Speculation.

[quote]Here’s four questions to ponder – from the simple to the complex. [/quote]

Here are some answers.

[quote]1) Will a Cylom Raider (designed to be pilot-less) be big enough to fit all three – Starbuck, Helo and Boomer, for the return to the Galactica? [/quote]

No, so the three will do what the two originally planned: steal a jump capable Cylon TOASTER MARK XII troop transport. Kara flies it after she gives it her patented “McGyver pocket knife lobotomy”.

[quote]2) If so, what would happen upon their return, with two Boomers on board, both known to be Cylons? Or, are Helo and Boomer (or just Boomer – Boomer #2?) meant to stay on Caprica, to start a new race? [/quote]

That would be telling, but one and possibly two of these four(Kara, Caprica TOASTER MARK IV, Karlo and/or Battlestar Sharon) are going to die.

[quote]3) If the colonies were started by a race migrating from another star, then they’ve had space travel and hi-tech for two millenia. So if that is the established premise, then why is everything apparently based on myth and/or religious belief? Wouldn’t they just have actual physical records of all past events as “facts” – having had a hi-tech society with computers, etc. for 2,000 years? [/quote]

We face exactly the same situation on Earth for nigh more than five hundred years(Books instead of computers.). We, in the West, seem to secularize well enough; but there are still churches, mate. Out in the land of Allah, there is some Paki cleric who claims a giant tidal wave is going to wash the Americans away in 2007. He quotes the Koran to prove it. Guess how many fervent believers he’s ignited with hope?

[quote]4) Could the entire purpose for destroying the colonies, just have been used as a catalyst to force the exodus of the fleet, to lead the Cylons to Earth? And for what purpose? To destroy all of mankind, or something greater? Possibly to renew the cycle of time, starting the whole story over again, somehow? Remember, the Cylons are doing God’s will – so what would God have in mind, in doing this? [/quote]

The Cylons are prodding Helo, and the Ragtag Fleet running from them; both, through the maze. I call it “labratting”. Some reasons for prodding could be:

a. The Cylons want to V’ger with the Colonials to produce a new race for the “next step”?
b. The Cylons want to find the thirteenth tribe using the R/F as a judas goat so they can remodel Earth?
c. Count Iblis, the thirteenth “lord of Kobol” adopted the defeated Cylons as his pets and is deluding them into a genocidal war to exact his revenge on the “tribes of man” as well as the pther “lords of Kobol”?

[quote]And I just have to throw in a number 5 ….. [/quote]

The more, the merrier……

[quote]5) If the migration from Kobol happened only 2,000 years ago, what stage of development would Earth be at, when the fleet finally finds Earth? Remember though, with FTL travel, time is relative. So every FTL jump actually covers hundreds, if not thousands of years, in relative time. So I wonder, would they find an Earth in a primitive setting, thousands of years after the original migrants from Kobol had all died out? Or possibly, find a dead Earth, after a possible global nuclear holocaust. Forcing them to return to Kobol to restart civilization – and possibly populating it with hybrids – who would be known as “The Gods of Kobol”, renewing the cycle of time thing? (This is my guess on how the series will end, btw) [/quote]

Interesting take, but no; the Earth will be here, and here is where they settle. Whether the thirteenth tribe is still around?….

Incidentally, your theory on FTL time transit is wrong. Tau in a exotic matter expanded micro-wormhole, through which real spaceships would jump, equals zero.

[quote]It would be funny though, if they found the original inhabitants from Stargate Atlantis … LOL But that would bring the whole series down to a lower level, in my opinion. So I sincerely hope it doesn’t take that turn, in the minds of the network execs, for ratings on their other sjhows. [/quote]

I was thinking of a [b]Babylon 5(TM)[/b] tie-in. Imagine the TOASTERS’ surprise when they run into an Earth Force [i]Warlock [/i]class destroyer!

[quote]Anyway, anybody with any thoughts on any of this, jump in.[/quote]

Thanks for the invite!

[quote]
MY EDIT >>>

My mistake on the last question. It escaped me for a bit on how short the FTL jumps have been. But I’m still curious as to what stage of development Earth would be at, taking the 2,000 year period since the exodus.[/quote]

Anywhere from Egypt down to when?

If Moore was smart and he arched the story out(Instead of doing it on the fly, as he seems to be writing it.) he’ll end it [i]in media res[/i] just as the Colonials find the way to Sol but not actually entering into close Earth space.

Please no Galactica 2010!