"All loading completed, Colonel", Marro reported.
"I take it that your time with Chief Engineer Thyssen was constructive, Chyna?", Lennox inquired with a smile.
"His team, with the help of Chiefs Krag and Brubaker was excellent. All of the pallet transfers were skillfully done and the fueling had no problems", Marro said, slightly avoiding the question. It was great to see Wyatt after so long. After going over the respective cargo manifests, they had caught up on each other - though without either of them divulging too much about matters of security. While Marro was pleased with the spares packages and the additional longbow and scarab missiles that the PEGASUS was sending to complement the volunteer squadron, Thyssen was pleased with the additional foodstuffs and raw materials that Hawke had seen fit to provide, along with the extra fuel that had now almost completely topped off the PEGASUS' fuel tanks. It was just a pity that time constraints did not allow for extra time together...
"Anything else of interest?", Lennox asked next.
"Unfortunately, both Sheba and Bojay are in their vipers. All of the PEGASUS' squadrons are on launch alert, so I didn't get a chance to say hello", Marro replied. Lennox nodded. With the PEGASUS at Condition One, that meant that dropping in to say 'hi' had to wait. Well, perhaps some other time...
"It's almost time to send out our 'message', Chyna", Lennox reminded her. Marro nodded. They both walked through the open airlock hatch and proceeded to head back to the WARLOCK.
"Thanks for the supplies and fuel, Chyna",Thyssen called out to Marro.
She turned and said, "Till next time, Wyatt".
Thyssen nodded to Chief Krag, who activated a control on the open hatch. The hatch slowly swung closed. As it closed behind them, Lennox and Marro noticed their techs quickly winding in the fuel hoses. They stepped back into the WARLOCK. While Lennox headed back up to the bridge, Marro waited until their techs had finished stowing the hoses. She noticed that the pallets provided by the PEGASUS had been stowed away in the hold.
"Okay, close the hatch, depressurize and retract the walkway", she ordered the tech at the hatch controls.
As the hatch closed and sealed, air pumps removed the air in the walkway. When the depressurization process was completed, the walkway folded in on itself, stowing itself in a folded position on the side of the WARLOCK. The WARLOCK was now floating free beside the PEGASUS.
"Stand by to transmit the message", Lennox commanded the communications officer. He keyed his communicator to contact the PEGASUS on the laser-commlink.
"Home Plate", he said, "we're ready to transmit. Once done, we'll move off first to 'Xanadu'. We'll wait for you there".
"Understood, Tender", the Core Command duty officer replied, "we'll be watching for bad guys".
Lennox turned to the communications officer and said, "do it".
The officer activated the high-intensity omnidirectional communicator and sent out the message that Lennox had shown Cain earlier. Lennox's hope that it would be picked up was confirmed. A dormant Cylon grasshopper probe approximately thirty light-seconds away picked up the transmission. Obeying it's programming, it immediately powered up it's systems, scanned the area where the transmission came from, and then activated it's FTL-jump. The energy spike was picked up by the passive sensors on both the PEGASUS and the WARLOCK.
"FTL-jump reported at these co-ordinates", Sanders reported to Cain, pointing to a map on his screen.
"We show it too, Home Plate" , Lennox reported, "Hopefully, this will give the tin-heads something to think about. We're heading out now".
"Understood, Tender", Core Command replied.
"Let's go", Lennox ordered. The WARLOCK powered up it's FTL-drive, then started the countdown. Just before the countdown reached zero, Lennox called, "See you in a few".
"The WARLOCK has just made it's jump, Commander", The Core Command duty officer reported.
"Very well. Helm!", Cain called, "power up the FTL drive. Stand by to jump on my mark".
The grasshopper quickly jumped back to it's point of origin and transmitted the following message: SUPER-FLASH PRIORITY MESSAGE BEGINS. SPARTAN THREE-NINER-TWO REPORTS ONE HUMAN BATTLESTAR IN CONCERT WITH PROVIDER-CLASS TENDER IN ESKEDRON SYSTEM CO-ORDINATES ONE ONE FIVE DASH THREE TWO ONE. INTERCEPTED TRANSMISSION FROM TENDER DECODED. CONFIRMS POLARIS REFERENCE. BATTLESTAR CURRENTLY IN PROCESS OF BEING REPLENISHED BY TENDER.
"Number One!", Number Eleven called out, "A probe has just sent a super-flash message. We have confirmation of the human 'Polaris' rendezvous co-ordinates. They're in the Eskedron System!".
