Chapter 7 Status Change
Kara sat in the kitchen chair staring at Leoben's corpse, watching the slowly spreading pool of blood from the jagged neck wound. She put her hands in her hair and bent her head, taking slow breaths as she closed her eyes. At least this time she knew what had happened, what she'd done.
Opening her eyes and slouching back in the chair, she regarded her handiwork, trying to decide if it was worth the effort to remove and clean the pottery shard she'd used to open Leoben's juggler. The piece was from the plate she'd shattered during her first week in the apartment and kept hidden under the sofa cushion—until today.
The evening had begun like the previous ones with Leoben returning from whatever he did during his days. As if the frakker had a real job or something. But, then, while fixing dinner, he had started prattling on about the human settlement and the Occupational Government. Kara couldn't say what had triggered her to pull the improvised knife from its hiding spot, she only knew that when the Cylon had droned on and on about how his people were working to improve life for the colonists, Kara had felt the twang of her coiled anger and had palmed the weapon. Moving to stand calmly before him, she'd raised her left hand and cupped his cheek, feeling the warm male flesh beneath her fingers. Leoben's eyes had softened as he'd raised his own hand to overlay hers. Then she'd struck. Shifting her hand from his stubbled cheek to the back of his neck, Kara had jerked him forward and into the shard as she thrust it upwards.
Even in that moment he hadn't appeared angry, just startled and pained by her rejection. It hadn't been nearly as messy as the time she'd slit Simon's throat, but she had still taken a long time cleaning her hands and arms at the kitchen sink before settling down to await his return.
When the apartment door opened only a bare half an hour later, Kara looked up, surprised. It usually took him close to two hours to resurrect and return—or R&R as she sarcastically had dubbed it. She stiffened when she realized that the figure she saw on the foyer was female. She stood and had a moment of hope when she recognized the reporter, D'Anna Biers.
Kara recalled to the first time she'd met the woman as she and her cameraman had invaded the pilots' bunkroom. The reporter had almost gotten more of an exclusive than planned when Apollo's towel had slipped. Kara remembered trying not to smirk as she had enjoyed an unobscured view of Lee's very nice ass.
She was jerked back from the memory as she recognized the tall blonde Cylon woman from Caprica enter just behind the reporter. As the two women descended the staircase, Kara realized that they obviously weren't here as part of a rescue attempt. Considering why they might be here, Kara supposed that the Cylons might want to use her for some propaganda piece, maybe showing how 'well' they treated their human prisoners. They could just frakkin' forget it. Let Gauis be their puppet to yank around.
She did wonder, though, what the Six had offered D'Anna to convince her to collaborate. Then Kara noticed that the reporter looked too relaxed—even pleased—as she stepped from the landing. Looking from the platinum-blonde to the sandy-haired reporter, Kara silently swore with grim understanding.
Great. Another frakkin' skin-job.
Well, that explained who she was, but not why she was here. Crossing her arms, Kara gave the pair her best Starbuck sneer, but didn't bother greeting them.
D'Anna stopped in the middle of the living room and cast an appreciative gaze around the apartment before moving over to Leoben's still form. She squatted beside the body, head tilting slightly as she regarded his neck with the shard still embedded at an angle.
"Looks like you were a tad rough on my brother, Starbuck," D'Anna said as she put her hands on her denim-clad knees and pushed upright again. "What's this, like the eighth or ninth time you've killed him? You a slow learner…or just like the color red?"
"He pissed me off," she replied, voice slightly hoarse from disuse, but matching the Cylon's mocking tone as she easily slipped Starbuck back in place like a protective cloak.
"Yeah, I've heard that about you. Short temper and all," said D'Anna as she stepped respectfully around the body to approach Kara. "Bit of a rogue with a reputation, huh?"
The eight weeks of near total muteness had left Kara with a strange reluctance to verbally spare with the skin-job. She just gave the Toaster a shrug and shifted her balance to the balls of her feet in preparation to move quickly in defense or attack.
The fake reporter didn't seem to share the same aversion to conversation. "The other models and I have voted. Decided to remove you from our brother's custody," she said. "Perhaps a change will motivate you to be more…cooperative." D'Anna glanced over at her sister model, and the tall Cylon moved to flank Starbuck. "I'd introduce you to Six here, but you've already met. The Delphi Museum on Caprica I believe it was." Leaning in slightly, "I kinda think she took your impaling her a little personal."
"So sorry," Starbuck's tone and smirk making the apology an insult.
The Six spoke for the first time. "A little lacking in sincerity. Perhaps with a few 'rehabilitation treatments' we can adjust that attitude of yours, Captain."
Giving another shrug, Starbuck's eyes surveyed the pair and judged that she could probably lay out one but the other would be on her before she ever made it to the staircase, not that she'd had much luck getting through the locked door in the past anyways.
Frak. Nowhere to run even if she tried and, while she might've stood a chance against one, two skin-jobs would wipe the floor with her. Nothing to do but go along with whatever game the pair was playing at and watch for an opening. Leoben had learned caution. She'd bet these two hadn't.
So, when D'Anna motioned for her to follow, Kara started forward without argument, disliking the feeling of the Six hovering just behind her but choosing to ignore her. She didn't bother going around Leoben's corpse, instead made a point of stepping on it as she moved to follow D'Anna.
"You just don't get it, Starbuck," the Six said so close to Kara's ear that she was sure they'd bump noses if she turned around. The Cylon woman continued, "Leoben believes you should be coaxed to follow your destiny. I have a different take on it, and soon you're going to wish you'd been nicer to my brother. Now move," Six said the last with a push to speed Kara's leisurely strides.
In the hallway, two Centurions waited.
Right. Scratch that plan, Kara thought in frustration.
She had hoped that an opportunity for an escape would present itself once out of the apartment. But it looked like the Toasters weren't taking any chances of their own after all. Could just possibly have something to do with the number of times she'd offed Leoben. She smiled briefly with grim satisfaction at their precautions. People might not like Starbuck, but they damned well didn't discount her, not even the Cylons.
D'Anna stopped at the head of a set of stairs and turned to Kara with an almost sympathetic expression. Not a very reassuring sight coming from a Cylon.
"Here's where I leave you to Six's tender mercies." The fake reporter stared at Kara for a moment before giving a shake of her head. "I know you won't listen, but things'll go easier for you if you just cooperate. You're ours now, Starbuck, and the sooner you accept that, the fewer lessons my sister will have to give you."
"Treatments. Lessons. Visions. Are Cylons just naturally full of shit?" Starbuck scoffed as she put her hands on her hips.
The corners of D'Anna's lips curled up. "Just can't help yourself, huh?" Another headshake. "I'll be by to visit once you've had some time to rethink your attitude." Giving her sister a nod, "She's all your." D'Anna turned and walked away as Six shoved Kara to descend the staircase.