Title: Phythian Mission

Author: GEM

Date written: 3/8/08

Rated: T

Word count:

Story Timeline: Season 1

Category: Drama

Characters: General

Summary: If the want to survive this is the only chose the have. The story behind the Hand of God.

Spoiler: Season 1 Hand of God

AN: My take on the hand of God. I have wanted to write this since the first season and finally found the time. This story fills in some of the gaps of the Hand of God and has my own twist on the ending and my take on some of the continuity errors of the episode. A lot of the mission dialogue comes from the episode and the story also includes my OC Lauren "Wildcard" Myers from my stories Academy Days and Goodbye is the Saddest Word. Enjoy reading and as always Reviews are appreciated.

Chapter 10

Apollo slows his accent and joins the squad. He looks back at the base astonished. "Galactica, Apollo." He pauses for a moment and speaks again the disbelief evident in his voice. "Mission…Accomplished."

Cheers erupt throughout both the war room. Kara lets out a big cheer and embraces the President almost knocking her over.

Laura is shocked by the young woman's outburst of joy "Oh!"

Kara quickly pulls away "I'm sorry Madame President."

Apollo is still on the radio "You can tell Dr. Baltar he was right on the money. It's one hell of a fireworks show and there is plenty of ore back in the canyon.

---

Adama and Tigh shake hands in CIC as the CIC crew celebrates. Adama turns away from the celebration, removing his glasses tears of pride clearly in his eyes.

---

Gatea embraces Baltar in the war room "Congratulation Dr. You did it."

Baltar is clearly in Shock. Yes, we did."

Six appeared before his eyes she took his face in her hands and kissed him. "See what happens when you leave things in Gods hands, Gaius."

---

"Galactica, Wildcard…Cylon raiders are bugging out request permission to pursue and destroy. Lauren couldn't keep the smile out of her voice. She was so proud of Lee and of all of them.

"Stand by Wildcard."

Back in CIC the celebration continued. Dee looked down at the Commander. "Strike report Cylons raider bugging out Commander. They are requesting permission to go after them, sir.

Adama turned to Dee "Tell our people to pursue and destroy."

Dualla smiled at the Commander and keyed her headset. "Affirmative. Strike one... tear 'em up."

"With Pleasure, Galactica. Lauren said into her radio. Strike one we are free and clear…be careful but have fun."

---

Twenty minutes later. Apollo and Strike Two, along with Wildcard and Strike One were all back at the barn. Apollo was climbing out of his viper. Once at the bottom his was immediately hugged by Cally and handed a bottle of alcohol. He took a swig as he hugged Cally. Starbuck came up to him and patted him on the back. Lauren followed her and hugged him after Cally left.

"Apollo, you magnificent bastard I couldn't have done it better myself. "

Apollo put a hand to his ear, Excuse me what was that I couldn't quite hear you." Lauren laughed as they broke the hug. She turned around and looked a Starbuck with a smile on her face. Lee wrapped his free arm around Lauren. As they both waited for Kara to respond. Lauren took a swig of ambrosia from her own bottle.

"I said I couldn't have done it better, myself..."

"Well, thank you."

"Way to go Starbuck you came up with one hell of a plan."

"Yeah, But I'm not as crazy as this bastard."

"Oh, really…" Lauren smiled and looked at Lee. "Do you think you…?'

"No…"

"I don't either I beg to differ Kara."

"Oh will you two shut up!" Lee you deserve this. " Kara hand him her last cigar.

He bits off the end and sticks in his mouth. He pulls his grandfather's lighter from his flight suit. " I have the perfect lighter to too." He looks over Kara shoulder and spots his father. He's eyes go soft and his face tells his father all he needs to know.

"Lee what's the matter… Lauren stops as she now sees the old man standing on the flight deck. She smiles and nods. The old man does the same. All is explained. Lee finishes lighting the cigar, holds up the lighter to his father and tosses it across the deck. Bill Adama catches and holds in is hand for a moment, the look in his eyes and as he clinches in his hand and holds it up says it all I love you, Son, well done and welcome home.

"Are you Okay, Lee?" Lauren asked as they watched his father quietly leave the deck.

"I'm fine…I just."

"He loves you. He always has.

"I know. Let's go celebrate Ladies Apollo leads the way with Wildcard on one side and Starbuck on the other.

---

Laura and Bill sit quietly in his quarters at the table. "Well done, Commander." Laura says as she holds up her glass. Bill holds his up as well and they collide ever so lightly.

"Thank You, Madame President."

"We still have a long way to go."

"At least now we'll have fuel to get there." Laura laughed and Adama smiled.

---

Baltar was in a drunken haze of glory looking out over his patio at the vista in front of him. She was a vision of blonde beauty. "Have you read the Pythian prophecy, Gaius?" Six came over and sat on his lap caressing his face.

"Not since the sixth grade. I can't say ancient history is my favorite subject."

"You should have paid closer attention, hmm?"

"To what?"

"All of this has happened before. All of this will happen again."

Baltar was loosing patients with her. "Everyone knows that verse. What are you getting at?"

Six got closer to him. " Remember this one? Led by serpents numbering two and ten."

Baltar made the connection "The Vipers... they're the serpents."

"There's also a later verse, Gaius, you should read it. Though the outcome favored the few, it led to a confrontation at the home of the gods."

"Are you telling me that God guided my finger to that target for some... arcane scriptural purpose?" Baltar stood up in disbelief; he went and leaned against the rail of the patio.

"You are part of God's plan, Gaius."

"So God wanted me to destroy the Cylon base."

"You did well. You gave yourself over to him."

Baltar look at six possibly believing that he may be part of the God's plan if he believed in the cylon god and if Six was really but of course she's really, "Yes, suppose I did. Yes, there's- there's really no other logical explanation for it. I was-"

"Am." Six corrects him.

Baltar looked up into the sky, smiling. "I am an instrument of God."

The End