Two Days Later
Acheron Asteroid Belt
Galactica War Room
"Reports show that the Cylon fleet took the decoy as we hoped after 'finding' our fleet yesterday at the dwarf planet Persephone from triangulating our position through our broadcasted message across all communication channels throughout the Cyrannus system. The Cylons will no longer threaten the defenses at Picon now that they know our fleet is jumping around the colonies independent of defending Picon. They'll be looking around the colonies for our fleet. They would take heavy losses in a fight against the defense grid or our fleet, and currently our fleet will provide the adequate bait to keep the Cylons from focusing on Picon. As planned sir," Lieutenant Gaeta said grinning widely, and beaming at Admiral Adama.
"Not to mention that the Cylons likely don't even know about our evacuation mission on Picon because of our attack throughout the colonies and jamming until the fleet left for Avalon, after which our remaining fleet left Picon undetected. If they don't know that we've already been to Picon to remove many of the people there, they'll still be expecting us to make a move on Picon to recover our people. They'll want to set a trap to nuke our defenses and fleet at Picon now to decimate our forces, so it's likely they'll leave Picon alone as we hope until they can maximize the damage done there at the opportune moment," Athena Eight said hopefully, meeting Admiral Adama's eyes.
Admiral Adama considered Athena silently, weighing what had been said before responding. "All we can do is hope for the best. In all likelihood, the Cylons will want to eliminate our fleet as a more important threat in comparison to Picon. Now we need to begin attacking the Cylons to keep them off balance until the evacuation fleet returns," Admiral Adama said, looking at Starbuck expectantly.
"As ordered, we've compiled a list of targets from intel on the Cylons and the colonies. Scouts confirmed the information Kathy and Leoben gave us of Cylon controlled areas. Stealthstar Banshee also went deep into Cylon space previously, and scouts confirmed some rebuilding of facilities in those areas that we may want to hit," Starbuck said, looking down at the plot table in the center of the War Room and gathered the figurines across target areas.
Finishing laying the figurines on the plot table for fleet targets Starbuck continued, "there are several targets we can easily take out and a few strategic missions we can carry out as part of our overall operation of distracting the Cylons. There's the Danthus system where the Banshee previously went which has several production facilities rebuilt from Banshee's assault. We've located over 30 mining facilities across Cylon controlled territories which are key to their fuel and production lines for their entire fleet. Raptor scouts found several staging grounds for small Cylon fleets that we could exploit. We've also mapped out targets in colonial space where the Cylons have been using our assets; mining systems, tylium facilities, and colonial military/scientific outposts. As requested, Ragnar Anchorage was also scouted out."
"There's also several civilian freighters and liners on Picon that we can use to in the meantime to continue bringing people from the other colonies to Picon as General O'Rilley was doing before. This'll make it easier to evacuate everyone when the fleet returns. There are also some cargo/storage ships we can use in addition to some cargo ships around the colonies we might be able to fix on the cradle docks. We could gather more supplies from the other colonies and maybe recover some cultural artifacts of the colonies to bring home with us," Helo said.
"See that it's done Helo, we'll need all the people and supplies we can gather onto Picon. Remind General O'Rilley of the changed circumstances requiring more caution than ever since the Cylons will be paying more attention to Picon than ever before. Starbuck, begin planning the missions with each segmented part of the fleet. We need to complete multiple subsequent missions over the next few weeks," Admiral Adama ordered sternly.
"Yes sir," Starbuck and Helo responded, getting up to leave and to start working on their coming missions.
Day 484 Since the Fall, approximately 51 days until fleet returns from Avalon
Cylon Space far beyond the Armistice line, Danthus System
Battlestars Rhodes, Durga, and Glorious jumped into the Danthus System surrounded by Gunstars Triton, Avalanche, Stiletto, and Calamity. Three basestars hovering in space above the Cylon's ground facility on the planet began to maneuver to intercept the colonial fleet upon detecting their ships on dradis. 300 raiders already on patrol in the system were joined by several hundred other raiders leaving the baseships to reach the colonial fleet. Approximately 400 vipers launched from the Battlestars and Gunstars to meet the oncoming fighter force.
The Battlestars and Gunstars remained at their jump point, doing little more than maneuvering into a defensive position and allowing the Cylon fleet to approach them. The Battlestars were arranged in a left to right straight line with the Gunstars positioned among them in the center of the formation, to allow them to primarily focus on defending the Battlestars in lieu of attacking the basestars themselves.
The three baseships quickly accelerated and closed distance with the colonial fleet, then began firing their cannons at the Battlestars and unleashing dozens of anti-ship missiles at the capital ships. The Gunstars point defense augmented the Battlestars' defensive fire and eliminated all the missiles before they could reach their targets. The cannon fire hit the Battlestars' heavy armor doing little damage. The Battlestars returned fire with their more powerful KEW cannons and dealt light damage to the baseships.
The vipers and raiders engaged in numerous dogfights in the space in between the baseships and the Battlestars. The vipers were outnumbered by 3 to 1, but the pilots outclassed the raiders in battle and with the numerous amount of raiders most of their cannon fire made contact with an enemy. Ten minutes into the battle, the raiders' numbers dropped by several hundred with only a couple dozen vipers lost in return – with several pilots having ejected to be picked up by SAR.
The Battlestars took several missile hits from a swarm of anti-ship missiles by the baseships and fired several dozen missiles at the baseships in return, as the ships continued exchanging cannon fire as well. Numerous armor and hull breaches occurred across the baseships and more than one of the basestars' extending arms were blasted in two or heavily damaged which heavily decreased the baseships' fighting capabilities. The landing bay on Battlestar Rhodes was shut down from numerous weapon hits, numerous crewmen were lost on each ship from fires, and Gunstar Stiletto took heavy damage from a nuke exploding just before reaching the outer hull.
With the Cylon fleet moved far away and engaged with the colonial fleet, the orbital facility and ground production facilities were vulnerable to attack. Raptors jumped into range of each Cylon territory and unleashed several nukes at each facility which arrived unhindered to destroy all the Cylon controlled areas on the ground and the orbiting station. The Raptors jumped out safely after completing their mission.
Battlestar Glorious and the Gunstars rushed forward together to concentrate their KEW cannon fire on the portside baseship. The baseship quickly succumbed to the cannon fire from the Battlestar and four Gunstars, and exploded once the tylium lines were compromised in the baseship. Battlestar Glorious and the Gunstars swiftly maneuvered to escape the debris of the baseship. Gunstar Stiletto was hampered by the damage previously sustained to many of her systems and was hit by a raider and the baseship's debris as she was unable to maneuver out of the way in time. Stiletto simultaneously exploded into more flaming debris from the secondary explosions throughout the ship's innards.
The remaining baseships and raiders jumped out moments later with the loss of the system's facilities and the human Cylons wish to conserve resources with the loss of any tactical advantage in the battle had they continued to fight. Several raiders were destroyed by vipers before they could escape. Vipers returned to their ships in the fleet and the colonial fleet soon jumped out as well before Cylon reinforcements could arrive.
Day 485 Since the Fall
Ragnar Anchorage
Battlestars Galactica, Nike, Vanguard, Pegasus, and Combatcruiser Audacious jumped into a close distance from the entrance to Ragnar Anchorage. The remains of several destroyed colonial warships and civilian fleet ships littered the nearby area; signs of other colonial fleet ships that had answered Galactica's call to regroup at Ragnar and arrived too late to rendezvous with the Galactica – finding only Cylon baseships laying a trap for other ships looking to arrive at the anchorage. Five baseships and several groups of raiders were on patrol guarding the opening to Ragnar Anchorage in case any other colonial fleet ships arrived to use the Anchorage's supplies. The Cylon fleet swiftly started maneuvering towards the colonial warships upon their arrival on dradis.
