Battlestar Pegasus:
Helena Cain Commanding
Conducting Mining Operations in Un-named Asteroid Field
Day 31

Lee leaned against the doorway of the pilot's rec room, watching the pilots trying to hang on and beginning to falter at it. Some might not see it, they might look at Narcho and Red Devil tossing the Pyramid back and forth while several of the Nuggets were playing triad and Kat and Showboat flirted with each other in the corner and assume all was well.

Years spent in rec rooms and his time on Pegasus, both as CAG and as XO, allowed him to notice that their hearts just weren't in it. They all thought they were going to die, picked off one-by-one by the ace Raider they'd dubbed "Scar."

He wanted to be able to do something, but he didn't know what. He couldn't exactly march into the rec room and give some rousing speech; firstly, because that was more of his father's territory and secondly, it wasn't his place as the XO. The XO was to be hated, that was Tigh's first lesson, "if the crew doesn't hate the XO he's not doing his job." The Commander issued the orders but the XO was the one who saw them carried out.

Lee was the one who had to stand over shoulders and breathe down necks. He had to stalk into CIC or the Ready Room and light into people to make sure they were doing everything Commander Cain needed of them. Since he took the posting of XO, Lee felt uncomfortable even walking into the rec room to eat or grab a cup of coffee much less being the one to lift their spirits.

Kat looked up and noticed his presence, "Attention on Deck."

Lee stepped into the room and waved them off, "As you were."

Narcho kicked the chair out at his table, "Pull up a chair XO." Several of the older pilots expressed similar invitations while Showboat and Kat smirked at the Nuggets looking at him nervously.

Again, Lee waved them off, "Sorry for intruding but I need a word with Kat."

Louanne nodded then rose to her feet and gave Marcia a shrug before she followed him out into the corridor. They walked a few paces down the corridor before Lee spoke, "Pretty subdued in there, some nights I have to come down here just to make sure you aren't all going to drink yourselves into comas and leave the Fleet in the hands of Starbuck's pilots on the Bucket."

The woman chuckled, "Well, we can't be rowdy every night."

Lee grinned, "I'm sure Chief Tyrol will be crushed as his liquor market crashes." They walked a few more yards down the corridor before he spoke again, "How are they holding up?"

She sighed, "It's getting to them, every patrol that goes out comes home one or two shy, it seems. That eats at you, wondering every time whether you're next." Lee nodded agreement, he knew the feeling very well. "I'm lucky though, I mean a lot of pilots are pretty experienced and can shake it off. It's the nuggets that worry me."

She stopped and Lee turned towards her, "I remember my first few patrols after Basic Flight, worrying about whether or not I'd smash into Hot Dog or Chuckles, whether I'd miss the trap and bounce into the side of the Pod and wondering if the Cylons will show up and send me screaming into Hell.

"Scar's picking us off and the nuggets are all looking around wondering how long it'll be until I order them out on CAPs to get picked off too." She sighed, "I'm starting to wonder too."

Lee looked her over then spoke in a more private tone, "How are you holding up?"

Kat actually laughed, "You actually want me to believe that the big bad XO cares about another human being, especially one under his command?"

Lee shook his head, "Not at all, but do you know what the Commander and I went through to select you as CAG? I'm not going through that again anytime soon." He sobered, "You got thrown into this before you'd even got the Galactica patch off your sleeve. The Commander and I picked you because we knew you could handle the position but that doesn't mean it isn't hard loosing pilots like this." He continued, "I was where you were at a few weeks ago, and in a sense I'm in the same place now. You have to be strong every moment of the day because the CAG always has to be in control. They have to look up to you, so sometimes it helps to know there's someone you can talk to."

He smirked, "Besides, contrary to what impressions Colonel Tigh gave you, even the XO is human... sometimes."

She nodded, "Thanks Major."

Lee started them down the corridor, "I came down for another reason, I have a way to boost morale." He led her to his cabin and led her over to his desk.

"When I officially took my post as XO I was issued Colonel Fisk's cabin. I've been slowly going through his affects as well as those of Colonel Wilkins and I've found the Top Gun Stein." He picked it up off the desk, "I'm authorizing a toaster hunt Kat. I want your pilots to go out there, find him and gun him down, you'll offer this up to the pilot that splashes Scar."

