There's Never Been Any Reason

by vaughn28

Sequel to Full Circle and continuation of Proof of a Purpose. Starbuck and Rene progress in their relationship as well as trying to save the fleet and find Earth. But will their past prevent them from moving forward into the future? Is the real enemy the Cylons, or are the humans more of a threat to themselves? Can Starbuck rescue Rene from herself?

3. Chapter 3

A loud chime jolted him awake from one of the best sleeps of his life. The chime was followed by a voice, pleasant in tone, the words incongruous to the abrupt interruption of his dreams.

"Lt. Starbuck you are needed in the docking lounge for a security emergency."

"Huh? What?" he mumbled wiping at his eyes before fumbling for his chrono on the table beside the bed. "One in the morning? Why me?"

The chime sounded again, with the same message. "Argh, alright, doesn't this ship have its own security? Where the frack is Reece when you need him." He rolled over to tell Rene to stay here, he'd be back as soon as he could, but she was up and pulling on clothing.

"Where are you going?" he asked just beginning to pull himself out of the covers. "They know I'm aboard and are just deferring to the military rather than the fleet security. Those guys are idiots."

Rene shook her head. "I'm still coming with you."

"You don't have to. They just know a warrior is aboard. No need for both of us to lose some sleep," he grumbled as he reached for his luggage, rummaging for a uniform. He had pulled on his pants and was reaching for his tunic when there was a pounding on the door to the suite.

"This had better be good, like a riot or something." He grabbed his boots and sprinted for the door as the pounding increased, his shirt and boots in his hands.

He slid the door open to find Boomer about to pound again. Starbuck's heart leapt with a surge of adrenalin. It had to be serious to have brought the dark Lieutenant from the Galactica. "What are you doing here? What's wrong?"

"Jake got jumped," Boomer said quickly, but the words made little sense to Starbuck.

"Jumped? What do you mean?"

Having joined him at the door, Rene was quicker to add meaning to the words, asking, "Where? When? Is he okay?"

Boomer quickly turned from Starbuck, answering her. "He was attacked on the Gemini Freighter while waiting for a connecting shuttle over to the Starakis for a party. A shuttle pilot put in the call saying that he was injured and needed medical attention, but we don't know how bad. He's being brought here for transport to the Galactica. I was able to hop a shuttle just before it left to get here."

"He got into another fight? I told him not to go traipsing all over the fleet alone," Starbuck grumbled dragging his tunic over his head before bending down to put on his boots.

"I don't think that's what happened," Boomer said. "I was there when the call came in from the freighter. They said two Warriors were attacked. They didn't mention a fight, just that they were jumped and injured pretty badly."

At Boomer's words, Rene dropped the boots in her hands and took off for the docking lounge at a full run. "Wait for us!" Starbuck shouted after her to no avail.

Boomer reached for her boots, adding more information. "He wasn't alone. Nik was with him and he's hurt too, but at least he's able to walk according to the shuttle pilot."

"What the frack? What happened? The Gemini freighter has always been rough, but not this bad."

"We don't know much. The first call came in to the Galactica, the shuttle pilot en route to the Rising Star looking for a medic. Then the freighter called to report the incident. I happened to be on the bridge and there was a shuttle departing. The pilot took off before I could tell him to wait for the medics."

Starbuck left his boots unbuckled as he started down the corridor after his wife, Boomer by his side. "Why didn't they just transport him to the Galactica if he's that bad?"

"Civilian shuttle pilot. He didn't want to mess with his route around the fleet for one injured man. Adama declared a holiday, and the shuttles have been busy and I don't think the pilot realized Jake and Nik are warriors," Boomer said, before shouting for Rene to hold the lift doors open.

Starbuck read the hesitation in her eyes before she reached a hand out to stop the doors closing. He and Boomer slipped inside and she punched the button to get the lift moving.

"How bad is he?" he asked Boomer as he leaned down to buckle his boots.

Boomer shook his head. "Bleeding and not walking, that's all we know."

"Frak. What happened? Who else was with them?" Starbuck wanted to reach out to Rene who was rocking on her feet as if that would speed up the lift. Boomer handed her the boots and she bent down to put them on.

