THE LOST YEARS

by Soledad

PRELUDE: CROSSROADS

Disclaimer: see Introduction.

Rating: G, for this chapter.

Author's notes:

Most of the supporting characters are either from ST – TOS or from various TOS-novels. The only OCs are Ngarak'kai and Captain Braga; the latter is named after the long-time Star Trek executive producer, Brannon Braga, of course. Uhura's hairdo is something I actually saw in a book about African people, unbelievable as it seems.

Y Tucani III is not a canon Trek world. The planet and its red-skinned inhabitants come from the classic novel of Russian sci-fi author Ivan Jefremov, "The Andromeda Nebula". I included them in this story as homage to this author whom I greatly admire.

CHAPTER 8: THE WAR COUNCIL

Two days after the reception, the starship commanders held a war council aboard the Federation destroyer, the Divine Wind. This monstrosity, equipped with three warp nacelles, was eight times the size of a Constitution-class heavy cruiser and counted as the newest achievement of Federation technology.

Captain Braga, the commanding officer of the Divine Wind, looked an exceptionally large African – at least at first sight – with a darker-than-average skin, who, for some personal reason, shaved his head. As soon as they got a chance to face him, though, and to look into his dark red eyes, Adama, Tigh Siress Tinia (who represented the civilian government of the Colonial Fleet) had to revise their opinion. With those eyes, and whit the complete lack of facial hair (including eyelashes) Braga couldn't be human. Humanoid, yes, but without doubt of a different race. They were told later that Braga belonged to the Mo'ari population that lived on the southern continent of Alpha Centauri VII. – and never mingled with humans, moved to the northern continent by the Preservers, millennia ago.

Commodore Katha'sat, the commanding officer of the Kennedy couldn't have been mistaken for a human, either. The grey-faced Heste sat with crossed legs in one of the comfortable armchairs, and as the Heste have four joints in their legs, his limbs seemed hopelessly entangled. Seeing the bewildered looks of the Colonial officers, he pursed his lips in the most unexpected manner.

"What is he doing?" Adama asked, a little nervously. He had met more strange-looking (and even more strangely-behaving) aliens during the last days than ever in his whole, long life, and he felt slowly but steadily approaching his tolerance limit.

"He's smiling," Kirk told him as if it would have been the most natural thing. Well, for Kirk, it most likely was.

The third commanding officer was a thin, medium-built and not particularly young Vulcan: Captain Suvuk, the hero of the Battle of Organia. Adama, having had a chance to look into the accessible Starfleet-databases, felt a certain… kinship towards him.

Commodore Robert Wesley, the commanding officer of the Lexington, was a handsomely greying man in his late forties, almost as famous as Kirk himself... not to mention the fact that it was due to his instincts that Kirk didn't get reduced to protons, together with his ship, during the ill-fated M5-experience. He was considered the best poker player in the whole fleet, and since he always won, there were barely any volunteers left to play against him, at least not for a second time.

Still, many applied for an assignment on his ship, as he was considered one of the most talented commanding officers. One who didn't shy any dangers but didn't take any unnecessary risks, either. One who knew how to stay alive in a dangerous Galaxy like theirs. Beyond that, he performed the masterpiece to work with a Tellarite first officer (and a female one at that) for years, which few humans would have been capable of. Rumours said that he was about to retire from active duty, because he'd been offered the governor's office on Mantilles, a colony at the farthest border of the Federation.

These were the people who had to stop the Cylon fleet, to keep it from reaching Federation territory. Starfleet's finest. Still, the question remained, if they would be good enough.

"Ladies und Gentlemen, it seems that we won't be able to avoid a battle with the Cylons," Kirk opened the war council. "The goal of this meeting is to work out a useful strategy. Colonel Tigh, aide and strategic advisor to Fleet Commander Adama, offered to make us... familiar with the Cylon problem, for which we are extraordinarily grateful. Starfleet-protocol will be recorded by Lieutenant Uhura, head of Communications aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise. Colonel, if you'd please."

Tigh stepped to the main viewscreen of the conference room and, as Uhura had taught him, gave the computer a few verbal instructions. The big screen flickered to life. Formations of Cylon base stars and Raiders showed up in quick change, while Tigh gave the Starfleet officers some quick yet thorough information about Cylon firepower, tactics, ideology and goals, without burdening them with any unnecessary details. Even so, the debriefing took more than two hours, during which the faces around the conference table had become increasingly grim.

"We have a problem," Captain Braga summarized everyone's opinion when Tigh finished.

"I'd say that's correct," Katha'sat agreed with a long face – a sign of resignation by Heste.

"A Cylon base-star is the ultimate killer," Adama nodded. "A single one of them would be enough to destroy our entire fleet, as we only have the Galactica for their protection. And we've detected the signs of at least six base-stars."

"The base-stars are not our problem," Suvuk intervened calmly. "Our phaser banks and photon torpedoes can blow them off the skies like nothing. It's the small Raiders that are the actual threat for us. With impulse, our ships cannot maneuver quickly enough."

"Not even the Enterprise with Sulu at the helm," Commodore Wesley added with a sour face. "And our helmsmen cannot compare themselves with him. We'd need a great deal of Tennet-5 fighters here."

"Hunter's squadron is already on its way here," Kirk informed the others, "and it seems they'll be on time."

"That's good – but not enough," Captain Braga said grimly. "Not after that, which the Colonel had just told us. First and foremost, we'll need to orchestrate a massive attack wave against the Raiders, with phasers at maximum, beams scattered like a fan, in order to cover the broadest possible area. After that, we'll blow the base-stars off the skies.

