7375.318 Battlestar Galactica Pilots ready room. Ensign Hera just watched Dalton as she prepared for her patrol.

"So just how did you manage to wrangle a long range patrol with Troy?".

Dalton looked at her and just smiled, "Just lucky I guess, I get that from my

father.".

"You know Dalton, I could have sworn that Lt. Darius was supposed to be on the patrol with Troy.",

"Well it seems that he came down with a flu bug, and I, Uh, was there when he reported to the Life-center.".

Hera just looked at her,

"Uh huh, and I am a three legged daggit. You know I can tell when your lying Dalton, I always could.".

Then Hera looked at Dalton and saw that she was blushing. "You still have a crush on him, don't you?",

"Don't be silly Hera, Troy is like my big brother. He did change us when we were babies you know.".

Hera just smiled at Dalton, "I know that Troy is a big brother to us, but I also know that you've had a crush on him since you were 12 yahrens old.".

Dalton looked at Hera now, her eyes pleading with her, and Hera knew that she couldn't hurt her best friend. She walked over and gave Dalton a hug.

"You know Dalton, if it ever works out with you and Troy, we would really be sisters then.".

"I know Hera, wouldn't that be perfect.".

Dalton closed her locker and looked at Hera,

"This is our secret, you can't tell anyone.",

"I won't tell anyone Dalton.", the girls hugged again and Dalton headed for the launch bay.

Ensign Dalton was doing her pre-flight check of her viper when Troy came up to her.

"So it seems that you're my wingman for this patrol Dalton, I hope that its not to boring for you."

Dalton looked at Troy and was unable to talk for a micron, "No patrol with you is boring Troy." she stammered out.

"By the lords I sound like an idiot." she thought.

"So Lt., what's on our flight plan for this mission.",

"Well the Galactica has been getting some unusual energy readings from the system less than a cycle out and the Commander wants it checked out before the fleet reaches it.".

"So is your Viper ready to fly Dalton?",

"I'm always ready to fly with you." she blurted out.

Troy looked at her for a micron, and then headed for his own viper. As Troy looked at Dalton, he watched her climb up into her cockpit, and for the first time he realized that she wasn't a kid anymore. He then climbed into his own cockpit and began his startup cycles.

As his canopy was lowered, he called to Dalton,

"Recon two this is Recon one, what is your status?",

"Recon one this is Recon two all systems are go, ready for launch.",

"Roger Recon two, stand by. Recon patrol to Galactica command we are ready for launch.",

"Roger Recon patrol, this is Galactica command, transferring controls to vipers. You may launch when ready.".

"Roger command, Recon patrol launching now.".

Troy and Dalton hit the turbo buttons on their flight sticks and were soon hurtling down the launch tubes and into space.

"OK Dalton, set your Nav-comp and hit your turbos.",

"Roger that Troy." a few micron later, the vipers where rocketing well ahead of the fleet.

Troy was just going to contact the Galactica when his scanner started beeping. He quickly checked his scanner and saw 8 cylon raiders on his screen. He also had an unknown ship on the scanner as well.

"Dalton.",

"What is it Troy?".

"I've got 8 cylon raiders chasing an unknown ship on my scanner.".

Troy quickly confined his scan beam to target the unknown ship.

"I'm reading human life signs on the unknown ship. I'm also showing that the ship has taken a lot damage. Altering course to intercept."

The two vipers hit their turbos and headed for the fight. Dalton watched on her scanner as the unknown ship fired what looked like mini torpedo's at the cylons. Troy and Dalton where even more amazed as they watched the mini torpedo's follow after the cylons and destroy three of the raiders.

"Did you see that Troy?",

"Yeah Dalton I did.".

They were even more surprised when the human ship got behind the 4th cylon and ripped the raider into two pieces.

"Troy the other cylons are behind him.",

"I know Dalton."

They watched as the lead raider opened fire on the ship. The ship took 4 direct hits from the cylons lasers, but didn't blow up. They could see that the human ship was unable to maneuver, and that the cylons were coming around for another pass.

"Dalton take the two on the left, I'll take the two on the right.",

" Roger Troy.".

Vagabond just floated there trying to restart his ship, but damage repair system showed that the thruster assembly was just gone. He watched the raiders come around for the kill shot.

"Well it was fun while it lasted.".

