Kara had a look of shock on her face. She leaned into the structure that had the design upon it and slid down its smooth surface slowly. Finally, she hit the ground with a thud. So confused, so lost. Her eyes reflected her troubled mind. She shook her head repeatedly as if she could shake away the words Leoben had spoken.

Leoben stood before Kara and saw how distraught she was. He sat down beside her, his back into the wall. Kara didn't even take any notice to him, she simply sat there; drowning in her confusion. Leoben put one hand around his wrist and propped his knees up. He looked at Kara and frowned.

Silence.

Stillness.

The temple remained quiet. The only noise was the breathing of Leoben and Kara. Kara finally looked over in Leoben's direction and their eyes locked. She inhaled and counted to ten as her mind raced with thoughts.She closed her eyes.

One. Leoben's voice lingered. You've been to this temple before. 

Two. This design was greated by a great prophet.

Three. She predicted the future and foresaw the destruction of mankind.

Four. She prayed to one God and found salvation in her faith. 

Five. She had a daughter whom she loved greatly.

Six. The daughter was murdered by a religious zealot who hoped to please the Lords.

Seven. Pythia, a fellow prophet, foresaw the fate of this soul and was terrified.

Eight. She was forever destined to be trapped between the reality and future.

Nine. The twelve colonies abandoned the Lords of Kobol when it finally hit them that the Gods were not answering their prayers.

Ten. The schism between Kobol's tribes began by religious differences and ended in the bloodshed of the innocent.

Kara opened her eyes and moved her mouth to speak. She was about to say something but the words would not form and spill from her lips.

Finally Leoben spoke, "The Gods to which you pray to, are false deities, Kara. The people of the twelve colonies found this out but could not abandon their faith. They fled Kobol, the blood drenched planet. They knew the prosperous times were when all believed in the Lords so they lied and made up the story and myths about Lords and prayers. The thirteenth tribe had originally intended to abandon it's brothers and sisters on Kobol. Their leader was a prophet who's daughter was the one murdered. The thirteenth tribe had a different religion. They looked to one god and not the many. The other tribes saw this as heracy and conspired to destroy their brothers and sisters who they once loved. You think that the location of Kobol and Earth were simply forgotten? The twelve colonies, ashamed of their actions, swore they could never look upon the face of the thirteenth colony.The prophet's daughter has been chosen to see God's plan." Leoben smiled.

Kara turned with tears in her eyes, "Am I..." Kara didn't finish. She couldn't finish.

Leoben nodded his head.

Kara's mind raced with thoughts.

"But that's not the entire story." Leoben smiled at Kara. He turned to face her and wiped the tears from her eyes. 

Kara looked him in the eyes and frowned. "What is the rest?" Her voice was quiet.

"Why are you crying Kara?" Leoben changed subject. His face showed his concern.

"All my life, I've been beaten and broken down. I've been told I'm worthless. Now I come to find the gods to which I placed my faith in, are false. Then I'm told this crazy story that I'm some reincarnated prophet's daughter?" Kara laughed. She still couldn't believe.

"Your mother, the one by birth, could tell you were special. Did she ever tell you?" 

"Tell me what?" Kara sucked in her tears and put on a strong face.

"When your mother first found out she was pregnant, she went to an oracle. The oracle told her that you were going to be special. That you had a destiny. But to fulfill that destiny, you would need to be pushed and helped along. Your past has made you stronger, Kara."

"So if being the reincarnated daughter of a prophet isn't why I'm special, why am I special?"

"You know where Earth is. You hold the key. Your also meant for so much more than you know. More than you could imagine. And I didn't tell you the rest of the story."

Kara's eyes perked up.

"Do you remember the part in the scroll, 'and Athena threw herself off a cliff in despair of the exodus of the thirteen tribes'?" Leoben questioned.

"Yeah."

"Did I mention that the name of the prophet's daughter was Athena?" Leoben laughed.

Kara turned and glared at Leoben. "You said she was murdered."

Leoben looked into Kara's eyes, "She was kidnapped by the twelve colonies and they staged her death. Everyone left her on that planet alone. A little blonde girl. Some stayed behind but not many. She threw herself off the cliffs. Her name was Athena. The Tomb of Athena was built in memory of the little girl. Is leaving a little girl to fend for herself not murder?" Leoben frowned.

Kara closed her eyes. He's lying. This is the biggest bull shit I have ever heard. "Why not tell me what my destiny is?" She snapped at him.

"I'm here to show you, not tell you." Leoben smirked. "I'm here to help you through the transition." 

"Transition?"

"Touch the circular design, Kara. We've got somewhere else to go."

Kara looked angry over Leoben's vague answers and half told stories. She placed her hand upon the symbol and found her and Leoben in the museum on Caprica; standing before the Arrow of Apollo. Kara looked around confused and Leoben simply smiled devilishly.

Tags: battlestar galactica, bsg, fanfic, kara, leoben, maelstrom, starbuck, thrace

Baltar sat in a rolling chair with his hands placed upon his wrinkled forehead. His tired eyes finally closed and in this moment, it hit him. The realization being that he may be unable to awaken from her coma. It seemed as if her current condition was self-afflicted and only Kara could awaken herself from that state. Baltar began to break at the thought. He knew if he was unable to save Kara, Lee may reconsider defending him in his upcoming trial. He knew his last lawyer had been assassinated and no one wanted to defend him; especially if it spelled death for them.

Six place her hands upon his shoulder and looked towards the comatosed Kara. She smiled sinisterly as she leaned to Baltar's ear. She whispered softly, "What's the diagnosis, Doctor?"

