~ Bright, Shiny Futures - Chapter Forty-Two ~

"I'm sorry miss, you don't have clearance to leave the building."

Tory bit her lip and smiled shyly. "That's too bad." She took a step closer. "Because I really have to go."

"Go where? It's not safe out there right now and I wouldn't want you to get hurt." She rolled her eyes inwardly as she realized he was coming on to her. "I'm sure whatever it is can wait."

"Actually no, it can't."

She caught him around the neck and twisted and it snapped instantly. Another guard came rushing across the lobby but she made short work of him too. The women at the desk watched in growing shock and horror, then both took off at a run, leaving her alone.

"Thank goodness," she murmured to herself as she opened the door and walked out. She was about to shield her eyes against the sun when something else did it for her. She looked up, warmth flooding her at the sight of the Viper. It landed at her feet, the pilot barely needing to jump down at all thanks to his long legs. He slid out of the cockpit to stand in front of her.

"Tory," he said, giving her a brief smile.

"Hotdog ... I mean Brendan." She smiled back.

"Are you here to help?" he asked. "We have to get everyone out and evacuate now."

"I know. I'm working on removing security but I think they're on to me so we might need more help yet." She looked up behind him as another object obscured the sun, and watched as a Raptor touched down gently as a feather. "I think we're in luck." She ran past him into Sam's arms as he jumped out of the ship.

Hotdog frowned. "I don't remember you being on the flight deck."

Sam shrugged. "It was a little chaotic. I'm sure we just missed each other." He closed his eyes and laid his cheek down on Tory's head.

"Thank the Gods you're okay," Tory said, squeezing him hard.

"We have a job to do," Hotdog reminded them. "I don't know how you fit into the plan but we need to get our people out of here stat."

A long shadow fell over him. "Go tell them to come. We'll hold the cavalry off." All eyes turned to Michael, standing on the Raptor's wing.

Hotdog took off without a second's pause, Tory following close behind.

Michael looked at Sam. "You ready?"

He nodded brusquely. "Let's do it."

* * * * * * * * * *

"Launch intercept Major."

"Aye sir." Helo pressed the necessary buttons. "Intercept missiles launched."

The room was deadly silent as everyone watched the four blips on the dradis screen. Suddenly there were six.

"Sir, there are ... "

"I can see that for myself," Adama snapped. "Where did they come from and where are they going?"

"Launched from here. Headed for ... " Gaeta studied the map. "Iraq."

"Good god." The Vice President had gone deathly white. He swallowed heavily, the sound seeming enormous in the silence. "They've actually done it."

"Done what?" Adama's eyes narrowed as he focused on the Vice President, whose face was suffusing with colour.

"Operation Firefox."

"What exactly is that?" Lee demanded.

The Vice President exhaled loudly. "Something we'd hoped would never come to pass."

"Nuclear missiles," Kara whispered.

He nodded. "It looks like your projection is going to come true."

"The government always said they wouldn't use nuclear weapons under any circumstances," Kara said, unable to hide the accusation from both her eyes and voice. "I guess that was all a lie."

He shook his head. "Not entirely. There are those of us who always opposed the use of nuclear weapons and tried to get them banned." He blinked a few times as he looked around the room. "Not everyone agreed with that strategy and so Operation Firefox was born, under supreme secrecy."

"Regardless of what happened in the past, we have to act now," Adama interrupted. "How long till contact Mr Gaeta?"

"Twenty-five seconds till our missiles intercept. Forty seconds till the others arrive in Iraq."

"We need a plan," Adama said tersely. "Shoot."

Lee and Kara looked at one another.

"Intercept all missiles and head to Iraq to talk," Lee offered. "Maybe if we show up with Galactica itself and show them we mean no harm ... "

The Vice President shook his head. "I doubt that will work. They've designated us the enemy."

"What's the harm in trying?" Kara objected.

"We risk turning our own people against us. If we go there and take what the USA considers it's warship ... "

"Wouldn't we be going under their banner? It's not like we're going rogue."

"The Vice President shook his head again. "The people pushing the buttons are firmly convinced Iraq is the enemy and we shouldn't even be trying to make peace with them. The fact that they fired at Iraq means the channels of communication are closed. We go to Iraq and we're effectively taking up sides with them."

"Other ideas. Now."

Kara spoke up. "I say we intercept what we can while we wait for our people. Once they're here we get the hell out of here and go look for another planet to call home."

Adama nodded, although she saw reluctance on his face before he schooled it into its hardened admiral's mask.

"I know sir," she said softly. "But I can't see any other way."

"You heard us Major," he called over his shoulder.

"Aye sir."

"Hold our position till further orders," he barked at Helo, who nodded tersely. He glanced at Kara and she knew what he was thinking. He was angry and sad that her prediction had come to pass.

"Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one ... "

The room was silent as everyone's eyes were on the Dradis screen.