"Jolly was going with them, but I found out he got delayed and took a different shuttle," Boomer added.

"They didn't have a Colonial with them?" Rene's eyes shifted from her boots to Boomer. "I fraking told them to stay with a Colonial."

"What? Why do they have to do that?" Starbuck asked, having missed that edict and wondering when Rene had issued the order.

She straightened up, a hard look on her face. "Since Salik let us out of the Life Center and we had to get rid of everything from Caprica."

The lift doors opened but Starbuck reached out a hand, gripping her shoulder and spinning her back to face him. "Why is that? What's going on?"

Rene closed her eyes briefly, and he saw the wall slide up, steel gray against the blue of her eyes. He shook his head. "No. No lies, Rene. I know you guys didn't get rid of everything. What's going on?"

Her lips tightened, but her shoulders sagged in resignation. "Pallus and Brody. I cut them off and they're not happy about it. They have friends, but they're not stupid enough to do anything with a Colonial Warrior around, your fracking code of honor and all that. But if they catch us alone, they won't hold back how displeased they are, so we make sure there's always a Colonial around."

"Cut off?" He was a little slow having just been pulled away from sleep. "Are we talking about what I think we are? What have you been supplying them with? If it's what I think we're talking about, they aren't following the Colonial Creed."

"Everything I could get my hands on, uppers, downers, narcotics. Good stuff. They sell most of it, I think."

"Dammit, Rene!"

She shook off his hold at the words, brushing past him to exit the lift and head for the docking lounge. Starbuck cursed before following her, too angry to form words. By the time he found something to say other than obscenities, they were in the docking lounge that was full of people waiting for a shuttle ride home.

"He's on the next shuttle," Boomer offered into their tense silence.

Starbuck wanted to lecture her, but also knew it was pointless. The words were too late, and if she was being honest with him, she was trying to put an end to a bad decision she made earlier. "What were you thinking giving them drugs? You don't even like Pallus and Brody."

She cringed for a moment before speaking. "They didn't give me much of a choice."

"And you didn't think to tell anyone they were threatening you? When are you going to learn to ask for some help?" Starbuck heavily emphasized the double meaning of the word help.

Rene rolled her eyes at him. "Look, we were all hooked on something. How do you think Dante got people to agree with him on some of what he did? He controlled the supply and the dosage and some of the felgercarb he put in us was highly addictive. You don't just quit that cold, not without some repercussions. And some don't want to quit."

"Speaking for yourself?" he asked. He thought she had kicked her stim habit after Caprica, but he knew it wasn't by her choice.

She didn't answer his question, turning her eyes to the airlock and the hopes of a shuttle docking soon.

"So, what, you were helping them out of the goodness of your heart?" he asked sarcastically.

"You didn't seem to mind enjoying the profits," she replied, before hastily adding, "I quit giving them anything and I don't have access to more. I didn't have a problem until I cut them off. Are you happy now?"

He ran his hand through his hair as he turned away. He wasn't happy with any of it. She had begun a dangerous game, and now it was time to tally the score.

"You sure it was Pallus or Brody?" Boomer asked. "Maybe we should wait and ask Jake and Nik. It could be someone else. Jake has made a name for himself around the fleet. It could just be as simple as a mugging or a fight that got out of hand."

Starbuck knew Boomer had a point, but he doubted that was it. Jake hadn't earned a profit for his performance at the celebration, but he had been broadcast for the whole fleet to know who he was. He had already been visiting various ships, and he was known for his music. People generally liked Jake. Starbuck couldn't deny the kid had a surly side and Jake knew how to fight, but he tended to keep that to the Galactica. It could be anything that led to him being jumped, but most of the fleet respected the Warriors. The civilians knew it was the Galactica and her personnel that kept them alive and fed.

"Pallus has uttered a few threats to me recently. He's needing a fix for himself, so I wouldn't put anything past him," she answered, eyes still glued to the airlock.

"I can't believe you guys gave in to that felgercarb," Starbuck muttered, wishing he had kept his mouth shut as Rene shot him a glare.

