"It took us just over a yahren, but at last we have found Earth. The lost tribe of man..."

As we watched the words appear on the green screen, Commander Adama was about to add the findings of the ground survey crews when he heard some kind of humming began in his cabin. It died down just as quickly.

"The lost tribe of man at present is in no condition to defend itself against the Cylon tyranny. If we land there, the humans there will face destruction as surely as we fired on them ourselves."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that, Commander."

Adama glanced up and rubbed his chin. He needed to shave before he grew a beard. "Who is in here?"

The humming started again. Reeee-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUNDUNDEDUNDUN-DUN. A tall, blond, pale woman had appeared, wearing a red dress. "I am, Adama."

Adama reached for a panic button under his desk, but the stranger was there beside him suddenly. Her fingers, small as they may be, pushed his arm away. "What is going on? Are you one of those beings my son reported on Terra?"

"No, I am here to help you on Earth. Your problem is that the aliens you call Cylons would devastate Earth if they found it through you?"

"Yes?"

The stranger leaned in, her nose touching Adama's left ear. The drumming noise was getting louder. "That would be sad, Adama. We wouldn't want anything to happen to your precious upright mammals."

Adama turned to face the mysterious individual. Was it the drumming or was it something else that made his mouth dry? "Well, I, um, if you would please get to the point, young lady!"

"Oh, you're just as touchy as the other one. You are not the first descendants of Kobol to arrive here. We will give you help from the past."

Adama was about to ask another question when the humming and the drumming stopped. The woman was also gone.

Captain Apollo, Lieutenant Starbuck, and Lieutenant Sheba stepped onto Galactica's landing bay. Starbuck had flown the shuttle while Apollo and Sheba had to share a recon Viper fighter. Even Starbuck was eager to go away after listening to those two bickering about everything during the mission. What had the survey teams found anyway? The gravity was comparable to Caprica and the other former colonies, the animal life was as diverse as all of the former colonies combined, and there was less background radiation. All of the former colonies had a high amount of radioactivity, as though in the distant past someone had nuked them all.

The landing bay doors were facing the Sun of Earth. As they were closing, Starbuck looked back. His helmet blocked out the star's glare. "Hey, Apollo, Sheba, look over there!"

"Now, Starbuck," Sheba said, "we had enough of that from Boxey already."

Boxey, with the rest of the team, had been invited to join a trio of community officials on a small island next to the 20th largest island on Earth. While Apollo had drunk the housekeeper's tea, Sheba refused. The housekeeper was insistent Sheba drink the tea, so Sheba took the cup, left the house, threw the tea over the Earth land vehicle, and went back in. Boxey had been playing I-Spy with a dimwitted Earther while Starbuck had tried a drink called brandy with an unpleasant Earther.

"There is something coming out," said Dr Wilker, the fleet's lead electronics expert. "He's right!"

The bridge of Galactica was bathed in red light as Colonel Tigh ordered battle stations. Lieutenant Athena, the daughter of Commander Adama, had ordered the Viper crews to stand by for launch. Lieutenant Boomer, while a Viper pilot too, was one of the experts on communication, so Tigh had ordered him to stay with Lieutenant Omega as this unknown fleet came closer.

"There!" Tigh shouted. "What is that circle?"

"It looks like a gravity ring," said Athena. "Colonel, respectfully, I'm more interested in the larger ship."

This larger ship, dominating the fleet coming out of the sun, looked very familiar.

"I'm reading transmissions," said Omega.

"They're incoherent though," Boomer added.

"Stand down battlestations," Adama ordered as he entered the bridge. "Tigh, do not concern yourself. That fleet is a gift to us."

"How do you know, sir?"

"It's not waggling," Boomer said with a smile. When no one paid him any attention, he got back to watching the other fleet.

"I have a feeling this fleet is exactly what we need. I have reassurances. I..."

Tigh noticed that Adama was flicking something off his shoulder, then openly pushing something back. Was the Commander in the correct state of mind?

Around the star that Earth knew as Wolf 359, 10 Cylon Basestars hovered in the red light.

A Gold Command Centurion strode through the sliding doors of the command throne room.

Several metres above, the reptillian robot called the Imperious Leader turned around.

The shining machine looked up. "Scout Cadre Leader Milliard, by your command."

"Report, Centurion, on the results."

"We have located the fleet. It is orbiting a planet supporting carbon-based life around a yellow star."

"Prepare for the final assault. We launch in 3 centars."

"By your command."

After getting some sleep, Apollo, Starbuck, and Sheba were out again. This time, they were joined by the medical technician Cassiopea and the Cylon expert Baltar. While Cassie became a med-tech after giving up her previous, dubious job, Baltar was a Cylon expert who had gained his knowledge after helping them to wipe out the colonies. Adama had planned to dump him on a remote planet, but relented after Cassie found plans in the medical database for behaviour modification.

All of the ships in this other fleet had been battered, but the huge one had been bombed and blasted so much that it was amazing it was still usable. This ship had a similar layout to a colonial Battle Starship. There was a large, pointy central hull, with a larger section on either side that matched a Colonial landing bay.

