Battle of Kobol (TRS): Difference between revisions

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|name=Battle of Kobol
|name=Battle of Kobol
|image=DoctorStrangeLove.jpg
|image=DoctorStrangeLove.jpg
|description=Cylon basestar destroyed by a tactical nuke, in orbit of Kobol  
|description=Cylon basestar destroyed by a tactical nuclear weapon, in orbit of Kobol  
|conflict=[[Cylon Attack|Second Cylon war]]
|conflict=[[Cylon Attack|Second Cylon War]]
|date=[[Re-Imagined Series Timeline|Day 50-51]]
|date=[[Re-Imagined Series Timeline|Day 50-51]]
|place=[[Kobol (RDM)|Kobol]], nearby space
|place=[[Kobol (RDM)|Kobol]], nearby space
Line 11: Line 11:
|combatant1=Remnants of the [[Colonial Fleet (RDM)|Colonial Fleet]]
|combatant1=Remnants of the [[Colonial Fleet (RDM)|Colonial Fleet]]
|combatant2=[[Cylons (RDM)|Cylons]]
|combatant2=[[Cylons (RDM)|Cylons]]
|co1=Commander [[William Adama]], Colonel [[Saul Tigh]]
|co1=Commander [[William Adama]]<br>Colonel [[Saul Tigh]]
|co2=[[Basestar command]]
|co2=[[Basestar command]]
|strength1=[[Galactica type battlestar|battlestar]] ''[[Galactica]]''<br>18-35 [[Viper (RDM)|Vipers]]<br>6 [[Raptor|Raptors]]<br>
|strength1=''[[Galactica]]'', approx 35-40 [[Viper (RDM)|Vipers]] and 5 [[Raptor|Raptors]]
1 captured [[Raider]] (on Caprica)<br>
|strength2=2 [[Basestar (RDM)|basestars]], associated [[Raiders]] and at least one [[Heavy Raider]], fixed anti-aircraft emplacement (on Kobol), at least 8 [[Cylon Centurion]]s on Kobol, 10 Cylon Centurions on ''Galactica''
1 captured [[Heavy Raider]] (on Caprica)
|strength2=2 [[Basestar (RDM)|basestars]]<br>[[Raiders]]<br>At least one [[Heavy Raider]]<br>
Fixed anti-aircraft emplacement (on Kobol)<br>
 
At least 5 [[Cylon Centurion]]s on Kobol<br>
 
10 Cylon Centurions on ''Galactica''
|shiploss1=2 Raptors
|shiploss1=2 Raptors
|shiploss2=1 basestar over Kobol,  
|shiploss2=1 basestar over Kobol, unknown number of Raiders, 1 Heavy Raider
 
|casualties1=10 killed on [[Raptor 3]], 4 on [[Raptor 1]], 11 killed in Cylon boarding of ''Galactica''. <ref>This number comes from the [[survivor count]] shown in the opening credits of "[[Fragged]]". However, this number is barely sufficient to account for the many bodies seen in throughout the hallways.</ref>
Unknown number of Raiders,  
|casualties2=Loss of at least 8 Centurions on Kobol, 10 Centurions on ''Galactica''
 
1 Heavy Raider
|casualties1=10 killed on [[Raptor 3]],<br/>
 
4 on [[Raptor 1]],<br/>
 
11 killed in Cylon boarding of the ''Galactica''. <br/>
 
Total [[Survivor Count]] decremented by 34, excluding Humanoid Cylons
|casualties2=Loss of at least 5 Centurions on Kobol<br>Loss of 10 Centurions on ''Galactica''
|prev=[[Battle for the Tylium Asteroid]]
|prev=[[Battle for the Tylium Asteroid]]
|next=[[Great Cylon Turkey Shoot]]
|next=[[Skirmish at the Farm]]
|series=RDM
|series=RDM
}}
}}
The '''Battle of Kobol''' occurs when ''Galactica'' stumbles on the mythological human homeworld of [[Kobol (RDM)|Kobol]] and attempts to discover its secrets.   
The '''Battle of Kobol''' occurs when ''Galactica'' stumbles on the mythological human homeworld of [[Kobol (RDM)|Kobol]] and attempts to discover its secrets.   


