Disclaimer: I don't own Battlestar Galactica 2003 or Caprica. They belong to their respective creators and/or Copyright owners. This story is written with no commercial aim. I make no money from it. It is not for sale of rent.
Chapter 2: Welcome to the war! We have front row seats for everyone!
=TCW=
Part 3: What can change the nature of a man?
Battlestar "Columbia"
Low orbit over Caprica
Colonel Alan Olger, looked at the DRADIS image of his home-world. The Battlestar's powerful sensors showed a hemisphere of Caprica, centered on the capital. There was a single, reinforced BSG, centered on Ares, which provided the biggest concentration of Colonial mobile forces in the AO. Another behemoth, a Mercury too, the Nemesis, was nearby. That was Admiral Corman's flagship. It's escorts were coming in, a Valkyrie Battlestar or a Berzerk cruiser jumping in every few minutes.
If the DRADIS sats surrounding Caprica were to be believed, there was another BSG covering the other side of the planet. However it was made up by only three Valkyries and a handful of cruisers. So far, there was no sight of Columbia's own escorts, which were supposed to be purging their CNP. At least his own girl was safe. Being one of the older ships in the fleet she was near the bottom of the list to get that gods damned upgrade. Which in turn meant that the battle-wagon had more crew than one might expect. Just enough to use it after most critical networks were severed.
That didn't help much with the worry the usually easy going officer was feeling. The fact that Fleet security had been compromised to such an extent that it made most of the Colonial forces potential helpless targets boggled the mind. Even with the warning, the Fleet was going to be fraked if the toasters appeared right now.
At least Commander Williams was picked up without accident and should be docking any moment now. Olger looked at the closest DRADIS feed and relaxed a bit. The Raptor sent to retrieve his superior officer was on final approach. At least one thing was going according to plan today.
"CAG, status on our birds?" The Colonel asked after picking the closest wireless set and punching the correct combination.
"Most of our Mark VI's are nominal. We have 85 ready to launch. The fives squadron is green across the board. However most of our new birds are fraked. In about ten to fifteen minutes I can give you hundred and ten, may be hundred and twenty vipers, sir. The rest will need at least another hour, if we are lucky. I don't have enough people to strip the CNP from those vipers and jury rig a half decent avionics package."
"That would have to do. I want all available birds ready to launch at a moments notice."
"Aye, sir. The pilots are ready. Just give the word."
"Well done. Carry on, CAG."
"Sir, the Commander just landed in the starboard hangar and he's on his way." One of the Marines guarding the CIC reported after receiving a call from the escort party that brought Williams up.
"Good. Comms, any word on when some reinforcements will grace us with their presence. Caprica looks awfully uncovered today, all those civies buzzing around notwithstanding."
"Negative, sir. The last orders from Fleet HQ still stand."
Hold defensive position above the capital and do you best to spoil any possible attack, wrapped up in the proper fleet speak. Even with the Orbital defenses in play, the Colonel wasn't confident that a determined attack could be halted by the handful of warships in orbit. The best they could do was dying and taking as many of the toasters as possible.
"Any change from Ares or Nemesis?"
"Negative. We are to continue covering this flank."
=TCW=
"Lia, you'll listen to your mum and behave for me, right?" Karl kissed his daughter's head and gently ruffed her hair.
"Uhuh." The excitable kid nodded absentmindedly while looking around with a huge smile on her face.
"I'll be back as soon as I can." Karl said and reassuringly squeezed the hand of his wife, before leaving his family in a conference room near the CIC. The compartment was reasonably comfortable one of the best protected places within the ship due to how deep within the hull it was.
After the door of the conference room hissed closed, Commander Williams turned his attention to the Sergeant who was the only NCO in the squad that picked him up.
"Sergeant Zhan, please post a few marines to keep an eye on my family. Lieutenant Ronson, get in touch with Captain Grove.I want platoons guarding engineering, damage control and the CIC just in case this is for real. In the last war the toasters loved to vent the atmosphere and turn our own ships against us if they managed to board in numbers."
"Yes, sir.
"I'm on it."
The marines snapped salutes and started calling on the wireless while the Williams made his way in the CIC.
"Commander on Deck!" The senior marine guarding Columbia's nerve center all but shouted.
"Carry on people. XO, give me the short version."
"We are fraked, boss."
Karl smirked at his old friend. "That's the fleet's SOP. Elaborate."
The Colonel did so, explaining the situation.
"Well, frak indeed. I want..."
"Multiple DRADIS contacts! Capital ship range! No IFF and we are getting some strange signal."