Baltar opened his eyes and found himself sitting upon his bed on Caprica, staring out at the water that surrounded his once beautiful home. He sighed deeply.  "This place had once lost it's value, it's desireable traits. My time spent in that dreary, dull cell on Galactica has made me re-evaluate the beauty of it all." Baltar stood up and walked towards the railing. He placed his coarse hands upon it and leaned his body to the left. He seemed transfixed by the water. It was reflecting the suns rays causing it to sparkle.

Six was laying on her side upon his bed. She ran her fingers into the bed and bit her lip as she looked over to Baltar's position. She smiled coyly, her bright blnde curls covering a portion of her face. "Maelstrom." She spoke quietly, under her breath but loud enough for Baltar to hear her.

Baltar turned and face her; his hands still upon the railing. He spoke with a puzzled look on his face. "What?" His usually ratty hair and worn out face was new and shiny. His facial hair shaven off. Yet his outfit was still that of the rags he was given on Galactica.

"Maelstrom. Conflicting tides. I predict a great..." She paused and looked down at the bed before starting again. "Storm, is coming." She moved her eyes back up to look at Baltar. "Kara has a destiny that God has written for her, Gaius." Six sat up on the bed and looked out to the water. She sunk her nails into the sheets and pushed herself up. Her high heels sunk into the carpet as she made her way towards him. She stood beside Baltar, her hands gripping the rails tightly. Baltar faced the bed, but turned his head to look at her. Her eyes sparkled as she stood, mesmerized by the beauty of the water.

Baltar placed the back of his hand on her cheek. She turned her head into his hand and closed her eyes. "Gaius, you can't save her." She stopped and pulled her cheek a little bit off his hand. She slowly opened her eyes. "But you have to help her. God has placed her fate in your hands." She turned her face to his hands and clasped hers with his. She pressed her soft lips onto them and kissed them gently. She looked up at him and leaned into his body. His lips locking with hers, their tongues gently grazing one anothers.

"Dr. Baltar?" Admiral Adama stood before Baltar with his hands in front of him. His face was serious, his eyes cold. He had spent the better half of the morning drinking away in his quarters. 

Baltar cleared his throat and began, "Admiral?" Baltar was holding tightly to the arms of his chair that had been, in his fantasy, the rails. He snapped out of his reverie and looked up at the scary man before him. Drunk with sorrow, filled with rage. Like father like son. Baltar laughed in his mind. 

"Have you figured out anything about Kara's current condition?" His face showed no emotion and was unchanging. His eyes still as cold as his voice. He was attempting to intimidate Baltar. Terrify him.

"Uh, no. As Doc Cottle previously said, she appears medically fine. I'd like to run some blood test to see if she maybe contracted a disease or if it could be something to do with her specifically." Baltar smiled at the Admiral.

The Admiral felt uneasy about trusting this traitor but he had no other choice. "If there were something, wouldn't you have noticed it when you tested her blood with the cylon detector?" Adama smiled to cause Baltar to feel weary. His eyes still bore holes into Baltar's body.

Baltar was clearly intimidated. A bead of sweat dropped down to his chin. "She may have caught something recently." He lied through his teeth.

Six appeared beside Kara's bed, laughing. "If only they knew what you really did during your 'research'."

"If only." Baltar smirked. Admiral looked oddly at him. "If only I could have a blood sample, it may answer what's wrong with, Starbuck. Currently, it seems that her medical condition is self-afflicted." Baltar lowered his head, tired of being looked at by the Admiral.

Bill glared at him, "Meaning she..." his voice trailed at the thought.

"Meaning, she fell into the coma and she is keeping herself in it." Baltar and Adama looked over at Kara with sympathetic and tired eyes.

Tags: adama, baltar, battlestar galactica, bill, bsg, fanfic, gaius, kara, maelstrom, six, starbuck, thrace

Kara had yet to put her other foot through the door when she and Leoben were already at the Temple of Five. Kara looked around in amazement at the structure in the middle. Leoben watched her with a smirk on his face. It was like seeing a child step into a candy store for the first time. She spun her head around and laid her eyes upon the circular symbol she had drawn years before, when she was a child. 

She stepped closer to the design, her shoes making a noise that echoed throughout the quiet temple. Leoben leaned into the wall behind him and folded his arms. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" Leoben turned his head up to the design of the temple. He looked to the top of the roof and back down to Kara. "It was built 4,000 years ago by the five priests devoted to the one who can not be named. Foretold was it's destruction. It was destined to be destroyed. It was simply created so when Earth's brothers and sisters seeked a new, safe haven, this would be the marker to point them on their way. It had no other purpose but that." Leoben smiled.

Kara turned her head to look back at Leoben. "God? The one who can not be named?" She questioned, her eyes showing her curiousity.

Leoben advanced a bit closer to Kara and she moved up also. Leoben sighed, "Maybe. Maybe not. That's not important." Leoben gave her a stern look.

"Then why mention it--?" Her mind was distracted by the design, her voice trailing off at the end. She extended her arm out and gingerly stretched out her fingers as she slowly approached the symbol. Kara shook off her dream state and shook her head. She put her hand down and closed her eyes repeatedly, it was as if the symbol was luring her closer and she had to resist it's call. "There's no way." Kara began.

"No way what?" Leoben gave her a confused look. Kara turned her head in his direction and smiled. 

Kara turned back to the symbol and looked up at the top of the structure. She brought her eyes back to the symbol and finally spoke, "There's no way I know what this place looks like. I've never been here before." Kara closed her eyes, resisting the call of the symbol.

