{"id":24,"date":"2015-06-29T01:11:23","date_gmt":"2015-06-29T01:11:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/?p=24"},"modified":"2017-06-04T18:46:55","modified_gmt":"2017-06-04T23:46:55","slug":"the-sunflare","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/?p=24","title":{"rendered":"The Sunflare"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Sunflare<\/span><\/h2>\n

by AJ Marks<\/span><\/p>\n

Patrolling around the edges of Colonial space a group of warships continued their vigilance against any outside threats that might appear. The patrol was made up of five ships centered around the Sunflare, an old battlestar that had long ago been rendered obsolete by the Columbia class battlestars. Along with the Sunflare was the Tiger, a cruiser, that specialized in anti-ship warfare and three frigates that provided anti-fighter defenses.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Sunflare was one of three ships of the Starfire class. The ships were considered too expensive to build and only marginally effective in battle. The result had been in the loss of the two sister ships in battle leading to the much improved Columbia class. Now the Sunflare spent it\u2019s time patrolling against pirates on the edges of known space.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Sunflare carried a compliment of thirty vipers to go along with massive firepower, four type X lasers, the most powerful lasers ever fitted on board a Colonial warship. It was the compliment of fighters that many considered to be small considering the fact the Sunflare was almost the same size as a Columbia battlestar. With only twenty-four vipers it lacked the flexibility later warships would have.<\/span><\/p>\n

That inability to be flexible had quickly been its downfall especially once the latest Cylon basestars appeared carrying almost three hundred raiders.<\/span><\/p>\n

Commander Tagget, the Sunflare\u2019s current commander, enjoyed a moment of relaxation in his quarters. He wondered what he might finally do now that that peace finally came to humanity. He could think of nothing at the moment. The military had been his entire life. He saw more people he cared about die than he ever wished. He gave thought to retiring and perhaps setting up a small home near where his remaining family lived, a niece and her family.<\/span><\/p>\n

Perhaps he might even finally have time for friends outside his job. He knew money would be no problem. He hardly spent anything and over the yehrens had accumulated quite a bit of credits to retire comfortably.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCommander to the bridge,\u201d a voice over the intercom said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tagget stood, acknowledged the bridge and headed up wondering what had happened. He felt a possibility that the scanners might have picked up some strange ship. Things like that did happen from time to time out on deep patrol.<\/span><\/p>\n

He walked onto the bridge seeing the few people who were on duty. Many crewmembers had time off to celebrate the upcoming peace treaty. He figured that it was not every day that one saw the end of a thousand year war.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s up Colonel?\u201d Tagget asked walking up to his second-in-command, Zaga. They had worked together now for almost ten yehrens. His friend had lost all of his hair where Tagget had kept his despite it going white.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThought you might want to watch the proceedings?\u201d Zaga replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSounds good, has it started?\u201d Tagget asked sitting down and turning his attention to the monitor. He saw a reporter standing in a small park with the words \u2018peace\u2019 spelled out in white flowers behind her. He, as almost everyone else, recognized the reporter as Serena.<\/span><\/p>\n

He listened in as she mentioned that they had not received any new updates from the President\u2019s yacht. Tagget thought that a bit strange and looked at the time. It should have happened already and frowned slightly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSomething wrong?\u201d Zaga asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, it should have happened already,\u201d Tagget said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe there is a problem with terms or something like that,\u201d Zaga stated.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOr some sort of interference going on,\u201d Tagget replied. Solar flares had a way of interrupting communications.<\/span><\/p>\n

The scream focused their attention back onto the screen. He watched with a sinking feeling as the reporter panicked. Off camera he heard the terrifying sound of screams and explosions. Tagget watched almost knowing what he would see before it even appeared. The camera panned up catching a disk-shaped craft flying by.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBy the Lords of Kobal,\u201d Tagget whispered watching the raider open fire.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis can\u2019t be happening,\u201d Zaga replied, sounding as stunned as he felt.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSwitch over to fleet line Alpha,\u201d Tagget ordered not looking up from the monitor. He knew they were probably too far away to communicate with the fleet but any information would be better than nothing.<\/span><\/p>\n

The fleet line came on but he heard nothing but static which did not surprise him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI might be able to boost the signal and get something sir,\u201d the communications officer, Teddy said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDo it,\u201d Tagget said looking back at the screen watching the destruction before him get even worse.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSir, I have something,\u201d Teddy said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tagget could hear faint voices. He could hear panic in the voices even as he heard that the Pacifica was reporting major damage and the Trition was moving. He heard nothing about the other battlestars and realized that things were not looking good.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOrder red alert,\u201d Tagget said looking at the rest of the crew on the bridge.<\/span><\/p>\n

