It happened before, and it will happen again.
My name is Captain Thorne. The crew calls me Hunter for short. The day I got that name was during the Battle of Xirivus-XI. That I shot down 37 Cylon Raiders alone. Impossible right?
How this all started. Huh, Cylons. Godsdamn Cylons.
These damn machines usually evolve their tactics, their technology and power to keep things at their power. I feel so stupid about joining the Colonial Military. Having all these peace treaties then everything went to shit. The colonies have fallen, and we.. Well.. Maybe. We maybe the last humans alive in space.
I was in my viper, using the old DRADIS radar from the old Viper MK IIs to replace it from the new Computer Network Interface. A goddamn program that was hacked that turned almost the entire military fleet into turkeys for the Cylons. I forced my viper to swing around and shoot down the raiders I can see. We're at war. Humanity is at war. And we may be the last humans fighting against these machines.
"Hunter, check your rear." A viper passed by me and shot down two raiders at sight before I even squeeze the trigger. "Goddamit, we got two Cylon Baseships close to us."
"I agree." I formed up with the others on the Blue Squadron. What's left of them anyway. Lancer's leading the Squadron since they lost their CAG. "I'm forming up with your Squadron. Ace Formation.''
"Where the hell are the Raptors with their ordinance?" A pilot shouted from the comms.
"Almost out of the Battlestars," I said to the pilot. Having enough of the nonsense these pilots complaining about. As I make a 90 degrees turn to intercept the Raider. Squeezing the trigger as the guns makes their sounds with piercing rounds hitting the Raider. "It's gonna take a while before Endeavor can get them out."
"Right, make sure those fat boys are out of their nests and blow these suckers out. We've lost half of our vipers."
I replied with a silent nod. Thumbs up for him as he comes close to me with his fighter. Once everyone was on formation, we make a sweeping motion below the fleet of raiders. Passing through them without even engaging. As the raiders were being passed by us below their fighters. We turned back and shoot them like turkeys in Thanksgiving day. Shooting down at least 40 Raiders without taking any losses.
Suddenly, that fun is over. Once I hear that one of the Baseships launched their ordinance and are approaching towards to the Battlestars. We make an intercept to take the nukes down. But the heavy raiders were almost as fast as their little versions. Their firepower makes this even hard for us to just flee from them. As these types of raiders are accurate.
I took down one of the incoming nukes with a safety round. Able to suppress that explosion of a powerful weapon. Lancer got the other one I think. I can barely see the right side as the Battlestar Colossus Vipers were engaging the other Baseship. This was not the easiest battle in our campaign. Not the easiest war to be fought. Because these Cylons aren't the ones we've seen in the museum.
"Hunter, you got two raiders on your tail." Lancer spoke to me on the comms. His viper moving back to help me take out the raiders intercepting me. I make a right turn but the other raider was already on my target of escape. Lancer was behind me, trying to take out the raiders behind me. But one shot from the raiders is enough to scare me to death.
It shot the left wing two times. Thought you think I was lucky? No. Once your viper gets damaged. It won't be long before it malfunctions. And you have to worry about the hydraulics of your fighter. There, my left gun is stuck. Only the right turret is functional with the missiles only a few left. Lancer took out one of the raiders chasing me. But the second raider launches it's ordinance. A twisted turn to rescue an old friend. But I thought that missile was going to-
SWOOSH!
It missed me! I said it to my mind. As the missile goes straight directly to the Colossus. Violently shaking the Battlestar as if it was hit by a large, crashing asteroid. It hit the front hull as I can see some of the parts flying out. People in the comms were panicking as they heard of the Colossus' residential area destroyed.
"HOLY FUCK! 200 CASUALTIES ON THE FRONT RESIDENTIAL AREA." The Colossus' officers, shocked by the result of the ordinance hitting their ship. "WE NEED THOSE BASESHIPS TAKEN OUT NOW."
Every Squadrons close to the Colossus thrusts their Vipers with everything they got. Shooting down at the raiders in range. As the Baseship starts firing it's flak at the approaching Vipers. It's a suicide run. As I can see the vipers being torn apart by the flak of the enemy Baseship. Which the Battlestar would've done the same to the enemy raiders if it were too close.
"Holy shit, they're getting fragged out there." Lancer said on the comms. Leading the Squadrons that I am in to the west wing position of the Endeavor. Protecting the Battlestar with our might. "We need to hold the line for the Endeavor to fix it's FTL drives.
"Roger." "On it." "Copy That." Everyone replied on the comms to Lancer. Their acting-CAG leads them to the position that we are ordered to follow. The Line Protocol. Defend the returning vipers and make our Squadrons the last ones to get back to the ship. As the Endeavor's viper squadrons boosts their speed to get out of the hell that they have entered into and return home.
I squeeze the trigger once again. But the aim accuracy of my viper decreased. The left gun is still damaged and I can't get it to work. I have to move my viper to aim almost out of the crosshairs of my Interface just to take out a damn raider. Lancer has the free-roam lead of his thing just to shoot down the vipers behind the warship.
Once every Squadrons had returned, we were the last ones out there and make a crashing turn towards the Endeavor's landing bay. Once we're all accounted for. Well. The numbers doesn't matter anymore. The large doors of both sides of the landing bay seals shut. As we hear the announcement from our CO. That's Commanding Officer for short shithead.
"This is the Admiral. Just so you know, this is our 151st day from the Exodus of the Colonies. Now the eggheads below had found a set of new coordinates to a paradise world. Which the Cylons will not know where we would retreat. We've lost too many pilots out there. Lost too many resources during the defense. Now, we'll have to stop our war against the Cylons once we set foot to this new world."
Admiral Gallagher's voice makes us stand up like the pilots we were. He was a decorated war veteran from the First Cylon War. Thought he'd be a model for the Colonial Fleet. But I never hear or see him on the ceremonies. Since Gallagher was first, retired. He just got back to action once our CO, Rear Admiral Nagala was killed during his transport from the Tylium Asteroid on our 14th day after the Exodus.
