Chapter 49 The Attack Begins

"What is our current situation?" inquired Commander John Shepard as he stood in the war room with the former Cerberus officer and top scientist. She tapped on the holographic keyboard as the real time image of the surrounding space appeared. Dominating the projection was the mass effect Relay which appeared in green then in a straight line located near end of the relay was the three ship currently under his tactical command. The central ship was the Normandy with the free Cylon Basestar taking position on the left and the Galactica on the right.

"As you can see we have formed a standard picket line in front of the path any ship would have to follow to use the Relay." explained Miranda "However the Cylons have no ships capable of using the relays but it still the best position to guard against an attack.

"How so they can appear in any direction and strike us." Stated John "That is one key advance that the Colonial FTL has once a ship jumps they can go in any direction we have to go in a pretty much straight line."

"True their FTL has that advantage we have the edge in power output and speed of travel however at the distances we are talking about it is about the same." countered Miranda "Even with their ability to jump in from any direction they will likely appear right in front of us."

"Why would they do that?" asked Shepard both of them knowing while he was brilliant in small squad on squad combat commander and great in larger ground operations. The finer points of large ship to ship combat in the multiple directions of space had always eluded him.

"Think of the Relay as a sort of natural barrier." Explained Miranda as tapped on the keyboard as a large green field appeared around the mass effect relay extending in the direction but it extended mostly away from them following the path of the long gun like barrel of the relay. "With its powerful mass effect fields it would throw any targeting and guidance computer the Cylons haywire. The only way for them to use it is if they move very slowly and then they are just sitting ducks for the guns of the Galactica."

"So we have three sides to worry about." Stated Shepard

"Actually we have five, remember there is an up and down in space and the Relay only covers us from behind." correct Miranda with a smile at the fact that she corrected him. "But the Cylons will come at us head on."

"Why? If they hit us from any other direction we would have to redeploy our forces and that would give throw us off balance." stated Shepard "If I where them I would attack from above and below and split our fire."

"You are thinking tactically but not psychology." added Miranda as she tapped the keyboard as images of Basestars appeared in front of the images of the three ships "We just kicked them in the teeth when your sister destroyed the Resurrection Hub and they want to prove they themselves in a head to head fight. I believe they will appear in a line here and move on us in an attempt to prove their power by overwhelming us. "

"Well they are in for a rude surprise because when our reinforcements arrive in just over three hours they will be coming in right behind us and if they appear where you believe they will be directly front of the Cylon forces." Stated Shepard

"And with the forces that is coming they don't stand a chance." stated Miranda "If anything they will be slaughtered."

"Agreed, the question is what to do until the fleet arrives because even the report from the free Cylons are right about the number of ships and we will be overrun by numbers alone." stated Miranda "If only we could add the Pegasus to our line we could hold them off longer."

Shepard shock his head at the idea.

"That ship is watching over the civilian ships but they have given us extra Raptors armed with missile pods." explained Shepard

"I know and I have moved them right where I want them." explained Miranda as she tapped on the keyboard as the image zoomed in "Also thanks to Tali we have arranged a surprise in the Cylon fleet."

"Good, but remember we are being watched by the Reapers so whenever the Cylons appear we need to offer them a chance to surrender and make peace." ordered Shepard "Offer to give them back the key to resurrection technology in return for them making peace with the humans and freeing all centurions they have."

"They will never go for that." stated Miranda as she looked into her friend's eyes "But you know that already don't you."

"Yes." confirmed Shepard "But we have to try none the less."

"Alright but what are you going to do about the fact that multiple members of the Colonial high command including the right hand man of Admiral Adama and the main aid of the President Roslin was Cylons?" inquired Miranda "Some already believe we are trying to take them over they will think this is a part of a set up."

"We control the communications from New Caprica correct?" asked Shepard knowing that the resistance and colonial forces on New Caprica had been using their communication equipment to send reports.

"Yes." confirmed Miranda "Do you want me to block the information about the final five?"

"In a way, make a report detailing our findings to Admiral Adama and President Roslin their eyes only." ordered Shepard as he tried to limit the amount of information that was shared about the final five Cylons.

"Very well now what about your sister?" asked Miranda as Shepard shock his head.

