PALE BLUE DOT
Authors Notes:
Stargate / Battlestar Galactica Crossover
Yeah, yeah, I know, Colonials invade Earth .. 'you've been there done that' .. Whatever!
You know I'm not forcing you to read it. Go on, I'm sure you've got something better to do.
Setting:
Stargate: AU, Set seven years after the season four episode 'Beneath the Surface'.
Battlestar Galactica: AU, Set approximately two years before the mini series.
Parings:
Sam/Jack (of course... those Sam/Daniel people are just weird.)
Kara/Lee, Bill/Laura (hinted)
Declaimer:
I own everything! ... Yep, the whole BSG and Stargate franchise belongs to me. It's all mine.
What do you mean you don't believe me? ... FINE! ... Be like that! See if I care.
I didn't like you anyway*.
CHAPTER 1 – Gathering Storm
Briefing Room
Colonial Fleet HQ, Picon
Leaning forward Lucian Vetta, the current President of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol, looked directly at the uniformed woman facing him.
"Admiral Nagala, why are you still stalling? The assessment of your own people is that there will be little if any resistance."
"With respect Mr President, that was only an initial reconnaissance. The lost tribe may still possess ships and defences we are unaware of".
"SHIPS? What ships? Unless I'm missing something Admiral, these reports clearly show they have regressed to the point where they can barely make orbit!" He roared angrily sweeping a hand over the folders scatted before him.
"They have No ships!"
Though it was obvious to the Colonial Admiral that President Vetta cared nothing for her opinion she pressed on regardless.
"Sir even if that is true, we don't have enough intelligence to make a proper assessment. Nor can we determine what opposition our ground forces can expect. We should wait and gain more information before proceeding."
"Admiral, leave that to the Colonial Army. General Mayer assures me they and the Marines can handle anything these Earther's could throw at them. Besides, my intelligence analysts tell me that with the fleet in orbit the Thirteenth Tribe may not resist at all. Isn't it more likely they will just surrender? What is this really about?"
Nagala resisted telling the President what she thought of his 'Intelligence' analysts and instead replied. "I still think we should attempt negotiations with them first".
"Really Admiral, and who should we speak to exactly? They clearly have no central government. Even this United States you keep bringing up barely represents a fraction of the population. In fact, isn't it true most of these poor people live under governments who'd never allow them the freedoms enshrined in the Articles? Freedom they have a right to and which we will give them!"
"But Mr President.."
"No! Enough! You've seen the reports. Do you disagree that our lost brothers on Earth deserve the same rights as all children of Kobol? Or would you have us stand by and let them continue to suffer in depravation and ignorance? Because I won't! I will not allow it! Not whilst I'm president! Either you will proceed or I will find someone who will!" The president screamed as he banged the desk.
Hallway
Colonial Fleet HQ, Picon
Idiot!
Admiral Agasaya Nagala was furious. She was a cautious person by nature and hated the way Vetta was rushing through this operation despite her words of warning. True enough there wasn't any indication, so far, that the Thirteenth Tribe could put up much of a fight. However she still had her reservations, foremost among them being the limited intelligence they had to work with. It was nearly a year since the Wanderer had returned with news of Earth, yet this whole venture relied on reports that were at best sketchy and at worst pure guess work. Surely he could see the risks?
Even if the intelligence was correct the distances were daunting. The President wanted to launch the largest invasion in history against a target hundreds of light years outside Colonial space. It took weeks of continuous jumping just to reach Earth. This wasn't what her forces were trained for. Their equipment, combat doctrine and preparation were all geared towards defending the Colonies against Cylon attacks. The closest thing the Fleet had come to offensive operations in the last forty years was dealing with the occasional pirate incursion.
The Admiral sighed. Not that any of that would stop them.
Despite the Presidents words, this enterprise had nothing to do with rescuing the people of Earth and everything to do with political expediency. The presidential elections were just nine months away and Vetta would do anything to retain power and stop Adar from regaining office.