"Great!", Number One replied sarcastically, "Just as we're dealing with this other attack at Cimtar! Very well, inform our ready-alert task forces and have them immediately engage the humans in the Eskedron System".
"Our ready-alert task forces have already been dispatched to another suspected location which were based on decodes of recent communications intercepts", Number Eleven said, "It will take some time to get the message to them, given the situation at Cimtar".
"You did what?!!", Number One screamed.
"I was about to inform you when the Cimtar attack commenced. The dispatch of the ready-alert forces was in compliance with your directive, Number One: to preempt the human rendezvous by dispatching our forces to ambush them once we get information as to the co-ordinates", Number Eleven said.
"Those accursed Colonials! They've successfully duped us again! By leading away our ready-alert forces and staging this attack at Cimtar at the same time as the real rendezvous, they have split our assets and caught us at a disadvantage. Issue the recall to the ready-alert forces at once and get them to Eskedron!".
"It will take too long, Number One", Number Eleven informed her, "by then the humans will more than likely be away from the Eskedron System".
"hen get someone from in-system out there to deal with them, even if you have to divert, or detach a unit or two from one of the task forces coming to support us!", Number One ordered, "we have got to intercept and destroy that other battlestar!".
"By your Command", Number Eleven replied.
Number One had not missed the information that there was a surviving human fleet tender. The existence of such a vessel would make supply transfers easy and quick for the humans. She hoped that whoever Number Eleven found to respond to her order would get there before the tender had finished, but why have the ready-alert task forces not responded if they had been lead away to an empty location...?
After several minutes of waiting, a PROXIMITY ALERT alarm flashed onto several screens on the DRADIS console.
"We've got company", Sanders reported from Comscan, "Two Base Stars have just jumped into this system at three-seven-eight mark five-four-niner. They're launching raiders".
"Time for raider intercept?", Cain asked. "One minute, ten seconds", Sanders replied.
"Stand by to jump", Cain said.
"Another base star has jumped into the system at nine-zero-zero mark one-one-five, Commander. Looks like they're trying to pincer us", Sanders reported.
"Then let's go, gentlemen", Cain ordered, "As much as I'd like to give those tin-heads a dose of artillery, three-to-one odds are not overly advantageous, and we do have a job to do first".
"Ready to go at your order", Helm reported. "Execute Jump!", Cain responded. With that order, the PEGASUS jumped out of the system - and away from the closing base stars.
The commander of the incoming Cylon task force registered the battlestar making it's jump. The closest raider to where the PEGASUS used to be quickly scanned the empty space, then reported that it had found nothing.
"Recall all of our raiders", the command centurion ordered his communications centurion, "As soon as they're back, quickly scan the system before returning to Cyrannus".
"By your command", the communications centurion replied.
Elsewhere in space, far away from the Eskedron and Tairac sectors, a Colonial fleet Battlecruiser emerged from it's FTL-jump with a flash of light.
"I guess that we can call that a job well done", Greenlee remarked to Hawke after the effects of the jump wore off. The GOLIATH had just made it's FTL 'withdrawal' from the field of battle to a preselected location several parsecs away from it's departure point.
"Excellent work, everyone", Hawke remarked to the CIC personnel. Hawke quickly got a status check from the Damage Control officer, which indicated that the GOLIATH was not-too-much-the-worse for it's recent battle.
"Do we set a course for Carillon now, Commander?", the helm officer inquired. Hawke shook his head.
"We've got a little errand to run first", Hawke replied, "set an FTL-jump for these co-ordinates", he ordered, handing the helm officer a folded sheet of paper he had removed from inside his tunic.
The helm officer looked it over, then looked back at Hawke.
"Commander", he said, "These co-ordinates are for the Tairac Sector. There's nothing out there"
"There is", Hawke replied, "We're quickly dropping in to pick up some guests. Get the FTL set and let's get going".
As Hawke turned away, Greenlee walked up and said sotto voce, "Commander, The WARLOCK would have finished it's rendezvous with the PEGASUS well before now and should be back at base", he pointed out, gesturing to the chronometer on the DRADIS console.
"I know", Hawke replied, "and it's pretty far away from the 'Polaris', rendezvous co-ordinates as well, but trust me, okay?", he concluded with a smile.
What has the Old Man got in mind?, Greenlee asked himself. He saw the smile though. Hawke had it before when he sent him down to greet the newcomers on the FLEET AVENGER, not informing him that the daughter of Commander Cain would be present!