The battle lighting replaced the normal lighting as the ship went on alert. He watched confused men and women running onto the bridge.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnything on scanners?\u201d Tagget asked hoping that there would be no Cylons anywhere around them.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo sir, everything\u2019s clear,\u201d the scanner operator, Mary replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSir, we\u2019re receiving a communications from the Tiger,\u201d Zaga said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPut it through,\u201d Tagget said watching as the commander of the Tiger appeared on the screen.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTagget, what in the name of Kobal is going on?\u201d Commander Garen asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt appears the Cylons stabbed us in the back,\u201d Tagget replied. \u201cBoth the Colonies and the fleet are under attack.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe fleet is under attack then,\u201d Garen said. Tagget knew by the wording the commander knew about the attack on the Colonies.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt appears so, I\u2019m ordering the fleet to Cimtar at once,\u201d Tagget said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re ready to go commander,\u201d Garen replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe other ships report ready to go commander,\u201d Zaga said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, all ships move out,\u201d Tagget said. He wondered what they might encounter once they got there. He only hoped some of the fleet had survived for them to help.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

 <\/p>\n

Tagget looked down at the scanners once more as the fleet approached the location of where the battlefleet should have been. He felt a sinking feeling when nothing appeared on the scanners.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShould we launch a patrol?\u201d Zaga asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tagget thought about that for a few seconds before replying. \u201cGo ahead.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Microns later four vipers launched heading out into the area. Tagget knew they could move around the area a lot quicker than the fleet could. He really did not want to split the fleet up for any patrolling. The fleet maintained red alert until Tagget knew that nothing else would be in the area.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo response from any hails commander,\u201d Teddy said.<\/span><\/p>\n

It seemed impossible to Tagget that the entire fleet would be gone. He turned to Teddy. \u201cAny word from the Colonies?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo commander, it\u2019s been silent for a while now,\u201d Teddy replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tagget really did not like that news either. Both the Colonies and fleet had been massively attacked by the Cylons.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSir, one patrol states they found an escape pod, the pilot is still alive,\u201d Zaga said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSend a rescue team,\u201d Tagget said. They might be able to gain some information from him. He realized the impact of what had happened and what he now had to do.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSir, another escape pod has been found intact,\u201d Zaga said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTell the rescue teams, we\u2019ll take as many as we find,\u201d Tagget said. \u201cHave all commanders meet in the war room. We have something to discuss.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He walked off the bridge heading back to his office for a few moments of peace and quiet before the most important decision he ever made would happen.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tagget walked into the war room seeing all the commanders of the fleet there. They looked a lot like he felt, in shock over what had happened. Normally they would be talking and joking now the room was silent waiting for him to begin the meeting.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think I have to repeat what has happened, but to make sure we are all on the same page. It appears from all reports that the fleet has been destroyed, or at least is at the point to where it is no longer effective as a defense to the Colonies. We also know that at least one or more Colonies were attacked, probably decimated beyond comprehension,\u201d Tagget said looking around the room.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOur communications officer has not picked up anything from any of the colonies, I think we can assume they were all attacked,\u201d Garen said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tagget looked around at each commander seeing the same look of agreement about that despite their eyes wishing it was not true.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a report from the rescued pilots that one battlestar left the battle, it might have survived,\u201d Zaga said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tagget nodded at that. \u201cPossible, it also might have been severely damaged and was retreating.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThey thought it was headed to the Colonies,\u201d Zaga said. \u201cOne thought it was his battlestar, the Galactica.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCommander Adama\u2019s ship,\u201d Tagget said. He could see if any ship surviving it would be his. Adama had publicly criticized the peace treaty and probably would have been ready for any surprise attack. They should have listened to him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo commander, now what?\u201d Garen asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tagget sighed knowing this was the moment he had been dreading as they all looked at him waiting. He had a few choices he knew.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe can stick around, try and see what and who survived,\u201d Tagget said. \u201cOr we can flee.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFlee, and go where?\u201d Tasia, the commander of the frigate Lightning, said<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a fair question, one I have no answer for,\u201d Tagget said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe should go the Colonies, see how bad the destruction is,\u201d Garen said. \u201cOnce we know that we can make a decision about staying or not.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Tagget looked at the group seeing almost all of them agree.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about the Cylons, they will be around somewhere,\u201d Tasia said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, they probably will be, and we should avoid any contact if at all possible,\u201d Tagget said. \u201cWe\u2019ll start out after the patrols have finished looking around.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Tagget watched the group leave heading back to the hanger to head back to their ships. Only Zaga remained behind.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhere do we go if there isn\u2019t anyone left?\u201d Zaga said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere is always someone left, but I know what you mean,\u201d Tagget said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEven if there is, without a battle-fleet we don\u2019t stand a chance defending the Colonies,\u201d Zaga said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tagget knew the hopelessness of the situation they had been thrust into. Now he had to figure out what to do next. \u201cWhich Colony should we go to first?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCaperica is the closest,\u201d Zaga said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen we go there carefully,\u201d Tagget replied. \u201cHave the patrols found anything else?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, a few scattered escape pods, more destroyed by the Cylons. Seems like they wanted to make a clean sweep of the area,\u201d Zaga said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow many did we rescue?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTwenty-two, pilots,\u201d Zaga replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tagget shook his head at the total. Thousands had been here on board the ships and vipers and only twenty-two survived. He had a bad feeling about the Colonies.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tagget walked onto the bridge at the announcement that they were approaching Caperica and something had appeared on the scanners. He was not too surprised by it all yet hoped it was the Galactica.<\/span><\/p>\n

