Date: Tue, 14 Jan 1997 09:04:16 -0500
From: "JosephP. Chin +" <jchin01@kepler.poly.edu>

This is part of a collection of a bunch of stories in a series called,
  BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: THE NEXT GENERATION
The surviving MAIN characters are IMMORTAL!!! They cannot be killed, but they
CAN be temporarily disabled/comatose, if you get my meaning. Any volunteers to 
kill off Baltar? That is the only death of a main character permitted.
  Crossovers are permitted, but BE CAREFUL!!! 
  Remember that the Galactica cannot ever find Earth so that we can keep
adding stories.
  Also, keep in mind that this takes place 17 yahrens after the original BG
series, and of course, ignoring BG80. Also, see the other stories, "The 
Thirteenth Colony's Rest Stop," & "Olympys"
Write a story and then e-mail it to me at
    jchin01@kepler.poly.edu
I have three parts of an encounter with Commander Cain and the Pegasus in 
progress, and Starbuck finds that he has a twin brother! Before I complete it 
and release it, I will need about fifteen more stories, about 60 KBytes each. 
That way, I can get more characters and blend them in with the work in 
progress. Keep in mind that one story at 120 KBytes will count as two stories, 
but about halfway though it, it must be a cliffhanger. If you cannot come up 
with an entire 60 Kbytes, email me what you have, and I'll add to it, and then 
email it back to you for your approval. Then we can take it from there.
  Here, I was originally planning a "Mirror Mirror" story, as in Star Trek. 
Have the Galactica's crew and the Colonial fleet be the bad guys, and the 
Cylons, the good guys? but I don't feel like getting any flack from Paramount 
for plagiarism. Well, if no one come up with a good story for this, I'll have 
to bore everyone to death with that:)
  Well, Here we go...

#5

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. That they may have been the
architects of the great pyramids, or the lost civilizations of Lemuria or
Atlantis.
  Some believe that there may yet be brothers of man who even now fight to
survive, somewhere beyond the heavens.


               BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: THE NEXT GENERATION
                      THE IMPACT OF STARBUCK
                           Written by
                            Joe Chin

                  Based on Battlestar Galactica
                           Created by
                         Glen A. Larson

Aboard the Rising Star, Commander Apollo, Colonel Starbuck, Fleet Captain 
Sheba, Captains Boomer and Bojay, Captain Athena, Doctor Cassiopeia, and 
Sergeant Boxey, Acting Ensign Toria, and Troy, Dillon, Hera, and Pandora sat at 
a very large table as a waiter cleared the table of empty plates.
  Apollo stood up, and held up his glass, and said, "To humanity."
  Everyone else got up and repeated Apollo's words. Starbuck then said, "And, 
to friends. Old and new. To those who are no longer here to sit with us at this 
brief centar where we can actually... just be people."
  Everyone raised their glasses again, and then took a drink.
  Few of the workers were collecting the empty plates, and Apollo placed a 
handful of cubits into one of their hands.
  "Thank you, Commander," the man said, with surprise in his eyes.
  Apollo smiled at him, and nodded. "You all have been a great service."
  Starbuck placed a few more cubits on the table, and then they all left.

The gathering was over, and eight vipers and a shuttle headed back to the 
Galactica.

Starbuck and Cassiopeia tucked in Dillon and Pandora, respectively in their 
rooms, and went to their bedroom. "I wonder what it would have been like if you 
did not exist?"
  Starbuck just stretched out, still in his uniform, on his side of the bed. 
"Oh, I dunno," said Starbuck. With that, he fell asleep...

... only to be rudely awakened by Cassiopeia screaming. "WHO ARE YOU! GET OUT 
OF MY QUARTERS! YOU PERVERT!"
  "Cass, it's me, Starbuck. Your husband."
  "FELBACARB!" She slapped him across the face. "I'm NOT MARRIED!! NOW GET 
OUT!!!"
  Then Starbuck ran out, clad in his blue uniform.

Starbuck walked down the corridors, rubbing his face. "What's gotten into her?" 
he asked himself. Then he made it to the bridge.
  As soon as he arrived, Athena looked at him strangely. "Who are you?"
  Then he was shoved against the wall by Apollo, who was wearing a brown 
uniform instead of a blue one, with Captain's pins! He pinned him against the 
wall, and said, "Who the frak are you? Impersonating a bridge officer of the 
Galactica."
  Starbuck held his hands up and said, "I'm Starbuck, Commander Apollo." He 
never addressed anyone by rank, except under extreme stress. "Your colonel... 
your executive officer. What's wrong with you? What's gone wrong with everyone 
on the Galactica?"
  Apollo noticed his Colonel's pins on him, and said, "We haven't had a colonel 
aboard the Galactica in seventeen yahrens. Not since my father died during the 
escape to the stars with our rag-tag fleet of one-hundred unarmed ships."
  Several other Colonial warriors grabbed him as well.
  "Take him to the brig."
  "Apollo!" cried Starbuck. "Why are you doing this to me? We've been friends 
for so many yahrens."
  "Felbacarb. I don't know you."
  Starbuck was dragged off the bridge by the officers.

They arrived at the holding cells, and Starbuck shook himself free of the 
colonial warriors, and said, "I can walk in myself."
  He walked into a cell, and the bars closed. He walked around in his cell, 
saying "What's wrong with everybody?" He sat down on the knee-level shelf 
plank, with his elbows on his knees, and put his face into his hands.
  "Hey, you. Human."
  Starbuck looked up, to see three Nomen in the cell across from his. He 
addressed the one in the middle. "Maga?"
  "How do you know who I am?"
  "Because, we're friends."
  The three laughed. "I have NEVER seen you before, Human." He turned to the 
other two.
  Starbuck said, "Taba... Bora. You all don't know me?"
  They looked at each other in shock. Maga said, "It seems that you know us, 
but... we don't know you. It seems that you have the upper hand, Human."
  "I'm Starbuck. And, it seems that all of a sudden, no one knows who I am. I'm 
supposed to be the colonel of this battlestar. And you, what are you doing 
here. You had done your time yahrens ago, and were all free."
  "We're in for life," said Bora. "For the murder of Chameleon."
  "But you didn't kill him. Commander Adama-"
  "I detonated the laser bolle myself, human," said Taba.
  "But I stopped you, along with Captain Apollo. Commander Adama negotiated a 
deal with your people, and the blood hunt was ended. Maga, you yourself called 
Commander Adama a friend... that he was, 'the only human to understand Borelian 
Nomen nature.'
  "Commander Adama has been dead for seventeen yahrens," pointed out Maga. 
"Like a true Nomen. And yes, he did understand Borelian Nomen nature. His heart 
was the heart of a Borelian Nomen. He even thought and acted like a Borelian 
Nomen. You need to get some rest, Human." With that, the three Nomen went and 
sat amongst themselves in their cell.
  Starbuck went and sat in his cell.

