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Post by Amy81 on Oct 19, 2006 22:51:41 GMT -6
Dolet continued to close on the raider. Suddenly it did a course change and turned away from the fleet. Then Dolet noticed that it wasn't one raider, it was two. A voice cackled into his com.
"Hey Lieutenant" Ensign Crocker said, "where'd the second raider come from?"
Dolet squirmed for a moment. "Actually, not a clue. But the one I was tracking veered off." He paused a moment. "Why aren't you with the rest of our launch group, lieutenant...?"
"Ensign, sir" came the reply. "Ensign Crocker. Call sign 'Crock'. I didn't see your wingman. I volunteered. Sir."
"Ok, Ok..." Dolet replied. "You're with me. What unit are you from?"
"Black Angus" he replied. "Usually I'm flying escort on meat runs from the livestock ships..."
Dolet laughed. "This isn't a meat run."
"No, SIR!" he replied. "Sort of gives 'wing man' a second meaning, doesn't it sir?"
Dolet stopped laughing. "Ok, Crock. The Callisto batteries will get that stray raider. Form on me. There's a phalanx of raiders we have to deal with now."
"Right with you, sir!" Crock replied. "You might say I have a steak in this..."
Whatever other bad puns he had were drowned out as Dolet kicked in his turbos and banked around to head toward the threat pouring out of the dead basestar....
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Post by Brie on Oct 20, 2006 12:46:47 GMT -6
The door opened and the medical team was allowed on the dropship. Brie knew it would be only another centon or so until she knew who had, and hadn't, returned from her squadron. Suddenly a loud alarm was heard as the lights dimmed and turned red. Battlestations. “We’ll talk later,” she said quickly to Justin, then took off towards the Gold Squadron vipers. Since her viper had been temporarily assigned to Skyler she took it back again. Lieutenant SiressEden arrived about the same time that Brie did. “Eden, you’re with me,” Brie called, climbing into her viper. She glanced at the tech, someone who hadn’t been there the last time she had flown. “Pair them off by twos according to when they get here,” she instructed.
With everything set, Brie put on her helmet. “Major Brie and Lieutenant SiressEden, ready to launch,” she said to control.
“Major, your instructions are as follows,” Major Joey’s voice replied. “Keep to the left. Black Squadron will be instructed to keep right, in fact they’ve got a couple of vipers out there already. Red Squadron has launched from the Galactica, they should be able to take care of the majority of the Raiders. You‘re to act only as backup, make sure nothing gets through.”
“Roger that,” Brie replied. “Any news on who from Gold Squadron was on the second dropship?” Somehow that sounded better than asking who hadn’t returned.
There was a momentary silence. “Captain Skyler, Lieutenant Brik and Lieutenant Logan are all unaccounted for. Plus Captain Lazant was badly injured.”
“Request permission to check out the Cylon baseship for myself,” Brie said immediately.
“Request denied, Major.” This time it was Commander Sheba’s voice. “They’re sending a patrol from Blue Squadron to take a closer look, but chances are they won’t even land. I’m sorry, Brie, I know they’re your friends, but I need you here.”
“Understood.” Brie did understand, as a warrior the whole was greater than the individual. She couldn’t give Skyler and the others any thought at the micron, there would be time to grieve later.
“Launch when ready.”
As she sped down the launch tube everything else faded away. The moon mission, the Tribunal, Pierce, Amy, Charybdis, Artus, Justin, Skyler’s not returning...none of it existed any longer.
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Post by Logan on Oct 20, 2006 14:12:06 GMT -6
"We can't risk using the Cylon communications equipment... can we modify our portable units to reach one of those Vipers? "
"I think so," Logan and Hush both said at the same time. She couldn't take her eyes off the screens, but felt her face flush inexplicably all the same.
"Hush, do what you can to modify your comm. We won't need much range since these shields hide us on scanners until the last possible micron. Once our Vipers are in visual range, we'll need a way to keep them from firing on us. Nothing fancy." Skyler turned in the command chair to face forward again. "Logan, status?"
Logan wiped a bead of sweat from her brow. Her leg was beginning to throb in earnest now. "No hiding from that Raider now that we're in visual range but we're just out of weapons range. That Viper did some damage to it which has slowed it down. Good thing too. These advanced shields and weapons are draining power from the engines. We'd never be able to outrun them if they weren't limping."
