Vignette 2 – 44 days since the Cylon Holocaust

In the void between the stars
Near Pan Galactic Heavy 787
Mars Fleet

The Colonial Raptor was approaching a heavy transport. The transport was in the company colors of Blue and White for Pan Galactic. A long almost pencil shaped space craft intended for jumps between world and outposts of the colony. A typical flight would be lift off from a star port near a city on one of the Colonies and then climb to orbit. Once in orbit the transport would wait for their departure window and then jump to their destination. Then land at a space port and unload the passengers and baggage. A few hours where the typical amount of time passengers would be embarked with little to no provisioning for long term habitation. Most of the passengers had been living in the barracks at Ophion anchorage when Mars arrived.

"Raptor 1978 you are clear for docking on Heavy 787."

"Roger Heavy 787 this is Raptor 1978 we are starting docking."

XXX

A few minutes later the hatch opened on the Raptor and outstepped the passengers. Meredith Vickers and what were becoming her staff entered the transport. Carter Burke who had been an executive of the Vickers corporation and two colonial fleet officers. Major Shimerman a logistical specialist and Ensign Louanne Carro.

As soon as the air mixed the four could tell at once there was a problem. The air smelled like a gym and one that hadn't been cleaned for a bit.

The four were meet by Captain Hope, "I am glad to see you…"

"Let's see what your situation is."

The four where taken on tour of the Heavy Transport. Besides the command deck the transport had two passenger decks and a cargo hold.

"What's your compliment Captain?"

"Thirty-three crew and eight hundred and ninety-five passengers."

Vickers did a doubletake, "That's twenty higher than your listed for."

The Captain shrugged, he was clearly haggard and stressed, "When we left Ophion anchorage not all the right passengers get aboard the right transport. Plus there are the civilian employees of the anchorage and I think two are colonial fleet ratings that were part of the crew of the Anchorage."

Major Shimerman and Carro were openly surprised at hearing there were Colonial Fleet military personal aboard.

The conversation continued the four made their way through the passenger decks with rows upon rows of seats. A number of passengers had hung blankets or curtains to give some privacy. Clothing lines hung from the ceiling. The transport was a refugee camp in space. As the group made there way through the passengers looked on with open suspicion at the four visitors.

At last, the tour reached the cargo deck. Several people were setup on the floor. There was more space but less lighting, all metal sides and nothing to sit on. Several kids played with handful of toys.

"Where are most of your cargo pods?"

"We unloaded them at Ophion and there wasn't the time or organization to re-loaded them."

Vickers shook her head a people living like this. This wasn't the first ship she had seen like this. "We are going to do two things Captain. First is we are going to try to balance the passengers. Second is see about retro fitting the transports for long term habitation."

The transport captain was worn out and there was no burst of excitement or happiness, "That will be nice but what are we to do in the mean time? We have people sponge washing in the bathrooms and our galley isn't set to handle three meals a day and people are all going stir crazy or just lapsing into depression."

"We will do what we can and soon."

XXX