I don't know what happened to the Battlestar Colossus, but on the radar. We see the squadrons of that ship returning back once they were gone as they entered the ship.
BEEP!
The Baseships were launching their ordinance again. We can see them launch their remaining raiders. This was a 10 seconds window of escape. The Endeavor and Colossus makes their mark to jump the ship out of there. Pilots inside their Vipers prays for their lives not to be taken like the rest of the others outside who would've died in vain. I didn't pray. I didn't really believe in anything. I just believe in whatever I see and use.
"JUMP!"
The Admiral's signal was heard. As the shake of the ship marks for the two massive Battlestars escaped from the hell we created. The Baseships were gone from the radar. Even the squadrons of Raiders. Though, the warp of the Battlestars were fast. But we gotten a little late because the Colossus warped there seconds ago.
157th Day after the Exodus
Population: 11,552
Casualties: 446 ( 200 in the Colossus from the front hull. )
Goddamit...
I still can't shake off the headaches of the previous engagement. We were stuck in space for Six Days and no cylons were on our tail. We were all doing reconnaissance. Taking turns of checking out for any planet or asteroid but nothing. People are bored and were getting themselves fat as they finally got out of that hell for good.
Lancer's winning the chicks again. Winning the usual poker game as he's taking a lot of the other pilot's money. We earn our goddamn paychecks from the Senior Officers. Spend them in the Bar, Clubs of the Battlestar or the Dogsville in the abandoned hangar in the lower section. I stayed on my spot close to the exit of the Bar. Drinking water instead of alcohol. I intend not to get drunk again like 3 days ago.
I got bored. I decided to borrow some pencils and papers for the usual. Drawing. I usually draw the girls wearing different sets of clothes. I'm not a pervert. Not a gay. I just happen to know how to draw people. Mostly girls.
I did try to draw a boy, but it ended up looking like Santa Claus in a strip bar. Gods. The eraser's small now. The Manufacturing facilities of the Colossus makes us have whatever we wanted for morale. Sometimes I waste a few of my money to bet on the winner of the boxing match every Friday. People would lose a lot of money as I was betting for myself.
Double.
There were no alarms in the past six days. Six pilots taking turns for the recon ahead using the Raptors. The Endeavor building new Vipers and Raptors. Hiring the civilians as pilots from the CRA. Pilots making their exercises around the hallways of the ships. Tight hallways. Pictures posted on the sides. The pictures of their family, friends, relatives. Candles stayed ontop. Honoring the memories of their loved ones. Many have lost their things since the Fall of the Twelve Colonies.
No. We haven't spot any refugee ships yet. We've reunited with the Battlestar Colossus during the 37th Day. After seeing their fleet being crushed but the Colossus only remained intact with their crew alive. The 56th Day, the battle for the Tylium Deposit marked the death of the Colonial Military's best Pilot. Adam Whiskers. Shot 80 Raiders during the First Day of the Exodus. Killed Six Cylons with his pistol alone. Escaped Cylon Occupation Territory twice. Whiskers' a good man. The spirit of the Endeavor, and he was my friend.
My friend.
I could never forget the day that we need to refuel our ships by taking the Cylon's resources with a daring attack. Eight Vipers and two Raptors. Whiskers was part of the Red Team. I led the Blue Team. Obviously, the part there for both teams is to distract the enemy while the Raptors destroy the enemy outpost on the Tylium Asteroid. Where we have to risk 60% of the team. With only Five pilots remained alive.
SNAP!
Goddamit. I broke my pencil. I need to buy another one when the next shipment of supplies arrives from the Colossus.
2 - Everything starts here
GET YOUR FUCKING ASSES ON THE HANGAR DECK.
Day 159th of the Exodus. Day one of the Unity
Everyone in Alpha Hangar stood up. Engineers, pilots, soldiers and even the civilians. Since when did they allow civilian personnel inside military zones? Wait. How the fuck did I know? Ugh. Yeah, yeah. You got me. I'm one of those people slacking off as if nothing happened.
The Officers were making their inspections. The Vipers, the Raptors, upgrades, parts and our damn standard clothes for the military. I heard that they closed down Dogsville on Beta Hangar. Which angered most of the pilots on Beta and Echo Squadron. Later, both of the members on the Squadrons were put into detention. Everyone had their asses up. With the officers showing their tough looks at the trainees. Senior Pilots including me would stay with the stone face kind of expression. The rest would either shiver or salute as if they were never afraid of getting their ranks ripped off.
Gallagher got his eyes on us first before the nuggets. He's disappointed about the lack of senior pilots and that more of us needing to train these fucking nuggets. Supplies from the Colossus that required boost of morale came this morning. But I never got to get what I needed to draw my damn paper.
Geez. Can I get a pencil AFTER this inspection?
I was surprised about Gallagher smiling at the girls up there. Yeah. From the upper decks. We all see them in groups and they're all pilots. I can't call names on one of them. But Lieutenant "Tavia" is part of the group up there. Funny that she's not smiling like the rest of her friends. I think that she wants this inspection done like I do. I don't see the point why we need inspections every 2 weeks. And count how many goddamn pilots do we have?
Well the marine corps of the Battlestars are just police forces for the fleet. Any riots on the civilian sectors? They rush in with their boot up in your ass. Funny that they are armed just as heavily as the Cylon Centurians. But there's a black market thing going on to the Colossus so I think that's the reason why.
Gallagher faced us. Senior Pilots. And I was just second to be counted on the line just to see the Admiral pleased with the presence of ours here. Looking at us every second. But he extended his stare at me. I don't know why. Does he like me and I know that he's gay? No no no. Gallagher's different. He's glad that I'm still alive. What scared me is that he placed his hand on my shoulder. Saying this in his low tone.
"I'm glad that you are alive Captain Thorne. Of all the Pilots I have here, YOU are the only pilot with heavily trained experience."
He took off and checked the other senior pilots. Some wandered about what the Admiral told me. I didn't smile. But I was glad that I wasn't gonna get demoted or anything. The officers sees me slacking off in the halls. Forgetting the drills. But hey, I'm present when it comes to training nuggets like those poor assholes on the left starboard.
