Chapter 52: Operation misdirect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Admiral Cobb sat in a chair at a\nrectangular table with six of his \u201csenior\u201d commanders. Though\nMajor Maria Ramirez did not feel senior, she was there because se was\nhe XO and temporary commander of the most powerful warship in the\nfleet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When he cleared his throat to speak,\neveryone immediately became silent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI have received confirmation that as\nof today, day seven of the third month of our exile from the\ncolonies, that all information hat was in Eva Lawson’s head is\nuseless to the Cylons. All codes, encryption and communications\nprotocol have been changed. All tactical plans have been changed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn addition it has become obvious\nthat our strategy has gradually moved from one of causing maximum\npain to the Cylons to one of defending fixed points. Major Ramirez\nwas able to guess the location of 11 of our refuge locations merely\nby analyzing communications traffic and scientific scan data a\nvarious jump points that had become unstable due to over use.\u201d He\nnodded acknowledgment to \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
her and she smiled back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf our hackers can figure this out\nthen the Cylons can as well. We are going to move all the refugee\ncenters during the next three weeks. We have formed a civilian fleet\nwith approximately 70,000 souls to head into deep space, to be\nmobile, hard to strike and to search for a new home, away from the\nCylons.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe are going to return to our\nroots,\u201d he continued. \u201cWhile continuing to compromise the Cylon\nnetwork while we assault their weak points. Tylium mines, refineries,\nshipyards, everything will be hit while we make them think we have\nforgotten about Eva Lawson. When we have them distracted that is when\nwe make the strike and get her back. Our plan is to use a small,\nagile strike force. We are not going to announce ourselves with the\nspectacle of a Mercury class ship jumping in.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat will be our operational\ncadence?\u201d A young looking man with viper wings on his uniform\nblues, asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe have divided the fleet into nine\noperational squadrons. Three will be assigned to defend the mobile\nshipyard, the civilian fleet and the grounded civilians. That duty\nwill rotate every week. The six squadrons assigned to hit the Cylons\nwill have operational independence to plan and execute their\nstrikes. Each squadron will be expected to conduct 14 operations a\nweek. My staff here will pick half the targets. The rest will be at\nthe discretion of the squadron commanders.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWon’t this take a toll on readiness\nand equipment Admiral?\u201d Ramirez asked, echoing the complaints she\nhad heard on the wireless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe will assign the ships most in\nneed of repair to defend the shipyard,\u201d Cobb answered. \u201cThe\nMercury will undergo hull repair and replacement of damaged armor as\nit is assigned to the shipyard the first week.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBut Sir,\u201d Ramirez protested, \u201cthe\ncrew want to be out in the fight making a difference in the battle to\nrecover Commander Lawson.|<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe chain of command is not a\ndemocracy,\u201d Cobb replied, changing his position with obvious pain\nand effort. \u201cWe have 90 pilots assigned to flight training in your\nVR suites. You will do the most for your commander, getting rest and\nletting us restore your ship to peak readiness. Understood?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ramirez stood and saluted. \u201cYes sir!\u201d\nFor a moment, she felt motivated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cGo out there and frak the Cylons\nup!\u201d Cobb roared with uncharacteristic vigor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSo say we all!\u201d The nine squadron\ncommanders said in unison.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSo say we all!\u201d Cobb answered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
* * *<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Squadron two strike mission\nDay 10 of the forth month of the second Cylon war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cValkyrie one reporting\njump ready.\u201d The radio crackled in Admiral Cobb’s spartan office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cValkyrie two. Board is\ngreen. Jump key inserted, ready to jump.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cApollo, last of the\nMinerva class reports jump ready.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDefender one reports jump\nready.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cJump!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The five ships disappeared\noff the DRADIS screen on Cobb’s desk. His hand shaking badly, he\nreached for a bottle of pills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
* * *<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the bridge of the\nValkyrie named Blackbird, Sheila William’s a thirty-eight year old\nformer raptor pilot who had left the Colonial fleet three years ago,\nstared at the DRADIS screen seeing the other four ships in her strike\ngroup. Absently, she had her right hand fiddling with the pony tail\nin her light brown hair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She was a draftee to this\nnew fleet pondering her remarkable good luck. Three weeks ago she was\nin a refugee camp being overrun by the Sun Spot virus, hiding in her\ntent, not even going out for food. A Colonial officer, with a\nrepresentative from the peoples council had showed up at her tent and\nmade clear to her she was rejoining the Colonial fleet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She had made a good living\nas a civilian pilot after leaving the service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNothing on DRADIS,\u201d the\nDRADIS officer reported before three triple beeps announced the\narrival of three Cylon ships. \u201cThree Talon class ships. On an\nintercept course to the refinery.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLet’s intercept them.\nFlank speed ahead. Launch all vipers. Ready nuclear weapons.\u201d \nWilliams was feeling like the job fit a little better. She had lost a\nhusband and a toddler to the Cylons. Now it was time to make it hurt\nfor them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe have five refineries\non DRADIS!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI’ve got another trio of\nTalon carriers jumping in. This is a high traffic zone,\u201d This was\nApollo actual over the wireless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCommence attack pattern,\u201d\nWilliams ordered. She stared intently at the DRADIS display. The ship\nshook as heavy fire was exchanged between the five Colonial ships and\nthe six talons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis is Eagle actual. We\nhave a missile lock on refinery three. Firing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSplash one Talon class,\u201d\ninterrupted a voice on the wireless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cApollo is taking heavy\nfire. Taking evasive action.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cContact,\u201d DRADIS\nannounced. \u201cThree base stars, CBDR, but they are really far off.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cInbound unguided missile\nsalvo,\u201d reported the tactical operator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEvade left. Full\ndefensive profile. Turn on flak.\u201d Williams looked up and saw\nsomething she did not like in the air wing’s formation. \u201cCAG pull\nback, stay out of the Talon’s broadside firing zone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSplash refinery target\nnumber five.\u201d A voice crackled with static.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis is Vulture, we have\na shot at the closest base star. Releasing nuclear weapon.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEagle taking heavy fire.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis is Apollo actual.\nArmor bravo. We have damage and casualties. Request….\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cJump now!\u201d Williams\nordered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTop guns bearing on\nrefinery number 3.Firing,\u201d the weapons operator reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Seconds later a camera went\nwhite as the Tylium detonated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe have more base stars\njumping in. Now they are jumping out. Take that toasters, your gas\nstation is closed.|\u201d \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cRefinery two splashed!\u201d\nAn excited voice declared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAll targets destroyed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cRecall all vipers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCombat landings are\nauthorized,\u201d the LSO announced over the wireless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSpool up FTL!\u201d Williams\nordered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAll warships are showing\nboard is green,\u201d William’s XO, who was actually an NCO, a Master\nChief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cVipers are recovering,\u201d\nsaid the LSO. \u201cWe need another two minutes to recover our birds.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCylons are jumping away,\u201d\nDRADIS reported. The board was suddenly clean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cStand down condition\none,\u201d Williams’ shoulders relaxed. \u201cAll ships send damage\nassessment to the flagship.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
‘Flagship’ she thought. ‘I like the sound of that.’<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n