Note: Big surprise but I don't own Galactica or any of its' stories. My idea for this came from watching 3.20, I saw that the DARDIS showed five Basestars but when the camera did its' zoom out we only actually see four. What if the fifth contact wasn't a Basestar but something unexpected?

I'm leaving out some details for now, they'll be revealed as I go on but I feel it's more fun to know everything before the Colonials do.

1.

Slowly the small transport shuttle weaved its' way around the myriad of construction pylons and worker-crafts that were buzzing about inside Chronos, a massive construction station built inside of an asteroid. The shuttle turned into bay three and was confronted with the most advanced light-cruiser built to date, the Atlantis.

"This is Cobra zero-zero-two-Alpha to Atlantis watchtower; I'm requesting permission to land."

"Cobra zero-zero-two-Alpha you are cleared for landing into the starboard bay on pad two."

"Roger control, beginning landing run."

The pilot eased the bulky shuttle into the landing bay of the cruiser Atlantis and brought it to a stop on the designated pad. A loud thud was heard below the shuttle.

"Reporting maglocks in place."

"Affirmative zero-zero-two-Alpha, locks are secured. Welcome aboard, Orion."

Lieutenant James 'Orion' MacLeod checked his controls and turned on the automated landing control systems. Slowly the landing pad descended into the maintenance bay below before stopping in an empty slot. Orion opened the door and stepped out onto the deck and watched as a squad of marines approached.

"The package is in the back. Knock yourselves out."

The lead marine saluted. "Regulations require you to wait until we've secured the package until leaving the transport."

Orion's lip twitched slightly at the marine and he opened his mouth to say something only for a new voice to interrupt him.

"Ease up Joe. No-one is going to steal it, whatever 'it' is." The newcomer smiled at Orion and greeted him with a slap on the back. "What would you do without me to look after you, James?"

"Let's think." Orion started to count on his fingers, "Stay out of bars, never see the inside of every jail-cell from here to Jupiter and back again, "

The newcomer laughed at his friend. "But then your life wouldn't have any fun in it."

Orion stared at him before shaking his head and laughing as well.

"True enough." The pair started walk of the hanger deck and into the bowels of the ship. "So, how's life been treating you Rigel?" Lieutenant Al-Ril (Rigel) 'Dragon' Jones shrugged slightly.

"Could be worse, got busted down to Lieutenant and assigned to a deep recon patrol after sleeping with an admiral's daughter. Then once I get back I'm assigned to ferry people and supplies back and forth to this ship. What about you?"

"Sorry, can't talk about it, classified. You'll find out after we launch though."

"It has something to do with those new engines, doesn't it?"

Orion raised his hands in a defensive posture. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Dragon gave him an evil stare before shrugging again. "Fine, don't tell your friend. Let's get you bunked down before I give you the grand tour." Orion bowed in jest to his friend.

"Lead on."

Dragon smacked him on his shoulder before walking to show his friend his new home.

---

Orion sat in his bunk in the pilots' quarters and stared at the notes in front of him. He was so engrossed in them he failed to notice Dragon come in.

"Hey, we're due in the briefing room in ten so get moving."

Orion started to frantically collect his notes. Dragon picked up one and glanced over it. He noticed that it was written in a language he'd never seen with unusual characters. Holding up the sheet of paper he looked at his friend.

"What is this?"

Without answering Orion grabbed the sheet from him and placed it, along with the ones he was reading, into a box which he then locked. He then walked out of the pilots' quarters to the briefing. Dragon looked from Orion to the box then back again and spotted one piece of paper with the strange writing under the bed. He picked it up and, after taking a quick look at it and failing to make heads or tails of it, he placed it in one of his flight-suits' pocket before following his friend to the briefing.

-

Orion and Dragon walked into the pilots briefing room and took their seats.

"Morning." said the female CAG. "Today we have combat drills for all again and our last pilot, who just happens to be one of the test pilots for our new Cobra class fighters, has arrived, Lieutenant MacLeod, his Call-sign is Orion."

Some of the other pilots chuckled amongst themselves as Orion leaned over to Dragon.

"What's so funny?"

Before Dragon could answer the CAG interrupted. "My call-sign is Artemis but don't get your hopes up. All you can do is dream."

