Hearts and Fates Entwined

By: Fairedust

Part two

Chapter 5

The following morning broke with their campsite shrouded in early morning mist. As Sharon wandered off to collect firewood to prepare their morning meal; she was shadowed by Zarek's man, Tom.

"You know I'm right. If you really want your baby to live, you're gonna have to kill them. It's the only way."

"It can't be. The Old Man will hear me out. He's an honorable man. He will have to know and understand that I am not the one who tried to kill him. He probably still has the other Sharon in the brig, so that won't be to hard to believe."

"Oh really. Do you honestly believe they still have that other Cylon on the Galactica? Man, I thought you types were supposed to be all smart and stuff. … They let your counter part be murdered in cold blood. In front of a mass load of other crew members. Anybody there could have stopped it - but nobody did. They all just let it happen. They all wanted it to happen. Do you know what happened to your murderer?"

"I'm sure whatever happened, the Commander went by the letter of the 'Code of Conduct'. Like I said, he's an honorable man." said with an indignant huff, full of bravado.

"This code you referring to; does it say that murder only gets you 30 days in the brig?"

"What? What are you talking about. Of course not. There would be a trial for the murder of an officer. Maybe you misheard the rumors. That must have been the time frame whoever was given to present their case."

"No, I don't believe so. Don't you understand? She was never even charged with murder. Something 'bout firing a weapon without permission, or something like that. 30 days is all she got. To them, all of them, you're are just a machine. So if you really want to save your baby; you're gonna have to take matters into your own hands. You must eliminate the threat of the Captain." He told her, his face full of false compassion. Sharon quickly looked around the area, giving herself time to think, then gave him a small nod.

Unknown to the two in the woods gathering wood, the others in camp had suddenly come to full alert. Lee cocked his weapon and signaled to Kara, using hand signals. Whereas she responded in kind, letting him know she was high and he was to be low. Helo moved over toward the President and Elosha, taking up a defensive position; making both women drop to the ground. Lee took another quick look around camp. He couldn't see Zarek anywhere, but could have sworn he'd left camp to their backs. The sound he'd heard had come from the front. George, unbelievably was still sound asleep next to a large rock, opposite him. Abby was also unaccounted for, but he thought he could hear her in the direction that Sharon had gone. No, the sound coming from down the hill should not be from anyone in his group. Bracing himself, he raised his gun and stepped out ready to fire.

Then he froze. He would never, could never have predicted the sight before his eyes. He was aiming his gun at his father's head. Even registering who was before him could not break his paralysis. It wasn't until he heard his father's voice telling him to lower his weapon that he even realized he had been aiming it at all.

"Lee." his father said in his gravely voice, full of emotion. "Lee, you can put the gun down now"

"Dad?" the gun slowly lowered, to finally drop out of his lifeless fingers. Quickly he took the steps forward to put himself directly in front of his father, though he was afraid to take the final step. He was not sure he could really believe what he was seeing. The last time he had seen his father was when he said good-bye to an unconscious man. Even having been told by Zarek that his father had woken up made it hard for him to believe. It wasn't until Adama took the final step to embrace his son, that Lee finally allowed himself to believe.

Holding each other in a strong embrace, they reassured each other they were indeed alright. Looking over Lee's shoulder, Adama spotted Kara stepping out from behind a tree. Unlike her usual Starbuck bravado, she did so tentatively, her eyes darting from Adama to the ground in rapid fire. She managed to take one step, then two. But she could not bring herself to come any closer than that.

It was apparent to both Lee and Adama, she was afraid. She was afraid the Old Man would not forgive her. Slowly Bill let go of his son and walked deliberately over to Kara. With a gentle hand he brushed the side of her cheek, looking her straight in the eye. The look he gave her was full of fatherly love. Kara gave a shuddering sigh of relief. The Commander caught movement off to the side and turned. What he saw was something he never expected to see.

Taking in a great lungful of air, he pulled himself up to his full height. Then he strode over to where he saw Sharon and a small woman standing at the edge of the camp. Halting directly in front of Sharon, the others held their collective breaths. Adama looked Sharon over from head to toe, saying not a word.

Quick as a striking snake, Adama reached out and grabbed Sharon by the throat. He twisted her around and slammed her to the ground. With his face inches from hers. " Die, I just want you to die." voice full of repressed rage and hate. Just as suddenly he gave a grunt of pain, then collapsed on top of her.