A while later, three Galactica officers, two wearing brown, and the other, dark 
blue. The one in blue addressed him. "Sir?"
  Starbuck looked up, and was shocked to notice. "Tigh?"
  Apollo said, "He's charged with impersonating a bridge officer, Commander."
  Boomer said, "Well, he carries himself like a Colonial Warrior."
  "Take him to interrogation," ordered Tigh. "Have Dr Cassiopeia meet us 
there." With that, Tigh walked away.
  Apollo and Boomer was taking him to interrogation. He addressed them both. 
"Apollo? Boomer? you really don't remember me?"
  Apollo turned to him. "You are charged with impersonating a Colonial 
warrior."
  "But I AAMMM a Colonial warrior. Think back, Apollo. You and I... We owe each 
other our lives hundreds of times over." He turned to Boomer, and said, "You 
too, Captain Boomer."
  "I have no idea who or what you are," responded Boomer.
  "Hey, you two, I'm Starbuck. I have been stationed here on the Galactica ever 
since I came out of the academy."

"... And, he actually called ME 'Commander,'" said Apollo. "This Starbuck is 
delirious, or a good liar. We don't even know if 'Starbuck' is really his 
name."
  Tigh said, "Well, we'll get to the bottom of this, as soon as Dr Cassiopeia 
gets here."
  Just then, she came into the room, with her case in hand. She pulled out a 
hypo and a flask. She then poured chemicals from two different bottles into it, 
and then shook it in a circular motion. She then filled up a hypo with it, and 
approached Starbuck.
  Starbuck backed away.
  "It is truth serum," said Tigh.
  Starbuck said, "All right then..." He pushed up a sleeve on his arm, and held 
his wrist out.
  Apollo and Boomer looked at each other, and then back at Tigh.
  Boomer said, "Maybe he actually believes what he is telling us is the truth."
  Apollo said, "Perhaps. We never had anyone more willing to be injected with 
truth serum."
  Starbuck sat in the chair, and became relaxed, almost as if he was ready to 
fall asleep.
  "So, state your name and occupation for the record," said Tigh.
  "Starbuck. Colonel, of the Battlestar Galactica," murmured Starbuck.
  "All right," said Tigh. He nodded to Apollo.
  Apollo got up, and placed probes on Starbuck. He went to a comm panel, then 
Cassiopeia left.
  Apollo said, "Somehow, he can overcome the truth serum. No wonder why he was 
so willingly put his arm out for it. He is the first one to do THAT."
  Boomer said, "Is it possible that he actually BELIEVES that he is telling the 
truth?"
  Tigh said, "Yes. It is possible."
  Cassiopeia returned with another med-tech, who went to monitor the equipment 
that was connected to Starbuck. For good measure, Cassiopeia gave him another 
dose of the truth serum. "That's all I could give him without killing him, 
Sir."
  "Well, don't kill him," said Tigh. "I'm sure that he's harmless. He probably 
is so stressed from our seventeen-year voyage that he just needs psychiatric 
help."
  They then started again.
  "All right. State your name and occupation for the record."
  "Starbuck. Colonel, of the Battlestar Galactica."
  The med-tech checked the readings on the monitoring equipment, and nodded to 
Tigh.

Cassiopeia walked onto the bridge, and asked Apollo, "Any sign of Starbuck?"
  "No," answered Apollo. "He is almost a centar late for duty. Cass. I'm 
worried, too. He is always prompt, if not early for duty. And, it has been 
reported that no one has left the Galactica since us last night. The last 
reported flight activity was when we returned from dinner on the Rising Star, 
and every shuttle and viper has been accounted for. So, he has to be on the 
Galactica... Somewhere."
  Sheba came over. "We've searched the Galactica, and we haven't found him. We 
have searched everywhere. We have found many great hiding places, and bad ones, 
too. We're going to try again." She turned to Cassiopeia. "Cass, the micron 
that someone reports that they found him, we'll let you know."
  "Thank you, Captain."
  Apollo put a hand on her shoulder, and said, "We'll find him, Doctor. And as 
Sheba said, we'll call you as soon as we find him."
  Cassiopeia then nodded to Apollo, and walked off the bridge.

Tigh, Apollo, Boomer, and Cassiopeia in the infirmary looking at each other. 
"That was some story," said Boomer.
  "Yes it is. It looks like things would have been different if Commander Adama 
was still alive, and based on what he told us about his experience as a viper 
pilot..."
  "And, we seem to be heading in the opposite direction from where he said we 
were heading," said Tigh. "And I supposedly died to save the life of the leader 
of an empire of a human race that we encountered on our journey?"
  Cassiopeia said, "And, I'm supposed to be sealed with this man and with two 
children, Dillon and Pandora?"
  Apollo pondered. "And Sheba's still alive, and my father and I did all we 
could for her comfort after the Pegasus... disappeared... seventeen yahrens 
ago, and I eventually had myself sealed her and had two children of my own? And 
Boxey, a sergeant?"
  "And CORA units on every viper?" commented Boomer. "That project was deemed a 
failure when I tested it out."
  "And Apollo a commander?"
  Boomer looked at Apollo. "Hey, man, are you all right?"
  "Yes, Boomer. I'm OK. First my father and Zac, then Serina, Sheba, then 
Boxey. You know, I was hoping that Sheba would stay on the Galactica, so I 
could try becoming sealed with another. Those frakkin' Cylons put an end to 
that when we were destroying the defenses on that basestar."
  Starbuck then joined them. "So, am I in good health, Cass?"
  "Yes, you are a healthy human. Furthermore, even taking that you are under 
some stress of being amongst strangers that you thought were your friends, you 
are very stable."
  Apollo said, "All right, then. I want you to try out the simulation of 
battling Cylon raiders. You claim that you're a proficient viper pilot. This, I 
got to see."
  Starbuck said to him, "All right, ol' buddy, you're on. Let's go." With that, 
he walked out, with Apollo, Boomer, and Tigh following.

They walked down the corridors, and Starbuck turned to enter the room. Apollo 
stopped him. "Wait, Starbuck," he ordered. He pointed to the doorway to the 
left. "You go in there."
  Starbuck went in, and grabbed a helmet, and climbed into in the viper. 
Apollo, Boomer, and Tigh went into the room that Starbuck was about to go into. 
Apollo, Tigh, and Boomer, sat down, and activated the equipment.
  The lights in the room with the viper went out, leaving Starbuck in the dark, 
albeit the lighting inside the viper. *Ready, Starbuck?* Apollo's voice said in 
his helmetcom.
  *Ready when you are, Apollo.* Starbuck hit the three switches and started up 
the viper. Then he hit the turbo button. Upon leaving the hologram of the viper 
launch tube, he fired at three raiders, taking them out.
  They watched on the monitor as the triangle maneuvered around the discs, 
making them disappear one-by-one.
  "Boy, this guy is good," remarked Boomer.
  Tigh said, "A guy so delirious, and yet, can perform like that?"
  Apollo said, "He may be one of Count Iblis' lackeys."
  Tigh said, "Well, if he is, let's play along with him for now. If he is, 
hopefully, those ship of lights will be around to save us again."