The Senior Pilots were dismissed by Colonel Tauron. Another tough guy who always smirks who thinks that this battle is a cakewalk. Tauron's physical features is bigger than of the Admiral's. Like the senior officers, he's a decorated veteran in the First Cylon War. And unlike the Admiral, he's known to be the Colonial Fleet's best XO.
The reason he didn't got promoted to the ranks of the Admirals is the incident on Cairo. Two weeks before the Fall of the Colonies. He had a bar fight with the Colonial Councilor Saul Tyrons. Who lives in Caprica. I think the Councilor charged him with assaulting a major member of the Colonies. Then two weeks later, that didn't matter. Tyrons, like the others, are just buckets that are empty wanting to be filled with love.
No one really gives a shit about the Colonel. But Tyrons is strict as hell, he sometimes give cold and questionable orders to us if Gallagher wasn't present. Nagala's death put Tyrons in temporary command. It was worse. Total chaos. Tyrons doesn't know how to handle anything in the ship. Plus the Colossus CO is Commander Petrons. How can a Commander outrank a Colonel?
Gallagher stepped out of retirement and rejoined the Colonial Military through the legal processing of papers and documents. He kept it on his bag at all times. Because he's got a plan and Tyrons don't. We all hate Tyrons, but Gallagher never did. Because he beilieved that Tyrons is a good commanding officer just like him.
Lancer gathered up the pilots to the meeting room. Giving reconnaissance briefing. Same details in the last 5 days. Trust me. I even memorized whatever the fuck he says. Because he's got a paper and I do too.
"...Same detail guys. Lead reconnaissance. Raptor pilots! Oh, it's going to be Hunter and Tavia. You lovebirds are going to do full recon ahead. See if you can find anything." Lancer flipped the pages of the papers he have.
"Can't you pick any pilots instead of me being with Hunter?"
Wow. I barely even know Tavia. Now you hate me?
"Sorry sweetie," Lancer, being a flirt-ish asshole. Oh yeah, fuck you Lancer. "Every pilots took a turn. I don't even know if the nuggets know how to operate the Raptor that well. You two are going to full reconnaissance. You got complains? Say that to the other pilots. Be sure that you have your IRS beacon active. Because once you disabled it and you're Raptor is fucked up. We will never try a single rescue mission for both of you. You know what happened to Lieutenant Backster right?"
Goddamit Lancer, reminding that guy again? You know how he floats in space. His pants wet. He fucking pissed. Forgot his helmet and opened the hatch by accident. Backster did Recon four days ago. We found him in space lead training for the nuggets. I think it was Ensign Barclay who found him while he disobeyed direct orders from Lancer.
I came down to the lockers room of the ship. Getting my personal helmet and switching patches from Charlie Squadron to Recon Corps. We have rules now. They made patches of what Corps you are in. If they send you in recon, you change patches. If they send you out there to battle. You change your patches. If you got no time to change. That means that the ship REALLY needs you out there.
I put on my standard pilot clothing with the Recon Corps patch. With the M75 pistol on my holster. Looking at myself through the small mirror I placed in my locker. Shutting it. That's when I saw Tavia zipping her pilot clothing. Her patch is placed on her shoulder-guard. I looked away, not trying to show that I'm a fucking pervert like the rest of the boys on the lockers.
"They should have picked another pilot that I'm stuck with."
I looked back at her. Not pleased about what she said. "Maybe you should have not been a pilot for the Colonial Military in the first place."
"Haha," She takes out her helmet from her locker. Shutting it tight with the locks on. Six combination codes instead of four like the usual. "It would be fine if I was with Lancer. Maybe Taggart too."
"Hey, if you're here to embarrass me. You're welcome to enter the detention block. Until then, you're stuck with me. Major Lancer doesn't want us to be together. But he's just an asshole for welcoming us as birds for the fleet." I walked away as soon as I said that to Tavi. The Locker Room became an empty room as she just looked at me while I was heading down to the hangar.
"Asshole."
I prepped the Raptor on the Alpha Hangar ready. Going to launch it out of the hangar as soon as the hangar's doors are open. Tavia seems pissed. Even when she's operating the consoles for the Raptor. I didn't care. I just looked forward and operated the Raptor ahead of the two Battlestars. Then I jumped the Raptor out of the area to make a forward reconnaissance.
Jump or Jumped are two words when we warp out or in the area.
And I get stuck with a chick that seems to be pissed at me.
Flight Reconnaissance
Day 159th, 13:55 Hours
Eleventh Reconnaissance Run of the Battlestar Endeavor Recon Corps
I put the Raptor's hydraulics back online. The warp jump was a little off as it got an edgy jump away from the Battlestars. Just as I know, I looked at the DRADIS. It's picking up a large globe within it's range. And as I kept on pressing the buttons for the stabilization and monitoring feed for both the console section and the front. I looked up to see something on the way. I slowed down the Raptor. Not believing on what I'm seeing now.
"Tavi, I'm seeing something."
"Another asteroid..." She sighed, I can see that negative expression on her face when I looked back. She checked the monitor feed from the visual device below the Raptor. "Move 2000 meters, slow."
"Slow?" I questioned, looking at the DRADIS Radar that there were not Raiders on the area. "Why are we going to move slow? I thought you want this done. Plus there aren't any Cylons on the area either."
"Last thing I need from a pilot is a bodybag." She was serious about what she said there. She said it straight. No matter how high my rank was to bust her ass up on Detention. "Looks like there's a series of rocks floating here. I scanned each of them. No Tylium or anything. But I can scan water on some of the asteroid rocks."
I moved the Raptor close to the Asteroid Belt. I can see a planet that's partially red. Somehow there's no life because there aren't any signs of clouds, greens, blues or anything. I sighed, we kept seeing planets that has valuable resources for both Battlestars. But none of the planets seems to be more suitable for settlement.
We did found one habitable planet. But it was too hot. What we did there was just to harvest food and water from the Third Algae Planet we found. No Cylons on that system either. That happened in the 71st Day. The day that we totally lost all the morale before the Colossus collected the supplies and managed them in the 75th.
