Chapter 2

The first transmission came two days after Starbuck had vanished from her bunk on the Pegasus.

To his dismay, Lee had only realised she'd gone when she didn't show up for her CAP on the second day as he'd been out on another one of Cain's humiliating courier runs around the Fleet. He'd landed back on Pegasus mad as hell and needing to offload as usual to Kara who would sit, listen and then impart some of her own special wisdom, she never failed to bring him out of his funk. Only this time when he got back she was not waiting at the hangar door as was custom.

At first he thought she'd got into a fight with one of the knucklehead pilots who had enjoyed baiting her since she first stepped foot on the new Battlestar. Lords knew they deserved it after making her life hell. At first it was small things, snide comments any time she walked into a room, bursts of laughter when she left, nothing she couldn't deal with. But as things grew into small pushes in the mess hall and one instance of her locker being drenched, he could see it wearing her down. Starbuck wasn't used to being disrespected, being the lowest of the low and he could see she didn't know how to deal with it. One day she evidently had had enough and broke the nose of Gage, the ring leader of the good time boys. The shock of her fighting back seemed to be enough to keep them away from her, at least up until she'd disappeared.

Lee had gone straight to the brig, sure she'd be waiting for him with that infuriating grin and a throwaway comment. Even when he didn't find her there he didn't panic but started checking out her favourite bolt holes which she'd somehow managed to ferret out despite the crazy schedule Cain had them both on. By the time he'd checked the last place he could think of with still no sign of her Lee was starting to get concerned.

He found himself in an awkward position. Should he go ask the good time boys if they'd seen her, or go straight to Cain to see if she'd been reassigned. Either way he knew that if Kara was just off somewhere for some solitude she'd be mad as hell at him for causing a fuss and giving the Pegasus crew more reason to tease her about their relationship. But, if Cain had reassigned her then he was worrying for nothing.

In the end he didn't need to go see either of them. Just as he was approaching CIC to find Admiral Cain a call for him from his father came over the comms. The call that changed everything.

"This is Adama, go ahead Galactica Actual" Lee was aware of all eyes in the CIC on him as he spoke to his father.

The Commanders voice came over the loudspeaker, Lee could detect something off in the way his dad rushed his words, "Lieutenant, is Captain Thrace with you?"

Lee paused, why was the old man asking him that? He answered haltingly, "Er, I've just got back to Pegasus but haven't seen her yet Sir. Is there a problem?"

His fathers voice came back on, Lee could detect strain in it, "Has anyone seen her today on that ship? I need to know Lee."

"Wait one Galactica…" Lee looked to Admiral Cain who, to her credit was on the comms apparently making enquiries. After a minute she shook her head, a question in her eyes as to what was going on. Lee ignored her, "No-one's seen her Sir, what's going on?".

"I want you back on this ship Lieutenant, now."

"Now wait a moment Commander, this is my ship, my crew and you can't…" Admiral Cain was cut off mid sentence.

"Admiral Cain, I'm sorry but matters have gone beyond the jurisdiction of your ship. I have reason to believe Captain Thrace has been taken from your ship, by force, and is currently in enemy hands". The old mans voice was shaking with barely concealed rage, Lee could not believe what he'd just heard. He beat Cain to have the next word.

"What do you mean 'in enemy hands'? Where is she? What the frak's going on Dad?". He didn't even realise he'd slipped from military protocol.

"I need you back on Galactica Lee. Immediately."

Cain spoke up while staring at Lee, "He's on his way Commander, but I'm coming too and I want a damned good explanation to your allegations. A damned good one."

Back on board Galactica, Lee and the Admiral were taken straight to the Commanders quarters. He waved away Lee's question, perched on the edge of his desk he spoke.

"At 0740 we received an incoming call to CIC. An unidentified male suggested he had a message I would want to hear. Before I had a chance to question him he played us this". With that he started the message playing, looking at his son with pity in his eyes. Lee soon found out why.

The message started with static then cleared to a low, intermittent thud. Lee found himself physically tilting his head to try to hear more clearly, the sound was familiar, but he couldn't quite place it. After one particularly loud thud he knew what it was as he heard a low moan. His eyes widened as he heard the moan again followed by a pained "Frak you". Even with her voice distorted with what he was sure were tears, he knew it was Kara.

"Damn it, let me go…" Lee quietened again as he heard Kara struggle, chains clinking and then the sound of fists hitting flesh continued. The brief recording ended after a vicious sounding slap.

The old man spoke again, rage evident in his tone, "They call themselves the Voice of Freedom. A human group, apparently they want the war to end, saying we should live in peace with the Cylons. They have taken Lieutenant Thrace as a prisoner of war, a hostage. Apparently her profile among the Fleet made her their prime target, they say they will be in touch again soon." He paused, his eyes hardening "I want her back, and I want her back here now. Whatever it takes".

In the depths of the Voice of Freedom stronghold, Leobon smiled to himself. This group, preaching of peace with the Cylons, the perfect group to ally himself with, to persuade of the need for a political prisoner. And oh so happy to follow his lead in his choice of prisoner.

He watched her for hours, just sat and watched her in her state of unconsciousness brought on by a well placed elbow to the back of her neck once he'd made the recording. Staring at her, at this woman, no, at this girl who'd had him tortured mercilessly in his previous body. She looked so innocent, those big guileless eyes, her soft spoken questions. But underneath he saw her resolve, her willingness to do anything to get what she wanted from him. Hour after hour she orchestrated his torture, never once touching him, but she was in control nonetheless.

The more he stared at her, the more the memories washed over him of how at the end she had looked into his eyes with such sorrow and understanding. He remembered how he'd laid his hand on the window separating them right before the President spaced his previous body just to see if she would respond, despite knowing he was a Cylon and despite the fact that her President was standing right behind her. As she slowly moved forward he thought she was going to cry, and then as she raised her hand to mirror his he was fascinated by her and he knew he had to meet her again, had to get her under his control and test her to her very foundations. He'd seen a glimpse of the insecurity below her military façade, talk of her mother touched a nerve. He wanted to find that nerve again, and destroy it.

And so he sat, and he watched, and he waited.

As he watched he wondered how she would react when she woke and realised what was happening. He wondered if she'd appreciate the efforts he'd gone to for her. Not only had he found a room the mirror image of their first meeting, but he'd recreated the scene right down to the guard in black waiting to enter when she awoke. And of course he couldn't wait to see if she'd notice any of that once she realised she was restrained as he'd been, arms shackled behind her and attached to the cuffs around her ankles. He heard from Simon how she'd reacted to being restrained down on Caprica. He was so looking forward to this, to the moment of awareness.

"Your Gods teach you the cyclical nature of events don't they Starbuck. Well, reap what you sow little girl." He spoke quietly to himself, breaking the utter silence in the room. He looked forward to breaking that silence once more, only the next time he heard her voice, that voice that had spoken to him so gently, he wanted her to be screaming in pain.