glad you all still enjoy it – into Part 3
One
Adama entered the CIC and saw a hive of activity walking through the upper levels of the room her approached the centre table glancing up at the DRADIS console showing the position of the fleet and of the Pegasus in relation to Galactica.
"Sir, Pegasus has not reacted to the Raptor's approach nor has it sent any messages." Gaeta reported "ready Raptor has jumped away."
"Dee, give me contact with Pegasus time to break the news." He said ordering the Petty Officer at communications moments later she nodded "This is Galactica Actual to the Battlestar Pegasus, please respond."
"Galactica go ahead this is Captain Kendra Shaw commanding" a young female voice replied. Adama recognized the family name thinking she may have been related to a former Quorum delegate Marta Shaw "where is Admiral Cain?"
"Admiral Cain has been arrested and placed in custody." Adama said watching the Raptor carrying Saul Tigh merge with the Pegasus. "Colonel Tigh will be taking interm command of the Pegasus by my and the President's order."
"Sir, why has the Admiral been arrested?"
"She has violated Colonial Law" Adama said
"Sir, Pegasus defence grid just went active, we have Vipers in the air!" Gaeta called out Adama lowered his table phone.
"Launch Vipers and Hammerheads defensive pattern" Adama ordered Gaeta before raising the phone again "Pegasus, this is Galacica Actual, Admiral Cain put military objectives above the survival of our Civilization that neither I or the President can accept. Recall your fighters."
"Commander Adama, return our Admiral to her ship or we will open fire." Shaw replied ignoring what Adama had said
"Captain, that will not be happening" Adama said seeing President Roslin had entered the CIC. "Pegasus, I have no wish to see your ship destroyed but if required I will destroy your ship. To anyone within the CIC we are on the same side, we wish the same thing." Adama pleaded with the crew of the Battlestar the last thing he wanted to do was engage the warship in combat.
Within the CIC of the Pegasus crewmen all around Kendra Shaw were looking at the dark haired Captain for their next move none wanted an armed conflict with Colonial forces. Opposite her stood the dark haired Junior Lieutenant Louis Hoshi and blonde Ensign Abel Thornton both men looked to her for orders "sir, our fighters are asking for orders when they meet with Galactica's." Hoshi replied "they also report an unknown type of fighter among the Galactica air group."
"DRADIS CONTACT!" Abel Thornton reported "Cylon contacts jumping in!" He warned "three Basestars, they are deploying Raiders!"
"Order our fighters to turn and engage" Shaw ordered "turn defence grid on the Cylons" she said forgetting about their disagreement with Galactica for now, the Cylons were their true enemy.
"More contacts, the Galactica civilian ships have jumped back as have two other contacts both are deploying Vipers of unknown configuration!" Thornton called out
"Send word the Cylons have joined the party and all Colonial assets are to engage" Colonel Saul Tigh said stepping into Pegasus CIC which featured clean surfaces, and touch sensitive controls far different from Galactica's but the older Colonel fit in like a glove. "Do it now Lieutenant!" Tigh snapped raising the table phone to his lips "Galactica Actual this is Pegasus Actual, ship secured turning on Cylon ships."
"Confirmed Colonel" Adama replied as the fighters from the two Battlestars and the two patrol ships turned on the Cylons "all Civilian ships have been ordered to make an immediate jump away we need to hold until they are clear."
"Understood, we'll turn their attention away from the fleet and onto the defence, permission to recruit Icarus and Phoenix and play a little offence?" Tigh said with a wicked smile he didn't want permanent command of a Battlestar, he never had, but with the power of a Mercury-class Battlestar it was time to turn up the hurt on the Cylons for the first time in too long.
"Granted, good hunting Pegasus" Adama replied Galactica was designed to be a fleet escort ship like all the original Battlestars they were designed as a Carrier first and a Battleship second. Her weapons were placed along the length of her hull and were designed around defence which could be used in offence when combined with other ships. Pegasus on the other hand was designed as a hunter-killer, her main armament was faced forward under the 'head' of her forwards hull while other weapons protected the ship's flanks.
