It's midnight EST which means... SWEEPS WEEK BEGINS!!!

[kag523.livejournal.com]

 

 

I’m BAAAACK!!!

Hey there everyone!  It’s kag523 – returning to drive the No_Takebacks bus after a hiatus of six months.  (That’s right, peeps.  The No-Takebacks Oscars took place exactly six months ago!  I’ve been sadly negligent about volunteering since then, so I’m making up for it this week.)  Today I’m back in fine, sassy form to kick of a new and FABULOUS event in the K/L fandom. 

I’m officially declaring this week:

This means that every day you will get

1. A new topic to discuss / rant / argue / make merry with
2. A new (television-focused) vid to enjoy
3. A new challenge for you to participate in

And in return, I will with reward your participation with KAG523 MANIPS AND FABULOUS CRACKY OBJET’S D’ART!  (More about this later...)

Today we arrive at the quintessential 1990’s television show: Friends.  (Surprising how HAPPY BSG looks if you crank up the saturation and speed up the film.)  Given that our favourite Pilots live amongst a crew of hundreds, I’d assume that many of their secrets would be ANYTHING but!  And I figure it’s time to let out those not-so-secret goings-on hidden inside the storage locker on C-Level. 

Your task today is to:

1. EXPOSE A SECRET (for Lee or Kara or *cough* both)
2. Write this secret from the point of view of another character on BSG.  (ie: Cally would have the inside track on what goes on AFTER they climb out of their vipers whereas Hotdog knows EXACTLY whose boots were outside the pilots bunkroom last shift.) 
3. While simple facts are certainly fine, give a try with something creative.  These can be in ANY FORMAT you’d like.  Crack!fic encouraged!  Perhaps you could include messages relayed between the knuckledraggers on the hangar deck, a name and number that Baltar discovers scratched into the stall in the head, Dee’s overheard headset conversations, Adama’s discovery of a long-lost phone message on his personal comm link, Post Secrets postcards that keep appearing on the memorial wall, or (as I might be doing... depending on the participation today) damning photographic evidence.  Your imagination is the limit! 
4. When you’ve tossed in your two cents, come on back to comment / argue / extend / respond to other people’s comments.  This is our fandom, people.  LET’S ROCK THIS SHIP!

THE FANDOM CHALLENGE!

For EVERY 50 comments on the No_Takebacks comm in the next 24 hours, I will create a fabulously cracky manip of one of the not-really-so-randomly selected secrets.  (To a maxiumum of five... cause honestly?  I’ll have to eat or sleep at some point.)  That’s right peeps... you want manips from me?  I’M OFFERING!  And I get to choose which ones so make them GOOD!  But the deadline is midnight Monday, so get your commentary and discussion going. 

 

SWEEPS WEEK HAS BEGUN!

 

 

 

Comments

[scifishipper.livejournal.com]

OMG OMG OMG! I am so in love with that vid!! How can it make me so happy! That is going to be my happy go to video now.

Tomorrow I come back with my creative entry. I want a manip, damnit!

[kag523.livejournal.com]

*high fives*

I want to see what you've created! Go HEATHER!!!

[amaliak.livejournal.com]

wait wait wait wait.

DID YOU MAKE BSG/FRIENDS VID??????????????????????????



Karin, I love you so much.

[kag523.livejournal.com]

Right back to YOU! I want to see YOUR MANIPS!!!! :>D

[coffeesuperhero.livejournal.com]

Nobody throws a party like you throw a party, bb. NOBODY.

[kag523.livejournal.com]

*high fives* THANK YOU!!! And thanks for coming by! I want to see some SECRETS EXPOSED HON! Get going on this! :>D

[ecstaticdance.livejournal.com]

BSG/Friends is genius. And you're right. Shared showers, shared bunks, limited living space. Secrets were few, far between and hard to keep.

[kag523.livejournal.com]

Shared showers, shared bunks, limited living space. Secrets were few, far between and hard to keep.

Hee hee! I TOTALLY agree! Now... have you shared a secret yet? Hmmm...?

[acsgrlie.livejournal.com]

Great video!!

