Guardian basestar

The Guardian basestar was constructed by the Cylons at the end of the first Cylon War and is a part of the evolution towards modern basestar design. The first Hybrid to be developed was integrated into the systems of this ship.
During Operation Raptor Talon, Lieutenant William Adama was shot down over an ice planet and encountered a facility where the Cylons were experimenting on humans in several ways, eventually creating the first Hybrid. Unable to free surviving captives as the facility began to crumble around him, Adama witnessed the launch of the Guardian basestar. Approximately 40 years later, the vessel is once again encountered by the Colonial military. 
While searching for a missing Raptor with a civilian science team aboard, and Showboat encounter a squadron of Raiders identical to the models used in the Cylon War. Outnumbered by the enemy, the two pilots retreat towards the safety of Pegasus. Both manage to land while Pegasus uses its point defense batteries to halt the approaching Raiders. One Raider penetrates these defenses and follows Starbuck and Showboat into the landing bay. A quick-thinking Starbuck shoots the craft down, leaving the Raider sufficiently intact for observation. 
Within the shot-down Raider, the Colonials find a trio of old-style Centurions. Upon viewing their remains, recalls the legend of the Guardians; a faction of Centurions that broke away from the core group when they were to be replaced with newer, non-sentient models. They were given the name 'Guardians' because the baseship they escaped with carried the first Hybrid, a figure that these Centurions worshiped like a deity. 
After learning of the Guardians from Agathon, and connecting the information with his experiences 40 years ago, Admiral Adama realizes that the missing Raptor crew is likely on the Guardian basestar, and that they are undergoing the same treatment as the civilians on the ice planet were 40 years ago. Unwilling to leave these crewmen to be mutilated, Adama orders an attack on the basestar. Having learned the vessel's likely location from the Raider's navigational computer, Pegasus jumps into the vicinity of the ship, and instigates the Battle of the Guardian basestar. The Pegasus seems to be a match for it by itself and it is ultimatly destroyed by Major Kendra Shaw who detonates a nuke on board after talking with the First Hybrid.
== Notes ==
* Given that only the standard Cylon basestar is displayed in the Galactica Museum, the Colonials might never have encountered another one like it. Considering this was the very end of the war, the model likely never saw combat. It is unknown if more ships like it were built, or if it is unique.
* Given that Raptors evacuate the Pegasus strike team from the basestar without incident, it appears that the Guardian basestar is unarmed, and totally reliant on its Raiders for defense. Unless the Raptor jumped in very close and landed fast enough to not be targeted by the basestar, it seems likely that it would have been shot down, were the basestar armed.
** However, this contradicts visuals provided of the Guardian Basestar, which clearly show numerous protrusions on the hull that resemble missile launchers.Images are in the middle of the page and clearly show missle launchers.
== Related Imagery ==
Image: First_Shot_Guardian_Basestar.png|
Image: Second_Shot_Guardian_Basestar.png|
Image: Guardian_Basestar_Weapons_Emplacement.png|
Image: Guardian_Basestar_Takes_Off.png|
Image: Guardian_Basestar_Deploys_Raiders.png|
Image: Guardian_Basestar_Wide_Shot.png|
Image: Guardian_Basestar_Closeup.png|
Image: Strike_Team_Approaches_Guardian_Basestar.png|
Image: Evac_Raptor_Speeds_Away_From_Guardian_Basestar.png|
Image: Guardian_Basestar_Destroyed.png|
== See Also ==
*Battle of the Guardian basestar
*First Hybrid
*Guardians
== References ==
Category:A to Z
Category:Cylons
Category:Cylons (RDM)
Category:Cylon Craft
Category:Cylon Craft (RDM)
Category:Cylon Military
Category:Cylon Military (RDM)
Category:Ships
Category:Ships (RDM)
Category:RDM
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