A Healers Touch

"Naw, I don't want to mess around with the staff,"
Starbuck said dismissively to the two men who
frequented the salvage ships.  "I'm in need of some,
shall we say, specialized material and lots of it."

They shook their heads as they exchanged a glance.
"The only owner I know is Terrance.  He operates his
own ship and doesn't make much from it judging from
the way he complains."

"Most of the salvage ships are owned by the
bureauticians, but none of them really want to claim
them."

The other man chuckled.  "Rumor has it that salvage
ships are used like currency in high stake pyramid
games."

"Really?" Starbuck returned with a lift of his
eyebrows.  "You wouldn't happen to know where any of
these games are, would you?"

He shrugged his shoulders.  "Like I said, it's only a
rumor."

Starbuck still had several questions that he wanted to
ask, but he saw a familiar face heading toward him.
"Uh, excuse me fellas."  He hurried away from the two
men to intercept Chameleon.

"Starbuck, what are you doing here and out of
uniform?" Chameleon asked.  "I thought you had to get
back to the Galactica."

"Shhh, keep your voice down," he said softly as he
scanned the lounge to see if they had been overheard.


Chameleon caught on quickly.  "Business or pleasure?"

"Business," Starbuck returned as he toyed with his
fumarello.  "I'm trying to find out who owns a
particular salvage barge."

He gave a dismissive shrug.  "That shouldn't be a
problem IF you can get in on the pyramid game in the
Astro lounge."

Starbuck grinned as he clenched his fumarello between
his teeth.  "And you know just how to go about that."
He let out a soft laugh when Chameleon gave him a sly
look.  "You know, you're a handy guy to have around,
Chameleon."  Starbuck wrapped his arm around
Chameleon's thin shoulders and the two of them left
the lounge.

As they walked through the corridors, Starbuck
hesitated.  "Hey, is that Tollen over there?" he asked
Chameleon to confirm his suspicions.

"Who?" he asked in return until he saw who Starbuck
was referring to.  "Oh yes.  That's him.  I can't say
that I think much of his philosophies."

"That makes two of us," Starbuck returned.  "Any idea
who he's talking to?"  It was the shrouded figure that
had Starbuck's interest.  The refined shimmering cloak
was very similar to the one worn by the woman with
Athena.

"No, no idea.  But I could find out if you like."

Starbuck waved it off.  "It's probably nothing."

~~~

"Adama, I can't begin to tell you how impressive this
guy is," Dr. Wilker said as he loaded a computape into
the computer.  "His test scores are flawless.  His
reasoning capacity is unprecedented.  His agility is
well." he gestured to the screen as the image of Delos
solving complicated geometric puzzles came up.

"Something must be wrong with your computape," Tigh
commented.  "It seems to be stuck in high speed."

Wilker smiled as he folded his arms over his chest.
"That's normal speed.  You'll be able to tell when I
walk into frame in just a centon."

Adama frowned as he watched the monitor.  "That's
incredible."

"That guy has become a human computer," Wilker stated.


"Has Dr. Salik seen him yet?" Adama asked.  He didn't
recall a report with Delos' name listed.

"Delos has refused medical examination even though I
tried several times to change his mind.  I want to get
a cranium scan on him to see what's going on inside
his head."

"I've done some of those geometric tests myself," Tigh
commented as he gestured to the screen.  "I know how
complex they are, but he actually seems bored doing
them."

"He is," Wilker returned.  "I can't find anything that
he isn't fluent in.  Language, science, history,
philosophy."  Wilker shook his head.  "He knows it
all.  He has read through every volume we have stored
in the fleet including tech manuals, schematics and
history scans and his recall is 100%."

Adama folded his hands behind his back.  "Colonel
Tigh.  Inform Dr. Salik that he needs to get his
equipment together."  He looked up at Dr. Wilker.  "If
Delos won't go to Dr. Salik, then we shall have to
arrange a meeting ourselves."

~~~

"Frack!"

Boomer sighed heavily as Apollo swore for the third
time.  "Where's Sheba when I need her?"  Their work on
Dr. Wilker's lab aboard the Galactica had been
proceeding smoothly until they began to run out of
parts.

Apollo moved out from under the console and looked up
at his friend.  "Hey, cut me some slack.  I got the
transponder hooked up, didn't I?"