Leoben's eyes widened a bit and he looked down, "Are you sure about that last part?" He stepped onto the eye where Baltar, one of the few people to see the temple before its destruction, had asked God to show him the final five. He was not meant to see. Leoben thought to himself.

Kara turned her body to face him and glared at him. "What the frak is that supposed to mean? I'm not 4,000 years old. I wasn't around when the temple was built." Kara was beyond lost.

Leoben turned his back to Kara and could sense Kara's eyes were boring holes into him. "We are more than this being, this sack of flesh. I told you this years ago when we first met. Even then, I was trying to help you. I was trying to make you understand. Your body is the shell through which you fulfill your destiny. You shell is that which houses your soul. You soul is what is bound by destiny, not the body." Leoben stepped off the Eye and began to slowly circle the structure and Kara. "All of this has happened before, Kara. The story is the same, only the players change."

Kara watched Leoben slowly walk around her. She sighed. "So is my destiny pre-written because it has happened before? Before I even existed..."

Leoben pointed at her and smiled, "See, that is where you are different." His voice perked up. "Your case is 'special'. Your trapped by destiny, yes. No matter what life you were to have lived, the outcome would have been the same. You would never have died on Caprica. Even had you not joined the military, you would have survived the destruction of the colonies because God willed it so. Ever think about how many pilots go out there and die each day? How many people get sick and are just a nameless, faceless deaths? How you've survived being shot down more than once and even shot in the stomach? Ever think about how much you've survived against all odds? It's because your special and you are not meant to die until you fulfill your destiny. But the soul is that which is trapped. Your soul. It's been forced to play this role in every story because you have yet to ever fulfill that destiny to which you are bound. You aren't from Caprica, Starbuck." Leoben smiled.

Kara glared at him thinking he was trying to frak with her mind. In her voice you could hear her anger, "I lived on Caprica. That was real. It wasn't some made up story like Sharon's bull shit Troy story. I suffered. I fought. I lived my life. That was not a lie." Kara hesitated. "I'm not a cylon...am I?" She looked at Leoben, fearful of the answer. She was 99.9% sure she wasn't but still, that .1% bugged her.

Leoben laughed, "No Starbuck. You are not one of the Final Five." Leoben stopped circling her. "Your asking the wrong questions. There's a reason I brought you here. Haven't you ever wondered why you drew this symbol?" Leoben pointed to the design.

Kara frowned, "I don't know. It just felt like something I had to do. I drew it years before on my apartment wall on Caprica. Before that, I had drawn it several times as doodles and pictures for my mother." 

"Did you ever see it before you drew it?" He knew the answer but wanted her to figure out herself.

Kara thought back. "How could I have? This design was made by those that left Kobol for Earth. There were no records of this Temple other than the vague words in the Scrolls of Pythia. What did you mean before?" Kara turned and looked at him puzzled.

Leoben smirked. "Your getting warmer to the right questions." Leoben stepped up beside Kara. "It's too early to tell you about my comment about having been here before. Just a piece to the puzzle that you have to figure out. Now. Ask the correct question." Leoben put his hands behind his back and stood with his legs shoulder length apart.

Kara turned back to the design and focused intently on it. "What does the symbol mean?"

"BINGO!" Leoben pointed at her with wide eyes. "Right question. Think about it. A circular design. Circles show?" Leoben waited for Kara's response.

"Uh, they can show cycles and represent numerous things." Kara gave a 'what the frak' look.

"Right. And what cycle do we all know?"

"All of this..." Kara began but knew Leoben knew the rest.

"Want to know what it means?" Leoben smiled devilishly.

"That's why I asked." Kara said like a smart ass. 

"Well..." Leoben began---.

-To be continued-

Tags: battlestar galactica, bsg, conoy, fanfic, kara, leoben, maelstrom, starbuck, thrace

"Really now?" Baltar pondered the thought and entertained himself with the idea of being allowed to have a lawyer in his defense. It seemed that selling out the human race to the enemy and helping, whether it was conciously or unknown, aid the cylons commit nuclear genocide and lay waste to the human race and colonies, was frowned upon. No one wanted to aid Baltar. He knew Lee had been ordered to be his lawyer but Lee had refused. Adama's words to Baltar when reflecting on his conversation with Lee were that, "I would never help such scum that helps the enemy." Baltar laughed. He got to his feet and stepped closer to Lee. His bare feet hit the cold concrete and made a smacking sound every time he came closer. He looked Lee up and down and then back at Six. She smiled at him with cruel intentions running through her mind. "Why would you want me to save her?" Baltar spoke indirectly to Six. He looked from her to Lee and smiled. "I only mean, I knew she always liked you, but aren't you married now, Major?" Baltar smirked.

Lee looked irritated with Baltar and began to grow impatient. Breathing the same air as this traitor, speaking to this slime made him want to reach over and choke him. For all this man had done, he deserved the airlock. That Lee had said he would DEFEND this man was like Kara saying she would never drink again. His curiousity was peaked by Baltar's "I knew she always liked you" phrase. "What do you mean by that?" Lee looked at Baltar questioningly.

Six was now leaning on Baltar's shoulders, her mouth to his ear. She whispered to him in a manipulative way, "Gaius." She said almost in a pouting voice. "God has placed Kara's destiny in your hands. Do not fail his divine will." She stroked his chin and smiled. "Agree to help him." Baltar closed his eyes as he felt her warm hand caress his cheek. Though she were just the woman in his mind, she was the only woman he wanted. He smiled and felt her touch disappear. He opened his eyes and she was gone.

