Betrayal

Battlestar Rycon, Vilnus Cluster

With Commander Atler still commanding the Battlestar Rycon and a search continuing of the ships for further Cylons Boyle had been called to Admiral Sarkis office which was located on the same corridor as the CIC but at a distance away from it that the Admiral could switch off and have his own personal time away from command. Admiral Miyka Sarkis office onboard the Rycon was similar to the office Boyle had encountered with Commander Adama onboard the Battlestar Galactica it felt more like Sarkis home than a work office with two separate rooms one which served as his office and another located through an open door which served as his living quarters. Sarkis was very similar to Adama an older officer who had commanded ships and their crews for a long time probably investing as much time in that as he had his own family.

"I checked you out 'Commander' Boyle" Miyka Sarkis said looking the man up and down from behind his desk in the middle of the office. Behind the desk were several shelves which held models of Colonial warships, fighters and freighters Boyle guessed he may have served on them or it might be a hobby. "You served as Viper pilot in the Colonial Defence Force before mustering out, you then became part of a freighter crew which visited many unsavoury spots around the Colonies before branching out for yourself buying your own freighter." Boyle was impressed with Sarkis knowledge, obviously his people out here had kept themselves well informed on what was going on. "None of which explains how you suddenly have the rank of 'Commander' nor your command of a Colonial Gunship?"

"No sir" Boyle replied formally, while he wasn't part of the Colonial Defence Force his operation to board the Battlestar Rycon had been from a colonial ship and with colonial soldiers he had to carry some of the responsibility for their actions.

"Do you mind answering to me how you came to command your gunship and how you attained the rank of Commander? To me, as an outsider, looking on you now it is hard for me not to think of you more as a pirate than a commander." He said is voice becoming stricter as he kept his anger in check Boyle didn't react to the Admiral's words, he knew why he'd done what he'd done and that he'd do it again. "A pirate out for himself as civilization falls to pieces. A pirate who just led an insurrection against this fleet, looking out for his own benefit." He said pausing as he stepped out from behind the desk Boyle knew what he was doing he was trying to goad Boyle doing something that would confirm Sarkis suspicions. "You know what we call that, son? In a time of war, we call that treason."

"The war is over, we lost" Boyle snapped back "I've been doing all I can to piece things back together and give people a fighting chance as I was ordered to! How dare you judge me from your hidden away safe system. I have fought and watched my friends die fighting the Cylons while you with five Battlestars sit here and wait!" He almost ranted back at the man "I might be out for my own benefit but I'm doing all I can for the people of the colonies while I do it." All the time he didn't move a step towards the Admiral but he felt the boiling up anger draining from him as he spoke, all this time he'd been responsible for the fleet he wasn't about to let someone say he was doing it all for himself. He stood there almost shaking with anger.

"You were ordered?" Sarkis asked remaining where he stood.

"Yes, sir, by Commander Adama of the Battlestar Galactica." He said Sarkis face brightened at hearing about Adama's survival and nodded his understanding that Boyle had a bigger story to tell than the one. Sarkis led Boyle to a sofa set into the bulkhead of his office and indicated for him to sit while he poured them both a large glass of ambrosia before he joined him sitting on the sofa.

For the next hour Boyle explained to Admiral Sarkis just what had happened since the fall of the Colonies how he had been tasked with saving survivors and how he'd discovered that while some Cylons looked like machines others now looked like humans. He explained how he'd gained the rank of Commander by the will of his fleet captains and how he'd found and recovered the Massena II.

"Commander Atler agreed to follow my plan to infiltrate your command, sir, we meant you and your people no harm but we knew we needed to do something to stop D'Anna from causing irreparable damage to your ship. It was my command, my decisions, if there is any blame…"

"Atler is a serving member of the Colonial Navy he knew exactly what he was doing." Sarkis said cutting in "he also most likely made the right choice even if some could view it as treason." He continued "I'm willing to overlook it for now given that you have a fleet of almost six thousand souls to care for I can understand your actions and in some respect them. You have had one hell of a journey Commander, one that could easily have broken a lesser man, you've proven yourself to be well up the challenge Commander Adama gave you."

