Flagships of the Colonial Fleet, they were as large as cities, yet nearly as fast and swift as the fighters they berthed in their bays. The battlestars were the greatest military and technological accomplishments of the human race. For generations these vast ships had waged war against the Cylon Empire for both domination of the Cyrannus galaxy… and the survival of mankind.
There were originally twelve of these dreadnaughts - one constructed by each colony. Decades of conflict reduced this number until five remained to hold the line: Atlantia, Columbia, Pacifica, Solaria, and the Galactica. Without the means to construct more of these massive vessels, defeat seemed inevitable.
Suddenly, after almost a thousand years of war, the Cylons shockingly asked for a ceasefire. A population which had never known a life outside the shadow of constant interstellar war, eagerly accepted. Thus, peace seemed on the horizon, but all was not as it seemed – and a force greater and more evil than the whole Cylon Empire was secretly working behind it all.
In one night of blood and fire and the Cylons destroyed the colonies and decimated the human population. Only the Galactica and a small, rag-tag fugitive fleet escaped the carnage - to be pursued relentlessly across the galaxy by the machines.
The chase took its toll on the already weary survivors of the holocaust. Both fuel and food were at a critical level when fate shined in the form of another Battlestar. The reunion with the lost Pegasus briefly surged moral, only to have her and the legendary Cain disappear again – seemingly forever this time.
An encounter with the ancient evil known as Iblis tested their faith in Adama, the Lords of Kobol and each other. He was eventually rejected and defeated, but the ordeal left all involved shaken.
Leaving Cyrannus and the Cylons behind in one final battle, the Galactica eventually discovered a habitable world in a small satellite galaxy. Dubbing it New Caprica, much of the fleet settled on the planet and development of a city quickly started near the temperate equator.
With humanity finally at peace, the Last Battlestar became an orbiting memorial to a darker time. The rest of the fleet landed on the surface, integrating the ships and their power supplies into the new city that was beginning to truly thrive. A decade after the founding of New Caprica, the War, the Cylons and Iblis were fading memories.
But not everyone had forgotten the old conflicts, and not everyone had forgotten about Earth.
Battlestar
Galactica
The Return
By Gin Rummy
Based on a series by Glen A. Larson
Part 1: "Home"
Galactica, New Caprica orbit
Colonel Athena starred out from the battlestar's bridge over the greenish-grey world that had for the last decade been the cradle of human civilization.
Some even call it home.
For Athena, Galactica was her only home. It had been ever since she enlisted in the fleet. Being by her father's side during all those battles - during the end, when they lost Zac – the adventures had been treacherous and jarring, but the big G' had always kept them together, keeping humanity and hope alive.
It had even seen them through the gauntlet at the edge of the Galaxy and brought them to this planet. New Caprica was seen by the vast majority of the fleet as a miracle – a fresh start for a people who had suffered for so long. Galactica had delivered the entire race to its salvation.
But it hadn't found Earth.
Adama had confided on his deathbed to his children that this was his one regret. He never got to set foot on the legendary home of the Thirteenth Tribe. The thought that he was with the Lords and could walk upon its surface now somehow kept Athena going; her father's faith had always been so important to him and he had passed that down to his daughter – even if she truly didn't believe in the Book of the Word as literally as he had. It was simply important to believe in something higher.
Unfortunately, her brother didn't subscribe to the same notion. Vice President Apollo, along with most of the populace of New Caprica, believed Earth had only been a symbol of hope – just something to believe in when the night was darkest. He now believed in rebuilding.
Recently, the former Strike Leader of Galactica and last son of Adama had put his full efforts into assisting President Roslyn in improving and expanding the infrastructure of New Caprica City and the surrounding suburbs. Admittedly, he was doing a fairly good job with the settlement booming it the last year since the election. Crime was minimal and people were fed.
Yet Athena always felt he was abandoning his long-time responsibility to his father: to inherit command of the Battlestar Galactica and find Earth.
Not that she wasn't looking forward to being promoted to Commander herself after Tigh retires, in fact she was thrilled that her life-long dream would finally be coming true with Apollo no longer in the military structure. Still somehow, she knew that Adama wanted him to do it.
Her thoughts were broken by the spectacular light of a great disc composed of countless stars rising over the planet and soaking the command deck in a soft hue. The Cyrannus galaxy slowly came into view. It was difficult to comprehend that within a sight so beautiful so much death and pain had occurred.
There was a sound of loud, striding footsteps from behind her, and Athena turned to see a Warrior in flight gear approaching her, a thick cloud of smoke following him and the fumarello between his fingers.
"Helluva sight, aint it?" he asked before taking a drag off the shortening blunt. "It looks even better from the cockpit."
"Captain Starbuck, I take it by the look and that cigar on your face that the test-flight went well?" Athena asked, ignoring the obvious regulation violation.
"Indeed it did, the Scarlet-class burns sky like a Nubian Sun," the Captain acknowledged. "Major Boomer also sends his approval of it with me."
"Excellent, we'll have blue squadron outfitted at once."
"Well… all but the one."
"Starbuck! That thing is twenty years old! When are you gonna let it go and trade up?" Athena almost made a comment on how he was so good at doing that with women but let it slide.
