DAY 356
CYLON COMMAND BASESTAR
JUST OUTSIDE OF THE PICON SYSTEM
James Cavil looked around expectantly at the assembled Cylon Command Crew.
"If our reports are correct, we can expect the humans to launch their rescue mission at any time. When they do, we will finally crush the last of the Colonial Fleet!"
"We have been waiting here nearly two weeks, why do you think they will attack now?" Mark Conoy asked a little aggravated over the time they had spent setting out here in empty space.
"Because I have sent out messages, which I am sure the Colonials have intercepted, indicating that we are about to execute the human captives on Celeen 2 and Picon," James replied with a crafty look. "They have to launch their rescue attempt, they have no other choice."
LeAnna Biers was looking at a view screen, which showed numerous Basestars and Support Ships stretching off into the distance waiting for their orders. They had gathered 18 Basestars and 36 Support Ships for this operation. That was nearly half of their remaining fleet. Another four Basestars and six Support Ships were at Caprica, the rest were scattered throughout the Colonies and at Cylon bases.
"We may be able to crush their fleet, but it still leaves Caprica and their home base intact," LeAnna commented turning to face Cavil with a concerned frown. "We are putting a lot of our ships at risk here, what if something goes wrong? Admiral Clements, Reynolds, and Stockwell are not fools; they may suspect this is a trap!"
"They won't," James replied confidently. "They will be too focused on rescuing the human captives. That is their weakness, and I intend to take full advantage of it.
"Their concern for their fellow humans," Lisa commented dryly. "Perhaps it's one of the better traits of their race."
"Bah," James spat out his eyes narrowing as he looked at Lisa with disapproval. "The humans have no admirable traits. All they ever did to the Cylon race was treat us like slaves, force us to serve them, and fight in their petty wars. They deserve to be wiped out!"
"What are your plans?" Melissa asked turning to gaze toward James. James had been very quiet the last few weeks, unusually so for him. "Remember we still rule by the majority. We must vote on all important decisions!"
"As soon as we have crushed their fleet here at Picon, we will return to Caprica and wipe out the forces they have in orbit," James replied confidently, pleased with the way his plans were developing. "Then we can turn our attention to their forces on the ground, without a fleet or the Defense Satellites to protect them, we can use our nukes. We will nuke what's left of the civilians and marines on the ground ending the resistance on Caprica completely. That will only leave Admiral Clement's secret base, which will no longer be a threat to us without a fleet. We will have ample time to find the base and destroy it."
"We will take a lot of fleet losses at Caprica taking out those Defense Satellites and the fleet they have there," Lisa said warningly looking around the group hoping others would agree with her. "Not counting what we lose here at Picon. Can we really afford to take such losses now with the Hub and the Colony both gone and out of contact? Many of us will die in the battles. We no longer have resurrection!"
"Our fleet is still large enough to handle the losses," Cavil replied determinedly his eyes narrowing not approving of Lisa's tone of voice. "Once the humans have been destroyed, we can begin rebuilding our fleet. My brothers John and Darien will return with the Hub and the Colony once the human fleets they are pursuing have been dealt with."
"But that doesn't solve the problem now," Melissa pressed determined to drive home Lisa's point about resurrection. "If we suffer losses, we will have raiders and numerous fellow human form Cylons that will die. They will not be able to resurrect! I don't know how our brothers and sisters will feel about that."
"We have overwhelming forces at our disposal," James replied in a gruff voice, Lisa and Melissa were becoming agitating. What was it with this Six and Eight, for that matter all the Sixes and Eights?
"But some of us will die!" Lisa spoke shaking her head. "We can't replace them."
"We shouldn't lose that many of our brothers and sisters, our main losses will be in our raiders," James replied in a slightly louder voice his eyes widening and turning dark. Why couldn't they see that his plan would work, losses should be minimal. The losses would be worth it to destroy the last of the human resistance. "We will use the same tactics we used at Virgon and crush Admiral Clement's forces with massive raider attacks. As I said earlier, John and Darien will be returning. Their forces will be more then adequate to replace any that we lose."
