Chapter 71 Strategy Session

When Karl entered the Admiral's quarters as ordered, he was surprised to find the President also waiting.

"Sir. Madam President," he formally greeted each of them, wondering why they'd called him in, but patience was a virtue his mom had drummed into his skull throughout his youth, so he just stood at attention, knowing that the pair would enlighten him in their own good time.

"At ease, Captain." Then the Admiral, waving towards one of three chairs, ordered, "Have a seat."

Karl's gaze went between the Old Man and the politician as they took the other two. He couldn't help worrying that this meeting might bode ill for his wife. The Admiral's next words dispelled that concern.

"It's about Starbuck. We need your help, Helo," Adama said.

"Of course, Sir," he quickly responded. "Anything I can do."

"Don't sound so eager. What we're asking will be no easy task," cautioned Adama. "I'm going to let Laura explain what she expects of you."

Karl was surprised that the Admiral had used the President's first name, then realized that it was because this was a personal matter, not a fleet one. He gave a nod to the woman to indicate that she had his full attention.

"Captain—may I call you Helo?" at his second nod, she continued, "This evening Kara will go to the gym. She won't know it beforehand, but you'll be waiting for her. I want you to get her engaged in some light, gym-like exercises," Laura said with a vague wave of her hand that had both men suppressing slight smiles despite the gravity of the conversation. Not noticing their amusement at her unfamiliarity on workout activities, she continued, "I'll arrive and leave my guards outside."

Karl spoke up, "She'll know it's a setup."

"Yes, she will. But at that point, it's up to you to prevent her from leaving."

"Ok, so we've got her in the gym. Then what?"

"We're going to push her…push her hard. Be prepared for her to push back, probably violently," Laura stated, leveling serious eyes at the young man.

The Admiral spoke up, drawing Karl's gaze, "You must remain in control, Helo. Starbuck fights dirty and she's likely to go at you with anything she can think of," he said through thinned lips. "She's going to use Sharon to goad you, and she'll come after you when she's convinced that her only way out is through you."

"Can you do this?" Laura asked. "Can you hear whatever Kara says, and rather than take it personally, listen for what she's trying to hide?" At his solemn nod, she added, "Because that's what all this is about. Forcing her to reveal a secret. One that she'll do practically anything not to have us know and, as a result, not have to face herself."

"Excuse me, Sir. But it sounds like you already have an idea what this 'secret' might be?" Karl asked, not liking the way the Old Man paled beneath his darker skin and averted his eyes.

"You're familiar with the Cylon male, Leoben?"

"Kara mentioned him when we were on Caprica."

Laura continued, "The doctor and I believe that while in Leoben's custody, something happened to her…something of a sexual nature," she said flatly. Helo's expression turned grim. "Kara denied it when I asked. And here is where it gets complicated. I think she was likely raped, but she doesn't believe that she was." She paused as both men flinched at the bald word. "Whatever happened, I believeKara may have blocked it. She's already admitted to gaps in her memory. It's also possible that she might believe that whatever happened was consensual."

"But if she can't remember?"

"Won't. Not can't," Laura corrected, giving him an evaluating look, then said "Look at me, Helo." As he raised his troubled gaze to hers, she continued. "Kara was subjected to months of isolation and torture, her husband murdered in front of her, nourishment withheld and then force-fed when Leoben realized she'd rather die than give in to him," she summarized.

"Kara's strong. She wouldn't just—" he broke off as Laura raised her hand.

"Again, I believe that something happened that pushed her beyond her ability to cope. Our job is to find out what that something was, and what happened afterwards." Searching his eyes again, she asked, "Can you understand the difference between coercion and consent, Helo?"

He didn't immediately answer as he worked his way through what she had implied and reached the conclusion she already had.

"Yes. Yes, I get it. But you don't think Kara can, do you?"

Laura's grim regard was answer enough and Karl dropped his head into his hands, running his fingers along his scalp, trying to deal with the anger and pain at what had been done to his best friend.

Lifting his gaze, "Gods, I just want to hit something," he muttered.

"So say we all," the Admiral spoke up.

"And that's exactly what you have to control, Helo," Laura said. "Can you keep your own anger and disgust under control? Because Starbuck's not even going to try. And you can't let her take you down that road. This fight won't be won with fists, though I expect it to probably begin that way."

Karl looked inward at himself. Did he have the strength—the courage—to do what they'd asked of him? The resolve to keep his emotions from overpowering his mission? As he looked at the choices he'd made since the invasion, emotion had been a guiding factor for him, but he'd always found the fortitude necessary to balance it with his duty. In a weird way, his situation with Sharon had given him plenty of practice at not letting others get under his skin.

So, when he met the evaluating eyes of the man and woman before him, he confidently answered, "Yes, I can."

[ I I I I I ]

Entering the mess, Karl's searching gaze located his wife's profile in line. He took his place, but barely noticed what items he chose. His mind kept replaying his meeting with the Admiral and the President. They had talked further, discussing possible scenarios to try before settling on a tentative plan. Now, taking his seat beside the woman he loved, he returned a brief smile to her greeting before dropping his gaze to the food on the tray before him.

