XXXVI
"CAG, Adama Actual, you're cleared to bring your squadron home, port side hangar. Contact Arrival when in range." Lee Adama turned to his XO Brevin "Criss" Cross. "Hey XO, have the Medics standing by to check out any of these civilians. CAG said they have about forty-five total that came off the mountain."
"You got it, Boss", Commander Cross acknowledge. He turned to his internal phone system to make sure the doctors and nurses were prepared. "Hospital says they're ready to roll, sir."
"Very well", Lee said with a small nod. Within the last twenty hours or so, civilians and, more than likely, at least a few former combatants were coming down the east side of the Caprican Mountains. Raptors had been dispatched to pick them up and either take them to either of the Battlestars or to the Caprica City Command Post to receive physicals and to be identified.
It felt like the beginning of the end to the Military Commander of The Fleet.
"Brevin", he again addressed his XO, "Governor Kwok has asked me for a meeting in about ten minutes, you have CIC. I shouldn't be too long."
"Yes, Admiral", Cross said crisply. "Take your time, we got this."
Lee smiled, knowing full well that his XO could run this ship as well as he could. Lee had already sent back to Earth his recommendations that when they returned home, Commander Cross get a promotion and his own ship. He had earned it.
After going to his quarters for a few minutes to grab a snack and gulp down some water, Lee headed over to the quarters on the Flagship reserved only for the Governor of The Fleet.
Lee knocked and was admitted.
Ingrid Kwok smiled brightly at her Military Chief. "Admiral Adama, welcome."
"Reporting as ordered, Governor", he said with a smart salute, then quickly taking a seat. "We have a few Raptor's coming in shortly with more civilians. Should be here in a matter of minutes."
The Governor had a steaming cup of coffee in front of her. "Coffee, Admiral?"
Lee shook his head with a grin. "No, thank you, Ma'am. I'm coffee-logged as it is already today." Governor Kwok gave a hearty laugh.
"How many civilians have we picked up total so far?"
Lee had his notebook with him and opened it to a dog-eared page with that information. "Since yesterday afternoon, we've picked up about one-hundred-and-eighty, Governor. A few had some injuries, a few were a bit malnourished and dehydrated, but overall, remarkably, everyone's in pretty good shape."
"That's good to hear", she said quietly. "I'd like to see everyone come off that mountain post-haste."
"So would I, Governor", Lee echoed, "but from all accounts, they're still fighting like hell on both fronts."
"How close are we now?" She most definitely wanted it ended.
"We're about two thousand yards west of the main town down-slope; to the north, we're within about a mile. On the front to the south, we're within two miles. It's closing fast.
"I wish we could have made peace with these people before any of this had taken place, Admiral", Ingrid Kwok said with visible pain on his face. "The loss of life on both sides-I know it needed it to be done, but my God, the cost."
"Preaching to the choir", the Admiral agreed. "Governor Bond once told me years ago, just after the Earth-Cylon war that even though he controlled the mightiest military ever seen on Earth, he always preferred to have that military as a bargaining chip to make peace and to avoid war."
"Smart man, Governor Bond", the newer Governor said with a small smile. "I know he was heartsick in having to fight here, but he also didn't flinch."
"With all due respect, Madam Governor", Lee said with a proud smile, "neither have you. You've been a rock through all this."
Governor Kwok smiled in a self-deprecating fashion. "I simply had a job to do. I'll let the history books praise me or pan me." This time Lee gave a chuckle.
Ingrid continued. "Oh, I did hear Justin woke up yesterday for a while. Judy got to see him, but he fell back to sleep within minutes. He's been out since." Lee gave a snort of amused laughter.
"He's asleep for four days, and wakes up and wants to go to sleep." They both chuckled, knowing that Justin Bond was no sleep-a-holic. "I'm glad he's getting the rest. Do you know if anyone else has seen him."
Ingrid shook her head. "No, not so far. When he's more awake, he'll call for his children. I suspect Nick would probably the last one to visit, as he's running these rescue missions. I hope to visit him early next week when his family has had a chance to drive him mad again."
Lee snorted a laugh. "Yeah, well, with that crew, it doesn't take much." He then thought about it. "They've been my second family since dad died in '27. They're all very, very special people, Governor Kwok."
"Oh, don't I know it", she said with a cherubic smile. "They'll be talking about Justin a thousand years from now after you and I have been long forgotten."
"I hope we get at least a footnote, Governor", Lee said with raised eyebrows.
"We won't be around to read them, so I'll let the footnotes fall as they may." She took another satisfying sip of her coffee. "I wonder in the next few days if I can meet with some of the civilians? I'd like to talk to them and learn a little about them. I suspect most of them will stay, but I will give them the choice to return with us to Earth if some want to. Their stories will help future fleets in assisting these worlds."