"You ever fly on full stims before?" she asked.

He thought it might be rhetorical, but in truth they had all been on stims for several sectons after the destruction. They had to in order to stay awake while running back to back patrols. At first it felt great, like you could beat the whole Cylon empire, but then it began to take a toll and your nerves got jumpy, your eyes gritty, and without some sleep, a whole lot worse happened.

"Yeah, I have, but the body can't take it for very long. You can't keep throwing junk like that into the turbos," he replied.

"Says the man who smokes fumarellos and chugs ambrosia," Boomer added.

"Hey, that's just to clean out my exhaust pipes. I try to keep this motor clean as the end goal is to die an old man with lots of pretty ladies around," he jibed back.

"Well when you're working twelve to sixteen centaur days and then running the midnight picket patrol because you're low man on the flight roster, and nobody really cares if you live or die, then you tell me whether you'd be up for a few chemical enhancements to the old motor or if you'll stick to the slogan of 'Just say no'," Rene added sarcastically. "It's hard to quit when they keep throwing them at you."

"Things are different now, and I'm pretty sure Dante wasn't asking Phallus to run midnight pickets, so what's his excuse?" he snapped back.

"It was required, Starbuck. You didn't get the chance to say no." Her low voice carried a warning that she was done discussing why they used, but he wasn't letting her dodge the issue.

"And you guys were hooked before the destruction. But you have all had several sectars to get the crap out of your system, or at least ask for some help."

She didn't reply, just glared at the airlock.

"You've quit, right? You're not on the stims, are you?"

She still didn't tear her eyes away from the door as she answered, "Yeah, I've quit."

Her words were almost drowned out by the announcement that the shuttle from the Gemini Freighter was docking. Not many people were able to depart before people were pushing to board. Through the crowd Starbuck glimpsed Nik's dark hair. Starbuck pushed his way through to find Nik struggling to drag Jake's dead weight through the crowd. Starbuck flung the kid's arm around his neck, pulling him up over his shoulder. He wasn't fully conscious and Starbuck was thankful when Boomer took up Jake's other side. Rene pushed aside the crowd, guiding Starbuck towards a bench, ordering those who were seated to get up and move away.

"Why isn't security with you guys?" Starbuck asked Nik. "Someone should have been helping you."

Jake roused a little yelping as they sat him down. Starbuck sat with him, holding him up while Rene kneeled in front of him assessing the damage. Starbuck took a quick glance at Nik noting the bloody nose and the black eye that was livid against Nik's pale skin.

"What happened?" he asked guiding Nik to sit down as well before he fell down.

"They came out of nowhere, at least six of them."

"You recognize any of them?" he asked, but Nik shook his head while wincing at the bright lights of the lounge.

"I told you not to go alone," Rene snapped not taking her eyes away from Jake. She reached up both hands to the kid's face, feeling around his eyes and cheeks before placing both hands on the side of his nose, jerking it back into position as he cried out. Starbuck reached out a hand to steady Jake as he leaned forward spitting blood. Rene scrambled back as he began to vomit.

"Concussion," she said looking up to meet Starbuck's concerned gaze. "When he's done, can you help me to get his head back. I need to make sure he has all his teeth or someone's going to have to go through the mess looking for them."

Starbuck nodded, already swallowing down bile at the prospect of having to chase down Jake's teeth. He helped Jake sit back up when he seemed to be done. Jake's face was a mess. Both eyes were beginning to swell. A cut across his eyebrow was bleeding profusely and his lip looked torn. His nose wasn't straight and a large bruise denting his cheek probably meant that the bone was broken.

"The shuttle to the Galactica is next," Boomer announced. "I'll go find a med kit. Can you walk, Nik?"

"Yeah," he mumbled.

"Why isn't security with you?" Starbuck asked Nik again.

"Security never showed up. I got help from some of the crew on the Freighter." Nik shrugged before continuing, wincing at the bright lights of the lounge. "They came out of nowhere. We were in the lounge alone and then they were there. They hit me over the head and then they dragged Jake off."

