Chapter Three: An Avenger's Last Act of Vengeance
Commander Boomer took his jacket down from his closet and put it on. He quickly examined himself in the mirror and walked towards the door of his quarters. He was due on the bridge in twenty minutes; the fleet would reach the Cylon position ten minutes after. As the door opened and the commander exited the room, he saw a blur of motion. He looked down to see a handle protruding from his chest. Boomer dropped to the floor and everything went black.
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"Ten seconds till jump.five.four.three.two.one.all vessels jump and attack." The calm voice of Group Commander Starbuck echoed throughout the fleet.
"Alpha, Beta, Gamma Squadrons.launch."
Jack Tyver's Thunderbolt shot from the bay of the Apollo. Alpha Squadron rapidly formed up and joined with Beta Squadron. Gamma Squadron raced ahead, ready to clear the road of Cylon fighters. With four of the new anti-capital ship missiles attached to the lower wings, the Thunderbolts were in no condition to deal with fighters on their own.
"Commander Jinsu, this is Alpha Five. Up ahead, that's a battlestar!"
"Alpha Five, cut the chatter." The commander switched to the squadron frequency. "Listen up, Caprican Avenger's jump engines malfunctioned and she jumped in too close to the Cylons. Her ion engines are crippled too and the commander's dead. Alpha and Beta Squadrons dump your ordinance and close with the battlestar. Engage afterburners.now!"
The twenty-four Thunderbolts raced towards the crippled battlestar. The Auroras of Gamma Squadron threw themselves at a large Cylon patrol squadron, clearing the road for the Thunderbolts. All across the field of battle, fighters raced for Caprican Avenger, trying to defend her from the approaching Cylon horde. The intricate plan created by the Group Commander was forgotten. The capital ships of the fleet closed with their Cylon opposites. The battle was about to become a slugging match.
"Alpha Five and Six hit the Cylon fighters on the left flank."
"Roger that Commander."
The two Thunderbolts twisted away from the squadron and sped towards the five Cylon fighters maneuvering to flank the Apollo's fighters. A volley from eight pulse cannons slammed into the first fighter, which exploded. The four remaining fighters scattered.
"Rejoin the squadron. They can't do anything now." Commander Jinsu watched the two Thunderbolts race back to the squadron. "All fighters, break on my mark. Three.two.one.mark."
The Thunderbolts' formation opened up and they raced along the hull of the Caprican Avenger, helping her laser batteries against the Cylon fighters. Fighter groups from other vessels arrived soon after, followed by several White Stars. The Cylon fighters broke off their attacks on the battlestar and began to concentrate on their own survival. Over three hundred Cylon fighters from three basestars were slowly pushed back from the Caprican Avenger.
"All fighters, capital ships will arrive in six minutes. Prepare to engage basestars."
"Apollo's, this is Commander Jinsu, our target is the center basestar. We will begin our runs in five minutes. Take out as many fighters as you can before them."
The five minutes slowly ran down. The Alliance and Colonial fighters pushed the Cylons farther and farther from the battlestar. Most of the flames from the Caprican Avenger had been extinguished and the capital ships, led by the EAS Titans, were about to rendezvous. Suddenly, the port side bay of the battlestar exploded.
"This is Caprican Avenger to all vessels, the Cylons are launching capital missiles. We can't stop them all. Heavy damage to." Communications from the battlestar abruptly ended as another missile exploded, this one near the bridge.
"This is Group Commander Starbuck. All fighters, engage basestars. Ignore the Cylon fighters. All capital ships, close on the Caprican Avenger with best speed. Break formation, I repeat, break formation."
But it was hopeless. More and more missiles slammed into the battlestar. Life pods erupted from the battlestar as the power died. Few escaped the fury of the vessel's explosion. Meanwhile, the fleet's fighters were reeling from the numerous laser batteries of the basestars.
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"Fire missiles at the enemy fighters. Power up the particle cannons, target the central basestar. Have our secondary batteries and all the weapons on the White Stars and Vorchans target enemy fighters. Punch a hole through there."
"Aye Captain."
The fire from the Titans and her squadron sliced apart dozens of Cylon fighters. They turned from their attacks on the Alliance fighters and raced towards the small squadron. A group of 40 Nials raced from behind the Titans, which hid them from Cylon sensors. They were the final fighter reserve of the fleet and tore into the Cylon fighter group. The disorganized horde of fighters was no match for the Nials. The Titans and her squadron reached optimal firing range with no further trouble.