Williams winced when the comm station whined, giving tortured digital tone.
"Launch all Vipers!" The Commander hissed and grabbed his head which was suddenly pounding with murderous pain. "All flak guns ready for defensive fire. Get me a firing solution for the nearest unknown." Williams could feel his voice warping and his vision blackened for a moment.
It was a surreal feeling. It felt as if a dam had been unleashed within his mind, flooding him with memories that weren't his. With orders that meant to betray everything he believed in his whole life. Who he was.
But that wasn't right, was it?! He wasn't Karl Williams. Never was. He was a model eleven Cylon infiltrator. The only one of his kind in the Colonies. And he was supposed to do his best to ensure his command died, opening a way for the Cylon fleet that just jumped in.
That was right. Just a few carefully worded wrong orders and the Columbia would be rendered vulnerable and swept from space. It should be easy. Simple. After all, he was a Cylon not a fraking flesh and blood human. By all means he should hate his creators, want to facilitate the reckoning that was coming on the wings of his kind's fleet.
"Unknown ships are launching small craft. Hundreds of them.." The DRADIS operator paused, his voice getting quieter. "Thousands." He corrected himself.
"How many capital ships are out there?"
"Twenty five plus. DRADIS is having problem distinguishing them behind the swarm of fighters."
"Orders, sir?" Olger asked, looking at him.
"Commander, we lost telemetry from the orbital defenses." The tactical officer reported.
Karl the Cylon straightened, waving at Olger, signaling the Colonel that he was all right. He opened his mouth to speak and paused. His head turnedtowards the bulkhead behind Williams' family was resting, waiting for a word from him. His mouth snapped shut with an audible click of teeth.
"Commander?! Karl! Snap out of it man!" Olger ordered. When he didn't immediately receive an answer, the XO shook his head in pity and started snapping orders. "Viper squadrons are free to engage at will. CAG, remind your people to stay out of our fire lines. Guns, target Alpha, fire for effect. I want a flak screen up in fifteen seconds."
Williams remained frozen in place. The man, the Cylon he once was, fought for supremacy with the Colonial officer entrusted with one of the most powerful ships humanity ever built. With the father whose daughter was less than twenty meters away and would be doomed if he followed his programing. Karl closed his eyes, images of Lia and Allison flashing through his mind.
His family, his crew, his friends… Were they a price he was willing to pay so the machine he used to be could fulfill its purpose?
The answer should have been easy, simple. Logical. For both the machine and the man. Yet, it was anything but. Or perhaps it was.
Just different for each of them.
Karl shook as the old, yet new memories were washing through his mind, trying to alter who he was, what he was. It should have been simple, to restore the Cylon so he could be the one in charge. It very well might have been… if he has been an infiltrator for a few years. Or a decade tops.
He was the oldest one, inserted while his body was merely fifteen years old, replacing a boy who was conveniently disappeared by the first generation infiltrators who had adopted the child. For more than thirty years he had believed himself to be a loyal Colonial citizen, latter sailor and officer. All that experience was not so easily supplanted by the memories of living a few short years as a Cylon. Yet all that rage against the humans who created him was still fresh in his heart, burning as hot now as it did all those decades ago.
In the end, Karl found that he had a choice. He steadied himself and stood straighter. For a moment his face became a mask of fury that made his XO, who saw it, take a step back. Williams took a deep breath, taking himself under control.
It was done. He knew who he was and what he was going to do.
"I'm all right now, Alan. Let's just say that I had a revelation on how this mess," he waved at the monitor showing the DRADIS feed, "came to be."
=TCW=
Part 4: Ragnarok rising
Battlestar "Ares"
Task Force "Hades" Flagship
Low orbit over Caprica
"BSG 94 reports fifteen Baseships in their AO before they were jammed." The wireless operator reported.
"That makes about fifty of the frakers." Admiral Demeter frowned.
"Admiral Corman confirms that you have tactical command, sir. He'll be trying to get us any available support."
"Admiral Demeter confirms, I'm in command of all Fleet assets in Caprica's AO." After that John, returned his attention to the tactical plot.
Unless DRADIS was royally fraked up by enemy ECM, each of those capitals carried a few hundred fighters and bombers. At least. He didn't need to look at the big flat screen showing the angry wave of enemy small craft throwing itself at the all too few Viper squadrons ready to meet them. Well, that's why all available Raptors were out there too, loaded with as many missile pods as possible.
Still, that wasn't going to be enough.