Starbuck fired at another Cylon raider, but was also fired upon by another 
behind him. Smoke, actually, steam, filled the cockpit, so Starbuck hit his 
turbos, heading for another Cylon raider. He attempted to fire the lasers, but 
nothing happened. He fired his turbos, and watched as he approached a raider. 
Then the controls inside the cockpit disabled, and the lights in the room came 
back on. The cockpit hatch opened, and Starbuck climbed out.
  Tigh, Apollo, and Boomer walked in. "That was some flying, Starbuck," said 
Tigh.
  "Yeah," said Apollo. "You even surpassed MY scores."
  "You taught me, Apollo." answered Starbuck.
  Apollo looked at him with a look on his face. "Well, Starbuck, you have just 
verified that you ARE a Colonial warrior. The only others who did that were my 
son, Boxey, and this trainee named Toria." Apollo remembered her because the 
last time he saw Boxey before his fateful first mission, he was with her. That 
was when Apollo first met Toria. He also helped her with training to become a 
Colonial warrior after Boxey was killed.
  Tigh said, "I cannot let you be our colonel for now. I'm sorry. You'll have 
to start as a lieutenant, and work from there."
  Starbuck looked down for a few microns, and then at Apollo. Then he said, "I 
wouldn't have it any other way, Sir." He held his hand out.
  Boomer took it, and they shook hands. "You've got to teach me some of those 
moves, man."
  "Gladly, Boom-Boom."
  All three went into a fit of laughter. Boomer said, "That was the first time 
that I was ever called that... Bucko."
  Again, the three laughed, and Starbuck smiled for the first time in this 
predicament.
  Boomer looked at Starbuck, and said, "I guess it was not that funny?"
  "It was, Boomer. It's just that I've been called that by MY Boomer for over 
twenty yahrens now."
  Tigh and Boomer left, after Tigh ordered Apollo to, "Get this new man 
familiar with the battlestar."
  Apollo and Starbuck walked down a corridor. After a centon of silence, Apollo 
said to him, "Well, Starbuck, it seems that you know us, and everything about 
us. Those little things that only close friends may know about. Who are you, 
really?"
  "I'm just a man, like you, Apollo. I guess, that I'm a man, whose lost, 
perhaps from a different universe. Listen, Apollo, I need to find my way back 
to MY Galactica, to MY universe. I just... don't know how I ended up here."
  "Well, what was Sheba really like? You said that she and I were sealed 
eventually, and became the proud father of two children. In MY universe, You're 
the commander of the Galactica, and I'm your colonel. On the bridge, you're the 
boss, but in your quarters, she's the boss."
  Apollo looked down on the floor. "Well, it seems that the Apollo that YOU 
know is a happy man. Me, all I have to live for, is humanity. Commander Tigh, 
you know, is VERY much my second father, you know. My father died to save us."
  "All the more reason to keep on fighting."
  "Well, with you here, it seems that we may have a better fighting chance."
  "Apollo, I'm only one man."
  "Well, where the frak were you eighteen yahrens ago? If you were around, many 
lives would have been saved. My father, Sheba, Boxey..."
  "What happened to them, anyway?"
  "My father died after I got into an argument with him as we were trying to 
leave the twelve colonies. After that, he came out in a viper to help us fight 
the Cylons. He and Zac both died. If only I turned around and helped them... My 
viper almost being out of fuel was no excuse for turning my back on them. 
Everyone says that I did what was best for humanity, and the sacrifice I had to 
make, but..." He trailed off.
  "Apollo, you did what you had to do. And, you did all you could. Hey, Apollo, 
how about a game of triad?"
  "You know, the last time I played that was on Caprica when I was on leave. 
Well, I'm on duty, now. Perhaps we could get Boomer and Tigh to join us."
  "Yeah, that would be great. Well, it seems that you've been ordered to give 
me a tour? If you do that, I'll tell you about MY Galactica."
  "Well, if there's any way we can improve our battlestar, I'm all for it."

Apollo, Starbuck, Boomer and Omega sat in the meeting room, awaiting Tigh. 
Boomer and Omega looked at the listing that Apollo and Starbuck drew up, and 
Omega said, "Well, all this is possible, Captain. It will just take time to do 
this, because we have no engineering ship to test these out on."
  "And, CORA?" asked Boomer. "I'll have to see about that."
  Starbuck said, "Yeah, Boom-Boom. Many warriors' lives can be saved if we can 
get it working properly and installed on every viper. It had saved many of our 
warriors in MY universe."
  "True, Bucko. That was why we worked on it, but then, we had to give up after 
a while."
  Omega looked at Starbuck and Boomer with a funny look on his face. 
"Boom-Boom? Bucko??"
  The four laughed. Then Tigh entered. He looked at the list. Then he reached 
underneath it, and pulled out a small box. "Starbuck," he started. "I am 
promoting you to captain. I want you to oversee these improvements and 
modifications and upgrades, starting with the vipers, and then the rest of the 
ship. Don't be surprised if we also do many of these modifications to the rest 
of the fleet as well. And, I understand that you will have to shut down the 
Galactica to get the job done. Just make sure that down time is as minimal as 
possible."
  "Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir."
  Boomer felt a twinge of jealousy rising within himself, but kept it under 
check.
  "And Apollo," continued Tigh. "I want you to oversee our new captain, and 
make sure that he does not 'unintentionally' destroy this battlestar."
  "Yes, Commander."
  "Dismissed." With that, everyone scrounged out of the room, enthusiastic to 
get to work. The four walked down a corridor, and Starbuck turned to Boomer, 
saying, "I'm going to need your support, Boomer. More than I have ever needed 
you in my universe, and probably in my life."
  Hearing this stranger that has just been promoted right over him, Boomer was 
honored by what Starbuck said. "I'm honored, Buck-o."

They completed the improvements on two vipers, and were ready to check them 
out. These improvements were the smaller but more efficient pulse generators, 
and more powerful laser generators. Even though they were physically smaller, 
they were more powerful than those larger ones that were in place seventeen 
yahrens ago in Starbuck's universe, and they were able to put in extra ones 
without having to remove the laser generators.
  Then there was CORA. It was an invention of Dr Wilker, and was built with 
help from Boomer and Omega. It was actually Boomer and Omega who installed them 
into that viper seventeen yahrens ago. Starbuck knew what to do to get things 
working because he helped with the improvements and installations into later 
vipers as the yahrens went on.
  Starbuck and Apollo put on their helmets, and hopped into the vipers. 
Starbuck gave Apollo the 'thumbs up,' and then the cockpits closed. Then Apollo 
said, *Recon vipers six and eight ready to launch.*
  *You're clear to launch, recon vipers six and eight,* responded Athena's 
voice.
  Starbuck thought it strange that Athena was handling the launch and landing 
controls instead of Rigel, but kept it to himself for the time being.
  The two vipers launched, and went into space. They both flew around, giving 
an air show to those that may be watching. There was a few meteors around, and 
they took shots at those, making pebbles and ashes out of them. For each meteor 
that they shot at, they had to fire three or four rounds at it before hitting 
it.
  *So, Apollo, what do ya think?* asked Starbuck.
  *Well, Starbuck, you're a genius. Now, let's see what CORA could do.*
  Apollo flipped the switch for CORA, and CORA's voice said, *I can do that 
too, except in one shot. Watch.*
  Apollo sat back and observed as the viper flew at a meteor, and took one shot 
at it, breaking it into pebbles and ashes floating in space. Then it did the 
same with another meteor, one round, and the meteor was broken up.
  *Let's go back, Starbuck. I'm going to see how well CORA can land this 
thing.*
  *Acknowledged, Apollo.* Starbuck activated CORA in his own viper.
  The two vipers headed for the landing bay.

