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Post by Col. Charybdis on Nov 7, 2006 13:02:03 GMT -6
The ship was falling...much too rapidly now. The autosensors in Cyclid's body could feel the pressurization of the atmosphere as his partially burning ship desended into the cloudy depths of the planet.
He was safely fastened in a small escape pod on the northern hemisphere of the base star, safely away from all that had transpired with the pesky Colonials tried their attack. An unfortunate set of circumstances, he thought.
At the right moment, he pushed the button and fired the ejection rockets which propelled the small craft up and out of the ship. A tiny pinprick compared to the massive hulk of the falling base star, but Cyclid made it out alive.
As the distance separated between them, the stabilizers kicked in and the pod settled into a controlled free fall. As the instruments guided him down, another set of small rockets fired to slow his descent.
Crude scans showed that there was a solid like surface down below the clouds, but that was all that he could tell. He hoped that the atmosphere would not cause undue rust to settle in his joints!
He awaited the long trip down to the surface, his new home..temporarily...
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BRIK
Viper Pilot
Posts: 227
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Post by BRIK on Nov 8, 2006 1:29:19 GMT -6
Brik knew how much it cost Logan to ask for help. She transferred primary flight control to Brik's console and collapsed face forward onto her own console. Her body didn't even have time to start slipping from the chair. Brik had reached out and slowed her descent before anyone in the compartment even knew anything was wrong. It was his long-time relationship with Logan that allowed Brik to move so quickly...his dear friend and comrade had rarely just come right out and asked for such help. And the idea of her giving up the bragging rights of bringing in an intact Cylon vessel (even this piece of near-useless piece of krell, prototype or not) was among the loudest of personal alarms she could've given. Luckily she was wearing her safety harness, allowing him to simply nudge her towards the back of her chair to prevent falling. He pulled on the strap to tighten her in. Lords as his witness, he wished he could do more...but it looked like he had to bring this rapidly dying ship into Landing Bay Alpha. Having noticed Skyler with his periferral vision, he was now aware of his commander's condition as well, at least to some small and reasonable degree. How in the frack could he not have noticed his friend's pale and sweaty complexion? He hadn't cried out, must be shrapnel. As for Logan's wound, there was no telling. Great. Just great. Most of the compliment of this ship was seriously injured before what may be a crash-landing. Brik toggled his headset. "Commander, this is Lt. Brik, Gold Squadron. Looks like Logan and Janey are unconscious with Skyler and Hush awake but also seriously injured! Flight control has been transferred to my station and we're on final approach to Alpha Bay." He turned to Skyler and Hush. "Warriors, brace for impact, it probably won't be very soft. Hush, try to protect Janey and yourself as best you can." He turned back to his console. "May the Lords of Kobol be with us" he said, almost to himself. Checking his instruments, Brik saw that the vessel had enough forward inertia to carry it into the bay regardless of how much fuel remained in the tanks (which wasn't very much). Again he made an instant survival decision that he really didn't like. Hands moving swiftly over the alien controls, he vented the remaining fuel plasma from the tanks while in space in hopes of avoiding a massive fire in the bay. He'd seen the vids of the fires caused by suicide cylons in the past and it was almost more than the battlestar could handle. But it made the declining controls even more sluggish. "Brik to Callisto. Be advised that flight control has almost failed. We're coming in hot! I repeat, we're comin-" This was the moment he'd dreaded most and prayed hardest against. Just as he thought they might make an actual landing there was a catastrophic failure of the raider's control systems. They didn't just fail, they lurched. C R A S H ! ! ! !That final communication and equipment failure, combined with feeling something impact his left shoulder to cause excruciating pain, were the last conscious moments that Brik had before the raider impacted the interior of the landing bay.
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Post by Col. Charybdis on Nov 8, 2006 10:54:39 GMT -6
"Clear!!!" the fire crew leader yelled as he saw the careening raider come crashing into the landing bay floor. Parts and pieces started flying everywhere. Sparks showered the inside of the bay.
As the raider screeched to a halt, several pieces of metal went flying and caught two of the fire crew workers. One, by the name of Osiron, took a piece of shrapnel in the leg as he slumped to the floor.
Another worker, named Desi, was hit in the head by a flying piece of metal. The hardhat he was wearing shattered as he too fell to the deck. Quickly, med personnel attended to him as blood spurted out of his head...
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Post by LucianG on Nov 8, 2006 11:45:52 GMT -6
"Damage control to Landing Bay Alpha. We have a bird down. Repeat, damage control to Landing Bay Alpha."
