Chapter Twenty

BATTLESTAR ANNAPOLIS – KOBOL SYSTEM - COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER

On Richter's console display, a brief set of numbers appeared on the screen that she was looking at. She knew what it was: a code from the Icarus that meant that the TAD's were almost ready, but there were incoming hostiles. She sent out a coded reply that Forrest would recognize as an acknowledgement that the Annapolis was nearby and would move in to assist if needed.

"Commandant", Richter called out, "I've got that status checklist completed".

Ford nodded and went over to her position. He looked at the screen and nodded.

"Excellent, Comms", Ford announced, "Keep me posted".

"Yes, Commandant", she replied.

APC from Peregrine GENERAL IKE

As the Icarus came into sight, the driver slammed on the brakes and simultaneously threw the switch to open the rear door. The marines quickly ran out to take up covering positions around the APC. Up in the driver's cab, Captain Puller was in wireless communication with Sergeant-Major Carter.

"Six", Carter communicated, "we're in position. Ready to move in on your order".

"Stand by, Four", Puller ordered, using Carter's abbreviated callsign: Chesty Four. Just then, the driver interrupted:

"We've got an incoming transmission from the Icarus, Six", the driver reported.

"Okay, let me have it", Puller said. The driver flipped a switch.

"Receiving", Puller curtly said.

"Better hold whatever you're doing. Alliance Navy Commandant Ginny Annan is coming out to you, so you'd better not have your people advance on us", the voice over the comm-link said, "or she just might end up being what you would quaintly call 'collateral damage'".

"Who is this?" Puller demanded.

"This is Brother Forrest of the Knights Templar. I'm the captain of the Icarus", was the reply.

"This is Captain Puller of the Alliance Marine Corps and I am demanding your immediate surrender. Do so and there will be no deaths", Puller announced, "You don't, and we go straight in. We don't let hostages detract from our mission and I'm sure that you know that".

"The Templars don't surrender, Captain Puller", Forrest communicated back, "and we're all prepared to die if necessary. Commandant Annan will be the first one killed if you try to immediately storm this ship".

"I'm giving you thirty seconds, Forrest, then we're coming in. no more negotiations!" Puller said. Just then, the driver tapped his on the shoulder and pointed to his console. Puller nodded and the driver flipped a switch changing the comm-link frequency. Puller recognized the voice on the other end as that of Corporal Terrence McGruder.

"A person is emerging from the Icarus, Six", McGruder said, "Female. She's in Alliance Navy uniform. Looks like she's wearing the rank insignia of a Commandant. He hands are up and she's not carrying anything, but she's slowly walking towards my position".

Clicking his comm-link back to Forrest's frequency, Puller asked, "Who is that that's just emerged?"

"That's Commandant Annan, Captain Puller", Forrest announced, "so you might want to reconsider your ultimatum".

Puller thought initially that it may be some kind of trap, but as he saw McGruder's helmet-cam image of Annan, he made a swift decision. He clicked his comm-link on the universal combat frequency.

"All marines, Hold!", Puller ordered, "Corporal McGruder, get to Commandant Annan now! We're gonna play it safe. Check her out, then bring her to me!" Clicking his comm-link back to Forrest's frequency, he said, "We're holding fire".

"Well, Captain", Forrest said, "looks like you're a lot smarter than what I'd have expected from a marine officer. As long as one person only comes to meet her, our people will hold their fire as well".

"You're still in the bad tactical position, Forrest", Puller shot back, "and if any of you open fire on them, we're taking you all out!"

"If we hear that the Jerusalem is coming under attack, then the deal is off, Puller and I'll immediately blow this world into oblivion", Forest communicated next, "so you'd better let your people heading there know".

APC from peregrine TONDOLAYO

"Status, Five", Holcomb heard over his headset. It was Puller communicating from the General Ike's APC.

"We're within two minutes of interception, Six", Holcomb reported.

"As soon as you get there, deploy your troops, but do not attack. Wait for my order. Acknowledge", Puller communicated.

Holcomb frowned. He was about to ask why when he heard Puller add, "Exercising discretionary authority". Holcomb know what that meant: a code for 'communications possibly being monitored by enemy'.

