DISCLAIMER: Battlestar Galactica is the property of Glen A. Larson, Sci-Fi Channel, R & D TV, Sky and NBC Universal.
SPOILERS: Up to and including Season 2, Lay Down Your Burdens part 2.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
Tent City Rendezvous
By Geekgrrllurking
Starbuck knew better but she couldn't help herself.
The first time Kara had seen her here was six weeks ago, walking out of Doc Cottle's digs. A student had needed medical attention, and there she was. The former President of the Colonies, dirty, sweaty and with the saddest eyes she'd seen since looking in the mirror that morning. Starbuck thought Roslin looked great.
The arrow of Athena had long since faded from their memories, but Starbuck still remembered it. It was what had brought her together with her husband, who currently wasn't resting and was playing Pyramid with the local yokels. Stupid ass. Then again, Sam was her stupid ass.
It was also what brought her closer to the President. Starbuck could still picture Laura's eyes then gleaming with hope for the future, all wrapped up in one little relic that had to be found. And who was your go to girl. That's right. I was the big dog. Not your little lap dog Apollo, but it was me.
Starbuck felt the usual stab of regret she did whenever Apollo's name entered her mind. Still it didn't give him the right to be such an asshole to her. What a frakked up situation that was.
Movement caught her eye and Starbuck turned back to the woman at hand, former president Laura Roslin. She was a teacher now, here in Tent City. Starbuck followed her, not really sure why, but she did. She followed Roslin back to the tent she lived in here in the middle of the mess that Baltar had dumped them all into.
That first time, Starbuck merely watched the shadows play along the sides of Laura's tent. Laura reading. Laura brushing her hair. Laura changing for bed, then lights out, and Starbuck headed back to her own squalor and Sam who was drugged up, depressed and asleep.
Damn Laura had looked good today…
The next time Starbuck saw the former president was three days later, again at the Doctor's tent. Laura came out and practically bumped into Starbuck.
"Captain Thrace! How are you?" the older woman seemed genuinely interested, if slightly shocked.
"Madam President, my gods, I haven't seen you in so long." Kara enthused. You are going straight to hell for that one Starbuck.
"It's just Laura, please. How have you settled in here on New Caprica?" Her eyes exuded warmth and a touch of sadness. Starbuck melted. They started to walk from the Doctor's tent back to the center of Tent City.
"Like everyone else I guess. What have you been up to?"
"I'm teaching again Captain. It's wonderful, I feel like I have a real purpose again. Since we lost the election, I didn't think I'd be able to feel that again, but life goes on doesn't it." Laura squinted into the setting sun. Amber highlights on her hair, made Starbuck's breath catch and lower muscles clench.
They reached a now familiar tent. "This is me. Would you like to come in Starbuck?" Such a simple request, she should say no, but Laura's eyes begged for her to say yes. Gods help me. They entered the tent. It was actually quite homey. Starbuck was kind of envious, since her lug of a man was useless at cleaning, plus he played up his sickness so she always felt guilty about yelling at him to help out. Your bed Kara, now lay in it…
"This is nice." Starbuck looked around then caught Laura's eyes. The older woman seemed pleased, and motioned her to the small table and chairs in one corner. They sat and chatted for a while. Laura told her of her children, funny stories about school, and how she loved what she was doing. Starbuck listened enchanted and sipped the tea Laura had made.
Starbuck told her of her husband's sickness, and how hard it was to get his medication, how she worried where they would get his next batch of medicine. They both agreed that the Doctor was a miracle worker here in this place.
"Kara you haven't told me about you. Do you miss flying among the stars?" Laura touched her hand, caressing. Starbuck wasn't sure how to answer, deciding that she wanted to always tell Laura the truth, if that was all she could ever give the woman, than at least she could do that.
"I miss it like you would miss breathing, like flowers would miss the rain. I thought it was something that I would get over but it …" Starbuck hesitated, her voice slightly breaking. Dammit, you should know better…
Laura moved forward off her chair and brought Kara into a hug. Starbuck felt like finally she could let all her burdens down, and she cried, weeping onto the small shoulders of the former Savior of the Colonies, her personal savior at the moment.
"It's ok Kara, just let it out," Laura rubbed Starbuck's shoulders. "I know, it's so hard."
Starbuck didn't want to be this needy but she couldn't help herself. For so long she had been so strong and now she finally found someone who could be strong for her. She clung on to Laura even tighter, and laughed.
"Gods Laura," Kara pulled back and snuffled slightly, "sorry, I just…I don't know…"
Laura tucked a stray hair behind Starbuck's ear and smudged away a falling tear. "Don't even think about it. I've been there, we've all been there, and all we have left now is each other." Laura stopped and stared into Starbuck's watery eyes.
"Kara, I…" Roslin moved closer to Starbuck, watching the younger woman's lips slightly part in anticipation. Starbuck closed the distance and gently pressed against soft lips. Startled, but not stopping, Roslin responded slowly at first then gaining more confidence.
Before either of them could think of a reason to stop, they were lying together on the narrow bunk, touching, caressing, allowing themselves to feel something other than the misery around them.
Clothes started to be peeled off. Kara refused to think about how wrong this probably was on so many levels and got lost in Laura's movements. Why did she ever think this woman would be a slow gentle lover, as Laura moved along her body and aggressively took charge. Kara laughed at the irony and winced as the former President bit her shoulder.
"Keep your head in the game Captain," growled Laura, good humouredly.
"Yes ma'm," came the automatic response as Kara turned Laura onto her back and began her own assault maneuvers, licking from head to toe. Hell looks pretty good from here…
That was then, this is now. Kara kept trying to stop herself, but Laura merely had to wander into the gaming part of Tent City and pull her away from her husband Anders, who still stubbornly insisted on playing Pyramid. Like a siren's song from Geminon's south sea, Kara would simply follow Laura out of the black market and into her bed.
Together they found a reason to continue, even to look forward to the next day. And then one day the Cylons returned, and all hell broke loose…
The End