Chapter Two: First Contact
President Sheridan sat quietly in the Traitor's Bane's shuttle as it entered he cavernous docking bad of the battlestar. It had been less than an hour since the White Stars and the battlestars had defeated the Cylons. Following the battle, the president and the group commander had hurriedly exchanged what they knew of the situation with the Cylon basestar. Starbuck had then invited Sheridan aboard his vessel for a tour and an explanation of the colonial situation while both groups jumped out for Babylon 5.
Sheridan was impressed with the professionalism of the battlestar's crew. Despite the presence of a dignitary, the honor guard was fairly minimal; most of the crew was refueling, rearming, and repairing the Vipers in case more Cylons were sighted.
"President Sheridan, on behalf of President Tigh and Fleet Commander Apollo, I welcome your to the Colonial Battlestar Traitor's Bane, flagship, Colonial Exploration Battle Group."
"Group Commander Starbuck, Commander Rigel, on behalf of the Interstellar Alliance I welcome you and your men."
"Thank you Mr. President. Shall we adjourn to my ready room? I believe we have a bit to talk about."
"Of course Group Commander."
The Colonial officers, Sheridan, a pair of Rangers that had joined him from White Star 3, and Shalaan, the Minbari captain of White Star 17 who had been picked up in a lifepod, left the docking bay. The Colonial honor guard dispersed; its members joined the warriors working on the Vipers. Quite professional.
Shalaan was at the end of the party. Only a fifth of White Star 17's crew had been rescued. Shalaan had also been the only one on the bridge to survive. The Ranger had once been a member of the Warrior Caste and believed he should have died with most of his crew. Had Sheridan ordered him not to participate in the upcoming conference, he undoubtedly would have become worse.
"So Mr. President, what is your opinion of the battlestars?"
"Please, call me John, Group Commander."
"Well, by all means call me Starbuck. I'm a fighter pilot first and foremost."
"If you don't mind, I'd like to try out one of your Vipers sometime."
"No problem John. Just as long as I get a ride on one of the White Stars."
"Sure, but I'll also get you a ride on a Starfury or even a Minbari fighter. One of those will give you the ride of a lifetime. And your battlestars are amazing, especially the crew. Reminds me of the Agamemnon and B5."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------
"So what happened after you found Pegasus again?"
"Well, she was being chased by a pair of basestars. They expected to fight a crippled battlestar. But the Galactica, with the cloaking device we had just installed, snuck up to point-blank range and ripped them apart. Cain was stunned. We hadn't had time to contact him first."
"How many years, or yahrens, right?, till you reached New Caprica?"
"Five yahren before the battle where we smashed the Cylon advance force. Galactica was nearly destroyed in that battle. Galactica destroyed the last two basestars in an insane charge. The Cylons never expected it. Galactica was knocked around pretty bad in that move and then the Cylon fighters started to ram her. They couldn't run and there lasers couldn't destroy a battlestar with all those Vipers, so they did the only thing they could. We were all surprised Galactica made it out in one piece, but she was still crippled. If the council hadn't decided to settle on New Caprica, we would have had to leave her behind."
"How did Baltar meet his end?"
"Well John, this ship here did it. About a yahren ago, Baltar lead an assault on New Caprica's construction docks. Traitor's Bane was just about finished. But, she didn't have much of a crew; she didn't even have a name yet. New Caprica's defense fleet was under the command of Group Commander Athena. She had eight battlestars, including Galactica. Baltar showed up with a dozen basestars. Athena lost a battlestar and two others were crippled, but seven of the basestars went down with them. Four of the basestars jumped out, but the other one, with Baltar made a run at the docks. Commander Rigel took this ship out of dock and moved to intercept. Athena's fleet was racing back to confront Baltar, but the Vipers were low on fuel by then and had to land. So, it was a one-on-one fight, with the battlestar crewed by construction workers and half of her lasers still uninstalled. This ship did it though, and before Athena's fleet could get back. So, we gave her the name Traitor's Bane. Your turn now John. How'd this Shadow War end? And what happened with Earth?"
"OK, but once you here it you'll understand why I'm apprehensive about showing up at Babylon 5 in a ship called Traitor's Bane!"