OK, so I wrote this after reading the prompt and I'm not sure the ending line is quite right but I hope you all enjoy it :)

_____________________


“Frakkin Racetrack,” cursed Hotdog as he bent down for the fifth time to try to reach all the trash in the pilots rec room. One drink of ambrosia too many and his mediocre triad skills had earned him a week of cleaning chores.

He was just about done with the room until he spotted a crumbled up piece of paper in the corner. Ready to throw it into the wastebasket like the others, he only paused when he saw the name ‘Adama’ scribbled inside it. His curiousity got the best of him as he unfolded the it.

‘Mrs. Kara Adama’

Hotdog had heard rumors about Starbuck being involved with the commander’s dead son but that had been years ago. If rumors were to be believed she hadn’t let a dead fiance stop her from having fun. Why would she suddenly think of a future that could never happen?

As he read further down the paper the name was continued in different scripts and variations “Mrs. Kara Thrace Adama’, ‘Mrs. Kara “Starbuck” Thrace Adama’.

It was not until he came upon the last name that realization dawned on his face.

‘Mrs. Kara Lee Adama.’

[ddt73.livejournal.com]

Very cute. :)

Mrs. Kara Lee Adama... lol

[ddt73.livejournal.com]

lol

BSG + Friends = Genius!

[kag523.livejournal.com]

*high fives* Thank you! Now... I happen to KNOW you have lots of crazy footage of KS and JB. I CHALLENGE YOU to make a teeny tiny (10 sec or so) secret exposed. C'mon... you'd be AWESOME at that! :>D

[delle.livejournal.com]

I.... who would think to put Friends and BSG together? And, damn woman, IT WORKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[kag523.livejournal.com]

*hugs* IT DOES! (And wait until you see tomorrow's vid. *wiggles eyebrows*

[anamarya.livejournal.com]

i really, really love this video. I was never a very big fan of Friends but i watched kind of all of it and now i want to go back.

I hope to be back with secrets later.

[kag523.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I was kind of indifferent to Friends, but I love how happy this vid feels. :>D

[velvety2010.livejournal.com]

awesome video! too funny...

[kag523.livejournal.com]

*high fives* thank you! (Now go make a secret up!)

[callmeonetrack.livejournal.com]

Lol. NAH NAH NAH NAH NAH NAH NAH NAH! *snap snap*

Adorable vid! In the spirit of BSG vidded to other TV show themes, I have to link to daybreak777's awesome Cheers vid: "Joe's" (http://daybreak777.livejournal.com/125486.html)!

Will have to think on a secret...

[kag523.livejournal.com]

That's AWESOME! I'd never seen daybreak's vid! And I look forward to your 'secret'! :>D

[themonkeytwin.livejournal.com]

Okay, so, one: totally adorkable vid.

Er, two: ever since we did the rewatch last week, I've been trying to get into Dee's head. Which I do not, incidentally, necessarily believe I've succeeded in.

Three: I was attempting to fic my way toward this, and it ended up kind of more Lee-centric meta, as filtered through Dee's (um, possible) perspective.

Four: the prompt SECRETS gave me exactly the right thread to tie one end to the other.

BUT, five: it's set during Sometimes A Great Notion, and thus is the OPPOSITE of cracky, silly, short, and so on. Also, we all know how it ends.

Therefore, six: I'm going to post it, but I would like to say right now that even though I've tried to make her thought processes make sense in light of her suicide, that is very different to meaning I agree with them all.

fic: what it takes to believe (1/2)

[themonkeytwin.livejournal.com]

You sit across from him, this gleaming golden man, indestructible amidst the rubble of the world, carrying its weight on his unbowed shoulders, and everything finally makes sense. You know the secret, the secret that is so big and so obvious that everyone lives it and no one really notices it.

He laughs, in this momentary release from the revelations of the day, and the light in his eyes blasts clear to your bare soul, and you know that you didn’t understand before. Not really. You always wanted something to believe in, and knew that believing in something was to belong to it, become a part of it. But somehow, you assumed it would go both ways. Should go both ways. That you should own what you believed in, just as wholly as it owned you.

