Man and Machine

It was a long way yet to the top. It was a long way to the bottom, and not the ideal climb, especially not with jury rigged climbing equipment. The four humans were climbing up the sides of a wide tunnel that had once been dug directly down from the surface into the landing bay of Zion, which had once been the safe haven of free humanity.

Zion was all abandoned now, as was the tunnel, and the four humans climbing it were glad the sides of the round bore hole were not smooth.

"Remember our last climb, Apollo?" Starbuck called out from the other side of the tunnel. "This is a piece of cake compared to that."

"I wouldn't go that far," Apollo said, the drone, Twiki was tied onto his back like a backpack, "but it is definitely warmer than that ice planet."

"Bididid, This is embarrassing," Twiki said.

"I don't remember ever having done a climb like this before," Buck said. He looked down, and then up. There was no light at the end of either tunnel. "Don't look up, don't look down. Just look for the next handhold.

The shaft they were climbing was incredibly dark, with only their survival pack glowsticks providing any light.

"Come on, Buck. Climbing like this is part of the Protectorate's standard training," Wilma said. She wore Dr. Theopolis around her neck since Twiki was otherwise engaged.

"Does anyone need to take a break?" Starbuck asked.

"I'm still good," Buck answered, "Wilma?"

"I can keep going if the rest of you can," she answered.

"How about you, Apollo?" Starbuck asked, "Need me to take the little guy for a while?"

"I'm fine, Starbuck. Lets keep going," Apollo said.

"Bidi-bidbiddi, what a sport," Twiki said.

"Be careful not to overexert yourselves," Dr. Theopolis said, "it would be better to rest now than to set pitons for camping after your legs are too tired."

"Thanks, Theo, but honestly, I'm fine," Apollo reassured the member of the computer council.

"My question is," Starbuck said, "What do we do if we reach the top only to discover its closed over?"

"You are a real ray of sunshine," Buck said.

"We'll worry about that when, or if, it happens," Apollo said.

"We are making remarkably quick progress," Theo said. "At this rate, we should reach the top in just a few more hours."

O0o0O

"Are you certain about this, Dr. Huer?" Commander Adama asked, "This could cause a problem between you and your computer council."

Adama had just arrived back on the Galactica, not far from Earth, and had brought Dr. Huer and Captain Asimov with him.

"I don't know about the good doctor, but I for one am more than ready to get some answers about what is really going on around here," Asimov said.

"I agree," Huer said. "I have always trusted the Computer Council implicitly, but for whatever reasons the logic behind their actions in dealing with Captain Rogers have often eluded me. Branding him a traitor when he first arrived, planning to execute him even after his innocence was proved; and after all the times he saved us, they subjected him to another trial when evidence suggested he had something to do with the great holocaust."

They followed Adama onto the Galactica bridge, which looked significantly different from the bridge of the Searcher. The Galactica's bridge was larger, with a raised portion in the center, with several other officers working various stations around the perimeter. A single large window dominated the front, which displayed Earth in all it's distant beauty.

"Colonel Tigh, have our energy shields ready, and activate all sensors for a thorough scan of Earth. Prepare to orbit the planet," Adama said.

"Just keep a safe distance from our planetary defense shield," Huer suggested.

"Scanners are ready," Athena said.

Adama, and the two Earth leaders climbed up on the central dias.

"Omega, display the results of the scans here please," Adama said.

"Aye, sir," the young officer said, while punching in the required sequence.

"Give me as through a scan as possible, please."

"Yes. Father," Athena said, forgetting to refer to him by rank while on duty.

"Take us around the planet, Tigh," Adama said.

"Yes, sir," the black man said, signaling the helmsman at the front of the bridge.

Outside the Battlestar, ancient engines flared to life, pushing the warship away from it's fleet and around the planet Earth.

Although the Galactica's computer screens looked like ancient monochrome monitors, the results they displayed from the ships sensor scan of the planet revealed an astonishing amount of information. Radon/Radiation levels, life forms, city structures from both current and ancient cities, as well as long forgotten underground cities and tunnels. The entire geological history of the planet displayed in numbers and charts for any who had the skills to decipher.

Huer pointed to a block on one of the displayed maps, "That isn't one of the ancient cities… it isn't New Moscow either… What is that?"

Athena stood up from her station, "Father? I think I've found them, and they're a long way from New Chicago."

"I think we should arrange an escort to bring them home, don't you?" Adama said.

"I've got this one," Asimov said. "Ill have the Searcher dispatch a shuttle and fighter escort to bring Buck, Wilma, and your boys back. I look forward to what they've found that made the Council go on the warpath."

O0o0O

The light was close now, close enough to touch, almost. Apollo had to admit, he should have rested more, because each of his limbs hurt, even though Twiki was now riding on Starbuck's back.

He looked over, and there was Starbuck, making the same steady progress. He didn't know if his friend had even looked up to know how close the end of their climb was.

Off to the other side, and a little below them, Buck and Wilma were making the same steady progress.

Then he started to think he was going out of his mind. Apollo thought he could hear voices.

"Over here!"

"Mind the edge, that is one big pit."

"I see them, bring some rope over here."

"Yeah, its all of them. Rogers, Deering, Apollo and Starbuck."

Apollo wondered if they were from Earth or Galactica, but in the end it didn't mater as long as they were human. The long climb and escape from the Earth made Cylons, or Terminators was over. For now, at least.

He wondered what his Father would make of the new history their group had learned about the Earth and it's ruling computer council.