Admiral Eva Lawson was groggy as she was helped from the floor of C I C by her new XO Major Stanley \u201cWheelchair\u201d Jacobs. He had a cut over his right eye, the blood was smudged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat the frak happened?\u201d she asked as she gripped the table. The combat information center was mostly dark, having suffered a complete power failure. There were several pitches of whirring sounds as computer hardware struggled to boot up,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There was no alert klaxon, no DRADIS scanning noise. Monitors were showing scrambled output nothing seemed to be working. Finally the damage control station came online. It was unsteady, flickering every couple of seconds. There looked to be armor damage in several places, but no major breech.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The FTL status screen came online next. All three FTL field actuators were showing red. Whatever was happening it would require some repairs before they would be able to jump out of danger. There was a roar echoing through the ship. The artificial gravity systems seem be stressing out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lawson felt as if her body were heavy. It reminded her of pulling G’s in a mark vii viper. She felt nauseous like after pulling 8-9 G’s in a viper or a simulator. \u201cI hit my head. I don’t remember.\u201d Lawson shook her head. \u201cWhat do you remember Wheelchair?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe were attacking the trapped Cylon fleet. Something went wrong. We had a jump plotted. We got nuked. I think.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
All the equipment came back online. The monitors steadied up. The forward view camera showed a sun center screen, looming large. The alert klaxon’s came online, the noise was ear splitting. This was not the normal post jump conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe’re going too fast.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSituation report,\u201d Lawson demanded. Shaking her head, trying to get the fog out of her mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe got struck by nukes just as we jumped,\u201d the officer of the deck reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Major Jacobs was looking at several status screens. \u201cFTL took EMP shock while we were transitioning into the jump.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhere the frak are we?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe are in a totally different solar system than we planned our escape jump.\u201d The FTL officer reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt looks like we are moving,\u201d Admiral Lawson said. \u201cWhy are we moving? We are not supposed to come out of FTL jumps at high speed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNavigation officer,\u201d Jacobs demanded. \u201cSituation report.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe are headed straight into the sun wherever we ended up. We are at very high speed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Major Jacobs, shouted to be heard over the droning klaxon. \u201cGive me precise data. What is our speed?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPoint nine point eight nine of light speed,\u201d reported the navigation officer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHeading?\u201d Lawson barked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cStraight into the sun. Estimated impact in 180 seconds.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFrak me.\u201d Lawson gasped. \u201cCan we use maneuvering thrusters to avoid the impact?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNegative. We will have to turn around and use full Slower than light drive.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe have Solaria and Saturn right behind us. They got hit too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCan we FTL out of here to avoid a collision?\u201d Lawson asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEMP pulse took out our FTL drives. Engineering is reporting 4 hour minimum to make the repairs. Solaria thinks it will take them 48 hours.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOne hundred forty seconds to impact.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
* * *<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Combat Jump before the strike mission:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAll ships report ready for the combat jump. Vipers and strike craft are in the launch tubes.\u201d Major Stanley Jacobs reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Admiral Lawson picked up a handset, configured to speak to the entire strike fleet. The attention tone echoed through the ship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis is the Admiral. Good Hunting. Execute combat jump!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Quickly Lawson put the handset in its cradle. It would not feel good, going through a jump with that antique technology near her head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n