Two – Survivor

Making his way through the ship Captain Matthew Boyle entered one of the Massena's three port side cargo bays to see the massive cargo pod dominating the centre of the bay its black form battered from long service. As he entered he saw Cargo Chief Anthony Chara and crossed to meet him and spoke to him as the main entrance door of the cargo pod opened Lt Isabelle Rhodes ran into the bay throwing him a quick salute as she saw him. From the cargo pod Boyle saw three individuals walking out carrying assault rifles as he approached Rhodes joined him.

"What do you see, Lieutenant?" He asked the young pilot to his side.

"The lead is a marine Major the other two I can't see ranks and both look young." He said quietly

"I'm Captain Matthew Boyle, the commander of the Massena, we answered your transport's distress call."

"Major Patrick Sinclair, commander of the 432nd Training Division based off Aerilon, what happened to our ship?"

"They ejected your AscentPods into space before being destroyed by a Cylon Basestar we recovered three pods." Boyle explained

"Three! There were eight pods on that ship over two thousand trainees and civilians!"

"I'm sorry for your losses, it's been difficult for everyone the last couple of days, but what we do now is what matters."

"I agree Captain and with your permission I am commandeering this ship for military use and taking command of your vessel" Sinclair explained.

"No" Boyle said glancing at Lt Rhodes standing beside him she didn't indicate how she would react. "I am the commander of the Massena" he said raising his hand immediately both of Sinclair's compatriots trained their rifles on Boyle but Sinclair himself didn't move Boyle guessed they were trainees "easy boys no need for anything hasty." He said showing that his hand held a small box "this is a commlink nothing more" he explained as behind him the cargo bay inner doors closed "my crew has heard your plans, Major, and they don't agree with you. They have full control over this ship's internal systems. I assume you have cutting equipment in that AscentPod you could try to cut through the pressure doors but I promise you that they will blow you and me into space before you get through one door."

"They'd kill you? We are at War, Captain, the military has taken heavy losses we need every ship we can get if we are going to stay in the fight."

"The fight is over, sir, the Cylons defeated us" Rhodes said speaking for the first time Sinclair looked her up and down and saw her rank insignia.

"Lieutenant, get your ass on the line, you can explain why your fighters have joined up with this traitor later." The Major ordered but Rhodes remained routed to the spot.

"No, sir, I answer to Captain Boyle. Commander Adama of the Battlestar Galactica placed us directly under the command of Captain Boyle and tasked this vessel with a mission" she said explaining her actions "Captain Boyle was acting in accordance with Commander Adama's request when he rescued your people and as long as he continues to serve the Commander's wishes I serve under the Captain's command."

"Adama and the Galactica survive?" He asked stunned the ship was ancient it had no right to have survived when newer more capable ships had been destroyed.

"He and approximately seventy thousand military and civilians survive." Boyle said

"Thank the gods, you need to take us to them we need to regroup and prepare for a counter-attack how many Fleet vessels survive other than Galactica?"

"The Battlestar Galactica is the only surviving military vessel" Rhodes said cutting in Sinclair almost seemed to stagger under the news as if he were a sailing ship that was fighting against the winds.

"Then we are doomed."

"No, we are not." Boyle said "Major, your people can help us complete this mission Commander Adama tasked this ship with finding survivors of the holocaust that has struck our people and bringing them to the fleet."

"Which is where? Why didn't Adama leave the fleet at Ragnar and take Galactica into the fight?" Sinclair asked confused at why a civilian transport had been tasked with finding them.

"Galactica is leading the fleet away from the Colonies Ragnar wasn't safe enough for that number of ships it was too tempting a target."

"He's running?"

"He's protecting our remaining population." Rhodes said defending her former Commanding Officer. "The Massena is searching for more people who could later join the fleet."

"If Galactica stops to wait for us" Sinclair said "and if we have enough support ships to provide us with food and fuel." He noted thinking it was unlikely that the Galactica would be stopping anytime soon.

"Those are high on my list." Boyle promised him "we're going to avoid direct contact with the Cylons, but contact will happen and unfortunately that is where your people could come into play."

"Captain, I'll be honest with you." Major Sinclair said in a more reconciliatory tone. "The marines I command are mostly trainees. While I suspect I do still have enough to take this ship if required" he said raising his hand to forestall any complaints of a threat from the Captain. "I just want you to understand I have the resources to overwhelm yours but I won't use them if you stay on Adama's mission."

"We'll not drop your people in the deep end Major, but we are going to need each other. What I'll need from you immediately is to keep your people in line we don't need trainee marines moving between the decks."

"I'll keep them restricted to this deck and the next? We will need the exercise room for some activities."

"Agreed Major" Boyle said "now let's go look for more survivors." Boyle said "there's a research facility at Hestia, we're going to check that."

"Lead the way Captain" Major Sinclair said Boyle wasn't convinced that he was happy with the arrangement and wouldn't be a problem in the future but for now he had command.

Several hours later the Massena flashed into existence near the gas giant of Hestia completing its jump. The ship arrived in open space and immediately dived towards the planet below. Hestia had seventeen moons two of which were inhabited those were the ship's target on one of them Kronos which had a colonial research facility with nearly one hundred scientists among them was a family member from a member of the Massena's crew. "Begin DRADIS scans for Cylon units, scan for transmissions from Aerlion and Canceron." Boyle commanded mostly for the benefit of Major Sinclair who was handing around at the back of the bridge. Personally Boyle didn't want to go near either world.

"Sir, Aerlion has a Cylon Basestar over it" Victoria Kryvych said both colonies orbited around Hestia at an equal distance meaning they'd have to watch out for Aerlion's orbit.

"We'll be avoiding that, even with Vipers we don't have the resources to take them on and evacuate anyone."

