"Base Star!", Dundee shouted. Gorde had patched into Dundee's screen, and with the help of the zoom, plus the image enhancement software, he could see the sinister-looking twin-Y configuration of the Cylon equivalent to a battlestar. The enhancements showed something more.
"They have three squadrons deployed. Looks like one is in a screening pattern and the other two are doing low-level sweeps of the planet", Gorde communicated to Connor.
"That means they'll be deploying a patrol to this moon before long", Connor said, "Right, we hit the landing cycle. We're going to land on this moon and hide in the shadow of a crater. When this base star leaves the system, then we high-tail it back to the PEGASUS".
Both Gorde and Connor briefly hit their thrusters in order to deorbit the raptors. When their new decaying orbit brought the raptors down to within a mile or so of the surface, then they would power up the engines and do a soft landing. That close to the surface, their engines' heat signatures should not be picked up by sensors.
Just then, Parker reported, "I've got an FTL-emergence on screen. Looks like a shuttle of some kind. Not in the warbook, but it definitely is not a fighter".
"Discretely get as much data on it as you can, so that we can add it to the warbook database", Connor ordered.
Just as Parker got his sensor platform aligned, he reported, "The new arrival is transmitting a signal to the base star. I'm intercepting the transmission. The base star is acknowledging".
"Is the shuttle heading to rendezvous with the base star?", Connor asked.
"Negative. Now, it's powering up it's engines", Parker reported, then, "It's jumped. No question about it".
"So, it must be a courier shuttle then", Connor theorized, "jumping to where their base stars are, sending messages and receiving reports, then jumps out to another location where there's a base star".
"Sounds logical, Dookie", Parker agreed, "Anyway, I have good data for the warbook and the intercepts are being sent to Eyeball Two for decryption".
"Good", Connor briefly replied. Gorde's raptor had just been fitted with a more advanced decryption device, so they should be able to read the messages this time.
"Estimated time to initiate landing routine in ten minutes - mark!", Parker reported.
"That'll give Gorde time to get those messages deciphered", Connor replied.
Lt. Connor was right. As the intercepted transmission was of a new cipher, it took the decryption software a few minutes to decode the transmission. Dundee was glad that the updated software was proving a match for the Cylon's efforts to keep their communications secret. Dundee was also glad that the transmission was broadband rather than the secure laser communications system they used on the raptors. The former made for much easier interception.
Smoothly, at the right moment, the raptors powered up their engines and the automatic landing cycle started. The landing was still quick and hard though so as to minimize the chances of detection. The raptors had been brought down into a shadow of a mountain. This patch of blackness, plus the full powering down of the raptor's systems would make detection difficult at best.
"Newguy", Dundee reported, "I've got the transmission decoded. This is hot stuff", he added, passing the printout up to him.
The first part was from the base star: BASE STAR THETA FIVE REPORTING SEARCH FOR HUMAN TRACES IN SYSTEM THREE-THREE-NINER SO FAR UNSUCCESSFUL. ALL PATROLS REPORT NEGATIVE CONTACT.
The second part however - from the courier - was far more informative: ACKNOWLEDGED YOUR STATUS. PRIORITY TRANSMISSION FROM COMMAND BASE STAR BEGINS: NEW DISPOSITION OF CYLON FORCES TO BE BASED ON INTELLIGENCE ASSESSMENT THAT RECENT EVENTS IN VARDON, OPTUS, AND ANOTIAN SECTORS NOT, REPEAT NOT CAUSED BY GALACTICA. INTELLIGENCE BELIEVES POSSIBLE OTHER SURVIVING BATTLESTAR - EITHER PROMETHEUS OR PEGASUS - BEHIND EVENTS IN THE AFOREMENTIONED SECTORS FOR THE PURPOSE OF DIVIDING FORCES. PRIORITY IS THEREFORE TO BE CONCENTRATED ON LOCATING AND DESTROYING GALACTICA AND ESCORTED HUMAN VESSELS. ALL BASE STARS ON DETACHED SECTOR SEARCH OUTSIDE PROMAR SECTOR ARE THUS ORDERED TO ABORT CURRENT MISSION AND TO PROCEED TO PROMAR SECTOR TO ASSIST IN SEARCH FOR GALACTICA. DETACHED UNITS ALREADY IN PROMAR SECTOR ARE TO REJOIN THEIR RESPECTIVE TASK FORCES. UNITS WITHIN CYRANNUS SYSTEM ARE TO REMAIN TO SECURE OCCUPIED COLONIES AND TO PROCEED IN DEFENSIVE OPERATIONS AGAINST HUMAN SURVIVORS FROM VALHALLA STATION FOR TIME BEING. ALL REMAINING STATIC CYLON UNITS WILL MAINTAIN CURRENT ALERT STATUS IN EVENT THAT THE UNKNOWN BATTLESTAR MAKES IT'S APPEARANCE KNOWN. MESSAGE ENDS. ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT.
