Sorry for the very long delay in updating. I've had writers block. I know what I want to happen I just can't get it all to connect together.
Red lights flashed along the Port side of the Defiance as twelve 4m x 4m slabs of armour plate retracted revealing some of the launch tubes. Twelve vipers launched and flew to the stern to escort one of the new breaching pods which had just emerged from the landing bay. They arrived just in time to see the two massive armour plated docking bay doors close and took up escort around breaching pod one in Delta formation with breacher one taking point
"Blue 2 stay in formation"
"Sorry Blue leader. I was just admiring the new breaching pod, looks kind of like a Nova class dreadnaught if you took away the guns ad replaced the fighter bay with the breaching system"
"and if you downsized the Nova about 20 times"
"That to"
"Breacher One to Defiance we are approaching the Katana now"
"Rodger that Breacher One Captain Thomas wants you to try docking first, she doesn't want to compromise the hull unless absolutely necessary"
"Confirmed were coming upon the Katanas docking bay now well contact you from the bridge"
"Confirmed, don't take to long Breacher One"
"We'll try not to Defiance"
Breacher one glided silently into the docking bay of the Katana, flagship of the fleet and proceeded to disgorge its cargo of 50 marines into the abandoned docking bay. All were wearing full space suits as although there was plenty of air there was no heat and the temperature was currently at minus 215 degrees centigrade – absolute zero.
"Alright marines listen up! We will split into 4 groups, three of 10 and one of 20. Group one will proceed to the engine room, group two will proceed to med bay, group 3 to the escape pods and group 4, that's the 20, will follow me to the bridge. Alright move out!"
Major Ryan was leading group 4 to the bridge and was feeling uneasy, they were almost there and had not found anyone. While it's true he had not expected to find any survivors after so many decades the lack of bodies was very unnerving, in fact it was down right creepy he hoped one of the other teams or the bridge would hold the answers.
Major Ryan cautiously opened the door and stepped out onto the bridge. All was silent not even the emergency lights were operating. "Group one report" "We've reached the med bay major, we didn't find any bodies on the way and the med bay is deserted although it does look as if any medical equipment that wasn't bolted down has been removed" "Stay Put for now group two report" "We're in engineering sir. All the spare parts for the smaller items have been removed and may smaller systems cannibalised although the heating element of life support has been damage beyond repair." "Could it have been the Cylons?" "I don't think so sir. Only the smaller systems, the kind used in shuttles and the like have been removed, if it was the Cylons they'd have probably taken the hole bloody ship" "Bring what systems you can back on line, did you find any bodies?" "No sir, dead weird that. I shoud have the bridge systems restored in a few minuets." "Good get on it. Group three report" "All of the shuttlecraft and the escape pods are gone sir but the starfuries are still here, we have continued to search throughout the Katana, we've discovered about 400 bodies sir, there all huddled against the fusion reactor, it seems they tried to stay warm and await rescue but died of radiation poisoning from spending so long inside the reactor room without rad-suits" "How long" "judging from the area I'd estimate a few days at the least before the radiation got them" "Very well, fall back to breacher one and await further orders"
The bridge suddenly lit up as the systems came back on line.
"Major Ryan this is Captain Thomas please respond"
"Captain this is major Ryan"
"Major it's good to hear your voice, when you've completed your search I want you to alter the slave system the cylon infiltrator set up so that Defiance not Katana is recognised as the flagship then bring back a copy of the commanding officers log"
"Yes captain, the search is nearly complete, we should be back shortly"
"Good. I look forward to your return, captain Thomas out."
The major booted up the computer, jabbed a few buttons looked very bemused and activated his suits comlink "Breacher one have a techie suit up and come to the bridge" computers had never been major Ryan's strong point.