"Thank you, sir"

"But now I must do something that you may regret Commander Boyle" he said standing up and walking back to his desk leaning over to sign some papers which he picked up and turned back towards Boyle. "Commander, based on what you've told me you've gone above and beyond what Commander Adama could have expected. I'm officially reactivating your commission in the Colonial Defence Force with the rank of Commander and the command of the Massena II which is also activated to full duty." He said handing them over to Boyle "I'm giving you full authority to commission your crew as you see fit, with each of them getting the benefits, with whatever benefits we have left."

"I'm sure they will appreciate that sir" knowing we've got support will mean a lot."

"Support and a home, here should you desire it, they Cylons haven't touched us here. Your people will be safe." He said reaching out with his hand to shake Boyles. Matthew Boyle reached out to meet Sarkis outstretched and the world around them exploded…

Seraph, Orion-class Battlestar, Vilnius Cluster

The Seraph was in a better condition that it had been when it first met the Massena II but it would still take months for the Orion-class vessel to be ready for action again. Major Alex Dykes stood in the cramped CIC of the small vessel overseeing repairs as the ship slipped into formation behind the Rycon and Tempest, the fleet's third Freja-class Battlestar. Here in the Vilnius system, they had thought they were safe from Cylons unfortunately it appeared they'd been in their ranks the entire time. The search for hidden Cylons was ongoing onboard the Rycon and Tempest as well as the other ships and facilities in the Cluster.

"Major, the Tempest weapons grid just came online! Missiles launching from Tempest targeted on Rycon!" Robin Wright called out from the sensor position "Tempest main guns coming online!"

"Try to raise them! What the hell are they doing? Bring our weapons grid online" he ordered watching as nearly a dozen missiles slammed into the Rycon's starboard side and now small weapons fire was adding to the mix. "See if your weapons can get their attention." He hated the idea of targeting another Colonial ship but given the Tempests actions he couldn't do anything else.

"No answer from Tempest, their guns are focused on Rycon" Wright said in the CIC of the Seraph there was only space for half a dozen people everyone did multiple jobs. "Sensors suggest the Tempest has begun to vent its atmosphere!"

"They're spacing the crew!" Someone shouted from behind Dykes everyone knew classic Cylon strategy to eliminate the crew by venting the atmosphere of a ship and taking control of the ship's own guns to target former friendlies.

"I'm authorizing the use of nuclear weapons" Dykes said reaching up turning a key on the console above. "Weapons fire everything we've got at the Tempest! Engines I want maximum speed on the Tempest if our guns and missiles don't do the job we will." He said reaching up to the ship wide announcer. "All crew this is Major Dykes, the Battlestar Tempest has fire upon the Rycon she is now considered hostile. We will do all we can to stop the Tempest, even at the cost of our own lives."

At the back of the formation the Seraph accelerated turning up towards the Tempest as it did several hatches on the top of the ship opened and six anti-ship missiles fired only two were armed with nuclear weapons but if they hit the right spot, they could cripple the Freja-class Battlestar. All along the Seraph's hull the small cannons normally used for point-defence began to fire on the larger Battlestar even as the Rycon began roll away from the Tempest to try to defend itself.

Battlestar Rycon, Minerva-class Battlestar

Regaining his feet under him Commander Daniel Atler leaned heavily on the central console of the Rycon's CIC. The ship had taken a beating by the surprise attack by the Tempest but it was still operational. Battlestars were designed to take a great deal of punishment the Minerva-class was built as a the percussor to the Mercury-class and could take some of the heaviest punishment of all classes of Colonial ship but today the concentrated volley from close range had hurt the mighty ship and many of the crew had been lost.

