CHAPTER FOURTEEN
"What do you mean, Major?" Wright demanded, not wanting to believe what Sanders had just told him, "why is the TANTALUS now a defunct derelict?"
Sanders saw the look of anger and disbelief on Wright's face. It looked like the look of a father who had been told of his daughter being murdered. He phrased his answer carefully, knowing that if the positions had been switched, he would be feeling the same.
"As you know, the FTL drive does exert a fair amount of stress on a ship's superstructure when used, Colonel", Sanders replied, "and in regards to your ship, several Cylon missile hits had struck at critical stress points along the hull. When you activated the FTL the last time, those points of impact became stressed beyond tolerances. The TANTALUS was actually very lucky to survive the jump. It certainly won't survive another".
"Can't those stress-points be reinforced?" Wright asked.
"Those stresses went beyond the damaged areas and affected the entire spine of the TANTALUS. It would all completely shatter if subjected to any FTL-imposed stress", Sanders replied.
"So you're telling me that my ship is to all intents and purposes reduced to sub-light speeds in a remote sector", Wright flatly said, "which makes her worthless as a colonial warship".
"For the TANTALUS, she certainly cannot be restored, given her current damaged status. It would take over two years in a colonial dry-dock to get her back into battle condition", Sanders stated.
"Which we no longer have, thanks to the tin-heads", Cain added, "So we now have two derelicts on our hands instead of one".
"Not necessarily, Commander", Sanders said, "I've been informed that there is a way to take advantage of the situation".
"How? By scavenging parts off the TANTALUS for the PEGASUS, Major?" Wright snarled, "Being cannibalized not exactly the way I'd have had the TANTALUS end up. Besides, the HYPERION task force can ill-afford her loss, Major".
"Blame the tin-heads, not the messenger, Colonel", Cain gently admonished, "let him continue".
Wright looked like he was going to argue with Cain, but he blinked, stayed silent, then nodded.
"We would use the TANTALUS for parts, yes", Sanders replied, "but not for the PEGASUS. Instead, we would use the TANTALUS to restore the CEREBRUS to fighting condition".
"You could get the CEREBRUS operational again with the TANTALUS?" Wright asked, "How? I thought she could not be repaired".
"If you'll wait for a few minutes, I'll get Major Thyssen and Captain Engle up here. They will be able to answer that question for you", Sanders answered.
"Who is Major Thyssen?" Major Gale asked.
"He is the Chief Engineer of the PEGASUS", Tolen replied, "Captain Engle – who I gather you already met on the CEREBRUS – is his deputy".
"Get them up here, Comms", Cain ordered, "I want to hear how they can do this".
Nodding, Sanders went to a wall phone and punched in a code for CIC. He spoke into the phone for a few seconds, and then hung up.
"CIC has put out a call for them. They will be here soon", Sanders replied.
"So now we wait", Cain said, "Comms, please fill up our glasses. We might as well relax until they get here".
"Dave", Tolen said quietly to Wright, "I'm sorry to hear about the TANTALUS, and I know that I would feel the same if I were her commander. But let's hear what Engle and Thyssen have to say first".
"I know, Geoff", Wright replied, "It just feels like a member of my family is dying, and I'm powerless to do anything about it".
"Well, from what Comms has said, perhaps there is something we can do", Tolen answered gently, "let's listen and once we have all the information, we can go from there".
While Cain and the others were sipping their drinks and waiting for Thyssen and Engle to appear, down in Silver Spar Wing HQ, Syke was speaking to both Anderson and Trelawney. They had both briefed Syke as to the patrol – and the encounter with the TANTALUS.
"When you leave here, you are both to check with TANTALUS CIC and get a departure time laid in for you to take your vipers off their landing bay, and to return them here. Understood?" Syke asked.
"Understood, CAG", Anderson acknowledged.
"It was good of you to locate the TANTALUS, and to bring her here, so good work, the both of you", Syke added, "but officially, your patrol cannot be said to be completed until your ships are back, and I really don't want our patrol roster messed up because of this", he dryly added.
"Understood, CAG", Anderson acknowledged again.
Syke jerked his thumb towards the door. Anderson and Trelawney got the hint and left the HQ. They had to get back to the TANTALUS and get their vipers back.
"For a sector as remote as Erenkoy, things are not looking too bad, Gene", Tricia commented. She had been leaning against the office bulkhead, listening to the debriefing.
"How's that, Tricia?" Syke asked.
"Not only did we gain a lot of Viper II's, but the TANTALUS carries a squadron of VIPER VII's", Tricia answered, "which means even more firepower for the PEGASUS Strike Wings".
"And how are you going to talk Colonel Wright out of his squadron, Tricia?" Syke asked.
"I had heard some chatter from some of the damage control people who were just over there, sending their reports to CIC. I was eavesdropping on the wireless listening to them", Tricia explained.
"What did you hear?" Syke asked.
"It looks like the TANTALUS may have to be abandoned as she's too badly damaged to FTL again", Tricia replied.
Syke nodded. If the TANTALUS was no longer battle-worthy, then her fighters would have to be transferred…
"Well, if we get the word, then I'm sure that we will be able to make use of them", Syke said, "and they will certainly replace those that we gave to the GOLIATH".
"I wonder if Chunks is having fun on board her?" Tricia wondered, referring to the commander of the squadron of volunteer pilots they had transferred to Hawke's command.
"Well, regardless if he is or not, I'm going up to the mess for a bit to eat. Coming along?" Syke asked.
"Okay", Tricia agreed. Together, they both stood and left the HQ to get some lunch.