You watch his deft, expressive smirk, a thousand data points coiled into a single knowing glance, and realize that Sam had known better than you. Sam had known the secret. Now, so do you. There were times that you despised Sam for his weakness, lacking the will, the courage, to fight for all or nothing. But you were wrong.

You both take a simultaneous drink, flirty eyes across rims, while distantly you think it should hurt more. This laying down of your whole self on the altar of another, and not receiving a whole self back. But you’re drifting now, in the calm far beyond the breakers, the violence of hope dashing itself upon reality’s shores, and have discovered that in the total freedom of despair is the gift of freedom from disappointment, too. Maybe that’s why you can bear it enough to see it, now. Why you can accept the stark, terrible beauty of it.

Creases dance across his face, aurorae gracing his expressions, finding no purchase even where there should have been permanent etchings of grief and responsibility. It struck you in the ready room, how youthful, how bright and clear his face was still after these long, cruel years, and that was probably when you knew. When you saw all of it, laid out, perfect like a batch of communication signals in an orderly queue. Saw him in that instant in his difference, his otherness, where you always thought you were the same. Saw him standing in the crashing breakers and the wash of flotsam, feet planted, immovable, straight, glorious. Saw that this was his domain, this frenzied boundary you could no longer endure and had fled for safer, more human waters.

You bask in his attention, at last able to simply be in his presence. No longer buffeted and spending yourself simply to remain upright, pushing and pulling to grasp at what you can never have. You can see him, as you couldn’t when you sparred with him as his comrade, lay beside him as his wife, stood across from him as his XO. See his heart and his head in blazing unity in his blue eyes, the temple flame undimmed. He holds the hope and the healing of the entire human race within the powerful sweep of his chest, the elegant strength of his arms and legs, holds it so naturally even in the turbluence and the doubt that he doesn’t even notice that’s what he does. You wonder how you ever thought you could encompass all of that.

Secrets in Plain Sight

[kdbleu.livejournal.com]

Helo comes into the bunk room a bit sheepish and with a definite crook in his neck. He’s missed his date with Kara in the gym. She’s been better since she and Kat took out Scar, but something is still off so Helo’s carving out time away from patrols and maintenance to give his old friend a little extra attention. Tonight he falls asleep on the decking outside Sharon’s cell missing their date in the gym. When Kara isn’t in the rec room dominating the triad and the hooch Helo sneaks into the bunk room to try and straighten out his neck in his own bunk.

He’s dismayed to find her curtains wide open. Helo rubs his face trying to figure out where else Kara Trace could have gotten herself off to. She has 48 hours liberty at the end of the week, but she hasn’t been trying to trade with anyone so that must still be on. Apollo on the other hand… Helo squints across the table to Lee Adama’s bunk and finds the curtain shut tight and two intertwined hands hanging just below the center gap. Instantly Helo recognizes Kara’s hand, long slender fingers that retain an out of place femininity despite their rough edges, despite her rough edges.

For a moment he stares until Helo realizes what’s really caught his attention. On Lee Adama’s third finger is the plain silver band that Kara has worn without explanation since the death of her fiancé. Zak Adama is only stories to Helo, too happy and too sad. Collapsing on his bunk, Helo massages hard into his neck, never taking his eyes off the ring on the CAG’s finger, wondering about forgiveness and the human ability to keep moving forward. His mind wanders back to Sharon pregnant in the brig. Special cell or no, it’s still the brig, and he’s still waiting but for what he’s not sure.

Finally Helo pulls his long legs into the bunk and toes his boots to the end of his bunk. The discouraging weight on his heart doesn’t keep him from being extra quiet for the hidden couple. Though once he’s arranged, Helo lets his boots fall to the floor and his curtain scrape shut. From across the silent room, he hears tandem, sleepy moans and sneaks a last peek to make sure their hands have disappeared from view. When they have, Helo finally relaxes and finds slumber too.

The next morning the silver ring once again hangs with Kara’s dog tag. Helo observes that Starbuck and Apollo keep and appropriate distance on the flight deck but sit too close and flirt over lunch. So Helo smiles as he tucks a note under the top sheet on the CAG’s desk, offering Lee the 48 hours leave he can’t use for an overnight in the special cell in the brig.

