Chapter 2
Apollo stood before his father in his private office and made his report, "The shuttle we found seems to be designed as an orbiter. It has two engines, one is very old style and the other is like nothing we have ever seen before. The ship is severely damaged. The pilot is a woman, she is stable and in the infirmary. She says her name is Kara Thrace. She says she's from the planet America. Have you heard of such a planet?"
Adama sat behind his desk rather baffled, "I have never heard of such a planet. America? Hmm…There is nothing in the ancient text to indict such a planet. It's not Earth." He debated, "I would like to see her when she is well enough."
"Yes father," he agreed. He stood pondering what to say.
"Is there anything else, son?" he asked him.
"It's just the ship says 'United States of America' and states are something the colonies have not used in eons."
Adama assumed, "Each state would have its own name on planet America. It is most curious finding a human from another planet that is similar to us and we even share the same language of Caprica."
Apollo admitted, "I wonder if she's from the thirteenth colony. They may not call it Earth."
"That's an interesting theory, Apollo. We don't know what the thirteenth colony would like today. It's something to keep in mind as we go forward."
"Yes father," he agreed.
Adama asked, "Anything else?"
"No father," he replied. Deep down inside Apollo knew he found something significant but just how significant he was not sure yet.
"Dismissed," he father told him.
"Yes sir," he replied and left the office.
Adama sat back in his chair and pondered, "America! What planet is that?"
Infirmary
Kara had woken back up and was given her blue NASA jumpsuit and clothing she was found in. She had nothing else to wear and put the articles back on. She finished tying her black boots when Apollo and Starbuck came to collect her. She looked at the pair and cocked her head to the side, "What with the seventies hairdo?"
"Excuse me?" asked Starbuck.
"I thought military required shorter hair," she told him.
He motioned, "It's regulation."
"Whatever," she shook her head. "So where am I again?"
"You're onboard the Galactica." Apollo repeated.
"That's a ship?" she asked. "What are you guys? European? Turkish?" she wondered trying to figure out where she was.
Apollo seemed a bit baffled, "Um, no…We're fighter pilots for the Galactica."
"An aircraft carrier?" she asked bewilder.
"We're a Battlestar," he repeated.
"You're confusing me here," she told them. "What ocean did you find me in? I assume the Starbuck fell from orbit!"
Starbuck spoke up, "Your little ship…The Starbuck…We found it floating a few sectars ahead. You weren't in any ocean. You were in space."
Kara's mouth dropped as she started to recall the events, "Oh' that's not good. You found me floating in space!"
Apollo nodded, "We followed your distress call and found you. You were nearly out of air and almost died."
She gasped, "Is the Galactica is a space ship?"
"Yes," Apollo agreed wondering why she looked so surprised.
"The string drive," she sucked in a deep breath. "It engaged on the test. Oh' crap! I could be anywhere!"
"String drive?" asked Starbuck. "That's the secondary engine on your ship."
She slowly nodded, "It's based on quantum string theory. It had engaged and I remember seeing bright lights. It must have brought me here." She looked at the pair, "Where is here?"
"We're on a course for the Hazar Nebula," Apollo told her.
"I have no idea what that is," she rebutted. "What galaxy am I in? I could be anywhere."
"Kobol Galaxy," he replied as if it was well known.
"I never heard of it," she told him. "You said my shuttle was damaged. I can get the information from the sensors and the ship's computer and trace my trajectory. That should give me a good indication of direction I have to go to get back home."
Starbuck held up a hand, "Miss, your shuttle is badly damaged. It's not space worthy anymore. You can find the direction to your home is but getting there…"
She gave a funny look, "This is a space ship, right?"
"Battlestar," Apollo corrected.
"Can't you take me home?" she asked amused.
"We don't know where your home is," Apollo told her.
"I can find it," she sang amused.
Starbuck wondered, "How far away is your home?"
"I don't know yet," she told him.
Apollo told her, "It's not our call to take you home. That's up to my father, Commander Adama."
"Okay," she shrugged. "Where is your dad?"
"On the bridge," he replied.
She clapped her hands, "Cool, let's go meet him."
Starbuck liked her spunk and grinned at her as Apollo wasn't just what he had gotten himself into for she seemed rather annoying to him.
Bridge
Kara was escorted to the bridge to see Adama. She walked the halls and noted naively to her escorts, "You're the first aliens from space I ever met."
