{"id":29,"date":"2015-06-29T12:51:22","date_gmt":"2015-06-29T12:51:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/?p=29"},"modified":"2015-06-29T13:28:24","modified_gmt":"2015-06-29T13:28:24","slug":"voyage-to-earth-surprise-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/?p=29","title":{"rendered":"Voyage to Earth: Surprise Part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

Voyage to Earth<\/span><\/h2>\n

by AJ Marks<\/span><\/p>\n

Surprise Part 1<\/span><\/p>\n

The low rumble of the Galactica\u2019s engines provided a background noise the crew had long grown accustomed to, even on the hangar. The viper crews worked efficiently at preparing two vipers for launch, going over each checklist twice. Maintaining the vipers were critical in the flight of the human race. Fueling tubes were detached and closed making sure none of the precious fuel spilled, either in the hangar or in space. In a few minutes the vipers would launch out on another patrol. The vipers themselves were in constant maintenance, keeping each one performing flawlessly. If the Cylons showed up and the vipers were not operational, the fleet would be in trouble.<\/p>\n

On the bridge of the Galactica, Commander Adama stood watching the preparations for the viper patrol. The patrols were considered critical for the fleet, as their long range abilities allowed him to increase his scanning range for any planets which might have important supplies the fleet might need. They conserved as much as possible, including food, water and fuel. The three most important supplies they needed on their flight from Cylon space.<\/p>\n

So far they had been fortunate since their last encounter with a basestar. With Baltar\u2019s help they had destroyed it, and over the past yahren no other Cylons had been encountered. However, the fleet had slowed down slightly due to several ships needing repairs. Another problem for Adama, keeping the older ships never designed for such trips running. He had two such ships which were failing constantly and engineers told him next time they might not be able to repair the ships.<\/p>\n

\u201cPatrol alpha to core command, requesting permission to launch,\u201d the voice of Apollo said. Adama watched his daughter answer.<\/p>\n

\u201cCore command, switching control over to patrol alpha, launch when ready,\u201d Athena replied.<\/p>\n

Adama turned to the screens, watching the vipers shoot out of the launch tube. They were to patrol in front of the fleet to make sure no Cylons were waiting in ambush. Despite the prevailing thought the Cylons would show up from behind, Adama would take no chances. The last basestar had appeared in front of him, not behind him. He would not make the same mistake twice.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, let\u2019s hope they find nothing,\u201d Tigh said to Adama. \u201cThough, I don\u2019t know if its just me, or what, but when those two go out on patrol together it seems trouble finds them, no offense commander.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNone taken Tigh,\u201d Adama replied, sighing. \u201cYou\u2019re right, they do attract trouble. Perhaps we should split them up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think that would work either, even separate they have gotten other pilots in trouble,\u201d Tigh responded. \u201cIf we keep them together we only have to worry about one patrol, instead of two.\u201d<\/p>\n

Both men laughed at that comment. Adama knew that neither Apollo nor Starbuck went searching for trouble, but it seemed to happen.<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess we could keep them on board,\u201d Adama said.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, then we\u2019ll need to contend with their antics, let them get out,\u201d Tigh replied. Adama remained quiet for several seconds before replying.<\/p>\n

\u201cRemember doing your patrols for Cylons?\u201d Adama finally asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome days it\u2019s like it was yesterday, and other days I can\u2019t even remember flying,\u201d Tigh answered.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, our fighters weren\u2019t as advanced, but neither were the Cylons,\u201d Adama replied. He had a lot of battles over the years. \u201cSomehow we managed to lose.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey haven\u2019t beaten us yet commander,\u201d Tigh said.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne battlestar isn\u2019t enough to protect the fleet,\u201d Adama said. \u201cI sometimes wish Cain had survived with the Pegasus. It would allow us some flexibility.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes it would, and you would have to put up with his attitude and ego,\u201d Tigh said, as they both recalled the clash between the two of them. Cain was a man always on the offensive, which is why he won more than lost.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe did raise morale, even if we clashed,\u201d Adama said.<\/p>\n

