Chapter 5
Kara Thrace watched as Katee sat on the floor and played a simple game with Boxey. They were near the same age, the two children, and yet it was almost like watching a child babysitting. Katee didn't understand the finer points of rolling the die and moving the pieces around the board, but she was clearly having a good time and Boxey was endless in his patience. Kara figured that it must be from his constant tolerance of adults. There weren't many children aboard the Galactica, and only one his age besides now Katee, so he had learned to make due with whatever company was available.
"He's good with her," she said softly. "He doesn't seem to care that she'd different."
"He's tolerant by nature," Sharon confirmed. "He's been really flexible since he got to the Galactica. I guess he was always like that."
Kara turned her attention from Boxey to her friend once more. "How about you? Feeling flexible?"
Sharon gave a shrug and a smile. "I don't get much choice in the matter. The shifts are irregular, the food is sporadic, I have no clue how to be a mother, and I spend half my time here in family quarters with him. Flexibility seems to be the name of the game."
"I thought the Chief was here with him," Kara mused.
"He is," Sharon confirmed. "But he's really my responsibility. We just figured it was better for him to be with a man than a woman given the circumstances. I hate that we live in a world where my intentions might be questioned, but that's life. There are fewer questions with Tyrol taking him on."
"Is there anything he wouldn't do for you?" Kara asked with a sideways grin.
Sharon's half-smile faded completely. "Yeah," she said softly. "Let me move in officially."
"That's not him," Kara corrected. "That's Fleet policy."
Sharon gave a sigh. "I know that, too. It's just frustrating. I came so close to losing him, and now even though most everyone knows, we still can't say anything. It's making me crazy."
"So you spend a lot of time here?" Kara came back to the original subject.
"Yeah. Like I said, he's really my responsibility. I couldn't see him sent to the Kastyle with the other orphans. He's a good kid, and he deserves some kind of home, even if it's not much. He's a big help around here, too. He keeps stuff picked up and helps teach reading to the Evans' kids. If we could just get something more formal set up in the way of school, it would be better for everyone. Maybe I should send a note to the President or something."
Kara thought about the pale, fragile woman she'd seen the previous day, and realized that one more thing just might be more than she could handle. She'd known the President wasn't well — that had been obvious for weeks, and had even been explained by a viral illness — but what she'd seen wasn't viral. Laura Roslin was very sick, most likely with cancer or system failure or something. She wasn't sure why Lee hadn't told her, but she was sure that he had his reasons. She planned to find out what those reasons were as soon as she could get him cornered. "The president is pretty busy," Kara hedged. "Besides, the kids need one another and a chance to get themselves together more than they need a formal education. It's not like there's an academy to get into or anything."
"True," Sharon agreed. "But it would help them pass the time. They already have something set up on the orphan barge. This could be similar."
"Maybe," Kara conceded. "I'll talk to the Commander about it when I get a chance."
"Thanks."
She watched as the children finished one game and began another. This wasn't so bad, this babysitting. She could do this. Okay, so she'd taken the child to Sharon for some subtle pointers, but she was still managing it.
Earlier that morning when Cassie had been ready for duty, she had called Apollo to let him know that she was going to be too involved to keep an eye on Katee. They had known these times would occur, so Lee had laughingly asked if Kara wanted the job. Being off shift, and ready to prove herself although she had no clue why, she took up the challenge. Any discomfort she felt at doing so was made worth it by the look in Lee's eyes when she'd agreed. He really had expected her to chicken out. She didn't know whether to be amused or insulted. After all, the day before he'd been assuring her that she was doing fine.
So Kara had picked up the child from Life Station, accepting a tight hug from Katee that hadn't been as enthusiastic as the ones Lee had gotten, but was pretty nice just the same. It had reminded Kara just how little human contact she really got. She couldn't remember the last casual hug she had received. Weeks before, Lee had held her as she cried all one night, but that was something different entirely. For the most part, Kara kept to herself, and others kept their hands to themselves. She had always thought she liked it that way. Katee's hug had been both spontaneous and unsolicited. It had been pretty nice, really.
