CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
PEST SURVEY SHIP ICARUS – KOBOL SYSTEM – EN ROUTE TO BATTLESTAR ANNAPOLIS
Puller, Annan, and Foley looked out of the bridge viewport as the Icarus got closer to the battlestar Annapolis. The Jerusalem was just behind them following them on the final approach to the battlestar's port landing bay. Puller had just received word from Sergeant-Major Carter down in the airlock that the marines were ready to deploy. A secure laser-communication from Lieutenant Holcomb confirmed the same readiness on the Jerusalem.
"Remember, Four", Puller reminded Carter, "we keep it quiet. Hopefully those two traitors will be coming down to greet us. We do this quickly, then once they're secured, I'll contact Duren up in CIC".
"You know, Captain", Annan commented, "it turned out to be a good thing that you were on the other side of the planet from the Annapolis. If they had overheard your communications with Forrest, there'd be no chance to pull this off".
"True, but I'm not counting my chickens just yet, Commandant", Puller replied. "and too many things could still go wrong. In any case, I'll need you to remain up here on the bridge. If there becomes a firefight, best you do not get caught up in it".
Annan nodded her understanding. She may be the highest-ranking officer – her commandant's commission preceded her husband's - but Puller was the marine commander and she was not about to mess things up by pulling rank. As Puller had mentioned, a lot of things could go wrong…
PEREGRINE 'GENERAL IKE' – KOBOL SYSTEM – CONTROLLING TAD RAPTORS ON SUN-SCUTTLE
A flashing red light flashed from the console. She knew what it was.
"Frakk", Jenny Weir exclaimed from her position behind the pilot, "The countdown suspension has ended: the countdown has resumed. Those TAD's will detonate in three minutes, ten seconds!"
The pilot – Ensign Jack White - cursed. The Icarus was too far away for the countdown suspension signal to be resent. They were going to detonate and there was nothing that could be done. He turned to face Jenny.
"Power up the FTL and get ready to jump back to Gemstone at my signal. We don't want to be anywhere near those raptors when those things blow!", he said.
Jenny nodded as she quickly punched in the navi-comp co-ordinates for the jump back to the Amethyst. TAD detonations would make a thermonuclear blast trivial by comparison.
"Jack", there's no way that blasts that size are going to be missed by the Annapolis. That may end up exposing Six to them", Jenny pointed out.
"There's no way that we could have been able to remotely control the FTL's on the raptors in the time that we had been given, so we can't FTL-jump them away", Jack reminded her, "but given that we're about three light minutes away from them, that might be enough time for them to get to the Annapolis before they smell a rat!"
The FTL drive on the raptors and peregrines had a separate means of control from the sub-light drive system. Those four raptors that had been delivered to the Amethyst from Scapa Flow were brand new and those FTL controls had not yet been fully interfaced with the sub-light systems for remote control usage. It was an involved procedure and there simply had not been enough time to do so before the mission had commenced. End result: the raptors' sub-light drive and navicomp could be remotely accessed by the General Ike, but the FTL-drive controls could not.
"FTL all set, Jack", Jenny said, "and I've programmed the raptors to go at flank sub-light speed. Let's hope Six can pull it off!", Jenny said.
"Jumping!", Jack replied as he activated the General Ike's FTL…
BATTLESTAR AMETHYST – ORBITING PLANET KOBOL
"Commandant!", the Core Command duty officer called out, "the General Ike has jumped back. Ensign White is reporting that the countdown on the TAD's had resumed!"
"X.O., Where is Puller and Holcomb now?" Lee called out to Dekker, who was at the dradis console.
"They're about to board the Annapolis, Actual", Dekker replied as Truly walked up to her, "Estimated time to landing is in a little under two minutes".
"Time to TAD detonation?" Truly demanded. Dekker looked at the Core Command officer.
"Two minutes, thirty seconds… mark!" the officer replied.
"Frakk! Okay Mary: How far is it between the Annapolis and the raptors?" Truly asked next.
"One Hundred and Fifty-Four light seconds, Admiral", Dekker replied.
"Two minutes to land, and two and a half minutes for the TAD explosions to register on their sensors", Truly mused, "I hope that Puller can get those landing bay hangars secured by then!"