"Dad!!" Lee yelled as he rushed over to help his father. He had no idea what had happened to him. But with being so close to death not that long ago, he reasoned it was his father's heart. Reaching his father, he pulled him off as gently as possible; leaving Sharon to scramble to her feet and rush to Helo's side. Lee looked from his father to Kara, his face helpless. Kara was looking from the Old Man towards Tabby, her face pleading. Upon seeing Kara's look, he too turned towards Abby, though his face showed confusion.

Tabby quickly came to kneel before the fallen man she had only seen once, years ago. Tabby remembered who this man was upon first sighting him enter the camp. She'd have known him anywhere. Thru Kara, it was as if she already knew him. "It's ok Lee. He overdid it, is all. He will be fine. Just let him catch his breath."

Tabby placed her small, strong hand on Bill's chest. She leaned down close to his ear and began to… whisper, Lee thought. Kara and Helo gave each other a knowing look, but wisely remained silent. By now Zarek had returned to camp and was keeping Roslin back.

" Give him some room Madam President." came Zarek.

His man, Tom, however had to turn his back to the group; lest they all see he was now seething at the turn of events. Not only did they have to deal with the Captain and even possibly the other two officer's, but now, the Commander had arrived with that Chief fellow. Great, just perfect, he thought. What were he and Zarek going to do now? Could he convince that machine to take them out too? He could only hope. Accidents did happen, he thought. The Commander didn't seem as if it would take that much. Already, he was planning what to tell the machine to keep their plan on track. Finally, himself back under control, he walked over to Zarek.

Within minutes the Commander pushed himself upright. Looking into the strange eyes of the woman before him, he looked mildly flustered. Taking a deep breath, that was not pain free - but hurt decidedly less than before, he pulled his military composure back around himself like armor. "I'm Tabitha. I doubt you'd remember me. " she said as she helped him to his feet, with an impish smile appearing on her face.

"Actually, I think I do. You were covered in lace the last time I saw you, I believe." He responded in his quiet, gravely voice. He gave her an answering smile in return.

"Yep, that was me. I'm surprised you remembered." her smile remained a little longer. When she let go of his hand the others began to all relax.

Tabby walked over to George and nudged him in his ribs with her toe. "What… What's going on? Are we under attack?" instantly jumping to his feet, as if to do battle. The others began to laugh at his reaction and ability to sleep thru the events that had just transpired.

"Remind me to never put that man on guard detail." Lee said with a chuckle he was trying to restrain. This only made Abby and Kara laugh all the harder at George's look of total confusion at the new arrivals.

Adama and Roslin shared a look between themselves, then he walked over to her. Both went to sit under her tarp to have a long overdue 'chat'. The others, knowing this may take a while, decided it would be best to rest while they could. Today promised to be as hard on the group as the days before. The Chief cautiously approached where Helo and Sharon were sitting under their own tarp.

oooooooooooooooooo

The Chief was remembering what the Commander had told him weeks before. 'You'll see her again, Chief'. With his voice hesitant, he called out several feet away. "Sharon?" When she looked up at him, he held his breath. She looked exactly like his Sharon.

"Chief?" She rose to her feet and slowly approached him; Helo looked on with concern and not a little guilt. "We haven't met before, but I remember you. It's good to finally meet you." she said, then embraced him. At seeing this, Helo was torn between looking away and being glued to the scene before him.

"Ya, well… uh… ya…" the Chief instinctively returned her hug momentarily, then let go. He looked down at the woman, her words registering in his brain, 'we haven't met'. He realized this was not his Sharon. In his confusion, he backed away. " uh, it's good to meet you." With that he backed up a few more paces, turned and walked away. He needed to be alone for a few minutes to get a handle on what he was seeing. He decided now was as good a time as any to do a perimeter check.

While Zarek and Tom sat huddled together, Lee and Kara moved back over to the fire. Lee couldn't seem to take his eyes off his father. He couldn't believe he was really here. His heart was beating frantically from happiness at seeing his father again, and looking well to boot. But it was also beating in nervousness. Did his father's hug mean his father had forgiven him?

