COMING SOON: Steel Wind: Standing in Armageddon's Shadow
Posted: 2003-12-05 03:33am
FROM THE CREATIVE TEAM THAT BROUGHT YOU
STARCROSSED
THE TWILIGHT WAR
AND
CAIN AND ABEL
JOIN US IN A NEW ADVENTURE COMING SOON
STEEL WIND: STANDING IN ARMAGEDDON’S SHADOW
The star field calmly twinkled in the darkness. A deep abiding silence would never be broken in the eternal abyss of space.
A gas giant orbited its distant bluish sun as it has done for billions of years, several rocky moons mimicked their parent’s path around its crimson stained equator. A flash of brilliant light exploded above one of the moons.
Immediately afterwards a small one man fighter flashed past the moon, a long elongated nose and three squat engines illuminated by a cone of white thrust. The fighter pirouetted gracefully and changed directions into a steep dive. The fighter was being stalked by a trio of flat wing like fighters.
They moved with machine like precision, cutting in knife like turns as they banked into a dive as well.
The pilot of the Colonial Viper grunted as he fought the g forces that tore at his body despite the valiant efforts of the inertial dampners. He was pushing his Viper to the absolute limits of its space frame. When outnumbered and outgunned 3 to 1 there was no fooling around with flying by the book.
The pilot smiled as the gas giant loomed on his canopy and various warning lights began to illuminate his board. Gravity warnings were scrolling across the small green liquid crystal threat display.
Then again, Starbuck was never one to turn down odds like this.
He gradually shunted power from various systems into the drive unit and started to tap into the weapons power cells. He began the preparation for emergency deceleration and watched the position of the raiders growing closer on his threat display. A salvo of bright white bolts exploded around him shaking the Viper violently but Starbuck maintained composure and control of his fighter.
“Eager little tin cans aren’t they?” he muttered under his breath as he watched the power readings on his cannons slowly dwindling. But his eye also saw the available engine thrust rise and reach the level he needed. Every time he thought he had discovered every available trick in these crates he always discovered something knew.
He just wished the head designer of the Viper project had been a woman so he could thank her properly.
His thumb flicked to the retro setting and fired.
The Viper’s three squat engines flared to life in reverse as they applied force to halt the Viper’s dive into the gas giant’s gravity well. It slowed down considerably as the Raiders, unaware of the maneuver until their sensors registered the sudden aspect change in their target began to decelerate as well but by this point they were already zooming past the Viper.
Starbuck smiled as he shunted all power back to its proper place including his weapons. The younger pilots would make fun of him when they caught him reading old computer intelligence files on Cylon equipment. They would snort and say all they needed to know was that Vipers were faster and more maneuverable than Raiders and to stick to the Raiders tail in a dog fight.
Starbuck would politely ask them how long would it take a raider to reach maximum weapons range when chasing you through a class 7 nebula while you only had two engines functioning beginning at a range of 1 million metrons. The look on their faces was priceless as he rattled off the answer using data he culled from the old intel reports.
They had served him well today. The deceleration rate of Raiders was significantly lower than a Viper’s. Armed with this knowledge he had just placed himself in the position of hunter when he had been prey just moments before.
He drifted the control stick over to the trio of raiders who were desperately trying to peel away from their headlong dive, twin engines glowing like suns. His targeting computer smoothly lined up the shot and he pressed the center stud on his stick and a volley of intense red bolts lanced from the wings of the viper.
The bolts walked up to the center of the raider to the starboard and it explode into a bubble of hot gasses and debris.
The other two raiders were peeling away in opposite directions and starting their turns. Starbuck stalked the one to his right and fired again. The bolts danced up the side of the Raider’s wing and the tip exploded, the rest of the body flipping away, driven by the force of the blast into the gas giant’s gravity well where it descended quickly trailing a glittering stream of molten metal.