"After you turned around the right way," Boomer
reminded him.

He smiled at the dig while he rubbed at the thin
bruise forming on the side of his hand from the pinch
he had received.  "You were the one complaining about
not having any volunteers."  His smile broadened.

"You'd think I'd know by now to be careful what I wish
for."

He chuckled as he watched Boomer deftly rewiring a
circuit board.  "I hope Sheba was able to find the
compuchips we need."

Boomer glanced up and saw Apollo staring at the door
as if willing Sheba to come through the entrance.  "So
what's up with you and Sheba anyway?"

Apollo's eyes grew wide at the unexpected question.
"I don't know what you mean."

Boomer became suspicious at the defensive reply and
stopped working for a centon to look at Apollo more
closely.  "You kissed her!"

Apollo shot another look at the door.  "Could you keep
it down please?"

"All right.  Give.  I want details."  Boomer shifted
closer, the circuit board forgotten.

Apollo sighed heavily as he looked at his friend.  He
shook his head while he debated about what he should
and shouldn't say.  "To be honest with you, Boomer,
I've been going round and round in my head about
this.thing that Sheba and I have between us.  One
centon I'll be thinking about what an amazing woman
she is and how I'd like to get to know her better and
then.."  He left the sentence dangling as he dropped
his head.

"Then you think about what happened to Serina," Boomer
concluded.

Apollo gave half a smile.  "Something like that."

"Look Apollo, I know how much Serina meant to you, but
you shouldn't be comparing what you feel for Sheba to
that."

"I'm not comparing it, I'm."  He sighed again as he
searched for the right words, but how could he explain
being disemboweled while watching the person you love
die?  "I feel like everything is moving too fast.  I
don't have time to think anymore."

"What's there to think about?" Boomer returned.  "You
obviously care about each other."

"I wish it were that simple."  Apollo set aside the
remains of the system board he had used to make
repairs on the console.  "Sometimes I think that
Starbuck has the right idea when it comes to women.
At least playing the field means you're not alone."

"Come on Apollo," Boomer returned in disbelief.
"You've never been a player and you know it.  You and
I have been friends since the Academy and I can count
the number of girlfriends you've had on one hand.
Besides, even Starbuck has been.settling down in his
own way."  When Apollo gave him a sideways look,
Boomer added, "I can count the number of girlfriends
he's had in the last secton on one hand."

Apollo laughed then both men looked up when the door
to Wilker's lab suddenly opened.  Sheba darted inside
and pressed herself up against the wall until the door
closed.  She smiled broadly as she held up two
compuchips.  "Council security will never miss them."

~~~

"It has come to our attention that one of the members
of the fleet has developed some extraordinary
abilities," Sire Uri began as he addressed Adama and
the Council of Twelve.

Adama's eyebrows shot up.  "I must commend your
sources," he returned.  "I've only learned of Delos'
abilities myself a centar ago.  I've already asked Dr.
Salik to stop in and see the gentleman to get a more
complete scan.  As soon as the repo."

"Yes, yes, we've heard the rumors of this young man,
but the person that I was referring to was your
daughter."

"Athena?"  Adama's eyes darted around the oval table
to each of the Council members.  He hadn't noticed the
look of eager anticipation before, but it made him
extremely uneasy.

"Is what we've been hearing true?" Sire Uri asked.
"Is Athena a healer?"

Adama chuckled at the idea although his mind was
already trying to discern where the information had
come from.  "Athena is a bridge officer and a warrior.
 She has never been trained in the ways of the
Ancients."

"Commander, we know that you requested a scholar of
the Ancients to board the Galactica and we've heard
about what happened with Captain Apollo," Sire Anton
interjected to cut through the subterfuge.  "We also
happen to know that Athena wasn't on the Rising Star
during the accident."

Adama bristled at the words.  "Is my family suddenly
under some sort of surveillance?"  His voice boomed.

Siress Tinia glanced around the table before speaking
up herself.  "Surely even you can understand the
importance of having a healer in the fleet, Adama.
There hasn't been a real healer in the Colonies for
generations."

"Which is precisely why I would caution this Council
about making assumptions," Adama returned carefully.
"The possibility of anyone among the survivors having
that sort of ability is remote at best."

"But the possibility obviously exists in your
daughter," Tinia argued.  "How else do you explain the
results of Captain Apollo's tests?  Or the fact that
Athena contracted solon poisoning?"

Adama's brows drew together.  "I'm much more concerned
about the fact that personal information that should
remain confidential has suddenly become a topic of
discussion for the Council."

"You confuse me, Adama," Uri interrupted.  "You
obviously think that Athena has some sort of talent or
you wouldn't have asked Gaea to come on board.  I
don't understand why you're so reluctant to admit to
even the possibility of your daughter having this
astonishing gift.  She will be revered among our
people.  Your family will be exalted for generations
to come."

"And at what price?" Adama countered.  "Even now there
are petitions circulating throughout the Fleet
requesting that we go in search of the mysterious
ships of light."  When he saw the surprised reactions
from several of the Council members around the table,
he knew that he had hit on the other matter that was
to be brought up at that meeting.  "What's to stop
those who want to subvert our quest to find Earth from
using Athena as a pawn?"

Adama gauged the discussion building around the room
with a discerning eye, taking note of each argument
posed.  He knew that there was the possibility that
one of the people at that very table could be plotting
against him and he wasn't about to let anyone use his
family in their games.

