X-NEWS: spcvxb rec.arts.startrek: 4920
Relay-Version: VMS News - V5.9C 19/12/89 VAX/VMS V5.3; site spcvxb.spc.edu
Path: spcvxb!njin!rutgers!umn-d-ub!enielsen
Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek
Subject: BG meets Big E (Part III)
Message-ID: <3392@umn-d-ub.D.UMN.EDU>
From: enielsen@umn-d-ub.D.UMN.EDU (eric nielsen)
Date: 27 Apr 90 21:22:36 GMT
Reply-To: enielsen@ub.d.umn.edu.UUCP (eric nielsen)
Organization: University of Minnesota, Duluth
Lines: 469

From umn-d-ub!rutgers!cs.utexas.edu!mailrus!iuvax!noose.ecn.purdue.edu!mentor.cc.purdue.edu!sku Mon Apr 23 11:15:22 CDT 1990
Article 44491 of rec.arts.startrek:
Path: umn-d-ub!rutgers!cs.utexas.edu!mailrus!iuvax!noose.ecn.purdue.edu!mentor.cc.purdue.edu!sku
>From: sku@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (Jeff Standish)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek
Subject: Galactica and Enterprise, part 3
Message-ID: <9961@mentor.cc.purdue.edu>
Date: 21 Apr 90 21:04:30 GMT
Reply-To: sku@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (Jeff Standish)
Organization: Purdue University
Lines: 457

And now, the conclusion of this (not so) little saga of cross-series
space and time wierdness.  Hope you like the conslusion.  Or not.
I'll go get those asbestos shorts I recently invested in.  Didn't even
need them for the first part.  That might just change.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

