FOUR

Alex was rudely awoken by loud slamming bangs. She sat up sharply. Were they under attack? She yanked on her boots and ran out, looking this way and that. There was chaos, as people rushed about. No one answered her questions, until she saw Lee enter the bunkroom. She approached just as Lee burst out, nearly crashing into her.

"Captain Adama! What's happened?" she asked desperately.

"The water reserves have been blown up," he announced gravely, darting past her towards where she knew to be the CIC. She had yet to see it. She wandered around aimlessly, but, unable to get anymore information, she went down to the hangar deck. Work on the Arrow had been slightly neglected, as she had generally avoided the hangar deck. But she realised that the Arrow wasn't the source of her pain, it was the healing balm. At least… it helped. She opened the hatch on the underside of the right wing, where the damaged engine was. The space inside was so huge, it could fit two people lying down side by side amongst the wires. Taking the head torch from Tyrol, she hoisted herself inside.

"How bad is it?" he called up.

"Pretty bad. She's gonna need a whole lot of new wiring, it's burnt right through, and her tank is fried to bits. The gymbal's screwed too."

"Frakking gymbal's," Tyrol bit down a private smile. "What fuel does she take?"

"Tylium, like any other."

"Thank the Gods, I was worried she'd have a different fuel from the rest." An echoing laugh replied. He watched her boots wriggle as she toyed with the engine a bit. "Anything you can salvage?" he asked hopefully. "I'd rather repair than refit." Alex's oil-smudged hand appeared.

"Pass me pliers. Don't worry chief, I'll fix this baby up good and proper."

She could think better in the darkness and isolation. She occasionally spoke to Tyrol, but she preferred to have just her thoughts. She didn't know what was happening elsewhere in the ship about the water reserves, and at that moment, it didn't seem to matter. She could feel the enclosing safety of the Arrow, and felt more at home than she had in days. The smell, the sounds, everything about it was familiar and conjured up feelings of safety. There were voices out in the hangar, but she ignored them, until she felt a tug on her boot.

"Uh, Captain?" Tyrol called nervously.

"Yep?" Alex screwed her face up, trying to twist away the fried wires from the salvageable ones. It wasn't working.

"You've got visitors." Alex frowned.

"What?" She clambered out and froze when she saw Kara with two guards. "Oh." Kara grimaced as she approached her.

"I've got to place you under arrest," she told Alex, taking her arm. "Sorry."

"Forget it." Alex removed her head torch and wiped her hands on her trousers. "Place away, Lieutenant. I have a good idea what this is about."

"It wasn't my idea," she protested quietly as they made their way to the brig.

"No. I have an idea whose it was," Alex answered as she was led into her cell and locked in. The guards left, but Kara hesitated.

"I really am sorry."

"Sure," Alex replied, managing a smile. Once Kara had left, she sighed and rested her forehead on the cold bars. "Shit."

The group was arguing heatedly.

"I'm telling you, it wasn't her!" Lee announced for the fifth time.

"A few days after we pick up a stranger, our water supplies are spilt into space. A little too convenient, Captain," Commander Adama disputed.

"It was your idea to have her aboard, Commander," Laura added. "Besides, she's fully human, is she not, Doctor Baltar?"

"Hm, what? Oh, yes. Completely. All human."

"That proves nothing," Colonel Tigh interrupted.

"It proves everything," Lee snapped. "Tyrol said the explosion came from the inside, and that no human could withstand that sort of water pressure."

"Rerun the tests, Doctor," Adama announced.

"Of course, b-but I do have a few requests for you." Lee groaned, rubbing his temples. Every moment this was continuing, the water rations were causing more riots, and Alex was locked up.

"Look, her cabin is right next door. She was in there all last night."

"How can you prove that?" Tigh accused.

"I heard her! She was dreaming." There was silence. "She wants to join us against the Cylons. She was attacked by the Cylons. Her tests prove she's human. She's not a Cylon agent." Everyone absorbed his words, before he sighed in frustration and left.

He headed for the brig, where he found Alex sitting in a corner, arms resting on her knees as she twisted her fingers together. She looked up as he entered, and grimaced. He paused, resting his forearms on the bars and watching her.

"Should have known it was you. Still figuring it out?"

"I think I'm nearly there," he replied in good humour. "Sorry for you being here." She looked up at him and raised an eyebrow.

"Sure you are. Just like you care about me ripping out my stitches against a punch bag." Lee winced at the obvious dig.

