~ Bright, Shiny Futures - Chapter Fifty-Four ~

Laura slept fitfully, lapsing in and out of dreams like a piece of driftwood floating on the tide. Each time she half-woke she felt uneasy, the fragments of dreams being more nightmarish than pleasant in her semi-conscious mind.

Eventually she rubbed her eyes and stretched, peeling herself out of the warm bed with extreme effort. Upon checking the time she found she'd only been asleep four hours. Explains why I still feel like a piece of crap, she thought with a wry smile. So long as I don't look like it. She brushed her teeth and fussed with her hair until she was satisfied it looked as good as it could. A sudden pain gripped her heart as she looked in the mirror again, realizing the treatment she was about to embark on was going to change her looks, likely causing her to lose that hair she prized so highly.

She blinked and drew in a deep breath. It was time to get down to business. She'd already decided to check in at CIC before heading to Lifestation, even though she knew Bill would have let her know of any changes in the situation. She needed to feel needed - as though she were still a part of things. That need would only grow as sickness prevented her from participating fully so she was determined to take what she could get now. Get a hold of yourself Laura, she admonished sternly. Don't let them see you weepy like this.

By the time she'd arrived, she was calm on the inside as well as the outside. Adama didn't notice her at first and it wasn't till one of the crew cleared his throat and quietly said, "Admiral", that he looked up and saw her. A quick smile graced his intense face as he motioned her to come to where he, Lee and Kara were. The two of them had heads bent together, immersed in something that was taking all of their concentration.

"I didn't think you'd be back so soon," Adama said.

"Couldn't sleep. I wanted to check in to see if there was any news."

"Nothing."

Laura sighed but the look in Kara's eyes when the younger woman looked up at her gave her renewed hope. "You've got a plan?"

Kara's cheeks warmed slightly. "Most definitely. Including Helo going out on his own."

She listened as Kara told her the plan, her initial sense of disapproval at their actions replaced by frank admiration. "You and the Major planned this all out, did you?" she asked. "Good thinking."

"Actually it was more of a spur-of-the-moment thing," Kara confessed.

"Well that makes it all the more impressive."

"Not really unexpected from our Starbuck," Adama said, laying a hand across her shoulders. "I should have known you'd have a backup."

"You didn't think I'd let one of my oldest friends go out there without help, did you? He'd have done the same for me."

Lee smiled. "Undoubtedly."

Kara returned it, then checked the clock. "I'd better go pick up the kids. I promised them I wouldn't leave them there long."

"I've got to run too - shuttle to Colonial One leaves shortly," Lee added.

"Go," Adama said. "I'll have you paged the moment there's anything."

"Remember to monitor the background frequencies very carefully. Helo's smart - he'll make sure any message to us is nearly unrecognizable in the background static so the others don't pick it up. Blink and you might miss it."

"Bit of a needle in a haystack, isn't it?" Laura asked with a trace of a smile.

"That's what we're counting on."

* * * * * * * * * *

Hotdog edged closer to Sharon. "Athena," he whispered. She didn't move but the sharp intake of her breath told him she was listening. "We need a plan to escape."

She watched the guard narrowly. He was a good fifteen feet away and appeared not to have heard. She shimmied over a fraction, grunting at the handcuffs keeping her arms secured. Handcuffs - where the frak had they managed to come up with handcuffs?

"We're a little outnumbered Costanza," she whispered back.

"We can't just sit here and do nothing," Jumper protested, a little above a whisper.

"Shh!"

The tow-headed pilot pressed his lips together.

"He's right," Hotdog said. "We have to find a way out."

"I know that," Sharon snapped.

Hotdog glanced at her through narrowed eyes. She wasn't mad, just frustrated. Probably because she has no clue how to get out of here, he thought. And she feels it's her responsibility.

"We should come up with a few ideas but I don't think we can reasonably do anything until we see signs that help is coming," Sharon said. "Even if we can get out of here," she gestured at the makeshift brig, "and get to our ships, we'd be nailed as soon as we took off."

"She's right," the last pilot said. "Right now we're hostages but if that idiot in charge feels we're more trouble than we're worth, he'll have no hesitation in killing us."

"How'd you get so wise?" Hotdog asked.

Twister chuckled softly. "Just because I don't talk much doesn't mean there's a vacuum in my head you know."

"Watching and listening is a very important skill in a tactical officer," Sharon said. "Maybe you have a career in command yet."

"Maybe." He rolled his eyes. "That's assuming crazy-dude upstairs doesn't get us all killed."

"We're not going to let that happen," Sharon said firmly. "Now put on your thinking caps and let's come up with some ideas."

