A Different Beginning----Chapter 6
A.N.---- AU and it starts at the mini-series. I am writing this solo, so I am sorry for any mistakes.
Chapter 6
Starbuck and Apollo were in the cockpit with the Captain when they received word that it was indeed a cylon invasion. Apparently Laura Roslin had just became President and was already issuing orders. They had heard from Commander Adama and were ordered to meet at Ragnar. Kara could not believe that Apollo had just told his father that they would be searching for survivors first. As Apollo was arguing with his father the alarms started blaring again.
Without thinking Lee threw the headset down and grabbed Starbuck by the hand, as she had been standing behind him. " Come on " he yelled while pulling her after him.
Kara let him pull her before she yanked her hand back " Where are we going?" she yelled as she continued to follow him.
Apollo looked back without stopping " Just trust me, I have an idea " So Kara continued running behind him and they ended up back at the flight deck, as much as it could be called that.
Lee stopped in front of two large generators and without waiting on her to ask he started explaining " We don't have much time, so do exactly what I tell you to do and we might get out of this." Lee started flipping switches and Kara did the same with the other one, even though she had no idea what his plan was. All of a sudden the generators roared to life and before they knew it they both crumpled to the deck.
Back on the Galactica, Adama watched as the colonial ship carrying his son and Kara disappeared off the dradis. He could not speak he was so upset, he had lost his son after just getting him back. He noticed the quietness that had fallen over the CIC " Report " he ordered. The technician Gaeta told him " They are gone sir, it was a fifty megaton blast, they could not have survived " he said without meeting his commanders eyes. Adama took a moment to breathe deeply " Prepare to jump " he ordered before walking out of the CIC.
Lee woke up to find President Roslin and the Captain standing over him. He grabbed the back of his neck and sat up slowly " What happened?"
" We were going to ask you the same thing, we only just woke up ourselves " President Roslin told him
Lee looked at the Captain " How long have I been out?"
" Best guess, a couple of hours, but the good news is that the cylons are no where in sight " the Captain answered
Lee suddenly heard a groan beside him and looked over, gods he had forgot about Starbuck " What the frak did we do Apollo?" Kara asked as loudly as she dared because she felt like she had went ten rounds in the boxing ring.
Lee stood up and offered her his hand, which she took, and pulled her to her feet " We set off two EMP pulse generators, which by us still being here, I take it that they worked "
The Captain spoke up " Thanks to the two of you we are still alive, what exactly did those things do?"
" It shut down the missiles causing them to blow before impact, unfortunately it probably also shut down this ship and all communications as well " Lee explained
Kara who was still dazed finally noticed that she was still holding onto Apollo's hand and shook it loose. He looked at her " I am alright now " she said by way of explanation and then she headed to her viper.
Lee called after her " Starbuck, where are you going?" she turned around " Back out there of course, someone has to protect this ship " she began heading back towards her viper.
Apollo walked over to where she was, as the Captain and the President walked off, having to speak to her back " It will take a while before this ship and yours comes back on-line"
Kara rounded on him then " Why did you disobey our Commanders orders to jump to Ragnar?" she asked raising her voice.
Lee just looked at her " There could still be civilians out there Starbuck and President Roslin ordered it "
She looked at him and spoke very slowly " We are in the military Apollo and our job is to follow Commander Adama's orders "
" Not when it comes to civilian lives Starbuck, because that is also in our job description you know, to protect them at all costs " Lee finished daring her to disagree.
Kara opened her mouth to say something when she noticed a raptor landing and took off towards it. She watched as the hatch opened and saw several women and children exiting followed by Boomer. What she did not see was Helo " Where the frak is Helo? " she nearly yelled it at Boomer.
Boomer had been dreading facing Starbuck with the news about Helo. Still she couldn't not answer her " We took several hits and had to land on Caprica and repair the raptor " she looked down at her feet before looking back at Starbuck. "There were civilians surrounding us and Helo told me to get some of them to safety, he had to hold the others back with his gun because they were trying to climb onto the raptor as I was taking off "
Starbuck finally relaxed her stance " Sounds just like him " she then stepped towards the raptor and when Boomer did not follow she turned around " Come on Boomer, we are going back after him "
Boomer did not move " Starbuck we can't, there were bombs dropping all around the site, so I doubt he is even still alive " she said quietly
" You don't know that " Starbuck screamed at her
Boomer figured she had better give her the rest of the news " Starbuck there is something else " when Starbuck just glared at her with her hands on her hips she continued " The CAG and the rest of the squadron are dead "
" How? " Kara barely whispered her question
" It seems the cylons were able to shut the Mark VII's down and it left them sitting ducks " Boomer told her
Kara gasped " Are you sure they are all dead?"
