Chapter 79

Dom and Sam cheerfully returned to the hangar bearing gifts and a pine tree. Sam walked in with her arms loaded with gift boxes and Dom dragged in the tree walking behind her.

"I'll get the tree stand." he grinned wide. Then his eyes landed on Apollo and Steve waiting by the break table nursing a cup of coffee with Caitlin and String. He asked, "And what is the pleasure?" He felt a bit miffed as Steve told the crew of Airwolf they could not go and see the Viper wreckage.

Apollo stood up and spoke directly to Sam. "If you are a Peacekeeper then you should be able to contact the Galactica. I need you to try to do that and give a message to my father for me."

Sam placed the packages down and turned to him. "Your dad is Adama, right?"

"Yes!" he exhaled hard.

Steve cocked an eyebrow rather surprised.

"I saw him last night. I can only go when I am asleep here. I'm a hologram there. We chatted for a bit. I told him you had survived the crash and you are here on Earth. Adama said that the Cylon you took out likely had sent a homing signal and there is a good chance the other Cylons now know where Earth is." She continued, "He showed me his office and this big glass screen that was a star chart. I was able to point to where our solar system is on the chart and described what to look for. He said they are about three jumps away and should be here in a week." She then turned her attention to the break table and poured a cup of coffee and broke a donut in half. She then looked past Apollo to Caitlin. She shifted subjects with ease as she spoke to her friend. "You should see how busy the mall is. It's packed! And I saw parents get in a knock down fight over a cabbage patch doll. It was like Black Friday at Wal-Mart." Oddly, Sam seemed more enthused about the mall than being on a space ship to her audience.

Caitlin stated, "Sam! You just told all of us that you went to a ship in space and spoke to the commander and told him how to get to Earth and he told you that these Cylon things could already know where Earth is. Shouldn't that be a priority?"

"I suppose." she agreed. "But if we're about to be invaded by Clyons then lets make this the most of this Christmas. We could end up like that reality we went to where the lizard people invaded."

"Lizard people?" Steve asked alarmed. "Reality!" he seemed confused.

String informed, "The nanites have the ability to cross multi-universes. These thing are very advanced. We don't know how to control them yet. They seem reactive to Sam ever since she got attacked by the orb."

"Hmm," she nodded in agreement. "Not sure what they will do. Least Ralph got an instruction book for the suit…even if he did lose it. I got nothing!" She complained, "At least send me a Yoda to help me train. Nope…just throw me out there and see if I can swim."

Apollo asked, "Who did you see on the Galactica?"

"I met Captain Starbuck, Colonel Tigh, Commander Adama, Lieutenant Jolly and Lieutenant Boomer." she reported. "I was a cadet in training. I learned how to fly one of the Vipers, got a tour of the ship and I saw your memorial in the Officer's club."

Apollo blinked, "Starbuck is a Captain now?"

She smiled, "He's kind of cool. I like him. He was training me."

He repeated, "Starbuck is a Captain. He's a leading a squadron?"

"It's been two years since you went into the wormhole that collapsed behind you." she reminded him. "That's why you hit so hard on Earth. The force from that wormhole was tearing your Viper apart. They thought there was no way you survived that. Starbuck misses you. He's leading your old squadron and he told me they only have twelve pilots now. They lost a lot in the last two years."

Apollo grew alarmed, "They are down to only twelve pilots. There should be a hundred."

She warned, "They are nearing the end of their supplies. They don't have a way to keep the Galactica going much longer. They need a planet to set up manufacturing to make parts that can't be made in house. They are running low on supplies and medications. They have been cannibalizing the other ships in the fleet. The fleet is shrinking." she reported. She looked to her audience, "They are in bad shape out there and need a home. Imagine twelve Earths being decimated and all that was left was one military vessel guiding about dozen civilian vessels through hostile waters."

String looked to Dom, "That does sound bad."

Apollo clenched his fist, "If there was only some way for me to get back to the Galactica then I could at least get back in a Viper and defend the fleet." He then recalled the engine, "You invented a warp drive engine. Steve said they could put in on a shuttle launch it into orbit. You could navigate." he insisted. "You can get that shuttle to the Galactica. You know where it is."

She looked at him wide-eyed, "A shuttle is not designed for deep space travel. It's an orbiter. We would be exposed to a huge amounts of radiation trying to do that." she informed.

Steve suggested, "How about a capsule? Like from the Apollo missions. It got to the moon and back."

She shook her head, "Any vessel to go deep space would need a thick layer of lead on it and that would make it too heavy to lift off."

Apollo pleaded, "I can't just stand here and be helpless knowing the Cylons can attack Earth at any time and the Galactica is nearing the breaking point."

She sighed, "There really is nothing we can do but wait for the Galactica to find us."

String pondered, "I wonder if you could do the hologram projection with other people."

She turned and looked at him a bit curious.

He explained, "If you can project yourself there as a hologram then maybe you can have the nanites do the same with others. Have the nanites project Apollo there. You could have them project any of us there. It's a computer application, Sam. Think…internet for space."

"Space internet?" she pondered. A grin crept across her face. "I bet we could do that but it would only work when the subject is asleep. I think it would be too much on the mind to do it when you are awake."