I scanned the entire area again. Bingo. Lots of water in those asteroids. A few useful resources like Iron or Metal but I'm glad that there aren't any Cylons on the area. Not a single radar on the DRADIS radar. They've upgraded the CNP system that's invulnerable to any hacking that the Cylon would attempt.
There you go, the CNP system was created to upgrade our DRADIS and systems to max. But the Cylons used the CNP as somewhat, err.. A program to shut every warships and fighters powered by it. We watched the horror how the Cylons did it. But the Colossus saved us from destruction on the 6th day when our CNP was shut down.
Endeavor during the Fall of the Colonies was under a sweep order called by our original CO. What we did was scan the sector for any possible Cylon forces that would trespass through our colonial territory. We got nothing. By the time we were on our way back to Caprica. We were attacked by the Cylons and the goddamn Battlestar took a massive hit from two Baseships. The Colossus saved us, having a few fighters with them and the CNP quickly disabled and replaced it with a less-modernized chip used by the Colossus. We wondered how the Colossus survived. But they survived the attack because they haven't got the CNP installed to their Battlestar yet. We lost 748 men during the ambush on the Sixth Day. That's the day where we also learned that the Colonies have fallen.
I can't believe how the Cylons made turkeys out of the Vipers we sent out there for patrol. 14 dead. Including Lieutenant Barbossa from Caprica. His wife was expecting him to come back home. But she died during the Fall and then his husband.
"Hey!, focus." Tavia shouted. Sounds like she found something from her console. "We need to check that red planet for any signs of life."
"There aren't any." I said. "I don't see blues, greens or whites on the planet. It's a dead planet. Call it the Red planet. Looks red. Just barely. Plus I've scanned the belt. Lots of water."
"Right, I'm sending the coordinates to the small ships to harvest those." She typed in the coordinates on her console. "We need to continue the recon until we've scanned the entire sector in full."
Damn you Tavia, there's nothing here. I want to go home.
"Fine...I'm going through the Asteroid Belt. Twenty aces, speed ahead." I pulled the small lever to release the lock. Making the Raptor free from it's inside anchor. That's what you call focused stop.
We passed through the Asteroid belt. Carefully going through as we try to avoid the asteroids on the way. It took me three minutes just to make move and stops in the belt. Once we're out, my DRADIS Radar picks up the planet. Showing circle in the upper right corner. I looked back at Tavia, she seems busy. THINKING. I MEAN, WHAT THE FUCK. TYPE SOMETHING YOU BITCH-
"Found something."
I was about to yell loud about being impatient and all. But she finally said something. She found something. Oh great, what did you found? A fucking rock with water? A fucking rock with Tylium? Anything? Fucking piece of sh-
"Life."
Well I became silent in my mind there. My mouth was ready to shout it out. Fire loads of words at Tavia like I seriously want to gut that bitch out with the knife on my tac-shoulder. I looked at the DRADIS Radar if she was right about it.
"There's no other planet on my visual Tavia. Plus the Red Planet there has no life. Did you checked the scans earlier?"
She sighed. I think she didn't expect me to say that nor be stupid about what I said about the Red Planet. No. She didn't scanned that. And I forgot that she told me that she's going to do a full scan with the DRADIS' CNP's maximum range. I moved the Raptor 300 meters away from the current position I am on. Then there's something dark behind the Red Planet. Too far. Just.. Too far out.
"Even if we go to your scanned target. We'll be out of fuel and may never get back to the Endeavor."
"I did call for harvesters didn't I?"
I rolled my eyes, sighing. The fuck was I saying? Of course we have harvesters coming. "How long will they get here?"
"I've calculated FTL patterns on the last jumps. Two hours. Stuck with you in 2 hours. Now, we may not have enough fuel to get back to the Battlestars. But we have enough fuel to regroup with the harvesters later on." She typed in the navigational trajectory towards the targeted area. "We need to go to the tagged area."
"You owe me 300 cubits."
"Like the money is important these days." Tavia looked at me. Feeling displeased about that I'm with her on this recon mission. "The Colonies have fallen Hunter. The only ones left alive is us. The people in the Battlestar. Those people in the harvesters. Cubits aren't gonna be useful anymore. It's just going to be those trading systems from the old age. They give you toothbrush, I give them toothpaste. Simple as that."
"Wow, like you give a shit about the Colonies. Don't you have any relatives in Caprica?"
"They're dead."
I stopped taking out words at her. I looked back on where we are now. Close to the Red Planet. I looked down again from above if there were any signs of life. There was none. I was right. I looked back at Tavia but she got no initial reactions about this. So I left the area by getting to where Tavia tagged her targeted coordinates are.
This recon missions is kind of boring. Not that I really want an action that involves the Cylons. But there's no fun without your other companion being fun too. I'm not saying that I want to have like a thing with her. But she's so damn cold. Even mean. Heck. I don't know who's mean. Me? Or her? I wouldn't say who's meaner. But she's just too, complicated. She lost her family. I lost my family. Cubits aren't important anymore? Why bother having the Colossus with us? She forgot about that damn Battlestar modified for both Military and Civilian Personnel. While the Endeavor is actually a modified warship. They send raptors to give the supplies to us. For morale. Which, morale is still at risk of getting lower. Because we can't sleep from this tiring exodus thing. We just want to go home. Feel the fresh air like the Algae Planet. Walk around and do whatever we want like in Caprica. But no. Cylons just attacked us without warning and that's bullshit. FUBAR.
I sighed. Remembering those horrible days during the Exodus. It wasn't a month long after the narrow escape of both the Endeavor and Colossus from the Cheytari Star System. It's so tiring. We're all goddamn tired. And we have to take the White Pills to keep ourselves awake. The civilians get their rest. Even the marines. Lucky goddamn nuggets. Not us Senior Pilots.
"Ping!"
I looked at the DRADIS Radar. I saw one dot and it's unknown. Like some ship or fighter might be stuck in this useless star system. I moved the Raptor ahead. Slowly moving there to be cautious. Because I don't want to see if the Radar would show up as if it detected a cylon. I'm not gonna risk myself for that. I make the Raptor move until I can see what's making a ship bing.
