilton, a tall and bald man, started.
"Major," Vince said calmly. "If you'd let me finish... We are pitting Battlestar Group 53 against Battlestar Group 62; which, as you may have heard, has replaced the Battlestar Acropolis with the Battlestar Minotaur, a Block-II Mercury-class. We have bolstered your Battlestar Group with the addition of the Battlestar Valkyrie, commanded by Commander Adama. I gather that you already know Commander Adama, Admiral Jenkins," John nodded as Rear Admiral Helena Cain entered the room behind him.
"Admiral Walker, Admiral Jenkins," She said as she and Colonel Jorgen Belzen entered the command centre.
"Helena, I was wondering when you'd arrive," John said as the two Admirals shook hands.
"It's good to see you John," She told John. Helena Cain finished the handshake and stepped up to the command table. "So what's the mission?" She quickly asked Admiral Walker.
"Well," Vince replied. "As I just said, the Battlestar Valkyrie will be joining us along with the Battlestar Minotaur to test the Block-II Mercury-classes in a fleet scenario. The Battlestar Hyperion and her fleet will make a synchronised FTL jump to Virgon, were it will meet with the Battlestar Valkyrie. Then, the Battlestar Pegasus will lead her fleet into the Ouranos asteroid belt as Battlestar Group 53 does the same from Virgon instead of Leonis. You will both keep in contact until I cut the transmissions from here and that is when the war game will begin," Vince explained. John nodded to Matt as Vince had spoken and he checked over at Helena's reaction. She copied John's nod and they prepared to leave when Jorgen Belzen interrupted.
"And what kind of ammunition will we be using, and will this be a full assault with Vipers and Raptors?" Jorgen asked.
"You will be using standard test rounds, so you shouldn't do any damage to your ships, that being said, if one of your railguns gets a good shot off, you will probably make a dent in the other ship, but nothing a day or two in dry-dock can't fix," Vince told them. Jorgen nodded and followed Helena out of the command centre, in front of John and his crew. John smiled to Vince as they left the chamber and set off for their respective ships.
Battlestar Hyperion CIC, Low Leonis Orbit:
09:52 AM, 4 Years, 129 Days BTA
John entered the dark CIC of the Battlestar Hyperion, after his shuttle had arrived back on the Battlestar. Lieutenant Amelia Jartell, a short, dark haired woman and Tactical Officer of the Battlestar Hyperion, handed a report to Admiral Jenkins as he and Colonel Virgon entered the Combat Information Centre of the Hyperion. "Thank you Amelia," John thanked Amelia as she gave him the papers. "Mr Yo," John called to Petty Officer Hermes Yo, the dark skinned Communications Officer of the Hyperion. "Have you notified the crew of the impending war games at 12:00 hours this noon?"
"Sir, the senior crew have been notified but you'll need to inform the rest of BSG 53 yourself," Hermes replied. John nodded as he stepped up to the command console of the CIC. He went to pick up the phone when Hermes called over to him. "Sir, the Battlestar Valkyrie is in range and is requesting to speak to you,"
"Confirm ID and push the reply onto my phone please, Mr Yo," John ordered. Hermes spoke to the Communications Officer on the Valkyrie. John held the phone up to his ear when Hermes indicated for him to do so.
"This is the Battlestar Valkyrie to the Battlestar Hyperion. I authenticate Delta 4-1-1," The Valkyrie replied. John switched on the microphone inside the bottom of the phone he was holding.
"This is Hyperion Actual. I would like to speak with Commander Adama," John said. He waited for a minute while Commander Bill Adama got onto the phone.
"This is Valkyrie Actual," Commander Adama said down the phone. "How are you doing John?"
"Not too bad now that you're here," John replied. "Did they outfit you with the correct ammunition Bill?" John asked.
"They did John, they did. So, do you have our objective?"