"What did they want? They rob you?" Starbuck asked, looking away from Jake as Rene reached up with her sleeve to wipe at Jake's mouth before tipping his head back, sweeping his mouth with her fingers. She pulled them out quickly as he gagged. She helped him get his head back down so he could spit out the blood without spitting on himself.

"All there," she said. "Some are loose, but they are there from what I can tell. Boomer, jacket."

Neither he nor Rene had bothered with theirs and now Starbuck regretted it as Jake shivered.

"Shock?"

"Yeah," Rene answered draping the jacket Boomer handed her over Jake's shoulders. It was then that Starbuck noticed that neither Jake or Nik were in uniform. They preferred to wear civilian clothes when they were headed into the fleet. He'd warned them against the practice knowing that the populace generally respected the Warriors and might take advantage of the Rats if they looked out of place.

"How many were there?" Starbuck asked Nik again, looking up to him. He didn't look much better than Jake with a blown pupil and a nose that was just as bloody.

Nik shook his head again, "five, six maybe. Big guys. I didn't get a good look."

"They rob you?" Starbuck asked, trying to think of some reason why two guys minding their own business might be attacked, hoping that it wasn't what Rene predicted.

"Yeah, I think so, but we didn't have that much on us."

"Were they warriors?"

Nik shook his head again, groaning.

Rene shifted her attention from Jake for a moment, stepping toward Nik to assess his injuries. She lifted his chin to get a look at his eyes. "He's got a concussion too. Where they hit you?"

"Back of the head. Jumped me first. I was out and down for the count. We had to track down Jake. They dragged him off, got him alone. He was out too."

"Shut up," Jake slurred, his head down still spitting out blood. "The code."

She shifted her attention back to Jake, straddling the mess in front of him as she reached for his hands. "You see them at all?"

Nik nodded and Starbuck asked, "Who was it?"

Nik shook his head as he shrugged. "Saw one, maybe two. Didn't know them."

"A bunch of mother frakers." Jake's words were garbled before he yelped in pain pulling a hand back, cradling it against his chest.

"Broken knuckle on the right. Dislocated a finger. Left hand is broken."

Boomer handed Rene the med kit. She opened it, pulling out bandages as she handed Boomer a cold pack. "For Nik's eye," she said, reaching for another one, handing it to Starbuck. He hesitated, not knowing where it should go.

"Take your pick," she said before reminding him, "He's a pilot. Needs his eyes."

Starbuck tried to place the pack on one of Jake's eye, but he jerked his head away in pain. Rene reached and took the cold pack away from Starbuck.

"I got it. Forgot you don't like blood," she said in way of apology. "You do the heavy lifting."

He watched as Rene tried to get a pressure bandage over Jake's cut on his forehead, but Jake wasn't making sense. "Don't give 'em what they want. You wanna say no." Jake reached up to block her hand. Starbuck tried to help pull his hand back down while Jake cursed at him. "Fraking Colonials."

"Shuttle's here," Boomer said tapping her on the shoulder. She stepped back and Boomer reached for Jake's other arm as Starbuck hauled him to his feet, dragging him towards the shuttle.

"No! Wait. Rene?" Jake's head swiveled as he looked around blearily. He planted his feet, trying to pull away from Starbuck and Boomer.

"I need to see you! They'll get you," Jake shouted as he stumbled.

"Whoa there. I got you. She's right here. I'm not going to let anything happen to her." Starbuck wrapped an arm around Jake's waist holding him back while reaching for Rene to pull her into Jake's view. "Lead the way, Rene. See, she's right here. Everyone's safe."

Jake didn't stop struggling until he saw her as she stepped around Starbuck and offered her shoulder to Nik who was swaying on his feet. "Keep her safe. They'll get her," Jake mumbled, letting Starbuck and Boomer pull him towards the shuttle.

"First empty seats, we get you two laying down. Medics will be waiting for us?" Rene asked.