"Look, I'm sorry about that, okay? And I really am sorry about this. It wasn't my idea. Commander Adama thinks that it would be best for you to stay here until we find the culprit." Alex didn't reply, just stared at a spot on the floor. "Look, you can help us," he offered. "You know the star systems around here, you can help us find water." She stared at him in obvious surprise.

"Why do you think I know anything about this area?"

"Don't you?" She shook her head. "Frak. We're having no luck and there are riots breaking out because of the water shortage." Alex shrugged.

"Not my problem."

"It will be when you die of dehydration."

"As long as I'm leaving this shithole," she answered coldly. Lee stepped back, a little unsure of what to say.

"You don't mean that," he whispered.

"Don't I?" She cocked her head at him and smiled icily. "Figured it out yet, Captain?" He growled and stalked out.

A couple of days stuck in the brig, and she was climbing the walls, he observed. He stepped forward so he could be seen, and she stopped doing crunches and looked up.

"We've found water."

"Lucky you." She resumed her crunches.

"I have a proposition."

"No thanks."

"Hear me out. The water is ice, and needs a team to work it."

"I don't do too well with an ice pick, Cappy."

"Frak me, you've got more attitude than sense," he snapped. She smiled benignly. "Look, I want you to come with me and a team of people across to the Astral Queen to recruit prisoners to work the ice." Alex studied him.

"Slave labour."

"No. Volunteers." He sounded like he'd argued that point several times before.

"What's in it for me?" He shrugged, already unlocking the door.

"Nothing. Chance to prove yourself to the Commander." She stalked past him.

"Thanks, but no thanks. Rumour has it he's the one that put me down here, and I'm not about to go trying to gain his respect."

"Suit yourself. The team go first thing tomorrow, if you change your mind." She disappeared, and headed back to her cabin. She walked in and stopped, staring at her bed. Neatly laid out was her watch, dog tags, necklace and ring. On a piece of paper was written: You need them more than me. "Well, I'll be," she murmured, reapplying the jewellery.

Lee climbed onto the Raptor wing, secretly upset that she hadn't come. Billy Keikeya, the President's assistant, PO2 Dualla and specialist Cally were already aboard, waiting for him to lead them.

"Permission to come aboard, Captain," came a voice. He turned and grinned.

"Permission granted, Captain. Welcome." Alex grinned at him and settled herself next to him in the co-pilot seat. She stayed silent until they were approaching the landing bay for the Astral Queen.

"Thanks," she whispered. He glanced across to ask for what, but saw the gratitude and understood. He smiled, non-committal, and prepared for landing. They were led to an upper deck, looking down at the cramped cages. "Shit," she murmured, instantly feeling grateful for being holed up in the brig rather than in one of those boxes. Lee picked up the mic and took a deep breath, before announcing his proposition to the prisoners. Alex hid her smile of amusement at the lack of inspiring speech. With loud clangs, the doors were opened for volunteers to step forward. Silence. No one moved.

"We thank you for your offer, but we respectfully decline." Alex looked around for the voice. There; a dark-haired prisoner with the lines of confinement and conviction on his face, hands clasped serenely behind his back.

"Oh my Gods. That's… that's Tom Zarek," Billy gasped.

"The terrorist?" Dualla asked, stepping up to the rail and peering over. The other prisoners clanged their cups on the cages walls.

"Zarek! Zarek!" they chanted, the taunting noise rising. Lee turned, glancing at Alex before heading into the control room. They followed, and the door shut, muting the chanting. The old bus-man, zoomed a camera onto Zarek's cage.

"Who is Tom Zarek?" he asked curiously.

"A terrorist," Dualla snapped.

"He's a freedom fighter," retorted Billy. "A prisoner of conscience." He and Dualla immediately burst into an argument about Zarek. Alex ignored them, watching Lee as he thought carefully, watching the screens next to Cally, who was commenting on the time scale anxiously.

"What you thinking, Lee?" she asked, coming alongside him. He glanced to her.

"Zarek has the men," he said, turning to the others who went silent. "We go through Zarek." He made a move to the door. "I'm going to speak to him."

"That's not such a good idea, Lee," Alex argued.

"Why not?"

"I've got a bad feeling about Zarek." Dualla nodded in agreement. "At least… let me come with you. Or one of us come with you," she hastily added. Lee shook his head.

"No. I should talk to him by myself." He left, and Alex glanced to the others, whose faces mirrored her own misgivings.

