The plans had been made for the attack and the Vipers were read to launch as soon as the signal was given. The station they were attacking looked like a comm relay so it would be an easy target. Only one squadron of Vipers was going on the mission and the anticipation was contagious on the deck.
The Pegasus reverted to real space just outside of possible missile range and the launch order was given. Lauren was thrown back against her seat as the Mag cat hurled her down the launch tube. The squadron formed up and headed for the base.
Suddenly Cylon raiders exploded out or the base like a swarm of locusts. Lauren relayed the information and screamed for the alert fighters to scramble. CIC requested a count of the raiders and Lauren responded with an estimate of fifteen squadrons. She was screaming for reinforcements when they engaged the cloud of Raiders.
On the bridge of the Pegasus chaos was prevalent. Admiral Cain was shouting orders at the crew and they were following them as best they could but they simply weren't used to this kind of a battle situation.
"Colonel I want a full battery attack on that base."
"Admiral I don't think that's a good idea sir. I think we should run for it."
"Colonel you will attack that base as I ordered."
"Sir, I protest, it's a bad move. We need to get out of here before we lose any more people."
Cain held her hand out to Sanders, a scowl on her face. "Colonel your side arm please."
"Sir?"
"Your sidearm Colonel. Now."
He slowly slid the revolver out of his holster and handed it to her butt first. She took it from him, clicked the safety off and fired it at his head. The CIC crew stared at the Colonel as he fell to the floor dead.
"Colonel Fisk, you are now the XO of this ship." She placed the revolver on the map table in front of her and resumed the coordination of the attack. "Colonel Fisk you have your orders." She looked at him to see if he was going to follow the orders or if she was going to have to deal with him as well.
"Sir!" he yelped and turned to the tactical officer. "You have your orders Lieutenant."
Cain smiled grimly at him. "Someone clean this mess up!"
The Vipers were recalled and the ship jumped to safety but not before they suffered heavy losses. Lauren took stock of the pilots she'd watched die when she returned to the deck. The numbers were overwhelming. They'd all lost so much in so little time there was just no sense to it all. She pushed off the crew that was milling around her and she ran to her small office, locking the door behind her. Looking around her small room she couldn't decide if she wanted to scream or cry or both.
She decided that the outlet she needed was to beat her fists upon the walls which she did until she was bleeding and sore. Then she collapsed into a fetal ball on the floor and cried for all of the pain she felt. She cried for her mother who's always been so loving and her baby sister who had just gotten engaged. Her father who was finally retiring after working so hard for so long.
But mostly she cried for Lee. She'd loved him more than life itself and now he was gone in a heart beat. She'd been avoiding thinking about how much it wrecked her to know that he wasn't going to ever walk through her door again. They'd had such an amazing relationship, laughing and loving and being so happy just living day to day. She'd never loved anyone as much as she loved him and now the empty spot in her heart felt like her soul had been ripped out.
An agonizing shriek ripped from her lungs and with it went all of the frustration she'd felt, the heartache, the pain, the sense of utter loss. She lay there sobbing and didn't notice when the lock to the door slid back and it opened slowly. Cole peeked his head around the door and was upset when he saw Lauren laying in a ball on the floor. He'd been passing by when he heard her scream and he was worried so he used his pass code to unlock the door.
He wasn't sure what to do but it seemed best to make sure she wasn't actually hurt. So he knelt beside her and scooped her up in his arms. She struggled a bit against him and he fell over onto the floor. When he pulled her back up into his lap he noticed that her hands were bleeding and he looked up to see bloody trails down the wall where she had beat against it.
Lauren wrapped her arms around Cole, burying her face in his chest as she cried. He couldn't do anything for her and he felt helpless as he pulled his arms up around her shoulders and stroked her back to calm her down. She wept against him for several more minutes and when she began choking back her sobs he looked down at her.
"Are you all right Lauren? No, of course you're not all right. That's stupid of me isn't it? Gods but I wish there was something I could do for you. I feel so helpless."
She regained a bit of her control and she looked up at him, tears still staining her cheeks. "I'm….I'm sorry Cole. I shouldn't be like this."
"We really ought to go get your hands cleaned up you know."
She looked down at the blood on her knuckles and she laughed through a sob. "I am kind of a mess aren't I?"
"Yeah but you're a beautiful mess."
That startled her a bit and she sat up suddenly. She wiped her face some more with the heels of her hands and then she looked at him, questioning that statement.
He rose from the floor and turned his back on her. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that." A shiver ran through him like a wave and he turned back, his face carefully bank and offered her a hand to help her up from the floor. She reached up and took his hand and when he pulled her to her feet she lost her balance a bit and fell against him. As he caught her he couldn't fight it any more and he leaned over and kissed her gently.