"Baltar!" Lee called to Gaius who was in a dazed state of mind. 

Baltar coughed and cleared his throat, "Sorry." He softly rubbed his throat. "I'll do it." He smiled. "I'll help her on the condition that you are my defense lawyer in my upcoming trial." Baltar extended his hand.

Lee frowned. "Agreed." He grabbed Baltar's hand and squeezed. Baltar's face was overcome with a pained expression. "But you will do everything in your power to save her." Lee pulled Baltar in closer. "Understand?" 

Baltar looked angrily up at Lee. "Understood." Baltar gripped his hand in pain. Lee finally let go.

He motioned for the guards to come over. "Cuff Dr. Baltar and have him and myself escorted back to the Med. Bay." There were now seven guards to escort them. The five from the cell and the two from the Med. Bay. Lee was unsure if they were enough but he wanted to save Kara quickly so he didn't have time to call in any more guards. 

"But, sir--" One of the guards began.

Lee cut him off, "Admiral Adama's orders." He glared at the guard, trying to intimidate him. 

The guard nodded his head and began pulling out his handcuffs, "Yes, sir." Baltar looked at the guard. "Your wrists." The guard motioned for Baltar to raise them. Baltar looked irritated but did as he was asked. "Thank you." The guard placed the cuffs on him and together, the seven guards, Lee, and Gaius Baltar exited the cell and headed off to help Kara.

----

Baltar and Lee arrived at the Med. Bay, only to find Kara thrashing in her bed. Whatever was wrong with her, it was getting worse. One of the medics was trying to hold Kara's arms down, the other was trying to hold down her legs; both were failing. Baltar looked on in shock and knew not what to make of the situation. Lee's face became overwhelmed with worry and concerm.

"DR!" One of the medics holding Starbuck was, apparently, having difficulties. She could hardly control Starbuck. She turned her face in Baltar's direction. Baltar stood frozen and unsure. "DR!"

Baltar moved closer to Kara and held her wrists down on her cot. "Hurry! Get me something to sedate her!" Baltar had the same problems with trying to hold Kara down. The medic just looked at him, "I SAID HURRY!" Baltar looked at the frozen medic with a look of anger. Six came and sat at the other side of the bed and looked on at Starbuck. Baltar looked at her shocked.

"God is testing her. Should she fail, she will die." Six looked up at him, "she is important to not just the humans, but the cylons too. Her death would be a great loss, Gaius. Don't fail, God. Keep her alive as long as you can." Six looked down with sympathy in her eyes. She moved Kara's bangs with her hand, "the rest is up to her." Baltar looked down to try and focus on holding Kara down and when he looked back up, Six was gone.

Kara opened her eyes. Her eyes had gone completely white. There were no pupils, no color at all, just white. Baltar's eyes widened in terror as Lee looked on in shock. "Don't touch me, mother frakker!"

Kara pushed Leoben off her and hit him. "Get the FRAK away!"

Leoben laughed as he rubbed his cheek where Kara had punched him. He stopped and placed his hands upon her face, "You look so beautiful."

Kara flashed back to the memory of New Caprica and was ready to burst into tears. She restrained herself and her sorrow turned to rage. She closed her eyes and breathed in and out, "You aren't real. Your in my head." Kara hit her head on the wall. "Your in my head. I don't believe anything you say!" Kara glared at him.

Leoben laughed, "you take the alternative of being crazy rather than just listening to me?"

Baltar looked at Lee with a look of complete and utter confusion. Kara stopped fighting and Baltar let go. Lee stepped closer towards Kara's bed.

"You should believe me, Starbuck. I'm the only one with the answers that can help you." Leoben sighed and backed away. "I guess you just have to see to believe. Kara, I'm not going to hurt you. I'm just trying to help you." He motioned Kara to come closer.

Hesitantly, Kara advanced. "I don't trust you."

Leoben opened the door to the room. He laughed. "Didn't say you had to trust me. I said you have to believe me." Leoben extended his hand out for hers. She slowly grabbed it, sickness corrupting her soul. He smiled and pulled Kara through the door.

Kara opened her eyes and found herself in a place she had never been before. Leoben laughed, "The Temple of Five. I'm here to show you something."

Kara remained quiet. 

Baltar lifted her eyelids and her eyes were back to normal. He looked at Lee and simply shrugged, "I have no idea what is wrong with her."

Tags: adama, apollo, baltar, battlestar galactica, bsg, fanfic, gaius, kara, lee, maelstrom, starbuck, thrace

Kara opened her eyes and found herself surrounded by those same old familiar walls. She was on that same bed she had slept in for many years of her life; prior to her time spent on Galactica. She was in her apartment back on Caprica. The apartment was nice and clean, before Kara had destroyed it. Looking around confused, her eyes hurt and her head was spinning. Last thing she remembered was taking a dive off a cliff on Kobol. Was it a dream? Kara blinked her eyes repeatedly. On her bed lay an empty bottle of Ambrosia. I didn't dream up the entire cylon attack did I? Kara looked around dazed. 

She looked at her clock which read 6 a.m. Then, she felt the hand of another on her back. It was Leoben. Kara rolled over and glared at him. He smiled at her, his eyes filled with sinister intent. Kara looked around, wondering if she had been drugged or if she had simply fallen into some terrible dream. She pinched her arm. Dammit, I'm not waking up. Kara sighed and pulled her hair back from her face.

Leoben laughed, "No Kara, your not dreaming. You haven't been drugged either, Starbuck." Leoben put his hands upon the bed and stared at her.