"I do. My crew is sending the brief over to you now, and if you open a channel with the rest of the Battlestar Group, I'm about to explain the mission to everyone," John told Bill. John held the phone away from his face for a moment to talk to Amelia. "Connect me with the other ships and get them to open up the line on speakers inside their ships," John whispered before putting the phone back to his mouth. He waited for a moment until Amelia gave him a thumbs-up. "This is your Admiral," He said to the fleet. "As you may be aware, we are about to participate in a War Games scenario against the Battlestar Pegasus and Battlestar Group 62. We are going to be heading for the Ouranos Asteroid Belt in a moment's time and there we will begin the War Games. I will sound Condition One for when we arrive, but for now I will have contact with the Pegasus so that we meet in the correct location. I have transmitted the run-down the war games to your COs and XOs, so they will be able to answer them if you speak to them. Thank you, and gods speed,"
Battlestar Hyperion CIC, Ouranos Asteroid Belt:
11:59 AM, 4 Years, 129 Days BTA
"...of course Helena... Yes... thank you," John put the phone down one minute before it was scheduled to cut out. He Looked over at the clock, which still read 11:59. He nodded to Matt and saw nine red DRADIS contacts blip onto the screen.
"Sir, nine contacts inbound!" Amelia called from her desk.
"Set Condition One throughout the fleet and set all batteries to auto-fire mode. Helmsman, bring the Hyperion ahead at flank speed and tell the Themis to cover the other ships," John ordered. The crew set about to their jobs as the alarms started blazing. "Get Vipers and Raptors on station and get them to target the Minotaur,"
Captain Samuel 'Spinner' Halway, commander of Red Squadron, was fired out of the Hyperion's launch tube and turned towards the enemy in the asteroids. "All Vipers, Bellow: You have weapons free. Load missiles and prepare to engage the Battlestar Minotaur,"
"Tally Bellow. Red Squadron, on me!" Spinner called to the pilots behind him in Red Squadron. He blasted towards the other Battlestars as the Hyperion's front cannons began to fire into the asteroids.
"Spinner, Twinkle-toe:" Lieutenant Don 'Twinkle-toe' Cook called. "Enemy Vipers inbound on our position!"
"Red Squadron, Spinner: You have weapons free, engage at your discretion,"
"...engage at your discretion," John heard Spinner say from inside the CIC.
"The Deadalus and the Icarus are requesting orders, sir," Hermes Yo told John and Matt.
"Get them in cover formation of the Hyperion. And set our guns onto the Battlestar Pegasus," Matt said while John watched the DRADIS screen above them.
"Aye Colonel," Amelia replied. "All guns target bearing..."
"Mr Yo, give me an ETA on entering the enemy's range," John asked Hermes.
"About ten seconds sir," Hermes replied. "The Pegasus is in range,"
"Order the Eos and the Theia to engage the Pegasus with the Cyrannus," John ordered.
"Aye sir," Hermes replied. Matt walked away from the command table and stood over the shoulders of the helm officers. John watched the DRADIS as his ships moved into position.
"XO, call the Limpet and order them to launch Vipers," John shouted to Matt over the Condition One alarms.
"Roger Admiral," Matt said has walked back to the command table and picked up a phone as the first rounds from the Battlestar Pegasus came in. "Limpet, this is the Hyperion. Launch Vipers and prepare to attack the Battlestar Basilisk," Matt ordered.
Spinner dodged past the first wave of incoming Vipers and slipped through the squadron of Raptors behind them. "Red Squadron, hold formation," Spinner said as one of his Vipers was 'destroyed', meaning the EMPKEWs had shut down all ssystems except for life support and DRADIS so that the pilots could continue to learn from the battle around them.
"Spinner, Hoedown: I've got one on my six, I can't..." One of the Vipers said as he was shut down by the enemy Vipers.
"Frak! Red Squadron hold on. We're going in!" Spinner told his pilots.
