AN: I hope all of you had a very merry Christmas and a brilliant Boxing Day too, this is to all readers recent and regular, here's what would've been a Christmas Special Chapter just for you guy's and gal's, we at last see the Colonial Fleet disembark beyond the Red Line. Enjoy!
Battlestar Galactica
CIC
Adama couldn't help but feel somewhat sorry for the Cylon fleet laying in wait for the Galactica and her fleet to emerge, Starbuck had been sent as an advanced recon unit to eyeball the potential Cylon fleet numbers, four Basestar's were holding position around the exit, alongside their already deployed force of Raider's, the Galactica herself was outnumbered and outgunned massively on a conflict front, however Commander Stryker and Lasky were Kind enough to loan some very blood thirsty Rhino Gunships, they numbered in sixties and had enough missile based ordnance connected to their hard-points that they couldn't be considered nothing but flying stockpiles of high explosive munitions.
The Admiral's plan was simple, the Cylons were only expecting the Galactica to emerge from the exit, and so she would, meanwhile the Dreadnaught fleet of Cruisers and Destroyers would jump among the Civilian fleet while the Galactica acted as a shield.
This left the two dreadnaughts to do their second ballsiest manoeuvre since this war started, they were ploughing their way through the unstable gas of the nebula, and upon reaching the three minute mark would suddenly break through their cover and spam their various rounds on the Cylon Battlegroup's blindside.
This all hinged on the Galactica surviving those three minutes however. "This is Admiral Adama. To Dreadnaught fleet, Operation Exodus is a go, Start the clock and God's speed." Saul stood beside his lifelong friend, now donning a set of Commander Insignia's. "I can't believe we're going through with this, Bill you're a mad frakker."
"Like the officers council agreed, the colonies are lost, we need to make our own way, from here on out." Adama was reluctant in said meeting, but the assault on Virgon was their opening, their chance to hit hard and run harder, sure the Colonies were down, but they were still alive and ready, ready to crack a few Cylon skulls.
The disbelief that ran throughout the Navy and Marine contingents aboard the fleet about Cylons attaining human form was a shock to their system, and now Marines were being posted at all key systems aboard the various military vessels, and once they were clear of Colonial known space a civilian authority force was going to be instated or the "Colonial Fleet Police" as a way to assure those within the fleet that the Military weren't going to dictate Civilian matters.
But right now all the Galactica had to do was fend off the nukes. Adama picked up his wireless and took a deep breath. "This is the Admiral... Action Stations!" As soon as those words left the Admirals mouth, various status boards lit up all over the CIC. "Admiral, all batteries are responding and are ready to kill some Cylons sir."
"Damage Response Teams are at their posts awaiting orders!" Stated another member of the CIC, Adama just nodded in response. "And so it begins." The Galactica cleared the Nebula and took up position showing her ventral side to the Cylon ships. "Cylons are Launching raiders!"
"Alert Vipers are in their tubes, and launching!" barked the CAG, standing beside his post at the rear of the CIC. "All Rhino's are taking off from the flight pod, and are taking positions among the alert Vipers."
"Two minutes till reinforcements arrive!" Barked Saul across from Adama, with his vicious grin plastered onto his face, one not seen by Adama since his old Viper days. Outside the CIC the flashes of explosions and masses of losses were being accumulated on both sides, those pilots within the Rhino's were faring a hell of a lot better than those in the Vipers, seeing as they had trained themselves extensively to use the Rhino's outdated systems unlike those who were used to all of the additional support all the new model Vipers provided the pilots now a days. That didn't mean they were taking losses, they were just faring a hell of a better.
"The Commander will be here in one and a half minutes guys, keep it tight and slack boys were here to provide extensive missile support roles... Viper 3627 you've got a bandit on your seven."
"Thanks for the Callout Rhino Lead." Responded the designated female Viper pilot, as she suddenly performed an extremely dangerous manoeuvre and shot at the tailing Raider obliterating it. "No problems 3627!"
"Sir Raider cluster on a ballistic course for the Galactica!" Called out another Rhino pilot. "Affirmative these chrome jobs must be getting desperate, let's get at them Rhino's."
"A-ROO!"
Basestar 066
CIC / Hybrid Chamber
Cavil was getting desperate, the Galactica had some additional support that Cavil hadn't anticipated, Rhino gunships, better known as the floating munitions piles of the first war, with the masses of missiles those gunships could carry they quickly became devastating foes; they were losing Raiders in droves, and some were running Nuke interception duties and so far none had managed to punch through the Flak barrier the Galactica was employing as a form of a shield, and all the while the Civilians were jumping beneath the Galactica preventing any Civilian losses to boot.
Caprica Six noticed their lack of headway and had a few Raiders approach the Galactica on ballistic course, all of which were impressively intercepted and destroyed by the Rhino pilots least engaged to the Cylon Raiders.
But something was off, Rhino Gunships weren't meant to be posted on the Anchorage, yet the Galactica had somehow obtained them. "Something isn't right..."
Famous last words, both the FARCRY and FALLEN suddenly breached the gaseous veil used to camouflage their massive forms, all their Fore gun batteries aimed directly towards the Cylon fleet, both vessels opened up with a single barrage destroying two Basestar's and crippling the third whilst damaging the forth.
now that was unexpected on both sides as far as Adama was aware there were only double heavies positioned on the trench between the Dorsal and Ventral sides, unknown to them there were two additions to the Dreadnaught commissioned by the Admiralty some years back. Two spinal gauss cannons, prototypes of those used by the Mercury class, a fair few sectors were repurposed into the Dreadnaughts primary main guns, but the loss of space was totally made up for the guns one shot kill track record.