He looked around the bridge taking in the tense looks and realizing that the news would not be good. He walked up to the scanner operator, Zelda and waited for her opinion on what was going on.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOne basestar, it appears to be recovering raiders,\u201d she told him. He looked over at Zaga.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI ordered the fleet to hold position here at the moment,\u201d Zaga said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGood thinking,\u201d Tagget replied not sure he wanted to tangle with a basestar at the moment. He figured his fleet could defeat the basestar the damage they would get in return would be counterproductive.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s moving, away from us,\u201d Zelda stated as Tagget looked down to see the image moving away from them. He figured it was probably heading towards another home planet.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGet us in close using the planet to hide us and prepare shuttles to head down. I want a patrol of vipers up at all times to provide air cover as well,\u201d Tagget said.<\/span><\/p>\n

He watched as the crew quickly relayed the information to the rest of the fleet even as he prepared to go down himself. If there were any groups left alive they would be scared and wanting answers.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTell Captain Renold I\u2019ll be going down with him,\u201d Tagget said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI have to disagree with you sir,\u201d Zaga said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cZaga, if there are any survivors, I\u2019ll be needed to talk to them,\u201d Tagget said. \u201cYou and I both know that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt could be dangerous,\u201d Zaga said, running a hand over his bald head in annoyance.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know, but I think I can still shoot a blaster,\u201d Tagget said in reply. He had to see the devastation first hand.<\/span><\/p>\n

They waited a bit longer until the basestar no longer appeared on the scanners. Once that happened Tagget knew he was safe to approach the planet. They intercepted no signals other than automated ones.<\/span><\/p>\n

He left the bridge in Zaga\u2019s capable hands and headed towards the hanger to head down to the planet\u2019s surface.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tagget looked out of the shuttle\u2019s windows as the clouds parted revealing the scene below him. He felt saddened at the sight before him. The entire planet appeared scorched as fires burned out of control in most areas.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to set us down by the spaceport, there appears room to land still,\u201d the pilot said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll right,\u201d Tagget said looking around some more. Everything appeared even worse than what he had seen on the screen. Buildings had crumbled under the attack and even the docks of the spaceport were damaged beyond repair.<\/span><\/p>\n

The group cautiously exited the shuttle looking around for any signs of Cylons that might still be around. Their weapons were out as they spotted a few Cylon remains scattered around the scene of death inside the dockyard building.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLooks like they were trying to escape,\u201d one warrior said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tagget nodded before making a decision. \u201cSpread out, keep in pairs of two and let\u2019s see if anyone is still alive around here,\u201d he told the group.<\/span><\/p>\n

They split up and started down the different paths looking for anything. The pilot paired up with Tagget as they walked down a side street not wanting to go too far from the shuttle in case one of the groups spotted trouble.<\/span><\/p>\n

He glanced around uneasy listening for anything that might catch his attention. Then he realized that the only sounds he heard were the burning of fires. He heard no natural sounds at all, only the destruction of what once was a beautiful city.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCommander, over there,\u201d the pilot said quietly pointing his blaster in the direction of a small alleyway. \u201cThought I saw something over there.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Tagget nodded as they carefully made their way over to the area walking quietly to not make a sound. Taggot had no idea what they might find. It might be an animal or a Cylon. He almost could hear his heart beating as they continued cautiously over to the area. Tagget looked around and came face to face not with a Cylon, or even some dagget, but a young girl.<\/span><\/p>\n

He immediately holstered his blaster and motioned for the pilot to back off. He realized the girl was trying to make herself as small as possible. Fear easily readable in the girl\u2019s eyes as they looked at each other. Tagget slowly crouched down to her level.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHello there, my name is Tagget, what\u2019s yours?\u201d he asked in a soft voice not wanting to frighten the girl anymore than she was.<\/span><\/p>\n