"Understood, Six", Holcomb acknowledged. Clicking off his comm-link, he turned to his senior NCO: Gunnery Sergeant Xue Janping.

"Gunny", Holcomb said, "those Templars may be listening in on our communications. Have the men use hand signals only in their communications until I give the word to attack. Understood?' Xue nodded.

"Coming up to the Jerusalem, El-Tee", the driver announced, "Tondolayo is in orbiting position above her so she can't get off the ground.

"Get ready to deploy", Holcomb ordered.

OUTSIDE PEST SURVEY SHIP ICARUS

Walking slowly with her hands over her head, Ginny Annan walked slowly away from the Icarus. She had remembered the last thing that Forrest had said to her before pushing her out the hatch:

"No heroics, Annan", he said to her, "or not only will your husband meet a very messy demise, your own back will be riddled with a lot of bullets, which would most assuredly be very unhealthy for your continued existence. You tell them what I told you".

Annan was thinking about that when a voice called out "Halt". Annan stopped moving.

"Put your hands behind your head and go down on both knees", that voice ordered.

"I'm Commandant Annan", Ginny called out.

"I don't care if you're the President!" the voice sounded back, "Do as you're told or you're a deader!" Obediently, Annan complied.

A few seconds later, a marine emerged walking towards her slowly. His weapon was pointed squarely at Annan's head. The marine – after glancing at the Icarus and not seeing anything obviously hostile (in other words, seeing any weapons pointing towards him) – reached Annan. He quickly circled around her.

"Stand up", he ordered, "and keep your hands behind your head".

"What's all this, Corporal McGruder?" Annan demanded. She saw the marine's rank insignia and name plate on his uniform.

"Just making sure that you are who you say you are, 'Commandant'", McGruder replied, "after all, it wouldn't do to bring a Templar suicide bomber in to meet Chesty Six now, would it?" he finished with a sneer.

McGruder quickly patted her down and verified that she was unarmed. He then ordered her to put her hands behind her back. As she did so, he quickly secured her wrists with handcuffs.

"Start walking, 'Commandant'", McGruder said, "and don't try anything funny. I'm sure that – if you are indeed an Alliance naval officer – why we marines tend to err on the side of caution in certain things".

"If you're asking me if I'm going to court-martial you for this, Corporal", Annan said as she walked in the direction that he had gestured to, "don't worry: I won't. But I have to get to your Commanding Officer at once."

"Then less talk and more walk", McGruder said. With that, he activated his comm-link.

"She's clean, Six", McGruder communicated to Puller, "I'm bringing her in now".

"Expedite", Puller ordered.

PEST SURVEY SHIP ICARUS

Forrest had a few minutes ago received the coded acknowledgement signal from the Annapolis – which was reassuring. So, he thought: the Battlestar Annapolis was in-system and ready to assist. If neither Truly nor Hunter knew about Commandant Ford being nearby, then things were certainly not beyond repair. So perhaps there would be a way for at least someone to report success to Pretorius after all.

"Brother Forrest", one of the bridge technicians said, "We've just received word from TAD-2 that the priming is complete. All TAD's are now set for detonation".

Forrest – who had been looking at a viewscreen that showed Annan being led towards the APC by McGruder – nodded. He headed over to the TAD detonation console and tapped in a code. The console's lights lit up.

"Let's get the calibration concluded then", Forrest said as he depressed a key marked "SYNC ROUTINE COMM".

The console was sending out a coded signal that the other TAD's were receiving on their internal computers. This 'synchronization' signal was not only being sent out from the master console but was also being relayed from each TAD to the other TAD's to ensure a precise simultaneous detonation activation. Even with TAD's, timing was essential to ensure destruction of the planet. Johann Pretorious had made it clear that Kobol was to be completely obliterated. Only a precise simultaneous detonation would ensure total destruction.

"How long before the synchronization routine is complete?" Forrest asked the technician.

"Two minutes maximum", the technician replied as he pointed to colored lights beside four symbols that represented the original TAD's. The lights were red, but now they were flashing orange. When the lights went green, then the synchronization would be complete.

"Make sure to inform our people at the TAD sites that if in the event of unplanned 'visitors', to hold them off until the synchronization is completed", Forrest ordered. The technician nodded and moved to communicate with the TAD technicians on-site.