Major Lucian quickly ordered one of the senior engineering teams to join the effort. "Let me know immediately if there is any damage to the Callisto," he told Engineer Santorra, leader of the team. Also, assess the condition of that Cylon ship, and see if there's anything left that can be salvaged. And don't let the fire control guys sweep it all away before you get a good look at it. "
"Will do, Major," replied Santorra, who quickly lead his team toward the landing bay.
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Post by Logan on Nov 10, 2006 15:53:34 GMT -6
The Medtech crew rushed to the smoking hulk of the Raider, intent on the Warriors trapped inside. The Fire Team had extinguished all the minor fires and were moving debris to a bin for the Engineering Team to go through later. The Engineering team was already at work on the exterior rear hatch with Engineer Santorra shouting orders to his team. The hatch had fused on the landing and a torch was peeling into the metal.
The leader of the Medtech team, Lt. Baris, saw that the rest of his team was looking on as anxiously as he was. He knew there were five Colonial Warriors inside the Cylon ship. He knew there were injuries...how many and how severe were the unknowns. Every micron counted but he held his tongue. He knew the Engineers were doing their best and all they could do was wait. It was infuriating. Microns could mean the difference in this type of situation. He'd seen it before.
"Clear!" shouted Santorra as the hatch was thrown to the deck and the acrid smell of burning circuitry floated out of the opening, an almost ghostly vapor that diminished the view of the ship's interior escaped in a rush.
Baris motioned for two of the medtechs to move in with him as he approached the opening.
******************
Someone was coughing. Logan opened her eyes trying to place the sound and realized she was gagging on smoke. Her hands moved to the safety harness at her waist and she fumbled with the unfamiliar latch. Light suddenly filled the interior of the ship as she heard the rear hatch being pulled away. The sudden lumination mixed with the smoke and she was able to see the latch to undo it.
She was aware of people entering the rear as their shadows played across the walls of the ship. She looked to her left and saw Brik, slumped, unconscious, at his console, his safety harness still intact. A red stain was blossoming on his shoulder. "Frack! Brik!", she yelled, throwing the harness aside as she moved to get up, reaching towards her friend. "Agghh," escaped her lips as the pain shot through her leg at the movement.
Hands on her shoulders pushed her firmly back into her seat. "Lt. Don't move. You're injured," said a voice over her shoulder. She looked up and into the eyes of a medtech as he knelt beside her and began examining her leg.
She heard mumbling coming from behind her and recognized Skyler's voice. "I'm alright. M-m-my crew...get th-them....out..."
She took the opportunity to glance behind her, over the medtech's shoulder and saw Hush and Janey, both unconsious, being hauled out of the Raider by medtechs. Skyler was sitting upright, with obvious effort and urging the medtech at his side to go to Brik and Logan before removing him from the Command Chair.
"But Major, you've lost a lot of blood. We need-" the medtech seemed hesitant to argue with Skyler, but was loathe to give in.
The medtech had finished inspecting Logan's wound. "Lt., I'm Lt. Baris. Let's get you out of here."
"But..." Logan began as he helped her stand, taking her weight and moving her to the rear hatchway. Another medtech helped Baris lift her out of the wrecked ship. "But..."she mumbled. She was having trouble concentrating, but knew she wasn't leaving until she knew Brik was out too.
"You're not in any shape to help, Lt. I've got it." Baris said as he re-entered the ship.
Logan was hoisted onto a gurney beside the ones already occupied by Hush and Janey. The medtech's were triaging their patients and already translating orders to the Medlab for their arrival.
Baris reappeared in the opening with another tech. They had Brik between them They had no sooner hit the deck then Skyler , hunched and pale, being led by another medtech, who looked quite put upon, followed them out.
Brik was put on a gurney and Logan saw that a bandage had been applied to his shoulder already. The medtechs got in her line of sight. She looked up at Skyler, who was allowing the medtech at his side to seat him on a gurney. "I told you...i-its nothing...I've cut myself worse shaving," he was saying as the medtech attempted to get him to lie down.
Utterly exasperated, the medtech retorted, "Well, I'd hate to see your razor then!"
Logan was aware of Lt. Baris bending over her again, wrapping her leg and exploring the leg for breaks. She gritted her teeth. "I'm fine Lt. How's Brik?"
He looked at her with understanding. "Your big friend? He has a nasty wound, but he should be fine."
Her exhaled breath made her leg throb as she finally allowed herself to lay back. "Thank the Lords," she breathed.
Baris was giving the order to the other techs to move out but paused and turned to her. "You know, I've been called to many crash landings but this is a first for me for two reasons. Its the first time I had to tend to the wounded crew of a Cylon Raider. And the first time I have been ordered by an injured Warrior to leave him alone and get out the ones who are really hurt...as said Warrior bled buckets onto the deck."
