The Uneasy Alliance
by AJ Marks
Part 28
“Commander Adama to the bridge.”
Adama paused in the corridor next to Uri. He was headed to the council to inform them what had happened but it seemed that something else was going on now.
“I’ll be right there,’ Adama said to Uri, and turned to find a communicator to see what was going on. Quickly finding one he called the bridge.
“Commander,” Omega said.
“What’s the problem,” Adama said hearing the worried tone in Omega’s voice.
“The patrol spotted a Cylon basestar,” Omega said catching Adama’s attention.
“What’s it doing?” Adama asked.
“So far, staying just out of our scanning range,” Omega said.
“Sound yellow alert, I’ll be right there,” Adama said, heading back down the corridor passing a councilmember and reaching the lifts to head to the bridge.
He reached the bridge a few microns later seeing a lot of activity and made his way over to where Omega stood looking at the scanners.
“What’s the situation?” Adama asked.
“The patrol spotted the Cylon basestar outside of our long range scans, we are within their raiders range now,” Omega said to him.
“And it’s a good bet that they know we’re here,” Adama said. “Get me the Enterprise.”
He watched Athena carry out the order as Tigh’s face appeared on the scanner.
“Commander?” he asked.
“We have a problem,” Adama told him. “The patrol has encountered a Cylon basestar, between us and Earth.”
Even as he spoke Athena called out. “Incoming raiders.”
“Red Alert!” Adama ordered, within microns the bridge was bathed in red light as the warship shifted into a combat mode.
“How can we help?” Tigh asked.
“If you can close in and perhaps launch a strike on the basestar it might help,” Adama said knowing that the Enterprise was quite a ways away.
“We can do that,” Tigh said.
“Let me know when you get in range,” Adama stated as the screen went blank and he moved to the command chair. “Helm, plot a course to towards the incoming raider and engage.”
He watched the bridge crew execute his orders as reports of the viper pilots assembling and receiving orders for where to go.
He hoped they had enough time to mount a proper defense against the Cylons.
*****
Apollo headed back up to the bridge upon hearing the Enterprise going to red alert. The bridge was active once more with people moving around as he headed straight towards Tigh who was talking with an older gentleman from Earth.
“Located here, we should be able send out the viper squadrons make the Cylons hesitate slightly,” Tigh said.
“All right, I’ll inform the viper squadrons, we’re only about half full,” the man replied.
“I’ll go with you,” Apollo said. “I can take charge of the group here, but what’s the situation?” Apollo asked.
“I’ll bring him up to speed on the way down to the pilots,” the man said.
“Good, Informing the shuttle coming up to go back and let them know what is going on, and we’ll inform them when we return,” Tigh said moving over to the communications station as Apollo and the man left the bridge.
“You are from the Galactica?” the man asked.
“Apollo, strike captain,” Apollo replied.
“Tom,” he replied back. “Short version of what’s going on,” he said as they reached the elevator, “the Galactica called saying they had a Cylon basestar closing in on the Colonial fleet.”
Apollo understood the situation now.
“We’re going to launch vipers and try to confuse them,” Tom said to him.
Apollo understood the situation and as they left the elevator and headed to the pilot’s briefing room to see a room only about half full. Less than he hoped to have, but he did noticed Starbuck in the room which would help. It seemed Sheba and Boomer were still on the planet’s surface, and Jolly had returned to the Galactica.
“What’s up?” Starbuck said.
“Cylons have been spotted,” Apollo said.
“Already?” one said sounding a bit surprised.
“It’s a lot of handle, I know, but the Cylons are real, they wish to destroy all of humanity, and the machines on Earth,” Tom said speaking up. “The people you know in the Matrix, they need your protection here and now. If we don’t stop the Cylons here, they will destroy everyone in the Matrix.”
The words seemed to have a desired effect on the people in the room as Apollo noticed a change in the atmosphere as they realized what the consequences of the battle could be.
“All right, everyone to their vipers, Captain Apollo will be squad leader,” Tom said to the group.
Apollo watched as they all looked at him, and he hoped they knew how to fly the fighter before making his way to the sleds which would take them to the hangar. Starbuck stepped up beside him as they shared a look.
“You think this will work?” he asked quietly.
“Has to,” Apollo replied as they found themselves at the hangar. He made his way to one of the vipers fueled and ready as everyone searched for an empty viper. They had yet to actually assign vipers but the crew chief took charge assigning people as they came out.
*****
Adama watched as the two formations of fighters reached each other and engaged as the Galactica headed out of the fleet towards the threat. He had sent a couple of vipers behind the fleet to make sure no Cylons were coming from other directions. He did not need to be caught between two forces like he was trying to have done to the Cylons.
“Squadrons engaged,” Omega said.
“Cylon basestar on scanners,” Athena said.
“All right, here we go,” Adama said. “Prepare engagement course alpha.”
“Yes sir,” Omegas replied, relaying the instructions to the helm.
Now he had to wait until they engaged and hoped the Enterprise would arrive soon. One on one the Galactica would be in a struggle against a basestar. It would win, but there were many factors which could determine the outcome of the battle. Many he never could predict beforehand.
