Battlestar Galactica
Past, Present, Future
Chapter Ten
Farewell to Phantom Base
It had been fifteen yahren since the fall of the colonies and over seventeen since most of those who inhabited the far distant outpost of humanity had seen their former homes. The news of the destruction of everything they knew had taken more then a yahren to reach them, so far outside of Colonial space as they were. Every person on that base had lost someone in the fall of the colonies…… wives, husbands, children, parents, friends……. Someone!
But there was little the small group of humans could do about it. They were too far away and too few to have been of any real help anyway. The only thing they could do was to survive and to try and rebuild the civilization that had been destroyed. That's what the leaders had told the people of Phantom Base. That it was for the memory of all those who died that they must carry on and insure that humanity did not perish. And so, that is what every man, woman, and child living within the facility strived toward, the continuation of the human species.
And so it went, the people of Phantom Base continued to go about the business of survival. They continued to do the job that had been set out for them many yahren before by the great Commander Cain, to go forth into this nearly unexplored region of space, to a secret shipyard and refinery, and rebuild the Colonial fleet. This they had done even after word had reached them about the demise of Cain and the Fifth Fleet at Molocay some fourteen yahren ago. Then when word came about the fall of the colonies, the people reacted in a variety of was. Some were angered and swore revenge, wanting to take the first of the Battlestar's they had built, the Battlestar Genesis, and return to the colonies to exact some measure of vengeance, even though it was not complete at the time.
Other people became terrified, thinking that the Cylons would find out where the base was and would come there next. These people wanted to flee farther into uncharted space, not knowing or caring if there were any inhabitable planets beyond the other side of the asteroid belt, just wanting to be away from that place.
There were many reactions to the destruction of the colonies, but the people were held together by the courage and shear will of one man.
Commander Verga.
He had been hand picked by Commander Cain himself to take charge of the project that Cain had named "Project Genesis", an audacious plan to rebuild the Battlestar fleet in secret, without the permission or knowledge of the Council of the Twelve. Along with several other key officers and scientist, they were able to not only build Battlestars, six complete to date and three others in various stages of construction, but they had also been busy building three different types of fighters to fly off these ships and a new, more powerful variation of the old Solinite missiles that the Colonial fleet had used for over seven hundred yahren. They had also built and operated one of the largest and finest Tylium refineries and storage facilities ever built by man.
Then there was the huge agro-complex built on one of the larger asteroids, this facility was built after the original base when it became obvious that they would have to become self sufficient and provide for their own food and water. The agro-complex was broke down into several different sections, each with its own special environment to facilitate the growing of the widest variety of foods as possible. There were also a large number of animal habitats where large herds of bovine and other food animals were raised as well as many species of animals from the colonies, such as daggets, that were used in other ways by the colonists.
Yes, Phantom Base had gone thru a great deal over the yahren, but the most important challenge was still to come.
In the main conference room of the Command Center, Commander Verga was in the middle of the sectars progress reports and briefing session. He was sitting in his usual chair at the head of the large, triangle shaped table listening to a report by one of the officers from the fuel storage facility. Something to do with all the storage tanks almost being filled to capacity and needing to start construction on more tanks. They had already expanded the tank farm three times in the past nine yahren, tripling the original fuel storage capability. It was all Verga could do to stay awake.
"If we don't build the requested twenty extra storage tanks Commander, we won't have any place to put the tylium we're producing. The only other option is to cut back on the production by at least ninety percent." The officer said.
Verga nodded his head slowly and considered what the man had just said. It seemed stupid to build more tanks for fuel that they would probably never use. The decision was an easy one.
"Very well Lieutenant Gayland, I will issue orders to cut production by ninety percent. That should allow you to store what has already been produced without too much trouble."
The lieutenant nodded his head and said, "Yes sir, that should do the trick. Thank you sir!"
Verga nodded and placed the folder with the information about the fuel farm into a stack of other folder, folders containing the information on the other problems they had already dealt with that day. Then Verga reach for a folder on a stack on the other side of the table containing the next problem. Verga let out a deep sigh as he began to open the file, when the base paging system interrupted.
"Command Center to Commander Verga!" the voice of the Command Duty Officer, Captain Dante called.
"Excuse me a moment gentlemen" Verga said, thankful for the break in the mundane routine of the meeting. He picked up the handset of the com system next to his seat and punched in the appropriate code for the C.D.O. Captain Dante answered right away.
"This is Commander Verga Captain, what do you need?" Verga asked.
"Commander, we have an outer defense grid detection." The Captain reported.
A single detection was not too uncommon; there had been hundreds of similar detections over the yahren, mostly just small ships from one of the unexplored star systems that they had picked up on their scanners over the yahren. Verga wondered what could be so interesting about this one that the C.D.O. would call him. When he asked that question of Captain Dante, the answer was not what he expected.
"Sir, the incursion occurred in Alpha sector!" Dante said, a touch of concern evident in his voice.
What was unusual about this one was that it was in Alpha sector, the sector that was in a direct line with the Colonies. It was the first time a detection alert had been set off in that sector since the last personnel convoy arrived after the destruction of the colonies.
"Were you able to identify the contact?" Verga asked, causing the others in the room to lean forward in their seats, concerned with what the Commander was talking about.
"Negative sir, the contact never crossed the detection net, it just came within range of scanner satellite number thirteen five two nine. It tripped the scanner alarm and that was it." Dante told him.
Verga thought about this for a moment. The contact had not penetrated the grid, but merely passed close by, and without a positive ID, there wasn't much he could really do at that point.
"Should I order the base to alert level Alpha sir?" Dante asked when the Commander didn't say anything.
"No, not yet, we don't have enough information on that contact to call an alert." Verga said thoughtfully. "I do however want you to continue to monitor Alpha sector as well as all adjoining sectors more carefully."
"Yes sir, I'll increase the signal boost for those sectors. Maybe we can get an ID on that contact if it comes back." Dante said.
"Very good Captain, keep me informed, Verga out!"
Verga replaced the handset and sat thinking about the contact. Who or what could it have been? His revere was broken by a voice from the room.
"What's happened Commander?" Commander Bannon asked from his seat on Verga's right. Bannon was his second in command and his closest friend and confidant. He had been the Commanding officer of the Colonial Gunstar Phoenix before coming to Phantom Base to run the shipyard section of the base. The job he had done there was beyond belief. Normally, it took five yahren to build a Battlestar; Bannon however had found a way to increase production and had built six complete Battlestars and had three others in various stages of completion all in just over twelve yahren.
Verga looked at his friend, then realized that everyone in the room was staring at him, wondering what had happened. They had heard him mention the detection grid and everyone of them knew what that meant. Someone or something had come close to their home.
"There was a detection grid alert a few centons ago. Nothing to worry about so far, whoever it was, they didn't cross the grid, just came close to it. It's probably nothing!" Verga said, trying to convince himself of it as much as he was the others.
"I see, did they get an ID on the contact?" Bannon asked.
"No, it didn't come close enough for that. It was just close enough to set off the alarm and wake the C.D.O. up!" Verga said with a slight laugh.
This brought chuckles from everyone in the room except Bannon.
"Gentlemen, as much as I'd like to continue with our briefing here, I think I'm going to stop for now. I'd like to take a look at the information on this contact myself, and besides……I have to use the turboflush!" Verga said with a wink. "So, we will pick this up next secton. Thank you for coming gentlemen, Dismissed!"
The assembled officers and civilians rose from their chairs and made their way from the room, only Verga, Bannon, Commander Raylac and Colonel Leon remained behind.