\u201cClashed?\u201d Tigh said, his voice sarcastic. \u201cHow about all out war.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay, it was that,\u201d Adama replied. \u201cStill, what I wouldn\u2019t give to have the Pegasus here right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat I\u2019ll agree with,\u201d Tigh replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cCommander! We have an incoming ship, high speed,\u201d Athena said suddenly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d Adama said, rushing down to the scanner to look for himself. He watched the rate as it approached knowing that neither the Colonials nor the Cylons had anything that fast.<\/p>\n

\u201cRed alert,\u201d Adama said, even as the unknown craft entered the fleet and stopped. It then seemed to go from one ship to another before stopping at the Galactica. A large beam went thought the ship before the computers went haywire for a split second.<\/p>\n

\u201cSir?\u201d Rigel said, confused about the situation.<\/p>\n

Adama knew his pilots were not in position to even do anything, most were still racing to battlestations.<\/p>\n

\u201cSir, we have a firing solution on it,\u201d Tigh said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHold,\u201d Adama said, unsure if he wanted to open fire. Before he could speak again, it took off headed back away from the fleet.<\/p>\n

Adama took one more glance out the window, not sure what happened. It had been in and out of the fleet in very little time.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s gone,\u201d Athena said.<\/p>\n

Adama we left confused, and wondered who was out there. Whoever they were, they had a highly advanced technology. The question now, were they friendly or not.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cStarbuck,\u201d Apollo said, waiting a bit until his friend answered.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s up?\u201d Starbuck replied, glancing over at Apollo\u2019s viper unsure about what his friend had in min<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you going to ask?\u201d Apollo said. It took a second before Starbuck realized what his friend was talking about and groaned.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019m not sure about it, what if she says no?\u201d Starbuck said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe all know Cassie is in love with you, I don\u2019t think she\u2019ll say no,\u201d Apollo replied back. Starbuck remained quiet for several seconds before Apollo spoke up again. \u201cYou\u2019re still afraid of commitment.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I don\u2019t know about that,\u201d Starbuck replied, unable to say yes or no to that question. \u201cWere you this way when you asked Serina?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t remember me walking up and down the corridors of the Galactica? I was putrefied she would say no,\u201d Apollo replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cThought you had insomnia,\u201d Starbuck replied, recalling that night which now made sense.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I was like a daggit on a hot tin roof,\u201d Apollo said.<\/p>\n

Starbuck\u2019s reply died on his lips as the computer beeped. \u201cHey Apollo, you see what I see?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSome sort of signal,\u201d Apollo replied. \u201cI suggest we report back to the Galactica.\u201d<\/p>\n

Starbuck looked at his scanner, trying to get a better reading on it before replying back to him. \u201cSeems to be coming from the asteroid belt, let\u2019s check it out, we could be in and out in seconds.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, if it\u2019s a trap we need to warn the Galactica right away,\u201d Apollo stated, he recalled not long ago the strange craft which they had encountered. It could be part of that group, or a Cylon trap.<\/p>\n

\u201cAw, all right,\u201d Starbucks aid, still wanting to go in and check it out, but Apollo was the leader. The two vipers turned around, their thrusters lit up accelerating them to the maximum speed back to the Galactica.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cCommander, I\u2019m picking up our patrol inbound at a high speed,\u201d Athena said, causing Adama to look over.<\/p>\n

\u201cStarbuck and Apollo?\u201d he asked, knowing they were not due back just yet, and high speed always meant something.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes father,\u201d Athena replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cExpand scanning range to maximum, let\u2019s see if anything is following them or jamming them,\u201d Tigh said, beating Adama to the order.<\/p>\n

They looked over waiting for several seconds as Omega looked at the scanners. \u201cScans are normal, nothing following them,\u201d he said. Adama paused, not sure if he should feel relief yet or not.<\/p>\n

\u201cSomething has them running back here at high speed,\u201d Adama said, looking over at Tigh who shrugged. \u201cSound red alert, and keep an eye on the scanners, tell them to meet me in my office the moment they land,\u201d Adama ordered, then motioned to Tigh to follow him. \u201cOmega, you have the bridge.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

Apollo and Starbuck made their way up to Adama office, having been ordered there after they landed. They noticed the Galactica on alert, knwing that Adama would take no chances on anything. Walking into the office they noticed both Tigh and Adama waiting for them.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, what is going on that you two rode turbos all the way back to the Galactica?\u201d Adama asked both of them as they sat down, a couple of possibilities entering his mind.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe didn\u2019t want to run the risk of being overheard if we sent out a communications, but we picked up some sort of weak signal coming from a nearby asteroid belt,\u201d Apollo explained, hoping it would be enough for him.<\/p>\n

