Captain Patrell watched as the humans almost blew right through the formations of his Prowlers.
These humans flew like madmen!!
If the Peacekeeper Captain had known anything about the Colonial Warriors and their history, he would have known that they were used to fighting in loose combat formations and were trained to fight independently. It was the only way to out fight the robotic and complex combat formations of the Cylons.
Now, the Colonials used that know-how against the well-disciplined formations of the Peacekeepers. As the waves of Vipers hit their lines at full turbo thrust, the Prowler pilots found themselves hopelessly outclassed and reacting blindly to the almost crazed and chaotic behavior of the Colonial Warriors.
Within the first few minutes of the battle, Patrell's forces had lost nearly half of their fighter cover while the humans were suffering mere token losses. He had to regain control of the situation.
"All cruisers! Close range on the Galactica immediately and engage it with visual targeting. Destroy that ship at all costs!"
If they could eliminate the Galactica, then their fighters would have no place to rearm and refuel. They would be easy meat. It was his only hope to regain control of the battle.
***
The Galactica's turbo laser batteries opened fire on the approaching Peacekeeper heavy cruisers. Unlike the Peacekeepers, the Colonial weapons had little trouble in locking on to the three warships and raining hellfire upon them.
Bit by bit, the secondary batteries of the Galactica were wearing away the cruisers protective shields, but unfortunately, as the cruiser drew closer, the more accurate their own weapons fire became.
***
"Peacekeeper cruisers are still firing on us," Omega reported as the Galactica shuddered from their weapon's impacts. "I'm registering hits across our hull. Outer plating is holding."
"Continue to return fire," Adama ordered. He was hoping to lure them in closer before using their big guns, but he couldn't afford to let the Galactica to suffer any unnecessary damage. "Standby on main laser cannons. When I give the order, fire on the cruiser off of our port bow."
"Main laser cannons locked on target," reported Omega.
"Fire."
***
The Galactica's bow mounted twin turbo laser cannon that were her biggest anti-capital ship guns. They fired and the two powerful energy beams touched the Peacekeeper cruiser's shields for only a second before the doomed cruiser's defense field collapsed under the intense bombardment. The beams then impacted on the hull causing it to buckle and rupture as they sawed the cruiser in half.
***
Patrell stared in utter shock and dismay at the complete destruction of one of their cruisers in mere moments. The firepower of the human vessel was enormous! At the same time, the human fighters were completely routing his Prowler squadrons. He had to retreat and come back with reinforcements, perhaps a Command Carrier preferably.
"Signal all vessels to retreat." Patrell shouted. "Initiate a distress beacon for any Peacekeeper vessel to respond at once."
***
"They're retreating." Colonel Tigh said with relief.
"I'm picking up a transmission from the lead Peacekeeper cruiser." Omega said. "I think they might be signaling for help."
"Jam that signal," Adama ordered. "Continue pursuit, target their weapons and engines. We can't afford to let them escape. They'll just return with more ships."
The two remaining cruisers fled at high speed with the Galactica close behind, but the mighty Battlestar was struggling to keep pace. The Peacekeeper vessels had more powerful faster than light drives, and less mass to push. The cruisers easily outpaced the pursuing Vipers, and now they were outdistancing the Galactica herself.
Adama could only watch helplessly as the Peacekeepers stretched the widening gap between them. The Peacekeepers would be out of weapons range soon.
"Laser cannons recharged!" Omega barked out, with his finger over the fire control.
Adama glanced for a second at Omega's board. They would only have time for one more shot before the Peacekeepers would clear their fire zone.
"Fire."
The twin beams lashed out again, striking the trailing cruiser in its aft section. The shields collapsed and the beam burrowed deep into the ship like a knife piercing flesh. Its aft section was then engulfed in a powerful blinding explosion that worked its way forward consuming the length of the ship until it encompassed the bow of the cruiser in a flaming chain reaction. A heartbeat later, the heavy cruiser had completely ceased to exist.