== Discovery ==
== Discovery ==


During a reconnaissance flight, [[Sharon Valerii|Boomer]] and [[Crashdown]] return to ''[[Galactica (RDM)|Galactica]]'' with information on an unusual habitable planet. Investigation of the ruins and features of the planet confirm that ''Galactica'' has discovered, by accident, the original human homeworld of [[Kobol (RDM)|Kobol]], detailed extensively in the [[Sacred Scrolls|scriptures]] from the [[Lords of Kobol]]. Commander [[William Adama]] directs three [[Raptor]]s to conduct a thorough surface survey of the planet, particularly to note whether the Fleet should settle there.
During a reconnaissance flight, [[Sharon Valerii|Sharon "Boomer" Valerii]] and [[Alex Quartararo|Alex "Crashdown" Quartararo]] return to ''[[Galactica (RDM)|Galactica]]'' with information on an unusual habitable planet. Though Quartararo originally proposes this planet to be the sought-after [[Earth (RDM)|Earth]], a strangely attentive Valerii explains that this is something "much more important". Investigation of the ruins and features of the planet confirm that ''Galactica'' has accidentally discovered the original human homeworld of [[Kobol (RDM)|Kobol]], detailed extensively in the [[Sacred Scrolls|scriptures]] of the [[Lords of Kobol]]. Commander [[William Adama|Adama]] directs three [[Raptor]]s to conduct a thorough surface survey of the planet, particularly to note whether the Fleet could settle there.
 
When the Raptors [[FTL|jump]] into Kobol’s orbit, they come into contact with a squadron of [[Raider (RDM)|Raiders]]. One Raptor is destroyed when it collides with a Raider, and a second jumps away to safety. The [[Raptor 1|third Raptor]] is shot down and crash-lands in a marsh on the planet’s surface, in the vicinity the ruined Kobol [[Opera House]].


As the Raptors complete their jump near Kobol, they are attacked by [[Cylon Raider (RDM)|Raider]]s. One Raptor is destroyed and a second jumps away to safety. The [[Raptor 1|third Raptor]] is shot and crash-lands on Kobol.
Since the orbiting [[Basestar (RDM)|basestar]] prohibits rescue of the surviving crashed Raptor crew, Lieutenant [[Kara Thrace]] suggests the use of the captured Raider ([[TRS]]: "[[You Can't Go Home Again]]") to sneak into the basestar with a nuclear warhead. The Raider would jump to the basestar, fly inside on auto-pilot after Thrace abandons ship, and then the weapon would be detonated.  With the basestar destroyed, Thrace would be picked up by a waiting Raptor and the stranded survivors on Kobol would be recovered.


Since the orbiting [[Basestar (RDM)|basestar]] prohibits a rescue of the surviving crashed Raptor crew, [[Kara Thrace]] suggests the use of the captured Raider ([[You Can't Go Home Again]]) to sneak near the basestar with a nuclear warhead, leaving it there to destroy the capital ship and as many Raiders as possible. Adama agrees to the plan. However, intervention by President [[Laura Roslin|Roslin]] with Thrace leads the pilot to disobey orders and to divert the Raider (while on a test flight) to [[Caprica (RDM)|Caprica]] to seek an artifact known as the [[Arrow of Apollo]]. This change requires Adama to direct Lt. Valerii to fly a Raptor with a [[Cylon transponder]] to the basestar to carry out the nuclear attack, with [[Margaret Edmondson|Racetrack]] as her [[ECO]].
Adama agrees to the plan, but intervention by President [[Laura Roslin]] leads Thrace to disobey orders and to divert the Raider to [[Caprica (RDM)|Caprica]] in search of the [[Arrow of Apollo]]. While on a test flight—with [[Lee Adama]] as her wingman—Thrace activates the Raider’s FTL drive and jumps back to Colonial space, abandoning ''Galactica'' and leaving her crew without means by which to infiltrate the enemy basestar. This development infuriates Commander Adama, forcing him to remove President Roslin from power, and to use alternative means of getting the warhead onto the enemy capital ship. Consequently, he orders a Raptor to be equipped with a [[Cylon transponder]] (to fool the Cylons into thinking that the Raptor is a captured vessel) and directs Valerii, with [[Margaret Edmondson|Margaret "Racetrack" Edmondson]] as her [[ECO]], to fly into the basestar to deploy the warhead ([[TRS]]: "[[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I]]", "[[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II]]").  


The Raptor enters the orbit of Kobol undetected, but a problem with weapon deployment forces Boomer to land within the basestar in a habitable area to manually deploy the weapon. Valerii encounters several [[Humanoid Cylon|Cylon]] copies of herself while in the basestar, whose presence apparently activates more of her latent Cylon programming. The copies detect the nuclear warhead, but nevertheless allow it to detonate. The basestar is destroyed, clearing the way for a rescue operation and leaving a small party of Cylons stranded near the ruins of the [[Opera House]] on Kobol.  This was perhaps the first time during the entire [[Cylon Attack|Second Cylon War]] that Colonial forces successfully destroy a Cylon basestar.
When Valerii and Edmondson arrive in orbit of Kobol, the transponder proves to function as intended, and the Raptor enters the basestar without Cylon resistance. However, once inside a problem with weapon deployment forces them to land within a habitable area and manually release the weapon. While working to disconnect the warhead from the couplings that bind it to the Raptor, Valerii encounters several [[Humanoid Cylon|Cylon]] [[Number Eight|copies of herself]]. The copies attempt to talk, and repeatedly profess their love to her, but the frightened Valerii—having successfully decoupled the warhead—flees to the Raptor and instigates a hasty departure, much to Edmondson's bewilderment. The copies detect the nuclear warhead and approach it, but nevertheless allow the device to detonate, engulfing them and their vessel.