"You want to break wireless silence and contact Puller directly, Admiral?" Lee inquired.
"If we do that, Ford will definitely smell a rat. He thinks that those TAD's are still on Kobol. No. But let's prepare a couple of FTL courier probes with these messages…".
BATTLESTAR ANNAPOLIS – KOBOL SYSTEM – COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER
"Both ships have landed, Commandant", the Core Command Duty Officer announced, "both are on their respective hanger elevators. We're lowering them now".
"Thanks, Lieutenant", Commandant Ford acknowledged, "Given the non-belligerency code status, I'm going down to Hangar Six to personally meet the Icarus. Comms", he called out to Major Richter, "You do likewise for the Jerusalem in Hanger Seven".
"Yes, Commandant", Richter replied as she stood.
"Vice-Commandant Duren", Ford said next, "you have CIC".
"You want a marine escort, Commandant?" Duren asked as both Ford and Richter made to leave CIC.
"This is top security – Commandant's eyes and ears only", Ford replied, "Comms has a similar security clearance. So, no marines or anyone else with us for that matter. In any case, I need you up here".
Duren nodded, but all of this was definitely not sitting with him. Why would Richter go and not him, as would be expected, he thought…
KOBOL SYSTEM – 154 LIGHT SECONDS AWAY FROM BATTLESTAR ANNAPOLIS
It was just as both Ford and Richter were leaving CIC that the countdown timers on all four TAD's reached zero. The four raptors were completely obliterated as the annihilation devices detonated. That area of space became in an instant a planet-sized fireball rivaling the light from Kobol's sun…
BATTLESTAR ANNAPOLIS – PORT LANDING BAY – HANGER SIX
"Captain", Annan reported, "the TAD detonation console is showing resumption of countdown! Given how far away they must be from us by now, the suspension signal won't get there in time. They may have already detonated".
Puller nodded, but silently he cursed. If the TAD's had already detonated – and given the time that the signal from them to the console about the countdown had taken to be received, that was almost certainly the case, he knew that time was running out before the detonation would be picked up on the Annapolis' sensors.
"Captain Puller", Gunny Foley reported, "the bay has pressurized. Shall I open the main airlock hatch?"
"Wait for my signal", Puller ordered him, "we wait until the traitor enters".
"If he does", Annan commented.
"Given that these ships are part of a secret aspect of the mission, I'll bet my bottom credit that he will be here. Probably Ford himself will come to us whilst the other Templar traitor – Richter – will be going over to the Jerusalem…
BATTLESTAR AMETHYST – COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER
"Those two probes ready, Comms?", Truly inquired.
"Yes, Admiral, they are being deployed now", Comms replied, "They are both timed to FTL-jump over to the Annapolis and the Pensacola when the TAD detonations reach their sensors".
"Admiral", Lee said, "this might complicate things with what Puller's trying to do".
"I know, Lee", Truly replied, "but when those detonations show up on their sensors, it most likely would tip our hand in any case. Duren has to know about Ford and Richter, and Hondo needs to be able to get the Pensacola over to support him".
The FTL-probe destined for the Annapolis would convey Truly's orders for Duren to assume command of his battlestar and arrest both Ford and Richter. The one destined for the Pensacola would convey Truly's order for Hunter to get his battlestar over to the Annapolis. Both had the necessary authorization codes to back up the orders. He only hoped that Lee was wrong, but the TAD's going off had drastically narrowed his options…
BATTLESTAR ANNAPOLIS – PORT LANDING BAY – HANGER SEVEN
Major Richter entered the re-pressurized landing bay hanger. Ford had not yet made it to Hanger Six. As per her orders, all other crew members were kept out of the bay. She walked up to the Jerusalem but realized as she got closer that the hull of the survey ship looked like it had taken some small-arms fire.
"What the…?", she muttered as the airlock hatch opened. Just then, her commlink headset beeped.
"Comms", she heard the voice of the Core Command duty officer, "the LIDAR is picking up a massive fireball that has just occurred in the Kobol system".
Richter had left instructions with Core Command that anything anomalous was to be reported to her immediately. Thinking that the TAD's had gone off down-planet, she spoke into the headset.
"On Kobol?" she asked.
"Negative: in space. Close to Kobol's sun. Pretty damn huge too!", was the reply.