While Syke and Tricia were making their way to the mess, up in the conference room next to CIC, Thyssen and Engle had just entered to brief the assembled officers.
"Gentlemen", Cain said with no preliminaries, "we heard about the TANTALUS, but Comms here said that you both had an idea to use her to repair the CEREBRUS. Explain how".
"Commander", Thyssen replied, "After receiving the updated damage control report regarding the TANTALUS, I looked over the reports from the survey done to the CEREBRUS by Captain Engle".
"As I had mentioned earlier", Engle continued, "the CEREBRUS' primary energizers were totally trashed, and the FTL was damaged, making restoring the CEREBRUS to operational status impossible with what we had".
"I know that, Captain", Cain said, "Go on".
"When the TANTALUS came on the scene however, everything changed", Engle said, "The GUARDIAN-class heavy cruisers came out very shortly after the COLUMBIA-class battlestars. The GUARDIAN's systems – though more advanced – are compatible with the systems on the CEREBRUS".
"Captain Engle and I believe that we can remove the primary energizer from the TANTALUS, and install it on the CEREBRUS – after dumping the trashed energizers of course", Thyssen stated, "and the FTL drive on the TANTALUS has parts that we can use to not only repair the FTL on the CEREBRUS, but to enhance it up to a standard similar to that of the PEGASUS".
"Won't that take time?" Wright asked.
"The Energizer type on the TANTALUS is a modular design – like those on the CEREBRUS", Thyssen replied, "so it would be a relatively simple matter to ditch the destroyed energizers, and transfer the TANTALUS' one over to the CEREBRUS, where it can be slotted in and activated. The TANTALUS' auxiliary energizer would maintain power to her while this was happening".
"How long would this take?" Wright asked next.
"If we use the engineering personnel from both the TANTALUS and CEREBRUS, five days", Thyssen answered, "and during that time, the CEREBRUS' FTL can be restored and enhanced. The computer routines for the replacement energizer and the FTL can easily be handled by the CEREBRUS' mainframe. TANTALUS CIC personnel will easily be able to do the reprogramming".
"The CEREBRUS used two energizers to utilize it's FTL", Cain pointed out, "so how can just the single energizer from the TANTALUS bring her up to full operation?"
"The Energizer type used on the TANTALUS is a model that has seventy percent more power throughput than the ones that were on the CEREBRUS – those were first generation models", Engle replied, "Using the more powerful TANTALUS energizer, coupled with the CEREBRUIS' auxiliary energizer which is still operational, the CEREBRUS will have enough power to be fully battle-worthy".
"Given the alternative of stripping both ships for parts for the PEGASUS, this way gives us another warship", Thyssen pointed out, "and a battlestar is a nicer ship to have in a battle than a cruiser – no offence, Colonel Wright".
"None taken", Wright replied. The more he thought about it, the happier Wright was. True, the TANTALUS had seen its last battle, but trading her for the CEREBRUS was hardly a loss. That was for sure!
"The CEREBRUS is basically sound, so FTL-ing her – once the energizer has been installed – will not compromise her at all", Engle assured them.
"The only thing that concerns me is that the CEREBRUS has no heavy offensive weapons", Cain noted, "The COLUMBIA's were designed with light defensive armament only".
"The COLUMBIA-class was designed primarily to convey its fighters into battle while other ships did the offensive bombarding. It wasn't until the second-generation GALACTICA class battlestars merged both functions", Engle answered, "in any case, the CEREBRUS will be able to have more utility than the TANTALUS as a more suitable platform for viper wings".
"I concur in that", Sanders added, "I had looked over the specs for both ships and the COLUMBIA-class battlestars – as old as they are – have an edge in strike ability and absorbing damage over the GUARDIAN-class heavy cruisers".
"What do you think, Colonel?" Cain asked Wright.
"It's sad having to abandon the TANTALUS, but this way, we get a replacement. Not only a replacement, but a battlestar at that!" Wright replied, "Perhaps there will be a way to eventually build up her offensive armament, but even if not, the CEREBUS is going to be sorely needed by the HYPERION Task Force. I say yes".
"I agree with Colonel Wright, Commander", Gale echoed, "The CEREBRUS is a tough bird. This way, the TANTALUS will still have something to offer to the fight, rather than either being scuttled, or left as a derelict".
"Comms", Cain said to Sanders," Inform the CAG's to suspend the transfer of vipers from the CEREBRUS to the PEGASUS. Then get on the horn to the chief engineer of the TANTALUS, informing him of the plan and to start making preparations".
"With your permission for the latter, Colonel?" Sanders asked.
"Yes, Major", Wright replied, "we've got a battlestar to get operational, and the sooner it's done, the sooner we'll be going back into the fight".
As Sanders left the conference room to return to CIC, Tolen turned to his friend.
"Well Dave", Tolen said with a smile, "now you're a Battlestar commander while I'm just a measly Battlestar XO. Some people have all the frakking luck!"
"You wish a transfer, Geoff?" Cain asked slyly, "you might make a half-way decent battlestar commander".
Tolen laughed, then shook his head.
"All thing considered, Commander", Tolen replied, "The PEGASUS is still the best ship in the fleet. I'd have to be nuts to leave her!"
"Gentlemen", Cain said next, standing up, "a toast!"
All present picked up their glasses.
"To the CEREBRUS, and to the crew of the TANTALUS, who will serve her well", Cain formally intoned.
"The CEREBRUS", the assembled officers replied.
END OF BOOK NINE
The story of the Battlestars PEGASUS and CEREBRUS will continue in PEGASUS Book 10: Return to the Fray.