No, this would go ahead regardless of whatever she said, especially since Vetta clearly had the support of the Army and the Marine corps. At least by agreeing she had a chance of preventing the worst excesses advocated by some of her colleagues.
Reaching her office the Admiral gave a mental shudder as she recalled Cain coldly suggesting they use nukes to break the Earthers will to fight. Despite knowing Helena along time she was still taken aback by how casually she talked about killing millions of fellow humans for a tactical advantage. It made her worry for her people, had they really been so scarred by the Cylon war that they were now starting to act like them?
Sighing she lent back in her chair. It seemed she had no choice. She was an officer of the Fleet and would do her duty. Despite her misgivings the Colonies were going to war.
May the gods have mercy on us.
Starlight Hotel
Caprica City, Caprica
"..as former President Adar spoke out once more against the Liberation of the thirteenth tribe many commentators are beginning to question if his stance will effect his chances of re-election. With us now.."
"Turn it off." The former president said to the woman sitting on the sofa, as he walked into the room.
"You're doing the right thing." Laura Roslin said leaning back in the chair and switching off the screen.
"Am I? No one seems to be listening." The Caprican delegate replied sitting down.
"Of course Richard, someone has to say something."
Sitting forward "Mm.. Why I am I sensing a 'but' coming on?"
Laura gave him a rye smile. "Only that you need to be cautious, their trying to use this to paint you as anti-military. You of all people know how that plays with the public."
"Just because I don't think the only way to provide humanitarian aid is at the point of a gun? In the name of Zeus Laura, we're talking about an invasion here! We both know that. Despite Vetta's talk of 'Liberation' that's exactly what this is, it's ridiculous... Anyway, regardless, none of that means I have anything against the military per se. I served in the Fleet the same as he did. This is just the wrong way of going about it... We haven't even tried talking to them!" he finished with an exasperated sigh.
Knowing he was just venting she let him finish before saying anything more.
"I know. Richard, I'm on your side. I was only saying you need to be careful."
Sighing "I know, and your right." He replied leaning back "Which is why you're coming with me to this benefit next week"
"Benefit?" Laura queried confused.
"For the Veterans Association, they want to honour the troops going into combat, half the Admiralty will be there. It should give the talking heads something else to think about."
... 39 Days Later.
War Room, Warstar Zeus (Colonial Flagship)
Deep Space (30 light years from Earth)
"Right any final questions or comments?" Admiral Nagala said to the assembled officers of the Liberation Fleet.
Rear Admiral Helena Cain surveyed the documents before speaking.
"I still think we should reconsider the use of nuclear ordinance, if only for Tactical strikes."
"No! The Presidents orders were to Liberate Earth. Need I remind you that we're here to bring them back into the Colonies, not exterminate them. These are not Cylon's, there are our fellow humans, our brothers and sisters... They may have forgotten that but we will not. No Nuclear ordinance is to be fired on or near the planet without my express permission. No exceptions. Is that clear?"
"Yes Sir" the fleet officers chorused.
"Rear Admiral Cain?"
"Of course sir, understood." Cain replied through gritted teeth.
"Anything else?"
Cain glanced back down to the battle plan as she absently toyed with her knife. Despite her reservations it was sound enough, possibly a little cautious for her tastes. The six 'Valkyrie' class Battlestars of BSG-17 were to jump in first. They were to take up positions equal distance around the planet and deploy Raptors to suppress enemy satellite and communication systems. Behind them the six Battlestar Groups of the Strike Force would move in and surround the planet.
With space dominance achieved, the Battlestars of the Strike Force would send in their squadrons to clear the airspace ready for the ground forces. The first wave, a million men of the Colonial Army and the 250,000 strong 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, would jump in with their Troop Barges and Landing Ships and then begin deploying to the four target sites on-planet (Alpha, Omega, Epsilon and Gamma). Once these assault troops had secured a bridgehead the remaining 3 million men of the 2nd and 3rd waves would be deployed. If necessary there was also another fifty thousand Marines held in reserve.