Kat looked the stein over reverently, then turned to Lee with a hint of the cocky expression he wanted to see out of her and the rest of the pilots. "It'll be a pleasure, sir."

Lee smiled, "That's what I want to hear. One more thing, about Showboat." He took a seat at his desk and watched the younger officer's eyebrow quirk questioningly. "I'm sure she's told you that she, Starbuck and I go all the way back to the Academy. Hell, she and I dated for almost a year and I-"

Kat smirked, "Forgive me sir, but if this is some overprotective pseudo-big brother speech-"

Lee shook his head, "On the contrary, after being her friend this long I just want to ask." He leaned forward, "Don't you think you're slumming, just a bit?"

Kat laughed, "Sir, I don't think I have to tell you about Marcia's ample... charm." She sobered, "I'm aware of the frat regs and if this is what's that's about..."

Lee waved her off, "I'm not here to rat you out Louanne, so just show some discretion and we'll all be fine. Dismissed." Kat saluted and left his cabin while Lee turned on the wireless to try and find some music.

&&&&&&&&&

"...This Fleet has made four hundred and forty-six jumps and-" The buzzing from her wireless interrupted Helena as she prepared her first campaign speech. She placed her pen on the desk and picked up the receiver. "Cain."

Hoshi's voice came through the speaker, "Commander, I have the Admiral on the line."

"Put him though, Lieutenant." A moment later Hoshi let her know they were connected, "Admiral?"

Adama's voice was grim, "President Roslin passed away an hour ago, I need you to return to the Fleet, ASAP. The funeral will be in seven days, bring your full dress."

Helena reached for her drink but fumbled it off the desk and jumped slightly at the sound of it shattering on the deck. "I'll... I'll be on a raptor within the hour. I'll leave Lee in command until I can return."

"Billy and Tory have taken the liberty of preparing some remarks for you. I'll have them here for you when you arrive."

"Thank you, sir. Bill-"

Adama cut her off, "Not now, when you arrive."

The line was disconnected and she pressed a hot key to access the intercom, she heard the tone to call the crew's attention, "This is the Commander. One hour ago, President Laura Roslin passed away. I ask you all now to take the time to pray for her soul and ask the Gods to bless both her, and this Fleet. That is all."

She made a call to CIC to page the XO then replaced the receiver and closed her eyes in silent prayer.

She had just finished picking up the shards of glass off the deck when the Marine outside her cabin announced the XO's arrival. She tossed the shards into the trash and triggered the hatch release. Lee entered the cabin and gave her a salute which she returned, "Come in, Major." As he crossed the room to her she spoke, "I have to return to the Fleet for the funeral. I'm leaving you in command, the Majahaul discovered another high-yield vein of iron and have extended operations another three weeks. I'll return in a week to ten days." She crossed the room towards her closet.

Lee followed her and she continued, "You may wish to select an officer to assume your duties while I'm away, either Major Garner or Lieutenant Hoshi would be ideal. Now I need to pack, call the flight deck arrange for a Raptor to take me back to the Fleet."

"Yes sir, but considering the presence of Scar, I'd prefer you to wait until the next CAP goes out. Narcho, Showboat, Cubit and Kat will be in the air."

"Very well, dismissed." Lee saluted and left while she opened her closet and pulled out her dress uniform and a travel bag.

&&&&&&&&&

Lee was in CIC by the time the Commander's raptor was ready for launch. Major Garner was standing across from him at the Tac Table looking rather uncomfortable out of his coveralls and in dress blues. Hoshi spoke from Communications, "The LSO has cleared Buster for launch and the CAP is in the tube."

Lee nodded and turned his attention to the DRADIS display and spoke, "Set Condition Two, alert vipers on stand-by, put the pilot chatter on the speaker and clear them for launch. Inform Buster to have his FTL spun up and ready to jump the moment he has a clear position."

Lee watched as blips signifying the CAP and raptor flight appeared on his DRADIS. The raptor immediately moved off with the vipers along side. "Pegasus/Buster, we're en route, should clear the asteroid field in three minutes thirty seconds."

Lee nodded and turned to the Tactical officer, "Put it on the clock." The countdown started and the next two-hundred and ten seconds were extremely tense.