~~~
Errors-To: bsg-fanfic-bounces-
airys=mirarialpacafarm.com@lists.eyrie.org
X-UIDL: ld!"!)H)!!?\e"!Io1"!

"Thank you," Athena said into the transmitter resting
against her cheek.  "I'll make sure the Commander gets
the information."  She typed in the status report and
had just hit enter on the keyboard when someone sat
down next to her.

"Hey pretty lady," Boomer said as he adjusted himself
against the narrow ledge of her station.

"Hey Boomer," Athena returned with a smile.  "What are
you doing here?"

"I'm hiding out from your brother," he teased as he
put a finger over his lips for her to keep quiet.
When she smiled, he could see how tired she looked and
he had to wonder if the rumors were true.  "I heard
you were a little under the weather and I thought I
would stop by and see how you were doing?"

"I'm fine."  She busied herself closing down the logs
she had opened to keep from having to explain further.
 She could already feel watchful eyes following her
wherever she went and she wasn't about to answer
questions concerning something she didn't understand
herself.  As a sweet fragrance teased her nose to pull
her out of her musings, she looked over to see the
exotic pink flower Boomer held out for her.  "Oh
Boomer, its lovely!"

She wasn't even permitted a sniff before he tucked it
in behind her ear.  "Just don't let anyone know you
have it."  Boomer darted a shifty glance around the
bridge.  "I pilfered it out of a Siress' bouquet."

Athena chuckled lightly at his antics.  "Yeah, I'm
sure no one will notice it in my hair."  She leaned
back in her chair and folded her arms over her chest.
"So what are you really here for?" she pressed.

Boomer held his hands out innocently.  "Can't a guy
just stop in to see a friend without being suspect?"
When Athena gave him a skeptical look, he finally
relented.  "I need the schematic for the audio station
in Wilker's lab."

Athena shook her head as she smiled.  "Why didn't you
just say so?"  She moved back up to the console and
typed in the appropriate commands.

Boomer shrugged his shoulders once more.  "What's the
fun in that?"  While Athena was pulling up what he
needed, Boomer noticed Bojay rushing onto the bridge.

"Commander," Bojay called to Adama as he bounded up
the steps to the uppermost level with the Commander
and Tigh.  "The situation on the Borella freighter
seems to be reaching a critical point.  Just as Red
Squadron landed, we could hear laser boles going off
in the storage facility."

"Did the Nomen finally immerge?" Adama asked.

"Negative," Bojay returned crisply.  "After several
centons, it quieted back down again and Silver Spar
returned to the Galactica as ordered."

"If the Nomen are practicing with laser boles, we'd
better get prepared and fast," Boomer interrupted as
he moved over to the center of the bridge and looked
up at the Commander.  "Nomen have a very strict code
of use for their laser boles," Boomer explained.  "The
only time the uninitiated are permitted to use them is
when they are preparing for battle.  They allow the
Nomen who haven't seen combat to prove themselves by
throwing one set of boles.  How well they do is the
deciding factor of whether or not they can ride with
the clan."