"All players, Hyperion: We need you back over the Hyperion to intercept enemy missiles at bearing 31 Carom 35," Hermes told the pilots down the wireless. Spinner looked over his shoulder at the approaching missiles and saw three diving towards the Hyperion. He spun around and blasted back towards the Battlestar and opened fire on the first missile he could.
"Bellow, Spinner: You've got a Viper on your six," Spinner said as Bellow flew over his head. Spinner pulled up and fired towards the enemy Viper when he saw a missile dive towards the Hyperion just inches from his cockpit.
"Spinner, Bellow: I've got this guy, you deal with that missile!" Spinner broke away and dived towards the Hyperion and fired wildly at the missile, taking it out.
"Spinner, Hera:" Lieutenant Harriet 'Hera' Gemini said to Spinner. "There's a Viper on Bellow,"
"Tally Hera. Get on my six and we'll..." Spinner stopped when he saw Bellow's Viper shut down by the Viper behind it. "Bellow is down! I repeat Bellow is down!" Spinner cried as he dived past the stationary Viper.
"...Bellow is down!" John gasped when he heard Spinner's report come in over the wireless.
"Get me Spinner," John shouted to Hermes. Hermes nodded and pointed to the phone in the command table. John grabbed it and held it to his face. "This is Hyperion Actual, report Spinner," John told Spinner.
"We just lost Bellow sir," Spinner replied over the wireless.
"Sam," John said calmly. "I need you to fill in as CAG," John waited for a reply for moment while Spinner processed the information.
"Copy Hyperion," Sam said slowly before he cut the connection to John's phone. John put the phone back in the table and looked back to the DRADIS screen.
"Point us towards bearing 341 Carom 8 and fire main guns; then bring the Valkyrie around and do the same," John ordered.
"And get the Battle Raptors to take off and get the rest of our birds in the air," Matt ordered. Amelia and Hermes busily tapped on their keyboards and ran around the CIC giving orders to the squadrons of Vipers and Raptors as well as the other ships that were requesting orders. John continued to watch the DRADIS screen as both the Battlestars Minotaur and Gladius, a Sobek-class, got into range. The CIC shook with the simulated blast from the enemy as they fired everything they had.
"Ms Jartell, order batteries Charlie to Golf to target the Berserk on her next run," John ordered as the Berserk carrier sped through the middle of John's Battlestars, doing major damage to both the Eos and the Theia.
"Admiral, the Limpet has weapons lock on the Berserk, do they have permission to chase," Amelia asked John.
"They do. Get the Defender Cyrannus to chase as well. Let's take that ship out," John replied.
Sam watched as the Berserk came around for another pass on the Battlestar Themis. "Anyone who can, we need to stop the Berserk on her next run," Sam ordered.
"Tally Spinner, I'm on you," Came the reply from Captain James 'Road' Rhodesian, leader of Green Squadron. Sam led the Vipers and Raptors towards the carrier as it flew full speed towards the Themis. Sam checked his DRADIS as both the Limpet and the Defender Cyrannus flew over his head, firing everything they had onto the Berserk. The carrier was taken down as it approached the Themis and forced the Battlestar to brake from combat and dove out of the way of the incoming carrier, who's forward engines had not slowed the ship down yet. Sam and the Vipers pulled up as the Berserk fell through space in front of them. They flew along the top of the hull and shot over the top of the engines as the ship drifted to a halt right in the middle of the Battlestar Group led by the Hyperion. It was then when Sam saw the enemy Battlestars flying at flank speed towards BSG 53 with most of their guns targeted on the still relatively confused Battlestar Themis.
"Sir," Amelia shouted to John. "The Themis is taking hevy fire and the Icarus is on its way to assist," John shook his head.
"Tell them to cover the Themis while everything else moves on the enemy fleet. Get in close and use our flak cannons on them," John ordered. "Have the Eos and Theia stay behind us and the Valkyrie until we get in close enough and get the Cyannus and Limpet to do the same,"
"Aye sir," Amelia replied. John and Matt checked the DRADIS as the capital ships flew themselves into position.
