Usual 'I hope it's right place' stuff but also I thought, or dared that after a couple of years I'd thrust some of why I joined here out there. That sounds wrong, joined to share a passion for BSG78 but also to see if I could put out some writing. I like to write (fanfic is a shade of what I try to do) and so...well, here we are.
A little note is that Pacifica started off in 2004 when I wanted to try some original Galactica stuff but 'my own' ship kind of thing. I chose Pacifica the name at random and did some looking. Websites conflicted but I centred on her being at Molecay but spun it a little. In those nearly seven years I've tweaked it and tried to build up. It's taken six months to write this re-write's opening chapter purely as I lacked enthusiasm but also wanted it to be as good as it could.
And it's not quite there perhaps but I hope to get the series out there somehow (I've episodes 1 to 6 planned or noted down involving a crossover late on).
Anyway, here's the opening chapter. I won't 'spam' the chapters or even do anymore just yet even if I get them done soon.
End ramble
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"There are those who believe... that life here... began out there. Far across the universe. With tribes of humans... who may have been the forefathers of the Egyptians... or the Toltecs... or the Mayans... that they may have been the architects of the Great Pyramids... or the lost civilizations of Lemuria... or Atlantis... Some believe that there may yet be brothers of man... who even now fight to survive...
somewhere beyond the heavens."
Battlestar Pacifica
Based upon BATTLESTAR GALACTICA (1978) created by Glen A. Larson
Inspired by that programme and the music of it by Stu Phillips
THE SEVENTH MILLENIA
PROLOGUE
MOLECAY, 7359
The young brunette leant over the table to get a better look at the old photo. It was not that old really, maybe a yahren or two except the sepia gave it some ancient look. “We look so young.”
“We are,” the man seated said with a smile. The younger versions of the couple beamed out at the older, present couple. The beautiful surroundings of Iago Park in Caprica’s outer limits. Lieutenant Ares shuffled the picture placing it in his folder. “Shouldn’t you be going back to the
Pegasus soon?”
“Not yet, I can wait,” Lieutenant Sheba answered. The beautiful daughter of Cain knew her father would want her back soon even if the Cylons were ages away. The Fifth Fleet led by the Battlestar
Pegasus had been in position for a secton. Sheba was on the
Pacifica, Ares’ base ship and deputy Battlestar to her father’s. There were five Battlestar’s in total, aside from the two mentioned there was the
Poseidon,
Rykon and
Daedalus. All were the venerable Colombia-class Battlestar. The rest of the fleet were cruisers and dreadnoughts. “Father reckons we can intercept the Cylons before they make a further incursion towards the Delphon Empire.”
“Going to be some battle,” Ares commented. Sheba went to sit on his lap draping an arm around his shoulders. “Tell me flyboy, you got plenty of time after Molecay?”
“Always.”
She kissed him and leant back. “Four yahren is a long time for any couple.”
“Is this your way of getting me to propose?”
“Maybe.”
As luck would have it the lights dimmed red and a dull throbbing droning sound began. “Condition red, condition red. All pilots to launch stations.”
Automatically they snapped into motion leaving his cabin to run down the corridors. In the hangar they joined dozens of warrior’s running for their Vipers. “I’m going to return to join Silver Spar,” Sheba said breathless. “See you later flyboy!”
He blew a kiss at her then went to his fighter. As he slammed into his seat a few microns later he did not realise it would be the last time he saw Sheba. The canopy sealed around him as Colonel Marina Saltir’s voice sounded over the intercom.
“The Cylon fleet has been detected on long range scanners. They will be in range within fifteen centons. The plan is to decimate the fighter strength whilst the fleet deals with the base ships. Standby for final launch code.”
Ares punched up three buttons in front of him bringing the turbo’s to speed. Staring down the launch tube he tensed. Molecay was one of the Colonials’ last ditch efforts to slow a war effort that had long been against them. For maybe ten yahren if not longer the Colonials had been restricted to defensive actions well within the sphere of the Twelve Colonies. The memory of the colonies provoked a different memory –that of his father on Caprica. A leading scientist his father lived alone following the death of Ares’ mother of cancer two yahren ago.
Marina’s voice again.
“Launch when ready.”
Ares squeezed the stick slamming back in his seat as the Viper exploded down the launch tube. The tube flickered past in flashes of blending red and white before releasing him and the others into the cold of space. Banking he brought Red Squadron into line ahead of the
Pacifica. As the squadrons came into formation they were joined by the rest of the fleet’s fighter screen.
