Battlestar Galactica - From the Beginning
Disclaimer: The world of BSG and most of the characters are not my creation. I have simply taken them out to play in my own version of their world! This is entirely for my own enjoyment and I receive no financial benefit from this.
Chapter Six
Choosing Sides
Lee, his father, Colonel Tigh and Lt. Gaeta were flown to Colonial One to meet with the President about the water crisis and their plan to combat it. The meeting had begun in a normal manner, however, when the President asked Lee to go to the Astral Queen as her personal representative things had begun to deteriorate. There was no doubt in Lees mind that the Commander was thoroughly pissed off that Lee was being considered the Presidents man. He had said he wanted someone to represent the Galactica, making it clear that he felt Lee was on the other side. It was decided that Lee, Billy, D as the Galactica representative, and Cally as the technical support, would travel to the Astral Queen to request the prisoners assist in water recovery.
The Commander was also more than a little angry with the President for insisting that the fifteen hundred prisoners being held on the Astral Queen be allowed to volunteer, and not be conscripted into duty. The common belief within the military was that prisoners were to be used as befitted the authority group who held them in custody, so the Presidents edict hadn't gone over well with the Commander or Colonel Tigh.
Lee followed his father out and moved into step with him, deciding it would be better for them all to get the conflict resolved before they needed to buckle down to work.
"Something on your mind, Captain?" the Commander asked gruffly as they walked toward the hanger bay of Colonial One.
"I just thought maybe you had something you wanted to say," Lee offered, plainly seeing that his father was angry and hoping they could work it out before he had to leave. If he had learned nothing in the past weeks, it was that it was a mistake to separate from loved ones without resolving petty issues beforehand.
"I have nothing to say to the personal representative of the President," his father replied curtly, not so much as looking at Lee as they walked.
"I'm still Galacticas lead pilot!" Lee protested, wanting to get through the harsh exterior his father was presenting. Damn it! He was just trying to do his job to the best of his abilities and help out the President at the same time.
"I have nothing to say to him either. Every man has to decide for themselves which side they're on."
"I didn't know we were picking sides!" Lee spat angrily, striding off ahead of his father. He climbed into the co-pilot seat of the Raptor beside Flattop, and ignored the others as they filed onto the ship to return to Galactica. Why the hell did he even try? Even on his best days, there was nothing he could do to please his father!
xxxxx
Athena prepared her Raptor for the flight to the Astral Queen. She had drawn the duty to transport Lee and the others in their quest for laborers to mine the ice. The group that filed onto her ship was quiet and tense. Lee sat silently next to her in the co-pilot seat, and looked at her in a manner that told her that, though he was frustrated and angry about something, it was not the right time to talk. His stormy eyes also told her that all was not right in the Adama world. D was obviously unhappy to give up her free time, and Cally wasn't sure she was the right one for the job ahead of them. Only Billy looked happy to be on the detail, and he could hardly keep his eyes off of D.
"They're expecting us," Lee told her after they had taken off, "and should have the landing bay open and waiting for us to arrive. Once we're there, secure your ship and wait on board. I'm not expecting any trouble, but stay alert anyway. I don't anticipate our being on the Astral Queen for more than half an hour to an hour, at most."
"Yes, sir," she agreed, wondering what had occurred to put Lee in such a foul mood. When she'd left him in his office that morning he'd been relaxed and feeling good. A frown seemed to have taken permanent residence upon his brow, and his blue eyes were dark with anger. Athena navigated them aboard the Astral Queen and landed softlya textbook landing. Lee watched her in silence as she opened the door and the team began to file off.
"Be safe, Lee," she murmured under her breath as he rose to stand behind her.
He glanced back around at her and nodded, the beginnings of a small smile twisting his lips as he placed a discreet hand lightly upon her shoulder. "You, too."
"Not much else to do. I'm just a glorified chauffeur today," she informed him with a grin as he let her go and exited to join his team. She hit the switch to close the doors and leaned back for a rest. She adjusted her radio frequency to the one used by the Astral Queen, and listened to the minimal radio chatter as it occurred. Not a real talkative lot, she thought with a sigh. Oh well, at least she'd have some time to catch up on a bit of much needed rest.
Within minutes she heard Lee's voice come on over the frequency as he made a broadcast to the ship full of prisoners.
"I'm Captain Adama, personal representative of the President. We're in a crisis. Thousands of us are of the verge of dying from dehydration. The good news is we have found water. The bad news is, its located on a moon with harsh environmental conditions. We need a thousand able-bodied men to help us get that water. President Roslin feels that you represent our best chance. She also recognizes that you are not slaves. Any man who volunteers to help us during this emergency will earn freedom points, which can be applied toward earning his release. We're offering you a chance for a new beginning. Whoever is interested, please just step out of your cell."
Athena whistled to herself at that revelation. It was amazing to her that the Commander would have agreed with this not so insignificant detail. The common policy of the colony administration did, indeed, consider prisoners to be slaves. They became slaves the moment they were convicted of their crimes, and remained slaves until the day they finished serving their time for whatever crime they had committed.
xxxxx
Only one man stepped forward and he had declined the Presidents offer for himself and the rest of the prisoners. Lee discovered that the man was none other than Tom Zarek, a terrorist who had blown up a government building of Sagittarian, and had been in prison for the twenty years since then. Surprisingly enough, Lee knew quite a bit about the things Zarek had stood for, and found it sad that such an intelligent man had made such extreme choices and ended up in prison. He decided to meet one-on-one with Zarek to see if he would listen to reason.
When Lee arrived at the cell the guard opened the cell and Zarek turned away and put his hands on the top of his head. "No, thats not necessary. I'd like to talk to you," Lee said as the older man slowly turned, lowering his hands.
