Chapter 3

Sam stood face to face with Roy in the rear of the engine bay. She told him outright. "I don't think you should go to the Galactica with me and Uncle Johnny."

"Why not?" he asked.

"If we lose the wormhole then you won't come back to dad and grandma." she warned. "You should stay. Besides, I need someone to man the computers and engine here."

"Chet can do that." he countered. He did not like the idea of his granddaughter going through a wormhole and into some unknown region of space without backup.

"He can but…I would rather you watched the engine." she insisted.

He demanded. "I would rather you didn't go."

"Me too." she had to agree. "Not sure what we will find but Colonel Austin thinks I should and he's our expert."

"You are our expert." he shook his head. "Steve doesn't know how to build a warp drive engine. He only knows how to fly a rocket."

"I don't know how to fly a rocket." she reminded him. "I never been to the moon. Steve has! He's our expert." she reasoned.

He dug in his heels. "If you are going than so am I. Old me would go and you would not stop him. I know you would not."

"Old you doesn't have a family." she reminded him.

He countered. "Every time I go on a call, I risk life and limb. This is no different." He paused. "Well, going to a spaceship is different but you know what I mean. Every call is a risk. Even knowing what the call is and recalling it from that imprint, it's still a risk." He placed his hands on her shoulders. "Together, we can do this. We're DeSotos. We don't run from danger. We run to it."

"I know." she nodded. "I guess you should come too." she changed her mind. She had to chuckle. "This is going to be a hell of a call. Rescuing a…rag tag group of aliens running from some Terminator-Cylons who want them all dead. Just hope we don't lead those Clyons things here."

"We won't." Roy insisted. "Maybe you can use the wormhole to triangulate where the ship is and help them find Earth without the Terminators getting hot on their tail."

"Maybe we can." she pondered. "Depends on what kind of sensors the ship has. It's a spaceship. I imagine it's pretty high tech." her mind conjured up. "I bet they got holographic screens and deep space arrays and artificial gravity and energy weapons. We know they have energy weapons. The pistols that Starbuck and Apollo shoot plasma bolts."

"That demo was impressive last night." he had to agree. "Even impressed Steve."

"True." she nodded. "Can you imagine the how far ahead of us they must be."

"I think you can imagine it better than I can." he assured.

Soon, Steve led Johnny and the two visitors to the back of the engine bay. So far, very few authorities were aware of the current situation and Steve wanted to keep it that way.

Apollo and Starbuck had changed back into the Galactica uniforms. Steve, Johnny, Roy and Sam all wore the fireman's uniform as they found it gave a image of authority for the meeting with Commander Adama.

First contact would be initiated by a couple of fireman and that was fine with Steve as it was less threatening and yet, still commanding attention. It was most ironic. He always imagined first contact would be military in nature. But in this case, the military belonged to the aliens.

"Ready?" he asked his friends.

Roy and Johnny traded glances for none were truly ready. Roy gave a firm nod. "I think we are ready."

Johnny asked. "Should we bring anything? Turnout gear, first aid kit?" he wondered.

"Radios." Roy held up his portable.

Sam grasped her laptop. "I'm bringing my computer."

Steve stated. "Once we find out what Adama needs, we can use the wormhole to send him supplies. Like we used the wormhole from the future to send the coffee maker and microwave."

"My father would greatly appreciate any help we can get." Apollo assured. "We are scrounging for medication and food."

Roy assured. "We will get you those supplies."

Captain Stanley entered the rear of the bay with Chet in tow. He spoke to his men. "I'm not fond of this idea to be honest. I expect to have my men back in less than 24 hours." he told the pair from the ship.

Steve assured. "We will be back in twenty four hours."

"Hope so. Because if I lose my two paramedics to some wormhole, I'm handing that damn engine over to the government." he warned.

Sam begged. "Please not them. Find some private investors."

Steve had to agree. "Hand it over to Charlie Townsend. He can keep it safe."

"That will work." Sam agreed.

The Chief agreed. "Alright. I won't have it over to the feds…just yet." he warned.

Chet assured. "I will watch the engine, Sam. I won't let anything happen to it."

She gratefully gave him a hug. "Thank you, Chet." She released him, grasped her laptop and looked at the two Viper pilots. "Lead the way." she motioned.

Apollo asked. "If we step over that blue line, the wormhole brings us back to the Galactica?"

She nodded. "Just step over the line."

He took a deep breath and stated. "Here it goes." He stepped over the line and disappeared into the invisible wormhole.

Starbuck noted. "Talk about a leap of faith. Hope that wormhole is still on the Galactica." He stepped over the line and disappeared.

For a moment Sam though about shutting down the engine in effort to shut down the wormhole and then never open it again. They would be rid of the alien humans and safe from a Cylon invasion.

Roy asked. "What are you thinking?" he knew the look.

"If we shut it all down now we won't lead those Cylon things here and end this who first contact thing." she reminded him.

He asked. "And leave fifty thousand people stranded?"

She rationalized. "They can find another planet. What do we do with fifty thousand aliens anyways?"

Johnny smirked. "In your time you are dealing with more aliens."

"I know." she sighed. She asked the pair. "You two really want to do this?"

"I am curious as to what the ship looks like." Roy confessed.