He then saw two streaks of white flames go by his ship, and two small ships were opening fire on the raiders. He watched as the 4 raiders split apart to the left and the right. The ship on the right was firing, and blew one of the raiders apart, and followed behind the 2nd raider.

The ship on the left was also firing, but missed the raiders. The ship on the left followed after the two raiders, who split apart again. The smaller ship was following the lead raider. Vagabond could see that the last raider was maneuvering behind the small ship, then he got a wild idea.

He activated his missile system, only 1 of the 4 remaining launchers came on line. He targeted the raider and waited for a tone. He got a tone and fired, the missile was tracking perfectly.

Troy and Dalton flew past the human ship on full turbos. The cylon raiders upon seeing colonial vipers immediately broke left and right. Troy was on the 2 raiders on his right, he fired into them and saw the first raider disintegrate in a flash of fire. He was lined up on the second raider and he opened fire, and blew that one into dust as well.

Dalton on the other hand wasn't quite as lucky as Troy. She followed after the two cylons on the left, but missed on her first salvo. The raiders split again, and she stayed on the first cylon. She fired, and this time she blew the cylon into space dust. But the other cylon was now behind her. She was maneuvering now, trying to get the cylon off her tail.

"Uh Troy.",

"Yeah Dalton." ,

"It seems that I've got a little bit of a situation here.".

"I've got a cylon behind me and he's making rather unfriendly advances.",

"I'm coming Dalton, just keep away from him.".

Troy hit his turbos and headed back toward Daltons position. Meanwhile Dalton was dealing with a very ticked off cylon. Suddenly the cylon exploded behind her.

"Thanks for the save Troy.",

"It wasn't me Dalton. I think the pilot of the other ship got him.".

Troy's viper pulled along side Dalton's. "Lets go see if we can help him out Troy. After all, I owe him one.".

The two small ships pulled up in front of Vagabonds ship.

"Unknown craft do you need assistance?".

"Thanks for helping me out. I don't think those guys liked me to much.".

"This is Lt. Troy of the Battlestar Galactica, just who are you and where are you from?".

Vagabond got serious now, "I'm Lt. Winston Chang of the Confederated Space Force. Currently stationed on the TCS Victory. But you can call me Vagabond.".

"Well Lt. Vagabond, it looks like you could use a lift." Dalton replied.

"No, Vagabond is my call sign, and yes I could use a lift. Those raiders destroyed my thruster assembly, I'm not going anywhere.".

She smiled at him and said, "Well then hold on Lt..".

Troy and Dalton moved along side the Excalibur, and locked onto it with their tractor emitters. Troy then sent a narrow beam message back to Galactica, and informed them that they had a human ship in tow and were returning to the fleet.

On the bridge of the Galactica, Col. Omega was called by one of the communication techs. "Sir we've just received a narrow beam transmission from Recon viper one. Lt. Troy states that they have encountered a human ship and are towing it back to the Galactica.".

"Thank you Sergeant, I'll inform the Commander.".

Omega then called Commander Apollo's office. Apollo's face came on the monitor, "Yes Omega, what is it?",

"Sir, you wanted to be called when we heard from Lt. Troy.".

"Yes Omega, what did he report?".

"It seems that he and Ensign Dalton have found a human ship and are returning to the Galactica.".

"Thank you Omega, what's their ETA?",

"About 3 Centars Commander.",

"Thanks Omega." then he shut off the monitor. Apollo pressed a button on his desk.

"Lt. Valus. Please ask Major Starbuck to come to my office.",

"Yes Commander.".

Less than 2 centons later Starbuck was at Apollo's office. He didn't even wait for the Lt. to announce him, he just went right in.

"What is it Apollo, has something happened to Dalton?".

Apollo just looked at Starbuck and put on a serious face for a moment. "Is this how you enter the Fleet Commander's office Major?", then he smiled at his old friend.

"Relax Starbuck, Daltons fine. We just got a transmission from Troy. They found a human ship and are returning it to the Galactica.".

Starbuck realized that he wasn't breathing, and let out his breath. Then he looked at Apollo, "Does it ever get easier Apollo?",

"With time Starbuck, with time.".

"Now why don't you go tell Cassie that Troy and Dalton are on their way back, and I'll tell Sheba and Hera.".

"Thanks Apollo.",

"Anytime Starbuck.".

After Starbuck had left his office, Apollo heard a loud YEEHAAH from the outer office, he just smiled and began to laugh.

