XI
The next morning, the plans were finalized for the attempt to rescue Hera. All the children and non-essential personnel, along with those who had not volunteered for this mission, were shuttled all day from Galactica to the Baseship. The Cylons, both the humanoid models, and many, many Centurions, worked to prepare quarters and to make their allies as comfortable as possible. Foodstuffs and medicine were boarded, along with Doctor Cottle, to look after any emergencies. Jump coordinates were transmitted to all the civilian ships in The Fleet, who would follow the Baseship away from Galactica, as it readied for battle.
Admiral William Adama was finalizing the last piece of the puzzle for the Baseship and the civilian fleet. He took a Raptor over to the Cylon ship to make it official.
"I need someone to lead this fleet, who I trust and demands universal respect", Adama said, facing the man he had chosen to be the new leader of The Fleet, should he and Galactica not return from their battle. "So the Baseship, and The Fleet are yours."
Bill Adama opened his fist, revealing four pips, signifying the rank of Admiral, and handed them to the man.
Louis Hoshi looked at them apprehensively. He had never wanted to have such a heavy burden. He loved his job, and being respected, and being highly competent at doing multiple things on a Battlestar, but he had never wanted command. Yet he could never refuse the order of a superior who put their trust in him.
He took the pips.
"Thank you, sir", Hoshi said, looking Adama directly in the eyes. "I won't let you don't."
"I know you won't", Adama responded with full confidence in the man.
"I'll see you at the rendezvous", Hoshi replied, showing his own faith and confidence in Admiral Adama.
"If we're not there in twelve hours, we won't be comin'."
"Yes, sir." Hoshi snapped off a crisp salute to his superior officer. "Good hunting."
"Thank you, Admiral Hoshi." Adama returned the salute.
Galactica was eerily quiet that afternoon and evening, as only those who had volunteered for the mission to The Colony remained onboard. It wasn't as strange for Bill or Lee Adama, or Hot Dog, or Kat, as they had served on the ship after the Cylon occupation of New Caprica. But for Laura and Kara, the silence was almost nerve-wracking.
Both the President and First Lady had taken a Raptor over to the Baseship earlier to drop off Kacey and Sam. It had been an emotional time for the two women. Natalie and Admiral Hoshi met them when they arrived, and they went to Hoshi's new office with the two women and their children.
"Congratulations, Admiral", Laura Roslin said, truly meaning it. She had seen Louis Hoshi in action, and nothing ever seemed to rattle the man, no matter the crisis. Then again, he had lived through the tyranny of Helena Cain, and maybe that's why nothing phased him.
"Thank you, Madam President", he said with a thin smile. "It's nothing I ever wanted to reach for, but when you serve, you put everything else aside."
"I can see why Bill picked you", Laura said with a broad smile. "I know our children are in good hands with you at the head of The Fleet."
"Thank you for your vote of confidence, Madam President. I'll protect them-all of them-with my very life."
"I know you will", Laura replied, some emotion entering her voice.
"Well, Admiral", Kara said, a little more informally, a cheeky grin on her face. "I don't know if I've ever had anyone go from being below me on the chain-of-command, to being my superior any faster." She was chuckling by the end of her statement, Hoshi slightly blushing, and given a self-deprecating laugh.
"Trust me, Colonel, when you get back, I'll be back below you just as quick, I promise." They both laughed more freely.
Kara did a very un-military thing at that moment, stepping forward and hugging the Admiral. She trusted Hoshi implicitly. Rarely had she seen a better officer in CIC, and she knew the Old Man had made an excellent choice.
"If we don't see you again, I hope you'll take good care of our children, Louis."
Hoshi accepted the hug and returned it. "As if they were my own, Starbuck. I'm confident that you'll be back to claim your son and daughter."
"I hope you're right, Admiral", Kara said, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "I'm not ashamed to tell you I'm afraid I'll never see them again."
"You will, Kara", Hoshi said softly. "I'm convinced of it. I don't ever bet against the Old Man."
Kara laughed at the remark. "Neither do I."
