Shepard/Mitchell Experimental Shipyard
Fra Mauro Highlands, Luna
The Columbia had been towed all the way back to Earth for an in depth analysis at a properly equipped facility. SG1 was still heading up their separate teams while the corps of engineers looked like a swarm of insects crawling over a rotting corpse trying to restore the ships reactors and other systems. Intelligence picked over every mention of Colonial and Cylon capability, while stellar cartographers were trying to compare their star charts with those of the Columbia hoping to narrow their search down considerably.
Colony Services had several planets ear marked for new mining and farming colonies. Going on the alloys used in the construction of the Columbia a world was selected that would meet the Colonials needs plus there was an abundant supply of naquada and trinium through out the system to help jump start their economy. P3X521 was a very lush world that once had a multiple chains of super volcanoes all over the surface. The soil was perfect for growing whatever was needed; the only limiting factor was climate sensitive plants. Resources had been set aside to set up an infrastructure for 200,000 people. Prefab apartment complexes, were set up already and hopefully by the time people started arriving the water and power stations along with medical facilities would be completed. The planet was also close to several Alliance controlled worlds that had a reasonable defense force and only minutes (by hyperspace) away should they be needed to defend the colonials.
Fleet Command was putting together the expedition fleet. 5 hospital ships were assigned, and 10 carriers were being refitted to serve as long range transports. Tugs were being outfitted with ZPMs to be able to make the trip as relatively fast as possible. Several civilian cargo ships were conscripted to deliver immediate relief supplies. There was still no word on which military vessels would be heading the fleet, but the gossip was sure it would be selected in the next few days.
The Jaffa was sending along twenty ships to act as transports and defend Elysium until the population could be moved, assuming they wanted to be moved. The other members of the Alliance were pulling seeds and seedlings and various livestock to be taken to the colonial's new home world.
The Federation Secretary General had approved the restoration of Columbia as well as all other military vessels recovered from Pegasus II. Thankfully with the in depth scans as well as the technical manuals and logs the work was preceding smoothly. The only problem so far was the ships FTL drive and computers. Even with the tech logs, the FTL was very different from what was perceived as traditional hyperspace. They would need Colonials the work through the final restoration phase, before she jumped again. The computer systems were nearly wiped or scrambled during Columbia's final battle. The whole system would need to be purged and reprogrammed from scratch.
Sam O'Neill was currently having a working lunch in her office with Lt. Col. Jennifer Hailey and Dr. Rodney McKay discussing the various progress reports. Both had their own expertise when it came to the Columbia Project. Hailey was considered the fore most authority on starship engineering since her documented work on the 304 development phases, and again on the 3rd and 4th generation starship lines after the war. McKay input was used on the ships power and computer systems although according to him it was way below what he was being paid for. Nobody seemed to point out that he volunteered his expertise freely just so he could look at the Colonial FTL technology.
"My god Sam, have you even seen the equipment used for navigational calculations? I swear it's amazing the ship survived its first trip out side their home system." Rodney complained. "I mean come on, optical and x-ray telescopes, they must have had to make at least 4 jumps from system to system and the calculations must have taken up all of the processor resources."
Sam just shook her head "Rodney as far as we can tell these people didn't have the luxury of advanced allies to give them all of their accumulated knowledge. And I would like to point out had we not had ours we more than likely would be well on our way to developing the same way. You were spoiled on Atlantis and you know it."
"I don't think we would be even close to their level even with help for another millennia" Jennifer added her thoughts. "All of the technical logs point to their FTL systems using a point to point wormhole drive. Even the Ancients gave up on their experiments in that area."
"I know it's just, that when I think of the ultimate potential of this technology and read what these people were able to accomplish with it and the other tech on that ship makes me wonder how in the world they managed it in the first place." Rodney explained with a furrowed look.
"Maybe if you're nice the Colonials will let you improve them" said a voice from the direction of Sam's office door.
Turning toward the voice Sam paused, standing there was her retired husband dressed in his dress blues (still standard for fleet officers). "Jack what are you doing here?" she asked.
Jack walked in the room and hugged Sam "I got a call from Hayes and Caldwell the other day. Apparently Fleet is looking for a Mission Commander for the expedition that my wife and mother of my children signed up for and has taken all of her personal time for the last four months"
Sam had the decency to look ashamed of her self, but knew Jack wasn't mad at her. It was common practice for her to be gone for weeks or months at a time when a grand project needed to be worked on.
Jack secretly enjoyed it too for it gave him the time to spoil their two daughters rotten and gave him the excuse to follow her around with them by stargate. Not many children could boast about being able to fly a jumper about the solar system or being able to step through the gate as often as they did. Hell they were the only people under 18 to have been on the "Columbia Tour" as he put it.
"They want you to command the fleet?" Rodney asked in disbelief
Jack just glared at the man "Hello Rodney, how are you?" he asked sarcastically.
"Oh, I'm good, had a bit of a headache earlier, but its gone now. Thanks for the concern" Rodney said sincerely still haven't grasped the intricacies of social interaction.
"Any way Jack, what did they have to do to pull you out of retirement this time?" Sam asked.
"Nothing much, I get to name the next vessel class, and I get a free birth at the local port." Jack smiled ominously at them.
"Jack we already have an Enterprise and what in the hell would you need a birth for, we don't own a ship?" Sam was now exasperated with her husband. For years he had been trying to name ships Enterprise and was shot down every time. By the time the Enterprise class carrier was put into production he had given up and was supremely annoyed that it was named on the recommendation of a veteran committee that served on the "Big E". Since then Jack had never even talked about naming another ship.