"Alert Captain Apollo," Adama ordered Tigh.

"Commander."  Bojay spoke up once more.  "Three
warriors aren't going to be enough to stand against
the Nomen if they should."

"Commander!" Athena interrupted.  "We're getting a
distress signal from the Borella freighter."

"I can't raise Lieutenant Aster," Omega reported as he
turned in his seat to look up at the officers.

"Aster just relieved me on the Borella," Bojay said as
his breathing started to increase.

"The command crew of the Borella freighter is not
responding to hails," Omega added.

"Red alert!" Adama ordered.

~~~

Starbuck stuffed his arms into the sleeves of his
shirt as he fumbled with his flight jacket on the way
to his viper.  Apollo took one look at the lieutenant
and shook his head.  "I just got back on board,"
Starbuck explained.

"Tell me about it later," Apollo ordered as he settled
into his viper and slipped on his helmet.  Within
microns Blue Squadron launched and started on a vector
towards the rear of the convoy.

"Anyone know what's going on?"  Starbuck asked over
viper channels.

"Nomen have seized control of the Borella freighter,"
Boomer told him.  "Three pilots from Red Squadron and
the command crew were on board when the Nomen took
over.  Their status is unknown."

"The Borella freighter has turned away from the fleet
and is heading on a course of 3-2-6," Apollo reported
as he checked his scanners.

"Where in Hades are they going?" Starbuck asked.

"At least they're not heading in the direction of the
planet where we dropped off Baltar," Sheba commented.
"What a nightmare that would be."

"Well, she won't be going far," Apollo returned.  "We
will be able to catch up with them in a matter of
centons."

"And then what?" Starbuck asked.

"We board her and regain control of the bridge."

Starbuck groaned.  "I was afraid you were going to say
that."

"Apollo," Boomer called out.

"Yeah, I've got them," Apollo returned.  "Three vipers
just launched from the freighter."

"Red Squadron?" Sheba asked in confusion.

Apollo studied his scanner a little longer.  "From the
way they're flying, I'd say there were first orbit
cadets at the helm."

"Oh frack!" Starbuck exclaimed.

"Nomen," Boomer assessed.

"That'd be my bet," Apollo returned.  "This is Blue
Squadron leader Captain Apollo," he said over the com
link.  "You are to cease all hostilities immediately
and return to the Borella freighter."

As the first of a series of laser volleys headed
haphazardly in their direction, Starbuck sighed.
"Yeah, that worked."

"Okay Blue Squadron," Apollo commanded.  "It's obvious
these guys are inexperienced.  Let's see if we can
disable them without destroying the ships."

"That will be a neat trick with them coming at us like
rockets," Boomer interjected as he watched laser fire
streak by.  "They're flying so erratically that they
might just run into one of us."

"Contact with the incoming vipers in ten microns,"
Sheba announced.

"Let's slow them down Blue Squadron," Apollo ordered
as he opened fire.

"Frack," Starbuck said again.  "Trying not to hit dead
on is nearly impossible.  They keep dancing over my
cross hairs."

Sheba managed to clip the wing on an oncoming viper
and nearly collided with it in the process.  "Are
these guys suicidal?" she asked when all three
narrowly missed their vipers as they barreled passed
them.

"They're not turning to engage," Boomer reported.

Apollo turned in his seat to see if the Nomen pilots
were simply having problems with the controls.  He
could just imagine how crammed in the large men would
be.  "They're going after the Galactica," he
announced.  "Blue Squadron on my wake," he ordered as
he turned in pursuit.  "Captain Apollo to Galactica.
Three vipers have launched from the Borella freighter
and are heading in your direction."

Tigh shot a look at Adama.  "We can't activate the
pulse cannons," he informed the Commander.  "Even if
we had time to adjust them for vipers, we would run
the risk of hitting Blue Squadron."

"Red Squadron?" Adama asked.

"Still on the edge of the system," Tigh replied.  "We
can get Silver Spar Squadron in the air sooner."

"But not before those vipers get here," Adama
concluded as a series of scenarios flashed through his
mind.  "Seal all compartments," he ordered.

"Is it my imagination or are these guys not slowing
down?" Starbuck asked as the Galactica loomed large.

Apollo's heart began to pound.  "They're doing a
strafing run on the bridge.  Blue Squadron.  Disregard
previous orders.  Take those bovine out."  Images of a
previous attack were still too fresh in Apollo's mind.
 He had nearly lost his entire family to the Cylon
death squads and he wasn't going to let that happen
again.

"You don't think these guys would actually ram, do
you?" Starbuck asked.

"Let's not find out," Apollo returned and opened fire.
 He quickly took out one of the ships, but the other
two pealed off erratically.  Apollo had to pull back
hard on his control stick to avoid the Galactica.
"Get them before they have the chance to circle back
around," he ordered.

"I've got the one on the right," Boomer announced.

"I'm on the left," Starbuck countered.

"Holy frack!" Boomer yelled when the viper he was
pursuing suddenly hit reverse thrusters and began
tumbling through space with its lasers firing.  "Look
out!"

Potshots began landing all over the Galactica as the
pilot disregarded any hope of pulling the viper out of
the chaotic spin and simply held down the fire button.
 "I've got him," Sheba called out and managed to get
off several shots to take out the second viper.

Starbuck flinched at the third explosion.  "Did you
see that?" he asked in shock.

"Where's the other viper?" Apollo asked as he searched
the skies.

Starbuck chuckled.  "His buddy took him out just
before Sheba got him."

Apollo heaved a sigh of relief.  He knew that the
Galactica had taken several hits, but there were no
fires evident on the hull.  "Captain Apollo to
Galactica.  Attacking vipers have been eliminated.
Request permission to continue pursuit of the Borella
freighter."

"Negative," Tigh returned.  "The Borella freighter has
hit maximum velocity.  You wouldn't be able to catch
up with her before you ran out of fuel.  Return to the
Galactica."