\u201cCylon?\u201d Adama asked, fearing the answer.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t know, the war book couldn\u2019t identify the signal. It was either too weak or wasn\u2019t Cylon,\u201d Apollo answered, giving him all the information.<\/p>\n

\u201cCould be a new code used by the Cylons,\u201d Tight said, a logical conclusion.<\/p>\n

\u201cOr a different race,\u201d Adama said, sitting back in the chair for several seconds thinking about the situation. They all thought about the strange craft they had encountered not long ago. \u201cReady blue squadron for launch, and keep all others ready.\u201d<\/p>\n

Starbuck and Apollo acknowledged the order and left the room to carry out the commander\u2019s orders. Tigh remained behind as Adama thought about the situation a bit more.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you think?\u201d Tigh finally asked, looking over at Adama.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t\u2019 know Tigh, I just don\u2019t know,\u201d Adama said, worry in his voice.<\/p>\n

Both men stood and headed back towards the bridge, an unknown element of the future out there. Would they find a Cylon ambush waiting for them, or something else? Adama tried to go through every possibility he could think of. He knew a lot of people would be looking towards him for answers. The fleet moved too slow to avoid any trap, and the Galactica was only one warship. It could only do so much in a fight. Before entering the bridge he replaced his worried, doubting face with a confident face he hoped would allow his crew confidence. In battle he learned that could mean a lot in how the ship performed.<\/p>\n

\u201cStatus report?\u201d he asked, looking over at Omega.<\/p>\n

\u201cBlue squadron almost ready for launch commander, other squadrons are on stand-by,\u201d Omega said, updating Adama. \u201cScanners still don\u2019t show anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTell blue squad to launch when ready,\u2019 Adama stated, wanting to get the operation going right away.<\/p>\n

\u201cCore command transferring launch control to blue squadron,\u201d he heard Rigel say. \u201cLaunch when ready.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBlue leader to core command, roger,\u201d Apollo replied.<\/p>\n

Adama looked over to see the vipers heading out of the launch tubes and into space. He had several views, and the launch looked normal. A quick glance and he noticed them all lining up and heading out towards the asteroids.<\/p>\n

\u201cBlue squadron launched,\u201d Rigel reported.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, we should know real quick if this is a trap or not,\u201d Tigh said, sounding a bit nervous.<\/p>\n

Adama hoped they would not encounter any Cylons. He knew their thoughts were along the same lines, both ready for anything that might happen, preparing for the worst, and hoping for the best.<\/p>\n

\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone keep a heads-up, we don\u2019t\u2019 know what to expect, and let me know the moment anything unusual appears on your scanners. Don\u2019t let your guard down,\u201d Apollo said to the group, knowing they did not need the warning.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre we all going into the belt?\u201d Starbuck asked as they approached the asteroids.<\/p>\n

\u201cDepends on what happens,\u2019 Apollo answered, unsure about that. He had wanted to keep some outside to keep a guard up and in communications with the Galactica.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m picking up a faint signal coming from the asteroids,\u201d Boomer said, interrupting any further conversation between Apollo and Starbuck. \u201cNo identifying markers to show its Cylon.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan you get a fix on the location?\u201d Apollo asked, waiting a few seconds as Boomer worked his magic.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, too much interference to scan the asteroids, sounds like its bouncing off several of them,\u201d Boomer said, sounding frustrated. \u201cWe\u2019ll have to head in to get a better fix.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s split up and see if we can home in on it,\u201d Starbuck said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right,\u201d Apollo said, as he split the group up into four groups of six, Starbuck staying with him. Three of the groups concentrated on the signal, the other group remained outside the belt keeping an eye on everything, ready to move in our out depending on the situation.<\/p>\n

\u201cApollo, I\u2019m going to boost the signal and send it back to the fleet, maybe they can break it,\u201d Starbuck said, and it was actually a good idea to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo it,\u201d Apollo said, still not seeing any sign of movement from inside the asteroid belt. Everyone was on guard ready for anything that might happen. Though they started to relax slightly but not much. Whoever it was could be waiting for a better opportunity to attack.<\/p>\n