The colonial fleet maneuvered to match each ship to a baseship in one on one combat. Gun crews began painting targets on each baseship. Vipers began launching to meet the oncoming Raiders.
Combatcruiser Audacious fired a swarm of dozens of missiles at a nearby Cylon baseship. Several missiles were shot down by Raiders and defensive fire, though the Cylon's were still unprepared for the mass of missiles in a few short seconds – something no other colonial ship was capable of. Approximately 20 missiles managed to hit the baseship, with several exploding on impact of the baseship's armor in a concentrated location and others moving into the open holes in armor and exploding once deep inside the baseship. Secondary explosions rolled throughout the baseship and within moments the baseship blew up.
Battlestars Galactica and Nike quickly tore through the baseships they faced with their heavy KEWs. The baseships scored some minor hits on the Battlestars' heavy armor with cannons and missiles evading the massive Battlestars' point defense. Numerous heavy KEW fire shredded the baseships' armor, tore off 3 of the baseships' extending arms, and quickly ignited large explosions once the central axis was compromised – obliterating the two baseships.
Battlestar Vanguard fired at the baseship she faced with broadside cannons and encircled the ship, consistently firing at each area of the baseship. The baseship got off a nuke strike at Battlestar Vanguard which moderately damaged Vanguard's port flight pod, causing numerous fires requiring venting to keep the ship in one piece. Continuous KEW fire on the baseship quickly ripped through the baseships armor on its topside and blasted off numerous missile launchers and cannons across the baseship.
Battlestar Pegasus barraged the fifth baseship with her frontal cannons as she closed distance with the baseship and switched to salvo fire with the majority of her KEW cannons. Two of the baseship's extending arms were ripped through as the salvo fire heavy ordinance rounds made contact – ripping right through the armor to the other side and splintering the metal arms off completely. The baseship hit Pegasus with some anti-ship missiles dealing light damage with her remaining missile launchers, and began backing away from the fight trying to regain stability with its damaged structure.
The two remaining baseships jumped out after seeing the rest of their fleet destroyed and sustaining heavy damage to themselves. Numerous raiders began jumping out as well, some destroyed by vipers as they tried to flee and others attempting suicide runs on the Battlestars were destroyed by defensive fire. Over two hundred raiders were destroyed in the battle, with over 60 vipers destroyed and pilots killed in action as well.
The colonial fleet rendezvoused over the entrance to Ragnar anchorage and began launching Raptors with teams of deck gang and marines to board the anchorage. Several recovered cargo/storage ships jumped in to join the salvage mission once ordered by Admiral Adama by Raptor courier. The marines found several bombs and traps inside the anchorage once they arrived, along with a few centurions. A few dozen personnel were killed or wounded before the anchorage was safe to begin recovery/salvage operations.
As Admiral Adama had hoped, a majority of the weapons the original Galactica had left behind were still stored inside the anchorage. Galactica had only been able to take on so much storage of munitions with time/space constraints, and as such left a majority of levels in the anchorage untouched. Enough weapons were moved to supply a Battle group, with the Battlestars' munitions replenished and topped off, while cargo/storage ships grabbed what was left. The colonial fleet jumped out after recovering their personnel and storing as many munitions as they could before reinforcements could arrive.
Day 493 Since the Fall
Cylon mining system, nicknamed Ruby
Battlestars Thanatos, Sleipnir, Sciron, and Gunstars Neleus, Medusa, Avenger, Aegaeus, Stargazer, Lake, Tower, Conflict, and Peacekeeper jumped to the final targeted Cylon mining system. For the last week the colonial fleet had attacked the other Cylon mining systems, destroying several of the Cylon outposts at a time, and had taken only a few vipers losses. Each time there had been no Cylon baseships guarding the mining facilities, even after the colonial fleet had made it clear the mining sites were a target. This mining site was somehow different from the others in some way as three baseships were guarding the outpost, along with the standard 10 squadrons of raiders.
The three baseships rushed towards Battlestar Sciron, encircling around the Battlestar on three sides even as Battlestars Thanatos and Sleipnir maneuvered opposite the port and starboard baseships. The three baseships were in a perfect position to shell Battlestar Sciron all at once, while the Battlestars faced each baseship one at a time. The Gunstars were positioned alongside each Battlestar in order to provide more defensive fire cover against the waves of raiders; consisting of over 400 raiders that guarded the Cylon outpost which was reinforced by several hundred more raiders leaving the baseships. Vipers and raptors quickly launched from the colonial fleet to hold off the raiders.
The three baseships shelled Battlestar Sciron with their combined KEW fire and dozens of missiles from three sides. Battlestar Sciron took light damage from the cannon fire and the few missiles that made it past the ship's point defense. Battlestars Thanatos, Sleipnir, and Sciron fired their KEWs on the baseships individually, dealing light damage to the baseships' armor.
Raptors fired their loads of anti-ship missiles at the swarms of raiders, destroying dozens of oncoming raiders. Vipers then met the raiders head on. The vipers were numerically outmatched, but for every viper that went down 3 raiders were destroyed in return. The Gunstars helped the vipers keep the raiders away from the Battlestars, and destroyed several dozen with KEW fire among concentrated groups of raiders.
The three baseships continued shelling Battlestar Sciron, combining their KEW and missile fire on the Battlestar while keeping to only defensive fire against the other Battlestars. Raiders helped destroy many anti-ship missiles the Battlestars fired at the baseships, while others made it through and lightly damaged the baseships hull as well as starting a few fires amidst the ships. Battlestar Sciron started taking moderate to heavy damage from the constant barrage of cannon and missile fire from three directions.
Dozens of heavy raiders jumped into close proximity of the Battlestars and Gunstars. Vipers destroyed several heavy raiders as they stabilized their systems before they could fire their weapons. Once the raiders had stabilized their weapons systems after their jump they began launching their loads of missiles; unleashing over 500 nuclear missiles at the colonial fleet from close range. The surviving heavy raiders then jumped out. The vipers, Gunstars, and Battlestars concentrated their defensive fire as best as they could, taking out over half the missiles. Seeing the likely loss of Battlestars Thanatos and Sleipnir from over 100 of the remaining missiles closing on their positions, Gunstars Lake and Tower moved in front of the Battlestars as they continued firing flak at the missiles, and took the impact of the nuclear missiles that passed through their defensive fire. Several nukes also hit Gunstars Neleus, Medusa, Avenger, Aegaeus, and Peacekeeper. Moments after the nukes hit the ships; Gunstars Lake, Tower, Peacekeeper, and Aegeus blew up in large explosions which expanded outward destroying several nearby raptors, raiders, and vipers. Gunstars Neleus, Medusa, and Avenger also took heavy damage from a few nukes exploding in close proximity of them, which forced their commanding officers to order them to jump out to the rendezvous point while they were still able.
Battlestar Thanatos continued firing its KEWs on the portside baseship and launched a dozen nuclear missiles aimed at the baseship's central axis. The baseship had already taken moderate damage from the KEW hits along its armor and more holes created around the armor covering the central axis made a window of opportunity to enter the baseship for the six surviving nuclear missiles that made it through the baseship's defensive fire. The baseship lit up and was destroyed in a large explosion moments after impact as the nukes went off inside the ship at its nerve center.
