DECOY : WARRIOR LOST

        Roark laughed at the stunned look on her face.  "Yes," he gasped, "fifteen, though don't go thinking their mother was pregnant fifteen times, she was not.  There is a set of triplets and two sets of twins.  And yes, before you ask, I said THEIR mother.  I am the youngest, born to a different mother.  She died, you see, shortly after the youngest set of twins, Christopher and Logan were born.  My father met my mother a few yahrens later."

          "I see.  So your son is nearly two?"

           Just then Puppus came running into the house to gasp out, "Someone's coming."

          She was on her feet, Roark following as she moved to the fireplace, and reached up to remove the rifle from its hook before moving toward the door.  "You need to stay here," she told him, jerking the rifle away as Puppus made to take it from her. 

          She was just stepping out onto the porch when the rider appeared.  Roark, moving to a window heard her ask, "What do you want Redeye?"

          "We heard a noise in town," came the metallic voice Roark well recognized.  Drawing his laser, he looked out the closest window to confirm what he thought, jerking back when that head began to turn, "I was ordered to investigate.  Did you hear the noise?"

          Changing his position by moving to another window out of the Cylon's reach of motion, he looked out the window he was now at just as another figure appeared, drawing the Cylon's attention, his laser appearing in his hand.

          "What are you doing here, Buffkin?" the Cylon asked as it holstered the pistol.

          "Came to see my sister, help the boy get his chores done.  We heard a noise--" he saw the barely perceptible shake of her head.  "It sounded like it passed over this way and went on into town."

          "In town, it sounded like it came out this way.  If you know what is good for you, you had best not be lying to me," came the warning.  "It would not go well for you if you were.  I would remind you both you are behind on tribute as it is."

          With that said, the Cylon turned his horse and rode away.  "Alright, what's going on?" he asked, turning toward her.

          She released her breath, lay a hand on his arm, "Inside."

          Roark was just holstering his weapon when they came in.  The man, upon seeing him, moved past his sister to hurry forward.  "Am I glad to see you, Captain," reaching out to take his hand and shake it.

          "Wait.  You know who I am?" he asked, looking between them as she moved past them to enter another room.

          "I know WHAT you are.  A Viper pilot, a Colonial Warrior, AND a Counter-Intelligence Officer."

          "How is it you know what I am but she didn't?"

          "Vella knows very well what you are.  Her husband--" he broke off, glancing at Puppus, which made Roark frown.

          "Her husband...what?"

          "He was a Colonial Warrior," came her soft voice as she returned to the room, a dark brown jacket folded over her arm.  "It was just over eleven yahren ago.  He too crashed.  He must have been a battle up there, because when I found him he was badly wounded, and had been wandering for some time."

          She moved to the fireplace to take a seat on the hearth, her hand caressing the fabric of the jacket she held.  "I brought him back here, nursed him back to health.  We fell in love...were married a yahren later.   It was shortly after Puppus was born that he was killed."

          She looked at Puppus, then to her brother, back to her son.  "Come on, Puppus.  If I know you, you haven't tended to the flock yet," he said, laying his hands on his shoulders to direct him toward the door.

          But he made to pull away from his uncle's hold.  "But I want to know," he said.  "I want to know about my father."

          "I'll tell you everything you want to know.  Come on now,"

          As soon as they were gone, Roark went to sit beside her.  "The Cylon.  He was wearing a Colonial pistol.  Your husbands?"

          She nodded.  "LeSerta came to the ranch one morning, Redeye with him.  As soon as Martin saw him, he went crazy.  I'd never seen him like that.  He ran into the house, got his laser...and when he came out--"  she shook her head, and looked over at him.  "It was ten yahren ago, and I can still see it happening like it was yesterday."

          "I do understand," he told her softly.  My husband Evan...he was killed by a Cylon not long ago."

          "I thought you said your husband was Rodolphus?"

          "He was, still is.  We were sealed to Evan only a couple of sectars when he was killed.  It's a long story, and one I'm not sure I'm ready to talk about.  This is my first assignment after his death."

          She nodded, watching him get to his feet and begin to pace.