Re: Secrets in Plain Sight

[kag523.livejournal.com]

Oh goodness, hon. I can't tell you how much I love this little snippet. I want more of this... and yet it's absolutely perfect in its brevity. This line, in particular, caught my attention:

Zak Adama is only stories to Helo, too happy and too sad.

Guh. So angst-filled and perfect. Thank you! :>)

Everyone knows

[nazkey.livejournal.com]

Here's my contribution. Needs some work, but hey, I want a manip!

_______________________________

They circle around each other on the deck, in the ops room, in the CIC, in the bunk room, in the showers, in the rec room … every where.

They dance their secret steps.

One step forward, two steps back

Three to the right and four to the left.

But never losing eye contact.

He pushes. She pushes back.

He yells. She gets in his face.

He pouts. She mocks.

He storms off. She snickers and shrugs her shoulders.

But if you look deep in their eyes, for every action & reaction, you'll see fire.

Hers is a blaze of green & gold that ignites the ice cold blue of his.

It's always there.

They think no one knows.

They're wrong.

Everyone knows.

_________________________

On the deck, the Chief, Cally and the rest of the crew turn away and pretend to be busy when they cling to each other after a brutal dogfight. They only turn around when Starbuck lets out the inevitable smart-ass remark and Apollo comes back with a not so witty comeback.

"Good thing I'm there to save your ass Apollo. Seriously, how many times is it now?"

"Yeah, I'm so lucky to have you around Starbuck. My ass is eternally grateful."

If she looks a bit smug or if the tips of his ears turn pink, no one comments.

_________________________

In the ops room, when they finish each others' sentences and map out complex plans in minutes, oblivious to everyone else, the Commander & the President look bemused and the XO shakes his head and asks them to clue the rest of them in, for frak's sake.

If they look confused as the XO’s voice snaps them out of their private world, turn and smile sheepishly at everyone in the room, no one comments.

_________________________

In the CIC, Dee smiles every time she hears their bantering insults on the comms and shares a quick wink with Gaeta across the panels. When one of them is on duty and starts biting her nails listening to the battle commands of the other, Dee silently hands over a headset and turns on a private channel, then walks away.

If they see her wipe a tear off her face as he lands his birds safely, tear the headset off and high tail it out of the CIC with a quick & sloppy salute and a shout that she’s “going to frakking kill that idiot,” no one comments.

_________________________

When the lights go out in the bunk rooms and they're both off shift, no where to be found, the pilots look at each other and smile knowingly. One of them (usually Helo), gets up and draws their curtains shut in case the XO walks in unannounced.

If they ever see them standing a little too close, pushed against the lockers, whispering and occasionally touching, no one comments.

_________________________

In the showers, everyone pretends not to hear the sounds … the small moans and gasps, the muffled cries out to the deities and the giggling. Everyone goes about their business and when they come out with their towels wrapped around them, everyone acts like they didn't just step out of the same stall. Apollo jokes about Starbuck’s hygiene and she throws a wet towel at his face.

If they’d heard a hushed “Kara” and “Lee” just 30 seconds ago, no one comments.

_________________________

In the rec room, as she wins hand after hand of triad and downs shot after shot, everyone pretends not to notice that she stops drinking only when he starts frowning at her.

If they happen to leave within minutes of each other (he with excuses about paperwork, and she with snide remarks of how boring it is playing cards with amateurs), no one comments.

_________________________

So they dance their secret dance.

One step forward, two steps back

Three to the right and four to the left.

They never lose eye contact.

They think they have everyone fooled.

Re: Everyone knows

[kdbleu.livejournal.com]

Aw. I love the dance metaphor, especially...

Three to the right and four to the left.

They never lose eye contact.

*swoon*

[kdbleu.livejournal.com]

Was comment 50 supposed to be meaningful? Because I'm doing this just so we won't sit at 49. *runs off laughing*

[anastashial.livejournal.com]

We were promised a manip for every 50 comments. Nice of LJ to just be dead all day.

