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Ambush by the Super Basestar
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| Ambush by the Super Basestar | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| The remaining humans engage in a fierce defensive battle for their very survival, following their interdiction by the newest Cylon war machine, the super basestar (Battlestar Galactica: Death of Apollo #6). | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Summary | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date: | 7358, 3 sectons after Rescue of Apollo | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Place: | Unnamed solar system | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Result: | Destruction of the only known super basestar, along with the death of Major Apollo | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Battle Chronology | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Following the unsanctioned rescue of Captain Apollo three sectons prior, the Cylons' super basestar is able to track the absconding Colonials back to their Fleet, leading to a fierce and fateful conflict between the two forces after only two yahrens of respite.
Background
With the Cylons having failed to ensnare the Fleet, they recover and rehabilitate Apollo after his flight probe's encounter with the super basestar (Battlestar Galactica: Death of Apollo #1-#2).
A daring rescue lead by Captains Athena and Starbuck, along with Countess Sephoni, recover Apollo from the bowels of the basestar, bringing him home to the Fleet. However, Apollo's injuries relegate him to duty behind-the-scenes, instead of the front lines (Battlestar Galactica: Death of Apollo #5).
Action
The super basestar jumps into range of the Fleet, destroying Centara in the opening salvo before the Viper screens are deployed (Battlestar Galactica: Death of Apollo #5).
Following deployment of the Viper screens, Taurus Axillon is destroyed while Raiders push down the center of the Fleet. Hybrid missile carriers focus their attack on the Fleet's fuel ships.
In core command, Commander Adama and Colonel Tigh review the analysis of the super basestar, determining that any offensive action against the ship would be futile (despite the protests of Captains Starbuck and, later, Athena) as the craft is virtually invulnrable.
Tigh, then Adama, join the Viper defense, using two of the sixteen reserve Vipers remaining. (All active pilots are engaged.) Apollo is reminded that he is unfit for pilot duty, and is told to "win this war" by coordinating Fleet defense with Athena.
Cylons engage in communication jamming following Adama and Tigh's deployment, leaving the defense of the Fleet uncoordinated. Galactica's crew begins their fretful attempt to circumvent this.
Countess Sephoni divines a singular weakness in the super basestar: a slight overlap in the basestar's shielding would allow a skilled pilot with a fusion missile to strike a fatal weak point. Unable to communicate this to the active Vipers, Apollo makes the logical decision of taking a Viper with the proper ordnance, despite his inactive flight status. Apollo makes his way through the fray, destroying many Raiders in his push towards the basestar.
Galactica's crew are able to thwart the jamming. Athena tells the Viper screens to cover Apollo, much to the consternation of Commander Adama.
Starbuck is able to break free of the fighting to cover Apollo. Starbuck fails in his attempt to take the mission from Apollo, as Starbuck's missile racks are expended. With Apollo the only properly-armed Viper in range, Starbuck covers Apollo by taking out four Raiders, while Apollo makes a run toward the vulnerability.
Apollo fires a fusion missile, striking the death blow to the super basestar, and is able to pull away from the explosion. Apollo's Viper is damaged in the explosion, and Apollo is locked into a dive into the nearby star, with his friends and family unable to assist (Battlestar Galactica: Death of Apollo #5).
After-Action
Apollo's death leaves the Fleet without one of its leaders, and Adama with only surviving child, Athena.
The Cylons' super basestar is destroyed, leaving the question open as to the existence of others of its type, as well as any future threats-in-waiting (Battlestar Galactica: Death of Apollo #6).
