Editing Ionian Nebula

[[Image:Ionian_Nebula.png|thumb|The Ionian Nebula.]]
The '''Ionian nebula''' is approximately 13,000 light years distant from the [[algae planet]].  It encompasses a star system with at least two planets. 

In their search for the [[Eye of Jupiter]]'s function and symbolism, Lieutenant [[Felix Gaeta]] discovers that a nova occurred in the Ionian system which was seen 4,000 years ago, around the time the [[Thirteenth Tribe (RDM)|Thirteenth Tribe]] [[Timeline (RDM)|left Kobol]].

The existence of the nova at the time of the Thirteenth Tribe's journey and its resemblance to the new nova of the algae planet's system suggests to Gaeta that the Tribe's next marker is the Ionian nebula ([[Rapture]]). ''[[Galactica]]'' and her [[The Fleet (RDM)|Fleet]] begin the journey to this next waypoint to [[Earth (RDM)|Earth]].

As [[Crossroads, Part I|Gaius Baltar's trial begins]], the Fleet has almost reached the nebula, despite some [[Dirty Hands|fueling delays]] and the [[Maelstrom|loss of pilot Kara Thrace]].

The Fleet is stricken with an abrupt power outage as they enter the vicinity of the nebula, every ship losing power at once.  As the ships drift dead in space and without [[DRADIS]], four [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylon]] [[Basestar (RDM)|baseships]] also enter the nebula and launch [[Cylon Raider (RDM)|Raiders]]. ''Galactica'' discovers the baseships after partial power restoration, but the Fleet's civilian hardware is slower to restore power and is unable to make an immediate FTL jump. ''Galactica'' launches all its [[Viper (RDM)|Vipers]] to intercept the Raiders and Admiral Adama authorizes the use of nuclear weapons against the baseships.

Unknown to senior Fleet leadership, [[Final five|four individuals]] experience mutual [[The Music|musical hallucinations]] as the Fleet moves closer to the nebula. When the Fleet reached the nebula, the individuals are attracted to meet each other and are able to define the entire song incorporated in the music.

During nebula approach, [[Laura Roslin]], [[Sharon Agathon]] and [[Caprica-Six]] experience a common dream, taking place at the [[Opera House]], concerning [[Hera Agathon]]. On arrival at the nebula, Roslin is dazed or stunned for unknown reasons, although her use of [[chamalla]] extract (which, [[The Hand of God (RDM)|as in past events]], has given her prescient visions) may account for this.

Sortied for Cylon incoming, [[Lee Adama|Lee "Apollo" Adama]] picks up an "unknown" contact on DRADIS and breaks off to intercept it. The unknown bogey leads him on a chase through the dust clouds of the nebula and after outmaneuvering Adama's Viper pulls up along side him.  Much to his surprise the "Unknown" contact is actually the [[Maelstrom|supposedly-dead]] Captain [[Kara Thrace]] piloting an unusually pristine [[Viper Mark II]] ([[Crossroads, Part II]]).

== Notes ==
* When an imaginary camera pulls away from the nebula into deep space, it re-enters the galaxy at roughly the same point it exited and zooms to Earth, indicating that Earth and the nebula are not very far apart on a galactic scale.
* [[w:Ionia|Ionia]] was an ancient region of southwestern coastal [[w:Anatolia|Anatolia]] (in present-day [[w:Turkey|Turkey]], the region nearest [[w:İzmir|İzmir]],) on the [[w:Aegean Sea|Aegean Sea]], which was said to be founded by [[w:Ion (mythology)|Ion]], son of [[w:Apollo|Apollo]].

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