Chapter 7

All hell broke loose in CIC the moment that Zarek's broadcast had finished. The admiral knew that he didn't have a lot of time to think through his next moves, so immediately swung into action by instinct.

"Lieutenant Gaeta, have them launch the alert fighters immediately and get all the other vipers out there as soon as you can. Specialist, get me an inventory of everyone who's on that planet. Find Major Adama and Captain Thrace and I want to know where the vice-president is. Dee, get me the president."

There was a chorus of "yes sir"s around his CIC.

Adama watched as various dradis blips of the fleet started to move towards the planet. They had no course and no plan: they were just breaking for freedom with little thought of the consequences. They would be lucky if there wasn't a major collision. He'd been caught with his pants down by Zarek and he was as mad as hell. His mood wasn't helped by Hotdog's voice coming over the radio, as he tried to lead the CAP in maintaining order in the fleet.

"It's crazy out here. There's no way we can stop them."

He had no XO, no CAG and no option to stop the break up of the fleet other than shooting them down. His only comfort was that the president was as furious as he was. Her anger seemed to radiate down the phone line.

"How could this have happened admiral? You assured me that this visit would be heavily guarded!"

"It was Madame President, but evidently it wasn't enough; I suspect that there was a traitor on the inside helping Zarek. Whoever it was, I intend to find them and then punish them accordingly, but right now my priority is to protect the civilians from themselves."

"There's nothing that we can do about it admiral. We just have to let them go to the planet. My staff can't get half of the ships to answer any radio messages."

"You're just giving up? You're going to let him win so easily?"

"Yes, for the moment. Trying to oppose Zarek at this time will only lead to civil conflict and I will not condone any blood shed. But I won't let him get away with it for long," she said, steel in her voice. "He's opposing a rightfully elected democratic government."

"That fact seems to have escaped his notice."

"For now, yes it has, but I'm sure he'll come to realise it soon enough when he tries to placate forty odd thousand people demanding food and shelter! Keep me informed of any developments admiral."

"Yes ma'am" replied the admiral with a wry smile. He'd learnt that she could be a formidable opponent when she wanted to be: he didn't rate Zarek's chances once she decided to take him on. He had hardly put down the phone from Laura Roslin when Dee was trying to get his attention again.

"Sir, I have major Adama on the line." He picked up the receiver again.

"Apollo. Where the hell are you? I need you to get back to the base now. Zarek's taken over. He's holding Tigh and everyone else hostage."

"Sir!" Lee tried to get a word in.

"Your first priority is to get back control of the ground to air defence system."

"Dad!" Lee shouted "Will you just for once in your life shut the frak up and listen to me!" There were a few smirks around CIC: Apollo obviously didn't realise that he was on their open channel. However, his next words wiped the smiles off their faces.

"You've got a much bigger problem than Zarek. There are Cylons on the planet."

"Cylons? How?"

"I don't know. Kara spotted them but by the time we'd made it back to alpha base it was too late."

"Too late…..?"

"They're dead, Dad. They're all dead. Zarek, Kelly, everyone."

"Saul?"

"We haven't found him yet, but it's just carnage here; it would be a miracle if he was alive."

Adama bowed his head in anguish. There seemed to be nothing else that could go wrong at this point.

"Have you heard from Dr Baltar's team?" he asked.

"No, I can't raise them on the radio."

"OK, when you and Starbuck have finished the search for survivors get back to Galactica. I've got a nasty feeling that we're going to need you up here." He was interrupted by Dee's anxious voice.

"Dradis contact…..Cylon base star."

"How close?"

"They're some way distant, sir. ETA five minutes."

"We have time to make a jump sir." Gaeta was at his side, an expectant look on his face as he awaited orders.

Adama swore profusely under his breath as he thought about his next move. There was no way that they could take on a base star with the fleet so scattered. There also wasn't time to get everyone, including Lee and Kara, back.

"Set condition one throughout the fleet. Have all ships jump to the emergency co-ordinates, lieutenant."

"I'll try, sir but most of them don't seem to be responding."

Adama turned his attention back to the receiver in his hand. "Lee, we've got some major company. I've got to get the fleet out of here. We'll be back for you as soon as we can."

−

Author's note: Sorry for such a short update. All the scene setting now pretty much done. Hoping to have a chance to get some more significant chapters done over the weekend to answer all those pressing questions: where did the Cylons come from? Where is the good doctor Baltar and what is he up to!