Chapter 3

The Fleet – Battlestar Pegasus

Lee and Dee had been together for a long time. Their relationship was often rocky and had been tested over and over again. First, Billy had died. That put a massive strain on things, Lee didn't truly know whether Dee wanted him or wanted a replacement for Billy. But then, his main reason was that he didn't know whether he wanted Dee or the other woman in his heart. Since Anders came back, things got easier. He lost his contact with Kara; they slid apart and then came their cataclysmic crash that threw them both so far apart they hadn't talked in almost a year. Even so, a part of him still yearned for her, still dreamt of her and still wished that he was the one whom she had married.

Dualla, though a lovely woman, beautiful and smart, was Lee's second choice. Why? Probably just because she came second; she had helped him escape from jail and was a great help to them all. But still, she came second. It seemed to Lee like Kara had always been there, been his. Then, in a flash, a blink of the eye, she left and returned a broken woman. She had met a guy, someone she liked so much; she couldn't function not knowing whether or not she'd find him alive again.

The Pegasus command deck was filled once more, they had to maintain a level of procedure. It was strange, he'd convinced himself that he loved Dee and he missed not being able to follow the routine that they'd become accustomed to.

The Pegasus was a different place now life had been re-infused. When Lee had finished briefing everyone of their plan, he dared a glance to her and met her eyes. She seemed cold, clearly keeping to the letter of the rules. Lee, following her example, looked back to his work and continued.

They were preparing for their strike. Being the most advanced and outfitted Battlestar, they were the main guns in the fight. Therefore, they needed to be ready to arrive and open fire instantly.

Their automated systems couldn't be worked. It was unfortunate; however, Lee was willing to choose battery gunners to fire for them. The Cylons could easily hack any network that they set up.

He began the arduous task of deciding who he wanted on his fire team.

New Caprica

Kara awoke to darkness. She looked around her.

"Sam?" she murmured

"Keep quiet Kara, my name is Shereen. We rescued you, I took you to my home until they began their search, and we're now at the base of the New Caprica resistance."

"Sam?" she repeated

"Kara, stay calm, you're going to be okay but you have to keep quiet."

"Sam?" she screamed

"Kara!" Shereen shouted back, covering her mouth with her hand. "Listen to me, we will all die, all of us if you don't quiet down. There are patrols above us even now."

"Please," Kara said, tears beginning to stream from her eyes, "tell me where Sam is."

Shereen looked away; she had hoped that this wouldn't come up so soon.

"Kara, he saved you."

"Is he here?"

"No Kara. He held them off so we could get you away, they… Well, they killed him publicly. I'm so sorry Kara; there was nothing that could've been done."

"You're wrong." Kara said, clear anguish in her voice "You could've stopped them; there are enough of us here!"

Shereen looked away; she wasn't ready to explain to a distraught woman why her husband wasn't saved, though he could've been; though he should've been.

New Caprica – President's office.

Gaius was still shocked. What had she meant? He wasn't a Cylon! But then, was he really a human? He had betrayed his race, and why? Because he was led by his trousers. It was too late to gain redemption, Gaius thought, and then it hit him. Was that what she had meant? Was his in-action now the same foolishness that had destroyed Caprica?

He stood, looked around his office. There was nobody around. He still wasn't certain that there was anything he could do. Contemplating his options, he paced the office. Paced until interrupted, someone ran in. He recognised it to be an aide that he had seen around every so often.

"It's happening Sir!" the man shouted.

"What?" Gaius replied

"The Cylon's they've killed someone!"

"Are you telling me that the Cylon's have broken their agreement?"

"No sir, they've kept it. Kara, she killed one of them."

"And now she's dead?"

"No, no one knows where she is. The Cylons are demanding that we tell them."

"Listen to me you idiot, I want to know who was killed."

"Samuel Anders, Kara's husband."

Gaius had to take some time to think. If he didn't find Kara and turn her over, the Cylon's may try and kill the entire human race and he wasn't certain that the fleet would return to help save them. If he did find Kara and turned her over, perhaps he would truly be more Cylon than human.

Then, he was interrupted by the entrance of a Cylon. It wasn't Six, it was one of the "8" models. The one that was called Sharon.

"Where is she?" Sharon demanded

"I don't know" Baltar answered honestly.

"You're lying!" she shouted

"No, with my hand on my heart, I promise you, I do not know where Kara Anders is hiding!" Gaius exclaimed with a definite sense of panic in his voice.

"Find her. These are your people, apparently, find her and bring her to us or within 5 days or New Caprica will burn. Don't take this lightly Mr President, we will do this." With that, she left the room. Shortly after the aide followed. Gaius was left, drowning in his own personal ocean of fear and doubt.