Starbuck and Apollo climbed out of their vipers, and Apollo said, "That was the 
smoothest landing that I've EVER done, thanks to CORA."
  Boomer heard Apollo in the landing bay, and he asked, "May -I- try?"
  "Sure, Boom-Boom. You'll never want to fly a regular viper again."
  Apollo said, "You can try one, AFTER you get the rest of the vipers 
upgraded."
  Starbuck then said, "I'll help out, Boom-Boom."
  Tigh walked in. "How did the test flight go, Apollo?"
  "Great, Commander. I have just ordered Boomer to continue with upgrading the 
rest of the vipers."
  "Sure, but do only a few at a time. We don't need all of the vipers in the 
middle of an upgrade if the Cylons decide to attack us."
  "Yes, Commander," said Starbuck and Boomer simultaneously.
  Tigh turned to Starbuck and said, "Well done, Captain. Now we have something 
better against the Cylon's improvements to their fighters."
  "You mean that their fighters have become faster and more maneuverable?" 
asked Starbuck.
  "Faster, yes, but maneuverability became even worse at their increased 
speeds."
  "It is the same in my universe as well. Cylon fighters move at higher speeds, 
but at the higher speeds, maneuverability is not as good. However, with the 
smaller engines and extra pulse generators, the viper has become even more 
maneuverable, and the CORA units would help with that as well, as long as our 
warriors remember to turn them on."
  "Keep it up, Captain." With that, Tigh gave Starbuck a light pat on the back, 
and then walked out.

Starbuck, Boomer, and Omega were each working on a viper. Others were helping 
out as well. As they were working away, Starbuck asked Boomer, "Tell me, 
Boomer, what happened when you encountered the Pegasus seventeen yahrens ago? 
Apollo and I talked about it when he asked me what Sheba was like in my own 
universe, but because he started getting depressed, I could not ask him any 
more questions."
  "Well, Starbuck, in our universe, Tigh took the Galactica and left the fleet 
to fight the Cylons with Commander Cain and the Pegasus. The surviving members 
of the Council of Twelve wanted him to, so he went."
  "In my universe, Commander Adama did not want to leave the fleet unprotected, 
so ..." He trailed off as he had just finished with one viper, and moved on to 
start with another one.
  "So you said during your interrogation, Starbuck," said Boomer. Then he 
continued on. "Well, in the end, we were having it out with five basestars near 
Gomorray. We managed to destroy three basestars, but the Pegasus was nearly 
destroyed. When it was ready to blow, the Pegasus went on a collision course 
with one of the basestars, and the front end blew on impact, but a major piece 
of the ship collided with the other basestar. With the help of two missiles, we 
destroyed the last basestar. Since our strike force returned with missiles and 
fuel, and because there was only one battlestar against an entire planet, we 
had no choice but to run." Boomer finished putting the viper that he was 
working on back together, and moved on to the next one."
  "What happened to Sheba?"
  "As you know, she was killed when she and Apollo decided to take out the 
Cylon basestars' weaponry and defenses." He paused as he slowly installed a 
part into the viper. "They had just finished working on the second one, and 
were heading towards the third one, but she was shot by one of that basestar's 
turrets. She crashed into the basestar."
  "Wow." That was all Starbuck could say, being at a loss for words. Then he 
asked, "What happened to Boxey?"
  "Well, his first mission was his last, Starbuck, explained Boomer. "Cylon 
fighters blew his viper up. Three Cylon fighters chased him, firing rounds of 
lasers at him..."
  Starbuck remembered back to Boxey's first mission.

{ Three vipers were on Boxey's tail. He tried to shake them. *I could use some 
help here...* cried Boxey.
  *On my way,* responded Starbuck. His viper headed over, and took out two of 
the Cylons with the first few rounds of laser fire. Then two more rounds 
destroyed the last one.}

"...this Starbuck. He is really doing wonders for the fleet," said Tigh.
  On the bridge, Tigh and Apollo were holding a conversation.
  Apollo said, "Well, I'm sure that he must be a servant of that Count Iblis."
  "Apollo." started Tigh. "I am not doubting that, but- he did not claim to be 
anything more than a man like us. I'm sure that he bleeds like the rest of us. 
Work with him, Apollo. Eventually, the truth will come out, as it always does. 
Work with him, but just be cautious."
  "I will, Commander," promised Apollo. "But Boomer has already played into his 
hands. I just hope that HE does not fall victim to whatever evil this Starbuck 
has planned for us."
  "You know, Apollo, I am beginning to doubt that this Starbuck is anything 
evil. I think that he may be a lost soul, who... happened to... stumble into 
our lives."
  "Well, for his sake, and ours, I hope that's the case. However, like I said, 
the modifications of the vipers are going, and they're ahead of schedule. 
They've completed the work on most of the vipers, and as we speak, he and the 
crew are working on the last of the vipers."
  "Very good, Captain."

"Well, that's the last viper, Bucko."
  "Great, Boom-Boom. Do you still want to take a test flight?"
  "Yes."
  "Well, we must report to Apollo first, and let him know that we are done."
  Then Apollo walked in. "How are things going?" he asked.
  Starbuck looked at Boomer, and nodded. Boomer said, "We're finished, 
Captain."
  "Good, Boomer. Do you still want to try it out?"
  "Yes, Sir."
  Apollo then went and tossed two helmets to Boomer and Starbuck, and then took 
one for himself.

"...the vipers are also twice as fast without losing maneuverability?" asked 
Tigh with doubts in his tone of voice. Tigh, Apollo, Starbuck, and Boomer were 
in Tigh's private room, discussing the situation about the enhanced vipers.
  "Yes, they are," said Apollo. "Also, when we let CORA land the viper, it is a 
much smoother landing than when we do it ourselves."
  "Furthermore," pointed out Starbuck, "by letting CORA land the viper, and 
handle some of the maneuvers, it would be more efficient on fuel usage."
  "Well, in our next encounter with Cylons, why don't we just send the vipers 
our by themselves WITHOUT a man inside it?"
  "CORA can only ENHANCE chances for survival," explained Starbuck. "Still, you 
need a viper pilot to help guide CORA. CORA cannot fight Cylons by itself. It 
can only do what its pilot tells it to do, and significantly increase his 
chances of returning to the Galactica for the next battle."
  Boomer said, "That was the intention seventeen yahrens ago, Commander. Cylons 
are machines, not people. Machines can only think up to a certain limit. It 
takes a man to outthink a machine."
  "How different is flying a viper now?" asked Tigh.
  "It is different, Commander," said Apollo, "It is also easier when CORA is 
activated."
  "Well, I want every Colonial warrior familiarized with the improved vipers 
immediately. Dismissed."