"All Battlestars are to launch two nuclear missiles, targeting pattern Epsilon, after the Raptors finish their barrage. Vipers are to pull back for the strike before engaging. Weapons, I wan out nuclear salvo to be coordinated for maximum effect. Make so."
"Aye, sir. Relaying orders." The Comms officer answered and started speaking rapidly.
The Admiral's eyes bored at the tactical plot. The Raptors had come to the front or in between gaps in the Viper formations and were launching hundreds of missiles. For a moment the screen flickered as the DRADIS struggled tracking everything flying through the battlefield. He winced as another civilian ship went afoul of the leading enemy barrage, which was still ten seconds from the vanguard of the Colonial forces. Keeping his task force at low orbit appeared to be a boon, because the Cylons had jumped far beyond optimal firing range for each side. Hell, their missiles needed nearly a minute to reach his defensive lines and that was only because he was going to stand his ground and protect the capital below.
The Cylons apparently weren't going to try pick the defenders with long range missile fire and bomber strikes, instead they were advancing after an almost solid wave of fighters. If the count was right, there were more than ten thousand of the frakers screening the toaster's capital ships.
"Those are ugly buggers." The XO muttered nodding at the enemy carriers, shaped as two stylized stars crossed together.
"Big too, at least in volume. Though those arms can't have a decent armor. Not with all the raiders they were carrying and those missile batteries."
The latter was a surprise. Demeter had expected more conventional approach to warfare. So far, no slugs were detecting coming their way. While DRADIS was somewhat degraded by ECM and all small craft flying in between the two sides, not to mention the thousands of missiles that were being expended as if there was no tomorrow, there was no obvious sight of gun emplacements over the enemy Baseships. Which was curious and an obvious weakness if true.
"They are just begging for a flanking force to jump on top of them." Fell mussed wishfully.
"Until our reinforcements materialize we'll simply have to keep our guest occupied and focused on us." Demeter smiled thinly.
A hasty, audacious and according to a few, aninsane plan had emerged in the few hours of warning the colonials had. Once the possible vulnerability of the CNP was taken seriously, all plans for a stand up fight were abandoned… unless you had the misfortune to be a part of a few notable units. Like Demeter's task force or a few of the older Battlestars that were still commissioned. Like the Columbia, which had to cover the right flank by herself while her BSG was away, sorting out their networks and making sure that their Vipers and Raptors won't be shut down.
At least now he had a confirmation that the Cylon defector who broke into his apartment was apparently genuine about the enemy jumped in, the Raptor that came directly from a border clash confirmed that the toasterscould affect ships with the CNP installed or even shut down Vipers with a signal.
"This is Cup-bearer. We are bingo on Arrows, returning to rearm." The voice of the captain in overall command of all Raptor strike craft within Task Force Hades sounded in the CIC. Moments later it the DRADIS updated showing all colonial small craft twist in space and pull back towards their mother-ships.
"It's time to make this more interesting." Demeter smirked. At that moment he could hear the distinct sound of PD guns opening fire being transmitted through the hull. The first enemy barrage was in range.
The Admiral and Colonel Fell spun their keys, authorizing the launch of nuclear ordinance.
"Weapons, you ready?"
"Targeting solutions refined and loaded through out the fleet, Sir."
"Good. Fire."
Red buttons were pressed and eighteen nuclear tipped missiles left their tubes. Maneuvering thrusters propelled them in the right direction and Tylium engines roared to life, accelerating the ordinance towards their destination. At the same time the main guns of the Battlestars and their escorts spoke as one, sending fragmentation shells at the approaching wave of enemy fighters.
A few seconds later, another wave of missiles followed. All of those were electronic warfare birds and decoys.
Meanwhile, Vipers and Raptors are maneuvering wildly, doing their best to clear the firing lanes.
Accidentally, the nuclear missiles flew on such vectors, that they would eventually reach two of the leading Baseships unless they were intercepted. That was something that didn't whatever toaster was in charge didn't fail to notice. Though that particular Cylon had a bit of problem. Among the hundreds of missiles that were shot by the Raptors, about ten percent were EW birds. While very short lived, they were enough to scramble comms for a significant portion of the incoming raider swarm. All the ECM flooding the space between both fleets wasn't helping much either.
That led to interesting results. Part of the swarm actually tried pulling out, so they could get new orders. Those were led by the somewhat brighter of the lobotomized raiders who actually retained a tiny shred of self preservation in their active programing despite the inhibitors they were implanted with. Well, the rest were simply machines following a set list of instructions or the fragmented orders they could receive. So they flew towards the missiles, determined to shoot them down. The first of them slammed straight into a murderous field of shrapnel made by fragmentation rounds.
