Thank-you for the reviews! (They reminded me that I hadn't *quite* finished putting the whole story up, sorry about that!) Well we're almost at the end. At least for now. I could write on this story forever! Hope you enjoy!
I do not own any rights to the characters from Battlestar.
Sixteen days later…
Kara paced the quarters of the basestar. Her guards had been returned to Galactica. It was her fourth day there without contact. She was beginning to have panic attacks when finally one of the centurions came to escort her elsewhere on the ship. She had spent the better part of the first two days looking at stellar cartography, trying to discern any pattern that might be present in the scrolls of Pythia. She did find a few markers mentioned in the book that the cylons had mapped but the exact location still eluded her. Another problem she'd run into was beginning to have dreams about the cylons, other than her husband.
Kara stepped into a large chamber where there was a table with every model of cylon present. She was escorted to the seat in the center of the room, much like going in front of the admiral. They stared at her for a few minutes, while Kara tried not to show her hatred in her body language.
"Capt. Thrace." One of the sixes began. "How are you? Did you find your quarters adequate?"
"Yes, I did Six. Thank-you." Kara said, feeling the bile rise as she called the blond cylon by a name, even if it was her designation. "I also found the computer records very helpful."
"Have you been able to piece any more together with our files?" One of the eights asked, leaning forward.
"I have found two more markers. One should be the Eye of Jupiter. The issue I have with the Eye is it doesn't seem to have any markers after that. It's as if it is the end of the line, but it is in known space, which I just cannot seem to reconcile." Kara sighs heavily before continuing. "But this is not what I have come to discuss."
"Then by all means, enlighten us about why you are here and seven of our brethren are with the fleet."
"As you are aware, I made a deal with the ones for my release. It's not something I'm very proud of but I could no longer watch my husband die over and over and over. That deal was to transmit the fleet's jump coordinates before each jump, allowing you to come with us on our travels."
"We are aware, as we have been receiving those transmissions." One of the fours said impatiently.
"Let her speak, she has a point for setting up the story." One of the twos said kindly and motioned for Kara to continue, without looking at her. Kara nodded and continued.
"The admiral and president are aware that I am transmitting those coordinates." She said directly.
"And they allowed you to send them?" One of the Ones asked astonished.
"Yes." Kara nodded before continuing. "That is why I am here. They are hoping that not only can I negotiate a truce, not just an armistice, but that we can combine our resources to find Earth." The room was quiet for a long moment before the silence was interrupted.
"Human trickery." The One said.
"No." Kara said leaning forward. "We do not want to be at war. Humans did atrocious things to the cylons in the past and you retaliated. Neither of us can afford this war."
"So why did they send you, instead of the Admiral and President?" The two asked smiling with Leoben's smile. Kara shivered slightly before answering.
"Because I am still married to a cylon. Because to love him, I've had to get past the hatred and the fear that the cylons would unleash another nuclear war on Earth if we ever find it."
"If you don't mind me asking, how did you overcome that?" The two pushed further.
"One day at a time." Kara breathed. "Anyways. I do not expect you to have an answer at this very moment, but I would like you consider that we both desire peace and this is the first step towards that goal; talking, conversing, communicating. The past is the past; we must both learn from our mistakes and move forward together."
"Do you believe any of what you have said Capt. Thrace?" The One asked. "After watching us murder your husband on numerous occasions, can you really tell me that you're ok with moving forward with a treaty?"
"Maybe not all of it but I don't want to grow old on a battlestar. I do not want to watch the parents and children of Galactica grow old in space, with the children never learning what sunshine looks like. Or the taste of rain. Or having a true temple to worship at. I want a home."
"Very good point." Six commented before looking around at her counterparts. "We will discuss this and contact you, on Galactica, when we have made a decision." Kara takes her cue and exits heading towards the hanger bay, where her raptor is waiting.
Kara returned to duty after debriefing with the Admiral and President. Neither of the two liked the overall reaction but the Admiral had commented that at least they'd released Kara and that it was a sign of forward movement.