* * * * * * * * * *

Sam's hands moved around in the goo, almost as if he was caressing something alive. His eyes were shut and his brow furrowed deep in concentration. Eventually Tory got tired of watching him and wandered a little way off, watching as groups of people around her talked amongst themselves. She wondered if they were discussing their destination, perhaps even running the ship somehow.

"You envy them," Zero's voice spoke suddenly from behind her, the statement only partially a question.

"No," Tory said quickly. "Yes. Maybe ... " She shrugged. "I don't even know what they're doing."

"But you envy their kinship."

The younger woman frowned at her. "You don't even know me. How can you say that?"

"I can't read minds if that's what you're thinking," she chuckled. "Well I could if you'd let me link to you, but I can't right now. It's all in your body language child. Loud and clear."

"Hmph." Tory crossed her arms over her chest.

"Come now, don't be offended. It's a very natural instinct for all of us. The instinct to gather with like-kind and become a pack, if you will. Survival is a tough thing, made easier by relying on others. It would be unnatural for you not to wish you were a part of the group."

"I have Sam," Tory said defensively.

Zero smiled. "That's certainly a start. I'm glad you came to know who you are together. And that you found us so soon after. I can only imagine how tough it must have been to discover you weren't what you've always believed you were. It must have turned everything upside down."

"Rather," Tory said dryly.

"It will take some time to get used to child. Be patient."

"It seems I have no choice. I'm stuck here."

"For now."

A sudden movement caught Tory's eye and she turned her head to see what it was. Sam had stiffened and lifted his head. His eyes were now open but appeared unseeing.

"Sammy, what's wrong?"

"There's a ship out there."

Zero walked over to stand beside him, all business now. "Are you sure?"

"See for yourself."

She immersed her hands in the goo and closed her eyes.

"It's a Colonial Raptor," Sam said, squinting as though having trouble seeing it clearly. "From Galactica."

Tory's heart skipped a beat. "Did they come out looking for us?"

"I don't know. I can't see ... wait, there are two more ships ... "

"Ours?"

Sam frowned. "They're further away. Harder to see. Bigger though, and I don't recognize them." He drew his hands out of the basin and blinked several times as his vision was restored. "I don't know what they are but it would be too much of a coincidence to imagine another race with spaceships similar to ours out in this corner of the galaxy just where we happen to be."

"I agree," Zero said solemnly.

"Should we send them a signal? Let them know we're here?" Tory suggested.

"No. We'll watch and wait and let them come. Once they get close enough they'll realize we're here."

"And have a heart attack or three," Sam murmured. "You've no idea how terrifyingly huge a basestar is when you're in a tiny ship."

"I'll have someone monitor the situation and we'll send out a message when they get closer," Zero promised. "Paul, could you come here?"

Tigh disengaged himself from a group nearby. Sam shook his head all-but imperceptibly.

"What?" the other man said, frowning.

"I can't get used to seeing you young. I can definitely tell you're Tigh, but you just look so different."

Tigh smirked. "Get used to it kid. You don't have a choice. This is who I am." He paused. "And my name is Paul now, not Saul."

* * * * * * * * * *

"This is beginning to feel very domestic," Kara said, a smirk gracing her pink cheeks.

Lee smiled and leaned forward, giving her a quick hug. "When we find a place to settle down I promise I'll work somewhere close enough that it won't take me longer than this Raptor ride to get there. I don't want to miss even a second I could be spending with you."

Their gaze locked as he pulled away and closed the distance - walking backwards - to the Raptor.

Kara's cheeks were a deep crimson now. "I'll see you later," she mouthed.

Lee just raised an eyebrow and smiled the charming half-smile he'd always reserved for her.

She walked backwards a few steps then turned and practically skipped out of the bay. She couldn't remember being this light-hearted and happy in ... well, almost forever. A huge smile spread over her face as she left to pick up the kids now that her detour was complete.

Life was practically perfect.

* * * * * * * * * *

Needle in a haystack doesn't even begin to describe this, his subconscious whispered.

I know, I know. But I have to do this. She'd do it for me.

What if you have an accident? Run out of air? Hera and Kiera will be left with no one to take care of them.

I'll be careful. I won't run out of air or fuel. I'll go back for my girls even if I don't find Sharon.

What if you can't?

Kara will take care of them. She's my best bud - we've known each other since the Academy. She'll be there for me and my family if I need her.

This is a futile mission, you do know that, right?

The sudden klaxxon of the proximity detector interrupted Helo's internal monologue. It was almost a welcome distraction after the hours of arguments and justification he'd done with his subconscious. But unless the object or objects setting off the detector were the ships he was looking for, it wasn't good news.

