XIX
Four Days Later
It didn't take long for Kara to get her welcome back to combat from The Cylons. Fortunately, Kara was on her normal shift, when they came calling, and had been hanging out in the Jock's ready room when the klaxons went off. She was off in the second wave, which was far different than being launched first as had been the case when she was CAG-before New Caprica, that is.
Two Baseships had hopped in, three squadrons launched to interdict the Raiders, and protect the civilian ships until they jumped. Hot Dog could have assigned her to the force circling the civvies, but he wanted her in on the brawl to beat back the Raiders.
Kara's eyes were extra wide, and her senses feeling alive. She had almost forgot this feeling. As much as she hated running and this war, she lived for these moments, to give the enemy a bloody nose.
"Starbuck, Giggles, and Cowboy", she heard Hot Dog say in her helmet. "A group of Raiders is pealing off to your right, follow 'em!"
"Roger that, CAG", Kara said, finding those words, and applying them to Costanza, actually coming quite easy. "OK, guys, form up on me, let's spoil their party."
Kara's Viper and the other two made a quick, tight one-eighty to head back in the other direction. "Got 'em, dead ahead, Cowboy, you got the center guy, Giggles on the right."
"Roger Starbuck", she heard Cowboy yell. He was one of the newer jocks, just out of Nugget training. If he survived, Kara thought, he would be a great jock.
It was pretty much a milk run for the three Vipers. The Cylons usually peeled away several ships to threaten the civvies, hoping to get lucky and pick one off. They could have left those three to the Vipers hovering around the civvies, but better to get them when they weren't on top of a civilian transport, a Tylium ship, or a food ship.
Kara gunned her thrusters, and was on top of her bogey in under eight seconds, the Raider trying to juke her as he fled. "Oh, no you don't, Mr. Toaster", Kara said with a grin, "you're mine, you bastard."
In moments she had fired a volley of laser blasts, obliterating the target neatly.
"Woohoo! Splash that fraker!" Hot Dog was had been right: she needed this one battle to get under her belt, to get any jitters out of the way, and make sure she could do this when there was live shooting.
The other two took out their targets, and they made a swing around Galactica, watching the civvies disappear into their FTL jumps one by one. Heading back to the battle, it was clear that The Cylons would not do any heavy damage to Galactica, or to a civilian ship. This had been a we're letting you know we're out here raid by their mortal enemies.
The last civilian ship jumped away, Kara hearing the sweet announcement from Galactica. "Vipers, Galactica", she heard Dee's voice loud and clear, "everyone return home, break off, we're bugging out."
Twenty minutes later, they were in debrief, Hot Dog pulling her aside before everyone was settled.
"How'd you feel out there, Kara?"
Years ago, Kara would have scoffed at this, but she had found Hot Dog to be a very thorough, very first-rate CAG, and she appreciated his looking out for her.
"Felt good out there, Brendan", she smiled at the younger man. "No issues with my ship, or with me. It felt good to be back out there."
Brendan nodded. "Doesn't look like you've lost a step, Starbuck", he said with some pride. He moved into whisper to her. "I have a feeling we're gonna be switching places soon." He gave her a wink and a smile, heading toward the lectern to brief the jocks, leaving Kara was a grin on her face.
Five days later, and one more Cylon raid later, Hot Dog had informed Admiral Adama that Kara was ready to take over the duties as CAG. Kara wasn't as thrilled as she would have been a few years earlier. With a wife and a daughter now, she knew being the Boss Viper jock would mean less time with both Laura and Kacey, as she would have to review an update training, dole out discipline when needed, and help train Nuggets.
Yet she was acutely aware that, in her other role-that of First Lady-that she was expected to, and indeed needed to, be an example to the people of The Fleet-the people she was sworn, as a pilot, to protect. She took that seriously, and so did her wife. It wasn't just a feather in her cap any longer. It was a job she took very seriously. As Laura had said to her before, everyone needed to be doing what they did best, to make sure the people survived and moved on.
