A/N - This story was posted a while ago, but I removed it. I have since re-booted the whole thing, so it might be a little different then it once was

Current Time - Galactica

The thrum of the Battlestar in motion fizzled along her spine as she looked across the desk at the Admiral. Holding back a frown, she glanced at the pictures along his wall, searching for a way to defend her actions. "I stand by my decision. She is trained and she does her job well."

Admiral Adama looked at her over the rims of his glasses, barely hiding the glare that was hovering in his eyes. "She is 18. That is unheard of. You have to be 21 to join the service."

She frowned at him darkly. "She was born into the service."

"She is a child. She needs to be with her parents." Bill tossed her a small cheeky grin, watching her try to walk the balance between family and duty.

Major Kara Thrace raised an eyebrow at her CO. Crossing her arms over her chest she regarded him for moment. "Like you did with Lee?" She felt a small thrill of triumph as she watched the barb's impact.

Bill glared at her. Direct hit, if she wasn't mistaken.

She smirked. "Like it or not, Admiral, parental consent allows a minor to join the service. And as long as I uphold the Laws, then I will damn well twist them to my benefit."

A small smile quirked Bill's face. Same old Starbuck. Even after nineteen years on the run, she was as unruly as ever. And even though he had once claimed there could never be another Starbuck… he found himself tangling with the second generation. "She is one of my favourite granddaughters."

Kara sighed and uncrossed her arms. She looked at Adama and her face softened. "I love her too. But I had to make a choice, Dad." She stressed the honorific, hiding a small grin as he alternately grinned like a fool, and glared at her again. "She was born in love with Vipers. It was either train her, or watch her get herself hurt. What was I supposed to do?" She leaned on the desk. "Besides she is my daughter, she was going to do something stupid at some point."

Bill snickered. "True, she is at that." He leaned back in his chair. "But Kobol, Kara?" He felt his ire dying down, and thought internally that it's a hell of a thing when someone so easily talks him down from his temper. If it had been anyone but her, he'd be worried he was getting predictable.

Kara sat in the seat across the desk. At least one Adama male was being somewhat reasonable. "We haven't had any recorded Cylon activity there in years. We know there are safe supplies there and we need a new copy of the constellation map."

"Who else is on the mission?" Bill picked up a stylus from his desk, tapping it on the arm of his chair considering her reasoning. He reached over and pulled the files towards him. Kara had slapped them down on the desk the moment she had walked in. Okay, perhaps he was getting predictable.

Kara smiled, seeing Bill loosening up. "Helo is lead in a raptor, with Orion as a wing-man." She flicked the pages in the top folder and tapped Helo's picture. She hid a smile as she saw the relief crawl across his face.

"Good they always look out for her." Bill reached behind him for some paperwork he had shoved aside earlier. He tried to nonchalantly return to work, hoping to pretend he had not just been having a temper tantrum.

Kara smirked. She cocked her head to the side and waited until his eyes met hers. "Much like the Adama's did for me, huh?" She stood up. "I am late for a briefing on Pegasus. Got any plans later?" She gathered her folder of papers, glaring at the stack that always seemed to be growing.

Bill shook his head. He wordlessly handed her another stack of folders, smiling as she glared at him, instead of the paperwork. "If you could take these to the XO of the Pegasus…?"

Kara snorted. For all intents and purposes, that was her most days. He grinned, and added, "Saul thinks Gaeta should look into a few things, and doesn't want to suggest it over wireless."

Kara nodded, and stuffed everything into her flight bag. Slinging it over her shoulder, and returned to her previous question, "How about dinner? Here on Galactica?" As often as possible the Adama clan gathered for meals. Kara had decided she would damn them all to the Lords before she allowed her family to degenerate into strangers.

"Sounds great. 1900 hours?" He rose from his chair, gathering her into a loose hug. Turning, he walked her to the hatch noting that she seemed tired, and more than a little frayed around the edges. He considered her for a moment, and got suspicious.

"That's fine." Kara took a moment to pull her 'officer' face on, and glanced back at him. And the answer was right there in her eyes. The realization made Bill want to swear.

Instead, Bill started to close the hatch as she walked from his quarters. He tapped his finger against the door, and internally cursing himself, "Oh, and Starbuck..." One day he would learn to not get between these two, but apparently today was not that day. He waited until he had eye contact, "You need to tell him." He swung the hatch shut on her protests.

Kara glared at the closed hatch for a moment. Damned Adama men. Always making her life complicated. And how the hell did he know anyway?