Title: Faoi Dheireadh
Part: 3
Rating: PG, maybe PG-13 later
Pairing: A/R
Summary: The survivors of the Holocaust
have finally reached Earth, but they find out that's not the end of
their problems
Beta: none as yet (please be kind!)
Note: I do want to thank Vi, Marta,
Axelradjr, and AlbertG for their expertise. Without their input this
story would not be what it is today. Be warned, this takes place
sometime near the end of season two. Anything after Epiphanies are
conjectures from the author's warped mind. . .
Disclaimer: Battlestar Galactica and its
characters are creations of Glen Larson and copywrited by Universal
Studios. I make no money off of this.
Chapter 3
Kara Thrace, call sign Starbuck, climbed out of her Mark II fighter. They had more than survived, they had kicked butt, but only with the help with the arrival of that unknown ship. Thankfully she had not lost a single pilot. While peeling off her gloves she contemplated what just happened.
Not bothering to change into her uniform, Kara headed straight for the CIC still in her flight suit. Everyone she passed in the corridors didn't have any answers as to what just happened. Stepping inside the command nerve center she could hear the chatter from both the civilian ships and the comm from the fighters that were on scheduled CAP. "Lee?"
Lee turned towards her voice, but let her continue.
"Have you heard anything from Colonial One?"
A ghost of a smile crossed the younger Adama's face before answering, "She was able to successfully dock here. The CMO is checking her passengers just in case there is any radiation poisoning. That missile did explode pretty close to that ship."
"Yeah, I saw it." Kara shook her head.
Lee looked at her again, "All right, now why are you really here?"
For a moment Kara had a sheepish look on her face before answering, "Well, I, um, I'd really like to get my hands on one of those fighters."
"You'll have to talk to dad about that." Lee shook his head. "We haven't heard one peep out of them."
"Major Adama."
Lee turned around to see who was calling for him. He still wasn't fully familiar with everyone's voice, but he knew it would come in time. "Yes?"
"We just received word from Life Station that the President has been released and is wanting to shuttle over to the Galactica."
"Thank you," Lee nodded while taking the message he was handed. Turning, he looked to the Commander, not knowing what Fisk was going to do about this.
"Let her go," Fisk shrugged, "And have the Admiral deal with her."
"You still have no idea what we've been through since the Holocaust, do you Commander?" Starbuck asked.
"Kara." Lee's voice held a tone of warning. Moving over closer, he lowered his voice, "This isn't the Galactica. You have to play by the rules here."
Some of the earlier tension in Kara's face drained away, leaving behind naked exhaustion. "I know, it's just. . ."
"We have all been through a lot. I know. I was there, remember?" He hesitated before continuing, "Get some rest."
"Not before I finish the paperwork. You know I think it breeds. I leave it alone for one hour and it's twice as high since the last time I looked at it."
"Don't look at me, I'm not CAG," Lee gave her an amused look as he dismissed her. Giving him a quick salute she turned on her heels and quickly walked out of the CIC and down into the Pilot Ready Room.
oOoOo
"Okay, so they now know of us." Jack shook his head.
"Well duh! We just kept them from being shot out of the skies." Angela shook her head at Jack's obvious understatement.
"Children." Mair turned around to look at them with a stern look on her face. She was rewarded with them looking somewhat contrite.
"Sorry," they both mumbled.
"We will keep radio silence for now." Maybe we've done too much for them, she thought to herself. "No," she whispered more for herself as she turned back to the screen. "They were clearly outmatched." Bringing her attention to the crew she continued loud enough for them to hear, "Have the Piranha's come back on board."
"Yes, Commander. Do we set up a patrol?"
Mair hesitated for a moment while turning back to the screen. "No, not now. I don't want to seem too aggressive to them. They are obviously military, so they do have some sort of protocol for flight patrols. Let them do it for us, that is for now."
The fleet that was spread out before her seemed to have about the same level of technology as the Terran Republic, but they also seemed to have been in space much longer. She wondered if it was an ancient civilization, but had stagnated over the centuries, content in what they had and did not work on pushing the technology forward.