As Adama congratulates Valerii, the humanoid Cylon pulls out her pistol and shoots the Commander twice at point-blank range ([[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II]]).
Upon their return to ''Galactica'', both Valerii and Edmondson are summoned to the CIC for commendation. As Adama approaches Valerii in congratulation, she retrieves her side-arm and shoots him twice at point-blank range—her latent Cylon programming having been further activated during her time aboard the basestar ([[TRS]]: "[[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II]]").


== Scattering of the Fleet ==
== Scattering of the Fleet ==


In the chaos caused by the shooting, another basestar suddenly appears. Colonel [[Saul Tigh]] assumes command of ''Galactica'', with Captain [[Aaron Kelly]] serving as his second in command. As medical staff attends to the seriously-wounded William Adama, Valerii is taken to the [[brig]]. Caught by surprise, Tigh orders the Fleet to jump to its [[Emergency Jump Coordinates|emergency jump coordinates]], pre-planned by standard procedure by Lieutenant [[Felix Gaeta|Gaeta]]. However in the haste Gaeta forgets to update the Fleet's jump coordinates which results in the ships executing their jumps with data not fitting the local space-time conditions and ending up in an unknown location. Thus ''Galactica'' finds herself seperated from the rest of the Fleet. By jumping back to the last common coordinates, the crew could obtain new starfixes and conduct complicated computations to determine the Fleet's present location. But this would take hours, and the basestar would likely destroy the ship in far less time. Gaeta devises a way to determine the fleet location faster by temporarily networking several ship [[computers]] to process data faster. Knowing that the Cylons would attempt to infiltrate the network, Gaeta places four software firewalls in place to slow the progress of the expected infection ([[Scattered]]).
In the chaos caused by the shooting, another basestar suddenly appears, and Colonel [[Saul Tigh]] assumes charge of ''Galactica'' with Captain [[Aaron Kelly]] serving as his second in command. Caught by surprise and facing certain destruction, Tigh orders the Fleet to jump to [[Emergency Jump Coordinates|emergency coordinates]] (pre-planned in standard procedure by Lieutenant [[Felix Gaeta]]).
 
While relaying the emergency jump order to the civilian ships, Gaeta neglects to update their jump coordinates, and the Fleet departs with data not fitting the local space-time conditions. Thus, after escaping the Cylons, ''Galactica'' finds herself removed from the rest of the Fleet, which has ended up in a separate and unknown location. Meanwhile, the available medical staff attends to the near-fatally wounded Adama ([[Dr. Cottle]] is overseeing patients on another ship), and Marines drag a confused and hysterical Valerii to the [[brig]] on Tigh’s orders.
 
To determine the co-ordinates of the Fleet, Gaeta devises a dangerous but necessary plan. He networks the FTL computer to the Navigation, Damage Control, and Fire Control computers aboard ''Galactica'', so that it will only take 10 minutes (as opposed to 12 hours if said computers are not linked) to compute the Fleet's location. However, not only will this involve jumping back to their previous location, where they will most certainly be ambushed by an awaiting basetsar, but networking the computers will make ''Galactica'' susceptible to Cylon infiltration. Knowing that the Cylons will attempt to penetrate any network they set up, Gaeta erects four software firewalls to slow the progress of the anticipated electronic attack.
 
Meanwhile, on Kobol, the downed Raptor crew - lead by an inexperienced Crashdown - attends as best they can to their injured. [[Socinus]] is in especially critical condition, having suffered severe lung damage from smoke inhalation. However, they are soon attacked by Cylons and flee into the woods for cover.


The downed Raptor crew on Kobol, lead by [[Crashdown]] attends as best they can to their injured. They are later attacked by [[Cylon Centurion]]s and flee to the woods for cover.
Back on ''Galactica'', final preparations are made to effectively deal with the imminent battle, and the battlestar jumps to her previous location where, sure enough, she is attacked by the lurking basestar. As Gaeta works to calculate the Fleet’s end-point coordinates, the basestar deploys hundreds of Raiders against ''Galactica'' and [[Viper]]s are scrambled in defense of the vessel. With Lee Adama as squadron leader, the air wing engages the oncoming wave of Raiders and a chaotic skirmish erupts. During the course of the ensuing battle, a [[Heavy Raider]] carrying a Centurion boarding party advances in ''Galactica's'' direction, but Adama spots the craft and assails it with a team of other Viper pilots. After briefly trading fire with the Vipers, the Heavy Raider veers into ''Galactica's'' firing solution and crash-lands into the [[Galactica Museum|converted]] starboard [[flight pod]], depressurizing it.  