   The Cylon ships broke off from the battle all together, returning
to the safety of their basestars.  The vipers also returned to the
Galactica, their numbers significantly smaller than when they had been
launched.  Their losses had been higher than usual due to the size of
the Cylon strike force.  Indeed, without the aid of the Enterprise,
they might not have survived this battle.  That, however, had been a
possibility in each of the battles they had fought since they had
escaped the destruction of the Twelve Worlds.
   After perhaps an hour, a small group of fighters was launched from
one of the basestars.  The small ships proceeded on a direct course
for the Enterprise.  A signal from the basestars indicated that this
was Baltar's personal ship and his guards.  Then a brief message
originated from the lead raider, a personal message from Baltar.
   "The weapon systems on these fighters have been deactivated.  We
are coming under a flag of truce.  See to it that Adama's people
respect this truce."
   "Very well, Baltar.  We will transmit landing clearance as soon as
your ships are close to the Enterprise."
   "And Picard, do not be a fool and permit Adama's people to corrupt
the crew of your ship or taint your 'impartiality.'""
   "I will see to it.  Picard out."
   Once the line was closed, Picard commented openly, "I do not trust
him.  Mr. Worf, I want a full scan of those ships."
   "Baltar is attempting to deceive you, Captain," intoned Counselor
Troi.  This was but a confirmation of Picard's just suspicions.
   "Then what is Baltar up to, if you can read his mind?" demanded
Apollo, growing irritated at the vague insights that Deanna would
declare, yet never specify.
   "I am not a full telepath, Captain Apollo," clarified Troi.  "I am
only an empath."
   "Sir, scanners show that the weapon systems on those fighters are
indeed deactivated."
   "Very good, Mr. Worf."
   "However, scanners do not indicate the presence of a Human on any
of those ships.  And, I am picking up large quantities of explosives
that do not appear to be either a part of the raider's weapon systems
or drive units."
   Leaning over Worf's should to see what the Klingon meant, Starbuck
gasped, crying out, "Those ships are packed with solonite!  They've
got enough there to rip this ship in half!"
   Picard looked at Adama for a moment, then commanded Data to get in
contact with Baltar's basestar.
   The channel finally opened, showing a robot sitting in Baltar's
throne.  Points of indistinct light revolved in various orbits inside
of the transparent head of the robot, while folds of cloth concealed
what looked to be a wraith-like body.
   "Get me Baltar," Picard demanded of the Cylon construct.
   "Baltar is currently en route to your ship," maintained the robot.
   "We both know that is a lie.  Those ships are loaded with
explosives which, unless I am gravely mistaken, are intended to
destroy my starship.  If those ships are not turned around
immediately, I will be forced to have them disabled or destroyed."
   The channel was closed almost instantly.
   Then Worf alerted them, saying, "The fighters are accelerating and
taking evasive maneuvers.  The basestars are beginning to move towards
our position and are launching their fighters."
   Picard cursed to himself and gestured to Riker.
   "Destroy those fighters!  All weapons fire!" barked out Riker.
   The Enterprise's phasers instantly sprang to life, spitting deadly
bolts of energy at the solonite-packed fighters.  Whenever a phaser
blast touched one of the raiders, it detonated in a spectacular burst
of energy far out of proportion to its size.  But the other fighters
continued to close on the Enterprise, their dodging shapes difficult
for the heavy energy weapons on the Enterprise to track and hit.  Worf
whittled the fighters down to two, but those two fighters were almost
on top of the Enterprise.  Picard was about to instruct Acting Ensign
Crusher to engage warp drive when Worf managed to target and destroy
the last two fighters.  The combined explosions were close enough to
the Enterprise that the deck shuddered underneath the feet of everyone
on the bridge.
   "Damage report!" called out Riker.
   Worf's hands played over his controls before he informed them that
most of the energy had be absorbed by the shields.
   "Keep us between the Cylons and the fleet.  And continue trying to
get in touch with those basestars," ordered Picard.
   "Aren't you going to attack?" Apollo demanded, still finding it
difficult to accept Picard's passifistic views.
   "I want to avoid a war at all costs, Captain Apollo."
   "It is too late for that," spoke Adama in a voice sounding like it
was passing a death sentence.  "By now the Cylon Empire has been
alerted to the existence of your Federation.  It will only be a matter
of time before more of their ships start arriving to find out what
they want to know about you.  If your Federation is as rich in worlds
as I suspect, then you had best expect that they will seek to
subjugate your Federation and all the worlds it governs.  That is the
Cylon way, whether you accept it or not.  Your only stroke of luck is
the vast distance between here and Cylon.  But with the promise of new
worlds to place under their iron grip, they will come for your
Federation.  It will only be a matter of time."
   Picard accepted this with a heavy heart.  "Any response to our
hailing signals, Mr. Worf?"
   "None, Sir.  The Cylon ships are continuing to close."
   "Continue to broadcast warnings to them.  Make sure they understand
that we will fight if needed."  Picard turned a hardened gaze to
Riker, declaring, "Number One, you have the bridge.  Prepare for
emergency saucer separation.  You will take the saucer back to the
fleet and render what assistance you can provide in the consequence
that we are destroyed."  To the Galacticans, he offered, "Since the
main shuttle bay is in the saucer section, you gentlemen can remain on
the saucer with your ships and rejoin the Galactica, or join us in the
battle section, as you wish."
   Though surprised at this announcement that the Enterprise was
capable of separating into two separate components, Adama pointed out,
"I believe you may find it of assistance to have us with you to
coordinate this battle with the Galactica as well as to provide you
with information in the basestars."
   "Agreed, but I will not force you to remain with us."
   "There is no need for force," Starbuck assured him with one of the
pilot's typical flashing smiles.
   "All the same, I think I will take Apollo's viper and take care of
a few raider's personally," spoke up Boomer for the first time.  "I
cannot just stand idle while others do all of the fighting."
   And so they headed for the turbo lift to the battle bridge.  As
they were piling into the lift, Riker yelled at Weasley to return to
the navigation console.  The acting ensign was certainly neither
qualified nor wanted on the battle bridge.

