A/N: Sorry for the delay. Thanks to all that have reviewed. Enjoy this chapter!
Chapter 7
Kara and Lee arrived at the Old man's quarters on time Lee knocked on the hatch and entered upon hearing his father voice. They sat down in the office area to go over the final details of the mission.
"So, this is the final meeting before this mission. Starbuck, you've coordinated with Mr. Gaeta and everything is set correct?
"Yes, sir."
"Lee the strike forces are ready and the Chief is satisfied?"
"I just came from the flight deck. All the birds are ready to fly. We do have slight change in the roaster." Lee slid the new roaster across his father's desk. "We had a slight over sight. Wildcard is leading Strike one."
"Yes, sir. I feel it's better to have veteran combat pilot on each wing sir. Hotdog is her second."
"Very good." Adama removed his glasses. "Anything else?"
Starbuck stepped up. "There is the matter of moving Strike two into position sir."
"You're concerned about the President and the press." Adama stood up. Lee and Kara followed. "We are moving your team early. I wouldn't worry about the press. I'll see to the President."
Yes, sir." Kara smiled.
Lee collected the reports and files on the desk. He was careful to leave copies for his father. "Thank you. Sir." Lee and Kara both left silently.
--
Kara and Lee walked down the corridor back to the ready room. "Can you think of anything else we need to do?"
Not really. Lauren was going to the flight deck to check the strike one birds and she was going to talk to Hotdog. I think we put these to bed. Hit the mess then the showers and get some shuteye.
"You can shower I'll pass for now. Kara said with a smile. They passed a very dreamy looking Gaius Baltar in the near empty corridor. He was odd to say the least but they stopped. "What's up Doc?"
"What…oh… nothing…nothing…just out for a little walk."
"Have a nice walk then doctor. If you'll excuse us, Kara and Lee continued on and Baltar continued to stare at the bulkhead.
"I could be sending them to their death. An image of a Six in his favorite red dress appeared before him. She snaked her arms around him and pulled in close.
"I told you God would not steer you wrong Gaius." She caressed his face "You have to have faith in him. She kissed him passionately.
"Yes, I have faith in God."
--
The bunkroom was quiet most of the pilots were sleeping but Lee sleep would not come. He tossed a turned in his bunk the mission on his mind. After about an hour he gave up. He sat up quietly and dressed in his uniform. He walked out of the bunkroom and closed the hatch behind him.
The sound of his toss and turning woke Lauren up. Lee was always hard on himself but she couldn't sleep either she never could before an op. She tried to talk to Lee earlier but he wouldn't elaborate. Lee kissed her lovingly behind the curtained off bunk and send her to bed to sleep. She had dozed a bit but sleep wasn't coming easily.
Lauren thought about going after Lee but figured he needed some time alone. She lay in her bunk staring at the bunk above before giving in and getting up as well. She dressed in her uniform and quietly left the bunkroom.
Lauren Myers hesitated outside the hatch but then knocked lightly. "Come."
Lauren pulled the hatch open and stepped through. "Good evening Sir."
"Wildcard." Bill put his book down and pulled off his glasses "I wondered when you would be showing up."
"I thought I would have to this time."
Adama smiled and chuckled. "And ruin our tradition. You wouldn't." Bill walked over to the hutch and poured two glasses of water. He turned back to the couch and handed one to Lauren.
"Thank you."
"What's on your mind, besides the mission?"
"Lee."
"Oh."
"I think he's really feeling the pressure. Starbuck casts a large shadow around here if you know what I mean."
"You are all great pilots, Lauren."
"I know that Uncle Bill. Lee has just been hard on himself. At the moment his wandering the corridors, he can't sleep and he wouldn't talk to me. He kissed me and sent me to bed."
Bill smiled. "He loves you."
"I love him too."
Bill put a hand on her leg. "Your father would be proud of you. I hope you know that."
"I know I been thinking about him a lot these last couple of days. I know he would be proud of all we've done so far."