Kara's CAP took the rest of the night and before she knew it she was crawling into bed alone once again. She vowed to ask for a progress report of how Leoben and Helo were doing.
Fourteen days previous, on the Prometheus
"You cannot expect us to just sit here and listen to this drabble." One of the more prominent scientists interrupted Leoben for the third or fourth time. Leoben smiled patiently and waited for another argument to erupted, when it didn't he continued.
"The scrolls of Pythia have set forth the path and we have argued about the path. I do not think arguing will get us anywhere. We should move to systematically investigate each of the markers in the path and explore the area a little and regroup." Leoben continued. He had presented his findings, which most tried to hide that they actually found the research interesting and valid. His research suggested that they were much closer to Earth than any of them had thought.
"And where would we jump to first then?" One of the older theologians asked.
"Here." Leoben pointed to the closest jump coordinates. "The shorter the jumps the easier this plan will be to get commitment from the fleet. The scrolls do not indicate that there is an order to interpreting the markers."
"I would disagree with that statement but nor does it clearly state which marker would be the first to investigate either." The same elder states looking across the table to the cylon.
"Then do we have an agreement?" Helo interrupts. He cared about the fate of the fleet but not so much the details of how this occurred and he wanted to return to his wife and child.
"We have an agreement but I would like to discuss the scrolls further with this cylon." The elder asks. "The path is set but the interpretations are not. Each group will no doubt have their own conclusions, which will throw us together once again. I would like a chance to pick this cylons brain before we are thrust together again, to understand where he is coming from and what motivates him in this quest to help us locate Earth."
Leoben looks at Helo who smirks. "Fine we can stay, but you know she'll kill me if we stay too long don't you? Me, not you." Helo sighs as he agrees to stay longer. Leoben grins as the scientists and other theologians exit and the elder comes to sit closer to him but not too close.
"It is fascinating that you would help us find the pathway to Earth. More than interesting is the fact that you seem to know more about our religion than the majority of the people that worship it."
Leoben laughed a little before answering the question. "I was raised human sir. I didn't know I was a cylon until about a year ago. I studied and worshipped all of my life. My wife and I even attended a retreat together. Plus I've been under house arrest for the past few months; I've read the scrolls so many times I can almost read them to you."
"Is it your desire to stay with your wife that leads you down this path to helping us?" The elder asked perplexed.
"No sir. If she wasn't with me I would still be searching for Earth, just as you are. It is the last vestige of hope that we have in the galaxy and I for one happen to feel that it is a real, tangible place that we will be able to find together."
"You are so optimistic." The elder said in awe. "Especially for someone under house arrest and hated just about everywhere you go."
"I'm not hated. Not me personally. My kind is hated but since I was human and still feel human it is not me that is hated, I just become the symbol for a persons hate. If they were to speak to me, they would know that I couldn't possibly condone the actions of the others."
"You seem wise beyond your years." The elder responded.
"I was a physiologist on Caprica before the war."
"Ah, that is where the infinite patience comes from."
"Actually most of that comes from my wife. If you'd ever seen her in a mood, you'd understand where the patience comes from."
"Well if you'll excuse me I think we'd best go brief the Admiral and President. They will no doubted want to start with this path forward immediately."
Leoben stays sitting with Helo as another marine goes to ask for orders. Helo had adjusted to the news of his partner being a cylon much faster than Kara did. Of course it helped that they had a child together and that Leoben and Kara had paved the way for better treatment within the fleet.
"How is Hera doing?" Leoben asked turning to Helo.
"She's good. Just starting to eat solid foods; tried pasta last night, she seemed to like that." Helo stood up and stretched.
"She is amazing."
"She is. Are you and Kara thinking of having kids?"
"I don't think so. Kara doesn't seem to want them."
"She could change her mind." Helo offered as he saw the despair cross Leoben's face.
"It is hers to change, not mine to change. Either way I have Kara and that is all I truly care about."