~~~
Errors-To: bsg-fanfic-bounces-
airys=mirarialpacafarm.com@lists.eyrie.org
X-UIDL: R8E"!E;U!!m0j!!^Qj!!

Athena stared at the sealed door in frustration then
walked away.  Being trapped in the landing bay, she
wanted nothing more than to commandeer one of the
vipers and join in the fight, but she was in her
bridge uniform which lacked a pressure suit.  She
wouldn't be able to survive the G-forces of the viper
without her pressure suit.

She sighed heavily as she wandered the nearly deserted
landing bay and thought about what was happening
outside.    She looked down the long landing field to
the darkness of space beyond and wondered if Gaea's
shuttle was okay.  "I knew I never should have left
the bridge," she mumbled to herself.

Athena squinted when she noticed a solitary figure
standing further down the landing platform staring off
into space much the same way she was.  "Brie?" she
said softly then walked over to the female warrior.
"Brie, I thought that was you," she said with a warm
smile and a hug for her friend.  "What are you doing
down here?"

Brie smiled shyly then gestured to her newly
refinished viper at the end of the landing bay.  "Just
trying to sort out a few things."

Athena looked at the viper as she recalled Brie's
recent past.  Athena lightly rubbed Brie's back in
comfort.  "Still not sure if you want to fly again?"
she asked softly.

Brie sagged in defeat.  "Part of me wants to be out
there with Blue Squadron and part of me is grateful
that it's them out there protecting us and not me."
She offered up a weak smile.  "I just can't seem to
get those images out of my head."

Athena's heart ached for her when she saw large tears
welling up in Brie's eyes.  "It's okay Brie," she said
softly as she wrapped her arms around her shoulders.

"I'm sorry," she returned as she fought to collect
herself.  "I know that this isn't the time or the
place."  She swiped away the tears with gloved
fingers.

Athena glanced around them as she held her at arm's
length then gave Brie a sideways look.  "Something
wrong with virtually empty landing bay with sealed
doors?"

She looked at Athena in confusion for a centon then
she giggled.  "You've got a point."  She sniffed and
dabbed at her eyes.  "Oh, but I don't want to bore you
with my trite fears."

"There's nothing trite about what you went through,"
Athena gently admonished.  "Brie, you've got every
right to be scared and, frankly, if you weren't
worried about getting back in that viper, I'd be more
than a little concerned."

