Prologue

Space was an open, immense expanse into which Starfleet poured its best brightest; and what they brought back was enough questions to spur the next generation to look upon the stars with as much romantic wonder. George Kirk had two bands on his fingers that made such a thought today emphasiseable, and he idly played with his Academy class ring while thinking of Winona; who'd just checked into Sickbay- who's vibrant image could dominate his thoughts at the touch of his wedding ring. She was due soon and they'd been hoping to get off the ship before it happened... not likely though as the bridge of the USS Kelvin was already taking it up a notch in response to close approach on their current divert point. An anomoly had been registered right on the border with Klingon Space and the nearby Kelvin was to investigate and report.
Sensor readings were confusing and not at all helpful - the first visuals were especially deceiving to human eyes: it looked like a lightning storm brewing. Tactical was trying to figure out whether or not it was Klingon, whatever it was... Kirk looked down at his board, muddled by updated readings and thought it concerning that gravimetric readings were unregistered- with the computers unable to quantify dense energy amongst the crackling light and gaseous shroud it played under. Chatter on the Kelvin bridge was coming from all stations and to the untrained ear it was to chaotic to follow; but each voice contributed to the live narrative Starfleet had going for 2233.04 at the border. Communications was beaming everything they had, as they got it to the nearest Starfleet Base. The turbolift sounded and a moment after Captain Robau was on the bridge and asking for a report. At his order the windows polarized and there, outside was the 'storm'. Kirk took his eyes off his board and looked out the bridge windows...
His eyes darted to the Captain then Humphries the Tactical Officer who asked "Are you seeing this?"
Out the window there were four flashes and the appearance on sensors of ships, at visual, that looked like two heavily built upon saucers stacked on top of each other. Almost immediately they launched small fast movers in surprising numbers.
"My god."
They were so close, these ships, but still Kirk had no idea what they were and it was Humphries who reported "I have a reading-"
The Helmsman interjected "They've locked weapons on us!"
Those fast movers were turning in on the Kelvin and were joined by missile launches from the huge saucer ships. Robau didn't miss a beat "Red Alert!" Kirk checked his board then added "Torpedoes locked on 320 degrees mark 2."
Robau gave the go by quickly ordering weapons armed, but the incoming salvo was already too close "Evasive pattern Delta five."
"Incoming," Kirk warned and the closing missiles fragmented such that their spread blanketed the Kelvins shields "frags!"
Shield segments of the USS Kelvin were caught during frequency adjustments and bombarded by saturating strikes. Warheads, nuclear, crude. Kirk frowned at the ordnance type the computer reported back while the ship rocked... the volume of fire, the small fast movers launching their own missiles too, was stopped for the most part by the shields- but there were hull hits. The Captain directed Tactical to "Fire all phasers!" and the forward viewport- choked by blasts, missiles and fast moving shuttles was joined by rapid phaser fire. The ships sensors were taking to long to clear radioactive clutter from readings but the sudden loss of contact with the fast movers suggested they may be lightly shielded- unshielded even. The Kelvin rocked particularly violently, followed soon after by a horror report from Engineering.
"Warp drive hit, weapons offline. Mainpower at 38%."
Robau didn't look phased as he ordered power to forward shields, likely hoping to weather the last of the salvo before being flanked by the fast movers. Kirk checked his board again, the hits had been lucky or well targetted because as crude as the nuclear warheads were they'd overwhelmed shield areas and damaged the Starfleet vessel. There were casualty reports on Deck Seven to Thirteen while the damage to power conduits meant a drain of the shield ratings, damage to the reactor meant drain of main power. It was the hits now as much as the damage...
Kirk advised "10%... sir, 9 and now we're dropping-"
"Remaining power to forward shields." Robau didn't miss a breathe as he further ordered "Prepare shuttles for evacuation."
The Communications board beeped and a visual from one of the attackers was registered. The Captain had it put up, the image resolving into an armoured and shined... humanoid? The voice was mechanical...
"Your Commanding Officer will come aboard our ship via shuttlecraft to negotiate ceasefire. You will be destroyed otherwise."
The transmission cut abruptly leaving a bewildered bridge. The Captain turned to Kirk, the apprehension Robau wore on his face did not compromise the confidence he naturally exuded, he nodded at his lieutenant;
"Walk with me."
Battlestar Atlantia flashed into existence beside a huge gravimetric disturbance- it frakked the DRADIS right up. Ahead of the Colonial Fleet battlestar were five contacts, one up from the plot they'd chased. Forward observation came back with report of five 'saucer' shapes which for the Fleet had always been good enough to call for Condition One. Saucer meant Cylon and for the Atlantia that meant a gods awful fight. DRADIS came back with readings that suggested four of the Baseships were attacking the fifth but then it seemed to stop... the signal to launch Vipers was given.
Major William Adama shot out the launch tube with three other Vipers on his wing, his hands dropping off the 'dash' and onto the stick, throttle while he began a turn towards the operations area. Steerpoints marking the approach on the Baseships from Atlantia gave him some immediate reference points. For the first minute of his approach it seemed like nothing was happening with the five Baseships, then all hell broke loose. Adama got on the wireless, his voice low and scratchy.
"Weapons free."
Quick check of the DRADIS told him a few Raiders were vectoring on his flight. Atlantia had tasked the Major's Viper group to punch through the scrambled Raider screen, get in close to the Baseships to accurately but safely spot for the main batteries- couldn't get Raptor in. Adama's approach angle gave him too much of a lead on the intercepting Raiders who didn't have a firing opportunity before he passed, they fell in behind his Vipers and were jumped by a follow-up Atlantia flight. The Major tasked Baseships for his flight and his accompanying Viper jocks confirmed their targets on approach: Adama had the new contact- the fifth Baseship and from where he was could transmit accurate positions for the Battlestars firing solution. Thing was the fifth baseship wasn't normal- it was firing light beams? And it was being pounded by the other Cylons, it was launching its own Raiders- but they were on a vector away? Escaping? Adama locked his throttle for an instant to switch on his gun camera, turned on the Baseship and its departing Raiders and opened the gate. The fifth baseship was accelerating towards its four attackers, it rammed the nearest and was aimed at the next while the third jumped away.
The fifth baseship had over and underslung cylinders, a flight-pod and engine? It's light beams were firing backwards, its momentum and mass a blunt weapons against the assaulting Baseships while light shot at raiders going after its own. With a brilliant explosion it slammed fully into one of its attackers and both ships seemed to break up totally... leaving disoriented Raiders, damaged and crumbling baseships, and the Colonial Fleet to fall on top of them.
Adama turned his Viper after the escaping Raiders of the fifth baseship... they were close enough for visual and he noticed they didn't follow Cylon design conventions- they were more like Colonial Shuttles in a way: rectangular though with outrigger engines. DRADIS had clear pictures of them- the energy they gave off was incredible.
...
Category:Writings