After Hoshi had fed all of them a light meal, the two women were escorted by Natalie and the lead Leoben to where their children would be taken care of. Laura and Kara wept openly as they said goodbye to their children, holding them for as long and as firmly as they could, knowing they couldn't put off leaving much longer. Yet it was killing them both inside to know this might be the last time they saw Kacey and Sammy.
After the goodbye, both Sonja and Natalie escorted them back to their Raptor.
"Thank you, Sonja", Laura said to the leader of the Baseship, "seeing how they'll be taken care of is a weight off of our shoulders."
"They're part of the future of our peoples, Madam President', Sonja said sagely. "We're all in this together, and if there is to be a future, we have to fight for each other."
"So say we all", the President responded.
Natalie had pulled Kara aside. They had developed a good working relationship, as well as a strong friendship with everything they'd been through.
"They won't miss a meal, Kara", Natalie said with a smirk, Kara laughing again."
"Well, I hope we're not gone for many of those, Natalie", Kara joked. "But with you, and Hoshi, and Sonja on here, I know they're safe."
Natalie pulled Kara into an embrace. "May God go with all of you, Starbuck. Good hunting."
"Thank you, Natalie. Keep them safe."
Natalie simply nodded, as the two women boarded the Raptor for the short trip back to Galactica.
It was only 1700 hours when they returned, Admiral Adama inviting them over to have some non-alcoholic drinks and simply relax as much as possible. All the preparations had been made. It would take Galactica three jumps to make it to The Colony, everyone praying she would not shake apart.
At the gathering were the Admiral, Saul and Ellen Tigh, Lee, Doc Cottle, Helo, Athena, Hot Dog, Kat, Galen, and even Gaius and Caprica. It wasn't lost on any of them how evenly the room was divided between Human and Cylon. Yet all of them, save maybe for the Humans in regard to Baltar, had grown to trust each other, and they knew they were in this together.
"Remember, we jump at 0400, everyone. You all are to be in your designated places by 0300, where we'll go over final checks."
"Don't bother telling us, Admiral", Kara said lightly, "to get a good night's sleep, because you know none of us will do that." Everyone chuckled.
"Of all the times to abstain from alcohol", Saul Tigh muttered, the room exploding in laughter at the remark.
"Commander, if we get through this", Galen Tyrol said, still laughing, "the first few rounds are on me when we get back."
"Someone write that down", Tigh retorted. "I want that on record."
"Oh, none of us will forget, Tigh", Lee said, looking right at the Chief.
They tried to stay off the subject of the upcoming mission, although that was literally impossible, since it was about the only thing on their minds. They regaled in some older stories about each other, to keep the spirit light. Things would get dark soon enough.
At the end of the two-hour get-together, President Roslin spoke to all of them. "If it's all right with everyone, I'd like everyone to stand, while I propose a toast."
Without fail, everyone was on their feet in moments.
She looked around at everyone: her beautiful wife, who had given her a new lease on life; Admiral Adama, who once had tried to overthrow her, but had become a steadfast supporter and friend; Lee Adama, who she felt was the most honest soul in The Fleet, even during those times he had opposed her; Saul Tigh, who had driven her crazy before arriving at New Caprica, but whom she had gained an incredible amount of respect for during the occupation; Ellen Tigh, who in her "pre-Cylon" mode had been seen as a bit crazy, but who had been a key to the Cylon/Human alliance; Galen Tyrol, another Cylon, who had never flinched from his duties to Galactica and the people of The Fleet; Doc Cottle, the man who had worked himself to the bone during the epidemics on New Caprica; Helo, who wore his heart on his sleeve, but in a crisis, was as level-headed as anyone; Athena Agathon, who had been the first to try and break the cycle of unending violence between Human and Cylon. To Kat and Hot Dog, two youngsters who had grown into strong leaders among the pilots; to Caprica, who had refused to be deterred when trying to overcome the hatred between Human and Cylon.