The girl neither replied nor moved much to Tagget\u2019s dismay. He recognized the shock the girl appeared to be in brought on by whatever she saw, and knew it must have been brutal.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCommander, we have company,\u201d a voice said over the radio. \u201cA squad of Cylons heading towards the docking bay, probably saw us land.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone back to the shuttle,\u201d Tagget ordered turning his attention back to the girl. He gentled his voice and tried for what he hoped a friendly face. \u201cI need you to come with me, we\u2019ll protect you from the Cylons, I promise.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She glanced up giving Tagget a better view of the girl who had green eyes. He looked her over seeing her hair dirty and dusty hiding whatever color it might be as dirt streaked her cheeks with obvious tear marks and he felt his heart lurch slightly from the broken look she gave him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to go back to my warship,\u201d he said holding out his hand feeling the pilot behind him becoming impatient as time passed.<\/span><\/p>\n

He smiled gentle as the girl reached out for his hand allowing him to pull her to him. He picked her up then nodded to the pilot as they quickly made their way back to the docking yard. He felt the girl become agitated the closer they got.<\/span><\/p>\n

Knowing they had to go through the building he covered the girl\u2019s eyes and thought he heard her say mom. He thought she probably had been in the dockyard when the Cylons attacked. Her small stature would have allowed her to escape unseen from the Cylons at that time.<\/span><\/p>\n

A minute later he boarded the shuttle feeling the pilots\u2019 power up the engines and blasting off heading back to the Sunflare. He looked down at the girl who had not released him but she did look up at him finally speaking.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAre, are you from the Galactica?\u201d she asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Galactica?\u201d Tagget replied slightly confused by the statement but he had a thought of what might have happened. He waited for the girl to reply hoping she said what he thought.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMom said they would protect us, we were going to where it was,\u201d the girl said sadly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou were boarding a transport to head towards the Galactica,\u201d Tagget stated.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d the girl said. \u201cThen the Cylons came, my mom said run and she would come for me. She won\u2019t wake up now.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Taggete swallowed as the girl started to cry. He pulled her close allowing her a safe spot as he thought about what she said. The Galactica had survived somehow. Perhaps retreating from the battle had spared the battlestar from destruction. He gentle rubbed the girls back knowing he had to call another meeting once back on board.<\/span><\/p>\n

He thought what would Adama do with so much destruction and only one battlestar. The battlefleet, from what Tagget saw, had been destroyed and now rendered ineffective.<\/span><\/p>\n

The shuttle landed on the deck as he stood and headed over to a communications line telling Zaga to prepare a meeting with all ship captains. He would be there shortly and headed towards the medlab with the girl to make sure she was alright.<\/span><\/p>\n

He walked in seeing it busy with injuries from the survivors they had picked up from the fleet. A nurse stopped and quickly walked over to where he stood upon seeing the girl in his arms. A silent communications between him and the nurse and she understood as girl refused to let go of Tagget.<\/span><\/p>\n

He sat in a chair before speaking to the girl. \u201cI have to go be commander for a bit so we can get out of here before the Cylons come back, but I promise to come back. The nice nurse is going to make sure you all right and not hurt okay?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He watched the girl look up at him then over at the nurse, a young woman with brown hair and brown eyes who crouched down with a gentle smile.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m Amy,\u201d the nurse said. \u201cAnd I guarantee you that commander Tagget keeps his word, and we can ask to see him later on if you want.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf I take too long you can call for me and I\u2019ll be right down here,\u201d Tagget said to the girl.<\/span><\/p>\n