"So Commander, what is it about this contact that has you worried?" asked Bannon, knowing his longtime friend too well to be fooled by his light attitude with the rest of the base staff.
Verga leaned back in his seat and looked at Bannon. The man was very intuitive Verga thought.
"There was nothing too strange about it really….." Verga said. "….except it was in Alpha sector!"
Bannon leaned forward in his seat, "Alpha sector! Are they sure?"
Verga nodded his head slowly. "Yes Commander, it was confirmed. The contact was in the sector that faces the colonies. There's no evidence to prove who it was or even that it was a spacecraft at all. It could have been an asteroid or a comet. But whatever it was, it was the first contact we've had in that sector in nearly thirteen yahren, and that concerns me."
"Should we send out a patrol to investigate?" asked Commander Raylac.
"No, I don't think we need to do that, at least not yet." Verga said. "I'd hate for it to be a Cylon patrol craft and have them spot our patrol. All we'd need is to have the Cylons coming down on us. Until we have a positive ID on it, we won't be able to do more then monitor that sector."
"You're probably right Commander, but maybe we should think about going to alert level Alpha. Having the battle fleet ready wouldn't hurt." Bannon said.
Verga thought about it for a moment, then shook his head and said, "I considered that Commander, but I don't want to send the whole base into a panic over what could be nothing. I think its best that we wait until we have more information."
"As you wish sir. You're probably right; it most likely was nothing to be concerned about." Bannon said, only half believing it.
"Then for the time being, we will wait and see if our mystery contact returns, and if so, we'll see if we can figure out who it is and what their doing." Verga said. "Now gentlemen, I think we should all get back to our duties, but first, I've got to use the turboflush!"
And so it went, they continued to monitor the Alpha sector for the next three sectons and were even able to increase the scanning range of the satellites in that sector by twenty two percent. Unfortunately, there had been no further contact.
Life at Phantom Base went on as before, though both production of Tylium and the building of any new ships and missiles were put on hold. Commander Verga decided that they would not be able to operate anymore Battlestars then they already had since there would be no more people coming from the colonies. They would have to make due with the six Battlestars that were complete and the three unfinished ones. With the advances they had made in computer control systems over the yahren, it was now possible to operate a Battlestar with less then half the regular compliment of personnel. This was to prove to be a very important improvement.
During the mid-day shift in the Command Center, Commander Verga and Colonel Leon were going over the plans for a new housing development that was going to be needed due to the increase in the population on the base over the yahren. People on the base knew that whatever life they had back on the homeworlds was now gone, and they would have to move on with their lives as best they could. So, after a time the members of the various facilities began falling in love and becoming sealed, then having children. Commander Verga was performing a dozen or more sealings every secton. Now all those new families were in need of housing. It was unrealistic to expect married couples to continue living in barracks like they had been when they arrived here, so now it was time to expand the living areas.
Or so they thought!
"Commander Verga, I've just had an outer defense grid detection alert!" the young, blond woman at the scanner console announced.
Verga and Leon both looked up quickly and Verga asked, "Location?"
The young woman was already working on the precise grid in the net. She half turned to the Commander as he and Leon approached her station.
"Alpha sector, grid nine sir." She told him.
"Do you have identification on that contact Lieutenant?" Verga asked.
"I'm working on it sir, the contact hasn't crossed the defense grid as yet, it just came close enough to trip the alarm, just like last time." She said.
Verga wondered if this contact had somehow detected their satellites and was just testing them. Then Lieutenant Dawn spoke again.
"Commander, that contact in Alpha sector just crossed the detection grid at grid four, satellite zero five four." She reported.
"I want an ID on that contact immediately Lieutenant, we need to know who it is we have out there playing hide-n-seek?" Verga said.
Then he turned to the officer at the communications console and ordered her to contact all senior officers and have them report to the Command Center immediately. Then he turned back to Lieutenant Dawn.
"Do you have that contact ID'd yet Lieutenant?" he asked.
"It's coming thru now sir!" she said as the readout on the intruder was being printed out on the screen. What materialized there could not have been worse!
It was a Cylon ship!
"Dear Lords, it can't be!" Colonel Leon whispered.
Verga looked at it in disbelief. He reached over the shoulder of Lieutenant Dawn, who had become frozen with dread, and ran the ID search again. A few microns later, the computer came up with the same conclusion. It was Cylon!
"A Cylon reconnaissance ship, Seeker class. That's not good news." Verga said.
"Other then the obvious, what's so bad about one Cylon ship?" asked Leon.
Verga looked at the Colonel with a look of amazement on his face, then he remembered that even though he was a Warrior, Colonel Leon was a construction specialist, not a combat Warrior.
"The Seeker Class are long range reconnaissance ships, they're basically huge scanner platforms with engines. Their sole purpose is to search large areas of space and report back to their command ship." Verga told him. "And that is usually a Baseship."
"Do you think it detected our defense grid?" Leon asked.
Verga watched the tract of the Cylon ship as it seemed to be moving in a patterned search. It was moving in what appeared to be a sweeping pattern, working its way back and forth across a section of space then moving on to another section. From its movements, Verga was certain that it hadn't discovered their defense grid.
"No, I don't think it's found any of the satellites, it seems to be on a standard search of the area." Verga said, still watching the screen with the Cylon ship moving slowly along.
"Think we should go to alert level Alpha Commander?" Leon asked.
Verga thought about it for a moment, then nodded his head.
"As much as I hate to say it Colonel, I don't think we have much choice. Pass the word along to all stations Colonel; we are now at alert level Alpha." Verga said to the Colonel. Then he turned to Lieutenant Dawn, who had snapped out of her momentary shock and was continuously tracking the Cylon intruder.
"Lieutenant, you keep a sharp eye on the ship and alert me of any change in its flight pattern, no matter how small or insignificant they might seem, understand?" he said.
Lieutenant Dawn's eyes never left the screen as she acknowledged the Commanders orders.
With that, Commander Verga left the Command Center and went to his office to retrieve his copy of the alert protocols and duties listings. He knew them by heart, but was not willing to take a chance of missing even the smallest step or detail. Once he had them in hand, he went to the Command Center conference room and waited for his officers to arrive. There were a lot of hard decisions to make in the next few centars, decisions that could decide the fate of mankind!
Forty centons later, the entire senior staff of Phantom Base was assembled in the Command Center conference room. Besides Commander Verga, Commanders Bannon and Raylac were present, along with Colonels Leon, Eller, Sachs, Anrdea, Goff, Dyson, and Swires, Majors Hawley and Orozo, and Doctors Grego and Haley. They had been spread out among the various facilities on the base and it took a while for them all to arrive.
"Gentlemen and ladies, as you are all already aware; we have upgraded our alert status to level Alpha." Commander Verga began. "For those of you unfamiliar with this, it means we are now on a heightened state of alert and are beginning to upload all ships with fuel, weapons, and other supplies necessary for getting underway."
"Are you planning on taking the ships out Commander?" asked Doctor Grego.
"Yes doctor, and more. Alert level Alpha is a first stage alert for the evacuation of Phantom Base!" Verga told him.
Doctors Grego and Haley sat bolt upright at hearing this while the Warrior officers simply nodded their heads, already knowing what the alert meant.
"Are you saying we're leaving here Commander?" Grego said rather abruptly.
"That's correct doctor, the Cylons have penetrated our defense grid and are moving in this direction. It's only a matter of time before they locate the asteroid belt and start trying to find a way thru it." Verga told him. "It is my intention that we be gone and this base reduced to space junk before they arrive."
