DISCLAIMER: The character's and the universe of the Battlestar Galactica do not belong to me.

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HYBRID by -yannik-

Chapter Five – WITHOUT A LITTLE HELP

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Getting back to the CAG's job was surprisingly rewarding. Kara though she might actually enjoy planning flight schedule. And then after a hard day's work, there was this hot man waiting for her in their small CAG's quarters. Yes, being a CAG had its boons these days.

Kara couldn't stop thinking about the wonders that could be performed in the quiet of an isolated room, as she strode towards CIC for the morning briefing with the Admiral. This was the first really calm day after the frantic escape, and cleaning up the mess it left. All the reports were written and read, the damage checked, next steps planned. They could now start getting prepared in case cylons found the Fleet again. But they knew the drill – they just needed to remember it.

"Welcome, Major!" It was Helo, who greeted her in CIC, and her heart skipped a beat. "The Admiral and the XO should arrive in a minute, so it's just me for now" he smiled broadly. "We missed you at the triad table last night. I thought it would be the first thing you'd do after whipping some cylons' asses, but our great Starbuck didn't show up." He obviously tried to cheer her up, because he kept on rambling, even though she remained silent, her eyes fixed on the reports she spread on the table. "You know, your legend starts to fade away. New nuggets don't believe when we tell them that there was once a Starbuck, who used to win twenty hands in a row."

"It was never that good" she replied in spite of herself, and looked at him from the corner of her eye. And then she smiled. There was something relieving in a banter with an old friend. If she could only be honest with him. Really honest. The words 'your little girl is still alive' were just on the tip of her tongue. Just-just…

But luckily for her, the Admiral came to CIC on this very moment.

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The Admiral seemed to find the new situation more disturbing than the rest of the people Laura Roslin talked to these days. Perhaps it was harder for him after all? A year of getting used to being useless, rapidly ended in another battle. A tough one, with so much at stake. She wondered if he slept at all in those days after the cylon's return. She herself wasn't sleeping much, but he seemed to be on constant alert.

Now that everything settled down once more, he seemed so tired. How old was he anyway? He must be around sixty if he was fighting in the first cylon war. Suddenly he looked even older.

But there was still so much to discuss.

"You want my advice?" he asked looking at her above his glasses.

"I think I trust you" she smiled. That was true, he was about the only person left to her now, that could support her quest. And who's support would be both wise and objective.

"I'm not a politician, Laura. How can I tell you what you should do?"

"You can tell me what I do wrong. Or what is immoral about my choices. The lesson you gave me a year ago didn't go to waste."

"Didn't it?" he smiled with genuine amusement. "But everything you're planning now is immoral."

She gazed at him sideways, hurt by his words. How could he say that? But he was still smiling.

"Bill?" she demanded an explanation.

"You want to overthrow the President and take his place."

"I want to be elected the Caprican representative in the Quorum of Twelve" she straightened. The Quorum only had seven members now, and reelection was planned in four days.

But he already knew better – she told him herself a few minutes ago. "And then you want the Quorum to bring down the President" he reminded.

"I plan to do everything legally."

"And then you want the Quorum to assign you to the temporary office, using the situation to your advantage."

"I'm the best qualified!" She threw her hands in frustration with his unawareness. Obviously he wasn't that ignorant! "I was the President, I know how it's done. And, Bill, I'm not doing it for Laura Roslin. I'm doing it for the people. How can you not see that? Stealing the election was wrong, but here – I won't do anything against the Law. But I have to use the opportunity. Baltar's ways of dealing with political and social issues during this year were unacceptable." She got carried away. She stood up and looked down at him. "I'm telling you – hadn't the cylons attacked, he'd be removed from power in a matter of months. But his immediate surrender to the cylons was the final straw. He proved he can't be the leader of humanity. We can't afford that now!" She realized, she was now leaning on Adama's desk, her face only inches from his.

She straightened her pose, and he leaned back, removing his glasses in a gesture she got to know so well, and love in a way. He took his time.

"I understand your point, Laura" he spoke finally. "I'm just saying there will be people wanting to denounce you of wanting power just for the power. Vice President is not an easy opponent, and I'm sure he is striving to take over the position as much as you do."