He felt Sharon's questioning eyes on him as he forced a few mouthfuls down to quiet the rumblings of his stomach. It didn't make sense that he could possibly be hungry when he felt nauseous. Karl made a point of chewing slowly to keep conversation to a minimum as he scooped up another forkful of some nameless hash. He mumbled occasional responses to Sharon's attempts at drawing him out. After getting down half his plate of rations, he rose to leave, only to have Sharon stop him with a hand on his arm.

"What's wrong, Karl?" she demanded in a low voice. "And don't try to tell me nothing. I know you too well."

"Not here," his muttered reply.

"Fine. Then we'll go find some place more suitable," she said and followed him out.

Finding an isolated corridor, Karl turned to face his wife's worried look. "I'm meeting Kara tonight, at the gym," he said.

"And?"

"The Admiral and President want me to talk to her, and probably more. They didn't choose the gym by random."

"I don't like it. You said it yourself, she's still angry at you because of Kacey. And then there's me," she said, not needing to explain further. When he looked away, she reached out and took his hand, pulling his gaze back to her. "Besides, why does it have to be you?"

Giving her hand a squeeze, "I want to do this, Sharon. Kara's my best friend next to you," he said, giving her a hurt look, not sure why she was being so resistant. "Gods, if you knew what those Cylon bastards did to her."

As she visibly winced, Karl took her other hand in his, too. "Look, Sharon. They were bastards, the things they did…and they're Cylons. That's all I meant."

Pulling from his grip, "Right, Helo," she sarcastically replied.

"Come on, Sharon. You know what I meant," he quietly said. He held her eyes until she nodded her acceptance, then released a hand to tip her delicate chin up with a finger and asked, "What's this really about?"

Her gaze darted away then back to his. "Kara came to see me—you—one night before her breakdown," she paused as he dropped his hand in surprise. Taking a breath, she went on, "She was drunk, really drunk, and rambling." She pulled away and took a step back, wrapping her arms across her chest. "Gods, Karl. I've never seen her like that…so full of rage and..." she trailed off with a shudder.

Watching his usually stoic wife react, Karl knew she hadn't told him all. Stepping close, he gently gripped her arms and bent his head to catch her eyes.

"And what? What did she do?"

"Like I said, she was drunk, and you know Starbuck can be a mean drunk," Sharon said, obviously reluctant to go into details. Karl wasn't having it, though, as his narrowed gaze told her. With a resigned sigh, she continued, "She tried to kill me, Ok? Tried to strangle me." As his eyes widened, she hurried on, "I'm not even sure she knew who I was right then, Karl. She was going on about them. Besides, I can handle myself, especially against someone as staggeringly soused as she was that night."

Karl tried to tamp down his anger. It was hard though. Suddenly he had doubts about his ability to control himself with Kara. Her attack on Sharon came as a shock and he found all the pent-up resentment at people's treatment since their rescue from Caprica abruptly spilling forth.

"Frak. I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"I should have told you. I just didn't want you to feel you had to choose between us, is all."

Pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Kara's important to me, but it wouldn't be any contest. You know that, right?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I know that," she said, giving him a look now that stirred feelings other than anger. As their lips met, he forgot everything else until they broke apart, and he grinned down at her.

"Proof enough?"

"Good proof," she said, returning his grin, then sobered again. "Karl, don't let what happened between me and Kara change your mind about helping her." At his raised eyebrows at her abrupt reversal, "Like you said, she's important to you. To a lot of people on Galactica. If you can help her, you should."

He searched her gaze, seeing only sincerity and concern. Rubbing a hand along his jaw as he said, "Kara's never been a particularly stable person, and I've found out more about her these past weeks than the entire time I've known her," he paused, trying to decided how much he could share of the confidential information he'd learned about his friend, then decided Sharon was owned an explanation—even if others might not think so—he did. "From what Doc Cottle told us, Kara's lucky to have survived her childhood. She was physically abused by her mother, probably emotionally too, since they usually go together from what I understand," he grimly said and noted the widening of the dark eyes across from him.

After a quick glance around to make sure that they were still alone, he continued, "Then came New Caprica… She was tortured, Sharon. And I don't mean a few beatings. I'm talking about systematic torture, and that's just what the President has managed to get out of her."

He leaned his forehead against hers to prevent anyone else from possibly overhearing him, but mostly for the comfort of her touch as he forced the rest out past his constricted throat, "The President believes that more was done to her…and that she's suppressing it. And that it's related to Leoben, the one she interrogated here on Galactica. He's apparently obsessed with Kara and…" he had to swallow twice before finishing, "…and he might have raped her."

Sharon jerked back, her hand flying to her mouth. Karl knew she was recalling the attack by the men from the Pegasus. He saw her shake her head, either in denial or to dispel the memory. He pulled her into his shoulder, rubbing her back in circles as he murmured reassurances in her ear.

After a minute, she pulled apart again and, at his concerned stare, nodded that she was ok.

"Look, Kara's been hurt worse than any of us knew," he said. "You're right, I can't say no. Not if there's anything I can do to help her."

Giving him the smile he had come to cherish more than his life, she said, "Anything we can do, we will."

A/N: Sorry only one chapter tonight. The next one's tough and I'm still wrestling with getting it right. Should have it and several more posted Saturday am.

** As always - reviews let me know you're out there and still reading ;^) Cons/crit really appreciated since I'm trying to improve my storytelling ability. So, feel free to drop me a note, comment, helpful suggestion, encouraging word... or whatever :)