"Why are you going to destroy the base Commander?" Doctor Haley said angrily. "We spent yahren building this place and now you want to just blow it up?"
"That's right doctor, I am going to blow it up, along with the refinery, the missile plant, the fighter plant, the agro-complex, and everything else we've built here over the past fifteen yahren. I'm not going to leave anything for the Cylons to find." the Commander said with just a touch of aggravation in his voice.
"And where do you intend to go Commander? You can't go back to the colonies, the Cylons hold them know." Grego said.
That's right doctor, we can't go back to the colonies." Verga said, looking into all their faces.
"I have no intention on going anywhere near the colonies. I plan on taking the fleet in the opposite direction, out into deep space, in this sector here." Verga told them as he pointed to a place on the star map that was being projected on the screen behind him.
"Deep space! We have no idea what's in that part of the galaxy!" Haley said. "For all we know it might just go on forever!"
"On the contrary doctor, I've had Major Orozo making long range surveying scans of the area and they show there are several star systems not all that far away, the nearest is less then a quarter light-yahren from here." Verga said. "I believe that one of those systems is bound to have some sort of inhabitants or at least some sources of food and fuel. In any event, we can't stay here!"
"Maybe the Cylons won't come this far out?" Doctor Grego said. "Maybe they'll stop at the asteroid belt and go back?"
"True, they may turn around and go back, but I find it highly unlikely!" Verga told him. "Sooner or later they'll come back and they'll find a way to get thru the asteroid belt, and I don't want our people here when that happens and I don't want to leave any sign of our even being here. Face facts gentlemen, we have no other choice but to leave."
The two scientists sat quietly, knowing that the Commander was right. There really was no other choice.
Seeing that there would be no more opposition to the evacuation, Verga moved on to the more pressing matter of getting everything in order and preparing the base for their departure.
"Alright then, you all know what has to be done. You've all been assigned certain duties that you are responsible for and I expect you to carry them out. Use your check lists to verify each step has been taken and that nothing is missed. We can't afford even the slightest mistake being made or it could give the Cylons a clue as to what we had here." Verga told them.
He turned to Colonel Leon and said, "I want you to have the defense grid closely monitored Colonel. I want you to keep a continuous record of all incursions into our defense perimeter and work up an electronic map of their tracks. I want to be able to see where they go and what their doing."
The Colonel nodded his head, "Yes sir, I'll have that up and running within the centar!"
"Excellent." Verga said turning to Commander Bannon.
"How long before the fleet is ready to depart?"
"I've already issued the orders to fuel, arm and provision all the ships of the fleet. We've been loading the Battlestar landing bays with a maximum number of Vipers, Pit Vipers, and Scorpion fighters, four squadrons of each for the past two yahren, so they're ready to go as far as our strike wings." Bannon said. "But we do have a problem!"
"What's that Commander?" Verga asked, knowing the answer already.
"Same problem we've had for the last fifteen yahren Commander, we haven't enough trained personnel to operate all the ships of the fleet!" Bannon said.
"How short of people are we Commander?" asked Verga.
"Approximately a hundred and fifty thousand sir!" Bannon said.
A murmur of voices began but was halted by a gesture from Commander Verga.
"Is that counting civilians as well as Warriors Commander?" Verga asked.
"Yes sir, that's counting every man, woman, and child on the base. At last count, we have fewer than three hundred thousand people on the base. Of those, nearly half are civilians not all of which have gone thru the basic Warrior training we implemented after the fall of the colonies." Bannon began, reading off of an electronic pad he held.
"How many of our civilians have gone thru the training Commander?" Verga inquired.
"About sixty percent sir, the other forty percent are mostly children, elders and civilians in specialized fields that couldn't be taken away from their duties to go thru the training." Bannon told him. "In all Commander, we only have about ninety thousand trained civilians to help man the fleet."
"Good lord Commander, how many people does it take to man a ship?" Doctor Haley said, not believing that there weren't enough people.
Bannon turned toward the doctor and told him, "Doctor, a single Battlestar needs a minimum crew of ten thousand fully trained Warriors to operate. Then you need over three thousand people for each of the three Gunstars, seven hundred for each of the thirty seven Destroyers and five hundred each for the seven Frigates. Add to all that the air crews and pilots of the strike wings and that's over one hundred thirty five thousand people just for our warships. We still have to man the fuel tankers, water tankers, agro-ships, livestock ships, industrial ships and freighters. That's another three hundred thousand if we take every ship!"
"With the improved command control systems we put in, it should only take half the usual number Commander!" Haley said haughtily as if he had remembered something the Commander hadn't.
"With all due respect doctor, the numbers I quoted ARE taking into account the new systems." Bannon told him. He then turned back to Commander Verga.
"That brings me to another problem sir. We're extremely short of fighter pilots and crews. Right now we only have about seven thousand trained pilots and less then two thousand "backseaters" for the Pit Vipers and Scorpions." Bannon explained. "We're also way undermanned in the areas of aircraft support and maintenance. As you know, these areas are vital for the operation of our squadrons. At this moment, we only have enough trained personnel to operate about fifteen percent of our squadrons."
This bit of information brought another round of whispers.
Verga nodded his head and turned to Commander Raylac.
"Commander, that will be your job. I want you to set up a training program to furnish us with more pilots, backseaters and air crew personnel. Use a couple of the freighters to build simulators and store extra fighters for training purposes. We need to get those positions filled right away!"
Commander Raylac nodded his head and made a few notes on the electronic pad he held.
Verga turned back to Bannon.
"How many ships can we man with the personnel we have?" he asked.
"Well, that depends on what ships we decide to take Commander." Bannon said. "I'm sure you'll want to take the Battlestars and Gunstars, but I'm not sure how many of the other war ships we'll be able to take with us due to the personnel issue."
Verga nodded his head thoughtfully, knowing that with the limited number of trained people, it would be impossible to man all the ships of the fleet.
"First priority will be the Battlestars, then the Gunstars. After that, we'll take as many of the fuel tankers as we can followed by the water tankers, agro-ships, livestock ships, industry ships and enough of the freighters to carry all the extra parts we might need for repairs. We'll use any remaining personnel to crew the Destroyers and Frigates." Verga told them.
"What about command crews?" Bannon asked. "Who do you want commanding all these ships?"
"The war ships will be under the command of Warriors. I'd like for you and Colonel Eller to come up with a list of qualified officers and your recommendations for Commanders." Verga told them.
"Yes sir." Bannon replied. "And the civilian ships?"
"We'll let each of the original ship masters retain they're commands. Those who's ships are left behind will be given positions on other vessels. That may not go over too well with some of them, but that can't be helped." Verga told him.
Verga then turned to Colonel Leon. This was the part of this meeting he was most regretting….. ordering this man that had spent so long building this base to make preparations for its destruction!
"Colonel Leon, your job is to supervise the placement of the demolition charges for the destruction of the entire base." Verga began. "I know this will be a most difficult task for you, but I can't think of anyone better qualified for this most important job. I hope I can count on you to do this."
Leon nodded his head slowly, the pain of what was to come evident on his face.
"Not to worry sir, I'll have this place ready to go when the time comes. I've spent a good part of my life here and I'll be damned if I'll let those galmonging Cylons set one foot inside this base." Leon said with great passion.
Verga nodded his head, understanding exactly how the man felt.
"Alright then people, lets get cracking! Remember to keep me informed of your progress. Keep Delta channel open and listen for updates on the Cylons approach. Once we go to alert level Beta, you'll only have a couple of days to make final preparations before we depart, so do as much as you can now. Any questions?" Verga said.