Secret: Hope

[amaliak.livejournal.com]

Laura Roslin stared up at the tree canopy just outside of her tent, the tinkle of the stars just beyond in the dark Kobol sky. It wasn't raining now, but it was cold, and she had a root digging in her back. Her hands closed around the book of Pythia, cradled to her chest, the words in the bloodstained pages swirling in her head again and again.

With a soft sigh, she sat up, pinching the bridge of her nose as a choking sadness enveloped her. What if all this was wrong, what if all this was for nothing?

She looked out then in the the small camp of tents around her, those who trusted her, followed her here, were counting on her to be right. Her eyes fell on Kara Thrace, the young woman who was now resting against the trunk of a tree. The moonlight was hitting her blonde hair in a way that made it seemed almost glowing. She looked impossibly young right at that moment, and Laura wondered just how much someone like Kara would still follow the delusions of two old people that were simply grasping at a hope. She was putting her life on the line...for what?

Just then Lee...her Captain Apollo...appeared, having apparently just finished his watch. Laura's heart ached thinking about just how much he'd risked up until now. She watched as he stopped beside Lieutenant Thrace watching her for a moment. The moonlight showed face to Laura clearly, and she watched fascinated as it changed. He was tired, yes, worried. But right at this moment, he looked...content. There was a peace about him that she hadn't seen before. His eyes grew soft, and he carefully crouched down beside Kara, his hand hovering just over her hair, as if trying to gain the courage to touch her. He seemed to change his mind and brought his face closer, obscuring from Laura's view just what he was doing.

From where she lay, she could almost believe he was praying.

Then, just as fast as it had happened, he straightened up, still kneeling beside the sleeping lieutenant, but this time shaking her shoulder. Laura watched as Kara's face contorted in displeasure, but Lee was insistent and though Laura couldn't hear them, she could tell that it was time to switch the guard. Kara's answer to that must have been a snarky one, and Lee gave her a long-suffering look, but settled down on the ground right next to Kara. She leaned on him heavily in an exaggerated move to stand up and kicked him lightly as she stood up to go on watch. He grinned smugly and pretended to fall asleep immediately. Kara stomped away, grumbling to herself and Laura suppressed a giggle. She continued to watch closely as Lee adjusted himself on the ground, now occupying the spot that Kara had vacated and saw how his face gained the same calm she'd seen earlier.

He had hope, she realized. And it had everything to do with the young Lieutenant.

Laura settled herself back in her tent, shifting away from the offending root, and stared at the stars again. There was hope.

And that was worth everything.


END


cheers.
--Lex

Re: Secret: Hope

[nazkey.livejournal.com]

Awesome!

Well, all I can say is they better not frak it up this time around. You hear me made-up-fic 'verse? They can't frak it up this time around! All the love, Me.

I &hearts your writing bb.

[aurora-0811.livejournal.com]

Aww Karin that vid is awesome!!!! Friends + BSG = <3 You've got skills lady!

[kag523.livejournal.com]

*hugs* THANK YOU! (More tomorrow!)

50 COMMENTS = MANIP #1

[kag523.livejournal.com]

(http://s931.photobucket.com/albums/ad159/kag523/No%20Takebacks/?action=view&current=ManipForLex.jpg)

See Lex's snapshot above for the rest of the story. :>)

Re: 50 COMMENTS = MANIP #1

[kdbleu.livejournal.com]

beautiful. *clappy hands*

Secret: Hoarding

[amaliak.livejournal.com]

She doesn't know it, but he kept a lot of her stuff when she died.

The photo of them (the three of them, the one with the guilt all over their faces) is in his quarters, sitting neatly on his desk in a small frame that Dee had put it in (more guilt).

But the other things...a Galactica sweatshirt, one that had come from the giftshop that had been destroyed along with the 12 colonies. He'd worn it for the first few weeks on Galactica, but when she got back from Caprica, she'd swiped it from his locker. He'd finally gotten it back.

A pair of earrings (from that night), a black satin shirt, an old baseball cap with a splatter of red paint.

These were kept hidden, tucked away in the corner of his locker.

She didn't know they were there.

END.