"Missiles destroyed," Gaeta reported minutes later as the enemy dots disappeared. Two more immediately appeared.

Adama sighed. "I've a feeling this is going to be a long, long evening."

* * * * * * * * * *

Sam flexed his wrist the way he had back in his Pyramid days, readying himself for a hard physical workout.

"There are going to be lots of them," Michael stated, trying to prepare him for what lay ahead.

Sam nodded, drawing in a deep breath. "I'm ready."

"Are you sure?"

"What do you mean?"

Michael faced him squarely. "You're likely going to die here."

Sam nodded again. "I know. We can resurrect though. I'm sure dying is painful but it's not so bad, knowing I'll be back."

"We can only resurrect once you know."

"Only once? But Kara said Leoben ... "

"They're different. Newer models. We Five are the originals."

"Why only once though? If there are other bodies available ... "

"The brain degrades," Michael explained. "Our software is older - we've tried resurrecting multiple times but the memories aren't all retained. Things disappear. Memories become fuzzy."

"So you're the same person physically but mentally you're different?" Sam asked, trying to wrap his mind around the concept.

"More like putting the brain through a sieve - some things are retained but others just slip away. The more times we resurrect, the more we lose. That's why early on the Collective decided to limit us to one resurrection each. That allows us to retain the essence of who we are."

Sam pursed his lips and looked away. "Who knew I'd be getting a psychology lesson here today?" he said lightly.

Michael followed his gaze across the room. "Humans spend an inordinate amount of time contemplating life and death. It only makes sense that we who live more than one lifetime should spend time thinking about it and trying to comprehend it."

"Well ... " Sam stopped, finding himself unable to voice his thoughts aptly. "At least I'll resurrect this time. I only need this once."

"You may find two lifetimes isn't enough," Michael said quietly, "especially when one is cut short abruptly."

Sam turned quickly to face him. "Are you angry that I killed you?"

"Angry? No. Sad that it had to be that way? Yes."

"You were standing in the way of Kara's destiny. I had to stop you."

"I know. I understand that," he affirmed. "I just wish things had gone differently."

"So do I," Sam said but a sudden movement caught his eye and the rest of his thought was lost.

"We're on," Michael said brusquely. "Let's go."

They faced forward, removing the security guards who leapt to attention as a flood of people exited the elevators and poured out the stairwell door.

"Follow Hotdog!" Sam shouted as the people ran past him, some he recognized, other unfamiliar to him. He waved his arm as well to show the way, since the civilians would have no idea who they were looking for. "Hurry!" he admonished.

He and Tory must have done their job well because they didn't question him but just ran faster, a look of extreme anxiety written on many of their faces.

"We may not make it in time," Michael said sadly.

"We have to." Sam's face set grimly. "We can't afford to fail."

* * * * * * * * * *

Hotdog felt a wave of pride tinged with sadness as he saw the first of his people approaching. He was happy to help in any way he could but a part of him was grieving the loss of yet another home. They'd pinned their hopes on finding Earth and it had been what had gotten them through years of tough times. Now it appeared they had nothing.

"Bluebird and Snowstorm, Hotdog. Come on down."

He herded the people into an area close to the hotel and watched as, barely seconds later, two large craft maneuvered carefully down to the ground. Thankfully the hotel was at the edge of the city in a not-too-populous area but the parking lot still wasn't large enough for the two ships and the Caprican Dreams caught two vehicles under it's port side, causing their alarms to start blaring loudly.

"It's okay to be crowded folks," Hotdog shouted as their murmurings became vaguely irritated. "We just need to get out of here as quickly as possible. We'll be rendezvousing with Galactica and people will get shuttled across then. Hurry please."

They listened, though still grumbling, and piled onto the two ships, squeezing in as closely as possible. And I thought sharing a bunkroom with eleven other pilots was like living in a can of sardines, he thought, seeing a tiny bit of amusement in the situation. Hopefully they can handle the closeness for a while and don't end up killing each other.

"Hotdog!"

He struggled through a group of people to reach the voice. "What?"

"We're full. Colonial One can't take any more passengers."

"Understood." He pushed back to the ship's entrance and blocked it. "There's no more room. Go to the Caprican Dreams now." He eyeballed the crowd and a sickly feeling began to grow in the pit of his stomach. There wasn't going to be enough room. They needed another ship or people were going to get left behind.

It wasn't long before Snowstorm got his attention and informed him that his hunch was indeed correct - there wasn't enough space for everyone.

"Everyone stop pushing," he called out. "Just a moment please." He did a rough count. Approximately forty people were left. That doesn't include Sam, Tory or the other guy helping them, his mind whispered. You can't just leave them ...

His mind whirled and he felt sick. Was this how Helo and Boomer had felt back on Caprica after the first attack? How had they been able to make the decision of who lived and who died and still sleep at night?