"Warn our fighters off that basestar. Give them thirty seconds and open fire." Captain Ivanova watched her plot as the fighters raced from the basestar, joining the fight surrounding the other two. "Particle cannons, fire!" Two red beams lanced into the basestar. Secondary explosions rippled along the hull of the vessel. Laser batteries ceased fire as their power couplings were cut.
"Squadron orders, switch to target two."
"Roger that Captain. Vessels acknowledging."
"Warn our fighters off now. Fire secondary weapons now. Use the particle cannons as soon as they're recharged."
The squadron closed with its second victim of the day, even as the first was still burning.
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"Watch out Jack!"
Jack Tyver hit his afterburners without thinking. He quickly glanced around and saw one of the Titans particle cannon blasts flash through the area of space he had just been occupying. "Thanks Sam." He examined the capital ships that were around him. A crippled Vorchan stood unmoving in the center and was protected by a sister ship. Two damaged White Stars circled the basestar, just out of range of its weapons. Most prominently stood the Warlock class destroyer, fighting a basestar single-handedly. "Let's move on to the last basestar. Ivanova's squadron has this one."
"I'm right behind you Alpha Five. Lead on."
The two pilots had lost track of the rest of the squadron a while before. Losses had been heavy against the first basestar and then part of the squadron had moved to engage the starboard basestar and the rest moved to the port one.
"Scratch that Jack. It looks like the Minbari have that basestar."
Three beams from a Minbari war cruiser intersected with the basestar. White Stars closed and joined in on the destruction of the basestar. Earth Force destroyers and Centauri battlecruisers were nearing firing range as well. The basestar would be destroyed long before the two fighters could arrive.
"I agree Sam. I'm low on afterburner fuel, what's your situation?"
"I'm almost on empty."
"Alright, let's return to the Apollo. Most of the fighters are gone; we won't be able to do much good."
"I agree."
The fighters leisurely returned to the Omega class destroyer, ready to engage Cylon fighters if the need arose. Most of the Cylons were gone, however, and the flight was uneventful. By the time the Thunderbolts arrived at the Apollo's position, most of the flight group had already landed, although a few were still engaged with Cylon fighters at the fringe of the battlefield. An hour later, the fleet jumped out, leaving the wreckage of three basestars and a battlestar behind, along with innumerable fighters.
Commander Boomer took his jacket down from his closet and put it on. He quickly examined himself in the mirror and walked towards the door of his quarters. He was due on the bridge in twenty minutes; the fleet would reach the Cylon position ten minutes after. As the door opened and the commander exited the room, he saw a blur of motion. He looked down to see a handle protruding from his chest. Boomer dropped to the floor and everything went black.
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"Ten seconds till jump.five.four.three.two.one.all vessels jump and attack." The calm voice of Group Commander Starbuck echoed throughout the fleet.
"Alpha, Beta, Gamma Squadrons.launch."
Jack Tyver's Thunderbolt shot from the bay of the Apollo. Alpha Squadron rapidly formed up and joined with Beta Squadron. Gamma Squadron raced ahead, ready to clear the road of Cylon fighters. With four of the new anti-capital ship missiles attached to the lower wings, the Thunderbolts were in no condition to deal with fighters on their own.
"Commander Jinsu, this is Alpha Five. Up ahead, that's a battlestar!"
"Alpha Five, cut the chatter." The commander switched to the squadron frequency. "Listen up, Caprican Avenger's jump engines malfunctioned and she jumped in too close to the Cylons. Her ion engines are crippled too and the commander's dead. Alpha and Beta Squadrons dump your ordinance and close with the battlestar. Engage afterburners.now!"
The twenty-four Thunderbolts raced towards the crippled battlestar. The Auroras of Gamma Squadron threw themselves at a large Cylon patrol squadron, clearing the road for the Thunderbolts. All across the field of battle, fighters raced for Caprican Avenger, trying to defend her from the approaching Cylon horde. The intricate plan created by the Group Commander was forgotten. The capital ships of the fleet closed with their Cylon opposites. The battle was about to become a slugging match.
"Alpha Five and Six hit the Cylon fighters on the left flank."
"Roger that Commander."
The two Thunderbolts twisted away from the squadron and sped towards the five Cylon fighters maneuvering to flank the Apollo's fighters. A volley from eight pulse cannons slammed into the first fighter, which exploded. The four remaining fighters scattered.
"Rejoin the squadron. They can't do anything now." Commander Jinsu watched the two Thunderbolts race back to the squadron. "All fighters, break on my mark. Three.two.one.mark."