Boomer simply nodded her head, she knew it was a lot for Starbuck to take at one time.
Lee who had been standing a few feet away, after following her when she took off, had been listening to the exchange and walked over " I am sorry Starbuck, but she is right about Caprica, plus I think the President will want to use this raptor to try and find civilian ships "
Kara glared at him knowing he was right, but not wanting to accept it. Instead of saying anything she stalked off, before she hit him again.
Boomer turned to Apollo " Thank you, it nearly killed me to leave him there and I knew it would be hard trying to explain it to Starbuck, plus having to tell her about the squadron "
Lee did not have anything to say to that " Let's go see President Roslin and find out what she wants you to do "
Lee did not know where Starbuck went and frankly he did not have time to deal with her right now. He knew she could not get far, but then he stopped and thought a second, then turned to Boomer " Lock down the raptor, I don't trust that Starbuck won't try to take it and head back to Caprica "
Boomer looked at him funny then went to do as she was ordered.
Kara knew she needed to find a quite place to process all that had just happened so she headed to her viper and climbed inside. Once there she started thinking about everything that had happened. She should have been on the Pegagus by now, but instead the world as she knew it had just ended. As Kara sat there and thought about Helo, Pincher and the rest of the pilots she let the tears fall. After a while she wiped her face and reached under her seat for the tools she kept there and climbed back out. Kara slid under her viper knowing she needed to check for damage. All in all everything seemed as well as could be expected. She then slid out and went to check on Apollo's viper, cause she knew they would be needing them.
Kara could not find any major damage to his either so she went back to hers to see if she could fire it up. Kara thanked the gods when it fired up and then she powered it back down. That is when she looked out and saw Apollo approaching.
" Starbuck could you come down here ?" Apollo called to her. As she climbed out Lee hoped she had pulled herself together because he had work for her to do.
Kara planted herself in front of him " What? " she asked a bit snarky
Lee let her attitude go because he knew this day was only going to get worse. " Boomer is going out to look for survivors and as you know she needs an ECO " he saw her flinch when he said that.
" Why can't you do it?" she asked with her hands balled into fists by her side " I just got my viper started and I need to be out there protecting this ship"
Lee thought about it for a second then remembered " I think we will be okay, besides the cylons think that we blew up, remember "
Kara thought damn him and his logical thinking " Fine, I'll do it, but as soon as we are through I am taking the raptor to Ragnar " then she stalked off towards a waiting Boomer.
Lee let out the breath he did not realize he was holding and thought things could have gone a lot worse. He waited until they took off and headed back to the cockpit.
Kara was glad that she had come with Boomer, it had helped take her mind off of things. Not only had they found several civilian ships, but they had also found some that would be beneficial to the Galactica. They had found close to fifty thousand survivors and were now headed back to Colonial One, as it had now been renamed.
Kara also knew that now they could jump to Ragnar and meet up with the Galactica. She found she could not wait to get back there. It was not very long after they got back that they were heading down toward Ragnar Station and the Galactica.
Kara got off as soon as she could and headed for the flight deck.
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Lee felt very drained and was glad they were finally jumping to meet up with the Galactica. He knew his father probably thought they were dead and he was anxious to see him. At least Starbuck seemed to be in better spirits, Lee knew today had been rough on her also.
Lee got off of Colonial One as soon as they docked and ran into Starbuck who seemed to be in a hurry to get somewhere " Where are you headed?" he asked her
Kara looked at him a second and thought for the first time that she was glad he had made it back alive along with her. She new the old man would be happy " I am headed to see if the chief needs any help with the planes." then she asked " Where are you headed?'
" I was planning on finding my father, but it seems the President needs me to see about some supplies for the fleet " Lee told her
Kara looked at him " I think your first priority should be your dad "
" Believe me, it is my first choice, but I have to try and help the President before I can do that" he answered her
" Well, I am off, but if I see him I will let him know you are alive " she told him as she walked off
" Thanks Starbuck " he yelled to her back as she walked away
Kara glanced back over her shoulder and gave him a small nod before continuing on to the hangar deck.
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