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|image=BinaryStar.jpg | |image=BinaryStar.jpg | ||
|description=Battle of the Binary Star System | |description=Battle of the Binary Star System | ||
|conflict=[[Cylon Attack|Second Cylon | |conflict=[[Cylon Attack|Second Cylon war]] | ||
|date=[[Timeline (RDM)|8 months]] after the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies]] | |date=[[Timeline (RDM)|8 months]] after the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies]] | ||
|place=Unnamed binary star system | |place=Unnamed binary star system | ||
|result=Tactical [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylon]] victory | |result=Tactical [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylon]] victory | ||
|combatant1=Remnants of the [[ | |combatant1=Remnants of the [[Colonial Fleet]] | ||
|combatant2=[[Cylons (RDM)|Cylons]] | |combatant2=[[Cylons (RDM)|Cylons]] | ||
|co1=Commander [[Barry Garner]]† <br>Major | |co1=Commander [[Barry Garner]] † <br>Major [[Lee Adama]] | ||
|co2=[[ | |co2=Unknown | ||
|strength1=[[Mercury class battlestar]] ''[[Pegasus (RDM)|Pegasus]]'' <br/>Associated [[Viper (RDM)|Vipers]], associated [[Raptor|Raptors]] | |||
|strength2=3 [[Basestar (RDM)| | |strength2=3 [[Basestar (RDM)|Basestars]], associated [[Raider|Raiders]], [[Heavy Raider|Heavy Raiders]] | ||
|shiploss1=2 [[Raptor]] | |shiploss1=2 [[Raptor|Raptors]], heavy damage to ''Pegasus'' | ||
|shiploss2=1 | |shiploss2=1 Basestar heavily damaged | ||
|casualties1= | |casualties1=5 | ||
|casualties2=Unknown | |casualties2=Unknown, dozens of Raiders | ||
|prev=[[Battle of the | |prev=[[Battle of the Resurrection Ship]] | ||
|next=[[Battle of | |next=[[Battle of New Caprica]] | ||
| | |rdm=y | ||
}} | }} | ||
The '''Battle of the Binary Star System''' | The '''Battle of the Binary Star System''' is an engagement where battlestar ''Pegasus'' is lured into a trap by three [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylon]] [[Basestar (RDM)|basestars]]. | ||
The Cylons lure two of ''Pegasus<nowiki>'</nowiki>'' [[Raptor]]s out into a shroud of electro-magnetic interference (EMI) generated by a binary star system. Once the Raptors are there, the crews are killed and the craft left intact and adrift at the edge of the Colonials' [[DRADIS]] range. By all available data to the Colonials, the craft appear disabled and non-responsive. The new commander of ''Pegasus'', [[Barry Garner]], disobeys Admiral [[William Adama]]'s warning and orders to send a five-Raptor [[SAR]] mission. Garner takes the battlestar in to rescue the Raptors. | |||
Once ''Pegasus'' takes the bait and enters the region, three Cylon basestars Jump in and launch a full salvo of tactical nuclear missiles, scoring two hits on the stern of the battlestar. ''Pegasus''' air wing, already spaceborne under the command of [[Kara Thrace|Captain Kara "Starbuck" Thrace]], engage the Cylons and return fire. Virtually ignoring the Vipers, the Cylon basestars focus their efforts on ''Pegasus'' and produce a third nuclear missile hit on the battlestar, resulting in damage to the topside heat exchanger. | |||
Commander Barry Garner was an engineering officer, inexperienced in combat command. Worsening the situation, the heavy barrage dealt by the Cylons damages the FTL drive, putting ''Pegasus''' survival in peril. Realizing his skills would be best used in engineering, Garner voluntarily transfers command to (newly promoted) [[Lee Adama|Major Lee Adama]], and dashes below to Engineering to help. | |||
After a moment of hesitation, Major Adama orders ''Pegasus'' to | After only a moment of hesitation, Major Adama orders ''Pegasus'' to make for the nearest baseship, while rolling ''Pegasus'' over to keep its damaged dorsal side out of the line of fire. Adama orders Starbuck and [[Marcia Case|Showboat]] to take the rest of the Vipers to concentrate on defending the compromised portions of ''Pegasus'' from further damage, while directing the battlestar's forward batteries to fire on the closest of the three basestars, inflicting severe damage to its central axis to buy ''Pegasus'' more time. The wounded basestar is forced to withdraw<ref>This is the first documented occurrence of a basestar diverging from their normal tactic of fighting to the death, perhaps due to the loss of the [[Resurrection Ship]] some time earlier.</ref>. | ||
The problem in repairing the FTL drive is a hull breach that blocks technicians from making repairs to the damaged FTL drive components by openning the auxiliary coolant valve. ''Pegasus'' was running out of time and its Vipers were beginning to run out of ammo. Commander Garner heroically enters the compartment himself, dying of asphyxiation<ref>See [http://www.sff.net/people/Geoffrey.Landis/vacuum.html NASA JPL scientist Geoffrey Landis' description on what happens from vacuum exposure.] Garner must have died of asyphxiation, not vacuum exposure, as it takes him more than 30-45 seconds to open the auxiliary valves. Vacuum exposure would cause unconsciousness within 9 to 11 seconds. While his engineers watched the oxygen levels drop, the atmospheric pressure in the compartment was sufficiently high not to be a vacuum, but not sufficiently pressurized to allow breathing.</ref> after successfully opening the auxiliary coolant valve to restore the FTL drive to operational status. With the FTL drive restored, Major Adama orders all fighters to return and for ''Pegasus'' to jump. | |||
''Pegasus'' suffers | From a tactical standpoint, the battle is a marginal Cylon victory — if their ultimate goal had been the destruction of ''Pegasus'', the attempt fails, thanks to the quick reactions of the Colonial crew. ''Pegasus'' suffers fairly minor damage and casualties, but it suffers the loss of its third commanding officer since the destruction of the Resurrection Ship. The battlestar returns to the relative safety of the [[The Fleet (RDM)|Fleet]]. | ||
Lee Adama's tour under the rank of major is short-lived. For his efforts in returning ''Pegasus'' under dangerous odds, Admiral Adama awards him with the rank of Commander and the command of ''Pegasus'' ([[The Captain's Hand]]). | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
<references/> | |||
{{Battles (RDM)}} | {{Battles (RDM)}} | ||
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[[Category:Colonial]] | [[Category:Colonial]] | ||
[[Category:Colonial Battles]] | [[Category:Colonial Battles]] | ||
[[Category:Colonial Battles ( | [[Category:Colonial Battles (RDM)]] | ||
[[Category:RDM]] | |||