"So Lt. Troy, how far is your fleet?" Vagabond asked.

"It's a ways away Lt., we were just about to contact them when we spotted your ship and the cylons.".

"So that's what you call them. Why do they hate humans so badly?".

Before Troy could answer, Dalton started telling Vagabond about the 12 colonies of man and the Lords of Kobol, and the cylons and the 1000 yahren war. She told him about the destruction of the colonies and how Commander Adama had pulled together a fleet of anything that could fly. She told him of their journey across the stars, and most of the events of the last 25 yahren.

"Wow you people have been through a lot.".

"So Lt., what about your people?" Dalton asked .

"Well my people started on a single planet, and about 500 years ago, some of our scientists discovered jump travel. After that we just spread out among a whole lot of planets in this part of the galaxy. We met a few other intelligent races, and got along well with them, but then we met the Kilrathi." Vagabond then told them about the Kilrathi war of the last 45 years.

"So Lt. which planet in your Confederation do you come from?" Dalton asked.

"I'm from Earth."

Troy and Dalton were suddenly very quiet.

"Did you just say Earth, Vagabond?" Troy asked.

"Yes I did Lt. why?".

"Earth is the name of the planet that the fleet has been searching for, for the last 25 yahren. My grandfather, Commander Adama told us that earth was where the 13th tribe of man had settled over 7000 yahren ago.".

"Well Troy I'm not a historian, but the recorded history on earth only goes back about 6000 years, so anything's possible. A lot of scientists and other people think that the earlier human civilizations may have come from the stars.".

Then Vagabond started talking about some of the ancient ruins on earth and the theories about them.

Before they realized it, the three of them were almost to the fleet, and Troy was getting a message on his communicator.

"Recon patrol, this is Blue squadron patrol, we have you on long range scan. We're your escort home Lt.."

Vagabond saw about a dozen long white flames in the distance, and soon saw the vipers that had caused them.

"Vagabond, this is Blue squadron, under the command of Major Bojay." Troy said proudly.

"A pleasure to meet you Major Bojay, that's a fine looking squadron. I'm Lt. Winston Chang of the Confederation Space Force.",

"Its an honor to meet you Lt..".

Dalton spoke up now, "Major, you'll never guess where Lt. Chang is from.".

"Where would that be Ensign?",

"He's from Earth sir.",

"Did you say Earth, Dalton?".

"Yes she did Major. It seems that my grandfather was right all along."

This revelation got the other pilots chattering, but Bojay cut them all off. "Pipe down warriors, nobody talks until the Commander OK's it, got it. Were coming into communication range.".

"Galactica command this is Blue squadron leader, we are inbound with Recon patrol and one guest. Please ask Commander Apollo to meet us on the flight deck.".

"Roger that Blue squadron.".

Vagabond then saw that they were heading for one of the biggest space ships he had ever seen. As they got closer, he estimated that it was about 1200 meters long. The ship looked a lot like an alligator he had seen at the zoo when he a kid in Taiwan. There were at least 32 Laser turrets, and 2 large laser weapons and multiple missile hatches.

She also showed a lot of scars from past battles, repaired hull sections and mismatched panels. They were now on a final approach to one of the side landing bays.

"You might want to put your landing gear down Vagabond." Dalton said with a smirk. Vagabond lowered his landing gear.

"I've got three down and locked.".

Soon they landed, and Vagabond powered down his ships systems.

As he climbed down from his ship, Vagabond saw at least a dozen people coming toward him. They were wearing light tan tunics and pants with calf high dark brown boots, and dark brown jackets. But what really caught his eye was the large blaster pistols they had drawn.

"Easy fellows, I'm one of the good guys."

One of the warriors looked at him and walked up to him, she was a very attractive young woman. She looked at him and smiled. She held what looked liked a scanning device in her hand, and held it next to Vagabond's chest.

"Well your definitely not a cylon.". She turned toward the others,

"At ease sergeant he's a friendly." the warriors holstered their blasters.

Then he saw two other people dressed like the others, but wearing Egyptian looking helmets coming toward him.

"Lt. Chang, good to finally meet you.".

Vagabond recognized the voice of Lt. Troy.

"We need to go to the decon station. Its right this way.".

He then looked at the young woman. "And since my sister, Ensign Hera, has been close to you, she's coming to.".

Hera looked at Vagabond for a micron, then smiled at him. The 4 of them headed to the decon station.