Chapter 7

Colonel Steve Austin drove the jeep with Apollo and Starbuck back to Station 51. They disembarked and made their way into the building. Steve called as he led the two alien pilots.

"Sam!" he made his way to the back of the engine bay. His eyes settled on Sam sitting at the computer with a young man going over the program. He greeted, "New here?" he asked the stranger.

Sam introduced. "Colonel Austin. Meet Dr. Sam Beckett. I read a lot of white papers he wrote during my research for my engine. Dr. Beckett, meet Colonel Austin. I call him the bionic man."

Dr. Beckett rose to his feet and offered a handshake. "Nice to meet you, Colonel."

"Pleasure is mine." he realized that Dr. Beckett had not written those reports yet but Sam was tapping into his talent nonetheless. He spoke to Sam DeSoto. "We have a big problem. We need to contact the Galactica. The civilian fleet cannot come here yet."

"What's the problem?" she wounded.

Apollo stated. "We found a Cylon scout ship. We followed it to the red planet you call 'Mars'. There must be a base or outpost there."

Her shoulder slunk. "So, they already found us."

Steve nodded. "I think so. Wormhole is stable?"

She nodded. "It's open."

"Good." he looked to Apollo and Starbuck as he debated what the next move would be.

Starbuck stated. "We still have our Vipers here and the Galactica is short on working Vipers."

Steve told him. "You two need to stay here. If there is an attack, we only have three Vipers to defend Earth. Our jet fighters cannot do what those Vipers can do. They cannot go into space."

Sam picked up the portable radio. She pressed the talk button. "Sam to Adama."

Over her radio the Commander's voice replied. "This is Adama."

"Colonel Austin and his crew found a Cylon outpost or base on Mars. A neighboring planet. They must know this is Earth. Heck, they probably already made contact with my Government. Sending the civilian ships ahead of the Galactica will make them sitting ducks. The Cylons will see them." she radioed the situation.

After a slight pause he replied. "I see. Is Apollo there?"

"He's right here." she replied and then handed the radio to him.

"I'm here, Father." he spoke into the device.

Adama replied. "This is puzzling. If the Cylons have already found earth then why have they not attacked?"

"I don't know, Father." he reported.

Steve suggested. "They could have infiltrated our government."

"Steve suggest they may have infiltrated the government here." he radioed.

Sam sighed. "We're so screwed."

Adama's voice came over the radio. "We must find out if the governments have been compromised."

Steve replied. "I got contacts. I can investigate further. Apollo and Starbuck need to stay here with access to their Vipers. I have a friend who can help. He owns a business and needs pilots. He can give them jobs and a cover and keep the Vipers hidden. The station can use the wormhole to send you supplies and we have a secured communications link."

Adama agreed. "Yes, keep Apollo and Starbuck there. If need be, we can attempt to disengage the wormhole by shutting down the engines. And then the Galactica can attempt a jump to Earth to defend against any attack."

Steve replied over the radio. "Hopefully, it won't come to that, Commander. Just give us some time to smoke out the Cylons. We can use the wormhole to keep sending you and the civilians supplies."

Adama agreed. "We will sit tight."

Steve replied. "Roger that, Commander." He handed the radio back to Sam.

Adama's voice came over the radio once more. "Roger?"

"Little Earth radio slang." Sam replied over the transceiver. "I'll check back in with you guys tonight for engine conditions."

"Received." Adama confirmed.

Sam placed the radio down and looked at Dr. Beckett. "I guess we got our job cut out for us."

"I will help anyway I can." he promised.

"Be my boyfriend." she smirked.

He gulped. "Um…"

"Just fake it." she stated. "There is this high school kid who has a thing for me. Greg. He's a sweet kid. Just, I don't need that. So, when he comes to the station for his explorer's meeting. Tell him you are my boyfriend so he will leave me alone."

He chuckled. "I got it."

Starbuck gave a half grin. "I could be your boyfriend." He found Sam attractive as well.

Apollo rolled his eyes as Starbuck had a reputation of being a ladies' man.

She smirked. "You're cute and all but…" she shook her head. "You're too much of a flirt."

Roy and Johnny soon entered the back of the engine bay. They made their way over to see what the latest news was.

Roy called. "You're back already, Colonel?"

Steve gave a quick debriefing. "We landed the Vipers on Earth. Cylons have outpost or a hidden base on Mars. Apollo and Starbuck are going to stay here with the Vipers in case we need a bit more air defense. We will be working for my friend Dom at Santini Air. Our cover will be stunt pilots for movies and the Vipers will be props."

"So, you are leaving us?" Johnny asked rather disappointed. The men loved Steve and his abilities were a plus.

"Afraid so." he told them. "But, we will be in touch." he promised.

Roy stated. "I'm glad we got a chance to work with you, Steve. You are one of the best fireman we ever had." He offered a handshake.

He shook his hand. "You and Johnny are both some of the best friends I ever had. Thank you for letting me be a fireman and part of the brotherhood. It's been a honor for me." He then shook Johnny's hand as well.

"Anytime you want to come back, just ask." Johnny stated.

"We will still be working together. Just on different missions. Galactica still needs supplies and you two are our best bet at getting those supplies."

Roy stated. "I didn't tell my wife about the Galactica. Just laid out a generic situation for a food drive. She suggested we use the fire hall to gather canned goods for the needy."

Steve stated. "That's a good idea. The fleet and the Galactica can't move right now. They can use whatever we can send them."

Starbuck agreed. "Canned food drive would work. Though, we do have some hydroponics gardens, fresh food is always welcomed. And that pizza we had would be a real treat for the other Viper pilots on the Galactica."

Steve smiled. "The good news is Dom will pay you and Apollo both and you will have money so you can buy things, like pizza and send it through the wormhole directly to the Galactica."