"Who said anything about Enterprise? I do have original ideas from time to time. And we will have a ship once we get back. Teal'c is hooking us up with an old Al'Kesh while I pulled some big strings for a jumper to go with."
"OK Jack what are you going to name the new class?" Sam asked with her arms crossed.
"The Homer" Jack said simply. Sam's eyes just widened at his proclamation.
"Wow Jack, I never new you were into classical literature" Jennifer said.
Jack smiled at her "See I knew someone would like it."
"Don't encourage him Hailey" Sam snapped "Jack I swear I will get you named shot down even if I have to call in all my favors at once."
"What's wrong with Homer? I think it would be a suitable name for an explorer ship" Rodney said. "Naming a ship after one of the most famous bards in history, I'm surprised it wasn't done before."
Sam just hung her head, Rodney had just given Jack a justified argument for his name "Rodney he isn't naming it after the author of the Iliad, just drop it."
"Thank you Rodney" Jack was all smiles now "Back to the point though, I'll be commanding the fleet with Mitchell and Ellis will be my XO."
"Who is going to watch the girls?" Sam asked.
"Cassie is going to keep them until school lets out, and I was hoping Mark might be able to keep them for the summer, which shouldn't be a problem considering we were going to ask him in the first place for our tour of Joint Allied bases across the galaxy. After that Cassie will take them for school again." Jack explained.
"I guess that will work. Have you told the others yet?" she asked.
"Nope I was hoping you could take me to them"
"Sure lets go" Sam said.
After the couple left the office Rodney turned to Jennifer "What's wrong with the name Homer?"
2 Months Later
Shantytown Staging Point
50 Light Years off the Pegasus II Galactic Rim
The final tally of vessels was 20 Tugs, 30 designated transports, 5 hospital ships, 10 fully loaded civilian cargo vessels, and the 3rd Atlantis Fleet which consisted of 13 vessels. Command officers through out the fleet were gathered around comm. stations and briefing rooms, waiting for the final mission briefing to begin.
SG1, along with Admiral Ellis, and Captain Harriman were in the Wimlah's Officer's Lounge going over prepared statements.
"Attention to all officers of the fleet" Jack O'Neill's voice sounded on fleet wide PA systems.
"1 hour from now we will begin the operation. This mission has two primary objectives. Locate and evacuate any human willing, and proper threat assessment of Cylon forces. The details will be explained by Dr. O'Neill"
A second later Sam's voice came over "Phase one; will consist of the lead fleet entering the galaxy heading for the most likely candidates of Elysium. Along the way we will drop communication buoys and launch sensor probes to cover the widest possible area. All unarmed vessels will remain behind and be guarded by the Ha'tak until signaled to begin Phase two. Upon confirmation of receiving the signal the transports will move in to begin evacuation procedures. If individual ships are found along the way and they agree to EVAC a signal will be sent for an appropriate amount of tugs and escorts to move in and retrieve the vessel/s. and bring them back to the staging point for medical treatment before being taken back to P3X521."
50 Minutes Later
SG-1 stood on the bridge observing the crew making the final preparations for hyperspace launch.
"Stations give me go, no go on systems" Cam ordered
"Weapons and Shields?"…"Go"
"Engines?"…"Sub-light Go, Hyperdrive Go"
"Communications?"…"Go"
"Navigation & Helm?"…"Go"
"Operations?"…"Go"
"All ships report Go" the comm. officer announced.
Mitchell turned towards Jack waiting his orders
"Well… Lets go then" Jack said
"Yes Sir. Helm take us to the first set of search coordinates. Comm. Signal the fleet to jump."
"Aye Sir. Receiving order confirmation fleet ready for hyperspace insertion."
"Jump!" O'Neill ordered as was customary for fleet commanders.
TBC
Sorry for the delay and the length. I didn't end up in prison, well not in the traditional sense. Came down with a nasty bout of pneumonia and was laid up in Bethesda for 4 days then restricted to quarters for a week. I just didn't have to energy to try and write this at the time and then I spent the rest of this time trying to catch up on light administration duty. It's been hell let me tell you.
As the story progresses I will be delving into Colonial Tech a little bit. Now before I get complaints about how I perceive their tech, just remember Not once has RDM gone into detail about technology in BSG. So everything I say is based on conjecture from Battlestar Wiki, and my own observations and calculations.
Now a bit of sad news. While I have no intention of stopping this I will be taking a break from it soon. When I reported for sick call I was kindly informed that I had 3 months of accumulated leave and I was at that lovely use it or lose it phase. So as of April 1st and till about June 25th I will be on vacation. I'm taking a backpacking trip across Europe and there is no way in hell I'm taking my lap top that far. I will take my notebook with me to work on my out line. I will try and get at least 4 more chapters by then.
Oh if anybody is wondering
The 3rd Atlantis Combat Fleet
1 Cheyenne Class Capital Ship (All subsequent ships are named after mountains)
2 Enterprise Class Carriers (Lovely Shoebox shaped vessels with two launch bays running the length of the ship and a third bay for maintenance and storage)
4 Korlev Class Battle Cruisers
2 Hannibal Class Destroyers
2 Missile Support Cruisers
2 Long Range Stealth Scouts
The only detail I can think to give on the appearance of these ships is the Cheyenne Class looks to a cross between a 303 and a 304 with emphasis on the 303 and no launch bays on either side of the ship. It is also about 4 times bigger than the 303. The other I will let you use your imaginations.
Cya guys later