VI

"ADMIRAL ON DECK!", bellowed Saul Tigh.

"What's our position, Saul?"

"Sir, we're about twenty-one hours from being able to put the old lady into a high orbit. There's still a lot of chatter on the planet. Seems this President of the United States is a popular guy this week. Every leader that we have been able to identify, has been talking to him almost nonstop for the past four days. Poor bastard probably hasn't slept a wink."

"Well, I can sympathize with the man, that's for sure." Adama hadn't slept much himself, so he felt a kinship with the man. "Very good. Until then, steady as she goes."


The world leaders, along with their military attaches, and the Secretary General of the UN were digesting the text of the communique that had arrived from the main ship of the fleet that was within hours of orbiting Earth. Like Justin Bond, it had, as General Lawrence correctly surmised, hit them all like a Mack Truck. No one had, in their wildest dreams, expected to see people that looked like them, staring back at them.

"Is it really possible that they're human, just like us?" Said South Korea's President. He was there with representatives from both North Korea and South Korea. Even now, the two nations were still in a de-facto state of war and had been for eighty years. But even that was slowly giving way to the new reality "It has to be some kind of trick. This simply cannot be".

"Well, Mr. President", Justin Bond replied. "I'm sure we'll find out more once we get to meet with them. I imagine we'll have some protocol in place to let us do medical tests on them, and visa-versa. But as strange as it seems, they look a helluva lot like us."

"There eyes are set just slightly closer together", the Nigerian president said, almost to himself, studying the images of the two people who were their leaders, that everyone on Earth had now become all too familiar with. "They seem to be a little shorter than the average Human Being on Earth. But they're both wearing what is definitely eyeglasses".

"Adama. Roslin". The names of the leaders, as put forth in the communique from the ship, rolled off the tongue of Israeli Prime Minister Hefetz. "Galactica. A pretty elegant name for a ship." Like everyone else, he was staring at the photographs of the two apparent Humans in the pictures.

"Madam Secretary General", Russia's Anton Dytsav mused, "What do you make of their story about how they ended up here? It strikes me as fantastic."

"Anton, I honestly don't have the first clue. Until we meet with them, and until and if they allow us to read and see what they've been through, we don't have any idea how they got here. I don't see any reason for them, on the surface of it, to lie to us. They say they came from twelve planets, part of a Colony of planets, and that about twenty-one billion of them were killed in this holocaust. Maybe they're just playing on our sympathies, but the story couldn't be written in Hollywood. No one would dare buy it. I have to think the story is genuine."

"Destroyed by a mechanical race." The Prime Minister of Sweden could barely get the words out of her mouth. "Twenty one billion souls killed. My God." She suddenly glanced up from the text she had been reading. "They didn't mention if those mechanical monsters were still following them, did they?"

"No, Ella, you're correct", said President Bond, "They didn't. And I think among the litany of questions that needs to be asked of them when we meet, that is at the top of the list. Where exactly are those mechanical bastards?"


"So, Bill, where exactly are those mechanical bastards?". Saul Tigh, Cylon though he was would never have any love for the mechanical race that had destroyed The Colonies. "I notice you didn't say anything about that in your little love letter to our cousins down there?"

"That's because we don't have the first godsdamn idea if any of them are left. Did you notice we were covering our collective butts with patrols behind us? I didn't want them to suddenly show up and start another slaughter."

"I know, sir. I get it. But it's something we're going to have to level with them about. On The Colonies, we had the metal to go up against them, but we got caught with our flies open. Here? They would have no way to defend themselves against those frackin' Toasters."

"I doubt if it can help much, but maybe Caprica, Athena, and Leoben can shed some light on this. I think after all this time, we can trust them, and maybe if we let them turn their instincts loose, they can tell us something." Adama did trust them. It had taken a long time, and while he would never consider them "his people", they had also put it on the line when Galactica went up against The Colony. And they were, by all accounts, as mortal as everyone else.

"Probably can't hurt if Galen, Ellen, Athena and I join the conversation as well. Too bad Sam isn't around anymore, even in that hybrid state. That last battle basically killed him. I would have liked to have gotten his views."

"I think you're right. I think all you skin jobs should put your mechanical minds together and see if anything pops up." Adama gave a sideways grin to his XO. It was funny, Saul Tigh was a Cylon. Adama had hated him for it when he found out. He had even ordered his execution. But in the end, Saul had remained as loyal to Galactica as anyone on the ship. Yes, he remembered some of his Cylon life from two millennia before, but he had never flinched in being there for Galactica. It had taken him a long time to realize that. And when it finally sunk in, his esteem for the man had risen even higher. Saul could be a hot-head; he could definitely put away too many, too fast. But he was the most loyal officer he had ever served with.

"Gaius and Cottle have put their heads together, and are coming up with a regimen of tests we can run on them if and when our first meeting takes place. I'd imagine Cottle would want anyone from there quarantined until we know they won't give us any germs or diseases that we haven't seen before, and visa-versa, Admiral."

"Makes sense." Adama knew Cottle would do a first-rate job in assuring no one was harmed by any germs. "It's a good guess that they're not as advanced as we are when it comes to medicine and science. They don't have any interstellar capability, and it's a good bet they aren't as advanced as we are when it comes to diseases."

"You've already written the invitation, haven't you, Bill?" Saul grinned. He knew the answer to that before he even asked the question.

"Your bet your skin job ass I have, Cylon."