"Dom seems like a nice guy." Starbuck added.

Sam asked, "Does he know about all this?"

Steve stated. "I will debrief him on what he needs to know." He then pondered, "He might even let you put the engine in a hangar. It would be out of the way of the fire department."

Roy shook his head. "No! I want that engine and Sam where I can watch them both. They stay here."

"I understand." Steve agreed.

Few Days Later

Roy and Johnny hung the food drive sign up on the outside of the fire station. The Galactica and the fleet needed food, lots of food. With the banner on display the two men stepped back to look upon the hand painted sign. It was large, stretched six feet across on white canvas. "Food Drive" was painted in bold red letters.

A familiar station wagon pulled into the parking lot. From the car emerged Greg Brady and his adopted mother along with all six kids. They went to the back of the car and gathered six paper bags of food.

Mrs. Brady led the clan up to the door. She smiled brightly. "Greg told is about the food drive. So, we went through our whole neighborhood and gathered up six bags of canned food."

Johnny grinned. "Thank you, Mrs. Brady." He opened the door. "Just put it inside by the fire engine."

She led the kids into the station with the food.

As Greg passed Roy he asked. "Is Sam here?"

"I'll get her." he replied amused. After the kids walked by he entered the station and went to the back where his granddaughter worked on the engine. "Hey Sam. The Brady bunch came with six bags of food."

She looked up from her work. "That's great." She then paused. "Greg too?"

"Your pest came too." he laughed.

She stood up from her chair, stretched slightly and walked towards the far side of the bay where Johnny led the family.

The bags of food were placed against the wall.

Johnny stated. "That's good here. We got a place to send it later today."

Mrs. Brady cheered. "We are more than happy to help."

Greg spied Sam. His teenage eyes lit up. "Hi Sam."

She remained cordial. "Hi Greg. It's good to see you again."

"It real good to see you too." he told her hopeful for her affection.

The smallest girl, Cindy asked. "Where is all the food going?"

Sam stated frankly. "To a space ship stranded in space."

The girl stood stunned. "It is?!"

Carol Brady laughed. "No honey. Sam was just teasing you. It's going to help the needy."

Sam added, "A bunch of aliens stranded in space."

Little Cindy asked wide eyed. "Can I meet them? Do they have any kids?"

"They do have kids." Sam confirmed.

Roy covered. "Sam is just joking, Cindy. It's going to help the needy." he assured.

Little Bobby Brady asked. "Can we get a tour of the fire engines?" his arm was still in a cast from his fall out of the tree.

Roy couldn't resist a tour for kids. "Sure Bobby!" He started. "This is our fire engine." he began. "It's also a pumper and the hoses are in the back." He then helped the boy up onto the driver's seat. "Neat, huh?"

He was in all his glory. "I want to be a fireman when I grow up." he declared.

Little Cindy asked. "Can I sit up there too?"

"You sure can." Johnny told her and helped her up to the cab. Cindy stated. "Can girls drive fire trucks too?"

"Sure can." Johnny told her. "You can be a fireman when you grow up if you want."

Cindy paused as she wondered what she would be when she grew up. She assumed she would grow up and be like her mom.

The middle girl, Jan Brady wondered. "Girls can be scientist. Maybe I could go to the moon and work in space." She stood by the fire truck looking it over.

Sam heard the remark. "Or maybe Mars. Might have a to fight off a few Clyons though."

The middle boy, Peter Brady asked. "What's a Cylon?"

She stated. "I have yet to see one but I heard they are killer machines, like robots."

Carol thought Sam was making up stories to entertain the kids. She laughed and shook her head.

Peter imagined the machines. "Killer robots from outer space. That sounds so cool."

The oldest girl, Marcia rolled her eyes. "No it doesn't."

Greg stood back and let his brothers and sisters get a better look at the fire engine. He stepped to the back of the engine bay and noticed the desk with the computer and the strange contraption on the table. He knew Sam spent a lot of time in the back of the engine bay but he didn't know why. He came closer to the area to examine it. No one noticed he had stepped to the back of the engine bay as they were focused on the fire engine.

Soon Greg stepped over the line marked on the floor and was no longer in the fire station. He didn't know where he was. He gasped. "Oh wow!"

He heard a voice called out. "Hey you! Did Sam send you?"

Greg's eyes settled on a black man in a brown uniform. He stated. "I'm Greg Brady."

"Did Sam send you? I never got a transmission." Boomer stated.

"I was just looking and then…I'm here. Where am I?" Greg asked.

Boomer let out a deep sigh. "You were just looking. They didn't send you?"

"Send me where?" he asked.

"This the Galactica." he told him. He picked up a radio. "Boomer to Sam." he radioed.

Roy heard the transmission as Sam was delighted in entertaining Cindy and Jan. He picked up the portable. "This is Roy. Everything okay, Boomer?"

"A kid named Greg Brady just stepped through the wormhole." he reported.

Roy winced. "Oh boy. Send him back."

"Will do." Boomer agreed.

Roy waited as Greg then seamlessly returned through the wormhole. The boy stood shocked.

"What just happened?" he asked.

Roy told him. "You just went through a wormhole and onto a spaceship. They sent you back. You cannot tell anyone what just happened to you. This is above top secret. Can you keep this between us, Greg?"

He asked. "Can I go back and see the spaceship?"

Roy gave him a displeased look. "No."

"You mean…" he paused for a moment in thought. "This food drive really is for a stranded spaceship? Real aliens?"

"Yes." he nodded. "You cannot tell anyone."

"I won't tell anyone." Greg promised. "But you have to let me be in on this."

"What?" Roy gasped.

"I want in." he told him.

"I'll have to speak to Sam first." he informed.