Planetoid Orcus
5.8 billion KM from Acheron
The planetoid was left over from the formation of the Cyrannus system billions of years ago. The surface was mostly water ice with a mix of frozen methane and ammonia. Mars and her growing brood of civilian ships was keeping station around the icy world. Admiral Taylor had assembled over 150 civilian and military ships into his refugee fleet. Planning for additional rescue missions were in the works to add to the total. The center of Colonial formation was Daidalos the veteran of the First Cylon War. Two of the three docks of Daidalos were occupied by the cruiser Diana and battlestar Neptune. A pair of deep space tugs were attached just below the lower habitat ring to move the large space dock. Various other ships were attached at docking ports to support repair efforts. Against this backdrop of startships hordes of small craft raced between the larger ships.
The picturesque display was interrupted on the edge of the formation with dozens of flashes of light.
XXX
CIC of Mars
The central DRADIS display showed dozens of red icons. Moments later the sensor officer cried out, "Multiple bogies! DRADIS reports five… wait six Cylon Basestars… launching raiders."
Major Gage the Officer of the Deck reacts quickly, "Set Condition One, launch the alert Vipers and notify the Admiral." Then turning to the communications officer, "Inform the Herja that the Admiral isn't in CIC and ask to confirm Commander Hender is available."
XXX
CIC of Herja
Commander Nickoline Hender was watching her DRADIS. The Cylons had jumped in two more Basestars bringing the count to eight. Even if fleet was victorious with that much firepower the Cylons would cause untold carnage. Once word came through that she was senior officer in the battlegroup Hender needed no time to make her decision, "Fleet orders, conduct emergency jump and assemble at rendezvous point."
XXX
Civilian ships started jumping away; in more than a few cases before the order arrived. Warrant Officer Ferro shook her head as communications were going crazy. Civilian ships were crying out for orders or for help. Her Raptor was supposed to be transporting a Marine work party to the Daidalos when the Cylons showed up. The massive space dock took up most of her display screen when there was a flash of light, Daidalos jumped away.
"Lieutenant our destination just jumped away, what do you want me to do?"
Gorman swallowed it was chaos as Cylon Raiders were closing in on the fleet. For a moment panic gripped the Marine Officer. A blinding flash of light lit the raptor cockpit as a flash from a nuclear detonation. It took the young officers a few tries to get his orders out as his throat was suddenly bone dry, "Raptor flight jump to rendezvous point."
"Roger Lieutenant… Ripley lets haul ass to rendezvous point."
XXX
On the other Raptor Ripley couldn't take her eyes off the horrible display of one of the huge deep space liners breaking apart. The 'Anthem of the Stars' had been sheltering at Ophion Anchorage when Mars rescued her and the nearly ten thousand souls aboard. The Liner was the size of a Battlestar and then it shattered as a second nuke hit the ship.
"Roger Ferro, jumping away."
XXX
CIC of Mars
Admiral Taylor strolled onto the heart of the Battlestar, "SitRep!"
"Commander Hender ordered the fleet to jump away. We have lost three civilian ships and there are at least a dozen Basestars."
All Taylor could think was FRAK, it was clearly an all-out bid to destroy them. The question of how had the Cylons located them would have to wait. "Time until all Civilians away?"
"Maybe less than a minute. Two ships are having trouble with their jump engines." The battlestar rocked as a missile impacted an armored flank.
Taylor came over and asked for a clipboard with the details. 'Pan Galactic Heavy 787 a transport and the Water Honey III a bulk carrier.'
"Fleet orders, combat landing of airwings and all ships to jump away."
XXX
On the Pan Galactic Heavy 787 the pilot was yelling, "Mars you can't leave us we have over a 1,000 aboard!"
One of the military ships start to spin out of control as Raiders strafed one of its flanks. "Gods DAMN you Mars just a few more minutes!"
As the last of the Vipers landed on the Colonial warships one by one they jumped away. Screams of panic and screams of anger as the Cylons turned on the lone transport left behind.
XXX
Cylon Basestar Flagship
"Damn… Damn! They got away." The Number One all but ragged.
Several of the other Humanoid Cylons traded glances. "Not all." The Number three ran her hands through the conducting liquid the Cylons used in place of keypads and monitors. "We destroyed five civilian ships and a warship. There are a number of escape pods out there."
"Have the Raiders destroy them." The Number One wasn't placated.
"No we should interrogate the survivors to learn what we can." A number five suggested.
Calming down a bit the Number One thought the situation over, "Mars has assembled quiet a fleet. Very well we should try to learn more, take some survivors aboard, interrogate and then execute them."
The other Cylons agreed and started the search for Colonial Surviviors.
XXX
In the void between stars
Six hours after battle of Orcus
"DRADIS?"
"No hostiles or unknowns Admiral."
The Cylons had hounded the fleet for three jumps after the attack on Orcus. Thank the Gods there were no ship losses after first battle but still the Cylons had tried to add to the body count. It had been over two hours since the last attack. The fleet couldn't stay at Condition One forever. "Very well, Set Condition Two throughout the fleet."
There were several sighs of relief from the crew in CIC.