“Cylons now ten centons…”
Ares had flown in armadas this size in a few skirmishes. That was the fact unfortunately, that the Colonials had managed skirmishes in recent yahrens as opposed to battles. Still, Cain’s grand idea was to stop the Cylons here and hit them hard enough to force a peace. Like most plans in war it sounded good.
“Engage,” called Ares slamming in between two raiders that barely missed him. His first battle had been long ago just out of Academy on a so-called training mission on the Acropolis. Sometimes the best training was on the job training. Coming out the other side of the raiders he came up to his right firing. He checked his six noting that his wingmen Amadeus and Hermes were still with him. Hermes was green still in fighting whereas Amadeus had been with Ares back at the Academy. The same class just about as Starbuck, Sheba, Bojay and all the rest.
“Core Command all vessels,” the voice crackled across the intercom. This came directly from
Pegasus serving as the CIC ship. “Note that Basestars arriving end of system. Six Basestar’s…”
Ares did not hear the rest for the channel cut out. Six Basestars was…
“Look out!” shouted Ares as he saw a wave of elite raiders sweep across the front of the fighter wing. The dreaded raiders were still being introduced into the Cylon War dressed as they were in blood-red skins complete with a twinned prowl that lent a menacing air even as they flashed towards the Vipers. He raked his fire across the wing swinging his Viper around underneath the force. He could make out a Battlestar coming under fire from a Basestar that had drawn into battle quickly.
“This is
Pegasus Core Command, fighters needed quadrant four gamma…
-
Rykon under fire, we need support and fast…
-Two on my tail, moving in quickly…”
And on went the transmissions. Ares found himself concerned that voices were starting to sound strained or panicked already. Even as he saw
Rykon catch fire he hoped that they would win this battle. Only
Pegasus had been calm. Cain was keeping that ship together…
Sheba…
Ares dismissed the thought from his head.
“Up and behind you, skip,” called Amadeus launching his Viper out over the top of Ares’ to destroy two raiders that had come in at an angle. Amadeus settled down beside the boss. “We’re on our own.”
“Hermes gone?”
“Not destroyed. Someplace.”
“Come on, back to the base ship.”
Chaos had swiftly descended at Molecay as the Cylons enclosed gradually on the Battlestars that tried to hold their ground. Lasers criss-crossed the heavens slamming into fighters or capital ship alike. Vipers whizzed after raiders or vice versa yet the confused shouts grew more in number. Sides-lipping various raiders Ares and Amadeus rounded on a column bearing right for the
Pacifica. The mighty battlestar was firing everything it had into the nearest Basestar. Ares took out the first one bringing his thrusters down he held his fire down on the column but his momentum carried him through. Two of the raiders in the column raced into the port landing bay of the Battlestar. Explosions ripped through the fabric of the skin sending debris flying outward.
“Suicide run!” shouted Ares into his intercom. “Get the rest, quickly!”
It was too late or at least it was to get to the fighters. Within micro-centons the Battlestar was beginning to list as the crews raced to keep the stabilisers on.
“Core Command to
Pacifica Vipers,” Marina Saltir’s voice crackled over the intercom, “if returning to base ship land starboard bay…we’re…” the line died in static bursts.
“You heard,” Ares murmured. This was getting bad. He took a quick look at his tactical scanner as he brought Amadeus and himself around back into the heart of the battle. The
Daedalus was gone, the
Poseidon and
Rykon were crippled dead in the water and the
Pegasus, well Commander Cain’s ship was holding off four Basestar’s single handed. The Battlestar flank had been broken. The escorting ships had either been destroyed or driven back. Cain’s Fifth Fleet was in ruins.
Two Vipers drifted up close to the
Pacifica pair.
“Ares, this is getting crazy!”
“Bojay! Thank the Lords,” Ares glanced over at the
Pegasus Viper. Doing a quick check he saw the other was Sheba. “Sheba, how…”
“I don’t know what’s going on,” Sheba’s voice sounded thick. “I got knocked about trying to avoid this raider.”
“We need to clear some of this attack round the
Pegasus,” Bojay said. “If Cain goes we’re doomed.”
“We need every Battlestar we can get our hands on,” snapped Ares. “But we’ll go for the
Pegasus. Behind me.”
Through the remains of a Dreadnought the Vipers sped on. Along the way they destroyed more raiders yet more piled on. Chaos was now looking a mild term for what was happening. Though, it got worse of course.
