Contact Harvest: Earth Cylon War
Summery: In the Year 2525 the UNSC encounters a fleet of refugees fleeing a dark enemy and the once peaceful agricultural world of Harvest becomes the setting for the opening shots of the Earth Cylon war.
Disclaimer: Don't own Halo or BSG
Battlestar Galactica, Pilot's Briefing Room
"So you decided to investigate the planet." Admiral William Adama asked. Next to him sat President of the Twelve Colonies Laura Roslin, Adama's XO Saul Tigh, and Commander of the battlestar Pegasus Lee Adama. All eyes were currently on the Raptor pilot at the podium Racetrack.
"Yes Admiral I felt that it would be in the best interest of the fleet to gather as much information on the planet as possible."
"Lieutenant," President Laura Roslin asked, "at this point where there any signs of Cylon activity."
"Negative ma'am."
"So you proceeded in system."
"Yes sir, due to the large construct in orbit I felt it best to move in quietly using only minimum power. It took some time but we where able to close within a two million kilometers of the planet, I didn't dare risk getting any closer."
"What can you tell us of the planet," Commander Adama asked.
"As you can see here," Racetrack said pointing to the image of the planet behind her, "it's small only about 4,000 kilometers with very little surface water and most of that is locked up in two large seas, despite the lack of water however it appeared very fertile with little land mass covered by deserts. The really interesting thing however was what we found in orbit."
"Explain," Admiral Adama ordered.
"There was a space station, big one too, almost as large as the central hub of the Scorpion shipyard. A number of ships were docking with it…"
"Did you recognize the ships?" Commander Adama interrupted.
"If your asking were they Cylon than no they didn't match any Cylon design I know of and to be honest from what I could see they didn't appear to be armed, we managed to take a number of pictures before we picked up a sensor ghost closing on."
"Sensor ghost?"
"It the best way I can describe it ma'am. We picked it up about 50,000 kilometers out, it looked like a sensor echo and DRADIS just couldn't seem to lock on to it."
"How do you know it wasn't just a sensor echo?"
"Because it was constant I even altered course slightly and it had no affect on the ghost."
"Then what?"
"For all I knew I was it the sights of some form of stealth craft so I jumped out of there."
"You did the right thing Lieutenant, you're dismissed"
"Thank you sir," Racetrack saluted and quickly exited the briefing room.
"Earth," Roslin whispered just loud enough for the others to hear.
"Or it could be a fraking Cylon base," Tigh counted.
"Then where are the basestars," Lee countered.
"Don't tell me you're buying this Earth crap."
"It's not 'crap' its fate," Roslin responded angrily.
"Let's say your right and this is Earth, well all I can say is we came a long ways for nothing."
"What does that mean?" Lee demanded.
"Look at the recon photos sure it's a nice planet and all but it seems be lacking something very important."
"And what is that?" Roslin asked.
"Guns, it's going to take the Cylon's five minutes to nuke that place into oblivion." That sobering thought brought the heated debate to a close.
"We could just move on, bypass the planet completely," Lee offered.
"Wouldn't work," Admiral Adama said causing the others to jump slightly, so caught up in their argument they had forgetting he was there. "The Cylons know we're in this region of space and will be searching for us it's only logical that they'll find this planet if they don't already know about it."
"Still theirs at least a chance," Lee retorted.
"If we did that," Roslin said, "We should all hand in our resignations to the Quorum right now, with the way Racetrack showed up blaring over wireless to anyone who would listen about the planet she found half the fleet must be aware of it by now. This is just the type of thing Baltar could use to push his campaign for the Presidency."
"Politicians," Tigh muttered a little too loudly.
"Admiral," Roslin continued ignoring Tigh's snide remark, "your thoughts?"
"I agree that this planet is too great an opportunity to pass up but we must approach it cautiously, in the event that it is some form of Cylon outpost the fleet along with the Pegasus will jump to a point well outside of the system. I'll jump the Galactica to the systems and determine if the planet is hostile."
"Sir perhaps the Pegasus would be a better choice," Lee commented.
"No the Pegasus is still damaged from the Cylon assault, and until repairs are complete we can't risk sending her into such a potentially dangerous situation."
"If that's all, I'll return to Colonial One and inform the fleet, Lee you always look good for the cameras care to join me?"
"It sounded like a request but knowing Roslin it wasn't so after a quick salute to his father he left with the President.
"What's so funny?" Adama asked seeing the smirk on his friends face.
"I just remembered what's worse than politicians."