Kara had soon found that Katee was big on hugs. She hugged the Commander when introduced, and she had hugged Sharon when they arrived here. She had even hugged Boxey, although he had winced as though she had smacked him. He was still between the ignoring girls and hating girls stages, and didn't yet like them getting too close. Kara remembered the age well, because she'd watched both Zak and Lee go through it. Thankfully, they had never really considered her a girl, so she hadn't been on the receiving end of either their affection or distaste. She had just been there.
It was interesting watching Katee in action, though. She wasn't all that perceptive about those that were uncertain of her. Well, she was in a way. She had her own reserve around Colonel Tigh, which Kara found hysterical — the kid had taste. She had also been rather formal around Tyrol, extending him a hand to shake when introduced, rather than giving the usual hug. Yet with Cally she had been as affectionate as she had been with Lee, and Kara had trouble puzzling that one out. After all, even though Kara had liked the child — well, not disliked, anyway — Katee hadn't wanted a thing to do with her on their first meeting.
Finally she had taken the child by the President's room. The woman had looked slightly better than the day before, but it was a minimal improvement at best. Katee hadn't seemed to mind as she threw herself into frail arms with the first truly honest smile that Kara had seen out of her. The President might be attached to the girl, but at the very least the affection wasn't one-sided.
The basic tour of the ship complete — something Kara had done mostly to give herself time to adjust to the tiny human being — they had come back to play with Boxey. He had scrounged an old board game from the ready room, and the two had played several games. Katee had yet to win one, but she didn't seem to mind. She was content just to play. If Boxey had to keep helping her with the rules and reminding her what to do, it didn't bother her. She looked perfectly happy sitting cross-legged on the floor with the game board before her and the two women behind her looking on.
Kara was feeling a lot more comfortable, too. She hadn't realized how much it had bothered her that Katee didn't like her. Granted, there was no reason for her to, but for some reason it had grated on Kara's nerves to the point that she wanted to fix it. She didn't know what that really meant. She was used to going against the grain, and had never really cared who liked her or didn't. From the time she was a child, she had gone her own way, and to hell with what others thought. She still did the same thing.
And yet the "Katee seal of approval," as Sharon had called it, held some kind of value for Kara. Someday she would sit herself down and try to make sense of it all, but that day wasn't today. Today she would just babysit for the first time, and hope she didn't mess the kid up too badly in the process.
Kara's quiet observation was interrupted by a knock at Sharon's hatch. She answered the door, finding Lee standing there with an urgent expression. "Is Kara here?" he asked without preamble.
"Yeah," Kara answered for herself, calling across the small room. "What's up."
"I need a co-pilot," he said simply. Then, turning to Sharon, "Are you on the roster? I can't remember off hand."
"Yeah, until tomorrow afternoon. I have to be down in the repair bay for cleanup in a few hours, though."
Lee nodded quickly. "Cassie should be available by then. Do you mind?" he asked with a silent gesture towards Katee.
"No problem, Captain," Sharon replied. "Go."
Lee did so, not even looking back to see if Kara would follow. She would have been irritated if he hadn't looked like the situation was absolutely frantic. She gave a quick wave to Katee, a smile of apology to Sharon, and then took off at a jog to catch up. "What's going on?" she asked as she matched his long strides.
"There's been a fire set on the Kastyline," he said quickly. "It's out, and no injuries, but they got the guy who did it. We're going to be questioning him, and trying to get information on who's doing it elsewhere. The Commander wants us to try to determine if this is isolated, a copy-cat, or part of something big and organized."
Kara nodded her understanding, not even considering that his attention was focused forward and there was no way he could see her. Her comprehension apparently wasn't an issue, because he kept right on walking. "Are they bringing him here?" she asked.
"No," he answered. "We're headed to the Rising Star. My father didn't want to get this guy within range of the President. She's taken all this very personally, and he wants her as protected as possible."
