Commander Eyjan hurried down the corridor intent on learning why the battle klaxons had sounded when they were so close to their rendezvous with the rest of the fleet for the signing of the armistice with the Cylons.
There were many aboard the Sagittaran Battlestar STAR KOBOL who could never believe that the Cylons would accept that which was so strange and alien to them. Peace was a concept that they could not understand because they had never known what it was, and they were not programmed to contemplate such matters. They existed only to serve the Empire.
Eyjan’s aid, who was bent over the command console, caught sight of him out of the corner of her eye as he ascended the steps of the command dais.
“Colonel, what’s going on?” There was a hint of annoyance to his usual deeply toned bark.
The young woman pointed to the scanner.
“Cylons and a tanker, sir. It looks like they’re refueling.”
She stood fully upright and spoke in a softer voice so as not to be heard by the most of the personnel on the bridge.
“Adama was right. There’s not going to be any peace. Those tankers are refueling for an attack. I’m sure if it.”
“I agree, Commander.”
The corroborating voice came from Flight Officer Cerberus, the lead launch officer seated at the command console. Eyjan turned as the man continued.
“The Cylons wouldn’t be here unless they planned to double-cross us from the beginning.”
Eyjan frowned. All these sectons he had hoped and prayed that the Cylons were as fed up with war as his people were. Apparently ythat was not so.
“Launch all vipers to intercept and destroy,” he ordered. “If there’s not gong to be peace I don’t want to waste time here when the Fleet could be in trouble.”
“Commander!” the communications officer called. “Message coming in on Fleet Com-Line Alpha from the ASTROZON.” The youth cocked his head as he listened to the rest of the transmission. He worked to get a visual but none was available. “Commander Aristotle reports that the fleet is under attack by waves of Cylon Raiders. It seems that only two battlestars were able to launch their vipers. The ASTROZON and… one other.”
“What about the others?”
“Unknown. President Adar ordered the two ships nopt tp launch their fighters. Apparentl;y the commanders thought it best to violate orders and try to protect the flee.”
Phoenix looked to Eyjan as of hoping he had the answers to set everything right again. He saw the lost look on her face and shook his head. There was nothing they could do to help the fleet now. Even if they went to maximum speed at that centon they wouldn’t arrive in time to save the fleet.
“Prepair to make the jumpo to light speed,” Eyjan ordered. “The least we can do it try to save them. Phoenix, recall all vipers. I think they’ve done enough damage fro now.
As preparations were being made, the commander walked to the gigantic observation port just in time to see the tanker disappear in a brilliant flash of light. He hoped they weren;t too late to save at least some of the fleet.
Phoenix, from where she strood behind the flight officer, scrutinized her commander. His 6’1” ebony stature made him just 12.7 centimeters taller than herself. Thought he was 58 he didn’t look his age, rather, he was content to allow people to think he was much younger. His late wife, may the Lords of Kobol rest her soul, accused him many times of having lied to her about his age. Most men of his yahrens would have let their physical appearance lag considerably, but not Eyjan. Once in a while he would forget, but he woujld snap to and return to his schedule of dailt callestendics when he had noticed a slight tightnes sin his uniform, which Phoenix would occassionially chide him about. She would come to regret those words later because he woujl come knocking on her door at 0530 in the morning to get her out of bed to go jogging with him. His excuse was that he didn’t want to exercise alone. Phoenix hated jogging.
“Adar,” the black man muttered. “What have you and your council of fools done to us?”
☆★☆★☆
Over the old Moon Cimtar, the ATLANTIA erupted in a ball of flames. Starbuck cursed out Adama as the GALACTICA pulled out of formation and retreated at the same time the STAR KOBOL’s commander gave the order to ‘jump’. Its course: Linus Sector. Within a centar at maximum speed Cimtar was within scanning range, but the 6th Fleet was nowhere to be found. An aura of despair hung over the bridge crew as scanners picked up traces of debris.
“Scan for survivors,” Eyjan ordered.
He didn’t believe there were any until alight on Cerberus’ control panel lit up – a red, blinking light that indicated an organic life form that was still alive. If that life form were dead a blue light would blink.
“Human?” Phoenix asked, leaning over the officer’s shoulder. The man put the warbook readout on the screen.
“One man fighter… one occupant… Human, Colonel.”
“Dispatch a shuttle and have a medic standing by when they bring out guest on board,” the Colonel said.
“Yes, maam.”
