--
BUZZ
BUZZ
Admiral Adama was stirred from his sleep by the sound of the buzzing phone on the wall. He reached and grabbed the hand set before placing near his ear and spoke into the phone.
"Adama."
"Sorry to wake you sir." Said the voice of Colonel Tigh.
"What is it?"
"We've just received orders to abandon the system and rendezvous with the fleet." Said Tigh.
"What happened?"
"The strike force returned from out outer regions of the Prolmar Sector. They have suffered heavy casualties and they have reports that the enemy is setting a fleet for an invasion of the Cyrannus sector." Said Tigh.
Adama sat up when he heard.
"Bring up all of our personal from the planet and make sure the civilians are on their ships. Prepare to jump when everyone's evacuated." Said Adama.
"Yes sir."
--
CIC
"Six Battlestars, thirty escorts, and three hundred fighters were destroyed in the fight before the call to retreat was in order. The enemy suffered minimal casualties and they only had about three hundred fighters and six capital ships." Said Gaeta.
"Who the hell did we piss off this time? Do we have any idea if it's one of those aliens the Federation deals with?" asked Tigh.
"No sir. According the history data that most of our people have read these new ships do not match any known ship that the Federation knows of." Said Gaeta.
"So we've found a new race that we know nothing of." Said Adama.
"What's the report of the enemy gathering for an invasion?" asked Roslin.
"One of our remaining probes in the Prolmar Sector managed to get a few images out before it was destroyed." Said Gaeta.
A pictured appeared showing images of large ships with fighters and battleships as escorts.
"It is believed that these ships in the center are large transports carrying weapons and supplies. These ships are by our standards considered to be destroyer class vessels. We have reason to believe that they are waiting for reinforcements to come." Said Gaeta.
"We lost half a battle fleet to only six of those frakkin ships! How are we going hold up against an invasion?" asked Tigh.
"All outer colonies that were being established have been abandoned and are returning home as we speak. The problem is the enemy ships are gathering and it might take less than a few days before they are ready." Said Gaeta.
"Goddamn." Said Tigh.
Everyone was silent for a moment.
"Has anyone considered contacting the Federation for assistance?" asked Roslin.
"Why would we do that? The government pissed them off when someone suggested to 'liberate' Earth from the alien oppression." Said Tigh.
"They also are more skilled in first contact than anyone in the colonies and they would respond if we asked for help." Said Roslin.
"Adar is never going to do that. And the Quorum would never consider asking for help from 'misguided' brethren. "said Adama.
Roslin was silent for a second.
"Then we're dead." Said Roslin.
"Not yet." Said Adama.
"Admiral, I am well aware of how a lot of people feel about the Federation. But at the same time we have realize what is happening here. The colonies are in danger from an enemy more advanced than any other enemies we have fought, even with the full strength of the fleet we will not able to stop this invasion unless go to the Federation and ask for assistance." Said Roslin.
"You're talking about disobeying orders. That's treason." Said Adama.
"Many people in the government are guilty of treason and they only got a slap on the wrist. The Federation came to ask us to stop attacking the Cylons in their space and offered a hand of friendship that people in our government slapped away because they were not what everyone thought. We need to show them that we are not like the people who wanted to capture and force them to follow our religion. If we don't do anything and the Federation does not help we will fall." Said Roslin.
Adama was silent while Tigh and Gaeta looked on in silence. Finally Adama turned his head to Gaeta.
"Mr. Gaeta, plot a jump that will take us to the anomaly but will keep us out of the way of the enemy fleet." said Adama.
"Yes, sir." Said Gaeta.
He walked off and began drawing up charts for navigation.
"You're actually going through with this?" asked Tigh.
"Like it or not, Saul, she`s right. We don`t have the firepower to stop what`s coming. Make sure all of our fighters are prepped for launch and working right when we make the jump. Stock all ammunitions and have them ready. `` said Adama.
Tigh was silent for a second and then straightened up.
``Yes sir.' Said Tigh.
--
The outermost planet of the Cylon home system was an M-class planet that was closest to the wormhole that had led the Cylons and Colonials into Federation space. A small outpost had been established there to function as a link to the probes the Enterprise had left in Colonial space.
"Sir." Spoke a technician.
The commander turned and looked at him.
"Yes, what is it?"
"There is a large build up ships at the edge of the Prolmar Sector about twenty light years from the location the Colonials have dubbed the Red Line. They match the same type of ships that the Colonials have been fighting."
The commander stood and looked at the readings.
"Have your scanners identified just how advanced their technology is?" asked the commander.
"Yes sir. Their weapons technology seems to use old style particle cannons, along with pulse laser cannons, one energy weapon was identified as a neutron weapon, and their missiles are similar to the plasma torpedo the Romulans used during the Earth-Romulan war but less powerful. Their shields appear to be similar to the deflector screens that the older class used half a century ago but more powerful however they are not enough to stand up to our phasers. Whoever the Colonials are facing do not pose a large threat to the Federation but we have discovered they utilize a way of FTL similar the one the Cylons and the Colonials." Said the technician.
The commander was surprised. She looked up from the report.
"So if they use a Stardrive to travel that we have no way of knowing where they came from." Said the commander.
"Actually commander, my staff noticed a pattern in their method of travel." Said the technician.
He turned to a screen on the wall that showed a star map.
"From what we have seen whenever the alien ships use their FTL it is always near the gravity of stars and other objects then planetary mass. The Colonials and the Cylons can jump through an entire system once but from what our scans have shown us it takes hours or even days for these new ships to get through one system. And the destination is always close to a system with a number of stars close by."
The screen went off.
"Whatever technology this species uses for interstellar travel is not warp drive and it is less advanced than the Stardrive. If they do plan to invade the Colonies it will take about two weeks from what we have seen from the small growing number of ships to have a number large enough for an invasion."
"Time to gather armaments, fuel, supplies, and personnel." Said the commander.
"Yes sir."
The commander sat down before looking back at the technician.
"Gather your information and prepare to transmit it all back to Starfleet command. Tell the communications center to alert Starfleet. If this species discovers the anomaly I want protection for this system set up."
"Yes, sir."
--
"This is the fastest way to the portal without encountering enemy ships." Said Gaeta.
"How long would it take us to get there?" asked Adama looking at the map.
"Three days." Said Gaeta.
"How do we even know the Federation will even bother helping us out?" asked Tigh.
"We don't. We also don't have a choice." Said Adama.
Adama turned from the table.
"Dee, get me ship wide."
"Yes, sir."
Adama picked up the phone.
"Attention crew of the Galactica. Our orders are to rendezvous with the rest of the fleet and defend the Colonies. However because of the low chance of success it is my decision that this ship will go through the portal and ask for help from the Thirteenth Tribe. I know how some of you feel about what is happening and what happened the last time we went through the portal. However if we do nothing than it is possible that the Colonies will be destroyed.
If any of you feel you cannot do this than you will be given ten minutes to leave the ship. If there isn't enough crew members to operate the Galactica than I will lead a Raptor group to Federation space myself. If any of you wish to leave than now is the time." Said Adama.
Everyone was silent as they listened. Adama put the phone down and turned to the bridge crew.
"Prepare to jump."
With that one order everyone went back to their stations, intent on their duties.