Kara looked at him confused, "How did you--" 

"Know?" Leoben finished her sentence. He laughed at Kara's scared look.

"What are you?" She began to stand up and get off the bed. "Your not Leoben." Kara didn't take her eyes off him.

He sighed, "No, I'm not Leoben. But I do know all about you Mrs. Anders. You were born to a woman who believed suffering was good for the soul. You choose to believe that you are the problem and overlook the world around you." Leoben looked down at the bed. "Sound familiar?" 

Kara turned her head a bit to the side and bit her lip. She sighed and smiled, "How do you know about that conversation?" 

Leoben looked at her, "Simple, I'm not Leoben and I'm not your conscience. I'm not even really here." Leoben laughed.

Kara began, "Am I--" 

"Hallucinating you?" Leoben finish her sentence again. "No. I'm not anything but an angel of guidance." 

Kara scoffed, "You? An Angel?" She laughed. "More like a devil. I answered my own question." Kara looked up at the ceiling and back at Leoben with a smile.

"No, Kara." Leoben looked at her, knowing what she was thinking.

"Really? So I'm not in hell? Then what the frak would you call being back on Caprica and stuck in a room with you?" Kara's eyes shot out beams of hate towards him.

"Salvation." 

Kara laughed as loud as possible. "No, it's Hell." 

Leoben frowned, "I know you are full of hate. You hate me and wish I were floating out an airlock at this moment, don't you?" Kara began to open her mouth and Leoben spoke first. He looked down at the bed, "Was a rhetorical question." He sighed, "I know the answer. I've lied to you, decieved you, broken you, hurt you, stolen four months of your life. But two things I have said to you remain true. One being that I love you." Kara lowered her head and grit her teeth. "The second being that you are special. You have a pre-written destiny that you will live out to see." Leoben laughed. Kara's head perked up at the word destiny. "That's right, you are special. Right now your in a coma and lying in sick bay. God has a plan for you and he has chosen that I come here and help you find out your destiny. Once my mission is complete, I will disappear." Leoben smiled.

Kara stared at him as if her eyes were boring holes into him. "And what is this destiny of mine?" She questioned him. Answers to questions that she had long wanted.

"You are not ready to know yet. Plus, telling you now would ruin the suspense." He laughed and Kara frowned. "Cheer up. Your destiny is important but you must first understand your existence; why you suffered and why you hurt. Once you understand, the truth will be revealed to you. But before you can complete your destiny, you gotta do something." Leoben laughed.

"What's that?" Kara's eyes narrowed. He says "sleep with me", I'll kill him.

"You gotta sell your soul." He said seriously.

Kara laughed. "I don't make deals with the devil."

Leoben smiled devilishly, "But I'm going to make you an offer you can't refuse."

Tags: apollo, battlestar galactica, bsg, fanfic, kara, leoben, maelstrom, starbuck, thrace

Kara lay dormant upon the medic cot. She looked so peaceful. Had you not known she was in a coma, you might assume she was simply sleeping and would awake at any moment. Lee sat by her bedside, grasping onto her hand tightly as if he would be the lifeline that would bring her back home. He had his head lowered, holding his and her hands up to his forehead.

The Admiral looked at Lee with such sorrowful eyes. He turned back to Cottle and his eyes turned cold. "How can you say she is medically fine?! She is lying in a frakking coma! There has to be some explanation." Adama looked hatefully at Cottle as if he were to blame.

The Doc shook his head and sighed. He took another puff of his cigarette and began, "look, medicine does not always have an explanation for everything. That's why we have religion. Hope that when medicine fails, the gods will intervene with their, divine will." Cottle laughed. "I don't know what is wrong with her. Everything indicates that she is medically fine and should be out flying vipers. She shouldn't be in a coma. That's clearly not the case." The Doc frowned. "Maybe someone more scientifically inclined would have a better explanation for Kara's current condition because quite frankly, I don't have a frakking clue as to what's wrong." 

The Admiral frowned at the thought of who he would have to ask. Lee looked at his dad and the hesitance he showed. Lee got up and dropped Kara's hand. Adama looked at his son who was now fuming. Lee got right up in his father's face. "Don't you dare!" Lee pointed at Kara. "Don't you dare let her die! If I have to, I will go to Baltar myself and ask for his help. I will not let her die knowing that someone out there could have helped her." Lee's eyes showed how distraught he was.

"Guards." Adama motioned the two guards of the med bay over. 

"Take my son to Gaius Baltar's cell. Then escort but him and Dr. Baltar back here with a full marine detail." Adama sighed.

"Yes sir." The guards turned to Lee and together, they exited the room.

------

Lee walked through the corridors as he had done so for so long. His life was never full of happiness. He often made the safe choices he'd later regret. He was an honorable man that's worst war was within himself. His life a series of one pain to another. FInally when things were looking up, they crashed again.  His tear stained eyes focused on the dull gray corridors that were swallowing the color. He was making his way closer and closer to something he really didn't want to do.

Lee arrived at the cell door of Gaius Baltar. The guards opened the cell. Baltar was sitting with his back up against the wall and his head down. He looked up at his visitor and put on a fake smile. "Major Adama, what a pleasure." 

Lee began but the words wouldn't come out. He sighed and looked down. He crossed his arms and looked back up. "I need your help." 

Baltar laughed in disbelief. They'd throw me out an airlock if given the chance. Must want something bad if they are willing to come to me. He turned his attention back to Lee. "And what is it that you need?"

Lee began to break down at his own words, "Kara is ill. Doc says that there's nothing wrong with her but she's in a coma. I'd like you to help us figure out what's wrong so we can treat her."

