A/N: I was not sure I was going to be able to get this chapter posted before we moved, but moving got pushed to the end of the month, so please enjoy. This chapter alternates between being a little heavy and then really light. I didn't want to it to be all heavy so I interjected some lighter moments.
Please enjoy reading and if you get a moment leave me a review to let me know if you're still enjoying this story. I should be able to get the next couple of chapters out before the computer needs to be packed up. Happy reading.
Chapter 13: Dark Secrets
Into the silence of the conference room, Cassandra Thrace begins to speak.
"Twelve families asked to give up everything and follow the False God and his people to a world so far removed from all that they knew, they almost believed they were being forsaken. Only the lingering warmth of having been in the presence of the Lords of Kobol convinced them otherwise. The head of each family was told to watch, listen and record everything that happened. Keep their bloodlines unsullied and uncrossed with that of the people and creations of the False God."
"Each family would be blessed and those blessings would make the whole group stronger. The prophets would guide them from now on; so they would have to keep their faith strong and their hearts stronger. They would be asked to do vile and reprehensible things, but they would free humanity from the taint and forever be in the good graces of the Gods."
"These families were humbled by what was asked of them and neither needed or wanted any recognition for their service. They'd ask for nothing for themselves and would serve the will of the Gods as one." Here Cass pauses and looks at Helena. It seemed as if tears were in her eyes and her friend of more years than she could count placed a hand on her arm and took over.
"The 12 families lived in constant fear of being found out. They worshiped in silence and taught the next generation in secret. Their hardest tasks were in deciphering what their prophets told them and keeping their bloodlines untainted. They put blind faith in what they believed their Gods were telling them through the prophets and they adopted a harsh code of arranged marriages that exist to this very day." Helena says in a voice heavy with emotion.
"I have a question," Bill says in voice hushed by the enormity of what he was hearing. "Why was keeping the bloodlines pure so important?"
"It was the goal of the False God to replace the creation of the Lords of Kobol with his own. At first he began a campaign of genocide against humanity. When that didn't work to his satisfaction; he began interbreeding his cylons with humans. This happened long before you colonists created your first human looking cylon. You all had scientist and engineers tinkering with someone else's creation; on Earth we had their creator improving on what he had started. Through the prophet, the Lord of Kobol gave us the impression that a pure bloodline going back to the Exodus was important to the future survival of both groups of people; those on Earth and the 12 Tribes of Man." Cass says in answer to Bill's question. She paused briefly and took a few sips of her coffee. After a few moments, she looked up and began again.
""It was not long after we had gotten to Earth that the False God had managed to make his machines look and act human. Soon people forgot that the cylons had been machines at all. The people also soon forgot they had come from someplace beyond the stars, and created stories about how they came to be on Earth. Those stories had been made up by the False God and perpetuated by the human looking cylons. Once man had forgotten all that had come before, the False God made his next move; he had his cylons begin to breed with the humans. We had hoped this would not be easy for the cylons to accomplish, but unfortunately it didn't happen that way."
"How much time had passed by this point?" Laura asks, interrupting Cassandra.
"By the time the cylons were able to reproduce through the humans, we had been on Earth for about seven hundred years," Cass answers, turning to a page that was about a quarter way through the book. She pushed the book towards Bill and Laura.
They looked at the page that was written in ancient Kobol and knew that they would never be able to decipher it. They both looked up questions evident in their eyes.
"The book was kept in ancient Kobol so that if it should ever fall into the hands of our enemies they wouldn't be able to decipher it," Helena explains. "But this page documents the birth of the first non-human baby born. The birth was attended by a midwife from the House of Avery to assure that they baby didn't survive. Even though she was successful, there was no way for us to prevent every birth."
"But that distracts us from your question," Cass says taking over the story once more. "Up to a few years before the child was born, we believed that the False God was still alive. That led us into a quandary, because if he was still alive, it would mean he was no human at all, but possibly a God as he had often proclaimed. Later we found out that he had died long ago, but he had left specific instructions for the cylons; an agenda if you will."