The Base Star had replied: ACKNOWLEDGED. SWEEP OF AFOREMENTIONED SYSTEM CONCLUDED AND WILL PROCEED TO NEXT SYSTEM FOR SEARCH ACCORDING TO NEWLY ESTABLISHED PROTOCOL. The courier had left the system immediately after receiving the acknowledgment.
On Eyeball One, Parker was still using the optical scanner platform to monitor the base star and its patrols, when he noticed something different.
"Dookie", Parker said, "the optical sensors are showing that their patrols are returning to their base star".
"I know, Eye-Spy", Connor replied, "and Newguy just sent me a printout explaining why. What we've overheard is super-hot information and we'd better get it back to the PEGASUS".
Connor then contacted Gorde, saying "As soon as that base star jumps, we high-tail it back. Get the return co-ordinates punched into the navi-comp. We jump as soon as we reach orbit".
"Understood, Dookie", Gorde replied, "Looks like we hit pay dirt".
"I don't know about pay dirt, Newguy", Connor admonished, "but regardless, Commander Cain needs to know about this".
Commander Cain at that very moment was in his quarters, having taken advantage of a lull in order to take a quick shower. He had just gotten his undershirt and trousers on when his doorbell chimed.
"Come in", he called. As most of his crew knew that disturbing him for a bad reason was not good for one's career, he knew that anyone who would disturb him would have a damn good reason for doing so.
Tolen entered. Cain waved him over to a chair. As Tolen sat, Cain took a towel and quickly ran it through his hair.
"You know, Geoff", Cain said, "I must be getting too old for this, because I never used to look forward to taking a shower!".
Tolen laughed, replying, "Well, Garris, at least water is not a problem for us. The recirculating and filtration plants are working fine, plus it also happens to be a byproduct of our engine combustion. Win-win there", he concluded. These quarters were the only place on the battlestar where both of them could use their first names.
"True, but we were lucky all the same. We were the first battlestar to be fitted with the advanced recirculating system. I don't believe the GALACTICA had anything like it installed, due to it's scheduled decommissioning, so their water will have to be conserved more. Definitely no long showers. Anyway, what can I do for you?", Cain asked.
"The suicide pills are being distributed to the fighter wings. Both CAG's were reporting that the pilots are not taking very kindly to the implication", Tolen said.
"All right, Geoff, What did you end up doing?", Cain asked, noticing a certain gleam in his X.O.'s eye..
"I gave the objectors a little chat upon the niceties of Cylon torture, plus a friendly warning on a certain Battlestar Commander's torture techniques if the pills were not accepted. For some reason, they were not quite so reluctant to do so" Tolen replied with a smile.
"So you got them fearing the Old Man more than the tin-heads", Cain said with a laugh, "Well, this old man wants to take a brief nap, so can you continue to manage things for a little while?", he asked.
"No prob, Garris", Tolen replied, "Unless the battlestar is being pulled apart, I'll try to make sure that youre undisturbed".
"Okay, Geoff", Cain replied, AThanks for letting me know. I only want to steal an hour, so wake me then, okay?"
Nodding, Tolen headed out of the cabin. Cain was lucky having an executive officer like Tolen. He was ready for a command of his own, and would have had one, if there were any other battlestars around. He stretched out on his rack and quickly dropped off to sleep. Brief showers and quick naps were about the only perks he had left, but he was determined to keep those...
