Chapter 1:

Raptor 269, Picon Orbit.

5 Months Before the Fall of the Colonies.

All was silent. Well, not silent of course – the engines of the Raptor scout craft made sure of that – but it was quiet enough to make Admiral John Jenkins uneasy. John had felt uneasy a lot lately, ever since the Sagittaron incident actually. Like the calm before a storm, everything seemed blissful and silent. John remembered the feeling before, that's what made him uneasy.

The last time he had felt anything like this he had been on another Raptor – albeit a rather more primitive one than this – on his way to flight school on Leonis only months before the First Cylon War, a war which had cost him – and the Colonies – more than he dared think about. Admiral Jenkins was not a young man, having served the Colonial fleet all his life from age 16 – 52 years prior – but his many experiences told him that calm never lasts.

John looked around the cabin he was in. Well, not the cabin, John noted, but rather the rear end of the cockpit. Admiral Jenkins knew these Raptor assault craft inside out – both figuratively and literally – as the Raptor was the first class of ship he learned to fly back on Leonis, all those years ago.

John could just about see out of the slit-sized windows that adorned the large gull-wing door opposite him. As far – or not so far in this case – as John could see the white dots of stars filling in the dark abyss of space. Any star gazing would have to wait however, as the light grey structure of the Colonial Fleet Command Station came into view and the pilots prepared to land.

"CFCS, this is Raptor 269, carrying Admiral Jenkins, requesting permission to land," Said the main pilot, Major Sidney 'Spinner' Halway, as he brought the ship in closer to the looming station. The station – which had been constructed only a few years before – was a maze of giant Battlestar jetties and of communications antenna surrounding the central hub. John had visited the station many times in the past and was ready once again to face the melee that was the Admiral's council (also known as the round-table by various members of the Hyperion's crew).

After a few moments of silence, Major Halway reached down to the controls either side of his chair and began to pull the Raptor towards one of the docking bays saying: "Copy that CFCS, approaching Docking Pad 12," John slowly pushed himself to his feet and walked up to the pilots of the ship.

"So, are we going straight down or do we have to wait the Hyperion?" John asked his pilot. Sidney looked up and turned his head to John.

"Straight down sir. They gave us priority; you must be late," Sidney replied, looking up at John through the clear-fronted standard-issue pilot's helmet.

"Well I hope not. Last time I was late I got a very loud scorning from Rob," John said wistfully. Admiral Rob Nagala was known for having a temper, even with those he usually got on with, such as John himself. John supposed that was because of his experience during the war when his Viper was abandoned in orbit of Caprica because he refused an order.

John dropped that train of thought as they drifted past the gargantuan hull of a resting Battlestar, the biggest and most powerful battleships in the whole fleet. This particular craft bore the name Columbia and was of the same hulking Mercury class as the Hyperion and their twin ship Pegasus (who together formed the prototypes for the class).

The small Raptor craft flew around the protruding 'Alligator head' the made up the fore of the ship and Sidney used the ship's RCS thrusters to cancel their velocity before directing the craft towards a small pad just in front of the Columbia's bow.

Hangar 12, Colonial Fleet Command Station

John stood directly in front of the Raptor's door as it hissed loudly, matching the pressure of the Raptor with the station. Moments later – once the hissing stopped – the door swung up and revealed a pair of Colonial officers in their standard blue uniforms, who immediately snapped into a salute when their saw John standing before them.

John stepped onto the large – yet stubby – wing of the Raptor and met the Lieutenant's – as he now saw them – salute. "At ease," John said and the two officers lowered their hands.

"It's good to see you again, Admiral," Said the first Lieutenant – a fair-skinned young woman – who held out her hand for John. John shook it and turned to the second Lieutenant – a surprisingly similar looking man – and shook his hand as well.

"I'm Lieutenant Green," Said the second Lieutenant. "And this," He indicated to his comrade. "Is Lieutenant Green," John let out a small chuckle.

"Good to see the Fleet still keeps siblings together," John remarked.

"It is indeed," Said the first Lieutenant Green, who turned around and started leading the group out of the hangar and towards the nearest exit.

Meeting Room D, Colonial Fleet Command Station

The first Lieutenant Green reached out and pulled open the door to the meeting room, often used for the 'round-table'. John quickly thanked the Lieutenants and entered the room.