It wasn't.

"Holy frak!" he yelled after spotting the Basestar out the front window. It was still a ways off but if it was close enough for him to see it, then he was surely close enough for them to have noticed him. "Shit!" He fiddled with the controls, doing some quick re-aligning that he knew would earn him a stern reprimand from the Chief. He thought for a moment ... what could he do that they would know without question that no one else would?

A mere fifteen seconds later it hit him and he began to set the pattern, sending up a quick prayer that it would work.

* * * * * * * * * *

Kara drew Hera aside and spoke softly so the other children couldn't hear. "Your mom and dad are both away on missions right now. They'll be back as soon as they can, but you're going to have to be strong and help take care of your sister while they're gone. I'll help out if you need me and there are a lot of other people - your mom and dad's friends - who will help too."

Hera met Kara's worried eyes with her own dark ones. "I know my mom is in danger."

"How do you know that?" Kara whispered.

"I saw her."

"A vision?"

Hera nodded.

Kara bit her lip and decided to tell the girl the truth. "Well she's not exactly in danger but she's missing right now."

"Did my dad go out looking for her?" Kara nodded. "He'll find her," the young girl said confidently.

"I'm sure he will." Kara smiled. "But until they come back they need you to be grown up and help out, okay?"

"I will," Hera promised.

Kara left and went to pick up her own children but the ship-wide announcement halted her steps. "Kara Thrace, please report to CIC immediately. Pass the word to Kara Thrace. Report to CIC immediately."

Jenny, one of the caregivers, raised an eyebrow at her.

"Yeah, I got the message." Kara gathered her children in for a quick hug. "I've got to run but I'll be back soon."

"Can't we go with you?" Zach pleaded. "Please?"

Kara shook her head. "No children in CIC. I promise I'll come right back as soon as I'm done."

Their sad eyes pulled at her heart.

"Hey you guys, want to come play blocks with me?"

Kara smiled gratefully at Hera. "Thanks," she mouthed, then turned and took off at a run.

* * * * * * * * * *

"You've got something?" The words were already out of her mouth almost before she'd entered the room.

Adama motioned her over to the comm station. "Turn it on again."

Hoshi nodded and pressed the button. The room was filled with static, the sound loud enough to drown out the usual noise of the dradis.

Kara listened intently. At first there was nothing. Then something began to stick out. A repeating rhythm. A beat. She began to tap her fingers along with it and her head began to nod.

"Do you recognize it?" The lack of lower tones in Adama's gruff voice let her know that he was anxious.

"Shh." She closed her eyes and began to tap the rhythm with her foot.

She danced around wildly, giggling like a teenager. "Highway to the danger zone ... " she sang, mostly out of tune.

"You're the danger zone Thrace," Helo said, smiling though he shook his head at her antics. "I have no idea why I hang out with you. You are seriously dangerous."

She jumped off the bed and landed right in front of him, still giggling. "Maybe but life is so much more fun. You'd be bored without me Karl."

"Boring might be good."

"In whose universe?"

"The Cylons?"

She harumphed. "They don't exist anymore. You are so behind the times. We don't have any enemies. Other than ourselves," she added reflectively, then hiccuped and began to giggle again.

Helo smacked her chin playfully. "You are certainly your own worst enemy."

"Pour us some more shots, willya?" She leapt back onto the bed and began singing again. " ... ride into the danger zone, gonna take you right into the danger zone ... "

"Cylons," she said suddenly, opening her eyes wide. "He's found Cylons."

"Cylons? But how ... ? Are you certain?"

Kara nodded decisively. "Triangulate where that signal is coming from."

Hoshi looked scared. "Umm ... there's no way to do that. It's just background space noise," he said apologetically.

"Find a way," Kara snapped. "We have to save him."

Hoshi shrugged. "I'm sorry, I can't."

She turned to Adama. "If we don't take Galactica there, I'm hopping in a Raptor and going to find him myself."

Adama stared back at her, eyes narrowing. "Do it Hoshi," he growled, not turning away. "I don't care if there isn't a system, make one. Grasp at straws. Do anything you have to, to find those coordinates. Understood?"

"Understood sir." He gulped and turned his attention to the board.

"As for you, young lady, you steal one of my ships and run away again and I will personally install bunkbeds in the brig so you can enjoy your children's company there. Are we clear?"

"Crystal."

~ TBC ~

A/N: Words from the song "Danger Zone" as performed by Kenny Loggins, used without permission. No money being made here, please don't sue.