"Easier said then done," Melissa replied not sounding convinced, her eyes looking questioningly at the other Cylons in the Command Center. "How can we be sure that John and Darien will even return? After all, there has been no contact with our Cylon brothers and sisters for months now. All of our Hybrids were grown by the facilities in the Colony. How can we build new Basestars without new Hybrids?"
"Our raiders might not be to willing to sacrifice themselves in battle knowing that it means final death," Lisa commented staring at James. "They may avoid confrontations that could end in their destruction."
"They will obey orders," James spoke in an authoritive voice his aggravation rising. "They will die willingly to serve the greater whole of the Cylon race!"
"Perhaps," Melissa replied not convinced. "But you still haven't explained what we will do about new Basestars if Darien and John don't return. How will we replace our losses? I am not so sure our ship losses will be as light as you seem to think they will be."
Cavil was quiet for a moment. He knew that building new Basestars would be a problem. "Several of the shipyards for the Support Ships remain as well as the new ones we have been building. We will continue to modify the shipyards and equip the Support Ships with more weapons until the Colony returns." He didn't respond to the comment about John or Darien not returning. He had serious concerns about that himself. He just hoped that John would send the Colony back to Cylon soon.
"It could be years before the Colony returns! A lot of the technology for the Basestars is on the Colony," Simon said worriedly adding his concerned voice to Melissa and Lisa's. "We can't grow hybrids without the Colony, not only that but the organic compounds we use for the Basestars and the raiders are also produced on the Colony. I don't know if we can reproduce that technology without the Colony and the information that is stored in its data banks?"
"We will manage," James replied his voice becoming tinged with anger at his plans being continually questioned by his fellow Cylons. Why couldn't they see things as he did? "Once the humans are destroyed we can design a totally new Basestar if necessary, one that doesn't need a hybrid!"
"What about the nuclear charges on Picon and Celeen 2, are they ready?" Kelvin Doral asked his gaze on James. "Are they sufficient to take out the camps and eliminate any marines that the Colonials may land?"
"Yes," James replied with a satisfied smug look on his face. "As soon as we detect their first Marine landings, I will send out the signal for the bombs to detonate. The blasts will destroy the human compounds plus any marines that have landed. At the same time, we will attack their ships trapping them between their landing operations and our fleet."
"What about our Centurions, are we going to sacrifice them?" Melissa asked in a serious tone of concern. "There are thousands of Centurions that are currently in the blast zones as well as some of us who have been assigned to those facilities."
"No, as soon as they detect the human fleet in orbit they have been instructed to leave the human compounds to wait for the nuclear charges to go off," James replied getting tired of all the questions. "All of our own models will be evacuated in heavy raiders that are standing by as soon as the human fleet is detected. Once the charges have gone off, our Centurions will return to the compounds and wipe out any humans that may have survived." James felt sure that he had thought of everything. He didn't notice the concerned knowing look that passed between Lisa and Melissa.
JOINT DEMETER AND KOBOLAN TASKGROUP
OPERATING IN STEALTH MODE
CAPRICA SYSTEM
Admiral Stone, Admiral Reed, Admiral Murray, and Admiral Crius were meeting in a small conference room on the Mercury Class Battlestar Aires. They were reviewing the scans from the Electronics Surveillance Ship the Silent Searcher. For the last several days, the Silent Searcher, under escort of a Kobolan Battle Cruiser and two Kobolan Escort ships, had been jumping around the Colonies and the nearby star systems. The Silent Searcher had been scanning for Cylon as well as Colonial ship signatures with her new and improved sensor arrays. The two Kobolan Escort ships had also been emplacing Kobolan FTL sensor buoys in each system.
"I don't like what we have found," Admiral Stone spoke pointing to one of the sensor scans lying on the table in front of him. "The Cylons have a fleet of 18 Basestars and 36 Support Ships setting just outside the Picon system."