Forrest knew that a single technician would not be able to hold off any determined attackers for long but given that he had not had any indications that the marines knew where the TAD's actually were, there should not be any problem. Once the TAD's got the command signal to commence countdown to detonation, then ONLY the detonation console could send out an abort signal. No way that even an expert bomb de-fuser could stop a TAD from going off otherwise…

APC from peregrine GENERAL IKE

"What's Forrest's message?" Puller demanded without any ceremony as Annan was brought into the APC by McGruder.

"He said that he has the TAD's primed and ready to detonate on his command and that if you attack the Icarus or fail to leave within five minutes of receiving my message, then he will detonate them", Annan replied, "and to inform you that my husband Commandant Wise is still being held hostage on board the Jerusalem. He will be killed if the Jerusalem comes under attack".

"That doesn't make sense", Puller said, "He could have said that to me without releasing you, so why throw away an advantage? Either two possibilities: you're in here to mess up our works, or they are playing for time".

"I'm clean, Captain", Annan assured him, "and Admiral Truly will be able to verify my identity. I heard Forrest mention his being onboard the Amethyst".

"That'll take more time, 'Commandant'", Puller said, "and I've got a bad situation here. So forgive me, but you'll be kept here on the APC chained to one of the seats. I can't be totally certain about where you stand in this. And if our positions were reversed, I'm sure you'd do the same thing".

Annan nodded. McGruder led her over to one of the seats behind the driver cab, then unlocked the handcuffs from both her wrists, then put the handcuffs back on her; securing one wrist with the other end secured to a metal retaining ring attached to the seat.

"What are you going to do?" Annan called out.

"My mission is clear: stop the planet from being destroyed", Puller replied, "Sorry, 'Commandant', but given what's at stake here, your husband is expendable".

Annnan paled but nodded. She knew the score and as an officer, she knew that Puller was right, and that Grant would agree. But given that attacking the Icarus would be her husband's death warrant, logic did not nullify emotion.

Just then, the driver called out "Six, I've got an Incoming secure transmission from Gemstone!".

Puller walked over to the console that the driver was pointing to and looked at the display:

FLASH SUNRAY TO CHESTY SIX STOP RECEIVED INFORMATION TADS CANNOT BE INSTANTLY DETONATED DUE TO DETONATOR FAULT STOP HOWEVER DELAYED DETONATION ABILITY UNIMPAIRED STOP DELAYED DETONATION HARD SET FOR THIRTY MINUTES FROM SIGNAL ACTIVATION STOP FINAL SYNCHRONIZATION OF TADS FOR DETONATION NOT YET COMPLETE STOP RAPTORS SET FOR SIMULTANEOUS ETA AT SUSPECTED TAD SITES IN FIVE MINUTES STOP ACT ACCORDINGLY STOP GOOD LUCK MESSAGE ENDS.

Puller looked at the message, then smiled. So that's why Annan was sent out: to delay things here until the synchronization was done. That meant that the TAD detonation console was indeed on board the Icarus. He keyed his comm-link.

"Four, commence attack!", he ordered.

BATTLESTAR AMETHYST – COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER

"I hope that Ms. Tam's information about the TAD's is correct, Admiral", Commandant Lee said sotto voce to Commodore-Admiral Truly. Lee had just sent that message to Puller. Now it was all in Puller's hands.

"Me too, Lee", Truly replied, "but we don't have the luxury of time. Even with them being stuck with delayed detonation, it's going to be awfully close!"

"Commandant" Comms reported, "Chesty Six has reported that Commandant Annan is safe on board the APC, and that he's also given the order to commence attack".

"Let's hope they stop the detonation", Truly said, "Comms, get me an update on the raptors!"

PEST SURVEY SHIP JERUSALEM – GALATEA - PLANET KOBOL

"Brother Manna", Forrest's voice came over his comm-link, "We're under attack. As soon as the synchronization is completed, I'm starting the detonation cycle, then I'm destroying the console so as to prevent the countdown being aborted".

"We'll hold them off for as long as possible here, Brother", Manna said.

