Betrayal
Command
Previous Chapter"Reporting for duty, sir!" Jen saluted Lee "Apollo" Adama, Admiral Adama's son.
"At ease, Lunaria."
"Sir, down there on the planet, we got a new ally."
"Well that's good."
"But that's not all, sir. We also got an enemy."
"What do you think the best course of action would be?"
"Sir, I do not think I would be the best tactician for this type of situation."
"That's what Starbuck said before she planned the attack on the Cylon Tylium ore facility."
The two exchanged a smile. "Fine then, sir. We take out royal sun ass first. Our allies have offered all of their support, so we should repair Galactica to her most powerful state."
"Her Cylon war configuration?"
"Yes, sir. I might even suggest making a second Battlestar."
"Very well. I'll think about what you said."
"Thank you, sir."
"Dismissed."
Jen saluted him, then left the room.
Over the last few days, Twilight and her friends had been gathering support for their campaign. Equestria had divided into two sides; the West, which was under Celestia's full control, and the East, which Luna helped, and had been based off of the Colonial's democratic government.
The Changelings and Griffins came forward to help the now dubbed Lunar Republic, and the Colonials sent down plans for the Brimir Class Escort Carrier and several Viper MK IIs to support and equip them.
On a counter offensive, the Cylons sent their wedge shaped Jormungs and crescent shaped Raiders. Outnumbered but not outgunned, the Cylons were certain to win. The presence of Dragons in Canterlot didn't help either.
There is a reason that Cylons are so overpowered. Their armor actually, you know, deflects gunfire, and while they aren't the best shots, they occasionally do get a hit. Oh, and their fleet still has the numerical advantage. The colonials had to stop that.
Over the months, a small space station had been built from materials given by the Griffins, and Galactica was nearly in operational order. Apollo had listened to Jen when she said "another ship," and began to build a second Galactica Type Battlestar. It would be christened Galaxia in hopes that Galactica's luck would rub off on it.
The Galactica had returned to it's former elegance, almost as if it was spanking new. The Colonials had three capital ships and seven escorts, while the Cylons had four capital ships and sixteen escorts.
As always, the Colonials were outgunned, but they were never out maneuvered. Galaxia and Galactica were near operational status, crew members had been placed, and everything was in working order.
Jen looked over the battle plan. The Raptors and the Brimirs would assault the now dubbed "Solar Empire," while Vipers and the Capital ships would assault the Basestars. A really audacious plan, but risks had to be taken.
As Lunaria waited in her Viper in the hangar, she looked over at Lauren. Butch "Interceptor" O'Hare, the new CAG, spoke into his mike, giving a speech.
"I see unfairness and misrepresentation. I see that I want to help fix the world. I picture myself rising and rallying these people that don't have; people that need. I see people getting shot, standing for what they believe. We try and hope for a better world where we can be one. Freedom and peace.
"I see myself living for many years, keeping morale and fighting alongside my allies. Then I see myself leaving, unleashing chaos. Buildings crash and children cry, adults hold back and try to stay strong. In the end, after all the work that we as people have done, the world crashes. Life that used to give us reason to smile, to be creative, gives nothing as it all just blows away as if it were dust in wind. It feels me with fear that we aren't ready; that we are getting to far behind the ability to recover."
Lauren then looked over at Jen, and gave her a nod.
"Good hunting, everyone." Butch finished.
Meanwhile, in the CIC, Admiral Adama was giving his own speech.
"Three hours before I came here, I debated in my mind if I should tell you I am afraid. But I am a person of simple truth. The task before me is daunting. The roads too long, the stakes too high. I am afraid. This statement is true. But I can't help but feel that everyone is afraid with me. So I step up, grab my sword, give some speeches and become the leader of our cause. But I can still feel it in me, the gnawing sensation of fear, failure, and an overall sense of dread all wrapped into one.
"I am not your hero. I am afraid. But being brave isn't about not feeling fear. Saying that you must be brave without fear is like saying you must be strong without muscle, or wise without age. It is an impossibility. Being brave is simply feeling fear, but overcoming it because you know that what you do is more important than the fear you feel.
"I look into each of your eyes and see fear, but I look into each of your eyes and see bravery, because when I look in your eyes I see your wives, you children, your very lives, and I know that you will overcome something as fickle as fear to save those very things! So will you follow me? Will you draw you pencils against the enemy? Will you conquer fear?"
The Vipers were lowered into their tubes and set up for launch. Assault Raptors prepared their FTL drives, and people everywhere scrambled to meet the demands for the battle.
Computers were put online, FTL drives whirring for the surprise attack, engines started, and the two battlestars and one basestar was abuzz with activity.
The assault began with Heavy Raiders and Raptors joining the Brimirs as they descended into the atmosphere to destroy Canterlot.
The Rebel Basestar, Galactica and Galaxia, one after another, jumped to the Cylon staging ground. Vipers were shot out of their tubes, and rushed to meet the incoming Raiders, in loose formation due to the complete surprise. The Cylon fighters were cut down by a combination of Galactica's flak batteries and the Vipers.