"X.O., Set Condition Two and have Core Command stand by", Hawke ordered. Greenlee nodded.
As Greenlee carried out the instruction, the helm officer reported, "Co-ordinates punched in, Commander. We're ready to jump at your discretion"
"Very well" Hawke replied. He turned to face Greenlee, who reported, "Condition Two is set throughout the ship, Commander".
"Then let's get going", Hawke declared, "Execute jump in five...four...three...two...one...execute!".
In the emptiness of deep space that was point 'Xanadu', The eighteen vipers and the single raptor of the PEGASUS Volunteer Squadron were slowly coasting alongside the WARLOCK in close formation. Hayes was keeping close tabs on the other pilots while Lt. Dutch kept the raptor directly behind the tender, watching the 'six' position.
Cain had immediately given the order for them to launch and rendezvous with the WARLOCK immediately after their impromptu jump to Tairac. Just after Connor's raptor had left the landing bay, the PEGASUS send a brief "Good Luck" message, then jumped back to Promar, leaving them alone with just the WARLOCK for company. The period of waiting had started.
"How much longer do we stay out here alone, Colonel?", Hayes asked over the short range ship-to-ship communicator.
"Should be any time now, Captain", Lennox replied. This rendezvous point was completely devoid of even asteroids. When the PEGASUS had departed, it drove home the point that they had better get picked up by somebody.
"My sensors are showing absolutely nothing", Dutch chimed in. The raptor's sensor array was the most powerful of the ships that were there, "so I hope your people don't forget about us as it's a long way to any kind of planet"
"Considering the value of this tender to the Old Man, I wouldn't worry about that, Lieutenant", Lennox assured him, "So be patient. As soon as Mother Lode is finished with what she has to do, she'll be along. In the meantime, I suggest that you maintain your power conservation measures", Lennox said. Hayes had been told by Lennox earlier that 'Mother Lode' was the secure call-sign for the GOLIATH, and Hayes had cautioned his pilots not to mention any but code names over the communicator.
"He's right, Razor", Hayes agreed, "Our squadron is needed, or else we'd be cooling our heels back on Home Plate until another rendezvous can be arranged. Let's just keep patient".
"I'm just glad that the tender is here riding shotgun", Dutch replied.
The other pilots listening in nodded. With the fleet tender at hand, if worst came to worst, the pilots could be evacuated to it, although that would mean abandoning their vipers.
Just then, a large flash signaled the emergence of a large ship from an FTL-jump. Lennox saw the IFF signature on his scanner, then smiled.
"Tender to Mother Lode, Tender to Mother Lode, it's good to see you again", he communicated.
"Good to see you too, Colonel", Hawke's voice came back, "I see that our guests are keeping you company".
"What the frakk?", Greenlee blurted out, "That's a viper squadron with the WARLOCK. And another raptor!"
"I told you that we were going to have some guests", Hawke replied with a smirk, relishing the surprise on Greenlee's face, "So let's them on board".
Nodding, Greenlee gestured to Comscan. After the technician reported no other ships in the vicinity, he then nodded to the Duty Officer at the Core Command console. She set her communicator to the UNICOM fighter frequency.
"Mother Lode to Honcho, Mother Lode to Honcho, Do you receive?", she sent out. 'Honcho' was the generic term for a squadron commander. Hayes keyed his communicator.
"Receiving you loud and clear, Mother Lode", Hayes reported, "Honcho's call-sign is Chunks. Acknowledge".
"Understood, Chunks", Core Command replied, "You and your squadron are cleared for combat landing. Acknowledge".
"Understood, Mother Lode", Hayes replied, "We're coming in".
To his pilots, Hayes communicated, "Let's go, everyone. Straight in fast. They don't want to linger around here, and I'd rather use a decent washroom instead of this relief tube!".
The other pilots laughed at that message as that followed Hayes on the approach to the now-open flight deck of the GOLIATH. As Hayes' viper entered the large maw of the entry port, Hawke's voice came over the communicator.
"Actual to Honcho, Welcome to your new home. Welcome home all of you.
"Thank you, Actual", Hayes replied, "The undefeated and unforsaken appreciate your hospitality".
Hayes had used the new squadron motto that Growler had thought up. It was kind of appropriate. They would ensure that the tin-heads would never forget that they would never know victory while one of them still lived, and thanks to the mutual support of both Hawke and Cain, they would never be forsaken.