Bingo. It's a damaged Raptor.
"It's a Colonial Raptor. It has a different Battlestar Group."
"Can you get closer?"
Closer? Fuck no. Might be a cylon trap. In the 55th day, we lost four vipers while we investigate the wreckage of a civilian cargo vessel. Six vipers including mine killed off those damn raiders. We counted bodies. Numbers of the people alive. The sick. Even the injured. We got more counts for the dead rather than the injured.
"I'm moving close. Slowly. I can see the Raptor breached. Large crack in it's glassing."
I looked around from the Raptor for any rocks that might make the Raiders be invisible for the moment. No. There wasn't anything to cover themselves up. The Red Planet maybe a good guess. But I don't think the Cylons found this system yet. Because the Raptor didn't get hit by the Cylons. The Engines somewhat, is a bust.
"Raptor's engine damaged. Looks like the glassing is breached. I don't see any pilots inside yet."
Tavia made sure that there weren't any raiders. By scanning deep using the CNP's mass mode. That's looking through the rocks. We use that a few times if there were raiders behind on any small to big rocks. We didn't used it in the 55th day of the ambush. Because the CNP wasn't upgraded that time yet. We just happen to upgrade it by finding the Solar Carrier. Which was full of upgrades and that the eggheads were able to upgrade the CNP to every Raptors.
We didn't allow them to add the CNP system to our Vipers when they detached it. Because there's still a risk that our fighters might get shut down remotely by those Cylons. So we used the modern chip from the Viper MKIIIs. Forget that, I turned on the searchlight and aimed it at the breached Raptor. Looking at it closer as I moved the Raptor.
Boom. A pilot's body is floating.
"Bingo. Dead pilot. And I'm giving you the visual to see the patch of the pilot." I directed the camera to zoom in to the pilot. Tavia has her eyes on it. I looked back, and she has that face that I would not believe. She's shocked.
"It's a pilot from Galactica."
"What?"
I can't believe it. Galactica? I don't know. Raptors were built in the First Cylon War and upgraded after the war. I don't think pilots in Galactica would be present on this day. Because that aging battlestar was sent to Caprica to be decommissioned. A museum piece. I visited it. Learned the history of the First Cylon War. It wasn't bad. But I don't think this pilot from Galactica is alive. I took off the belt and stood up. Going to the back of the Raptor and check the visual of the monitor feed.
"This pilot from Galactica. It's dead. But it's not skeletal. I can see blood from his suit. Looks like he got here recently and one of the small asteroids hit his Raptor. Making his Raptor float around."
"Looks like the museum ship came back to attention. We need to tell Endeavor and Colossus about this."
"Yeah." She checked the logs of the Raptor inside. She was surprised that her guess was right. The logs were all recent.
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA
RAPTOR TWO-FOUR-SEVEN | SECOND RAPTOR CORPS
Day 155
Orders from Commander Adama. EXECUTE PROTOCOL D9628BTWAZ
Lieutenant Pixar Locus. You will be taking a Raptor to the unknown star system through the Centauri System. We've been attacked by two Cylon Baseships on the Colonial Fleet since Day 88. The President of the Twelve Colonies, Laura Roslin wants an immediate reconnaissance through the Centauri system while we make a flee through the Icar System. Report back to Galactica once you have found a planet that is suitable for colonization.
I have been informed that the system you are about to enter is just the same as the old system from Earth. I'm assuming that you can get back here once you found a planet instead of Earth. Make sure the Cylons do not detect this planet.
-Commander William Adama
-CO of the Battlestar Galactica and it's Fleet
"This was four days ago. We're not alone. They have a fleet Hunter. A fleet of civilian ships."
I was surprised. We aren't alone on this shit after all. There were many others that survived in the Exodus. Including the President of the Twelve Colonies? I never heard of Laura Roslin before. And Commander William Adama sounds similar. I only know him in the decommissioning ceremony held in Caprica before hell happened. Adama must be the veteran pilot from the First Cylon War.
"Right. Are we going to the designated target you just sent on DRADIS or you want to stop here and get back to the battlestar?" I asked. Looking at her.
"No. We left the coordinates and give it to the Admiral." She looked back at me. Then looking back at the console and typing FTL coordinates. "We're going back to the Battlestars to get them here."
"Great.. You want to risk two Battlestars in a system we haven't made recon?" I moved back to the cockpit. Sitting down in the pilot's seat. As I move the Raptor back to aim at the Asteroid Belt. "Alright, FTL's spinning up and ready."
"It's not about the risks we're talking." Tavia typed in her notes on the console. Leaving marks on the area including the damaged Raptor in space. "It's about getting two warships here to make a full scan on this entire system. Endeavor has an advanced Radar System right?"
"It's a Mercury Class Battlestar." I sighed. "Of course it's advanced. Powered up by the CNP to make it's range increased. You really want to see that two battlestars scans the entire system and then end up seeing Cylons jumping and surrounding us?"
"Don't think of that. There aren't any cylons here. The Raptor outside was damaged by the rocks from the Asteroid Belt. Don't think something hopeless and negative Hunter."
"Fine. Jump.. On my mark........Mark!" I pressed the red button to make the Raptor warp out of the system. The pulse of getting back to the warships was instant. I had my hands on the controls and my legs locked tight. Once the jump sequence was complete. I looked back to see if Tavia is alright. And she is. Now I can see the two Battlestars just close to us.
15:30 Hours
Battlestar Remnant Group
End of Reconnaissance. Seventh Turn
I docked the Raptor to the Landing Bay of the Endeavor once we've arrived. Getting the hell out of the Raptor as me and Tavia were already in. Fresh air from the ship. Well. Whatever oxygen is left inside. Lasting about 80 years that is. The air is a little bad though. I decided to go to the locker room and place my helmet there for a while.
Then Tavia shows up. "Come on. Admiral wants to see us in CIC.". She left with the data packet on her hand. As I sighed and couldn't do anything but to follow her instead. Making a few turns from the tight hallways as I make my way through to the CIC. Once I arrived, I can see Gallagher pleased about Tavia's reports. I saluted once I arrived.