''Galactica'' returns to its previous location and is immediately attacked by the waiting Cylon fleet. Lee Adama (on parole) leads a squadron of Vipers in defense of the ship. During the attack, a [[Heavy Raider]] heads for ''Galactica''. [[Lee Adama|Apollo]] attacks the craft, which veers into ''Galactica'''s firing solution and crash-lands into the starboard [[flight pod]], depressurizing it (it had been converted as a [[Galactica Museum|museum area]] in preparation for the ship's decommissioning and was unused for flight operations at the time). Gaeta successfully obtains the Fleet's coordinates, but not before a Cylon virus infects one of the networked systems, unknown to the command staff. Gaeta disconnects the network a moment later. ''Galactica'' [[FTL|jumps]] to reunite with the civilian fleet.
Gaeta successfully obtains the Fleet's coordinates and disconnects the network, but not before a [[Cylon computer virus|Cylon virus]] sent by a Raider infects one of the networked systems unknown to the command staff. With the crew having completed what they set out to do, Tigh orders all Vipers to retreat and the battlestar jumps away once more ([[TRS]]: "[[Scattered]]").


== Cylon Boarding ==
== Cylon Boarding ==


The crashed Heavy Raider in ''Galactica's'' starboard landing pod deploys 10 specially-armored Cylon Centurions, which could only be destroyed by explosive rounds ([[Valley of Darkness]]). At the same time, the Cylon virus infects other systems of the ship and shuts down parts of the [[CIC]]'s control. Tigh orders ''Galactica''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s [[Marines]] not to defend the gun magazines, but to try to keep the Centurions from reaching [[Auxiliary Fire Control]] and [[Aft Damage Control]], wary that the Cylons would attempt to vent the ship's air to neutralize the crew and turn the ship's guns on the unarmed Fleet to destroy them. Marine forces, lead by Sergeant [[Hadrian]] and Lee Adama manage to destroy the boarding party before they can reach their targets. Later, Apollo begins preparations to rescue the downed Raptor crew from Kobol, and leads a team with two Raptors (one piloted by [[Racetrack]]) as part of the rescue team.
After successfully reuniting with the Fleet, ''Galactica's'' power systems shut down unexpectedly. [[James Lyman|Jammer]] reports to Lee Adama that the phones are working but are being jammed with unfamiliar communications – as such, they cannot contact damage control.
 
While crews attempt to orient themselves in the darkened battlestar and commence work to re-power the ship, the crashed Heavy Raider in ''Galactica's'' starboard flight pod deploys ten [[Centurion]]s equipped with heavy armor to endure most weapons fire. As the Cylons make their way into the ship, Gaeta notes that [[Cylon computer virus|a virus]] has infected some of the ship's computers while they were networked, and that this is the likely cause of the power outage. He quickly assembles teams to clean out the infection.


Lieutenant Gaeta says that he has teams clearing out the computer subsystems of the virus, believing it will take an hour. Presumably they succeed, but unbeknownst to them it leaves behind a [[logic bomb]].
When Apollo, [[Louanne Katraine|Kat]], [[Brendan Costanza|Hot Dog]], and [[Flyboy]] are attacked by a marauding Centurion, Flyboy is killed before they are rescued by [[Marine]]s. After learning that the ship was boarded, Tigh orders teams of Marines assembled to deal with the Cylon menace. Having [[Brenik|previous experience]] with this type of attack, he instructs the teams not to defend the gun magazines, but to try to keep the Centurions from reaching [[Auxiliary Fire Control]] and [[Aft Damage Control]]. Should the Centurions reach said areas, they will neutralize the crew by venting the ship's atmosphere, and then turn ''Galactica's'' guns on the unarmed Fleet.
 
Marine forces engage the Centurions throughout the ship, destroying all but three and securing Auxiliary Fire Control but are cut-off from Aft Damage Control. However, a team led by Lee Adama, consisting, among others, of [[Collishaw]], [[Twinam]], and Jammer, reaches Aft Damage Control after communicating with Colonel Tigh and eliminate the Centurions with their last remaining rounds. Meanwhile, Gaeta and his team complete the task of cleaning out the virus, and are able to restore power and communications. They are successful for the time being, but the virus leaves behind a [[Cylon_computer_virus#The_Logic_Bomb|logic bomb]] that returns to haunt the ship [[Flight of the Phoenix|months later]] ([[TRS]]: "[[Valley of Darkness]]").


