A Chariot Of Peace

Apollo. Starbuck. Those are the callsigns of by-now famous characters in the re-imagined version of Battlestar Galactica. But today, I speak not of battles in the stars, but of peace.

Apollo was also the name of one of America's most successful national endeavors. On Apollo rode America's missions to the Moon and back. And Apollo 13 is also known for the valor of our astronauts, who showed their mettle in a time of peril.

And finally, Apollo is known for a mission of peace between rival superpowers, each with enough firepower to destroy the world many times over.

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Looking back at the Apollo-Soyuz mission, Brand called the spaceflight an interesting piece of the Cold War puzzle.

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History records that 30 years ago, the world saw two hands reach out across space, in orbit, to seal a friendship between members of two rival states -- the United States, and the Soviet Union.

Talk of who would bury the other seemed to make little sense, when the Earth itself was hundreds of miles below. All that counted then was that astronaut and cosmonaut were united in a task to move beyond the conflicts of their respective countries, so far, far down below.

I remember those days, of peace and friendship. Such fine sentiments.

But no sooner is one giant slain, than another rises to take its place.

It is Hydra that we face, and today we fight again.

Was it that long ago, after all, when friendship marked the starry sky?

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