"Sir." The marine returned with orders. When Helo returned he looked a little disappointed. "We are to stay here until we reach the next marker and help study it."
"I'm sorry Helo." Leoben said concerned.
"It's ok. They're going to send Kara over for a while to guard you once she returns from her missions, and I think Lee even volunteered to help." Leoben's eyes widened a bit at the last comment.
"Good. I'm glad no one will be stuck with babysitting too long." Leoben joked.
Fifteen markers later
Kara sat up next to Leoben. They had just returned to the communal bunk room on the Prometheus after arguing where the next marker was. The jumps had proven more difficult by the fact that the fleet needed food and water at a nearly constant rate. This slowed the process to take over a year to get to the Eye of Jupiter. Kara could feel its pull as she stood on the Prometheus Bridge each morning before Leoben would drag her to the meetings.
This morning was no different, except that Kara and Leoben would be leaving for the basestar for a few days rather than sit and squabble about whether science or faith were the paths. Kara cared immensely for her faith and argued the majority of the theologians points but was swayed every now and again to take the scientists side.
Compared to the Prometheus, which was teaming with families and humans almost to the point of overflowing, the basestar was blissfully quiet as the two stepped on board. It was time for Kara's post jump debriefing of the cylons. This proved to be an arduous process since they to wanted say about where the fleet was headed. Fortunately they never agreed on where the fleet should be heading, leaving Kara only human's to squabble with.
Today was no different and Kara and Leoben spent hours trying to convey the newest discoveries among the humans with several long winded interruptions. About 4 hours into the debriefing an alarm went off.
"What is that?" Kara asked.
"That is our drais going off but Galactica is saying they didn't launch alert fighters." One of the sixes commented as she looked down at the tactical read out.
"Strange." Kara said. They all crowded around the observation deck to look out at the incoming viper. The base star was closest and easily disabled the singular fighter. Galactica was continually squawking to not intervene but the viper was targeting the basestar and the raiders had responded without hesitation.
Kara watched in horror as the viper was escorted into the basestar, all the while knowing without a doubt who they would find inside the cockpit.
"You ok?" Leoben asked, standing behind her close enough to touch but afraid to.
"We'll see. Depends on what we find inside the cockpit." Kara said, turning to face Leoben.
"Shall we?" He said quite formally. She nodded slightly before they made their way down to the docking bay. For Kara those few minutes felt like days. And by the time they reached the docking bay the viper was surrounded with centurions and flesh toned cylons. One of the twos was climbing up a ladder to pop the cock pit.
When the two finally managed to pop the mangled cock pit, he looked down at the singular passenger and then across the bay towards where Kara stood with Leoben's arms around her shoulders.
"Who is it?" One of the one's asked.
"Her." The two pointed across the bay to Kara who was already moving towards the viper. She saw the markings of her own Mark II as she climbed the footholds without thought and came face to face with herself. The other Kara was currently unconscious for the moment.
"What the frak?" She said loudly as she came too.
"Calm down." Kara said rolling her eyes. Other Kara reached for her side arm to only find it pointed at herself.
"Where am I?" She asked a little more quietly.
"I'm not really sure I can answer that. Currently you're on the flag ship base star."
"Well yeah but why?"
"I think we should get you to Galactica before we answer that."
"Are you going to keep me at gun point the entire time?" Other Kara asks sarcastically. Kara snorts and turns to toss the gun down to her Leoben and climbs down the footholds. Other Kara follows cautiously after as she stares at the legion of centurions and smattering of skinned cylons. Other Kara falls into step with Kara as they approach what Kara considers the CIC of the basestar, not that the cylons called it the CIC. Leoben followed closely behind the pair looking from his wife to the Other Kara with an amused grin.
"Is this what you feel like all of the time?" Kara asked Leoben noting his mischievous smile.
"Little bit." He didn't notice the Other Kara had stopped to stare at Kara and Leoben like they had completely lost it and Leoben ended up bumping into Other Kara.
"Oh, sorry." He said right before Other Kara swung around and kneed him in the groin. Kara's firearm was out before she really even thought about it and pointed at the new look-alike.