== Raptor Team Rescue ==
== Raptor Team Rescue ==


Shortly after [[Socinus]] is euthanized due to his mortal injuries and [[Tarn]] is cut down by Centurion fire, [[Crashdown]] and the Raptor team locate a group of three Cylon Centurions building an anti-aircraft battery using parts from their downed Heavy Raider in order to destroy any ''Galactica'' [[SAR|search-and-rescue]] craft sent to find the downed Raptor crew ([[Fragged]]). The battery is linked to a [[DRADIS]] dish set up some distance from the battery.
On Kobol - shortly after [[Socinus]] is euthanized due to his mortal injuries and [[Tarn]] is cut down by enemy fire - Crashdown and the Raptor team locate a group of three Centurions, and notice them cannibalizing a downed Heavy Raider.  After some additional recon, they conclude that the automatons are using the vessel’s parts to build an anti-aircraft battery by which to destroy any [[SAR|search and rescue]] craft sent to find the stranded team. The battery is linked to a [[DRADIS]] dish set up some distance from the battery that is used to track incoming Raptors. Meanwhile on ''Galactica'', Lee Adama begins preparations to rescue the downed Raptor crew from Kobol, and leads a team with two Raptors as part of the rescue team.
 
Crashdown develops a foolhardy plan to attack the command and control console at the launcher by flanking the Centurions and sending Petty Officer [[Cally Henderson]] on a possibly suicidal diversionary feint.  As the team prepares their attack, they discover there are five Centurions, not three as initially counted by Doctor [[Gaius Baltar]]. Chief [[Galen Tyrol]] points out that the two Centurions that guarded the dish had moved to the launcher, leaving the DRADIS dish completely unguarded. If the team can cover the one kilometer distance to the dish quick enough to destroy it, Tyrol reasons, they can render the launcher tactically worthless. Additionally, if they take this course of action, the team would not have to face the Cylons head on.
 
As the team detect the sonic booms caused by Raptors entering the atmosphere - indicating the arrival of their rescuers - Crashdown panics and negates Tyrol's new plan. He orders Henderson to initiate the diversion, but she freezes in terror. When Crashdown threatens to kill her for disobeying a direct order, Baltar shoots him in the back, killing him. The gunshot alerts the Centurions to the team's presence and they open fire on their position.
 
With the Cylons nearly on top of them, Tyrol hastily orders everyone flee for the DRADIS dish and the team fights a running battle with the Centurions. During the chase, [[Diana Seelix]] is shot in the leg by an approaching Centurion, but is dragged to safety by Henderson. As the Cylon battery fires on the incoming Raptors, Tyrol successfully destroys the DRADIS dish with a rocket launcher, breaking the missiles' lock on the Raptors.
 
As the ground team is pinned down and nearly defeated, Tyrol makes a last stand by openly attacking the Centurions with his pistol. The Centurions are unexpectedly obliterated by a missile fired from Lee Adama's Raptor. The Raptors land in a clearing and the survivors are returned to ''Galactica''. The survivors cover up the circumstances of Crashdown's death, telling Adama that he died saving them ([[TRS]]: "[[Fragged]]").
 
== The Final Skirmish ==
 
With most of the Cylon presence eliminated from Kobol, Roslin and [[Laura Roslin faction|her followers]] jump safely to the planet, and using clues from the [[Book of Pythia]] and knowledge of Colonial scripture from [[Sharon Agathon|an Eight who abandoned her fellow Cylons]], they start down the path to the [[Tomb of Athena]]. The priestess [[Elosha]] finds what appears to be gravestones but instead are mines, and is killed. Three remaining Centurions ambush the landing party from a nearby cliff, killing one and pinning down the rest. [[Karl Agathon]], Thrace, and Lee Adama take out two of the attackers. During the skirmish, the Eight breaks away and heads for the grenade launcher. She reaches the launcher and uses it to destroy the last Centurion, and then drops the weapon without a fight, surprising Adama and earning a little more of his trust ([[TRS]]: "[[Home, Part I]]").
 
== Aftermath ==
 
After the skirmish, a recovered Commander William Adama attempts to reunite the fleet and leads a landing party of his own to Kobol, where he makes amends with Roslin, his son, and Thrace.  United, they find the Tomb of Athena and a map to [[Earth (RDM)|Earth]] ([[TRS]]: "[[Resistance]]", "[[Home, Part I]]", "[[Home, Part II]]").
 