Starbuck turned hard and hit the thrusters. The final raider had finished its climb and was firing a steady stream of bright white fire at the retreating Viper. Where the Viper had speed and maneuverability on its side, the Cylon Raider had fire power in spades.
Starbuck frowned as he spun out in a tight turn, pressing the thrusters button for all it was worth as he tried to get into a turning battle with the Raider. In a knife fight the Viper usually had an edge.
The raider was no fool and it maintained distance with the Viper as it continued pounding away with its dual pulsars.
Starbuck was desperately dreaming up another plan when crimson bolts sailed past his cockpit, neatly past each outboard engine of his viper and plucked the pursuing raider out of the stars.
“This is Red leader are you clear Starbuck?” Apollo asked with a smile as his Viper soared past Starbuck’s.
“Better late than never is that your motto these days?” Starbuck replied sardonically.
“We thought we lost you back at the asteroid field. I imagined you went on an unauthorized trip to take a closer look at those anomalous readings we picked up back in our previous patrol.” Apollo noted as he brought his Viper up along side Starbuck’s so they could look at each other from their cockpits.
“Well if I were you I would join me in kicking on your thrusters and making a beeline back to the Galactica.” Starbuck warned.
“What’s the matter?” Apollo asked concerned.
“Those anomalous readings I picked up back there?” Starbuck began as he programmed a direct course heading to the Galactica.
“Yes…”
“It was a baseship.” Starbuck finished and hit the thrusters.
“Baseship?!” Apollo exclaimed and hit his own thrusters stud and both Vipers were suddenly propelled by a bright white plume of thrust.
Simultaneously their respective threat displays started registering a waning. Apollo glanced down and saw the wave of sickly green digital arrowhead shapes coming from behind clearing the natural shadow of one of the gas giant’s moons.
“Starbuck.”
“I see it, at least a squadron of raiders and they’re hot on our trail.”
“The Galactica is only three hours behind us and that gas giant is a perfect ambush position for the baseship.” Apollo noted grimly.
“Same thing I thought about. What bugs me is we haven’t seen a baseship for almost a yahren. What is this one doing way out here?”
“There’s no time to think about that. We’re on full thrust with a two minute lead on the squadron.” Apollo was feeding the raw data into the battle computer.
“We should have a small margin of –” Starbuck stopped short as his own threat display started to wink. There was something dead ahead.
“It looks like we’ll get to the fleet with less than 5 minutes to spare before they close into weapons range. Wait a minute.”
“I saw it. Whatever it is, it’s as big as a battlestar and just popped out of nowhere.”
“Hold on Starbuck we should be in visible range.”
The Vipers continued racing away from the pursuing raiders who were overloading their engines to catch up to the nimble human fighters. As they passed the outer ring of the gas giant a large starship crossed into view, the sun reflecting off the cool blue hull, engine nacelles glowing brightly as the saucer shaped forward portion of the hull turned to face the oncoming ships.
Apollo strained to see the writing on the hull.
“That looks oddly familiar.”
“Looks old to me.”
NCC-25897 USS FARRAGUT
“Come again.” Captain Ernesto Ochoa asked softly as he watched the viewer. Two small fighters were coming towards him at high speed obviously pursued by a squadron of flat wing like ships.
“We are trying to initiate contact sir. But it looks like human life signs on those fighters and the pursuing ships are showing no life signs.”
“They’re automated?”
“That’s the assumption I would make sir.”
Ochoa rubbed his chin as he watched the fighters loom closer.
“This is getting curious. Tactical bring us to yellow alert and standby on shields. This could get hairy real fast.”
“Aye sir.”
“Communications established sir.”
“Attention unknown spacecraft this is the USS Farragut of the United Federation of planets. You have strayed into Federation space and we have detected weapons fire please respond.”
“What do you make of it Apollo?” Starbuck asked.
“They sound human.” Apollo noted. He keyed his com. “USS Farragut this is Captain Apollo of the Battlestar Galactica. We are under attack by Cylon forces and require assistance, can you respond?”
