The Colonials Stand – Part 1

"Sir, we have DRADIS contact - confirmed Cylon forces dead ahead. Estimate thirty seven minutes until intercept range"

"Acknowledged" Turndike said. "Have the pilots report to their planes"

"Aye, Sir. Getting a message from Ajax. They are reporting they can not launch any fighters due to a failure in the launch tubes. They estimate an hour to repair the systems"

"Tell them to launch the fighters in manual mode" said Turndike. "Captain, I'm going below… You have the Conn"

"Aye, Captain. I have the Conn"

#

"I wish you was with us on this one, Katooni" Turndike sat in Sickbay. "I could really do with your support and tactical knowledge. We're about a quarter of an hour away from attacking the Cylons, and… I'm scared. I'm scared I'll do the wrong thing and end up getting us all killed – leaving the rest of the fleet open to the Cylons. If I know you as well as I have been able to do over the last few weeks, I know you would be getting to the cockpit of a Viper, but I also know you'd want to help me manage a fleet that is following the orders of a civilian salvage Captain. I know you might think it stupid or silly, but I really want you to know that I hope your Gods look down on you with supposed mercy and kindness"

"Action stations. Action stations. Set condition one throughout the ship… Prepare to launch all aircraft. Cylon taskforce on an intercept course. Captain Turndike to CIC"

"Sounds like they are calling my flight… I don't believe in the Gods, Meg, you know that well enough, but if we come out of this alive, I swear on my life that I'll put on a suit and marry you in the first Temple we come upon on Caprica" Turndike chuckled before kissing Summers on the forehead, stroking her hair fondly and then heading out of the Sickbay.

Unseen by anybody, Summers moved her hands…

#

"Sit Rep!"

"All ships are in attack formation and awaiting orders" one of Turndike's crew said.

"Very well" he replied. "Open a channel to all vessels"

"Channel open"

"This is David Turndike to all ships. In less than five minutes, we will engage with the Cylons. When they attacked, they did not just attack those ships able to put up a defence, but they destroyed whole cities, whole populations and entire planets and I refuse to allow them to hurt any more people. If you see any ship that is not displaying either Colonial colours or is not transmitting Colonial recognition codes, then you are authorised to shoot it down. All ships are ordered to engage the enemy wherever they may be in the Caprican system and not to stop until either your ship has been destroyed and you are dead or the Cylons have surrendered. Everybody knows what to do in the order of battle, but, if your communication systems have been disabled or destroyed so you can not receive orders, no captain can do very wrong if he places his ship alongside that of the enemy" Turndike stopped for a moment, thought for a while before he dredged up a passage from a book Megan had suggested he read. "If we fail to win the day, then history shall not mark this as the passing of a people, but when the people took part in a battle which not even the Gods themselves had seen… In gallant company, we shall stand into danger and steer to glory…" Turndike paused again – the silence broken only by the beeping of the DRADIS display and some consoles. "This is the Salvage Vessel Exeter to all ships in the attack fleet: Proceed with all dispatch to Caprica and engage the enemy. The Twelve Colonies of Kobol expects that every man and women will do their duty – all ships engage" he pushed down the handset before looking at the most senior Colonial Fleet officer on the deck. "Major, make to the flag deck - hoist battle Ensigns"

"Aye, Aye, Sir"

"Helm, all engines ahead flank – direct for that pile of soon to be scrap"

"Cylons launching Raiders from the Basestars. I am picking up more coming up from the surface of Caprica. Estimate over fifteen thousand Raiders heading towards us"

"Understood. Launch all Vipers to counter attack"

"In range of primary weapons"

"Gunnery control. There is a large pile of debris in my flightpath – eliminate it"

"Aye… Targeting… FIRING!" and Exeter's forward weapons fired at the exact same time as on the other ships. Missiles came right behind the flying projectiles of death, and these themselves were followed by nearly seven thousand Vipers.

#

"Pedro to all Exeter Vipers. Our targets are the Heavy Raiders – leave the normal Raiders to the rest of the squadrons. Once we've made a sweep through the middle, the survivors are to regroup and go for the missile launchers on the Basestars"

"You think we can win?" asked a pilot.

"We will or die trying" Pedro said.

"Raptor 189 to Halo Flight… Request permission to join the party"

"Whats your load out, 189?" asked Pedro, targeting a Raider and sending a missile dead into the middle.

"Mk I universal doorkey" and several of the pilots chuckled.

"Welcome to the party, 189. Pedro to squadron, four bogies heading zero niner zero – Halo Flight engage and persecute with extreme prejudice"

#

"Some damage to the forward areas of the ship, but the hull is intact"

"Understood. Have turrets alpha through gamma switch to ripple firing" Turndike said.

