A Different Beginning-Chapter 26

THIS IS AN A.U. STORY THAT BEGINS WHEN THE CYLONS DESTROY THE TWELVE COLONIES AND KARA AND LEE MEET FOR THE FIRST TIME.

A.N.-All mistakes are mine as I am writing this solo. Also this story contains some mysticism so I hope you continue to read it. The BSG writers brought up Aurora, Pythia, Lords of Kobol and Kara's destiny then dropped it in the end and switched their focus onto the cylons, so this is my way of trying to understand what could have happened if they had not changed it. Also other than an earlier attempt at writing [ which was not good ] this is basically my first story.

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CHAPTER 26

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Kara and Helo's expression was almost the same as they stood there with a jaw-dropped open mouth look.

Helo recovered first " What did you say?"

After glancing at Athena, Boomer answered " We talked to Aurora in a projection "

Kara finally was able to speak " There is no fraking way that you saw Aurora, the cylons must have manipulated you "

Athena looked at Helo " It was real, a six approached Boomer and she showed us Aurora in her projection and Aurora made us vow to her that we would protect Starbuck and by doing so we would earn our passage to Earth like the six had done "

Kara still did not believe them " Why would Aurora show herself to cylons?"

Athena looked at Starbuck " She never would have if the six had not entered the Temple of Delphi and sat on the prayer rug "

Boomer hated what she had to say next " That's not all, Caprica also saw and talked to Aurora " she saw Starbuck was going to try and deny it again so she spoke quickly " Caprica and six are going to try and help the fleet from inside the cylon base star and Caprica is getting us a raider so we can get you back to the fleet "

Athena picked up relaying other things before Helo or Starbuck could say anything " Starbuck, Aurora said some of your answers are with the fleet and others will be answered along the way to Earth "

Kara had started pacing and did not say anything for a while then she stopped " Okay if what you say is true show me, you two can project also I assume "

Athena took a breath " We can, but Aurora will only show herself in the six's projection, plus since you are Aurora's chosen one she can not show herself to you, I think it is some kind of rule the gods have "

Starbuck was mad by the time Athena finished " Well that is just fraking great, I can't see her but the cylons can " after a moment she continued ranting " None of this makes any sense, I need to get back to the fleet and Lee right fraking now "

Anders came around the corner because he heard raised voices " What's going on?"

Kara turned and gave him a look that would have sent most people running away from her " It is none of your fraking business " then she stormed off with Boomer following right behind her.

Anders looked at Helo " Is she always such a bitch?"

Athena put her hand on Helo's arm when she saw him tense up and responded to what Anders had said " As the highest ranking officer here she has a lot of responsibility on her right now and on top of that the fleet is depending on her, so the best thing you can do is stay out of her way and ignore her "

Anders was not impressed " I feel sorry for the man in her life, that is if she is even capable of getting a man with her attitude "

Athena knew that she could not stop Helo this time, so she took her hand off of his arm right as he balled up his fist and landed a blow to Ander's face knocking him to the ground, Helo looked down at him " That was for Apollo the man in her life, since he is not here to do it himself "

After Helo stalked off Athena looked down at Ander's " You are lucky that Apollo is not here or you would have gotten much worse than one punch"

Athena reached out to help him up, but he pushed her hand away so she walked off to find Helo.

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Kara had made her way back to her room and slid down the wall to sit. Kara knew she needed Lee right now to help her make sense of all this crazy stuff. She honestly did not know how much longer she could hold on before breaking down. Kara wished she had her idols with her at least they would give her a small comfort. She heard someone enter the room and was about to go off on them before she saw it was Boomer.

Boomer took a chair and placed it against the door before making her way to Starbuck and sat down beside her " Starbuck I can't offer you much, but I know you probably still try and go to Temple when you can "

Kara looked at her " What are you trying to get at Boomer?"

Boomer clasped her hands together " I can't show you Aurora, but I can project the Temple six showed us and I thought it might help you some "

Kara thought about it, she wished there was a Temple close by but she knew there was not and she was unsure if she wanted to be in a cylons projection.