Kara knew not to say any more on that front. If Lee wanted the illness kept secret, it wasn't her place to question the request. "So why do you need me?"
"Because," he answered as they began to descend the ladder to the landing bay. "Someone has to keep me from killing this bastard, and you're the only one likely to manage it."
She had to grin at that. She was more volatile than he was, so if he was looking for moderation on her part he might just be out of luck. "And if I kill him?" she asked only half joking.
"Then at least there's a witness that can affirm it's justifiable homicide."
"Shouldn't security be doing this?" she asked as she jogged up the hatch into a Raptor just behind Lee. He wasn't wasting time; that was for damn sure.
"Probably, but my dad wants it confidential until we have something concrete. If this gets out into the fleet, we're going to have more than just vigilantes. The passengers will start turning on one another right and left, and we don't' have enough men to keep people safe on this many ships if they aren't doing their fair share."
"Granted," she answered as she slipped on her headset and took the right-handed seat at the front of the Raptor. She wanted to do the flying, yes, but not enough to test Lee's patience at the moment. Maybe if they found something out, she would ask on the way back.
Lee was already half-through pre-flight checklist by the time she'd mentally caught up. She made some minimal adjustments from her end as they waited for the lift to take them up to the flight deck. Once there, Lee pretty much took the responsibility for getting them there, and doing so quickly. She called in the landing request while Lee managed the landing procedure. It wouldn't occur to her until later just how easily the trip had gone, and how in sync the two of them had been. Neither had to wonder what the other was doing. They just did exactly what the other expected.
Kara was back to scrambling to catch up when Lee popped the hatch and descended to the flight deck. The Rising Star was one of their largest ships, and she knew that it also had some of the highest security. That was probably why it had been chosen for this particular task. It had been designed as a pleasure craft and casino, but now it simply served as an excellent living quarters for hundreds of families. Because the compliment was high, so also was the security. It was probably the least obtrusive place to question anyone that they would find.
Lee didn't ask for directions, but that didn't surprise her. He had assisted with the inspections on most of the ships, and he knew his way around very well. The thing that did surprise her was the lack of security in the flight area. Neither the landing bay nor the flight deck had more than the usual number of guards, which was to say only one or two. After the reception they'd received on the Lenna Dell, it seemed strange to her.
As he led her up a stairwell towards a series of doors, Kara found out where the security personnel had been hiding. The entire hallway was lined with them, all armed and most of them holding guns at the ready. Lee nodded to them as he approached, and they cleared a narrow path for the two of them to reach the doorway. She supposed there were indeed advantages to being the Commander's son. Most people seemed to know Lee on sight. Kara saw even more guards when the door was opened and she and Lee stepped through the hatch. They also saw just how securely a prisoner could be held.
The thin man was secured to the chair he was sitting in at both the forearm and leg with heavy-duty gray repair tape. It was more commonly used to stick together spacecraft until real repairs could be arranged than for restraint, yet it was quite effective. There were no less than ten guards in there, all with weapons aimed at him. They were not playing around. While Kara understood how everyone had been on edge, and also that this man might be the key to what was happening, she didn't quite understand the measures that had been taken against him. It seemed over the edge to her.
"Captain Apollo," a tall blond man said as he stepped forward. He was dressed in a colonial uniform, but had no flight insignia. Kara didn't know what he was. "I'm glad you're here. We haven't found any other Picons aboard, but we're still looking."
"Thank you," Lee replied as he took the man's hand. "Incarcerate any that you find, he requested. "We'll sort them out after we have the situation under control."
"Will do," the officer replied. Then he stepped back and allowed Lee access to the prisoner.
"How hard are you going to make this?" Lee asked in a deadly soft voice. Kara hadn't ever heard that tone from him, and it concerned her.
"I am willing to cooperate," the prisoner replied.
"Who else is involved in this?"
"No one," the prisoner said. "I was acting alone."
"Right," Lee muttered. "So much for cooperation."
"I don't get it," Kara finally said. She didn't have to elaborate.
