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Tonight the Raven Battlegroup was scheduled to host combat drills. Instead we encounter an unexpected visitor.  You can read the transcript below.

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

OK, All Batteries are manned and ready;MARDET teams in position; DRADIS is clear

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

Flight deck on standby

Me

Copy that! The Raven is on standby also

Me

Action stations: Action stations. Dradis contact! Deploy all fighters and raptors to investigate

Me

Draidis shows an unknown contact possibly a basestar with 9 smaller contacts escorting it

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

Gremlin raptors 363 and 366 on alert five for CSAR

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

Not picking up any Cylon IFF, so classify as bogey..

Me

Freya in Raptor 220M is ready for launch.

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

Launch when ready...trireme will track..

Me

Gremlins and Seekers will investigate the bogey and report back

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

 (363 away....

Me

Freya launching in 3..2..1.. 220M away

Me

Gremlins on me.

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

 (roger that)

Me

ECO keep that dradis sweep and let me know if anything changes

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

 (picking up nothing)

Me

This is strange the bogey is moving slowly.

Me

it doesn't move like the cylons

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

 (Must be overloaded with something....scans show no radiologicals)

Me

we are not in visual range yet

Me

no other contacts showing on Dradis

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

 (Dradis is clear except for bogey one)

Me

but I am picking up some strange sounds over the wireless

Me

do you hear that?

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

 (Woah!.....jingle bells?)

Me

coming into visual range now. I can see a red light

Me

ts not moving so it may still be a raider..

Me

some new cylon technology?

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

 (Well, we didn't get any intel as such....approach with caution...)

Me

copy that

Me

Gremlin 366 take the lead go in for a look

Me

ECO anything new on the Dradis?

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

 (Now picking up strange voice...sounds like an old man laughing...)

Me

Negative Freya

Me

this is Freya I am also in visual range. you wont believe this.

Me

It most certainly not the cylons

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

 (Unidentified craft....you are approaching the rave battle group...I detify at once..)

Me

"Ho Ho Ho Merry Christmas *bells jingling"

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

" HO HO HOOOOO...MERRY CHRISTMAS RAVEN BATTLE GROUP! THIS IS COMMANDER KRINGLE..MY CALL SIGN IS SANTA...REQUEST PERMISSION TO LAND ABOARD THE RAVEN.."

Me

I am taking photos for visual reference sir. it appears to be.. 9 strange animals tethered together pulling a sleigh

Me

Raven this is Freya what are my orders?

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

Commander Kringle..this is the gunstar trireme...state youyr intentions..

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

"HO HO HO! I WANT TO DELIVER PRESENTS TO ALL THE GOOD COLONIALS IN THE GROUP...YOU'VE ALL BEEN GOOD! I HAVE LOTS OF PRESENTS FOR YOU ALL...EVEN YOU COLONEL LEONIDAS! HO HO HO!"

Me

Sir what are my orders? Do we allow him to come aboard?

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

Trireme to freya..as far As I know...he's friendly...escort him to the raven,yet, have the MARDET standing by..just in case...

Me

Roger that Trieme

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

We still have not picked up any radiologicals..

Me

Commander Kringle permission granted I will escort you all the way

Me

please acknowledge

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

"HO HO HO,ROGER THAT! "

Me

Gremlins stay sharp

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

 (We're on him...wow...never thought I'd be this close to santa...)

Me

we are approaching the battlegroup now

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

"SPEED ID ONE ZERO SIX...I HAVE THE BALL>>>"

Me

copy that

Me

Santa has landed onboard the Raven

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

"SKIDS DOWN,SECURE MAGLOCK"

Me

This is Freya entering the landing pattern I have the ball

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

 (skids dowd..maglock secured)

Me

Trieme you better get over here. you will want to see this for yourself sir

Me

Skids down, maglock secure 220m back on board

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

On the way....Prep raptor 362 for immediate launch

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

 (it's ready sir)

Me

MARDET is on standby

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

XO, you hve the ship

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

 (Got it sir)

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

 (Raptor 362 launces and heads towrds raven)

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

This is trireme raptor 362,requesting hand on port landing deck

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

 (call the ball)

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

speed one zer one..I have the ball

Me

MARDET stand down.

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

 ( Raptor lands..Leonidas disembarks)

Me

I never thought I would actually see this. I thought he was just a myth

Me

it is santa claus and his sleigh.

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

Well, what does this jolly old man have?

Me

Santa Hands Leonidas a package

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

"HO HO HO! MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL THE RAVENS AND THE TRIREMERS! YOU'VE ALL BEEN GOOD BOYS AND GIRLS..SCRAPPING THOSE NASAT TOASTERS! HERE LEONIDAS,A CASE OF VINTAGE AMBRIOSIA!"

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

Wow, havent seen stuff that old in years..must bee good..thanks santa!

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

"AND FOR YOU FREYA..SOMETHING YOU'VE BEEN WAN TING.."

Me

Tauron Toothpaste?

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

Ho HO HO! The BEST STUFF IN THE COLONIES!

Me

*Santa hands out his presents to the rest of the colonials*

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

"AND, IVE GOT STUFF FOR DRAGONLADY,REAMER, ANAEAS,ICEWORM,MIK MO,HOTWIRE,BUNNY,FACEMAN,AND ALL THE GOOD GIRLS AND BOYS IN THE BATTLEGROUP! KEEP SCRAPPING THOSE CYLONS!"

Me

Thank you Santa

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

 (Deck crew starts singing 'Silent night')

Me

*Santa boards his sleigh*

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

HO HO HO,I'VE GOT OTHE GIFTS TO DELIVER TO THE COLONIES! MERRY CHRISTMAS! HO HO HO!"

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

 (Santa guides sleigh into launch tube)

Me

"MERRY CHRISTMAS TO THE RAVEN BATTLEGROUP. AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT"

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

Wow, do the people of earth celebrate like this...I heard they do

Me

 (Santa's sleigh takes off)

Me

Dradis shows Santa's sleigh. for a moment then it is gone

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

Well, time to hit the lounge..they've got something called egg nog,I hear..

Me

Copy that sir. I still cant believe what we just saw

Me

I better get this report written up

Me

Merry Christmas!

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

Well, in this universe...nothing's set in stone..

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson

Merry christmas!

Col. Keith "Leonidas" Ranson  (Leonidas returns to trireme)