Chapter 3 – Let the work begin
Kendra Shaw looked out of her window in her quarters. The rocks and dust that swirled around the hulking giant obscuring the stars.
She was on an island, an island of metal in a sea of rock and dust. All the crew was depressed, the knowledge of what happened to their homes and loved ones weighed down on them heavily.
There was an irony that made her give a bitter chuckle. Of all the Battlestars in the fleet, the runt of the litter had to survive. The weak training ship made it, when the big and mighty Battlestars had been blown to pieces.
She thought back to the day when she had boarded it…
Space above the Dwarf Planet Respir (Colonial Academy) 1 week before attack
The raptor shuttle glided gracefully through space above the small planet towards the orbiting ship, Aristotle.
Aristotle was a bit bigger than Pegasus, but stripped of her weapons with the exception of a few of her defensive batteries, she was little more than a transport.
But from a distance you wouldn't see that, she looked like all the others.
When she got close a strange feeling came over Kendra and those who boarded the big ship this time, for the cadets anyway.
It was like coming home. Even those cadets who had boarded her before had it when they hadn't had it before, but they couldn't explain it.
End Flashback
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Aristotle meeting room now…
Seth checked his uniform and tugged his tunic out of nervousness. He wanted to at least look the part of being a commander even if the truth was he was only pretending. The civilian captain sounded like he needed reassurance.
The hopelessness of the situation had almost reduced him to a nervous wreck, but he held on to his reserve. The crew needed him to be strong and have a plan.
And he did have a plan.
It was very risky plan, but one that gave them their only chance at not only survival, but having any kind of future at all.
Around him his friends stood, in uniform themselves. They were his officers for the moment.
The door slid open and a burly looking man accompanied by a lean young girl about Serina's age.
The man's hopeful expression was slightly reduced when he saw them. Seth knew why, he'd been expecting a battle hardened old geezer and a full crew of marines and veteran pilots. Not a bunch of wet behind the ears cadets with a Battlestar that lacked nearly everything.
Seth made the first move. He walked slowly towards the burly man who was about his height and stuck out a hand.
"Welcome aboard Mr Forrest. I'm Commander Trakiss, we're glad to meet you. Please take a seat" he said gesturing to the table and chairs with his free hand while shaking Hal's hand with the other.
Hal and Alison sat at their chosen chairs while the rest of the people took their seats with Seth at the head of the table.
They all introduced themselves and went to business.
"Well Mr Forrest. We're all anxious to hear any news. Do you know of any other survivors?" Seth asked his arms arching on the table with fingers interlaced, leaning in.
"Not positively, but we know that others did make it. We saw ships jumping out as we left and since we've heard echoes of communication traffic, but other than that we don't know" Hal said, taken aback at the abruptness
"Sorry Mr Forrest" Seth said quickly, noticing the way he had talked to him "I guess were all a bit mixed up, we're glad to have you here."
The meeting was quite ordered after that. Blow by blow the attack on the colonies was explained. A long silence came over the room after the tale ended. The severity of the situation weighing them
Seth leaned forward, his head resting on his hands as they were arched on the table.
"Mr Forrest do you have any of those specially modified Raptors with mechanical arms?"
Hal Forrest was clearly puzzled by the question but answered anyway "Yes seven mark 4 Raptors with mechanical arms for breaking off rock chucks from asteroids. Why?"
"We'll need something to help fix equipment to the hull" Seth answered
Everyone else blinked in surprise and Seth continued
"This is what we're going do too…"
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Around the ship an hour later the crew gathered awaiting the commander's message. The knowledge of what had happened to the Homeworlds depressed them. But the hope that Seth had a plan gave them hope.
With the crew assembled Seth picked up the speaker in CIC and called a ship wide
"My comrades, I'm sure that you've heard the rumours about the Cylon attack on our colonies. The truth is that the colonies are gone, the fleet is destroyed. So you must all be asking yourselves the same question I' am. What do we do now?
