Title: Slaughter on Kobol
Summary: What could happen in Fragged – if everyone did their roles of fighting against the cylons.
Author's Notes: Warning! Some spoilers - read at your own risk. 2) Thanks to Emily for the beta read! She is truly the best!
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. The characters in this story are borrowed from the TV show 'Battlestar Galactica: 2003

It was stupid. This fraking plan to destroy the battery with a team of people that hadn't handled loaded weapons in forever was stupid. Hell, the Doc hadn't even handled a gun before. What the frak was Crashdown thinking?

The five of us were up against high-tech killing machines that should never have been created in the first place. These things were made of metal. They probably don't even have feelings. They can't feel the bullets hitting their metal bodies, and I got the feeling even if they could, they wouldn't let you know. We were only humans, made of bones and flesh. What good would that do for us? We get shot, then it's game over.

That's not the whole point, though. The point was the fraking stupid man who calls himself a Lieutenant was leading the team into certain death. He wanted Cally, barely a woman, to run the other way so the Cylons wouldn't be focused on the others while we shoot the toasters down. She was a scared and inexperienced soldier, and yet Crashdown still wanted her to do her part.

She shot me a look, begging me to do something about it. Ashamed of the position I was in, I looked down at the ground. What could I do? I was just a man who wasn't in charge.

"Why me?"

What a fraking stupid question. I wished at that very moment the clock would turn back so I could stop the question before it came out of her innocent mouth. I would do anything, cover her mouth, and talk about other random things, whatever came to mind in order to stop what would come after.

The answer, so sharp it would pierce hearts, was hurtful. Souls would be broken from words like that. All I could do was just stand and take it in, watching Cally's eyes.

"What do you think? Your life isn't valuable. You are just a deckhand, a little girl with nobody to care for you apart from the Chief. Hell, if you didn't have small hands, I'm pretty sure he wouldn't go near you. The rest of us are needed. The Chief, Doctor Baltar, myself… hell, even Seelix has use as a medic! Do you understand now, Cally?"

I noticed the change in her eyes first. The sparks that were in her beautiful eyes once upon a time were now gone. She had already seen too much. There were too many deaths and too much pain. Cally didn't need this. How dare Crashdown do this! He was destroying a young life, one that is particularly valuable to me and not just because she has small hands.

I wanted to say it, want to let her know the LT is wrong, but I couldn't form the words. Her eyes watered as she stared down to the ground. She was looking so hard at the dirt below it felt like she was willing it to open up and swallow her then and there. I could see the pain building up deep down inside, and I knew no words or actions would mend the pain. Her mind was trying to shift into the right gear, and I could finally understand why Crashdown did it. She thought she had no reason to live now. Cally had lost her desire to stay be alive. Frak him.

"I'll do it."

Her words were quiet, and yet they were remarkably loud, echoing through all of our minds. She was willing to die at the claws of the Cylons.

This wasn't fair. She was too young to have to make this decision. The rest of us have lived our lives to the fullest compared to this young girl who was barely a woman.

I looked over to the Doc and Seelix, catching their eyes for a moment before pulling away. They had no faith. To them, she was merely a little girl who would never outrun the bullets.

"Right, that settles it. We start in an hour. Get some rest and be ready. We are going to kick some tin ass."

That son of a bitch. How could he carry on as if nothing has happened, as if his words hadn't destroyed an innocent person? Baltar and Seelix began to clean their guns, continuously gazing around in fear. I wished I could do the same.

"Cally?" I whispered, sitting down next to her on the root of a tired tree. She didn't reply. "Cally, talk to me, you mother fraker!" I growled the same line that she used on me before, hoping it would bring her out of the daze. Maybe it would stir something inside of her like it did for me.

Cally barely lifted up her head, avoiding my eyes. This was bad. I can't believe a simple reconnaissance mission ended up like this.

"You know Crash didn't mean it. He was just… stressed out." I tensed the second the words were out of my mouth. I shouldn't be doing this. I can't make reasons to rationalize Crashdown's decision, not to mention I just wasted a couple of minutes trying to work out what to say to this now stone hearted girl.

"Chief?" A quiet voice shook me out of my train of thought. I looked over at Cally, doing my best to let her know I was listening without actually saying it. "I'm sorry about being a pain. I never wanted to be a pointless person to have around."