\u201cBoomer, keep your group at the edge, and see if you can find the source, the rest of us will enter the belt. If anything happens, head back to Boomer\u2019s group, they will be waiting. Let\u2019s minimize the risk to us all,\u201d Apollo said to the squadron. He heard everyone acknowledge the order and headed into the asteroids.<\/p>\n

Apollo reduced speed, both to help find the signal and reduce his risk of hitting an asteroid. With their scanners on the widest range possible, he noticed the signal strength getting stronger. Avoiding asteroids he felt slightly better at the fact they had not encountered any Cylons, or Cylon signals.<\/p>\n

\u201cBoomer, the signal seems to be coming from a signal asteroid,\u201d Jolly said, he indicated one of the larger asteroids.<\/p>\n

\u201cApollo, we think we\u2019ve found the asteroid, sending you the information now,\u201d Boomer said.<\/p>\n

Apollo split his attention between the information coming in and the asteroids, seeing that he was actually close to it. \u201cThanks Boomer, we\u2019ll check it out,\u201d<\/p>\n

He maneuvered along towards the asteroid in question. He saw nothing unusual on the surface which might indicate some sort of intelligent life on it. He circled around the asteroid several times.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not seeing anything unusual about this asteroid, you sure you\u2019ve got the right on Boomer?\u201d Starbuck said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure,\u201d Boomer replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cApollo, check out your scanner,\u201d Greenbean said, catching Apollo off guard. He looked down seeing the asteroid.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll, I\u2019ll be,\u201d he said, a bit shocked at the find. \u201cAny of the other asteroids have this?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll check it out,\u201d Greenbean said, as he and his wingmate went off to scan a few other asteroids.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did you find?\u201d Starbuck asked, he obviously had not seen it yet.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe reason why there is probably a signal coming from the asteroid, its rich in tylium, and a few other resources,\u2019 Apollo said. \u201cProbably some sort of abandoned mine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf that\u2019s the case, we could send an exploration team and maybe mine some of it for the fleet,\u201d Starbuck stated.<\/p>\n

Apollo considered the options. \u201cAny sign of defensive weapons anywhere?\u201d Apollo asked. He wanted to make sure there was nothing that could threaten a civilian team.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t see anything,\u201d the reply came back.<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay, let\u2019s go back to the Galactica and report our findings,\u201d Apollo said, heading out of the belt. They headed back to the fleet.<\/p>\n

\n

 <\/p>\n

Apollo, Starbuck and Boomer stood in front of the Council of Twelve to report their findings. They seemed to always being doing something like this lately. At the moment the council looked at them as the last member entered and sat down.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re told that you\u2019ve found something exciting Captain Apollo,\u201d one of them said. \u201cWe are interested in hearing what you found.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope you find this exciting,\u201d Apollo said, looking at his father then a few others before continuing. \u201cWe have an unique opportunity for the fleet that we might not find for a while. Our resources of fuel and other materials is still good, but we have an opportunity to stock up on such materials, which we might not find for a while. It is assumed the signal we picked up is left over from an old mining base.\u201d<\/p>\n

He noticed Adama look up at the prospect of gaining more fuel and materials, but remained quiet at the moment as Apollo continued.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can send a team to mine the tylium and other supplies while we slowly go past. We can transfer fuel from one tanker to another making room on one or two tankers and send them to the asteroid for easy transferring,\u201d Apollo stated, having thought of it on the way back, and it would limit the fuel used to transfer the materials. \u201cWe can also mine some other materials critical to our survival.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am against stopping the fleet for any period of time, however small,\u201d one member said. \u201cEven though we haven\u2019t seen a Cylon for some time, they can pop up at any time. I say no to this course of action. We might even be intruding on someone, creating another enemy. Or do you not remember that strange ship not long ago? The signal might be from them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf what my son says, the fleet would not be stopping, instead we send the teams there, and transfer it to the ships close by and they catch back up with the fleet,\u201d Adama said. \u201cThere are a few fast transports and tankers we can use, they can fly ahead and then catch up, all we have to do is reduce speed for a while, which would conserve fuel for the moment. And a small team can talk to them if there is someone there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s still a risk Adama, slowing down can allow the Cylons to catch up as well,\u201d the member said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Cylons can catch up to anyways, their ships are faster than the fleet,\u201d Adama said. \u201cHowever, we might not come across another supply of fuel and supplies for some time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you warriors, we shall consider this,\u201d another council member said, effectively dismissing them.<\/p>\n