We could hide
We could run
We could attack our enemies in some hopeless and suicidal quest for revenge
But the Shovel has given me hope
The knowledge that there are other survivors of this holocaust
So what I plan to do is to gather them and get them to safety. And we use this ship to protect them. We use the cargo from Tallos to make this ship a real Battlestar and if we run into the Cylons then we make them pay for every life they've taken"
A cheer went up through the ship and a smile formed on the face of Seth and his friends
"I'll be reviewing you files to put you into positions which suit you best. My friends I promise you we will make it"
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Seth had spent the last week and a half going through the files of the crew and putting them in the best positions for what served the ship. Kendra was now a colonel and his XO, Sheba a major and chief engineer, Serina a Captain and the head of the Viper Squadrons and so on. The ship's new doctor was a redheaded 18 year old medic named Tally Forego from Gemenon.
The refit was going faster than expected. Using the Special Raptors and engineers help from Shovel to place weapons and additional armour on the outer hull. They now had all weapons of a normal Mercury Class Battlestar and some others were being added as with new upgrades that were being added to the fleet at the time.
New Construction facilities and upgrades to the ships were being installed, with the exception of the dangerous software made by Gaius Baltar. They now had a proper Dradis package and fire control systems.
But that wasn't the only things being done; flight simulators were being installed to help the pilots practice. And the pilots had new toys as well.
Prior to the attack a new model Viper had been commissioned by the military. The cargo from Tallos included the disassembled parts for 170 new Mark VIII's. After breaking them out of storage, assembling them and modifying them so that they were immune to Cylon hacking or viruses. Now they had 5 full squadrons of cadets with Mark VIII Vipers who were going through intense training to get them ready to face the enemy. The old Mark III Vipers were being broke down for parts and smelted into new Mark VIII's.
All in all things were going well.
Now there was only one member of the senior staff left to be selected, the head of the marines. There was a couple of candidates for the positions and some had already been interviewed, but they all lacked the qualities needed in both a leader and in a soldier. Hopefully the last candidate would be the right one for the job
The door sounded and Seth said looking up "Enter"
A tall dark skinned young man walked in who looked a few years older than he was but with a stern look in his eye. His name was Tyber Jones from Aquarius and a top scoring marine cadet.
Tyber saluted and spoke in a low even voice "You sent for me, Commander"
Seth pulled out Tyber's file and looked him in the eye
"Well Jones let's get down to business. You're a top scoring cadet in the marine sector and considerable skill in leadership of soldiers in field exercises and well liked by your men. Now I need someone capable in charge of the marines onboard this ship. What do you say?"
Tyber looked a shocked at first but quickly regained his composure. He replied "If you order me to take charge of the marine core sir, I'll do it"
Seth frowned for a minute "I don't want you to do it, because I order you to do it. I want you to want to do it. I need the best people in the best positions and for the marine core that's you. Now do you want the job?"
Tyber's gaze was steady "Yes"
Seth studied him for a minute and asked "You don't like me do you?"
Tyber answered "No sir"
"Why?" Seth asked
"Because sir, I feel that you don't have the discipline to lead this crew" Tyber answered
"Well in that case, we need to come to an arrangement. I'll do my best to lead this crew and if I overstep the line you stop me. Agreed?" Seth offered
Tyber thought for a few seconds and nodded
Seth pulled out a set of rank badges "In that case Sergeant Major you're out of uniform" and handed him the badges and Tyber took the box and exited the room
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Two weeks after the refit began it was finished. Seth was to say proud of them would be an understatement.
And under their own power the two ships left their hiding place and journeyed back towards the core systems.
As if a sign of providence the name Aristotle had been burned off during the Cylon attack on that fateful day. Deciding that the name was no longer appropriate the crew had renamed her Telmaya. In honour of the captain of the first ever Battlestar which had fought a suicidal battle against the Cylons to buy the colonies time to bring other Battlestars online.
Their mission had begun…
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Comm echo = Basically it's the echo of communications like echoes in a cave when you shout. They are in the communication bands rather than actual space and can travel only a short distance. And often due to interference they aren't heard
It's just for convience. It's a way to let the characters know that there are others out there
Sorry about that Please Review