“Captain Apollo, we have a strict non interference policy at the moment unless we can ascertain the your status.”
“Understood but they are going to attack us and I venture they will attack you sir. Please help us, if you are human as I suspect then you are automatically and enemy of the Cylons.”
“Stand by Captain.”
“There isn’t much more time Farragut.” Apollo noted.
“She’s a big ship Apollo, she could help us with that baseship.”
“The battle computer is having trouble analyzing her but she seems to have at least as much firepower as a battlestar.”
“Communications?”
“Sir, I’ve been trying to contact the pursuing ships but I’m getting no response.”
“Sir, I’m reading heavy plasma blasters on those fighters, sensors tentatively estimate that they could prove very damaging to our hull. In fact I would say that these ships are designed to take on capital ships, perhaps some form of fighter/bomber.” his tactical officer warned.
Ochoa sighed deeply.
“Raise shields and bring us to battle stations, I want the torpedoes in the tubes ASAP. I may need to scatter this squadron before they get any closer.”
“Aye Aye sir.”
Ochoa flicked a switch on his command chair.
“Captain Apollo, we cannot raise the Cylons. Please take up position behind us and we will try to intervene in this conflict and negotiate your free passage.”
“Farragut the Cylons are not going to listen to reason.”
“Frankly Captain Apollo I only have your word on tha---”
The Farragut shook violently and a counsel exploded behind Ochoa.
“Status report!”
“We are under attack.”
The Cylon Raiders peeled apart in two by two formation and immediately began strafing runs against the Nebula class cruiser, as explosions blossomed along the shields. The small wing shaped raiders were dancing between the nacelles and strafing along the massive saucer section of the starship as they systematically began searching for holes in her defenses.
Moments later the Farragut’s phaser bank on her sensor pod glowed brightly and lanced out in a sweeping arc that caught two of the Raiders as they strove to recover from a steep diving attack concentrated on the Farragut’s aft section port nacelle.
*********************************
The conference room of the Battlestar Galactica was abuzz with the excited voices of gathered Starfleet officers and Colonial officials. Adama politely coughed and indicated Admiral Janeway seated across from him.
“Madame.”
“I’ll put this as bluntly as I can Adama. Your people came to us looking for help and we have provided the Galactica and your fleet sanctuary.”
“For that we are most grateful Admiral Janeway.”
“I’m sure you are Commander and although you told us you were fleeing from the Cylon tyranny you were particularly vague about the circumstances.”
“I’m not sure I know what you’re getting at Admiral. I have been open and frank with the Federation since we met Captain Ochoa and the Farragut and we have been able allies in helping you defend against the Cylon incursions into your space.”
“Cylon incursions.” Janeway muttered. “Commander Adama when you told us that you fled the Cylon Empire you made no mention as to how large it was. We had nothing to go on save our own experiences which would have indicated a power spanning hundreds of worlds among a single quadrant of the galaxy, at most taking up an entire quadrant of its own.”
Adama and some of the Council members exchanged a troubled glance.
“We have managed to download data from the wrecked Cylon ships we have captured so far and their incomplete mind you, navigational charts show an Empire spanning several galaxies.”
“That is true-” Adama began.
“Do you realize that this area of space is sparsely defended by the Federation? That the bulk of our fleet was in the opposite direction fighting off the Dominion in a bloody war not less than a year ago?”
“I am aware that there are many strategic situations that need to be addressed –”
Janeway nodded to her aide who activated a holoimage that floated over the table.
“What is that?”
Janeway stood up and adjusted her uniform before continuing.
“This is the latest intelligence reports from a long range probe we sent out the way you came. We wanted to get an idea of what was out there.”
Adama recognized the shaped but his eyes narrowed and his mouth opened in shock.
“By the lords of Kobol.”
“I see you get the point.”
“Well I do not.” A council member complained.
“These are basestars ladies and gentlemen. We count at least fifty in this first wave alone.”
The assembled council members and Starfleet officers began to mutter among themselves.