After a few silent moments the girl released Tagget and allowed herself to lifted into Amy\u2019s arms. Tagget walked over to the doctor who watched from a distance.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe probably saw the Cyons kill her mother and who knows how many more,\u201d he said to him as he nodded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen Amy\u2019s the one you want taking care of her, she understands that. Saw her father and brother killed when she was ten,\u201d the doctor said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd the others?\u201d he asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBoth pilots suffered third-degree burns, and a couple of injured crewmen on board the escape pod, we lost one but I expect the others to survive,\u201d the doctor said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tagget nodded and with a last look, and smile for the girl in Amy\u2019s watchful care, headed to the meeting room. He stopped at the bridge to order the fleet to Hermes asteroid then resumed his course.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGentlemen,\u201d Tagget stated walking into the room heading around to his seat. They all turned to look at him as he settled himself before continuing. \u201cIt seems we have a problem. We found one survivor before we were forced to leave early. She is a young girl but it appears that the reports from the survivors of the battle are correct. The Galactica appears to have survived the battle by leaving. I have ordered the fleet to Hermes asteroid base for supplies. I doubt there are many Cylons there.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAre we leaving people behind?\u201d Issac, the captain of the Sprint, asked in disbelief. \u201cWe might be able to rescue more.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know, but I also think the Galactica might need our help in order to protect the fleet they have assembled,\u201d Tagget stated.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe have no way of know where the Galactica went,\u201d the captain of the Tiger, Keith, stated.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I am aware of that,\u201d Tagget replied, sighing at that knowledge. All he knew would be the Galactica would run away from the Cylon Empire. \u201cThat\u2019s why we\u2019re headed to Hermes, the base still has supplies but isn\u2019t manned and should be clear of Cylons.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a gamble, we could head to another colony and maybe pick up more survivors,\u201d Issac<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know we all want to pick up as many survivors as possible, but we must look to the future as well. Our first priority is finding the Galactica,\u201d Tagget said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI still don\u2019t like it, not how we were trained,\u201d Keith said standing up.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t have to like it, the commander has spoken,\u201d Zaga said. \u201cYou think he likes it?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen he should do something about it,\u201d Keith replied back as Zaga stood now face to face with Keith.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStand down, both of you,\u201d Tagget said in a stern voice. \u201cWe all have anger over this, but we can\u2019t go blindly around flapping our arms. We need a plan and our fleet isn\u2019t a challenge to a major Cylon fleet. I don\u2019t want to die today if possible.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He stared at both of them watching as they relented slightly and backed down. The tension in the room still remained even as calm settled on the discussion.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo, what do we do after resupplying?\u201d Issac asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI want ideas as to where the Galactica might assemble a fleet,\u201d Tagget said. \u201cWe\u2019ll head there and see if we can catch them,\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd if not we can pick up stragglers who didn\u2019t make it in time,\u201d Zaga said. \u201cNow we need to resupply quickly and take more than we can handle. It\u2019s going to be a long trip people.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The group stood and filed out leaving Tagget alone in the room with Zaga.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou really think this the right course of action?\u201d Zaga asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHonestly, I\u2019m making it up as I go,\u201d Tagget said. \u201cWe go to the Colonies and meet up with a Cylon fleet then it\u2019s all over and we can\u2019t help anyone.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about helping out a ship in trouble?\u201d Zaga asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tagget sat back thinking about that. So many variables to worry about and he found it so easy to say help. He also knew that rushing into help could be a disaster.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think we\u2019ll have to take that as we come across it,\u201d Tagget finally said. \u201cWe can take on a basestar but I also want to avoid serious damage.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He watched Zaga remain quiet. \u201cYou know,\u201d he finally said, \u201call our warriors want revenge.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know, I want it too,\u201d Tagget said. \u201cYou didn\u2019t carry that girl, damn them!\u201d He stood heading towards the door. \u201cI\u2019ll be in medlab, let me know if anything happens.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWill do,\u201d Zaga replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tagget walked into the medlab glancing around spotting the doctor who walked over to him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAny good news?\u201d Tagget asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI would say those injured will make it,\u201d the doctor said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd our young guest?\u201d Tagget asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAmy\u2019s doing a fine job with her,\u201d the doctor said looking over at one area of the medlab which had been sectioned off.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tagget nodded then headed over wondering what type of reaction he might get. He poked his head through giving a slight knock on the wall watching as Amy turned slightly. He looked from her to the girl who now had wet hair and dressed in a way too big shirt.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCommander,\u201d Amy said. He watched as the girl looked over, recognition appearing in her eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHey, I see Amy took good care of you,\u201d Tagget said coming into the small area sitting down on the bed and focusing his attention on her. \u201cHow are you doing?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s uninjured and in good health,\u201d Amy replied making Taggelt feel somewhat better.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s your name, I\u2019m Tagget, though some on board call me the old man. They don\u2019t think I know about it,\u2019 he said with a smile and a wink at her getting a smile in return.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSara,\u201d the girl finally replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell hello Sara,\u201d Tagget said. \u201cAnd how old are you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFour,\u201d she said holding up five fingers.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFour, you are a big girl,\u201d Tagget said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCommander,\u201d the doctor\u2019s voice said from outside the curtain.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes?\u201d Tagget asked looking in the direction.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cColonel Zaga is requesting you on the bridge right away.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Tagget sighed at that but knew he had to leave. \u201cWell Sara, it seems that my duty as commander of the ship has once again interrupted our talk. I\u2019ll take care of this and then come back to see you again, all right?\u201d he said giving her a pat on the head.<\/span><\/p>\n

He noticed her watching him as he walked out and headed to the bridge.<\/span><\/p>\n

Zaga walked onto the bridge after the meeting. Things had been crazy at the moment and he wondered what might happen next. He had to agree with Keith though, they needed to do something. He stood up for the commander because he needed support at that moment despite him not agreeing with him.<\/span><\/p>\n

The bridge crew appeared alert to his eyes. They knew Cylons could be anywhere now unlike on patrol where an encounter with anything had been rare. Of course they patrolled the boundaries that did not boarder the Cylon Empire.<\/span><\/p>\n

Zaga heard whispers between crewmembers about what happened as people tried to make sense of what happened. The scale of destruction appeared beyond comprehension to most everyone.<\/span><\/p>\n