"From the communication intercepts, we know that the Cylons are holding captives on Picon as well as Celeen 2," Admiral Murray commented gazing at the bright dots on the sensor scan. "They have been threatening to execute their hostages. It has to be a trap for Admiral Clements."
"A trap for your Admiral Clements," Admiral Crius echoed nodding his head slowly. "These Cylons are crafty indeed. They use your captive people to lure your Admiral and his fleet in."
"Those Cylon ships will jump into the Picon system when Admiral Clements launches his rescue mission," Admiral Reed continued nodding in agreement. He leaned forwards studying the several of the sensor scan sheets in more detail. "Clements has to suspect this is a trap."
"What are we going to do?" Admiral Murray asked looking at Admiral Stone. "Do we commit our ships if the Cylons close their trap on Admiral Clements?"
"I suggest we jump our ships to the outskirts of the Picon system and wait," Admiral Stone spoke gazing down at the bright white energy signatures on the scan sheets. "If Admiral Clements gets into trouble we will be in a position to assist. The Silent Seeker's sensors will detect his ships when they jump into the Picon system. We will see how he matches up with the Cylon force. We will not allow Clement's ships to be destroyed! Place all your task groups at condition two and be prepared for combat!"
14 HOURS LATER
ADMIRAL CLEMENTS FLEET OUTSIDE THE PICON SYSTEM
Admiral Clements looked at the large Dradis screen and the view screens that surrounded it. The Dradis was full of green icons and the view screens full of ships. The Battlestar Tauri was centered on one screen and the Battlestar Picon on another. Around each Battlestar their individual fleets waited, hungry to begin the attack. Admiral Clements took a deep breath. So it's come to this, he thought. The Cylons were sure to be waiting. He was about to send some of his best people into a trap, he wondered briefly what his wife would have thought about him sending so many young men and women to their deaths. Scarcely a day passed that he didn't think about her or their son.
Commander Cain stood at Admiral Clement's side waiting patiently for his orders. So much planning had gone into this mission. If they were successful, the war against the Cylons could be turned around completely. If they failed, then the war essentially would be over. It would be years or possibly decades before Admiral Steele, back in the nebula, would be ready to venture forth. By then the Cylons would be so solidly entrenched in the Colonies it might be impossible to drive them out.
The tactical officers and their subordinates waited expectantly knowing that very soon they would be involved in the largest fleet operation since Admiral Nagala tried to hold at Virgon. Around the entire massive CIC tension and expectation was in the air. There was an eerie silence in the room as everyone waited for the operation to begin.
Pressing the com button on his console, Admiral Clements prepared to give Admiral Reynolds and Admiral Stockwell their orders. For a moment he paused, he felt hesitant about giving the order knowing that possibly thousands of young men and women were about to die. He knew they would suffer casualties and ship losses; there was no way around it. The attack was ready to commence. All their months of careful planning had been aimed at this moment; he just hoped they had not over looked anything.
"Admiral Reynolds and Admiral Stockwell you have a go, good luck and good hunting," Admiral Clements spoke, recalling when Admiral Nagala had spoken those very same words to him so many months back.
CELEEN 2
Down on Celeen 2 Colonel Jacobson looked worriedly over the latest reports from the various compounds. Things were deteriorating. It had finally reached a point that they could no longer mine the Tylium the Cylons demanded. The Cylons each week had been steadily increasing the daily quotas of Tylium to be mined and processed. Mining and refining the Tylium was back breaking work requiring long hours of tedious labor. For the underfed and undernourished men and women under his command it was becoming impossible!
Colonel Jacobson knew that once they began to miss their daily quotas, the Cylons would begin executing captives as an example to the others to work harder. The deaths had slowed down some once the word had been spread that Admiral Clements had survived and was leading a resistance fleet. However, so much time had passed since that initial word that hope was once more fading. The lack of food and medicine was still taking its daily toll and starting to get worse. Colonel Jacobson was currently meeting with his staff and listening to the reports from his fellow officers.