Apollo walked out with Starbuck and Boomer, taking one last look at Adama who merely nodded his head at them. They left the council room and headed towards the corridor.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, what do you think?\u201d Starbuck asked his two friends.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt would be a shame to pass up on any supplies. I think they\u2019ll go with the plan,\u201d Apollo said, looking over at Starbuck, who was looking back at the council. \u201cCome on,\u201d he said, clasping each of them on the shoulder, \u201clet\u2019s go get something to drink.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSound good to me,\u201d Boomer said, agreeing with him.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I can try out my new system,\u2019 Starbuck said, smiling at the other two. \u201cThis one is totally fool proof, what\u2019da say?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo thanks,\u201d Boomer replied quickly. \u201cI lost a secton\u2019s pay with your scheme last time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, I fixed that small mistake in the last plan, this one can\u2019t miss,\u201d Starbuck said, pressing on with his system. Apollo chuckled to himself as they continued down the corridor.<\/p>\n

Back in the council room a debate raged on that would change the course of every refugee in the fleet. Two sides had developed, one who backed Adama\u2019s plan and those who did not wish to slow the fleet for fear of the Cylons catching them.<\/p>\n

\u201cI will not approve this plan Commander Adama,\u201d Uviris said, standing up to challenge Adama. \u201cIt\u2019s too risky. There are things we don\u2019t know about, from an unknown race to Cylons. We can\u2019t afford to be at war with a second race.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI must agree with Uviris,\u201d another member said, though he remained seated while talking. He did not wish to further aggravate the situation by also standing up. Tempers were starting to rise in the room even as he continued. \u201cI thought you said not long ago that we had sufficient fuel and supplies to last us at least another yahren, or were you lying to us?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adama recognized the challenging tone in the councilmember\u2019s voice. His answer would determine a lot of things in the future. \u201cNo, you are correct, however, with additional supplies we can go for a longer period of time, and there might be supplies there that we do need. Our supplies won\u2019t last long if the Cylons catch us,\u201d Adama said to them.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, you\u2019re saying that each time we encounter supplies we should stop and fill up?\u201d Uviris said, sensing some momentum to his side. He had challenged Adama on many subjects and this seemed the best time to finally beat the man at the political game they played.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, but this is the richest supply of tylium since Gamoray,\u201d Adama said, looking around at the group, especially those who seemed to challenge the idea.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, and there we lost the Pegasus and Commander Cain,\u201c Uviris said. \u201cOr don\u2019t you remember that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember Uviris, but at Gamoray we were up against three basestars and a Cylon capital city, and as yet we\u2019ve had no Cylon transmission here,\u201d Adama said. \u201cThis time the situation is different, there is no trap waiting to be sprung here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I think we should vote on it, take the majority vote,\u201d another council member, Uri said. Adama knew he was trying to resolve the issue quickly before things got out of hand. They all looked around at the other members, most nodding in agreement with the suggestion.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have no problem, do you Uviris?\u201d Adama said, gesturing towards Uviris, watching as he looked around and realized to fight this anymore would lose his support.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo I don\u2019t,\u201d he finally said, smiling slightly.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll those in favor raise your hands,\u201d Adama said, looking around the room.<\/p>\n

\n

 <\/p>\n

Starbuck looked down at his hand, sighing slightly as he realized his system was not working as well as he planned. On the plus side he had won some credits, and he looked to win with this hand. \u201cI raise you,\u201d he said, watching the others who were playing. They seemed indecisive about matching the bet.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on Starbuck,\u201d Apollo said, tapping him on the shoulder, with Boomer standing close by also waiting to go.<\/p>\n