The two remaining baseships took moderate damage from Battlestars Sciron and Sleipnir's continued KEW fire. Moments after spinning up their FTL drives, the two baseships jumped out of the system. The raiders stayed as they were unchanged and continued attacking the vipers. The vipers continued battling the raiders and the Gunstars moved forward to aid in destroying them which quickly led to many raiders being destroyed. Battlestars Sleipnir and Thanatos maneuvered forward to begin firing their KEWs on the mining installations, leaving Battlestar Sciron behind as the crew rushed to make repairs from the massive damage sustained due to the baseships' concentrated fire. After a few minutes the mining installations were destroyed by the Battlestars' KEW fire.
In the midst of the crew's celebration on a mission accomplished, three heavy baseships jumped in around Battlestar Sciron and immediately launched several hundred missiles along with nukes at close range towards Battlestar Sciron. Being away from the other ships due to their moving towards the mining installations, Battlestar Sciron had little support to defend against the missile assault. Nearly half the missiles were destroyed by nearby vipers and Battlestar Sciron's limited defenses damaged from the ship's earlier battle, but it was all for naught as the remaining missiles hit Battlestar Sciron in larger numbers with several nukes tossed in. The anti-ship missiles tore through Battlestar Sciron's armor across the ship, and the nukes that hit the ship slipped in through several holes in the ship's hull. Moments later, internal explosions ripped through Battlestar Sciron's innards – igniting the ship's fuel lines and then Battlestar Sciron was destroyed in a large explosion. The three heavy baseships maneuvered out of the way of the closing debris and momentarily jumped out of the system. The raiders began jumping out immediately after, and the vipers began mopping up stragglers until the system was clear of all Cylon threats. The vipers returned to their ships after a short SAR of the few survivors found in the battlefield, and soon after the colonial fleet jumped out of the system before more Cylon forces could regroup and arrive to attack the fleet.
Day 496 Since the Fall
Tauron Moon Minos, Colonial Scientific outpost
Battlestar Arcadia jumped to within close proximity of the lone Cylon baseship standing guard over the colonial scientific outpost on the Tauron Moon Minos. Gunstars and Strikestars were positioned around the system providing ECM and communications disruptions to keep the Cylons from getting off a message requesting support. Marines had successfully begun infiltrating the scientific outpost from stealth raptors, destroying many of the centurions in their path as they moved, and were closing on the mainframe computer for the outpost.
Battlestar Arcadia began shelling the baseship with its heavy KEWs, quickly destroying several of the raiders' launch pads before they could begin leaving the baseship. Arcadia's vipers then began launching and faced a significantly reduced raider count. The baseship maneuvered to position its undamaged sections towards Arcadia, and began firing a large amount of missiles towards the Battlestar. Vipers and Arcadia's point defense destroyed many of the missiles, though several dozen of the anti-ship missiles made contact across the ship's armor. Battlestar Arcadia shrugged it off, the crew rushing to put out fires as well as control damaged areas, and continued firing her KEWs on the baseship.
Marines continued destroying centurions in the outpost, with several marines being killed in action or wounded be the centurions' return fire. The team of marines reached the mainframe computer and specialist Tally began working to bypass heavy colonial security measures and extract the mainframe's information. Several marines stood guard over the entrances to the mainframe as the rest of the team continued on through the outpost, destroying more centurions on their way. A few marines carried backpack nukes they were ordered to position in pre-arranged detonation points to destroy the outpost after they finished extraction of the bases' resources and escaped.
The baseship began taking heavy damage after several minutes of continued concentrated fire on the ship's armor across its extending arms and to the hull covering the ship's insides like the engines. Battlestar Arcadia took a nuke to the port flight pod across the outside armor and began having stabilization issues due to the extensive damage lop siding the ship, with the port flight pods lack of thrusters forcing the ship to tip sideways. Vipers began annihilating the raiders until very few were left, using double teaming on the Cylons for the first time in any of their fights against the Cylons - with their numbers being about even to the vipers at the battle's start.
After complicated efforts by specialist Tally to get through the mainframe's defenses, which hadn't been done since the last time the colonials controlled the base, the team of marines evacuated and escaped on raptors. The charges were detonated a moment later, destroying the whole outpost base. The raptors jumped out of the battlefield.
Battlestar Arcadia regained enough control of its stability to maneuver away from the baseship. Once a safe distance away, Arcadia fired several nukes at the baseship which passed into the baseship – easily evading the pitiful point defense the baseship could put out with very few working cannons. The baseship exploded in an expanding array of debris, Arcadia continued maneuvering out of the way to avoid being hit. Vipers began landing on the starboard flight pod and once all were aboard, Battlestar Arcadia jumped out of the system.
Day 500 Since the Fall
Colonial Erebos Asteroid Belt
Raptors jumped into the Erebos asteroid belt among the large asteroids, using them as cover to hide their emergence from Cylon dradis. The team of 30 raptors slowly crawled forward hiding behind the asteroids as they neared the Cylon mining facilities in the asteroid belt. Five baseships stood in the center of the asteroid belt, clear enough of asteroids to form a tightly wound circle for a base of operations. Squadrons of raiders patrolled throughout the asteroid belt, though most kept to a tight perimeter around the mining installations rather than constant patrolling to check the entire asteroid belt – something the colonials were there to exploit.
A dozen raptors accelerated towards the tylium refinery at the edge of the asteroid belt and began firing interceptor and nuclear missiles at the installation on the asteroid. Raiders quickly began moving to intercept once the colonials appeared on dradis, with several raiders near the refinery rushing to destroy the missiles. 80 percent of the missiles were destroyed by the raiders' fire and several raiders moving to meet the missiles head-on, while the remainder continued on and hit the refinery. The two nukes that managed to hit the refinery caused a chain reaction of explosions through igniting the tylium and the installation was destroyed in a fiery blaze. Raiders fired on the raptors as they tried to evade and jump out, destroying eight of the raptors while the other four managed to escape.
The remaining eighteen raptors now accelerated to their own targets of mining installations across the asteroid belt with the raiders all moved away towards the edge of the asteroid belt. They immediately started firing their payload of nuclear missiles at the installations once they closed range to firing distance. The majority of raiders were too far away to stop the attack, with the few raiders available working double time to destroy as many missiles as they could. Enough missiles survived to hit and destroy the mining installations in the asteroid belt. Debris from the asteroids was launched in every direction; with several large asteroids hitting and destroying one of the Cylon baseships, heavily damaging another baseship, destroying multiple raiders on their way to the raptors, and destroying five of the raptors too close to the explosion that got hit by debris.
It was chaos in the asteroid belt as the raiders and baseships maneuvered to evade the debris and other asteroids disturbed by the attack. Four raptors were destroyed by raiders that managed to reach them, with one raptor being hit in a head-on collision by a raider. The remaining raptors quickly jumped out once their FTL was working moments later, after taking some damage from smaller debris flying about the system.
Day 503 Since the Fall
Colonial Ouranos Asteroid Belt
Raiders patrolled throughout the Ouranos asteroid belt, spread out in smaller groups to prevent a repeat of the Erebos asteroid belt attack. Four baseships were spread out in groups of two on opposite sides of the asteroid belt, managing the system's operations and monitoring the defense of the mining installations.