His XO, Ngarak'kai, shook her sleek head in disagreement. Te tall, graceful woman from Y Tucani III, with literally coppery red skin, was considered among Starfleet's best strategists, partially because – unlike some of her male colleagues – she didn't suffer from the delusions of godhood.

"We should stuck to reality," she warned the others in a rough, throaty voice; this sensuous voice and the exotic gleam of her crescent-shaped, deep blue eyes with the slanted pupils, made a strange mix with her expertise and matter-of-fact manners. "This is a challenge that we face for the first time since Starfleet's founding. It'd be a fatal mistake to underestimate our enemy. I strongly suggest that we should transfer the supreme command over our united forces to those who know the enemy the best: Fleet Commander Adama and Colonel Tigh."

Adama had already grown used to the fact that the Starfleet officers empathically addressed him as 'Fleet Commander', just like their own supreme commander, signalling that way the clear difference between his high rank and that of a Starfleet commander. To tell the truth, he had experienced more respect from the side of Starfleet that he ever had from the Quorum of Twelve. This particular suggestion was unexpected, nevertheless – although it filled him with satisfaction. Especially as Siress Tynia was present to witness it.

"I'm honoured," he said, "but I don't know your technology well enough."

"You do no need to," Suvuk replied calmly. "That is what we are here for. What we need first and foremost is your experience with the Cylons. I would be interested in your suggestions. And in those of Colonel Tigh."

Adama exchanged a look with his aide; then he nodded.

"We've discussed the topic," Tigh told the Starfleet officers, "and we came to the conclusion that it'll be inevitable for our Vipers to join this fight."

Kirk frowned. "You've fought the Cylons long enough," he protested. Tigh nodded.

"That's why we have a much better chance against the Cylon Raiders, even with our own weapons. We'd suggest that we pull back the Fleet behind these planets here, and your ships assume a strategic position here… here… here… and here," he pointed at a number of asteroids, close to the rim of the anomaly. "That way you can get the base-stars under fire, as soon as they leave the rift. It's of utmost importance that they are incapacitated, right at the beginning of the battle, if possible. That would separate the Raiders from their Command centre as well as from their reinforcements."

"Shouldn't we destroy the base-stars to achieve that goal?" Captain Braga asked.

Tigh shook his head tolerantly. "That won't be necessary. Cylons are incapable of docking in without a guiding beam."

"And what about the Galactica?" Ngarak'kai asked.

"We'll bring the Battlestar into position above the rift," Tigh pointed at the star chart again, "and launch our Vipers right in the back of the Cylons. We attack and evade at once, so that we won't get into your firing line. Are the base-stars knocked out, we maneuvre the Galactica directly in front of the Rift and fire at the Cylon Raiders with broad-fanned beams from all sides. The ones who manage to get away from this fire-carpet must be taken out by our own fighters."

"You can count on Hunter's board patrol in this," Kirk reminded him. "Those are battle-hardened people."

"All right," Commodore Wesley, the ranking Starfleet officer present, said. "Hereby, I'm transferring command over the entire maneuver to Fleet Commander Adama. As ranking Starfleet officer, I declare the Galactica the flag ship of this maneuver, as I assume you'd prefer to operate from the bridge of your own ship."

"Thank you, Commodore," Adama inclined his head, "I accept the responsibility."

"Under one condition," Wesley added. "I must insist that the Cylon base-stars be destroyed. I respect your experience, but the whole thing seems too unsafe to me otherwise. We have colonies in the neighbouring systems, we can't risk their safety."

"I agree," Captain Braga said, and Kirk, too, nodded emphatically. Suvuk didn't take any sides, but his raised eyebrow revealed that he found the demand of his colleagues unnecessary.

Adama looked at his aide again. The colonel shrugged, his face blank.

"Very well," the old commander said, "if you insist… Although I don't see the need for that. But if that's what it costs…"

For a moment, he paused, then he looked at his aide once more. "Do you still insist to lead a squadron personally, old friend?"

Tigh nodded. "I've asked you to transfer me back to the fighting troops often enough, Adama. Silver Squadron hasn't had a squadron leader since we lost Starbuck. The pilots will need my experience. And Omega is more than capable of taking over for me on the bridge."

"That's true," Adama said, " but I need you, too. That's why a Viper is out of question, Colonel. But… we do have this small, very well-maneuverable destroyer that has barely seen any action so far. If you want to go out with the pilots, you'll take that ship."

"That's impossible, Commander," Tigh protested. "I'd need a computer expert for the navigation, and I can't take Dr. Wilker into battle. He's irreplaceable for our people in peacetime."

"Then take Boomer," Adama said. "He's almost as good as Wilker. And perhaps Mr. Scott can lend you someone, to power up the ship a little."

"I'd say you bring the ship over, to our shuttledeck," Kirk suggested. "Scotty could take a look at it there, and decide what could be made and whom he should assign to the job."

"Very well," Adama nodded. "Our exchange program assumes that my officers would come to the Enterprise anyway."

That it does," Kirk agreed. "All right, it seems that we've covered everything… Or are there still questions?"

There weren't any other questions, of course. Everything else would have to be decided during battle, based on the situation. Thus the meeting was closed, and everyone returned to his or her own ships. With the exception of Tigh, Boomer, Rigel and Cassiopeia, who – according the exchange program – followed Kirk and his officers to the Enterprise. They had a great deal of preparation to make. Some of those were of personal nature.

TBC