Earth 2010 - The Colonies of Kobol Reunited Chapters 24 (Final)

CHAPTER 24

The feeling of warmth was soothing, like floating on the surface of a warm stream as the brilliant rays of the sun bathed your body. The voices were low, and unintelligible yet strong and reassuring. Matthew Lensherr felt as he was gliding along the solar winds of the cosmos, with the vaguest memories of pain, fear, and great concern. The bright lights bathing him soon darkened as he slipped deep into the abyss of unconsciousness.

“Mrs. Lensherr you really should not be walking around right now, please let the medics place you on a stretcher and get you aboard the evac raptor.” Asked the medical corpsman earnestly.

“Thank you corpsman, but I prefer to walk on my own two feet. Please focus your attention on my husband,” replied D’Anna as she held James closely. Matthew Lensherr was strapped to a medical litter and carried by two Navy medics towards one of several Raptors dispatched from Groom Lake upon Lensherr’s distress call. The intravenous lines were replacing lost fluids and a heavy dosage of Versed substituted for morphine that had been ruled out due to his head injury. Heavily armed Marines scoured the area and the dead and destroyed Cylons collected and prepared for transport back to the base for closer scrutiny.
Mark Sarnex was still unconscious when he was packaged up for transport, his injuries were serious, and D’Anna stopped at his side to brush aside a blood-soaked loch of hair from his face.

The flight back to Groom Lake was quicker than expected. Within a half hour of landing both Lensherr and Sarnex were rushed to emergency surgery. Over the next six hours, a shattered knee, broken ribs, a broken arm and finger as well as a serious concussion was tended to. D’Anna’s OBGYN had run a complete check up on her, and there appeared to be no serious trauma to D’Anna or the baby she carried due to the forty-foot fall. Cylon physiology was quite sturdy, and she was released.

General Peter McAllister had stopped by the base infirmary to check on his two wounded officers. After exchanging pleasantries, he was sitting with D’Anna in Lensherr’s recovery room.

“Have you found it, General?”

“Yes, our satellites were unable to locate it, but a painstaking low-flying search grid by over a dozen Raptors finally located it. You were correct; they did leave a Centurion to guard it. Per your suggestion we did not approach the Heavy Raider for fear of the Centurion self-destructing it.”

“You will not have much time, depending on how far away the Basestar is it will take time for Leoben and the others to resurrect, if they even can. That Heavy Raider most assuredly approached Earth in a stealth mode, and it is quite possible that the Basestar could follow the same path and appear in orbit without warning. Before we could activate the virus they could rain nuclear warheads down on the surface.” Said D’Anna.

“The Basestars must not be allowed to get within launch range of the planet. The GALACTICA and her battle group are on station near Pluto, Colonel Tigh’s battle group is preparing to jump to their location on my orders.”

“With luck the Centurion will not have been reprogrammed regarding my model’s status. If I can approach the Heavy Raider without being attacked, I can access the command console and ascertain the whereabouts of the Cylon fleet that had attacked GALACTICA. They were expecting Leoben to return with my child and me, so the return jump coordinates will be programmed into the navigational computer.”

“At that point you will retrieve the coordinates and relay them to us, where we in turn will transmit them to Adama where he can jump in and launch an attack.” Replied McAllister.

“Yes.”

“Tell me D’Anna…what made you turn on your own people?” asked McAllister.

D’Anna sat in silence for a moment, contemplating the question. “General I had taken part in the attempted genocide of the human race. Our attack on the twelve colonies was one of ignorance, fear and retribution that spanned many decades of time. Many Cylons feel that we must eradicate humanity before they do the same to us out of revenge. There are twelve human model Cylons, only seven are known. I have my suspicions that one or two models may know the identities of the final five, but doubt I will ever learn the truth from them. There are countless Cylons of various models who have doubts about the human question, most remain silent and observe; I suspect some may even be waiting for the proper time to speak out or act. I have always had doubts about our decision to attack the Colonies, and had even greater doubt about the wisdom of genocide. Falling in love with Matthew, spending all of that time on GALACTICA in search of Earth, and bearing a half human child had opened my heart and eyes. Human and Cylon can live in peace…it is possible.”

“So why help us set them up?”

“Leoben Conoy is more Prophet than Dictator; he was never this fanatical about human eradication. I believe this copy is a bit of a rogue, and downloaded close by after his destruction at the hands of the virus two years ago. How he was able to accomplish that I have no answer for, but what I do know is that this incarnation must be stopped here and now. If Adama is correct, and there are only two Basestars than we need to destroy them immediately, otherwise they will escape and bring reinforcements. Eventually they will find a way to circumvent the virus defense, and then it will truly be Ragnarok…the destruction of mankind.”