She even looked over at Gaius, her eternal rival and pain-in-the-ass, and smiled at him. He had come a long way since New Caprica, although he might never be fully accepted again by his people. But his work in determining that Kara was not a Cylon, and that Humans and Cylons were made of basically the same stuff, had helped her overcome her own prejudices about their Cylon allies.
"We've been through so much since this war started", she began. "I look around, and realize that, when it did start, some of us were enemies. I look around and see people who I know I've had major disagreements with, and whom I wanted to flush out airlocks at one time or another." That made everyone chuckle. "But through all of this, something remarkable has happened. We've become a family. Families often fight, and some time those fights are nasty and hurtful, but they've forged in us and belief and a determination that if we're united, we can accomplish anything."
She paused for a moment looking down, then back up. "All of you are part of my family."
"Even me?" Gaius hadn't meant to say it out loud, but he had been thunderstruck. Everyone laughed loudly.
"Yes, even you, Gaius", Laura said, smiling at him. "Every family has that crazy uncle, and I guess you're it."
Caprica nudged him to let him know it was meant as a compliment. Gaius always had trouble with humor, and always would.
When the hilarity died down, she continued. "I'd like to make a toast then: to our family. Our family here, on this ship, as we go into battle, and our family that has left us for the time being, while we fight for them."
Everyone responded, almost in unison. "So say we all."
They all clinked their glasses together, taking healthy drinks out of them.
Kara couldn't resist. "Crazy uncle, huh?"
Gaius looked at her with wide eyes, which made Starbuck laugh, the others joining her. Caprica gave him a kiss on the cheek, turning him beet red.
Laura and Kara retired to their quarters on Galactica. With so few people still onboard, there were no Marines guarding their door this night. With so few people on the ship, at least in relative to how many she could hold, it wasn't needed.
The two women had a very light meal, and one small glass of wine. There was fitful silence as they ate, not as there was anything wrong between them but...
The kids weren't here, and they missed the noise they made. The mission was just hours away, with an outcome that seemed bleak. It was hard to have light conversation with everything that was just over the horizon.
When they finished their meal, they cleaned the dishes, then sat down on the couch, Laura in one corner, Kara leaning her back into her wife, Laura possessively embracing her from behind.
"So you'll be helping Cottle, the other doctors and nurses in the Med bay?"
Laura nodded her head. "Yes, I don't need to be in the way in CIC, or in the hangars. I took courses in first aid when I was a teacher. I think I can best help there."
"That's my wife", Kara said sweetly, "always willing to help out."
"This isn't a time for a President, Starbuck. This is a time for you and your comrades. There is a time of war and a time of peace. This is a time for war."
Kara was quite for a moment. "I miss them so much already, Laura."
Laura didn't have to ask who Kara meant. "I know, baby, I do to, but we have to do right by them. As much as this kills me, it's the right thing."
"I know, but gods, if we don't make it back to them..."
"We can't think that way, Kara", Laura reminded her, pushing Kara off of her, and turning her wife toward her. "We have to have trust in the Admiral, and everyone onboard to do their jobs, and get us through this. We have to trust each other."
"I trust you with my life, Laura Roslin", Kara said tenderly, moving in ever-so-close to her wife. "I trust you with my heart and my soul, and that of our children."
Before Laura could respond, Kara kissed her hard and passionately, the moment finally hitting them both, realizing that this could be their last night together. Laura reciprocated just as fiercely, their tongues and lips madly meeting one another, small moans and cries coming from their lips.
"I love you forever, Kara Roslin", Laura moaned, a few tears falling onto her cheeks, realizing what they must-what they had to do-at this moment.
"Forever, baby", Kara said, a passion like no other that had ever seized her washing over every fiber of her being. "Forever. I need to make love to you, Laura. Now."
"Gods, yes", Laura said, not taking her lips away from her wife's.
There was no preamble to what they wanted and needed this night. Their clothes were off before they even reached the bed, both diving into the bed and entangling their arms and legs, as their blistering kisses continued. Laura gained the upper hand and rolled Kara over onto her back, roughly kissing and nibbling at Kara's neck and throat, her hands already on Kara's breasts. Kara was already writhing in anticipation.