"What were those instructions?" Bill asks in voice tinged with tinged with tiredness.
"They were simple, breed out humanity; destroy them any way you can," Helena says quietly.
"By the time of the nuclear holocaust, the only pure humans left on Earth, were the descendants of the twelve families." Cass told him.
"What about all the people that comprise your fleet?" Laura asks worried that they had placed themselves in a precarious situation.
"Every single one of the one hundred thousand people aboard those ships is a direct descendant of the original 12 families," Cass replies pulling another book from the bag that she had carried in. Bill and Laura looked at the book as if was a poisonous snake about to attack them. "We have several more of these books and they each contain the birth, marriage and death of each person, starting with our forefathers."
"We numbered more than four times that many people before the devastation on Earth. Each one of those lives lost in the holocaust was a sacrifice on the altar of the Gods for the sake of humanity," Helena tells them.
"How did you manage an endeavor of this magnitude?" Laura asks.
"The UAG was actually a front cover for what we were doing. Once we discovered faster than light technology, we put our plan to get off Earth into action. The 12 families began building political and financial power from day one. The UN had been under our control for about 250 years. We have held the presidency of the USA for more than 100 years, as well as many high ranking political positions around the world. We were THE most secret society to ever exist and we had a hand in every other secret society that was formed. We had vast fortunes at our disposal, and prophecies from our Gods." Cass says.
Laura frowns for a moment while flipping through the genealogy book that had been placed on the table. It seemed there was a discrepancy, but she could be wrong as she didn't have all the information necessary.
"What did you mean when you said the line of prophets was not dead?" Laura asks Helena. Cassandra and Helena look at each other and then when Cass nods her head, Helena pulls another book out of the bag and places it directly in front of Laura.
"Our last prophet, Chiron Thalia was quite adamant that we deliver this personally into your hands," Helena says. "You won't be able to read most of it until we teach you Ancient Kobol, but the last few pages we believe are for you."
"You have no more prophets?" Bill asks them curious where all this was leading.
"The line of prophets ran through the male line of the Thalia family," Cass explained. "Not every generation produced a prophet; it was erratic but always through the males. Chiron's grandson, Athos Thalia is Commodore of the Sagittarius. Neither Athos nor his father Erebus were gifted with foresight. Chiron died a few years before we left Earth."
"This Athos; he has no children?" Laura asks. She had yet to open the book, afraid of what it might tell her. She was beginning to wonder if they had stumbled upon a group of religious fanatics.
"Athos had 3 children," Cass says with a heavy voice. "His daughter is a fighter pilot in our fleet, but both his sons have been lost to us. There was great hope that one of the boys would show some promise but neither did before their deaths. And neither had any children before they died on Earth."
"Chiron believed that the Gods liked symmetry, and that if a male line on Earth had the gift of foresight, then a female line among the colonist would share the same gift," Helena says.
"I think we need a break," Cass says standing up from her chair clearly agitated. Bill could tell that the last few minutes had taken quite a toll on her, and he agreed that all of them could use some time to process what that they've heard so far.
"I agree that a break is needed," he replies, standing and walking over to Cassandra. He looks into her green eyes and sees a pain that goes deep. "Do you wish to return to the Capricorn or remain aboard Galactica?"
"We'll stay here," she whispers. "Afterall I'm sure that with what have told you so far, you must have a million questions."
"Actually a million and one," he replies with a grin.
&&&&
"I'll have a cheeseburger, fries, vanilla milkshake, onion rings, cheese sticks, hot dog with chilli and cheese, a large house salad and a glass of water," Lee says handing the waiter his menu.
Kara and the waiter look at him in astonishment and he can't help but laugh. The young man looks at Kara as if to ask if Lee is serious and she shakes her head and he turns away to go put the order in.
"You didn't order anything," Lee says.
"I'll just wait for you to make a mad dash for the restrooms, which are over there by the way, and help myself," Kara responds with a smirk. "Alright, I've given you the grand tour of the Monterey, so what do you think?'