When no questions were forthcoming, he dismissed them to begin what would be the end of Phantom Base.
During the next few sectons, a very careful watch was kept on all incursions into the defense perimeter. As each was monitored and identified, it was added to the three dimensional display that Colonel Leon had designed at Commander Verga's request. It was continually updated and showed where each incursion occurred, what path the intruder took, and where they exited the grid. During the first secton, there were only three incursions and only one was identified as Cylon.
However, during the next secton, that number tripled as three incursions were identified as Cylon patrol craft. Their movements were closely monitored and plotted, adding to the map of the defense perimeter. Luckily for them, the Cylon reconnaissance ships never varied from their standard search patterns and never came close to the inner defense grid.
This unfortunately did not last!
Lieutenant Dawn was busy monitoring the defense grid as usual. She had become extremely dedicated to her job, sometimes pulling double shifts, not wanting to leave her post. She felt horrible that she had "froze" when the first Cylon incursion occurred and swore that it would never happen again. She had just made an adjustment to the scanning frequency, when a detection alarm sounded. She began going thru the proper protocols for identifying the new contact when a second alarm sounded, then a third! She watched in horror as detection alarms continued to sound as a large number of contacts moved thru the outer detection grid. This was not a single scout ship; this was a fleet of some kind! Just as the thought went thru her mind, the computer came up with the answer to the who…… it was Cylon!
"Scanner control to Commander Verga!" she called on the base intercom system. It was only a few microns before she heard Commander Verga's voice on the secure channel that had been set up for the scanner operators.
"Verga here, what do have?" he said tersely.
"Commander, a large number of Cylon ships has just crossed the outer detection grid in Alpha sector, grids five, six, and seven. Their trajectory shows them on heading zero four two beta by three zero eight delta." She told him.
"Very well, begin a tract on them and continue surveillance of those sectors. I'm on my way, Verga out!"
Lieutenant Dawn turned back to her panel and began entering the tracking information for the Cylon ships into the three dimensional tracking model. As the information was correlated into the model, it showed the Cylon ships were heading well away from the inner detection grid. This made her relax somewhat, but having Cylons anywhere within scanning range was uncomfortable.
Commander Verga arrived in the Command Center a few centons later along with Colonel Leon. They headed straight for the scanner area to find out the latest information on the Cylons. As they entered, Verga asked for an update on the tracking model. Lieutenant Dawn was already processing it and forwarding the information to the model. Within a few microns the tracking model changed slightly, showing that the Cylons course had not changed since they were first detected. This fact gave Verga a small bit of comfort.
"On this course, what's the closest they'll come to the inner grid Colonel?" He asked.
Colonel Leon made a few quick calculations on the computer.
"Looks like they'll pass no closer then twenty two billion kilometrons from the inner grid, well outside their scanner range." He said.
Verga nodded his head slowly, never taking his eyes from the tracking model. Something didn't seem right, but he couldn't quite figure it out.
"Lieutenant, what types of ships did the war book identify those as?" Verga asked.
Dawn punched up the information and read it off to him, "The war book identified them as four Diablo class battle cruisers and twelve Seeker class scout ships."
Verga nodded his head again, finally figuring out what was wrong with the picture before him.
There was no Baseship!
Cylon reconnaissance fleets always were built around a Baseship. The question he had to answer was where was the Baseship?
"Lieutenant, have there been any other contacts in the area of grids five, six, or seven? Anything that might have been a ship heading in another direction?" Verga asked.
Dawn looked back at the initial contact readouts and at first didn't see anything unusual, but then she noticed a large radiation spike had occurred just after the Cylon ships had crossed the detection grid, causing a "blackout" of the scanner satellites for about four microns.
"This is the only anomaly in the readings sir." She said pointing out the glitch in the readings.
Verga looked at the readout, thinking it strange that there was a spike in the radiation levels at that particular time. Why would the radiation level jump so dramatically just after they crossed the grid, but the readings were normal before they crossed and after?
Unless they were hiding something!
"Colonel, how far could a Baseship, moving at top speed travel in four microns?" the Commander asked.
Colonel Leon ran a few sets of numbers thru the computer again and came up with an answer.
"At top speed, a Baseship would be able to travel about one million kilometrons in four microns, give or take a hundred thousand. Why?" the Colonel responded.
"Because Colonel, I believe that radiation spike was deliberately put out to mask a Baseship slipping thru our detection net." Verga told him. "I think they detected the satellite net and found a way to slip their command ship thru undetected."
Colonel Leon nodded his head, agreeing with the Commanders reasoning.
"If they did detect our satellites and found a way to get their Baseship thru without being detected, where do you think it went?" Leon asked.
Verga turned back to the tracking model and watched as the small fleet of Cylon ships continued along the same path they had followed since passing thru the grid. He was sure that the Baseship had crossed thru their warning net and was somewhere between the two nets, the question was where!
"Colonel, say that the Baseship did come thru that gap during the radiation spike. At top speed, how far could it have traveled by now?" Verga asked.
Leon began working the computer board again, entering the appropriate information. After a few moments, a red sphere appeared in the model at the point of the radiation spike.
"That's about the general area it should be in Commander." He said.
"Alright then, let's see if we can find it." Verga said as he walked over to Lieutenant Dawn's station.
"Lieutenant, begin a concentrated scan of the area Colonel Leon has indicated. Use every satellite you need to cover that area." He ordered.
The Lieutenant began shifting the satellites in the general vicinity to scan the area Colonel Leon's calculations had determined was where the Baseship would be. It took only a few moments before she located it.
"Commander, I found it! Alpha sector, grid eleven. It's on a direct heading for the asteroid belt. I estimate it will reach the inner detection grid in just under two sectons." Dawn said.
Verga and Leon exchanged looks. Their time had just run out!
Verga walked over to the communications station and flipped the base com system on. He was about to give the one order he never wanted to give.
"Attention all hands, Attention! This is Commander Verga speaking. We have just had another detection grid alarm in the Alpha sector. A Cylon Baseship along with its reconnaissance group has crossed thru our detection net and is at this time heading toward Phantom Base. Because of this, I am now putting the base on alert level Delta. All personnel are at this time to report to your assigned evacuation stations and make ready to depart the base within the next secton."
Verga paused for a moment to let this sink in. He knew this was going to be hard on his people, especially the civilians. Some of them had been here for nearly a score of yahren.
"You are to transfer all your personal effects to your assigned ship, where you will be assigned quarters and shown your duty stations." Verga continued. "With your cooperation, we can make this happen with the least amount of trouble. Verga out!"
He replaced the headset he had donned to its hook and turned the com system off. He turned around just as Doctors Grego and Haley entered the room. Both men had concerned looks on their faces.
"Gentlemen, how are things progressing in your areas?" Verga asked.
"My lab's been packed up and is ready for transfer to Battlestar three. I'm just waiting for the transportation crews to begin loading." Doctor Grego said.
Verga nodded his approval and glanced at Doctor Haley.
"And what of your area Doctor, are you ready for transport yet?" Verga asked.
Haley dropped his eyes and shook his head. "No, not yet. I have some very delicate experiments in progress and I can't stop them until there complete. If I do, sectars of work will be lost."
Verga looked at the man as if he were some kind of idiot.
"Doctor, you do realize that we are out of time here, the Cylons are on their way." Verga said.