"...remember that the vipers ARE twice as fast from what they were from the 
last battle with the Cylons," explained Starbuck to a roomful of Colonial 
warriors with Boomer on his left, and Apollo on his right. "Just as soon as you 
start up your vipers, activate CORA before launching."
  Apollo then said, "Also, remember that CORA and the viper improvements will 
only INCREASE your chances of survival. It does NOT make you invincible in that 
viper."
  All of a sudden, on battlestar-wide communications they heard Tigh's voice. 
*Two Cylon basestars are approaching, Commander. Fighters have been launched.* 
Then the lighting in the room went from the regular lighting to red lighting.
  "TO YOUR VIPERS!" yelled Apollo.
  Everyone ran out of the room.

In the viper bay, Starbuck, Boomer, and Apollo were grabbing helmets and 
tossing them to everyone, who caught them, and hopped into their vipers. Then 
they grabbed helmets for themselves, and hopped into the three vipers in the 
front. As their cockpits closed, Starbuck gave Apollo a 'thumbs up' for good 
luck. Apollo nodded.
  *Start up vipers,* ordered Apollo to all the viper pilots. *Activate CORA.* 
Then he said, *Blue squadron, ready to launch.*
  *Launch control turned over to you, Blue Squadron,* announced Athena's voice.
  With that, the three lead vipers flew through the launch tubes.

The horde of vipers, from both viper bays, approached the horde of Cylon 
raiders. Apollo, the viper on Starbuck's right, was the first shot fired. The 
improvements in the lasers also enhanced the optimal firing range, and a Cylon 
raider blew up. As the two opposing hordes got closer, they exchanged laser 
fire. Most of the vipers were able to evade the Cylon lasers, but many of the 
Cylon raiders were either heavily damaged or destroyed.

Aboard one of the basestars, a gold Cylon walked into the command center, and 
the doors slid closed with the sound of scraping glass. "By your command," said 
the Centurion's monotone voice.
  The chair turned around, revealing an I.L. series Cylon. "Speak, Centurion."
  "The human fighters are winning against our fighters. It seems that their 
fighters' abilities have significantly improved."
  "Imperious Leader Baltar will not be pleased. Get me Specter on Cylon One."
  "By your command." With that, he walked out, and Lucifer's chair turned.
  Then, *Lucifer...* echoed throughout the room.
  "Specter. It seems that the human fighters have gone through a significant 
upgrade. Take the basestars closer to the battle between the fighter craft, and 
help our fighters against the humans' fighters."
  *By your command.*

Starbuck noticed it. The two basestars were closing in on them, one of them 
firing their lasers turrets at HIM! His viper all-of-a-sudden fired up turbos 
and turned upwards. Apollo's and Boomer's vipers also ignited their turbos and 
got away.
  *Let's take out some basestar weaponry?* asked Starbuck.
  *I'm with you, Starbuck,* said Boomer.
  *I'll take care of the other one,* said Apollo.
  *Remember,* said Starbuck. *Don't let those basestars NEAR the Galactica or 
the fleet with a single active turret or missile launcher.*
  *Yes, Sir,* said Apollo jokingly.
  The two leftmost vipers headed for one basestar, evading laser fire, and the 
third one headed for the other one. Nine raiders trailed them, three for each 
viper. (Starbuck's viper is the one on the right, and Boomer is the one on the 
left. Apollo headed for the other basestar.)
  A laser turret turned to fire at Starbuck, but one laser round took it out 
before it was able to open fire. His viper got very close to a Cylon raider 
launch bay, and one of the raiders crashed into it. Then he stopped short, 
allowing the other two raiders to pass him, and then he ignited turbos, firing 
lasers. One of the raiders blew up, and the other one was damaged, and crashed 
into the basestar's hull.
  Boomer tried to do the same, only, after the raiders passed him, they did a 
180-degree turn. Four rounds of lasers took out the three of them and a laser 
turret.

Apollo's viper kept on evading laser fire from the three raiders trailing him, 
allowing the lasers to hit the hull of the basestar, occasionally firing lasers 
to take out a missile launcher or laser turret. Some of them were actually 
taken out by the Cylons themselves. A laser turret fired and missed Apollo's 
viper, but it destroyed one of the raiders chasing him.
  Out of nowhere, viper laser took out the other two raiders, and destroyed a 
laser turret.
  *Thank you, whoever that was,* said Apollo.
  *I'm reporting in to help, Captain,* said Toria's voice. That viper opened 
fire, and took out another laser turret.
  *Toria??* Apollo was surprised that she was in a viper.
  *Brace yourself, Apollo,* That was CORA's voice as he felt himself being 
plastered back in his seat from the sudden acceleration of the viper as it 
evaded a missile. The viper turned and fired a round of lasers, destroying it. 
The missile's detonation took a small chunk of the hull of the basestar.

Aboard the Galactica, Athena relayed Starbuck's and Apollo's messages. 
"Starbuck and Apollo reported that all the basestars' weaponry has been 
eliminated."
  He responded, "Acknowledged, Athena," and then turned to another section of 
the bridge and ordered, "Take us closer to the basestars." Then he pressed a 
few buttons at the station he was at, and then cried, "Get us away from here!"

Aboard one of the basestars, Lucifer said to Specter over communications, "They 
are going to destroy us, Specter. Get into a shuttle and get away."
  *We are supposed to die with our basestars, Lucifer.*
  "Imperious Leader Baltar decreed that we commanders are needed, so we are to 
get off our basestars and head back for Gomorray for reassignment to another 
basestar."
  *Yes, he did, Lucifer. By your command.*

As the Galactica backed away, a pair of missiles emerged from the Galactica, 
and hit one of the basestars. They detonated, and there were a series of small 
explosions. Then the basestar blew up.

Starbuck and Boomer joined Apollo and Toria as they kept on firing round after 
round of lasers at the hull of the basestar. Many of the other vipers then 
followed suit.
  Aboard Starbuck's viper, CORA reported, *The basestar is about to blow the 
pogees out of itself.*
  *Get me outta here, CORA,* cried Starbuck. Then into his helmetcom, he cried, 
*Get away from the basestar. She's about to blow!*
  *We know, Captain Starbuck,* said another voice.
  The vipers ignited turbos, and got away from the basestar before it exploded.
  Starbuck then said into his helmetcom, *All those running on fumes return to 
the Galactica first. Remember to have CORA land the vipers for you.*
  There were a few responses of, *Yes, Sir,* and, *Yes, Captain,* over the 
helmet-comms.

