No good news
Who: Jilleen Simmons & Conrad Pierce Where: Ft. Iwo, Sagittaron (CIC) When: Evening local time, an hour after the attack.
“It’s not possible. Are we sure?” Jilleen asked of the intelligence officer who was briefing the Admiral of the latest figures and reports of the attack. She spoke out of turn, letting her shocked reaction override protocol of the briefing which caused the other officer to pause. Realizing her mistake she turned to Vice Admiral Pierce. “I’m sorry sir.”
“Answer her question, Major. She spoke what we are all thinking,” said the Vice Admiral who stood at the table with other members of his staff inside the command bunker an hour after the initial attack.
“We tripled checked. Twenty seven battlestars confirmed destroyed. Forty-one others unreported, fates unknown, this includes over a hundred other warships.” He said.
The list of ships was being passed around the table among the other officers. Jilleen was afraid to look at it. She was not privy to the operation plan that was in effect beyond the 1st Expeditionary Force part in it. Unknown to her at the moment, Avalon was one of the unreported.
Almost an hour had passed since the attack on the command center ended. The centurions did manage to destroy a communication station, which had limited the post’s contact with the rest of the Colonial Fleet for half an hour. When communications was reestablished they had nothing but bad news. Civilian news reports were sketchy since the beginning of the crisis or had been completely cut off from the beginning from some colonies. Sagittaron’s orbit this time of year blocked it from line-of-sight stellar communications with other colonies.
“In addition to the nuclear strikes we known about earlier, we received a fresh report of nuclear strikes on Aerilon, Aquarion …” Jilleen stopped listening to the major after he mentioned her home colony. She thought about her family back home. Where were they? She was supposed to have lunch with her father tomorrow in the city, and her brother would have been in the city too. Casperon would have been one of the targeted cities.
“Lords protect them,” she whispered as she stepped back from the table wanting to get away before she broke down. Jilleen bumped against someone behind her.
“Hang in there, sir,” said the Command Master Chief who placed his hand on her arm. He was an old veteran from the last war. “We are all in the same boat.” Jilleen appreciated the reminder and nodded. She took a second to regroup while the Intelligence officer continued his bleak report.
The moment the major was done, everyone at the table including Jilleen looked at their commanding officer. “These are hard facts to swallow, ladies and gentlemen, but this is war so start getting used to them. Our main concern is the defense of the Sagittaron. This is where we will hold the line until ordered otherwise. Start informing subordinate commands to harden against electronic warfare and to distribute new codes.” The admiral continued to issue orders at the table.
The Command Center was buzzing with activity as Sagittaron prepared for the defense of the Colony. The one advantage the colony had over the others was active combat ready units. So far the only action beside the one nuclear strike was light enemy raids. The one at Ft. Iwo was soundly defeated. This did not mean the Cylons were done. They expected a larger attack.
A few minutes later, while Jilleen was taking notes from the Admiral about the message he send to the rest of the forces on the colony, the major returned with one of the signal officers.
“Sir, pardon me. I think you want to read this,” he handed Pierce a piece of paper and waited while he read it.
After reading the brief message, Vice Admiral Pierce spoke up. “Listen up,” he paused for the center to quiet down. “Admiral Gibson is dead,” the Deputy Chief of Fleet operations, who took command of the fleet after the strike, was killed in action. “I’m taking command of FORCECOM effective immediately. I’m transferring command of the First to Vice Admiral Hathaway. Carry on and Gods speed.”
Along with the message was the coordinates of the alternate command flagship. The name of the ship was not mentioned for security reasons. After some more words with the major and the other officer, he dismissed them, and then turned to Jilleen. “Have raptors on standby, we’re leaving Sagittaron to transfer my flag to a battlestar in twenty minutes. Here take this, it has the coordinates.”
“Yes, sir,” she replied without hesitation and took the piece of paper.
Before she turned away, the Admiral had more to say. “Simmons, before you go I wanted to let you know that I think you’re an outstanding officer and extraordinary aide who had served me well. It would be a disservice to the fleet to keep you on as my aide for long after today. You’re ready for greater responsibilities.”
She didn’t look surprise after all has happened. “Thank you, sir that means a lot to me, but all I want now is to kill toasters.” If this was yesterday, she would have been more excited about the prospect of a new promotion and advancing in her career. Instead she turned the fear and grief in this short time into anger toward the enemy for what they have done to her world.
“We’ll all get the chance to do exactly that, I promise Captain.” Said the admiral and Jilleen believed him.