"At ease Captain. You found a system along with Lieutenant Tavia?"
"She's a bit-" I cut those words. Tavia had her eyes on me. Displeased what I was going to say. "Well.. We did sir. We found a damaged raptor outside. Says it's Galactica."
"I know son," He gave the datapacket to one of the officers in CIC. "The old lday in Galactica launched by Commander Adama. A friend. Reports says on the log in the damaged Raptor indicates that the Galactica is with a civilian fleet?"
"That is correct sir." Tavia said. She guided the coordinates of the system through the interface of some "Futuristic" table. "We've arrived on this unknown system. Unnamed and the Eggheads are guessing it now. We sent harvesters to collect resources on the asteroid belt."
"What do you say about this Captain?" Gallagher looked at me. Wanting me to answer. As I was the only Senior Officer with Excellent skills. Hey. Not bragging about it.
"I'd say we found a glitch in the Galaxy." I said.
He chuckled. Pleased about what I said. "Always those corny words Captain? You are getting older."
Excuse me. YOU are.
"Now, regardless about that Civilian Fleet with Galactica. You said that there is anyway, a possible life on one of the planets that you scanned Lieutenant?"
"Sir," She cleared her throat with a little Erhm. I just looked at the two. Trying to amuse myself if they would make a perfect pair. "Sir I think that there is one planet that is habitable that I tagged when me and the Captain were at the Red Planet. A dead planet he named. I left a mark beacon on the Damaged Raptor for the two Battlestars to jump there sir."
"Is the recon ensured of no Cylons in the system?"
"The damaged Raptor isn't attacked by Cylons. It was hit by one of the rocks on the Asteroid Belt." I said. Helping Tavia here about the reports and the things I saw PERSONALLY.
"Good. No Cylons means we can jump there anytime we want. I'll call the Colossus Commander to make a sync jump to that system. In the meantime, I'll be sending raptors to find the Colonial Fleet of Adama. Lieutenant Vixen! Coordinate jump on selected coordinates. Sync with Colossus for a joint-jump on XX Star System."
"Yes sir." Vixen types in the codes and coordinates. As the other officers do their duties to make the sync possible with Colossus. "FTL spinning up. Jump syncing is done. Colossus and Endeavor can now jump together."
"Set Condition Two throughout the group." As the alarms glowing yellow instead of red on the sides. Illuminating the dark corners of the CIC. "Prepare for jump on my mark."
Vixen nods.
"Mark."
As the signal was given. The sounds of warping out of the area as Colossus and Endeavor jumped out on their current location. The shake I felt inside. The instance of the jump made almost everyone fall down as it was a little hard. A forced jump. I can see the Red Planet as named on DRADIS and the monitoring feed.
"Status?" Gallagher asked. Straight.
"We can see the Galactica Raptor on DRADIS. But no sign of Cylon Baseships or Raiders on the area."
"Set Condition Three. Tell Colossus to start getting their harvesters back to their Battlestar. I want Twelve Raptors out of this Battlestar for scanning. Six advanced recon, six armed with missiles and Sixteen Vipers outside to make sure that we are protected."
"Yes sir." Vixen sent in the orders as he opened the comms to the ship. "Condition Three. All clear. But orders from Admiral Gallagher. Alert Fighters deploy."
"That means you two." Gallagher looked at us and given us the order. Me and Tavia salutes. Leaving the CIC as we move down to get in to our fighters.
I head back to the locker room to get my helmet. Getting my sidearm as a means of protection. Then heading to the hangar deck to get into my viper and pushed into the launch tubes. I looked at the officer through the mirror. Giving a thumbs up to launch my viper out of the Battlestar. As I feel the pull of the launch tube launching me out of the Battlestar. I was free. I am on my fighter. And I am leading the Alert Fighters to escort Six Raptors in Recon.
"Vipers, this is Hunter. Your Captain for today. Orders are simple. Protect Recon Raptors from possible enemy attacks. That means the bucketheads Stark."
"Roger that sir." Stark's viper forming up with us. "What are our orders today?"
Godsdammit. Are you pissing me off this early Stark?! "Haven't you heard? Protect Recon Raptors from possible enemy attacks. Keep that in your mind Stark. Remember. Do not hesitate if you see enemy targets."
"Roger that Captain..." Stark replied through the comms.
The Squadron moves in to escort Six Recon Raptors. On the way to the dot that Tavia marked. I don't think that this planet she marked would have life. But I can see a little planet that's colored in gray. The Raptors were on it's way there. Moving forward to where it is. I lead the Vipers the way, as I want to maintain formation with the Raptors.
You might ask about what type of Vipers we are using. Yeah. The Endeavor has stocked Viper MK VIIs while the Colossus has mixed. With their dominant numbers being the Viper MKIIIs and a few Viper MK VIIs. Along with Civilian Modified Raptors and Transport Ships. You want to ask what viper I'm using? The MK VII Version of the Viper.
We passed through the damaged Raptor and passed by the Red Planet. Now. Moving towards the pinged planet as tagged by my cold pilot. We can see... A moon? Yeah. No shit-
Moon?
Is she right about having a planet with moons? No. Every planet has moons. We just don't see it because were just that fucking lazy. Even with our own eyes. There was only one moon as we passed by in full speed. Uncloaking something from the shadows as we see blues from a planet afar.
"This is Talon 2-2. Are you getting this?"
The voices of the pilots on their Raptors sounded like they were surprised. Of what? What are they surprised of? I kept my focus on following the lead raptor as the others would follow as well.
"Talon 2-1. Possible life on the tagged planet. I can see blues and greens. Even whites."
..No. No shit. They're joking right? No no no.
"Talon 2-1 this is Talon 2-3. Confirmed. Planet is confirmed with life and is lighted by the sun of the system. Repeat. Planet is confirmed to be habitable."