Richter saw that several persons – armed – were exiting the Jerusalem. She realized that these were not PEST personnel: these were Marines! She quickly put two and two together. She clicked her headset to the frequency used by Ford.
"Commandant!", she screamed as the marines ran towards her, "it's a trap!"
She pulled out her sidearm, but before she could fire, a marine bullet found its mark on her…
BATTLESTAR ANNAPOLIS – PORT LANDING BAY- OUTSIDE HANGER SIX
"Repeat, Kimberly", Ford said, "you said a trap?" Silence.
Ford was about to enter the hanger, but then he paused and clicked his headset to the CIC frequency.
"Status report", he ordered Core Command.
"Yes, Actual. I just informed Comms that LIDAR picked up a massive detonation in-system. She asked me if it was on Kobol, but I said that it was closer to Kobol's sun", Core Command replied, then the officer said: " Stand by, Actual, I've got an FTL-probe jumping in close to us. IFF shows it's from Gemstone. Must be a message from Sunray".
Ford suddenly realized that the detonations must have come from the TAD's. If Richter's final message was indeed telling him that it was a trap, then that meant that the mission to destroy Kobol must have somehow been derailed, and the FTL-probe was a message from Truly alerting them to the fact! If Duren got word, then he would be searched for and arrested…
BATTLESTAR ANNAPOLIS – COMMAND INFORMATION CENTER
Duren's eyes widened as he saw the following message from the Amethyst's probe flash up on his screen:
SUPERFLASH MESSAGE SUNRAY TO ACADEMY ALTERNATE STOP YOU ARE TO RELIEVE ACADEMY ACTUAL AND COMSCAN OFFICER FORTHWITH AND PLACE THEM UNDER CLOSE ARREST AS TEMPLAR AGENTS STOP YOU ARE TO ASSUME COMMAND OF ACADEMY IMMEDIATELY STOP DETONATIONS ARE FROM TADS THAT HAD BEEN PLACED ON KOBOL BY TEMPLARS BUT REMOVED BY MARINE CONTINGENT FROM GEMSTONE STOP PEST SHIPS NOW ON BOARD ACADEMY HAVE OUR MARINES ON BOARD TO SUPPORT YOU STOP AUTHORIZATION CODE FOLLOWS STOP ACKNOWLEDGE IMMEDIATELY STOP MESSAGE ENDS.
Duren punched in the code numbers that had accompanied the message. The message was genuine.
"Core Command!" Duren shouted, "put out an arrest and detain order for Commandant Ford and Major Richter now!"
The sergeant commanding the marine guard in CIC ran over to Duren demanding: "X.O., What's going on?!" The other marines were bringing up their weapons.
"Look at this, Sarge!", Duren said, showing the NCO the message from Admiral Truly.
"Authentic?" the sergeant asked next. Duren nodded, and the Core Command duty officer also nodded.
"X.O.", one of the other officers at Core Command said, "I've just gotten word from the crew chief in port hanger bay seven that Comms has been shot dead by marines exiting the Jerusalem. He saw it through one of the viewports! He's asking for orders. Does he secure the hanger? Does he depressurize?".
"Tell Chief we're sending down marines to both Hanger Six and Seven. When they arrive, they're to get into the bay. I want the senior marine onboard the Jerusalem to report to me.
"Sarge", Duren said, "Inform Captain Cates to get marines down there: pronto!".
Nodding, the sergeant went over to the Internal Security station in CIC and started to communicate to Cates, who was the senior marine on board the Annapolis. While that was happening, Duren walked up to the Core Command console.
"Name?" Duren asked the senior officer at Core Command.
"Ming. Captain Ming Hyun-Jae, X.O.", the officer replied.
"As per orders from Sunray, I'm formally assuming command of the Annapolis", Duren said, "You will be acting as Comms from this moment. Understood, Captain Ming?"
"Yes… Actual", Ming replied, "I've put out the detain and arrest order for Commandant Ford. Hold on, Actual, I've got an incoming communication from the Jerusalem. Commandant Wise wishes to speak with you".
"Put him on", Duren ordered.