== References ==
 
<div style="font-size:85%"><references/></div>


Crashdown develops a foolhardy plan to attack the command and control console at the launcher by flanking the Centurions and sending [[Cally]] on a possibly suicidal diversionary feint.  As the team prepares their attack, they discover there are five Centurions, not the three initially counted.  Chief [[Galen Tyrol|Tyrol]] points out that the two Centurions that guarded the dish had moved to the launcher, leaving the DRADIS dish completely unguarded. If the team could cover the one kilometer distance to the dish quick enough to destroy it, Tyrol reasoned, they could render the launcher tactically worthless while not having to face the Cylons head on. As the team heard the sonic booms caused by Raptors entering the atmosphere, indicating their rescuers would be arriving soon, Crashdown panicked and would hear nothing of Tyrol's new plan.  Crashdown orders Specialist [[Cally]] to create the distraction anyway, but she refuses in fear. When Crashdown threatens to kill Cally for disobeying a direct order, [[Gaius Baltar]] shoots him in the back, killing him instantly.


The gunshot alerts the Centurions to the team's presence and open fire on their position. Tyrol's team flee for the DRADIS dish.  Fighting a running battle with the Centurions, it became a race to see who could get to the dish first.  [[Diana Seelix|Seelix]] is shot in the leg, but dragged to safety by Cally.  The Cylon battery fires on the incoming Raptors, but Chief Tyrol successfully destroys the DRADIS dish, which breaks the missiles' lock on the Raptors. Just as Tyrol and his team are making their last stand, the Centurions are destroyed by missiles from Apollo's Raptor.  The survivors are rescued and returned to ''Galactica''.


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[[Category:Colonial Battles]]
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[[de:Kampf um Kobol]]
[[de:Kampf um Kobol]]

Revision as of 07:09, 21 August 2014

For information on a battle over Kobol from the Original Series, see Battle of Kobol (TOS).


Battle of Kobol
Cylon basestar destroyed by a tactical nuclear weapon, in orbit of Kobol
Cylon basestar destroyed by a tactical nuclear weapon, in orbit of Kobol
Cylon basestar destroyed by a tactical nuclear weapon, in orbit of Kobol
Summary
Conflict: Second Cylon War
Date: Day 50-51
Related Episode(s):
Place: Kobol, nearby space
Result: Colonial victory
Combatants
Remnants of the Colonial Fleet Cylons
Commanders
Commander William Adama
Colonel Saul Tigh
Basestar command
Strength
Galactica, approx 35-40 Vipers and 5 Raptors 2 basestars, associated Raiders and at least one Heavy Raider, fixed anti-aircraft emplacement (on Kobol), at least 8 Cylon Centurions on Kobol, 10 Cylon Centurions on Galactica
Materiel Losses
2 Raptors 1 basestar over Kobol, unknown number of Raiders, 1 Heavy Raider
Casualties
10 killed on Raptor 3, 4 on Raptor 1, 11 killed in Cylon boarding of Galactica. [1] Loss of at least 8 Centurions on Kobol, 10 Centurions on Galactica
Battle Chronology
Previous Next
Battle for the Tylium Asteroid Battle of Kobol Skirmish at the Farm


The Battle of Kobol occurs when Galactica stumbles on the mythological human homeworld of Kobol and attempts to discover its secrets.

Discovery[edit]

During a reconnaissance flight, Sharon "Boomer" Valerii and Alex "Crashdown" Quartararo return to Galactica with information on an unusual habitable planet. Though Quartararo originally proposes this planet to be the sought-after Earth, a strangely attentive Valerii explains that this is something "much more important". Investigation of the ruins and features of the planet confirm that Galactica has accidentally discovered the original human homeworld of Kobol, detailed extensively in the scriptures of the Lords of Kobol. Commander Adama directs three Raptors to conduct a thorough surface survey of the planet, particularly to note whether the Fleet could settle there.

When the Raptors jump into Kobol’s orbit, they come into contact with a squadron of Raiders. One Raptor is destroyed when it collides with a Raider, and a second jumps away to safety. The third Raptor is shot down and crash-lands in a marsh on the planet’s surface, in the vicinity the ruined Kobol Opera House.

Since the orbiting basestar prohibits rescue of the surviving crashed Raptor crew, Lieutenant Kara Thrace suggests the use of the captured Raider (TRS: "You Can't Go Home Again") to sneak into the basestar with a nuclear warhead. The Raider would jump to the basestar, fly inside on auto-pilot after Thrace abandons ship, and then the weapon would be detonated. With the basestar destroyed, Thrace would be picked up by a waiting Raptor and the stranded survivors on Kobol would be recovered.

Adama agrees to the plan, but intervention by President Laura Roslin leads Thrace to disobey orders and to divert the Raider to Caprica in search of the Arrow of Apollo. While on a test flight—with Lee Adama as her wingman—Thrace activates the Raider’s FTL drive and jumps back to Colonial space, abandoning Galactica and leaving her crew without means by which to infiltrate the enemy basestar. This development infuriates Commander Adama, forcing him to remove President Roslin from power, and to use alternative means of getting the warhead onto the enemy capital ship. Consequently, he orders a Raptor to be equipped with a Cylon transponder (to fool the Cylons into thinking that the Raptor is a captured vessel) and directs Valerii, with Margaret "Racetrack" Edmondson as her ECO, to fly into the basestar to deploy the warhead (TRS: "Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I", "Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II").

