Ch 19

The plan seemed simple enough, convince Dr. Cottle that he should request a clearance and get the President to the ship without anyone seeing her. Yeah, it should work but better not to think too much about it. Laura was optimistic and Lee felt the infectious fervor she created. He did his part and when she entered the transport he knew that they'd be fine.

Laura's only restraint came when she exited the transport on Cloud Nine and realized that Zarek was now their ally. She knew the reasons for it and she agreed that he was indeed their best option but she didn't have to like it and she made that painfully clear. The whole way over Lee was agonizing over his decision. If ever he'd done anything to disappoint his father, he'd just passed that by several times over. That pained him, but he'd talked so much with Laura over the past days that he came to believe in her and her ideals. Besides, what did he have to lose?

When they'd stopped running aboard the Astral Queen he was faced with more difficult decisions. Lee didn't know about his father's recovery until much later and then Zarek came at him with is plan. He couldn't do it though and then Laura stepped up and said she was going to play the religion card and Lee looked her in the eyes and knew how deeply she believed.

Then they went to Kobol, what a crazy idea that was. Laura had convinced them all just by the sheer power of her own faith. Lee was even beginning to believe it, then when Kara showed up with that damned arrow he couldn't help but feel the fire as well.

Laura saw the exchange between Lt. Thrace and Lee and she felt her spirit soar. If there was a spark between those two then there had to be hope for the human race. She watched the two of them closely for the next few hours and she knew that there was more than just friendship between them. She knew all it would take was just a nudge in the right direction and the spark would blaze to life. She made a mental note to find the place that needed to be nudged and get that spark flared up.

When they reached Kobol everything seemed to fall into place. Lee watched as Laura listened to everything that the Cylon Sharon said and took it to heart. That pained him greatly but he trusted Laura and her judgment. They trekked for several days and then the rain started. When the priestess was killed it seemed to Lee that Laura lost a bit of what was guiding her but she picked up the fallen woman's book and poured over it like it was her only link to life. When Laura wasn't reading the book she was talking about it to whomever would listen.

Then the unexpected happened and Lee looked up and saw his father. Suddenly everything was all right again as his father came forward and wrapped him in a hug. Lee had had his faith shaken to the core by all of the events in the past few months and here was yet another test. Laura, whom he trusted beyond what was reasonable told him that faith would guide him. And his father whom he loved beyond all reason was telling him that fact was the only path. He was conflicted more than ever and all the influences wanted to do was meet in the middle and find a common path. Lee pondered this turn of events for a long time and then he knew what he had to do.

He wandered across the camp to the tent that Laura had set up, far away from the others but close to the fire so she had light to read. Read the book that Elosha had held for so long. The prophecies, all of the faith that people had in one small book. He stared down at her in the flickering light from the fire. "Would you mind if I sat for a bit?"

"Of course not! Please, let me get a blanket for you." She reached for her spare blanket folded beside her and placed it neatly where he could sit. "So what's on your mind Captain?"

"Ma'am, I need to know something. I know that you've got this thing figured out and you've seen the path we need to follow but I'm still lost. You see, I'm not a very religious person. You tend to not be able to be that way when you're basically a hired killer. I know that you are and I want your opinion."

She could see the lines on his face, cutting into him and weathering him before his time. "What could you possibly need my opinion for?"

"Well you've studied those prophecies and you know the faith and I want to know… I want to know why."

"Why what? Why I'm studying them so intently?"

His laugh was quick but genuine. "No. I want to know why the Gods are doing this to us. Why make us suffer so much? Why kill so many people and why are we the ones left? I thought we were the chosen of the Gods, humans you know, so how can faith, how can the Gods justify all that we've lost?"

"That's a very hard question to answer Captain. The only answer I can provide you is that we are being tested."

"Well what kind of cruel test is this? How can we possibly be expected to pass it when we have to lose so very much?" The hurt in his eyes made her heart ache but she knew what he wanted and she couldn't give it to him. She could only try to ease his pain enough that he could carry on.

"Captain, the Gods don't give their gifts lightly. The prophecies tell us that they do love us but they make us stronger by testing us. If we pass the tests then we are rewarded."

"Well what's the reward? Is it truly worth all of this pain?"

"Oh Captain! You have no idea. The Gods test us to weed out the people with no faith. They know that the truly faithful, those who deserve the rewards are strong. They know they can survive the tests and more. Can you understand that?" She smiled when he nodded in the dim light of the fire. "Then you must know in your heart that when you are proven to have kept your faith with the Gods and you've done what they've asked, you will be rewarded with a prize so glorious you can't imagine."

"So that's what this is all about? The Gods are testing us? They're testing the faithful?"

"Yes they are. And I truly believe that we, as the wonderful group that we are, we humans, we can pass this test and when we are rewarded we will know no greater happiness."

Lee studied her face in the fire and the glint in her eye was almost like a star shining in a sea of black. He felt deep down that she was correct and he nodded his head and rose from the blanket. "Thank you ma'am." He turned and began to walk across the camp to his own bed roll.

"Captain," she said in a soft voice. "You know she'd want you to try don't you? Lauren, she'd tell you to try. Not to give up."

Lee said nothing, he just reached for the pocket her picture was in, as if to reassure himself he still had that tenuous connection and he nodded in the dark.