“I’ll be lucky to gather half that number of starships in time to repel their arrival.”
“It will only get worse.” Adama concluded darkly, shoulders sagging.
“Indeed Adama. It seems that the Cylon empire has decided to declare war on the Federation and they’re coming….three galaxies worth of warships with only one goal in mind.”
“The destruction of the human race.” Adama whispered.
*********************************************
The throne room was silent save for the quiet hum of machines as they calculated. Always calculating, always processing to serve one over mind. The Imperious leader sat in his throne, mind lost in a storm of equations and theorem.
The doors sliced open like steel leaving a scabbard and two Centurions strode in half carrying, half dragging a human figure into the brightly lit circle directly below the throne. They threw him unceremoniously into the circle where he landed sprawled out on his chest. The Imperious leader effortlessly finished calculating the decay rate of the universe as he focused his attention on the figure below. Thankfully he was not limited like humans or other organic sapients to one mind. As he prepared to deal with this new problem he was simultaneously solving fuel consumption rates for the expeditionary fleet and personnel shifts to rotate and compensate for the initial losses in Federation space.
“Yes?”
“We discovered this human in one of the subsections of our refueling base on Aridia. He was attempting to access our data ports and hijack a ship.”
“Indeed? But why bring him here? Your orders are to slay humans on sight.”
“Understood but we found this on his person.” The Centurion to the human’s left held out a small data crystal. The Imperious Leader examined the crystal through an instantaneous wireless link built into his cerebral cortex that allowed him to merge his mind with any automated system that met Cylon standards.
“Interesting. The data on these crystals is extremely interesting. Detailed analysis of Cylon culture and customs. Although I suspect you are slightly confused as the Cylons indicated on this crystal have been dead for well on ten millennia.”
“Indeed. If you would let me speak-” The human began. The Centurion to his right swatted him across his cheek sending his head back down to the cold metal floor. The human spat some hot crimson blood on the floor and rubbed his bruising cheek.
“You will not speak unless addressed human.” The Centurion warned its cold synthesized voice carried a dangerous edge.
The Imperious Leader examined the human for a moment. He was healthy, tall for his species and his features indicated he would be considered dashing and handsome by the opposite sex. He had an intelligent gleam in his eye that reminded him of another human he knew well.
“Speak human. But be brief and concise.”
The human slowly rose up to his feet and rubbed the remnant of blood from his lower lip. He noted with some annoyance that his lip was starting to swell.
“I will start simply. I come on behalf of my associates. My name is Morden.”
***********************************************
The Federation fleet wheeled gracefully around to face the threat emerging on the far side of the broken world of Kandanim. The Cylon basestars were slowly rotating, disgorging their fighters in endless waves which formed up in front of their baseships, engines flaring like horses straining at the slips the raiders and the newer Ravage class fighters were preparing to surge forward as one.
The Battlestar Galactica proudly lumbered into the center of the Federation lines as she launched her own Vipers which were promptly joined by small squadrons of Delta Flyers and Runabouts.
Janeway stood by Adama’s side. She examined the tactical display on the Battlestar’s bridge. She could not get used to the use of simple graphics and electronic displays that seemed to be the staple of Colonial technology but she could not think of a better ship to hold her flag.
“Most of my fleet should be decommissioned or on milk runs at this very moment, Adama. The heaviest ship we have is the Farragut. Too many damned Mirandas and I don’t think I’ve commanded any fleet formation that used Ambassadors as their lead wing command ships.” Janeway noted as the Cylon fleet drew closer.
“We are what we are, Admiral. We can ask for nothing else. Besides it is my experience that numbers do not always carry the day.”
“But they would be most welcome.” Colonel Tigh added darkly.
“We simply have to hold this line until the Enterprise arrives.”
“And how soon will that be?” Tigh asked.
Janeway did not answer as the first wave of Cylon fighters suddenly surged forward like a tsunami.
“So it begins.” Adama whispered.
