Red Squadron (TOS-RH)

This article has a separate continuity. This article is in the Richard Hatch Novelizations separate continuity, which is related to the Original Series. Be sure that your contributions to this article reflect the characters and events specific to this continuity only.

Red Squadron is a Viper fighter squadron assigned to Galactica's flight wing, serving alongside Blue Squadron and other tactical units.

History

Personnel and Command

Red Squadron is commanded by Captain Hecate, a thin and attractive woman known for her distinctly military bearing and perfect officer material, despite being eleven yahren younger than Lieutenant Jolly. The squadron maintains a healthy rivalry with Blue Squadron, though this competition never interferes with their operational effectiveness. Pilots primarily socialize within their own squadrons, creating strong unit cohesion.

During the Chitain crisis, when half of Blue Squadron is missing or away from the fleet, Hecate becomes the ranking pilot on Galactica and assumes temporary command of both Red and Blue Squadrons.

Known members of Red Squadron include:

• Captain Hecate – Squadron Commander
• Major Tristan
• Ensign Freyja – Promoted from cadet to active duty during the Chitain crisis
• Cadet Squad Commander Cato – Promoted to active duty
• Cadet Squad Commander Marcellus – Promoted to active duty
• Ensign Roman – Killed in action against the Chitain
• Ensign Byron – Killed in action against the Chitain
• Dalton – Assigned to Red Squadron under Hecate's command

Combat Operations

Chitain Conflict

During the Chitain siege, Red Squadron faces a critical pilot shortage when many of Galactica's Warriors are away from the fleet. To address this deficit, Hecate and Jolly recruit cadets from the Warrior Academy, including Cadet Squad Commanders Cato and Marcellus, as well as first-year cadet Freyja, whose flight scores exceed those of all other current cadets. The decision to activate cadets proves controversial among the student body, particularly regarding Freyja's promotion, though Hecate defends the choice based on merit and necessity.

In combat against the Chitain fleet, Captain Hecate demonstrates exceptional skill, destroying multiple enemy vessels. During one engagement, she damages a Chitain vessel badly enough to cause explosive decompression, though the enemy ship retains enough combat capability to return fire. Hecate eliminates the threat with a follow-up attack. Following the engagement, she conducts a status check and damage assessment of her squadron, receiving eager affirmations from her pilots despite the loss of Ensigns Roman and Byron.

Ensign Freyja proves herself in combat, making a perceptive tactical observation that the Chitain are "taking unnecessary risks" and "coming too close before striking" as if "taking our measure." Though Hecate instructs Freyja to focus on her immediate combat duties rather than strategic concerns, the squadron commander privately agrees with the assessment, recognizing that the Chitain are "fighting hard, but they aren't fighting smart."

Cylon Assault

During a massive Cylon assault on the fleet, Red Squadron suffers devastating casualties, losing half its Vipers in the engagement. Major Tristan's Viper is crippled during the battle, forcing him to make a rough landing. Following these losses, Commander Athena orders the surviving members of Red Squadron to form up under Major Sheba's command.

Later in the same battle, Captain Hecate provides critical support to Ensign Dalton, who finds herself pursued by two Cylon Raiders while facing a crossfire situation. Hecate destroys both Raiders with precise laser fire, prompting Dalton to acknowledge the life-saving intervention. Tragically, moments after this exchange, Hecate dies in a collision with a Raider. Her death prompts Dalton to desperately call for Troy to help find a way to even the odds against the overwhelming Cylon forces.

Notes

• Red Squadron's rivalry with Blue Squadron mirrors historical patterns among Colonial warrior units, contributing to unit morale while maintaining operational cooperation.
• The squadron's willingness to integrate Academy cadets during the Chitain crisis demonstrates the flexibility of Colonial military doctrine in emergency situations.
• Captain Hecate's tactical philosophy emphasizes that in warfare, "the final accounting was all that mattered," reflecting her evolution from celebrating individual victories to understanding the broader strategic picture.