[H2][centre][color=9e0b0f]Battlestar Warpite[/color][/centre][/h2]
[H3][centre][color=9e0b0f]Galatic Old Lady [/color][/centre][/h3]
[H3][centre][color=9e0b0f]Coruscant System[/color][/centre][/h3]

“So we're doing this then?” The gathered officers were in the more formal and lavish ward room, bright blue carpet, plush chairs and a level of trim that the old Battlestar did not possess in many places. A ship built for war and long distances from home, she lacked luxury but in compensation alcohol was never short aboard and what got on in the unisex berths, heads and quiet corners was not remarked upon. Stress had been burned in more than just the weight room or the close combat rings. 

Drinks littered the tables, other officers of junior ranks where standing and food had been laid out. “Yes, we are. Major Kara, we will be joining the allied fleet. We are alone, and we cannot survive alone” The Commander spoke, running a hand through her hair cut to shoulder length and tied up and out the way. “Yes I know, we need more time, but time we do not have.” Pausing as the crew drew breath. “The briefing documents you have, list the details. You read them. What do you need.” She gestured to her own octagonal report in front of her, sat at the centre and looked around at the officers who would lead her crew. Now was the time to speak up. 

Commander Anna de Rio was proud, all of them had performed their duty under the hardest of conditions and time, lost more than any could bear to lose and yet they still stood together. All 3500 of her own crew or their abouts had made her proud. 

…


“Prepare to cycle the drives, Miss Gator. Lock the ship and prepare for Jump” The commander called out in her tone that gave no room for question and the iron of a woman who had led through war, Armageddon and into a whole new galaxy. “Alert fighters, to ready tubes. Raptors 1 through 4 ready for high altitude recon. Dreidas, ready?” Calling out to the console as previously the system had been temperamental the last week and sensor ghosts and glitches have required annual confirmation. 

“Ready. Confirmed green” Came the clear return from the Station and others confirming they were ready to jump. All consoles reported in green bulkheads sealed shut incase of void breaches and the damage Control boards reported green across every deck.

“Still unsure about this Commander, if we had more time to get more Vipers to combat status, we still have the chief's crews pulling 12 hour days to get more repaired and out of mothballs. Even the first war models.” Col Tye said as he leant against the command plot and projected map of the system they would be jumping into. “Daniel. Whatever in Kobols name he was, he could not have turned back time?” Wishing they had time, the Warspite was ready for a fight if they had to but they still were pulling Vipers out of reserve, getting systems back to full order and Marines were still drilling hard on the training decks practising urban combat drills to the last hours. 

“We can but do Col Mortimer, This Daniel is strange as they come, but so is this. Countdown on my Mark. Mark.” Firmly switching tone and directing to the whole CIC rather than just her XO.

“Count. 20. Prepare to jump. Brace all all hands for Jump” Lt Gator picked up the heavy wired phone from its slot and she spoke across the ship's tinny and crackled decades old speaker system that had a character all of its own. “9.8.7.6.5.4.3.2.1. Jump. jump. JUMP.” On the last command the jump drive fired into life and ship shook with a rush of energy, the ship flashed into a new star system. 

The planet below them burned, wreckage littered the system in places as the blunt nosed warship rammed an burned out hulk of an alien transport ship out its path. “Dredas. I need a clear path” Came the Cols command as he pulled up the plot and the debris field they had jumped into. “Working on it already. Course partially sent to the Nav plot.” came the reply, several alarms reported minor impacts against the hull but importantly no breaches and the Battlestar Warspite began to swing and roll to lumber its way out of the hazards. “Work faster or you're repainting the Galactic Old Lady.” He called out in response, a hollow threat they had less than care for their hulls paint, more for getting Vipers operational and the last of the main battery guns issues ironed out. 

“Alert Vipers alway, Cap is out. Raptors launch in 40” Came the report as flight bays yawned open along its sides and Vipers fell into formation alongside the vast mothership. “CAG reports tube 17 failed. Launching tube 19 to compensate” Came in over the chatter as another Viper showed to appear on the central plot alongside their port side. 

“Viper 24. Report. Blue, escort class in orbit. Small, circular Hull form. Holding orbit. Matches description of Allies. The first Viper away called In as it checked the path was clear. “Copy. proceed as planned Viper 24.” Came a quick returned command. 

[Code]“This is Battlestar Warspite under Commander  De Rio. We are moving to a stationary Orbit. Coruscant Central metropolis Region. Deploying Raptors and Vipers for initial recon sweep. Advise if assistance is needed. Challenge codes will be required. Repeat. Support requests will be denied without Corect Challenge Codes. ”[/code] The message was sent across a secured and ahreed wide band to the allies, Daniel had already told them what the enemy was, comms was a risk but a calculated one as the fleet was stronger united. 

…

The Viper and Raptor flew through the Smoke, cameras and sensors panning across the whole burning or damaged endless cityscapes of the world. The Jedi Temple, what their maps called it anyway, loomed as a Zigurt. The remains of intense battle clustered it and much of That could be seen from above. “Conform. This is team 3. target Alpha sighted and confirmed Visually. Holding high. Jammers online. Damage extensive, central zone. Reports are accurate. no visible resistance or current engagements. Same as Bravo and Delta space ports.”

“Move to loop to Echo hab zone” came the crackled command, check for signit.”

The reports coming In where bad as it looked, the whole place was a massive urban sprawl but apart from whatever machines, automatic beacons and such. So far it appeared to be a tomb on a planetary scale. 


[@mattmanganon]