Somewhere Beyond the Heavens Part 6

***Disclaimer: Ok, I lied. I didn't mean to leave so many people hanging. So, I will finish this story before concentrating solely on my website. Enjoy and I hope you'll look for my Battlestar Poseidon website in June.

Shawn Scialo

***
This was unlike any event the Colonials had experienced since the destruction of their nation. They were about to meet face to face with humans from an obviously technologically advanced civilization; a race of humans even more advanced then the Eastern Alliance or Western Nationalists of Terra that they had encountered so many yahrens ago. And, this band of humans, at least outwardly, seemed completely benign, having only friendly intentions.

Buck was the first member of Earth Ship Searcher to set foot on the deck of Galactica. He immediately took note of the row upon row of Colonial Warriors standing in a tight military formation, a formation not unlike the ones Buck was familiar with in the United States Air Force. The familiarity of it all put Buck at ease for the moment. As he glimpsed the area, he locked eyes with a silver haired elder in a midnight blue uniform standing in front of the military entourage. The man smiled at Buck and Buck returned the smile before turning to take the hand of Wilma as she stepped down from the shuttle. Moments later, the entire Searcher Command Crew was standing in the middle of the Galactica landing bay, their mouths open in awe.

Wilma, ever the experienced combat Colonel, stood dumbfounded as she stared down the seemingly endless rows of Colonial Vipers. She was thinking quickly of all the manpower it must take to keep this operation going. Maintenance crews, flight crews, and god knows what else must have to work around the clock to keep this war machine going, she thought.

"I am Commander Adama", said the man in the midnight blue uniform as he approached the Searcher crew. "Welcome aboard the Galactica."

A couple of hour's later, dinner plates were being cleared as the pleasantries and introductions were over and it was time for the two crews to get down to serious business. So, the Colonials and the Earthlings took turns explaining the state of their respective societies. Incredibly, both were astonished and appalled at the others' story. Adama and his entourage of Apollo, Boomer, Sheba, and Athena were horrified to hear Buck Rogers tell the tale of Earth's nuclear horror. How could the 13th tribe be so self-destructive? It was Adama who offered that the 13th tribe was no more self-destructive than their former society of the 12 Colonies. After all, it was a human that had betrayed their entire civilization to the Cylons. Baltar was not the first or last evil human the Colonies would know. Humans, all humans, were flawed and sinners Adama suggested. The Colonials knew of corruption and greed just as much as their Earth brothers did.

Not surprisingly, Buck and the rest of the Searcher guests were just as flabbergasted after hearing Adama recount the tale of the destruction of the Colonies.

"It's like the holocaust on Earth times 12!" exclaimed a despondent Buck.

"I-I can't even begin to grasp what you've all been through", offered Wilma.

"I can", said a serious Hawk. "I am the last of my species, Commander Adama. I applaud your people's strength and resiliency in surviving a decades long trek through uncharted space. Truly extraordinary!"

Hawk raised his glass and offered a toast to the Galacticans. "To you and your rag-tag fugitive fleet!" exclaimed Hawk.

"Thank you, mister Hawk", answered Adama.

"Mmmmm-mmmm. That has a little kick to it!" groaned Buck as he finished his drink. "What do ya' call this stuff?"

"Ambrosia", answered Sheba with a giggle.

"Excuse me, Athena---isn't it? You seem to be taking quite an interest in our friend Crighton here", said Admiral Asimov.

"I-I'm sorry", stammered Athena. "It makes me feel a little uncomfortable."

With that, Crighton put his hands on his metallic hips in an obvious display of shock and offense to the beautiful brunettes' remarks.

"You will have to excuse my daughter, Admiral", offered Adama. "Your robot is eerily similar in appearance with our enemies---the Cylons."

"Beeda Beeda Beeda. What about me, pal? What do I remind you of?" asked Twiki as he tugged on Adama's sleeve.

Before Adama could answer, Muffit sprang from the far corner of the dining hall. In the daggit's eyes, the little golden person was assaulting the Commander and he was going to do something about it.

"What the hell is that?!" shouted Twiki as Muffey bounded towards him.

An instant later, Twiki was flat on his back with Muffit trying to desperately keep the little android pinned.

"Heyyyyy! Somebody get this Franken-fido off of me!!!" shouted Twiki.

Crighton grabbed the android daggit by it's artificial fur and easily pulled Muffey away from his startled little counterpart.

Both the Galacticans and the Earthlings laughed raucously. It was a hysterical scene.

Sheba was happy to see her normally stoic husband let loose with a good belly laugh. Unfortunately, the moment didn't last long.

"What is it?" Sheba said to Apollo as she wiped her tears of laughter from her face.

Apollo was staring at the monitor on the far wall. Tigh's face could be seen and the longtime aid of his father didn't look like he had good news to report.

"Father!!!" shouted Apollo, which immediately silenced the entire dinner party. "Look!"

"Commander?" said Tigh, his voice booming from the speakers.

"Yes, old friend? What is it?"

"Sir, a deep recon probe has detected an unbelievable number of Cylon Basestars massing near the Earth system!" reported an out of breath Tigh.

"No", whispered Adama. "What have I done? I've led them right to Earth."

"My god! What do we do, Commander?" gasped Asimov.

"How quickly could your people evacuate Earth?" Adama asked.

"Evacuate?!" Asimov exclaimed.

"It's either that or stand and fight", said Apollo.

"And probably die", added Athena.

"How many baseships, Tigh? Can you give me a number?" asked Adama.

"Over fifty, Commander. I've never seen anything like it!"

"We'd never survive", sighed Boomer.

"Wait!" interrupted Buck. "Look, there's no way we can evacuate Earth. It would take days. But-- I do have an idea!"

"Beeda Beeda! That's my Buck!!!"

To be continued