It was Starbuck and Apollo wearing orange vs Boomer and Tigh wearing green in 
the triad court. Tigh threw the ball straight up into the air, and then 
everyone scrounged around trying to catch it with their special Triad mits. 
Apollo caught it. He then ran over to the green goal, and tried to hurl it in 
there. Boomer caught it, and then hurled the ball to Tigh. Tigh ran over to the 
orange goal, and tried to hurl it in. Starbuck tried to stop him, but Tigh 
hurled it towards the orange goal. However, it just missed the hole, and 
bounced off, right into Apollo's mit.
  "APOLLO!" yelled Starbuck as he ran towards the green goal.
  Apollo hurled the ball to him, and Starbuck caught it. Then he hurled right 
into the green goal.
  Apollo jumped up, and said, "WE WON!"
  Starbuck said to them, "Not bad for a group who haven't played for seventeen 
yahrens." He looked at Tigh, and said, "And, Commander, you're a great player 
for your age."
  "Yeah, Starbuck. That felt great, getting off the bridge of the Galactica for 
some recreation. Let's get cleaned up and get back into uniform, and join me on 
the bridge."
  "Yes, Sir," chimed all three.

They all were in the locker room. Starbuck put his brown jacket on, as Boomer 
and Apollo did the same.
  "It was a great game," said Boomer.
  "Yeah, it was great to help get my mind off things," said Apollo. Now, let's 
go see what the Commander wants.
  "Yeah," said Starbuck. "I wonder what he wants. Probably to ask how CORA 
performed."
  As the three of them headed out, Starbuck asked, "Has there any ground 
battles with the Cylons lately?"
  Apollo said, "Yes, there were. They're almost invincible, But Boomer figured 
it out. Three laser shots right in the middle of his torso. The first two is to 
get through the heavy armor, and it is weakest there. The third one disrupts 
its circuitry, basically shorting them out."
  "Yeah, Apollo, it is the same thing in MY universe."

"I have been skeptical about you, Starbuck," said Tigh, "from the moment that 
you... appeared on the Galactica."
  Tigh held a meeting with Apollo, Starbuck, Boomer, and Toria.
  "It is understandable," said Starbuck.
  "Please, Starbuck, don't interrupt me." Tigh paused. "I have had everyone 
keeping watch over you. You ARE a great Colonial warrior. Also, as time went 
on, you have proven yourself. Now, as you know, we haven't had a colonel ever 
since Commander Adama died. I was sworn in as commander, but we needed everyone 
where they were, and the jobs of the colonel were distributed between myself, 
and the captains. I also thought about this alot."
  Tigh got a small black box, and handed it to Starbuck. Starbuck opened it up, 
and looked inside it, surprised.
  "Starbuck," said Tigh. "I hereby promote you to Colonel."
  "But Apollo is the rightful man for this, Commander," objected Starbuck. "He 
has taught me everything I know."
  He looked at Starbuck, and said, "You yourself said that Apollo was a better 
viper pilot than you were... after all, he taught you. The Apollo who taught 
you was also a great teacher. But- I need Apollo where he is. His chances for 
survival out there is better than yours. Not only that, but we monitor 
communications between the vipers, and this time, we heard you giving orders as 
if you were a field colonel in command of both squadrons, and everyone followed 
your orders, and things went smoothly."
  "That was because of CORA and the enhancements and upgrades Boomer and Omega 
performed on the vipers that helped."
  Tigh held up his hand. "Furthermore, I need someone in command of both viper 
squadrons while a colonel helps me out on the bridge. It is amazing that I 
survived this long without one. He handed Apollo another black box, then one to 
Boomer, and then one to Toria. Then he continued. "Toria. I understand that you 
performed well on your first mission. You are now a Colonial warrior."
  "Thank you, Commander."
  Tigh turned to Apollo. "I hereby promote YOU to... Colonel. Now, I thought 
about this. You ARE in command of both viper squadrons. I guess, 'captain of 
captains' would have been more appropriate, but there is no such rank, and no 
pins for it."
  "Thank you, Tigh," said Apollo.
  "Now," said Tigh. "That leaves a void in the leadership of Blue Squadron. 
Boomer. I hereby promote you to Captain."
  "Thank you, Commander," said Boomer.
  "Dismissed."
  Apollo, Boomer, and Toria walked out, leaving Tigh and Starbuck. Starbuck 
said, "Thank you, Commander, for the chance to prove myself to you."
  "Don't thank me, Colonel. Thank yourself for doing a superb job."
  "You know, Commander, that I have come from a... I guess a happier... 
universe. Sheba is still alive, and had been Apollo's loving wife, and gave 
birth to two of his younger children."
  "Well, Boxey is NOT really Apollo's son, biologically, I mean."
  "Still, Commander... Well, have YOU ever been sealed and have children?"
  "No. My life has always been the Colonial military. Apollo is the closest 
thing to a son that I have. Tell, me, how about the Tigh of YOUR universe?"
  "No. He never married. But- he treated Apollo as if he was his own son, and 
when Adama died, he was always there for him, and Boxey. It seems that... Well, 
he was a good substitute, but-"
  "I understand. If it were up to me, I would have had Apollo be here on the 
bridge here with me, but I also have to think of the Galactica, and of the 
fleet of mankind as well. You know, if the Galactica was ever destroyed, the 
remaining fleet would be open to be pulverized by the Cylons. It seems that we 
can NEVER shake them."
  "It is the same with MY universe as well, Tigh. We move on to Earth, but the 
Cylons continue to pursue us."

On the bridge, Apollo, Boomer, and Toria stood there waiting. "And Boxey was 
supposedly a future husband of mine?" asked Toria.
  Apollo looked at her, and said, "That was what Starbuck said."
  "Perhaps if I had become a Colonial warrior before, I could have saved him. I 
still miss him, you know."
  "So do I, Toria. So do I. You know, Toria. Boxey really loved you, you know. 
Many times, he spoke about you and your progress. And, he even asked ME what 
-I- thought of you."
  She turned to Apollo, her eyes looking somewhat beady. Feeling awkward 
standing next to this cute girl who seemed to need comforting... Who was also 
his son's girl!
  Starbuck stood nearby, watching this. Behind him, stood Tigh. They both 
watched as Toria grabbed hold of Apollo, and cried. Apollo awkwardly put his 
arms around her, and held her.
  Boomer had to look away, and noticed Starbuck and Tigh. He walked over to 
them, and said, "They were talking about how much they both miss Boxey."
  "We heard the whole thing, Boomer," responded Tigh.
  "You know, Boxey and Toria in MY universe are pretty much wingmates. They 
both took out the defenses on a basestar, and Boxey had to use HIS viper to 
guide hers into the landing bay."