"Negative", Forrest ordered, "It's imperative that you get to the Annapolis. Someone has to report the success of the mission to Pretorius. It's you. God go with you".

"And with you, Brother", Manna said.

Turning to one of his bridge technicians, he said, "Prepare to lift off. Lock missile on that peregrine above us and blow it out of the sky. Tell the others outside to open fire on the APC".

PEREGRINE 'TONDOLAYO' – FLYING OVER PEST SURVEY SHIP JERUSALEM

The pilot of the peregrine was flying in circles above the Jerusalem as part of the plan to stop the survey ship from lifting off. He was watching the APC approach and thought that it would not take long to deal with the Templars. What he didn't expect was to see a puff of smoke emit from what he thought was a sensor array mounted on the superstructure. It was a disguised SAM launcher.

Neither the pilot nor the RSO had time to react: either by flying evasive or deploying countermeasures. The missile homed in on the peregrine. It impacted and detonated on the Tondolayo's underside, causing massive internal damage.

"Chesty Five!", the pilot communicated, "I've been hit by a SAM! I'm going down!"

The pilot didn't wait for an acknowledgement: he was trying to get the crippled peregrine to land. The pilot wondered if he should try for a crash-landing at a nearby clearing, or land next to the Jerusalem, despite the risk of more unfriendly surprises. Unfortunately for him, the fires inside the peregrine caused by the missile impact spared him the necessity of choice: the flame suppression system had been knocked out of commission and before the RSO could inform him of that fact, the fires had reached the fuel tanks…

Peregrine Tondolayo disintegrated in a massive fireball as the volatile tylium in the fuel tanks immediately combusted, setting off the on-board ordinance in the process.

APC from peregrine 'TONDOLAYO'

Lieutenant Holcomb gritted his teeth as he saw the fragments of the peregrine rain down on the ground. He immediately ordered his marines to attack the Jerusalem, which – he noticed – was powering up it's engines.

As his marines started to move in, firefights broke out between the marines and armed Templars who were dug in around the survey ship. Hidden guns on the exterior of the Jerusalem were opening up as well. The armored APC moved in at Holcomb's order to provide additional covering fire as he (correctly) surmised that the Templars outside were trying to prevent him from stopping the Jerusalem's departure. As this was happening, he had the driver transmit a message to both Truly and Puller as to the destruction of the Tondolayo.

APC from peregrine 'GENERAL IKE'

"Get that peregrine out of there!" Puller ordered the pilot, "these survey ships have SAM's. Expedite or you'll have one up your butt!"

As the General Ike sped away from its previous position above the Icarus, he watched his marines move in.

The marines were making short work of the Templars who were outside the ship. They were well-armed, but they proved to be no match for the trained marine contingent. Puller ordered his driver to move the APC in closer to the Icarus.

BATTLESTAR AMETHYST – COMMAND INFORMATION CENTER

"Looks like those Templars were better armed than we thought", Truly said as he read Holcomb's report about the loss of the Tondolayo. As there were only two peregrines on board a battlestar – and one had now been destroyed while the other was supporting the other marine contingent – and that the four raptors that they had were committed in getting to the TAD's, he had nothing immediately on hand to support the marines with. He didn't want to break wireless silence and request either of the two peregrines on the Pensacola. He had nothing to help out Holcomb's contingent. Or did he…?

"Comms", Truly ordered, "Raise Serenity. Have Captain Reynolds get down to support Holcomb's marines. His landing bay should be big enough to carry the APC".

SERENITY – EN-ROUTE TO KOBOL

"Understood, Gemstone", Mal replied, "We're heading there now".

Mal put down his head-set and quickly filled in the others as to their orders. Zoe looked worried.

"Sir", Zoe said, "if that ship could destroy a peregrine, then what chance would a firefly have?"

"We're not there to join in the attack. We're going down to enable those marines to get off the planet", Mal explained.

"If those TAD's are already activated, Mal", Simon pointed out, "then by the time we get there, there may not be any time left to save them".

"Then we'd better move it then", Mal concluded, "River, better hustle".

As River set course for the location of the Jerusalem, she suddenly got a glassy look in her eye. Simon saw this.

"What are you sensing, River?" Simon asked gently.

River pointed out the cockpit window and simply said, "Annapolis".