Thirteen unmanned Raptors jumped to their pre-programmed coordinates around each mining installation: right in the center of the raider formations. Seconds later, each Raptor unleashed a huge EMP blast aimed at the groups of Raiders surrounding the mining installations - the electronics on the raptors were fried in the process. The surrounding swarms of Raiders all went offline and started drifting out of control, several colliding with each other and exploding. Defensive weapons on the mining installations also went offline.
Twenty-six Raptors jumped in around the now defenseless mining installations, careful to avoid the drifting Raiders as they maneuvered to within firing range of the installations. Several nukes were fired from each Raptor aimed at all the mining installations, and with no resistance the nukes exploded across the mining installations destroying everything. The Raptors quickly started jumping out as the remaining active Raiders in the system began converging towards them.
Day 510 Since the Fall
Delphinus System – Cylon Space, Cylon Fleet Staging Ground
Three captured Heavy Raiders full of colonial marines jumped to close proximity of the fleet of six Cylon baseships in the Delphinus system of Cylon space. The three Heavy Raiders separated and headed towards three targeted baseships, flying amongst patrolling Raiders unsuspecting them to be more than couriers for news from other Cylon forces. The Heavy Raiders docked with three of the baseships and the teams of marines quickly disembarked, beginning their mission to reach the main control room to plant nukes there to destroy the baseships after they got out in their Heavy Raiders.
Several centurions and humanoid Cylons were quietly take out by the marines on their way. A couple marines were injured at the same time, with other marines killed by centurions in compromising situations.
15 Minutes later
Battlestars Vanguard, Rhodes, Nike, and Combatcruiser Audacious jumped in around the Cylon baseships, staying out of the targeted debris area designated for the three baseships boarded by marines. Gunstars Triton, Avalanche, Thaddeus, Calamity, Conflict, Modesto, Avenger and Howler jumped in around the Battlestars and Combatcruiser, with 2 per capital ship for fighter cover support.
Battlestars Vanguard and Rhodes began firing their KEWs at the starboard baseship, while Battlestar Nike fired at the center command baseship, and Combatcrusier Audacious fired on the portside baseship. The capital ships fired sporadically at the three baseships containing boarding parties of marines in order to not waste too much firepower on them, and at the same time not let the Cylons figure out a reason for why they weren't being attacked.
Raiders and vipers were launched from each ship, and established skirmish lines in between the capital ships.
Two of the Heavy Raiders with the surviving colonial marine boarding parties exited two of the targeted baseships and jumped out of the battlefield. The third team never made it back to their escape craft. At the exact planned time moments later, the three boarded baseships exploded from planted nukes in the baseships' central control rooms. A huge wave of energy was unleashed and vaporized everything within the confines of the baseships. The resulting pressure and expansion of hot gases in the fireball of the nuclear explosion began a blastwave expanding outward shredding the baseship and acted like a piston pushing the baseships' debris in all directions. Two other baseships were hit by the debris, taking moderate damage and were forced to perform emergency maneuvers to avoid sustaining any more serious damage. Several raiders and even a few vipers were also destroyed by debris. The other ships quickly maneuvered out of the way, with the colonial fleet mostly well out of the way as they expected the blast wave to be coming.
Battlestars Vanguard and Rhodes continued firing their KEWs at the starboard baseship, and launched dozens of anti-ship missiles aiming along the baseship's superstructure at point blank range. A couple missiles were destroyed by defensive fire, though the majority impacted heavily across the baseship's superstructure. Coupled with the continued simultaneous heavy KEW rounds of two Battlestars and previous hits of debris from the destroyed baseships, and within two minutes the baseship was exploding from massive damage dealt ship wide. Before it was destroyed, the baseship dealt some damage to both Battlestars from its own anti-ship missiles – though both ships were still combat capable.
An attack wing of raiders with several heavy raiders approached the Gunstars guarding Battlestar Vanguard, making it past the vipers in their way. Several raiders were destroyed by defensive fire, while the remaining raiders continued on their path – determined to reach their target. The raiders and heavy raiders launched dozens of missiles at the Gunstars as they continued closing with the ships. Many of the missiles were destroyed by defensive fire, while a few others impacted along Gunstars dealing some damage to their armor and weapons. Several more raiders were destroyed by the Gunstars' point defense and approaching vipers redirected to attack the group of raiders. Though severely depleted in numbers since their attack began, the remaining group of raiders reached their target and launched themselves at the gunstars. Half a dozen raiders impacted along both gunstars, causing large simultaneous explosions on both Gunstars Calamity and Conflict until smoldering piles of debris were left behind after the flash of light from the explosion was gone.
Battlestar Nike continued firing her KEWs at the center baseship, which had taken significant damage from debris of all three destroyed baseships due to the command baseship's position in the Cylon fleet formation. Battlestar Nike approached the baseship, closing to point blank range, and fired her laser cannons across the entire baseship. The command baseship had heavier armor than other baseships, but the extensive damage from debris, KEW and anti-ship missile hits weakened the armor to the point of collapsing – the laser cannon hits simply were the cherry on top ensuring the ship's destruction and caused the baseship to be utterly obliterated.
Combatcruiser Audacious attacked the remaining portside baseship, firing swarms of missiles at the baseship's superstructure. The first salvo of missiles hit along the baseship's armor, opening holes across the ship in several areas, and with few missiles stopped by Raiders or the baseship's defensive fire. A second salvo of missiles in swarm was fusion missiles which burrowed through the baseship's armor and exploded inside the ship with a large concentrated force. With a dozen fusion missiles that hit across the baseship after burrowing deep inside the ship, the effect of multiple nukes going off inside the baseship was attained and the baseship succumbed in an explosion.
The remaining raiders in the battlefield quickly began jumping out to safety, with vipers continuing to attack and destroy several of them before they could disengage. Once the last Cylon ship was gone and SAR was completed, the vipers returned to their Battlestars and the fleet jumped out.
Day 514 Since the Fall
Cylon Space, System nicknamed Jasper
Three baseships were in a formation guarding the facilities on the system's lone planet below. Another three baseships guarded the facilities on the surface of the planet's moon. Raiders were on constant patrol throughout the system, with raiders inside the baseships on standby and ready to go at a moment's notice.
Battlecruisers Hood, Maia, Proteus, Nereids, and Boreas jumped in formation around the portside baseship in the Cylon fleet formation above the planet. Heavy cruisers Cataphract, Adder, Aether, and Asther jumped in around the center baseship. Heavy cruisers Chrysaor, Celestra, and light cruisers Agamemnon, Cleo, Atropos, and Persia jumped in around the starboard baseship.
Strikestars Aventine, Melinoe, Trophonius, Crasher, Fury, Megaera, and Orpheus jumped in around the portside baseship in the Cylon fleet above the moon. Escortstars Sandstorm, Tauron, Echelon, Glacier, and Tigon jumped in around the starboard baseship. Gunstars Thaddeus, Stargazer, Triton, and Neleus jumped in around the center baseship.
The colonial fleet ships jumped in close around each Cylon baseship and launched tactical nukes as well as anti-ship missiles as soon as they jumped in, quick enough before raiders could intercept. Large breeches in the baseships' outer hull were created by missile impacts, and the colonial fleet ships began attempting to fire their KEW rounds into the damaged areas. The launching bays for raiders were heavily targeted to prevent more raiders from joining the battle from the baseships. The colonial ships had jumped in too close for the Cylon's defenses to engage automatically and as a result their first missile strike went unhindered. The baseships shook from numerous missile and KEW hits.
