Thought I'd try something new with this one ^^ hope you like it. As I said in the other chapters, I don't own Battlestar Galactica, no matter how badly I wish that was true, and no, I'm not making any money out of this. To my two faithful reviewers, I hope this chapter satisfies you temporarily until I can get a new chapter out ^^
Please read, enjoy and review…that makes me pump out more chapters faster ^^
"Action stations, Action stations, set Condition One throughout the ship. This is not a drill."
The alarms blared, sending everyone in a frenzy. Evelyn stared in shock at the speakers for a moment, the red alarm light flickering over her horror stricken face. Jumping up, she left her supply requests scattered on the table, racing towards the Pilot's Ready Room.
"Repeat: Action Stations, Action Stations. Set Condition One throughout the ship. This is not a drill."
All the pilots left on the ship converged into one room, grabbing their Viper suits and changing within seconds. Boots were zipped, buckles clasped, survival packs checked and clipped on, pistols holstered and at the ready.
Grabbing the hair tie from her wrist, Evelyn pulled up her hair into a tight braid, ready to be hidden beneath her neckline and helmet. She perched at the end of the seat, staring at up at the speaker, waiting for more news, more information…
Where was Helo? Where was the CAG? At a time like this, they were both desperately needed…unless…Unless the Fleet were playing a retirement joke on the Old Man…that had to be it, it just had to! The others around her, Zesty, Rider, Snoopy, Slammer, they all fidgeted around, wondering what the hell was going on. If it wasn't some kind of cosmic joke, Starbuck would be on her way to them, out of the brig with her guns firing at the enemy.
Suddenly the speaker hummed a report on its way. "This is the Commander. Moments ago, this ship received word that a Cylon attack against our homes is underway." Evelyn felt like a hole was punched through her chest. Was he serious? Cylons? Willa… "We do not yet know the size or disposition or strength of our enemy forces…"
She looked at her fellow pilots, most were white with terror, others silent and resolute. She couldn't help but think about her wing man, Burner, out there with her CAG.
"…But all indications point to a massive assault against Homeworld defenses." It was completely silent now, everyone listening intently, waiting on word of their home worlds, their families, the fleet, any news that could bring hope or shatter it. "Admiral Nagala has taken personal command of the Colonial Fleet aboard the Battlestar Atlantia…following the destruction of Fleet Headquarters in the first wave of the attacks."
Everyone gasped, the life sucked out of everyone. The headquarters had their strongest defenses, the most Battlestars around it. It had to be a joke, it was simply impossible to fathom anything on that scale to be true.
"How this could've happened, why it happened—none of that matters now. All that does matter is that as of this moment, we are at war." It couldn't be true. "Further updates as we get them. Thank you." Evelyn swallowed, her hand shaking as it covered her mouth. All those lives, taken, where, she had no clue, but all those lives…! All around her were words of disbelief and horror, combined with the sharp sting of sorrow and mourning. Her bad feeling at last had an explanation.
"Come on!" Everyone looked up as Starbuck waltzed into the Ready Room, the deck gang close behind her. For some reason, Evelyn felt marginally better. "We've got fighters in the starboard hanger, let's move it people! There's a war going on!"
Glancing to and fro, it was by mutual decision that they all darted after the pistol of a pilot. She marched on like a cocky war hero, her knowledge, her experience what made her leader. It was small wonder why Evelyn looked up to her, tried to follow in her example, but she could never quite seem to pull off Starbuck's attitude, she was still too soft, too feminine. Kara was one of the guys, and used it to her full ability.
The large group, ground crew and pilots, burst through the museum doors like predators. Evelyn jumped into a cockpit, checking the instruments quickly. She had to familiarize herself with the ancient bird quickly. There was a very distinct possibility she would have to fight in one.
Her thoughts turned to Helo…and to Burner, her wingman. They would have been sent out to the fight, she knew it, and in her heart she prayed to all the gods she could think of that they were safe.
"You sure they'll fly?" she could hear Starbuck ask.
The Chief checked the engine before replying. "Just have to put the rad buffers in the engines and pull the gun safeties. Bigger problem is getting them over to the port launch bay."
"Why can't we use the starboard launch?"
"It's a gift shop now."
Everyone's thoughts reflected Starbuck's next words. "Frack me." Chief Tyrol nodded in agreement before yelling out to his deck hands.
"C'mon! C'mon! Let's go! We've got ships to move!"
"Is he still out there?" Laura Roslyn asked, the undersecretary of Education asked her assistant. They sat side by side, her assistant, Billy, staring out of the window. Slowly, reflecting the lights from the ship, an old viper came into view. Billy couldn't help but let out a soft sigh of relief, they weren't alone.
"Yeah," he replied, "He's still out there."
Laura nodded, her dark red hair hiding her slightly from view. "Good, because if things were really bad, he wouldn't still be out there, right? He'd be called away, wouldn't he?" She turned and gave him a funny smile. "Why am I asking you? You know less than I do about it." Billy gave her a half-hearted grin. Trying to grin back, Laura took in a deep breath and leaned over, trying to get her own glimpse of the viper. "Still, it makes me feel better that we're not alone out here."
Banging a fist into the console, Lee Adama tried to get the screen to work, only to watch as it fizzled in and out on the screen. Growling, he yelled at the equipment furiously. "Come on! Work damnit! WORK!" The display flickered once more before going black, not responding at all to any of the commands he tried. "Unbelievable," he sighed, giving up and leaning back into his seat.
His radio fizzled to life. "Any luck over there, Apollo?" came the voice of the pilot on the Caprican Transport. The two crafts flew together for a moment, silent in the black outreaches of the system. Flipping a switch, Lee continued the dialogue between the two ships.
"No, my navigation system is down and nothing I try is working." He slammed his fist on the control panel once more for luck.
"To be honest, I'm kinda glad you're sticking around. Makes us all feel better just seeing you out there." Lee let out a humorless smile.
"Yeah, well, don't get too comfortable. This old junker I'm in was meant for show, not combat. I don't even have a functioning gunsight over here. If we run into a problem, I'll do what I can to protect you, but the first sign of trouble, you pour on the speed and you run." He hoped his warning got through, clear and true. Honestly, all he could do was be the decoy and hope they made their escape nice and quick.
A nervous chuckle came over the wireless. "Don't you worry about that, Captain. My hand hasn't left the throttle since we got the first message. Colonial Heavy 798 out."