{Boxey and Toria were cruising and firing at the last basestar. A turret fired, 
and destroyed another viper, and hit Toria's viper as well. Boxey destroyed 
that turret.
  *Toria, are you OK?*
  *I cannot steer this viper! Also, CORA's been disabled. I'm gonna DIE!!*
  *All right, Toria. Don't worry. I'll get you in safely.*
  Boxey watched Toria's viper as it drifted at high speed towards the 
Galactica. *CORA, can we use minimum intensity lasers to guide Toria's viper?*
  *Yes we can, Boxey.*
  *Remember. Minimum intensity... We just want to use the force of the laser 
detonations to guide the viper... not destroy it.*
  *You can count on me, Boxey.*
  Boxey followed Toria, hitting her with minimal-intensity laser blasts. First, 
on the rear wings, and then on its nose.
  *BOXEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?*
  *Don't worry, Toria. We're gonna get you safely back to the Galactica.*
  As they approached the Galactica, the last basestar exploded. Boxey moved in 
front of her. *Close your eyes, Toria.*
  *WHY!?*
  Boxey blasted his turbos, which sent him at high speed, but at the same time, 
slowed Toria's viper down. The extremely bright lighting from Boxey's turbo 
exhaust told her why. She closed her eyes.
  Toria followed Boxey into the landing bay.
  *Hang on tight, Toria.*
  She hung on. Somehow, she knew what Boxey was doing and was prepared for the 
impacts as Toria's viper bumped into Boxey's in the landing bay until they both 
came to a full stop. Boxey climbed out of his viper, and went to Toria's.
  Other vipers came in and landed. The cockpit to Toria's viper opened, and 
Boxey helped her out.
  "You OK?"
  "That was the strangest way of landing a viper. Being fired upon by your 
wingmate, and banging into him. Thank you, Boxey."
  "WHAT THE HELL WAS ALL THAT FOR!" yelled Starbuck at Boxey. "Firing upon your 
wingmate?"
  "My systems were disabled," explained Toria. "That was a successful attempt 
to get me safely back."
  Bojay held his hand out to Boxey's and Toria's vipers. Boxey's vipers had a 
few dents in it, and Toria's was charred around the entire front and the wings, 
and the entire front was slightly bent to one side.
  "Well done, Boxey," said Greenbean. He gave Boxey a pat on the back.
  "Well, uh..." said Boxey. "I had lots of help from CORA. I only came up with 
the idea. CORA took care of the efforts."
  "Yeah, Boxey, a job well done," said Starbuck. "Even though we've got a mess 
to clean up."}

Tigh and Boomer were laughing. "That was the strangest way to save her life," 
said Boomer. "Firing at it with lasers?"
  "Lasers set to MINIMUM power, Boomer," said Tigh.
  "Yeah, only Boxey would have thought of a crazy idea like that," said Boomer. 
"The strange part was, as crazy as they sounded, it was always a logical idea 
that works!"
  They all laughed.
  "Yeah," said Starbuck. "In my universe as well, Boxey always gets these 
great, but crazy ideas."
  "But-" said Boomer, getting serious again, "Boxey's last crazy idea saved 
Apollo and Me, but- he paid for it with his OWN life."
  There was a centon of silence.
  "What did your Commander Apollo decide to do with the vipers?" asked Tigh, 
breaking the silence among the three.
  "Well, we replaced the CORA unit in Toria's, and got the dents and 
straightened out the both vipers, and made Boxey clean and repaint Toria 
viper."
  They both laughed. "You and your Apollo made Boxey clean and repaint the 
viper?" asked Tigh.
  "Well, he did the damage. At least we did not make him take the dents out as 
well. And, Toria joined him at the task as well."
  Boomer and Tigh laughed.
  "I did What?" asked Toria.
  "Starbuck here, was telling us about the Toria and Boxey of his universe."
  "Yeah, I heard it." Oh, it was about us in his universe?"
  Starbuck looked behind him, to see Toria and Apollo holding hands. "Cute 
couple," said Starbuck.
  Boomer and Tigh laughed, and was joined by Toria.
  Starbuck noticed that Apollo was staring at him. "Apollo, it was a joke."
  "I know, Starbuck. It's just that I am just not in the mood for laughing at 
the centon."
  You know," said Tigh. "Starbuck is right. They DO make a good couple."
  "But Toria is really my SON'S lady. Besides, I'm old enough to be her 
father."
  "Well, many yahrens ago, wasn't there something between Commander Cain and 
Cassiopeia?"
  Tigh, Boomer, and Apollo exchanged looks and stares. "Yes," said Apollo. 
"So?"
  "You know, I'm sure that if Commander Cain did survive and joined the fleet, 
he and Cassiopeia would have gotten themselves sealed eventually, since I was 
not in this universe to seal myself with her. And Cain IS old enough to be her 
father as well."
  Boomer said, "That's right."
  Starbuck turned to Apollo and Toria, and said, "You know, I think that Boxey 
would have wanted this. Get to know each other, and see what happens. 
Throughout history, men have sealed themselves with women old enough to be... 
EVEN THEIR GRANDDAUGHTERS. Boxey would have wanted you two to be happy."
  Tigh said to Apollo, "Starbuck is right, Cap- Colonel. You and Toria meant 
everything to him. Now that Boxey is gone, she has his father to look up to."
  "Can't we talk about this Colonel?" asked Toria.
  "If you call me 'Colonel' one more time, Toria, I'm going to call you 
'Ensign.'"
  The two laughed.
  "Well, I think that it's time for us to move on," announced Tigh. "There is a 
star system straight ahead, and we should see what we can get from the planets 
there. Starbuck, you are now a bridge officer, as colonel. Would you mind doing 
the honors?"
  "Sure, Commander," said Starbuck. He turned to the bridge, and said, "Well, 
let's move ahead. Take us to that system."
  "Yes, Sir," said the helmsman.
  "Well, your shift is over, Colonel. Get some rest."
  "But Tigh, I feel fine."
  "That's an order, Starbuck. I need you here, and alert. Speaking of which, 
I've better do the same. After all, that Cylon attack, and this meeting had us 
up and going for a long while. On a normal, routine, we should have started our 
shifts about a centar ago, but-" he trailed off.
  "Maybe we've better stay in your personal office, Commander..." said 
Starbuck, "just for in case. We won't have far to go, and we won't have to 
worry about getting dressed."
  "Good idea."
  The two went into the commander's personal office together, Tigh sat in his 
chair, and Starbuck sat in another, both of them relaxed.
  Starbuck asked him, "You plan to eventually settle somewhere, right?"
  Tigh said, "Yes, somewhere far away from the Cylons. Hopefully, beyond their 
reach."
  Starbuck said, "I hate to say this, but I don't think that you will ever get 
beyond the Cylon's grasp, Tigh."
  "Yeah, I'm beginning to doubt it also. All that we need to do is LOSE them."
  "But then, they may eventually find you."
  "Well, we just have to be prepared for them."
  They then stared at each other in silence. "Goodnight, Colonel," said Tigh.
  "Enjoy your rest, Tigh," responded Starbuck.
  The two of them dozed off.