When Valerii and Edmondson arrive in orbit of Kobol, the transponder proves to function as intended, and the Raptor enters the basestar without Cylon resistance. However, once inside a problem with weapon deployment forces them to land within a habitable area and manually release the weapon. While working to disconnect the warhead from the couplings that bind it to the Raptor, Valerii encounters several Cylon copies of herself. The copies attempt to talk, and repeatedly profess their love to her, but the frightened Valerii—having successfully decoupled the warhead—flees to the Raptor and instigates a hasty departure, much to Edmondson's bewilderment. The copies detect the nuclear warhead and approach it, but nevertheless allow the device to detonate, engulfing them and their vessel.

Upon their return to Galactica, both Valerii and Edmondson are summoned to the CIC for commendation. As Adama approaches Valerii in congratulation, she retrieves her side-arm and shoots him twice at point-blank range—her latent Cylon programming having been further activated during her time aboard the basestar (TRS: "Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II").

Scattering of the Fleet[edit]

In the chaos caused by the shooting, another basestar suddenly appears, and Colonel Saul Tigh assumes charge of Galactica with Captain Aaron Kelly serving as his second in command. Caught by surprise and facing certain destruction, Tigh orders the Fleet to jump to emergency coordinates (pre-planned in standard procedure by Lieutenant Felix Gaeta).

While relaying the emergency jump order to the civilian ships, Gaeta neglects to update their jump coordinates, and the Fleet departs with data not fitting the local space-time conditions. Thus, after escaping the Cylons, Galactica finds herself removed from the rest of the Fleet, which has ended up in a separate and unknown location. Meanwhile, the available medical staff attends to the near-fatally wounded Adama (Dr. Cottle is overseeing patients on another ship), and Marines drag a confused and hysterical Valerii to the brig on Tigh’s orders.

To determine the co-ordinates of the Fleet, Gaeta devises a dangerous but necessary plan. He networks the FTL computer to the Navigation, Damage Control, and Fire Control computers aboard Galactica, so that it will only take 10 minutes (as opposed to 12 hours if said computers are not linked) to compute the Fleet's location. However, not only will this involve jumping back to their previous location, where they will most certainly be ambushed by an awaiting basetsar, but networking the computers will make Galactica susceptible to Cylon infiltration. Knowing that the Cylons will attempt to penetrate any network they set up, Gaeta erects four software firewalls to slow the progress of the anticipated electronic attack.

Meanwhile, on Kobol, the downed Raptor crew - lead by an inexperienced Crashdown - attends as best they can to their injured. Socinus is in especially critical condition, having suffered severe lung damage from smoke inhalation. However, they are soon attacked by Cylons and flee into the woods for cover.

Back on Galactica, final preparations are made to effectively deal with the imminent battle, and the battlestar jumps to her previous location where, sure enough, she is attacked by the lurking basestar. As Gaeta works to calculate the Fleet’s end-point coordinates, the basestar deploys hundreds of Raiders against Galactica and Vipers are scrambled in defense of the vessel. With Lee Adama as squadron leader, the air wing engages the oncoming wave of Raiders and a chaotic skirmish erupts. During the course of the ensuing battle, a Heavy Raider carrying a Centurion boarding party advances in Galactica's direction, but Adama spots the craft and assails it with a team of other Viper pilots. After briefly trading fire with the Vipers, the Heavy Raider veers into Galactica's firing solution and crash-lands into the converted starboard flight pod, depressurizing it.

Gaeta successfully obtains the Fleet's coordinates and disconnects the network, but not before a Cylon virus sent by a Raider infects one of the networked systems unknown to the command staff. With the crew having completed what they set out to do, Tigh orders all Vipers to retreat and the battlestar jumps away once more (TRS: "Scattered").

Cylon Boarding[edit]

After successfully reuniting with the Fleet, Galactica's power systems shut down unexpectedly. Jammer reports to Lee Adama that the phones are working but are being jammed with unfamiliar communications – as such, they cannot contact damage control.

While crews attempt to orient themselves in the darkened battlestar and commence work to re-power the ship, the crashed Heavy Raider in Galactica's starboard flight pod deploys ten Centurions equipped with heavy armor to endure most weapons fire. As the Cylons make their way into the ship, Gaeta notes that a virus has infected some of the ship's computers while they were networked, and that this is the likely cause of the power outage. He quickly assembles teams to clean out the infection.