"I'll contact the Galactica and make sure," Boomer said as they followed Rene into the shuttle. The other warriors that had been waiting for the shuttle gave them a wide berth, although a couple of the guys offered to help. Starbuck appreciated the offer, hoping that Rene heard them as well and would come to understand that in the fleet, Warriors looked after each other. Her focus however was on her friends as she found them seats, cursing the dividers between them on the military shuttle. Nik mumbled that he was okay, and she shifted back to trying to stop the blood flowing from the cut above Jake's eye. He was disoriented as he kept asking Rene if she was alright.

"She's fine," Starbuck tried to reason with him while Rene shot a few more questions off to Nik.

"Whose party were you going to?"

"A guy we met on the Rising Star."

"A guy? You don't know his name? How many times have I told you guys, you need to stick close to the Colonials and the Galactica?" Rene had gone into what the teens in the family called "mom mode". Normally it made Starbuck chuckle, the hypocrisy of it as she was just as reckless as the teens most of the time. But this time it made him pause and think. Since she had first showed him Caprica, she had stayed close to home and he could only think of a few times she had gone anywhere alone, even on a venture to the landing bay or to the bridge she took someone with her.

"Jolly was coming with us, and Max, but they got hung up."

"So, you went on without them? Have you guys even been to the Starakis before?" She wrestled momentarily with Jake who was trying to back away from the pressure she was putting on his cut. "Jake, hold still. Starbuck, a little help here?"

He reached to hold Jake's head, but it just caused the kid to struggle more. "Come on, buddy, we're just trying to help." Jake shook his head out of his hands, flinging blood everywhere as he groaned and lowered his head to try to vomit again.

"Maybe just leave him be for now," Starbuck said looking up to see that they were almost to the Galactica, before shifting his gaze to Rene. He flinched when he saw her eyes as for a moment it was like seeing Iblis's true face when Apollo shot him with a blaster. Rene's features were a mix of rage and cold vengeance. He could literally see the scenarios for revenge playing out in her head.

"I'm sure security is on it," he said hoping to erase the evil intent. "They'll find who did this. They'll be punished."

He could hear Rene grinding her teeth before she grumbled, "Like you said, they're idiots. Plus, we know who did this, and I hardly call your brig a punishment with its soft blankets and three-square meals a day."

"You want us to go back to flogging?" He meant it sarcastically, but Rene nodded to his words. "Nik didn't recognize them. It could be anyone, but we'll find who did this. They'll be punished," he stated again, saving the argument about the brutality of flogging for another time. The shuttle had docked and the medics boarded before they could get Jake to his feet.

They struggled to get him on the stretcher as he fought the hands helping him. Starbuck barking at him to stand down just made the kid fight harder. He didn't stop fighting until Rene held his face so he looked her in the eyes as she cooed to him.

"Baby, you're hurt. Come on, Jake, let them help you. I can't go on without you, baby. Just let them have a look, okay?"

Rene kept cooing as she coaxed Jake on the stretcher. The kid kept a tight hold on her hand all the way to the Life Center as Starbuck trailed behind helping Nik get there on his own feet.

Cassie, Doctor Paye and Doctor Salik were waiting as well as the Commander, Colonel Gage, Crius and Nik's wife Dara.

Adama stepped forward in an effort to help, his features mirroring Rene's in many ways, concern mixed with anger. He guided Nik towards a bio bed.

"Sorry to disturb your honeymoon, Starbuck. I thought you would want to know and to meet the shuttle," Adama stated reaching out to help Nik get up on a bio bed. "What happened?"

Starbuck didn't answer right away, following Rene as she went with Jake into another room with Doctor Salik. She had a firm hold of Jake's hand and didn't seem to be letting go.

"Son?" Adama prompted.

Starbuck noted that it was Cassie that was helping Nik to lie down, getting his vitals and assessing the damage, before he turned to the Commander. Gage was ghosting the commander's footsteps while Crius stepped towards the other room to check on Jake. Dara had a hand on Nik's leg, but her attention was on Starbuck.

He spoke to Dara, "You might know more than we do. Where were they headed and why?"

She shook her head no and looked to Nik, "A gig. They were going to play at a party on the Starakis. I have no idea."