   Side by side in space, the Galactica and the battle section of the
Enterprise -- looking for all the universe like a giant beheaded bird
-- held their position against the approaching Cylon forces.  Ahead of
them, the Galactica's vipers -- at least the ones that could still fly
-- were spread out in a huge 3D V-shape, awaiting the raiders to get
close enough to open fire.  Lagging behind the formation of remaining
raiders, the three basestars brought up the rear, Baltar's in its
traditional position behind the other two.
   As the raiders neared them, the Galactica and the Enterprise
accelerated forwards, breaking to either side of the formation of
vipers, which also soon began to move forwards to catch up.  The
squadrons of Cylon raiders were quickly bracketed between the two
massive warships, raked with energy beams, with the vipers bearing
down on them.
   It soon became apparent that the raiders were in a bad position,
with bolts of livid energy pouring down on them from three sides.
Many of them were wiped out before the vipers were close enough to
engage in close combat.  Though outnumbered, the vipers were now only
facing less than two hundred of the original swarm of almost four
times that number.  Those raiders trying for suicide runs on the
Galactica never made it, blasted to space-dust by the countless anti-
fighter emplacements that dotted the battlestar's hull, while those
going after the Enterprise often did have a chance to strafe her
shields before Worf's overworked phasers destroyed them.
   As the basestars neared the maximum range of their powerful
particle beam weapons, the Enterprise leapt forward, seeking to divert
their attention while the Galactica's own long-range weapons opened up
on the basestars.  Moving at warp speed, the Enterprise was unaffected
by the basestars' powerful energy beams.  Sweeping around the group of
basestars, the battle section launched a salvo of photon torpedoes at
one basestar.  However, designed to normally track and shoot down
agile space fighters, the smaller turrets on the basestar easily
blasted the photon torpedoes before they were close enough to do any
significant damage.
   This little demonstration was enough for Picard to accept Adama's
advice that missiles were only effective at extremely close range.
This prompted Picard to use a variation of his famed "Picard
Maneuver."  Passing close to the second basestar, the Enterprise
dropped out of warp.  At this proximity to the Cylon base ship, the
Enterprise was positively dwarfed by the sheer massiveness of the
alien war ship.
   The main phaser banks cut loose on the basestar, ripping long
grooves in the hull of the basestar, blowing away some of the larger
weapons platforms that Starbuck had pointed out to Worf -- something
the fighter pilot had noticed on one of his rather daring attack runs
on one basestar, the time they had faced down a trio of basestars with
the help of the legendary Commander Cain.  Then the Enterprise was
back in warped space, escaping the hail of energy bolts seeking to gut
the starship, releasing another swarm of photon torpedoes from the aft
launch tubes.  This time, one of the torpedoes broke though the
basestar's defense.  Striking the lower half of the basestar, the
torpedo exploded, taking out almost a quarter of the lower hull with a
spectacular detonation.
   A repeat performance of the Picard Maneuver was not so successful.
Whatever their other faults might be, the Cylons do not easily fall
for the same trick twice.  This time, when the Enterprise dropped out
of warp, she was instantly targeted by the weapons of the other lead
basestar.  Even though the starship's shields soaked up most of the
deadly energy, the force of the blasts tossed around everyone on the
battle bridge who had not been seated.
   Recovering from this abrupt reversal, the Enterprise sped away from
the basestar, her shields noticeably weaker.  Still, since the battle
section's phasers had been set for automatic fire the moment the warp
drive was shut off, the basestar also felt the bite of the smaller
starship's teeth.
   Meanwhile, the Galactica had initiated a long-range barrage of her
own.  The heavier particle beams mounted in her saurian head were
selectively targeting the three basestars from the edge of maximum
effective range.  Even though the Enterprise was distracting them, the
basestars were returning fire, albeit with less effect than the
Galactica's strikes, since the Galactica presented much less area when
viewed from the front than a basestar, which has no real front.
   On the Galactica's bridge, Colonel Tigh had marshalled the entire
resources of the battlestar's weaponry.  Though second in command,
Tigh was no less competent it the appalling art of war than was Adama.
The two had been friends since they had been viper pilots, and as such
were as closely skilled as Starbuck and Apollo, though Tigh's
straight-forward manner made him worse at politics -- a loss he did
not miss.
   Even now, the reports on the fight with the raiders was very
promising.  The Cylons should have been routed and in retreat by now.
No doubt it was Baltar's fear of the Galactica that was keeping these
fighters from fleeing.  With the chance that even one raider might
break from the battle and reach the fleet, the Galactica would remain
where she was, rendering all possible assistance to her vipers.  If so
much as a single raider could reach the essentially defenseless fleet,
any number of the transports might be severely damaged or destroyed
before the raider could be shot down by either a viper or one of those
few ships that happened to have had a weapon system installed.  For
this reason, Baltar knew the Galactica would not attack until only a
few of the raiders were left.
   But as things were going, the Galactica would not have to wait all
that much longer.  Already the vipers had the numerical advantage on
the Cylons, though their own losses continued to mount.  It was only a
matter of time until the last of the raiders would be shot out of the
heavens.
   In preparation for that, all of the Galactica's main ship-to-ship
weapons had been armed.  The massive missile launchers that -- at
close range -- could obliterate several basestars, as well as those
particle cannons which could not be fired due to the battlestar's
orientation in space, were primed for the moment Tigh would give the
command to close on the basestars.
   Picard's situation, however, was not so optimistic.  The Enterprise
was giving the basestars a thorough thrashing, but her shields were
taking to brunt of the basestar's weapons.  Seeing that further use of
his "Picard Maneuver" would not work so easily, and that the photon
torpedoes were cannon fodder for the anti-fighter defenses of the
Cylon base ships, he was forced to meet the basestars at subwarp with
phasers.  As a result, the Enterprise's shields were glowing under the
terrific levels of energy the Cylons were pouring upon her.
   The Cylons, in turn, had also taken numerous severe hits.  Their
hulls marred by deep scars from phaser strikes, fires could even be
glimpsed through some of the more damaged areas where atmosphere
