To his credit, Lee held her eyes, "Yes. We've talked with Sharon about this extensively and she's provided some notes on how we might be able to hack into the Heavy Raider's FTL. The Cylon FTL can get us to Ragnar in five jumps. Without it, we're looking at approximately four hundred jumps back to the Colonies." He walked over to the model of the Galactica orbiting Ragnar and continued, "As for the ground assault, every combat simulation Karl and I ran based on the estimates Sharon gave us of the Occupation Force ended up with the Galactica facing no less than eight Base Ships within fifteen minutes of jumping in Caprica's orbit."
Kara nodded, "And the three installations you've chosen?"
Lee frowned, "I think you know why."
She matched his frown and said, "I need you to say it."
He tensed into a defensive stance and bit out, "They're the most likely places the Cylons took my mother. Happy now?"
She stepped over to his side and placed her hand over his and offered a quick squeeze, "Lee, you know that'll be the first question the Old Man asks. I'm just trying to prepare you." He looked at her for a while before his expression and posture softened. Kara stepped back and turned to Karl, "What are the numbers?"
Karl spoke confidently, "It'll cost us to slug it out on the ground and we might loose a few raptors in flight especially with a low altitude jump."
"Possibility of success?"
Lee frowned, "Thirty-six percent. It's the best we've got."
Karl nodded, "The next best plan had a twelve percent possibility."
She shook her head, "Well, one in three, almost sounds like a Starbuck plan." She chuckled, "I'm not really sure that's a good thing."
Helo grinned from his corner of the tac table, "Considering the Old Man, we figured the more Starbuck-esque our plan was, the more likely it is that he would approve."
Lee nodded, and then gave voice to what both men were most concerned about. "Will we be able to present him our proposal?"
Kara gave the map one last look, "Yes. I'll set up a time for you to make your proposal, but remember what I said. No promises, I'll let him know I think it's a good plan and that I support it, but the final decision will be his and the President's."
Lee and Karl began packing up the models as well as their presentation while Kara took a drink of her long forgotten glass of water. Her eyes settled on Lee as he pulled his tunic back over his tanks, the teeth marks where his left shoulder met his throat had faded from his skin leaving her hopeful that she'd soon take the time to put them back onto him, just her way of stamping "Property of Starbuck" upon that flesh.
It gave her a perverse pride the morning after the blackbird had been christened to see the way Kat had noticed the hickey with an arched eyebrow and how Racetrack deflated a little when she was talking to Lee as he pulled on his tanks. It didn't hurt that it had turned him on when she'd bit into his throat, judging by the bruising force of his kisses when he yanked her mouth back to his.
They hadn't got too far before her phone buzzed with a question from Combat about her next combat simulation and when she returned to Lee's side by the couch, the mood was a little less passionate. However she felt that they had covered some things about his time on Caprica that left her feeling more like she was on solid ground and not about to step on a mine at any moment.
Two days had passed since that evening in her office but Kara had noticed a change in Lee. He seemed at home, like he was no longer contemplating stealing a raptor and jumping back to the Colonies. She wondered if that might be the reason Cottle avoided clearing him for flight duty, as though the Doctor was waiting for the "all clear" from the Commander.
When Karl gave her a smirk and cast his eyes towards Lee's back she narrowed her eyes at him as her friend slapped his folder closed and said. "I think I'll go down to the Flight Deck and put in a maintenance shift." He walked out of the room, giving her shoulder a slap with his folder as he passed her.
Lee looked up when the hatch shut with a bang he gave her a confused grin and spoke. "What's the deal with Karl?"
She shrugged and took a step closer to him, "He thinks he's cute or funny… I'm not sure which but he's mostly just an idiot."
Lee grinned and turned fully towards her then answered her step, "Of course he's an idiot, he's on raptors."
She took another step and placed her hand on his forearm, "True, but I'm glad he's around… and I'm glad he was down there with you." She gave his arm a squeeze, "It's a good plan Lee."
He tilted his head towards his briefing for a moment then looked at her, "Really?"
She gave him a gentle expression, "Yeah, I thought for sure you'd have some cut and paste plan right out of War College… this is inspired."
He nodded and sighed, "But he'll still say no." Lee looked away and Kara squeezed his arm in a reassuring fashion. "That's why he had me build the blackbird, you know." She started to protest and Lee shook his head, "You think I don't know his tactics? You think I didn't know from the minute you unrolled those plans in front of me that dad was trying to distract me? 'I'll snap my fingers over here until you look away and I'll hope you forget?'"
She considered protesting his assertion, but considering she'd suspected this herself she just couldn't. Lee continued on, "Kara, you or the Chief could have overseen that project just as well as I could, but this could keep me from obsessing about Caprica. So he came to you, probably in CIC, maybe he mentioned I was assigned to the Mark Eight program so you could come to me and badger me into doing it. But we both know he was trying to distract me until we were too far away and I could 'come to my senses' and give up." He smiled sadly, "I can't do it Kara, he's going to have to tell me no and even then…"
Her hand trailed down his sleeve until she could entwine their fingers and silence settled over them. They were both content merely with the other's presence, finally Lee gave her a wry grin and said, "You know, this is the point where a good girlfriend would give some reassurance."
