Basestar (TRS)
This article is about the Re-imagined Series Basestar. For the original version, see Basestar (TOS).
Description
In the re-imagined series, Cylon basestars (also referred to as "baseships" or "Cylon battlestars") are by far the most prominent example of Cylon presence. They easily dwarf a Colonial battlestar and appear to be technologically superior in every way, including being able to release wings of hundreds of Cylon Raiders at the same time (according to the number of launch "slots" located along each of the spires the basestar. A basestar can release as many as 792 Raiders as seen in the following images: 1, 2, and 3).
Beyond this, not much is known about the interior operations or command structure of a basestar. A basestar's size would suggest that they have a large crew complement, although there is ample evidence to suggest their operations are largely automated. There has also been no evidence to suggest that a basestar has a central autonomous commander as done on battlestars and their command hierarchy.
A basestar's weapons complement indicates missiles on a similar principle to the United States' VLS system, which is capable of launching coventional or nuclear missiles. In "scream and leap" ambushes commonly used by basestars, the use of nuclear attacks against capital targets such as Galactica appears prohibited to minimize capital fighter losses to the Cylons or damage to the basestar itself.
Encounters with Colonial Fleet
Unknown to the Colonial Fleet, a single basestar appeared over the Armistice Station, keeping in schedule with the annual armistice diplomacy talks given to the Cylons by invitation of the Colonial government. This would not have been unusual except that the Cylons had never attended an armistice meeting in the 40 years in which they were offered. Shortly after its arrival and after a Cylon agent accosts the Armistice Officer stationed there, the basestar launches missiles that destroy the station.
A few days later, the Cylons begin their genocidal attack on the Twelve Colonies. It is probable that many basestars and their fighters arrived at each of the Colonies and targeted cities on each planet, deploying nuclear missiles that detonate above the target cities, annihilating them. Several basestars are seen above the ruined planet of Caprica as Lieutenant Sharon Valerii guided her Raptor to an emergency landing on the planet during the attack. A shattered hulk of a battlestar is also seen floating above the planet (Miniseries).
A portion of the Cylon attack fleet consisting of 3 basestars and several secondary ships such as Cylon Reconnaissance Drones, gather above Ragnar Anchorage in an attempt to ensnare battlestar Galactica as it leaves the depot station after rearming itself from stored munitions there. Galactica serves as a shield for its new civiilan Fleet to escape the fighting by using its batteries to fend off the waves of Cylon Raiders targeting the battlestar and its Viper attack fighters. The battlestar escapes the basestar attack with miminal damage (Miniseries).
Basestars chase Galactica for five days after the Ragnar battle, appearing every 33 minutes. The Cylon apparently had infiltrated one of the civilian ships, the Olympic Carrier, and were able to track it through successive Jumps. Enemy forces apparently take control of of the starliner before its 240th Jump, where then Galactica's fighters destroy the liner.
The Fleet eludes further basestar contact for several weeks. Soon after the planet Kobol was discovered by battlestar Galactica, a basestar surprises a Raptor unit en route to the planet. The basestar's fighters destroy two Raptors. Subsequently, Commander Adama devises a plan to destroy the basestar by using a Raptor fitted with a Cylon Transponder to sneak a nuclear warhead inside it. Pilot Lt. Sharon "Boomer" Valerii, a then-unknown Cylon sleeper agent, flies a Raptor along with ECO Lt. Margaret "Racetrack" Edmonson to infiltrate the inside of the basestar. While inside, they see that basestars have a vast, cavernous interior made of bio-mechanical components, without a distinct floor or ceiling. The walls appear fleshy and alive, similar to the synthetic organs filling the interior of a Raider. The basestar was pressurized, as the Raptor appeared to enter through a ventricle-like airlock, where Boomer was able to work with her helmet removed, a task made impossible in a vacuum.
Boomer and Racetrack successfully detonate the nuclear warhead, completely destroying the basestar. This was perhaps the first time since the Cylon Attack that Colonial forces successfully destroyed a basestar.
Shortly thereafter, Valerii's sleeping Cylon programming activates. She shoots Commander Adama in an assassination attempt (Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II) and is subsequently killed by Specialist Cally.
A second basestar ambushes Galactica immediately after Adama's shooting, Galactica escapes but is separated from the Fleet due to a Jump calculation error. The battlestar returns to their previous location and fends off the basestar long enough for them to obtain the correct Fleet coordinates (Scattered). This second basestar near Kobol departs for other business after Galactica reunites with the Fleet, leaving Kobol to the Colonials, save for a small squad of Cylon Centurions on the planet.
Consequently, Edmonson is now the only living member of Galactica's crew that has ever seen the inside of a basestar (Resistance).