Re: Secret: Hoarding

[kag523.livejournal.com]

I ADORE THIS! :>D (Katee WOW gif coming out!)

[damao2010.livejournal.com]

Hey, K. LOVED the vid. Who would have thought of mixing BSG and Friends? LOVED the first manip as well. SO BEAUTIFUL! And it matches the L's story perfectly. I haven't read the other secrets yet. Maybe tomorrow. I'm sure they are delicious. LOL.

[kag523.livejournal.com]

Thank you! :D

[thegreenkitty.livejournal.com]

K, I adore you!! You are so fantastic that I am braving the LJ from my phone...a daunting task, but not impossible.

So...due to the evilness of my computer, it has become grumpy and thus I cannot watch the bsg/friends vid yet. However, you have such super powers that I will be at the best buy getting a new adaptor for the computer in the *morning*!! (Yes, you win the cracktastic super power of being able to rouse me at an unspeakable hour (like 9am...hee!) purely so I can view your vid and spam you with comments!!)

Thx for sharing such magnificent superpowers and much love for what I can see so far!!

(Am serious about superpowers...last time the computer got grumpy, it took me a month or so to get it fixed)

...anyhow this wait is a good exercise in patience and allows me more time to create pilots!sekrits!!

[kag523.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! I`m glad that you fixed your computer to see the vids... and there`s another there today. Just sayin!

Lemon Bars

[mserrada.livejournal.com]

Galen Tyrol glanced around the mess hall as he chewed and swallowed what passed for dinner tonight. As he noticed Captain Adama and Lieutenant Thrace in an animated conversation at the adjoining table, he took a moment to study the pair. Starbuck was waving a mashed potato-loaded fork haphazardly in the air, emphasizing some point she was making about the flight schedule, while Apollo nodded, with just a hint of a grin twitching his mouth.

Even after months on the run from the Cylons, Galen still didn’t know what to make of the new CAG, but it was reassuring that he seemed able to handle the volatile woman. Way the Chief saw it, anyone that flew as well as the young officer did and had the patience to keep a room full of Viper pilots in check, was ok in his book.

As the Chief finagled some reluctant peas onto his own fork the square of yellow on his tray irresistibly drew his gaze. An honest-to-gods Lemon Bar. He silently thanked Cally for making him take a break from the construction of the prototype Viper and catch a sit-down meal in the mess for a change. Where the cook had scavenged the ingredients for the rare treat, he couldn’t guess, but the dessert was obviously a big hit by the pleased looks of the others seated around the room.

His eyes were drawn back to the Lieutenant when he heard her offer Apollo her own lemon bar.

“It’s yours, Kara,” Apollo said with a shake of his head.

Galen’s attention sharpened as Starbuck replied, “You might’s well eat it, Lee. I don’t really care for lemon anyways.” The orange-clad man watched, eyebrows raised in surprise as she held the square out to her tablemate.

Lieutenant Thrace was lying—and Galen knew it. Only a little over a week ago the Chief had come across Starbuck in a nearly deserted hanger bay late into the third shift. He’d been concerned to see her leaning against her Viper, staring at a well-creased paper. He knew she’d had some trouble sleeping since returning from that little jaunt to Caprica—who wouldn’t given what she’d probably seen? But there was a melancholiness to the way she was regarding the scrap that just seemed…wrong in relation to the mercurial woman.

Taking a hesitant step closer, he had given her a nod in greeting as she’d raised opaque eyes to meet his. Something had kept him quiet as her gaze dropped again, and—as the angle of her grip shifted—he was able to see that she held a sheet torn from some type of cookbook or magazine. Not exactly what he’d expected.

He remembered shifting, uncomfortable in the stretched silence, and jokingly asked if she was thinking of transferring to the kitchen.

She’d looked up then, a ghost of her usual smirk pulling at full lips but not reaching the gold-flecked eyes as she’d replied, “Naw, the Old Man doesn’t want half the crew down with food poisoning.”

He’d grinned and quipped, “What? Only half?”