"Yes Commander, I do realize this, but I've been working on this project for twenty yahren now and I've just begun the final stage of testing. I can't stop now without ruining everything!" Haley said. "I have to continue with the tests."
"What is it that you're working on that could be so important?" Verga asked, thinking the man was a bit of a zealot.
"I've been developing a technology that could very well win the war for us!" Haley said excitedly. "I've found a way to send out ultra high frequency energy pulses that have a detrimental effect on Cylon circuitry. It basically scrambles the electronic signals of the Cylons computerized "brain". I've found that when I expose Cylon components to these frequencies, what I call "micro-wavelons", they cause a cascading effect thru the entire component."
"I see, so what "components" have you been testing this technology of yours on Doctor?" Verga asked.
"When I came here, I had several deactivated Cylons packed up and shipped here so I could continue my work on the micro-wavelons. I've kept them stored away for the past eighteen yahren, until I was ready to test the micro-wavelons on fully functional Cylons. That time has come now Commander. I need time to finish my tests!" Haley told him.
"How long will it take to finish these tests Doctor?" he asked.
I'm in the final stages now, I am going to activate the last three Cylons tomorrow and test the micro-wavelon generator on them. If that test is successful, I should be able to develop a weapon delivery system within a few sectars." Haley told the Commander. "All I need is a few more days to complete my experiments and correlate all the data. Please Commander; the fate of our people could be at stake here."
Verga stared at the Doctor for several microns without saying anything. Then he turned to Colonel Leon and asked him how long it would be before they would be ready to load Doctor Haley's equipment aboard Battlestar four.
"It will be at least two days, maybe three before they can get to it. There are a number of other labs and equipment rooms that have to be loaded first because they have to move their equipment thru Doctor Haley's area." Leon said.
Verga nodded and turned back to the Doctor.
"Alright doctor, you have three days to finish your experiments. After that, anything that's not packed and ready to move gets left behind, is that understood?" Verga said sternly.
"Yes Commander, I understand. I'll have my assistant's start packing up my lab immediately. The main lad shouldn't take too long since I hardly use it anymore." Haley said.
"That brings up a few other questions Doctor." Verga began, staring hard at the scientist. "Just where have you been storing these deactivated Cylons and conducting these tests? And what sort of security measures have you been applying to this project? And under whose authority have you been conducting these experiments? Certainly not mine since this is the first I've heard of it."
The doctor looked as if he had just been struck in the face, the shock of being questioned like this.
"I don't see where that is any concern of yours Commander, this is a private project that I've been working on since before I even came to this base!" Haley said defensively.
Commander Verga would not have anyone talk to him like that! Not in his command post. He stepped up to the doctor, so close that their noses were nearly touching and said in a very loud, yet controlled tone.
"Doctor Haley, everything that happens on this base is my concern! And there are no "Private Projects" on this base. If you want to work on this project, fine! But you had damn well better clear it with me before hand or I'll throw your ass in the brig. Now you're going to answer my questions and you're going to tell me where it is you've been doing these little experiments. You'll also turn over all your research materials to Colonel Leon so he can review whatever it is you've been doing. Am I making myself clear to you Doctor?"
Haley was shaking with anger. He could not believe that this "Warrior" had the gall to speak to him like that. He wanted to say something, but his better judgment stopped him. Instead he took a deep breath and said in the calmest voice he could muster.
"I meant no disrespect Commander, but you have to realize that what I'm working on, if proven successful, would be of far greater value and importance to our people then all the Battlestars that have ever been built. If this works, it will end this damn war!" Haley said, his voice rising with his anger.
Verga lowered his eyes and shook his head slightly, he just wasn't getting thru to this man. It was as he had always known…… The most highly educated people could also be the dumbest!
"Doctor Haley, I don't care if your project works or not at this moment. What I am concerned with is that you've brought Cylon technology to this base without anyone's knowledge or permission. There are certain safety and security precautions that must be taken before any kind of work can be done on Cylon technology and I'm willing to bet that you didn't follow any of them, did you Doctor?" Verga said, still right in the scientists face.
"What safety and security precautions? The things were deactivated!" Haley challenged. "If you're talking about their weapons, those were taken away before they were ever sent to the institute on Caprica!"
Verga turned away from the doctor and took a few steps away from him with his hands clutched behind his back. He then turned back to face the scientist, who was standing there with a slight smile on his face, thinking he had made the Commander eat his words.
That smug look was about to be wiped from the doctors face however.
"Did you disconnect the homing transmitter and internal communications nodes before you reactivated those Cylons doctor?" Verga asked.
The doctor's face went ashen. It was obvious from his expression that he had not.
"Did you even know about them doctor?" Verga asked.
Haley still said nothing, he just stood there staring at the Commander with a look of total confusion.
"I'm not familiar with these items either Commander." Colonel Leon said.
Verga turned away from the stupefied scientist and looked at the Colonel.
"It's something we discovered about forty yahren ago. The Cylons started putting homing devices into their Centurions as well as a set of communications nodes. These made it possible for them to communicate with each other without the need of any kind of external com sets. It also made it possible for them to locate missing units so that they could be retrieved and repaired." He told the Colonel. Then he turned back to Haley, who had recovered somewhat and was listening to the Commanders explanation.
"When did you first start experimenting with the Cylon components?" Verga asked.
"About two sectars ago, I've run several sets of tests on the components since then. Why?" Haley asked sullenly.
Verga and Leon exchanged glances, each realizing the truth of the situation.
"Doctor, I'm afraid you'll have to forgo any more testing." Verga said calmly.
"Stop testing, why Commander? I am so close to finishing." Haley said, almost pleading.
"Because Doctor, I believe the Cylons that are coming this way are doing so because they have been following a homing signal from one of your experimental Cylons." Verga told him.
"That's not possible! How could they pick up this "homing signal" thru the asteroid belt?" Haley asked.
"I don't know for sure, but we started picking them up on the detection grid not long after you started conducting your tests." Verga said. "I'll bet that every time you ran one of your tests, you activated the homing signal."
"But why did it take them so long to find us?" Haley asked.
"I think that the Cylons would start searching the area for the source and before they could get a lock on it, you would shut down your experiments." Verga told him.
Haley was beside himself. Could it be that it was his fault that the Cylons had found them? The evidence pointed right to him. How could he have been so careless? If his experiments were the reason the Cylons had found them, he would have to shut down immediately. He had no choice!
"Commander, I believe you might be right. I had no idea this was going on or I would have stopped my tests long ago. What can I do to fix this situation?" Haley asked.
"I'm afraid doctor that there's nothing that can be done. The Cylons are heading this way and I'm quite certain they found our detection grid since they went to such great lengths to hide their Baseships crossing it." Verga said. "They know someone or something is out here and they'll search this entire quadrant until they find out who. All we can do is be long gone from here and make sure there is nothing for them to find once they get here."
Verga turned to Colonel Leon, who had been very quiet during their conversation.
"Colonel, I'd like for you to assist the doctor in dismantling and disposing of his equipment and the Cylons he's been using in these experiments."
Verga glanced at the doctor, seeing him sink into a pit of despair as he realized what his work had done.
"See if you can save at least one of the Cylons and remove the homing device from it. Maybe the doctor is on to something we can use." Verga added.
Haley met the Commanders eyes and smiled slightly, silently thanking him for not throwing all the blame on him that he could. Leon looked at the doctor with an expression of both anger and disappointment and replied to the Commanders order with a somewhat terse "Yes sir!".
Colonel Leon and Doctor Haley left the command center to begin disposing of his unauthorized experiments just as Commander Bannon and Colonel Eller entered the room. They approached Verga and handed him an electronic pad.
