Book4:Chapter 31 “Rescue?”
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XO: Major Stanley Jacobs accepted the tablet computer and signed the report with a finger print.
“That is the end of alpha shift, day four in this spider hole, waiting for a fleet big enough to ambush. The Air wing is at nearly 90% of the available birds. Commander Air Group is asking us to reduce training time in the simulators to 9 hours a day for the lucky 75 percent who are not flying Combat Air Patrol.”
Admiral: “Got an actual message from HG this morning. He says to stand by for the pineapple network version two, coming very soon. What the frack does he even mean by that?”
Deck Officer: “Encrypted coms. Military. Head Geek!!!”
“Contact! Two raptors, one assault, one recon!”
A familiar voice came over the speakers.
“HG to Mercury Actual. I have the position of Saturn. She is damaged, barely operational. Cylon forces in the immediate area, not very strong or well organized. Saturn’s air wing is fighting the toasters off..”
“This is Mercury Actual. Land the cap. Set condition 1 in the fleet for an immediate combat jump. All available birds in the tubes.”
XO:
“All right. FTL information echo. Fleet ready for a combat jump in 30 seconds. Two jumps to the target.”
Deck Officer: “All ships in the fleet ready for fast turnover jump.”
“Actual, this is Head Geek. The Saturn has taken a beating. If she is to survive, we will have to be very precise with our inbound jump.”
Admiral: “Operation Protection Jump?”
Wireless static.
“Aye Admiral.”
Admiral.
“I have never been eager to test that scenario outside of the VR simulator.”
More wireless static.
“No problem. We will have 20 very long seconds to avoid a collision if we hit the mark. Easy peasy. I took the software updates from fleet comm New Helios. They have been burning in for the entire few weeks I have been gone. Wait 15 seconds, the pilot says we need to do a combat landing.”
There was a good reason for Admiral Lawson’s concern. In VR, the dangerous, protective jump worked safely about half the time.
Admiral Lawson grinned, waiting for the first FTL jump. With that the fleet was ready to jump straight into combat.
Deck Officer: “Jump 1 complete. Safety bypass. All FTL systems report ready for precision jump, fast turn around.”
XO: “Combat Jump!!!! Launch systems ready, guns on manual.”
Deck Officer: “Saturn is right where we expect it. Helm is braking us as Mercury and Solaria slide in front to offer protection. Toasters are where they are expected.
“Angel to air wing exit starboard defense zone, we have two heavies coming in. Mercury Actual. It’s about time. Did you stop for breakfast before the jump?”
Admiral: “Launch all birds. Deck gangs turn over those cap birds and get them out and into the fight. Saturn birds have priority for landing and replenishment. Get those raptors out with the DC and rescue crews!!!!”
“This is Solaria Actual Two exterior network devices have been hacked. All guns switch to salvo mode. Target kilo is primary!”
“Mercury Actual to Saturn. Do we have a status on Commander Ramirez and Major Langer. Who the frack is in command over there.”
XO:
“Report is unavailable and receiving medical care. Admiral, so long as the Battlestar Saturn continues to fly in formation with us and shoot, we might not want to distract whoever is flying and shooting with a lot of questions.”
Deck Officer:
“Radiological alarm. Nukes fired from point blank range.”
OPS: “Detonated”
XO: “Missile salvo inbound. Hitting fire control hard!”
Deck Officer:
“The enemy fleet is breaking. They have lost command and control.”
XO: “Repair estimate on Solaria FTL six hours.”
Admiral: “Evacuate Saturn.”
XO: “Recon has reinforcement jumps 60 minutes travel at the Cylon slower than light speeds. This ship has so many crew repairing the Saturn, we will be below 50 percent readiness in 72 hours.”