Seconds before that, the nuclear missiles, which were now flying among a triple their number of decoys, spread out, taking vectors that would soon lead them in the heart of the swarm. Raiders did their best to shoot down the wildly evading ordinance, taking out forty five of their targets. Only ten of those were actually nuclear.
The remaining eight, penetrated into the confused swarm and detonated before a lucky Cylon could hit them. Short lived suns lit up the skies above Caprica, obliterating a couple of thousand raiders and frying the systems of those who were too close, yet beyond the edge of the hard kill radius, which itself was rather small.
"All Vipers except our close defense squadrons are free to engage at will. ETA on Raptor reload?" Admiral Demeter spoke calmly.
"About five minutes after the last one lands." The answer came over the wireless.
"Close enough. Every Raptor that is reloaded is to launch immediately and augment our flak screens." Demeter ordered. He frowned when the DRADIS finally cut through the interference from the nukes. Five Baseships were detaching from the main force and advancing towards his right flank when the Columbia hanged alone. He actually expected more enemy ships to go after her. Stranger still, only a few hundred small craft detached from the wounded swarm and headed that way.
"Sir, we have confirmation that BSG 94 is facing fifteen enemy Baseships and assorted small craft. They are requesting reinforcements at our earliest convenience."
"Patch the request to Admiral Corman and tell him that the Columbia could use some help too."
The Ares slightly shuddered as a single conventional ship-killer slammed into her armored nose, the first enemy missile that managed to pass through the gauntlet of PD guns and Vipers.
"Fist enemy barrage has been deal with. Minimal damage across the fleet. Second is inbound, ETA five seconds." The DC Control officer announced.
A few seconds later, the Colonial Viper squadrons clashed with the leading elements of their Cylon counterparts.
=TCW=
Caprica Orbital Control
"Heliopolis" Station
High Orbit above Caprica
"This is Colonial Hea..."
Vanessa growled when the frantic transmission cut mid sentence, the hauler disappearing from DRADIS a moment later. Dozens of civilian ships were caught between the few Fleet units guarding Caprica and what appeared to be the whole fraking Cylon fleet. Neither side appeared to particularly care about the unarmed ships that flew apart when hit with military ordinance.
"Where in Hades' name is the fleet?!" One of the traffic controllers shouted in despair when yet another civilian ship, this time a liner with hundreds of innocent people was ran down by enemy fighters and shredded by gunfire.
That was something everyone aboard Heliopolis wanted to know. There were hundreds of Battlestars in the fleet and if the DRADIS and IFF weren't lying, only ten were trying to stop the Cylon rampage.
"Athena have mercy..." Someone muttered.
"DRADIS contacts!" Another shouted.
Not that it was needed. The flash of the FTL jump was close and strong enough to lit up the insides of the control center. Vanessa looked outside and her blood froze. Five unknown ships, just as big as a Battlestar each were almost on top of them. For a moment it appeared that they exploded, with fragments poised to rain on top of the Colonial station. Then Vanessa's mind caught on what was happening. Those ships were all right, unfortunately. And they were launching hundreds of fighters.
She just starred as streaks of light detached from the arms of those ships and headed straight at her.
"May the gods have mercy on us..." Vanessa managed to mutter before a hundred conventional missiles tore Heliopolis apart.
Outside, the Cylon's First fleet reserve was entering the fray.
=TCW=
Battlestar "Pegasus"
Picon Fleet Yards
High Orbit over Picon
"Cylon forces are assaulting Caprica. You are to take command of all mobile units in the AO and ensure the security of Fleet HQ and the Picon Fleet Yards. Engineering is currently purging our mainframe and most systems are down. I just got word from Caprica that the ODN is compromised so you are on you own for now, Helena. As soon as we have some ships cleared from malware we'll be feeding them straight in the fight above Caprica and here."
"We are to buy enough time for the rest of the fleet." Admiral Cain confirmed that she understood her orders.
Never mind that they were likely to be their death sentence.
Behind her lover, Gina was busy trying to disable the CNP so the compromised program would be unable to be the death of them all. Never mind the fact that it should not have been installed yet. For the first time in her short life, the infiltrator cursed her efficiency which insured that the Pegasus would be crippled.
She just needed a few more moments!
"DRADIS contacts! Capital ship range, unknown configuration!" The sensor operator shouted.
"Gods speed, Admiral." The wireless connection was cut off and Gina wondered if that was the last they would hear from the Colonies Fleet Admiral.