"I'll watch out from up here," she said decisively, leaving the room and standing by the rail once more. She had a slightly obscured view of Zarek's cage, but she could see Lee's dark uniform, and that made her feel a bit better. He was not going out her sights – bad things happened when she let people out her sights.

The guard was making his way along the rows. The prisoners watched him with mistrust as he passed, rapping their knuckles as he did so. The guard made his way up the steps, and called to a passing guard.

"It's your break," he announced, swinging his baton and knocking the other guard out. It took a split second for Alex to process that it wasn't right.

"Hey!" she yelled, darting for him. The baton clouted her face and stars burst in front of her eyes, her lip broke open and she grazed her arms against the gratings as she fell. Shaking her head to free herself of the dizziness, she saw the guard release the cage doors. "Shit," she hissed, and forced herself to her feet, diving for the stairs. The guard couldn't catch her, but she saw the swarm of orange overalls heading her way. Looked like she had to fight her way through all sixteen-hundred prisoners to get to Lee. The others could handle themselves – he was not going out of her sights. "LEE!" she screamed as she collided with the first prisoner. His fists were sharp, but she elbowed him in the solar plexus and sent him to his knees. She battled her way through, but brute force against desperacy… it was a clear winner. She was so close – she could see him slam a prisoner against a cage wall in an attempt to reach the control room. Zarek was still in his cell, watching impassively. "LEE!" she yelled again. He looked up. He heard her! Damn, this guy was determined to dislocate her arm. She pulled against him as she used the palm of her free hand to break his nose. Someone grabbed her round her waist and pulled her back. "No," she grunted, kicking backwards to free herself. "LEE!" He'd gone down. Fuck, he'd gone down. They were kicking his face. Not unconscious, please God, not unconscious. They were pinning her arms back. She could feel blood trickling from her mouth, and the side of her face where the baton had hit was throbbing and swelling. The grazes on her arms were bleeding too – and she was sure her stitches in her leg had ripped loose. Still struggling, they forced her into a cell, throwing her against the back wall. She darted forward, but not fast enough as they slammed the door, narrowly missing her fingers. There were sounds of people coming down the stairs. She looked up. The others were being held at gunpoint, and put into cells next to her and opposite her. She watched as they half-carried, half-dragged Lee past them. She leaned as close to the bars as she could. She couldn't tell if he was still awake. "Lee," she called, slamming her fists against the bars. "I swear, if you've fucking killed him, I'm –"

"Shut your trap!" snarled a prisoner. He had a weasel-like look about him, with a goatee and thinning patches above his temples. Alex glared, but saw the gun in his hand and wisely obeyed. It would do Lee no good to get killed.

- - - - - -

"You can't be serious," Charlie cried, staring at Alex in disbelief. "Al…" She looked at him, defeat clear in her green eyes. He ran his hands through his buzz-cut sugar-blonde hair. His eyes were beautiful blue – cornflower blue – but now they looked grey. Alex felt a pain in her chest as she realised she had done this to him.

"What other choice do we have?"

"Leave! Leave the military."

"Oh yea, and where would we go?"

"We could get regular jobs –" Alex snorted. "We could! We… we…"

"Charlie. Do you see me in a regular job? Do you see you in a regular job?" Charlie shrugged and looked down at his chocolate milkshake. "Look, okay, so we'll be miles away from home –"

"It's unchartered space, Al."

"Okay, so it's thousands of miles away from home. But, look, we joined the military for excitement, right?" Charlie nodded reluctantly. "This is the ultimate adventure! We get to explore the outer quadrants! Without Frasier."

"We're being sent there because we're disasters."

"We're not," Alex reprimanded sharply.

"We are, Al. We're flake-outs. Face it. They can't drop us from the military, so they do the next best thing – they hide us." Alex took a deep breath, stirring her strawberry milkshake with her straw. "Alex? If… if you agree to it… so… so do I."

"Really?"

"Really. I'm your wingman. Never leave each other behind, right?" Alex smiled and reached across the booth to clasp his hand. "It's just…" Charlie gripped her hand tightly. "I'm scared," he whispered.

"Don't be. I won't let you out of my sights, okay. Nothing will happen to you as long as I can see you. Besides, what's out there to hurt us?" He didn't respond. "Hey – you're never going out my sights, right?"

"Never," he repeated, smiling nervously at her. She leaned across and kissed him softly. "Never," he murmured against her lips, and they laughed.