"Communication signal from Kronos" Jon Kamen said "it's on a point-to-point laser. They know we're here but no-one else should pick it up."

"Put them on speakers."

"This is the Colonial Research Colony Kronos 4 Colonial vessel please identify yourselves." A female voice said by the sound of her voice she had been crying recently, much like many others in the Colonies recently. Boyle reached for the hand held microphone attached to the console above his chair.

"This is Colonial transport Masena" Boyle said "we're ready to assist if you require it."

"We have one hundred and twenty-three souls down here and we're running low on air following a Cylon surgical strike. They left us to suffocate."

"We're ready to assist standby" he said cutting off the transmission "options people."

"Between the Raptors and Hunter we could evacuate them but it'll take time." Rask Milano suggested "we'll have to stay in range of it for an extended period."

"I don't want to stay here long."

"How about using one of our AscentPods?" Sinclair suggested "I evacuated half of my people from it and leave the rest for security. We drop the pod and pick it up when it's full I'll command the ground operation. You can manoeuvre as you need to." Boyle sat and thought for a moment then turned to the Major.

"If you think you can pull it off do it." He said "we'll be ready for your return."

The Massena continued to descend towards Hestia turning as it approached the planet so it's cargo bay was facing in the right direction. On board marines quickly left one of the AscentPods preparing it for action.

"Boyle to Sinclair, you ready?"

"We're standing by Captain, launch when you're ready, we'll be back soon."

"Good luck" Boyle said moment's later the AscentPod was ejected into space and sent towards the planet. Quickly accelerating the towards the planet, the Pod entered Kronos atmosphere falling rapidly towards the ground. "By the Gods rather them than me." Boyle said watching the pod fall. As the pod passed into the moon's atmosphere thrusters kicked in slowing its descent rapidly while airbrakes deployed giving further control to the pilots who brought the pod down towards the research colony. AscentPods were originally designed in the First Cylon War they weren't pretty and they weren't subtle but they got the job done.

On the ground Kronos was not a nice place. While habitable it was a desolate rock with thin desert sand covering most of the world. Where the Cylons had struck the oxygen generators there was a black hole in the ground filled with smouldering wreckage. Sinclair and his marines rushed out to see multiple people already leaving the research facility running across the ground towards the AscentPod leading them was an Asian female with dark hair and delicate features. "I'm Dr Sharon Cameron head researcher on this base."

"Ger your people on board we don't have a lot of time here."

"By your command Major, what military ship sent you." She asked once closer to him.

"Not a military ship just an insane civilian trying to put the world back together."

"Very good" she said swinging a punch at him knocking Sinclair to the side. To the far right a dozen Cylon Centurions emerged from the sand and began to fire at the crowd hitting several people instantly. The marines moved into a defensive posture as the doctor and Sinclair fought hand-to-hand.

The Centurions continued to close on them taking hits from the Marines all the time but also causing casualties among the civilians and the marines.

"What the hell are you doing!" Sinclair shouted as he fought the young woman who was a lot stronger and more durable than she appeared.

"Humanity is a plague, it deserves to be wiped out." She said her voice almost sounded robotic as she spoke but she was flesh and blood like him. Sinclair decided that there was no other way and attempted to draw his sidearm which the young woman reacted to stripping it from his hands knocking him backwards. Before she could fire on him two marines from different sides brought their weapons to bear and fired on her killing the young woman almost immediately one of the marines was cut down by a hail of bullets.

"Hold the frakking line" Sinclair commanded reaching for his wireless "Massena, we've been attacked by Cylon ground forces and collaborators. Be prepared for incoming. We've got multiple casualties down here!" He turned to a pair of civilians "you two pick that up we're not leaving her here." He said pointing at the body of Sharon Cameron, there was something not right with her.

In space the Massena was being approached by a group of four Cylon raiders. From the underside of the ship the Vipers launched to counter the Cylons. "Blow off the turret covers, target those fighters, inform Cassiopeia we're defending ourselves she's to keep her fighters off to the side."

"Affirmative" she replied as the Massena's container camouflage blew off and all eight of their turrets were brought to bear on the incoming fighters. Immediately the Cylons began evasive action but the Massena's turrets already had lock on targets wasting no time the Cylon fighters were cut down. Moments later six more fighters jumped in from a different vector approaching the Massena this time the Vipers countered their moves cutting one raider down instantly. "Massena, we're going to start taking casualties if we're out here long."

"Understood keep yourselves safe." Boyle said as the ship continued to manoeuvre the Vipers danced around the stars.

"Sinclair to Massena we're loaded and ascending."

"Great timing" Boyle said as the Massena continued its turn "Cassiopeia, all Vipers, bug out I repeat bug out. Weapons, flak barrage on those Cylons. Helm, set course back to Kronos and prepare an FTL jump as soon as their aboard.

As the fighters attempted to disengage from the Cylons Michael "Brainwave" Cooper was hit by incoming fire and his Viper exploded reducing their number to five. Clear of the area the remaining Vipers avoided the Massena's incoming barrage that destroyed the remaining fighters and headed back to the launch bay as the Massena manoeuvred.

Unlike a Battlestar the Massena's type of support ship had been designed to move during combat and avoid enemy fire instead of taking hits and Boyle knew how to move the ship. As it dived and turned the AscentPod was beginning to break out of the atmosphere heading towards orbit on its powerful thrusters. Unfortunately once it reached orbit those thrusters wouldn't be able to do much else as the AscentPod didn't have deep fuel reserves.

Diving toward Kronos orbit the Massena fired several grapples and pulled the AscentPod towards the ship drawing it back inside as more Cylons jumped in. "Landing bay, secure, AscentPod on board" Morena Harold reported from the back of the bridge.

"Get us out of here, jump" Boyle ordered and the Massena disappeared in a flash before the raiders could reach them.