Chapter 54 Reinforcements
As President Roslin invited Admiral Adama to have a seat, she studied his worn features. Her first observation was that he was obviously exhausted. His bloodshot eyes gave testimony to little sleep, and the haunted look in their depths hinted at deep pain and worry. Not that she had any doubt what caused his current state. From her source on Galactica, she had just heard about Kara's breakdown.
Which made her to wonder what had brought him to her today? He had called requesting a private meeting to discuss an urgent matter and of course she had immediately agreed. They were now alone together in her workroom on Colonial One and, as he took a seat, he seemed nervous as he handed her a folder.
"What's this," she asked, glancing down at the binder marked Confidential.
"Dr. Cottle's medical report on Captain Thrace."
She considered the Admiral's closed features for a moment more before opening the folder. Once she'd confirmed that it was exactly what he'd said, she closed the cover and held it back out to him.
"This is confidential information. A patient's privacy is a 'need to know' basis. I'm not her commanding officer, so I don't have a need to know," she stated in answer to the question in his eyes.
"But you do," he contradicted. As she raised an eyebrow, he continued, "I need your help. We need your help," he said, correcting himself. "Kara's life depends on our ability to help her come to grips with what happened to her on New Caprica," he explained. "Cottle's pieced together some possible theories of her experiences in the detention center. None of them pleasant."
Laura listened intently, but still didn't see how she fit into Kara's recovery. But she clearly heard the restrained anguish in Bill's voice and found herself wanting to comfort him.
"I have heard from others of the hell that place was… In fact, I even experienced the Cylon's hospitality myself on a couple of occasions," she paused briefly, wondering if she should mention that she had actually seen Kara while in the detention center. She decided against it, at least until she had a better grasp of what he expected from her. So instead, she just said, "Bill, I still don't see what this has to do with me?"
"The doctor believes that Starbu…Kara's incarceration may have included some pretty twisted mind games and…" he faltered, taking a deep breath before continuing, "and maybe torture of a…a sexual nature," he forced out. Laura's eyes widened in sudden understanding. He continued, "She has no close female friends, no one suitable to discuss…what happened to her," he explained with a strained grimace.
"You want me to be that someone?" Laura asked, surprise coloring her voice. He nodded in answer. She looked again at the folder in her hand. "I'm not a trained professional. And from what I've heard, Kara needs the best help she can get."
"There's no one else, Laura. And you at least have a history with her. I believe she trusts you…and the fact that your the President gives you an authority that she respects," he added, explaining his reasoning.
"I don't know," she paused, feeling the weight of the folder—and of his request. "There really is no one else?" she demanded, uneasy to step so far out of her depth.
He slowly shook his head.
Not able to think while looking into his pleading eyes, Laura stood to pace the small room. The fleet owed Captain Thrace…she owed her. As Laura hugged the folder to her chest, she had to admit that she felt a certain amount of guilt where Kara was concerned. She knew she'd inadvertently done Leoben's biding when she'd thought she'd been helping Kara before. Could she trust that she'd not cause more harm than help this time either?
She rubbed her brow, mentally chiding herself for not inquiring after Kara immediately upon their escape. It had been with relief that she'd heard that the young woman was listed among the survivors, but then Laura had found herself overwhelmed with all the demands of taking back the reins of the Presidency from Zarek and hadn't followed up on her intentions to see Kara.
Considering Bill's request, Laura thought about Kara's visits to the teaching tent on New Caprica, recognizing the loneliness that had driven the younger woman to seek her out. The majority of those Kara been closest to had still been in space, so she'd turned to Laura, trusted the ex-President enough to go to her for company. And that hadn't been the first time Kara had shown a willingness to drop her barriers with Laura, she realized, remembering the impulsive hug they'd shared while celebrating the success of Kara's plan to destroy the Cylon-held Tylium Plant.
Yes, she owed the young woman a debt. But there was more to it than that. Laura wanted to help her, and maybe Bill was right. Maybe there was enough trust between them that Kara would even let her.
Laura stopped her pacing and turned to the anxiously waiting man whose happiness had come to mean so much to her.
"Ok, I'll try," she promised, knowing that the price of failure would be devastating. But, then again, as the President, she knew, far better than most others, what the consequences of any misjudgment on her part entailed.
She refused to be a coward and not try.