"I hadn't thought that some of them might want to come along", Lee said with surprise. "You may be right. And I agree with you, I want these people treated well." He then paused and looked the Governor directly in the eye. "What about Clevin Monteith, Madam Governor?"
She knew what the question really meant. She sighed and looked at her Admiral. "Thinking of him makes me wish we had a Death Penalty, or that he might have an unfortunate accident. If he's captured, he'll never see the light of day again. Personally, I'd rather see him die in combat."
Lee Adama saw how much that troubled Ingrid Kwok, but as Lee had found out, she was one tough lady, in many ways like Laura Roslin had been, and didn't back down from what had to be done.
"I know one person who won't be happy no matter what happens to him." Lee didn't look at his Governor.
"I know", she said sympathetically. "I can remember being young and madly in love. I can't imagine what either of them went through after The Holocaust. But Monteith made his decision. He will have to pay a price for it."
Lee nodded, not being able to add anything else.
Admiral Kara Thrace-Bond was currently a passenger aboard a Raptor that was part of the effort to pick up civilians and take them to either the ships or New Caprica for examinations and identification. She wanted to see first-hand the condition of these people and to observe how the operation was going.
She also had an ulterior motive for going.
As her Raptor touched down, she was out of the wing and headed toward a group of civilians that were huddled nearby. Behind her, the Marines that were onboard distributed snack rations and bottled water for everyone before they would be gathered up into the ships and sent to their destination.
Kara was assisting a family that had three children and an infant with what few belongings they had. She signaled to a Marine to fetch a bottle of infant formula that was kept cool onboard for just such cases.
Kara walked up to the mother, who was clearly stressed over everything. "Here you go, honey", Kara said with a smile. "This is fresh formula. It'll hold the baby over until we reach the Battlestar."
"Thank you kindly, ma'am", the younger woman said genuinely, then she looked at Kara more closely. "You're her?", she said in wonder.
Kara knew immediately what the woman was talking about. Kara wasn't about to take it out on this woman struggling with her family. "Is there anyone who doesn't know my face up there?" She gave the mother a smirk to let her know she was not angry.
"Perhaps not", the mother laughed, "but I can tell you, Admiral...it is Admiral, right?" Kara nodded her head. "I can tell you, Admiral, the likeness we've seen doesn't do your beauty justice." She gave Kara a heartwarming smile as her family was moved into a waiting Raptor.
Kara closed her eyes for a moment. Damn, Clevin, she said angrily in her mind, thanks for making me a celebrity up there.
Kara went back to work, helping who she could. She would hitch a ride on another Raptor shortly, leaving room for these people to be helped.
As she moved from group-to-group, studying the faces meeting her. There were all ages present, all dealing with their own personal problems. She hadn't wanted to admit to herself that while she was working, she was looking for one face, which, deep down inside, she knew she wouldn't see.
"Clevin", she said in barely above a whisper, "Surrender already. At least you'll be alive."
Despite the fact that Dr. Baezos had helped her tremendously, the pain of seeing him would be a long time in fading away. The pain of knowing they had both lived; that they had been separated for all these years; the pain knowing the path he took; the pain of the surety that she would never hold and love this man again; the pain of either his capture and incarceration or his coming death.
She was so lost in thought that some of the Raptors had departed and more had landed. She was quite literally staring up at the mountainside, looking from side to side, a few cracks of battle wafting over the summit occasionally.
She didn't hear someone come up behind her.
"Looking for some property, Starbuck?"
Kara almost jumped out of her uniform when she whirled around.
"Nick!", she cried happily. "You little shit, scaring me like that!" Her words were in contrast to the smile and hug she gave her brother.
"Hey, I'm 'little brother' in name only, short stuff." He bent down and kissed his sister.
"I should have known you'd be down here sooner or later, Commander Bond. Take a stroll with me?"
"Yes, sir, Admiral", he cried, tipping a mock salute to her. Kara rolled her eyes as they started to walk perpendicular to the Raptors.
"Hear anything about dad?", Kara asked seriously. "I know he was awake for a short time yesterday, but he fell back to sleep."
"After another two runs, I'm going up to your ship to see if he's awake. Natalie is already there. Abby and Brett will be ready to leave the Gandhi when they get the word."
"Gaius sent me a summary of when he woke up yesterday", Kara said with a tentative smile. "He seems to be all there."
Nick snorted. "I'll let mom be the judge of that", he said sardonically, making his sister laugh. "Yeah, I read what Gaius sent out, too. It's promising."
They were quiet for a few moments, then Nicholas turned to his older sister. "Looking for someone up in them there hills, Admiral?"