Her smile had crept higher, but then retreated and her voice had gone flat. “It’s stupid. Billions of people dead. Our worlds destroyed. And you know what I miss?” She’d given him a glance, and he’d been surprised at the glimpse of vulnerability reflected in their green depths. “Lemons.” She’d huffed a hollow laugh, then added, “Lemon pies, tarts, pudding. Frak, even lemonade.”

She’d waved the sheet at him then, and Galen had finally seen what she’d been staring at, a recipe for a Lemon Chiffon pie. He’d been at a loss what to say—how to react to this new side to Starbuck.

“Pie’s good,” he’d said, then felt foolish.

“Yeah, it is.” She’d lightly stroked the picture. “My dad use to take me to this little diner few blocks from the place we had on Caprica. We’d split a piece of Lemon Meringue pie.” Another caress. “Every time he made it home from tour that one summer, we go. Just the two of us.” She had then carefully folded the keepsake and tucked it away into a breast pocket of her jacket. “Guess it just reminds me of some good times.”

Without another word, Kara Thrace had turned and strode away, leaving Galen to consider the snapshot of her life she’d shared with him.

Part 2 below:

Real Part 2 of Lemon Bars

[mserrada.livejournal.com]

Now, watching her offer Apollo the tart treat, he wondered if the other man had any idea what it meant to her. Galen doubted it. His eyes widened, though, as he noted the way the Major’s fingers seemed to linger in contact as he accepted the bar from Starbuck’s hand.

He could swear her cheeks were tinted with a hint of color as she licked a smear of lemon from one finger. She choose just that moment to glance his way, and Galen saw the startled look in her expressive face before her eyes flitted to Apollo and back.

At her faint scowl, he gave the smallest shake of the head to indicate that he wasn’t going to give her secret away. As he saw relief flash across her face, he wondered why she so obviously didn’t want the Apollo to know the truth.

With a shrug, Galen decided that he’d never understand the crazy way women thought. Instead, he picked up his own Lemon Bar and took a bite, savoring the surprisingly flaky crust and tart/sweet tang.

He bent his head then, obscuring a smile from the couple at the adjoining table as he heard Apollo mumble through a mouthful, “Gods, this is good. You don’t know what you’re missing, Kara.”

“Oh, I think I do, Lee. But it’s worth it.”

Re: Real Part 2 of Lemon Bars

[kdbleu.livejournal.com]

Oh, so sweet and kind of sad.

But now I want lemon bars. I've been craving lemon-y dessert goodness for weeks and now, I'm and heartbroken and tortured! (Good thing the bakery near my house has really excellent lemon bars. hee.)

The Naming of A CAG

[ecstaticdance.livejournal.com]

Kat tossed a toothbrush onto the ante pile and sat back. "Your play, Hot Dog."

He reached a hand back and rummaged in his bag. He paused, then rummaged again, more frantically. "Frak." More rummaging.

"You have anything to bet, or are you out?" Flat Top was checking the clock on the wall. He had CAP in 30 minutes, and was cutting it close enough without this kind of delay.

"No, no. I'm..." He stopped. Wonder was painted across his face. "Can I bet a secret?"

"The color of your underwear is not a secret and I don't want to know the percentage increase in the number of chicks who will sleep with you since you got your wings. I'm still never going to be one of them." Kat snickered at Racetrack's bored tone and nodded in agreement.

"No, this one is good. Two of 'em, even. One about Starbuck, the other about the CAG."

Eyebrows shot up around the table. Everyone know the secret about the CAG and Starbuck, but aside from that, secrets on the Galactica were an endangered species that was very close to extinction. The few left were jealously guarded.

"Alright, fine. Two secrets, added to the pile. Let's get a move on, Racetrack." Flattop tossed in a pair of unworn socks with an expression that clearly said those two secrets had better be worth the loss of warm feet.

Racetrack followed quickly and they laid out their hands.

"Wooo! Full colors, baby. Read it and weep." Kat raked in her winnings. "I'm feeling generous today, Hot Dog. Go ahead and tell everyone these secrets." She knew they wouldn't stay secret for long anyways.