Boomer could tell she was hesitant " It will be okay Starbuck and I will be right beside you "

Kara figured it couldn't hurt and the gods knew she needed something " Okay, tell me what to do "

Boomer turned to face her " Just hold onto my hand and when you want out just let my hand go "

Kara turned toward Boomer and crossed her legs in a sitting position and grabbed Boomer's hand and suddenly found herself in the Temple of Delphi, she knew this because she had gone there several times " Oh my gods this feels and looks so real "

Boomer smiled " Just try and forget I am here and do what you normally would do " after that Boomer remained silent and still.

Kara never allowed anyone to witness her prayers or even talk about them, which is why she could not figure out how Leobon knew so much about this part of her life.

She glanced at Boomer and saw her sitting with her on the prayer rug with her eyes closed as if she herself was praying silently which Kara knew was not possible because she was a cylon.

Kara looked around the Temple once more and closed her eyes and began praying silently to the gods. ' Lords of Kobol here my prayers please look after your son Lee Adama and the fleet and help guide me in my destiny if that is your will ' Kara paused before she asked for something for herself ' Please help me return to the fleet and Lee as soon as possible '

After her prayers were over Kara sat very still and let the Temple surround her seeking a calmness to block out the chaos that her life had became. For a brief moment she thought she felt a presence with her that was not Boomer. With one last look around the Temple she let go and was back in her room at the school.

Kara looked at Boomer to thank her, but stopped when she saw tears in Boomers eyes " What's wrong Boomer?"

Boomer wiped her eyes " I felt something that I have not felt since I was a child and even though I know those were false memories I still remember them "

Kara did not know how to respond to something like that so she asked "What did you feel?"

Boomer locked eyes with Kara " I felt loved and safe it was so peaceful, how can that be Starbuck?"

Kara didn't have a clue " Maybe you were programmed to feel those things "

Boomer shook her head " That's not it because the cylons don't know about things like that, what if there really isn't a cylon god?"

Kara smirked " You are asking the wrong person because I never believed the cylons had a god simply based on the fact that humans created the cylons in the first place "

Boomer gasped " Oh my god you may be right because we evolved only after we were created by humans "

Kara looked at her weirdly " Then who told you about the cylon god?"

All of a sudden Boomer jumped up and was pissed off " Cavil, that fraking piece of shit told us all about the cylon god, but why?"

Kara stood up and stretched " Probably because he thinks he is god or he is setting himself up to be one "

Boomer knew she had a lot to think about and she needed to find some answers before she could try and convince other cylons about what Cavil had done. She doubted even then very few would believe her.

Kara broke into her thoughts " Come on Boomer we need to come up with a plan in case Caprica can't get us a raider "

They left the room to go meet with the others, but not before Kara grabbed the arrow which was now in a tube and slung it onto her shoulders across her back.

Kara stopped when they got to the courtyard " Thanks for what you did back there Boomer " Kara was not used to thanking anybody, but the projection of the Temple helped her more than she would admit.

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Starbuck and Boomer stood there as Athena walked across the courtyard to meet them " So what's our plan?"

Kara looked around to make sure no one was close to them " We are still going to try and steal a raider in case Caprica doesn't show up with one, what's going on over there?" she nodded to the group at the edge of the courtyard.

Athena looked back " Helo, Anders and a few of the others are trying to fine a way into the Delphi air base "

Kara started to walk away " Then I guess we better join them "

When they reached them Kara ignored Anders " So, Helo did you find a way in?"

Helo looked up from the plans " They seem to have upped their security, we may not be able to go in until tomorrow morning "

Athena grabbed the binoculars and went up to the top of the hill that was on one side of the school with Starbuck following her.

Starbuck laid down beside her waiting while she looked " What are they doing Athena, do you think they know what we are planning on doing?"

