Chapter 3: Halloween Part 3

Onboard Battlestar Valkyrie – 9 PM

Shira, Cale, Eliza and Ashley stepped into CIC and Shira stopped in from of her XO. "Report?"

"The Basestar has agreed to a cease fire and in light of our unknown location wishes to, once their Actual is onboatd, to discuss a peace treaty."

"And your still certain this Basestar is not the same one?" Cale wondered.

"Based on events I would say it definitely is not the same Basestar," the XO stated. "If it had been I highly expect we would be space dust right now as the other Basestar was prepared to fire on us when we appeared here, wherever here is."

"So we're not at one of the Colonies?" Eliza asked.

"No," the XO said with a shake of his head. "We did some calculations and this planet is not on our charts. Nor is any of the constellations seen in the night sky. I would hazard to guess we have jumped out of our galaxy and to another."

Ashley listened and wondered where these people were from. As they had flown up to their ship she had gotten a good look at the planet, it was Earth. From what she had seen on the planet that meant that likely she, her crew and her ship had traveled backwards in time. Or possibly to a parallel reality. She was not sure which at the moment.

"That isn't possible," Cale said. "We're limited on the distance we can jump at one time."

"I am aware, Lieutenant," the XO said. "But is currently the only conclusion to where we are. A world similar to that of the Colonies, but not as advanced."

"How do you know?" Shira asked.

"They have been trying to contact us," the XO said. "We have not responded yet. But their method of communication is an outdated form of radio waves. As you know Commander, our communication systems use light waves."

In Cheyenne Mountain – Same Time

Hammond paced nervously as he looked towards Walter after another hour had passed. "Anything?"

"No reply. They either are not listening on this frequency or they're not receiving." Walter replied.

Hammond sighed. "Keep trying."

On the Cylon Basestar – Same Time

Caprica Six stepped into the CIC of her Basestar and moved before the Hybrid. "Report."

"The system we are in resembles that the Final Five came from. But it is not that of the Final Five. I detect no other humanoid Cylon other than yourself, Caprica Six, onboard. Also there is a colonial Battlestar in orbit with us as well as an unidentified ship of an unknown class and design. It does not match Colonial designs."

"Galactica?" Caprica asked remembering the Battlestar as the Heavy Raider flew past it.

"Negative," the Hybrid said. "It is the Battlestar Valkyrie."

"Valkyrie?" Caprica said her voice laced with confusion. "Was destroyed at the Fall of the Colonies."

"We are unsure what has transpired," the Hybrid said. "We were transported to this world alongside the Valkyrie from obviously different points in time. Which should not be possible. And we are in orbit of a planet that accoding to starcharts does not exist in a galaxy that does not exist. On your behalf I negotiated a cease fire with the possibility of a truce when you came onboard in light of the current situation."

"A wise idea."

Onboard a Raptor approaching the USS Prometheus – Same Time

Becca piloted the Raptor toward the unidentified ship that her passengers assured her was their ship the Prometheus.

"Okay," she said as they approached the location on the ship that she was told housed what they had called a shuttle bay. "How are we going to land with the doors sealed?"

"Can you adjust your communications to transmit on the this frequency?" Scott asked as he showed Becca the frequency he needed.

"Yes," Becca said as she adjusted the ships communications system to the requested frequency. "It's ready."

"Prometheus automatics," Scott said as he touched his commbadge, "online, open bay doors."

"Prometheus automatics are online," replied a voice from Scott's commbadge. "Shuttle Bay 1 doors are opening."

"I thought no one was onboard?" Becca asked confused.

"No one is," Nyota said. "The automatics is an automated system in case of emergencies. It operates on a separate computer independent from the main core." She looked at Scott. "Can you get Destiny online from the Shuttle Bay?"

"Yes," Scott said, "I believe so."

"What is this Destiny anyways?" Becca wondered.

"A fully sentient artificial intelligent computer program," Scott replied.

"Maybe we shouldn't give Ms. Reidel and her people all of our classified information. After all the Prometheus is an experimental vessel," Alex said.

"We don't have much choice," Nyota said. "As it sits right now we need their help and they need ours to figure out where we are and how we got here."

Summers Residence, Sunnydale, California – 9:15 PM

As the surprisingly light footed Joyce Summers walked into her home alongside her sisters and a few old friends from the extremely successful Halloween party at the newly established museum . She quickly noticed that none of the lights were on and there was no sound of either of her oil and water twins. "Buffy, Dawn?" she called out with no response.

She walked up the stairs and peeked into both of the girls bedrooms; neither bed had a sleeping girl in them. It was then that she became worried. She rushed downstairs and checked the answering machine for messages.

Joyce then checked the obvious places for a hand written message; the fridge, either of her girls nightstands, her own nightstand, her desk in the living room, the table by the front door. Nothing. While she knew of the planned after party at the local teen night spot the Bronze it should have been finished by now. Maybe that librarian at the high school might have seen Buffy and Dawn. She dialed the number Buffy had given her to contact on nights that her daughters and Willow studied at the library together. She received no answer.

Onboard Battlestar Valkyrie – Same Time

Shira looked toward Ashley. "As the two senior officers of our ships …"

"Yes," Ashley agreed. "We should represent our peoples. What about the other ship your people were …"

Shira sighed and nodded. "Get me the Cylon's Actual."

