| Interception of Cylon Tankers | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Interception of Cylon Tankers | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Summary | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Conflict: | Escape from the Cylons | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Date: | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Related Episode(s): | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Place: | Krillian Star System | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Result: | Cain's wanted happens, Crisis between Galactica and Pegasus Command | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Battle Chronology | |||||||||||||||||||||
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This is a small battle between Vipers and Cylon Raiders for two Cylon Tankers taking place near Gamoray shortly after the reunion of the battlestar Pegasus with the battlestar Galactica and her civilian fleet.
Planning
A meeting of the commanders (Cain and Adama) is convened and a plan is proposed by Adama to intercept Cylon Tankers to provide desperately needed fuel for the fleet. Cain agrees to the plan only reluctantly as he would prefer to seize fuel by attacking the Cylon base on Gamoray instead. Cain is also not too happy about Adama's intention to send vipers of both battlestars; So he emphasises the greater experience of the Pegasus's pilots and boasts that his warriors would be glad to pass along their experience to Galactica's warriors.
Execution of the operation
The operation is to be carried out by the Silver Spar Squadron of the battlestar Pegasus and the Blue Squadron of the Galactica.
During pre-launch and to her surprise and concern Sheba discovers that Cain has joined the mission. Cain takes command over the operation. This is to the surprise of the pilots of Galactica's Blue Squadron who were also not informed about Cain's participation.
The commander orders the two squadrons to split up in two groups. When closing to the Cylon tankers directly Blue Squadron is intercepted by a Cylon raiders (obviously the tankers' escort) by surprise. Blue Squadron seems at the mercy of the Cylons until Silver Spar Squadron engages. The tide turns and only two raiders get the chance to try an escape. Cain orders Blue Squadron to pursue the fugitives while he goes off to take care of the tankers. Cain destroys the tankers against orders; and tells a disbelieving Apollo (who is returning from the pursuit a bit too early to the place he assumes the tankers) that he was firing at a Cylon fighter. (The Living Legend, Part I)
Aftermath
Cain's destruction of the tankers cost him his command over the Pegasus (only indirectly). In combination with Adama's refusal to attack Gamoray the sole survivors of the Colonies might well have ended near the Krillian System without any fuel in a hopeless battle with Baltar's three full-equipped base ships.
Notes
- The Pegasus must have done similar operations before (experience, the Pegasus does not suffer from fuel shortages).
- Why don't the Cylons blow up their tankers (e.g. with a self destruction system in the tankers)? It would not take much to blow up a ship full of fuel (Particularly near Gamoray the Cylons should be used to attacks against their supply ships).
- Why did the last two raiders retreat instead of trying to destroy the tankers?