Athena handed her the binoculars "I don't think so, it looks like they are refueling the raiders and I think Helo is right we will have to wait till morning"

Starbuck had been looking at the base while Athena told her what she thought and was about to stop looking when she spotted a six looking their way " Frak, I think someone knows we are here "

Athena took the binoculars back to look at what Starbuck had seen, she quickly saw the six and sighed in relief " That is Caprica, she must be trying to find a way to get a raider without anyone knowing "

Besides Leobon, Caprica is the last cylon she was willing to trust " Athena do you think she can be trusted?"

Athena grinned " Normally I would say no, but after what six told us it seems that Aurora trusts her "

Kara was getting tired of hearing six all of the time " I think this six you keep talking about needs a name cause I am sick of hearing six said this or six said that, so what do you think of the name Willow ?"

Athena smiled " I like it, she is so different from the other six's and it fits her really good, how did you come up with that name? "

Kara winked and looked up, Athena looked up and then back at her " I don't understand "

Kara chuckled " We have been laying under this willow tree for the last half hour "

Athena laughed " I should have known you would have a reason for coming up with Willow "

They got up and headed back to the group " We will wait until the morning before going ahead with our plan "

Boomer and Helo both nodded, but Anders wasn't satisfied " Why are you changing the plan?"

As much as Kara wanted to not answer him she knew she needed to stop keeping the resistance leader out of the loop " Things have changed and we have no choice but to change our plans now "

That wasn't enough for Anders " There are things you are not telling us, I want to know what they are?"

Kara rubbed a hand across her face " This is a military matter Anders, therefore you are on a need to know bases only "

As Kara started to walk away Anders grabbed her arm " That's not good enough "

Kara looked from the hand he had on her to his face " That is all you are getting, now I suggest you let go of me before this turns ugly and don't ever touch me again "

Anders looked around and saw Helo and the two cylons surrounding them, he knew his people could have handled this if there were not two cylons who looked ready to defend Starbuck at all costs and knew it would cost some of his people their lives and with that thought he let her go.

After that was over Helo found himself standing there with Anders and decided to give him some advice " Anders Starbuck is military to the bone there are things she doesn't even tell us and you need to stop baiting her before something bad happens that will affect us all "

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Kara and Boomer went to what was serving as a lunch room to grab something to eat and after picking a table in the corner they sat down to eat.

Kara was about to say something when she saw Helo and Athena enter the room to find something to eat also and then headed their way.

After a few minutes Helo spoke " Starbuck what are we going to do with the people in the resistance?"

Starbuck shrugged her shoulders " I don't know, there will not be enough room for them in one raider "

Athena had a thought " What if we can get two raiders Boomer and I both know how to fly them?"

Starbuck looked at Helo " Find out if they want to leave here before we start busting our asses trying to get two raiders "

Boomer pushed her plate away " Tonight I am going to try and find Caprica or the six and see if they have a raider yet "

Starbuck nodded " If you talk to them let them know we will be trying to get another one before dawn in case some other people decide to go, because I plan to leave this planet tomorrow and you can stop calling her six I have named her Willow "

Helo looked at her " Why did you do that?"

Athena chuckled " She was sick of hearing us refer to her as six so often "

Starbuck stood up " I am going to try and get some sleep, Helo make sure you talk to Anders tonight because we might have to move fast tomorrow "

They sat there while Starbuck walked off.

Helo was the first to say something " Do you two really believe that was Aurora that you saw?"

They both answered " Yes "

Helo looked at them for a while before stating " You two do realise that you can't believe in the cylon god and the Lords of Kobol right?"

Boomer answered right away " I know that and as soon as I saw Aurora and the mark on Starbuck it proved to me that the gods Kara prays to are real and I now think Cavil lied to all of us about there being a cylon god "

Athena gasped " You can't say those things Boomer, anyway how come they both can't be real?"

Boomer looked at Athena hard " You need to figure out what you believe and pick a side, besides we have seen proof of the humans gods and no proof of the cylon god and I have come to the conclusion that Cavil may be setting himself up as the cylon god "

Athena was at a loss for words, but Helo was not "It makes sense if you think about it, plus the fact that humans created the cylons not some god"

Boomer got up after that " I am going to check on Starbuck then do some recon to look for Caprica or Willow while you find out if the resistance want to go with us, Athena keep an eye on Starbuck while I'm gone "

Helo got up " We need to set up a watch tonight so we can all catch some sleep, I don't trust Anders men that much, they tend to talk more than keep watch, Athena I'll take first watch while you and Starbuck get some sleep "

They all left the lunch room after that.