As Laura's lips went lower, landing firmly on Kara's already rock-hard right nipple, her hands continue to wander downward, tracing small patterns on Starbuck's flat abdomen, driving the CAG into a frenzy of anticipation.
"Gods, Laura", Kara panted, "don't tease..."
At that moment, Laura had moved her fingers into Kara's slick folds, making the blonde woman moan with pleasure. She was already dripping wet, Laura not wasting anytime shoving first one, then a second finger into her wife's center, while sucking and biting her nipples.
"Gods, yes, frak me, Laura. Harder, please! Faster!"
Kara didn't want to wait for her first orgasm of the evening, even knowing there would be many more. She needed the release. Laura obliged her as moments later, Kara let out a loud, primal moan as she climaxed with shaking limbs, almost passing out in the process. Laura didn't stop, continuing to pump her fingers into her wife, Kara going over the edge again.
Sooner than Laura had expected, Kara had reversed their roles, the younger woman now on top of the redhead, her eyes smoldering at her wife.
"Do you need to come as badly as I did, baby?"
Laura's heart almost stopped beating. "Yes, Kara, gods, yes. Frak me with your mouth."
Kara, like Laura a few minutes before, wasted no time, immediately spreading the President's legs as wide as they could go, her mouth watering at seeing her wife was already dripping wet herself. Like a person who had been on a desert without water, Kara dove between Laura's legs, immediately licking up, and lapping at Laura's sweet essence, reveling in the feeling of her wife's nether lips on her tongue, and Laura's juices all over her face. In moments, she had latched on toe Laura's already swollen clit, simultaneously thrusting three fingers into her wife's vagina.
Laura ground her hips into Kara's face, grabbing the back of her head, trying desperately to increase the pace and friction, her head lolled back. "Yessss, Kara, please, harder baby!" Like her wife, she didn't want to wait for the first release, less she go stark-raving mad at the built-up tension at what they were going to be doing the next day.
Kara didn't relent, thrusting her fingers in and out of her wife, fraking her wildly. Wanting to give Laura what she wanted, she created a vacuum with her lips, sucking Laura's clit hard into her mouth, then lightly biting the nerve-filled nub.
Laura Roslin went rigid, the climax hitting her so suddenly that her entire body short-circuited for a moment. That brief moment was followed by a scream, as the the orgasm rocketed through her, every nerve in her body firing off in response. She clamped down on the back of Kara's head, trying to drive her further in, as a minute later, a second orgasm ripped through her.
Both women were panting, almost crying, when Kara crawled back up to face her wife, Laura seizing her face and kissing and licking her own essence off of the younger woman, still moaning with aftershocks.
Within minutes, where usually they might be good for the night, they were locked in Sixty-Nine position, each lapping and licking at the other, Kara taking two fingers, coating them in Laura's desire, then inserting them in Laura's ass, the President screaming in delight, Laura doing the same to Kara. They both climaxed again and again.
The love making and the fraking went on for hours, the two women simply not filling their need of each other on what could be their last night. Some of it was rough and short, while some of it was gentle and drawn out. They were still fraking each other when the alarm that was set for 0200 had gone off, which meant they had to get ready for the day. They had planned to have a light breakfast together, then get to their posts. As the alarm was going off, Kara was straddling Laura's face, her wife on the verge of bringing her to what ended up being uncounted orgasms that night. She was afraid her scream could be heard in CIC. Even if it had, she didn't care, neither did Laura. If this were their last dance together, it had been memorable.
"Even if I die today, Laura", Kara said, still shaking from their all-night love-making, "my love for you won't. I love you forever."
"We're gonna make it, Kara", Laura assured her, burying her face in her wife's shoulder. "We're gonna get to the other side. But know that I love you more than my very life."
They collapsed into each others arms, tears coming down their cheeks, knowing what the day ahead could mean for them. They held each other for another ten minutes, then got up, took a shower together, then ate a light breakfast. At 0240, they left their quarters. Kara would escort her wife to the Med Bay before she prepped her Raptor.