"I agree with you that several separate parties are going to be necessary," Lee replies as the waiter places a large milkshake in front of him. He takes a pull from the straw and his mouth is flooded with the rich taste of vanilla; a taste he has come to associate with the woman sitting across from him. He shifts slightly as his body begins to respond; then he nearly chokes when Kara runs her foot up his calf and settles it into his lap.
'You forget flyboy, I can hear what you're thinking," she grins wickedly at him.
"Keep that up and we're going to need a room," he says as her foot caresses his groin.
"No need for a room. I can get you to come without even undoing the zipper," she purrs. Lee bite backs a groan and slumps a little further into his chair. He is saved by the waiter who returns to the table with the salad and cheese sticks. Kara withdraws her foot and pouts at him. Lee can't help but laugh.
"There is plenty of time for that later; if you're a good girl," he says to her as he snags the cheese stick she had picked up.
"I don't want to be a good girl," she says. "But since you don't want to play right now, back to the party plans. I want the pilots to have their own party aboard the Capricorn; let everybody else party here on the Monterey and the Olympus. The Capricorn has a huge observation lounge with a full bar and a sound stage; and there is the added benefit of being able to launch fighters if the need arises."
"That actually sounds like a good plan. No sense in all the pilots being stuck on a luxury liner if the cylons should come calling," Lee agrees. Kara knows that she only has part of his attention as he is lost in the food before him. "Come on and help me eat; you know I can't eat this all on my own."
"No you could, but you shouldn't," she replies grabbing half of his cheeseburger.
"So how long will it take to get all of this together?" Lee asks looking around. The Club House was a large restaurant that over looked a large playing field. There looked to be some sort of game being played at the moment.
"What are they playing?" He asks nodding towards the field.
"Rugby," Kara replies turning to look. She can tell instantly that it is a scrimmage game between the Capricorn team and the Virgo team. "All 12 UAG teams were aboard the Monterey when Earth was destroyed. They were getting ready for a huge tournament to be played out on that field. They've been having regular seasons since then."
"Looks brutal," Lee says as he watches several players go down.
"It is, and it is lot of fun," Kara says. She easily picks out Sam as he gets up. Well at least she knew where he was; all they'd have to do is avoid the field area and locker rooms. That should not be to difficult as they would be leaving as soon as she found Helo.
"So when are we throwing this party?" Lee asks, pulling her attention from the game.
"I'd say in three days. Gives us time to let everyone know and work out schedules so everyone has the opportunity to attend," she answers. She sees their waiter at another table and indicates that they're ready to leave. He nods his head in acknowledgment.
"Come on let's get out of here," she says pushing away from the table. Lee grabs her hand and entwines their fingers together. Kara smiles wickedly at him and winks.
"Captain Thrace, Captain Thrace can I talk to you for a moment." A young Lieutenant skids to a stop behind her.
"Yes," she replies not recognizing him.
"I hear you need a new drummer," he stammers. "I'd like to be considered."
"You're mistaken," Kara replies turning away.
"But everyone says Cally is mad with you," he replies looking puzzled.
"Look Lieutenant, Cally is mad because her baby is spending time somewhere else. I'd never replace her and she'd never quit. So the answer is still no," Kara replies firmly once again turning to leave.
"Come on Kara give me a chance," he says to her, grabbing hold of her arm.
"What part of NO didn't you get the first time!" She growls pushing him face first into a wall. "Cally isn't going anywhere and even if she was, haven't you noticed your no the right gender? But I could help you out with that; a few cuts to here, there and you'll be just right," she says grabbing his balls in a viselike grip. "And another thing, don't ever presume to call me Kara. Do I make myself clear Lieutenant?"
"Yes sir," he manages to squeak out after she lets him go. He doesn't even turn around to look at her after she releases him. He rushes up the corridor and barely manages to avoid running Helo over as he rounds the corner.
"I told him not to bother you," Helo says shaking his head slowly from side to side.
"Maybe he was looking for a quick plumbing change," she notes as they fall into step with Helo. "Who the hell is he anyway?" They had reached the landing bay and were getting back into the shuttle for the trip to the Capricorn.
