Battlestar Andromeda, "Flight of the Colonies"

[Nadesico]

Chapter 1
Battlestar Andromeda, Command Information Centre
Location: 5 Hours out Tauron

“Damage Control reports there are open fires on the starboard flight pods, emergency venting of Viper fuel is underway to keep the pod from detonating”, reported Office of the Watch, Captain Graham Kelly, sweat dripping down his brow.

“Main batteries Bravo through Delta on the starboard side have ceased function! We’re getting casualty reports all through the starboard section forward of Bracket 28! Multiple internal explosions”, Officer Brandson yelled out from behind the tactical station, its large operations screen partially obscured the tension on his face.

Battlestar Andromeda BSG-21, one of the first Mercury class Battlestars in service to the Colonial fleet, was in trouble. A number of Cylon basestars had executed an FTL jump right into her flight group and took them by surprise. The once mighty Battlestar was no worse off then her two Defender series escorts, bleeding vital oxygen into space as she traded punches with the worst enemies the Colonial fleet had ever known.

Commander Titanio was dead. Colonel Kyrah Broch wasted no time in assuming command of her ship.

Officer had once made jokes about Broch; she was unusually young to be an XO on a Battlestar, despite her excellent records at War College. As a result, she was often unsure of how to execute her role in administrating the daily operations of a Battlestar; however, that was not her field of expertise.

During her time war college, soldiers often mistook her small stature as a sign of weakness only to be unpleasantly surprised that she was far superior in hand to hand combat as well as tactical combat strategies.

Broch turned to her helmsman, a young man by the name of Ruhl, “Minus 180 degree Z axis rotation, keep the starboard flight pod from the line of fire”, she commanded.

The powerful warship performed a barrel roll exactly the way a million metric tonne object shouldn’t, its massive manoeuvring thrusters pushed against the invisible vacuum of space, exposing the underside of the proud vessel to its enemy.

“All portside batteries cease fire, reconfigure for salvo fire!” Broch ordered.

“Port side batteries report cease fire, reloading for salvo volley”, someone reported, Broch was too busy to check whom.

The DRADIS console screamed, a loud piercing siren penetrated through the commotion in Andromeda’s CIC, “Radiological alarm! The Basestar is launching nukes”, Kelly yelled, barely louder then the alarm itself, “Brace for Contact!”

Andromeda lurched, pitching the deck sharply to starboard. Crew were torn from their stations and the floor gave way under them, throwing them to the deck.

Broch recovered her position quickly, monitoring the DRADIS display again. The Cylon basestar was closing in on the nearly crippled vessel, its sister ship was keeping her distance as if daring Andromeda to chase after it.

“Helm, disengage main drive units, 1-4, 5, 7 and 8. Make it look like we’re drifting. Tactical, on the next ordinance impacts, cease fire on all portside flak batteries”

“Sir, we’ll be completely defenceless from the Basestar! We don’t even have any birds in the air to ward off the raiders!” Kelly reported with panic rising in his voice.

Broch snapped, “I’m well aware of what I’m doing Captain, carry out my orders!”

The Cylon basestar was moving in on the portside of the ship, blasting every target of opportunity it could find, its counterpart was continuing to bombard from a range. The DRADIS screen flickered as power spikes through the main distribution grid were beginning to affect critical systems.

Communications Officer Lieutenant Sarkov called out, “Incoming nukes! They’re launching the next wave. Brace for Contact!”

The ship lurched again, the impact softened by the apparently chaotic motion Andromeda’ helmsman was throwing her into, but no less devastating to the ship’s functions.

“Port flak batteries reporting cease fire”, Broch recognised the voice, it was crewman Tulley, a new military graduate in his first tour of duty.

He called out from behind the damage control station, its massive display partly concealing his image, “The basestar has closed to 2 clicks portside, they’re firing missiles right into our flight pod sir. The armour plating can’t take much more pounding!”

Broch smiled, the basestar made the move she anticipated, “All port rail batteries, target the central spire and FIRE at will”

Andromeda’s main weapons sprung to life as she tore into the unsuspecting basestar. By feigning weakness in the ship’s defences, the basestar had moved closer expecting to finish the ship off, it didn’t expect her commander to play possum. Shells detonated against the hull of the Cylon basestar, its large winglike form cracked in half as the Colonial weaponry split the vessel apart along its axis.

“The basestar is destroyed! Massive detonations reported”, Kelly shouted triumphantly.

The crew cheered at their victory, despite being surprised and outnumbered, they had managed to eliminate an enemy vessel. However, their exaltations did not last long, the ship shook from an impact, reminding them that another basestar was still engaging Andromeda.

The other cylon vessel was keeping clear of the Andromeda now, launching raiders and missiles from a distance, but keeping it from getting close enough to do any damage. Raiders swarmed over the Mercury class battlestar, it was hard to identify any single unit on her DRADIS due to the sheer volume of opposition.