☆★☆★☆
“I hear the lieutenant’s condition has stabilized,” Eyjan said to the female pilot standing before his desk.
“Yes sir,” Azriel replied.
Captain Azriel, commanding officer of Blue Squadron, was a tall, slender Tauran woman with sun bleached blonde hair and pale blue eyes. She had joined the academy on Sagittara when her oldest brother, Cornell, was killed in the battle of Debran. Her younger brother was c
currently assigned to the Battlestar GALACTICA’s Red Squadron.
The door buzzer sounded and Colonel Phoenix entered.
“Just the report, Captain, and I’ll read it later,” Eyjan said.
Azriel saluted and left.
“Eyjan, what is it?” Phoenix asked.
He commander held up the wounded pilot’s battlejacket for her inspection. She immediately recognized the insignia.
“He’s from the GALACTICA?” she asked.
Eyjan nodded.
“Order helm to set course for the colonies, sublight speed. There may be other pilots out there. If there are we’ll pick them up.”
“Shall we set course form home or the outermost planets, sir?”
“We’ll head home, Colonel,” the man replied, deep in thought.
Now if only the STAR KOBOL could get there in time to stop the Cylons from destroying the last traces of humanity. Sagittara could hold it’s own for a while. Hopefully until help arrived.
The vid-screen came to life when the young woman touched a button and she relayed the orders to the helm officer. The commander motioned her to a chair when she had finished.
“Would you care for a drink?” he offered.
“Please.”
He poured the sweet, yellow colored Sagittaran wine called Laharrhani into two glasses and handed one to the Colonel. The man tasted his own as would an oenophile.
“Ahh. My favororite.”
“What’s the real reason you called me down here?” the young woman asked.
“Phoenix, I think it’s time you knew something very important about this so-called armistice,” the black man started, resuming his seat. “We weren’t intending on making peace with the Cylons.”
“Someone should have told the Council.”
“Five yahrens ago the head of the Galactic War Committee, Supreme Admiral Thorbin, ordered a special Battlestar to be built – a battledreadnaught called the LORDS OF KOBOL. It was to be the most powerful weapon in history. It was completed six months ago. Under he command of Commander Sigma it set out two months ago away from the Colonies on an important mission. One that would ensure our victory in this war. The LORDS OF KOBOL was to come in from behind Cylon while the armistice was going on and launch an attack against the capitol city while their foces were elsewhere which should have been accomplished long before now. Supreme Armiral Thorbin ordered the Complete annhaiation of the planet.”
“What happened to the dreadnaught? Where is it?” Phoenix asked.
“From what my cousin, Reed, Thorbin’s secretary, told me the dreadnaught is ten times larger than out largest Battlestar, and I don’t know what happened to it. I do know that it can be picked up visually before it is ever picked up on sensors.”
“Ten times larger than the GALACTICA? That’s unbelievable.”
“What’s even more unbelievable is that it has three landing bays and slightly larher fighter ships, but I guess if you’re going up against Cylon itself you’d need something massive enough to do it.”
“Isn’t there anything that can destroy it?” the woman asked, raising the glass to her lips.
There’s only one thing – the Cylon’s Supertop Warship. It is said to be even larger than the LORDS. Actually there is no proof this this Supertop even exists.” Eyjan picked up a recording crystal from his desktop. “Everything I know about the LORDS OF KOBOL is on this tape. It’s not much, but it’s all I have at this time. If you wish to view it, it’s here.”
Phoenix nodded.
☆★☆★☆
On the long trip back to the Colonies the STAR KOBOL picked up a handful of pilots who had not been able to make it to the nearest refueling station. In each case the rescued pilots recounted the same story for Commander Eyjan – that the fleet had been attacked by Cylon forces and, when faced with defeat, the Battlestar GALACTICA pulled out leaving her ships to defend the fleet.
☆★☆★☆
Images floated before him then faded away, only to reappear and dissolve, each time forming different patterns. Yet one image seemed to reappear time and again. He was in his ship watching the lasers streak towards him. Then, from a distance, he saw his ship disintegrate. Images of a battle, a voice – Apollo’s voice – the sounds of explosions, the rocking of his ship and bright lights flashing around him.
“Do it. I’m short an engine. Short an engine… short an eng…” Echoing and echoing. “I need help! … need help…” Lord of Kobol, why can’t I wake up? Am I dead? I can’t be!
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phoenixfire122015-07-15 04:09 pm
