“Commander Evans. All ships are ready to jump. We’ll kill toasters on the other side.”
DRADIS: “Lots of contacts no modern base stars.”
Commander Evans whispered, “They can’t jump in to attack us, if they’re dead.”
“This is Athena actual, all players hammer bastards!”
“This is the CAG. Concentrate on the heavy Raiders. They may be attempting to board.”
“Turtle to CAG! More heavy Raiders! Going for Athena!”
“This is Athena actual we’ve got heavy Raiders in the flight pods. Repeat, heavy Raiders in the flight pods!”
“This is CAG! Air wing. Split half for you take the fighter carriers.”
CAG: “Keep those heavy Raiders away from Athena!”
Turtle: “Smoke another fighter carrier!”
“This is solaria actual. Come in Athena report status. Athena report status!”
Turtle: “Their air wing is down, takeout carriers!”
“This is Athena. Actual, we have Raiders in three of the flight pods. Centurions have penetrated the ship.”
Aft Damage Control: “We hear shots. Centurions inbound everybody gear up.”
“This is Athena, actual counter attack with explosive rounds! Keep them away from damage control!”
“This is the medical Bay. We hear shots were evacuating, the patients that can walk.”
“This is Athena actual to medical bay…… Stop them. Please….”
* * *
In CIC it took every bit of strength that Commander Evans had to keep him in his place. He somehow maintained a cool exterior as the air wing was recalled. Fighters based on the Athena split themselves among the other ships. The vast majority of them landed on the Solaria.
They were frequent radio reports from Marines as they kind of attacked and clear the silence from section after section. After 10 minutes, and no contact from the medical bay, Commander, Evans to hand on his shoulder. He did not know the man’s name, but in silence as the air wing wound up at activity, he provided support and comfort.
10 minute stretched to 20 and then to 30. In the combat information Center they kept the marine broadcasts on loudspeaker. It was similar to how they broadcast the words of pilots during engagements. The number of centurion support continues to drop.
Everyone knew how to deal with centurions. You have to hit them in the head with an explosive round or they just kept fighting. That must’ve been where their central processing unit was.
Then they heard a marine on the speaker: “This is Sergeant Jasper. We are approaching the medical bay. There is a Cylon centurion blocking us.”
Commander Evans had a clipboard in his hands. He continued to grip it as tightly as he could after hearing the Marines words. He wanted to say something, but did not want to distract the man from his duty.
Sergeant James “Jimmy” Jasper was known to his men as the callsign “JJ”. He was tall and built like a sports athlete. He had a large standard issue rifle with a explosive round attachment on top instead of a scope. His face showed no fear.
The rattling sound of a Cylon centurion cooking off, ammunition echo through the hallway near the medical bay.
Everyone knew that the beloved XO was on bedrest in the medical bay. Jasper cursed the Cylons for preying on the weak. He signaled his XO, Corporal Jasmine Curtis, signal back, and then charged around the corner, blasting away at the centurion.
The hallway was full of sparks. Every shot let out a flash that could blind you. If you look straight into it. The sound of more centurion fire was hard as they approach the medical bay door.
Corporal Curtis was 19 years old, slightly built. Her raven dark straight hair was tied in a ponytail behind her neck. She may have been smaller size, but nobody messed with her in the unit. She was incensed by the fact that there was a centurion in the medical bay attacking patients.
Sargent Jasper leaned into the door opening it wider with his bulk. Without his signal or direction, three more, Marines charged into the medical bay. They were patience shot up, dead and wounded, lying at all angles.
The marine squadron leader followed his Marines into the medical bay and saw there was another door halfway open. It was being held open by a centurion that had been cut in half. It raises weapon and pointed it at the Sargents chest. Jasper got ready to return fire, but was caught unawares and stumbled slightly.
He steeled himself, ready to die. One of his troopers would take out the centurion and rescue the others in sick bay.
As the moment seem to slow down, just too slow motion, Sergeant Jasper heard someone shout “where is the XO? The centurion seem ready to mow down the squadron leader. Suddenly it’s head exploded as a round went through it, and sent shrapnel all over the first room with the medical bay.
All 10 members of the marine squadron cocked their weapons and pointed it to the doorway. Not knowing what was coming from the other side, they prepared to cut loose and another centurion if necessary.
A slight, pale figure came through the door, walking up to my cloud of smoke. She kicked over the dead centurion, striding confidently into the room. Major Evans heard the Marines cock their weapons. She relaxed for a moment and lowered her weapon.
Smoke was still coming out of her side arm, which she had loaded with explosive rounds and attacked the centurions.
The sergeant reached up and depressed his boom microphone attached to his helmet. “This is JJ to CIC. Combat you’re never gonna believe this, but we went into rescue the XO and she saved my ass is my blow in the head off of the centurion in the medical bay. Tell Athena actual that the XO saved my ass by blowing the head off of it since island centurion. The medical bay is secure.”
In the CIC, Commander Evans released the clipboard and took a breath. Then he heard his wife’s voice through the microphone that the sergeant still had open. “I think the actual need to talk to you about this doctors order and bed rest crap!”
Everybody in CIC laughed and clapped and several people hugged.
Major Evans did her Saul Tigh impression. “What the Frak are you happy about? The ship is half shot up and gonna take us eight weeks to get this barge combat ready! Everybody get to work!”
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