BATTLESTAR ANNAPOLIS - HANGER BAY SEVEN
From the bridge viewport, Holcomb, Wise, and River Tam saw Richter being cut down as she tried to shoot as the marines leaving the Jerusalem's airlock. Holcomb knew from the information that had been sent to him earlier that it was Major Richter – one of the Templar traitors – that had been killed.
"Serves her right for drawing her gun", Holcomb muttered, "the question is though: what about Ford".
Just then, a message sounded over the Annapolis' P.A. system. Holcomb and Wise could easily hear it:
"All Personnel, this is Core Command. If Commandant Ford is seen, he is to be detained immediately. Academy Alternate has assumed command of the Annapolis as per orders from Commodore-Admiral Truly. Marine contingent heading to Port Bay Hangers Six and Seven. Do not hamper. Full Red One Alert Status is now in effect". The message repeated twice more.
"I think that Vice-Commandant Duren needs to make our acquaintance", Wise suggested dryly. Nodding, Holcomb gestured for him to open up communications.
"Annapolis, this is Commandant Grant Wise on board the Jerusalem", Wise communicated into his headset, "Are you receiving me, Annapolis Core Command? I need to speak with the new Actual".
"This is Vice-Commandant Oswald Duren", Wise heard in his headset, "I've just received orders from Sunray regarding you, Ford, and Richter. I think you know what happened to Richter".
"Affirmative, Actual", Wise said, "For your information, Captain Puller is the senior marine and he is on the Icarus. Judging from the P.A., I'm assuming that Commandant Ford has not been apprehended".
"Affirmative, Commandant", Duren replied, "You'd better let Captain Puller know that I've dispatched marines to both hanger bays. Once things are fully secure, I want Puller and yourself to report to CIC".
"My wife - Commandant Ginnie Annan – is on board the Icarus with Captain Puller", Wise reported, "and I'd like her to come along as well. Lieutenant Holcomb – the Marines' X.O. – is with me".
"Very well, Commandant", Duren replied, "Have Lieutenant Holcomb report to Captain Cates – our Maine C.O. - once you disembark. The rest of you get up here ASAP. Looks like a very interesting story is forthcoming from all of you".
"That's for sure, Actual", Wise replied, "as soon as your people send the word, we'll be on our way. Congratulations on your promotion, by the way".
BATTLESTAR ANNAPOLIS – COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER
"Comms", Duren ordered Ming as he put down his headset, "Have that probe return to Gemstone with a message to Sunray that the Annapolis is secure and that Richter is dead, that we're looking for Ford, and my assumption of command".
"Yes, Actual", Ming replied, "I've received word that Captain Cate's marines are heading to both hanger bays now".
"Tell Cates that Ford is most likely armed and is to be regarded as extremely dangerous", Duren reminded him, "As soon as Annan, Wise, and Puller get up here, we'll meet in the secure conference room. Tell Cates to expedite, oh, and contact the Pensacola. I'll feel a lot better with her close by"
BATTLESTAR ANNAPOLIS – PORT BAY HANGER SIX
"Thanks, Five", Puller communicated to Holcomb, "We're seeing their marines coming in now. Once they give us the thumbs-up, we'll head out. Glad to hear that you got one of the traitors. Pity we didn't have a chance to get the other one".
Holcomb had quickly filled Puller in on what had happened with Richter, along with his communication with Duren.
"A battlestar is large, but Ford's on the run and there aren't all that many bolt-holes, Six", Holcomb replied, "A battlestar commandant isn't exactly an innocuous figure".
"That's for sure. In any case, once you get the all-clear, you meet up with Cates. Commandant Annan and I will head up to CIC. Put River Tam on, will you?" Puller said.
"This is River Tam", Puller heard on his headset.
"River", Puller said, "thanks to you and your abilities, you played a major part in thwarting the Templars. Official thanks will come later, but I want you to know that on behalf of the Marine Corps, thank you".
"You're welcome, Captain puller", River replied.
"I'll need you to stay on board the Jerusalem for the time being, but I promise you that we'll get you back to Serenity as quickly as possible", Puller said next, "Six out".
Putting down the headset, Puller then looked at Ginnie Annan.
"Commandant", Puller said, "once we are given the all-clear, we're both to report to the new Actual of the Annapolis up in CIC: Vice Commandant Duren. Your husband will be there too".
