Chapter 17

The general alarm blared throughout the ship accompanied by the broadcast voice of Colonel Tigh announcing, "Action stations! Set Condition One throughout the ship!"

"Frak," Lee swore. "Can the Tantalus jump?"

It took a second for Adama to process the situation. "Yes."

"We can forget the passenger transfer, but the lifeboats are still en route," Lee said before taking off at a run.

William swore softly and headed off for the CIC. He knew Lee was on his way to the flight deck to launch his Viper and the thought ate at his gut, but it was too late to trying calling him back now. Besides, William also knew that he couldn't justify keeping Lee grounded now even if he tried.

Lee encountered Kara in the hallway, hurrying back to the launch deck while wolfing down a piece of toast. "Damn Cylons interrupted my breakfast Captain," she quipped. She gave him a sly wink and asked, "Will it piss you off if I gloat just a little?"

Still fuming over his father's attempt to ground him, Lee replied sharply, "Do you really want to find out?"

She frowned. "Ewkay... you're already pissed off. I'll gloat later... in private of course."

Both pilots ran for their Vipers. Kat came rushing in several steps behind them. Lee hurried to get his helmet in place so that he could switch on his wireless headset. Even before his cockpit was sealed, Lee was asking, "CIC... Apollo, what have we got Dee?"

In the CIC, PO Dualla checked her monitor. "Apollo, we have a scouting party of 10 Raiders approaching the fleet through quadrant epsilon. They appear to know that they've been detected and have broken into two groups of five, traveling approximately 500 meters apart from each other. Their separation distance is increasing."

Commander Adama watched the central DRADIS console, observing the movements of the Cylon Raiders. Over the speakers he heard Apollo's reply to Dualla's information.

Apollo: "Copy that Dee. Blue flight, establish defensive perimeter at position deacon. Red flight..."

As Apollo deployed his pilots who were already in flight, the commander turned his attention to Lieutenant Gaeta. "Are the lifeboats closer to us or the Rising Star?"

Gaeta responded, "They're closer to Galactica Sir."

Colonel Tigh pointed out, "If they're on our deck it'll make combat landings a lot more difficult."

"ETA for the Raiders?" the commander inquired.

"Three minutes out," Gaeta replied.

Colonel Tigh suggested, "If the Vipers can hold them off at distance we might have time to send the lifeboats back."

The commander shook his head. "Too risky. The lifeboats will be easy targets if just one Raider breaks through and the Rising Star would have to delay its jump. We need to keep the Vipers close enough to run escort until the lifeboats are on our deck." His eyes scanned the DRADIS display and he smiled. Lee had reached the same conclusion as his father. The Vipers were not moving out to engage but were taking up defensive positions along the flight path of the slower unarmed civilian ships.

Commander Adama announced, "Commence emergency jump procedures for all civilian vessels. Spin up our own drives and hold at t-minus 10 seconds. Dee, inform the Rising Star they are to proceed with their jump and that we'll be bringing the lifeboats onto Galactica." The crew jumped into action. They all knew the drill. They had performed this procedure literally hundreds of times since fleeing the colonies.

Starbuck was fidgeting in her seat while she awaited the final clearance to launch. These last few seconds of waiting were always the worst. The launch checklist was completed and she gave the thumbs-up. The tube door swung open in front of her, sucking all of the lingering oxygen around her viper out the tube and into space. She heard the signal, "Launch" and braced herself. A moment later the catapult was hurling her Viper down the launch tube. She felt that familiar sense of exhilaration as the tube walls raced past, then she cleared the tube and was flying free in open space. Somehow the thrill of launch never got old.

From the corner of her eye she saw the sleek silhouette of Apollo's Mark VII Viper slipping into standard formation off her starboard wing. She assumed that Kat was moving up on Apollo's right, but she was too busy studying her DRADIS to double-check. Besides, Apollo was the CAG again, so it was his job to keep tabs on all the other pilots. Kara couldn't help smiling just a bit. She was glad to be relinquishing that responsibility back to Lee and just be able to concentrate on her own flying again. She heard Lee's voice over the headset in her helmet.