"Aye"

"Incoming missiles. Impact in fifteen seconds"

"Increase firepower to defence batteries" Turndike said. "Get Dial on the horn"

"He's on, Captain"

"You want me?" asked Dial.

"Yeah… Can you take a couple of ships to the other side of those Basestars and force them to split their forces? We're taking massive hits here and some of us can't last much longer"

"I'll take Restormal and Riopel" Dial said.

"Copy that – good luck"

"Affirm" and the line went dead.

"Twenty five percent of Viper force destroyed or out of commission. Enemy forces remain at ninety eight percent effectiveness" somebody called.

"CIC, Engineering"

"Go, Georgey"

"Dave, we've got to switch to the backup power lines. We took a hit in the midships area, and we've lost half the supply already"

"Change it over and then do what you can to get the mains fixed, CIC out. Helmcome about to 186 carom 289. Fire Control, target main cannons for the leading Basestar"

"Power to targeting systems is offline"

"Damn… well pick a bloody big metal object, not one of ours, and shoot at it until it blows up" Turndike glanced at the DRADIS. "Have reserve Raptor squadrons launch with orders to assume point defence for our ships. Have the released Vipers join the main battle"

"What reserves? Everything we have is either launched, destroyed or rearming" said a Fleet officer.

"Bugger… Send a message to all ships – target anything you like. Helm, Z Plus 5 degrees – all ahead flank speed. Captain to all turrets: free fire authorised. Exeter to Cambrian and Achilles"

"Here, Sir"

"Achilles reporting, Captain"

"Form close up to me… We're going to go straight through the Cylon lines and break them up. I'm hoping that they will think we're insane enough to think it will work and move aside – then we'll hit them with nukes so close they will not be able to shoot them down"

"Sounds good to me"

"Where Cambrian goes, Achilles shall follow"

"Good. Exeter out… Sensors?"

"Sir?"

"Using sensors and radar, find me the exhaust port for the Baseship on the left side"

"Aye, Sir… Why though?"

"Because we're going to get the Vipers to fire a missile at it"

"A small fighter can't get through that defence and fire a missile or torpedo into the exhaust port of a giant space craft like that" one of the Fleet Officers spoke next to where Turndike was reading damage reports, casualty figures and comm traffic.

"That's why we're going to send a number of them in to do it – might get lucky" and the salvage Captain looked at the officer. "Relax… I saw this happen in a movie"

"A movie?"

"I think it was called Galactic Battle or something" and Turndike was about to add more when Exeter was hit by an almighty amount of weapons fire from the Cylons. The entire structure groaned as everyone was thrown to the deck and the air was filled with screams, yells, alarms and the sound of panicked messages being sent to all parts of the ship. "Damage report!" but there was no reply. "Engineering, damage report" and yet no reply came. Turndike looked around to see most of the consoles had blown out leaving only terminals that sprouted fire, sparks and smoke… A few crewmembers, both his own salvage people and Fleet personnel hauled themselves either sitting or to an upright position…

"Engineering to CIC"

"CIC, go Georgey"

"Dave, we took multiple nukes along the ventral hull – all in the 50 megaton range. If what I am reading is correct, then we've got huge areas of the hull open to space and fires spreading in all directions, decks and compartments" Spanswick spoke with a pained voice.

"What are you not telling me, Spanners?"

"Dave, she's coming apart at the seams… I've got no power to Fire Suppression, main power is offline, Aux batteries are almost gone… Engines crippled… The Exeter is gone – the bird is dead. I have a reactor breach in less than seven minutes"

"Nothing you can do?"

"I can give you power to the pods, but that's about it… I'm sorry, Dave"

"Okay, give me as much power as you can spare to the flight pods. After that, secure the engine room send your people to the shuttles and get yourself up here"

"Aye, Aye"

"Medical team to CIC" Turndike called on the PA system then flicked to another channel. "This is Captain Turndike to all crew – abandon ship. I say again, abandon ship, abandon ship – all personnel report to shuttles and life pods. Exeter to fleet:- we've been crippled and about to blow up in any moment. We're evacuating to the rest of you. Orders stand to engage the enemy. Major Dial has command from here on out, Exeter Out"

#

The Engine Room was a sea of chaos as the remaining staff tried to keep enough power to the flight pods for evacuation. Spanswick and her most trusted deputy went around the entire compartment placing charges on the reactors and the FTL Drive.

"Alright, get to the evac shuttles" she said. A series of nods and acknowledgements came from the crewmen and women and Spanswick watched them leave before picking up the phone and dialled CIC. "Dave, Engine Room has been secured"

"Right, get up here quickly… I need a Helmsman and you're it"

"Affirm"

#

"All shuttles are away… Deck Chief reports a flight of three Vipers in the tubes for manual launch. Remaining Raptor standing ready to take off the last few crew members"

"Understood" Turndike said. "Major, on my orders input the following code sequence"

"Ready"

"Zero Zero Zero Destruct Zero"

"Zero Zero Zero Destruct Zero"

"Right, that's done that – all remaining nukes have been armed for detonation"

"Raptor 232 to CIC" the pilot of the Raptor called.