It was about a half-hour into Cain's nap when the raptors finally made their move from the surface of the moon. The Base Star had quickly retrieved their fighters and had just jumped out of the system. The base star had shrewdly left a remote listening post in orbit, but by carefully navigating to the far side of the moon from the post at low altitude over the moon's surface, had avoided contact from it's sensors. Now, with the navi-comp information for the return punched in, the raptors were about to return in order to inform the PEGASUS about what they had found.
"Lets go", Connor ordered, "jumping in 5...4...3...2...1...jump!"
With a flash of light and a wrench of gut, Recon Force Eyeball FTL-ed out of the system and headed back to the PEGASUS. Connor had Parker hit the 'transmit' switch immediately after the jump was completed. This could not wait for landing.
"Well, well", Tolen commented when he read the deciphered intercept. The raptors made it back to the PEGASUS without incident and had transmitted their report direct to Core Command. While the raptors were proceeding to land on their respective landing bays, Tolen was taking the time to quickly read the contents.
After taking a couple of minutes to absorb what the deciphered message meant, Tolen glanced at the chronometer upon the DRADIS console. It was time. He picked up a communicator and contacted Commander Cain.
"Is that you, Tolen?", a voice came back on the communicator - along with a stifled yawn.
"Just carrying out your orders, Commander", Tolen replied, "and our raptor probe has picked up some grade-A intelligence. Just thought you'd like to know", he concluded faintly sarcastically.
"Your sense of humor may take you places, Colonel", Cain replied dryly, "but promotion probably won't be one of them. Have the raptor crews been debriefed yet?"
"Negative", Tolen replied, "They transmitted their information just after they exited FTL. They have just landed in their respective bays and should be reporting for debriefing in ten minutes".
"How hot is this intelligence?", Cain asked next.
"Magma-hot", Tolen replied.
"Very well, have the raptor crews report to the Silver Spar Wing debriefing room. I'll see you there", Cain said before clicking off the communicator.
Tolen hung up his communicator and turned to Captain Sanders, saying, "You have CIC, Captain. I'll be with Commander Cain if you need me".
Sanders nodded and walked over to the DRADIS console to stand the command watch. Tolen nodded to him, then left CIC. He knew that this information would be quite valuable.
By the time that Tolen had made it down to the briefing room, both Gorde and Dundee were already there. They stood when Tolen entered the room. Tolen waved them back into their seats. Tolen then sat on a seat and waited for the others to arrive.
A couple of minutes later, Lt. Connor and P/O Parker trotted in, slightly out of breath. They saw Tolen, then saluted him. Tolen returned the gesture with a wave of his hand, then pointed them to their seats.
"Sorry for the tardiness", Connor said, "but when your squadron is based on the opposite landing bay to this one, it made for a rather long trip".
"Look on the bright side, Lieutenant", Tolen replied, "It keeps you fit". He then smiled, indicating that he was joking. The smile faded when he saw Cain enter.
"Attention on Deck!", Tolen sounded off. Everyone stood. Cain waved them back down.
"So, Lieutenant Connor", Cain said, "I understand that you and Ensign Gorde had found something of interest to me".
"That they have, Commander", Tolen said, standing up and handing to Cain the printout he had looked at earlier on CIC. Cain took the offered form, then started reading.
"So", Cain said after absorbing the information, "The Cylons are becoming more 'intuitive', based on this information. Well, no one said that they were stupid. Predictable maybe, but not stupid".
"It doesn't bode too well for us", Tolen said, "Their concentrating their forces in this sector means that we may end up getting into more trouble than we can handle, if we make a wrong move".
"But this message assumes that we are elsewhere and are to be ignored. As long as we are in the Promar Sector, we can still take the heat off Bill Adama and make life tough on those tin-heads", Cain replied.
"How is that, Sir?", Gorde asked.
"The Cylons evidentially didn't take the bait that we had left them back at the sentinel post, mainly due to distance and timing", Cain replied, referring to the cadavers wearing GALACTICA uniforms that they had planted, "but if we continue our guerilla tactics and keep our 'no PEGASUS I.D. policy' up, then the Cylons would more readily believe that the GALACTICA is doing hit-and-run sorties. After all, this sector is where they're looking for her, right?"