“Helm, bring all engines online, Constant Bearing with the remaining basestar, all ahead flank”, Broch ordered.

If playing chicken with a car is considered unwise, then Andromeda playing chicken with a Cylon basestar is downright moronic. Andromeda turned, its bulbous head focused directly with the basestar as it powered towards its enemy. Andromeda would be roaring in anger if sound could travel through a vacuum, mighty engines tearing through the distance remaining between the two foes.

Missiles detonated along her hull, attempting to slow Andromeda’s advance, as well as raiders too unfortunate to get out of its path in time. Weapons all along her hull dispatched those raiders too distracted in the chaos to resume their attack.

“Three clicks to impact, all hands brace for collision!”

The Cylons blinked, the remaining basestar disappeared in a flash of light.

“The Cylons have retreated Colonel, the remaining raiders are attempting to escape at sublight speeds!” Kelly reported, with Colonel Broch in command, Kelly effectively acted as her XO during this crisis.

“All batteries concentrate fire on remaining Cylon raiders”, she ordered.

The large flat wing-like Cylon craft scattered and attempted to flee, with all the effectiveness of ants scurrying out of the path of a stampeding elephant. Andromeda’s batteries tore through the Cylon craft easily.

“Ok, that’s quite enough Colonel, I think you’ve done enough damage today”, Commander Titanio called out from behind one of the operations displays, “Lieutenant Sarkov, end simulation and return operations to standard”, his tall form cleared the displays he had been standing behind.

“All hands, stand down to Condition IV”, Sarkov called over the ship’s intercom. Almost immediately, the atmosphere on the bridge changed. Red lights illuminating battle ready stations were replaced with calm beige lights, air recirculators filtered out the smoke from the room.

“Dead people don’t give orders, sir”, Broch noted to her CO.

Commander Titanio was one of the most experienced commanders in the Colonial fleet, once on the short path to admiralty; his promotion was only stopped by the selection of another Battlestar commander in his stead. Nevertheless, he commanded with experience and wisdom.

Along with his imposing stature, Titanio had a soft face, almost fatherly as he issued instructions to those under his command. Many officers who had served with him for a long time, considered him as their mentor and teacher, rather then a commander.

Titanio turned to Lieutenant Sarkov, “Lieutenant, contact our escorts and thank them for their assistance in the combat exercises, request they return to formation”, he instructed.

“Colonel Broch that was a unique manoeuvre against the Cylon basestar. Lowering your defences in a time of combat”, Titanio commented.

“Thank you sir”

He scratched his stubble of a beard, “But you are aware that the Cylons aren’t as foolish as our computer systems make them out to be, don’t expect that tactic to work against real Cylons”

Broch turned away from the DRADIS station, her eyes met his with a fierce determination and a smirk, “Find me a real Cylon basestar and we’ll see, Commander”

Titanio chuckled, “You tell me where their homeworld is and I’ll ask them to take you on”, Broch smiled in reply.

Lieutenant Sarkov came forward from the main communications station with a note in her hand, she passed it to Titanio, “Sir, we just received this message from Tauron Space Yards, they’re requesting an ETA on our arrival”

Titanio accepted the note and gave it a quick read over, “Lieutenant, tell them we’ll be arriving within 6 hours. Forward them a copy of all our damage control and deck officer logs along with the results from our last battle simulation, with my compliments”

Sarkov nodded, after taking the note back from Titanio, she returned to the communications station.

Broch looked at Titanio, “My compliments, sir?” she asked.

“Andromeda is one of the last ships in the fleet not equipped with the Command Navigation Program because our systems are too old. Tauron Space Yard’s superintendent thinks that we’re unable to perform at peak efficiency. I expect that simulation report to change his tune”, Titanio replied.

“Aye sir. I should head below and start docking preparations”, Broch replied.

“Typically, that’s the XOs job, Colonel”, Titanio smiled, “You’ve got 5 hours”

Broch saluted her commanding officer, Titanio returned her salute before she turned and departed from the bridge. Andromeda’s bridge was almost identical to all her sister ships, large glass panes separated the CIC from the main corridors of the vessel, her emblem proudly emblazed on the doors. The large doors parted to release Broch from the CIC; she quickly made her way past the marines at the doorway and disappeared into the bustling crew activity in the halls outside.

“Commander”, Sarkov called out from her station, “We’re received a message from Colonial Fleet Command. The Colonial courier at Armistice Station hasn’t checked in, they’re requesting a report on all FTL capable ships in case someone needs to jump out retrieve the courier’s ship”

Titanio turned to Sarkov at the far end of the bridge, “I think we’re a little too busy today, Lieutenant”

“Yes sir, of course”, she replied.