Raiders quickly began maneuvering toward the colonial ships, though many couldn't immediately reach them given their range of patrol in the system from the assumption that the baseships could protect themselves with their raiders. This assumption was quickly costing the Cylons as the launch bays were heavily damaged and some even destroyed, preventing most of the raiders from getting out of the baseships to attack the colonials. The few raiders in range were quickly eradicated by the colonial ships' flak fields.
The colonial ships closed distance with their larger targets, firing missile after missile at point blank range from the baseships. A combination of high explosive anti-ship missiles and tactical nukes were wreaking havoc on the baseships' armor, ripping off large whole sections of the ships' hull and armor altogether. KEW rounds also continued to strike the baseships unimpeded. Each strike burrowed deeper and deeper into the Cylon baseships, as explosions rocked the baseships.
Several raiders emerged from the launch bays on the baseships with some effort from centurions, angling towards the colonial ships. Promptly causing the colonial ships to strengthen their flak fields as they continued to fire determinedly at the baseships, aiming to heavily damage the baseships and preferably take out their FTL drives.
Many raiders were destroyed by the colonial ships flak fields, with some getting off a few missile impacts on the colonial ships. A heavy raider managed to hit Strikestars Aventine and Melinoe with nuclear missile hits, destroying both ships. The remaining Strikestars then jumped out of the battlefield having accomplished their primary mission and given their vulnerable lesser defensive capabilities compared to the other ships as they were meant for fast attacks only.
The baseships were all taking heavy damage ship wide, but began launching a counter attack with their remaining cannons and missile launchers. Numerous anti-ship missiles and nukes were launched at the colonial ships. The colonial ships' flak screens were virtually lit up with constant exploding missiles being intercepted, with more and more continuing to come. Repair teams were sent to affected areas on colonial ships for damage incurred by cannon and missile hits.
Raiders throughout the system began converging around the colonial ships, reinforcing the few surviving raiders from the baseships. They added a large amount of missiles and cannon fire being launched at the colonial ships. Several colonial ships were overpowered by the numerous missiles getting through their flak screens; Battlecruisers Hood and Maia, Gunstar Thaddeus, Heavy cruisers Cataphract, Chrysaor, Adder, and Asther, Light cruisers Agamemnon, and Persia, and Escortstars Glacier, and Tigon were all destroyed as they succumbed to heavy damage.
As the raiders were all now around the colonial ships, and the baseships were all likewise occupied with attacking the colonials, the Cylon bases across the planet and moon were left undefended. Several raptors jumped in above the Cylon controlled facilities and unleashed numerous nukes that hit unimpeded across every Cylon created area – destroying everything of value. The raptors jumped out to safety before raiders could turn around and heads towards them.
As colonial ships were destroyed, so were several baseships. The portside baseship above the moon succumbed to the heavy damage from KEW and missile fire, and was joined in destruction by the center baseship above the planet that received multiple nuclear hits to its damaged central axis. The other baseships all had heavy damage as they continued their attack on the colonial ships. Achieving their primary goal and moving to their secondary mission, the remaining colonial ships jumped out of the battlefield – having all taken varying amounts of damage. Raiders and missiles aimed at the colonial ships continued on their path through the space where the colonials had been.
Battlestars Durga, Glorious, and Thanatos jumped in around the Cylon baseships above the planet, and Battlestars Pegasus and Vanguard jumped in around the Cylon baseships above the moon. The Cylon baseships were already heavily damaged, and incapable of jumping out. Most of their raiders had been destroyed in their launching bays and others were lost in battle against the other colonial ships. Vipers began launching from the Battlestars, with a slight numeric advantage to the colonial fighters.
Battlestars Durga and Glorious combined their KEWs and anti-ship missile fire on the portside baseship. With most of the Cylon defenses damaged or destroyed, it didn't take much before the baseship succumbed to the concentrated firepower of the two Battlestars. Battlestar Thanatos concentrated its KEWs and missiles on the starboard baseship, and a single nuke was fired once the baseship's defenses were completely disabled; with the missile impact upon the central axis destroying the baseship.
Battlestar Pegasus focused its KEWs and missiles on the center baseship, dealing heavy damage to the baseship which had sustained moderate damage to that point. The baseship launched its entire remaining nuclear complement of 36 nukes at Pegasus. Nearby vipers and Pegasus point defense destroyed all of the nukes, though two of the nukes exploded just outside of impacting Pegasus dealing moderate damage to the ship's port flightpod and the armor over the ship's superstructure. A couple nukes launched by Pegasus in response quickly impacted upon and destroyed the center baseship.
Battlestar Vanguard aimed its anti-ship missiles at the starboard baseship. The baseship had sustained so much previous damage that the first salvo of missiles went deep inside the ship's hull and ignited the baseship's tylium lines – momentarily the baseship exploded in a large erupting flame ball of debris.
The vipers destroyed many of the raiders, taking few losses given the Cylons lack of ability to use their pin wheel formation on the pilots – simply due to not having the numbers to do so. A raptor in the viper formation carrying specialized warheads unleashed several missiles among the remaining large Cylon formation. Rather than exploding to destroy the raiders, the warheads detonated in a large expanding but focused EMP blast which pulsed through each and every one of the remaining raiders – simultaneously shutting them down and leaving them drifting. More than one raider exploded from impacting with other raiders in their continued forward motion. Raptors and heavy lifters began arriving to connect with and tow the raiders left in one piece back to the Battlestars. Where they were immediately worked on to control the raiders' brain computers before they turned on again, with Athena Eight and a few other human Cylons working on the raiders.
SAR was completed on the numerous colonial vessels and for pilots. Once everyone was accounted for and the vipers returned to their ships, the fleet jumped out of the system before Cylon patrols came to check in.
Day 521 Since the Fall
System nicknamed Malachite - Cylon Space, Cylon Patrolling Fleet
Six baseships moved at sub light speed through the system, receiving courier heavy raiders from other systems in Cylon space giving reports on the current state of Cylon space and reports keeping track of sightings of the colonial fleet. Other likewise Cylon fleets were gathered in Cylon space in preparation of attacking colonial fleets as they attacked Cylon controlled areas. Numerous raiders patrolled the system, with many centered around the baseships and others remaining aboard the baseships until they were needed so the ships could jump away at a moment's notice.
Over 40 raiders jumped into the system, diverging in smaller groups to form up with other raider formations without particular notice by the Cylons as more than reinforcements. All these raiders had markings across their wings, which went unnoticed by the Cylons as well, deemed unimportant by the watchful centurions and altogether unnoticed by working human Cylons.
A few minutes later, several colonial ships began jumping into the system. Heavy cruisers Thalia, Phobos, Cimtar, Therion, and Aether jumped in near the raider formation outside the portside baseship which was at the far end of the Cylon formation. Gunstars Triton, Avalanche, Stargazer, Avenger, Medusa, Neleus, Howler, and Modesto jumped in around the portside baseship, just around/past the raider formation the heavy cruisers had jumped near.
The heavy cruisers quickly fired upon the raiders they'd jumped in around, destroying them all with little resistance and leaving the portside baseship at the far end of the Cylon baseship formation with a hole in raider protection. The Gunstars closed to point blank range and immediately fired high explosive anti-ship missiles at the baseship – dealing heavy damage, with the baseship not responding quickly enough to impede the missile salvo. The Gunstars then started firing their KEWs on the baseship.