"Try a command." String urged.

Dom stated, "I want to go. Make sure you make me a hologram when I am sleeping too."

String looked at him confused, "Why?"

"I want to see this space ship." he confessed. "Plus, I would be a hologram. Age wouldn't matter. I also want to see these Vipers."

Sam concluded, "I should be able to include anyone who is willing to do it."

Steve stated, "Put me in."

"And me!" String told her.

Caitlin stated, "If they need pilots then put me in the command too."

"Okay!" Sam gave a nod and then closed her eyes thinking of how to word the command and intent. "Listen up nanite dudes."

String winced, "Nanite dudes."

She ignored the distraction, "The Galactica needs pilots that can operate the Vipers. I want you to add these names to the list of those who can go to the Galactica as a hologram and act as fighter pilots. Send Steve Austin, Uncle Dom, Uncle String, Caitlin, Captain Apollo along with myself to the Galactica when we are asleep." She opened her eyes after finishing the command.

Steve asked, "We have to wait until we go to sleep tonight to see if that worked?"

"If it worked then I will see you on the Galactica tonight." she smiled.

He asked, "And if it didn't?"

"Sweet dreams." she shrugged.

Later

Sam woke up in the same room as before. She sat up, found she was back in the uniform once more. She looked about and did not see anyone else with her. She wondered if the command failed. She stood up and walked to the door. The door slid open and she stepped out into the brightly lit hallway.

Before her eyes her friend emerged from other rooms lining the hallway all wearing the same brown uniform. Stringfellow Hawke had opened the door and stepped out much like normal. Caitlin had a bit of trouble and simply stepped through the door as she had yet to figure out how to make her hologram solid. Dom also stepped out much like Caitlin did. He found the brown uniform was not flattering on him as it was on Caitlin who looked rather good in the uniform. Colonel Austin then stepped out as well and had gone through the door like a ghost going through a wall. He shivered as he found the ability most disturbing.

Steve glanced about, "I see we all made it." He then looked around, "Where is Apollo?"

"He could be on a different section of the ship." Sam concluded.

Caitlin stated, "How are we supposed to fly Vipers if we go right through things?"

Sam stated, "You make yourself solid. Like Al did."

She gave it a try. "Nanites, make me solid." She then held up her hand and touched the wall. "It worked." She admitted, "Going through a solid door was freaking me out."

Dom agreed, "Me too! Nanites, make me solid." He then was able to touch the wall instead of his hand going through it. He then got an idea, "Make me younger…and thinner!" Before their eyes Dom's holographic image grew young and thin. His hair grew darker and his face more youthful. He grinned, "I can get used to this."

Sam assured, "It's a like a computer that can place on filters for images."

Steve gave the command, "Nanites…make my hologram solid too." He then confessed, "I feel silly saying it." He found he could then touch the wall. "My bionics are useless here." he gathered.

String agreed, "None of us are physically here. We should find Apollo."

Soon after String made the suggestion the hallway bulkhead door slid open and Starbuck stood in the doorway with Apollo beside him.

Caitlin asked bewildered, "How did Templeton Peck get here?"

"That's Starbuck. Not Peck!" Sam told her. "They do look alike, huh." she grinned.

The two men entered. Starbuck stated, "I guess you were right, Apollo. They did come to the cadet deck."

He nodded, "I figured the nanites would keep them together and centered on the Peacekeeper." He referred to Sam.

Starbuck figured, "The Galatica has Peacekeepers now. That should keep the Cylons at bay for a while." His blue eyes landed on Caitlin. He instantly found her attractive. "Hello there." he stated as he approached her. "I'm Captain Starbuck. You are?"

"Caitlin." she replied as wondered if he was about to make a pass at her. It seemed that wherever she went she was always getting hit on by some man at some point.

Starbuck placed a cigar in his teeth and asked, "You doing anything tonight?"

Apollo stated, "She's a hologram, Starbuck! What are you going to do with her?" He couldn't believe his old wingman was still womanizing.

He confessed, "I've never had a sexual encounter with a hologram. Could be fun."

Sam stood gasped, "What the fuck, Starbuck? You were such a nice guy around me but you are hitting on Aunt Cait."

Caitlin chimed in, "And I'm a hologram. I'm not even really here."

Starbuck stated, "Your name is Cait. I like that." He gave a smooth smile to his newest pet.

String narrowed his eyes, "She's engaged."

"To who?" he wondered.

"To me!" he barked.

His eyes grew wide as he realized his mistake of hitting on Caitlin right in front of Stringfellow Hawke. He recovered quickly, "You are a lucky man." he backed his way out of the situation.

Apollo stated, "We are limited on time, Starbuck. We can only be here when we are asleep on Earth. I need to see my father now."

"Right!" he agreed. "This way, Cadets."

Steve stated, "I'm a former Colonel."

Starbuck asked, "You ever flown a Viper for the Colonial fleet before?"

"Of course not. I just got here." he rebutted.

He concluded, "Then you are cadet."

Starbuck and Apollo then led the group down the hallway towards the bridge of the vessel.