"We are pretty sure something is going on," Lieutenant Gibbs reported with worry in his voice. "All the compounds report that the Centurions have emplaced several new heavily defended buildings in each compound. Just like the two we have here. No one knows what they are or what they contain. There have also been reports of numerous missile defense batteries being set up outside the compounds. We know of at least six that have been set up outside our own compound."
"Very well Lieutenant, it's obvious the Cylons are up to something, we just don't know what," Colonel Jacobson commented his eyes moving across the small group of officers. "These new missile defense batteries have all been set up a considerable distance from the compounds. Why so far away from the compound garrisons concerns me. They would be less likely to be targeted closer to the compounds. We need to continue to keep an eye on those new buildings and see if we can find out just what's inside them. I don't like this at all. I have a very bad feeling about this."
"Sir," Lieutenant Anderson said rushing into the room almost out of breath an excited look on his face. The Cylon Centurions are leaving, not only that but we can see what looks like explosions up in space."
"Clements," Colonel Jacobson said standing up with renewed hope lighting up his weary eyes. "As soon as the Centurions are gone I want to find out what's in those two new buildings. Lieutenant Gibbs as soon as it is safe to do so, take some men and break into both of them!"
"Yes sir," Lieutenant Gibbs replied. Turning he rushed out to gather up some men he knew that he could depend on. He was worried about what might be in those two buildings and the only way to find out was to break into them and look. The next big question was why had the Centurions left?
A FEW MINUTES EARLIER ABOVE CELEEN 2
Above Celeen 2, Admiral Reynolds watched the Dradis screen aboard his flagship the Battlestar Tauri attentively, as his fleet rapidly closed on the Cylon ships.
"Cylons launching raiders," Lieutenant Everson the Dradis operator reported as his Dradis screen began to show numerous red threat icons. "Estimate 400 in bound with more still launching!"
"Order all ships to launch vipers I want those raiders intercepted," Reynolds ordered calmly as his eyes moved to the operation's table, which currently showed the position of his ships in relation to the Cylon ships. "All ships to close on targets, I want that Basestar and those two Support Ships blown out of space! Standby for raider suppression fire." Turning to his Exec, he commented worriedly. "I had hoped the Cylons would jump away when they saw how badly they are outnumbered."
"It looks like they are going to stay and fight," Colonel Madden responded watching the Dradis screen attentively.
Vipers rushed down their launch tubes blasting into space from the two large Battlestars the Tauri and Solaria. The two Columbia Two Class Battlestars Altair and Spica were also launching their vipers, in just a matter of a few minutes almost 600 Colonial vipers were headed toward the deadly wall of incoming raiders.
"Eleven hundred raiders now inbound, no heavy raiders detected," Lieutenant Everson reported as his screen continued to light up with red threat icons.
"Frak that's a lot of raiders," Colonel Madden commented as he watched the wall of raiders closing on their fleet. "Stand by for suppression fire on my command," he ordered Captain Jones the tactical officer.
"Order the Marine ships to stay behind us; the Gunstars are to stay with them to cover them from raider attacks if any get through our fighter screen," Reynolds ordered as he stared intently at the Dradis screen watching the approaching Cylon raiders. He noticed that no heavy raiders were in the approaching wall of Cylon ships, he would have thought they would have been mixed in. "Watch out for their heavy raiders, they have to be here somewhere!"
Pressing his mini com, he activated the fleet communication's line between him and Commander John Livingston on the Battlestar Solaria. "Let's focus on the Basestar John. Commander Wells has his orders as far as the Support Ships go."
"Cylon Basestar is now in weapons range," Captain Jones reported as his weapons began showing target lock.
"Engage with our main KEW batteries, standby on missile tubes," Admiral Reynolds ordered. Colonel Madden had moved over to stand next to Captain Jones ensuring that the KEW batteries were targeting the correct areas of the Basestar.