"Go"

"All remaining crew have been taken aboard. Request permission to disembark"

"Permission granted… Get to one of the two frigates if you can"

"Aye, Captain – launching now"

"All ships, Exeter. Clear our airspace and run like fraking hell. Cylon Commander from Battlestar Exeter – you are about to get a taste of your own plans. This ship might be dying, but she herself is still a weapon and, so long as she is under command and answers her helm, this ship will stand and this ship will fight until she is no more. Even then, she will use her last once of power to take one of you bastards with her. Exeter out"

"Where do you want us, Dave?" Spanswick came rushing in and took the Helm.

"Aim for the central command ship of the Cylon fleet – all engines ahead flank. Major, get the weapons put to automatic tracking and firing"

"Baseship targeted… Engines report ahead full" Spanswick said.

"Major, get that spanner from the kit there and get the name plate off that bulkhead" Turndike said.

"Damage to all decks and compartments" Spanswick glanced to the other side of the CIC and saw the Damage Control computers flash warnings before they shorted out.

"Done" the Major called.

"Dave? Helm just went unresponsive"

"Will we make it?" asked Turndike, reaching for a box on the Plotting Table.

"Adjusting with docking thrusters… Fuel lines are gone"

"Will we hit?" asked the Major.

"Right through their front door" Spanswick replied, her grin seemingly vicious in the dark of the CIC.

"Range is eight thousand yards, Captain, and closing awfully fast" the Major said.

"Last few missile impacts took us off course" Spanswick called.

"Right full rudder, course 270"

"Attempting to do it"

"All remaining missiles exhausted" the Major said.

"Coming to correct course again"

"Rudder amidships – steady on course 270" Turndike said. "All engines ahead maximum speed – damage acceptable now"

"I've locked the thrusters to ahead full" Spanswick said, "Should give us a few more points in speed"

"Bow cannons standing by for automatic firing" the Major reported.

"Engage the timer"

"Timer running"

"One and a half minutes to impact"

"Anything else we can do?" asked Turndike.

"No"

"Nothing"

"Right, secure the deck. Abandon ship" and the three left the CIC and raced down to the hanger deck with seconds to spare. Not having the time to put on the helmets correctly, they powered up their Vipers, armed missiles and blasted their tube doors apart and engaged the catapults to send them hurtling out the tubes and into open space. "Exeter Actual to all ships. Evacuation completed of Exeter. Exeter is now secured. Standby for a bloody big bang to for'ard! Vipers - split into pairs and run like hell"

#

The now unmanned and damaged Battlestar ploughed on and rammed right into the exact centre of the Command and Control Ship – ramming right into the heart of the ship and still firing what weapons still worked and using the last shot of the main batteries to weaken the impact spot before contact. With the engines still obeying the last Helm command of 'Rudder Amidships – All Ahead Full', the Exeter went as far as it could before explosions came from the damaged aft section and moving forwards with alarming speed and detonating the magazines and fuel stores before hitting the triggers on the nuclear missiles which resulted in the gigantic fireball the likes of which had never been seen before. Bits of Cylon and Colonial hulls became lethal bits of shrapnel which blossom into a terrible flower pattern which tore into the hulls of the other Cylon Basestars – still reeling from the loss of their central controlling point.

#

"Restormal to Turndike"

"Scrap Man, go"

"The Cylons are trying to regroup and focus on our heavy ships"

"I guess that all we can do is to keep firing" Turndike said. "Where is Pedro and the rest of the Tusk's Air Wing?"

"Engaging in targets of opportunity along with a Raptor"

"Give me a course heading, Dial… Scrapyard Flight is moving to engage"

"Heading 121 carom 334. They're on TAC 2"

"Affirm" Turndike reached for his comm panel. "Scrap Man to Scrapyard Flight, switch comms to TAC 2"

"Spanners confirms"

"Blowtorch confirms"

"Halo Flight from Scrapyard Flight Leader"

"Captain?" Pedro answered at once.

"Its me… Now listen and listen closely. The amount of interference from the Exeter going up and her nukes detonating has disabled the ability of the Cylons to jump out of here. Do you have any missiles left at all?"

"Scrapyard Flight Leader, Raptor 189 – Callsign Blastpike. I have a half load of missiles remaining"

"Blastpike, Scrap Man. Yu have to get in close to the Basestars and fire a pair of missiles at the FTL drives. Copy?"

"Confirm FTL Drives"

"Affirmative. Without Jump Drives, they can't escape our firepower"

"Scrap Man, Halo Flight and Blastpike, this is Katooni"

"Megan? What the hell you doing here?" Turndike said.