Kara frowned at him, bringing up that subject, and it annoyed her. Nick quickly spoke again. "Hey, Kara", he said turning to her, grabbing her shoulders and turning her toward him. "That wasn't meant as a barb", he said seriously. "Look", he sighed, "when I got shot down, I was gone sixteen days, and didn't know if I'd make it. I thought of Natalie constantly. I cried every night, wondering if I'd see her again, and I know she did the same, not knowing my fate."
He grabbed his sister's hand. "I can't imagine believing someone you were deeply in love with had died in The Holocaust, carrying that grief for over thirty years, then seeing him here, and worse than that, he's leading the enemy we're fighting. I can't even comprehend it.
"What I'm trying to say is that it's OK for you to look up there and to remember what you had, and wish that maybe he'll survive. From what you told me, you loved him more than Zak or Sam, two guys I know you loved dearly. That must have been special. That's why I've got your back on this."
Kara could remember first meeting Nick Bond back in 2024: a gangly, awkward seventeen-year-old, who wanted to be a pilot like his Old Man, and how this special kid had become her brother whom she loved with all her heart and soul. She sometimes missed that young, unsure teenager, but she was proud of the man he was.
"You've always had my back, Nick", she said with a beaming smile, "since that first day we met when dad invited me up for pizza to meet you. I didn't know it then, but you had my back even then."
Nick smiled with love at his sister. "I did, didn't I?" They both chuckled. "I can't grasp what you went through, Kara, but I'm always here to talk to you, even if I don't completely get it. Lean on me if you need to. Besides, you've had my back for just as long, haven't you?"
Kara laughed happily. "Yeah, I have, little brother." She became serious again. "I remember how scared I was after you were shot down. I'd never been more scared in my life. I treasure you so much little brother." She gave him a long, strong hug. "I love you, Nick."
Nick had his eyes closed, still in awe of his adopted sister. "I love you, too, Kara. I always will."
Kara broke the embrace and used her palms to smooth out his flight suit. "Why don't we go over and help these folks. I'll take those next two runs with you as your right-seater, then we'll go visit dad?"
"You have a deal, Admiral." He saluted her properly this time. Kara proudly returned it.
"After you, Commander", she chided him. They headed back to assist the people that were still descending the mountain.
One civilian that had not headed east when descending the mountain was Casey Merril. She was a much younger cousin of Caleb Ridge. In her early thirties, she had grown up after The Holocaust. Inherently intelligent and quite beautiful, she also had a knack in making friends rather quickly with a fast wit and a brilliant smile.
She had drifted for the last five years between The Kingdom and what life there was in Caprica City. She had friends in both places, making sure those in the city didn't know of her affiliation with The Kingdom. There were nomadic types coming and going all the time from Caprica City, so the fact that she was there only now and again didn't raise any suspicions.
Caleb had instructed her with her last conversation to remain in Caprica City once she had found a pilot who would take the letter to the Admiral. He would send another member of his spies down the day after she left. If and when she got a reply from the Admiral, she was to give it to this other courier. He insisted she not come back to The Kingdom. He wanted someone in his family to survive and move on. She had reluctantly agreed.
Around 1530 the next day, she was in Caprica City. She knew where most of the jocks hung out when they went off-base. Casey knew if one pilot were here-one very special, sexy, sultry pilot-that she would have her courier. This pilot happened to be her current lover.
The name of the joint that had been established about a mile off the base bore a name that had no meaning to her but always seemed to tickle the funny bone of the UED people. The name of it was the Mos Eisley Cantina, with a sign in Caprican and in what apparently was a native tongue of Earth that said proudly, You won't find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy in the Universe!
She entered, recognizing a few of the UED faces as people she had talked to. On a personal level, she liked some of them. A few from Earth she had found fascinating, and there slightly different look than a Colonist intrigued her. But this was business, and she had work to do.
She spied the pilot she had been thinking about, a sultry smile crossing her face. They had been having sex for the last eight months. Her name was Roberta Pyne, an Earth girl. She had seen very few dark-skinned people on Caprica, at least out in the sticks where she had grown up, and found her quite exotic and beautiful. She was very sweet, and Casey genuinely liked her sense of humor and her stories.
Lieutenant Roberta Pyne was a right-seater on a Raptor. She was stationed aboard the Laura Roslin, which Casey wasn't aware of, but which would be fortuitous. She saw Casey and her face lit up, running over to her sometimes drinking partner and frack-buddy.
"Casey, girl", she said, enveloping the native in a hug, kissing her softly on the lips, "haven't seen you for a while! How are you?"
Casey didn't let go of her hand. "Been busy back home in the sticks", she said with a grin, which certainly wasn't a lie. "How about I get you a drink, Robbie?"