COMING SOON TO SDNET ASVS AND SB
SUMMER 2004
STARCROSSED
THE TWILIGHT WAR
AND
CAIN AND ABEL
JOIN US IN A NEW ADVENTURE COMING SOON
STEEL WIND: STANDING IN ARMAGEDDON’S SHADOW
The star field calmly twinkled in the darkness. A deep abiding silence would never be broken in the eternal abyss of space.
A gas giant orbited its distant bluish sun as it has done for billions of years, several rocky moons mimicked their parent’s path around its crimson stained equator. A flash of brilliant light exploded above one of the moons.
Immediately afterwards a small one man fighter flashed past the moon, a long elongated nose and three squat engines illuminated by a cone of white thrust. The fighter pirouetted gracefully and changed directions into a steep dive. The fighter was being stalked by a trio of flat wing like fighters.
They moved with machine like precision, cutting in knife like turns as they banked into a dive as well.
The pilot of the Colonial Viper grunted as he fought the g forces that tore at his body despite the valiant efforts of the inertial dampners. He was pushing his Viper to the absolute limits of its space frame. When outnumbered and outgunned 3 to 1 there was no fooling around with flying by the book.
The pilot smiled as the gas giant loomed on his canopy and various warning lights began to illuminate his board. Gravity warnings were scrolling across the small green liquid crystal threat display.
Then again, Starbuck was never one to turn down odds like this.
He gradually shunted power from various systems into the drive unit and started to tap into the weapons power cells. He began the preparation for emergency deceleration and watched the position of the raiders growing closer on his threat display. A salvo of bright white bolts exploded around him shaking the Viper violently but Starbuck maintained composure and control of his fighter.
“Eager little tin cans aren’t they?” he muttered under his breath as he watched the power readings on his cannons slowly dwindling. But his eye also saw the available engine thrust rise and reach the level he needed. Every time he thought he had discovered every available trick in these crates he always discovered something knew.
He just wished the head designer of the Viper project had been a woman so he could thank her properly.
His thumb flicked to the retro setting and fired.
The Viper’s three squat engines flared to life in reverse as they applied force to halt the Viper’s dive into the gas giant’s gravity well. It slowed down considerably as the Raiders, unaware of the maneuver until their sensors registered the sudden aspect change in their target began to decelerate as well but by this point they were already zooming past the Viper.
Starbuck smiled as he shunted all power back to its proper place including his weapons. The younger pilots would make fun of him when they caught him reading old computer intelligence files on Cylon equipment. They would snort and say all they needed to know was that Vipers were faster and more maneuverable than Raiders and to stick to the Raiders tail in a dog fight.
Starbuck would politely ask them how long would it take a raider to reach maximum weapons range when chasing you through a class 7 nebula while you only had two engines functioning beginning at a range of 1 million metrons. The look on their faces was priceless as he rattled off the answer using data he culled from the old intel reports.
They had served him well today. The deceleration rate of Raiders was significantly lower than a Viper’s. Armed with this knowledge he had just placed himself in the position of hunter when he had been prey just moments before.
He drifted the control stick over to the trio of raiders who were desperately trying to peel away from their headlong dive, twin engines glowing like suns. His targeting computer smoothly lined up the shot and he pressed the center stud on his stick and a volley of intense red bolts lanced from the wings of the viper.
The bolts walked up to the center of the raider to the starboard and it explode into a bubble of hot gasses and debris.
The other two raiders were peeling away in opposite directions and starting their turns. Starbuck stalked the one to his right and fired again. The bolts danced up the side of the Raider’s wing and the tip exploded, the rest of the body flipping away, driven by the force of the blast into the gas giant’s gravity well where it descended quickly trailing a glittering stream of molten metal.
Starbuck turned hard and hit the thrusters. The final raider had finished its climb and was firing a steady stream of bright white fire at the retreating Viper. Where the Viper had speed and maneuverability on its side, the Cylon Raider had fire power in spades.