He knew they were looking at him. They wanted direction in chaos and Zaga had little idea what they were doing. Even Tagget said he did not know what to do next.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll right everyone, can I have your attention,\u201d Zaga finally said seeing everyone look over to him. \u201cI\u2019m sure you\u2019re all aware that the fleet and Colonies came under a devastating Cylon attack. The fleet is completely destroyed, it appears the Galactica survived. The Colonies have also been completely destroyed. We\u2019ve received no communications from any Colony since the attack. We are headed to Hermes Asteroid to resupply, once that happens we hope to join up with the Galactica. If that does not happen we will head away from the Colonies in hope we will catch up with them. For now do your jobs, we want to avoid Cylon entanglements.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Zaga watched the group head back to work even as he sat down. Things were too confusing. He preferred a simple fight, you see the enemy and attack. The warfare they were about to undertake would be different than anything else he had done.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cColonel, we have scanner contacts,\u201d Ruth, the scanner operator said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Zaga walked over to where she sat looking at the contacts. On the screen he noticed a battle going on, several Cylon raiders were attacking four civilian ships. A Cylon basestar appeared on the screen even as he watched.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMedlab, this is Colonel Zaga, is the commander there?\u201d Zaga said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes sir,\u201d the reply came back.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTell him to get to the bridge immediately,\u201d Zaga said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUnderstood.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Zaga turned to the communications watching as the young man sitting there listened in intently before looking up.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThey are reporting a distress message,\u201d he said to Zaga.<\/span><\/p>\n

He nodded unsure of what the commander wanted to do. He knew what his gut told him but things had changed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s the situation?\u201d Tagget said walking onto the bridge.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re picking up Cylons attacking cives and a distress call,\u201d Zaga said watching Tagget walk over to the scanners.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll right,\u201d Tagget said turning towards Zaga who looked on in interest. \u201cRed alert, get me the captains of the other ships.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes sir,\u201d Zaga said almost smiling at the thought. They were going after the Cylons.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOur pilots will be outnumbered but it appears the Cylons have taken damage as well,\u201d Tagget said as he looked at the scanner.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSir, I have the captains of the other ships,\u201d the communications officer said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be brief, we have some stragglers, probably heading to meet up with the Galactica,\u201d Tagget said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSome good news finally,\u201d Issac said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot quiet, they are under attack by a Cylon basestar, if we all work together we should be able to achieve surprise,\u201d Tagget said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Tiger and Sunflare attacking the basestar, what angle do you want the Tiger to come in on?\u201d Keith asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBottom, the Sunflare will come in from the top, the Sprint, Emerald and Lightning will head to the civilian ships to provide fighter escorts,\u201d Tagget said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about the vipers? They will be outnumbered,\u201d Keith asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOnly need them to delay the Cylons, not win, once the basestar is destroyed then we can concentrate on the raiders. Our top priority is saving the civilian ships,\u201d Tagget said to them.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSound red alert,\u201d Zaga said to the crew before Tagget could say anything else. The familiar battle red lighting replaced the normal lighting. He knew all across the ship people raced to their battlestations.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLaunch all vipers when ready,\u201d Tagget said. \u201cHelm, attack vector five, full speed.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cContact in two minutes.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCommunications, let me hear what\u2019s going on,\u201d Tagget said. Zaga listened in as the speaker crackled to life.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnyone out there, this is the Princess Royal, we\u2019re under Cylon attack. We can\u2019t last much longer, need immediate help.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Zaga wanted to say something back to them but understood the need for silence. The hardest thing to do as he heard the screams as one of the ships exploded bringing the number of ships down to four civilian ships. He hoped whatever god or goddess would listen that they would be in time to help.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCaptain, still no response,\u201d the communications officer said to the captain.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know,\u201d Captain Dean said thinking about what they might be able to do. The group had few options and there would be no guarantee for survival with any plan. He finally made up his mind as the Starfreighter exploded. \u201cHelm, plot a course straight for the basestar and engage.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCaptain!?\u201d the stunned reply came back.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe have to do something now, damaging or destroying that basestar could allow the others to escape,\u201d Dean said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUm sir, do we have the mass for something like that?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, but we have the speed to do this, the others don\u2019t,\u201d Dean said. The ship rocked slightly as another flight of raiders attacked strafing the ship.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPlotting and engaging,\u201d the helmsman said causing the others to look over at him in disbelief.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dean felt the ship begin its turn knowing that he did not want to go this direction.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSir, captain of the Crimson Red.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you doing?\u201d the captain of the Crimson Red said without waiting for Dean to answer.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPut your power to your engines, we\u2019re ramming that basestar hoping to take it out,\u201d Dean said. \u201cMost of their fighters are still refueling and rearming, if we take them out it might give you a chance.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s suicidal.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know, but we need a plan now,\u201d Dean said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCaptain, scanner contact!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The sudden shout caused Dean to turn his attention towards the scanners looking down. He saw on the edge of the scanners and approaching fast several groups of ships. \u201cCan we identify?\u201d he asked waiting a moment even as the captain of the Crimson Red shouted at him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cVipers, and hang on, three Chissile frigates, one Panther cruiser and one Starfire battlestar,\u201d the scanner operator said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHelm, change course, head towards those ships,\u201d Dean said turning towards the communicator. \u201cRed, follow me, we have Colonial warriors on their way!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHuh? What do you mean?\u201d Red, the captain of the Crimson Red replied back to him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOur scanners have Colonial vipers and warships, I\u2019m heading towards them right now,\u201d Dean replied back.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCommander, we are in battle range,\u201d Zaga said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tagget felt energized. \u201cAll vipers engage, positive shield now, open fire on the basestar,\u201d Tagget ordered. The massive blast shields closed over the viewports as the Sunflare went into battle mode.<\/span><\/p>\n