Baris looked over to Skyler who was still arguing with the medtech trying to gauge the damage down to the Warrior. "I don't have time to....MedBay...report...the mission," Skyler got out between the efforts of the medtech to get him to lay back. Each time he pushed him down, Skyler attempted to get back up. Logan almost smiled in spite of herself.
"Let's move people!" Baris called out. "And don't worry, Major. Commander Sheba is meeting us in the Medlab. She wants to hear your report in person."
The medtechs bearing Hush and Janey's stretchers were already gone. Logan laid back and tried to control her breathing. Her leg was a small fire of intense pain, but she was more worried about the others then herself. That landing had been hard. The remains of the Raider sat smoldering as the Engineers moved in to do their work.
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BRIK
Viper Pilot
Posts: 227
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Post by BRIK on Nov 12, 2006 0:41:00 GMT -6
Brik was frantically looking at all of the instruments in a vain hope to be given ANY insight to help them, ANY inspiration of how to find a last desperate miracle of a solution.
None came. FRACK. So this is how it would end for him. At least he'd be with his closest friends.
The Cylons had finally punched their way through the bulkhead and debris that had been keeping them from the basestar's launch bay. Brik had just completed the ignition cycle and brought the weapons on-line for just such an occassion. Hmmn...it seemed that the Purple Cylons weren't entirely invulnerable to harm as the raider's main turbolasers sliced into them easily and mercilessly. Their silver-plated companions too. However, the silver ones melted more than the Purps, in general.
With the bay cleared of the enemy, for the moment, Brik took flight control and lifted the raider clear of the deck and turned it around to exit the bay. He kicked in the boosters for all they were worth in order to clear the falling and dying basestar before he and his comrades would be sucked into the thick sea of the planet's atmosphere along with it.
He kicked in the boosters even though he knew that it wouldn't work. Why? Because he was a pilot and a Colonial Warrior and that's what was left to do. Colonial Warriors did everything possible and then some. His "then some" was empty.
Janey, luckily he supposed, was out cold and Hush was facing their impending demise as a Warrior should. Looking about him, he exchanged looks with Skyler and Logan...just a look to say good-bye for simple words would never be enough after all that they'd been through together.
The raider cleared the bay and, for one glorious moment, the sky ahead of them was free of debris and full of stars with their beloved Battlestar Callisto hung in the sky like an angel to oversee their passing and usher them to the next world, the world of the Lords of Kobol themselves.
Then the gravity-like pull of the massive basestar, combined with the planet's gravity at such a relatively low altitude, took over and the raider slowly turned toward the planet's surface.
That was when he and Logan both realized that the Cylons had yet to refill the fuel tanks after their last "joyride". The engines sputtered and died, taking their last desperate hope of an actual landing with them.
All four of them, Brik, Logan, Skyler and Hush held hands together like a Triad team just before a match.
The ground was moving toward them faster than any of them had ever seen and his heart raced inside his chest. Well, hopefully it wouldn't hurt much. He thought this as he was willing himself not to blink. After all, such a sight only came once in a lifetime. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The whining of the raider dropping toward this new planet seemed to change in quality, it began to go from a whine to a...a scream, almost. Yes, almost like a human scream. Then he slowly realized that the scream was coming from his own throat.
He woke up with the last dreggs of the scream fading from his lips and a blinding pain in his shoulder, the black seams of one frack of a nightmare slowly fading from his mind.
Mercifully, he then passed into a dreamless unconcsiousness.
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Post by Logan on Nov 13, 2006 12:40:43 GMT -6
The Medlab was a hive of actiity as Logan's stretcher was moved in just beside Skyler's. He had finally given in to his harassed medtech and was laying back. Logan had a feeling the only thing that had him horizontal was the fact that Sheba was on the way to debrief him.
They both turned their heads towards each other and at the same time said, "Why didn't you tell me you were injured?"
Despite the gnawing pain in her leg, Logan smiled at her friend. "The same reason that you didn't tell me. We didn't have time to be injured. There was a mission to complete."
Skyler nodded in understanding.
Hush was laying on a biobed across the room and seemed to be sleeping. A medtech was monitoring him and making notes on a pad. Janey wasn't anywhere to be seen and Logan could only assume she must be in surgery.
Brik was in a biobed on the far side of Skyler and seemed to be writhing in his sleep as the Medtechs worked on his shoulder trying to assess the damage. He let out a scream unexpectedly, but was unconscious once more almost immediately.
Lt. Baris entered the Medbay and came to Logan's side. "How's the pain?"
"Down from unbelievable agony to minor agony," she managed to say.
"What about the rest of my team?" Skyler asked, concern overiding his need for medical attention.
