Battle of the Algae Planet

Battle of the Algae Planet
Cylons and Colonials converge on a planet containing the Eye of Jupiter
Cylons and Colonials converge on a planet containing the Eye of Jupiter
Summary
Conflict:	Second Cylon War
Date:	Unknown
Related Episode(s):
Place:	The Algae planet
Result:
Galactica, Vipers, Raptors surface: 1 Raptor, approx. 12 Marines, Unknown number of drafted civiliansorbit: Four basestars, associated Raiders, Heavy Raiders surface: 1 Heavy Raider, at least six Centurions" Combatants Remnants of the Colonial Fleet Cylons Commanders Admiral William Adama Basestar command Strength orbit: Galactica, Vipers, Raptors surface: 1 Raptor, approx. 12 Marines, Unknown number of drafted civilians orbit: Four basestars, associated Raiders, Heavy Raiders surface: 1 Heavy Raider, at least six Centurions Materiel Losses 1 Raptor heavily damaged/destroyed None Casualties Unknown Unknown
[[Colonial battles chronology ({{{series}}})|Battle Chronology]]
Previous Next Battle of NCD2539 Battle of the Algae Planet Unknown

A discovery of a mysterious religious artifact leads to a temporary (as of yet) standoff between Galactica and Cylon forces.

Shortly after the Temple of Five is discovered during day 14 of the Colonial Fleet's food-collection operations on the Algae planet, four Cylon basestars jump into orbit. Admiral William Adama orders all civilian ships to jump to emergency jump coordinates as the Cylons discreetly deploy one Heavy Raider to the planet's surface.

After a wireless transmission from the basestars to Galactica, Gaius Baltar, a Number Three, a Cavil, and Boomer of the basestars' command group come to Galactica in order to negotiate for control of the Eye of Jupiter, reported to be in the temple. The Cylons claim that if they gain possesion, they will leave the Fleet alone and turn over Baltar. Admiral Adama delivers an ultimatum: make any move and he'll destroy the temple with a nuclear strike. For the moment, no agreement is reached, and the Cylons and Baltar leave Galactica.

The Cylons soon jam all Colonial wireless frequencies. On the surface, Major Adama develops a plan to defend the temple and their base camp, placing Samuel Anders in command of all civilians present, and using Captain Thrace's Raptor, the only one on the surface, for reconnaissance.

Meanwhile, Centurions from the first Heavy Raider have established a surface-to-air missile battery and shoot down Thrace during her recon.

Six Heavy Raiders are deployed from the basestars toward the planet as part of the Cylons' plan to both defend Baltar and D'anna who are heading to the temple and to test Adama's supposed bluff of nuking the place.

Admiral Adama prepares Galactica's missile launchers to fire six nuclear missiles at the surface (missile tubes 4 through 10), obliterating the temple, as he had promised during the failed negotiations; the Cylons debate whether Adama is bluffing (The Eye of Jupiter).

Notes

• Galactica departs Ragnar Anchorage with five nuclear warheads. One warhead is cannibalized to create Gaius Baltar's Cylon detector (Bastille Day) and ultimately detonated by Gina on Cloud Nine (Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II). A second warhead is used to destroy a Cylon basestar above Kobol in "Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II", leaving Galactica with three. Galactica probably obtained additional warheads from Pegasus at some point prior to her destruction in "Exodus, Part II".

Re-imagined Series definition: used to signify a civilian transport vessel over a certain gross weight/mass, i.e. Colonial Heavy 798

Re-imagined Series definition: the process of using the FTL engines to make an near-instantaneous apparent faster-than-light transport of a ship from one point in space to another

Re-imagined Series definition: Colonial equivalent of radio