Staying on a course away from the Fleet, Logan was hoping that the one damaged Raider showing up on the Callisto's radar wouldn't be as much a concern as the ones launching from the Baseship. All the Vipers on her screens were heading for them.
"Holy frack." Brik's shout reverberated in the compartment.
Logan saw it before he had finished his exclamation. "Skyler! Huge power spike in the Baseship. I think your charge just blew!"
The readouts were going crazy. A massive explosion deep within the core of the baseship was expanding outwards.
"By the lords...." Logan heard Skyler's voice behind her.
The explosion had set off a chain reaction throughout the Baseship. Systems were imploding.
"More Viper Squadrons are being deployed by the Callisto and the Galactica. The Vipers already out there are going to be cutting it close. I'm not sure if the Raiders will be clear of the Baseship if any of the outer systems explode." Logan didn't want to think about what might happen if the Vipers were right on top of that Baseship and it blew apart.
The axis of the Baseship had collapsed and it was drifting towards the atmosphere of the planet below, small explosions dotted the surface of the ship, visible even from this distance.
"Skyler, we're going to have another problem if we keep on this course. Our fuel reserves are nearly nonexistent. Apparently, the Cylons didn't bother to refuel after their last road trip." Logan said, her voice cracking as she felt blood trickling down onto the compartment floor from her wound. She did her best to cover, but she could feel her lower lip bleeding from the force of her teeth digging into it. And she could feel Brik's eyes on her without even turning to face him.
"Can't we just slow down and take out that Raider?" Brik asked.
Logan shook her head. "You'd have to get it with one shot so we don't drain any more power. Not to mention that we'd give up our position to anyone scanning in our direction...unless...."
"Unless we make it look like the ship blew apart from the damage that Viper did." Brik finished for her.
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Post by Logan on Oct 22, 2006 13:40:06 GMT -6
Logan turned to look at Skyler. "What do you think?"
"Do it. We can't just run out here til we're out of fuel."
Logan banked the Raider, hard and came about for Brik to line up the crippled Raider in his sights.
"Fire", Skyler said.
Brik let loose a barrage of destruction on the Raider. It disintegrated in a shower of sparks that Logan pulled up and over with some amount of difficulty. The engines were struggling. Several display monitors dimmed and only half of them came back to full power after a micron.
"Frack." Logan wondered quickly how many times she had said the word on this mission. "We've got problems, Skyler. Taking out that Viper drained our shields to 10%, weapons to 30% and engines to 55%. If we make a straight line for the Callisto right now, we may have enough fumes to get us in. Assuming they don't mistake us for the enemy and blow us to Hades before then. They can see us on their sensors now."
The Baseship was drifting inexorably towards the surface of the planet. Debris was scattered and there was still a firefight going on between the Vipers and what was left of the Raiders.
"Your orders?" Logan looked back at Skyler. They were in a tight spot and they all knew it.
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Post by Brie on Oct 22, 2006 14:39:41 GMT -6
There was an energy spike on her scanner. Brie knew without asking the bridge that it had come from the Cylon baseship. She checked to see how many others had launched, including her own there were 12 Gold Squadron vipers pulling away from the Callisto. “Okay, everyone, listen up,” she instructed. “We’re not to actively engage the Raiders, just to prevent any from getting through. Red Squadron should be making our jobs fairly easy for once. I’ll be leading a group of six to the front, the other six will stay behind under Skyler’s...I mean under Lieutenant Ben’s command. And keep your eyes open for anything unusual.”
“Like what, Major?” a voice asked.
“Anything that’s not usual,” Brie said with a bit of sarcasm in her voice. “If I knew more than that I would tell you. But the odds are actually on our side for once and who knows? Maybe we’ll be able to pick up some extra Cylon technology or even some scrap metal. Okay, my group, form up on me.” Without another word Brie, followed by five other Gold Squadron vipers, flew to the head of the pack. She could see on her scanner that there had been some activity for the Black Squadron pilots, but for her group there wasn’t a raider in sight.