There was a ceremony in the Pilot's briefing room, involving the most senior jocks, where the Admiral would officially make Kara CAG. The Old Man had a few more surprises as well. The proceedings, since they involved The First Lady, were also attended by President Roslin, Colonel Tigh, and broadcast throughout The Fleet.
"In accordance with the military traditions of The Colonial Fleet, I, Admiral William Adama, do hereby install Kara Roslin, Call Sign Starbuck, to the position of Commander, Air Group aboard the Battlestar Galactica, effective immediately, with all the rights, responsibilities, and privileges thereof."
Kara stepped forward, receiving the wings that signified her position as CAG. After pinning them on her uniform, Adama continued.
"In addition to her installation as CAG, I am hereby promoting Captain Kara Roslin to the rank of Colonel in the Colonial Fleet, effective immediately, with all the rights, responsibilities, and privileges thereof."
Kara's eyes went a little wider, as she had no idea of this promotion. Such a promotion had to be approved by the President, so she glanced at Laura with a look on her face that clearly said you owe me, baby. Laura winked quickly at her, as Adama took off the Captain's bars and replaced them with those of Colonel.
When he finished, he dismissed Kara, but he wasn't done yet. "The following will present themselves front and center immediately! Colonel Saul Tigh; Lieutenant Brendan Costanza; Lieutenant Louanne Katraine!"
Bill had also discussed this with Laura, but had not told the three that were now forming up in front of the Admiral, unsure what was going on.
Bill moved in front of Saul. "Colonel Saul Tigh, for services going above and beyond the call of duty on New Caprica, in the defense of the people of The Colonies, I hereby promote you to the rank of Commander, with all the rights, responsibilities, and privileges thereof, effective immediately."
Dee was the one handing out the pins and wings this day, an she smartly put Tigh's new Commander bars in the Admiral's hands, the Admiral pinning them to the collar of his XO, then shaking his hand.
He then stepped between Hot Dog and Kat. "Lieutenant Brendan Costanza, Call Sign Hot Dog; Lieutenant Louanne Katraine, Call Sign Kat! For meritorious service above and beyond the call of duty in planning and executing the New Caprica rescue operation, I hereby promote both of you to the rank of Captain, with all the rights, responsibilities, and privileges thereof, effective immediately."
The two jocks were beaming, briefly looking over at each other, a knowing look passing between them. Adama pinned their Captain's bars on each of them, shook their hands, then they stepped back with Saul and Kara. He looked at the newly promoted members of his team, and crisply saluted all of them, the four of them returning the military honor.
"Attention on deck!" The jocks in the room all stood and came to attention. "Render honors to Commander Saul Tigh; Colonel Kara Roslin; Captain Brendan Costanza; Captain Louanne Katraine. And, salute!"
The jocks saluted the four of them, as well as the Admiral, being saluted back in return. As the salutes ended, the jocks broke out in loud applause and shouts for their ship mates. When it died down, Adama gave one last command.
"This concludes this ceremony. Dismissed!" Everyone relaxed, with the newly promoted members being hugged by their ship mates.
Laura had a Cheshire Cat grin on her face as she went up to her wife, folding her into a loving hug and a tender kiss. "Congratulations, Colonel Roslin." She kissed Kara sweetly again. "I'm so proud of you, baby."
"You owe me again, you know that", Kara said with a chortle of laughter.
"I couldn't tell you", Laura objected, "what fun would that have made all of this."
"Yeah, well", Kara said, still laughing, "we'll discuss some more fun later, OK?"
"Oh, twist my arm, Starbuck." One last kiss ensued, as both women laughed, then began to mingle with the others.
Kat and Brendan had just finished hugging, the attractive, olive-skinned woman getting a little close to Brendan so no one could hear them. "So, uh, how do we celebrate tonight, huh?" She had a mischievous grin on her face.
"Oh, I thought maybe we'd start working on that little plan of ours, Captain Katraine?" He winked at her.
Her eyes lit up, giving him a quick, feral look. "Sounds good to me, Captain Costanza."