"I'd rather die in a Viper then die on a bed in Sickbay"

"Copy that"

"Pedro, Katooni. Am taking command of the Flight"

"Copy that. Pedro to Restormal Actual"

"Go ahead"

"Show Halo Flight as under the command of Captain Summers from this point"

"Understood. We're dispatching as many Raptors as we can with missiles to close in and take out the FTL on the Basestars"

"This is all up to you, Major, but any chance you can bring the ships closer to the Cylons? I'm hoping if you can get closer, some of your Flak will hit the Basestars and give us the edge we need" Turndike broke in.

"Riopel has a pair of those Anti Shipping missiles – one at each?"

"Fleet matters are up to you, out. Scrap Man to Scrapyard and Halo Flights – move in and take out the Triple A on the Basestars – leave Blastpike to fire at the FTL drives"

"Scrap Man, Blastpike – I've took a few stray rounds in the laser targeting system and DRADIS. I am flying in manual mode and by Mark One Eyeball"

"Can you configure your missile for a no target launch?"

"Affirm, but its no good. The missile reads off my DRADIS transmissions and directs to there"

"Blastpike, Spanners. Set the missile to read frequency 118.9er"

"Copy. Why that?"

"Because that is what my transponder will be on" Spanswick said. "I read it in a book ages ago… Should work"

"Halo Flight, take position in front of Spanners and clear a path for her" Katooni said and got a chorus of replies.

"All ships, Restormal Actual. The Heavy Cruiser Gondor is calling for aid"

"And Rohan shall answer" a gruff voice said firmly. "For Gods and Colony, the Rohan is engaging"

"Mayday… Mayday… Raptor 143 is down"

"Reactors overloading – ejection systems inoperative. Intend to ram into a Raider – out"

"Nightingale to fleet. Have recovered one two zero aircraft crew in various conditions. Have recovered one zero niner seven aircraft crew dead. Have recovered two two three zero five crew from capital ships in various conditions. Have recovered or noted seven six niner one zero dead are missing"

"Restormal Actual to fleet. Seven Basestars destroyed, three crippled and countless Raiders damaged, destroyed or otherwise out of commission"

"Rampant Rabbit to Fleet – am engaging small force of Raiders in planetary orbit of Caprica. Request assistance"

"Excalibur is three minutes from your position, Rabbit. Come about and head towards us as we come towards you"

"No can do, Excalibur – we're surrounded"

"Copy that"

"To anyone listening, Ark Royal is heavily damaged and abandoning ship. Request help to get my crew off"

"Achilles reporting. Both us and Cambrian are under heavy assault. Forward interceptors are offline and engines are failing. FTL engines destroyed. Request assistance"

"Katooni to Halo Flight. After we have cleared a path – get over to the Achilles and give them all the help you can"

"Affirm" Pedro called over the net.

"Bus Conductor is EVA and needs a pi–" the female voice was cut off as a Cylon fired directly at her.

"Cylons are going after the rescue and medical ships" somebody called out.

"All Colonial vessels, Restormal Actual. All ship based missiles have been fired – all tubes are dry"

"Scrap Man to Restormal. Is that your missiles or those of the fleet?"

"Entire fleet, over" and there was a long pause before Dial came back on the air again. "We're going to close in with all remaining ships and use our Ack Ack stuff to cause damage – even if minor"

"Copy"

"Spanners, Blastpike. Missile reset for tracking on your Transponder code"

"Copy"

"Spanners, Scrap Man. I'm formating on your wing to give you some close in protection"

"Roger that. Dave?"

"Yeah?"

"If this doesn't work… I just want to say thanks. It was a pretty wild ride all these years"

"Lets hope for a few more" Turndike brought his Mk II Viper around and sat to the left and slightly behind of Spanswick and checked his transponder code was set to a different one to what she was using"

"Missile armed and locked on" Blastpike said. "Firing in four… three… two…" Spanswick and Turndike powered their engines to maximum as Blastpike continued the countdown and fired the missile, sending it on its sole purpose in life – to destroy Viper 31114.

A/N:

The first part of the final assault is here at last…

All the ships mentioned have been discussed before except Gondor and Rohan which were two of the previously unnamed vessels taken from the storage fleet that the group liberated. I named them after the famous "Gondor Calls For Aid" scene as I have only just got round to watch the LOTR trilogy and I simply could not resist.

Spanswick's Viper tailcode, Viper 31114, references the date I uploaded this chapter – always adding little injokes and nods.

I wonder where the Exeter's destruct code came from… *chuckles* Anybody know?

Anyway, another exciting chapter to come and I hope that you'll like it as much as this chapter

Oh yes, I am also starting a new fic soon for the Doctor Who genre based on an idea I had after watching "The Beast Below" again recently – so keep an eye out for that!

Regards

Pixel and Stephanie