"Helm bring us on course with that Basestar have Icarus and Phoenix assume defence positions Four and Five" he called out. The Pegasus turned away from her engagement with Galactica towards the furtherest left Basestar while the Icarus and Phoenix assumed positions under the Mercury-class Battlestar's flight pods defending the larger ships weaker belly. "One in range main armament fire-at-will" Tigh said looking across at Kendra Shaw, the young woman looked determined but at the same time surprised by Tigh's arrival and instant command.
The Pegasus charged down the Cylon Basestar's volley firing its forward main guns as Vipers fought all around the Battlestar fighting and killing the Cylon Raiders who were trying desperately to slow the Battlestar down. Beside the ship Icarus and Phoenix assumed positions they would have been designed to, unlike the larger Galactica or Pegasus, the two smaller ships fit perfectly into positions around a Battlestar that Tigh had long thought needed more protection.
As the Battlestar closed on the Cylons the first volleys slammed into the Basestar's central hull lighting the entire ship up with fire as the ship took several hits. A cheer rang out as the Pegasus' second volley of fire tore the Basestar to pieces "Belay that!" Tigh shouted silencing the crew's cheers "turn us towards the second target"
"Radiological alarm!" Thornton called out
"Too late" Tigh whispered "volley fire on second target, have Icarus and Phoenix break from positions and return to Galactica, all Vipers are to follow." The Colonel ordered raising the table phone to his lips "all crew brace for nuclear weapon contact." Even as the smaller ships turned away from the Pegasus firing their weapons in defence the first two nuclear weapons struck high on Pegasus hull. All Battlestars were designed to survive nuclear weapon strikes but they could still cause massive destruction to the warships as the blast ripped across the hull the crew could feel its force in every section.
"Hull Breaches sections seventeen, eighteen and nineteen. Fire in sections twenty through into twenty four, secondary battery six offline, communications to upper levels severed. We can't take many more like that!" Thornton called out
"Neither can they!" Shaw called back seeing the Pegasus forward armament strike the second Basestar in succession.
"We won't have to either" Tigh said seeing the last of the civilian ships disappear "our job is not to be a hammer" he said addressing all the CIC crewmen "we're the distraction that allows our people to live, that gives our civilization a chance." He finished looking at Shaw "we don't need to kill them all, just kill enough to get away."
"Recall all Vipers, turn us away from the last Basestar, all weapons to defence fire" Shaw said picking up on Tigh's line of thinking. Quickly the Phoenix and then the Icarus finished recalling their Vipers before jumping away. The Galactica was next once the last Hammerhead was aboard.
"Just us left, Captain, what are we going to do?" Tigh challenged the young woman seeing the conflict within her as she thought about what to do.
"Orders Colonel" Shaw said bringing herself to attention moments later. Quickly Hoshi and Thornton followed suit.
"Better" Tigh admitted "spool up the FTL and jump to the coordinates Galactica transmitted before her jump." The Colonel ordered soon after the Battlestar jumped joining the rest of the fleet in a distant system leaving the remnants of the Cylon fleet behind. "Now I want the records on everything that this ship has been up to since the destruction of the Colonies." Tigh ordered looking at each of the members of the CIC crewmen for several moments none moved "let me explain one thing." He said his voice utterly calm "when I give a frakking order, you follow it out!" He suddenly snapped bringing all three officers into action.
An hour later Tigh stood in Cain's office looking over the Admiral's files hitting one of the controls on the desk he typed in CIC's number. "CIC this is Tigh, get me Galactica Actual." He ordered soon after Adama answered the communication "Bill, you need to get over to this ship." He said looking at the monitor image which displayed a woman inside Pegasus brig "I think you need to see this mess for yourself. I'd bring over Doc Cottle and Dr Baltar as well." He suggested shaking his head barely believing some of the things he'd read and seen.