"The Council has already decided that for me, the Public Relation department is already planning a reunion special between the two of us." Stated John as he shook his head a bit "Maybe I am being too hard on her since I wasn't there but still to try to kill yourself and untold others by causing a Reaper harvest is crazy. Maybe I'll take Ash's advice and talk with her after we finish things here."

"Can't hurt I don't really know how my relationship with my sister would be if you hadn't talked me into speaking with her all those years ago." explained Miranda as Shepard nodded his head. "Where is Ashley by the way?"

"Getting some sleep, we have been up since." started Shepard before checking his Omni-tool's built in watch "Well just over 35 hours now."

"Go join her, you need your rest or else you would be worthless to everyone." ordered Miranda as John nodded his head taking the order from his friend as he turned and headed out of the war room and toward his bed.

While Commander Shepard went to bed to rest, Ellen Tigh and Galen Tryol where being lead through the corridors of a ship neither one of them ever remembered being on before. Leading the way for them was Boomer with the other models following behind them. All eyes where the two of them as they moved into a large room. The walls of the room was made out of nothing but large tubes with floating nude bodies of the Cylon models. In the center of the room was a large structure with a series of multiple tubes built into the towering structure. Sitting behind the structure were two large tanks however unlike the others which where all but see through these where closed off except for a human size opening in the top. In the front of the object were two flat slabs.

"What is that?" inquired Galen

"It is the oldest form of resurrection technology and the only one we have at the moment." Explained Boomer as she lowered her head a bit

"What are you talking about?" asked Ellen as sudden two centurions grabbed her arms, moments later Galen had two centurions on him. The centurions didn't harm them instead they lifted them up just high enough do that their feet couldn't touch the deck.

"What the frak are you doing!" snapped Galen as he was forced onto one of the slabs as the centurions locked them down with arms and legs restraints. Ellen was in a slimier state as the slabs leaned back a bit.

"We need to transfer your concuss into your new body." explained Boomer as she moved to Galen's side "And the only way to do that is a hard line download."

"What do you mean?" asked Ellen

"You will see and I am sorry but there is no other way." apologized Boomer as backed away, then without warning two large spikes came down from the machine striking them both of them just had enough to piece the scull but not strike the brain. Both Galen and Ellen screamed in pain as the machine began scanning and downloading the electrical neural patterns of them.

"10% done." reported Cavil as the two large tanks behind the machine began to boil a bit as the transfer the began to memories into the new bodies. "Should take about 30 minutes for total download."

"Does it have to be this painful for them?" inquired a six as Ellen and Galen kept screaming at the top of their lungs as the scanning kept working.

"It's the only way." Stated Cavil as he looked at Ellen's screaming face with a smile on his face "Besides it all hurts a bit when we come back."

"Still the way you tell it they basically made us, they are our parents we have to do something to help ease their pain." Countered the six

"Deal with it, we are launching the attack on the Alien base within the hour I have things to look over." stated Cavil as he walked out of the room with a slight smile knowing that he now had the power of the Colony at his command. With this firepower he believed that he could destroy anything and while the ground forces would strike the Citadel forces on New Caprica the total strength of their fleet would strike at the Relay destroying not only their space force but the ground forces at the same time.

Down on New Caprica Garrus was busy looking over a map of the terrain around the Prothean bunker and he didn't like what he saw. The Cylon forces where amassing in such a way that they could strike from three sides almost at once. The Cylons had heavy guns and tanks, they had heavier weapons and numbers however he had four key advantage for them but each one of those also came with a disadvantage. The first advantage was that they had the technology to cause them a lot of pain but they only had so many rounds for their weapons and barriers had limits. The second advantage was the fact that they had a group of free centurions operating within the Cylon command which was giving them real time information but most of the free centurions where up in the Cylon fleet slowly gaining control of ships so it wouldn't help them much. The third advantage was the fact that they had multiple levels of defenses and a final line of defense in the form of the door leading into the Prothean bunker. The final advantage was the fact that the Citadel fleet was only hours away and once they arrived it was all but over for the Cylons.

"Any ideas on how to deal with the Cylon forces?" inquired Liara as she looked at the same holographic map.

"It is simple we face them and we destroy them." Stated Wrex with a smile "I only regret that me and my fellow Krogans couldn't take part in the first attack on the city."

