The More Things Change

Summery: After New Caprica, the fleet moves on with the last surviving Battlestar in the Universe, the Battlestar Pegasus.

Bill Adama walked the corridors of Galactica for the final time. He was making one last inspection before they scuttled the old girl and left the binary star system with the fleet. The once great ship was nearly unrecognizable to his senses. The constant hum of the engines was gone, the reactors shut down and stripped days ago, he'd only missed the pulse now that it was gone. Most of the deck plates and wall panels had been pulled out as well, leaving only a walking path of floor grates.

He passed a bare weapons locker on his way to the flight deck, they'd even dismantled the shelf units and removed them. Everything that was of use was off the ship; equipment, materials, fuel cells, the armor plating off the hull, any salvageable engine components and of course the crew. They'd only left enough generators to maintain gravity and enough CO2 scrubbers to maintain atmosphere.

He stepped onto the flight deck and found a solitary raptor waiting for him with the final evacuation team. He looked at the other two people with the team, they were there for moral support he supposed. The newly reinstated President Laura Roslin gave him a sympathetic expression that he appreciated for more then he would have thought. He gave her a half-hearted smile in return.

Next to Laura was the new Vice-President, Saul Tigh looked strange on the flight deck with a civilian suit and the black eye-patch that covered the gore that had once been his right eye reminded them far more than anything of how much had changed since they'd arrived on New Caprica.

Well, almost more than anything. There were two other things that served an even greater reminders, the Pegasus Patch that was newly sewn on his left shoulder and the fact that after forty years and three tours; as a pilot as an XO and finally as her Commander, this was his final moment with Galactica.

He paused near a bulkhead and ran his hand over the metal with reverence and remembered the initial aftermath of their escape from New Caprica. The battle both in the skies and on the ground was brutal and bloody. Lee had the Pegasus jump into the midst of the Base Ships and he led the fighter wing personally as they covered the raptors full of marines that would engage in combat and rescue operations on the surface.

Moments later, he'd jumped Galactica in and sent their fighters out to take out the raiders. Both Battlestars suffered heavy losses, and for a moment it looked like he'd lost Lee which had caused Dee to hesitate in her orders and freeze up. He'd never forget the relief he'd felt when he heard Lee's voice over the coms ordering Lieutenant Thornton to assume command of the Pegasus and begin hurling heavy ordinance at the base ships.

The people on the ground had been quietly preparing key ships for the escape and seeing to escape plans waiting for the day that Adama would return for them. When the fighting began, they put their plans in motion, including drugging President Baltar and leaving him in a tent. Sam Anders and Tyrol led a raid on the prison facility and managed to get most of their people out, Anders had been lost in the raid when he tried to get a wounded marine out of the line of fire.

They had lost almost ten-thousand souls to New Caprica but the escape was successful and the two Battlestars jumped away the moment their ships were aboard. After they rendezvoused with the rest of the Fleet and began to assess the damage, Captain Agathon made the fateful announcement. Their FTL was failing and several key systems were damaged beyond repair. He'd called Master Chief Laird off the Pegasus and he confirmed the report, the Galactica was dead in the sky.

He looked at his young XO and spoke the words that broke his heart. "Chief Laird, co-ordinate with Commander Adama to prepare salvage operations. Captain Agathon, order all hands to abandon ship."

Though their people worked as fast as possible, the salvage took nearly a month. Bill thought it was only fair that he oversee the operation, sort of like taking his faithful dog out back and putting it down. Lee had promoted Karl to Colonel and they had been integrating the crews into one unit. For the first time since before the Attacks they had more people than jobs, no longer would people like Gaeta or Hoshi or Dee be pulling double or triple duty and the pilots would be afforded the luxury of more regular rotations. It might even work out better than before the Pegasus arrived.

That is, once the people who were re-enlisting got back into the swing of the military life, and provided the Pegasus people and Galactica people didn't step on each other's toes too much in the beginning. Then there was the strong possibility that Dee and Kara would kill each other on sight, or Kara and Karl, or even Lee and Kara. Then again, after the last year, it's possible the same could be said for Lee and himself.

He frowned at that thought, how had he allowed things to fall apart so completely?

He cast those thoughts aside, they did no one any good. He walked over to the raptor and ordered the evac team on board. Saul looked the flight deck over, then shook his head and groused, "It's a frakking shame."

Bill nodded, "Well said." Saul stepped into the raptor after one last fond look.

Laura smiled sadly at the disappearing back of her Vice-President. "He's so cheerful."

Bill felt his mouth upturn at her small joke and said. "His call sign was 'Cuddles.'" When she gave him a disbelieving look he put his right hand over his heart, "I swear."

She shook her head, "I can believe it."

He took his own final look around then sighed, "It's like leaving home for the last time."

She nodded and spoke softly, "I am so sorry Bill."

He turned to her with a grateful expression, "On the move again."

She nodded and smiled, "As Kara might say, 'Earth or Bust.'"

"'Earth or Bust.'" He held out his elbow to her, "We should get moving. Commander Adama is no doubt ready to go."

She took his arm and he led them into the raptor. Minutes later, they were off the Galactica. Bill moved into the co-pilot's seat and ordered Racetrack to make a pass alongside. He took in every inch of his ship for the final time before ordering Racetrack to Colonial One and to give the all clear to Pegasus. He didn't want to see the moment Galactica went up in a flash of superheated atmosphere.

When he felt a minor tremor from the shock wave as they started landing procedures with Colonial One, it felt like a part of his heart died.

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