The Reason - chapter 3

oooooooooooooooo

He explained the situation to them quickly, noting the surprise on their faces. "We may not have much time - we've got to find the beacon - and figure out who sent it out. In the meanwhile, we'll need to beef up security in case the cylons have picked up our signal. Lee, Kara, I'm going to need the two of you back on Pegasus." He held up a hand to shush their protests.

"Pegasus?" Anders queried, finally joining in the conversation.

"Another battlestar," Kara explained. "Do we have to sir?" she asked, a painfully pathetic look on her face.

"I need people I can trust there. Pegasus has to be an extension of Galactica - ready to follow any order I give unquestioningly. Lee, I'm going to need you to take command of her." Lee's eyes widened. "I don't know Jamison well enough to trust him implicity."

Lee and Kara looked at each other knowingly. Things had been in turmoil on the Pegasus since both Cain and Fiske had been murdered. Lee and Kara had asked to be transferred back to Galactica and Adama had granted it gladly, having missed his two favourite people; returning them to their previous ranks. But that was when they thought the immediate cylon threat had been neutralized.

"Kara, I need you to resume the CAG's position - you will co-ordinate both ship's air groups. I'll put Helo in charge here. Mr. Gaeta - I need you and Dee to co-ordinate a search of all the ships in the fleet, starting with this one. As of now, we're on condition two throughout the fleet."

Surprised though they were, Lee and Kara were seasoned officers and they were ready to follow orders. "Yes sir," they both said together, then smiled at one another.

"Um ... what about me?" Anders asked tentatively.

"You will be escorted back to your quarters where you will remain until further notice."

"Couldn't I go with Kara? I'm sure I could be of some help ..."

"I'm sorry. Until you've been cleared and until this potential threat has been taken care of ... I can't trust you. Much as I want to believe your story, you have to admit it's awfully suspicious."

"Admiral," Kara protested. "He's not one of them - I know it."

"Captain," Adama said forcefully. "You have your orders. You and Commander Adama need to get to Pegasus now."

"Yes sir," she said, visibly deflating. She and Lee began to head for the door, but Anders grabbed her hand for a moment.

"Be safe," he whispered, echoing his words to her as she left Caprica, and giving her a little smile. She threw him a sad look and pulled her hand away.

"See you soon," she mouthed, and he nodded, the marine nudging him to follow her. Gaeta headed out as well, and Adama was left to ponder what he'd just seen. He sighed and headed for CIC.

"Frak me," was Tigh's colourful choice of words when Adama filled him in on the situation. He set condition two throughout the fleet and prepared himself for battle.

"Oh, and Colonel," Adama added, "double the security detail for our guests."

"You think they had something to do with this?" Tigh asked quietly.

"Perhaps, but even if not, they may have been the bait to lead the cylons to us. At this point I'm not ruling anything out."

ooooooooooooooooooo

"I hate being on that ship," Kara complained as she and Lee flew a raptor towards Pegasus shortly after their meeting with Adama had ended. Lee just shrugged.

"What, you like it?"

"Doesn't matter now does it? We don't have a choice," he said tonelessly.

"Oh no you don't," Kara said warningly. "Don't you do that again. Talk to me frakhead."

Lee smiled in spite of himself. "That's Commander frakhead to you, Captain. I still outrank you, you know."

"Probably always will. The military tends not to promote people who call their superiors frakhead."

Lee chuckled. "Oh, so you've noticed that have you?" Kara just stuck out her tongue at him. "Now that I'm in charge, I'll warn you to stow that foul mouth of yours. I can't even throw you in hack if you cross me."

"I'm beginning to see an upside to this assignment." Kara smiled.

ooooooooooooooooooooo

"You've gotta be kidding!"

"Blood samples?"

"I can't believe they think we're cylons!"

"Stupid frakking military."

Anders sat down heavily on his bunk and sighed, preparing to wait out the verbal storm. He'd known when he'd told the others about the blood samples that they would be up in arms. But he figured it was easier to let them have their blow up first, then discuss it later.

"They don't frakking trust us!"

"Well, why should they?" Anders piped up. "How do they know we are who we say we are? Weren't we just as suspicious when someone new turned up on our territory? We just show up out of nowhere and expect them to take us at face value." Silence. "Let's just go along with it and cause no trouble. The sooner we get it over with, the happier we'll all be."