"Yes Lee. He has forgiven you; you too Kara. He loves you both very much, you know." Both Lee and Kara gave a start. Neither had heard Tabby's approach. At their shared reaction, Tabby let loose a tinkling bell of laughter. "Poor George, he would've loved to have seen you two just now. He's off in the woods berating himself for not being more alert. He somehow feels as if he let me down by not awaking at the first sign of danger. Doesn't seem to matter what I say to him. Ah well, he'll either get over it or not. Perhaps in the future he won't let himself get so comfortable that he wouldn't have heard a bear marching thru the woods wearing bagpipes, eh?"

Kara turned to her with her signature Starbuck smirk, where as Lee looked more disgruntled. "Don't do that Abby" came Lee. "Do what?" she said.

"You know exactly what he means Abby, and you know it. By the way, are you sure? Does he really forgive us?" Came Kara, her face hopeful. Though Lee wouldn't have admitted it out loud, he too was waiting for her answer.

"Absolutely. He forgave you both long before now. He's very happy to find you both. He's missed you. He…,he feels as if a part of himself is missing when either of you are gone." This time she was all seriousness. Both pilots felt unbelievably reassured. Now instead of just Lee watching the tent with the Commander and President, all three set up a companionable vigil.

………………………………

An hour or so later, the Commander and President seemed to resolve their issues. Both decided they were wasting daylight and it was time to press on. The Tomb wasn't going to come to them, after all. The Commander made Helo stay near the back of the group. This left Tom to take point with Sharon. Unlike before, where George and Tabby pulled up the rear, Tabby stayed ahead of the President, Elosha and the Commander. She'd told George she was feeling the malice even stronger, the closer they came to their destination. George wanted her to stay towards the back, but she refused. She felt she needed to be closer to Lee. When George was about to become adamant, she stared him down and sent him back by Helo.

He went reluctantly, receiving questioning looks from both Helo and Kara. Lee, while giving no outward sign of noticing this change, did. He was surprised Abby's ever present, self appointed bodyguard was leaving her side. He chose to say nothing, but kept a careful eye on her, himself. He had to admit, although small, she seemed to be handling their journey better than any of them. Where as the others trudged along under the weight of their gear and strain of the climb; Abby seemed to bounce with an inner energy. Where as most the others would stumble, she seemed as agile as a mountain goat - never losing her footing. If he were honest, she needed assistance least of all. Still, he kept a protective eye on her.

Lee heard Sharon call out from up ahead. "Hey guys, you've got to see this." Rounding the corner they all saw what looked like a cave blocked by a stone door of some kind. It was covered with strange pictures. With all the groups attention on the possible door, it was with great surprise when suddenly all hell broke loose.

Sharon had turned on Adama, pointing a gun at his chest. Lee, feeling a sick sense of de ja vu at the sight, quickly went to raise his own weapon; only to find a gun pointing at his own face. Everyone froze. Well that's what everyone thought anyway. Nobody noticed Tabby begin to move. Upon entering the clearing, she had not crowded up with the group. She could sense the animosity coming to a head, so at the last moment, she hung back slightly. Now she was very glad she had. Being off to the back and slightly to the side it gave her a view of the whole scene before her. While sensing no animosity or malice coming from Sharon, even with her holding Adama at gun point; she knew Sharon was not a threat.

Tom was a different story altogether. Malice was rolling off the man in waves. She could also sense Lee's intention for action was imminent. Moving with the grace and silence of a cat, she stalked her prey.

Kara, too could see Lee was getting ready to take his chances; to spring into action. "Lee, wait!" Kara had noticed Tabby's movement. With any luck, Tom would look into her direction and not see Tabby. Then Tabby sprung in a blur of motion. Within seconds the gun was flying thru the air, having been stripped from it's owners grip. It all happened so fast, nobody even moved when the fighting began hand to hand. Within moments Tom was dead on the ground, his neck broken. Tabby knelt behind the man panting, her eyes blazing.

The silence was broken by Sharon, who still held Adama at gunpoint. "I need you to understand. I have no hidden programming. I am not a sleeper agent. I am controlled by nobody but myself. I know exactly what I am doing. I need you to understand, this is my choice." With that she cleared her weapon, flipped it over and handed it over to the Commander. He in turn looked at her stunned by what she had just said and done. Then looked over toward the dead man on the ground and Tabitha. His mind churning with what he had just seen. The possibilities and ramifications not going unnoticed. It was Zarak who finally broke them all from their daze as he stepped over to kneel before his fallen man, regret radiating from his face.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

tbc