"When one of us can't fly no more, that's when. She's the last fighter still in service that was built before the fall, the last Star-hound class, and the last to have served under your father. Not to mention she's just plain lucky." Starbuck got real defensive about his Viper.
"Just remember, you and she have to keep up with the younger crowd out there. Or did you forget we're getting a new batch of nuggets today?" Athena asked, handing him a folder with flight records for the new pilots. "The files are in order of highest scores in the simulators. Most were pretty average, but the top one was better than yours."
In shock Starbuck threw open the folder to see who could possibly have accomplished this feat – only to see the face and academy file of his daughter, Ensign Dalton. "Well I'll be – she got her father's touch."
"Mother's too," Athena added. "She knows her way around a med kit… and the boys swarm wherever she walks – but don't worry she shoot's them down like holographic Raiders… all but the one – Lt. Troy."
Starbuck laughed so hard the cigar fell from his mouth. The man she was referring to was once the boy known as Boxey. "Real shame we can't show that pair off to the Cylons."
"Careful what you wish for."
They shared a laugh before Starbuck departed, off to the officer's lounge he favored to gamble and fill the time between flights, fights and girls.
Some things never change…
And yet some do.
Athena noted this as she looked around the bridge that would one day be hers. Improvements to the computer systems over the years kept control of the ship efficient and streamlined. It had allowed her to be controlled by the skeleton crew that was left after almost half of the original crew went planet side.
Still, Adama had always been proud of the unanimous acknowledgement of the Galactica as the greatest fighting ship in the fleet. Commander Tigh had maintained this level of readiness even after the fighting and fleet were but a memory to the crew. With new Vipers, modern systems and a command crew that still served the memory of Adama, the Big G' may be old, but she was still ready for anything.
Starbuck should still watch what he wishes for…
New Caprica Government Center
Apollo was looking out the window to the night sky, straining to see some part of Cyrannus through the cloud cover when he felt the building shake -not from geologic sources below- but from a man-made source above. Without waiting for confirmation of what had landed he stood up and began to gather his things.
The intercom beeped politely and an equally polite young man's voice filled the office. "Vice-President Apollo, the shuttle to Galactica has arrived-"
"I'm aware, Billy, thank you."
"It's… just that we can't find the president."
Apollo looked back out the window, this time not to the sky, but to the half-asleep young city below. To someone who hadn't been around since the founding, New Caprica City could be a maze of make-shift buildings and starships that stretched nearly a kilometer. It was almost impossible to locate any single person in, even at the height of the seven hours of daylight.
"Have them standby and prepare for departure – I know where she is."
Apollo guided the LandRam out of the motor pool and into the empty streets. Well, roads more aptly described them. The paths had simply been made by constant traffic over grass, shaped by the necessity of getting around -and sometimes under- the massive ships that had landed and been consumed by the shanty-city.
During the day, they were packed with pedestrian traffic and the occasion vehicle. Tonight the Colonial military vehicle had total rule.
It was a short distance to the school, only the ride made doubly long by the winding trail yet Apollo knew the launch window for tonight was limited.
And I just want to get this over with…
The vehicle ground to a stop in front of what had once been the electronics ship Celestra, only currently cut in half and gutted to make full use of all systems in the new environment. The bow operated as part of the all-ages school and academy for higher education, the stern engine section serving as a power source for the school and entire block. From the front a single light shown out that seemingly indicated an impossibly late detention or study hall. Apollo exited and approached the lift that ferried students and teachers up and into the hull of the vessel.
He entered the darkened vessel and made his way to what had been the bridge, and was now one of many classrooms. It was the only room illuminated or occupied.
"Madame President, we need to go."
President Roslyn had her nosed buried in what used to be navigation control, devouring page after page of information. Apollo didn't need to ask what she was looking at. "One moment Apollo, I'm just getting to the part where you and that Starbuck fellow get promoted for that little maneuver with the Cylon Raider."
"Our launch window is closing, clouds are building back up and a low pressure is moving in from the south. If we-"
"We launch when the President is ready," her tone sharpened before falling gently again. "I just wanted a little more background on the ship and her crew before my first visit… I want the same information we give our kids, not just the reports filed by you during your illustrious career, as engaging as they were."
"I understand."
"Yes you do, better than I." Finally she rose from the console and de-activated it. "That ships means a lot to the people who served on it. That ship means a lot to you. This must be difficult for you, why is it that you're backing me? I know you've never been one to hold your opinions back – on anything."
"People still serve on it, but my opinion is that you're right in this case. I think this is what's best for New Caprica," he answered honestly. "I left because I thought my role there no longer needed. I realize now that the role of that Battlestar is no longer needed."
Roslyn smiled at the honesty of her Vice President, it was the main reason she picked him as a running mate a year ago when he had come down from that metal monolith in the sky. "And exactly what role did that ship serve for you, Apollo?"
"It was home."
"What changed?"
"My father died. People left. It just seemed like a big warship from a long-over war after that."
By his tone of voice the President could tell there were some things her second wasn't ready to be completely truthful about. She settled for his answer, patted him on the shoulder and together they exited the bridge.
"Let's go home."