"You didn't think to ask?"

Dara shrugged and Starbuck shook his head. Not that he was one to judge he supposed, but Dara let Nik get away with a lot of things a wife probably shouldn't. It was the one relationship of the Rats he hadn't quite figured out. Dara had been on the Zakar before the destruction, a bridge officer. He could see the attraction, but Nik was a lousy husband in Starbuck's opinion, and much like Jake, a part time father when it suited him. Starbuck may not know much about being a husband and father, but he was going to win at it compared to Nik.

Crius stepped back to them sensing Starbuck's frustration and filled in more of the information. "They met a guy on the Rising Star, works in the kitchen, but lives on the Starakis. He was going to pay them for playing. How the hades did you wind up on the Gemini Freighter?" Crius asked Nik.

Nik recounted for the commander what had happened, how the only connection that night from the Starakis back to the Galactica was one from the Gemini Freighter to the Rising Star. "The gig went great. Had a great time but we went longer than we should have. We got to the Freighter late and it was a bit of a wait. The docking lounge was empty, and then a bunch of guys came up on us from behind. I didn't recognize them. They weren't in uniform. Might have been a robbery or something more. They dragged Jake away. We had to track down him down and his clothes."

"Fried Frak, are you serious?" Crius asked before turning to Starbuck. "She needs to know that. He could have other injuries."

"Other injuries? What do you mean?" Starbuck asked, but Crius's face turned dark and he turned away shouting Rene's name before making a rude hand gesture across the room the connotation of which in general meant that someone should go frak themselves. Rene caught the gesture, understanding what it meant while Starbuck tried to wrap his brain around it.

"Sorry, sir," Crius apologized for the gesture to the Commander as Starbuck tried to figure out what had happened.

"Are you saying…"

Crius cut him off speaking to Nik. "They get to you?"

"Wait, are you saying he was raped?" Starbuck lowered his voice, finding it hard to say the word out loud.

"Yeah, maybe. If it was Pallus, probably," Crius said, keeping his focus on Nik.

"Are you serious? That doesn't happen here, does it?" Starbuck looked to Boomer, but his buddy shook his head at him. He was about to say more, but Jake's shouting drew their attention as Rene pried Jake's hand from hers so that she could come to join them at Nik's bed.

"Are you sure?" she asked Crius with no preamble.

Crius asked Nik again as he winced at the bright light Cassie shined in his eyes.

"Did they get you?"

"No," Nik said. "Not sure if they got him. But we had to track down his clothes. They got them off him. If they did, it was pretty fast."

Rene swore.

"Then it probably didn't happen. That doesn't happen often here and hardly ever on men," Starbuck offered turning to the commander, but Adama looked sceptical. Sexual assault was new territory for the fleet as most crimes had been of the generic nature of theft or escalated tempers from living in such close confines. Murder had been so rare that Starbuck became a bit of a celebrity when he was put on trial for Ortega's death.

"Maybe," Crius agreed, "but gotta check."

"How long before you found Jake?" Starbuck asked, hoping this was just a general run of the mill beating and not a replay of the horrors of the Zakar's past.

"I don't know, five centons maybe," Nik said before Cassie asked them to step away so she could get a scan of Nik's head injury. Dara stayed by his side while the rest moved away.

Rene shifted her gaze between Nik and Jake and back again.

"They didn't have time," Starbuck offered again as Rene snorted in derision.

"You'd be surprised how fast it happens," Rene muttered her dark eyes meeting his. "Trust me on this. You want them to take their time."

The words silenced any objections to the idea. Starbuck could tell by the way everyone found somewhere else to look it was not a conversation any of them wanted to have.

"Fleet security is on the case, but I am sending over some of our own people to look into the matter," Adama tried to reassure them. "They will be found."

Rene nodded before turning to Starbuck. "I need someone to go get Jason and Cain and bring them home."

"I'm sure they're fine on the Zakar. Apollo would keep an eye on them." Starbuck knew she could be paranoid, but she didn't need to be where the boys were concerned, but she disregarded him as Gage answered her.