Starbuck looked up at him, then back at his hand. \u201cApollo, look at this hand!\u201d he said, showing Apollo the hand. \u201cCan\u2019t we wait a bit, I\u2019m about to get on a roll with this system.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe commander says it\u2019s urgent,\u201d Apollo said.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut,\u201d Starbuck said, looking at the hand, then at the others. But to his surprise, they folded their hands, cheating him out of his good hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s finished, come on, let\u2019s not keep the commander waiting,\u201d Boomer said, watching Starbuck gather up the cubits quickly before catching up with them.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know, that was about to really pay off,\u201d Starbuck said. \u201cNow they\u2019ll have figured it out when I get back, have to make a new system.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh well,\u201d Boomer said.<\/p>\n

They made their way into the council room, knowing they were awaiting the decision. Starbuck had the feeling they were going to go ahead with getting the supplies. If they were not there was no reason for them to be summoned to the council room.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe council has voted to go ahead with the plan to gain some materials from the asteroids,\u201d Adama said. Starbuck was not sure if he felt relief or not, as it meant they would be busy. He tuned back in as Adama continued to talk. \u201cFirst of all, we are going to send you three, along with a med tech, and Dr. Wilker to check out the mine and the condition it\u2019s in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Starbuck looked at the others making sure they had heard correctly. They were going to check out the mine before anything else happened. They accepted the council\u2019s decision quickly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re in commander,\u201d Apollo said, relaying their decision.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood, get your team together and move out as soon as possible, and good luck gentlemen,\u201d Adama said. \u201cDoctor Wilker has already been informed and will be waiting in the shuttle bay, as has the med lab.\u201d<\/p>\n

They walked out quickly heading to the shuttle. They looked as Cassiopeia joined them to their surprise.<\/p>\n

\u201cStarbuck, wait up,\u201d she said, causing him to pause.<\/p>\n

\u201cCass? What are you doing here,\u201d Starbuck said, before seeing the pack she had, and realized what it meant. \u201cDon\u2019t tell me, you\u2019re our med-tech right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, and I\u2019m going so don\u2019t try to talk me out of it. Remember when I went with you don\u2019t to Gamoray, and it was a good think I went to,\u2019 Cassiopeia said, reminding them of the fact she helped save Bojay\u2019s life.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know,\u201d Starbuck replied, shaking his head before saying anything back. \u201cI don\u2019t have to like it though, do I?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course now,\u201d she answered him, but smiling. \u201cDr. Wilker will be here in a minute, he was gathering some things.\u201d<\/p>\n

Apollo and boomer watched as Starbuck and Cassiopeia moved off to talk. They reached the shuttle and now only had to wait for Wilker.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, what do you think Apollo? Does he have the guts to ask her?\u201d Boomer asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, he loves her, that much is certain, saw that with the whole Cain thing,\u201d Apollo said, glancing over at them. \u201cI think he will, its only a matter of time.\u201d<\/p>\n

He heard the elevator and looked over, seeing Sheba, Bojay and Jolly descending down the elevator to the flight deck, their flight helmets in their hands.<\/p>\n

\u201cWonder what\u2019s up with them?\u201d Boomer said, as they both looked as they headed towards them. \u201cYou\u2019re not on this mission, are you?\u201d he asked as they neared them.<\/p>\n

\u201cYep, Bojay and Jolly are the shuttle escorts and I\u2019m part of your crew,\u201d Sheba explained, confusing Apollo.<\/p>\n

\u201cPart of our crew?\u201d Apollo said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, your crew,\u201d she replied back to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry I\u2019m late everyone,\u201d Wilker said, carrying a few items as he came walking towards them. Boomer moved forward to help him out as they moved towards the shuttle.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe shouldn\u2019t waste much time captain,\u2019 Sheba said, as if she was trying to end any argument Apollo might have with him before turning slightly. \u201cHello Cassiopeia.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSheba,\u201d Cassiopeia said warmly, having become friends after the loss of the Pegasus. They were bound by their love they had for Cain.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, if everyone\u2019s ready then let\u2019s get going,\u201d Apollo said, knowing he could stand here and argue with Sheba, or get going and carry out the mission. Jolly and Bojay moved towards their vipers, which were ready to launch as he moved into the shuttle where Boomer was already going through the pre-flight check list.<\/p>\n

\u201cCore command transferring launch controls to shuttle delta, launch when ready,\u201d he heard Rigel\u2019s familiar voice say.<\/p>\n