"Narcho/Cubit, possible DRADIS contact. Three o'clock high near the Diamond." Just as Cubit said, a blip appeared on the screen near the large diamond-shaped asteroid, the computer was classifying it as an unknown as the high iron content in the field was bouncing DRADIS all over the place. Lee gripped the edge of the table and willed the DRADIS signal to clean up.

"Copy that Cubit, it looks like some debris. It's not a raider." There was a chuckle and Narcho joked, "You're not getting my money that easy!"

Kat's sure voice cut across the channel "All right people, lock it down! Keep your eyes peeled for that frakker. He's been seen several times near the Big Spud."

The ensign at tactical called out "Two minutes" and then, "One-thirty."

"Kat/Showboat, no visuals in sector three."

"Copy that, same goes for sector four."

"One minute fifteen."

Cubit's voice crackled through the speakers, "This is about where JoJo and Pitbull bought it."

"That was a frakkin' shame too. I really wanted some alone time with Pitbull, I was sure she was a screamer." Lee had to resist the urge to roll his eyes at Narcho's joke.

"You're dreaming Narcho, she was way too much woman for you!" This time it was Marcia's voice.

This time Cubit chuckled, "Well then, was she too much woman for you Showboat?"

"I thought we covered this Cubit, I won't help your dirty mind keep you occupied in your rack... all alone with just your left hand and a tube sock."

"Frak off Showboat, you know I'm a righty!"

Lee pretended not to notice the junior officers stifling smirks and chuckles, while the tactical officer said, "thirty seconds."

Kat's angry voice came over the wireless, "Hey! I remind you nuggets that the CO and XO both have their ears on!"

"Kat/Narcho. No visual in sector eight."

Lee looked up to see the count down at fifteen seconds. "Pegasus/Buster. Nearly clear, calculating jump now."

Hoshi spoke up, "Copy Buster, you're clear to jump when ready."

The raptor blip disappeared and Kat said, "Okay, raptor's away, peel off and split up. Narcho you're with me, Cubit's Showboat's wing. Keep in constant contact with your wing and Pegasus. Let's do it."

He watched them peel off and begin to patrol the asteroid field in search of Scar. He ignored the rather mundane pilot chatter as his eyes tried to find some sign that the raider was out there. Once again, he felt the familiar ache, the need to be out there himself trying to chase down the fighter. The last few days, he'd listened to the pilot's chatter and had to bash down the urge to sprint down to the Flight Deck, throw on a flight-suit and take a viper out to find his way into a fire fight.

He was torn out of his thoughts by Cubit's frantic voice, "FRAK! Kat/Cubit. I've got a Raider on my tail, he slipped in out of nowhere!"

"Kat/Showboat. I've spotted the raider, it's Scar. I'm moving in on him to engage."

"Showboat/Kat. Narcho and I are in bound, we'll hit your position in thirty seconds."

"Taking evasive, I'm gonna try to lead him through the hash around the Big Spud."

"Break left Cubit, he's about to fire!"

"Frak! He clipped me!"

"I've got visual on him Kat! Keep leading him my way, Cubit!"

"You better frakking hit him Narcho, he's trying to fly up my ass!"

"Cubit/Kat. Go full throttle!"

"Copy!"

There was a tense pause before Narcho's voice filled CIC, "WHOO! TAKE THAT!"

At the same moment Cubit exclaimed in a relieved sigh. "Mother Frak Me!"

A moment later Kat said, "Pegasus/Kat. Scratch one raider. Narcho bulls-eyed Scar!"

A roar went up in CIC and Lee slapped the Tac table in celebration before he picked up the receiver, "Narcho/Pegasus. Nice shooting!"

"Thanks Apollo! Not so tough, is he now?"

"I second that Narcho. First round's on me!"

"Copy that CAG, I'm gonna enjoy that Top Gun stein, especially after Cubit gives me my money."

Lee laughed and spoke, "Complete your CAP then come on back to the barn, Kat. And second round's on me." He turned to Major Garner and grinned, "Set Condition Three and take the alert fighters out of the tubes. You have the board, Major. I need to call the Admiral and give a preliminary report." With those words Lee left CIC and silently added, and a stiff drink.