The old battlestar came in from near the top it\u2019s powerful lasers opening fire on a Cylon warship for the first time in centuries. The Tiger already approaching from the bottom as the vipers raced into action against the raiders<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCylon basestar taking damage, it appears we caught them by surprise,\u201d Ruth said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tagget nodded knowing that the first shot indicated who would win the battle. He hoped to do enough damage on the basestar in the first couple of shots to give him a tactical advantage.<\/span><\/p>\n

The three frigates raced towards the civilian ships which were now heading towards them. He could hear the pilots shouting to each other as they struggled to survive against the one hundred or so raiders already attacking the civilians.<\/span><\/p>\n

The frigates he noticed were engaged with the raiders now even as the basestar returned fire.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cConcentrate on the weapon systems,\u201d Tagget said. The basestar had taken some damage to some of its primary anti-ship weapons already. He knew a warship that could not fight was essentially another hulk of a ship that held no more fighting power than most civilian ships.<\/span><\/p>\n

The massive lasers fired again from the Sunflare causing more damage to the basestar. The scanners indicated heavy damage now to the basestar as the Tiger continued attacking. The ships were now in slugging back and forth as the Sunflare turned to bring its main weapons to bear once more before turning again to allow the weapons to recharge.<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally after several minutes of battle the basestar exploded. He felt some relief before looking at the remaining battle around the frigates and civilian ships. The number of raiders had been whittled down quite a bit.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDamage?\u201d he asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSections five through seven on decks five and six, no fires reported and repairs should be complete shortly,\u201d Zaga replied. \u201cSo far we\u2019ve lost six pilots.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Tagget knew that replacing pilots would be harder than repairing the ship now.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about the other ships?\u201d Tagget asked wanting to know the condition of the fleet.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTiger reporting no damage, the frigates light damage, one of the remaining civilian ships is reporting heavy damage to her engines,\u201d Zaga said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow many people on board the ship?\u201d Tagget asked already making up his mind.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHer captain reports four hundred,\u201d Zaga replied after a brief conversation.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, begin transporting the people among the fleet, start with the Sprint, once she had taken aboard a few have her head to Hermes to make sure nothing awaits us there,\u201d Tagget said.<\/span><\/p>\n

He watched his orders carried out before relaxing in chair slightly. He felt slightly proud at the moment. His fleet had taken out a basestar but he also knew that now the Cylons had information of where he was. He had to leave the area quickly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cZaga, inform the crew that we\u2019re taking aboard civilians,\u201d Tagget said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes sir,\u201d Zaga said. Tagget tuned out knowing that Zaga would do his best before having one more thought.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAlso, tell the shuttle pilots to overload the shuttles,\u201d Tagget said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSir? They won\u2019t like that,\u201d Zaga replied back with the truth.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know, but the quicker we get everyone off that ship the quicker we can get out of here,\u201d Tagget said. \u201cI doubt that basestar\u2019s destruction went unnoticed and another one is probably headed in this direction.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRight, I\u2019ll inform them sir,\u201d Zaga replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tagget watched Zaga head off to do his duty while thinking about what he might need to do next. He had a lot of problems going on in his mind. The most important question he knew of only had a vague answer, where the Galactica was headed off to.<\/span><\/p>\n

