Wildcard walked down the corridor toward the ready room with her helmet in hand. Upon entering she touched the pilots photo and made her way to the podium. "Alright people this is it." The pilots who had been speaking in hushed tones turned to the front to listen, as wildcard spoke some where staring at their handing in front of them, or playing with the their flight suits, it would be obvious to any onlooker that nerves in the room were running high. "We will be jumping in a few minutes and then all we have to do is wait for the order." Lauren took a breath and stood up straight "I can tell that this is the hardest part of any mission. You all know how to fly. I have confidence in each and every one of you. I know you will do your best. The best advice I can give you is to play it by the numbers, don't get fancy, and trust your instincts and wingman. That's all I have expect to say good hunting to all of you." Lauren stepped away from the podium and down the floor. Now we wait.
--
"Commander, Good Morning." The President said as she walked into the war room with Mr. Gaeta
"Madame President." Adama turned to Gaeta. "Mr. Gaeta, begin jump prep."
"Aye Sir." Gaeta picked up his headset and spoke to Dee in CIC "Dee begin jump prep.
The ready room was quiet Lauren was pacing by the podium. "Attention Galactica Prepare for jump." Ten seconds later they all felt a familiar sensation, it was over as quick as it began. They had reached their destination.
--
Gaeta was busily running around the war room getting status reports. "Jump complete, Sir. Nothing but hash, as we expected the cylons can't see us. The decoys are beginning transmission."
The Freighter's transmission filled the war room. "Carrier Constellation, jump complete on station, point Deacon. Initiate search pattern delta."
The second Freighter responded with practiced ease. "Ore flight bravo, delta, wilco."
"Ore flight nebula, delta initiated."
Bill Adama stood stoically next to the President and said in his hushed, raspy tone. "The Ball's in play. You can bet they heard that. Now they'll try to locate the decoys."
Laura looked up at Adama. "And when they do?"
Adama knew this was the first military offensive for the President. She still didn't understand all the working, but she was improving. He had intended to have her here in an effort to help calm her nerves and help her understand first hand what was happening. This was a part of his job he didn't mind. "If they take the bait, all hell breaks loose."
"Until then?"
"We wait"
"Galactica, Boomer. Tally, ninety plus headed Deacon, speed: two fifty The Cylons have seen the freighter. They're en route to intercept."
In the war room a new type of silence filled the room. The plan was now firmly in motion. Bill Adama stared at the board as the officer moved the pieces around "They took the bait. Mr.Gaeta, launch Strike Force one."
"Aye, sir. " Gaeta spoke into his headset "Dee, launch Strike Force one."
The ready room was quiet Lauren knew the order would come at any moment they had been in play long enough. "Attention, Pilots man your Planes. Pilots man your plans."
"Finally, thank you Dee." Lauren said to herself as she looked at the Strike one pilots. "Okay people lets move."
They reached the flight deck in moments. The Deck Crew was already in motion moving steps to the Vipers and sealing pilots safely in their birds, pre-flight sequences were being performed and birds were being moved into the tubes.
Lauren flew up the ladder next to her bird and settled into her seat. She flipped her per-flight switches and looked at her readouts before reaching for her helmet.
"Good Hunting, Lieutenant." Chief Tyrol said as he helped her secure her helmet
"Thanks Chief, your crew did one hell of job."
"Thank you Sir." Tyrol reached over and slid the canopy of the viper closed and gave Wildcard thumbs up. She returned and watched for the flight crew to give her directions into the launch tube.
At the same time in the war room, Starbuck arrived. She waited with some of the pilots until they were called. Trying her best to help them past some of their insecurities. "How hard did they bite?" She asked as she stood next to the old man as she looked at the board.
"Boomer's
report said 90 plus. They've launched most of their fighter
force."
--
Lauren was in a Viper launch tube and read for launch. Kelly looked at her "Give them hell, sir. Firing..."
Lauren launched and watched as the other vipers came out of the tubes next to her "Hotdog, Wildcard, How do you read?"
"Loud and clear Wildcard.
"Form up on me."
"Strike One this is leader let do this by the numbers people. Galactica Wildcard expect mission reports from my second in command and me for the duration of this mission.
"Copy, Wildcard, Gods Speed."
The crew in the war room listen to the strike force on the box.
Gaeta walked back to his post in front of the big board "Commander, our attack force is away."
"Thank you Mr. Gaeta."
Starbuck leaned closer to Adama. "I just hope that Lee can…"
Adama cut her off. He had been were she is. He knew what she was feeling. "Lee isn't the problem. You should take a good look at yourself. I had to go through the same transition. When you're in the cockpit, you're in control. It's hard to give it up."
Starbuck seemingly half listening to what Adama said to her. "It would just be a lot easier if I was flying with them."
Adama looked her in the eye. "All you can do now is wait and hope you didn't make any mistakes."