The raiders in the system quickly moved towards the colonial ships, with several raiders moving to cover the baseships and the baseships' full raider complements started launching. Preparations had been made to prevent a repeat of the last battle with the colonials, and raiders were positioned with specific instructions to stop an attacking fleet while protecting the baseships at all costs.
A tactical nuclear missile salvo from the Gunstars impacted on the damaged baseship, and momentarily destroyed the baseship in a large explosion. Approaching raiders quickly began arriving around the Gunstars and fired their cannons and missiles at the Gunstars. The Gunstars started up their flak screens destroying several raiders, and taking out many missiles – though some weapons fire impacted on the Gunstars. The Heavy cruisers met up with the Gunstars and began adding their defensive fire to the destructive force taking out many of the oncoming raiders.
Battlestars Nike, Galactica, Vanguard, Rhodes, Durga, and Combatcruiser Audacious jumped in near the three starboard side baseships in the Cylon fleet formation. Vipers were launched to meet oncoming raiders from the baseships. Several raiders attacking the other colonial ships redirected towards the vipers.
Many raiders boarded the baseships to replenish their fuel and ammo supplies, several of which bearing markings on their wings. Other raiders maneuvered towards the baseships for their protection, some of which bore marks on their wings. Another group of raiders formed up near the formations attacking the Gunstars, all bearing marks on their wings.
Battlestars Nike, Galactica, Vanguard, Rhodes, and Durga fired their heavy KEWs on the three starboard side baseships, as well as their anti-ship missiles in large salvoes on the baseships. Combatcruiser Audacious fired a large swarm of missiles on the starboard side central baseship of the Cylon fleet formation. Numerous missiles and cannon fire were launched from the baseships in retaliation. The baseships took heavy damage from the concentrated fire of multiple Battlestars, with several missiles making it past their defensive fire and dealing some good hits. The center baseship exploded from the added concentrated fire from combatcruiser Audacious in a large swarm of high explosive missiles that went through its defensive screen easily and added massive damage to the ships other hits until the tylium lines were compromised causing a ship wide explosion. Battlestar Durga received an impact from a nuclear missile, dealing moderate damage to its ventral armor and opening several hull breaches as well as starting fires – with many crewmen lost in the damage and ensuing chaos. Other Battlestars took some light hits from the Cylon baseships.
The Gunstars made a micro FTL jump to near the central portside baseship in the Cylon fleet formation. The Heavy cruisers also jumped out of the battle. Before the baseship could respond, the Gunstars unleashed several missiles and a KEW salvo upon the baseship –dealing massive damage. Surrounding raiders stopped many of the oncoming missiles, saving the baseship from destruction as it were, and approached the Gunstars while firing their own missiles at the colonial ships. Several raiders bearing markings on their wings in the raider formation began destroying other raiders attacking the Gunstars.
The raiders bearing markings on their wings maneuvered towards the raiders passing through where the Gunstars and Heavy cruisers had jumped away from, and started attacking the other raiders. Several raiders with marks on their wings surrounding the other remaining portside baseship in the Cylon formation started attacking raiders guarding the baseship. A particular couple of raiders with marks on their wings exited the baseship after having unleashed several nukes inside, which momentarily destroyed the baseship.
The two baseships the Battlestars were attacking on the starboard side of the Cylon fleet formation succumbed to their heavy damage and exploded from numerous KEW and missile hits reaching deep inside their damaged hulls. Battlestars Rhodes and Durga received more missile hits beforehand taking moderate damage across their superstructure, as well as the other Battlestars taking some light damage from limited oncoming weapons fire.
The Gunstars destroyed the remaining baseship with a nuclear missile salvo outright causing an internal explosion in the baseship through its exposed hull. Many nearby raiders were destroyed by the colonial friendly raiders bearing markings on their wings, with few casualties as the raiders were uncertain how to fight each other even after taking losses from the original surprise attack.
The large group of colonial friendly raiders bearing marks on their wings quickly destroyed most of the enemy raiders in their way, working as a unified force. The enemy raiders took heavy losses in the opening salvo, and couldn't work together against the oncoming raiders that were pairing up in teams against each individual enemy raider one by one – meaning few friendly raiders were lost.
The remaining enemy raiders were quickly wiped out by combined viper and friendly raider forces. SAR missions began to expeditiously regroup survivors. Colonial friendly raiders landed on Galactica where Athena Eight waited to look after them, and the vipers returned to their appropriate Battlestars. The colonial fleet soon jumped out before another Cylon fleet could get word of the attack and regroup at the fleet's location.
Day 528 Since the Fall
Troy, colonial mining outpost
A single basestar hovered over the planet of Troy, with several squadrons of raiders patrolling around the planet and near the basestar with active dradis scans running to check for ships approaching the planet. Centurions operated all the domed mining installations on the planet left behind by the colonials, with support ships occasionally leaving the planet full of various metals.
Battlestars Arcadia, Sleipnir, and Thanatos jumped in around the lone basestar – encircling around the baseship from three sides. Vipers and raiders were momentarily launched from each ship. Battlestars Arcadia, Sleipnir, and Thanatos immediately began firing their KEWs on the baseship, with the baseship returning fire as best it could and focusing mostly on Arcadia. The baseship took some heavy hits, with light damage being dealt on the Battlestars.
Vipers rallied against the raiders, cutting down their numbers quickly, with viper casualties rising as well. Raptors jumped in around Troy at a close distance and unleashed their payload of nukes to destroy the mining installations. A few nearby raiders managed to destroy a couple of the nukes, with the remainder hitting and obliterating their targets. Several raptors were destroyed by raiders launching missiles before the remainder could spool their FTL to jump out.
Five basestars jumped into close proximity of Battlestars Arcadia, Sleipnir, and Thanatos. The baseships immediately started firing their KEWs on the Battlestars, scoring a few good hits before the Battlestars point defense kicked in. Arcadia's port flightpod took a few heavy impacts which worsened as the welded sheets of metal put over the damage taken from a nuke impact in a previous battle bent inward, fracturing the armor and couplings holding the flight pod in place along the Battlestar. Arcadia lost stabilization control and started drifting in a sideways/lopsided motion.
Battlestars Sleipnir and Thanatos fired off another salvo of HE rounds at the heavily damaged baseship until it exploded, then began turning to meet the baseships while trying to keep Arcadia somewhat behind them.
Raiders launched from the newly arrived baseships and formed up with the surviving raiders entangled with vipers, changing the ratio in favor of raiders to vipers as more vipers became casualties. Several heavy raiders full of centurions launched to land on and board Arcadia, with two heavy raiders destroyed by the flak barrier in their way while the rest crashed into the ship's starboard flightpod.
The five baseships shelled Battlestars Sleipnir and Thanatos with their KEWs and fired several missiles at them. Sleipnir and Thanatos took light to moderate damage on their armor across their superstructures, and continued firing back at the baseships. Thanatos' starboard landing bay was shut down after taking heavy damage, with multiple fires raging in the ship as viper fuel tanks and munitions racks ignited and exploded inside the flightpod. Thanatos and Sleipnir fired at each of the baseships, and focused a large amount of their KEWs attention on the nearest baseship between them – hoping to take it out of the fight as quickly as possible.
Arcadia regained a relative amount of stabilization with enough thrusters coming back online, while DC crews rushed to put out mass fires and patch up hull breaches. Marines started taking fire by oncoming centurions as the centurions moved through the ship. Several marines and crewmen were gunned down, with over a dozen centurions gunned down from explosive rounds to the head. The remaining teams of centurions continued moving towards important targets on the ship; aft damage control, CIC, and auxiliary fire control.