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Lee had spent his four hour CAP going over all the stuff he had learned in the last two days. He had hope that Boomer would find Kara and Helo and help them get back to the fleet. Aside from all the stuff about Aurora he felt that Kara finding out about her dad would be the most traumatic for her.

He hoped she returned soon so he could hold her in his arms. Lee was also glad Kara had wanted to spend the night with him after the dance and that she wanted them make love, he knew now that she was afraid she might not make it back and she wanted to give them both something to remember.

Lee had thought he was falling in love with Kara and then they made love and as they lay there tangled together he knew for sure that he loved her and when she jumped away on a possible suicide mission he knew without a doubt that he loved her because he felt like he lost a part of himself, he hoped she felt the same way.

CAP was over and Lee had no choice but to land and anymore thoughts would have to wait until he was alone again.

When he opened his canopy Cally was standing at the top of the ladder taking his helmet and handing him his check list " Apollo the commander wants to see you in his office after you shower and change "

Lee finished his check list and handed it to Cally who was waiting on the deck by his ladder " Apollo have you heard anything about Starbuck?"

Lee flinched " No but don't worry Cally she will be back soon "

Cally nodded and walked off toward another viper and Lee headed to his office for a shower and clean clothes wondering what his father was up to.

When he made it to his dads office he was still wondering then he knocked and entered " What did you want to see me about?"

Adama gestured to the table " I just thought we could eat dinner and have a drink before you went to bed "

Lee smiled " This is just what I needed after the day I have had "

After they sat down " Before we eat I wanted to let you know we will be jumping to Kobol early tomorrow afternoon "

Lee didn't say anything, he had to find a way to let Adam know.

Even though Lee was hopeful Kara would return he needed to know what his dad thought since he knew Kara better than him " Dad, do you think Kara will make it back to Kobol?"

Adama chuckled " Yes I do, if it were anybody else I could not be as sure, but Kara is a master at pulling off the impossible "

Lee smiled at that remembering the two times she had gotten him back on board a ship after his viper was damaged " You're right she will come home "

They ate in silence for a while before Adama asked Lee about Mark " Are you and Kara both friends with Mark?"

Lee looked up at his dad " Yeah and even though Kara met him first he and I have become good friends also "

Adama smiled he was glad Lee had somebody besides just him and Kara " I would like to meet him, maybe after Kara gets back and things settle down we can eat in his restaurant one night, I wouldn't mind getting off of Galactica for an evening "

Lee didn't know what to say to that, he just remembered he had never asked his dad what he thought about him and Kara being together other than the few comments he had made at the dance " Yeah maybe, dad you never told me what you thought about Kara and I being together "

Adama sighed " At first I did not think it was wise, but I see how happy the two of you are together and I am happy for you both "

Lee pushed his plate away " Thank you, I know how much Kara needs your approval " Lee stood up " I need to try and get some sleep, thanks for dinner dad I'll see you in CIC in the morning "

Lee went to a phone box and requested a private line to Mark Rivers on Cloud Nine and waited " Hello this is Mark "

Lee knew he had to be quick " Hey Mark, tell Adam we are jumping tomorrow afternoon and he should be on the Aurora earlier in case it gets moved up and before you ask I haven't heard anything about Kara "

Mark sighed " I'm sorry Lee " and they both hung up there was nothing else to say

Adama could only hope Kara's gods were keeping watch over her, he would hate to see what would happen to Lee if she did not make it back.

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After Helo walked with Athena back to their room he stuck his head into the room next door and saw that Kara was asleep already so he went to find Anders.

He found them in the abandoned gym sitting around several tables playing cards. " Mind if I join you ?" he asked looking at Anders

Anders kicked the chair across from him out " Have a seat "

Someone Helo did not recognize sneered " Did Starbuck send you to spy on us?"

