39 Days since the Cylon attack

Gas Giant Ophion
Helios Gamma

Long range scouting by raptors had reported a pair of Cylon baseships over the Ophion anchorage. What was strange to Admiral Taylor and his officers was that no other Cylon ship beyond a baseship or its fighters had been detected in the ruins of the colonies. Where were the escorts like the Cylon War Revenants or Cerastes to screen their capital ships? Perhaps they would turn up later on, perhaps today would be that day. All of BSG-38 was at condition one, with the alarm claxon echoing throughout the ship as the group had just completed their jump.

Admiral Taylor nodded at his XO and communications officer.

Colonel Francine Richardson picked up her mic, "Attention on Mars. Prepare to launch attack squadrons."

"Attention to battlegroup. Prepare to launch attack squadrons." The final instructions were given and a massive wave of the colonial craft raced down towards the two Cylon baseships in orbit of Ophion. Even before the colonial Vipers and Raptors launched Cylon raiders were already in space.

"Set flak batteries to auto defense mode. Main batteries on Mars and Herja set to salvo fire, target center axis of the enemy."

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The space between the Colonials and Cylons was filled with explosions as Raiders dueled with Vipers and the capital ships traded volleys. Despite the wall of flak put up by the two colonial battlestars Cylon missiles were leaking through. Mars was clearly the priority target for the Cylons and several massive explosions flared along the battlestar's armored flank.

After the battle over Hera the Cylons were made a change and loaded out their baseships with additional heavy raiders. The Cylon craft died by the dozens. Ten of them managed to survive the hellish wall of flak that Mars and Herja put out along their flanks.

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CIC of Mars

From one of the speakers, "Cylon Centurions! Cylon…" A burst of machinegun fire cut off the message and perhaps the sender.

Taylor cut off a groan he wanted to let out, "Colonel I want you to take personal command of the Marine units, contain and destroy the boarding party. Their focus…"

Completing the sentence, "Their focus will be damage control so they can open the air locks and space us all. I remember of Cylon War history Admiral." Richardson was already heading for the CIC airlock and as she opened it, "Time to kick toaster ass…"

XXX

While Richardson headed off to fight her battle with the Cylon boarders in space the battle continued to rage. One of the basestars had died under the massed firepower of the four Colonial warships but it had been replaced by a fresh basestar and many more raiders.

On the DRADIS another baseship joined the battle pushing it to three vs four. Mars rocked from another explosion along the flank.

"Frak…" The Cylons had recovered the balance far quicker than he feared and were clearly waiting for them to attack one of anchorages. Taylor wasn't ready to give up yet. "We will have to just try to draw full colors on this hand of Triad…. Nuclear weapons are authorized. Commit the reserve Vipers and the special package Raptors."

The Space Boss at his station passed the orders to Mars' launch crews while communications passed the orders to the rest of the battlegroup.

"Get me a channel to Major Pike, communications."

There was pain in the voice of communications officer, "Major Pike is down…"

"Is Captain Connor the CAG of Herja still with us?"

"Yes Admiral…."

"…Then put me through…"

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"We need to clear the Cylons out and secure the field Captain. If they keep trickling in a baseship at a time they will grind us down. Clear a hole for the Raptors and let them lay a strike on the baseships."

Things had become far more dangerous for the Colonials than when the mission was first planned.

Changing to the attack frequency. "Viper squadrons of Mars, Svinfylk and Ulfheon punch a hole through the Raiders. Viper squadrons of Herja form up on the Raptors for close escort. Time to earn our pay!"

XXX

The Colonial fighters smashed into the Cylon raiders. In the furball that followed the Cylons Raiders were pushed out of place. Into the opening the Raptors flew in, most configured as jammers but a dozen raptors were armed with Class G warheads.

With the path clear four raptors lined up on their first target the 3rd basestar and launched their missiles. As was becoming clear the Cylons had put the vast majority of their focus into offense creating a bit of glass canon. Two of the missiles struck home and the resulting thermonuclear explosions obliterated the basestar.

The other two basestars saw the writing on the wall and jumped away. Once the basestars had fled the raiders followed.

XXX

Once again, the colonials were victorious but the cost was far higher than the first battle over Hera with Mars having taken three solid nuclear hits and a large number of Vipers were lost. The Cylon Centurions cut a swath across the decks of Mars before being stopped by Colonel Richardson. About the only saving grace was most of the pilots would be recovered as Search and Rescue Raptors did their work. With the Cylons gone a Raptor flew back to the fleet and retrieved the Aerillon Conveyor, Phoebe Express and the Nostromo. The two cargo ships and the tower joined the cruisers that had already entered the Ophion Fleet anchorage. In the anchorage were discovered fifty ships, two of which were Colonial Military.

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