In truth, the Fleet's role in this operation was largely secondary. All Intelligence indicated the Earther's lacked any space force capability. Against the combined might of a quarter of the Fleet there would be little they could do. Once boots started hitting the ground the Fleet would quickly be relegated to providing Viper cover and orbital strikes as needed. Even that may not be required if the intelligence analysis was right. The consensus was that the divided people of Earth would quickly surrender in the faced of the united and overwhelming force of the Colonial Military.
Not that she would admit it but in some ways she was disappointed. Born too late to fight against the Cylons, Cain had spent her whole life preparing for war, years of training and service to harden and sharpen her skills. She liked to think of herself as a razor at their enemy's throats, a weapon to defend her people from those who would destroy them. For this reason she almost hoped the Earther's put up a fight.
Almost
"Very well, if there are no further comments then return to your Groups and begin final preparations. We jump out in 4 hours." Admiral Nagala concluded dismissing them.
Home World Command Operations Centre
300 Meters below the Pentagon
"Neat, does it get cable?" Brigadier General Jack O'Neill said as he joined the group watching the 3D Hologram of the Sol system in the centre of the room. The Operations Centre was newly completed, with a permanent staff of twenty it was the nexus of the Earths new integrated defence system.
Lieutenant General George Hammond, current head of Home World Command, smiled at his always flippant friend and former 2IC.
"Glad you could join us son. What do you make of this?"
"I take it our friends are back?"Jack said waving vaguely at the display.
"Yes, we are picking up a dozen of the smaller two man craft holding position around the planet."
"Holding position you say?" Jack said raising an eyebrow. "That's new, have they tried saying hello this time?"
"No, they seem to be just monitoring us for now." Hammond replied.
Rocking back on his heels Jack stuck his hands in his pockets and frowned. "See, that's just rude. I take it we haven't rolled out the welcome mat?"
"Until we know their intentions I'd rather they not be aware of our ability to detect them." The older General replied indicating the control stations surrounding the holographic display.
"Any sign of their big honking friends?" Jack said absently poking the hologram. The smaller craft had been buzzing in and out of the system for months, generally only hanging around for a few hours before disappearing again. However on at least two occasions a larger mothership had appeared. The vessel was massive, at least twelve hundred meters long. It had stayed away from Earth, never coming closer than sixty million miles of the planet. They just orbited slowly for a few minutes and then disappeared again. No one was quite sure what they were doing but there were plenty of theories.
"Not in the last few days, But the Odyssey is checking neighbouring systems as we speak. It's possible they are operating from deep space but we can't be sure.
"So, we're still having problems tracking their movements?" O'Neill said seriously as he turned to face his old commander.
"Yes, but we are working on it. Of course it would be easier if we weren't down our top scientist."
"Sorry Sir" Jack said with a smile before adding "I'll let her know you said hi."
A/N
For the purposes of this fic I'm Assuming Adar's terms of office were not contiguous.
Colonial Fleet Ships Description:
Warstar = Carrier (Fleet Command Ship)
Multiple Vipers/Raptors squadrons, Heavy Rail-guns, (Nuclear/Non-Nuclear) Ship-to-Ship/Ship-to-Surface missiles, Point Defence (flak) Cannons
Battlestar = Carrier/Battleship (Command and Control)
Multiple Vipers/Raptors squadrons, Heavy Rail-guns, (Nuclear/Non-Nuclear) Ship-to-Ship/Ship-to-Surface missiles, Point Defence (flak) Cannons
Strikestar = Cruiser (Heavy Escort)
Recon Raptors, Heavy Rail-guns, (Nuclear/Non-Nuclear) Ship-to-Ship/Ship-to-Surface missiles, Point Defence (flak) Cannons
Gunstar = Destroyer (Light Escort / Fleet Protection)
Recon Raptors, Rail-guns, (Nuclear/Non-Nuclear) Ship-to-Ship missiles, Point Defence (flak) Cannons
(*Battlestar Galactica / Stargate belong to their respective copyright owners)