Apollo: "Starbuck... Apollo. Take charge of Red Flight. Make sure everybody knows the lifeboats will be on the deck when the recall is ordered."

"Copy that Apollo," she replied.

Apollo: "Kat, you're with Starbuck. Good hunting."

Starbuck saw the brief flash of light beside her as Apollo kicked in his thrusters and banked to the right. She pulled on her own joystick and banked to the left.

Commander Adama watched the two blips on the monitors that represented Apollo's and Starbuck's Vipers. They slid apart, each moving to join the two groups of Vipers that were already in position to intercept the two advancing groups of Raiders.

"Be safe Kids," he whispered very quietly.

Then the waiting game began. The civilian vessels initiated their FTL jumps. First in ones and twos and then in larger numbers, the blips representing the fleet ships began to disappear from the tracking screens. The Raiders continued their steady advancement and the lifeboats slowly continued their approach toward Galactica. Eyeing the speed of the vessels on the DRADIS it soon became apparent that the Raiders would close the distance before the lifeboats could all be brought on board. The Vipers would have no choice but to slug it out.

Apollo: "Hot Dog, hold your position."

The commander perked up at the sound of his son's voice over the CIC speakers.

Hot Dog: "They're almost in missile range Apollo."

Apollo: "I said hold position. We're not out here to rack up points. We're here to protect the civilians. Now get back in formation."

Starbuck grinned and toggled her mike temporarily off. Then she said, "Hot Dog, you are in for a lecture when this is over. Share the joy."

The commander watched the screens, nervously anticipating the start of a battle. The Raiders were one minute out. Then they disappeared.

"They jumped," Colonel Tigh stated.

Starbuck: "What the frak?"

Apollo: "All Vipers... fall back to close range with the Galactica! Now!"

In the commander's mind he could picture the Vipers executing 180 degree flips and closing their range in tighter toward Galactica. Seconds later the enemy signals reappeared on the screens, between the Vipers and the battlestar.

"All cannons hold fire!" the commander ordered. If the gunners opened up now they were just as likely to hit the Vipers as they were to hit the enemy.

"Gutsy jump," Colonel Tigh muttered. "That's frakking close range."

"Fleet status?" the commander inquired.

"All ships are away," Lieutenant Gaeta announced. "Lifeboats are on final approach."

"And they're panicking," PO Dualla said, wincing over the incoming signals on her headset.

Starbuck: "Watch your targets! We have civvies in the air!"

Apollo: "Red flight, cover the landing bay and approach. Blue flight, follow me."

The intricate dance of fighter combat had begun. The commander watched Apollo's Viper leading his group to form a defense around the outermost lifeboats, racing to intercept the four Raiders that headed out to pick off the slow stragglers. He heard Dualla speaking calmly and sternly to one of the lifeboat pilots that he needed to stay calm, concentrate on his approach, and trust the Vipers to protect him.

Apollo: "Galactica... Apollo. I count eight Raiders. Repeat, only eight Raiders. There were 10 before. Do you have the other 2 on DRADIS?"

The commander's eyes scanned the monitors. Apollo was right. 10 Raiders had jumped. Only 8 Raiders had reappeared.

Dualla replied to Apollo's inquiry. "Negative Apollo. We have only 8."

Starbuck: "Make that 7."

One Raider signal winked out as Starbuck's fire hit her target. The commander smiled slightly. Starbuck was definitely sounding pleased with herself. A few seconds later another Raider blinked out, shortly followed by another. Five left. Then only 4. The commander began to feel the tension ease off a bit. This encounter was going nicely in their favor.

The four remaining Raiders suddenly changed course and began retreating from the engagement. One of the pilots gave a loud whoop.

Hot Dog: "They are bugging out! Do we pursue?"

Apollo: "Negative. The civilians have priority."

"What is the status on those lifeboats?" the commander inquired.

Gaeta replied. "Six are on deck. Four more on approach." Then he straightened up in his chair and shouted, "Contact. 2 Cylon Raiders!"

PO Dualla relayed the information to Apollo. "Apollo... Galactica. We have new contacts. 2 Cylon Raiders at position 270 constellation. Radiological alarm!"

