Ride of the Valkyrie (D5)

Ride of the Valkyrie (RotV) is a work of Fan Fiction written by Wes Imlay. It is a prequel to the later Battlestar Victorious stories and features canon characters such as William Adama and Felix Gaeta. Another character who appears in the story is Artimus Bowman from the BattlestarHermes story created by 'The Wilky Bar Kid' who had influence over the character's development during the story to ensure that RotV could be read alongside Hermes as well as Victorious.

The story is currently now completed.

Synopsis
Six years before 'The Fall'

Commander Scott Tolan is approached by Admiral Corman and President Adar to undertake a dangerous and covert operation to rescue the President's sister and niece who have been taken hostage by the Sagittaron Liberation Army (SLA). Adar wants Tolan to use his family connections within the Basileus crime organization to make contact with the SLA and rescue his kidnapped family members. The mission is to be undertaken from the Battlestar Valkyrie under the command of William Adama. Once onboard two members of Tolan's team are forced to be taken off the mission and so he recruits Major Artimus Bowman, the Valkyrie CAG. Together with an attractive yet deadly Ministry of Intelligence officer named Galit Malka they unraval a plot that goes deep into the fabric of Colonial politics. The mission is made worse by sympathisers aboard the Valkyrie sabotaging equipment and attempting to assassinate Tolan and his team.

A sub-plot centers around an attempt by a former Caprican Royalist to steal Tolan's wife, Emily Tolan, away from him after taking a liking to her while he is on the mission.

Main Characters
- Commander William Adama

- Commander Scott Tolan

- Colonel Bridget Woods

- Major Artimus Bowman

- Lieutenant Galit Malka

- Ensign Felix Gaeta

- Emily Tolan

- Lt. Myra Aperlae

- Brooke Garner (Bowman)

- Dr. Bryce Sabus

- Admiral Peter Corman

- President Richard Adar

- Keene Barron

Critical Reception
The first two Chapters have received positive feedback from reviewers. Character depth has been quoted as being the strongest selling point of the story as well as successfully filling in the blanks of both Victorious and Hermes stories. The plot was considered 'standard' by one reviewer regarding the first chapter and likened the story to a Tweed or Ian Flemming spy novel. The same reviewer was a lot more accepting of the second chapter however.