CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
PLANET SIHNON – WHITE STAR SYSTEM – ISFT ORBITAL DRY-DOCK COMPLEX
"The Tatarus Fleet Dockyards couldn't compare with this", Cain breathed as he looked out of the peregrine's viewport at the massive orbital facility.
"This complex is designed to construct up to six DORTMUNDER-class cruisers at a time", Sophia Howell replied, "and as the GALACTICA-class battlestars are smaller in overall size, the facility is not going to have a problem getting them built".
After making a quick F-T-L jump from Londinium to Sihnon – discretely so as to not unduly alarm any civilian traffic – the FLEET AVENGER had been given clearance to dock at the facility's administrative module. Cain – along with Hunter and Sims – were looking awestruck at the immensity of the dry-dock.
"The mobile dry-dock servicing the PEGASUS also originated from here", Sophia added, "It gives our Navy the ability to be serviced in the field".
"We didn't have mobile facilities like that back at the Colonies", Cain replied, "We had three major shipyards with annexes for refitting and overhauling. The only remote facilities we maintained were anchorage stations that held caches of ammunition, fuel, and consumables".
"Militech would have loved to have had this complex to work with", Hunter added, "Could you imagine how many peregrines could be turned out here?"
The dry-dock that the Inter-Systems Fleet Systems conglomerate had in orbit over Sihnon was a massive cylinder in general shape. As the FLEET AVENGER approached one of the ends, they could see the entry ports for the interior bays where new warships were constructed.
"three bay hatches at this end", Sims commented, "and I assume another three on the other?"
"That's right, Lieutenant Sims", Sophia replied, "Each one big enough to construct and launch a cruiser".
"So which bays will the four new battlestars be built?" Cain asked.
"I don't know, Commander", she replied, "but the construction staff will let you know. From what I understand, they also want you to look over the specs we got from our examination of the PEGASUS before the keel-laying ceremony commences".
"I look forward to meeting these people", Cain said as the peregrine made its final approach to the dry-dock…
PLANET ARIEL – WHITE SUN SYSTEM – NAVAL FLIGHT TESTING RANGE
"I must say, Captain Sanders", Admiral Hendrix said, "Your pilot is really showing just how maneuverable, and how deadly the viper is".
"Even though Lieutenant Higgins graduated from our top viper school, he's doing no maneuver that any competent pilot can't do", Tom Sanders replied, "besides, this is the Mark 2 he is demonstrating. When we get clearance to pass on to you the Mark 7, you'll be even more impressed".
"I've seen the schematics of the Mark 7", Hendrix replied, "and apart from the racier look, it seems that the only real difference between the two models are that the Mark 7 is fitted with missiles and have improved avionics".
"The Mark 7 has a longer range", Tom stated, "but generally, you're correct. The Mark 2 has compared well with the Mark 7 in combat against the Cylon raiders".
"Those Cylon raiders though had F-T-L capability, which the vipers don't", Hendrix pointed out.
"It wasn't deemed necessary as the battlestars do have F-T-L, so in effect, the battlestar would jump to the combat location, then we would launch", Tom explained, "though there were plans on the drawing board for the Mark 8 viper to be fitted with F-T-L. Perhaps when your construction folk build their own vipers, they can continue development and come up with their own Mark 8's".
"Higgins' viper is really doing a good job shooting up the target drones, but the use of cannon rather than laser or pulse weaponry means your ammunition load is restricted somewhat", Vice-Admiral Selwyn – who was the Admiralty's head of Research and Development – commented. Tolwyn was observing the flight tests and was making very perceptive observations.
"Admiral", Tom replied, "Thanks to the Cylons' ability to render inert energy weapons, we had to go back to the use of cannon shells and missiles. If you can find a way to stop the Cylons from doing that to your weapons systems, then that will be a major achievement".
"And the shells do pack an impressive punch", Hendrix added, noticing the end result of the viper's firing on the remote drones.
"Our gunships are of two types – as you know – space-capable and atmosphere", Selwyn stated next, "Seeing that the viper merges the two into one is a great advantage. The alloy you use on your vipers to make this possible alone is something we can certainly make use of".
"So have we sold you on the merits of the viper then, Admiral?" Tom asked Selwyn.
"If it is as easy for our gunship pilots to fly as Lieutenant Higgins makes it out to be, then the answer is an emphatic yes", Tolwyn replied. Hendrix nodded.