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Post by Skyler on Oct 22, 2006 16:30:25 GMT -6
The pain in Skyler's side eased for a micron and a familiar burning sensation replaced it. The evasive maneuvers used to stop the raider following them had bounced and dislodged the shrapnel in his side. He could feel the blood start to seep from the wound. At least it wasn't pouring out he thought. Maybe it just got shook up a bit and would seal itself back off....
"Your orders?" Logan looked back at Skyler. They were in a tight spot and they all knew it.
"Cut power to the shield and weapons. If they can pick us up on scanners, they will also see we do not have power active to our weapon systems. Keep the scanners at the lowest possible levels and divert everything else to engines. Turn us back to the Callisto." Skyler turned to check on the progress of the radio and almost instantly regretted it. He felt the shrapnel shift inside of him and the blood flow increased. He was thankful the reduced power settings also dimmed the already dank crew area so maybe the others wouldn't notice.
“I know you are working as fast as you can on the communications equipment, but we do not need voice capabilities. It would be nice, but all we need to do is to be able to send a burst transmission to what ever we get the closest to first. Burst signals should also increase our range. Keep the message simple and short, something they won’t have to try to decipher before they hit the fire button.”
Skyler turned back, a little slower this time to avoid shifting the shrapnel again. In the far distance, just barely visible to the eye sat the Callisto. With luck and good graces, they just might make it yet….
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Post by Brie on Oct 23, 2006 17:48:25 GMT -6
"All Gold Squadron pilots are recalled to the Callisto," Major Joey's voice stated. "I repeat, Gold Squadron is to return immediately."
"Why?" Brie asked automatically.
"There's no activity in your area," Joey informed her. "Red Squadron has taken care of most of the raiders, and the few that remain aren't headed in your direction. Fuel is tight, Major, we can't waste it on a fight that's not going to happen."
"Understood," Brie said. "Gold, return to home base." She waited for everyone else to land, then made her own final approach.
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Post by LucianG on Oct 24, 2006 6:01:57 GMT -6
After finishing decontamination, Lucian stepped out to see the Techs and some of the Troopers hugging each other and giving high fives. He turned to one of the Colonial Troopers who'd come out a bit earlier and asked, "What's happening, Trooper...I don't think we've met?"
"I'm Corporal Viestz, Sir. I took over this squad when Sergeant Blont was injured. It's a rumor, Sir, just heard it myself, Sir. Word has it that the Cylon baseship may have gone down. Just a rumor for now, but everyone seems to want to believe it."
"Believe me, Corporal Viestz, I want to believe it, too, I really want to believe it." With more of the survivors from the corporal's squad assembling around him and the celebration growing, Lucian watched without joining in, hoping as he'd stated that it really was true. He was about to head to the Bridge when he hesitated for a moment, then turned back to the corporal and his men, "Troopers, great job on that ship. You did your service and our people proud," Lucian gave them a formal salute that was quickly returned, and then he headed toward the Bridge. With the immediate mission over, the status of his ship's systems unknown, and his personal life potentially at a major turning point, Lucian had a lot on his mind....
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Post by Col. Charybdis on Oct 24, 2006 8:34:29 GMT -6
Seeing all chaos around him and the resulting explosions taking some of the lower portion of the Cylon base ship, Cyclid, the IL base commander decided it was high time to get out of this particular predicament..."loathsome humans," he muttered under his breath...
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Post by Amy81 on Oct 24, 2006 9:18:20 GMT -6
Dolet hit his com to address the group of vipers he'd launched with from the Callisto. "Yo, Black Leader to Callisto vipers, plug's been pulled. Return to base."
"What about the raiders?" one pilot asked.
"No can do" Dolet replied. "Galactica has Red Squadron on it. Gold's already been recalled. We're just burning fuel out here. Let's go." He took one last look at the basestar, for seeing one coming apart wasn't something you had many chances to look at. Then he banked his viper and set course for the Callisto.
"No chance at leftovers?" Crock asked as he pulled in tight off Dolet's wing.
"Maybe next time" Dolet replied. He slowed his viper to let the rest of the group pass, then boosted his speed until he felt the drag as his ship made contact with the deck. Up ahead he could see the dropships: troopers and medical staff around both. He wondered what it had been like on the baseship...
His viper rolled to a stop and he popped the canopy. He was greeted with the odd mix of relief and grief that hung in the air after a mission like this one. He wondered which of his friends he would find there, and which were gone forever....
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