Ch 23

Lee wandered around the flight deck for a few minutes after the Pegasus crew left and put his pilots on a schedule that would run with out him or Kara. Then he went in search of her. He found her standing in the hallway that had become a shrine to those lost, her face lit by the candles around her. They'd all been trying to compile lists of survivors in the fleet and several tearful reunions had indeed happened but most had been resigned to the fact that their loved ones were now in a better place.

He'd never seen Kara mourn for any of her family but he knew she really did care, even after the pain they'd caused her. He stepped up behind her softly, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. She turned to face him, grief in her eyes but he could tell she was trying to hide it.

"I just thought I'd come look at them all, try to remind myself why we need to keep fighting. I just wish I could do more."

Lee knew that she meant she wished she could return to Caprica for the survivors and he nodded to tell her he understood. "Kara, we've been 'cordially' invited to the Pegasus to see how, and I quote, 'a real ship is run'. I thought it sounded like a pretty good chance to see what exactly is going on over there. Interested?"

Her snort of derision told him all he needed to know but she grinned, "You mean we get to walk in the enemy camp and see where their weak spots are? You bet I'm in!"

They hurried along to their lockers to retrieve their flight gear and then to their Vipers. As they crossed the flight deck they noticed a strange little man in a flight suit who appeared to be a deckhand. Wondering who he was they walked up as he introduced himself as the deck chief of the Pegasus. Satisfied that he was who he said, they went on their way.

When they approached the Pegasus they were directed by the LSO to land on the port side deck and that Captain Taylor would be waiting for them there. Lee noted when they were wheeled into the holding area that the deckhands were numerous and quite efficient. Soon he was on the deck, watching Kara stride toward him and wondering where Taylor was. They stood there for a few minutes looking lost as no one was telling them where to go but they took the time to look around and see if they could learn anything. Finally, Taylor came jogging over to them, looking embarrassed, "I'm sorry I wasn't here, I had a problem to resolve. If you'll excuse me for just a moment?" He didn't wait for their response and he approached a worried looking pilot and rumbled loudly at the cowed man.

Lee edged a bit closer to the pair to see if he could hear the exchange but all he got was a few words that didn't make any sense. He turned to Kara who had also moved over and she shook her head to tell him that she didn't hear anything either. She tipped up on her toes and whispered in Lee's ear, "What a sanctimonious asshole!" The look on her face said that she was deeply interested in the mystery of the crew of the Pegasus and Lee knew he could count on her to find out as much as she could in no time at all.

Taylor came back over and apologized once more for the delay. "So I've got a conference room waiting for us so we can have some quiet. If you'll follow me please." He started back across the deck in a precise stride that looked like it was well rehearsed. Turning to one of the pilots they passed he shouted, "Thumper, get Demon on the horn and have her meet us in Con 2-B please."

As they walked down the hallway Kara leaned over to whisper to Lee, "Stinger, Thumper, Whiplash, Hammer, Twister and now Demon? Could they be more obnoxious? Did they all pick callsigns that made them sound as violent as possible? Sounds to me like they are really overcompensating."

Lee couldn't help but laugh at that but he reminded Kara, "Well the 2CAG is a woman so it can't be all of them. Um, can it?"

"Lee…I'm scared!" she joked in a wavering voice. Taylor turned and shot them a malicious look at their whispering so they both straightened up and tried to look interested in the hallway.

Lee noticed most, if not all, of the people that they passed saluted crisply and he even saw a group of enlisted men salute other enlisted men. Apparently the Admiral was big on the ideals of rank and that made Lee nervous. He'd become more action oriented since coming to Galactica. His father was a strict man but he also knew that a comfortable crew was a good crew and he'd get more out of them. The rules were still there but not as strictly adhered to.

When they'd turned down several corridors and looped their way through the ship they finally came to the room Taylor had reserved. Upon entering it Kara was awed at the opulence of it. The carpeting in it was a rich red and the large wooden table that dominated the center of the room looked like it was actually rare Tauron teak wood. She held back an appreciative whistle and simply drank in the richness of it all. Taylor had walked to the far side of the table and indicated that Lee and Kara should sit facing him so their backs were to the door.

They sat and Taylor offered them coffee or water from the tray in the center of the table. Both politely declined, wanting to find the information they were here for and leave as quickly as they could. When the door hissed open they didn't see the 2CAG come in but she came in talking, "Sorry about that Cole, but I was trying to straighten out Barrel's records and I…" She'd reached the edge of the table and when Lee and Kara stood she looked up at them and her jaw dropped. "L…Lee?"