Starbuck frowned as he spun out in a tight turn, pressing the thrusters button for all it was worth as he tried to get into a turning battle with the Raider. In a knife fight the Viper usually had an edge.
The raider was no fool and it maintained distance with the Viper as it continued pounding away with its dual pulsars.
Starbuck was desperately dreaming up another plan when crimson bolts sailed past his cockpit, neatly past each outboard engine of his viper and plucked the pursuing raider out of the stars.
“This is Red leader are you clear Starbuck?” Apollo asked with a smile as his Viper soared past Starbuck’s.
“Better late than never is that your motto these days?” Starbuck replied sardonically.
“We thought we lost you back at the asteroid field. I imagined you went on an unauthorized trip to take a closer look at those anomalous readings we picked up back in our previous patrol.” Apollo noted as he brought his Viper up along side Starbuck’s so they could look at each other from their cockpits.
“Well if I were you I would join me in kicking on your thrusters and making a beeline back to the Galactica.” Starbuck warned.
“What’s the matter?” Apollo asked concerned.
“Those anomalous readings I picked up back there?” Starbuck began as he programmed a direct course heading to the Galactica.
“Yes…”
“It was a baseship.” Starbuck finished and hit the thrusters.
“Baseship?!” Apollo exclaimed and hit his own thrusters stud and both Vipers were suddenly propelled by a bright white plume of thrust.
Simultaneously their respective threat displays started registering a waning. Apollo glanced down and saw the wave of sickly green digital arrowhead shapes coming from behind clearing the natural shadow of one of the gas giant’s moons.
“Starbuck.”
“I see it, at least a squadron of raiders and they’re hot on our trail.”
“The Galactica is only three hours behind us and that gas giant is a perfect ambush position for the baseship.” Apollo noted grimly.
“Same thing I thought about. What bugs me is we haven’t seen a baseship for almost a yahren. What is this one doing way out here?”
“There’s no time to think about that. We’re on full thrust with a two minute lead on the squadron.” Apollo was feeding the raw data into the battle computer.
“We should have a small margin of –” Starbuck stopped short as his own threat display started to wink. There was something dead ahead.
“It looks like we’ll get to the fleet with less than 5 minutes to spare before they close into weapons range. Wait a minute.”
“I saw it. Whatever it is, it’s as big as a battlestar and just popped out of nowhere.”
“Hold on Starbuck we should be in visible range.”
The Vipers continued racing away from the pursuing raiders who were overloading their engines to catch up to the nimble human fighters. As they passed the outer ring of the gas giant a large starship crossed into view, the sun reflecting off the cool blue hull, engine nacelles glowing brightly as the saucer shaped forward portion of the hull turned to face the oncoming ships.
Apollo strained to see the writing on the hull.
“That looks oddly familiar.”
“Looks old to me.”
NCC-25897 USS FARRAGUT
“Come again.” Captain Ernesto Ochoa asked softly as he watched the viewer. Two small fighters were coming towards him at high speed obviously pursued by a squadron of flat wing like ships.
“We are trying to initiate contact sir. But it looks like human life signs on those fighters and the pursuing ships are showing no life signs.”
“They’re automated?”
“That’s the assumption I would make sir.”
Ochoa rubbed his chin as he watched the fighters loom closer.
“This is getting curious. Tactical bring us to yellow alert and standby on shields. This could get hairy real fast.”
“Aye sir.”
“Communications established sir.”
“Attention unknown spacecraft this is the USS Farragut of the United Federation of planets. You have strayed into Federation space and we have detected weapons fire please respond.”
“What do you make of it Apollo?” Starbuck asked.
“They sound human.” Apollo noted. He keyed his com. “USS Farragut this is Captain Apollo of the Battlestar Galactica. We are under attack by Cylon forces and require assistance, can you respond?”
“Captain Apollo, we have a strict non interference policy at the moment unless we can ascertain the your status.”