The Thunderbolts' formation opened up and they raced along the hull of the Caprican Avenger, helping her laser batteries against the Cylon fighters. Fighter groups from other vessels arrived soon after, followed by several White Stars. The Cylon fighters broke off their attacks on the battlestar and began to concentrate on their own survival. Over three hundred Cylon fighters from three basestars were slowly pushed back from the Caprican Avenger.
"All fighters, capital ships will arrive in six minutes. Prepare to engage basestars."
"Apollo's, this is Commander Jinsu, our target is the center basestar. We will begin our runs in five minutes. Take out as many fighters as you can before them."
The five minutes slowly ran down. The Alliance and Colonial fighters pushed the Cylons farther and farther from the battlestar. Most of the flames from the Caprican Avenger had been extinguished and the capital ships, led by the EAS Titans, were about to rendezvous. Suddenly, the port side bay of the battlestar exploded.
"This is Caprican Avenger to all vessels, the Cylons are launching capital missiles. We can't stop them all. Heavy damage to." Communications from the battlestar abruptly ended as another missile exploded, this one near the bridge.
"This is Group Commander Starbuck. All fighters, engage basestars. Ignore the Cylon fighters. All capital ships, close on the Caprican Avenger with best speed. Break formation, I repeat, break formation."
But it was hopeless. More and more missiles slammed into the battlestar. Life pods erupted from the battlestar as the power died. Few escaped the fury of the vessel's explosion. Meanwhile, the fleet's fighters were reeling from the numerous laser batteries of the basestars.
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"Fire missiles at the enemy fighters. Power up the particle cannons, target the central basestar. Have our secondary batteries and all the weapons on the White Stars and Vorchans target enemy fighters. Punch a hole through there."
"Aye Captain."
The fire from the Titans and her squadron sliced apart dozens of Cylon fighters. They turned from their attacks on the Alliance fighters and raced towards the small squadron. A group of 40 Nials raced from behind the Titans, which hid them from Cylon sensors. They were the final fighter reserve of the fleet and tore into the Cylon fighter group. The disorganized horde of fighters was no match for the Nials. The Titans and her squadron reached optimal firing range with no further trouble.
"Warn our fighters off that basestar. Give them thirty seconds and open fire." Captain Ivanova watched her plot as the fighters raced from the basestar, joining the fight surrounding the other two. "Particle cannons, fire!" Two red beams lanced into the basestar. Secondary explosions rippled along the hull of the vessel. Laser batteries ceased fire as their power couplings were cut.
"Squadron orders, switch to target two."
"Roger that Captain. Vessels acknowledging."
"Warn our fighters off now. Fire secondary weapons now. Use the particle cannons as soon as they're recharged."
The squadron closed with its second victim of the day, even as the first was still burning.
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"Watch out Jack!"
Jack Tyver hit his afterburners without thinking. He quickly glanced around and saw one of the Titans particle cannon blasts flash through the area of space he had just been occupying. "Thanks Sam." He examined the capital ships that were around him. A crippled Vorchan stood unmoving in the center and was protected by a sister ship. Two damaged White Stars circled the basestar, just out of range of its weapons. Most prominently stood the Warlock class destroyer, fighting a basestar single-handedly. "Let's move on to the last basestar. Ivanova's squadron has this one."
"I'm right behind you Alpha Five. Lead on."
The two pilots had lost track of the rest of the squadron a while before. Losses had been heavy against the first basestar and then part of the squadron had moved to engage the starboard basestar and the rest moved to the port one.
"Scratch that Jack. It looks like the Minbari have that basestar."
Three beams from a Minbari war cruiser intersected with the basestar. White Stars closed and joined in on the destruction of the basestar. Earth Force destroyers and Centauri battlecruisers were nearing firing range as well. The basestar would be destroyed long before the two fighters could arrive.
"I agree Sam. I'm low on afterburner fuel, what's your situation?"
"I'm almost on empty."
"Alright, let's return to the Apollo. Most of the fighters are gone; we won't be able to do much good."
"I agree."
The fighters leisurely returned to the Omega class destroyer, ready to engage Cylon fighters if the need arose. Most of the Cylons were gone, however, and the flight was uneventful. By the time the Thunderbolts arrived at the Apollo's position, most of the flight group had already landed, although a few were still engaged with Cylon fighters at the fringe of the battlefield. An hour later, the fleet jumped out, leaving the wreckage of three basestars and a battlestar behind, along with innumerable fighters.