I was about to reply with the intention of giving her a reason to run faster and duck quicker as the bullets were fired, but a solar bomb explosion interrupted us, making everyone jump out of our skin.

"What was that?" Seelix cried as she glanced upward. Her eyes danced around the sky, looking for signs.

"I think it was a solar bomb, which means that must be the rescue party. We've got to move now!" Crashdown yelled, trying to be in charge again. Frak him.

People started to trip over imaginary stones and rocks before getting into position. I kept my eyes on Cally. She seemed ready to do whatever she had to do. I wasn't. I can't lose another one of my men, especially not a good one like her.

Before I could stop it from happening, Crashdown barked out his orders and gave her a shove in the right direction. She set off running. It seemed that waiting too long would be just another stupid, fraked up mistake to add to the list of why this mission was the worst in the history of the Colonial Fleet.

"Chief! Stay with Doc. Seelix and I have the rest covered."

How the frak was I supposed to just sit by and let him handle it? I would be insane if I did that. Throwing Baltar a loaded gun, I hoped he could tell the difference between his own men and those that were made of tin. Four men covering Cally's back would be better than two. It doubled the chance of her survival.

I threw myself to the ground and crawled to the edge next to Seelix. Everyone was watching, surveying. Noticing Cally hiding behind the bushes, I held my breath as she shifted into position to move. I prayed to the gods. Let there be lives taken today but don't let it be hers.

As soon as she started running, I did the only thing I could. I shot at the fraking robots' backs like it was my life out there. I have a responsibility to kill as many of them as I could before they got to her.

Four toasters hit the ground before they even realized what was happening. There was only one still standing, and it was already halfway gone. I looked it in the eyes and fought the urge to shiver. There was nothing there.

The toaster must have seen something in my eyes because it turned away from me and spotted Cally. Fear spread through me as I realized I had no more bullets, just a handgun that wouldn't be useful unless I was at close range. That was the only option, though. I had to run like the wind, take aim, and bring it down before it could touch Cally. It should be simple.

The next thing I knew, I was running down the slope, doing my best not to slide in the mud. It was a little more difficult than I first thought. I tripped and went flying face first into the mud at the same time machine gun fire rang through the air. Things could definitely be going better.

Struggling, I looked up and wished I hadn't. Cally was screaming with pain, her hand clutched around too many wounds to count.

Something snapped as determination set in. I could do this. I just had to stand up and I would be close enough to get off a shot.

As I got in range, I twisted to jump onto the back of the machine. Something took over me as I looked it in the eyes. The shot hit the empty place where the heart was meant to be. It would just be another broken heart to add to the list, even if it was an empty one. The machine dropped dead, taking me to the ground with it. I know that'll hurt in the morning.

Looking over my shoulder, I saw the dish had died just like its makers. At least something worthwhile had come out of this. Knowing the job was done, my attention shifted to Cally. She was hurt, alive but barely. I ignored the pain running through my body as I stood up and ran to her side. Without thinking, I dropped to my sore knees and put pressure onto her gun wounds. She should never have done this. It should have been my blood mixing in with the mud.

Cally winced in pain as I put more pressure on the wounds. She was awake. Thank the Gods, there might be one good thing coming out of this fraked-up day.

"Cally, open your eyes. I know it hurts, but you've got to stay wake."

She did exactly what I asked.

Her eyes were still empty, but I was sure the sparks would come back soon, probably as soon as I killed the LT for risking so much for a dish that had no Cylons guarding it. We could have just taken it out without the Cylons being the wiser.

"Cal, the ships are here. Help is on the way. I'm sure it won't be much longer."

I could hear her breathing become more shallow, and with all my will, I hoped that the medics would hurry. "Stay awake, Cally. I've got you so all you have to do is stay with me," I whispered, counting how many bullets managed to break her skin. There were too many to count.

There was too much blood, but it almost didn't matter anymore. Help was here now. I smiled gratefully at the medics as they took over, but I never let go of her small hand. I felt her squeeze my hand weakly. She obviously had something to tell me so I leaned in, determined to listen carefully.

"Why did you care, Chief?" she choked out through the pain.

I paused for a moment, looking deeply into her eyes down to her very soul. A lot rode on my answer. "Because you are very precious to me, Specialist.

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