A Twist in Time: "The Lost Planet of the Gods"

A 30 Worlds: Royal Megaforce Gaiden Vignette

by William "Blissey" Raymer

Based on the NBCUniversal Television Distribution television series

Battlestar Galactica (1978)

Created by Glen A. Larson

Based on the Battlestar Galactica (1978) episode

"The Lost Planet of the Gods, Part II"

Written by Glen A. Larson and Donald P. Bellisario

"There are those who believe that life here began out there, far across the universe, with tribes of humans who may have been the forefathers of the Egyptians, or the Toltecs, or the Mayans...Some believe that there may yet be brothers of man who even now fight to survive far, far away, amongst the stars."

-Unknown

Unaligned World of Battlestar Galactica 1978

Planet Kobol

Inside the Tomb of the Ninth Lord of Kobol

The new Cylons and their unknown escort fired at Serina, Commander Adama and Serina's husband, Captain Apollo. Serina took a shot with her weapon, which caused a visible but not debilitating gash in the Cylon's metal skin.

Serina fired again. This time, the Cylon fell to the ground. "One more Cylon warrior..." Serina started to say. Unbeknownst to anyone in the tomb, the Cylon was using the last of its energy to raise its weapon for one last attack, aiming at Serina's back.

The quiet of the tomb was shattered by a wheezing and whirring sound. Apollo and Adama turned to see a mysterious object resolve from out of thin air and absorb the laser fire from the Cylon's weapon. The Cylon collapsed, the last of its energy expended.

Serina turned around and saw Apollo run up to her. "Serina, are you all right?" Apollo asked. "That Cylon-" Apollo gestured to the dead Cylon on the floor of the tomb. "-was about to shoot you, but that...whatever that is..." Apollo gestured to the mysterious object. "...took the shot."

Adama put a hand on Apollo's shoulder. "Son, Serina, we have to get back to the Galactica, The basestar will be here any micron," Adama said. "Of course, Father," Apollo said.

But before Adama, Apollo and Serina could exit the tomb, there was a creaking sound. A door on the mysterious object opened, revealing a young, fair-skinned and fair-haired...human.

"Are you the owner of this object?" Apollo said. "I am," the human said. "We shall truly meet soon, Apollo, son of Adama. For now, please enjoy the time you have with Serina and Boxey. Your lives will soon change...in ways you will or can never imagine."

The human began to reenter the mysterious object, but Adama held up his hand. "Hold, good Sire," he said. The young human stopped closing the door and poked his head back into the view of Adama, Apollo and Serina. "Are you of the Thirteenth Tribe?" Adama asked.

"You shall soon see," the human said before closing the door. The mysterious object began to fade from view, with the same wheezing and whirring that heralded its appearance now doing the same for its departure.

As soon as the mysterious object had completely disappeared from view, Adama, Apollo and Serina exited the tomb. While Serina got in her Viper starfighter, Apollo turned to Adama. "Father, if that person is from the Thirteenth Tribe, will he be able to guide us to Earth?" he asked.

"As the young human said, my son, we shall soon see," Adama said. As Adama got secured in the co-pilot's seat of Apollo's Viper, Apollo stood for a moment and thought about the young human's words. Finally deciding that he would only be wasting time speculating about the human's words, he simply decided to get in the pilot's seat and take off.

A few centars* later, back aboard the Battlestar Galactica, Adama was recording a journal entry about what had transpired in the Ninth Lord's tomb when he heard a knock on the door of his cabin. "Enter," Adama said.

The door opened, revealing Adama's long-time friend and executive officer, Colonel Tigh. "I heard from Apollo and Serina about what had happened down in the tomb of the Ninth Lord," Tigh said as Adama gestured for Tigh to sit in a chair.

"Did this human really appear from thin air like they described?" Tigh asked. "Indeed, old friend," Adama said. "He said that we will truly meet sometime soon."

"Adama, do you believe this human you three met in the Ninth Lord's tomb is from the Thirteentth Tribe?" Tigh asked.

"There is no use for speculation at this time, Tigh," Adama said. "All we can really do now is to proceed with the exodus until we either find Earth or we meet this human again."

Adama turned to look out of the viewports for a moment then turned back towards Tigh. "Any word from Life Station about our male Warriors?" Adama asked.

"That's the good news," Tigh said. "Dr. Salik says that, somehow, all of our Warriors should be back on duty within the secton."

"Good," Adama said. "We need our best pilots back in their cockpits as soon as possible. Until then, however, we must have our female Warriors continue to serve."

Tigh stood and prepared to leave Adama's cabin. But before he could leave, Tigh turned to look at Adama. "Did you find anything in the Ninth Lord's tomb that could point the way to Earth?" he asked.

Thinking again about the mysterious human in the equally mysterious box, Adama shook his head. "I do not know yet," he said. "All we can do right now is wait."

Tigh smiled at his commanding officer and old friend before exiting Adama's cabin.

"Fleeing from the Cylon tyranny, the last Battlestar, Galactica, leads a ragtag, fugitive fleet, on a lonely quest—for a shining planet known as Earth."

To be continued in Book Two of

30 Worlds: Royal Megaforce, Episode FINAL:

"Masters of the Ultimate Power"

*=Hours.-Ed.