The baseship closest to Sleipnir and Thanatos exploded after taking heavy damage from their combined KEW fire ripping through the armor and going into the baseship's central axis. Sleipnir and Thanatos continued to take damage from the other baseships' prolonged KEW and missile fire. A nuke hit Sleipnir's dorsal armor, dealing damage internally. Several weapon emplacements were blasted off both Battlestars as they endured the heavy oncoming fire from the baseships.
Centurions reached the CIC of Arcadia, meeting the team of marines standing guard there in battle as they blasted into the room. Arcadia's XO was shot in the head, with several other officers hit as well – corporal Jenkins took a bullet for the Commander pushing him out of the way. Marines fired on the centurions, destroying the six of them with HE rounds to the head and body until they stopped moving. The teams of centurions heading to auxiliary fire control and aft damage control were stopped just shy of reaching the areas, with several marine and crewmen casualties before the machine were stopped.
Battlestars Arcadia, Sleipnir, and Thanatos began spooling their FTLs to jump out, with a general recall to the vipers. Vipers disengaged from battling raiders to combat land on the Battlestars, several vipers getting hit by weapons fire from raiders re-doubling their efforts to destroy them. The basestars continued firing on Battlestars Sleipnir and Thanatos, scoring hits across their superstructures; causing decompressions, fires, hull breaches, and KEW cannons exploding from impacted weapons fire. Several additional missiles impacted on the Battlestars as the vipers landed, removing their defensive fire from protecting the Battlestars. The baseships also took some good hits across their armor from continued KEW fire by the Battlestars.
Once the vipers were all aboard, Battlestars Arcadia, Sleipnir and Thanatos hastily jumped out of the battlefield. Raiders and missiles continued on through the space where the Battlestars had occupied.
Day 531 Since the Fall
Scorpia
Battlestars Glorious and Vanguard jumped into high orbit over Scorpia, accompanied by Gunstars Avalanche, Avenger, Medusa, and Neleus. Several civilian transport and cargo ships had already jumped into Scorpia's atmosphere, 20,000 feet above the ground where groups of survivors had been located – escorted by several vipers.
Scorpia was otherwise clear of dradis contacts, and the brief rescue mission, like others before it, was quickly underway. Survivors would be picked up along with artifacts and supplies across the planet.
2 hours passed without incident and the transports/cargo ships began returning to the skies and prepared to jump out, to return to Picon with their loads of supplies and survivors. In high orbit over Scorpia, the colonial fleet remained on patrol with vipers at the ready on CAP. Suddenly, dradis started squawking as five baseships jumped in at maximum engagement range around the Battlestars.
Raiders and remaining vipers were launched, and the two forces quickly met in between the opposing fleets.
The baseships launched a large salvo of missiles at the colonial fleet. Several missiles were destroyed by vipers, and many by the colonial ship's point defense. Other missiles impacted along the armor covering the colonial ships' superstructures. A nuke found its mark on Glorious' topside armor; destroying several turrets, and causing fires as well as hull breaches which DC teams quickly moved to take care of.
Battlestars Glorious and Vanguard closed distance with the baseships accompanied by Gunstars Avalanche, Avenger, Medusa, and Neleus, and began returning fire with their KEWs as well as missiles. Vanguard maneuvered to take on three of the baseships on her own, while Glorious and the Gunstars each took the other two.
Vanguard launched a few missiles and her port side KEWs at the baseship to port, dealing light damage along the baseships armor. Vanguard focused more heavily on the nearest center baseship of the three she faced, firing her remaining KEWs and several nukes with anti-ship missiles at the baseship's superstructure. The center baseship took heavy damage, with one of the impacting nukes hitting the ship's engines and leaving the baseship dead in the water. The other two baseships quickly maneuvered around the disabled baseship to continue firing on Battlestar Vanguard.
Battlestar Glorious maneuvered toward a baseship at the end of the Cylon fleets formation, firing her KEWs and several missiles at her target. The baseship took moderate damage from impacting KEW hits, and a few missiles getting past raiders and point defense. The baseship then moved closer towards Glorious, and fired her own missiles and cannons across the Battlestar; scoring several hits across the ship's armor and causing decompressions in multiple sections in the Battlestar.
Gunstars Avalanche, Avenger, Medusa, and Neleus maneuvered to encircle around the remaining baseship. Several nukes and KEW fire were launched at the baseship as the Gunstars continued moving around the baseship. The baseship took heavy damage from two nukes that made it past point defense, with KEW fire damaging her armor ship wide. The baseship tried returning fire, with much of its cannon fire and missiles missing as the Gunstars kept moving - avoiding much of the weapons fire and the rest doing light damage only.
The transport and cargo ships over Scorpia's surface began jumping out over the next few minutes until they were all gone, safely returning to Picon to unload their latest loads of supplies and people.
Battlestar Vanguard took moderate damage as several missiles impacted across her superstructure, with two nukes opening hull breaches and starting large fires requiring venting in several sections past the ship's impacted ventral armor. Vanguard continued firing her KEWs at the two baseships, going right in between them and firing on each using her entire port and starboard side KEW cannons. Both baseships took moderate to heavy damage from the close range barrage, several of their extending arms being destroyed and other hull breaches opening across the armor covering the two ships.
Battlestar Glorious continued taking several missiles and cannon fire hits across her armor taking moderate to heavy damage, with one of her engines being destroyed – killing those nearby inside the ship. The opposing baseship received several anti-ship missile impacts across her armor, opening several hull breaches which were widened by KEW hits hitting several of the same spots. Glorious unleashed a nuclear strike with six nukes to take out the damaged baseship. Four of the missiles were intercepted by nearby raiders. One nuke was destroyed just outside the baseship by defensive fire, still managing to damage the ship's armor from proximity to the explosion. The remaining nuke continued on near where the other had exploded, going inside the baseship's large open hull breach, and detonating. The baseship then erupted in a large mass of flaming debris as its tylium bunkers were compromised, with raging explosions internally until succumbing to destruction. Glorious maneuvered to escape the debris, taking some more damage as several pieces of debris impacted across the ship's hull.
The fifth baseship engaging the Gunstars had a hard time locking on the Gunstars as they continued moving around to avoid weapons fire, and thus maneuvered to lock onto a single Gunstar first. The baseship launched twenty nukes at Gunstar Neleus as the baseship closed distance with Neleus, making it impossible to simply maneuver out of the way of the missiles path. Twelve nukes were destroyed by Neleus' point defense, and three more exploded as vipers destroyed them as they quickly moved to protect the Gunstar. The remaining five nukes continued moving to impact across Gunstar Neleus, all in the 50 megaton range. A large piercing light erupted, blinding nearby ships and those looking at Neleus' status. A fiery cloud of explosions ran along Neleus and once the light diminished momentarily, nothing was left in the place of Gunstar Neleus.
Battlestar Vanguard pushed past the two baseships, which were recovering from their latest batch of weapons impacts, and unleashed several nukes at the disabled baseship. Nearby raiders quickly maneuvered to take the impact of three of the nukes, being destroyed in large explosions just outside the baseship. Two other nukes continued on, impacting on the central axis of the disabled baseship. The baseship lit up in an explosion running from the inner core of the ship throughout the rest of the ship, destroying the baseship.
The remaining three baseships then spun up their FTLs and jumped out of the battlefield as the colonial ships maneuvered for another pass to attack them. Raiders began jumping out in sequence, with several more falling to viper fire before the skies were clear of Cylons.