\u201cRoger core command,\u201d Boomer said, as Apollo sat down. Boomer looked back seeing that everyone was seated then pressed the thruster button accelerating the shuttle out of the hangar, turning towards the asteroids. Two vipers joined up alongside as they made their way away from the Galactica and the fleet.<\/p>\n

\u201cBojay,\u201d Apollo said, as they approached the asteroid belt.<\/p>\n

\u201cGo ahead Apollo,\u201d the reply came back.<\/p>\n

\u201cStay out here and keep an eye on things while we\u2019re in the asteroid belt, our scanning range inside is limited,\u201d Apollo said, they both knew the asteroids blocked the scanners once they were inside.<\/p>\n

\u201cSure thing,\u201d he replied. \u201cHave a safe trip and watch out for asteroids.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHa-ha,\u201d he replied, as Boomer took them into the asteroid belt. \u201cJolly, you\u2019re with us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWill do,\u201d Jolly said, angling his viper into the asteroid belt as well.<\/p>\n

It did not take long for them to arrive at the asteroid in question, it still was sending out signals. The scanners still read tylium deposits under the surface of the asteroid.<\/p>\n

\u201cSee if you can find an entrance or some sort of indention or flat surface, anything that can be used as a landing spot for a craft,\u201d Apollo said, leaning forwards to look out the shuttle windows.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, not seeing much down there,\u201d Boomer replied, as they went around the asteroid a few times looking.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s that?\u201d Sheba said, pointing to small hump on the asteroid\u2019s surface. There appeared to be a flat surface beside it as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, let\u2019s give it a try,\u201d Boomer said, piloting the shuttle down to the surface.<\/p>\n

The \u2018landing pad\u2019 was barely big enough for the shuttle to land on, but Boomer and Sheba managed. Apollo and Starbuck donned spacesuits and made their way gingerly out onto the surface of the asteroid, tethered to the shuttle to prevent themselves from floating away. Apollo felt relieved that there was some gravity to the surface, in fact more than there should have been, indicating some sort of intelligent race had built something here. They both made their way around the shuttle looking for anything that might show a way in.<\/p>\n

\u201cApollo,\u201d Starbuck said, causing Apollo to look over at where Starbuck stood, near the hump.<\/p>\n

\u201cFind something?\u201d Apollo asked, making his way over to his friend.<\/p>\n

\u201cThink so, what do you make of this?\u201d Starbuck asked, pointing to a small crack which appeared to glow slightly from the inside.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s see if we can get it open,\u201d Apollo stated, as he looked at it. The surrounding surface of the crack seemed normal, until Apollo felt around and under a small recessed area, and found a button. Pushing it the crack slide open revealing a small instrument panel with two buttons.
\n\u201cTry one,\u201d Starbuck said.<\/p>\n

Apollo hesitated for a second before pushing one of the buttons. For several microns nothing happened, then the entire landing pad area started to descend into the asteroid.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, looks like we found our way in,\u201d Starbucks aid, as they looked around.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I just hope whoever is down here, is friendly,\u201d Apollo said, hoping they had not activated some sort of alarm and a bunch of guards were waiting for them. As they descended he was able to view the cavern, shining a light around and spotted no guards, or anyone else for that matter.<\/p>\n

The cavern could easily fit several shuttle, and Apollo watched as the opening closed up leaving them only with the illumination from their suits and the shuttle. They both fanned out upon reaching the bottom, looking for anything that might help them out.<\/p>\n

\u201cI see you two found the way in,\u201d Sheba\u2019s voice said over the intercom. \u201cSo, is it safe yet for the rest of rest o come out?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n

Before either Starbuck or Apollo could reply openings appeared along the walls of the hanger, and a gas could be seen coming through the vents.<\/p>\n

\u201cUm, you might want to stay inside a bit longer Sheba,\u201d Apollo said, raising his blaster and waiting a moment to see if anything else might happen. A few microns later nothing else happened and Apollo relaxed slightly, though still on edge.<\/p>\n

\u201cCaptain, I think I know what happened,\u201d Wilker\u2019s voice said. \u201cThey pressurized the hanger.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan you confirm this?\u201d Apollo asked, wanting to believe what the doctor said, but had to be on guard for anything.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019ll take a few microns, but yes,\u201d he replied back to them.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo it, Starbuck and I will continue to look around,\u201d Apollo replied, motioning over at Starbuck, who waved back that he heard. The conversation.<\/p>\n