ignited with combustible materials before being sucked into the void
of deep space.  Many weapon emplacements on the hulls of the ships had
been destroyed.  Perhaps if it had not been for that one oddity of
Cylon nature -- the total lack of individuality and singularity --
that caused Cylon construction to be completely generalized, one or
two of the ships might have been disabled by now.  But as it was, all
three of them were still quiet functional, if damaged.
   Reports rolled onto the battle bridge from all sections of the
Enterprise.  Overloaded and burned out systems continued to mount in
number and magnitude.  Then came Worf's report... the shields were
beginning to buckle.
   To allow this to proceed might well result in the destruction of
the Enterprise, Picard knew.  So he was forced to take into
consideration Adama's point that missiles would only break through the
Cylon's defenses at very close range.  "Data, take us in between the
two lead basestars.  Mr. Worf, target photon torpedoes on those two
basestars and phasers on Baltar's ship.  Engage."
   Jumping at the basestars like an over-eager mount, the Enterprise
closed on the three Cylon ships at full impulse speed.  Realizing what
was happening, the two Cylon ships closed formation so that it would
be all the more difficult for the starship to get between them.  A
move, no doubt, calculated by Baltar, since his own ship started to
put more distance between it and the other two.
   As the Enterprise rapidly bore down on the two basestars, Worf
launched a tight spread of photon torpedoes.  Due to the proximity of
the Enterprise, what small turrets that remained functional were not
as effective in their defensive fire.  But the Cylon's had expected
the launch of the photon torpedoes, and thus attempted to compensate
as much as possible for the damaged turrets, as well as taking
advantage of the nearness of the starship by firing off salvos of
their own missiles.
   Most of the photon torpedoes were destroyed by defensive fire, but
some made in though to strike the two base ships.  One struck the more
damaged basestar on the underside of its upper hull, blasting out a
crater that almost reached clear though to the top of the mushroom-
like hull, joining the already present hole in its lower hull.
   The other basestar did not fair so well.  Three torpedoes broke
through its defenses, one striking the massive column that joined the
two halves of the ship.  In a brilliant detonation, the two halves of
the ship were sent drifting away from one another, propelled by the
detonating torpedo.  The other two torpedoes struck the upper hull an
instant later, ripping through the ship to ignite the huge tanks of
volatile tylium that powered the basestar.
   In a fiery explosion that might have rivalled a small nova, the
basestar was shattered, with energy and pieces of metal cast outward
in an expanding wave that engulfed the Enterprise.  Since the
Enterprise was directly between the basestars when the nova-like
explosion went off, her deflector shields actually helped to protect
the other base ship.  This, however, was too much for the great lady's
tortured shields, which collapsed under the brunt of both the
expanding storm of hell-fire and the swarms of missiles launched by
the basestars.
   Sailing out of the dispersing cloud of radiation, the Enterprise
maintained her course towards Baltar's basestar like a graceful --
albeit rather scorched -- swan.  However, this was due to no wish of
Picard's: control had been temporarily lost when the fireball had
struck the starship and overloaded several subsystems.
   Though sustaining heavy damage from the phaser bolts that had raked
across its superstructure, Baltar's ship was relatively undamaged when
compared to the other two basestars.  This allowed it to take
advantage of the loss of the Enterprise's shields by opening fire with
what weapons remained functional.  The pulsar weapons ripped across
the Enterprise's now defenseless hull, stitching nasty wounds across
the grey-toned and radiation scorched skin.
   But though her shields were down, the Enterprise was by no means
dead.  Even while her power levels were low, the starship suddenly
elongated, then disappeared in a swirl of polychromatic light as her
powerful warp drive came to life.  Even though only capable of low
warp speeds at the moment, the Enterprise was still unharmed by the
basestar's energy weapons and out of range of its missiles.
   But even as one starship moved away from Baltar's basestar as fast
as possible, a second bore down on it with all possible speed.  Freed
of the need to watch over the last of the Cylon fighters due to the
destruction of those selfsame fighters, the Galactica was on the full
offensive.  Like some great, rabid dragon, the colonial battlestar
headed straight for the ship of the traitor who had wrought the murder
of her home worlds.
   The remaining lead basestar sought to interpose itself between
Baltar's ship and this angel of fury.  But damaged as it was, the
basestar could not move as fast as it needed to.  Without a break in
its star-spanning stride, the Galactica cut loose with barrage upon
barrage of death bolts and missiles.  The damaged basestar, because of
the significant loss of the integrity of its hull due to the photon
torpedoes that struck it, was unable to withstand the magnitude of
this onslaught.
   Even as what few particle cannons remaining functional released
their deadly energies upon the Galactica, the basestar began to break
up.  Criss-crossing bolts of multihued radiation illuminated the
surface of the Cylon ship as large portions of it were carved away
under the furious hail of the Galactica's weaponry, until finally the
base ship glowed with an inner light of its own.  A fraction of a
micron later, the massive war ship exploded with a force almost the
equal to that of the first basestar.
   This, of course, was more than enough to peel away the last remnant
of Baltar's fortitude.  Though a basestar has no front, and
consequently no tail, Baltar's still turned tail and began to move
away at flank speed.  With no fighters and no basestars to stand
between him and his enemies, Baltar had no intention of remaining in
this sector of space.
   But the Galactica would not be so easily cheated of her prey.  The
battlestar, scarred by yahrens of Cylon assaults, forced to flee
across half a galaxy protecting the last few survivors of a once great
civilization, was once more on the offensive.  Damaged and unable to
attain full power, the traitor's basestar was rapidly being overtaken
by the swift battlestar.
   Like a trapped animal, the basestar fought with a desperate fury.
But its fury was no match for that of the Galactica.  Precious
missiles that had been hoarded during the Galactica's journey due to
their irreplaceability were now fired off with impunity.  The
Galactica persevered, closing the gap between her and the hunter
turned hunted, paying scant heed to the explosions which ripped across
her own skin.  Even now, the basestar was in its dying moments,
quaking under the Galactica's onslaught.