"And that one's for Starbuck!" Lunaria yelled as she downed another Raider. She wasn't the only one who was having a turkey shoot. Lauren had downed two already and was on her third.
"To the best pilot there ever was!" Lauren yelled as she barely missed her kill.
Cavil's basestar quickly jumped away, leaving the other two to their fate.
Princess Celestia looked up at the Brimirs and Raptors. It was bound to happen if she chose any side. "Release the dragons!"
The Brimirs began to fire away at the scaled beasts. Dragons were considered to be impenetrable by pony standards, but that was because they didn't have point defense flak batteries.
The Raptors, avoiding the dragon fire, began to fire away at the already weakened structure.
"Your highness! May I say the following term, "Oh shit"?"
"Yes, you may."
"OH SHIT!"
Canterlot began to slide down the mountain. Celestia tried to slow it down with magic, but the weight of city was too much for her.
It splashed into the lake, generating a wave that pushed to the banks of the body of water. The ponies unfortunate enough to be caught in the wave were killed nearly instantly.
Jen was the last one into the pod before it retracted and the Galactica jumped back to the planet. As she was lowered back into the hangar deck, she noticed the other pilots seemed to be slightly scared of her.
Lauren came over. "Hey, cuz. Didja year?"
"Hear what?"
She leanded in. "Adama wants you to follow directive TF-5390."
"B...wha..impossible...."
"Not probable. There's a difference."
Jen sighed as she went back into her Viper. "Well, I better be back for some dinner. Save a hot dog or something, 'kay?"
"Got it."
When she was all alone, Jen reached into a compartment below her chair and pulled out an envelope stamped with the Colonial Phoenix.
Pilot:
Proceed to coordinates 1123.6536.5221
Mufflers and DRADIS jammers on, maintain radio silence.
"But that's in that asteroid belt..."
She soon entered the belt, and several dark shapes loomed in the distance. Jen looked down at her DRADIS screen. They were listed as the battlestars Atlantia, Triton, Solaria, and Colombia.
"I thought those were destroyed." Jen muttered
Two Vipers streaked around her and fell into formation.
"And here's my welcoming party."
Suddenly, alarms blared as they got a lock on the Mk. VII.
"What is the password?!" A voice demanded.
"Uh, open sesame?"
"Ten! Nine! Eight!"
"Wait! I have it here somewhere!"
"Five! Four! Three!"
"It's lance!"
There was a tense pause. "Yes. Welcome Battlestar Group Thirty Nine, the Ghost Fleet. Cleared to land on the Atlantia."
The Atlantia was a massive Nova class battlestar, clocking in at 2100 meters. The Mercury class, which the second Battlestar Colombia and the Battlestar Pegaus belong to, are the second largest, 1789 meters. Triton and Solaria, in formation with the Atlantia, were the only two of the three Galactica type battlestars to survive the First Cylon War. Several support ships were around the group, the entire formation stock still.
Jen lightly touched down in the right flight pod of the Atlantia, and was lowered into the hangar.
"Ma'am, Admiral Nagala wants to meet you."
"Thank you, Sargent."
She made her way to the Nova class ship's massive five-story CIC, and as soon as she came in, she snapped a salute.
"Lt. Jennifer Thatcher reporting from the Galactica, sir."
Nagala looked up at her. He had a similar physique to Adama, but his hair was dirty blond, and he had a thick beard.
"At ease, Lunaria. Sorry about the Vipers. Safety precautions and whatnot."
"That's alright, sir."
"I looked over your service record. You do realize that even the Cylons would kill for you, right?"
"Sir, with all due respect, I believe "Starbuck" is a very strange way to pronounce "Lunaria."
"Lunaria, you have potential. I'm a senior officer in the Colonial fleet. I'm pretty sure I know what I'm saying."
"Sir-"
"You're being too modest. Lunaria, Adama wants you to command the Galaxia. You may not know it, but he was thinking it over for a while. I'm putting you in command of her. Now, down to business."
"Sir...?"
"So, the Cylons are down to one capital ship, but have sixteen Jormungs. They are likely to have that sun ass unicorn build more."
"Sir...?"
"As soon as they break out all of their ships, we jump in and destroy them. This time, they don't have a chance."
"Sir...."
"Then we assault solar arse's kingdom."
"Sir!"
Nagala looked up. "Yes, Lunaria?"
"Sir, I don't think I'm ready to take command of a fully fledged battlestar. I can't even fly without someone screaming their heads off."
"Lunaria, I can assure you, you have what it takes. I don't want to make it an order."
"Very well then, sir. I guess I'll have to accept the position."
"Don't worry about anything. Adama will know everything. You're the Galactica's CAG, right?"
"Uh, yes, sir?"
"Enjoy it. This is your last day."
"Sir, I don't know if I should throw a cursing fit or thank you."
"Just settle for the latter, Lunaria. You'll get thrown in the brig less."