“Understood but they are going to attack us and I venture they will attack you sir. Please help us, if you are human as I suspect then you are automatically and enemy of the Cylons.”
“Stand by Captain.”
“There isn’t much more time Farragut.” Apollo noted.
“She’s a big ship Apollo, she could help us with that baseship.”
“The battle computer is having trouble analyzing her but she seems to have at least as much firepower as a battlestar.”
“Communications?”
“Sir, I’ve been trying to contact the pursuing ships but I’m getting no response.”
“Sir, I’m reading heavy plasma blasters on those fighters, sensors tentatively estimate that they could prove very damaging to our hull. In fact I would say that these ships are designed to take on capital ships, perhaps some form of fighter/bomber.” his tactical officer warned.
Ochoa sighed deeply.
“Raise shields and bring us to battle stations, I want the torpedoes in the tubes ASAP. I may need to scatter this squadron before they get any closer.”
“Aye Aye sir.”
Ochoa flicked a switch on his command chair.
“Captain Apollo, we cannot raise the Cylons. Please take up position behind us and we will try to intervene in this conflict and negotiate your free passage.”
“Farragut the Cylons are not going to listen to reason.”
“Frankly Captain Apollo I only have your word on tha---”
The Farragut shook violently and a counsel exploded behind Ochoa.
“Status report!”
“We are under attack.”
The Cylon Raiders peeled apart in two by two formation and immediately began strafing runs against the Nebula class cruiser, as explosions blossomed along the shields. The small wing shaped raiders were dancing between the nacelles and strafing along the massive saucer section of the starship as they systematically began searching for holes in her defenses.
Moments later the Farragut’s phaser bank on her sensor pod glowed brightly and lanced out in a sweeping arc that caught two of the Raiders as they strove to recover from a steep diving attack concentrated on the Farragut’s aft section port nacelle.
*********************************
The conference room of the Battlestar Galactica was abuzz with the excited voices of gathered Starfleet officers and Colonial officials. Adama politely coughed and indicated Admiral Janeway seated across from him.
“Madame.”
“I’ll put this as bluntly as I can Adama. Your people came to us looking for help and we have provided the Galactica and your fleet sanctuary.”
“For that we are most grateful Admiral Janeway.”
“I’m sure you are Commander and although you told us you were fleeing from the Cylon tyranny you were particularly vague about the circumstances.”
“I’m not sure I know what you’re getting at Admiral. I have been open and frank with the Federation since we met Captain Ochoa and the Farragut and we have been able allies in helping you defend against the Cylon incursions into your space.”
“Cylon incursions.” Janeway muttered. “Commander Adama when you told us that you fled the Cylon Empire you made no mention as to how large it was. We had nothing to go on save our own experiences which would have indicated a power spanning hundreds of worlds among a single quadrant of the galaxy, at most taking up an entire quadrant of its own.”
Adama and some of the Council members exchanged a troubled glance.
“We have managed to download data from the wrecked Cylon ships we have captured so far and their incomplete mind you, navigational charts show an Empire spanning several galaxies.”
“That is true-” Adama began.
“Do you realize that this area of space is sparsely defended by the Federation? That the bulk of our fleet was in the opposite direction fighting off the Dominion in a bloody war not less than a year ago?”
“I am aware that there are many strategic situations that need to be addressed –”
Janeway nodded to her aide who activated a holoimage that floated over the table.
“What is that?”
Janeway stood up and adjusted her uniform before continuing.
“This is the latest intelligence reports from a long range probe we sent out the way you came. We wanted to get an idea of what was out there.”
Adama recognized the shaped but his eyes narrowed and his mouth opened in shock.
“By the lords of Kobol.”
“I see you get the point.”
“Well I do not.” A council member complained.
“These are basestars ladies and gentlemen. We count at least fifty in this first wave alone.”
The assembled council members and Starfleet officers began to mutter among themselves.
“I’ll be lucky to gather half that number of starships in time to repel their arrival.”