   One such tremor tossed Baltar away from where he clutched at his
throne's pedestal for support, casting him to the unfeeling floor with
painful force.  Struggling to rise to his feet, Baltar bellowed at
Lucifer, demanding, "Have my fighter readied immediately!  I've got to
get away from here!"
   Standing tall and noble above it all, unphased by the shuddering of
the ship or the distant groan of overstressed metal, Lucifer pointed
out, "A Cylon would not abandon his ship."
   Baltar managed to grasp hold of the unperturbed robot, hauling
himself to his feet by the folds of Lucifer's robes, not even
noticing that the flimsy looking machine did not even bend under the
Human's exceptional weight.  Glaring, pleading, Baltar stared into
Lucifer's slanted eyes, crying out, "Neither of us are Cylons!  Do you
want to die here?"
   Lucifer's eyes halted their ceaseless back-and-forth motion;
something that in a Cylon indicated absolute concentration, such as
when about to kill.

   On board the Galactica's bridge, Tigh broke his eyes away from the
readout screen they had been locked onto.  "Negative shields!" barked
out the Colonel.
   At the front of the bridge, the massive metal shutters spread apart
like the opening mouth of some great lizard, revealing the timeless
void of space.  A view that was broken by explosions of devastating
force.  Though he knew he risked a direct hit to the bridge of the
battlestar, Tigh could not permit himself to miss what was about to
happen.  Almost everyone else on the bridge also found their eyes
inexorably drawn to that view.
   Without warning, a point of light suddenly expanded, filling the
bridge with near blinding light, even though the powerful filters
built into that transparent portal.  Though forced to turn away from
the view or throw an arm over their faces, a cheer broke across the
normally well-behaved bridge by its sizable crew.  A pain and
frustration that existed since their homes had died because of the
subterfuge of a traitor was now vented with the destruction of that
same traitor.
   This was what Tigh had been unable to deny himself or those on the
bridge.
   Tigh's own ever present mask of discipline broke as a half smile
twitched one corner of his mouth.  But then the mask of control
settled back into place before any could have to opportunity to notice
its momentary disappearance.  Tigh returned his attention to the
matters at hand.  This great ship had not destroyed its much hated
enemy without loss.  Damage control needed to be attended to, repairs
initiated, and so forth.

