A Different Beginning-----Chapter 2

A.N.: ------AU and starting from the Mini-Series. I am writing this solo so I am sorry for any mistakes.

Chapter 2

Lee decided to turn and face the blackboard and pretend to be studying it when his father came in. He never thought his father would bring the woman he heard laughing into the room with them, but he clearly intended to do just that. Lee stayed where he was and began to read the names posted on the flight board and was shocked to see the name Starbuck right next to his. Great he thought, not only did he have to see his father but he would also be flying with Starbuck in the fly-over. He definitely was not looking forward to that. Lee decided he would stay turned away from the hatchway making his father have to speak first.

Adama entered the room and saw that Lee was reading the flight schedule. " Hello Lee " Adama said forcing Lee to turn and speak to him.

Lee turned seeing his father standing with a blond woman. He came to attention saluting " Hello Commander "

" At ease Captain " Adama said keeping up the formality

Adama and Kara walked closer " Lee can we cut the military bravado, I would like you to meet Lt. Kara Thrace "

Kara stepped forward extending her hand " Hello Captain Adama, it is nice to meet you "

Lee shook her hand more out of politness than anything else " Hello Lt. Thrace "

Adama spoke up " It is good to see you and congratulations on making Captain "

Kara had stepped back watching the exchange between father and son. She was starting to feel uncomfortable and began looking around the room just to have something to do. They exchanged a few more words while she was looking around and she tuned back in when she heard her name.

Adama was speaking " Lt. Thrace is a viper pilot just like yourself and will be participating in the fly-over with you "

" I see " Lee said glancing back at the board " And I also see that Starbuck will be flying as well "

Adama looked at him strangely " That is what I just said Lee "

Lee was watching them when a strange knot started forming in his stomach, no way he thought. There was no way that this woman could be Starbuck, could it be he thought.

Lee thought back to that dinner a long time ago " You are not saying that this woman is Starbuck, are you?

Kara smiled then " The one and only Apollo "

Gods Lee thought, could this day get any worse.

Kara excused herself after that " Commander I need to be going, it was good to meet you Apollo "

" You too Lt. Thrace " Lee said

" Where are you headed Starbuck ? " Adama asked

Kara answered as she was walking away " I need to check on my viper before the briefing "

Lee was watching her walk away when his father coughed to get his attention.

Not knowing what else to say to his father now that they were alone he grabbed onto his first thought " So I guess that was who beat some of my scores at the academy "

Adama decided it was a safe topic after two years and responded " Yes, she is one hell of a viper pilot Lee and is now our lead pilot "

" How long has she been here on Galactica? Lee asked

" A year, but if she accepts Commander Cains offer she will be flying back with you " Adama answered

Lee looked at his father then " Why would she not accept to serve on the Pegagus? "

Adama decided it would not hurt to tell Lee of Kara's other offer " The academy has asked her to teach at Viper school."

Lee looked at him dumbfounded " Is she really that good?"

" They say she is one of the best the academy has ever taught " Adama said with a proud smile

Lee looked at the smile on his fathers face and wondered how close his father and this viper pilot were and started wishing for the first time that he could stay longer. If she was half the pilot that his father said he could not wait to fly with her.

When Lee did not respond Adama decided to change the subject " It is good to see you Lee and thanks for coming to the decommissioning "

" Sure " was all Lee had time to say because a group of pilots had walked in.

Adama turned to see what Lee was looking at and found four of his pilots standing at attention. " At ease guys and I would like to introduce you all to my son, Captain Adama "

All of the pilots said hello but one stepped forward to shake his hand " Hello Apollo "

" Captain this is Lt. Karl Agathon better known as Helo " Adama said " Helo have you seen the CAG?"

Helo stepped back away from Apollo to answer his commander, smiling he said " Yeah, he is trying to get Starbuck out from under her viper "

Adama smiled again " Well I guess we had better give him ten more minutes "

" Yeah you know Kara she always has to check out her own viper before she takes off " Helo said chuckling

Lee wondered who this man was that he did not call Starbuck by her rank or callsign. Who the hell was this woman he thought. First his father and now this man smiled when they spoke of her.

Adama got ready to leave " I will see you after the fly-over Lee and don't forget Starbuck may be flying back with you "

This got Helos attention " Where is Kara going Sir?"

" I think I will let Starbuck tell you that Helo " Adama said as he walked away leaving his son with the other pilots

After his father left Lee took a seat in the second row and noticed that Helo sat in front of him.

A few minutes later and the room had filled up with pilots and Lee noticed only one person had sat by Helo leaving the chair to the right of him open. He didn't have long to wonder why, because Starbuck came and sat in the open seat next to Helo after giving him a quick look and a small smile.

The CAG then entered and he knew this because someone called the room to attention.

" At ease everyone, lets get this briefing started as it seems I am running late " he said giving a look in Starbucks direction, which was followed by a few snickers.

" First of all I would like to welcome Apollo who will be leading the fly-over today. " the CAG looked down at his notes " Apollo you will have the privilege of flying the same viper your father flew twenty years ago, the deck crew found it and has restored it to its original state."

Lee wanted to say he had his own viper, but one look around the room at the other pilots and he decided against saying anything. He tuned backed in because the CAG had continued speaking.

" After the ceremony I want all particapting pilots to land and Starbuck and Apollo you two are ordered to go to the Commanders office as soon as you have finished your checklist " Kara then glanced back at him with a shrug of her shoulders. " As for the rest of you, those not on stand-by will be attending the ceremony." He gathered his notes together " That will be, dismissed everyone "

After the CAG left the room everyone started dispersing except Starbuck, she had waited by the hatchway for Apollo. " Come on Apollo and I will show you to the old mans viper " she said

Lee did not respond he just fell into step next to her. He did notice on the way to the hangar deck that people tended to give her the right of way. That made him think once again she must be a by the book pilot.
And he also noticed that she did not have anything to say to him either. Well, at least he would get a chance to see her fly and he would be leading the fly-over which meant she had to follow his lead. Finally they had arrived at the hangar deck and except for two vipers being Mark II the rest were Mark VII. That left him something else to wonder about.

Kara knew she must seem impolite by not making conservation with Apollo, but she had a lot to think about. She still had not decided on what she wanted to do with her last year. In some ways she wanted to teach but she would hate to give up being able to fly everyday. Kara figured that was what Adama wanted to see her about but why did he want to see her with Apollo she wondered.

She looked over at Apollo walking next to her and thought that at least she would get one chance to fly with the old mans son. She could not wait to see how he flew, she figured he was a by the book pilot just by the way he acted. She wondered what he thought of her, she had not missed the looks he had given his father and her during their first meeting. Well, she thought with a smile she may just have to show him her style of flying.

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