Brie chuckled again a little more light-heartedly.
She was already feeling better having Athena to talk
to.  "It's not the actual flying that's bothering me,"
she finally revealed.  "When I came into the landing
bay with my control panel on fire," she shook her head
at the vivid memory.  "I was sure that I was looking
at my death tomb."  She took comfort in the soothing
hand that Athena rubbed across her shoulder.  "Then I
was engulfed in blue flames and, just for an instant,
I thought that Hades had swallowed me up."

Athena felt a chill run down her spine at the image.
"That must have been horrible."

Brie shook her head.  "I can't tell you how frightened
I was when I woke up in the life station.  I was so
disoriented that I mistook Cassi for a Cylon and
whacked her in the side of her head with my fist."

Athena quickly covered her mouth at the gasp which
escaped.  "You didn't."

She flushed in embarrassment.  "Cassi was really sweet
about it too which made me feel even more guilty."

Athena gave her a sympathetic smile.  "Have you talked
to Apollo about any of this?"

Brie nodded.  "I met up with him and Starbuck when I
was checking out my viper."  She shrugged.  "He gave
me the usual pep talk about how much I'm needed."

She gave Brie a sideways look.  "I guess it didn't
work."  She studied her for a long moment as she
thought over everything Brie had told her.  "How long
have you been down here in the landing bay anyway?"

Brie rolled her eyes as she tried to remember when she
first came down.  "Several centars at least."

Athena gave her an encouraging smile.  "Maybe that's
your answer," she returned.  "Why would you spend so
much time in the landing bay if you really wanted to
get away from your ship?"  The roar of an incoming
shuttle's thrusters filled the landing bay effectively
cutting short their conversation.  Once the shuttle
was docked and the sounds subsided, Athena smiled at
Brie once more.  "I'm supposed to be meeting someone
on this shuttle," she explained.  "Are you okay?"

She thought about that for a long moment then smiled.
"Yeah, I think I am.  Thanks."

"Anytime," she returned then headed for the passengers
disembarking from the shuttle.  Athena unconsciously
rubbed her hands together as she spotted Gaea making
her way through the crowd.  She was about to toss a
wave to get Gaea's attention when she felt a sudden
surge course through her body.  "Oh that can't be
good," she whispered to herself.

Gaea froze when she saw Athena waver, but she snapped
into action as Athena dropped to the deck.  Gaea
wasn't the first to reach Athena's side and she
struggled to draw close. Once she knelt next to her,
she pulled back the hair from Athena's face.  Gaea's
pulse quickened when she immediately picked up flashes
of images going through Athena's mind and her eyes
darted up to Brie.

Brie subconsciously took a step back when the shrouded
woman's head snapped in her direction.  "Did she touch
you?" Gaea demanded.  When Brie stared back blankly,
Gaea jumped to her feet and grabbed Brie's arms.  "Did
she touch you?" she demanded once more.