Holy shit. Some of the pilots laughed as they were glad that they found a planet with life. I hope it isn't hot as the Algae Planet. Boy, that planet is extremely hot. Collecting resources and that. It took us days to refresh and literally deplete the water tanks on the lower sections. But oh my god. After weeks and battles have passed...
We found a new home.
Canterlot Watchtower
Same day during the reconnaissance of the Colonial Fleet
The night have fall down to the nation of Equestria. Princess Luna watched the cities afar using a special telescope from the watchtower. She can also see anything outside of the planet if she ever wanted to see the stars close. She can remember the days that she was with the Starponies. One of the special kind of ponies that lived in Equestria before their disappearance of their Goddess Elune.
"I will never forget the day that I was with the Goddess herself." She said to herself. Remembering the days before the horrifying past of her transformation. The pity jealousy towards her sister. But in the past as well, she can always remember the good times of her elder sister teaching her how to raise the sun and the moon.
The shadow behind Luna lightens as a tall, white and lumi-colored winged unicorn would come out from the dark room of the watchtower. It was Princess Celestia. She shouldn't be awake in this wonderful night. No no. She should rest. But the clock is at 04:00 and it won't be long before she would raise the sun.
"My sister, how are the cities?" She asked. As Luna turned to face her sister.
"All fine and in good condition." She said. "But I do see something strange from the stars. There's something dark about the stars when I looked at it. It was something huge. I believe there were two of those strange stars. Would be that the arrival of the Starponies we've awaited for thousands of years?"
Believed? Celestia used the telescope and looked through it to check if Luna was right about the two unusual stars. "I do see it sister. It's coming here, but it sure is slow."
"Slow? Would be those Dark Starponies?"
"No." Celestia said, still checking the two unusual stars coming towards them. "The Dark Starponies were defeated years ago. Purified by Elune herself. Would you remember those days?"
"I-It has been so long sister...Even I can only remember the days before that horrifying-"
Celestia cuts her there. "Do not remember that my sister." Celestia approached her looking-worried sister and covered her with her massive wings. A winghug. "For you are forgiven of your actions before. No matter how horrible it was. Elune must be happy about how you've changed."
"Yes. She is." Luna smiled, appreciating the care and love towards her sister.
Captain Thorne, HUNTER.
25th Viper Squadron, Battlestar Endeavor
I looked at the planet down below. It was big as of Caprica. The crew inside the Talon Squadron on their raptors were happy. I can hear their annoying laughter and cheers. Even one of them brought wine and get drunk to get scolded by the Admiral later on. I have my Viper positioned in the middle of the Squadron. As the Raptors were in wing formation to wait orders from the Admiral.
"Hey hunter," Calix' voice is heard. "Best discovery huh? Sounds like we can rest here for a while."
I checked the DRADIS again. Seeing if there are any Cylons on the area after two hours. There was none. "If the Cylons doesn't finds us first."
"Don't worry, they won't." Talon 2-3 replied on the comms. As his co-pilot is fracking up the laughter he has. "We'll call this New Caprica once we make land."
"Endeavor, this is 25-Actual. Confirmed life on the planet and we are heading straight to the planet for any signs of locals or tribes on the area. Permission to do so over?" I asked directly to the admiral through the clear comms.
Gallagher replied with a little disturbance from the comms. "Negative Actual, stay on your position. Endeavor and Colossus is going to do a close visual on the area for any civilian population."
"Roger that, 25-Actual out." I replied. Pressing the Navigational Mode of the DRADIS for the surface of the planet. Takes seconds to sync it to DRADIS with the CNP. "All Squadron Vipers and Raptors. Hold position. Don't get too excited." And I hear Stark's annoying laughter spamming up on the comms. "Godsdammit Stark! Shut the frack up and turn your goddamn comms if you want to laugh like a fracking clown!"
"S-Sorry Captain. Just too excited.. Over." He replied. Turning off his comms. I can finally let my mind to rest without his voice being heard.
"Fracker, not a good excuse." I checked the DRADIS again. Still no signs of Cylons.
Canterlot Observatory
Equestrian Defense Force Recon Corps
30 Minutes later.
Having the largest observatory in the whole world as Equestria's brightest minds are even proud of it. Princess Celestia takes her time to visit the observatory to check up on the astronomers of Equestria. Walking up to the center to check upon their duties and what they found about the two unusual stars that she saw along with her sister.
"Have you found out about the two stars?" She asked the old astronomer. Haste Hooves.
"They're not stars my Princess. They're..." He can't quite put these words properly. "They're.. uhmm.. Objects.. Somewhat, big.."
"Big?"
"Well you see Princess.. I have NEVER seen ANYTHING like this in forty years." He leads Celestia upstairs. Explaining about what he had seen through the Observatory's Scope. "I can also see smaller objects.. Err.. Fighter-like objects. Well. They seem to have stopped in orbit!"
"Stopped in orbit?" Celestia questioned him. This is the first time she heard about this. Stopped in orbit objects. Stars can't stop in orbit. They just fall down.
"Well. Yes. I may have to confirm if they are other lifeforms like the Starponies! But I do not see such things like those float and just stayed in the planet's orbit. We may have to ensure that we are prepared on something we do not know Princess. Because I'm guessing that these objects are ships. Spaceships! Or even.. ALIENS!"
Celestia facehoofed. She doesn't believe in science fiction stuff like that. Aliens? That seems a little unrealistic even here in her nation and the planet itself. "Aliens? Are you alright Haste Hooves?"
"Forgive me your highness, I was just guessing about that. But in alien science fiction novels, spaceships do move, stop or fall down."
She sighed. Having to think that Haste Hooves is already old and thinking stuff a little too much for her to know and to handle. She looked at the paper reports of the two stars she spotted. The same as Haste predicted. Alien, mothership, whatever the hell would they put and name those two stars that are close to the planet.
"Have you tried looking closer Haste Hooves?" She asked.
He nodded, "Y-Yes. Like I said P-Princess.. They're aliens.."
Battlestar Endeavor
Battlegroup Sixty-Five. What's left of it anyway.