Six stood behind Lee with a sinister smile upon her face. Baltar looked up at her. "Here is where you get your 'get out of jail free card' Gaius." She walked over to Baltar and kneeled beside him, stroking his face with her finger. "What you find out about Starbuck should be quite interesting." Six smiled at Baltar and he smiled back.

"Are you listening?" Lee looked at Baltar with anger in his eyes.

Baltar snapped back to their conversation. He smiled, "and what's in it for me?" 

Lee frowned, "I'll be your defense lawyer in your upcoming trial."

------------------

Tags: adama, admiral, apollo, baltar, battlestar galactica, bsg, fanfic, gaius, kara, lee, maelstrom, starbuck, thrace

Part 4.0

Kara was in her viper, her vision blurred. Should have rethought this one. She repeatedly blinked her eyes, trying to gain focus and stop herself from throwing up all over the controls. Really, really should have rethought this one. Her draidus showed three enemy raiders coming at her. Hot Dog was on her left and another nameless pilot to her right. She gave up trying to remember everyone. Even the good ones died. After Kat, there really wasn't a point in remembering who they all were when the chances were that they weren't going to make it.

"Hot Dog, you take the one on the left, you on the right, take the raider on the right. I'll go straight up the middle." Kara laughed. "This should be interesting." Kara said under her breath.

Hot Dog was the first one to make contact with the enemy. Shots were exchanged and he took down the enemy raider but one of his wings was blown clear off. "FRAK!" Hot Dog said with fear and anger in his voice. "Why does this ALWAYS happen to me?" He hit his hands on the controls and continued cursing. He was a sitting duck but there were only two raiders left.

Kara shot out at the raider in front of her. Laughing she said "Come on you son of a b i t c h." Her vision blurred again, "FRAK!" Kara was almost hit by and enemy bullet.

"Starbuck, you okay?" Hot Dog said worried.

"This metal mother frakker is going down." Kara turned her viper upside down and drove straight at the raider.

"WHAT THE FRAK ARE YOU DOING STARBUCK? ARE YOU TRYING TO GET YOURSELF KILLED?" Hot Dog yelled as he watched Kara do one of the stupid things just to be a show off.

Driving under the influence is one thing. Flying under the influence, frak this. "COME ON YOU FRAKKER! AHHHH!" She yelled as she shot across the raider's front and shot it clear out of the sky. Her viper was too close to the debri and a piece of the raider smacked right into her viper. Gods dam mit. Kara cursed in her mind. Two of the birds were wounded and there was still an enemy on draidus.

The other pilot attempted to take down the other enemy cylon but failed. He was shot and his viper blew to pieces.

Not good. Kara thought. We are really frakked. I'm running out of fuel. I have to take this S.O.B. down before Hot Dog and I are sitting ducks.

"Starbuck, this is Apollo, we'll be out with you in 2 minutes." Lee called over the com.

This'll be over in two minutes. Kara flipped her viper right side up, fuel leaking out of her ship. She shot across the back of the raider and missed. Yeah, REALLY REALLY REALLY bad idea to be drinking. Kara continued to miss

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Back on Galactica:

"What the frak is Kara doing?" the Admiral watched as Kara continued to miss.
Helo looked on in worry, "I have no idea sir." Helo placed his hands on the table and looked around.

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Kara finally could see clearly but was fighting all she could from throwing up. Eventually, her bullet made contact with the raider and she blasted the bird out of the sky. Starbuck put her hands on her helmet and let out a sigh. Never doing that again. Her viper's lights went out and she drifted by Hot Dog.

"Hey God, why don't you use some of that magic and get us home." Hot Dog laughed.

"I can walk on water. Not walk on space." Kara laughed.

Tags: adama, apollo, battlestar galactica, bsg, fanfic, hot dog, kara, lee, maelstrom, starbuck, thrace

Part 3

Lee stepped into the weight room and looked at Kara who was still lying upon the floor crying, the broken punching bag in front of her. He had never seen her break down like this before. Usually Kara got drunk or cut off everyone, but here she was, crying in the middle of a public area. Lee took two steps towards her and looked down. Kara looked up at him with tear stained eyes and he stopped. She wiped her tears off on her jacket and put on a "tough" face. She sniffed her nose and stood up looking Lee right in the eyes.

"Hello, major." Her voice was still shakey and her head was still filled with memories. Her mother's voice rang on in her ears.
Lee looked at her. His eyes were filled with sympathy and hurt. He wanted nothing more than to hold her and erase her pain but he knew Kara all too well. She was likely to shove him over and rush out the door. "Kara--"

Lee barely began his sentence before Kara ran into his arms and hugged him. She cried on his shoulder and Lee stood there a minute; dumbfounded. He slowly put his hands on her back and embraced her. In her mind she heard her mother's voice again "Little Kara, crying to her knight. Weak as usual." Kara broke off her hug with Lee and took a step back. She looked him in the eyes, hers beginning to well with tears again. She looked down upon the floor, memories of pain and love and hurt flying thru her head. She couldn't bring down Lee again. This time, she was going to fall on her own.

She looked back up at Lee, unable to speak. She walked right past him and he grabbed her arm, stopping her from exiting. She turned and looked at him, pain echoed in her face. Lee immediately let go. And took a step back. A tear ran down Kara's eye and she was off. She stepped outside the door to the weight room and breathed in. Lee was still looking at her. She ran off to be alone in her bunk. Anything was better than hitting the bar.

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Inside the Med. Bay.