Starbuck became slightly agitated she spoke in a hushed tone "I never wanted this kind of responsibility."
Adama was kind but firm with his response. "The Cylons never asked us what we wanted. Welcome to the big leagues."
Starbuck cracks her knuckles nervously none to happy with Adama's response. She was never meant to let go. She was never meant to command she was meant to fly and fight but she was standing in the middle of the war room instead with a plan that may or may not be successful. She was not meant to be in the big leagues.
"Galactica Crashdown, Tally fifty plus on an intercept course. Repeat fifty plus inbound
Baltar peeked up after hearing that report. He nervously looked to Adama and Starbuck "What's that mean?"
Starbuck answered in her best command type voice. She didn't belong here but at the moment it's all she had. She felt she might as well see it through. "It means that a Cylon patrol spotted our attack force. The base sent out 50 more Raiders to intercept."
Baltar stood up an in he normally nervous and jumpy voice. "Fifty raiders?" He was a genius and some days he didn't like that fact that he was a genius because from where he was standing. Genius or not it was a good positions for them to be in. "That means we're outnumbered now... five to one?"
Laura Roslin never liked Baltar but the man was right. This was about to get ugly. She looks over at the Commander. "Weren't the decoys supposed to take care of that?"
Adama took a breath he knew eventually that she would ask this question. "Cylons are too smart for that."
Starbuck looked a the board upon hear the report and conversations going on around her "Frak."
Strike one was ready for whatever came. "Okay people here they come, remember, nothing fancy, do everything by the numbers. "Wildcard, Galactica strike force committing.
"Copy Wildcard." Dee voice was calm.
" Fireball, multiple bandits, left, ten high. Range 40, weapons free, committing."
The vipers were suddenly engaged in the dogfight they knew was coming.
" Hotdog, visual tally, press."
"Take it easy Hotdog you're doing great. Wildcard offered as she blew another Raider out of the sky.
Fireball was fighting along side. Hotdog, there's one your tail. Break right!
Fireball watched as Hotdog broke away and he fire at the raider.
"Thanks
for that." Hotdog watched as a raider came up on Fireball.
"Fireball, your six!"
alarms were beeps in the Fireball's
cockpit it was two late" I'm hit, I'm hit!"
"Fireball Wildcard, Eject! Eject!"
Fireball fought with the ejection handle he knew he was running out of time. Can't eject! No joy, no joy. Aaahh!"
Lauren watched the viper explode as she fired at another raider. They were getting clobbered out here just as they predicted. "Galactica, Wildcard. Numbers down, loosing battle, severely out numbered, no joy."
"Deadbolt, Spinner, two bandits closing in, right five. Maze to on your six."
"Can't shak'em."
"I'm coming Maze I'm coming. Wildcard hit her after burner and fired two shots at the raiders on Maze tail. They both explored.
" Whoo hoo. Thank you Wildcard."
"Stay focused we're a long way from being done here."
Galactica, Hotdog. Report, heavily engaged, mission outcome
doubtful.
--
The
radio transmissions on the box were dreadfully, screams and exploding
ships could be heard Baltar was beside himself. "This sounds
fraking awful.
Starbuck pressed her hand against the big board to
crack her knuckles again. "They're getting cut to pieces out
there."
Over the radio Spinner could be heard "Deadbolt, break vertical, now, now, now!"
"Damn it, Spinner, take the shot, get him off me...!"
Starbuck
steps away from the board and rubs her temples, looking
anguished.
Adama has heard enough. : "Mr. Gaeta, abort strike
one.
"Dee abort Strike one."
In CIC Dualla get on her headset " Strike one, Galactica. Return to base. Repeat: abort your mission and return to base."
"Galactica, Wildcard, copy returning to base. Alright people, were done here let's head to the barn." It's all up to you Lee…it's all up to you.
"Galactica, Stubbs. Cylon strike force is turning away from Deacon and inbound to Galactica."
Stubbs transmission came through the War room box. President Roslin looks at Commander Adama. "The Cylons heard our transmission recall, didn't they?"
Baltar stands up and nervously stutters. "Does that mean the first wave of Raiders is ignoring the decoys and is... is coming after us?"
Adama answers calmly. "That's exactly what it means."
Baltar speak up. "So when are we going to launch the reserve Vipers to defend Galactica?"
Adama looks at Baltar "There are no reserve Vipers. Everything is on the board already. Now we play for all the marbles. Adama turns to Starbuck "Starbuck, it's your plan." Kara nods at Adama and smiles for the first time since she entered the war room. She walks with a purpose over to Gaeta. "Mr. Gaeta, will you please tell Dee to get on the scrambler and inform Apollo "the back door is open"?
"Aye, Lieutenant. "Dee", please send a scrambler to Captain Apollo. Message reads: "The back door is open."