“Report. Dredas contacts are jumping. they might have a ECM or EW countermeasures” The officer on the control was calmer than they should be as they tried to adjust and bring the incoming targets back into full focus. “The vector remains the same.” The screens showed a slight flicker but the same tracks had been clearly marked with projected estimated points at the Warspites Hangar bays, FTL Drive and the forward weapons stations believed to be main targets and fire lines being rapidly mapped and sent to gunnery.
“Main batteries have solutions if required Com” Came another officer who was directing the battery to assigned arcs. The entire ship unlike others relied on humans and so far more than the others and systems where far less automated and interlinked deliberately.
“Sirs, Maams and … Officers.” an unsure Marine who was assigned to both keep them from getting lost, but also answer questions alongside other duties. “CIC is one of the most protected parts of Ship bar primary magazines and FTL drives. Warspite was the oldest Battlestar in service, only survivor of her class and most decorated also in the first Cylon war. She was bound for museum status before the … Cylon War returned.” The pause was a painful one, a hard pill to swallow how they had failed. “As you can see, we are extensively designed to withstand attack by cyber warfare, Hard lines, isolated systems, and auxiliary control centres to name but a few of the designs of the Mercury class exemplifying redundancy. Though updated over time at her heart the Mercury class has seen service for over 50 years proudly.” The Marine stopped leaving them room to ask any questions, deciding that content was needed about their ship. They did not bad mouth the ship, the ship was their home and much as one of them as the crew, somehow they felt the ship was a warrior queen in her own right and respected it so.
“This is Viper Lead. confirm. We are going to try guns. They are fast and accurate. Multiple Viper per target, layer the formation. “ The pilot's voice came in on the intercom as news of Dredas interference, one thing to work on later! The aircraft were just speeding right at them, ignoring all signs of such an obvious move, who could even survive that speed? It would be lethal to even a Cylon raider?
“Copy. Viper lead. LOS mode may work, use laser for missiles.” Came the CAG who was feeling the pressure. Her pilots where the frontline and ones who would be the ones who had to deal with first contact.
The damage Control board flashed Red lights and along one of the outer sections, where warning of an initial damper , gravity and lights failed. “Its G17, Portside again Com, never been right since we Took a nuke escaping caprica system. Teams moving to repair.”
“Get crews on it. Nothing too important there, we will not lose combat capacity.” The Commander sighed, her old ship was an old Lady but she sure chose the worst times to show her age too. 50 plus years of Service had been hard on the ship, the first Cylon war she Had been at fore front and even with full yard refits that hard life was not something that was forgotten. “Allied Band message.”
This is Battlestar Warspite. We have interceptors in the air. We are broadcasting IFF. It never hurt to tell everyone, the last thing they needed was to lose valuable aircraft and pilots before the real fight had begun.
Meanwhile in space after a much too tense wait, closing with the enemy to keep themselves a decent distance to work with but also not wanting to get too close to the enemy aircraft for good reasons. Lucky for the Viper pilots they made no attempt to evade like the Cylons did.
“1 Tango down, 2 are damaged but carrying on” Came the alarmed voice on the Commas as the Vipers turned on their length and fired engines to maximum pursuit velocity. The seeming lighter aircraft where tougher than Cylons that was for sure, their armour had taken punishing fire, damaged, slower but still fast to be closing the fire window and to be able to fly even after the Vipers concentrated heavy cannon fire. “Viper 32 .We gonna need AP rounds next time CAG. These Toasters have tough shells” One called into the CIC.
“Laser on.” Came in over the CIC speakers and the radio chatter from the fighters as there was very little they could do now but trust their fighter screen. “. Viper Lead. Window closes in 19 seconds. Lock lasers. Fire when Target confirmed. All aircraft.”
“Fox fire” Came the call and multiple missiles for good measure streaked to each target as the Vipers used their advanced manoeuvring and skill to keep the Lasers Locked on and drop at least one of the missiles to top attack and hopefully disable the “Pilot” whatever it was also.
Missiles streaked into the void as the countdown of speed vs fuel and velocity played out in the vast space of nothingness so alien to human survival. The Replicators seemed to give off no signs they had any life support at all, even Cylon raiders had to have some kind of .. whatever that was inside of them. “Fox Closing. evade wreckage.” The command was swift as they instantly formed a wide space for the expected stream of wreckage and misc space debris percent dancing around any threats; they would have to rely on the reserve wing if they failed.
“HIT. HIT.” came a call into the ship's command, “2 times Tango hit by multiple Fox LOS.” The first had been thoroughly destroyed but one that the shared data said might have once been a Galactic Republic heavy bomber or shuttle pattern was not willing to quit despite most of the systems down and slowly to the point it could barely keep a straight line and most of all anything was gone more hole than hull plates. “Raptor engaged. Fox free.” Came a crisper voice than the Vipers comms channel. Its shoulder mounted pods sent a pair of larger, faster missiles to kill the last Tango. They never made ships defensive missile or gun range but the Replicators were a very different style of enemy than they were used to.
“That's a Kill. Three Tango. Down.” Came through the speakers into the CIC as visible tension dropped but the level of potential action was not dropped, there could be more, or different attacks, they had to be ready.
“I want leads back for decontamination and debriefing, Two take over CAP. We need to work out new tactics and best loadouts. We beat them, but we need to be better.” Commander De Rio said into the phone. As she saw the physical cylon fighters removed from the plot, vectors and pilot lists were crossed out by china markers and manually updated with current leaders. Compared to other ships the Warspites operations probably seemed beyond archaic but to them, all this technology just worked and there was method to madness; this was the last remaining known of its sister ships even the most advanced had fallen to attack from the rear airlock.
“I appreciate your tour was a little unconventional, but I hope we have shown we can handle ourselves.” The Commander spoke now to any who had stayed back, most had headed to their ships as was their responsibility and where most comfortable and that was understandable.
Of course the Galactic Old Lady was never going to be forgotten. “Com. We are sending a zero G weld and repair team to G17. Estimate 1 hour to restore systems, on site reports likely stress fracture from the nuke hit In the damper harness.” Damage Control Reported, this old ship kept them on their toes and always was something that needed to be looked at.
“Also electrical crew, we might have tripped a breaker on G16 Main Bulkhead.”
“Copy Damage Control. The old Lady takes some care in her golden Years.” Commander de Rio gave the main Plot a tap and a salute to the ship. It was not a live thing, but it felt it to the crew and they had long grown too superstitious about it to ignore it.
Hope Lover
BearlyAllThere
Alisdragon911
InfamousGuy101
shylarah
Noctis
ICanBeAnyone
BlackRoseSiren
Sir Lurksalot
Dark Light