"Initiate suppression fire on inbound ordinance," Madden ordered as missiles began launching from the Basestar. "Set the defensive batteries to automatic fire,"
The Tauri's six heavy KEW batteries began to fire sending heavy rounds toward the Cylon Basestar at a fraction of the speed of light. As soon as they fired, they recycled and fired again. The ship vibrated slightly each time a heavy round was fired. The entire loading and firing operation was automatic once set in motion.
In space the vipers and raiders had became mixed in a deadly dogfight. Explosions littered space as vipers and raiders alike were wiped out in the ferocious battle. The vipers were more maneuverable but the raiders carried heavier ordinance. Small fireballs littered space as weapons and ships exploded. Pairs of vipers working together would blast apart a Cylon raider with their 20-millimeter cannons or an interceptor missile. The Cylons worked in groups of three trying to separate the Colonial vipers from their wing mates and then would use their deadly interceptor missiles to take out the Colonial viper.
"Solaria is firing," Captain Jones reported aboard the Tauri as the second Battlestar began firing her KEW batteries at the Basestar.
The two larger Battlestars were targeting the Basestar while the Warstar Olympia and the two Columbia Two Class Battlestars were targeting the two Support Ships.
Weapons fire was now becoming intense between the three ships. Numerous damaging impacts could be seen on the Cylon Basestar as the heavy KEW rounds struck and penetrated deep into the Cylon ship. Explosions began to rock the Basestar under the deadly onslaught of the two Battlestars. In turn, the Basestar was steadily firing missiles trying to penetrate the two Battlestar's flak screens.
The Dradis had already sounded a warning alarm indicating that some of those missile contained nuclear warheads. That had been expected.
Admiral Reynolds felt the Tauri shudder as a Cylon missile penetrated the flak screen and slammed home striking the ship's thick reactive armor. Several red lights lit up on the damage control board.
"Small tactical nuke hit frames fourteen and fifteen on the lower hull," Colonel Madden reported. "Damage is minimal."
"Sir I am detecting a group of heavy raiders coming up from Celeen 2 and they are armed with nukes. Dradis indicates 40 plus heavy raiders now inbound in a single compact formation," Lieutenant Everson warned as he tracked the inbounds.
"That's where their heavy raiders have been hiding," Madden said as he watched the approaching heavy raiders on the screens. "Trying to hide beneath the cloud layer where we couldn't detect them."
"Have several of our squadrons intercept those heavy raiders," Reynolds ordered trying to keep track of the shifting battle glancing down at the operation's table. This now showed the location of the heavy raiders in relation to BSG 15. "We need to keep those nukes away from us!"
At that moment, a large explosion obliterated one of the Support Ships blinding the view screens. When the screen cleared all that remained of the Support Ship was a cloud of burning gases and debris.
"Olympia fired her MPL," Captain Jones reported stunned. "The Support Ship is gone, it was totally annihilated!
Aboard the Olympia Commander David Wells watched with a satisfied nod as the Support Ship exploded under the heavy fire of the Olympia's MPL. "Close with the second Support Ship, and fire the laser batteries." The second Support Ship was already under heavy fire from the two Columbia Two Battlestars. Several large explosions could be seen coming from the Support Ship as KEW rounds penetrated and blasted large holes in her hull and armor. Several fires could be seen raging deep inside the Cylon ship.
Aboard the Tauri Admiral Reynolds watched tensely as his vipers engaged the inbound heavy raiders. The attacking raiders fell back in mass and formed up around the inbound heavy raider squadron forming an almost unpenetratable wall of attacking craft.
"Frak," he muttered feeling worried looking over at Colonel Madden. "Those heavy raiders are going to fire their missiles in mass, we need to penetrate their raider screen. Send the rest of the squadrons in!"