When Apollo, Kat, Hot Dog, and Flyboy are attacked by a marauding Centurion, Flyboy is killed before they are rescued by Marines. After learning that the ship was boarded, Tigh orders teams of Marines assembled to deal with the Cylon menace. Having previous experience with this type of attack, he instructs the teams not to defend the gun magazines, but to try to keep the Centurions from reaching Auxiliary Fire Control and Aft Damage Control. Should the Centurions reach said areas, they will neutralize the crew by venting the ship's atmosphere, and then turn Galactica's guns on the unarmed Fleet.

Marine forces engage the Centurions throughout the ship, destroying all but three and securing Auxiliary Fire Control but are cut-off from Aft Damage Control. However, a team led by Lee Adama, consisting, among others, of Collishaw, Twinam, and Jammer, reaches Aft Damage Control after communicating with Colonel Tigh and eliminate the Centurions with their last remaining rounds. Meanwhile, Gaeta and his team complete the task of cleaning out the virus, and are able to restore power and communications. They are successful for the time being, but the virus leaves behind a logic bomb that returns to haunt the ship months later (TRS: "Valley of Darkness").

Raptor Team Rescue[edit]

On Kobol - shortly after Socinus is euthanized due to his mortal injuries and Tarn is cut down by enemy fire - Crashdown and the Raptor team locate a group of three Centurions, and notice them cannibalizing a downed Heavy Raider. After some additional recon, they conclude that the automatons are using the vessel’s parts to build an anti-aircraft battery by which to destroy any search and rescue craft sent to find the stranded team. The battery is linked to a DRADIS dish set up some distance from the battery that is used to track incoming Raptors. Meanwhile on Galactica, Lee Adama begins preparations to rescue the downed Raptor crew from Kobol, and leads a team with two Raptors as part of the rescue team.

Crashdown develops a foolhardy plan to attack the command and control console at the launcher by flanking the Centurions and sending Petty Officer Cally Henderson on a possibly suicidal diversionary feint. As the team prepares their attack, they discover there are five Centurions, not three as initially counted by Doctor Gaius Baltar. Chief Galen Tyrol points out that the two Centurions that guarded the dish had moved to the launcher, leaving the DRADIS dish completely unguarded. If the team can cover the one kilometer distance to the dish quick enough to destroy it, Tyrol reasons, they can render the launcher tactically worthless. Additionally, if they take this course of action, the team would not have to face the Cylons head on.

As the team detect the sonic booms caused by Raptors entering the atmosphere - indicating the arrival of their rescuers - Crashdown panics and negates Tyrol's new plan. He orders Henderson to initiate the diversion, but she freezes in terror. When Crashdown threatens to kill her for disobeying a direct order, Baltar shoots him in the back, killing him. The gunshot alerts the Centurions to the team's presence and they open fire on their position.

With the Cylons nearly on top of them, Tyrol hastily orders everyone flee for the DRADIS dish and the team fights a running battle with the Centurions. During the chase, Diana Seelix is shot in the leg by an approaching Centurion, but is dragged to safety by Henderson. As the Cylon battery fires on the incoming Raptors, Tyrol successfully destroys the DRADIS dish with a rocket launcher, breaking the missiles' lock on the Raptors.

As the ground team is pinned down and nearly defeated, Tyrol makes a last stand by openly attacking the Centurions with his pistol. The Centurions are unexpectedly obliterated by a missile fired from Lee Adama's Raptor. The Raptors land in a clearing and the survivors are returned to Galactica. The survivors cover up the circumstances of Crashdown's death, telling Adama that he died saving them (TRS: "Fragged").

The Final Skirmish[edit]

With most of the Cylon presence eliminated from Kobol, Roslin and her followers jump safely to the planet, and using clues from the Book of Pythia and knowledge of Colonial scripture from an Eight who abandoned her fellow Cylons, they start down the path to the Tomb of Athena. The priestess Elosha finds what appears to be gravestones but instead are mines, and is killed. Three remaining Centurions ambush the landing party from a nearby cliff, killing one and pinning down the rest. Karl Agathon, Thrace, and Lee Adama take out two of the attackers. During the skirmish, the Eight breaks away and heads for the grenade launcher. She reaches the launcher and uses it to destroy the last Centurion, and then drops the weapon without a fight, surprising Adama and earning a little more of his trust (TRS: "Home, Part I").

Aftermath[edit]

After the skirmish, a recovered Commander William Adama attempts to reunite the fleet and leads a landing party of his own to Kobol, where he makes amends with Roslin, his son, and Thrace. United, they find the Tomb of Athena and a map to Earth (TRS: "Resistance", "Home, Part I", "Home, Part II").

References[edit]

  1. This number comes from the survivor count shown in the opening credits of "Fragged". However, this number is barely sufficient to account for the many bodies seen in throughout the hallways.