They made their way across the cavern, or hangar, or something to a wall and what appeared a panel. They seemed simple to understand, and he noticed a few cranes overhead as lights came on giving them an even better view of the hangar area. Any loading and unloading would go on here, but why inside and not outside? Was this a mining station?<\/p>\n

\u201cCaptain,\u201d Wilker said interrupting Apollo\u2019s thoughts. \u201cLike I thought, it is atmosphere that has been pumped into the area, very similar to ours, we should be able to breathe it without any problems. I also ran an organic analysis, it\u2019s clean.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood news,\u201d Apollo said, but still cautiously took off his helmet, taking a small breath. After a few moments he relaxed a bit. \u201cIt seems fine,\u201d he said as he started taking off the rest of the suit. The shuttle\u2019s door opened allowing the others inside to step out, even as they were still taking off the suits. Sheba and Cassiopeia helped them out as Boomer and Wilker did a few scans.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s split up a bit, Boomer, you Sheba and Wilker head off and see if you can find anything, we\u2019ll follow after putting everything up and contacting Jolly, keep in radio contact,\u201d Apollo said, watching as the three walked off and they quickly put things up. Jolly was there and he radioed to the Galactica that they had made it inside before heading off to explore as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you think?\u201d Apollo said.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot sure, who could have made this? We\u2019re quite a distance from any known civilization, and the closest we know are the Delphian, but that\u2019s still a bit too far away,\u2019 Starbuck said.<\/p>\n

\u201cOr that strange ship,\u201d Apollo said, watching as Starbuck gave him a look.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe haven\u2019t seen anything from that ship since,\u201d Cassiopeia said.<\/p>\n

\u201cCould be just about anything, but I think the fact we have yet to meet anyone, I think it means its deserted,\u201d Apollo said.<\/p>\n

\u201cOr hiding,\u201d Starbuck replied.<\/p>\n

Apollo did not reply, but moved through the doorway that the others had gone through. Making their way down the corridor as they looked around. He noticed the clean conditions of the hallway, no dust, almost like someone was still here. It struck Apollo that the entire area for the hangar seemed too small for a mine.<\/p>\n

\u201cStarbuck, is it just me, or does this area seem to small to be a mine, I mean I noticed no large openings in that hangar area, and this corridor is too small for anything useful to be used for anything other than personal,\u201d Apollo said, looking around. He wondered what this asteroid really was.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow that you mention it, year, it is a bit fall, perhaps the main area is in another hangar, and there is wall that moves or something,\u201d Starbuck said, thinking out loud for other possibilities. \u201cYou\u2019re giving me a bad feeling.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we should find the others,\u201d Apollo said, quickening his pace as Starbuck and Cassiopeia matched it. They stopped when they reached a branch in the corridor.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow which way?\u201d Cassiopeia asked, as they stood there for a few microns<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s more light coming from that direction,\u201d Starbuck said, pointing off to his left.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s go,\u201d Apollo said, as they headed down the corridor, which had a downward slope before taking a sharp turn. They light appeared to be getting brighter before they made another turn where they saw a room and Boomer, Sheba and Wilker all standing there looking at something.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, there you are,\u201d Apollo said, walking into the room. \u201cWhat are you looking\u2026\u201d his voice faded as he looked out the window. He stared in shock at what he saw, unable to tear his eyes away from it.<\/p>\n

End Surprise Part 1<\/p>\n

Continued in Surprise Part 2<\/a><\/p>\n

Comment below or send to AJMarks01@aol.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Voyage to Earth by AJ Marks Surprise Part 1 The low rumble of the Galactica\u2019s engines provided a background noise the crew had long grown accustomed to, even on the hangar. The viper crews worked efficiently at preparing two vipers for launch, going over each checklist twice. Maintaining the vipers were critical in the flight […]
Continue reading…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,9],"tags":[3,14,11,16,15],"class_list":["post-29","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-battlestar-galactica","category-fanfiction","tag-aj-marks","tag-battlestar","tag-battlestar-galactica","tag-fanfaction","tag-galactica"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=29"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":51,"href":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29\/revisions\/51"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=29"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=29"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=29"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}