"A new pilot on the Pisces," Helo replies while checking his controls. "Monterey this is the Prometheus requesting departing sequence."
"Prometheus you have been cleared for departure," came the comm officer. "We hope you enjoyed your stay at the Monterey."
"Sometimes I think they're just a little to happy on the Monterey," Kara grumbles.
"You're just nervous about having to face Cally without flying the Valkyrie back home," Helo laughs. "She is going to be livid."
"I plan to blame you entirely and Lee is going to back me up," she says casting a devilish look in his direction.
"How did I get involved in this?" Lee questioned, looking at her with one raised eyebrow.
"Helo convinced me that you did not have the necessary equipment to fly on the Valkyrie and you didn't seem to open to the idea of flying with Helo here in the Prometheus," she replies all sweet innocence.
"Helo my man you're on your own. I'm siding with the lady on this one."
"I see how things are now that you have a new boy toy," Helo says throwing Kara a dirty look. She laughs at him and then reaches over a kisses him gently on the cheek.
"You'll always be my first boy toy," she says lightly.
"Kara we were only six, I'm sure it doesn't count," Helo says in an outraged voice.
"Yeah but you loved it," she laughs.
"I don't think I want to know," Lee says quietly listening to the two friends.
"Capricorn this is the Prometheus requesting clearance for landing," Kara called over the comm.
"Prometheus you're cleared to land. Is the Admiral and Commodore aboard?"
"Negative, they are both still aboard the Galactica."
"Thank you Captain Thrace, and welcome back aboard the Capricorn."
Lee was not sure what he was going to see when he stepped onto the deck of the Capricorn, but he had not been prepared for the almost party like atmosphere that greeted them. Music was playing not to loud, but loud enough to be heard in the whole hangar bay. The song that was playing was seductive and being sung in a sultry woman's voice. Lee felt his body respond to that voice and he had to shake his head to clear the images it brought to mind.
"I could fall to sleep with the sweet sound of that voice in my ears too," Helo says clasping Lee on the shoulder.
"Only in your dreams Agathon," Kara says brushing pass them.
"Or my nightmares," he replies in a voice only Lee could hear. The older man looked at him and smirked. He and Helo were going to be friends, Lee could tell that now.
"ATTENTION GODDESS ON DECK! A female voice bellowed over the noise in the bay. Everyone immediately snapped to attention and Lee looked to Kara to see her blushing.
"Not use to being called a Goddess I see," he whispers into her ear. He notice the slight pink in her cheeks turn a darker red as his lips brush against the sensitive shell of her ear. "Easy there, we'll need some privacy for what you are thinking," he chuckles.
"At ease," Kara shouts and the whole hangar bay relaxes and several people come over to greet her. "Ok people, I know you're happy to see me, but I've a ton of things to do before leaving for the Galactica again."
"Captain I just need to let you know that Cupid and Cosmo are in the brig again," someone said to her.
"Damn those two!" Kara exclaimed. "What happened this time?"
"You'd have to ask Vegas; she's been in charge since Helo left. And she says that she can shuttle the big wigs around instead of playing babysitter to this rabble you call pilots."
"Well those two are just going to have to wait until I can deal with them later; much later. Listen up; first I would like to introduce all of you to Major Lee Adama. Like most of you he is a fighter pilot; call sign Apollo," there were several shocked gasps and everyone turned their attention to the man standing next to her. Several of the women gave him openly appreciative looks that made him squirm just a little. Kara noticed this and smiled, the man truly didn't know how good he looked.
"You're to treat him with the same respect you give me, but with a lot less attitude. Also there is going to be a party," at this announcement the hangar bay erupted in a cacophony of cheers and applause. "I know we love a good party around here. It will be held in three days time. I will be posting a rotation schedule so that everyone will have the opportunity to attend. The pilots and deck crews will be partying here in the observation lounge; everyone else can either go to the Monterey or the Olympus."
"We'll be having guests from the Galatica, so be on your best behavior. Cally, I'll need to talk to you later about accommodating their fighters. Everyone dismissed, and if you need anything, continue seeing Helo for now." Kara laughed as Helo turned around and stuck his tongue out at her.