Captain Sheba was being interim Executive Officer during the search for 
Starbuck. There was nothing to report, and all everyone could do was wait as 
the Galactica crew made another search throughout the entire battlestar.
  Apollo came out of his personal office, and asked, "Anything yet?"
  "Negative, Sir," reported Athena.
  He then approached Rigel, and asked, "What are the chances that Starbuck 
managed to leave the Galactica undetected?"
  "Almost none, Commander," she answered. "He would have to launch in a viper. 
And, if he did just that, he would have to fire several rounds of lasers to get 
out, or crash the viper into the launch tube hatch while launching. The lasers 
hitting the hatch would trigger the battle alarms, and if he crashed the viper, 
he would never get through, and it would trigger the fire alarms."
  Apollo knew that, but he needed to hear someone say it. Rigel was 
understanding. "Don't worry, Commander. We'll find the Colonel."
  Apollo then put a hand on her shoulder, and said, "Thank you, Rigel." Then he 
headed back to his personal office, stopping to say to Sheba, "Report to me if 
anything comes up, Sheba."
  "Yes, Apollo," responded Sheba and Athena simultaneously, but not 
harmoniously.
  Cassiopeia asked, "May I remain here until either something comes up in the 
infirmary or until we have located my husband?"
  Apollo said, "Sure. It's all right with me, that is, if the rest of the 
bridge crew have no objection."
  Everyone nodded their approvals to Cassiopeia that it was all right if she 
waited on the bridge. After all, Athena would be the one to receive the message 
if Starbuck was found. Then Apollo walked into his personal office.
  "What are YOU doing here, Starbuck?" asked Apollo.
  Starbuck awoke. "Huh?" Starbuck looked at Apollo, to see him in his dark 
blue, and his Commander's pins on him.
  "How the FRAK did you get in here?" asked Apollo.
  "Unh." Starbuck shook the sleepiness out of himself, and rubbed it out of his 
eyes.
  "Well, Starbuck, you're a centar late for duty, but better late than never, 
huh?"
  "Only a centar?" asked Starbuck.
  Apollo was out of the room, and Starbuck followed him out.
  "Look at what -I- found," claimed Apollo.
  "How in Haydes did he get in THERE?" asked Sheba.
  Apollo shrugged his shoulders in response to her.
  Starbuck ran to Cassiopeia, and embraced her. Looking over her shoulder, he 
saw what looked like the time and date on Athena's monitor. He let go of 
Cassiopeia, and went to Apollo. "How long was I gone for?" he asked.
  "Well, you disappeared sometime last night. Cassiopeia cannot say because she 
did not know when you left." said Apollo. "At most, only a few centars."
  "I thought that I was gone for several sectons, Apollo," said Starbuck. "I 
tell you, Apollo, I've got some story to tell."
  Athena interrupted them. "Apollo, should I cancel the search for Starbuck?"
  "Uhh yes, Athena. Activate battlestar-wide communications." He turned to 
Starbuck, and said, "Well, Bucko... Since you believe in fixing problems you 
created, it's your call."
  Starbuck, with a somewhat embarrassed look on his face, said, "Yes, Sir." 
Then he walked over to Athena's station, and put on a headset. "Attention... 
All decks. This is Colonel Starbuck. Cancel the search for me, as I have been 
located..."

In another section of the Galactica, Boxey and Toria were crawling in a narrow 
tube as they heard the last of Starbuck's voice over ship-wide communication 
saying, *Thank you for your concern for me, but I am all right.*
  Toria was in front of Boxey. She took a deep breath, and exhaled in 
frustration.
  "Toria," said Boxey. "I think that it would be quicker if we crawled 
backwards."
  "If you say so, Box," responded Toria. "But it would be easier to go 
forwards. And for you, it would also be more difficult because you're so much 
bigger than me."
  "I can handle it, Toria."
  "All right. Just tell me where I'm going, because I have a stiff neck."
  "Sure, Toria." With that, Boxey started crawling backwards, and then Toria 
followed suit, going faster than him. Boxey looked forwards just in time to 
almost be bumped into by her. "Slow down, Toria. You almost banged into me."
  "Then hurry up, Box."
  Boxey looked downwards, relatively, and then said, "We have to turn a corner, 
Toria. Be careful."
  "Thanks, Box. Well, if I DO bang into you, just be glad that we're not in 
vipers, or we'll have to do the repair jobs ourselves."
  They both laughed.

"What's happened to Boxey and Toria?" asked Apollo. "They should have reported 
in by now."
  "I'm sure that they're around somewhere," answered Starbuck. "They will be 
here shortly."
  Athena reported, "They were last seen climbing into one of the repair tubes. 
Well, knowing Boxey and his strange ideas, could they probably have found it 
romantic?"
  An outbreak of laughter emerged from the entire bridge.
  Just then, Boxey and Toria walked up, both of them still stiff from being in 
the repair tubes.
  "We just needed to come to the bridge to see for our own EYES..." said Boxey, 
"...that Starbuck was found."
  "You look kind of stiff, you two," said Starbuck. "Are you all right?"
  "Well, I'll survive. The last time I was in those tubes was about fifteen 
yahrens ago. They have SHRUNK!"
  "No, Boxey. you GREW."
  Another outbreak of laughter emerged from the entire bridge.
  "Well," said Apollo. "Starbuck has some story to tell, he says."
  "Maybe tonight," said Cassiopeia. "I must take him to Dillon and Pandora to 
show them that their father is back WITH us." She looked at Apollo, who nodded 
to her. Then she half-dragged Starbuck away.

Later on, Apollo, Cassiopeia, Sheba, Athena, Boomer, Boxey, Toria, and the four 
children were just finishing up dinner at a large table on the Rising Star. 
Starbuck was there, telling about his strange ordeal.
  "... Well, Commander Tigh and I fell asleep in his personal office, and then 
next thing I knew, Commander Apollo came in asking what I was doing in there."
  "That was REALLY something, Starbuck," said Apollo. "Tigh still alive, but 
almost everyone that meant something to me either dead or did not exist. And 
the Galactica and only a hundred ships, and all going in the opposite 
direction."
  "The strange thing was," continued Apollo, "I had just stepped out of the 
room to see how things were going, for only about a centon. Then I walked back 
in there, and there you were, sleeping!"
  Everyone laughed.
  Apollo said, "Well, we've lost Commander Tigh, but- Sheba is here, and so is 
Boxey, and Troy, Hera, Dillon, and Pandora. The Apollo from whatever universe 
you stumbled into did not seem to be a happy guy."
  Sheba said, "Well, Starbuck's viper piloting skills are better than mine."
  Boxey pointed out, "Yeah, and he actually save me on my first mission."
  Boomer said, "And HE took the test flight seventeen yahrens ago when we 
installed the first CORA unit into a viper. Apollo and I only had to go and 
recover him."
  Apollo said, "And when we left the colonies, he was the extra man we needed 
out there against the Cylons, and my father lived for almost ten more yahrens. 
Now, that influenced almost everything. I got to hand it to you, Starbuck. The 
impact of Starbuck, I guess we could call this. It shows, that one man CAN make 
a difference."
  All eyes were on Starbuck, & he blushed.

After a generation of fleeing from Cylon treachery, the last battlestar,
Galactica, leads a ragtag fugitive fleet on a long and lonely quest. A shining
planet known as Earth.