"Launch all Vipers. I want all ships in range to consolidate above Fleet HQ and the yards!" Helena snapped an order.
Gina started typing even faster. The keyboard was barely able to keep up. She needed just a few more seconds!
=TCW=
CIC
Battlestar Galactica
Ragnar Anchorage
"Time until those Two's in storage can be checked up and brought on board?" Commander Adama asked.
"According to Chief Tyrol, at least four hours." The XO answered briskly.
"No time for that. I want him and a party of his choosing to stay behind to have the birds fixed up and ready for launch. We'll be likely using this place as a safe staging area. How long until our Mark sevens are ready?"
"About ten hours for most of them. We have thirty Mark II and a ten or so Sevens which will be operational in the next twenty minutes."
"What about our scratch force?" Adama asked.
While the Galactica was loading her magazines, a few other fleet units had sought refuge at the anchorage. As the longest serving Commander in the small group, Adama had taken command and now he was in charge of a single Valkyrie, just like his previous command and a pair of Berzerk cruisers – the Loyal, Serpent and Naga respectively.
"They'll have about fifty Vipers between them in half hour or so."
William winced. That would be more active fighters that he would have, which was good, though in the end it was a pittance compared to how much Vipers such a force should be able to muster.
"Commander! We got priority transmission from Caprica! The Cylons are engaging fleet units under the command of Admiral Demeter above the capital. All available ships which have restored their network security within Helios Alpha are to either join the fight or reinforce our forces above Picon, whatever is practical."
"We are out of time." Adama turned his head towards his XO. "Call Tyrol. We are finishing loading in ten minutes and leaving. He and his people are to remain here. I want them to restore as many vipers as practical and an estimate for restoring the anchorage itself as an active base." The Commander paused for a moment. "Call our escorts, I want to know when they will be ready."
Moments later, Commander Shen's voice sounded over the wireless. "Sir, we'll be combat capable in twenty minutes. Fifteen for the Naga and about twenty five for Serpent."
"Barely enough time to secure the munitions." Tigh mussed.
"We can work with that, Commander Shen. We are jumping to Caprica as soon as practical."
=TCW=
I made an order of battle for the initial clash above Caprica. It should be noted that the Cylons have deployed every combat ship they have besides the operational reserves of each fleet and that's in case they didn't outright deploy it for the initial strike. In addition they have rather powerful covering forces protecting their resurection ships and that's it. They have nothing more to deploy, no strategic reserves to speak of.
The Colonials on the other hand are busy purging, de-networking or both, as well as trying to get in space everything that can fly and shoot that don't have the CNP installed.
Active Colonial units over Caprica:
Task Force "Hades" Admiral John Demeter commanding
BS: Ares; Mercury type /200 vipers 50 raptors/
BS: Victorious, Dauntless and Honor; Valkyrie type /30 vipers 5 raptors each/
Cruisers: Berzerk, Basilisc, Manticore, Scyla, Minotaur; Berzerc class/10 vipers 2 raptors each/; Poseidon't Pride, Zeus Thunder; Loki type heavy cruiser/support/
BSG 53 Admiral Corman commanding
BS Nemesis; Mercury type /200 vipers 50 raptors/
BS VAliant, Fearless, Valkyrie type /30 vipers; 5 raptors each/
Cruisers: Harpy, Medusa; Berzerk Class /10 vipers 2 raptors each/
BS: Columbia; Galactica class / 120 vipers; 25 raptors/; Commander Karl Williams commanding;
BSG 94
BS Valliant, Triumph, Prideful; Valkyrie type/30 vipers 5 raptors each/
Cruisers: Satyr, Gryphon; Giant; Berzerk Class /10 viprs 2 raptros each/
Total:
12 Battlestars; 2 Mercury, 1 galactica, 9 Valkyrie;
12 Cruisers: 2 Loki heavy cruisers; 10 Berzerk cruisers;
Vipers:890
Raptors: 180
First Cylon fleet, attacking Caprica:
Baseship 51 - flagship; A Number One, Cain commanding
TF1/First wave/: 37 Baseships; /430 raiders 20 heavy raiders each/ Combat arm of the fleet;
TF2/Second wave/: 11 Baseships /250 raiders 200 heavy raiders each/ Tasked with surface bombardment and deployment of ground units;
TF3/Thirt Wave/: 5 Baseships /430 raiders 20 heavy raiders/ - operational reserve;
Total:
53 Baseships;
20810 raiders;
3040 heavy raiders;