The viper squadrons closed on the Cylon raiders firing missiles and their cannons at the closely compacted mass of Cylon ships. Numerous fireballs lit up the raider formation as raider after raider was blown apart. Return fire from the raiders was also taking out occasional vipers who ventured too close. Strangely enough, a number of the Cylon raiders turned suddenly away and seemed to be fleeing the battle.
"Maintain our flak screen," Admiral Clements ordered watching the Dradis screen as the wall of Cylon craft continued to close. "All KEW batteries continue to fire on the Basestar. I want that ship destroyed!" He could see on the Dradis that some of the weapons fire from the vipers was finally penetrating the Cylon raider defensive wall and hitting the heavy raiders. He wondered why some of the raiders seemed to be leaving the scene of battle. It wasn't a great number, perhaps forty to fifty raiders, but it was a curious development.
"Twelve heavy raiders confirmed destroyed," Lieutenant Everson reported as he scanned his information feeds. "Twenty heavy raiders destroyed," he continued. "I have inbound nuclear missile launch from the heavy raiders! I repeat we have inbound nuclear missiles. Dradis count is 62 missiles inbound." A warning alarm could be heard going off in the CIC as nuclear ordinance was detected and the threat level rose.
"Vipers are trying to take them out," Colonel Madden reported as numerous vipers turned and took off in pursuit of the missiles. "They are trying to engage them with their own interceptor missiles."
"Lock down the ship," Admiral Reynolds ordered tight-lipped knowing they probably wouldn't be able to get them all. "Close all emergency blast doors."
Throughout the Tauri, hatches slammed shut and huge blast doors slid down sealing off entire sections of the ship.
"Vipers are still in pursuit," Madden reported as he stayed on his mini com talking to the squadron leaders. "Vipers are engaging the inbound missiles with interceptor missiles. The missiles are targeted on the Solaria and us!"
"Twelve missiles destroyed by vipers, eighteen missiles destroyed by vipers, missiles entering flak suppression field," Lieutenant Everson reported as the inbound missiles began to vanish from his screen." Two missiles have penetrated," his voice was cut off as two huge explosions rocked the Tauri.
Several consoles exploded in a shower of brilliant sparks and several crewmembers were thrown violently to the floor of the CIC. Smoke began to fill the room. Damage control personnel hurried to extinguish several small fires in the CIC. Emergency ventilation fans kicked in drawing out the smoke.
"Decompression in sections 2 and 6, frames 7 through 15 damaged. Defensive turrets 4, 12, and 16 destroyed," the damage control officer reported. "Fires reported in sections 3 and 4, fire suppression being initiated. Repair teams and medical teams in route. The blast doors to the affected area held sir and the reactive armor absorbed most of the blast."
"Several nukes hit the Solaria also," Colonel Madden reported as he listened to the damage reports over his mini com.
"Continue to fire on that Basestar," Admiral Reynolds ordered clenching his teeth feeling angry that the Cylons had been able to mount a successful attack against the two Battlestars. "Contact Commander Livingston I want the Solaria's damage report!"
On the main view screen, the Cylon Basestar was a battered wreck. Fires raged out of control and huge holes covered its surface where impact rounds from the KEW Batteries had penetrated deep into the ship's interior. Her firing was becoming more sporadic as numerous systems failed and missile tubes were destroyed. Very few missiles were now being launched.
"Put two nukes into that ship," Admiral Clements ordered as he gazed at one of the view screens, which showed the burning Cylon ship.
Two heavy missiles streaked away from the Tauri and flew almost unhindered through the Basestar's light defensive fire to impact on the Basestar. Two huge fiery explosions covered the view screen, when it cleared up all that remained was a debris field of glowing gas and twisted metal.
"Sir Commander Livingston reports that the Solaria took two nukes practically on top of each other to his Beta landing bay cracking the reactive armor shielding and depressurizing part of the bay. The bay is heavily damaged and has been shut down. He estimates at least three to six hours to get it back into operation," Colonel Madden reported. "His casualty figures are over 120 dead or missing."