She smirked, "But you're not my boyfriend Lee, you're more…" She pretended to give some thought to what he was then said, "My bitch. Yeah, you're the CAG's bitch."
His eyes widened in mock-offence and he replied, "I'm your bitch?"
"This surprises you?"
"I'm not sure I want to be your bitch." He sighed and continued, "It sounds like a lot of work."
She gave his hand a squeeze and said, "I can make it worth the effort, there are benefits to being at my sexual beckon call. For starters, at some point in the very near future I have every intention of getting you naked."
His eyes darkened and he closed the distance between them, his face was less than an inch away from hers which caused her eyes to be drawn to his mouth as he asked in a low and rich tone, "How near is this future that you have in mind?"
The words, "How does right now sound" were sprinting towards her lips as fast as she could think them but were interrupted by the sudden and quite unwelcome klaxon. They both took a step back and Kara felt her focus snap down as quickly as Lee's game face snapped into place even before Gaeta's voice came over the PA, "Action stations, action stations. Set Condition One throughout the ship."
They walked out of the SitRoom and made their way quickly to CIC. When they arrived, Lee relieved Gaeta at Tactical while Kara made her way to the tac table with the Old Man and Tigh. "What are we looking at?"
Tigh and Adama's eyes were locked on the DRADIS screen but Tigh grimace and said, "It just jumped in, CBDR and from the size it looks like a Base Ship. Hot Dog and Catman are outbound and will have visual in two minutes."
Kara scowled and picked up the nearest receiver and dialed up the flight deck, "This is the CAG, get the alert ships in the air."
Gaeta called out from Flight Ops, "The Fleet is in jump prep, they'll need two minutes."
Adama was scowling at the DRADIS screen, "Put us between the Base Ship and the Fleet, Tactical, give me a firing solution, we'll have to hold them off."
Kara noticed Lee entering in computations and target information rapidly and she looked back up at the DRADIS. She thought briefly about sprinting down to the hangar and getting her plane but by the time she got in her flight suit they'd be jumping. As much as it frustrated her, she'd have to sit this one out. She gripped the edge of the table angrily.
From Tactical Lee yelled out, "New contacts! They're launching raiders." Kara felt her grip tighten and she could see her knuckles go white. A moment later Lee called out again, "I've got a firing solution."
Before Adama could order them to open fire, Dee called out from communications, "Commander? I'm getting Colonial transponders."
Lee then turned away from his station to them as Adama cast him a questioning look. When Lee's eyes returned to his screen he said, "Confirmed, DRADIS now reading as friendlies."
Tigh's scowl became more severe as he muttered, "Hell, they're using our own signals against us."
Everyone turned to the Commander and found him staring at the DRADIS screen above him with a thoughtful expression. He muttered, "Maybe." His voice rose to address the rest of CIC, "Weapons hold and hold the jump." Kara gave Adama a questioning look while Dee informed the Fleet to hold the jump.
Her CO then turned towards Dee at communications, "Ship-to-ship, Priority One Channel. Send hostile challenge and id, then put the reply on the speaker."
Lee called out from Tactical, "Seventeen hundred, CBDR."
Feedback whined across the speakers before a male voice said, "This is the Battlestar Pegasus to the ship claiming to be Galactica, please respond."
A moment later Dee spoke from her station, "Receiving recognition and id codes, they're authentic."
Kara shook her head, "It's a trick, they're all dead."
Tigh was nodding his agreement as Adama picked up a receiver and ordered a direct line to Pegasus. When Dee gave him the go ahead, he said. "Pegasus, this is Galactica Actual requesting to speak with Pegasus Actual."
"Galactica, this is Pegasus Actual. Adama is that you?"
Kara's eyes snapped to Adama and she noticed the visible relief spread through him at the sound of the voice over the wireless before he said, "Admiral Cain, it's a pleasure to hear your voice."
He gave Kara an imperceptible nod and she picked up her receiver again, "Flight Deck, this is the CAG, cancel alert launch."
They heard Cain call her fighters back then she said, "Commander… I don't know what to say… This is a blessed miracle."
The Old Man nodded his agreement, "You took the words out of my mouth, Admiral." He turned to Tigh, "Step down to Condition Three and then give Colonial One the sit-rep." He then spoke into the receiver again, "Admiral, might I request your presence on Galactica at your discretion? The President and I can debrief you on the situation." Cain agreed and a moment later, Adama hung up the receiver. "I need to go speak with the President on the wireless, you have the deck Colonel." He turned to Kara, "Captain Thrace, you and Captain Adama might want to brief your pilots before they arrive."
Kara took her cue and she and Lee left the CIC to gather her pilots. She couldn't help the smile that pulled at her face when Lee's hand grazed hers and he said, "Well Starbuck, do you believe in miracles?"
She grinned, "I found you in a bombed out museum after two months in a irradiated hell hole and more importantly, I've seen you fresh out of the shower. I definitely believe in miracles."
Lee laughed as he stopped and turned to her, "Says the woman with quite possibly the best breasts in the Fleet."
She faced him with a scowl, "I prefer the term 'rack,' thank you very much." The pair then resumed their trek to the Ready Room. "Or at the very least, 'fun bags.' Gods Lee, show some tact."
"I'll bear that in mind."
End Part