Two things came to him as surely as if they were fact. Sam, Tory and the unknown man could be sacrificed. They knew the risks and that sometimes the few had to be sacrificed in order to save the many. The other one was that the children had to be saved. Much as it was going to hurt, the elderly had to be sacrificed in order to save them.

"Everyone over the age of fifty, please step off the ship," he commanded, trying valiantly to keep his voice straight and stern.

The crowds shuffled around and soon a group of older folks were standing beside the ship.

"All those with children, step aboard."

"We have to give up our places for someone else?"

"Is Galactica going to come back for us?"

"I don't want to die down here!"

His eyes began to sting. "I'm sorry I have to do this but there isn't enough space and the children have to come first."

"Why don't you give up your place for one of us?" A crusty old man asked. "How come you get to decide who goes and who stays?"

"I would in a second," he said angrily. "I risk my life every day being part of the force that defends and protects you. Any one of Galactica's crew would willingly give their lives for all of you. Many have," he added sadly. "Many have already. Too many. I would gladly give up my seat here for you sir but I don't have one to give. I'll be in my Viper escorting you back to Galactica and making sure you get there safely." He took a deep breath. "We all need to be willing to make sacrifices in order for our society to survive. Have you forgotten that?"

"There's a little more room. Maybe three or four," Snowstorm called out.

No one stepped forward.

Hotdog's eyes began to tear up as he heard person after person offering the spaces to the others around them.

"I knew you had it in you," he murmured under his breath. "This is why we survived. Why we'll continue to survive. Why we can never be beat." He drew himself up to his full six feet six inches proudly. "All set. Liftoff on my mark." He ran to his Viper and made a running jump onto the wing.

* * * * * * * * * *

"Missiles destroyed."

"Sir, we're running short on ammunition," Helo said slowly. "I'm not sure we can stop many more."

"Vipers can do it," Kara broke in. "You've got two squadrons out there."

"Less the ones you sent away," Adama grumbled.

Kara glanced at Lee, knowing what he was thinking. "Let us get out there with them."

Adama looked long and hard at each of them. "Go," was all he said. They went.

"You're just going to let them go?" the Vice President asked, stunned. "We need them here for tactical ... "

"They're my best," Adama interrupted unapologetically. "I need them out there helping to keep your people safe."

"Apollo and Starbuck saving the day again," Gaeta muttered. "Never thought I'd see the day."

Adama looked over his shoulder. "Neither did I." They could all hear the pride in his voice. He turned back. "Keep in mind they may not be able to save everyone. They'll do the best they can ... "

"I've no doubt of that." The Vice President held his hand out and Adama took it. "You're a very lucky man."

Adama nodded. "Yes. Yes I am." A wisp of a smile pulled at his lips as he thought about just how lucky he really was. He was one of the only few who'd had a family member live through the holocaust. Now he not only had Lee and Kara back from the dead, he had grandchildren as well. And that wasn't even considering Laura ...

"Three ships on Dradis sir," Gaeta called out.

Adama turned to his comms officer. "Status?"

"All ours sir. Caprican Dreams, Colonial One and Hotdog."

"Galactica, Hotdog. We're on our way back with some friends ... "

"Bring them home Hotdog."

"Will do sir."

"More missiles fired," Helo said quickly, noticing new blips onscreen.

"Starbuck and Apollo, this is Galactica ... "

"We see them," Kara said. "Moving to intercept."

"Good." Adama said firmly. "Be safe," he added under his breath. The Vice President put a hand on his shoulder briefly and the two men locked eyes.

For a few minutes the room was relatively silent, all eyes and ears following the Vipers' actions. Missile after missile came, some friendly, some not, all destroyed by Viper fire, sending a show of fireworks through the atmosphere and likely a fair amount of debris to the Earth below.

"Looks like we did a pretty good job here," Kara said saucily once things had quieted. "Thank you all."

"Just doing our jobs Starbuck," Sharon said, smiling. "Look!" She pointed even though no one could see her. "I see them!"

"Go Hotdog!" Kara called out, cheering loudly. "Nice work Costanza."

"I aim to please. God has high standards."

Kara broke out into gales of laughter. "Man it's good to see you guys again. Any chance I could have my old job back?"

"I'm sure the nuggets would love to have you as CAG Starbuck," Adama said, more than a little amusement in his voice. In fact he sounded as though he was having difficulty holding back laughter.

"Awesome. I'm a little rusty but I'm sure I can pick up the slack soon enough."

"Two more missiles fired!" Helo yelled. "They're headed right for Colonial One and Caprican Dreams!"

"A little help over here?" Hotdog said breathily. "Like, now?"

"On our way Hotdog," Lee answers, taking a quick peek at Kara who was flying right beside him. She nodded and they notched it up and sped away from Galactica.

~ TBC ~