The blue curtain was covering the patient's quarter. She sat down upon the bed, worried. Terrified. The possibility of death had plagued her for so long and she had thought it was all over. Of course it's always when you think it's over, is when you are never really done.. She drummed her fingers along her leg. She looked around her at the blue curtain. Afraid. She was afraid of what the results might bring. Bad news? Good? What could it be? As she was getting lost in thought, Doc Cottle drew the curtain.

She looked up at him, that old man always smoking cigarettes was possibly going to outlive her. How unfair life is.

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Tigh is in his quarters, sitting upon his bed and day dreaming of Ellen. His memories are haunting him. Her last words echoing in his ears "I did this for you, Saul." "And I did this to me by doing that to you." He got up from his bed and pulled out a bottle of alcohol. His last bottle. He had been downing the bottles everyday. His bad call cost him his XO status. Being under the influence was the problem. He stared at the bottle, hate in his eyes. He lost his wife, hurt his friend, and was forced to remember his hell everytime he looked in the mirror. His missing eye his gift from being on New Caprica. He looked at the bottle and grabbed something out from his side. A gun.

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There would be news of death today. Each passing day someone dies. Each passing day some soul perishes and they are never really remembered. They are forgotten. They disappear completely. They leave you with nothing but pain. To hear news of one's passing or to hear the news of your own is a pain that all the alcohol in the world can't cure. And each day you are forced to live with it, even if it isn't a long time to live.

She closed her eyes and waited for the Doc's diagnosis.

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Tigh cocked the gun and looked at it. His hate killing him.

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Kara was about to enter the bunks when she turned and headed off toward the bar. And sometimes you just can't fight the pain and you succumb to self-loathing...even when it's not you you should be hating.---Flash to Kara in bar drinking and drinking.

"Action stations, action stations---" She could hear the familiar voice over the com. She stumbled out of her seat and headed off to her viper. And sometimes we just don't even care anymore.

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Hangar Deck-

Kara hopped into her viper and looks at Lee as she is being put in the tubes.

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"Galactica actual here." Admiral Adama spoke into the com.
"We still haven't found her. She isn't answering our call either." Lee lowered his head.
"Frak!" Hot Dog hit the side of his viper, upset over this current failure.
Admiral Adama hesitated, he didn't know what to say. His last words to her ringing in his ears. He sighed out and spoke, "Bring home our girl, Lee. Don't stop searching. You have your orders."
Lee smiled, "Yes sir." His smile fell. Out there somewhere, he was either going to find an unconcious Kara, or a blown up viper. And he didn't like either of these thoughts.

Tags: adama, apollo, battlestar galactica, bsg, fanfic, kara, lee, maelstrom, starbuck, thrace

Part 2

Lee stood outside his father's door, debating whether or not he should enter. He was worried about Kara but was it really his place to bring in the old man? Especially since he knew that Kara and his father were not on the best of terms. He outstretched his arm, about to grab the handle when he put it down. He's the one thing Kara needs right now, and the one person who would shut her out. Lee turned back around and made his way back out towards the pilot bunks.

Adama moved around on his couch. Squueakkk. The noise of his movement was the only noise in the room. He looked at the door, sensing that someone was out there. He waited, staring intently in the direction of the door. Five minutes passed without anyone making an entrance. He stood up, opened a cabinet, pulled out some ambrosia and a glass, and sat down at his desk. Staring at the glass. Staring at the drink. Thinking.

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Kara was in the weight room, blowing off steam. There was no one to spar with today so she pulled out the punching bag and laid out her fusterations on it. She poured all her anger, all her hate, all her hurt onto the bag. Each punch taking away some of her pain. Each punch wreaking of what she was trying to escape. She hit the bag faster and hard. Faster. Harder.

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"One day you'll be like me. You'll join the military. You'll follow my footsteps. You'll defend your planet and your friends, like you were never able to defend yourself." A drunken woman was holding a cup of alcohol in her hand, swishing the drink back and forth. She took another sip. One sip past too much. "My special, little Kara." She laughed the way a crazy, drunk person would. Crazy, drunk, pretty much summed up this woman.

"I don't want to be in the military. I don't want to become like you. You are my perfect example though." Kara said with anger in her heart. Fusteration in her eyes. Sorrow in her soul.

"And what is this perfect example?" She slammed the cup onto the counter. Shatter. Her hand was cut, bleeding, dripping that crimson liquid. She laughed sadistically.

"Are you okay?" Kara said in an unsympathetic voice.

She continued to laugh. "Suffering is good for the soul. No pain, no gain, right?" She threw the glass pieces on the ground, laughing all the while. "Take off your shoes." She stopped laughing and looked sternly at Kara.

Kara looked at her like she was just a raving drunk, "Why the hell would I do that?"

The woman's face fell. She glared at Kara and made her way over to one of the cubboards. She came out holding a ruler and looking angrily at Kara. "Because I said so." She got right up in Kara's face, her breath hitting Kara's face. Breath reeking of alcohol and cigarettes.

Kara scooted back her chair and looked at her mom with disgust. "Frak you." Kara was slouching in her chair with her arms crossed giving the woman a defiant look.

The woman's eyes filled with rage. She smacked the ruler on the desk. Snap. It broke in two. Unable to contain her anger, she grabbed Kara's chin with her hand and laughed. "You are 12 now. You should have learned by now."

Kara spit in the woman's face and laughed. "I don't take orders from you anymore."

The woman smacked Kara over the head with the ruler. Kara looked around, light headed, unable to see her surroundings. Everything around her was getting blurry. Her eyes were getting heavy. Blood began to trickle down from her forehead. The last thing she remembered was being dragged out of the kitchen and then everything went black.

