Chapter 5: Athena’s Run Part 1
The Battlestar Athena was assigned a hard mission. It was to drive deep into the cylon rear, and keep fighting until they could go no further. It was a difficult objective, but it was an objective that Commander Evans was ready to execute. Battle plans for 25 jumps, every five jumps they would meet with the supply ship or fleet.
At these meetings, they will exchange battered ships if necessary. Ammunition and vital supplies would be replenished. Most important of which was the armor packs that were gradually gradually worn down by constant gunfire from the enemy.
The objective was to draw Cylon forces away from the front. It was to look like a thrust toward a major supply hub. That way smaller strikes with face less opposition. Still, the enemy had a 10 to one maybe a 20 to one advantage and overall arms. This mission was designed to change the balance, and get inside the heads of whoever was commanding the enemy.
More worrisome to Commander Evans was his executive officer, also his spouse. She was working a very heavy schedule, had her fingers in every department. Efficiency scores of the gun cruise and the pilots, and even the deck gang were rising slowly.
His wife had spent 15 minutes in the bathroom in the commanders quarters of the Battlestar Athena the last seven mornings. From the noise, it was clear she was throwing up. She denied it, and informed him that she had seen the doctor and everything was fine. Still and she worked 18 hour days she looked weak and pale and more delicate than before the war.
The typical executive officer on the colonial warship had a reputation of being mean. Mean like a Saul Tigh mean. Major Evans, could bark with the best of them, but she really preferred a softer style. When the department was not performing up to expectation, she often put a hand on the shoulder of whoever was responsible, and gave silent encouragement.
Commander Evans was not an idiot. His wife symptoms seem to indicate that she might be pregnant. She was young enough. She did however, know the regulations she cannot hold a position in combat under the circumstances.
One of us fleets medical scientists made very clear, having children, and, adding to the population, was essential to avoid extinction. Anybody who turned up pregnant was moved to the safest part of the fleet and prohibited from high risk jobs.
What job wasn’t high risk in a fleet that the enemy was trying to exterminate the rest of the human race. I didn’t make much sense to take a critical officer out of her position. She had memorized thousands of pages of a manual on how the ship operated. Should held contests to encourage other people to learn systems as well.
Besides, commander, Evans thought to himself, but given up on this idea years ago, after many miscarriages.
CIC:Athena “We have. a small Cylon force on DRADIS. Vipers are conducting recon.”
CIC: Athena “They have us. Inbound missile salvo.” Commander Evans: “Take them down.”
CIC: Athena “Phobos down.” Commander Evans: “Spool up FTL.”
CIC: Athena “New Target. Engaging with missiles.”
Missiles were taken down without any trouble by the defensive systems.Everything seems to be going according to plan. So far Another step on the road to hell.
CIC: Athena “Threat board is clear.”
Commander Evans: “Recall air wing. Authorize combat landings.”
On long range recon:
“This is raptor two niner six, we have found metallic debris and are investigating it to see of it is Cylon recon.”
“Roger that,” the answer crackled in her ears. “Let us know what you find.”
10 minutes later, she made the radio call. “This is raptor to niner six, requesting permission to open the hatch and taking debris.”
“Approved, but make it snappy.”
Lieutenant, junior grade, Martha Simpson, was standing in the repair bay of the starboard flight pod, staring down at the debris that she had collected. Commander and Major Evans looked at the burned pieces of metal. There was scorched writing on the pieces and it was clearly Colonial.
HG looked up gleefully. “That is data from the nav computer. The raptor was last based on the Battlestar Pegasus. It may take a while, but we are going to know part of the path taken by Galactica and Pegasus. We might even figure out where New Caprica is if we don’t snag it off Cylon comms. I have to hop the next supply ship and bring this back to CINC.”
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