"Electronic conference all Colonial Fleet ship commanding officers and Mrs. Vickers in one hour."
XXX
Tayler was in his quarters with just his Chief of Staff to attend to him. At the appointed time the terminal came alive with the Commanders of the various Colonial Warships and Mrs. Vickers from her Yacht.
Colonel Hera Graystone had the start of a large bruise on the side of her face. The injury was thanks to being knocked into a station after the shock of a nuclear explosion close to the Ulfheon.
With everyone assembled on the video link Taylor called out to the most junior officer in the meeting. "Major Shimerman if you would do the honors, please."
"Of course, Admiral…" Shimerman picks up a handy glass, "Ladies and Gentlemen, to absent friends."
The other officers echo the toast and then Shimerman continues, "May they not have fallen in vain."
Everyone gives the traditional response, "So say we all…" and the officers all bang their glasses on the table.
Major Ford the Admirals Chief of staff reported "Our ships losses at Orcus where the Sulaco, Anthem of the Stars, Pan Galactic Heavy 787, Water Honey III, Azzam and BC-831."
Besides the human death toll, Anthem of the Stars had thousands embarked, BC-831 was one of their few Botanical Cruisers.
"We have other problems with the civilians Admiral. More than a few ship captains are on the edge of panicking and demanding protection…" Before Vickers could continue several of the other military officers snorted.
"If I may interrupt Mrs. Vickers." Commander Marcus asked and once Vickers agreed continued. "Several of the ships that were with me before we joined with Mars have reached out. Their Commanders are very happy. I tried to straighten them out and re-direct them to Mrs. Vickers. So I agree with have a confidence problem with the civilians."
Graystone raised her hands in frustration, "What do they want? The Cylons have all but genocided us! Tens of billions are DEAD! Long term our only hope is to flee. There are going to be more losses if we escape at all."
Taylor was glade no one else was listening. While Graystone had a point, they needed the civilians to have hope. "Vickers what can we do to calm and re-assure the civilian ship commanders?"
"Maybe 20% of the ships have any type of active defense system. We need to change, especially on high priority targets."
A brief debate followed but in the end the logic of the idea made it inevitable. The real issue would be labor and materials to arm the civilian ships.
"OK with that out of the way let's talk about our real problem. How did the Cylons find us? Especially after we jumped?"
With Taylor putting words to the question on everyones mind a very free ranging debate followed.
XXX
In the depths of space outside of the 12 Colonies.
Imperious Leader was in its throne room slowly walking around. Several artifacts from the first Cylon War lined the walls. The door opens admitting the Gold Centurion. "Imperious Leader the IL series units have arrived in response to your summons."
"Bring them in Centurion." Imperious Leader ordered as it return to its throne and sat down.
The android Cylons with their crystal foreheads that were very much like the Imperious Leader filed into the room. The Imperious Leader then dismissed the Centurion, "That will be all Centurion we are not to be disturbed."
The Gold Centurion bowed as it gave the standard reply of the Cylons to an instruction, "By your command."
One of the IL spoke up, "I am curious why you have us meet in person, especially now. VR would be much more efficient."
"The humans have a saying, keep your friends close but your enemies closer."
There was a brief pause from the assembled ILs and then several of them gave of an electric chuckle that sounded more malevolent than humorous. One of the ILs then said, "Why Imperious Leader how could you possibly doubt our loyalty to you or the Cylon cause?"
"I have no doubt where your Loyalties lie Lucifer but that discussion can wait for another time. We are here to discuss the surviving Colonials."
Another of the IL's spoke up, "By that you mean the heretics attack on Battlestar Mars?"
"Exactly Clothos. We have reached a decision point. Do we leave Mars and her fleet to their fate or do we intervene?"
The ILs looked at one another for several moments but then Lucifer was the first to speak up, "Another human saying I take it? The enemy of my enemy is my ally."
"At the least a pawn to be used."
"To what end Imperious Leader? Even if we fully allied with the surviving colonials…"
Another IL interrupted, "Assuming the Colonials would trust such an offer."
Lucifer continued after he was interrupted, "…The surviving colonials have few capital ships left to add us in destroying the Heretics."
The Imperious leader held up a hand to stop additional debate, "What I have in mind requires Mars to be a distraction."
Clothos calculated the risk of speaking out of turn and decided it was worth the risk, "Imperious Leader if Mars is to be a distraction it needs to be around."
"Very good Clothos. So my fellow Cylons how are we to help the colonials but in way that doesn't tip our hand to the Heretics and in away they will accept."
Various ideas were tossed out, debated and then discarded by the assembled ILs until at last Lucifer spoke up. "What if we let Mars know where the Brunhild is? That battlestar it would add some strength to Mars' fleet."
Several ILs question the details on the idea and how to make it work.
"We transmit a message from a captured Raptor that jumps away with the location of Brunhild. Mars will no doubt be suspicious but also curious. I expect they will send some raptors to at least investigate."
All of the ILs went silent as the Imperious Leader spoke, "Very well Lucifer we will move forward with your suggestion. Take personal charge of this task."
"By your command…"
XXX