Chapter 4

PAIN OF LOVE

"Kara! Kara! What's wrong?" Dee tried desperately to get Kara's attention. "Kara...Starbuck!" Kara was eerily quiet and began to turn the Raptor in the opposite direction to Galactica. "Kara what are you doing?" Dee's panel lit up and the all too familiar Dradis alarm sounded. "Dradis contact! We have to get back now."

"He says I have to go to him," Kara responded calmly.

"Frak! Kara I don't know what's going on but there's a base ship practically on top of us." There was still no response from Kara. Dee realised she was locked out of the helm controls, she had no way of stopping Kara. "Kara please I need you to fight it," Dee pleaded. "They're launching Raiders."

"Lieutenant," Kara said, finally seeming to snap out it but she looked like she was only holding on by a thread. She could sense Dee's fear and she didn't blame her one bit, fear could keep you alive. "I need you to be prepared to dump three quarters of the Tylium on my mark." At Dee's confused look Kara explained. "Less weight more speed, or at least a short burst. I'm going to skim the atmosphere and sling shot around the planet. I'll need the burst to break free."

"Yes Sir," Dee said. "Incoming Raiders."

"Don't worry, this time they don't want us dead. The frakers will follow us and hopefully without the burst they won't make escape velocity."

Kara could still hear Leoben calling to her in her head. He was urging her to head towards the Basestar. The compulsion to obey was so strong Kara was drenched in sweat with the effort of drowning him out. She focussed on staying out of the Raider's firing zone. She was dimly aware of Dee radioing Galactica telling them to get ready to jump. The Raiders were aiming for the engines so it was reasonably easy for Kara to evade even though she had to compensate for the clumsiness of a Raptor.

The sling shot manoeuvre was a huge gamble that payed off but the voice was so loud in her head Kara only just managed to hold on long enough to crash into the Galactica landing bay. Every fibre of her being was screaming at her to go to Leoben. She ripped off her helmet and began maniacally scratching at the disc, she was drawing blood but she didn't care, she wanted him out of her thoughts.

Dee was getting out of her helmet to try to stop Kara hurting herself when Kara stopped scratching and started to restart the Raptor's engines.

"Get out now!" Starbuck yelled at Dee. She was just lucid enough to realise she didn't want to deliver Dee to the Cylons. "I have to finish it."

Dee screamed at the deck crew for help hoping with assistance she could drag Kara away from the controls. "No Kara. Not like this." Both women could feel the pull of the jump engines. Kara let out a spine-chilling scream and collapsed to the floor.

Kara woke up several times after the disc was removed, she didn't remember much after taking off from the planet. All she was aware of was that Dee had been beside her bed every time she woke up telling her she was safe. Kara fell back into a deep sleep and found herself dreaming she was back in the apartment with Leoben. He was sitting on the couch waving Kara over to join him. Kara didn't feel the normal gut wrenching dread nor did she feel compelled to obey his silent command. Dee stepped up behind Leoben. Smiling she nodded to Kara and taped Leoben on the top of the head. His body went up in flames but nothing else was burning around him, there was a burst of light then he was gone. There was nothing left of him not even ash. The room faded away and Kara and Dee where left standing in the middle of beautiful field of grass. Dee beckoned for Kara and she immediately responded. Dee reached up to take off the bandage at Kara's temple and lightly kissed the small scar.

"Do not be afraid. I see all of you. I see Starbuck and I see Kara Thrace. You have been given permission to begin again. I grant you the power to start the life you are meant to live. To shine like no other. To be adored like no other. It is your right. Nobody takes it away. Accept this gift and you won't need to run anymore." The field turned to grey and Kara found herself back in the Life Station with the real Dee right by her side.

"I accept," Kara whispered. Dee tilted her head and looked into green eyes that were again shining with fiery tenacity.

"Welcome back," Dee said, leaning over and carefully kissing Kara where the disc had once been.

THE END

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