The Vipers and shuttles had all had their Languatrons adjusted to an ancient version of Caprican under Adama's orders. "Apollo," said Starbuck, "I can see markings around that landing bay. I'm taking a look. Whoa!"

"What is it?" Apollo asked.

"It says Galactica!"

"Frack!"

"I'll say."

Listening to the conversation, Baltar again read the briefing Adama had written. It was easier than talking to Cassiopea.

"It's a bit unbelievable."

Reeee-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUNDUNDEDUNDUN-DUN

Baltar saw a young man dressed in a black suit wearing sunglasses. "What is this? Who are you?"

"You know who I am, traitor," Cassiopea said.

"Never mind her," said the stranger. "You may call me Gaius Baltar."

"I am Count Baltar!"

"No, you lost that title," said the med-tech.

"Ignore her, Gaius Baltar. How did you get on this ship?"

"I'm not really here. My colleague had already met your Adama. I have to say, your friend here is very... good at her job."

"She's not my friend, fool! Get to the point!"

"Oh, get a grip! You know what Cylons are, I take it?"

"Yes, they're sentient robots created to serve reptiles."

"The reptiles, yes. Well, the IL series is their work, but as for the Centurions... The galaxy is busier than it was in my day."

A Warrior came in, one of the pilots Starbuck and Apollo trained when the fleet reached Kobol. "What are you babbling on about, Doctor Baltar?"

Baltar looked at the stranger, but saw nothing. The weird drumming had stopped too. "I was remembering something about the Cylons, dear lady."

"Felgercarb," Cassiopea said. "Let's get on that ship. The sooner we're done, the faster I don't have to share oxygen with you."

"Yes, get ready to suit up," said the pilot. "We're coming in to land."

This other Galactica did not seem to have a rail trolley system to transport pilots to and from the flight decks. Nonetheless, the survey team was somehow able to get wherever it needed to go just by walking. They had arrived in the totally wrecked starboard landing bay. What was the first thing Starbuck saw?

"Cylon!" he shouted. He pulled out his laser pistol and almost fired until he saw that the Centurion was sealed in a glass case. Nearby, there was another case containing a Cylon Basestar.

"It's a museum," Apollo said. "Was this fleet also fleeing a Cylon attack?"

"There's buttons here," Starbuck said as he knelt down by the case. One of his fingers 'acccidentally' slipped on one.

"By your command," said the Centurion.

"Let's go," said Starbuck. He had recently come back in a Cylon Raider after being trapped on a planet on a few sectons. He had befriended a Centurion who was then killed when the other Cylons arrived.

Going in no particular direction, the team arrived in a large chamber full of monitors. On top, someone was strapped to a machine that was connected to the rest of the ship. "Cassie," Apollo said.

Cassie jumped up, with Lieutenant Deitra escorting her. "What's your name?" she asked the bald man.

"Processing. Error error error. Samuel Anders. Time conflict. Second centon. Year yahren. End of line."

"Are you Samuel Anders?"

The bald man closed his eyes. "Yes, I am Sam. Where am I? I thought we were going into the Sun. We gave up space tech."

"You survived the trip," Cassie explained. "Someone wanted you here."

"Messengers. I saw it. There's Six, Gaius, and Kara. Kara, Starbuck."

While Baltar was thinking about what he heard, Starbuck jumped up to the upper level. "You said something about me?"

"Starbuck, Starbuck."

"That'll be me," said a blond stranger dressed in what may have been a grey flight suit. "Captain Kara Thrace, call sign Starbuck, at your service."

"I hear no drumming," said Baltar. "If the great Captain Apollo doesn't mind, I will inspect the Centurion in the museum."

"Go ahead," said Apollo. "Sheba, assist him."

"Let's move," Sheba said to Baltar, her hand on her pistol.

Kara had got right up to Starbuck, gazing in his eyes. "I see a troublemaker, a drunk, a fool."

"That's right," Cassie said.

"What she said," Starbuck added.

"I'm the same. Ha! There's still some alcohol stashed here somewhere, a private supply of a dead Raptor pilot."

"Just a minute," Apollo began.

"Captain Apollo, hmm. I recommend you take a look at our database."

"Linkup established," said Adama on Galactica's bridge. "What do you plan to do?"

"We're on the bridge, or rather the CIC," Apollo explained. "Someone called Starbuck gave us a hand."

"I would expect nothing less."

"Not our Starbuck, another Starbuck."

"Another?" Adama shouted.

"Another. She's in the other Galactica's officer's club right now. They're having a drink."

"Two Starbucks," Adama whispered. "Felgercarb."

"Two Starbucks?" Tigh asked. "Is there another Tigh?"

"I've found an index of the command crew," Apollo explained. "Battlestar Galactica's commanding officer is Admiral William Adama."

"Admiral," said Adama. "Hmm."

"He got promoted. Executive officer, Colonel Saul Tigh."

"Should I, he have got promoted to Commander?"

"Apparently not. There's something classified about him I haven't accessed yet. Commander Air Group, Kara Thrace, call sign Starbuck."