"What's that?"
"Reporters."
0952 hours February 4, 2525 (Military Calendar) / Epsilon Indi System, High Orbit Harvest, Prowler-Class Corvette, UNSC Stalker, Captain Regan Burns.
"Our best estimate puts the fleet arrival in two days, I want you to form your squadron up around the Tiara, the station has been evacuated and shipments halted,"
"That had to cause quite a stir on the planet below," Commander Burns said. Sitting in her quarters, she watched the holographic image of the Commander al-Cygni in front of her. Despite being the same rank as al-Cygni, Commander Burns lacked seniority, so had to defer to the orders of al-Cygni. "Do they know why the Tiara has been evacuated?"
"At the moment we're saying that the station's reactor scrammed for an unknown reason and as a precaution the station needed to be evacuated."
"That's only going to fly so long as those ships stay out of orbit."
"We'll deal with that when the time comes, now have the packages been delivered?"
"They're in the mail and just need to be opened."
"Have you been able to determine anything about the intruder?"
"We have been reviewing the sensor logs and all I can confirm is that the unknown didn't enter slipspace, at least anyway we know how to enter it."
"Understood, I have a meeting with the Governor, al-Cygni out." The small holographic image on her desk vanished.
Captain Burns waited several moments before opening the lower drew of her desk and pulling out a small flask, she examined the golden liquid within before finally sighing and returning it to its hiding place. "Why do I get the feeling these aren't rebels?"
1025 hours February 4, 2525 (Military Calendar) / Epsilon Indi System, Planet Harvest, Utgard, Governors Office.
"The press is eating me alive," Governor Thune swore, "the shutdown of the Tiara is completely unacceptable, the farmers union is up in arms, do you have any idea how much this stoppage is costing the planet?"
With less than two days until the unknown fleet's arrival tension was running high especially for Harvest's Minnesota-born Governor. Thune paced nervously under the guarded gazes of Commander Jilanal-Cygni, Captain Ponder, and Ponder's two staff Sergeants Avery Johnson and Nolan Byrne.
"Boy you need to calm down you're going to get an ulcer," Johnson remarked pulling out a cigar and a match to light it.
"Don't light that in here," Thune snapped.
Johnson eyed the man a moment before striking the match and lighting his cigar; he really had to remember to thank Ponder for introducing him to the Sweet Williams brand.
The Governor was less then amused by Johnson's antics, and if looks could kill than he'd be a red smear on the wall by now.
"Evacuating the Tiara was unavoidable," Captain Ponder said as he interceded himself between the two men. The last thing Ponder wanted was to explain to the higher-ups why one of he was forced to restrain a planetary governor who was trying to eviscerate one of his Staff Sergeants. "The Tiara isn't built to stand up to the demands a battle will place it under, and while it won't suddenly fall from orbit if hit it would cause the station to decompress and kill anyone onboard."
"You told me you had six warships in orbit certainly those can provide protection for the station," Thune snapped at al-Cygni.
"We have six corvettes and even as we speak their forming up around the Tiara," Commander al-Cygni replied, "but their armaments are limited."
"Limited," Thune ground out, "you gave a very different impression when we spoke earlier, and I'm beginning to wonder if you ever speak straight, Commander."
"Governor Thune, everything the can be done to protect Harvest is being done," Captain Ponder replied.
"And why should I believe you? From the moment you people arrived here y…"
"Enough!" Time was short and the Commander was done playing nice, "Governor I did not come here to listen to you rant and rave about a legitimate UNSC operation. Now have you done as I asked and begun preparing Utgard for possible invasion?"
Commander al-Cygni knew she was taking a risk talking to a planetary governor in such a way but she had the backing of ONI and they wouldn't allow even a planetary governor to mess with their operations.
"Yesss." he hissed, "Mack's handling the details but with such short notice it will be difficult to have all the shelters ready in time."
"Now you know how the lady feels," Johnson muttered, earning a disapproving look from Ponder.
"Make sure you're ready to evacuate everyone to the civilian populace to the shelters at a moments notice, we'll likely to have very little warning in the event of an attack."
"There's still the matter of those who don't live in the city over a quarter of the population is spread out all over the planet on farms."
"Governor in all likelihood they are too small a target and will be fine where they are."
"You don't know that Commander, inform the public than we can evacuate the people to the shelters."
"We have been over this before. The last thing we need at this point is a panicked public so until I deem otherwise they will remain in the dark, understand Governor?"
"Perfectly Commander."