"Of course, we will have to set up an operational training unit so that we can start getting our pilots trained on the viper once they start coming off the production line", Hendrix said, "and we will need some of your pilots to act as instructors".
"I'll make sure that Commander Cain gets the request. It should not be a problem", Tom replied.
"Very well, I guess you can have Lieutenant Higgins come in now", Hendrix said, "And I'm sure that with Flight Officer Hoxha keen to show off his flying skills, it won't be a moment too soon for him".
Higgins had given Hoxha instruction on viper flying during the escorting of the PEGASUS to Miranda. Like Speaker Cameron, Hoxha had easily picked up the skills needed to competently fly a viper, and his flying of the Mark 2 would show the ease of transition for the Alliance pilots.
"I'm sure Mr. Hoxha will give an impressive performance, Admiral", Tom assured him…
PLANET MIRANDA – BATTLESTAR PEGASUS (IN DRY-DOCK)
"Gentlemen", Colonel Tolen said as he looked at the renovated CIC, "If this is what you were referring to as a basic refit, you have a talent for understatement!"
The Combat Information Center had not only been refitted, it had been restored to pristine condition. It was like it had been reconstructed from scratch! All surfaces were gleaming, all display screens were functioning. It looked better than brand-new…
"It was advantageous that your computer systems were not interlinked and are rather simple", the Alliance Engineer with his replied, "but even so, I'm impressed with the capabilities of your Dradis console, and of your LIDAR and deep-space scanners".
"Simplification was the only way to avoid the Cylons hacking into the systems and thus closing down the battlestar", Tolen reminded him, "True, it made things somewhat more labor-intensive, but that's what a well-trained crew is for. So when you get your new battlestars built and launched, your naval trainers will need to keep that in mind".
The PEGASUS was quite a way along in its overhaul. Tolen and Thyssen were very impressed with the speed that the overhaul was progressing: their old dry-docks back at the colonies couldn't match this rate of repair! The exterior of the battlestar had almost been completely restored, with most of the battle damage from the months alone in space taken care of. Seeing that brought tears to Tolen's eyes…
"I take it that all the information needed to get the Alliance battlestars built has already been transmitted to the Core?" Tolen asked.
"Yes, Colonel", the Alliance Engineer replied, "Theoretically, we could make an exact duplicate of the PEGASUS – right down to the same number of rivets – and when you go aboard her, you wouldn't know that ship from this one".
"Well, we'll soon see if you will have copied our F-T-L and drive systems well enough", Tolen said, impressed with what the Alliance Engineer had told him.
"Complex system, but a very simple operating principle", the Engineer replied, "so there should not be any real problems with that. Though of course getting the Tyllium fuel to make them go is another matter…"
"The refinery is being assembled as we speak, and the initial mining has started", Tolen said, "so we should be getting enough of the fuel ready for the new battlestars once they are ready to launch".
"I'm still curious about your catalysts though", the Engineer replied, gently probing.
"Once Commander Cain gives the all-clear, you'll be the first to know", Tolen assured him, "so are there any other things you'd like to show me?"
PLANET MIRANDA – NEW PICON SETTLEMENT
"If the Alliance scientists only knew how simple the catalysts were, they'd faint!" Captain Engle commented to one of his assistant engineers.
Tyllium was an accidental discovery many years ago by a Doctor Maron on Saggetaron. Maron was a geologist and a chemist who had samples of what the Alliance called Bauxite, and had left a chunk of the ore – which was of high purity – on a desk in his lab.
Maron was working in his lab one morning when a minor earthquake occurred. Next to the bauxite was a test tube of diluted sulphuric acid. The test tube shattered, spilling the diluted acid on the bauxite. The result was that the bauxite had started to liquefy and the liquefied mineral was spreading on the lab desk. Maron grabbed an industrial cleaner – prime ingredient Ammonia – and sprayed the liquid bauxite stain with it.
The chemical reaction created a new compound that looked completely clear, compared with the muddy brown acid-liquefied bauxite, and that had gained Maron's curiosity. He found out – nearly killing himself in the process when some of the compound dripped on the floor – that the compound was rather volatile.
After he got out of hospital, Maron proceeded to make more of the compound – which he called Liquid Tyllium (Tyllium being the Saggetaron name for Bauxite) – and found out about its properties. Virtually a one hundred percent energy conversion from the combustion of Tyllium made the best space drive fuels in use at that time hopelessly inefficient by comparison – though the very little waste gas from the burn – which Maron called Solium – was highly toxic and had to be carefully monitored as it was a very insidious gas and often could not be detected until it was too late.