"I need to speak with Apollo about a few things. I'll bring them back with me myself."

"Thank you," Rene said curtly. "Where's Lara?"

Crius spoke up. "She's staying with one of her friends, Callie. I didn't see the harm in it with Jason and Cain gone."

"Starbuck, go get her and round up the others. Don't leave them until Gage comes back." Rene snapped the order like she was used to giving him commands.

"Rene, don't you think you're overreacting," Starbuck said. "It was a random attack. I'm sure the kids are fine where they are. The boys are on the Zakar and Lara's on the Galactica. They're both in good hands."

Rene flashed him a glare before she turned to Adama. "When was the last time someone was attacked and beaten this viciously on one of the ships of the fleet?"

Adama shook his head. "I am unaware of such an attack in over a yahren."

Rene locked eyes with Starbuck as she asked her next question. "Has it ever happened to a warrior?"

"Not that I am aware of." Now Adama was looking at him, as if he agreed with Rene's suspicions that the attack was purposeful.

"And Sir, what if it happened to Apollo and Boxey was off at a friend's, would you bring him home?" Rene's eyes were hard as steel.

"Yes, I would," Adama answered softly. He was about to speak, but Rene held up her hand as if she were the Commander. "Starbuck, I am not going to spend our whole marriage playing 'What would Adama do'.". When I tell you to do something, I have my reasons and the only answer you should be giving me is 'Yes Ma'am' but I will accept 'Yes Dear' as an alternative."

"Alright Rene, I get it," he said. His anger rose at being chastised and he had to remind himself that she was acting out of fear. She had been through a lot in her past and managed to keep the kids safe from most of the horrors, he had to give her that. But this was the Colonial Fleet, and the kids were in good hands. She had to learn to trust his friends eventually. "I think it should wait until the morning at least. They're all in safe places."

She nodded, looked back at Jake who was fighting the doctor and calling out her name, before turning back to him. "Please. I might be wrong, but what if I'm right? These guys aren't above hurting the kids."

He nodded grudgingly. Pallus and his buddies had done far worse than Starbuck could ever imagine anyone doing on a Colonial vessel. "Alright. Understood. You're staying here?"

"Yes," she said defensively. He reached out a hand, pulling her away from the others before reaching for her, guiding her to look at him.

"Hey, I'm on your side, remember?"

She nodded, but he could tell from the slight tremor in her jaw she was angry. Rightfully so he supposed, and she had no one to place her vengeance upon. She flinched as Jake shouted her name again. "He needs me," she said, her eyes shifting to Jake to make sure he was okay before turning back to him.

"I'll get the kids, and I'll come back here. Everything's okay, Rene."

"Everything is not okay!" she exploded on him. "While we were lazing around watching vids Jake and Nik were attacked! We don't know who they're coming after next."

"Alright, calm down. Everyone is safe. Nik and Jake just wandered to the wrong place at the wrong time. They're in good hands now." He tried to reason with her, but she was just as disoriented at Jake.

She huffed in exasperation. "That's not what happened. Just go get my kids, Starbuck." She turned away and he let her go back to Jake's side. Her presence calmed Jake down as the young man reached out to cling to her in his disorientation.

Starbuck shook his head. She was overreacting but this was Jake we were talking about, her closest family now that her brother was dead. Starbuck would do as she asked and make a little side trip on the way in hopes of finding out if Rene was right. If this was targeted, then they needed to all watch their backs, but he doubted that was the case. It was a half planned last minute excursion, with an unexpected side stop. It had to be random.

He stepped back towards the group, the Commander conferring with Boomer, Gage having already departed for the Zakar. Crius had his hand on Dara's shoulder in comfort.

"Crius, are Kiff, Kalea and Leia at your place?"

"Yeah, with Nik's kids. I left them with Giles there."

Starbuck shook his head. Crius was following the same edict Rene had given, that no one should be without a Colonial nearby. "Come with me to get Lara. I need your help with something. Commander, I'll be back."

"I will be here watching over them," Adama said.

Starbuck shook his head as he left the Life Center, surprised that Adama had given credibility to Rene's fear.