Apollo rebutted, "We're not from space. I'm from Caprica."
"Where's that?" she wondered.
"Far away," he sighed depressed.
"I'm from Caprica too," added Starbuck.
She wondered, "What's your home like?"
Starbuck told her, "It was a great place to live. It had two suns, oceans lots of pyramid cities."
She asked confused, "Was? What happened to it?"
"The Cylons attacked," he told her. "They destroyed everything."
"What are Cylons?" she wondered.
Starbuck explained, "They are machines that were made eons ago by a reptilian race called the Cylons. The original race died out but their machines kept going. They eventually decided to attack and enslave other races. Our people were in a thousand year war and we thought we were going to have a truce when the Cylons attacked and wiped out the twelve colonies."
She gasped, "I am so sorry! You guys are in a war with these machines?"
Apollo laughed, "It's only a war when you have a chance at winning. We are refugees….All that's left of the twelve colonies…Two hundred and twenty barely space-worthy ships and one Battlestar. The Cylons out number and out gun us."
"What are you guys going to do?" she wondered.
"Try to find a new home," he told her. "There is a legend of a thirteen colony out there somewhere. We're hoping to find it and they will have the technology to keep the Cylons at bay."
"Or it's so well hidden the Cylons will never find it," Starbuck mentioned.
Apollo stopped at the bridge, "We're here."
Kara walked onto the bridge and found men and women and brown and blue uniforms scattered about at different stations. To front of the bridge was a partition made of thick glass; she looked out and knew she was in deep space. She was led to the center of the room where a platform held the command seat and an older, gray-haired man sat going over the days' duties.
"Father," Apollo stated.
Adama looked over and spotted his two star pilots with the young woman. He rose from his feet and stepped off the platform to welcome her, "Welcome aboard the Galactica. How are you feeling?"
"Better," she smiled at him. "Thank you for saving my life."
"You're very welcome," he told her with a smile.
"Your son told me you are in a war with machines," she added.
"The Cylons," he acknowledged.
She sucked in a breath, "I should be able to find out what direction my home is but from what I have been told my ship is badly damaged. I was kind of hoping you guys could bring me back home."
"Where is your home?" he asked. He did not know if they could help her but he would have liked to have the opportunity for something good to arise after so much loss.
"I'm not too sure yet but my home is located in what we call the Milky Way Galaxy. It's possible I'm in another galaxy. We were testing quantum string theory and it possible the string engine on the shuttle activated beyond the programs and brought me to another galaxy."
Adama pondered for a moment and then stated, "If you can tell me where your home is compared to our current position and if it's not too far away, we might be able to do that."
Apollo spoke up, "Father, it could be in another galaxy."
"We won't know without more information," he told him. "In the meantime you are welcome to stay onboard the Galactica…Miss Thrace."
"I was in the military before I joined NASA," she mentioned. "I'm actually familiar with this type of setting."
Starbuck wondered, "What were you?"
"I was a fighter pilot for the US Air Force," she told him.
Curiously he wondered, "Did you have a rank?"
"Yes, I was a major," she replied.
Adama asked, "This Air Force you were in. Did you see combat?"
"I can dogfight if that is what you are asking," she replied.
Starbuck added, "We are desperate for fighter pilots."
"Um," she cautioned, "I'm going back home. And once I figure out just what direction to go, you all can come with me. There are no Cylons, it's kind of a cool place and you guys would be welcomed."
Apollo stated, "We are looking for the thirteenth colony."
She asked offhand, "Are you sure this colony even exists?" No one could give her an answer. "What?" she looked about. "You don't even know if this colony is real? But my home is real! How many survivors do you have?"
"Thirty thousand," Adama informed.
"We can absorb that easily," she sounded.
Colonel Tigh spoke up, "We don't where your home is."
"I came here on a cosmic string," she rebutted. "I can find the way back. You have a far better chance at finding my home than some mythical thirteenth colony."
"If you can give me more hard facts about direction and distance we will consider it," Adama stated fearing her home far beyond their range.
She agreed, "I will give get those facts! But you really have to consider taking me home. Otherwise, I'm stuck here with you."
Adama spoke firmly, "If we can take you home we will. If not, then you are welcome to stay with us."
She gulped, "I can find my way home."