Inside, John saw a long, curved desk with 12 seats, 9 of which were already filled. Behind each of the chairs there was a flag corresponding to the Colony represented by each of the Admirals. John quickly scanned the room and headed for the chair in front of yellow and green banner that marked out John's Colony of Virgon.

"Good afternoon John," Admiral Abigail Polis said. John smiled and gave a little wave to Admiral Polis, whose ship – Columbia – they had passed on the way in. John reached out and pulled his chair out from under the table and sat down to survey the room he was in.

It was not a small room, but with the large egos of 10 Colonial Admirals in it, the room felt rather cramped. Each of the Admirals were wearing either their dress uniform or their standard issue Admiral's uniform if they, like John, had been on their way back from active duty when they arrived at the station.

After a minute or two, the door opened again and Admiral George Granta – the Admiral of the Battlestar Rycon, who represented the Colony of Sagittaron – bustled into to the room and managed to sit down just as Admiral Nagala – whose homeworld of Picon they were in orbit of – made his usual ceremonious entry.

"Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen," Admiral Nagala said as he reached the chair in front of Picon's red and white flag. "I trust you are all well," John, along with the other Admirals, nodded in response. "Good. Now, to start today's meeting I believe Peter has something to say to you all,"

"Yes," Admiral Peter Corman – head of extra-system operations and representative of the Colony Tauron – said, whilst standing up. "I do. Well, to be more accurate I have something to say to you, Admiral Jenkins," John stared inquisitively at Admiral Corman as everyone's attention was directed at him.

"What is it Peter?" John asked, not sure if this was a good thing or a bad thing. Although, as he thought more about it, he realised he hadn't been out of their home system in months, which made him even more confused than before.

"I, well, the President has a new mission for you," Admiral Corman told John. The Admiral bent over and pulled a file out of his leather bag he had placed on the table. "As you may know, we unfortunately lost contact with Project Outreach recently,"

"Yes, I do know," John said solemnly. Project Outreach had been a Colonial effort to rediscover to locations of both humanity's homeworld and the mythical Colony of Earth. Only a month before however, the Battlestar Prometheus, went dark and the mission was assumed a failure. "What of it?" John asked.

"While we are still unsure at this time, we do have a lead on the location of Kobol. This lead is one we want you to follow up ASAP," Admiral Corman explained. "Preparations are being planned by the Minister of Defence at the moment, but we are to believe that Project Ark will be ready within 6 months and publicly launched within 9,"

"You want the Hyperion to lead this Operation?" John asked Admiral Corman.

"I do. Your skill and experience have been more than vouched for by this council,"

"I'm honoured, but wouldn't it be better if a newer, more sustainable ship were to lead the mission? Perhaps the new Minerva-class Battlestars?" John proposed.

"While that would be a smart idea," Admiral Robert Mikal – from the Battlestar Triton and the Colony of Aerilon – interrupted. "The first ship, the Minerva herself isn't due to launch for another 4 or 5 months, and its CO will only be a Commander. We need someone with more experience,"

"That, John, is something you have in bundles," Said Admiral Jane Lorrin from Canceron.

"Well, in that case, my fleet is more than capable," John told the other Admirals.

"Oh, we know. However the 5th Fleet will not be available for use in this Project," Admiral Mikal said. "It will be just Battlestar Group 53 on this one,"

"That's fine, I'm sure we'll fine by ourselves," John commented.

"This brings me to the final point for this Project. John, you cannot tell anyone outside this room, except for your XO," Admiral Corman said.

"Umm... alright," John lost protocol for a moment while he considered Admiral Corman's reasoning.

"If you're wondering, Admiral Jenkins, it is because this is a very controversial mission. If anyone outside this circle were to leak it, the public reaction could be devastating for support of this Project," Admiral Corman told John.

"But what about their friends and families? I doubt this is a trip my men and women can back out of?" John protested.

"It isn't. That is why we want you and your XO to collect the names of your people's family and friends so that they can accompany then to Kobol, where you will start Colonization," John nodded in response to Admiral Corman's orders.

"Right," John said after spending a few moments thinking. "I accept the mission, but I need you, Admiral Walker, to take over the 5th Fleet in my absence,"

"Done," Admiral Vince Walker – from the Colony of Leonis – confirmed.

"We are in agreement then?" Admiral Nagala asked all of the Admirals.

"We are," Admiral Mikal told him.

"Then sit back down Peter and we'll move onto the next business of the day..."