Apollo: "Copy Galactica. Starbuck, Stinger, Trip... you're with me. The rest of you guard those lifeboats down to the deck."

The new contacts were at a perpendicular angle from the fleeing Raiders. The four Vipers had to burn their thrusters hard to position themselves between the new threat and the Galactica.

"Incoming... four missiles," Lieutenant Gaeta announced. It went without saying that the missiles were carrying nukes.

Apollo: "Missiles first. Raiders second. Starbuck, Trip... take the left. Stinger, with me on the right."

Commander Adama could here the rapid percussive sound over the speakers that told him the Vipers were already opening fire. He held his breath.

Trip: "Won't they blow up in our faces?"

Starbuck: "You thought you'd live forever?"

Muted sounds that the commander hoped were exploding missiles carried over the speakers. "Come on," he urged his pilots quietly.

Starbuck: "2 down! Apollo?"

After a brief pause, there was another muffled thump.

Apollo: "We got 'em both."

Trip: "Why didn't the nukes blow?"

Stinger: "Who cares?"

Starbuck: "Safeties. The Raiders don't want them blowing up in their own faces. Now get a grip. We're not done out here."

Apollo: "Cut the chatter and start shooting."

Stinger: "Say good night! Come on you frakkers!"

The commander watched the two Raiders split apart and the four Vipers divided to engage them. He allowed himself a long deep breath now that the nukes had been taken out.

"They jumped," Gaeta announced.

Adama studied the screen. It took a second before he realized what Gaeta was saying. The four Raiders that had broken off their engagement around the Galactica had disappeared from the DRADIS. A second later, four new blips appeared, practically on top of Apollo and Stinger. The commander reflexively sucked in an anxious breath.

Apollo: "Stinger, break hard right!"

Stinger: "Frakking bastards!"

Apollo: "Starbuck..."

Starbuck: "On the way. Move it Trip!"

"Commander, the final lifeboat is over the threshold," PO Dualla announced.

"Recall Vipers," the commander ordered. "Prepare to retract the pods." His eyes never strayed from the shifting blips on the DRADIS that showed his son and Stinger fighting for their lives. Starbuck and Trip had broken off pursuit of their Raider and were closing in to assist, but it could be all over at any moment. Stinger's voice over the speakers sounded panicked.

Stinger: "He's on me! He's on me!"

Adama couldn't quiet visualize in his mind what must have happened next. Apollo's signal began pulling maneuvers that shouldn't have been possible. In all of his own years flying Vipers he'd never seen a fighter changing speeds and directions so dramatically. For a few seconds he was fearfully convinced that Lee's ship had been hit and he was tumbling out of control. The DRADIS display couldn't quite track him and it almost looked like Apollo's viper was heading in three directions at once, then the monitor settled on his position more securely, but by then two Cylons had almost simultaneously dropped off the scopes, including the one that had been tailing Stinger. Adama was stunned to actually hear Lee laugh over the speakers.

Apollo: "Whoa, what a head rush! Don't try that one more than once a day."

Stinger: "Holy Frak!"

Apollo: "On your left Stinger, get him!"

Lee was actually sounding giddy. Adama tried to picture in his head just how the heck Apollo could have intentionally pulled off that maneuver. He didn't think it was even technologically possible in the old Mark II's that Adama himself had once flown, but Lee was flying a Mark VII. The Mark VII was faster and far more maneuverable than any of its predecessors. The sales pitch on the new model had even come with a warning. "The speed and power of this ship could kill you. Only truly qualified pilots should ever fly this plane."

Zak had died at the controls of a Mark VII. He wasn't qualified to fly it, and his bird had escaped his control. But Lee was out there, putting that plane through its paces... and laughing about it. Starbuck was apparently impressed by what she had seen as well.

Starbuck: "Apollo... you show off!"

Apollo: "Hey, shut up and shoot."

Now outnumbered, the remaining Cylons broke off and fled. Adama quickly ordered Dualla, "Get those fighters on the deck!"

"Contact!" Gaeta shouted. "Cylon Raiders... at least 50. Two minutes out."

