\u201cWe are at the communications hub\nMajor,\u201d the technician who was a glorified geek that used to work\nfor her when she was head of IT.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBreak in,\u201d she ordered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The man, in his early twenties with a\nnon-regulation earring in his left ear lobe, was typing for about 55\nseconds before he leaned back and announced success. \u201cWe are in.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cActivate the hack,\u201d Ramirez\nordered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAye aye skipper,\u201d he announced.\n\u201cIt could take hours to get anything useful.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cGet something useful sooner,\u201d she\nordered, knowing she might be asking the impossible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A corporal, a young, dark skinned\nnative of Scorpia stood at attention, waiting for the acting\ncommander to finish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Major Ramirez sighed, her rapidly\nthinning frame looking lost in her uniform. \u201cWhat is it Corporal\nAshley.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAshman Sir,\u201d she corrected gently.\n\u201cWe are being ordered back to fleet HQ.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSignal them that we are on a rescue\nmission for the Eagle.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSir,\u201d she corrected. \u201cThe Eagle\njumped away when she was ambushed. She is at fleet HQ undergoing\nemergency repairs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSend the signal. Stop acknowledging.\nHave someone go manually interrupt the cable into the computer\nnetwork.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSir,\u201d she said, preparing to\nprotest an illegal order. \u201cFleet Commander Andrew Cobb has ordered\nus back to fleet HQ.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPay dirt,\u201d the computer geek\nreported. \u201cA base star with the same transponder as the one we\nthink took the commander has orders to jump to a rally point.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhen?\u201d Major Ramirez asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn ten minutes. We can get there\nfirst, get the drop on them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCAG, prepare for combat jump and\nlaunch. I want recon birds out there in 3 minutes. They will jump\nahead and make sure its not an ambush.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The CAG, who was standing quietly in\nthe commanders quarter because her superior officer was standing,\nspoke. \u201cI’m sending force recon. Five assault raptors and two\nrescue.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMarine,\u201d she gestured to her Marin\nshadow. \u201cPrepare a strike force. We are going to assault the base\nstar and get our commander back.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYes Sir,\u201d he turned and exited the\ncommanders quarters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe are going back to CIC.\u201d\nEveryone followed her. It was a three minute walk to CIC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAction stations,\u201d she ordered.\n\u201cSet condition one through out the ship. All vipers in the tubes,\nprepare for launch following a combat jump.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Everyone went to work. They watched the\nscreen anxiously as the recon force jumped away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHow long\u201d Ramirez asked, pacing\nimpatiently. \u201cSpool up FTL.\u201d \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Two very long minutes passed, before a\nsingle raptor showed up on DRADIS. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis is Sausage. The way is clear.\nNo base stars at the moment. The assault raptors are moving through\nthe area to paint targets.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cJump back Sausage.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCombat jump. Now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When the dizziness wore off, Major\nRamirez grabbed the table to keep from keeling over. These jumps were\nnot having a good effect on her. She was more unsteady with every\nattempt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf the hack got good data they\nshould be jumping in about now.\u201d The hacker, who had followed the\ncrowd into CIC reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Just a few seconds later the DRADIS\nemitted a series of triple beeps and showed unknown targets, which\nseconds later showed up as base stars. There were no squadrons, so it\nwas unlikely the Cylons knew they were coming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFive base stars, they are launching\nraiders. Our target base star is with them.\u201d Announced the tactical\nofficer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey are in weapons range.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAll batteries weapons free. Give us\na course to bring the forward guns to bear on the base star nearest\nto our target. Launch the marine strike force.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe are taking heavy fire,\u201d the\ntactical officer reported. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cRadiological alarm. Inbound nukes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFlak full automatic,\u201d Ramirez\nordered. The roar from impacts on the armor drowned out voice\ncommunications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThree more base stars just jumped\nin.\u201d DRADIS reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Marine strike force has entered\nthe base star. They are encountering heavy resistance.\u201d A marine\nwas making reports while he monitored the communications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTwo more nukes inbound.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTurn thirty degrees to port,\u201d the\nacting commander ordered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey are jumping around trying to\nmake it hard to track the ship we want.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHave the marines blow a hole in the\nside, so we don’t lose track.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMarine commander reports he has been\nstopped short of the objective.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTell him to try harder.,\u201d Ramirez\nsnapped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There was thud and a sickening sound\nfrom the frame of the ship. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNear hit from a nuke Sir. Splash\ndamage to the forward hull.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe are bracketed Sir.\u201d the\ntactical officer reported. \u201cThey can launch missile strikes from\nboth sides.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMarine commander reports they have\nthe detention block of the base star. Nobody home. Commander Lawson\nis not aboard.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOrder an orderly withdrawal,\u201d\nRamirez ordered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBase star is spooling up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHit her center axis,\u201d Major\nRamirez ordered. \u201cTry not to destroy her. Knock out her FTL.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat is not were the FTL drive is on\nthis ship,\u201d tactical replied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe base star has jumped away. We\nhad sixty marines on her.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey are all jumping away,\u201d DRADIS\nreported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There was silence. \u201cRecall our birds\nand prepare to jump home.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was time to meet Commander Cobb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n