Chapter 69 Groundwork

With a tilt of the head towards the wardroom, the President requested the Admiral to accompany her.

Without preamble, Laura launched into the reason for her visit, "I've spoken with Dr. Cottle and we're agreed that Kara's still suppressing something significant. We've an idea on how to confront her on it, and you're not going to like, Bill," she said, crossing her arms.

"She's much better today," he protested, then corrected himself, "at least over dinner."

Laura could see that he was trying to deny Kara had just been putting on an act for his benefit. And she couldn't allow it.

"No, Bill. She isn't," Laura contradicted, "While Starbuck's trying to convince us that she's fine, that there's nothing else to report, Kara's shutting down again," she explained to the granite-faced man.

"You talking like she's got split personalities," he stated.

"Not true multiple personalities…but in a sense she is two people," Laura slowly stated, working through this, not having given it much thought before now. "Starbuck is a part of her that she developed to handle the abuse, both physical and emotional, that her mother subjected her to as a child."

"Starbuck's her call sign. How could it be something she made up as a child," he pointed out.

"I think that her Starbuck persona's existed for a long time, she just finally got a name tacked on her," Giving the military man an appraising look, "And you've always respected Starbuck. The hotshot, hot-headed Viper pilot," she challenged. "It's no surprise that she's suppressed Kara and rarely let's that part of herself be seen. Kara personifies the little girl who learned that those that were suppose to love her, would either hurt her badly or leave."

Adama barely kept himself from flinching as he remembered Kara's accusation that he was just like her parents. He forced his attention back to Laura as she continued.

"I believe that it's the responsibility of that internal Kara part to hold all the hurt inside and let the Starbuck persona convert it to anger as needed." Laura paused, then went on with her premise, "She's managed to at least function by maintaining this balance between the two halves of herself. New Caprica changed all that. What she went through there was too much even for the tag team of Starbuck and Kara. That balance was broken, and now Kara's pain and Starbuck's anger are both out of control."

Bill bowed his head as he considered all Laura had said. It made sense. Certainly explained the contradiction he'd always found confusing about his temperamental pilot and his attachment to her. He unwillingly acknowledged that he'd always been drawn to Starbuck's strong, cocky ways, seeing a bit of himself in the young pilot, a part he didn't see in the overly controlled Lee or his youngest son, whose demeanor always had seemed just a little bit desperate. It had definitely been easier to fit Starbuck into his life as a surrogate 'son'. But what about Kara. As much as he might want to deny it, Kara was never his 'son'. She was a young woman with a complete past she'd kept hidden from him.

"Ok, so we help her restore this 'balance'," he finally said.

"It's not really enough to go back to the status quo, Bill," disagreed Laura with a headshake. "We know too much, and she's been through too much, for her original coping mechanism to just take over again," she explained. "Kara needs to learn how to deal with these experiences, from both New Caprica and those that came before. She needs to learn how to merge the two parts of herself. To become the whole woman she deserves to be. And it's up to us to help her do that."

Taking a breath, Laura straightened and said, "Which brings us back to now. Kara let me in last night, but she's stonewalling again today. She's sent Starbuck out to protect her—to mislead us—and we can't let her," Laura firmly stated. The dark-haired woman took a brief walk around the room, trying to find the necessary words.

Stopping again before the Admiral, she adjusted her glasses before saying, "Cottle and I believe a more direct approach is necessary to pull her out of the hole she's dug. I want Captain Agathon to meet with you and me for a strategy session tomorrow. At which time, I'll explain his part in tomorrow night's session." The Admiral's heavy brows rose at this, but he didn't interrupt her as she continued. "Captain Thrace will be escorted to the gym after dinner, believing that she's meeting with Major Adama for a workout. Captain Agathon and I will be there and force a confrontation in a controlled environm—"

Now Adama did interrupt, "No. Absolutely not!"

"Yes. It's necessary, and I have a plan," she stated with the steely authority she'd developed as a teacher, long before becoming President. "Captain Agathon is physically capable of handling Kara. He's also a personal friend, and one already partially briefed on her issues. In fact, he's the ideal choice as far as I can see."

"And how is Helo suppose to confront her? You expect him to what…threaten her?"

"Not threaten, but goad her. Push her in a setting where she'll respond physically. Dr. Cottle called it a controlled explosion. And that's exactly what we need to do…blast her out of hiding," she explained, and then reached up to lightly grasp the craggy face between her palms. "You trusted me enough to start this. Trust me a little further," she appealed to the worried blue eyes.

Beats of their hearts passed before he put his hands over hers, and she felt the warmth of his cheeks beneath her palms. He grasped her hands and gently lowering them from his face, but didn't release his hold.

"Ok. We do it your way," he conceded, with a small grimace. "And Gods help us if you're wrong." He gave a sigh before asking, "What do you expect to learn from her? Do you have any idea."

"We have some theories, but I'd prefer not to go into them now. Better to see what Kara has to say," Laura said, wanting to put off sharing what the doctor and she suspected may have happened between Kara and the Cylon male.

"Right… What time do you want to meet with Captain Agathon?"

"Sometime before lunch, if possible. I've other obligations earlier and need to arrange a few meetings that can happen here on Galactica in the afternoon," she answered, running through her schedule in her head.

"I'll arrange it with Helo," he said, then added, "and also make sure you have a gym to yourselves in the evening."

"Contact Tory with the time and location, and I'll see you tomorrow." She gave his hands a last squeeze before making her departure.