SAR was quickly launched, and not long after vipers returned to their ships. The colonial fleet then jumped out as soon as they could to avoid Cylon reinforcements.
Day 534 Since the Fall
Picon
A lone raider drifted among debris from previous battles, staying out of sight of patrolling vipers and off the dradis detection systems of the various PDS' in orbit of the planet Picon. The raider had gathered necessary data analyzing the colonials' movements across Picon several times over previous weeks and now readied to quietly jump out and report its latest data to the Cylon fleet preparing to attack the colonials.
The raider moved past the debris providing it cover, and jumped out with the colonials none the wiser of its presence. The raider jumped to a nearby system where over 20 baseships awaited, with several patrolling squadrons of raiders on CAP. Not long after, the raider boarded one of the baseships and setup to upload its latest data for the baseships group of human Cylons to look over.
Cylon Fleet Preparing to attack Picon
Command Baseship
Jack Cavil was looking over the latest reports from the colonial fleet's movements when John Cavil burst into the baseship's control room.
"I see you've made your way to our fleet preparing to attack the colonials. Have you come to join us in the attack or spout more indignation about the colonials' survival?" Jack asked dully after glancing at John before returning to the reports in front of him.
John narrowed his eyes at Jacks tone, coming to a stop behind him.
"I've come to ensure you don't frack up this mission, like you've fracked up every other encounter with the colonials since I left you in charge. Just look at the reports of what the colonials have done in the past few weeks since the return of their fleet to Cyrannus. Not to mention they used the Vanguard, a ship which we had taken over and had complete control over that we could've destroyed, but you convinced me you had a plan to use it against the colonials. Look how that turned out Jack," John said snidely.
Jack breathed in deeply and sighed outwardly, and rolled his eyes in annoyance.
"The colonials may have succeeded in going far beyond our expectations of their survival, but everything's going according to plan. They'll soon all be cooped up on their colony outside of Cyrannus, and then we'll destroy them all in one fell swoop," Jack said calmly, inwardly cringing with irritation and yelling out his frustration at John in his head.
"They took over Picon, the base of our operations for the Cylon fleet when I left. They have control of the defense grid over the planet, with over a million survivors protected on the ground gathered and rescued from various colonies. Not to mention they have a few million survivors at their colony, with over 30 Battlestars and various support ships, as well as several docks and shipyards. Enlighten me on how anything so far has gone according to THE PLAN," John said angrily, yelling the last bit loudly.
"I'm not going to go over this with you again, John," Jack said angrily, narrowing his eyes as he faced John. After a moment of thought he continued shrewdly, "we have an important mission coming up to destroy a large portion of the colonials' military fleet and push their remaining forces to their colony. If you're so sure you can fix things and do better than I have in leading the fleet since you left, why don't you take over command of this operation? I'll wait on the resurrection ship and watch the master show me just what should've happened in leading the fleet to ensure everything goes according to the plan."
John smiled at Jack handing him the opportunity which gave him the perfect excuse to get rid of him once the battle was over, and the perfect way to justify Jack's 'mistakes' as solely his in order to regain his de facto leadership control over Cylon society.
"Very well Jack, I'll take over control of the fleet and destroy the colonials military fleet at Picon," John said confidently, grinning widely at the thought of finally regaining what was his and getting rid of his opposition so easily.
Jack handed John the fleet reports silently and left for a transport to the resurrection hub.
Day 535 Since the Fall
Picon
Galactica CIC
"The deadline for the rescue fleet to return a jump away from the colonies is approaching sir. Should we send out an escort with orders for them?" Lieutenant Gaeta asked expectantly, shuffling on his feet and looking at Admiral Adama.
"No, there's not much point in secrecy anymore. The Cylons have been watching us at Picon for weeks and even more so since our fleet returned to Picon a few days ago. They're planning to attack us with a large fleet shortly, so it's to our benefit to make a show of the rescue fleet arriving. They'll want to wait a while for us to complete the rescue operation before attacking our fleet, that way they can catch us exposed and still have the rescue fleet return to Avalon to have all our people in one place for them to attack. The fleet has orders to jump here shortly after their arrival if no escort is waiting for them and that's what we want now," Admiral Adama said.
"Yes sir," Lieutenant Gaeta said.
"Have the fleet complete final preparations. We can expect the Cylons to deliver a large fleet for us to fight, and we'll need everything ready to go at a moment's notice. Also, check that General O'Reilly has his preparations ready to make the evacuation go swiftly and smoothly," Admiral Adama said.
"Aye sir," the communications officer replied, quickly moving to begin transmitting orders throughout the fleet.
A few hours later
9 Assaultstars, 6 colossus heavy military transports, 4 tanker ships, 100 heavy transports, and 100 supply and heavy cargo ships of the rescue fleet arrived at Picon. The military escort fleet began jumping in formation around the evacuation ships in sequence; Warstar Argona, Battlestars Caprica, Pleiades, Poseidon, Chimera, Titan, Cerberus, Minerva, Independence, Victorious and Gunstars Albatross, Aggressive, Sol, Avarice, Hates, Edenton, Lauder, Caron, Palmer, and Arachnid.
The rescue fleet ships descended to Picon where the survivors and supplies awaited pickup. The military ships settled into formation with the other present warships collected around the twelve large defense platforms and twenty six smaller anti-raider defensive satellites.
Galactica CIC
"The fleet has arrived sir," the communications officer reported.
"Send a message to Admiral Thompson, 'welcome back' and 'get ready for the most intense form of combat to make up for all the battles you've missed'," Admiral Adama said grinning before continuing, "also, have the fleet begin immediate combat preparations and the transport ships have a go to commence immediate operations to collect survivors and supplies."
"Aye sir," the communications officer replied.
Picon
A lone raider among debris scanned the arrivals of the colonial fleet and quickly jumped out to report to the Cylon fleet.
Cylon Fleet Preparing to attack Picon
Command Baseship, Control Room
John Cavil looked at the latest report in glee. The colonial fleet had returned, and all their assets were in one location at Picon – ripe for the pickings.
"Send out orders to the fleet to begin preparations immediately. The time to attack Picon is fast approaching. Also, send out heavy raiders to gather the reserve baseships. We're going to take the maximum forces planned for to destroy this colonial fleet," John said, looking over at the other human Cylons.
"So it's finally time," a Doral number five said.
"We'll need to scramble the heavy raiders and raiders into an attack force for this operation. There are even more ships than we anticipated with the colonial fleet," a D'Anna number three said narrowing her eyes.
"Are we certain we need to complete this assault? Many Cylons will most certainly die and resurrection can't be guaranteed if the resurrection hub becomes too overloaded," a Leoben said imploringly.
"We've certainly lost many of our brothers and sisters in the colonials attacks these past weeks," Sharon Eight said somberly.
"We risk losing even more if we don't destroy their fleet here and now," Simon Four said.
"We agree, the attack must commence. God's will be done," a Six said.
"Why are we even discussing whether or not to do this? We've all agreed for the need to destroy this colonial military fleet and let the survivors return to the colonials' colony where we'll destroy them all in one fell swoop. We'll take measures to ensure maximum casualties to the colonials, and minimal on our side. Now let's get cracking," John said angrily.
"We agree," Doral Five said, which the Fours, Threes, and the others momentarily repeated. The group then began preparations for the coming battle, issuing various orders around the fleet. Heavy raiders were sent out to other Cylon fleets, gathering forces to the fleet preparing to attack Picon.