"If you're buying, girlfriend, I'm drinking." They both laughed loudly as they found a seat, both ordering a glass of red wine. Roberta already had some potato skins on her plate and offered some to Casey.
"Damn, Robbie", Casey exclaimed, "these potato things are just so fracking good." They had become a favorite of Casey's since finding this place. "Before you go back home, I want some more Earth recipes!"
"I actually have a few cookbooks in Caprican with Earth dishes that can be pretty easily made here as well. I'll make sure you get at least one before I leave."
"When exactly are you guys leaving?"
Roberta shrugged. "It's not exact, but a couple months from now, when the second fleet arrives. Then it's four Earth years back."
"I've made some good friends since you guys arrived." And she had, even though she was working for The Kingdom-more precisely, working as a favor to her cousin, she would dearly miss them. Roberta leaving would hurt.
"I know, but can you imagine not being home for twelve years?" She shook her head. "When I left Earth, I was young!" Casey laughed hysterically.
"Honey, you're still damn young and damn gorgeous, so stop that."
They continued to eat and drink, having an excellent time. After an hour or so, the food and drink were almost gone.
"So Roberta", Casey said, her speech a little slurred from two-plus flutes of wine, "you think I'll like the cookbooks?"
"Yes I do", Robbie said with a slur of her own, which made them giggle. "There's some good cooking in them."
Casey leaned in, looking deep into the other woman's eyes. "Is that the only present you'll leave me?" Her voice was low and seductive, a smile lighting up Roberta's face. "I know something that you can cook up that's not in any of those fracking books."
"You think so, do you?" Roberta giggled, leaning in toward Casey, their lips almost touching. "How about you take me to your place and give you a sample recipe?" She lightly kissed the Caprican woman.
"Mmm", Casey purred. "I'm sure we'll be skipping right to dessert, won't we?" She licked Roberts lower lip, then pulled it down with her own lips.
"Dessert is definitely my favorite part, baby. Shall we?"
"By all means, Robbie. I have this bill. Dessert will make us even."
"It most certainly will", Roberta said, kissing Casey a little harder.
Within moments, they were out the door, walking the mile or so to Casey's little apartment.
Colonel Remy Clarey, Commander of the MP's on the New Caprican Base had been a busy man as of late. The search for the proverbial needled in the haystack: trying to find someone among thousands of someones who might have fed the photos of UED higher-ups to The Kingdom. There had been a few leads, but nothing that looked promising.
Until the last twenty-nine hours.
He was hurrying over to General Kendrick Grayson's quarters, escorted by one of his MP's. He had just received some information that might be important. He hadn't called ahead, but he was sure the General wouldn't mind.
The MP knocked on Grayson's door. "Enter", they heard from the other side.
The MP stepped through first, followed by Colonel Clarey. "General", he said, smartly saluting the
Ground Commander, "I apologize for not informing you that I was coming over, General, but I just received some information that I believe is important.
Grayson had already returned the salute. "Sit down, Remy, it's no inconvenience at all. I appreciate your urgency. What have you got for me."
Clarey pulled out the enhanced photos of the mystery civilian that had intrigued them. "Our intel people in and around the city have had several persons say they recognize the young lady in this photograph."
That got Grayson's attention. "We have a name? Or an alias."
"Yes, sir", Remy said immediately. He slid the information over on what little they could find out about her. "She, like many people, come and go from Caprica City all the time. That's normal for almost everyone living here at least occasionally. A few of our own people and a few civilians recognized her when showing the photo. They all say the same name when discussing her."
"Casey Merril", Grayson said, rolling the name off his tongue. "Nothing terribly remarkable here, but maybe she's our girl?"
"I've already received extra Marines from the Battlestars, they are heading down here as we speak. I am going to try to flood the city with as many people as I can to see if anyone has seen her recently and if they know anything about her. It would be ideal, Mon General, if someone had another photograph of her that would corroborate her identity."
"Good move, Remy", Grayson said appreciatively. "How soon are you sending them out once they arrive?"
"Immediately after a short briefing and instructions. I want them out there this evening."
"Since you've already gone over my head", Grayson said with a friendly, rueful smile, "I think I can approve this." The two men chuckled. "I don't care what time it is, Remy, if you guys find anything, you contact me through the Command Center immediately, do you understand."
"Yes, sir, General Grayson."
"OK, get moving. I'll get an ETA on those people. Be prepared to move them out ASAP once they arrive." Grayson rose, Colonel Clarey, saluting as he did so.
Grayson returned the courtesy. "Thanks for stopping by, Colonel. I'm sure I'll talk to you soon."
Clarey nodded and hurriedly left the General's quarters.
Maybe that haystack just got a lot smaller, Grayson said to himself, going over some other business for a few minutes.