"What the frak!" She yelled at the Other Kara.
"What is wrong with that cylon? What is his fascination with me? Us? Whatever pronoun that applies here."
"You ok?" Kara asks Leoben putting her gun away and moving towards the man crouching on the floor. Kara looks worried until she realizes Leoben in laughing.
"Yeah, I'm fine." He says standing up. He moves up to Kara and places an arm around her. She smiles up at him and laughs a little at the oddity of the situation.
"Kara, this is Leoben. My husband." Other Kara stares with her mouth open for a few heart beats before regaining herself.
"Now I know why you think we need to contact Galactica." She sighs as Kara resumes their walk towards the CIC. "How do you let it touch you?"
"He is my husband, so watch what you say." Kara enters the CIC and places her hand on the platform to access the computer interface. "It's really simple: I love him. He loves me. It doesn't matter that he's a cylon. Much."
"When did it matter?" Other Kara asked watching as Kara called Galactica. Kara looked over at Leoben who nodded slightly as he scratched his stubble face.
"When they made me watch as they killed him over 20 times to try to get me to help them find the path to Earth."
"Why would that make you cooperate?" She looked puzzled rather than the horror Kara felt when relating that particular story.
"As much as they try, they still do not understand us." Kara sighed before continuing. "They believed that I would buckle under the pressure of not wanting to see Leoben killed again and again. In the end I almost shot myself to free us from them and then I was chosen as the ambassador after some intense psycho therapy."
"Wow."
"What did he do to you wherever you came from?"
"Well lets see: First I interrogated him, he nearly strangled me, I almost drowned him and then the president flushed him out of an air lock. Second he kidnapped me on New Caprica." Other Kara was counting the encounters with Leoben on her hand when Kara interrupted.
"Wait, what's New Caprica?"
"A planet we tried to colonize before the cylons came and took it over and enslaved us." Other Kara said almost dismissively as they waited for Galactica to respond. "Anyways. He kidnapped me," She motioned to Leoben, "And tried to get me to realize my destiny."
"How long were you imprisoned?"
"About a year I think. I'm not entirely sure. But I killed him about 11 times and he just kept coming back. And most recently he appeared in my dreams and led me through a vortex that took me past earth and now I'm here with you."
"No wonder you looked at me strangely." Kara looked at the console and pressed the buttons as Galactica actual's call came through.
"Admiral." Kara stated.
"Captain, you were given explicit orders not to intercept."
"Understood sir, the raiders were launched before we even realized someone had jumped into our space." Kara spoke into the phone.
"Well captain, report." The admiral said in a clipped tone.
"Sir, the Mark II landed in the docking bay and we have pulled the survivor from the hatch."
"Any one we know solider?"
"Yes sir. It's me sir." Kara said.
"Repeat Basestar."
"Sir it's me. It's my Viper, my com badges, my hair but not my scars." Kara said as she looked into Other Kara's haunted eyes.
"Captain, bring you and yourself to Galactica. Immediately. Galactica out." The gruff voice sounded even more so when intoned with annoyance and concern.
Kara sighed heavily as she turned to Other Kara and Leoben. Leoben shrugged and started off towards their accommodations, "I'll grab our stuff." He said almost idly as he vanished behind the numerous bulkheads.
"You're going to let him come with us? More importantly, Adama is going to let you?" Other Kara stared after the cylon in shock.
"It's admiral in this universe. And yes the admiral allows Leoben to accompany me to Galactica when I am stationed there."
"Wait, you mean you don't live there?"
"No. Currently we are spending half of our time here and half of our time on the Prometheus. We're currently working with the scientist and the theologians to determine the best path forward. Now that you are here I suspect the Admiral would want a report on how you came here by way of Earth, which reminds me we need to download your gun footage and your computer." Kara went to one of the many consoles on the way down to the docking bay and communicated with the hybrid that they needed those two things done immediately.
"This is so very strange." Other Kara said under her breath.
TBC…