"He's a Picon, from the Ayiciti sect. They're a racist group that essentially has no ties beyond their own. They've been responsible for more deaths on Picon and Virgon than any other single group.
"I am Aviciti," the man said calmly. "And I am the last."
"Not likely," the officer that had spoken to Lee told them. "We've checked with the security officers on five of the other vessels that have had attacks, and all of them have Picons aboard. We don't have their sect identification yet, but it's a matter of time. This particular sect is telepathic within their own race, so communication would have been possible even without wireless or other capabilities. I don't know the distance, though. It may not matter, as the ships are close enough together that they can form a chain of sorts if they try."
"So it is an organized effort?" Kara asked.
"Apparently," Lee muttered. Then, turning to the prisoner, "You know this might go easier on you if you decide to tell the truth. The more information you give us, the better chance you have of making some kind of a deal. I can tell you now that if the Commander has his way you'll be fodder for the Astral Queen. We'll announce that you're killing off the sick and the kids, and we won't have to worry about you after that. Even prisoners are a little miffed when orphans are indiscriminately murdered. It's all the same to me, just as long as you're out of here."
The prisoner didn't move, but he did close his eyes. He didn't look he would be giving them any information at all.
"How do we find out if we're right?" Kara asked. She was glad they had a lead, and that at least on one ship they would able to keep the violence down, but there were thousands of Picons in the fleet, and the vast majority were good people. Genocide against them was no better than what the Ayiciti were trying — it was deciding who lived and died. And yet, if it was the Picons, they had to do something.
"We'll have the rest of the Picons checked for the Ayiciti symbol," he began. "They carry a brand inside their right arm. That's how this one was identified. It's just a screening, though. Maybe there's someone loyal to fleet from the sect. Hell if I know. If they are, they'd be able to tell us what they're thinking. Frak, I'd even forgotten about this obscure area of Picon until this all started and they caught this guy." Lee turned his attention back to the prisoner with the calm expression and closed eyes. "But I can tell you this much; this guy is not getting off the hook. If he turns in the rest, he may get imprisonment rather than death, but that's the best he can hope for. Premeditated genocide was unacceptable even before the human race came down to fifty-thousand."
"Something's wrong," Kara said softly as she watched the man's head lag to one side, his body shifting slightly, but held in place by the tape binding him. He looked as though he were unconscious. Or dead.
Lee turned and immediately placed a hand at the man's throat, cursing foully as he did so. When he turned back to her she read the news in his eyes, and she really didn't have to be told. "He's dead."
There was a flurry of movement as security did their best to try to do something. In moments, he was removed from the restraints and men came running with red Medic boxes. But it didn't help. Just as the man had the ability to communicate with his own people over distance, so also did he have the ability to will his own heart to stop. Kara had to wonder what kind of mental development had allowed this one sect to surpass all the others. Perhaps that was why they were so racially biased; it was likely their own selective inbreeding and such that had exploited their potential for neural development.
Lee spent the next hour on the com with his father, and by the time he got off he was so far beyond angry that she wasn't sure what to do with him. Picons were being found dead on many of the ships that had been attacked, apparently some form of mass suicide to protect their master plan, whatever the hell it had been. None of it made sense to Kara: not the killing, or the dying. She would have to check with Eloshia when she got back to the Galactia and see if there was any religious basis to the sect's beliefs. Somehow, Kara didn't think so. But anything that could help explain this situation was fine with her. She was at a loss.
Kara fought the bitterness that rose in her as she followed Lee back to the Raptor. Their one clue to this mess was dead, and there wasn't a damn thing they could do about it. There was no way to determine how many Picons might be involved, or if he'd been telling the truth and he was the only one. They knew that more had to be involved from the unexplained deaths, but how many and to what end was still a mystery. The most frightening part was that there were thousands of Picons still alive, and no way to know which among them might have either the same goals or even the same abilities. They might still be in danger of further attacks. And what pissed Kara off the most was that now they knew very little more than they had before they had caught him.