"No offense but I would rather buy as much time as possible so I have Zaeed setting up advance skirmish lines just outside of New Caprica City itself." Reported Garrus "Because we have too much time between now and the soonest that the Citadel fleet could arrive. We need to buy as much time as possible."

"So that is where Grunt and Zaeed took off to." Laughed Wrex as he turned to Garrus "Why didn't you let me join the fun."

"Don't worry you will have a lot of "Fun" when they get here."

Back inside the city limits of New Caprica a Cavilmoved to the front of a large column of vehicles which had been sitting in the same place for too long for his liking. If he had his way they would have launched their attack but the others had demanded that they take time to plan their attack. In the end the attack plan was as simple as it was effective the massive Cylon ground force would leave with the cover of slow moving Raiders before slitting into three columns. The three columns would surround the Citadel forces on three side and then begin their attack with a mix of heavy artillery and air strikes. Once they had destroyed the known fix gun emplacements they would move in with the ground forces with a special force leading the way.

"Is everything ready?" asked Cavil as he jumped into the passage seat of what looked like an old fashion Humvee

"Yes, sir." Reported the masked driver. "The New Caprica Army is ready to fight."

"Army." Said Cavil as he tried not to laugh as he looked at the eight large trucks which was filled with about 18 men and women each dressed in colonial army combat uniforms with assault rifles waiting to lead the Cylon forces against what they saw as enemies of the Lord of Kobol. "We shall see if they are ready."

"They are." Reassured the driver as the massive army took off down the path which was partly made over the now abounded tent city when New Caprica City civilians where condensed into a smaller area. The heavy armored tanks led the way with massive guns pointed down range, behind the tanks where large vehicles full of Centurions, then even more tanks before finally the foot mounted Centurions.

The screams had finally come to an end as Ellen and Galen feel silent, during the whole process Boomer had remained at Galen's side. She knelt by his side in prayer trying to calm him then suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder causing her to jump a bit. As she turned around only to see a three standing there.

"You scared me." stated Boomer as the three smile as the former news reporter moved to stand beside her.

"It should be about over." stated the three as she moved some of her blonde hair out of her eyes. "He should wake up any moment in his new body."

"And I will be there for him." Stated Boomer

"Well you do realize that he will wake up in the tanks in the back not up here." Explained the three as Boomer's eyes widened before she rushed around the machine to the tank located directly behind Galen. "You love him don't you?"

"I never really got over him and now that he is a Cylon maybe there is a chance." Explained Boomer before she smiled "Also according to Cavil, I am modeled off his girlfriend who died in a car accident."

"But he was also dating the other female final five." Countered the three "And that isn't counting his wife."

"But the person I was modeled after died before those two started going out." explained Boomer "I personally don't think she will be that willing to overlook that the is a Cylon, not many people are."

"It is always good to have hope but what about his son, that isn't something he will give up fast." added the Three as Boomer looked down making it clear she hadn't thought of that. She didn't have time to answer as suddenly a figure shot out of the resurrection liquid. His face was covered with thick goo as he took a deep breath as his hand reached up and pulled the goo off his face.

"How are you doing?" asked Boomer as she looked at the confused Galen

Back on the surface of New Caprica the command vehicle of the Cylon army was nearing the edge of a large woods which marked the only major natural barrier between New Caprica City and the Citadel forces. Apart from this woods there was only a few small creeks and a few patches of trees stood in the way of the Cylon tanks and the Citadel defense line. Teams of Centurions had worked all night to cut a path wide enough for five tanks to move side by side through the woods. The woods was over ten miles wide but by the time the command vehicle entered the woods the lead armored units where already on the other side.

"How long will this take?" asked Cavil as the command vehicle bounced a bit over the uneven land. Cavil turned his gaze to the massive line of downed tree trunks which the Centurions had simply tossed into the brush.

"Should take us about two hours to reach their lines." Reported the driver as Cavil's eyes saw widened as he reached for his sidearm as he saw movement only to relax a bit as he saw a deer jump out from behind a tree. "Is something wrong sir?"

"Just a deer." answered Cavil as calmed down. Then suddenly the tank in front of them exploded in a giant fireball, moment's later gunfire filled the air as the tree line erupted in gunfire.

Well I hope you liked this chapter the subzero temperatures where I live pretty much stopped me from doing anything else the writing and watching football. Now until next time I would ask that you keep reading. Thanks Wilkins75.