Sam watched as the Hyperion led its ships into formations and slowly blasted towards the enemy Battlestars. "All wings on me. We're going to give the Hyperion support as she goes in," Sam ordered as he turned towards the Hyperion and matched its speed as he sat in between the alligator nose and the engine pods.
"Spinner, Twinkle-toe: The last Raptors have taken off. Should we move to cover them," Don Cook asked.
"Twinkle-toe, Spinner: Take Blue Squadron down and give Orange Squadron cover. All other birds, stay on my six until we reach the enemy," Twinkle-toe led Blue Squadron away from the Hyperion as the Battlestar flew at full speed towards the asteroid that the Minotaur was hiding behind.
"Forwards batteries open fire!" John ordered as they approached the asteroids. The Hyperion's guns ripped through the asteroid and revealed the Battlestar Minotaur awaiting to attack.
"They've fired missiles sir!" Amelia shouted to John as the Minotaur opened fire on the Hyperion and her escorts.
"Deploy flak and prepare for impact," John told Amelia as one of the missiles hit, shaking the whole ship. John was knocked onto the command desk.
"Brake, brake, brake!" Sam said as the Minotaur's missile dived towards the Hyperion. The Vipers all rolled away from the ship and dived down between the flight pods and fired everything they had at the Orion-class Gunstar, the Gunstar Azure Storm. The ship was bounced around by the blasts until it was sent adrift by the Hyperion's Vipers. "Hyperion, Spinner: The Azure Storm is down. I repeat, the Azure Storm is down," Sam said joyfully as his fighters zipped around the drifting Gunstar.
"Copy Spinner. Set next target to Viper squadron at bearing 51 Carom 26," Hermes replied from the Hyperion's CIC. Sam cut his microphone and pulled up towards a squadron of enemy Vipers heading straight for them. Sam looked around him at the Viper's circling over his head.
"All CAGs, call in," He asked the Vipers.
"This is Themis, Film here,"
"This is Eos, Jockey here,"
"This is Theia, Hull here,"
"This is Valkyrie, Bulldog here,"
"This is Limpet, Sirloin here,"
"And this is Hyperion, Spinner here. Everyone, you have weapons free and Bulldog and Sirloin, I need you to cover the Raptors heading for the Battlestar Basilisk," Sam ordered as the Vipers from the Valkyrie and the Limpet broke away from the Vipers which were nearly in range of the enemy ships heading straight for them.
"Vipers are in range sir," Amelia reported to John and Matt.
"Get our Vipers out of there and see if the enemy will chase. We outnumber them and they'll be easier to get from behind," Matt ordered Hermes, who quickly called to the Vipers who were about to engage.
"What's the Cyrannus doing?" John asked Amelia as he watched the Cyrannus brake formation and separate with the Limpet on its tail.
"Sir!" Amelia shouted. "Enemy Defender and Guardian-class inbound. They're flanking!"
"Keep pushing forward Amelia. Have the Valkyrie cover our rears. We need to get in the middle of them," John told her. John gritted his teeth and looked back to the DRADIS screen as the two Colonial ships fired onto the Limpet and took it out,"
"We've lost the Limpet," Matt commented. John closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
"Get any Raptors away from the fight to take out those two ships. Use any Firestars you need," John said glumly. Matt nodded and picked up a phone. "Mr Yo, get me Commander Adama. I need a word with him," Hermes nodded and connected John to the Battlestar Valkyrie. John picked up the phone when Hermes indicated to him and spoke into it. "This is Hyperion Actual. I need to speak with Commander Adama," John waited for a moment while Bill Adama picked up a phone.
"This is Valkyrie Actual," John heard Bill say dwn the other end of the phone.
"Bill, how many attack protocols are you familiar with?" John asked.
"Most of them. I doubt you could confuse me on this," Bill replied.