“
Pegasus Core Command to all ships. Six more Basestar’s arriving. Prepare for further orders.”
“Frack,” cursed Ares. Twelve Basestar’s would be enough. “This is it.”
“The final battle,” Bojay murmured. Something they had often discussed late at night in the officers mess be it on the flagship or others. He sounded strong all of a sudden. “Let’s get the daggits.”
Into a swarm of Cylon raiders the four Vipers plunged twisting and turning to cut through the formation. There must have been at least forty raiders that had been gathered taking turns to hit out at Cain’s ship. The flying of the four pilots was exemplary proof of their training. Back on Caprica a select few had caused headaches for instructors for messing around during training or trying to be ‘rogues’. Starbuck, Ares and Bojay had nonetheless risen to the top of the pile when graduating.
“It’s hopeless,” Sheba cried out. “We’re outnumbered.”
“Hold tight,” ordered Ares bringing his Viper to his left he dodged the vibrant blue bolts of a Cylon raider then clipped one that had come into his path. The Viper straightened out before trying to roll onto its right. He grasped the stick levelling it with great effort. “I’m done. Stabilisers offline.”
“Get back to the
Pacifica,” Bojay said, “It’s not too late.”
Not too late, Ares thought. Even as he thought that the
Rykon exploded caught in the crossfire of four ships. Even across the battlefield the explosion lit the cockpit as bright as any sun.
“Cain to all Vipers. Only the
Pegasus and
Pacifica remain from all the ships. We’re pulling to a defensive line agreed before the battle. Start heading to the closest ship.”
Ares saw Sheba’s Viper drift close firing as she went. He swore he saw the helmeted figure look his way.
“Guess I’ll see you soon, flyboy.”
“Yeah,” he watched her fly away back towards her ship. Amadeus kept the path clear as the Vipers scattered. They left with such suddenness to the nearest base ship that the Cylons were momentarily confused. It was long enough for Ares and Amadeus –amongst others- to land on the
Pacifica. The only working bay soon became cramped with ships from all over. As he leapt down from his Viper Ares could make out markings from
Poseidon and the others.
By the time he got to Core Command he saw that the battle was out of their hands now.
“We’ve got more Basestar’s on long range scanners, that’ll bring the total to fifteen,” Carter Stuart was informing Commander Elijah. The great bearded commander leant against the railings then saw Ares.
“Ares, thank God. Casualties?”
“Hard to say sir but we’ve got a few from the rest.”
“Incoming transmission from Commander Cain,” Marina Saltir informed her chief. Elijah went to his command chair sitting as Cain’s image winked onto a small monitor.
“Elijah old friend, we need your help.”
“Bit late to ask,” Elijah said heavily, “we’re lost Cain.”
Ignoring him as if he had never spoken Cain said in a rasping tone, “Get your ship out of the system and send a call for help on Colonial frequencies. If the Quroum on Caprica has any sense they had Sixth Fleet on readiness.”
What Sixth Fleet? Thought Ares listening in. One Battlestar and six dreadnoughts from the early stages of the war.
“What about you?”
“We’re holding the line.” Cain smiled in a familiar way one that many knew when he thought he was right. “Elijah…”
“On our way, if we can make it that is.
Pacifica out.”
Marina caught her commander’s eye. The young brunette had risen fast through the ranks to this position. She also knew what she was doing.
“Helm, steer zero-four-zero gamma and make a FTL jump to co-ordinates alpha-omega-four-four-mark on my command.”
The
Pacifica began to drag herself around then surge ahead with renewed energy. Behind her the
Pegasus gradually vanished behind the might of the Basestar fleet.
“Five…”
“Basestar’s emerging from jump,” Carter called out. On the monitor screen three ships emerged indeed each quickly racing up towards the Battlestar and opening fire.
“Four…”
The bridge began to shake before flames shot down from the ceiling one such blast killing a crewman at her console. Ares jumped over the railing over to where Gamma was still trying to check on Vipers landing. He dragged the man from his console.
“Make the jump!” she shouted.
The
Pacifica elongated for a brief micron before shooting between the Basestar’s.
They never could get the reinforcements. For one thing the communications only travelled so far with the system damaged. For another, they were in a bad way generally. Choosing to run silent after the failure of sending a message for help Elijah opted to run deep into the neighbouring system to effect repairs.
To many the
Pacifica simply ceased to be.
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Battlestar Pacifica (Ch.2, 07SEP)
