Battle of Djerba

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Battle of Djerba
Summary
Conflict: First Cylon War
Date: 10th Year of the Cylon War. Approximately 42 years prior to the Fall of the Twelve Colonies.
Related Episode(s):
Place: Djerba, Sector 12
Result: Colonial victory
Combatants
Twelve Colonies of Kobol Cylons
Commanders
Commander Ozar Unspecified
Strength
Battlestar Osiris Cylon Basestar
Materiel Losses
Battlestar Osiris; Viper complement Cylon Basestar; Raider complement
Casualties
Osiris crew; Viper pilots Basestar crew
Battle Chronology
Previous Next
Battle of Sector 12 Battle of Djerba Ghost Fleet Offensive


The Battle of Djerba was an engagement that took place in the 10th year of the First Cylon War. This battle was fought in orbit, and planet side as Wild Weasel and her Viper escorts deliver Beka Kelly to her rendezvous.

Battle[edit]

Orbital Engagement[edit]

The Battle of Djerba took place after a Cylon Basestar jumped into DRADIS range of Osiris while in orbit of Djerba. Osiris was on assignment to drop off Dr. Beka Kelly to rendezvous with a spec ops marine recon team, that had previously been dispatched to the moon. Osiris has time to retreat and jump back, but Commander Ozar makes the decision to engage the basestar, to draw the Cylons away from the landing party.

Osiris takes heavy damage immediately, which destroys the missile bay doors holding the ships nuclear stockpile, preventing the crew from launching the warheads at the basestar. The next hit on Osiris completely destroys her starboard engine nacelle, sealing her destruction. Rather than let the ship be destroyed in vain, she orders the ship to ram the basestar, after which, she manually detonates the nuclear warheads, destroying both ships, with the loss of all hands.

Planetside[edit]

After launching, the Cylons detect the Raptor crew's descent into the planet, and quickly follow. Engaged by three Raiders, the descent party are forced to defend themselves, but are quickly overwhelmed. Elias is shot down by a pursuing Raider, and both Jim Kirby and Wild Weasel take damage. After taking damage, Kirby apologizes to Coker, and and abandons the Raptor to head home. The pursuing Raider lets him go, and takes after the Raptor, but William Adama sees an opportunity to think outside the box, and lets the Raider get in close. Dumping fuel on him, Adama uses the afterburners to light the Raider on fire, which causes the Raider to crash into the ice field below. Soon after, Adama loses control of the Raptor requiring a crash landing into the ice, disabling the Raptor.

Aftermath[edit]

After abandoning the Raptor, Adama, Coker, and Beka are able to locate the Marine spec ops team inside a cave, however they were killed by an unknown Cylon creation some time beforehand. After locating surviving Marines, the party takes off for their next way point.

It is unknown what happens to Jim Kirby.

Notes[edit]

  • Shortly before ramming the basestar, Ozar utters the line "Brace for contact, my friend.," this is a reference to a line in the miniseries shortly before Galactica is struck by a nuclear missile.
  • In the history, Battle of Djerba took place in May 1560 near the island of Djerba, Tunisia. The Ottomans under Piyale Pasha's command overwhelmed a large joint Christian Alliance fleet, composed chiefly of Spanish, Papal, Genoese, Maltese and Neapolitan forces. The allies lost 27 galleys and some smaller vessels as well as the fortified island of Djerba. This victory marked perhaps the high point of Ottoman power in the Mediterranean Sea.