"Y.yes," Brie stuttered out.  "But I had." she tried
to explain, but drew back in silence when Gaea started
to swear in an unusual dialect.

~~~

"I don't get it," Sheba said as she kept pace with
Apollo.  "Who's this woman and why is she with
Athena?"

"I've been asking those same questions, but have yet
to get an answer," Apollo returned as he marched
through the corridors.  The news of Athena's collapse
and Gaea's tirade had rumors circulating around the
Galactica at light speed.

"What's going on Apollo?" Starbuck asked when he
caught sight of a group of people huddling in
conversation.  "What's this felgercarb about Athena
being a healer?"  When Apollo merely glanced back over
his shoulder at him, Boomer and Starbuck stopped dead
in their tracks.  They exchanged a disbelieve look
then hurried to catch up to Apollo and Sheba.  "You're
kidding me, right?"

"I don't."  Apollo stopped within sight of Athena's
quarters as he looked at his friends.  "I don't know."
 He looked at each of them, the concern evident on his
face.  "Something really strange is going on here and
I think Gaea might have something to do with it."

A blood-curdling scream filled the corridors and all
attention was focused on the door to Athena's
quarters.  Apollo didn't recall running into the room,
but the sight of Gaea pressing Athena down into her
bunk spurred him into action.  Apollo rushed over to
Athena's side and grabbed Gaea by her wrists.  Another
horror-filled scream ripped through the air as he
shoved Gaea hard against the wall.

When Gaea's hood fell back, there was an audible gasp
in the room.  "What the.who is.?" Starbuck breathed as
his eyes darted back and forth to Athena on the bed
and Athena pinned against the wall by Apollo.

"What are you doing to my sister?" Apollo demanded.

"There's two of them," Sheba whispered, her mind
unable to comprehend what her eyes were telling her.

When Athena screamed once more, Boomer rushed to her
side.  He easily slipped in behind her on the bed and
wrapped his arms around hers to keep her still.  He
whispered soothing words into her ear as his eyes
locked onto the face of the woman in Apollo's grip.

"You don't understand," Gaea pleaded.  "You've got to
let me help Athena!"

"Help you kill her?" Apollo shot back.

"Apollo no!" Adama barked as he entered the room with
Dr. Salik.

"You didn't see what she was doing to Athena, Father!"
Apollo shouted as the anger welled in him like never
before.

Adama grabbed one of Apollo's wrists and put his other
hand on Apollo's shoulder to try to pull him back from
Gaea.  "Apollo, let her go!"

"I'm sworn to protect her," Gaea whispered as tears
sprang up in her azure blue eyes.  "I wasn't there to
stop her.  You've got to let me help her now."

Apollo felt a sudden stab in his gut at the expression
on his sister's face, but he knew that it was just an
illusion.  "Should I show these people just what a
changeling you really are?" Apollo threatened and saw
the panic in Athena's.in Gaea's eyes.  He shook his
head trying to keep everything straight then felt a
second set of hands on his wrist and shoulder.

When Gaea slipped out of his grip, Apollo shot a
glance at Starbuck for restraining him then focused
all of his attention on Adama.  "What are you doing?
Can't you see what's happening to Athena?"

"Gaea's the only one that can help her now," Adama
said in a calming voice.

Apollo shot a look over at Athena who was resting
against Boomer's chest with Dr. Salik and Gaea
hovering at her sides.  "If she's the only one that
can help, what's Dr. Salik doing here?"

"To give Athena a sedative," Adama explained.

"It's going to be okay," Boomer whispered in Athena's
ear as her struggles began to subside.  "I'm going to
stay here with you."  He held Athena closer as he
stared at her replica with her hands on Athena's face.
 He didn't even pretend to understand what he was
seeing.  His eyes darted around the room from Sheba's
statuesque silence to Adama and Apollo arguing with
Starbuck holding Apollo back.  When Boomer's eyes fell
on the single bloom he had given her earlier sitting
in a vase beside her bed, he tried to focus on that.
"You know I've got more flowers where that came from,"
he whispered to her.  "I'll get you a whole bouquet
once you open those pretty blue eyes for me."

Boomer nearly jumped out of his skin when Gaea put her
hand on his arm and locked eyes with him.  Gaea smiled
as she focused on what Athena was feeling.  "Your
company sooths her," she told him softly.  Gaea looked
down at Athena's face then back up at Boomer.  "She
feels safe with you."  She looked at Boomer a little
more closely as Athena relaxed even more.  "Don't let
go," she whispered.

"I'm here baby," he whispered to Athena as he watched
Gaea move away from the bed and carefully pull her
hood back up over her head.  Somehow that seemed to
dissipate some of the tension in the room.

Adama and Apollo ended their argument the moment that
Gaea stepped up next to them.  "What happened?" Adama
asked.

"Athena was already weak," she explained.  "When she
comforted that warrior, all she wanted to do was help,
but she brought the negative forces into herself and
she hasn't learned how to keep them from overpowering
her yet."

"Yet."  Adama latched onto the tiny word.  "Meaning
that you can help her?"

Gaea held Adama's gaze.  She knew what was to come.
"Not here."

"No," Apollo said flatly then looked at his father.
"You can't let this woman take Athena God knows where
to practice her mind games."

"Adama," Gaea said softly.  "You know that Athena
can't help reaching out to others.  She's a nurturer.
But that need to help is what's killing her.  She has
to be kept from any further contact until she can
protect herself."

The entire room was filled with silence as Adama
carefully thought out the consequences.  At his subtle
nod, life was breathed back into the room.  Gaea
darted back to Athena to discuss moving her with Dr.
Salik and Apollo stood facing his father with his
hands on his hips.  "I hope you know what you're
doing," he said grimly.