Chapter 4: Ceremony
Streaks of red and orange bathed the brightening sky. Taylor watched the sunrise sipping a cup of coffee, contemplating the events scheduled for the day. His eyes roamed the watch towers where soldiers stretched, waiting for their replacements after a long night. Below, a few merchants were setting up for the day, while others would arrive when the sun fully rose.
He sipped the bitter brew again, trying to calm his mind. Today the entire colony would honor their fallen dead after the invasion of Terra Nova. The ceremony had been delayed for too long and he hoped it would bring closure, if not comfort, to those who had lost loved ones.
Wash's loss burned in him. She'd done her duty protecting the Shannon family. His son had pulled the trigger that killed her. While he didn't know Lucas's fate, since Skye had put two bullets in him, part of him hoped the young man survived, and another part hoped his boy had crawled off to die like a wounded animal, his bones picked clean by scavengers.
"Morning, Commander."
Taylor shook his head, focusing on Jim Shannon who'd spoken to him. His second in command wore jeans and a black shirt, his brownish hair neatly combed.
"Morning," he returned, taking another drink.
"Did you get some sleep?"
"Some." A few hours at least after spending most of the night staring at the ceiling, a fact he wouldn't share. "You're up early."
"Elisabeth unintentionally woke me when she came in."
"Forgot the doc worked over night."
"She's going to be at the ceremony and then sleep." Shannon chuckled. "She was making breakfast when I left."
He smiled remembering the days when he had a wife who had cooked for him. Reminded him he should go to the mess hall. The ceremony wouldn't be held until O900. "Think I'll go grab something."
"Sounds good. Need me to do anything?"
"No." He finished the last of his coffee. "Go home and have breakfast with your family. Meet me an hour before we start."
"Will do." Shannon went down the stairs, waving at the soldiers he passed. They waved back.
"Knew you were a good a choice, he murmured. Taylor never regretted appointing Jim Shannon as his second.
He just needed to find a way to say good bye to Wash.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
"Are you sure you want me to go, Father?" Apollo asked during the meeting in his father's sparsely furnished quarters. A control panel at on the commander's desk and a few reports. On the wall behind Adama a few family mementos along with the Book of the Word.
His father nodded, his silver hair reflecting in the light. Apollo had not noticed how lined the commander's face had become. No doubt leading their people had aged Adama more quickly than if their life had not been disrupted by betrayal and destruction.
"You're the best suited, as is Starbuck. Sheba and Boomer will be piloting the shuttle."
"You should stay on the Galactica and allow us to contact the settlement."
"We need members of the council to go. Siress Tinia has agreed to join us."
"While the rest of the council sits on their thrusters." At least his son had chosen his words well.
"Be that as it may, it might actually be for the best. Can you imagine what would happen if they all went?" Adama steepled his fingers a habit Apollo had seen many times.
Apollo laughed. "They'd spend the day arguing who should speak first."
"No doubt," he agreed with a slight smile. "This meeting is important, Apollo. It could decide the fate of the entire fleet."
"I know." Apollo sighed. "I'll brief Starbuck, Sheba and Boomer."
"Very well." Adama switched from commander to father so well that it was natural for Apollo to follow. "How is my grandson?"
"Boxey's doing well. He's looking forward to the naming ceremony his next birthday."
"Has he shared any preference with you?"
"Not with me, but I think he has with Sheba."
"I'm very happy you two finally decided to become sealed."
"Best decision we could have made."
"She's been a good match for you."
"Seems to be a lot like her father sometimes."
"Commander Cain lived up to his legend. I'm sorry we never knew what happened to him and the Pegasus."
"I know it bothers Sheba." Apollo felt sadness for his wife and wished he could find a way to discover Cain's fate.
"She's part of our family now. I love her like a daughter."
"You might want to share that with her." Sheba still sometimes felt left out despite his father's fondness for her.
"I will."
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Returning home, Jim found his family up and around. Maddy sat at the table reading her Plex. Josh, his hair looking like it needed to be combed, sat across from his sister sipping a beverage and looking half asleep. Zoe picked at the fruit on her plate, while his wife flipped pancakes.
"Everything all right, Jim?" She asked with a warm smile on her beautiful face. He still couldn't believe sometimes she has agreed to marry him.
"Fine." He gave her a quick kiss. "Need a hand?"
"Why don't you sit with the kids while I finish."
"Okay." He took the hint. Elisabeth wanted to make the food herself and he'd be in the way. He helped himself to coffee and sat down, happy, after a bumpy start when they'd first arrived, that his family was finally acting like one.
"No school today," Zoe happily reported.
"Only for today," Maddy reminded her younger sister. "They're holding a special ceremony and Commander Taylor wanted everyone to attend."
"Hope it isn't morbid." Josh swirled his cup's contents, before drinking again.
"It's for closure," Elisabeth said, sitting down with a platter heaped with pancakes. Also on the table was some sort of meat, eggs, a basket of fruit and syrup. "Everyone eat up before it gets cold."
They passed the food around and dug in. It would be a long day and Jim hoped the ceremony had the affect Taylor hoped for.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
At O900 most the colony, except those in critical jobs or guard duty, had gathered below the main command building. Taylor stood on the deck, Jim Shannon standing next to him. Looking out over the colonists, the commander hoped he could find the words.
"Today we gather to honor our fallen dead," he began. "This marks both an ending and a beginning after the tragic events of the past few weeks." Taylor knew he didn't have to go into detail. No one had forgotten the occupation or how they'd been treated.
"Most of the damage has been repaired." Crews had worked hard to clean up the mess after the shells had fallen. The large hole that had once been at the bottom and it had served as a grim reminder to what had happened, had been filled in, the ground now smooth. Same for the market place since new poles had been put up and fresh reeds had been woven to take the place of the bright cloth, which had hung there for years before being ripped.
"To help us remember, the day of our liberation will be honored every year with a celebration of life. What form that takes will be up to every citizen and will be discussed at our weekly meetings."
He'd begun those when the commander had realized the colonists needed new holidays. No doubt the ideas would vary and it would be interesting to see what form it took.
"We lost many." A thickness formed in his throat and he cleared it. "For the next sixty seconds, we will honor them with silence."
He bowed his head, not bothering to see if anyone followed his example. Maybe he should have planned for the preacher to say a few words.
A high pitched screech pierced the air. Taylor's head jerked up. Standing outside the gate several man-sized biped dinosaurs stood. Their hides were bright green, with red markings, their bellies a pale gray. Their front legs ended in dangerous claws.
One jumped the gate and started clawing, before discovering it could be climbed.
"Sonics!" he ordered as he heard the crowd began to scream and saw them scatter.
The dinosaurs ran along the fence, searching for a way in.
"Reynolds, get our men along the perimeter!"
"Yes, sir!" the young soldier answered, motioning for the others to follow him.
"What the hell?" Shannon looked at Taylor.
"No idea. Find Malcom Wallace."
Shannon took off, gathering up his family as he went.
Sonics loudly fired. Dinosaurs shrieked. People screamed.
In the middle of mayhem, Taylor watched in horror as three ships landed just outside the gate.
e's
