Into the Fray
Who: Jon Randell and others Where: CIC, Avalon When: Jump to Tauron
“Action Stations, captain.” Jon ordered from the command table in Avalon’s CIC.
“Aye, sir.” The captain immediately sounded the alarm and announced on the inter-com that Battlestar Avalon was at condition one.
Jon picked up the hand-set. “This is Colonel Randall. Now it’s our turn. We all know what is at stake. We have all trained for this. No point for inspirational speeches. Just do your jobs. So say we all.” He returned the handset to the cradle on the table and turned his attention for a moment to Vice Admiral Pierce who was there for this moment to observe. Pierce gave him a nod and then left CIC for the Situation Room where he would command the remains of the fleet.
“Begin the countdown, captain.” He ordered.
“All hands, one minute to FTL jump,” someone from CIC announced on the ship’s inter-com.
It was Jon’s goal to take command of a battlestar one day, but never had he imagined it would come on the first day of a war. He had read the reports and listened and watched the news casts from the home worlds. A realist knew the odds were against them.
“30 seconds to FTL jump, all stations stand by.”
Jon thought of Blake and her beautiful face and warm brown eyes. His heart ached and he regretted the way they had parted when she lost the baby. The last he heard, she was on Caprica. If only he … Jon pounded his fist against the table.
The mighty battlestar along with her escort ships compressed to points of light in dark empty space and then reappeared above the gray and ringed sphere of Minos, the moon of Tauron. Off in the distance small globes of explosions are exchanged between war ships both Colonial and Cylon. The DRADIS screen above the command table filled with targets both friend and foe.
“All ahead full, turn to starboard, when in range main guns fire on nearest enemy capital ship, prepare to launch strikes.” Jon ordered. The specialist at the helm shifted the throttles all the way forward and turned a small wheel and set course to the battle ahead.
Avalon speed toward her target, her bow lit up as her heavy guns fired her first volley, followed by the forward guns on her pods and continued firing. The rail rounds streaked to the center core of a Cylon baseship. Several rounds caught the enemy off guard while it had focused its fire on another ship. Massive explosions erupted from the baseship before it could return fire.
“Launch strikes,” someone ordered. Vipers fired from launch tubes and into the fray.
“Vulcan is on fire,” another reported the status of a sister battlestar. The capital ship was one of four battlestars already engaged; the others were Pegasus, Triton, and Mercury and a half dozen basestars.
“Copy, let’s see if we can take some of the heat off her,” replied Jon as he ordered Avalon to maneuver to protect the other battlestar.