Two days later, Galactica was in high orbit over Earth. The rest of the fleet remained close by, just in case. No one expected the Cylons to suddenly come charging in but no one wanted to take the chance either.

Both sides began the dance of arranging First Contact between the two races. Both sides had come up with a regimen of medical exams that would allow each to study the physiology of the other, to compare DNA samples, to see exactly how closely related these two humanoid cultures really were.

Since they were confined for the moment of "talking" through computers, it was slow work trying to work out all the details. Scientists from Earth were feverishly trying to get a working knowledge of this alien language. It had been decided that since the first words from Earth had been in English, that English would be the Official Diplomatic language used.

It took almost a month to work out the details. In the interim, Gaius had transmitted to Earth the basic computer program that had allowed him to translate from English to Caprican, and then back. He was certain at this time that his colleagues on the planet were advanced enough that they could figure out the program. The next step would be that both sides would actually begin trying to teach each other their languages so that more personal communication could eventually take place.

The Admiral had decided that Lee and Kara would go to Earth be quarantined there and be the subjects for the medical tests that would be performed on Earth's behalf. The Admiral had volunteered, but Doc Cottle had over-ruled him, what with all the damage that had been caused to him years ago when Boomer had tried to kill him. And to no one's surprise, Justin Bond would lead a team that would undergo medical tests on Galactica.


"So, honey, when do you leave for this historical rendezvous?" Judy Bond said as cheerfully as she could. Despite the assurances of doctors and scientists that had met with the President, who had advised both of them that after a few days of isolation aboard the ship, if all went well, he would be free to move about, she was still worried about her husband and his entourage picking up some kind of disease that people from Earth had no defense against. The doctors and scientists had been communicating with their colleagues aboard this gigantic ship called Galactica, and both sides were certain that they would be able to guarantee with some semblance of accuracy, whether her husband could closely interact with these humans from somewhere in the stars.

"In about seven days. The ship will be sending down people tomorrow. The crew on that ship and the doctors and scientists that will be aboard will be quarantined for a few days, maybe up to a week, just like I will be once I get up to Galactica. Fair is fair. The Surgeon General said she believes that five days should be enough to figure things out. Plus, I have to make sure I'm up to speed on all my immunizations as well."

"Are you really going to wear a space suit?" She stifled a giggle. Yes, Justin had been an Air Force pilot and a damned good one, but he never had the bug to become an astronaut, and the thought of him wrapped up in a NASA pressure suit was something she'd give a year's salary to see. "I want pictures of that."

"I'm sure you'll be able to fill an album with pictures of me in that suit, and aboard the ship. Color me famous", he let out a jolly burst of laughter. He was worried as well-not quite as much as Judith was-but he knew there were some risks.

Risks or not, nothing in the Universe could keep him away from being the first person from Earth to board an alien spaceship. Well, at least officially, that is. He had heard the stories about people who said they had been abducted. He didn't doubt those stories now like he used to. Having been a lifelong fan of the singer Sammy Hagar, maybe the two of them could swap stories once he got back...

"I'll be going to New York tonight, to meet with the Secretary General. She and I, Admiral Lawrence, and some doctors and scientists will be going through what exactly will happen, so there are no misunderstandings. I should be home by late afternoon tomorrow. I also have a meeting with the head honchos of the Russian and Chinese military's, who we will also brief on what's going down."

"I wish I could go with you," The first Lady lamented.

"I know, babe. Part of me wishes you could go, too. Isolation might be more enjoyable that way", he gave her a naughty wink. "But let's get the first meeting over with, and I'm sure someday, you'll get to head up there yourself."

"I knew being First Lady would have its perks", she gave an impish wink back at him.


Five days later, Surgeon General Myla Kress was at the White House. It was time to prepare the Commander-In-Chief for a historical trip.

"Mr, President", she said, after he had gotten her some coffee, "The tests are complete on the pilots that came here on that ship. It seems that they have excellent immune systems compared to ours. We can't find much down here that would get them sick. I think there are some small germs that might give them a cold, perhaps, but their immune systems are impressive."

"Do you believe it's a more natural immunity, or are they ahead of us medically? I think I know the answer to that, but I have to ask."

"Sir, there's no doubt they're far ahead of us in medicine and science. But I believe that they developed their civilization long before we did and that their immune systems are advanced as well. I imagine when you get to Galactica, you'll probably end up getting some shots, or however else they immunize people up there, to keep you away from any bugs that might harm us. I think we'll be able to learn a lot from them."

"Well, Myla, I'm as ready as I'll be. I don't fancy sitting in isolation for a few days, but it's a small price to pay for what could be in store for the people of Earth. I still have to pinch myself to realize that I'm not in some coma or a really wild dream." President Bond wasn't kidding about that, either. The whole thing seemed surreal to him.

"It's real, Mr. President, trust me. I didn't think I'd ever live to see such a thing.", she mused in wonder.

"Preaching to the choir, Myra. I just wonder how far their arrival will propel us and if we'll impact them as much as I think they'll impact us."

"I think we will, sir. We're full of surprises", she laughed, "Mr. President. I wish you good luck and Godspeed. Break a leg", Myla beamed at her President.

"Oh, that's easy for you to say!".

Later that day, the Surgeon General called him and informed the President that the preliminary analyses indicated that their DNA and the DNA of the inhabitants of Earth were more than 99.9998979% identical. For all intent and purpose, they were of the same stuff.