"Sir, just got word from our lead pilot, Johnson. He reports that the fleet was using two types of fighters. One was much more advanced than the other."
"When you're at war, you will use anything and everything you can get your hands on to defend yourself." Mair looked down to the reports she was just handed. "How many of our pilots know the old tongue?"
Jack shook his head, "I'm not sure about that. Probably not very many."
Mair shook her head, "That's not good, you know. If need be I will have the computers reprogrammed to only have that language. That way it will force you to learn it."
"Does it help that I keep this phrase book with me?" Angela commented as she held up a small electronic PDA.
"It's better than nothing." Mair gave her a slight smile.
oOoOo
Stepping inside his quarters, Adama found his table piled high with paperwork and Laura standing off to the side with her back to the door. Dee had reported to him earlier about the President's arrival on the Galactica, so he wasn't that surprised to find her here. Pulling the door shut he stopped it just short of making any sound then moved behind her. Reaching out, he placed a hand on her shoulder. Jumping, she whirled around and he engulfed her in a strong embrace.
Laura stood there surrounded by the warm bands of Bill's arms. She placed her head on his shoulder and mumbled, "Gods, I was so scared. We could see everything from the windows."
Bill tightened his arms and let a hand move up her back to reach her neck. "It's all right," he whispered.
"What changed your mind?"
"About what?"
"This," she let her hand slide up the front of his jacket to rest over his rank insignia.
Loosening his arms, he pulled back slightly and studied her face closely. "With the cancer I had time to learn to let go. With what happened today, I realized that I hadn't done so yet." He cupped her face with one of his hands. "I almost lost you."
Laura let a small smile cross her face when he pulled her close again. She thought it felt right and she tucked her face into his neck. Of all the men I could have fallen for, it had to be him, she mused.
As if on cue, they both backed away from each other. "So, who are these people that stopped the cylons?" she asked as she collapsed on his couch.
"Not sure." Adama collected a couple of glasses and a bottle. "Water?"
"Yes, please."
"I have yet to ask," he answered as he sat beside her while placing everything on the table before them. Filling the glasses he placed the bottle back on the table and handed her one of them. "And they have yet to offer any information."
"I've been hearing things about how the Cylons just stopped. Do you know what went on?"
"The only thing I can think of is that the newcomers somehow sent a computer virus." He leaned back and let her nestle against him.
"You know, with the bit of cylon blood I carry? It's given me the ability to handle higher levels of radiation. Dr. Cottle gave me a clean bill of health after I came on board."
Bill was in the middle of taking a sip then stopped. "Really."
Laura nodded. "Most of the others have to go through radiation treatment. I wish we were further away from the cloud."
"If you were, the missile would have. . ."
Laura brought her fingers up to silence the words that were about to come out of his mouth. "I know." She let her attention be pulled back to his table, that had her paperwork on it. "And I hope you don't mind me using your quarters as my office. I promise that I'll stay in the guest rooms.
"Who said anything about you staying there? What's wrong with staying here?"
"Nothing," she answered flustered. "It's just this isn't, this is your quarters."
"I know." He gave her a smug grin.
"Then," she started slowly, "You'll be staying in the guest quarters?"
"Who said I would be staying somewhere else?" He leaned closer as his voice lowered down to a whisper, "These are my rooms." Bill watched as her eyes closed slowly as he moved the final distance and brushed his lips against hers. Just as she started responding he pulled back and got up. With the sudden support gone she shot a hand out to keep her from falling.
"Damn you Admiral William Adama," she groused. Getting to her feet Laura moved behind him and wrapped her arms around him. "You're not getting away from me so easily," she whispered into his ear. He reached down and pulled her around to now stand in front of him.
"Laura," his voice was dangerously low, "If I start I'm not sure I'll be able to stop."
Looking into his eyes, she saw how the deep blue now blazed with desire. "Is that why you got up."
"Mostly."
TBC...