"Alright, first secret." Hot Dog picked up cards and started reshuffling them. "Starbuck can gargle the name of every kind of liquor ever produced on Tauron, in alphabetical order." He looked around the table. Kat was not the only one unimpressed. "Hand to the Gods! I heard her do it in the head. She made a bet with Apollo that she could, and she did!"

That was more interesting. That she'd done it on a bet with Apollo. "Okay," Kat prompted. "Now, the CAG. Out with it."

"She won, so he had to honestly answer one question for her." He paused for drama.

"Hot Dog...." Kat packed as much threat in those two words as she could. Flat top was perched on the edge of his chair, ready to run as soon as the words were out of Hot Dog's mouth, but not willing to move until then.

Knowing that he'd dragged it out as long as possible, he gave the rest of the secret in a single breath. "She asked how he got his callsign, and he said it was partly because he'd been pre-law in college, and partly," his eyes glittered with glee, "because he'd refused to sleep with his flight instructor on the grounds that it was unethical, and she figured that if she could worship his body, she could at least tease him about it."

Flattop's eyes bugged out for a second before he bolted. Racetrack tossed back the last of her drink. Kat shook her head and raked up the rest of her winnings. "Frakking Apollo," she said.

"Another hand?" Hot Dog looked between the two remaining pilots.

"Are you kidding? Those have got to be your best secrets, and your bag of tricks is empty." Racetrack eyed the limp bag hanging from the back of his chair and waved as Kat walked away without another word.

Re: The Naming of A CAG

[kdbleu.livejournal.com]

Awesome! That really made me smile. Thanks, luv.

Suspended: A Prequel to Secrets in Plain Sight

[kdbleu.livejournal.com]

Galactica’s chapel sits to the end of C Level on the port side where an observation deck would be if it weren’t for a bay of fuel cells. It’s small and dark with flickering candles along the gilt edge of the altar and luminous icons of the gods creeping up the walls. Scrolling iron work of spears twisting into comets tells of a time when the chapel was meant to be beautiful, meaningful. Though six short rows of black metal benches imply that it was never meant for services as much as for reflection and meditation, for confession and mourning. The unchanged incense on the altar shows only disuse.

Kara Thrace kneels on the bare decking before the altar rolling her idols in her hands. Artemis in her right and Aphrodite in her left like she was taught as a child. Her chant is no louder than a breath across the silence of space. Yet she murmurs on.

“Lords of Kobol, hear my prayer. Grant me… Grant me a sign.”

Standing under the archway of swirling stars, is Lee Adama. He bows his head and treads lightly down the aisle, coming to rest with his hand on her shoulder.

“Kara,” he whispers.

She twists to look at him, a mix of panic and peace playing across her face. This is her secret place, her refuge from the storm, her hideout. As she rises to her feet, her prayer flickers to life. From the gold that pops into the green of her eyes. To the satisfied smile that pulls at the edges of her wide mouth. She hasn’t been this close to him since they kissed in the bunk room, since her lies of nothing.

“You came,” she breathes back.

Lee watches the plump of her lips, remembering her taste. She sets her idols on the altar, raking her eyes up the icon of Ares with his spear and helmet that dominates the back wall. Exhaling, Kara takes his hands in hers. This is it. The god of war stands guard over them. Her idols act as witness. They stare deep into each other, blue into green and back again.

Finally, Kara slips the silver ring off her thumb and places it on Lee’s left ring finger. “With this I consecrate our union. I am yours, forever.”

“As I am yours.” His words are halting but no less true.

“It’s my heart, Lee. I don’t have anything bigger.”

Her words break him. Not because he has nothing to give her in return, but because he doesn’t need to. Lee places his hands on her face and kissed hard. Kara’s arms wrap around his neck and sighs. And they stay suspended on the breath of the gods of love and war.

Re: Suspended: A Prequel to Secrets in Plain Sight

[amaliak.livejournal.com]

....................................................................



This is what happens when we get requests for less angst, right? Hee.

Great job.

cheers.
--Lex

150!!!

[velvety2010.livejournal.com]

just so we see one more pretty manip :)

Re: 150!!!

[kag523.livejournal.com]

Ah... but this came in after midnight. So no go. Got to do more tomorrow! :>D