   On board the Rising Star, a party of unusual magnitude raged.  Not
only had the thirteenth tribe finally be found, but the one who had
betrayed their homes had also been slain.  The moral of the fleet was
higher than at any time since the fleet had begun its voyage across
the cosmos.  The thought that they would soon set foot on a world that
could at last be called home, had thrilled the people of the fleet
that almost all of them were banishing their painful pasts in exchange
for the opportunity of looking to the future, now that it was certain
that their would have one.
   Adama, however, had moved away from the party, finding a view port
to gaze out on the cold, unfeeling stars.  Pain and tragedy had been
his constant companion for so long that even now he could not turn
away from it.  Even though he had seen the destruction of Baltar's
ship, he could still not bring himself to accept the death of that
traitor.  The Enterprise had been a goodly distance away from the
explosion.  A craven soul like Baltar might have been able to make use
of that instant to escape.  A foolish thought, Adama realized, but one
that he could not shake nonetheless.
   After a while, Picard joined Adama at the portal.  Standing in
silence, the two commanders stared out into the void, appearing as
distant and as noble as the stars they gazed upon.  Indeed, if not for
their physical differences, the two might even have been long lost
brothers reunited once again.  Perhaps, in a way, it could even be
said that they were distant brothers from families separated for
millennia.
   Picard eventually spoke, breaking their silent reverie.  "I have
just received a reply from Starfleet Command.  We are to escort your
ships to Starbase 179 while Command tries to find out what to do with
your people."
   Adama remained silent for a time, before responding.  "One battle
is ended.  Another begun.  Now we must convince your Earth government
that our tale is true."
   "Classic Greek culture was a marvel of sophistication," Picard
considered.  "There are many names among your people that are the same
as the names of great Greek personages:  Apollo, Athena, Sheba, Omega,
Pegasus.  Even that Cylon robot, Lucifer.  All well known from our own
history.  Perhaps it is that the thirteenth tribe started some of the
great Earth civilizations.  It would explain the other parallels
between them and your culture.  For instance, it could explain the
countless pyramids that are on Earth.  Buildings that primative hands
could not have constructed unaided."
   Adama had already considered this, after a fascinating discussion
with Data on the history of Earth and the other Colonies.  Turning to
Picard, Adama brought out, "It does not, however, explain the
existence of Humans on Earth long before the arrival of the thirteenth
tribe.  How can Humanity have evolved on Kobold _and_ Earth?"

[le finis, si possible]

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, now I can almost hear indignant cries over the strength of the
big E.  Did I sell her short?  Or did you sell short the basestars?

well, this has just been my opinion on this discussion of what would
happed should the big E meet the Galactica.

'course, mine is the only one that counts     :-)

				Dreamwalker