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Kara hit the bag hard and harder. The bag began snapping back and forth. Her eyes seeing the woman's face in her mind. Her mother's face, that voice. The smell of cigarettes and alcohol. Her voice ringing in her ears "you are going to be just like me one day". Kara drove her knuckles deeper and deeper into the bag. The rubbing of her gloves and her knuckles caused her pain but she ignored it. She continued to pour her anger out onto the inanimate object. Harder. Faster. Harder. Faster. Snap. The bag flew off it's chain.

Kara looked around at the empty room and fell to the floor. Tears filled her eyes "You should have learned by now". Her mother's voice rang in her ears.

Standing in the corner of the room was Adama Sr. staring on at this wreck of a woman. Staring on at something he had once called a daughter. Looking on at the monster that was taking hold of her. He lowered his head and a tear fell down his cheek. The man with all the right words had nothing to say. He stepped out of the room as quietly as he had came.

Lee crossed his father's path as he saw his dad looked upset. Adama Sr. just looked at him. He didn't smile. He didn't speak. He just looked at him and walked on. Lee turned around and watched his father leave. Lee's curiousity took hold. He went into the weight room and saw a broken Kara down on the floor with tears in her eyes. In all the time he had known her, he had never seen her break down like this. He had never seen her just cry. It broke Lee a little to see that even the strongest of people fall down. Even the toughest people eventually break.

Tags: adama, admiral, apollo, battlestar galactica, bsg, fanfic, kara, lee, maelstrom, starbuck, thrace

Part 1

"Starbuck, this is Apollo. Do you read me?" Lee said with worry in his voice.
"Hey God, don't go dying on us now." Hot Dog tried to make a joke of the situation. Lee didn't find it funny.
"Starbuck, are you out there? Starbuck?--Kara?" He said her name with sorrow in his voice. Starbuck's viper had been shot down by a surprise ambush by the cylons. Her viper went off their draidus but that didn't mean she was dead. No, she can't be dead. Lee thought to himself. Hell, Starbuck will probably outlive us all.
"Hey Starbuck, stop sleeping and answer us." Hot Dog called out in his com.
No answer from Kara's side.
"Kara, please. Answer." Lee was worried now. It had only been 10 minutes since the news that her viper had been lost and yet to Lee, it felt like an eternity.
"Starbuck? Hey Starbuck?---Starbuck?" Hot Dog's voice drifted away.

48 HOURS EARLIER

Starbuck was lying in her bunk, staring up at the metal of the bunk above. Her mind swarmed with thoughts, things, people, the past. "Your special Kara. You just need to grow a spine before you can see your true potential." A cold voice of a woman rang in her ears. She turned in her bunk hoping that she could somehow block out the voice in her head. "Your the problem Kara. Your the cancer that infects all you love and destroys everything it touches." Kara turned again, unable to think of anything but that voice. This time when she turned, Lee was standing before her.

"Having trouble sleeping, Captain?" Lee sat down by her bunk, a worried look on his face. Ever since Lee had touched on his mother issues, Kara had been acting funny.

"I'm fine, Lee." Kara was obviously lying. Lee saw right thru it.

"Kara, no matter what we are...what this is...you are and will always be my friend. I've told you this before, and I'll say it again, if there's anything you ever need, anything you ever want to talk about, I'm here for you." Lee gave her a sincere look.

Your just gonna' hurt him in the end, Kara. Just look at all you've done to those you love? The voice rang and echoed in her ears. "Lee, I really don't want to talk about it."

"Fine Kara... Are you okay?" Lee looked at her and caught her eye. They stayed locked and Kara looked ready to cry.

Her defenses rose and she fought back her tears. "Unresolved issues is all."

"With what?" Lee looked confused.

"With who." Kara turned back to facing the bottom of the top bunk.

A flash, a memory replayed in her mind.

A blonde girl, no older than seven was sitting at a table staring at the clock, counting the seconds as they ticked by. Three, two, one. A door slammed open, and slammed shut. The girl laid her head upon the table. Her mother had the same routine. She was never late home and were the house not to her expectations, she would serve out the punishment she saw fit.

She threw her jacket down on the table, hitting the child in the face. The child didn't move, paralyzed by fear, terror.

"Did you clean the house?" She headed towards the fridge. Opened it up and pulled out a beer.

"Yes." The child remained with her head down on the table.

"To standard?" She inquired.

"Yes, momma." The girl put her hands up on the table. Each one of her knuckles was bandaged. Each one broken, bruised, hurt, just like her. "I learned my lesson the last time."

"When I say to do something, you do it and you have it done when I expect it. Your going to be disciplined. Your going to grow a spine. Your special Kara. You'll see it one day. Once you stop painting these stupid drawings (points to the fridge where marvelous drawings of circles and shapes are) and stop writing sappy poetry. Your too much like your father." She leaned against the counter, looking at her daughter with piercing eyes.

The girl looked away, avoided eye contact. "Yes, momma."

"Be obedient. Be disciplined. Be subjugated. And one day, you'll understand your destiny Kara. Your special. If only you would cut your crap, I wouldn't have to beat you into understanding." She placed her beer bottle on the counter at looked at her daughter, Kara Thrace, in disgust.
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"Kara?" Lee was worried. Kara was just staring away.

"You can't forget your past...can you, Lee?" Kara looked at him with saddened eyes.

Tags: adama, apollo, battlestar galactica, bsg, fanfic, kara, lee, maelstrom, starbuck, thrace