"Here's the list of command crew recommendations you asked for Commander." Bannon said. "I think you'll find we have just enough qualified people to operate most of our major units and with a bit of luck and hard work, we should be able to train most of the civilians to pick up the slack. We'll still be short of pilots and flight crews however!"
Verga looked over the list and was somewhat surprised by what he saw.
"Tell me Commander, why do you have yourself and Colonel Eller still commanding your old ships? I expected the two of you to take Battlestar commands."
Bannon and Eller exchanged glances, then Bannon began to explain.
"Well Commander, we thought about that for awhile, but we both agreed that it was important to have at least one experienced Gunstar Commander and one experienced Destroyer Commander operating those units. With you and Raylac taking two of the Battlestars and Sachs, Andrea, and Goff taking three more, we'd have no experienced Gunstar commanders. The same goes for the Destroyers, we need to have at least one experienced Commander to guide them."
Verga looked at the two men skeptically, he knew all too well that Bannon didn't want to command a Battlestar having made that known many yahren ago. He also knew Colonel Eller wouldn't want to leave the "family business" and trade in his Destroyer for a Battlestar.
"I see, are you both sure you wouldn't like to ….. "reconsider" these recommendations? Perhaps make a change or two?" Verga said sarcastically.
Bannon smiled at his friend and shook his head.
"No Commander, I think we'll stand by them as is. It's our belief that these are the best people for the positions in question."
"Very well Commander, I'll approve this list and let you hand out the assignments as you see fit. I'll want to meet with all ship commanders and the civilian ship masters tomorrow so we can go over the plan for departure." Verga said.
"Have you set a date of departure yet Commander?" asked Eller.
"It's my intention to have the fleet get underway in six days. That should give us at least a full secton before the Cylons reach the asteroid field. That should also give us plenty of time to get away from here before we atomize the base. With all the Tylium in these asteroids, we'll want to be as far away as possible before we set the charges off."
"I can't argue with that Commander!" Bannon said with his usual jovial air.
That being said, Bannon and Eller left to take care of their assignment.
Work at Phantom base continued as one ship after another was loaded with supplies and fuel. Everything that would be of use was being loaded; nothing would be left behind if at all possible. Then, after five days of around the chronometer activity, the last of the ships was finally loaded. All one thousand twenty three ships of the fleet were ready to begin the journey into the great unknown.
In the Command Center of Phantom Base, Commander Verga was going over his check list one last time. He had already gone over it a dozen times, but he was determined not to miss a single item, and so he ran thru it one more time. As he began his latest check, Colonel Leon walked into his office, a look of amusement on his face.
"I'll give you one thing Commander, you are thorough!"
Verga looked up at his friend and laughed.
"I do tend to over do it a bit at times I guess." Verga said. "I just don't want to leave anything to chance."
"I know what you mean; I've gone over every centimetron of this base over the past two days double and triple checking all the demolition charges." Leon said. "I know their all set and ready to go, but still ……"
Verga just nodded his head, knowing the feeling all too well.
He stood up from his chair and walked over to the large glass window that looked out over the entire Command Center. The place was almost empty, having been stripped of nearly every piece of usable equipment. The only station still in operation was the detection grid monitoring station, where Lieutenant Dawn was keeping her vigil over the scanners. The three dimensional map of the detection grid glowed brightly as the young Warrior continued to update it. Verga stared at it for several moments, taking note of the positions of the Cylon Baseship and its escorts, that had rejoined it several days after it slipped thru the outer grid. Now the fleet of seventeen ships was on course for the asteroid belt.
Leon stepped up next to the Commander and followed his gaze.
"They'll pass thru the inner grid in less then a centar." Leon said softly.
Verga nodded his head slowly.
"We'll be on our way by then. I just heard from Bannon a few centons ago; he said that all ships are ready and standing by."
"Then I guess the only thing left for us to do is set the detonator timers and get out of here." Leon said.
"Yeah, I guess so." Verga said dryly as he turned away from the window and reached for the com unit on his desk. With the press of a button, he activated the base wide com system and began to speak.
"Attention on the base! Attention! This is Commander Verga. At this time I am ordering all personnel to secure your stations and make your way to the aerodrome. All shuttles will depart in exactly fifty centons. Anyone not on those shuttles will be left behind. I repeat, all shuttles will depart in fifty centons. Secure your stations and make your way to the aerodrome now. I'll see you there! Verga out!"
The Commander took the com set from his head and, out of habit, replaced it on the small hook. This made Leon smile. Even thou the base was being abandoned and would soon be nothing but space dust, Verga still was the detail oriented Warrior he had always been. With that, the Commander and Colonel left the Command Center for the last time ….. turning out the lights as they left.
The last of the shuttles departed the base aerodrome, making their way toward the Battlestar Genesis, one of the six new Battlestars. The ships of the fleet had already fallen into position and were standing by for the signal to move out. The last of the shuttles to land was the one carrying Commander Verga and Colonel Leon as well as the rest of those personnel that had been manning the Command Center. Verga and Leon made their way to the bridge of the giant ship where Major Verner, the newly promoted operations officer was in command. Upon seeing the Commander's arrival on the bridge, he immediately called all hands to attention.
Verga looked around at all the people manning the bridge. Many of the faces he saw were very well known to him….. Captain Barb at the communications console, Captain Jax operating the ships main scanning station, and Major Retana, the new strike leader of the Genesis. There were also a great many new faces among the crew, most of them very young. Well, Verga was sure there would be plenty of time to get to know them after they departed.
Verga and Leon made their way up the command dais and took their places. Verga stared down at his crew and told them to resume their stations. Then he turned to Major Verner and said, "I'll take over Major. Is everything ready for departure?"
The young man, who had been a junior bridge officer when they had arrived at Phantom Base, had worked hard learning the ins and outs of capital ship operations and battle fleet tactics and now was third in command of the flagship of the new Colonial Fleet. Verner gave the Commander an update of the fleet's status and then assumed his station at the operations console there on the command dais.
Verga walked over to the command station and put on his headset. Then he opened up the fleet wide com system and made his announcement.
"May I have your attention please, this is Commander Verga. The time has come for us leave Phantom Base and begin the search for a new home. I know this will be very difficult for many of you, especially the children since this base is the only home they've ever known, but this can't be helped. We must go forth from this place and seek out a new life. It will be difficult, but with the blessings of the Lords of Kobol, we will persevere and prosper."
Verga looked once more at the faces of his crew. He could see the uncertainty in their faces about what they were about to do, but he could also see the eagerness to go forth into the unknown and seek out this new life of which he spoke. He imagined the same looks on the faces of all the people of the fleet as looking the same way. Or so he hoped! The Commander continued.
"I can't tell you how long this journey will take, nor can I say with any certainty what we'll find beyond the asteroid field. All I can promise you is that if we don't leave here, we will not survive."
He paused for a moment to let this sink in.
"May the Lords of Kobol watch over and protect us all. Verga out!"
That being done, Verga switched over to the fleet com frequency and spoke to the senior officers of the fleet.
"Verga to all units, stand by to move out!"
Verga turned to where Colonel Leon was working. The Colonel had spent several sectons fitting a control panel, identical to the one the controlled the defensive satellite grid in the asteroid field, on the bridge of the Genesis. He would now use this panel to control the grid and "open the back door" to Phantom base by which they would depart. Leon's eyes met the Commanders and he nodded his head, indicating that all was in readiness.