CIC
The Endeavor's CIC is a large circular room like the Galactica-Class Battlestars. Though, this is a Mercury Class Battlestar. What's the difference is that the Endeavor is a heavily modified warship and was retrofitted for duty two weeks before the Fall of the Colonies. Gallagher thought of the warship being the "Weapon of the Heavens." But the officers inside doing navigation, damage control, checking the ship's condition, counting vipers and humans are one of the tasks that they would always do the rest of their lives. Until of course, they can find home.
"This is.. the data reports and photographs of the natives down below confirmed by Thorne." Tyrons shows the photographs and gives it to Gallagher. "I believe there are natives living down there.. But I don't think they are ordinary natives."
"Huh.." Gallagher sees cities below in the photographs. "It's a city.."
"Sure it is.. Hell, there are large structures. Possible civilization I think. If it is a Cylon Colony, I'll be damned that we'll be attacking them in surprise if they were."
"If it is a Cylon Colony, we would've been attacked by the Baseships once we've jumped here on this system.." Gallagher takes the papers and reports from the file. Checking data reports and signatures of the planet and the descriptions. "Are there any military defenses in orbit? Satellites or anything?"
"No." Tyrons pulled out a paper. Showing cities of Baltimore, Fillydelphia, Manehattan and Canterlot. "But uhm. These are the major cities photographed through the Endeavor's Observatory." He points an observatory structure in Canterlot. "That's an observatory down there and looks like they got eyes outside."
"Are they aware?" Gallagher asked.
"I don't see any warships flying out into space or anything. No space stations on orbit Admiral. This planet is low-tech." Tyrons said.
Low-tech. Of course it would be. It's a planet with talking ponies. But they don't know that. Not yet. Officers inside the CIC were already suspicious about the new planet. Inhabitants in a planet with cities similar to Caprica or the Thirteenth Colony Earth. Sure, they have a lot of data records, recon patrols and observations. But they have no clue on what they are going to do.
"I see a few things on the sky though." Tyrons shows a photograph of a flying pegasus. "This seems to be their air force. But it looks like it's flying with wings. Almost like a pegasus."
"It IS a pegasus."
"Flying horses on a planet? Sure...Sounds magical." Tyrons smirked. "We're dreaming aren't we? A planet full of horses?"
"Whatever godsdamn is there on the planet. We investigate." Gallagher walked around in CIC while reading full reports on the papers he's holding now. He seemed surprised, interested, on to this thing like he wanted to colonize it. "Not Cylons is it?"
"No. No Cylons. If it was a Cylon Colony, we would've been ambushed by Baseships once we've jumped."
"Eh.. Good Point.." He flipped the clipped papers to the next page. "No raiders on the skies. A flying pegasus and a planet with civilization.. This seems a little unrealistic. Rainbows on the skies.. Some beings controlling the weather by forming clouds together... What the hell.. What kind of planet is this? Wonderland in Caprica?"
"Let's hope the Gods in infinity can answer that.."
"If they were here to guide us that is Colonel." Gallagher stops on his post. Checking the DRADIS above the ceiling. Seeing there are any Cylons on DRADIS. "We got a Squadron close to the planet. Raptors carrying Fireteams...." He thinks of something that he can know the planet closer. "..Send two Raptors on this town." He pointed the photograph showing Ponyville. Tyrons seems impressed by Gallagher's choice. Then Gallagher picks up the phone of the CIC. "Get me a direct link to Captain Hunter."
25th Squadron
"Captain Hunter," I hear the voice of the admiral. Listening as he speaks. "Hunter, send two Raptors down there with Fireteams. Land them close to the town and I want you to protect them while they deploy." A silence there for a second or two. "If anything happens or anything attacks you. Do not engage until if it is a Cylon. Those natives down there maybe important or precious for us to live."
"Copy that Endeavor Actual.." I replied. Then I pressed the second button close to my DRADIS to call in the Raptors Comms. "Talon 2-1 and Talon 2-2. Follow my lead. We are going to mobilize Fireteams down there and see whatever the name of gods is down there."
"Roger that." Talon 2-2 said to the comms. "We'll come there with you."
I started to unlock the gears to release me floating in space. Then moved my Viper down towards the planet. I maintained my speed to ensure that I don't start falling down like an asteroid. Two Raptors followed me after. I don't see any risks in the skies that involved lightning. So I pulled the viper's throttle to force an accelerated speed down there. I can see the Raptors boosting up their speed, wanting to catch up. But I had to go first if there are anything that would attack me and my squadron.
"Skies are clear so far." I said to the comms for the two Raptors. "Right, so far... Prepare to mobilize troops Talon 2-1 and Talon 2-2."
"Roger."
Something passed me too fast. Like. Really fast. A Rainbow Trail on the way. "What the hell is that?!" I reacted. Moving my Viper and turn it to where it is going. I started to follow that thing that left it's rainbow trail. "Who the hell leaves a Rainbow Trail?!"
"Hunter! Where are you going?" Talon 2-2 questioned me.
"Following an unknown contact." As my DRADIS beeped. Showing UNKNOWN as if it was a Cylon Raider in the sky. But I never see a raider leaving rainbow trails. "Land on the tagged coordinates Talon 2-1 and 2-2. I'm following the unknown target."
I throttled the Viper to go fast. Activating the boosters as I approach the target. The DRADIS beeping rapidly as I start to become close to it. I can barely see him. But what the fuck, leaving rainbow trails while it flies. I start to target that unknown target but the goddamn crosshair system is too blind as I am going inside the clouds. These clouds are puff as white once I hit them. A little disturbance while I go through these unusual clouds. I feel awkward about targets leaving rainbow trails.
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! Locked! There. I got the target locked. But my decisions are left questionable. Should I shoot it? Or should I follow on where would it stop? I don't know. But I never heard the admiral ordering me to shoot anything down there but to leave it just alive. Precious target. Yeah. Precious target leaving rainbow trails. If kids were piloting their vipers, they would shoot it down. Like just following the fly with a military fighter.
"Missile away."
Then I launched the missile. Going right towards the target. Hoping that this unknown fighter would blow up into cinder. This goose chase is getting strange every second. I decided to shoot it down instead.
BOOM.