Unlike Kara's marriage to the President, Kat and Brendan had kept their romance as quiet as possible-hard to do on a ship with shared bunks, and co-ed showers, but they hadn't advertised it yet. They weren't quite ready to do that, although they couldn't keep it a secret much longer.
Everyone was having a wonderful time. One pilot had gone up to Hot Dog and Kat, congratulated them, wondering why he hadn't been promoted as well. He didn't even glance as Kara and Laura Roslin, as he quietly left the room without a look back.
Noel Allison was becoming more disgruntled by the day. We've got an Adama as Admiral; and Adama as Vice-President. We have a Roslin as President, and a Roslin as CAG. Hasn't anyone heard of nepotism? They're setting up a dictatorship over us.
He went to the mess, nursing his bruised ego with a few rounds of whiskey.
Later That Evening
"Frak, that's it, Brendan, frak me, yeah, that's it."
Louanne Katraine was lying on the end of a bed in an unused, minor VIP room, her feet planted on the floor, Brendan Costanza standing above her, driving hard and steady inside of her. "Gods, I can't get enough of this, sugar."
Hot Dog had his eyes shut, a smile on his own face, reveling in the feeling of his cock deep inside his lady. He and Kat had started to frak about midway through the exile away from New Caprica, and they hadn't stopped. Their sex was usually very athletic, very hard, and very loud. Tonight was no different.
With one exception: they weren't using any birth control.
Kat looked up at her lover, a sound like a growl coming from deep in her throat. She could see Brendan's large penis moving in and out of her, the sight of it making her core let lose more of her wetness, coating his member. He had slowly been picking up the pace. The grunts coming from the man caused Kat to reach down between her legs, and began rubbing her clit furiously, wanting to build herself up to another climax. Her breathing and gyrations began to pick up.
Costanza opened his eyes, hearing Kat getting more worked up. The sight of her furiously rubbing her clit with one hand, and pinching a nipple in another sent him into overdrive. Kat smiled, having gotten his attention.
"That's it, baby", she ground out again, urging him on. "Frak me harder, come inside me, Brendan! Oh, gods yes!"
Brendan's pace became frantic, the grunts turning into small cries. No more than a minute went by when he looked down at Kat. "Oh, gods, Kat I'm gonna..."
"Come for me, Brendan!"
At the same moment, Costanza thrust as hard as he could into Kat, yelling her name, not being able to pull back out, Kat screaming as well, as an orgasm sliced through her, feeling her lover's come deposit inside of her. They held together in a desperate spasm of ecstasy, Hot Dog grunting a few more pushes into Kat, but still not able to leave her hot confines.
Their bodies began to end the spasms that had driven them together, their breathing subsiding. Staying inside Kat, they scooted up onto the bed, where Brendan collapsed down on her, the couple coming in for a soft, languid kiss.
"You know how much I love you, Captain Costanza?" Kat gave a giggle as she said that, still trying to get used to his new rank.
"I'd say on a scale of one to ten, about a fifty?" They both laughed, coming in for another kiss. "No less than I love you, my lady."
"Think it worked?"
He shrugged. "Right now, I'm just happy with the practice."
Kat snickered and slapped him on his bare ass. "Practice does make perfect." She became serious. "I want to have your child, Hot Dog. I would want to have your child even without the law that went into effect."
"That just covers our affair officially", he said, cracking another dry joke.
"Think this is an affair still, do you?"
Brendan smiled. "Not any longer, Louanne. Maybe, when we find out your pregnant, we can make it official?"
She looked at him with wide eyes. "I told you when we started that you didn't have to marry me or make this formal, Brendan?"
"We're not the same people we were when we started this. I want everyone to know how much I love you-how much we love each other. I do want to marry you."
"Then you'll know I'll accept", she said tenderly. Louanne Katraine had always thought she needed to act tough. It's how she had survived after being orphaned on Tauron, and surviving on her own. It's how she had become a jock-through shill will. But with Hot Dog, she could be the other part of who she was: loving, tender, and generous. He had sanded down some of her rougher edges, in the same fashion as Laura Roslin had done for Kara.