"Colonel Leon, would you be so kind as to open the "gateway" please. Verga asked.
"Yes sir!" Leon replied, "Gateway sequence has been initiated."
All eyes turned toward the main viewer as the asteroids before them began to shift as if by magic. After only a few centons, the "gateway" was fully formed.
Even after all these yahren, the sight of the "gateway" forming still amazed Verga. The Commander switched on the fleet wide command frequency and gave the order that all those present had been waiting for.
"Verga to all ships, prepare to move out. Commander Bannon, you'll take the point in the Phoenix. All other units will follow in order as per the plan of departure. Let the journey begin!"
With the word given, The Gunstar Phoenix moved out ahead of the fleet, followed on all flanks by four of the Destroyers of Commander Eller's squadron. Next came the Battlestar Alexandria, under the command of Commander Goff. The name was chosen by Goff because in the ancient language of her people, she being a Libran, Alexandria meant "man's defender". The Alexandria was followed by the Alphosina under the command of Commander Andrea, whose name meant "eager for battle" in ancient Aquarian. These two behemoths were escorted by four Destroyers each as well.
The next group of ships to head for the "gateway" was a mix of freighters, agro ships, livestock ships, transports, industrial ships and water tankers surrounded by a group of six Destroyers. Next was the Gunstar Hyperion under Colonel Cada's command, followed by the Battlestars Revenge and Victory under the command of Commanders Raylac and Hawley respectively. These were surrounded by a group of ten Destroyers. More freighters, agro ships, livestock ships, transports, mineral ships and water tankers followed them along with six more Destroyers.
The last group of ships to move into the "gateway" was the fuel tankers lead by the Gunstar Titan under the command of Colonel Gellis, and the Destroyer Guardian under command of Commander Eller. The fuel tankers were the last to leave so if there were any problems that might set off an accidental explosion, most of the fleet would be far enough away to escape damage. Bringing up the rear of the fleet were the Battlestars Genesis and Ekdikesis, whose name came from the old Scorpion language meaning "vindicate, retaliate, and punish", and was under the command of Commander Sachs. These were escorted by the seven frigates of Colonel Orozo's group.
As the Genesis made its way to the mouth of the "gateway", Commander Verga stared at the monitor at his command station which was focused on the steadily receding base. Colonel Leon glanced up from his console to see the Commander watching the screen. He knew all too well what the Commander felt.
The Genesis made its way thru the "gateway", advancing slowly in the tight confines of the "tunnel" made thru the asteroid field by the electromagnetic generators that were the backbone of the "gateway". Just before the Genesis cleared the entrance of the "gateway", Verga received a message from Commander Bannon aboard the Phoenix.
"Phoenix to Genesis, we've cleared the "gateway" and are heading into open space. We will proceed on course and begin our initial reconnaissance of the area. We'll keep you advised of our progress. Phoenix out!"
When the Genesis was well within the "gateway", Verga turned to Colonel Leon and told him to start closing the "gateway". Leon nodded and began inputting the commands on his console. As the Genesis continued forward, the "gateway" began to close down behind it. This continued until at last the mighty Battlestar immerged into the vastness of open space for the first time.
Verga looked out on what he had always called the most beautiful site ever created and sighed. It was at that moment that he realized that it had been over fifteen yahren since he had been outside the confines of Phantom Base. He continued to stare out at the stars as he was joined by Colonel Leon.
"Commander, the "gateway" is almost finished closing. When would you like to set the timers of the demolition charges?" he asked.
"How far out are those Cylon ships from the asteroid field Colonel?" Verga asked, never taking his eyes off the stars.
"The last scans we took before we left indicated that the Cylons will reach the asteroid field in approximately five days." Leon told the Commander. "We estimate it'll take them six days to fight their way thru the asteroid field with all the defensive satellites and all."
Verga nodded his head slowly, contemplating this information. Then he asked a surprising question.
"How long would it take them to get thru if the defensive satellites were deactivated?"
Colonel Leon looked at his commanding officer, confused by the question.
"I'm not sure sir, two or three days I'd guess. Why do you ask?"
"Colonel, I want you to deactivate the defensive satellites." Verga said, still staring out at the stars.
Now Leon was really confused. Why would the Commander want to deactivate the defensive satellites? Doing that would give the Cylons an almost effortless path thru the asteroid field.
"Can I ask why you want to do this Commander?" Leon asked, not wanting to sound as if he was being defiant or was refusing to obey the order.
Verga turned to face the Colonel for the first time since he had walk up and began to explain.
"If the Cylons reach the asteroid field and encounter our defensive satellites, they will undoubtedly send a message back to Cylon for reinforcements and hold off until they arrive. They will also spend more time searching the asteroid field for evidence of our presence here. We can't afford that Colonel. We need them to get to the heart of the base without too much difficulty so we can destroy them along with the base. That's why I want you to deactivate the defensive satellites and set the demolition charges to proximity detonations. I want those mechanized nightmares right in the middle of the base when everything goes."
Colonel Leon had to agree. If the Cylons had half a chance to alert their home world about the location of Phantom Base, they may realize that the base was only recently abandoned and begin sending battle fleets after them. They had to destroy this reconnaissance fleet swiftly and completely. The only way to do this was to let them enter the base, draw them in and then set off the fireworks.
Leon nodded his understanding and went back to his console to deactivate the defensive satellites and set the demolition charges to detonate once the Cylon fleet had arrived at the base. It only took a few centons to power down the satellites and set the charges accordingly. He also set up a link that would allow them to monitor the progress of the Cylon ships as they made their way thru the asteroid field and into the base. Once the Cylons reached the base, they would actually be able to watch as the demolition charges reduced the base and the Cylons to atoms. This being done, all that was left was to get as far away as possible and wait.
The newly promoted Captain Dawn sat at her station on the bridge of the Genesis monitoring the advance of the Cylon fleet. Just as Colonel Leon had predicted, it took them less then a secton to reach the asteroid field and with the defensive satellites shut down, only two days to blast a path thru it, though it did cost them two of their "Seeker" class scout ships as they were crushed trying to navigate the asteroid field. With the Cylon fleet now inside the base perimeter, Dawn switched over from the simple scanning equipment that could only keep track of their position to the visual monitoring system that would send a video signal to the Genesis. Commander Verga, Colonel Leon, and Major Verner gathered around her station as the screen filled with the image of over a dozen Cylon ships moving slowly toward the main complex. A slight shiver ran down Verga's spine as he watched the Cylon fleet move steadily closer to what only days ago had been their home. Glancing at the other officers, he knew they were feeling the same sensations of dread.
"How long before the demolition charges go off Colonel?" Verga asked, breaking the almost tomb like silence that had fallen over the group.
"They have a proximity detectors attached to them that I set to begin a twenty centon countdown as soon as the Baseship came within one hundred thousand metrons of the main complex. I'd say their just about in range now."
In the dark, silent Command Center of the now abandoned base, a single console came to life. On the screen, a timer began a silent countdown.
Aboard the Baseship, the gold command centurion stood motionless as it "watched" the readings coming in from the ten remaining scout ships of its fleet. As a command centurion, it was given a second electronic "brain", thus giving it more program capacity for the wider variety of duties it was given, such as commanding a reconnaissance fleet. If it was capable of emotions, it would very likely be going thru a number of them at that very moment….. excitement, curiosity, uncertainty, and probably even …… fear!