"Tom Zarek was never an easy opponent" Laura reminded. "But I managed him so far. On more than one occasion. Which is why I need to prepare a program" she started explaining. "Social, economical predeterminations… No!" she exclaimed, and nearly burst out laughing at the sight of mock-terror on his face. "I'm not asking you to help me with that! I already have people who do their jobs in this agenda. All I'm saying is that I must be prepared to stand before the Quorum, and tell them that I know what I want for the people. I believe I can manage Tom Zarek one more time. But that reminded me…" she smiled at him again, and sat back in a chair, facing William Adama. "Admiral. Internal affairs are one thing, but external ones are the other. I need to know what my office is planning to do about the cylons. And that's one more task for you. Beside being my conscience."

"What can we do about the cylons?" Bill asked, getting serious again. He had no answers in this area. "We don't even know what they want now. Before – they wanted to exterminate us. Now… They offered us armistice. Then they took over New Caprica, and didn't start killing us. In fact… It almost seemed as if they let us escape. We really do not know where we stand."

In the silence that fell after his words, Laura deliberated on one thing she knew about the cylon's purposes. They wanted something from Kara Thrace. They wanted her to find a hybrid baby. That made sense – they wanted to mix races, Caprica copy of Sharon Valeri told them something along those lines. They needed a hybrid.

She should tell Adama about Kara's encounter with Leoben Connoy. But that might mean revealing Hera. Revealing the fact that she's alive, and that Laura lied to everyone about it. The risk of losing Adama's trust as a result of it was threatening, but it was something Laura would bear. What she couldn't allow to happen was exposing the baby. Her instinct told her to hide the child in the first place, and she still believed in the rightness of that decision.

So no, she couldn't start talking about Leoben until she'd be prepared for that conversation. Not today. Not before the situation with the Quorum is resolved.

"I think they want us to find Earth" Adama spoke suddenly, breaking into Laura's thoughts. "That's why they let us go." He was looking straight at her, and Laura needed a good minute to understand what he was referring to.

"So you think they will just leave us in peace now? And let us go on our way?"

"They will follow us. They may even keep attacking us, just to fool us. And perhaps push us in the right direction. But they believe in Sacred Scrolls, in prophecies. All of this has happened before, all of it will happen again. They believe that only humans can find the Earth. And they want it."

"Do you mean we shouldn't be searching for it?" Laura whispered. This turn of events wasn't want she expected. And it wasn't what she wanted. She needed to tell those people that they were on their way home!

"All I'm saying is that we need to be planning our next steps very carefully." He looked at her really long, and she just didn't know what to say. So he added in a comforting tone: "But the military will take care of that. Cooperating with the President of course. So make sure you prepare yourself well for both – the election, and the debate in the Quorum."

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"You wanted to see me, sir?"

"Yes, Starbuck. Come in."

It felt awkward. But Kara stepped into the quarters.

"I received a note" he started, watching her with those scrutinizing eyes of his. She was amazed how much he's changed. How much he was the younger version of Admiral Adama now. Not in his facial features, but in gestures, in that glare, in the very way of speaking. Commander Adama. He was indeed worthy of that status – both with the rank, and the name. "A note from the Admiral" he added, obviously waiting for her reaction.

"A note?" she probed.

"It says you requested transfer."

"I did."

"To the Pegasus."

"That's true."

He assessed her again, tried to read her face. Could she conceal her emotions from this man? Doubtful.

"I thought it was his call" he finally said in a low voice. She did not reply. "After all that… You want to serve here?" he looked up, his sight soft this time.

"I have my reasons" was all she could say.

He nodded in understanding. But he was not her friend. He was her Commander. "I'd like to know what they are."

What was she supposed to say? That she didn't want to be anywhere near Laura Roslin? That she couldn't play triad with Helo without wanting to scream in his face "I want to help you find Hera"? She couldn't confide in Lee. Not after all that…

"We used to be friends once" he said slowly. "But you wouldn't confide in me even then." Did he read her mind? Or did he simply know her so well, that he could read torment written on her face?

They used to be friends.

Leoben wondered if she would ask one of her friends for help.

Another reason to get out of there and run.

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t.b.c.

I would really love to know what you think.