Unfortunately, there was still one Peacekeeper cruiser left and it was now out of range of any of their weapons.
Colonel Tigh murmured angrily. "As soon as they get clear of our jamming they'll call down every available Peacekeeper warship upon us."
"Commander? Colonel?" Omega said urgently. "I have one... No, two vessels on a fast approach vector. They are registering as..." He stared in disbelief as to what his console screen was telling him. "Our sensors are registering them as space going life forms. One of the vessels are hailing us. Visual and audio."
At least it's not another Peacekeeper vessel, Adama thought. "Lets see it."
One of the darkened monitors flashed to life and all three men found themselves staring at a face that they never dreamt that they would see again.
"Sheba?" Adama was all that he could manage to get out.
On the Galactica's small monitor, the young Colonial Warrior was standing in a golden chamber with curved walls. A strange grey skinned female alien with dark eyes stood beside her. As Sheba spoke directly into the monitor, the alien female cocked her head to one side and grinned awkwardly, realizing that she was in the picture too.
"Galactica. This is Lieutenant Sheba of Silver Spars, do you read? I'm on one of the two approaching Leviathan ships. We're coming to help, do not fire!"
Adama paused for a second to absorb all that was happening. Sheba was back, and was now charging to their rescue?
"We read you, Sheba. By the Lords of Kobol, where have you been?"
Sheba laughed and her eyes shining with unshed tears. "Commander Adama! It's so good to hear your voice! I'll gladly explain everything, but only after we deal with that Peacekeeper heavy cruiser."
"Yes, the cruiser is out of range. Can you assist us?"
"Not to worry, Commander." Sheba said. "Talyn will deal with it, but you better back off a little. That gunship ahead of us might be small, but he has a mean steak a mile wide."
***
"IT'S TALYN!!!"
It sounded like a death knell to Captain Patrell, as his gunnery officer shouted from his station.
And it probably was, for them.
He had read all the current data on that Peacekeeper and Leviathan hybrid ship, and he knew what that monstrosity barreling directly at them was capable of.
With Talyn in front and the giant human ship trailing just behind, there was nothing much that Captain Patrell could do was except for the obvious.
"Bring all cannons to bear on that Leviathan and fire!"
***
The cruiser fired every weapon it had at the gunship, but Talyn wove through the glowing energy projectiles launched at him with gracefully ease. He drew in closer, so he could strike for maximum effect.
In the command area, Crais focused on helping Talyn achieve that goal.
"Watch those bow guns. Angle your attack vector to six degrees. Good. Talyn, I recommend that you concentrate on the bridge and the engines to blind and cripple the cruiser. Do you concur?"
Talyn gave his reply to Crais through the transponder that he wore at the base of his neck.
Crais smiled slightly. "By all means then, fire when ready."
Talyn swooped down on the heavy cruiser like a bird of prey on a fat rabbit, firing a massive volley to collapse the ship's defensive field. When the shield failed, Talyn prepared and launched a second volley.
On the cruiser's bridge, Captain Patrell had only a moment to see Talyn firing a second energy salvo directly at his view screen before the blast consumed him and his entire bridge crew.
Hugging close to the hull of the dying cruiser, and under its guns, Talyn flew onward until he had completely passed the length of the ship before turning his turret back on the Peacekeeper ship and firing once more. The cruiser engines exploded, but several seconds later, a secondary explosion erupted through the ship and the entire cruiser was ripped apart.
There was relief on the Galactica and Moya that the Peacekeepers had been prevented from successfully broadcasting for help.
On Talyn, Crais sighed to his gunship Leviathan. Talyn was not pleased with his performance.
"It's all right, Talyn, do not be angry with yourself. You did your best. Disabling a vessel's engines is not easy. Just remember your error and learn from it."
Talyn replied. Crais smiled again.
"Yes. I have every confidence that you will do better next time. Now, Talyn, lets go and introduce ourselves to... Ahem... The Humans."
--------------
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Crossover Fanfiction
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