"Come on flyboy, you've denied me long enough," Kara says to Lee as she drags him from the hangar bay. The cat calls and whistles follow them down the hall until they get onto the turbo life. As the doors close behind them, Lee grabs Kara and pushes her against the wall.
"So you miss me," he whispers nipping the sensitive part of her neck.
"Most definitely," she replies turning her head to give his mouth better access. She tugs his shirt out of his cargos so she can run her nails up the ridge of his spine. Lee growls deep in his throat and presses his erection into the valley of her thighs.
"Alright down boy," Kara says too him as the lift slows and the doors slowly open. Lee looks out onto a deserted hallway and breaths a sigh of relief. Kara leads him along a the hallway that is painted a soft butter yellow and carpeted in a dark blue; no dour military grey on this ship. She stops in front of a door and places her hand into a small alcove. After a few minutes the door slides open and they walk inside.
Lee is in Kara Thrace's private quarters, and he can tell her private sanctuary. The place smells of vanilla and there are touches of her all around, from framed pictures to one whole wall done as a mural of a beach. Her room is a lot bigger than what an officer on the Galactica would, hell it was bigger than his father's quarters. But Lee had noticed that although these were fighting vessels they had not skimped on luxury.
"I'm done waiting now Lee. You can have the grand tour before we head back to Galactica," she tells him as she pulls him into another room. This one smaller with just a bed and to his surprise a window looking out at the blanket of stars.
"Did you plan this?" Lee asks turning her into his arms.
"No, just fantasized about it. It's the next best thing to what I'd really want. You, me, a beach and a real sunset; but I can wait on that one" she tells as she pushes him onto the bed.
Lee watches as she slowly removes her shirt, and lets it fall to the floor. His breath hitches as she caress each breast, nails lightly scraping across the nipples. Her hands slowly move to her stomach, tracing the moons that circle her belly button. After several agonizing minutes, she hooks her hands into the waistband of her pants and pulls them down and steps out of them. Lee is unable to form a coherent thought that as she stands in front of him wearing only a pair of lacy black underwear. He sits up on the edge of the bed and brings her to him, where he kisses each of her moons, letting his tongue dip into her navel.
Kara pushes him back onto the bed and straddles his hips feeling his hardness through her underwear. She rocks against him for a moment, her breathing becoming erratic and her body flushing a dusky rose from the intense pleasure she is feeling. She slides her hands down his shoulders and across his sculpted abdomen, taking the hem of his shirt and pulling it off of him. She places hard biting kisses across his collarbone and traces a path that her lips follow down to the waistband of his cargos.
Lee was having a hard time keeping his hands to himself, but he knew instinctively that was what she wanted. Just like she teased him often about being able to hear what he was thinking, he could do the same. She wanted to be in control right now, for him to lay back and allow her to do whatever she wanted, and right now the thought that was screaming through her mind, was that she wanted to taste him. Gods help him but he was going to die as soon as her lips touched him. He felt her cool hands against his heated flesh as she slowly peeled his cargos from his legs to fall to the floor. It seems as if her patience had finally run out as he felt her yank his boxers from his hips to be tossed carelessly over her shoulder.
"Kara," he moaned as she took just the head of his penis into her mouth, sucking lightly, her tongue swirling around the tip.
"Say it agin Lee. Say my name," she ordered him. Her hands were cupping his balls and Lee surged a little more into her mouth. This woman was surely going to be the death of him.
"Kara, Starbuck, ARTEMIS!" At first it had started out as a whisper but by the time she had taken his full length into his mouth, her names were dragged out of him in a shout he was sure the whole ship heard.
"That's it baby, she croons to him as his hips rocked in time with her mouth.
"I want inside of you," Lee gasps, pulling her up his body.
"You're so greedy," she chides him and pulls him into a deep kiss. Lee flips Kara onto her back and enters her slowly. She sighs deep in her throat at the feeling of him stretching her, and wraps her legs around his waist to take him in deeper. He leans down to take one of her nipples into his mouth, sucking hard and taking small little bites. Kara bucks against him insistently, needing him to help her release the hot tension building in her stomach.