"Frak," Admiral Reynolds said as he saw the second Support Ship explode under the withering fire of the Olympia and the two Columbia Two Battlestars. "Order our vipers to finish mopping up the raiders. As soon as the last raider is gone, General Abramson can begin his assault. Have our two Defender Class Gunstars, the Oracle and Therms, attached to the Solaria to give her additional defensive fire if she needs it while her repairs are underway. She may need it shortly if Admiral Clements is correct and this is all just one big trap. From the way the Cylon ships stayed and fought, instead of jumping away and the way those heavy raiders attacked, I am pretty sure he is correct."
Admiral Reynolds had not expected the heavy damage the Solaria had suffered to her landing bay, nor the successful nuclear strike against his own Battlestar. The Cylons had wanted to inflict some damage to his fleet at any cost. They had sacrificed almost all their raiders and heavy raiders to get the nuclear missiles in against the Tauri and Solaria. They were bound to follow it up with a major fleet attack. Fortunately, the fighting ability of both ships was unimpaired with most or all of their weapons still intact.
A few minutes later, the last remaining raider was blasted out of space by the viper squadrons.
"Sir, General Abramson reports that the Gideon has taken up position and is transmitting the nuke disarming codes to the surface. The Chirion is also ready. The two Marine Assault Ships have taken up positions behind them," the Exec reported. "We are ready to begin the ground landings."
"What are our viper losses?" Admiral Reynolds asked looking at his Exec. He knew that a lot of pilots had lost their lives. You don't take out over a 1,000 raiders and heavy raiders without casualties.
"114 vipers lost another 82 damaged," Madden reported grimly.
"Frak that really hurts us with the vipers. What about the pilots?" Admiral Reynolds asked.
"We are picking up 38 emergency beacons," Colonel Madden reported. "Rescue raptors have already been launched."
"Let's get our vipers back in and refueled and rearmed. I want all raptors armed with interceptor missiles," Admiral Reynolds ordered. "I'm afraid this is only the beginning and we are going to need ever raptor and viper we have!"
Down on the surface of Celeen 2, Lieutenant Gibbs had finally succeeded in breaking into one of the new buildings. While the building was not large, he almost passed out from fear when he saw what it contained. "Get Colonel Jacobson now!" he ordered one of the marines standing next to him.
Lieutenant Gibbs looked at the large nuclear device that sat before him. On its LED control panel brilliant red letters formed the word armed. It was not counting down, but Lieutenant Gibbs knew that it could at any moment. He wondered just what the fraking Cylons were up to. From the reports, these new buildings were in every compound, he was sure they all contained nukes!
It didn't take long for Colonel Jacobson to arrive. The Colonel looked at the nuclear weapon with deep concern. "Now we know why the Cylon Centurions left." It was at that moment that the words on the deadly weapon changed from armed to disarmed. "What the frak," the Colonel muttered surprised. Several loud explosions from outside attracted his attention, and Lieutenant Gibbs stepped outside looking up.
"Sir, we have a large ship descending and it's launching Nomad Assault shuttles and what looks like Archangel Bombers. It's also firing on the Cylon positions," Lieutenant Gibbs reported excitedly as he stepped back inside the building. "I have never seen a ship like this one before. It looks Colonial, but I'm not sure what class it is."
Colonel Jacobson stepped outside and looked up at the huge ship hovering about ten kilometers overhead. "That my son is a Marine Assaultstar," he said with awe and stunned surprise. "They were retired over 40 years ago."
Another Assaultstar could be seen hovering higher up above the nearer one. The sky was now full of descending shuttles and bombers. The bombers were streaking off to attack the Cylon positions. Occasional Cylon missiles could be seen streaking up toward the two giant ships but they were almost nonchalantly blown out of the sky by the ship's massive point defensive systems. For a moment Colonel Jacobson felt a tear form in his eye, his knees felt weak as he realized that their captivity was about to come to an end. They had survived. The marines were coming!