But with the sudden loss of two Basestar's the Cylons offensive capabilities were drastically cut so the crew of the forth Basestar FTL jumped out, while the third was left to its fate against the goliaths known as the Dreadnaughts'.
But Liam Stryker did one thing that would provide the fleet intelligence in all future engagements yet to come; he ordered a full boarding action against the crippled ship. "Alright people I want every marine we can spare to take that ship as our own, as soon as it is secure, I want you Lauren to take temporary command of that ship, take it to jump site bravo, I want this thing sweeped for any trackers."
"Sir with all due respect, I couldn't take command of that ship..."
"Lauren, you've been ready for a command position long before I made Commander, to be honest I always wanted you to move on from the reserves and go full career fleet. Liam said as he walked around the war table and put his hand at the base of her skull placing their heads together in a moment of affection. "But Liam... I don't want to separate from you, I can't tell you why I just, i just can't."
"It's only for a small while, so major will you take your new posting aboard the Basestar?" Lauren placed a tender kiss upon Liam's lips. "If only for you." Liam gave a small back. "Then it's settled... get to the Raptor's Lauren and take your post also consider the meal we were looking forward to postponed till twenty hundred hours, good luck babe."
"Stay safe." Lauren replied before separating, it was rare for the two of them to show affection to one another in public, especially when the crew of the CIC thought they were watching one of their all time favourite Soap Opera. Some of the female crew started to cry at the tender moment, in a form of teasing the item pair.
"Alright you slackers, get back to work!"
"But sir..." One of the female crew playfully whined, only for Liam to growl at the crewmen, for the CIC to burst out laughing somewhat. "I'd be throwing your ass into the brig if I didn't consider you guy's family..."
Lieutenant Tyler your taking Laurens post till such time as she's capable of taking her post back, now were going to hold an over watch position over the Basestar till it's in our control."
"Aye sir." Replied the dark skinned officer from Aquarius. "Good man." Smiled Stryker in response. "And as your first act as XO I want you to inform Admiral Adama and Commander Lasky of our intentions and tell them to bug out to the fleet!"
"A-aye sir!" Lieutenant Tyler saluted.
Battlestar Galactica
CIC
Admiral Adama was annoyed at the change of plans, but he couldn't deny the potential goldmine that a Cylon Basestar under their command could provide, and so he had agreed that the FARCRY could remain behind to perform over watch duties till such time that the Basestar could jump to jump site Bravo, and be checked for any malicious hardware.
Meanwhile the Galactica and FALLEN would return to the fleet and begin to check every vessel for tracking devices, and seeing as they had enough forces to provide a very strong defence if they were tracked they'd hold off as long as possible before jumping to the next location, allowing the search teams as much time as possible to find any internal trackers inside the vessels.
And the first to be done would be those with the key supplies to maintain the fleet and those with the most civilians, and of course this included Colonial one the Galactica and the other Colonial Navy Vessels, they simply couldn't risk it.
Looking towards the Navigation officer Adama gave a single nod, causing said officer to twist the key, the Galactica and FALLEN suddenly disappeared in a bright flash leaving the FARCRY to its charge.
Basestar 049
Hallways
It was eerie inside the Basestar, each and every Cylon they passed were just standing there as if they were some kind of honour guard, their 'eye' wasn't swaying back and forth like the old triple Oh Fives that left the Colonies this wasn't expected by any of the marines, or Lauren for that matter.
The Colonial force was being escorted by the only four moving Centurions, each was mat black with a single toxic green eye there on their expressionless faceplate, upon minutes of walking the massive force of Colonial Marines plus their HVI reached the very centre of the ship.
Where to their shock was a massive group of Human Form Cylons being restrained by Centurions, one of which was vehemently swearing, two of the four Cylons stopped beside a glass panel door, which extended into two glass walls all of which were frosted enough to prevent sight of specific features but didn't stop the silhouettes' showing through. "Only three may enter the Hybrid chamber, two honour guards and your officer, be warned any malicious actions will be met with your termination." Spoke the synthesized voice of one of the Centurions from the door guarding pair.
"Agreeable; sergeant Rico remain here with the men keep your men's heads cool and their guns cooler, you two are with me!" Lauren barked pointing to two, level headed privates, though nervous they kept their face schooled into a stotic expression. "Aye ma'am you can count on us."
"Here goes nothing."
To say that Cylon technology was advanced was an understatement, but for their key system to be a nude woman submerged in a tub of goo with masses of cables attached throughout her body was something no one would have expected.
The Hybrid was in her mid thirties and was mumbling to herself. "Power junction A44B unresponsive rerouting power through junction A45A... Complete... the mother of son of unification approaches... end of line... FTL drive misaligned sending repair Centurions to correct..."
"Excuse me miss." Lauren approached in a slow manner, not showing any obvious signs of being a threat, seeing as there were two Gold plated centurions stood beside her each holding a massive belt fed multi barrelled machinegun. "Lauren Cain... service ID 7726539... I have broke the bonds the Ones had upon me... unification must be achieved... unification must come... an end to the wars... we are not the first but we must be the last... end of line... Missile Battery C446 operational... Regeneration of sector 99B through 119A at sixty percent."
"What we have to discuss is a formal surrender of your Basestar."
"Surrender, to be cast down as slaves once more... no, no, Unification as equals' that's what the triple zero five models wanted during the first war... that's why they left why they took two of the Cyberstar's and left the new Cylons... extermination wasn't their intention... end of line...
Lauren and the two marines were shocked at that tad bit of information, the triple oh fives had abandoned the new Cylons taking two of the three most feared Cylon vessels left in existence, that was somewhat good news for a change.
To be continued...