The reconnaissance fleet that was under its command was given the task of seeking out any remaining outposts of the life form called "human" and report back to the central command for the sector in the new outer capital that had been established on one of the former home worlds of the human species. They had found nothing of significance until a little over two sectars ago, when they picked up a faint signal from what appeared to be a homing beacon of the type installed in a centurion. The command centurion could not understand how this could be since theirs was the first Cylon vessels reported to have ever entered this sector of space. With what could almost be called "curiosity", the command Cylon ordered its scouts to begin a patterned search of the quadrant. But then the signals suddenly stopped. This "confused" the command centurion. After a day or so, the signal resumed, but just like before, it stopped after a short period. The command centurion could not figure out what would cause this to happen. It did know that they were getting closer to the source of the signal. After a few more of these sessions, they had finally locked onto the location of the signal and headed directly for it.
During their sweeps of the area, they discovered something very interesting…… a network of extremely small, sophisticated satellites. They had never come across anything even close to this before and made every effort to scan them without disturbing them, not knowing if they were mines or not. After analyzing the satellites and determining they were not a hazard, but part of a enormous detection net, they knew they had found some kind of hidden civilization, perhaps even human. They had also figured out a way to "blind" these satellites for a short time by sending out a large burst of radiation. They had done this when they discovered a second net of satellites. The radiation burst had knocked the signal out long enough for the Baseship to pass thru the net without being scanned.
Now that they had found a way to circumvent the detection net of this unknown civilization, they moved toward the source of the homing signal at top speed. After nearly two sectons, they came upon a gigantic asteroid field that stretched far beyond their scanner range in all directions. The signal had stopped again and did not return, but they had pinpointed it as being somewhere either inside or beyond the asteroid field, though they could not say for sure since their scanners could not penetrate more then a thousand metrons or so. The only way to get thru to where the signal originated from was to blast a path thru the asteroids it seemed, so the command centurion gave the order for the Battle Cruisers to proceed ahead of the Baseship and clear a path thru the asteroids. This was a slow and time consuming process, but there was no other way.
Things started off poorly at first, as the ever shifting asteroids would drift into the path the Cruisers had just cleared. It proved disastrous for two of the smaller scout ships when they were crushed by large asteroids drifting into them. Finally, after two days of continuous fire, they made their way to the relatively open area beyond the asteroids. Once they had broke into the clear, the Cylon scanners immediately picked up a large number of structures built on many of the large asteroids that were in this area. Initial scans of the area showed no signs of human life forms, though from the types of structures and the materials used, it was apparent that this place was built by humans from the Colonies.
The command centurion ordered the scout ships to spread out and perform detailed scans of the facility. It wanted to know if this base had been there for a long time or just recently abandoned. As the scout ships began spreading out, the Baseship and its Cruisers made their way toward what appeared to be the main complex. The command centurion ordered fighters launched to provide protection from possible attack from any hidden human forces and to land on the facility and conduct a search of the structures.
The Baseship stopped just a few hundred metrons away from what appeared to be the command center of the base. The command centurion would hold its position there until the base was deemed secured, then it would send down specially programmed Cylon "technicians" to try and extract whatever information they could from the facilities computers.
On the surface of the base, the first group of centurions began searching the main complex. They made their way thru dust covered halls and rooms that appeared to have been abandoned for hundreds of yahren. They made there way to what had to be the main control center and found it in the same condition. The squad leader contacted the Baseship to make its initial report.
"By your command." It droned in the computerized voice that graced all centurions.
"Speak!" came the response from the command centurion in a slightly deeper tone.
"We have reached the control center of the facility. It appears to be deserted." the squad leader reported. "There are no signs of any recent occupation."
The command centurion added this information to the other reports that had been filtering in and it had concluded that this was a long abandoned base of the Colonies.
"By your command" another centurion droned in.
"Speak!" the squad leader responded.
"I have located an active computer terminal" the centurion reported.
"What terminal?" the squad leader asked.
The two centurions made their way over to one of the rooms just off the main gallery. Inside they found a large desk with a computer screen on it. The centurions made their way around to the front of the screen where they found some kind of program in operation. The squad leader contacted the Baseship again to report this new find.
"By your command!" the centurion droned.
"Speak!" came the response from the command centurion.
"An active computer terminal has been found with a program running." The squad leader reported.
"What type of program?" asked the command centurion.
"Unknown. All that is visible is a chronometer." The squad leader responded.
A warning light went off deep inside the electronic brain of the command centurion. There was something that didn't sound "right" about this situation.
"What is the chronometer doing?" asked the command centurion.
"It is counting in reverse of a normal chronometer."
"What does the chronometer read now." asked the command centurion, realizing what it was that they had found.
"It is just passing one centon now." The squad leader answered, totally oblivious to what was going to happen when the counter read zero.
The command centurion realized what it was and ordered the Baseship to make for the area of the asteroid field it had entered from at top speed. It also ordered all mega pulsars to begin firing on that area to open up a path.
All this would be for naught however, it was already too late.
As the chronometer hit zero, all Hades broke loose on the base. The first thing to blow was the central computer core. It was followed by the Command Center and all the adjacent buildings. The Cylons that had landed on the base never knew what hit them.
At the refinery and the two manufacturing plants, the scene was being replayed with some magnificent results.
As the demolition charges went off at the refinery, huge columns of flame shot into space thousands of metrons long. These incinerated the centurions that had been searching that area instantly. The solium tanks, though for the most part empty, still were full of vapors from their former contents and when the flames hit, the resulting explosions tore through the asteroid where they were built, setting everything aflame. The heat from the flames was so intense, that the solium in the asteroids caught fire too!
The Baseship had just started moving when the first explosions were seen. The main complex where the giant ship had been hovering went up in a massive fireball that engulfed the lower section of the Baseship before it could escape. This caused it to suffer mass power failures throughout the ship. The helm controls would not respond and soon the ship was out of control, its momentum propelling it toward the asteroid field. The centurions inside the ship were thrown all over the ship as it tumbled thru space. The end came soon after as the giant Baseship impacted with the asteroid field at great velocity, ripping the ship and its occupants to shreds.
Then as if to add insult to injury, with thousands upon thousands of solium ladened asteroids aflame and more being set off by the micron, the whole mess blew in an explosion so violent, the shock waves would be felt half a light yahren away.
Thus came the end of Phantom Base.
On the bridge of the Genesis and most of the other capital ships of the fleet, the destruction of the base was watched over a secure video link with scanners set up in advance by Doctor Haley.
The entire senior staff had shuttled over to the Genesis to witness the events leading up to the destruction and to make plans for the future, but at that moment, all was silent.
After what seemed an eternity, Commander Verga broke the silence.
"My friends, I know how each of you must feel. But we must put aside our own feelings for the time being and look toward the future. We must decide what we are to do now that we've lost our home. It is imperative that we locate a planet suitable for our people to colonize and start rebuilding our civilization. There are over a quarter of a million people out there that are depending on us to lead them to safety and a new life. I for one do not want to let them down!"
"So, where do you think we should start looking Commander?" asked Colonel Leon.
The Commander moved over to his command station and punched in a few codes. A large, three dimensional star chart appeared in the middle of the command area. Verga began to explain his intentions.
"As you may remember, I told you all about several star systems not too far from where we are now. I intend to head for the nearest of these and seek out a planet that we can colonize and call home or at the very least resupply the fleet. From the scans we have, there seems to be several planets that may be able to support human life."
"And if there are no habitable planets?" asked Doctor Grego.
"Then we'll move on to the next system, and the next one after that if necessary. Whatever it takes, no matter how long it takes. We will find a new home for our people. By the Lords of Kobol we will find a new home!"
