The message came in over the screens but the alien codes and frequency took some time to fully stabilise into an image of a bearded older man in what looked like robes of some kind. flicking a switch on the command console the view of a woman in dark blue uniform with hair to shoulder that was a vivid red with signs of greys and fading.
“This is Commander Anna De Rio, Colonial Navy. Copy. Full NBC and counter cylon protocol to be engaged in returning aircraft. Thankyou Master Kenobi. We will Move to safer position. This Channel will reach our CIC. Warspite out.” The message was grainy from an overhead camera and their uniforms looked a little care worn but the crew was disciplined. Keeping the heavy phone to her head. “CAG. Recall Recon. Full NBC and anti Toaster protocol to returning aircraft. Nothing gets on this ship.” The message needed more reply as she placed the phone down. “Col, we have quite the problem…” She said, it always was a problem, you just had to ride with them. The commander who had called himself a Jedi Master seemed to be quite handsome, dignified even. But Anna had known many handsome men in smart uniforms who turned out to be an asshole, an empty suit or just unable to get it up even. You could not judge off an image.
“Helm, bring us to the recovery Vector.. Plot course. Do Not. HIT. Any. Derelicts. Recall Cap if you have to, just do it.” He said as they plotted out a route the 500m wide and almost 1500m long warship could navigate. Warspite was smaller than her modern designs being a Jupiter Class even, Battlestars were not made to be the most agile of warships and Dredas was pinging all over the place, ships, wrecks, allied ships… I hope they told the Blue ship the same warnings, She a small one but they meant to be effective was a discussion, their allies where a odd mix and they where unsure how they could fully complement each other.
“Another contact. Dredas. Bearing 265. jump completed. Designated. Flagship.” Came the report as the command table came to life with blips, vectors and such information on the newest vessel. The crew had to hold their jumpy instincts to run out the guns, give the launch commands and deploy the Vipers on muscle memory.
“Hold, Hold. That's allied. Concentrate on recovery.” The Cols smooth tone sounded in the CIC knowing the crew had operated on a hair trigger for far too long. Someone was probably hovering over the ship to ship missile launch door controls. The Battlestars Orbit adjusted to avoid a hazardous area as the Dredas plotted thousands of tracks around them. Panic would kill them alot more dead than anything else.
…
“Copy CAG. This is Grim. Nothing to report. it's a tomb” The Captain's frank admission came to the air commanders table as orders were shouted to prepare for a full decontamination protocol. “Viper CAP. Pull close. We need you to assist Nav. Course and plot sent to you” Open space between the planet and the fleet was located and mapped into where they could easily evade slow moving wreckage and other ships but also turn their most heavily armoured facings to the unknown vessels… Trust was not infinite.
The command was acknowledged in the same way as any other, Warspite had barely any windows, they were a luxury no warship could afford, the observation deck was an exception and they already had to make it an bookable location due to demand on the space. Couples tended to need to be reminded the time slot was over.
The Kuun-Lan message replayed over the speakers of the CIC, like every speaker and phone on this old Battestar it crackled a little. Their systems were old and nothing anyone had tried had removed it in the last few years. A short conference agreed and the voice of a younger woman came over the channels.
“This Is Warspite. We copy. approval granted. Commander De Rio and our diplomat will meet guests In the Port hanger. We repeat Port Hanger. Guests will be seen in our main ward room. Refreshments will be made available”The message paused and came back less sure but remained professional directly to the command ship alone.
“Any additional expertise ensuring decontamination of aircraft is appreciated. we are under resourced and our crew is committed to many tasks to bring this vessel to her full effectiveness.” They were proud but not stupid and would not turn down the skills of others who might have faced such threats. They where meant to know more about this kind of danger, had more recourses and much as Warspite was proud they knew they where running on line, they where short on everything. it was shameful to admit their materials and other resources were frankly short in everything but alcohol, ammunition from Ragnar Anchorage and god knows how many cigars and cigarettes it seems. Warspite was going to have to rely on her allies. Materials would help, but they needed intelligence, technology and methods how to fight their new enemy too in detail. Another ship was meant to also be able to aid them when it came to join the fleet.
“Diplomat Six Lon to the Port Hanger” called out over the PA system and repeated Thrice before it cut out and the normal messages and updates resumed across the PA calling out assignment, command and the time every 15 minutes in current status.
Slowly but precisely the heavily armoured mass and bulk of the Warspite began to engage in slow but precisely plotted adjustments and changes to their course and angle rolling the ship with the changes to get closer to the Kuun-Lan where they could better be assisted and more centrally receive the delegations.
In the massive port hanger of the Warspites flight pods each one externally over 500m long, 100m wide and 80m tall, however they stood in the pressurised recovery area of the hanger. Commander De Rio was stood flanked by 20 of her Marines under the bulky muscular form of Major Ivan Kraken who where at parade ground formation with their rifles across chest in their black duty uniforms. Tactical armour was all they had, no formal uniforms, no real band or anything. they would have to do for now as a honour guard. She looked smaller vs the men and women in their full black kit, but her presence and respect she inspired from her crew was clear.
The woman alongside her Lara Hoshi six-lon was dressed in a red dress, black heels, a taller woman than the commander in with hair free and longer in a striking blonde. She was the civilan face to the soldiers next to her and the one who would have to help bridge the gap between the the ships of different cultures. an Cylon no less? well she was now a Cylon so far away from her world, a Cylon no one knew was a Cylon. The ship had assumed she was just rather strange in her habits like the rest, another broken soul from a broken and ravaged grouping of worlds. "Ready as ever Commandeer" She said with confidence. They would wait as other crew laid out foods, drinks in their good ready room, its carpet was a little faded but it by far their best formal space they had.
"We shall do, no options. we go forward. We defend Humanity, though it may be a different name. our Oaths have not changed even if the Galaxy has." Commander De Rio said to the woman, she was a odd sort but Lara Hoshi six-lon was like the rest of the ship. All they had was they had, they did the bets they could with what they had. That was all they could do.
"A little stunted, but we can work with that" Lara said as they moved to lighter topics like how one of the Pilots had been seen leaving for duty shift from the Officers section of the ships quarters. Their would be no reprimands, gossip sure but everyone needed some comfort in times like this.
@mattmanganon@Sep
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