Maron found that a certain mineral type of bauxite/tyllium ore gave the best 'blend' for the two catalysts to react, and thus the Colonies' most invaluable invention for space travel – next to the F-T-L – came to be: an efficient fuel that could be stored for long periods with an extremely high energy conversion ratio. Now – here in the Alliance – this fuel was about to revolutionize local space travel the same way it did to the Colonies.
"A good thing that it's easy to make the catalysts", Engle's deputy commented, "and the stabilizer".
Engle nodded. The stabilizer that stopped the tyllium from being too unstable from handling was iodine. As it didn't affect the energy conversion ratio to any great degree, it was another simple solution that Maron was responsible for.
"It's a good thing that the catalysts and stabilizer can't be detected once they have reacted with the ore as well", Engle added. After all, it wouldn't do to have the Alliance know what the catalysts were TOO soon…
PLANET SIHNON – WHITE STAR SYSTEM – ISFT ORBITAL DRY-DOCK COMPLEX
Up on the control deck of the dry-dock, the ceremony was reaching its climax.
"It is my honor to lay the ceremonial keel plates for the Alliance Battlestars EURASIA, AMERICA, AUSTRALIA, and BRITTANICA", Cain announced to the assembled engineers, Sophia, Inara, Hunter, Sims, and Rear-Admiral Collins, who was the Alliance naval liaison to ISFT.
It had been a day since the FLEET AVENGER had arrived. After the welcome by Collins, and the dry-dock Chief Engineer, Cain and Hunter looked carefully at the schematics for the four battlestars. Cain had noticed that while the AMERICA and the AUSTRALIA would be virtual clones of the PEGASUS, the EURASIA and BRITTANICA would be having changes made to their weapons systems.
"So you don't like the rail gun and saturation suppression systems", Cain commented.
"While there is a possibility that the Cylons may come here", the Chief Engineer said in reply, "We want to use the EURASIA and BRITTANICA as test-beds for our own weapons systems. By replacing the rail gun with our electrical pulse cannon, and substituting high-intensity pulsar-lasers for your suppression ammunition, we hope to be able to extend a deployment of the battlestar as they won't have magazines that have to be replenished periodically".
"The unification war, plus cleaning up remoter parts of our space of Reavers, pirates, etc, has taught us the value of maintaining lengthy deployments", Collins explained, "and if these enhancements work out, our next generation of gunships – based on your vipers – will be fitted with similar systems".
"Just so that all your eggs won't be in one basket", Cain replied, "as the Cylons have demonstrated an ability to render energy weapons harmless in the past".
"That's where the F-T-L will come in handy should the situation occur: we jump away and let the battlestars with the PEGASUS-type systems come into play", Collins said.
"Just keep your computerized systems simple and compartmented and you'll be okay", Cain said next, "and for frakk's sake, make sure that the people who work on the navi-comp programs are beyond any suspicion. The CMP program we had introduced was the Colonial Fleet's death warrant".
Collins nodded. He had read the briefing about the destruction of the vast majority of the 120 battlestars of the Colonial Fleet. With barely a dozen surviving warships, it was a clear example of what a flawed computer system could result in.
"We definitely will keep it in mind", Collins assured him, "and thanks for those pics you gave us as to the layout of the VALKYRIE and MERCURY-class battlestars. Once these first four are completed and deployed, the MERCURY-class will be the next to see reality here.
Cain remembered that conversation as he now pressed a switch on a console. As he did so, high intensity lasers fired up in four construction bays of the massive dry-dock complex. Those lasers bore onto long pieces of alloy laid remotely at the base of each bay.
As Cain watched, the lasers burned onto each alloy beam the names of each battlestar, and the date. When the beams shut off, the assembled persons applauded.
"And now construction begins", Collin announced.
As congratulations went back and forth between the people on the control deck. Sophia walked up to Cain.
"So now it begins", she said with a smile, "You have started a legacy here, Garris. You should be very proud".
"Thanks, Sophia", Cain replied, "but I'll also be proud when the other survivors from the Colonies can find their way here, and when we can finally defeat the Cylons. And if I don't live to see it, at least I'll die knowing that others will carry on the work".
Sophia hugged him, not caring that others were watching.
"Please accept the Admiral's commission", she said quietly, "and we'll make sure that those goals will be reached…"