Apollo: "Combat landings! Move!"

Colonel Tigh commented, "Let's hope they don't try a close range jump like the last bunch. But where's the base ship? They've obviously got us pinpointed. Why just Raiders?"

"Maybe they came from a ground base," the commander speculated. "Anyway I don't intend to stick around long enough to find out. Stand by to retract the pods. Begin final FTL count as soon those fighters have crossed the threshold." It was a race now to get the four Vipers on board, secure the landing bays, and initiate the jump before the Galactica was swarmed by the incoming Raiders.

Apollo: "Heads up on the landing! The deck is going to be crowded."

Starbuck: "Slow up Trip."

Trip: "Do you see what's behind us?"

Starbuck: "The deck is too full for a combat speed landing! Slow up or you'll be just as dead as with a Cylon missile and you'll probably take the rest of us with you!"

Apollo: "Back off the throttle Trip. You have time."

Apollo's voice sounded calm and confident over the speakers. It was in sharp contrast to the feeling that the sight of the incoming cloud of Raiders stirred in Adama's gut.

"Incoming missiles!" Lieutenant Gaeta announced.

"They're over the threshold!" Dualla declared.

"Retract the pods!" Colonel Tigh ordered. "Start the count!"

Apollo: "Pods are moving! Heads up!"

As if the forward momentum wasn't enough to deal with, the landing deck was now sliding sideways beneath the incoming Vipers. Starbuck scoped out a clear spot and fired her maneuvering jets, settling down nicely and neatly and kicking on the mag lock to secure her skids to the deck. She looked up to briefly see Apollo's Mark VII hovering, and then drifting sideways to touch down easily between two other parked Vipers. Farther down the deck, Trip was pulling a bouncer. He skidded for a ways across the deck before coming to a stop only a few feet from one of the Rising Star's lifeboats. She leaned forward and saw that Stinger was already grounded. Then she felt the odd stretching sensation that briefly preceded a FTL jump. Then they snapped back into regular space.

Vacuum-suited deckhands came pouring out of the airlocks to position the vipers on the elevators for return to the hanger deck. Kara switched off her helmet mike and relaxed in her seat. Then she started laughing. The adrenaline rush was still coursing through her body and she whooped out loud. "Damn, what a morning!"

Lee exited his Viper as quickly as he could to take a full head count. All pilots were accounted for. No one had been lost. Lee said a silent prayer of thanks, then spread the word. "Briefing room, 20 minutes! 20 minutes people!"

About half of the squadron already knew the drill. They had lived through those harrowing 5 days of non-stop pursuit, launching 280 consecutive times to hold off the Cylon attacks that came every 33 minutes. The other half were nuggets who had joined the squadron later and were not accustomed to such short turnarounds, but they followed the lead of their senior teammates.

In the CIC, everyone readied themselves for another emergency jump. All civilian ships were accounted for and a new set of coordinates was generated and distributed to the fleet. Though they hadn't been followed through a hyperlight jump for several weeks, it was now routine to remain on full alert and in heightened awareness until after the infamous 33-minute period had passed.

In preflight briefing, Lee was pleased to see that the morale of the squadron was generally good. In spite of his nervousness during their recent encounter, Trip looked relaxed now and his face reflected solemn resolve. Lee felt assured he'd be fine. Stinger, on the other hand, still appeared very shaken. Usually the kid was very cool in combat and in spite of his young age he was one of the more senior pilots in the squadron. Lee reminded himself however, that Stinger had never flown into combat before without his partner and mentor, Frosty. Frosty had always been the one to look out for Stinger. Now on his first time out without Frosty, Stinger had nearly bought it. His close call with the Raiders had really shaken him up. Lee was also keenly aware that a few weeks ago it was Stinger who had helped to save Lee's life.

"This shouldn't surprise anyone," Lee told his pilots, "but the transfer of passengers back to the Tantalus is on hold. The lifeboats from the Rising Star are being consolidated to a far corner of the landing deck in the case that combat landings will be needed again in the immediate future. Most of you are old pros at this so I won't belabor the point. If we do engage again, don't let them draw you out beyond the recovery zone. Just cover the civilians and get your butts back on the deck as soon as the recall is issued. Good hunting everyone. Stinger, hold back here for a minute."