"Is that an order?" asked Dragon, drawing laughter from the assembled pilots.

Captain Diane 'Artemis' Towers tried to hide her own smile as she stared at Dragon. "Just for that you get to fly the first run."

Without missing a beat Dragon stood and saluted, "Thank you sir, anything else sir?"

Artemis gave him a wry smile as she answered. "Actually I need someone to help the deck crew with fighter maintenance and you just volunteered."

Dragon slumped back into his seat. Orion leaned over and whispered to him.

"Some things never change."

"Orion, you can join him." stated Artemis before continuing with her briefing.

Orion leaned over and whispered to Dragon. "What's so funny then?"

Dragon gave Artemis a quick glance before he answered. "In Greek mythology, Orion was the hunting companion and maybe the lover of Artemis who she killed after she was tricked by Apollo. Upon his death he placed her among the stars as a constellation."

Orion nodded slightly and stared at Artemis. "I've already seen everything anyway." He muttered drawing a confused look from Dragon.

When the briefing ended Artemis asked for Orion to stay behind.

"What are you doing here?" she asked him pointedly. He gave her a friendly smile as he answered.

"And here I was thinking you'd be happy to see me again." She gave him a cold, uncaring stare. "Now I know you still love me, so what's the problem?" She pointed directly at him as she answered.

"I don't want you here and I'm the CAG. I choose the pilots for the ship." He shrugged at her statement.

"I was asked to join as you requested one of the test pilots come along to help with the new fighters."

Artemis gave him a cold stare. "I wouldn't have done that I'd known you were the one they would send."

Orion tried to suppress a smile as he looked at her. "It's good to see you again too Diane."

"Don't start with me Lieutenant. I want you off this ship now."

He shrugged apologetically, "Not gonna happen. My orders come directly from the Admiralty but you could take it up with the Admiral."

She turned and started to walk out of the briefing room, "I think I will."

"By the way," she stopped and turned slightly to look back at him. "You still look beautiful to me." She spun quickly and stormed out of the room hoping he hadn't seen the slight smile that had crept across her face.

-

Five minutes later she was at the Admirals' quarters and tapped on his door.

"Come." Artemis stormed into the private area used by the Admiral and after giving him a quick salute she opened up.

"I want HIM off this ship now!!" Admiral Jackson turned and faced his CAG.

"Him?" he asked as a slight smile starting to creep onto his face. Artemis slammed her fist against one of the walls.

"Who know damm well who HE is, don't play with me dad." Jackson gave his daughter a calming smile and motioned for her to sit, which she refused.

"As much as you don't want him here, I need him here Diane." Artemis gave him an almost evil stare.

"Why? Couldn't we get one of the other test pilots?" he shook his head as he looked up at her.

"All I can tell you is that it's classified Captain." Artemis snapped to attention but the anger could still be seen in her eyes.

"Very well sir. Is there anything else or can I go now?" Jackson sighed and waved towards the door.

"No, on you go." As she stepped through the door he called after her. "Diane, do you still love him?" Her head snapped back around and she just stared at him open-mouthed for a couple of seconds until she regained her composure. Without answering she stepped through the door and slammed it shut.

Jackson sighed as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. "It's gonna be a long flight."

---

Jackson walked onto the bridge of the Atlantis and casually checked each station was properly manned before moving towards the central command platform.

"I'll take it from here, XO."

The XO nodded and stepped back to his station. "Aye sir, you have the conn. All stations report ready to get underway. Engineering says the new engines are awaiting your order to be powered up."

"Very well, Helm, ask the station for clearance to leave, and then take us out slowly. By the book people, we don't want to break the ship just yet."

Slowly the Atlantis crept out of her docking station and began to lead her people into a brave new future.

"We've cleared the station sir."

"Take us out of the planets gravity well. Full power to the sub-light engines, let's see what this girl has got." The mighty ship began to power away from the station and into the endless night as people on the station watched on in anticipation of what was to come.

"Incoming transmission from the station, it is Fleet Admiral Fergusson."

"On speakers." an audible pop was heard as the signal was routed into the bridge speaker system. "This is the Atlantis; you are on speakers now, sir."

