Note: Revised. I am in the market for a beta. If you are one or know of one who can help me out please let me know. I'm told I need one.

Lt. Sam Anders have you met Starbuck?

Helo placed the file on his desk sat down and waited. He watched his friend slowly go over the files and the new transfers for the flight crew. Lee picked up the file on his desk, looked at it, and blinked.

"What the freak is this?"

"New transfer from Andromeda."

"Did you read this?"

"Of course I did, I'm the XO"

"Helo don't freak with me. Samantha Anders, Lt. call sign Freakazoid. Best pilot Hotdog's seen sense Starbuck. I know Cotanza got to be a Commander on his good looks, but he's not stupid is he? Is this some joke you two are playing?"

"Nope. Read the side note."

Lee looked at it.

"Just like her fraking mother, but with a bit more manners."

Lee looked at Helo seriously.

"When did she have a kid?"

"Some where between and I quit, and you fraks will never see me again."

"Have you met her?"

"Who the kid? Yes I did. She is all career, well-mannered not cocky like some kin we know. She looks like her mother. She really looks like her mother, but you can hear her father in her voice. Oh and she's waiting out side."

"What I can't talk to her after you spring this on me."

"Guess she'll have to stand out there until you do. But I know Ice, he can be a real asshole when his pilots are late."

Lee sighed he should have gotten rid of Helo a long time ago. The man is the reason he had gray hairs on the sides of his head.

"Enter Lt."

"Sir, yes, sir."

Lee was struck speechless she was a taller younger version of her mother, except for her eyes those where all Sam's. She smiled and put out her hand Lee had a bit of a hard time taking it, it was like meeting Kara all over again. The young woman frowned.

"Nice to meet you Lt. Anders." He finally said.

"Sir, it's a real honor."

"I'm sure; well welcome to Galatica, we're glad you have you. I didn't get to read much of your file but Hotdog says you're talented. Must be in the genes."

She blinked then frowned.

"Ah, my dad used to say he wasn't much of a viper pilot. If that's what you mean I guess it is."

Helo looked sharply at Lee.

"I meant your mother."

The Lt. looked at him in surprise.

"You've met my mother?"

Lee looked at Helo.

"Ah yes we have met through your father." he lied.

The suspicion on her face cleared up, and she smiled nodding.

"I'm sure she made an impression she always does suits, business always on her cell. When did you meet her sir?"

"Years back, before the suits and the cells."

"Really you'll have to tell me about it. She won't, she says the only years in her life that really count is all 23 of mine. Before then, it was nothing."

Helo could feel the hurt coming off Lee in waves he was a little hurt himself. How could Kara not even tell her best friend, she had a child?

"Of course I know the Prada Devil, she's full of it."

They both blinked at her.

"Uh Prada Devil?" Helo asked.

"Yes my mother, you know that movie The Devil Wears Prada. I just started calling her that. It so fits her."

"Full of it?" Lee asked.

"She and my dad made a big deal out of not talking about the "old days" something big happened. I'll get it out of her on one these days. My mother has buttons and believe me sir, I can push them. Of course, you don't want to hear about my mother and her issues or my mine sir. So got any questions ask'm."

There he was Sam her father open, honest and straightforward. Lee couldn't help it, he like the girl. Helo did too, they're talk lasted for about an hour and Lee was very glad to have the girl on board. Not only was she a pilot but a forensic scientist out of Quantico. He dismissed her, and Helo warned her to stay clear of the CAG "He's in a shitty mood and you're late Lt." She nodded grabbed her gear and headed toward the bunk rooms. Lee poured them both a drink and sat down. Helo looked at him and Lee knew all to well what was coming.

"Are you going to tell me or do I have to sit here forever."

"It was our usual shit Karl."

"Bull, something pushed the over the edge Starbuck over the edge. What happened Lee? I can tell it's been eating you alive for some time now it's time to tell me."

"Well it started when she married Sam. The very night after we slept together."

"Sounds like Kara. She probably thought she was protecting you."

"Yeah well after we all got back we had an affair. Sam gave her an out, and she came to me with it. I couldn't do it not to Duella." Helo snorted.

"High and sight." Lee gave him a sad smile.

"Yeah if I knew then… anyway, Kara was doing her damndest after I refused to leave Dee to fly the straight and narrow."

"Why?"

"I was regretting my choice and taking it out on her. She was being the bigger person."

"Doesn't sound like her."

"One day Kara comes from a meeting with my father, and she's not in the best of moods. Duella was starting her shit, I walked away, but I was pissed, I took it out on Kara. She wasn't having it in a very unlike Kara way. I suppose that's the day Dee really starting hating Kara, the day Kara seem to have changed."

"How?"

"She turned into a very angry bitter woman. She is all women don't get me wrong. This was different this was something else. Dee fallowed me into the bunk room. Kara was getting into her flight suit, I made a comment about hot-dogging, and she just shrugged it off and said she was cool with that she was into boring today. Her voice was almost understanding. It pissed me off; I didn't notice she was into her own world at the time. Dee makes this comment to the other wives about tramps and trash."

"Shit." Helo knew where this was going.

"Kara, looked at Dee and said, and I quote "it's better than being a, cold hearted, conniving gold digging bitch any day let's not pretend I'm too stupid to know what went down princess.'"

"What the frak did that mean?"

"That's what I said. Even so, the look on Dee's face, it scared the shit out of her, she looked at me and tried to play it off."

"Then Kara turned to me and said. You never wanted me Lee you wanted the novelty. I knew that, that's why I didn't marry you when you asked. Cause you didn't want me you never did it was the idea of frakking your brothers girl. My mouth closed on the spot, I didn't know what to say she looked beat and ready to either cry her eyes out or hit something. After that I grabbed Dee, and we left. Two weeks later, she comes to the president and my father with medical leave. No explanation. We find earth six months later, She and Sam disappeared."

Helo watches his friend.

"Something big happened something she needed me for, and I missed it. Like it was the one big test, you know Kara never really asked me for anything never Karl. When the time came, I failed. I don't know if it was choosing Dee, not trusting her or what but I know it's been 23 years. Whatever happened it ended so badly she never even told her daughter about Starbuck. Why wouldn't she tell her daughter about that?"

"Because Kara isn't Starbuck Lee, she's Kara. I believe that's what you don't get. You failed that test. She was waiting for you to see Kara you didn't. Lt. Anders sees Kara her mother the Prada Devil, suits, and cell phones. Not the hot shot pilot, she was more then, and she is more now."

"Then why didn't I see it, I always got Starbuck it's not my fault, she never showed me that side of her."

"That's because she was ashamed."

Lee looked at his friend in shock.

"Of what?"

"If you don't know then you understand why it didn't work out between you two better than you know."

Lee sat there looking at Helo the XO swallowed the last of his drink and got up.

"According to the records she has been living in Austin, Texas works there to. Why don't you go and find out?"

Lee looked at the Helo then at his desk where Lt. Anders file lay. How different it could have all been had he what? What the frak was he supposed to do? He picked up his wireless.

"Sir?"

"Have my raptor ready."

"Sir yes sir."

Lee went to the flight deck and looked over his raptor. He was going to see Kara find out what happened with her. He didn't like what Karl told him that he never really saw Kara, and he wanted confirmed that, that wasn't the reason she left him to Duella. Lee knew it was wrong to blame Kara for his nightmare of a marriage, but he couldn't help but consider if she hadn't of run off on him that night, his 15 year marriage would not have been the frakken, hell that it was. Yeah, Starbuck had some choice words coming to her.