Helo knew he wasn't welcome there but he didn't have much choice " I need to ask you and your team something?"

Anders knew whatever it was it had to be important because Helo didn't even acknowledge the Starbuck comment " What do you want to ask us?"

Helo decided to use military protocol " Captain Thrace wants to know if anybody wants to go back to the fleet with us " Helo let that sink in " We won't be coming back here because we are going to find Earth "

Several people started laughing and one spoke out " Your military is fraking crazy there is no such place "

Helo stood up " You can believe what you want to we are just offering you a chance to get off of this world full of radiation and not much food "

Anders got up and followed Helo outside where he stopped him " Helo I need to know the truth no bullshit okay, do the people in charge of this fleet really believe Earth can be found?"

Helo had to make a quick decision " Yes, as long as we can keep Starbuck safe we will find Earth without her our chances are slim to none, and since you are a leader I hope I can count on you not to mention a word of this to your people or mine otherwise you and I will never step foot on Earth "

Anders studied Helo for a long time and knew he spoke the truth " You have my word and my help to protect Starbuck and I hope one day you can explain it to me, meanwhile I will see if any of my people want to go with you "

Helo reached out and shook his hand " We need to know soon we will be leaving at dawn tomorrow and I want to remind you again when I said tell no one I meant nobody don't even whisper it to yourself "

Anders nodded " Got it, she must be very special "

Helo sighed " That is an understatement "

Anders watched as Helo walked away and he found himself thinking about Starbuck. To him she seemed cocky and rude, but thinking back on the little things he could tell she was carrying a heavy burden. He felt sorry for her if fifty thousand people were depending on her to find them a place to live. He now knew why they seemed so protective of her and he decided he would help her in anyway that he could.

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Boomer had walked about a mile from the school before she headed to the Delphi air base from another direction making sure she didn't give away the school. Athena had told her that Caprica was at the base earlier and if her hunch was right she would still be there. Boomer was glad she was dressed like the other eights and not in her flight suit.

There were a couple of other eights there because it was their job to work on the heavy raiders. All of a sudden Boomer heard a six getting onto one of the eights about her not fixing something on one of the raiders. Boomer moved in closer until she could make out that the six was Caprica.

Boomer stood there between two raiders until Caprica spotted her and came over after sending the eight to the other end of the hangar. " You are taking a chance by showing up here Boomer "

Boomer gave her a look " No more than Willow did when she showed up in the resistance holdout "

Caprica gave her a funny look " Who is Willow?"

Boomer chuckled " Starbuck apparently got tired of us saying six all the time so she calls her Willow now, have you been able to get a raider?"

Caprica sighed " I am trying, but something is up with Leobon and I have been trying to find out what he is up to, I am afraid he is going to do something stupid, is Starbuck secure?"

Boomer leaned against a raider " She was going to sleep when I left so I told Athena to watch over her, and Helo is trying to find out if the resistance wants to go back to the fleet with us "

Caprica looked around to make sure they were still alone " Then that means you need two raiders and I can only get one without anyone knowing "

Boomer smiled " That's okay Starbuck has plans to steal one before dawn, when you get yours land it about a half of mile east of the school and we will come to you " Boomer looked around " Where is Willow?"

Caprica shrugged " Knowing her she is either at the Temple or keeping watch on Starbuck from a distance, I think she has developed some kind of mystical connection to Starbuck " Caprica suddenly remembered " Leobon has somehow convinced an eight to help him do whatever he is planning on doing "

Boomer almost put her fist through the raider " This is bad Caprica, I need to get back to Starbuck "

Caprica could feel the tension coming off of Boomer " What are you afraid of?"

Boomer calmed herself before answering " This eight can walk right into the high school and get close to Starbuck without anyone knowing it's not me "

Caprica gasped " I bet that is what Leobon has been up to, you get to the school and I'll head back to the base star and see if I can track him if he is not there, and if nothing has gone wrong we will stick to the plan "

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