The scanner showed the two fighters engaged and losses were beginning to mount. He knew his pilots were veterans and would do their best. He only wished they all would return. For now he had to give them the best opportunity to return and not waste a single warriors’ life.
The Galactica continued to close in on the basestar.
*****
Hades looked down as the centurions worked to engage in battle. Reports of vipers coming from the fleet did not surprise him much, the human commander would not leave the fleet unguarded.
“Scanners report a battlestar leaving the fleet and heading towards us,” a centurion said confusing Hades.
“A battlestar?” he replied, wondering if there was some sort of malfunction going on. “Are the scanners working properly?”
“Scanners are operational, there is a battlestar heading towards us,” the centurion said.
It made no sense to Hades. How could this be? There were no reports of the battlestar passing them and rejoining the fleet and if that was the case then he had only one other possible solution, there were two battlestars.
“Prepare to withdraw at once,” he said to the centurions.
“By your command.”
*****
Apollo flew along with the rest of the squadron who had actually lined up quite well for their first time. They had been ‘taught’ by the Matrix and he hoped they were able to fight at worst. The best solution would be the Cylons would run at the sight of them coming.
Starbuck had lined up next to him, his normal wingman making things seem a bit more normal. He knew it wouldn’t take too long before the Cylon basestar would appear on the scanners and wasn’t disappointed when it suddenly appeared.
“All right everyone, stay in formation, we’ll start with an attack run on the basestar,” Apollo said to the group.
He watched the scanner as the group lined up and they headed towards the basestar which seemed to suddenly turn and head away. They must have caught it by surprise as it no longer was heading in the direction of the fleet, nor was it heading towards Earth. The path was taking it away from both.
“Apollo, what do we do now?” Starbuck’s voice asked.
“Working on it,” Apollo replied taking it all in. The biggest problem was they did not have the fuel to actually do anything. None of the vipers were completely fueled due to the shortages on the Enterprise at the moment.
“All vipers, head back to the Enterprsie,” Apollo said finally.
“You sure?” a voice asked.
“Yeah,” Apollo said. “We’ve done what we can to do,” Apollo said.
“Understood.”
Apollo watched as the basestar left his scanners and turned around himself to head on back. It felt wrong, but he wasn’t about to take this group into combat with all the problems if he could avoid it. He made a mental note to start the training program to get everything organized so next time they would know what to do.
“Skull one to Enterprise,” Apollo said using the name of the squad the pilots had come up with.
“Enterprise, go ahead Skull one,” the reply came back.
“Inform the commander we’re heading back, basestar is running,” Apollo said.
“Acknowledged.”
He continued on hoping he made the right call this time. He hated leaving a basestar which knew about them, but, they needed some more time to get things ready.
Apollo waited a second before turning around and heading back as well.
*****
Adama watching on the bridge of the Galactica as the raiders suddenly broke off and headed back towards the basestar which had changed course. He had an idea of why it might have done that, but didn’t want to celebrate too early, as it might be part of their plan.
“Inform all pilots to head back,” Adama said looking at Omega who merely nodded and carried out the order.
“Commander, incoming message from the Enterprise,” Athena said.
“Put it though,” Adama said, looking down at the monitor to see Tigh’s face on the screen.
“Adama, Apollo states the basestar is withdrawing?” Tigh asked.
“It appears so,” Adama said.
“We’re going to let it get away?” Tigh asked, something Adama was grabbling with as well.
“I have no idea if there are other basestars around, or if retreating is part of their tactic here. I can’t leave the fleet unguarded,” Adama replied. “And the Enterprise is still working up to full combat strength.”
He watched Tigh consider that before replying back.
“Yeah, of course, I just don’t like seeing something get away,” Tigh replied.
“I understand,” Adama said. “How operational is the Enterprise?”
“Most crewmembers are on board, especially the essential systems,” Tigh said. “We haven’t really gone through any tests.”
“Head back to Earth and take it though the tests, we need it operational as soon as possible,” Adama said.
“Understood,” Tigh replied, as the conversation ended. He realized there was a lot to still do and he hoped the Cylons didn’t have a trap set up for him.
*****
Hades would have frowned if he had the ability to, instead he looked on in confusion at what had happened. He was sure that the fleet had been undefended, and by a battlestar so he was shocked when the battlestar appeared on their scanners.
To make matters worse, and unfathomable, another battlestar had appeared behind him. It shouldn’t be as he scanned the records to show him what happened. To add to the impossible calculations the human fleet, which outnumbered him now had ceased pursuit of him.
None of it made any sense to him at all.
“Report centurions.”
“By your command,” the centurion said. “We’ve lost the following Colonial warriors.”
That also confused him. The vipers behind us?” Hades asked.
“Have retreated back to the planet and the battlestar there,” the centurion said.
“Very well, maintain patrols,” Hades said, watching as the centurions replied and turned around to carry out the orders.
Hades looked down at the scanners and the placement of nearby Cylon forces as he logically considered the only explanation of why there was a second battlestar, the Pegasus. If that was the case then he was up against Commander Cain and would need to be cautious. Cain was known even in the Cylon Empire as a military genius.
He would need a plan.
End part 28