The assembled persons nodded. That logic made sense, but there was one major drawback.
"Commander", Lt. Connor pointed out, "according to the message, the Cylons will be conducting their search in task forces rather than single ships. That means a minimum of two-to-one odds. So taking on these task forces would overwhelm us and ignoring them would not take the heat off the GALACTICA.
"You're an academy person, right?" Cain asked Connor. Connor nodded.
"I remember from my academy experiences - particularly from the classes on tactics - the prime lesson: that 'victory depends only upon the time and place for battle, and not on the number of forces'", Cain quoted, "Which means that I will choose our battles to give us the advantage".
The others smiled at Cain's declaration. He really knew how to fight and more importantly, how to win.
"So what do you make of this reference to Valhalla Station?", Connor asked after a few seconds.
"It's almost certain that a colonial warship assisted the station in jumping to an unknown location, but close enough to the colonies to continue the fight there", Cain replied, "and when we find the GALACTICA, then perhaps we can find that group of guerillas, and that Peregrine gunship. It could be the PROMETHEUS. Jack Morrow and Justin Buchanan would be able to pull off such a stunt. But, it could be others. Any one of those three battlecruisers that had been mentioned earlier would have had the capacity to jump Valhalla Station out of danger".
"But those three were decommissioned and in the process of being scrapped", Connor objected.
"I had status reports from the fleet yards before the war. They were sent to me by friends as they knew I like to be kept appraised of the latest developments", Cain replied, "And I did take the time to read over what they have given me. The COURAGEOUS had been about half-dismantled in the Vestral Docks, so it would not have been able to escape destruction. The AVENGER had been at Magiddio Docks awaiting scrapping, but since Magiddio was one of the first targets destroyed in the war, it is doubtful that it could have gotten away in time".
"So what does that leave us with?", Connor asked.
"The third ship mentioned by the Cylons was the GOLIATH. That ship was just starting to get scrapped when the war broke out. The facts - judging from the intelligence - show that the Tartulas base had not been initially destroyed in the opening round of the war. And when a base star sent to finish it off got destroyed when the base reactor went super-critical, I think that is too much of a co-incidence", Cain replied,"which means that the GOLIATH probably had the time to get repaired at least so that it could get away".
"Didn't other intercepts tell us about another battlestar?", Connor asked.
"You're talking about the ITHACA. That one was not mentioned in this latest intercept so it may already be destroyed, but the ITHACA had been recently downgraded from a battlestar to a target ship, so it's offensive and defensive weaponry would have mostly been stripped. Also, it's home base was the Vestral Yards. The last I heard was that it was being used at the principal testing range, but either way, I just can't see the ITHACA as behind what it going on in regards to Valhalla Station", Cain concluded.
"So it's either the Battlestar PROMETHEUS or the Battlecruiser GOLIATH that's keeping up the fight back at the colonies", Tolen said. Cain nodded.
"Whichever one it is, they are doing a great job keeping the Cylons from feeling settled on our home worlds", Cain said, "So let's hope that they can continue to do so, until we return with the GALACTICA".
"So say we all", Connor muttered. Cain looked at him and smiled.
"So say we all", Cain echoed, "but in the meantime, let's take care of some tin-heads over here. We have that listening post in that system and if the GALACTICA comes here, that could provoke some unwelcome attention".
"Judging from the sensor logs, that post isn't armed", Tolen said, "It's like a burglar alarm, transmitting an alert and any data it can get"
"Makes sense", Cain replied, "for if the GALACTICA has to find provisions and other raw materials for her fleet, then these 'burglar alarms' would deny Adama the time to get what he needs".
"If we send a raptor to destroy it", Gorde suggested, "then the listening post will only see that it is a human FTL-ship attacking and will transmit that information before it is destroyed. The Cylons could well believe that it was a patrol from the GALACTICA, particularly if the pilots keep certain details quiet".
