The Defector
By Jojobevco
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the Battlestar Galactica story or characters. I do, however, reserve the rights for any characters I develop and the plot of this story.
AN: I've updated my profile with a listing of my stories that I'm currently writing in an effort to consider the feasibility and interest generated by them. In case you didn't know, I'm writing this story "on the fly" and have brought it straight from my imagination to the written word, I have no chapters of it in reserve.
Chapter 2
A Tour and Dinner
Battlestar Galactica (BSG 75)
One year before the Fall of the Colonies
Felix Gaeta showed Sarah the highlights of the ship. She saw Sickbay, and met Major Cottle, who had to be the only doctor left in the Colonies that chain smoked, she saw the brig, which was very interesting, because there she got to meet Lieutenant Kara "Starbuck" Thrace, Galactica's "best" pilot, who was in the brig for starting a fight in the lounge, which she saw the effects of when she got there and found maintenance still cleaning up. Sarah also saw the pilots ready rooms, quarters, bathrooms, astrometrics, the observation deck and the FTL Drive.
This brought a lot of thought to Sarah because of her Cylon mission. In her equipment she had a small cylindrical device, about a foot long and three inches in diameter. This device was designed to be installed in the Galactica's FTL Drive and cause what was officially known as an FTL Jump Error, or just simply a failure of an FTL Drive mid-jump, causing the ship to implode.
As they approached the approached her quarters Felix started talking about himself, about his study into genetics, his two years on Galactica his father's ambitions for him, he stopped when they arrived at her quarters. They were rather spartan in appearance, with only a bunk, desk and locker. Her things had been offloaded off the Raptor and were there, including the cylindrical case. "Well ma'am if you need anything else, please let me know. I can be reached in the CIC."
"Thank you, Lieutenant"
"Major," Gaeta turned and left.
Sarah turned and started unpacking, not that there was much, a few duty uniforms, a dress uniform, some casual uniforms, a few sets of civilian wear. There was a picture of her and her sister, the only other Cylon she knew. Sarah's things were still in her apartment on Caprica. She finally sat in her chair and pulled out her copy of Dark Day, wasting away the time until dinner.
1955 Hours
Commander Adama's Quarters
Battlestar Galactica (BSG 75)
One year before the Fall of the Colonies
William Adama was nervous, although he would deny it if you asked him. He had sent for food from the kitchens, chicken in lemon glaze with a vegetable melody of carrots, celery and potatoes, with Apple pie for desert. He had also pulled out his best bottle of ambrosia. However, he still had no idea why he was nervous, this was, after all, just a business meeting between a commander and his new officer.
Yeah, right, Bill, he thought, you like her. Truth be told he did. She reminded him of how Carolanne was, before she started drinking. They were married for 25 years, but after the first few, they drifted apart. Bill was too focused on his career, and Carolanne drifted farther apart.
But, now might be the time to set things right.
His musings were interrupted by a knock at the door. Here we go, he thought. Adama opened the door, "Good Evening, Major."
"Good Evening, Commander, thank you for inviting me to dinner."
"Please, we're off duty, call me Bill."
"Then please call me Sarah," she smiled.
Sarah stepped in and looked around the relatively spacious quarters, compared to her's,. The painting caught her eye. After examining it she was surprised that she knew what it was. She sensed Bill behind her and noted it to him, "Battle of Tauron?"
"Very astute , most people just realize it's a Monclair. Ambrosia?" He offered her a glass of the green liquor.
"Thank you. Were you at the battle?"
"No, I was light years away on an Ice Planet in the middle of nowhere."
"Operation Raptor Talon?"
"Correct again, Sarah, I was a new Viper pilot at the time. I was chasing a couple of Raiders into the planet's surface, destroyed one, crashed into the other. I crash landed on the surface. There were a lot of hostages there, apparently, the Cylons were experimenting with them, but before I could free them, I had to leave. By the time I got in contact with my ship, which was coincidently, Galactica, I learned that the Armistice was signed."
They then sat down for dinner. After Bill had served them both, he asked her, "so what's your story, Sarah?"
"Not much to tell really, I grew up on Gemenon, I'm an orphan, I don't remember my parents. But, I do have a twin sister, Gina, who works as a Systems Administrator for Integral Systems Engineering."
"And how did you end up here?"
"I was a good student and got a scholarship to Caprica University, where I studied Psychology. After I graduated I worked for the Caprica City Education Department as a grief and crisis councilor. After the Adar campaign started, I left with then superintendent Roslin, and followed her to the Department of Education where I worked as her advisor. After the military came to us with the Museum Ship idea, they asked for volunteers to run the project. I've always been adventurous, and I love history, so it seemed perfect to me. After a six week accelerated course at Officer Candidate School, here I am."
Over the course of dinner Bill told his story, from the time of Tamara's death to joining the fleet, to leaving the fleet, to meeting Carolanne, rejoining the fleet and about Lee. He left out some of the more sensitive stuff of his and his family's life, like Zak, the Valkyrie, and Zoe Graystone.
As they moved on to dessert they talked about their common interests, such as literature. The discussion quickly turned to books that Sarah had been reading, like Dark Day and A Murder on Picon.
They then talked about the crew, and what Sarah would be doing during her time here on Galactica.
"What I'm thinking," Adama started, "is that you'll spend the next month or so learning the basic inns and outs of every system on this ship, from the water treatment plant, to the guns, to the FTL Drive."
Ah, there it was again, Sarah thought, that frakkin' FTL drive.
Adama continued, "after which you'll study basic Battlestar operations with me, and then you'll try your hand at second officer. All while planning and constructing this museum. Any questions?"
"Not right now."
"Good, I have one request of you, One of my Viper pilots, Lt. Kara Thrace..."
"We met, she's an, um, interesting character."
Adama laughed, "That she is. Well, anyway, she's started having some major disciplinary problems over the past year or so, starting after the death of her fiancé. I was wondering if you could talk to her."
"You don't have a counselor?"
"Nope, no one. Fleet Headquarters decided that due to our status we didn't need one."
"I'll talk to her, and I suppose I'll act as ship's counselor as well."
"Excellent, thank you."
Sarah glanced at the clock and saw that it was already 2200 hours, "Well, sir, I must be going, it is getting late."
"Oh, okay. Thank you for coming, Major."
"Thank you for inviting me, Commander."
Sarah then left and went to her quarters down the hall.
Neither of them slept that night, both had given the other a lot to think about.
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