“A Marine sniper team will position themselves near the Cylon Raider, if that Centurion so much as even blinks the wrong way at you we’ll take him out!”

“My son’s nanny has arrived, and I am ready. We have to move fast otherwise there is a chance that the Centurion will have been programmed to self-destruct or return to the Basestar if the recon team fails to return after a certain time period.”

“I will brief Adama and Tigh and await your transmission with the coordinates. Good luck D’Anna…and thank you.” McAllister stood, shook her hand gently and departed. Casting a final glance at her husband, she bent over and gently kissed his forehead. Lensherr was still under the anesthetic, and would be out for some time. She quickly left the room.

Aboard the GALACTICA, Adama had terminated the transmission from Earth Command. “Captain Gaeta, locate the executive officer and CAG, I want them summoned to CIC immediately.” Ordered Adama.

“Aye sir.”

Within fifteen minutes, both officers appeared before Adama, it took less than five minutes to inform them of the content of the three party communiqué between EDF command Tigh and himself.

“Holy Frak!” That was the only thing the CAG was able to say when Adama was finished. “It’s about time we took the fight to these toasters!”

“Then I trust your attack wings will be ready when the time comes.” Said Adama.

“Yes sir, I’ll see to it that all squadrons are prepped and ready for take off.” Major Thrace saluted and left the CIC. Adama now turned to his XO.

“Lee, we need to disable the Basestar’s FTL’s with the opening salvos as soon as we clear the jump. No room for error, those ships must not be able to jump away!”

“Understood Admiral, I’ll coordinate the attack plans with each XO from the other three Battlestars. “Those chrome plated frakers aren’t going anywhere.” Exclaimed Apollo.

D’Anna slowly walked towards the front of the Raider. The main hatch was wide open, and as she predicted, a heavily armed Centurion stood guard. The Centurion’s head quickly rotated in her direction, the red optical scanner sizing up and identifying the intruder. The duel gun barrels that had initially leveled at her retracted into their housings and were replaced by the long taloned hands that dropped to each side of the Centurion.

She calmly walked past the Centurion and entered the dim cabin. Sitting down at the command console, she felt strangely at home. Within seconds, she had ascertained the return jump coordinates to the Basestars and pulled a device from her pocket. She extended a small antenna and punched in a series of long numbers, after a short pause she pushed the transmit button. The coordinates were immediately sent to an orbiting satellite and relayed to EDF headquarters. It was now McAllister’s turn to act.

Gina stood by the tank of the Hybrid, she found herself coming here often, most of the time when she felt unsettled and confused. Soon the recon team would return with the hybrid child, and possibly D’Anna herself. What then? Clearly, Leoben hated the Three Model, and was instrumental in seeing her entire series boxed. The Stealth Raider had another 24 hours to arrive before considered late. They were positioned well out of resurrection range, and the only way the recon team was returning was by way of the Raider. She stared deep into the vacant eyes of the hybrid who continued to spout incomprehensible gibberish. She stood up and walked to the Command and Control center.

Upon entering, she had inquired with another Six Model on the status of the two addition Basestars she had summoned.

“The message was sent, but it is unknown if it has even reached the nearest Basestar.” This left Gina unsettled; they were far away from the nearest Cylon outpost, at least twenty hyperlight jumps. Her fears were confirmed with the sudden appearance of Colonial Battlestars that had jumped well into attack range of the Basestar. Before them was the mighty Battlestar GALACTICA, an antiquated relic of a warship compared to the ship she stood upon, but in their last encounter she was able to inflict significant damage to her ship. Her eyes widened in horror as a Doral model warned of incoming missiles. At least forty missiles from GALACTICA and the smaller Mercury Class Battlestar accompanying her streaked towards them. They were taken completely by surprise. The impact threw Gina violently to the floor, a small gash opened up above her left eye.

“Their attack has disabled our Faster than Light drive!” warned Doral, his voice rising substantially.

Aboard Terra-1, Commander Tigh had unleashed a devastating salvo on his assigned Basestar. The Battlestar Polaris and their escorts rained missile after missile upon pre-selected coordinates. Major Ken Antreides of Red Lancer squadron had led the main Viper force from Terra-1 and the Polaris. The vipers launched the moment they cleared from the jump. For once, they would be on equal terms with the biomechanical raiders (who did not have to report to their ships to launch) in terms of immediate launching.

“All wings-Vampire, broken formation…kill anything that moves people! Leave the Basestars to the big boys.”