"Now who is the greedy one?" He asks, pulling out of her and thrusting back in.
"Enough talking." Kara demands. The two of them slowly rock against each other, savoring the feeling they can only get from the other. Lee feels the tiny tremors that rack Kara's body and he grows harder knowing that he is the only one she responds to this way.
"I promise to catch when you fall; let go baby," he whispers in her ear, catching the lobe gently between his teeth. As Kara comes, clenching tightly around him, Lee surges into her one more time coming into her hotly.
Lee collapses beside her wrapping Kara into his warm embrace. He is sated and if the Gods wanted to take him know, he'd go happily; as long as she was coming with him. He pulls the covers over their sweat soaked bodies and wraps his large frame around her smaller one. He feels her breathing even out as sleep begins to claim her. Lee gently brushes the hair from her cheek and kisses her temple. She stirs slightly then, her eyes fluttering open to gaze at him sleepily.
"I love you Apollo," she whispers as sleep claims her once again.
&&&&
When Kara begins to wake she is greeted with what sounds like carnival music and the sense of being weightless. She opens her eyes to see that she is sitting in the car of a ferris wheel and sitting beside her is the cylon Leoben.
"I was wondering how long you were going to nap?" He says, smiling at her almost pleasantly.
"Why are we here?" She asks him trying to fight the urge to panic.
"The beach house is obviously not a good place to talk to you," he replies glancing at her. "Too much of you and Apollo there. I also don't relish the idea of you striking me again; you pack one hell of a right hook."
"So instead you're going to take your chances that I might toss you over the side of this car?" Kara asks him fighting back a smile. For some reason that she can't place, he is almost pleasant. That should unnerve her, but doesn't.
"I figure if I don't threaten Lee Adama, we can have a nice chat," Leoben says as the ferris wheel begins to move.
"So if we're not here for you to tell me to stay away from Lee and threaten him with unnamed torture, why are we having this little ride?" She asks looking out over the carnival below them
"Today's topic of choice is Cassandra Thrace," he replies mildly watching her face for any reaction. He's not disappointed when a small frown pass over her beautiful face.
"Why would you want to talk about the Admiral?"
"I notice you refer to her as the Admiral instead of as your mother," he says.
"It's easier for me not to think of her as the person who gave birth to me, but instead as the hard ass leader trying to kick me out of the military," Kara replies. She's not sure why he would want to talk about her mother, but as long as he is not threatening Lee, they might be able to have a civil conversation.
"You know she is lying to you about a number of things." It's not a question, more a statement of fact that they both know to be true.
"Let me ask you something Leoben. How do you know so much about those things that have to do with me?" He watches as she bites her lower lip, worrying it as if she is trying to stay one step ahead of him.
"Because as I've told you before Artemis, you're very special to all sides," he replies with what she believes to be true sincerity.
"What makes me so damn special?" She asks not wanting to be anything more special than a top gun fighter pilot.
"You will have to asks Cassandra for those answers. A lot of people have manipulated events for us to arrive at this moment in time. Your mother is definitely in the forefront of that group. She has done things that you'd never forgive her for, and to be honest I don't think she cares if you didn't. Her children have never been important to her, just what they represent and what they heralded, and how she could use that to her advantage," he says.
"I can't agree with you on that. I know she loved my brother very much," Kara whispers the pain evident in her voice. Leoben is not sure if it is the pain of a child who was never good enough for their parent's love, or the twin who has to continue living without her brother.
"Which brother?" he asks knowing the question might get him thrown over the side.
"I only had one brother," she says turning to face him with smirk. "I'd think you would know that, afterall you seem to know everything else about me."
"Not everything," he replies. "You only have one brother that you know of. It is time for you to talk to Cassandra Thrace and get some answers Artemis, you've lived in the dark long enough. So much rest with you. Try asking her about the Council of Twelve, and if you feel really brave you can ask her if your father is still alive."
TBC