Notes: This chapter is going to deal with Kara's interrogation of Leoben. Be on the lookout for some major portents of things to come in the words Leoben says to Kara about her relationship with Lee. See if you can figure out what this foreshadows.

Chapter Twenty-Two:

Several days after their wedding, Lee and Kara were doing well at keeping up the façade that they were still only a CAG and pilot to one another. Before they left the room where they spent their wedding night, they both removed their wedding rings and put them in their pockets. They would carry them everywhere with them, even though they couldn't wear them.

Kara was working on the Cylon raider when Commander Adama approached her. She hadn't seen very much of him. They had both been deliberately avoiding each other. "Working hard, I see," he said.

"Yes, sir," said Kara, her head still in the guts of the Cylon ship. "Something I can do for you, sir?"

"Yes," said Adama, picking up Kara's cane. He was pacing nervously back and forth, swinging the cane as he hesitated to put this job on Kara. "I need a big favor."

"Doesn't involve any knitting, does it?" she asked.

Adama smiled as something of the Kara he used to banter with shone through the tension that now existed between them. "No, but it is a difficult assignment. I need someone to go to one of the ships in the fleet and interrogate a Cylon prisoner."

Kara looked pointedly at him from underneath the fighter. "Me?"

"Yes," said Adama. "It's a Leoben model Cylon. The same model as the one I killed on Ragnor Anchorage."

"You really expect to get anything out of it?" asked Kara, as her head popped back into the Cylon Raider's cockpit.

"No," said Adama. "But the President has issued her orders, and we are duty bound to obey."

Kara pulled out from under the raider, removed the cap protecting her hair from the sludge inside, and headed towards a computer attached to the raider. She removed the gloves she was wearing, and Adama saw the engagement ring on her finger.

"I see you are still wearing you're engagement ring," said Adama.

Kara turned and looked at him. "Why? You gonna order me to take it off?"

"Kara, don't be like that," said Adama. "Of course I won't. I still hold out hope that someday circumstances will allow for that ring's promise to be fulfilled."

"Yeah, someday," said Kara, turning back to the computer.

Adama quickly changed the subject. "How's it coming with the raider?"

"Well, we've got a lot of systems worked out," said Kara, after a moment of switching gears. "I'm pretty close to getting at its FTL drive."

"That's good," said Adama. "Look, Kara, I know things have been tense between us, but I really need you for this interrogation." He handed her a file folder. As she opened it, Adama continued. "I prepared this profile of him. It's not that Leoben lies. That would be too simple. It's that he mixes lies and truths, both ultimately serving a goal. I need you because you can see through his facades and get at the truth. Find out his goals and stop them. Don't let him get into your head."

"My momma said there's not much in there to get at anyway," said Kara.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Kara found Lee working at the flight board in the pilot's briefing room. She quickly checked out the room before walking over to Lee.

"Something I can do for you, Lieutenant," said Lee, as he continued to work on writing flight schedules on the board.

Kara walked over and put her arms around him from behind, and rested her head against her back. "Don't worry, we're alone," she said.

Lee turned and put his arms around Kara, kissing her gently on the lips. "What's up?"

"Came to tell you I won't be able to make our rendezvous tonight," said Kara. "I have to go interrogate a Cylon prisoner."

"I know," said Lee. "I was in CIC when Dad informed me of his decision to send you. I had to hide my disappointment that we had to cancel tonight."

"Don't worry," she said. "Soon as I get back, we are going to find some time alone and I will ravage you like a good wife should."

"In the meantime," said Lee. "Please be careful. This Cylon model almost killed my Dad on Ragnor. Don't take any chances. I mean, you're tough and strong, but he's a Cylon. Don't try to be a hero if he comes at you. Especially with your bummed knee."

"I'll watch out. Don't worry about me, okay."

"I always worry about you," said Lee. "I'm your husband. It's my job to worry about you."

"Gods, I love hearing you say you're my husband," said Kara, kissing Lee on the lips with a smile.

"Hopefully I can someday say it openly," said Lee. "With pride that you are my wife."

"Yeah, someday," said Kara. "Lot's of talk about someday around here."

"Someday is hope," said Lee. "It's all we have beyond today."

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

That night, Kara walked quietly into the pilot's bunkroom, careful not to disturb the men and women sleeping in the bunks inside the room. She made her way over to Lee's bunk and pulled back the curtain. Lee was sleeping soundly, and Kara watched him for a few moments. She loved watching Lee sleep, and even now the sight brought a smile to her face. But the memory of the past day quickly came back to the forefront, and Kara went ahead and awakened Lee from his sleep.

"Hmm, what," said Lee, as Kara gently shook his shoulder. Lee's eyes opened and saw Kara. "You're back," he said with a smile. But that smile quickly turned to a look of concern as Lee beheld Kara's worn expression. "You okay?" he asked, as he propped himself up to be closer to her.

"Can we go somewhere?" she whispered.

"Sure," said Lee, getting out of bed and putting on a pair of sweatpants.

They walked together to a nearby storage room. Lee opened the door to the room, took a quick peak to see if anyone was inside, and then indicated to Kara the coast was clear. She entered first, as Lee followed and closed the door behind them.

"What happened?" asked Lee.

"He's dead," said Kara, leaning against a set of shelves with blankets stacked on them.

"Who?"

"Leoben. The President ordered that he be flushed out an airlock."

"Oh, yeah, I heard," said Lee. "There was no bomb, thankfully. You did well, Kara. My Dad and the President were pleased."

"Lee, I did some awful things to him," said Kara. "I…I went to a very dark place inside myself to torture that man, and I…"

"That MAN? Kara, it was a machine. A Cylon. A thing."

"Yeah, well, if you had seen him in the moments just before he died, you wouldn't have been so sure. As I watched him fly out into space, I didn't see them flushing a toaster out the airlock. It had all of the feeling of taking a life."

"Kara, whether it was alive or not, it was a threat to the fleet. It had to be done."

"I know. But it still felt…wrong, somehow." Kara was silent for a few moments before continuing. "There was something else. Lee, the Cylons know about me. Leoben said that they have some kind of destiny in mind for me. And he said something else, about us."

FLASHBACK:

"You think you have security in the love you share with a man; a man who takes the name of a false god. The man whom you cling to because being with him makes you forget all the evil that was done to you in your life. You feel worthy in his arms. Cherished and cared for. But Apollo's love won't change what destiny has in store for you. Events will unfold as they have been ordained to unfold, whether you are the bride of Apollo or not."

END FLASHBACK:

"Kara, he's been in the fleet for weeks now," said Lee. "He's probably been gathering intelligence on Galactica's higher ranking officers. He found out about our relationship, and was trying to use it to get to you. That's all."

"I don't know, Lee. The whole experience has just unsettled me. I feel this weight of uncertainty hanging over me. About Leoben's death and about my future."

Lee walked over to Kara and pulled her to him. She clung to Lee and let the warmth of his strong, protective arms envelope her. "Kara, whatever the future has in store for you, I will be right by your side to face it. No matter what."

"I hope so," said Kara. "Because I don't know if I can face the future without you anymore."

They stood there for a long time, as Lee held Kara and gave her solace in the midst of chaos.

End of Chapter Twenty-Two. Chapter Twenty-Three coming soon. As always, feedback/reviews are welcomed and appreciated.