Day 901 of the second Cylon War
Stanley Jacobs, call sign “Wheelchair” swallowed a snore as Red Squadron commander, Hillary “Kitty” Simpson poked him in the ribs repeatedly.
“Wake up Wheelchair,” Simpson urged. “Briefing at 0600 hours.”
“I’m up,” Jacobs pushed her hands away. Jacobs curled up, hiding his shaking right hand. He rolled out of his bunk and was the last one in the squadron bunks out the door, wearing his flight suit, minus the helmet collar.
The pilots briefing room on the Mercury was a theater, capable of seating several hundred pilots. There were several large screen monitors on the wall, showing images of the Mercury, a Viper, and an assault raptor.
Everyone in the room stood up at attention when Admiral Eva Lawson walked into the room, carry a tablet computer under her arm. “Admiral on deck!” shouted several people in the room.
“As you were,” Lawson waved her hand, stopping at the podium, connecting her tablet to a USB cable hanging out of a hole in the lectern.
The monitor changed and showed a title slide, saying “Operation Magic Trick Phase 1.”
“The FTL upgrade of all fleet ships has been completed. This includes military and civilian craft. I am initiating operation magic trick to in effect make us disappear from the Cylons. Every military ship will be involved in this operation. Phase one will involve a number of diversionary attacks.”
“We want the enemy to believe that the logistics campaign is going on as it has over the past few months. In fact, we are about to try and make our grand escape. The fleet will eventually break up into several parts. After conducting the planned, phase 1 raids, the task force will return to base to meet the civilian ships it is assigned to escort.”
There will be several meeting points set along the way. There are paper printed orders that are not in any computer system. However, these will enable the navigation computers to calculate the jump points. The plan is somewhat intricate as if the enemy is found at certain way points, the paper plan will be altered accordingly.”
“The reason we have a hybrid, computer and paper plan is due to the new technology we are using. I assure you that HG has vetted this technology as best he and his team can. There is a lot riding on this, and there are other ways that our course can be compromised.”
“We have developed a command code system for the paper orders. They are quite short and use one time paper keypads for decryption. This is to ensure that even if an entire ship is captured or hacked, that they cannot obtain our destination from that.”
“With the exception of the task forces led by the Solaria, every other military ship will receive at least 1 logistics feint mission. Some will work several missions over a seven day period. Seven days from now we will disappear. Hopefully without a trace.”
“As I’m sure some of you know the battle star, fearless, is leading a task force, composed of several transport ships and two Valkyrie class battle stars was assigned to do reconnaissance on the old settlement. They have the necessary means and technology to meet us at one of the 25 possible unification waypoints built into this plan.”
“After completion of operation magic trick, hopefully the Fearless will meet us. If there are souls to be rescued in the settlement, or New Colonies as they are also known, we will be able to gather a rescue mission and save the souls we left behind.”
“The Mercury will be receiving assignment orders for its diversion mission at 09:00 hours. All pilots prepare for action. I want losses as minimal as possible. I don’t want to leave anybody else behind. Good hunting!”
“Yes Sir.”
* * *
5:38
Adamant CIC. “I have contacts. Scope is a bit twitchy.”
Defender CIC “Artemis took a bad jump.”
Heracles CIC “Adamant, Defender, air wing cover that lost Artemis.”
Atlas CIC: “IFF indicates friend.”
Vipers: “Toasters can fake our IFF codes.”
Heracles CIC: “Concentrate on spooling for the jump. Looks like we have some toasters coming in CBDR!”
“All guns check your engagement zones. Weapons free as toaster targets come in.”
Defender CIC: “The Artemis is launching vipers. Transponder codes are authentic.”
Heracles CIC: “ Confirm your jump codes. Waypoint Beta is primary.”
Atlas CIC: “This ship is handling like a brick. A very slow and bulky brick.”
“Pour it on. Flank speed! We ended up away from the rest of the task force!”
“I think I see a FTL flash. Toasters at the edge of visual range.”
Atlas CIC: “Boosting the engines. We need to get the frak away from here while our drives spool!”
Heracles CIC: “Combat landings are authorized. Confirm you have the correct FTL coordinates. Shout out when your FTL drives are spooled.”
Artemis CIC: “Watch for collisions. Remember a brick can’t evade a more maneuverable ship!”
Gunship CIC: “Are we weapons free in our engagement zones?”
Heracles CIC: “Squadrons stand by to intercept inbound missiles. Possible inbound missiles!”
Defender CIC: “We have unidentified contacts at long range. They might be friendly. Anyone else have a clear signal.”
“This is CIC Adamant. We have definite FTL flashes, smaller contacts, probable raiders or vipers launching. Formation appears to be offensive.”
Adamant CIC: “Vampire, vampire, vampire. Two hundred possible inbound missiles, tracking toward our jump in point. The weps appear to be unguided.”
Atlas CIC: “Air wing, don’t chase the unguided weapons. Air wing stay near your base ship, prepare for combat landing recall.”
Defender CIC: “Our Artemis has a nav computer power failure. Board is not green.”
8:20
“Air wing reports no guided missiles inbound.”
“Flank speed, turning slightly to starboard.”
Defender CIC: “Our Artemis reports nav computer reboot complete. Calculating new FTL fix.”
“Air wing in position for recovery. Trailing, waiting for inbound ordinance.”
Atlas CIC: “In formation main fleet is ready for jump. Reconfirm jump coordinates. All ships are directed to re-check FTL coordinates with manual code keys.”
Heracles CIC: “Maintaining formation. Our guns are ready for any inbound targets.”
Adamant CIC: “We are spooled up and ready to jump. Recalling our viper squadron.”
Heracles CIC: “All vipers, RTB, RTB, RTB. Combat landings are authorized. Get those birds on the frakking deck right frakking now”!
“All ships show green. Jump. FTL jump! Now! Now! Now!”
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