"I'm proud of you too, Lauren don't ever forget that." Bill placed his glass on the coffee table, stood up and buttoned the top of his uniform. He walked over to his desk and took something out of the top drawer and put it in his pocket. He walked back over to where Lauren was sitting on the couch. "Now, if you'll excuse me I need to have talk with my son."
Lauren reached for his hand and gave it a squeeze as she stood up. She smiled at him. "Thank you…for everything." Lauren gave the old man a quick hug.
"You're Welcome. You can stay if you would like. It'll be quiet here for a while."
"No, thanks, I probably should get going and try to sleep." Lauren and Adama walked out of his quarters together and down toward the pilots bunkroom in silence
Adama stopped in front of the hatch to the bunkroom "Good Hunting, Wildcard."
Thank you, Sir." Wildcard gave him a quick salute and bid him good night.
--
It didn't take Bill long to find Lee. He was truly his father's son. He sitting and staring at his bird before a big op, deep in thought.
Adama walks in, looks at the viper and then at his son. "Can't sleep? I couldn't either before a big op. Mark two... good ship. Got me out of a lot of tough scrapes. Got something for you." Adama takes out an old steel lighter and throws it to Apollo. Apollo with quick reflexes catches and looks at it. "It belonged to your grandfather. My mom bought it for him when he was in law school. See the engraving on it?
Apollo looks closer at the lighter. "Yeah, I can barely make it out, but..." He flips it so the light hits it just right so he could read it. Joseph Adama
Bill leaned over the ledge closer to Lee. "He was a better father than I was. Dad used to carry that into court cases, claimed he never lost, unless he left it behind."
Apollo glanced over at his father. "So you're worried too."
Adama made eye contact with Lee. "About what?"
Lee never was very closed to his father but in this moment he felt something different. It was time to come clean and get this worry of his chest. "You know? Sometimes it feels like the whole ship thinks, uh, Starbuck would do better."
Bill Adama looks over to his son once again. "I don't."
"How can you be so sure?" A hint of worry was laced in Apollo's voice
"'Cause you're my son." Bill pats Lee on the back. "Get some rest, you're going to need it." Bill turns and started up the ladder.
"Dad... " Bill turns around on the stairs and looks at Lee. Lee looks up at him and holds up the lighter. "I'll bring it back." He holds in tight in his fist.
A Bill half smiled at him but says in a serious yet joking tone "You better, or I'll kick your ass. It's a good lighter."
--
Lee returned to the bunkroom and climbed back into bed. He wouldn't be able to sleep for long but he was going to get any sleep he could. He looked across to Laurens bunk and noticed the curtain was drawn. He would talk to her before he left.
The launch time approached quickly Lauren was up early. She wouldn't be joining strike two but she would be seeing them off. Lee sat up in his bunk tying his boots. "Hey sleeping Beauty."
Lauren walked over to his bunk and sat down "Hey yourself. How do you feel?"
" Fine, Thanks for everything. I had a long talk with Dad last night. He found me on the flight deck." Lee winked at her and then leaned in and kissed her
"Your welcome. Be safe. Good hunting."
--
Bill picked up the phone in his office and Spoke with Dee. "I need to speak to the President."
"Yes, Sir." Dee quickly called Billy on Colonial One and connected the Commander with the President.
"Good evening Commander or should I say Good Morning?"
Good Morning would probably be more appropriate given the hour, Madame President. I'm sorry to wake you but I have a message here that says you wanted to speak with me. I'm afraid this is the first chance I've had.
"I wasn't sleeping Commander and from your tone of voice I would say you haven't been doing much either."
"I have a lot on my mind it's been a busy couple of days." They both shared a laugh.
"It has hasn't it? It is nectars though. You have my full support."
"No regrets?" Bill asked as he leaned back in his chair.
"None, You?"
"No, I can't say I do."
"Anything to report."
"Only that we're ready."
Laura took her glasses off and laid down on her futon with the handset still to her ear. "Good to hear. I'll see you in a few short hours. Get some sleep, Commander"
"You too, Madame President." The line went dead a moment later. Bill hit the button for CIC. "Sit Rep."
"Strike Two Safely away Sir. The scrambler is Operational."
"Thank you, Dee."