President Sheridan sat quietly in the Traitor's Bane's shuttle as it entered he cavernous docking bad of the battlestar. It had been less than an hour since the White Stars and the battlestars had defeated the Cylons. Following the battle, the president and the group commander had hurriedly exchanged what they knew of the situation with the Cylon basestar. Starbuck had then invited Sheridan aboard his vessel for a tour and an explanation of the colonial situation while both groups jumped out for Babylon 5.
Sheridan was impressed with the professionalism of the battlestar's crew. Despite the presence of a dignitary, the honor guard was fairly minimal; most of the crew was refueling, rearming, and repairing the Vipers in case more Cylons were sighted.
"President Sheridan, on behalf of President Tigh and Fleet Commander Apollo, I welcome your to the Colonial Battlestar Traitor's Bane, flagship, Colonial Exploration Battle Group."
"Group Commander Starbuck, Commander Rigel, on behalf of the Interstellar Alliance I welcome you and your men."
"Thank you Mr. President. Shall we adjourn to my ready room? I believe we have a bit to talk about."
"Of course Group Commander."
The Colonial officers, Sheridan, a pair of Rangers that had joined him from White Star 3, and Shalaan, the Minbari captain of White Star 17 who had been picked up in a lifepod, left the docking bay. The Colonial honor guard dispersed; its members joined the warriors working on the Vipers. Quite professional.
Shalaan was at the end of the party. Only a fifth of White Star 17's crew had been rescued. Shalaan had also been the only one on the bridge to survive. The Ranger had once been a member of the Warrior Caste and believed he should have died with most of his crew. Had Sheridan ordered him not to participate in the upcoming conference, he undoubtedly would have become worse.
"So Mr. President, what is your opinion of the battlestars?"
"Please, call me John, Group Commander."
"Well, by all means call me Starbuck. I'm a fighter pilot first and foremost."
"If you don't mind, I'd like to try out one of your Vipers sometime."
"No problem John. Just as long as I get a ride on one of the White Stars."
"Sure, but I'll also get you a ride on a Starfury or even a Minbari fighter. One of those will give you the ride of a lifetime. And your battlestars are amazing, especially the crew. Reminds me of the Agamemnon and B5."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------
"So what happened after you found Pegasus again?"
"Well, she was being chased by a pair of basestars. They expected to fight a crippled battlestar. But the Galactica, with the cloaking device we had just installed, snuck up to point-blank range and ripped them apart. Cain was stunned. We hadn't had time to contact him first."
"How many years, or yahrens, right?, till you reached New Caprica?"
"Five yahren before the battle where we smashed the Cylon advance force. Galactica was nearly destroyed in that battle. Galactica destroyed the last two basestars in an insane charge. The Cylons never expected it. Galactica was knocked around pretty bad in that move and then the Cylon fighters started to ram her. They couldn't run and there lasers couldn't destroy a battlestar with all those Vipers, so they did the only thing they could. We were all surprised Galactica made it out in one piece, but she was still crippled. If the council hadn't decided to settle on New Caprica, we would have had to leave her behind."
"How did Baltar meet his end?"
"Well John, this ship here did it. About a yahren ago, Baltar lead an assault on New Caprica's construction docks. Traitor's Bane was just about finished. But, she didn't have much of a crew; she didn't even have a name yet. New Caprica's defense fleet was under the command of Group Commander Athena. She had eight battlestars, including Galactica. Baltar showed up with a dozen basestars. Athena lost a battlestar and two others were crippled, but seven of the basestars went down with them. Four of the basestars jumped out, but the other one, with Baltar made a run at the docks. Commander Rigel took this ship out of dock and moved to intercept. Athena's fleet was racing back to confront Baltar, but the Vipers were low on fuel by then and had to land. So, it was a one-on-one fight, with the battlestar crewed by construction workers and half of her lasers still uninstalled. This ship did it though, and before Athena's fleet could get back. So, we gave her the name Traitor's Bane. Your turn now John. How'd this Shadow War end? And what happened with Earth?"
"OK, but once you here it you'll understand why I'm apprehensive about showing up at Babylon 5 in a ship called Traitor's Bane!"