Continues complaints will not make me update any faster. I will write what I like, when I like.

When two Tribes go to war...(Part 9)

"Put him down Tyr: he can't understand a word you are saying." Rommie walked into the hanger deck, "He can't tell us anything if he's dead."

"We have his friend." The Nietzschean pointed out, glancing at the other Colonial pilot, who was handcuffed to a support pillar.

"True, but ineffective." Rommie turned to the terrified pilot, "Name, rank and serial number."

"Carl Senn, Lieutenant, 442-569-8789-Alpha!" The Colonial responded, "Who the hell are you?"

"Lieutenant Commander Ascendant, acting captain of the Systems Commonwealth starship Pillars of Hercules." Rommie responded, "We are looking for a missing officer: he was conducting a deep-range patrol in this part of the system. Have you seen him?"

"He was a Cylon." Senn gasped for air, "The Commander is interrogating him!"

"Your Commander is interrogating an Admiral from a world allied with the Systems Commonwealth, Lieutenant." Rommie narrowed her eyes, " And he is not a Cylon. You had better tell us where he is, or I will let my subordinate here ask you. Only he's not a nice as I am."

"I'd guessed that…" Senn nodded.

"Um, I hate to brake up play time." Harper's voice cane over the PA, "But we've got three contacts on an attack vector…"

"We're on our way." Rommie grabbed a pair of handcuffs from Tyr's belt and secured Senn to the same support pillar as the other pilot, "We'll be back for you two later…"

"You took your time didn't you?" Harper asked sarcastically as Tyr and Rommie made their way into command, "Like I said: the contacts on the edge of sensor range and closing fast. Still to far out to get a definitive lock."

"Have you gone active on the sensors?" Tyr asked.

"You are joking?" Rommie rolled her eyes, "The sensors are barely working: the repair crews concentrated on such things as life support, engines and weapons."

"No good if we can't see what we're shooting at!" The Nietzschean grumbled.

"Yes, well, this is not a 'shot first and ask question later' situation." Rommie looked close at the sensor readouts, "If I didn't know better, I'd say that was a Colonial Battlestar…"

"Commander on deck!" The officer of the watch called out as Cain made her way through the hatch into the Pegasus' bridge.

"As you were." She commanded, walking up to the central consol, "What have we got?"

"Bravo flight has failed to return." The operations officer reported, "We have picked up the unknown the reported and are approaching on an oblique angle to minimize the chances of detection."

"Are that Alexander and Mjolnir in position?"

"Confirmed: all ships report weapons hot and ready to fire as soon as we are in range."

"Very good." Cain smiled, "Open a hailing frequency…"

"Picking up incoming transmission on Colonial frequency." Rommie reported, "Setting translation program to automatic."

"Attention unidentified starship: this is Commander Sheba Cain of the Colonial Battlestar Pegasus." The voice came over the com-system, "Identify yourself immediately."

"Pegasus?" Rommie blinked, then opened a responding frequency, "This is Lieutenant Commander Ascendant, acting captain of the Systems Commonwealth starship Pillars of Hercules. We were under the impression that the Galatica was the only surviving Colonial warship."

"Negative Lieutenant Commander: The Pegasus is fully operational, as are the destroyers Alexander and Mjolnir. Please state you species and port of origin?"

"This ship was built at the Newport News orbital shipyard above Earth." Rommie paused to let the sink in, "As for my species, that is a little complicated…"

"Please repeat your last transmission: did you say 'Earth'?"

"I did."

"By the Lords of Kobol; the old fool was right…" Cain sounded shaken, but composed herself, "We are missing to fighters that were on deep range patrol in this sector: have you seen them?"

"Deny it." Tyr whispered, "Don't tell them anything more than you have to."

"I have to agree." Harper nodded, "They are not going to be happy that we took out two of their fighters."

"For one was are in total agreement." Rommie reopened the link, "Sorry for the delay commander: I was just checking our sensor logs. I'm afraid that we have no record of any unidentified ships until your arrival. We too are looking for a lost fighter: it belongs to an Admiral Telemachus Rhade of the Tarazed Defence Force, an ally of ours. Have you seen him?"

"I'll have to check our logs. Please stand by." Cain cut the link.

"They're on to us." Harper looked worried.

"Fallow me." Rommie turned to the door, "We don't have much time…"

"It's a Cylon trick!" Cain looked angry as sin, "I want a firing solution locked into the computer, and tell the Alexander and Mjolnir to do the same."

"Target locked." The fire-control officer reported, "Main guns ready to fire."

"Clear the tubes!"

The Hercules shook violently as the first round from the Pegasus'magnetic accelerator cannon struck home, almost knocking Tyr, Rommie and Harper off their feet as they prepaired two slipfighter's for launch.

"Explain to me again why this is such a good idea?" Tyr asked as he manhandled Lieutenant Senn into the jump seat of one fighter.

"We have two missions: warn the fleet and rescue Admiral Rhade." Rommie secured the other prisoner in the second fighter, "This is the best way to do both: you and Harper will take the prisoners back to the Andromeda and tell Dylan what happened here. One of the Viper we captured is still operational, and I should be able to bluff my way onto the Pegasus and look for the Admiral."

"Foolhardy, completely without merit and likely to get you killed." Tyr cocked his head to the side, "I am almost impressed…"

"Don't worry." Harper reassured him, "We won't tell anyone."

Cain grabbed a handrail as the return fire from the Hercules' missile barratries pulverized armor along her ships flank. The main screen showed the Commonwealth warship turn to face its three opponents, atmosphere venting from the hideous scars left by the impact of the Battlestars main guns.

There was a bright flash as the Alexander fired its main gun, sending a bolt of white-hot plasma into the guts of the already damaged ship. Armor melted under the blow, opening up the internal structure. Reinforced titanium bulkheads sagged like melted butter, and internal expositions started to rip the Hercules apart.

There was a blinding flash as containment the destroyer's exotic-matter reactor failed, and the mater/antimatter fuel combined with devastating consequences.

"Brace for impact!" Cain yelled out as the debris approached the Colonial ship.

The Pegasus rang like a bell as a chunk of armor and superstructure slammed into its bow, caving in armor plating and starting internal fires. The ship lurched heavily to one side, almost colliding with the smaller Mjolnir, but the nimble destroyer was able to avoid the collision.

Alarms rang throughout the Battlestar as its crew reported damage, emergency teams struggling to put out fires before they reached the fuel tanks.

Amid all the confusion, Rommie was able to land her captured Viper without being seen. She pulled Lieutenant Senn's uniform jacket tightly around her as she ducked into a service corridor and started to orientate herself.

To Be Continued…

When I dammed well feel like it!