Starbuck was strapped into her Mark VII and was leading GALACTICA’s Viper wing. Twelve Raptors were airborne, and moving into their assigned positions. This was the first time in recent history that vipers outnumbered raiders, and it was not long before the raiders were launched to intercept. The battle commenced.

Aboard Terra-1. “Commander Tigh, incoming missiles!”

“Point defense turrets…execute!” ordered Tigh. “Weapons…concentrate the forward batteries on their center axis.” Terra-1 moved in close, taking a fierce counter attack from the wounded Basestar. She suffered a forced decompression along the bottom of the port flight pod along three sections. The Destroyer Aerelon moved in under the Battlestar and gave covering fire to protect the exposed flight pod from further missile attack. The massive Battlestar Polaris had unleashed a devastating barrage of heavy cannon fire from her main batteries. The Basestar was on the ropes, yet continued to counterattack.

Vipers and raiders swarmed about each other, the cannon-fire of deadly shrapnel filled the skies as the large warships lobbed missiles at each other. GALACTICA continued to pummel the larger Basestar, and Adama was determined to end this fight sooner rather than later. The attack was a complete surprise, and the propulsion systems on each enemy ship was carefully targeted and destroyed. It was only a matter of time now.

Adama watched the battle on the monitor, the viper losses were minimal, but each loss cut him like a knife, it was time to end this.

“Helm, bring us about…course 110, speed flank!” ordered the Admiral. “Captain Gaeta please inform the fleet that they are to assume their firing positions…the release of Nuclear missiles is now authorized.”

As the Earth warships altered their course, the squadron leaders ordered their wings to disengage the raiders and clear the field of battle on full thrusters. Vipers broke pursuit and peeled off to their home ship on full burn.

“Admiral, we have a firing solution on Basestar #1.” Informed the weapons officer.

“Let’s end this damned thing…OPEN FIRE!” The aging Battlestar shuddered as it launched six nuclear tipped missiles towards its target. The casings on these missiles were constructed of Earth metals that were stronger than anything manufactured by the Colonies was. The Basestars not armed with small point defense turrets like the Battlestars and usually relied upon its massive raider compliment to protect it. They lost close to half of their entire raider compliment to the superior-numbered vipers and were scrambling to try to intercept the missiles. Two of the six were shot down; the four remaining missiles found their target, more than enough to destroy it.

Pilots in their vipers shielded their eyes from the nuclear blast, and the shockwave produced buffeted them violently. At the same time, that GALACTICA was firing her missiles, the other three Battlestar commanders were ordering the same. This was overkill, but nobody seemed to mind. For far too long the Cylons outnumbered and outgunned them, the satisfaction was quite sweet. What raiders the nuclear explosions did not vaporize were hunted down and destroyed by the vipers.

Admiral William Adama breathed a long sigh of relief and nodded his head to nobody in particular; the threat was neutralized. Colonel…recall the vipers, bring our people home!”

EPILOGUE

Matthew Lensherr and Mark Sarnex reclined in the transport chairs provided them by the medical staff. It had been close to two months since their injuries, and they were now enjoying the outdoors of the infirmary’s Zen garden. Sarnex still had a cast on his arm, and the knee was still bandaged. The sun was setting, and the calm of the garden was better than any medication they could have been given.

“What have you decided Mark?” mumbled Lensherr, his jaw still wired.

“The injury is a ‘career-ender’ Matt. My days in a viper are over.” Said Sarnex, he reached down to the small table between them and took the glass of water. After a long pull of the ice water, he placed it back down. “I had the offer from Intelligence, and I see no reason not to take it now. Being a viper jock was never my passion, and I did it because I was needed. You’re training the younger generation, it’s now their ball to take and run with.”

“It won’t be the same without you, Nightstalker! Who the hell is going to shepard the rookies I send up to the fleet?” responded Hephaestus.

“Hotdog, Orion, Photon, Bedlam, Vampire, Starbuck, Falcon…..I mean the fraking list of talented viper pilots is longer than my manhood, but not by much!” laughed Sarnex. “What about you?”

“The training academy keeps me close to D’Anna and James, the position is mine for as long as I want it. That comes with the ‘Adama blessing’ for frak’s sake! I’ll return to space again, for now I just want to raise a family.”

Hephaestus raised his glass to his friend. “To our health my friend! May the Gods grant us the peace we so desperately deserve! Thank you for always being there, Mark!” Sarnex nodded and raised his own glass before drinking it down. The sun had finally set!

Earth was finally at peace….but for how long.