"Good. I need you to implement manoeuvre 16,"
"You want us to do a swing over the Hyperion?" Bill asked John.
"Yes, then I need you to cut underneath the Minotaur and swing towards the Pegasus and take her out while the Themis backs you up," John told Bill. Bill was silent for a moment while he considered the order.
"Copy John. I set to it..." Bill put the phone down and John did the same before watching the Valkyrie move on DRADIS.
Sam watched the Valkyrie as it pulled up and swung over the top of the Hyperion and dive over the otherside. Sam quickly shot down what appeared to be a nugget pilot, before watching the Valkyrie's Vipers and Raptors blast past and push into the enemy line. "Hyperion Vipers, let these guys go and lets cover the Valkyrie's birds," Sam ordered as he broke away from the enemy Vipers. He flew after the Valkyrie's Vipers when the Pegasus suddenly jumped away from the battle. Sam's eyes darted around, trying to find the Pegasus when it jumped a couple of hundred feet in front of him. "All birds, brake up now!" Sam cried as he swung away from the Pegasus.
"What the frak!?" John and Matt shouted simultaneously.
"Sirs, the Pegasus just..." Amelia started to say before she was cut off by Matt.
"We know!" Matt shouted.
"Have they full surrounded us?" John asked Amelia quickly.
"Yes sir, but the Valkyrie is still on her swing around," Amelia replied.
"Admiral, the Valkyrie is asking for orders," Hermes called from behind John as the CIC quickly became even more chaotic.
"Tell them to continue the order. Same for us, let the Themis deal with..." John tried to say when Amelia butted in.
"They've taken out the Themis sir!" She called. John scrunched up his hands before looking back at DRADIS.
"This is a mock nuclear mission order," John said quietly.
"John...?" Matt asked softly.
"This is a mock nuclear mission order. Lieutenant Jartell, if you agree please place your key..." John said, louder this time.
"If we launch a mock nuke on the Pegasus sir..." Amelia started.
"Not on the Pegasus, on the Minotaur," John told her. Amelia thought for a moment before grabbing her key and standing up. Matt nodded to John and took out his key as well. John led the three over to the weapons control section were they approached a young Ensign who quickly stood out of the way. They put their keys into the weapons panel and the Ensign sat down and turned all three. The Ensign looked up at John who nodded to him before returning to the command table.
"All players, Hyperion: Get clear of the Minotaur and direct all fire onto the Battlestar Pegasus," Hermes ordered the pilots as the Valkyrie appeared from behind the Hyperion and fired everything it had onto the Pegasus, taking out the ship's engines. Sam looped around the Hyperion when the missile tube doors opened and nearly hit Sam in the process. His eyes widened before he blasted as far away from the Hyperion as he could before two mock nukes shot out of the Battlestar. Sam looked over his shoulder as they dived towards the Battlestar Minotaur and impacted directly into its middle section, completely shutting down the ship before it had chance to fire any flak at the missiles. Sam's attention quickly returned to a Pegasus who had almost completely been taken out.
"Hyperion, Spinner: Minotaur is down and the Pegasus will be soon," Sam reported. He pulled over the Pegasus as her main lights flickered off and he fired his missiles onto the Battlestar Basilisk that stood beneath it. He pulled around that Battlestar a moment later as the entirety of BSG 53 fired onto the last enemy ships, the Defender Zeus and the Sobek-class Battlestar Gladius who had been steadily pumping out Vipers since the start of the war game. The EMPKEWs of every ship popped all over the hull of the ships and moments later their weapons were locked by command on Leonis.
"Congratulations Battlestar Group 53, you have won War Games Scenario 59. Please return to Leonis immediately for debriefing," The automated message from Leonis read. John looked around at his crew and smiled.
"So say we all!" He shouted. John repeated it again and Matt joined in. Then Amelia and Hermes joined in and quickly the entire CIC was chanting the same thing. "So say we all!"