“It will only get worse.” Adama concluded darkly, shoulders sagging.
“Indeed Adama. It seems that the Cylon empire has decided to declare war on the Federation and they’re coming….three galaxies worth of warships with only one goal in mind.”
“The destruction of the human race.” Adama whispered.
*********************************************
The throne room was silent save for the quiet hum of machines as they calculated. Always calculating, always processing to serve one over mind. The Imperious leader sat in his throne, mind lost in a storm of equations and theorem.
The doors sliced open like steel leaving a scabbard and two Centurions strode in half carrying, half dragging a human figure into the brightly lit circle directly below the throne. They threw him unceremoniously into the circle where he landed sprawled out on his chest. The Imperious leader effortlessly finished calculating the decay rate of the universe as he focused his attention on the figure below. Thankfully he was not limited like humans or other organic sapients to one mind. As he prepared to deal with this new problem he was simultaneously solving fuel consumption rates for the expeditionary fleet and personnel shifts to rotate and compensate for the initial losses in Federation space.
“Yes?”
“We discovered this human in one of the subsections of our refueling base on Aridia. He was attempting to access our data ports and hijack a ship.”
“Indeed? But why bring him here? Your orders are to slay humans on sight.”
“Understood but we found this on his person.” The Centurion to the human’s left held out a small data crystal. The Imperious Leader examined the crystal through an instantaneous wireless link built into his cerebral cortex that allowed him to merge his mind with any automated system that met Cylon standards.
“Interesting. The data on these crystals is extremely interesting. Detailed analysis of Cylon culture and customs. Although I suspect you are slightly confused as the Cylons indicated on this crystal have been dead for well on ten millennia.”
“Indeed. If you would let me speak-” The human began. The Centurion to his right swatted him across his cheek sending his head back down to the cold metal floor. The human spat some hot crimson blood on the floor and rubbed his bruising cheek.
“You will not speak unless addressed human.” The Centurion warned its cold synthesized voice carried a dangerous edge.
The Imperious Leader examined the human for a moment. He was healthy, tall for his species and his features indicated he would be considered dashing and handsome by the opposite sex. He had an intelligent gleam in his eye that reminded him of another human he knew well.
“Speak human. But be brief and concise.”
The human slowly rose up to his feet and rubbed the remnant of blood from his lower lip. He noted with some annoyance that his lip was starting to swell.
“I will start simply. I come on behalf of my associates. My name is Morden.”
***********************************************
The Federation fleet wheeled gracefully around to face the threat emerging on the far side of the broken world of Kandanim. The Cylon basestars were slowly rotating, disgorging their fighters in endless waves which formed up in front of their baseships, engines flaring like horses straining at the slips the raiders and the newer Ravage class fighters were preparing to surge forward as one.
The Battlestar Galactica proudly lumbered into the center of the Federation lines as she launched her own Vipers which were promptly joined by small squadrons of Delta Flyers and Runabouts.
Janeway stood by Adama’s side. She examined the tactical display on the Battlestar’s bridge. She could not get used to the use of simple graphics and electronic displays that seemed to be the staple of Colonial technology but she could not think of a better ship to hold her flag.
“Most of my fleet should be decommissioned or on milk runs at this very moment, Adama. The heaviest ship we have is the Farragut. Too many damned Mirandas and I don’t think I’ve commanded any fleet formation that used Ambassadors as their lead wing command ships.” Janeway noted as the Cylon fleet drew closer.
“We are what we are, Admiral. We can ask for nothing else. Besides it is my experience that numbers do not always carry the day.”
“But they would be most welcome.” Colonel Tigh added darkly.
“We simply have to hold this line until the Enterprise arrives.”
“And how soon will that be?” Tigh asked.
Janeway did not answer as the first wave of Cylon fighters suddenly surged forward like a tsunami.
“So it begins.” Adama whispered.
COMING SOON TO SDNET ASVS AND SB
SUMMER 2004