"Sounds good, Ensign, but in order to attract enough attention to this system in order to divert a task force or two, the attack needs to be carried out by non-FTL ships, which means vipers", Cain replied. He turned to Tolen. "Contact Comms and tell him to plot an FTL jump to that planet on the side directly opposite the listening post. Then contact Captain Syke and have him ready a flight of vipers to take out this post, then to return to the PEGASUS immediately. Once they return, we jump out of the system and half way to the next one. That should divert at least one task force, and Bill Adama is going to need all the help that he can get".
Cain stood, and all the others stood up.
"Well done, Lt. Connor, and you too, Ensign Gorde. Make sure that Captain Syke has a copy of your sensor log so that he can plan his attack. Let's go", Cain said. All followed him out of the briefing room.
It was a few hours later that the briefing room once again began to have occupants present to discuss the listening post. Captain Syke was talking to Lieutenant Higgins, and three of the midshipmen who he had been busy training.
"Rogue", Syke said to Higgins, "AI asked you here with the three best midshipmen that you have for a little mission".
Higgins looked up at Syke first in some surprise, then a smile. He asked, "What kind of mission, CAG?".
"The Commander needs to keep the ready-alert squadrons on board, but we need to send out a flight to destroy an unarmed Cylon listening post in orbit around a planet in the system dead ahead", Syke explained, "So you think these three are ready for some combat flying?"
Higgins nodded, considering the parameters of the assignment. It would be a simple mission, and a good introduction to the midshipmen to combat operations. He looked at the three that he had chosen. They looked pleased.
"CAG", Higgins said, "Agiven the circumstances, They should be able to handle it okay. I think they'll do well"
"Great, Rogue", Syke replied, "That's settled then. I'm going to dispatch Sheba with you to monitor the performance of your flight. If they do well, then I'll see about recommending them for their wings".
Syke liked the broad smiles from the three midshipmen; flattery from their instructor and a combat assignment from their CAG. That was the sugar. Now for the vinegar, he thought to himself.
"I don't like to deceive anyone here", Syke announced in a changed tone of voice, "You three are here because we need you qualified as quickly as possible, but if there is any unforseen trouble, you three are more expendable than our more experienced pilots. This is our job, and glory-hunting is not part of it. I hope that you can appreciate that".
The smiles on the midshipmen's faces faded as Syke's message sank in. Being told that you were the best of the trainees was great, but being told that you were going because more experienced pilots couldn't be wasted was sobering. But they realized that CAG was right: it was a job that had to get done, and if they were to get their prized wings and the ensign's rank that went with it, they had to do it right.
"Are there any questions?", Syke asked. One of the midshipmen raised her hand.
"Captain", she said, "when do we launch?"
"Good question", was the reply, "and the good answer is in ten hours. Rogue will run you through the simulator to check you out on the attack plan, then you'll rest up for six hours. You'll be ready to launch at 1000 down in bay two. Lieutenant Cain and LT jg Higgins will be expecting you there no later than that time. Remember what Rogue has been teaching you and you'll do fine. I still remember my first 'real' mission, and this is one you'll all remember. Dismissed".
The midshipman who had asked the question hoped that everything would go well. She would not have felt so confident had she known about the small item secreted into the VIPER patch on the shoulder of her newly-issued flight suit...
All of them filed out and while Higgins escorted the three youngsters back to the sim room, Syke headed back to the administration annex. He'd break the news to Tricia, he thought to himself.
"So I'm nurse-maiding a training flight, Gene?", Tricia asked CAG in a disappointed tone. She expected a little better, given her position as his deputy.
"More like chaperoning", Syke replied, "but I need you out there to help if there is any trouble encountered. As much as I respect Rogue's instincts, those three middies will need more protection if anything happens".
Tricia was still not overly pleased, but CAG had a point. Given the uncertainties of war, trouble could happen at any time. Besides, it would be a good way to ascertain their performance - and Higgins' ability as an instructor.
"So you'll be there in Bay Two at 1000 then?", Syke reminded her. Tricia nodded. It would be shortly after that time that the PEGASUS would be making it's jump, so the patrol needed to be in their vipers and ready for launch before the jump took place.
"Well, at least it gets you out of doing paperwork for a while", Syke commented as he walked out of the office. Tricia poked her tongue at his back as he left. It wasn't exactly what she had in mind...