The other pilots filtered from the room to head back for the launch bay. Stinger remained in his seat, averting his eyes from his CAG. Lee stepped out from behind the podium and walked up to stand by the front row of chairs. "How are you doing Stinger?" Lee asked.

Without looking up, Stinger replied, "I'm all right Captain."

"You know, a scrape like that could leave anybody a little rattled," Lee said.

Stinger nodded, but looked very troubled. "But if you hadn't been there Sir... Frak, if you hadn't been there..."

"Someone else would have been," Lee said, though he knew it was stretching the truth a bit. "Stinger, I know it probably feels a little uncomfortable not to have Frosty watching your back anymore, but you're not out there alone. We're all out there with you."

Stinger nodded and finally looked up at his CAG. "Yes Sir. Thank you Sir."

Lee gave him a reassuring smile. "Now I don't want to speculate on whether or not the Cylons are going to turn up in another 8 minutes, but if they do, we need you on your game Stinger. You're a good pilot. The team needs you."

Stinger swallowed hard, but he still looked very shaken. "I'm with you Captain."

"Good man," Lee told him. Yet even as he said it, Lee himself suddenly felt very unsettled. Stinger's troubled face made Lee feel very uneasy. He didn't understand where that feeling came from, but he didn't have time to dwell on it either.

At the 27-minute mark on the countdown clock, Lee heard the request from Commander Adama over his headset to confirm that all Vipers were ready for launch. Apollo calmly replied, "Actual... Apollo. All Vipers ready."

Lieutenant Gaeta's voice announced, "New jump coordinates are ready Commander. Transmitting to fleet."

Lee sat in the launch tube, hands poised over the controls. His eyes watched the clock on his console, counting down from 33 minutes to 0. At t-minus 1 minute he braced himself for potential imminent launch, though he doubted it would be necessary. The seconds ticked slowly down to zero. Lee listened intently for the order to launch.

"No contacts," Lee heard Lieutenant Gaeta report. Lee allowed the tension to settle out of his body.

The commander's voice announced into his ear, "Launch standard CAP. All other Vipers, hold on alert."

"Copy that Actual," Lee replied. "Trip, Lucky, Seldom, and Mouse... launch on CAP. Everybody else just sit tight for Condition 2."

When the clock finally ticked past t-plus 20 minutes, Lee heard the commander announce the stand down to Condition 2. Lee powered down his Viper and announced to the waiting deckhands that the tube was now safe. 6 crewmen poured into the tube and began pulling the Viper back into the hanger bay. Into his helmet mike, Lee told his pilots, "Hot Dog, Sandy, Gasm, and Slush... you 4 are on alert status. Everybody else is on stand-by except Kat and Starbuck who still have three hours of rack time coming. I'll get a reading from the commander on when the transfer of passengers will resume."

Lee hurried from the flight deck to the CIC. By the time he arrived, the command center had already returned to normal operations. The commander was standing with Lieutenant Gaeta by the center console reviewing the initial scans of the new territory they had just jumped into. Lee walked toward them and stood where he knew his father would notice his arrival, but not to where he was interrupting them. After a few more minutes the commander turned his attention toward Lee. In a proper military tone, Lee told him, "Just wanted to find out when you want me to begin escorting the passengers to the flight deck, Commander."

The commander looked at Lee thoughtfully. "Come with me Captain," he said, leading Lee out of the central command floor and over by the door where they were no longer under observation by the rest of the crew. "You can expect the transfer to get under way again in about an hour," he told Lee. "We need to coordinate with the Tantalus first, so we'll keep you informed. And Captain... Petty Officer McNeil will oversee the passengers."

"McNeil?" Lee asked in surprise.

"You've already got your hands full with your duties as CAG. Isn't that right?"

Lee's previously rigid expression softened a bit. "Yes Sir. That's right."

"I do have an additional request, however," the commander said, looking meaningfully at his son. "Amidst your regular duties, I want you to continue regular sessions with Doctor Marsh."