"Things must be desperate."

"Definitely. Landing Signals Officer, reinstated, Aaron Kelly."

"I don't know anyone by that name."

"Nor me. Temporarily reinstated, Major Lee Adama, callsign Apollo."

"What happened to him?"

"He joined the Quorum of Twelve and became president. Landing Deck chief, Chief Petty Officer Galen Tyrol."

Eventually, Apollo read through the list and Adama clarified if there was a match. "Is there anyone else?"

"Hold on, I'll pick a name from the Quorum of Twelve list. Ah, Tom Zarek. Fracking felgercarb!"

"What's wrong, Captain? Apollo!"

Cassie rushed away from Anders down to Apollo. He was staring at the screen, not moving. When Cassie reached him, she saw why. "He's aged well," she giggled.

"Everyone else looks different. Our Tigh and this Tigh look nothing alike. Their Apollo looks boringly handsome. This Zarek though..."

"Commander Adama, this is Cassie. Tom Zarek looks like Apollo. He's a convicted terrorist who was elected to the Quorum and then kill them all."

Apollo remembered when the Quorum tried to end the emergency and establish civilian control. One of them, Tinia, had started interfering with Galactica's operations. Apollo had glared at her, thinking about how to respond. It looked like Zarek had carried out Apollo's fantasy.

"I think it's time to stop looking us up," Adama said. "Start researching Cylons."

"And that was when I started him up! I called him Cy. Can you imagine a Colonial Warrior being friends with a Cylon?"

"Hey, all of us became friends with Cylons in the end. Mind you, I once patched up a whole Raider!"

"It's a ship, it shouldn't be too hard?"

"Not when I was around. Those Raiders were trained animals. I was pulling its brain, an actual fracking brain with goo and blood vessels!"

While more survey teams had arrived on the other Galactica, Cassie had taken the chance to go to the alleged pilot's lounge. When she got there, she almost wanted to leave again. Sheba, having just checked the port flight pod, found the med-tech slumped outside the door.

"He's doing it again," Cassie explained. "Athena, me, Aurora, that woman on the medieval planet, and now himself."

"What do you mean?" Sheba looked through the door. "Yes, I see. Starbuck and Starbuck. I wonder what a male Sheba would be like."

"Apollo to Sheba," called the ships announcement system. "Sheba, please pick up the phone."

Sheba frowned and reached towards a black handset in the wall. "Hello?"

"What's happening down there?"

"Kara was telling Starbuck about how she punched Colonel Tigh."

"Oh? Colonel Tigh and Commander Adama have just joined us. Yes, both of them are here."

"Then who's commanding the ship?"

"Boomer and Athena, Lords of Kobol help us."

"Hi Colonel!" Starbuck shouted at the door of the mess hall. Somehow, Cassie and Sheba had not noticed Colonel Tigh arrive.

"Tigh is there right now?" Apollo asked, whispering down the phone.

"Yes?"

"Do not react to what I say. I have reason to believe that Tigh is a Cylon sleeper agent, him and Boomer. Keep an eye on him. Apollo out."

"How's Ellen," Kara asked Tigh.

"Who's Ellen?" Starbuck asked them both.

"I don't want to talk about her," said Tigh.

Walking though the bright corridors, Adama's old age was starting to get to him. Both Galacticas were huge, but he didn't have to walk everywhere on this one. Nor did he usually have to avoid embarrassing moments with his survey team. "What is embarrassing about me?" asked the blond stranger.

Adama kept quiet and kept walking to the CIC.

Adama flew backwards as the stranger shoved him against the wall. The other Warriors rushed to help him up, but every time they reached him he went further back. "Don't toy with me, Adama. I'll rip out your heart."

"You're not my type," Adama replied.

"Sir?" asked Flight Sergeant Jolly, a rather large pilot.

"This, um, ship is tiresome," Adama said. He patted the bulkhead. "I wouldn't want to spend a week here."

"Yet the Admiral spent four years," the stranger said, "so perhaps that's why he's an admiral and you're not. Has Apollo finished his Cylon research yet?"

Adama remembered what happened on the bridge. Apollo was having trouble accessing a folder called The Final Five. The stranger whispered, "Joker to the Thief," over and over until Adama blurted it out loud. Apollo typed in those words and got through.

"Has he told you about Number 6 yet?"

"One of the Humanoid Cylons? No, I don't think so."

"Oh, you'll love her."

"There's Humanoid Cylons?" Jolly asked. "Do you mean Andromus?"

"No, Flight, these ones are perfect..."

Adama collapsed. He was groaning as he rubbed his leg. When he opened his eyes, he saw the stranger kneeling down in front of him. "You can't walk further? Dear, oh dear. I am sorry." She leaned in, kissing him softly. Adama forgot about the others as his resistance fell away and he returned the kiss. Unable to hear the comments of his crew, he continued for many microns. "Now get up," said the stranger.

"Jolly, Bojay," Adama began before the stranger gripped his chest. He gasped as his imaginary friend pulled him up and turned him around towards the CIC door.

"Forward march," the stranger whispered as she pushed Adama forward.