Ten
Raptor 312
Lieutenant Sharon "Athena" Agathon sat at the controls at an earily familiar Raptor another Cylon who went by the callsign Boomer had flown this ship on 47 occassions she'd joined Galactica as a rookie pilot and the ship had taken a beating for it. When Boomer had been revealled as a Cylon the ship had been seen as an bad luck ship, few people had been willing to pilot it, at one point they had even been considering breaking the ship up but the colonisation of New Caprica had been seen as more important. Now Sharon Agathon under the callsign Athena would try to give the ship a better name, her Electronics Countermeasures Officer (ECO) Racetrack was a fair pilot herself after remaining aboard Galactica during the stay at New Caprica, with everyone returning from New Caprica there was as many pilots as there was ships even with Pegasus begining to produce more craft. What was really needed was ECOs after the events on New Capricas and Sharon's actions there were very few who were not willing to fly with the Cylon.
Even with the UNSC Spirit of Fire joining the fleet they still had to worry about food, water and fuel supplies because of the chances of Cylon or Covenant encounters Raptors were being deployed to systems around the fleet in an effort to find resources and plot a safe course for the civilian vessels. "Galactica this is Raptor 312, systems are green ready for launch"
"Raptor 312, Galactica, you are clear for launch, good hunting Athena" Captain Kelly the Landing Officer replied as the Raptor began to raise into the flight pod. As the launch pad locked into place Athena gunned the engine to life raising the craft off the deck then moving it forward out into open space arcing to the port as it cleared Galactica's course. Several Vipers flew past in tight formation, Athena piloted the Raptor clear of them, pulling her craft over the Spirit of Fire the battered Thirteenth Tribe craft dwarfed everything around it including both Battlestars Pegasus and Galactica, the people of Earth certainly did things big.
"Ready Racetrack" her ECO nodded "jumping in three, two, one and JUMP!" She called out spinning up the ship's small jump drive the Raptor disappeared from the fleet moments later appearing in another system several light years distant from the Fleet.
"Begining dradis scan" Racetrack called out as Athena set a course that would take it through the system.
"Begining second Dradis scan..." Athena said activating the pilots equipment Raptors were built with two completely separate scanners that could be run independently of each other and at the same time. It was common practice for both pilot and ECO to run scans together ensuring everything was double checked on scouting patrols. As Athena's systems activated Racetracks went crazy as the Raptor's systems detected the arrival of another ship.
"Dradis contact!!!" Racetrack nearly screamed "I don't know what it is but it's not Colonial or Cylon" she called out as she tried to understand the readings.
"Not Cylon but beautiful" Athena replied looking out at the new arrival it must have been nearly a thousand metres long with an almost oblong in shape it's hull nearly perfectly smooth painted a silver blue.
Racetrack moved up to the cockpit area to look at the alien vessel just as three small craft launched from its belly. Each craft had a bulbous upper section that tapered away and up heading aft while two back-swept wings extended from the front of the craft. Between the wings and rounded upper section were a pair of cannons that extended just beyond the hull. "Get us the frack out of here Athena!" Racetrack called moving back to the rear section.
"Spin up the FTL" Athena ordered spinning the Raptor 180 degrees along her axis gunning the engine to its maximum as the three small craft arced towards the lone Raptor.
"It'll take a minute do some of that pilot felgerkarb and get us clear!"
"Easier said than done when we're being shot at!" Athena shouted as bolts of light shot past her cockpit window.
"How the frack can you tell? None of these instruments make any sense!" Racetrack shouted not seeing Athena's windows. Suddenly a group of tightly grouped bolts of light tore through the rear compartment narrowly missing Racetrack. "We're taking fire!" She shouted fortunately both were wearing their pressure suits as the atmosphere rushed out.
"Hang on!" Athena shouted turning the Raptor end over end "firing Rapier One!" She called out "firing Rapier Two!" She said launching both of the Raptors air-to-air missiles.
"Good tracks on both!" Racetrack confirmed Athena watched as the first missile ploughed into the enemy craft. The impact and explosion tore off the bulbous cockpit of the alien ship but amazingly the craft kept coming. More amazing was as Athena looked at the craft the pilot who was clearly alien, with two long dark legs a muscled body and long pointed head, stood up out of the shattered craft balancing on the damaged cockpit, like a surfer riding a wave, reaching for what appeared to be a sidearm.
Just then the second Rapier slammed into the craft "scratch one!" Athena shouted spinning the Raptor again the small craft was battered by fragments of the destroyed alien ship as it pulled away again still chased by the two remaining ships.
"Jumping in 5, 4, 3" as Racetrack counted down a the clock the enemy ships strafed the Raptor again several bolts of blue light cut through the Raptor narrowly missing the ECO. "2, 1" she called begining to turn the key as she did several more shots hit the Raptor three smashed into the cockpit window blowing it out while three more punched into the back of Athena's ejection chair "jump!" She called and the Raptor was gone.