Annan nodded. She was relieved that he was safe and that Kobol was still there. She knew just how close of a thing it was…
BATTLESTAR ANNAPOLIS – NEAR PORT BAY HANGER SIX
In a small alcove not far from the hanger, Ford allowed himself to relax some. He had had this little-known alcove – set among some large pipes – set up with some extra items in case of an emergency. It was very easy for him to get to it without being seen before the P.A. system announced the detain order.
"I'd better get off the ship", Ford mused to himself, "and there's no better way than to blend in with the surroundings…"
With that, he took off his bridge uniform and put on a uniform of a raptor pilot. He also donned a false mustache. Putting on the helmet and lowering its face-plate, he looked like another pilot on standby awaiting orders to launch. The uniform had fake ID's and launch authorizations which should enable him to get to a raptor or a peregrine and get away from the Annapolis… before he destroyed it. He could remotely start the battlestar's scuttle program and fully intended to do so once he got away. First though, he would have to copy the navicomp data from one of the PEST ships as those ships still had the Alliance planetary data programmed in, otherwise he'd be escaping to nowhere...
BATTLESTAR PENSACOLA – COMMAND INFORMATION CENTER
"Understood, Academy", Hunter said after Ming had initiated contact and informed him of the developments on board the Annapolis, "We're heading to rendezvous with you now. Things worked out pretty well".
"Yes, it did, but It could have easily gone the other way, Yankee Actual", Ming replied, "See you soon. Academy out".
Hunter put down his headset. Yes, it could have resulted in something very different. If those TAD's had detonated earlier, or if either Ford or Richter had been in CIC, they could have intercepted Truly's message and duped the Annapolis marines into thinking that the survey ships were attackers.
The initial detonation of the TAD's took them by surprise, but Truly's probe message that had arrived just after the TAD's went off had explained things. Now, with the Annapolis secure and the Pensacola heading in to support her, it looked like the Templar's plot had been caught just in time…
"Coffin", Hunter called out to Sims, "Let's get the Pensacola over to the Annapolis. And have Comms send Sunray a message to that effect", he added. Sims nodded and headed over to the Core Command console.
BATTLESTAR AMETHYST – COMMAND INFORMATION CENTER
PRIORITY MESSAGE FROM NEW ACADEMY ACTUAL TO SUNRAY STOP HAVE ASSUMED COMMAND AS PER YOUR ORDERS STOP COMMS DEAD WHEN ATTEMPTING TO RESIST ARREST STOP COMMANDANT FORD IS FUGITIVE BUT SHOULD HAVE HIM IN CUSTODY SHORTLY STOP BOTH ICARUS AND JERUSALEM SAFE ON BOARD STOP HAVE SIGNALED YANKEE TO RENDEZVOUS WITH US STOP AWAITING ORDERS STOP END MESSAGE
Truly breathed a huge sigh of relief after he read the message from the returned probe. So, Duren was in command and Ford is on the run. Richter is dead, but with everyone else safe on the Icarus and Jerusalem and with the Annapolis secure, it looked like the Templars had failed utterly. With what seemed to be a mixture of initiative and luck, the situation had resolved itself, but the sooner that Ford was taken into custody, the better. Hopefully the marines on the Annapolis would soon locate him…
"X.O.," Truly reported to Dekker, "Have Core Command send out a probe to Force Alternate. Let him know about the situation and that we are in control. Kobol is safe".
"What about our people now on board the Annapolis?" Dekker asked next.
"When Duren has Ford in custody, then they can head back to us on those survey ships", Truly said next, "You'd better let Serenity know about things as well. They are to return to us as soon as the final pickup of personnel on Kobol is made".
DEEP WITHIN KOBOL
"It might be a little bit premature to say that everything is all right, Admiral Truly", one intellect commented, "but your getting those annihilation devices off-planet in time didn't hurt your case".
"Mainly by luck and fortuitous timing", a second intellect pointed out, "and not the least by that human girl from the Serenity".
"I was wondering about that myself", the first intellect replied, "and if what she contributed to the humans' success is as a result of our wayward brethren interfering, then perhaps the more proactive option is the preferred choice of action".
"Inquiries are proceeding. We should find out about that soon", he second intellect assured the first.