Lee frowned. "With all due respect, Commander, that isn't up to you. I have been cleared for duty. Whether I continue sessions with Doctor Marsh or not is none of your business."

"It's not an order Captain," the commander explained. "It's a request. And I'm not asking as your commander. I'm asking as your father."

With an icy cool stare, Lee replied, "It's still not up to you."

"Lee please..."

"Will that be all Commander?" Lee asked abruptly.

They stared at each for several seconds before the commander resignedly replied, "Carry on Captain."

Lee spun on his heel and walked away from the CIC. He headed toward the mess. He figured he would have just enough time to sit down for a light breakfast before calling the pre-flight briefing. He didn't know why he felt so touchy. His father wasn't trying to pull him from flight anymore. So, why did the Old Man's simple request bother him so much?

In his head, Lee could almost hear his mother's voice chastising him gently. "Lee you need to give your father a break. He may not always get it right, but it's never because he doesn't love you."

Lee argued back silently, "It's not about love Mom. He has no faith in me. No matter what I do, no matter how well I do my job, unless I'm fitting into the mold for that perfect little William clone that he's always wanted me to be, he'll always think there is something wrong with me. I shouldn't bother thinking about my past actions. I need to pick a side. I'm weighed down by conventional thinking. I don't trust my instincts. I need to lose control. I'm sick of it!"

Lee had to stop and step aside in the hallway to allow passage for a heavily loaded work crew. As he waited, he started to chuckle at himself. He thought, "I'm arguing with my dead mother. Maybe I should be talking to Doctor Marsh."

He walked into the mess and approached the counter, scanning over the menu options. He was just about to place an order when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He glanced back and saw Kara. "Why are you so opposed to sleeping?" he asked her.

"You interrupted my breakfast earlier, remember?" she chided him.

"I think that was the Cylons."

"Whatever," she shrugged. "I just thought I'd finish up." Kara nodded her head toward the corner. "We, uh, have a problem child here."

Lee looked over in the direction Kara had indicated and saw Stinger sitting by himself and looking thoroughly miserable. "Stinger's still pretty rattled huh?"

"Yeah," Kara confirmed. "Since you seem to be better at this whole talky-TLC thing than I am, I thought maybe you should have a go at him."

Lee nodded and headed over toward Stinger. After a few steps however, he stopped. There was something... familiar. Something in Stinger's expression... the troubled look on his face... set Lee's pulse briefly racing. He stood staring at Stinger for a few more seconds, and then turned back toward Kara. She was still standing there, watching him. He motioned for her to step closer, then he told her in a very low voice, "Kara, scrounge up a couple of security guards please."

Puzzled by the request, she asked, "Why?"

"In case I'm right," was all he said.

"About what?" she prodded him.

Lee didn't answer her, but his face was almost as troubled now as Stinger's. He resumed walking toward the junior pilot. Kara felt suddenly very uneasy and hurried out in search of a security detail. Just as she stepped outside the mess she almost bumped into a trio of marines who were on their way in to grab a bite to eat.

"Hah! Perfect! You three are right on time!" she told them.

"For what?" one of the marines asked.

"I don't know. Just follow me," she told them cryptically.

Lee sat down at the table beside Stinger. "How's it going Lou?" he asked easily.

Stinger looked up at Lee a little sheepishly and said, "I'm all right Captain."

"Sorry," Lee said. "I don't buy it. You look like shit, Stinger."

"Rough morning," Stinger replied, fiddling anxiously with a buckle on his flight suit.

"Yeah I know," Lee agreed. "But you did good out there."

Stinger looked away, obviously disagreeing with his CAG's appraisal. "I almost bought it. If you hadn't been there Sir... frak." The junior pilot looked very frightened for a few seconds then he calmed down again.

Lee glanced to his left and saw Kara standing nearby with three marines. Stinger had not noticed them approaching. Lee subtly indicated for Kara to maintain their distance for the moment.

Kara quietly told the marines, "Hold here." Then she stepped a little closer on her own, determined to hear what Lee and Stinger were saying.