Johnny added. "I bet they got cute alien girls there too."

Steve cautioned. "No one is being forced to go. If you changed your mind, Sam. You can stay."

She decided she was not going to cower in fear. "No! It's my engine. I'm responsible for this." She took a deep breath and then stepped forward over the line taped on the floor and into the wormhole.

Roy didn't hesitate. He stepped over the line next followed by Johnny. Steve entered last leaving Chet and the Chief to guard the engine.

Galactica

Steve emerged last onto the ship. He found they were near some kind of engine room. The area was very industrial in appearance with large panels filled with gauges lining the octagon shaped room. The room itself was painted tan with brown floors and a bright white lights in the ceiling. Standing in the room to greet them was Apollo, Starbuck and a black man wearing the same uniform.

Starbuck stated. "Glad everyone made it. This is my friend and fellow Viper pilot, Boomer." he introduced. "Boomer! Meet our new friends: Sam, Roy, Johnny and Steve. They are from Earth."

Roy offered a handshake. "Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you." he shook his hand.

Johnny offered his hand as well. "Pleasure to meet you."

"Pleasure to meet you." Boomer stated.

Sam asked. "Do any of you have real names?"

He paused. "Excuse me?"

"Is Boomer your call sign?" she asked. She looked at Apollo and Starbuck. "You guys have call signs?"

Apollo stated. "We have color coded squadrons."

Sam remarked. "You are named after a Greek god, he's named after a Moby Dick character and a coffee chain." she then asked, "Boomer? Like boom?"

"It means guard." Boomer told her.

"It does?" she looked at her friends.

Steve told her. "Dutch. Means guard."

"I'll be." she pondered.

Roy smirked. "So, the next time your generation calls my generation a bunch of old boomers you will know better."

"Okay." she nodded. "My apologies." she stated to Boomer. "It's just that we use surnames." She then confessed. "I thought his name was Apollo Adama."

Apollo squinted. "What? I'm Apollo, son of Adama."

She shrugged.

Steve injected. "We use last names from the father. That's why Sam's last name is the same as Roy's. His name was passed down to his son, who is Sam's father." He then added. "On Earth your name would be Apollo Adama."

Sam beamed as Steve agreed.

"Huh." he stood baffled.

Steve asked. "Can Sam and I take a look at your engine?"

"My father would want to meet you before giving you permission to do that." he stated. "This way." he motioned for the group to follow.

Sam walked behind Steve and beside Roy. She mentioned. "The control room back there looked like something out of the seventies."

"Not the digital displays you are use to." he agreed.

"I noticed." she sounded rather disappointed.

Apollo led them to an elevator. They soon found themselves riding up many levels until finally arriving just outside the bridge. He led the group off the lift and through the door.

The bridge also sported a brown interior and bright lighting. Crew members were seated at different stations throughout the oval shaped large room. Standing near the engineers station was a tall man with white hair wearing a blue uniform. He had a stern jaw and his eyes seemed rather relieved to see his son once more. He looked upon the new faces.

Apollo stepped forward. "These are our new friends from Earth, Father. Steve Austin, Roy DeSoto, Johnny Gage and Sam DeSoto. The girl is the one behind the wormhole. She is the granddaughter of Roy DeSoto."

The Commander looked upon her. He asked. "You created that wormhole that has attached itself to our engine room?"

She nodded. "I guess I did. It was an accident."

"Can you detach it?" he asked. "The Galactica cannot jump into warp with a wormhole attached to her hull. It will tear us apart of we did."

"Um…" she puckered in thought. "I would have to shut my engine down and your engine down at the same time to ensure it's dislodged. I don't know if the wormhole itself will close or not. This is all kind of new for me."

Apollo stated. "The wormhole goes directly to Earth, Father. We can send every single man, woman and child through the wormhole to Earth."

"And abandon the fleet?" Adama gasped.

"The Galactica cannot jump with a wormhole attached. We can't move with the fleet." he countered. "We send everyone to Earth through the wormhole and set the self destruct." he suggested.

"How do we know this planet really is Earth?" he challenged.

"I'm sure it is." Apollo stated.

"I second that." Starbuck added. "And if it's not. It's closest thing we'll ever find."

Johnny stated. "I'm pretty sure its Earth. We call it earth."

"They even call it Earth." Starbuck insisted.

Adama asked. "Is this wormhole stable enough to send everyone to Earth?" He looked directly at Sam.

She shrugged. "Damn if I know. It's been rogue since it started."

Apollo pleaded. "Let's at least send the children while we got a chance. They will be taken care of on Earth."

"Are you sure about that?" Adama questioned.

Roy insisted. "We won't turn our backs on kids. Even kids from another planet."

Adama looked at Apollo. "Would you send Boxy?"

He stated. "In a heartbeat."

"Hmm." he pondered.

Sam asked. "Who is Boxy?"

"My little boy." he told her. "I lost his mother. My wife."

"I didn't know you had a kid." she stated.

Roy asked. "Would you come with him, Apollo?"

"I can't until everyone is safe." he stated.

"He can stay with my family." Roy offered.

"There goes the timeline." Sam winced.

Adama stated. "Before I send my only grandchild through a unstable wormhole. I would want to see this place for myself."

Sam repeated. "There goes the timeline."