There was grudging acceptance to his comments, but at least there was agreement. Anders lay back in his bunk, finally allowing his thoughts to drift, now that his people were taken care of. Kara ... He felt his heart being pulled apart at the thought of her, boldly heading into danger without him. She's a tough woman, none tougher - you know that Sam. If anyone can handle it, she can.

But he couldn't stop the churning feeling in his stomach. He'd failed Kara once on Caprica when he'd left her to die out in the forest after the ambush, It wasn't your fault - she never blamed you for that, and he'd sooner die than fail her again. He desperately wanted to be by her side, watching her back, making sure she was safe. I love her. The thought came unbidden, but as he thought about it, he realized it was true. How could it be possible to love someone you only knew a few days, week tops? He had no idea, but he knew deep inside that Kara was the woman for him.

She'd amazed him with her bravery - amused him with her loud, aggressive behaviour, and touched him with her vulnerability - something he suspected she didn't let many people see. He felt privileged that she'd shown that side of herself to him. He felt in his pocket and pulled out the dogtag she'd given him as she'd left Caprica. At first he hadn't wanted to take it, but after she left, barely moments after, he was glad she'd insisted. He'd kept it close to him since she'd gone, and had held it in his hand every night as he went to sleep, praying she'd make it back to her ship alive and return for him like she said she would.

What is up with you Sam? You've never been affected by a woman like this before - love 'em and leave 'em was your motto - you had groupies by the dozen and not one of them ever caused you to feel this way. Maybe the reason she touched your heart like no one else is because you're more similar than you know - maybe she too is one who plays her cards close to her chest, never letting anyone in, but finding it a lonely life. Maybe the both of you are afraid of letting people get too close - afraid of getting hurt. It's easier to just keep the world at arm's length and never care too deeply for anyone or anything. Maybe you're just kindred souls.

But whatever it was, Anders knew that he loved her. He'd admitted it to himself now. Whether or not he could admit it to her was another story. She probably isn't ready for something that serious anyway. Maybe it's best just not to say anything yet. Somehow he had a feeling that it was going to be more difficult than that though. He may never say the words to her, but his actions would proclaim it loud and clear, and she was no dummy. Well, you'll just have to cross that bridge when you get to it, he told himself. That is, assuming she survives that long ...

He wasn't a particularly religious man, though he did believe in the gods, but now he closed his eyes and prayed silently for her.

oooooooooooooooooo

"Report Mr. Gaeta," Adama said, as Gaeta entered CIC.

"Nothing sir. We've gone over this ship with a fine tooth comb - not a thing."

"Well, that's good news at least. But the bad news is, it has to be somewhere. We have to find it. Dee - let me know the minute you hear anything from the other ships." Dee nodded.

Adama paced. When he paced, the whole atmosphere in CIC was tense. Not that it wasn't anyway, given the situation, but when Adama paced, it was even more tense. Tigh watched him, almost able to read his friend's mind. They'd worked together enough years to know each other inside and out. Bill was worried - not just for the safety of the fleet - but for his children too. Tigh himself always thought of Starbuck as one of Bill's children - he treated her like a daughter - hell, had almost been his daughter-in-law, and he knew Bill considered her one of his own, as much as Lee.

His thoughts were proven as Adama demanded to be put through to Pegasus.

"Pegasus, Galactica actual requesting to speak to Pegasus actual." Dee waited a moment. "Here you are sir."

"Commander?" Adama said, feeling the unfamiliar word roll off his tongue. Lee, a Commander. He'd always assumed one day it would happen - Lee had climbed the rank ladder very quickly and everyone assumed he'd just keep going till he hit the top. They hadn't suspected it would happen so quickly though.

"Admiral, any news?" Lee asked.

"Galactica is clean. The rest of the ships are being scoured as we speak. Any news of Pegasus?"

"Things are running smoothly here, but no news on the beacon. We're not quite finished the search though. I'll let you know the minute it's done."

"Thank you Commander. Good work." Adama found it hard to give praise, especially to his son, but since nearly losing him he'd realized it was time he let go of the 'tough dad' image and told his son what was in his heart. It was what Lee needed to hear, and what Adama himself needed to get out.

"Thank you Admiral." The words were formal, but Adama could hear Lee's pleasure in his father's praise. A small smile came to his lips. I love you son, he thought. Be safe.

"Galactica actual out."

TBC