"Admiral Jackson, you and your crew are under-taking our most daring voyage yet. Our hopes and prayers are with you all. Safe journeys, Command out."

Jackson looked round the bridge at the confused look on the faces of many of his crew. He opened the ship's intercom.

"This is the Admiral. As we leave Spacedock I feel compelled to tell you all how proud I am of all of you. Today we usher in a new age for our people as we venture forth into the great unknown. Using the latest technology we have we will leave our solar system for the first time and finally answer the question that has been asked since the beginning of time, 'Are we alone?' and the question that has plagued us for over twenty years, 'Where did they come from and why did they attack us?' Trust your fellow shipmates and we will all return safe and sound to our home with an answers."

Jackson closed the intercom and turned to the XO.

-

In the starboard maintenance bay Dragon walked across from his fighter to Orions' and found his friend checking the electronics package in his cockpit.

"So what do you think we're going to find out there, aliens or just empty space?"

Orion gave his friend a cryptic smile as he answered. "Fifty credits says we find other humans?"

Dragon stifled a laugh at the suggestion. "Don't be serious. No human has ever left the solar system."

Dragon turned around and walked back across to his fighter. Halfway back he stopped and turned, "Does this have to do with that strange writing you were looking at?"

Orion pretended not to hear his friends' question.

"Fine," muttered Dragon, "have it your way. You've got a bet and I'll expect the money once we get back."

-

"We've reached the recommended safe distance sir." stated the Helmsman drawing the attention of the Admiral and the XO.

"Very well, reduce power to sub-lights to ten percent, power up the new engines slowly and input the jump co-ordinates into the computer."

The ship began to vibrate slightly. Suddenly an alarm went off.

"Unknown contact bearing zero-one-zero, mark three-five-one. Range two hundred klicks." stated the scanner operator.

"What is it?" asked the XO.

The operator shook his head. "It doesn't match anything on record. It appears to be a one-man ship."

Jackson looked at the scanner and found himself seeing the same ghost he saw once before. "Contact Fleet command and request they launch an interceptors."

"Aye sir." stated the comm officer. Another alarm went off.

"Power surge in the jump engines, now at ninety-five percent."

"Kill the power." ordered Jackson.

The engineer frantically worked at his station before shaking his head. "No good. It won't shut down and it's now drawing power from other systems, now at one hundred and ten percent and still rising."

The vibrations were growing more intense as the jump engines continued to draw more and more power.

"Unknown contact is gone."

"What do you mean gone?" the XO demanded. "Something that size can't just disappear."

The operator shrugged as he answered. "One second it was there, the next it was gone. No sign of it on any scans."

"Sir, Command states that the never saw any other ships in our vicinity."

"Are the bloody blind?" asked an increasingly frustrated XO.

Suddenly the power to most of the bridge systems failed.

"We've lost scanners sir."

"Weapons controls are also non-responsive."

"Jump engines at one hundred and fifty percent of expected norms."

Jackson turned to the comm officer. "Contact the station and declare an emergency."

The officer just shook his head. "I've got no power."

The bridge lights started to flicker. Jackson turned to the engineer on the bridge.

"Can you shut it off?"

The engineer shook his head again. "I've tried everything I can think of and then some with no success."

He took a quick look at his displays that were still working followed by another longer stare before turning back to the Admiral dumbfounded. "Somehow the engines are at one hundred and seventy-five percent and now the target coordinates have changed. Don't ask me how, I just don't know."

Jackson re-opened the ships' intercom. "All hands brace for jump. Sound battle-stations, order all pilots to their fighters."

The alert siren sounded once before it too had its' power drained along with all the bridge systems.

"Jump engines were at one hundred and ninety-four percent at last count. Assuming it's gonna need two hundred percent to jump we should jump in." He looked down at his watch, "five… four… three… two… one…"

-

On the station people cheered and clapped as the Atlantis jumped away, unaware anything was wrong even as Fleet Command tried to make sense of the last data they received just as the Atlantis jumped.

"Are you sure that's what it said?" asked a very flustered Fleet Admiral Fergusson.

"Yes sir," replied the officer. "We didn't get any technical feedback, just those eight words." Fergusson, like everyone else, looked up at the giant screen in the control and the words flashing across it.