"Lt. Hush is remarkably well. Minor abrasions and some smoke inhalation. Lt. Janey is in sugery. She has some serious internal bleeding. The Doctor is doing his best." Logan didn't like the ominousness of the lack of prognosis on Janey's condition, but knew the Doc would do all he could for her.
"Lt. Brik has dislocated his shoulder. But seems to have escaped any serious damage. With that landing, its a wonder he didn't do more. A piece of the Raider's interior wall flew off at impact and connected with his shoulder. Luckily, it wasn't his head."
"Now, we just need to tend to your wounds, Captain," he indicated Skyler with a nod. Looking back at Logan for a micron, he said, "And yours, Lt."
"I'm fine," Skyler and Logan said.
Lt. Baris looked from one to the other, shook his head in an abashed fashion and ordered the medtechs to continue their examinations.
Baris continued his discourse on the proper etiquette for patients in Medlab as if nothing had stopped his flow.
"I appreciate your dedication, but I would think you'd like to be conscious when the Commander arrives. Don't want you blacking out from pain before your debriefing."
This seemed to placate Skyler enough to allow the medtech to take a look at his side. Logan laid back and looked at the ceiling as the medtech began taking off the hasty bandage that had been applied to her leg in the Launch Bay.
She couldn't help but wonder what had happened to the Computer Core information. She knew Lazant had it before the dropships had left the Baseship. She could only hope that the mission hadn't been for nothing. She thought about asking Baris, but bit her tongue at the look on his face when she opened her mouth.
Besides, she had no idea if Lazant had made it back...or Ally...or any of the rest of them. She knew Skyler would be talking to the Commander any micron and knew that the status of the rest of the team and the Core data would be the first thing he asked about.
"You're lucky as well, Lt. The blast you took was a clean shot straight through the leg. No major damage. You didn't lose as much blood as I originally thought."
Logan breathed a sigh of relief at the news from Baris. The medtech was cleaning and cauterizing her wound. She couldn't afford to be laid up in the Medlab for any longer than was necessary. She caught bits and pieces of the medtech's conversation beside her and realized that Skyler had caught some shrapnel in his side.
"The best thing for you will be to get some sleep. I have a feeling most of your problem now is exhaustion," Baris remarked.
Logan realized he was talking to her and nodded. She closed her eyes to placate the man, but knew she wouldn't sleep until someone from the Bridge told them the outcome of the mission.
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Post by Amy81 on Nov 13, 2006 18:07:06 GMT -6
Bulk-up and Grease entered medlab on the run, having literally ran the entire way after hearing about the raider and who was inside. They'd been in the other bay when it had come in. They now walked breathlessly to the front desk.
"Janey?" Bulk-up inquired. "Hush?"
The medtech looked at the computer screen, nodded. "They're here. Lt. Janey is in surgery. Hush, as you refer to the lieutenant, is listed as guarded."
Bulk-up and Grease hugged for a moment in relief. Fearing their friends were gone, to know that this was no longer the case was great news. "Lt. Ally?" Bulk-up asked.
The tech looked for a moment, then shook his head, looking up at the pair. "You family of the lieutenant?"
Grease shook his head. "Same outfit. Bronze squadron."
"Sorry guys. Her information is locked down. Family only."
Bulk-up half grinned. "Come on" he said. "There must be something...."
"Easy" Grease said, fearing Bulk-up getting worked up. But Bulk-up just allowed Grease to lead him to a couple of chairs. "Wait here, or at the mess hall?"
Bulk-up sat down heavily, and Grease took the chair next to him. There was nothing to do but wait, and pray...
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Post by Col. Charybdis on Nov 14, 2006 9:58:52 GMT -6
"Commander, the Cylon base ship has completely fallen through the atmosphere and has disentegrated," I reported to Sheba.
"What about the fuel ships?"
"All of them were away and were awaiting orders from Commander Apollo as to where to distribute the fuel."
"Good. I just hope we can find alternate fuel sources soon. With this battle, who knows when the Cylons just might reappear. Get all squadrons back onboard and have them take a good rest. The Galactica will stand watch while the fuel operation gets underway."
"Yes, ma'am," I replied.
Geenie made the announcement to all pilots still out there, "Callisto to all flight squadrons, return to base, repeat, return to base."
Once all pilots landed, we could take a census and see how costly this mission really was...
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Post by Col. Charybdis on Nov 16, 2006 10:28:17 GMT -6
"Colonel, I need an update on the condition of Med Lab. If there are any space problems, perhaps we could transfer some of the more critical patients to the Galactica,"Sheba said.
"Yes, Ma'am, I'll get right on it," I replied. It was good news! I would be able to get back to med lab and check in on Amy, I was dying to see her...
I quickly left the bridge and headed straight for the lab...
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