Part 7: Preparation
Laura wanted to be sick.
The things Bill had told her...the device that kept them tracked for the Cylons; Doral and the thief Conoy as Cylons; The creation of the Blackbird named Laura (He wanted to keep her memory alive); the Anchorage; 33; the split; Kobol; Elosha's death; the water; finding out one if his pilots was a Cylon;the death of Molly Kekeiya and her visions sending them towards Earth. Combined with her own admission about the composition of the Cylon Fleet, it was enough to make her head spin.
"As far as we've noticed on our raids, the Cylons cluster in the same formation, much like our battlestars protect the civies. But we haven't been able to get close enough. "
" I think Chief may be able to help with that. The Laura is his pride and joy right now. He believes she could get close, however we won't know till he has that thing finished." He replied, looking a bit overexerted as he sat back into the couch.
His fatigue was worrisome, as was the dark shade his eyes had taken after the initial joy wore off. But what made her ill was the pause he had taken between throwing Kekeiya in the brig and finding her on Kobol. There was something there, something tense, that was far more than just his burdens of command.
"What aren't you telling me, Bill? And don't say nothing, or I'll just get it out of Saul." She demanded as he finished.
"Its nothing." He all but growled.
"Frak it, Bill, don't lie to me. Something happened to get you to follow a stranger and her visions."
Bill looked up at her, her hair finally braided back out of her face, her eyes sharp and gleaming, uniform mussed ever so slightly. Something in her stomach did a flip at the look he was giving her, as if he'd never quite known her.
"When I found out Sharon Valerii was a Cylon, it was because she put two bullets into my chest."
Thunder struck. Laura felt herself sink to the floor with the words. Immediately Bill wrapped an arm around her waist to steady her.
"My Gods, Bill. My Gods.." She whispered, pulling him towards her. The feelings that overwhelmed her, her fears and the realization that she'd almost lost her best friend twice.
"See why I didn't want to tell you?" He said softly, breath tickling along her ear.
The feel of his breath woke her from her sudden flurry of fear and she realized how someone would see their positions were they to walk in on them in that moment: One of his arms on her waist, the other on her back. Her own arms around his waist and their bodies leaning one one another like lifelines. Something clicked in her mind after all the fear and worry and relief, one after another in a seemingly endless dance.
Memories of the many close calls they shared, of times she felt her heart stop when she heard he had done something more reckless than she or Saul ever would. So many times both he and Saul had been hurt, yet when she thought of Saul's close calls, a sisterly protection arose. With Bill...his near misses had incapacitated her.
The idea of him nearly dying scared her witless. The idea that she loved him finished the job.
She wanted to laugh at the joke the universe was playing. All these years at his side, and it's only when the worlds end that she realizes she's in love with a man protocol would eternally block her from.
"Bill, I think I--"
"CIC to Commanding Officer." Oh, of all the timing in the Twelve Colonies, it would have to be that Felix Gaeta had none. Bill released her reluctantly and scooped up the phone.
"Adama. Yes...so it's done? Kara wants to...can that thing really make it? Very well, we'll be down shortly," He looked up at her as he dropped the phone back into it's cradle," That was Gaeta informing me that we're in position to ambush a Cylon carvan."
"You think this new ship of yours can get a closer look?"
"I'll let Kara know she has the go-ahead. This may be what we've been hoping for."
She smiled tightly, "I hope you're right."
It was indeed what they needed.
"The Six has confirmed the identity of the ship."
Laura sighed, leaning over the desk to cross her fingers together. Beside her sat Bill and Saul, across was Shaw and Kara. Between them, the photos shown to the Six from the stealth ship.
"Its called a Resurrection Ship. Six told us it is how Cylons download. Destroy the ship, destroy the Cylon's ability to resurrect. It's not the main hub, but its their only hope this far from the main Cylon fleet. " Kara said, moving a close up of the ship into Laura's view. Row beyond row of women like their Six were connected to the wire framing of the Ressurection Ship. It was eerie, to say the least. How was it to live knowing your life was just a repeated program? Did the Cylons have any sense of love? How did they find meaning in what they did, faced with eternity alive?
"Perhaps the Cylons bit off more than they could chew by making themselves in our image," Shaw said, dark hair falling in her eyes," But I think that means we can trust the Cylon woman's word. She understands pain and fear now, and she doesn't like it."
They all turned to Bill, the senior officer among them. He made the face Laura knew from years of experience, the one that meant he agreed but didn't feel like telling you immediately. She smirked. Thirty five years and he still took forever to consider things he already decided upon.
"I'm going to agree with Colonel Shaw. Kara, you have permission to take the Laura out again. Only this time, you're mission is to destroy this Resurrection Ship. Commander Roslin, since the Pegasus is a more modern ship, would you lead both squardrons to take out the Cylons once we have this Resurrection Ship in pieces?"
Laura nodded, " Of course. Galactica should stay behind to protect the Civilians. I assume you wish to leave some Vipers here?"
"Yes, at least five. We can recall the rest if need be, but I doubt the Cylons expect us to actually target them for this purpose."
"Then lets get this party started." smirked Kara. Saul chuckled darkly.
"One hell of a party."
Laura and Bill walked together down the long halls of her ship, both silent in preparation of what was to come.
"I wish you didn't have to lead this." He said suddenly, stopping near the hatch leading to the flight deck and his Raptor home. She stopped as well, smiling soflty.
"Theres no other choice. My ship is made for quick attacks, not Galactica. That old girl was for a war when we still fought CPU-written robots. Cain used Pegasus successfully on very similar raids before."
"Speaking of Cain," Ah, he was covering up his little slip of emotion," What will you do with her? I read over her logs, and I can't find fault with her actions. I almost took the same ones. Had I not had Molly yelling at me or Lee standing against ever poor decision I almost made, my story would be the same. Even the loss of my own humanity."
Laura sighed, "I don't know. Keep her in the brig? She's dangerous, Bill. Honestly Gina is less of a threat to me and my crew. At least she is honest about her intentions..."
He quirked an eyebrow at her continuous use of "she", but said nothing of it. Instead he pressed a hand to her shoulder in support and stepped towards the hatch.
"We can figure out the fate of Helena Cain once this is successful. Stay clear, Airlock."
He turned the hatch open and stepped through, stopping only when Laura spoke up again.
"What do you hear, Husker?"
"Nothin' but the rain." He replied, eyes sparkling at the use of their old Commander's phrase.
"Then grab your gun and bring in the cat."
He winked, laughing, and pretended to shoot at her.
"Boom, boom, boom, sir." And then he was gone.