Lee sat forward toward the junior pilot and took a deep breath. "You know Stinger... I don't think I ever really thanked you. If you hadn't stepped in to help me that night after Frosty attacked me... I wouldn't have made it."

Stinger flinched sharply, then laughed, almost sounding slightly hysterical. "And then today, neither would I," Stinger declared.

Lee smiled sadly. "Funny how that works huh? I'm grateful to you Stinger. I mean that. I'm grateful for what you did for me... but I can't help wondering why you bothered."

Stinger looked back at Lee, suddenly appearing very uncertain. He fidgeted with a buckle even more.

Lee went on, speaking softly. "You could have just left me dead, but you didn't. Why? Why did you change your mind?"

Across Stinger's face, uncertainty changed to sheer fright. He stared in silence, then finally whispered, "They said you wouldn't remember."

Kara winced. "Not him too," she thought. "Frak it, not him too!"

Lee's expression took on a look of deep sadness. "They?" he asked. "Who are they?"

Stinger dropped his eyes down. He couldn't look at his CAG anymore. His face deeply pained, he said, "Frosty told me. He said we didn't need to worry, 'cause they told him that you wouldn't remember. Frakking Cylon Frosty! I should have known he was lying. Aw frak!" Stinger looked like he was right on the verge of a breakdown.

Lee couldn't manage much sympathy for the young pilot's distress however. He asked pointedly, "Who are they, Stinger?"

"I'm sorry Captain," Stinger said, trembling. "I didn't want to do it. I really didn't. I asked Frosty if there wasn't some other way, but he said... he said they were counting on us. And it was... it was our duty."

"Your duty?" Lee echoed incredulously. "Your duty to what? To whom?"

"To my people," Stinger whispered.

Even more mystified, Lee stammered to ask, "To our people?"

"To my people, Sir," Stinger clarified. "As a warrior, I'd have followed you to hell and back. I would have. But I'm still a Sagittarron first."

Under her breath, Kara cursed, "Son of a frakkin'..." That meant that Zarek was involved after all. It had to. This was not just the case of a lone Cylon assassin.

"The homeland, Captain," Stinger was trying to explain. "Your duty to your homeland has to always come first. And Frosty said we were chosen... and they were counting on us. Frosty... frakking Cylon Frosty! He lied to me, didn't he? Aw shit, Captain, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Kara saw Lee clenching his fist. His jaw line was rigid. Kara half-expected Lee to launch himself at Stinger and snap the young pilot's neck. Instead, Lee sat back and said tightly, "I meant what I said, Stinger. I'm grateful that you helped me, and I'll make sure the tribunal knows it."

Stinger made no attempt to respond. He sank lower into his chair, hiding his face.

Lee stood up and icily told the marines, "Take him to the brig. I'll go talk to Sergeant Hadrian." He didn't wait to watch the proceedings. He just strode rapidly from the mess.

Kara was right on Lee's heels. "His duty to his homeland?" she scoffed viciously. "Frakking idiot! His homeland is a nuclear waste dump. What a freaking moron!"

"Not now Kara!" Lee snapped harshly.

Kara clammed up when she saw that Lee's hands were shaking. Much more quietly she asked, "You okay?"

"No," he answered abruptly.

Trying to sound sympathetic, she said, "Well, at least you remembered."

He shook his head sharply. "No, I didn't. Not quite."

"Then how did you know Stinger was involved?"

"I didn't," Lee declared. "It was a gut feeling. Just a hunch." And damn it, Lee had really been hoping he would be proven wrong.

"It was more than a hunch Lee," Kara said. "I think you're on the verge of remembering."

"And I'm starting to think that I really don't want to."

"Why?"

Lee was struggling to keep it together. "Because the more this pans out, the more I keep finding out there is no one I can trust!"

Kara saw that Lee was on the brink of falling apart and she grabbed his arm. He turned on her abruptly as if ready for a fight.

"What!" he shouted.

Very softly, Kara told him, "Lee... you can trust me."

He settled down a little bit, but he still looked doubtful. Rather than argue the point with him, Kara just hugged him. Surprisingly, he let her.