"On comms," came the communications officer.

"This is Caprica Six."

"We have been picking up a transmission from the surface and were about to fashion a reply," Shira said.

"I see, and you thought since you and I are in the same predicament that we should represent our peoples in this reply."

"That's correct," Ashley said. "By the way my name is Captain Ashley Jones of the Federation Starship Prometheus."

"It is a pleasure. Very well we will join in. It is after all in our best interests for all parties to find out where we are and how we got here."

"Agreed," Shira said. She looked toward her communications officer. "Open a frequency to the origin of the transmission and relay it to the Cylons."

"Transmission, established, Commander," said the communications officer.

"This is Stargate Command to unidentified vessels in orbit, please identify yourself."

Ashley listened and shook her head. She could not be in her Earth's past for there had never been any organization military or civilian called Stargate Command at any point in Earth's history. Which meant she and her crew were in a parallel reality. She wondered if that might also be the case for both the Valkyrie crew as well as the Cylons.

"Stargate Command, I am Commander Shira Brynn of the Battlestar Valkyrie, I have with me Caprica Six of the Cylon Basestar and Captain Ashley Jones of the Federation Starship Prometheus," Shira said. "Who are we speaking too?"

"I am General George Hammond, commanding officer of Stargate Command. We have some questions for you. First off what are your intentions?"

"Peaceful," Ashley said.

"And your reason for your ships being in orbit around Earth?"

"Terra is a word meaning dirt in our language however we have never heard of a planet named Earth," Shira said. She had never heard of the planet in any archive in any of the Twelve Colonies. Where were they?

Onboard the Cylon Basestar

"I have muted our side of the transmission," the Hybrid said. "Earth is the name of the home of the Final Five. It is possible we have found the home of the Final Five."

"I don't think so," Caprica said. "What I saw on the planet leads me to believe this is not the home of the Final Five. I believe this could very well be a parallel universe. One where humans flourished."

Back onboard Battlestar Valkyrie

"That is the planet you are in orbit of."

"We have never heard of your planet before," Shira said. "We don't even know how we got here."

"Perhaps we should discuss this face to face? Especially when we have an urgent situation that we could use your assistance with."

Shira nodded to her communications officer who muted the comm to Stargate Command. "It could be a trap of course. But I think the three of us should meet this General Hammond."

"Agreed," Ashley and Caprica Six said.

Shira nodded and comm was reopened. "I along with Captain Jones and Caprica Six will come down," she said. "Please send us a short briefing packet on your culture and history so we can converse without flying blind."

Hammond said he would transmit the briefing packet which would include the coordinates for his command before signing off.

Onboard the Star Forge inside the atmosphere of Jupiter

Revan stepped out of the shuttle that had brought them to the Star Forge. Revan still could not get used to the fact that he somehow was now female. He looked around the hanger bay and noticed a lack of a presence in the Force in their surroundings. Before the Star Forge was steeped in the Dark Side, but now it seemed the dark side energies that fueled the Star Forge were now gone. He had to wonder if the Rakatans had built more than one Star Forge, but why inside a gas giant. He was sure the the answers were in the command center so he headed in that direction.

At the Cheyenne Mountain Complex in Colorado Springs – 30 Minutes later

Shira piloted a Raptor, carrying herself, Caprica Six and Captain Jones of the Prometheus, to the coordinates that General Hammond had given them. "Raptor One to Stargate Command, requesting landing clearance."

"Granted," came a voice all of the recognized was not General Hammond.

Once Shira set the Raptor down onto the tarmac. They found several people waiting.

"Greetings I am General Hammond," a balding man said as they exited the Raptor.

"On behalf of the Twelve Colonies, the Cylon Nation and the Federation, greetings," Shira said. "I'm Commander Shira Brynn of the Battlestar Valkyrie." She motioned to Caprica and Ashley in turn. "And this is Caprica Six of the Cylon Basestar and Captain Ashley Jones of the Federation Starship Prometheus."

Hammond stuck out his hand and each of them took it in turn. "It's a pleasure to meet you all," he said. "If you will follow me I will take you to the briefing room." He led them into the base and past several checkpoints.

Luckily Shira had persuaded Caprica and Ashley to leave their weapons behind. She did not think it would be beneficial for them when trying to find out where they were and how they got here.

At Sunnydale High – Same Time

Joyce entered the principal's office and with all the heir of a person in a position of power, which she was, not that Snyder knew of her homeworld. "Principal Snyder, I presume," she said knowing full well who the man was.

"Yes, and you are?" he asked.

"Joyce Summers," Joyce said. "We met a few weeks ago if you remember right when my daughters hosted your parent-teacher night."

"Of course," Snyder replied. He also remembered how Joyce had of course stuck up for both Buffy and Dawn. Which as far as he was concerned made him hate her as much as he hated her daughters. "What can I do for you?"

"I'm looking for my daughters. Neither of them have returned home. They were part of the volunteer program."

"I know what you are wondering," Snyder said with a sigh. Joyce was not the first parent to visit or call him asking about their children that were still missing. "No I have have not seen them and the majority of their trick or treaters have not returned either. As well as their so called friends and a few other volunteers along with some of the staff."