Colonial Thunder
Sequel to 7 Points
By Chaoseternus Chapter 31: Escape Helo's War

Model 2 Number 09

She resisted the urge to sigh out in relief as the Raptor slowly lifted off from the surface. Then stopped, and let it loose. A sigh was what a true Colonial Pilot would most likely do in this situation after all.

She had thought that she would be intercepted, that either her fellow Secessionists would figure her plan out and have her killed or the Loyalists trying to capture this system would spot her as a Secessionist model and kill her out and hand, Helo too.

If needs be, she may be able to talk her way out of trouble with the Secessionists, but not the Loyalists. They were stupid enough to think they fought for God after all.

Maybe she had become jaded, but number two-oh-nine found herself becoming more and more cynical every time she heard the words 'God's Words' mentioned. Truth be told, she had enjoyed her time with the Colonial Military even if she had been a shuttle jock on Libra and not a Raptor pilot on Galactica like two-oh-one was. She had felt comradeship amongst them, they had welcomed her, made her a part of the team

Her fellow Cylons wouldn't even consider that, they were too cold, too mechanical despite their apparent humanity, the nine units especially. But still, she had done her duty and then Twelve had dropped his bombshell.

Two-oh-nine had to admit to herself that she had wanted to believe as soon as she had heard it, that they had been manipulated, used. She didn't think that a true God would have an entire species just killed, massacred because they no longer fitted the plan, have them sidelined maybe but massacred?

That was cold, unfeeling and didn't bode well for the future worshippers of that God. She grinned slightly, at least the secessionists hadn't figured out where the Unforgiven were getting most of their intelligence from or she and her fellow Two units could be in trouble.

But even if a word of what she planned got out, then all three groups would mostly be after her, desperate to stop her.

The shuddering of the Raptor distracted 'Boomer' from her thoughts and she cursed, trying to force the Raptor into evasive manoeuvres that the craft would have loved in space but here in atmosphere just placed a strain on the hull, wind resistance slowing the manoeuvres down.

She had planned well enough, the Secessionist Scimitars had been informed that a Colonial Raptor would be lifting off here, headed for an infiltration mission so it wasn't one of theirs, and she really doubted it was an Unforgiven fighter, they didn't have the numbers to hold this system against a serious assault, plus it would mean a massive supply line, vulnerable to interception.

No, it was a Loyalist attacking her, but the knowledge wasn't exactly helpful she admitted to herself silently, and she couldn't really call up Secessionist reinforcements to 'deal' with that blasted fighter, Helo might see for one and for two he was already a bit suspicious, another coincidence like that would be too much, he might realise their escape was aided.

Triumphantly, she laughed as the Scimitar appeared in front of her, large and inviting. She tipped the nose of the Raptor up and hit a decoy button.

The decoy launched, dropping down and away from the Raptor as programmed but Boomer 209 had tipped the nose up, the missile instead slammed straight into the body of the startled, outmanoeuvred Cylon fighter.

The shockwave as the fighter died buffeted the craft and Boomer followed Helo closely in checking for damage. There was none.

"Nice shooting Boomer"

She grinned, "yeah, but I would rather not have to do that again in a hurry"

After all, she had only managed it because she had far more knowledge of how the Scimitars operated than a Colonial should and she really didn't want Helo to get even a slight hint of that, of course, she couldn't say that out aloud.

Boomer glanced back at Helo, "Now for the tricky part"

She watched as Helo nodded grimly, "getting out of the system"

"Our best bet is to jump straight into the void between systems, less chance of running into any cylons, load a second jump ready into the computers just in case then go over every inch of the Raptor for surprises"

Helo grinned, grimly "I can live with that"

She had no doubt he could, after all, wasn't it 'her' bright idea that had gotten her and the refugees safely off Caprica during the first attacks.

She hoped her other bright idea worked, it would be very difficult for her to explain how she knew exactly where Galactica was, something she knew from secessionist intelligence reports but to have Helo find the location, well it might stretch his definition of coincidence a bit but it would explain quite a few things away.

She just hoped he bought it.

Helo

I don't know how Sharon does it, comes up with the correct solution to a problem time after time. I mean, everything she had said, shutting down power during the initial attacks to avoid detections, and now this jump search routine, not to mention a few things she came up with on the surface, well they were all good military solutions, ones most Colonial Military officers would have come up with eventually but I wouldn't have thought a Rook...

Well, scratch that, she isn't a rook anymore is she Helo?

Anyway, I wouldn't have thought an officer as new as Boomer would come up with the solution so fast, ahead of me even and I've had far more military experience than her.

Makes me wonder if she isn't destined for Command, assuming that there is anything out their left to command, any colonial remnants for us to join up with� hello, what's this?

Datapad, taped carefully just inside the workings of the Dradis console.

Don't recognise the manufacturers mark but it's a common, civilian type. So what's it doing behind there then?

Quick swipe over with the scanner... No sign of explosives but there are a few potent ones it cant detect, hmmm, well if I lose my hands I lose my hands and just hope I shield the rest of the ship enough for Boomer to still get away, so here goes...

No blast, good. Damn things on and running okay, only two files though, briefing.write and

Huh, a single document and a program that will no doubt erase any sign that the document was ever there. To put it mildly, this was interesting.

"Hey Sharon, I've found something!"

"What is it?"

Sharon still green enough to show her nervousness then, for Kobols sake we're safe for the moment, just relax will you?

Hmm, let's have a look at that document...

"Datapad, hidden inside the Dradis console"

"Oh, so that's where you kept the details of the betting pools..."

Hey! Fox-four was the unofficial and semi-legal bookmaker, not me, and he would have been with the CAG when it all went to hell. Knowing him, he probably ended up ramming the CAG again too. Huh, how else would you end up with a call sign like Fox-Four? Luckily for him, he could prove a mechanical failure each of the four times

Frak me.

This is a briefing for an infiltrator, a Cylon sympathiser.

"Frak me "

"What's up?"

Sharon's coming across, a worried frown on her face, guess I must have said that last out aloud.

"Read the file Boomer" I hand the pad over and watch as her eyebrows shoot up into her hairline.

"13 th Colony? The Galactica has joined up with the 13 th Colony?"

Huh? Did I miss something?

Glancing across Sharon's shoulder I follow her pointing finger with my eyes and damn, yeah I missed something.

Co-ordinates, sketchy reports of military strength, Co-ordinates...

For the 13 th Colony.

Yeaaaaaa who!

Damn, if Boomer can spot the good stuff that fast then she is really destined for Command. Guess I am going to have to forget my suspicions about her being a Cylon too.

Hell, it explains a lot of things, the repairs, the refuel and rearm, the Cylons who seemed to be protecting the Raptor ...

Wont they be annoyed when they realise it wasn't their agent who lifted off with the Raptor.

"It'll take quite a few jumps..." Boomer was chewing slightly on her lip, strange I had never noticed her do that before. She must really be worried.

"It'll take less time then Galactica, less fuel. I really doubt they knew the direct route after all"

Damn, I can see where this is heading. Commander Boomer strikes again.

"We don't have enough fuel, even with a direct route"

Boomer nods, "yeah, Okay, I'll finish checking the ship over, you finish reading that. If they meant for it to reach earth, they must have arranged fuel somehow"

I glance at the page counter, 672 pages, oh joy, was this going to be a fun read.