"Return fire on the Tempest, everything we've got." He ordered seeing the stunned crewmen "do it now! We cannot continue to take punishment helm roll the ship!" He ordered "turn our damage away from the Tempest." To try and out manoeuvre the smaller nimbler Tempest would be a fool's errant. Daniel looked up at the DRADIS console above him one of the screens was covered in cracks damaged from the initial attack but he could make out what was happening. He could see the Seraph opening fire with its missiles and cannons targeting the Tempest as the Rycon attempted to manoeuvre away.

"Radiological alarm from the Seraph fired on Tempest!" Someone shouted from around the CIC just as Atler clocked Matthew Boyle entering the room in his hand Atler could see blood covered papers and more blood on his clothing.

"It's Sarkis' he was hit by shrapnel" Boyle said "what the frak is going on the Cylons?" Thinking that perhaps they had been found.

"The Tempest attacked us. We think it's been taken over by Cylon agents." Atler said his eyes returning to the cracked DRADIS screens he saw his ship the Seraph accelerate from its position at the back of the fleet turning up and in on the Tempest the small Orion-class ship followed two nuclear explosions which burned across the hull of the Freja-class Battlestar. The Seraph didn't leave the explosion consumed by the nuclear explosions and the impact of the two once mighty WarShips.

"Gods!" Boyle exclaimed "sir, I need permission to leave the Rycon immediately and return to the Massena II. I'll send one of the Freja's back to render aid to the Rycon and continue to search for Cylon collaborators." He asked Atler was still trying to take stock of what was going on still watching the DRADIS screen as debris from the Tempest and Seraph began to spread out from the explosion, he'd known a lot of people on both ships. "Sir, we've still got people out there, our mission isn't done until everyone is safe."

"Agreed, go" Atler said finally looking away from the screen towards Boyle "may the gods go with you." He said as Boyle ran from the CIC leaving the blood-soaked papers on the CIC console Atler saw through the blood one of them was Boyles commission papers.

Raptor 118, Colonial Space near Massena fleet

Boyle stood inside the Raptor's cockpit as it emerged from its third successive jump arriving where he'd left the Massena II and the two Freja-class Battlestars only to find the space was clear. He'd half expected the ships to have moved to where they'd hidden the civilian ships. The DRADIS console onboard the Raptor suddenly showed dozens of Cylon Raiders and four Baseships hovering over the position where the fleet had been hidden with the three Colonial ships fighting for their lives.

"Jump us again! Get us in between our ships and the planet!" He ordered the crew of the Raptor who looked at him "we need to get onboard the Massena!"

Within a few moments the Raptor was once again making a faster than light jump leaving one part of space and reappearing moments later in another. In a flash of light, they appeared under the Freya-class Battlestar Sirocco just as several capital missiles slammed into the ship under this sort of punishment the colonial ships couldn't last long. The Raptor virtually spun on the spot before its thrusters launched it towards the Massena II which was putting out a huge flak barrage. "Massena this is Boyle, I'm coming aboard!" He said as the Raptor rocked heavily to one side avoiding weapons fire from a Cylon Raider behind the ship came a white and red painted Viper Mk II which spat weapons fire towards it causing the Raider to buckle, break and then explode. The Viper spun like a jackrabbit and then shot off in another direction looking for another target allowing the Raptor to slip under the Massena and dock.

Boyle ran through the shaking gunship to the CIC seeing Will Stonagal commanding the ship's defence all around him the CIC was filled with noises of battle. "Sir, the ship is yours" he said seeing Boyle enter.

"Jon, have the Sirocco prepare to jump home as soon as it is able. Have them leave their Viper's we're going to need them to get the fleet out of here. Then give me fleet wide!" He said taking command he turned to address the entire CIC even as the ship rocked, he grabbed the announcement microphone attached to the CIC command console Jon nodded it was ready. "Crew of the fleet these people have a safe haven for us to rest at. The immediate danger there has been dealt with now we only need to win here to end this journey." He said looking around the tired faces of the Massena crew "this fleet has been hardened by this war, we will not let the Cylons win today. This is not where our story ends."