He looked over at the star map going over different paths the Galactica might have taken. What had its commander, Adama, thought about while leaving? How many civilian ships had he managed to pull together? How fast were they traveling? With the addition of three civilian ships his own speed had been reduced.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCommander,\u201d Zaga\u2019s voice said breaking Tagget\u2019s concentration. He glanced up looking across to where Zaga stood. \u201cLong range scanners indicate incoming Cylon ships.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Tagget nodded. \u201cHow long until rescue operations are done?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAlmost complete, we\u2019ve been running at full speed, the crew of the other ship is going around making sure everyone is off, they even found a few, I guess stowaways,\u201d Zaga said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tagget shook his head in amusement at the term. Did that even apply anymore? \u201cTell them about the Cylon ships, they can use that to hopefully get the rest but don\u2019t waste too much time over it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes sir,\u201d Zaga said relaying the information to the ship\u2019s captain.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTell the remainder of the crew to put the ships engines on overdrive, hopefully if the Cylons approach they might be caught in the explosion,\u201d Tagget said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOn it sir,\u201d Zaga said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCommander, we have a message from medlab, something about a girl disrupting the room, and calling out for you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTell the doctor I\u2019ll be right there,\u201d Tagget said, turning to Zaga. \u201cWhen the last shuttle docks, get us out of here, use whatever we can to hide from the Cylons.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDirection?\u201d Zaga asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAsk one of the captains where they were headed, we might still be able to catch up with the Galactica,\u201d Tagget said, before walking off the bridge and heading towards the medlab.<\/span><\/p>\n

Walking in he saw the doctor, and Amy along with a sobbing Sara. He froze slightly, unsure what to do, he never had any kids. She saw him and ran over, jumping up into his arms, which he barely managed to catch her, feeling her tighten her hold on him. He glanced over at the doctor and Amy for an explanation.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe will be like this for a while,\u201d Amy said as Sara buried her face into his shoulder. \u201cShe will be fine one minute, and like this the next. No logical explanation.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe is in perfect health, which is good, and it appears she\u2019ll be clinging to you,\u201d the doctor said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re her protector you realize,\u201d Amy said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tagget looked at her, then the girl and finally the doctor.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid we can\u2019t change that reaction,\u201d the doctor said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tagget resigned himself to fate. He wondered what she might see in him, he never had any kids, and felt awkward around them. He also had little idea of where to go if they missed the Galactica. Of course the only thing he could do, would be to move on, heading somewhere out away from the Cylons. Seemed like there would be a lot of people dependent on his decisions.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think things would work out best if she stayed with you,\u201d Amy said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe won\u2019t be able to stay in medlab forever,\u201d the doctor said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd we\u2019re taking on civilians, space will be limited,\u201d Amy said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tagget looked at them both, knowing they made a logical argument, and with the girl wanting him, it might be for the best. With one last look at them, he made his way out of medlab and towards his quarters. Not expecting to see Zaga walking towards him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re moving,\u201d he said to him. \u201cIs this the emergency you were called for?\u201d he asked, looking at the girl who had not moved much from his arms.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is Sara, found her on Caperica,\u201d Tagget said. He did not have to say anything else, as Zaga seemed to understand.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo, where should we go?\u201d Zaga asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tagget thought about it for a second before answering him. \u201cHead towards the void,\u201d he said. It was a known area of space where no stars shown, and many ships had been lost over the years.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou know the Cylons are probably out there,\u2019 Zaga said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen we\u2019ll have to do our best to avoid them, but for now, we need to get away from here. Every micron we stay, we\u2019re in great danger,\u201d Tagget said. He had a mission to do now, protect the people of the fleet as best as he could.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe might look at preparing an area on one of the ships as an agriculture area,\u201d Zaga said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, we\u2019ll need that, take a look around, see if we can find some room,\u201d Tagget sad. It would be a long journey, and he had no idea what he was in store for. He hoped one day to find the Galactica and join up with her.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll order the fleet in that direction, we\u2019ll have to keep a low profile here, make sure we\u2019re not spotted by any Cylons,\u201d Zaga said, as Tagget started walking towards his quarters. He would show Sara his quarters, and then head up tot eh bridge.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll see you on the bridge, going to put my new roommate to bed, and inform her how she can contact me,\u201d Tagget said. He also might just bring her up with him. Things were going to change, and if he wanted the change to go smooth, then he needed to show he was willing to change as well.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes sir,\u201d Zaga said, walking away towards the bridge.<\/span><\/p>\n

The voyage was just starting.<\/span><\/p>\n

The End<\/span><\/p>\n

Comment below or send to AJMarks01@aol.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Sunflare by AJ Marks Patrolling around the edges of Colonial space a group of warships continued their vigilance against any outside threats that might appear. The patrol was made up of five ships centered around the Sunflare, an old battlestar that had long ago been rendered obsolete by the Columbia class battlestars. Along with […]
Continue reading…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,9],"tags":[3,14,11,10,12,13],"class_list":["post-24","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-battlestar-galactica","category-fanfiction","tag-aj-marks","tag-battlestar","tag-battlestar-galactica","tag-fanfiction","tag-story","tag-sunflare"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=24"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2015,"href":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24\/revisions\/2015"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=24"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=24"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=24"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}