Tom Zarek had not aged well in the harshness of prison. His hair was still a dark brown, but strands of gray could be seen if you looked closely. His body was prison hard and lean, but it was his face where you could really see the years that had passed. Premature wrinkles webbed through the pale skin, and his blue eyes seemed almost lifeless.
"Guard. Prisoner 893893 requests permission to speak with his visitor," Zarek requested in a moderate and quite pleasant voice. Upon receiving permission from the guard, who turned and left the cell, Zarek turned his attention to Lee. "We're not allowed to speak unless asked a direct question. And you didn't ask me a direct question. You've never been in a prison before, have you, Captain?"
"No." What else could he say? It was true. He'd never been in a prison, nor had he ever thought to be in one, even as a visitor. His life had taken many strange turns in the past weeks.
"You're fortunate. May I sit down?"
"Yes, of course," Lee agreed, sitting in a chair across from the bunk where Zarek sat. He hoped he could persuade Zarek to see reason, and that they had nothing to lose, and much to gain, by agreeing to help the fleet. "We need these men of yours to help us."
"They're not my men. They belong to you. I belong to you. You own us. You're the master; we're the slaves," Zarek informed him in an almost singsong voice.
"You're clearly a man of principle. I respect that," Lee added, sincerely. He hated the violence Zarek had initiated on his home planet, but this man was one who had known what he stood for and done all he could to advance freedom for his people.
"Really?"
"The things you've stood for over the years. The book you wrote," Lee commented, trying to make some sort of connection with the man before him.
"The book that had to be smuggled out of labor camp because stumps aren't allowed freedom of expression?" Zarek challenged with upraised eyebrows.
"I read it. In college. Thought it was radical. . . challenging. Made me question some things I'd accepted before without thinking," Lee added thoughtfully, almost to himself. He'd almost forgotten the thrill he'd gotten reading Zareks book. The book of an educated, dedicated, logical and conscienceless man.
"Nice to hear I'm a big hit on campus."
"You weren't," Lee corrected him dryly. "The book was banned. I read it anyway. Point is, I understand where you're coming from. But I don't think you understand how critical the situation is out there. People are gonna start dying. All I want, the President wants, is to offer you a chance to earn your freedom."
"Now you've said the truth. Freedom is earned." The cell doors opened automatically and Lee could see prisoners streaming out into the ship, shouting and cheering. "It'll all be over soon," Zarek added, looking at Lee in a dispassionate manner.
Lee jumped up from the chair and leapt out into the corridor. Before he could get more than a few feet several prisoners grabbed him. For a minute or so, he gave as good as he got, but the sheer numbers of prisoners overwhelmed him, and he sunk to his knees. Another hard hit to the side of his head and he slumped to the floor, feeling feet pummeling his ribs before he passed out cold.
There were no other broadcasts, and Athena found herself wondering how many of the prisoners would be willing to work for their freedom. And, even if they decided to do so, what kind of a task would it be to oversee such a group of men? Of course, even if they tried to get away, where could they go? There was no where to escape to this far out into unknown space.
xxxxx
Athena's thoughts were disturbed by the sounds of gunfire. She checked her monitors and saw that a half dozen prisoners were rushing her ship from the rear. Something had gone severely wrong, she thought as she sealed the door with the flip of a switch. The Raptor shook as it absorbed conventional gunfire, and Athena knew there was no choice but to get out while she still could. She leapt into the control seat and fired up her engines, not caring who or what was behind her. The suspensor field was still on-line and she knew she would have to force her way out.
She gunned the engines and shot forward at the suspensor field, thus hitting the field with enough force to make a hole for her ship. She zipped out of the landing bay and set a direct course for Galactica. As worried as she was for Lee and the others, she knew the only thing she could do for them was to deliver intel and get help.
"Galactica, this is Raptor Four on detail to the Astral Queen."
"Go ahead, Raptor Four," a communication officer responded.
"I am in route to Galactica without Captain Adama's team. My ship was attacked and sustained heavy fire in the Astral Queen landing bay. I barely made it out," she reported, willing her heart to cease racing and her voice to slow down. "I have no information on what has occurred to Captain Adama and his team."
"Roger, Raptor Four. Return to Galactica and report to CIC immediately."
Athena took a deep breath and closed her eyes, sending a quick prayer out for Lee's safety. "Understood."
xxxxx
Lee woke up on the floor of the Astral Queens bridge, his head aching and his ribs burning like fire. One of his wrists were shackled to a heavy metal railing near the ship controls, and Tom Zarek stood half a dozen feet away. Lee pushed on the inside of his teeth with his tongue to make sure none were loose, and sat up on the floor to find Zarek looking at him in an almost sad manner.
"They won't negotiate while you're holding hostages," Lee stated cautiously, knowing that he needed to play things very carefully. He had no idea what had been done to the three others in the detail, but he could only hope they were all right.
"I don't want to negotiate."
"Then what do you want?" he demanded, wondering just what Zareks game was. The man was altogether too calm and unaffected by what was happening. It was as if he had no emotions.
"To be treated like men, not animals. Now I finally have something to bargain with," Zarek added with a smile.
"So what happens now?"
"We're gonna talk."
"What about?" Lee asked with a sigh and a shake of his head. He wasn't altogether sure Zarek was sane. There was just something too¼ controlled about his demeanor.
"Your father. That how you got to be the personal representative of the President? Because of your father?" Zarek asked mockingly, no doubt thinking he could get to Lee by disparaging him in some way.
"Hardly," Lee drawled, almost laughing at the absurdity of that statement. As if his father wanted him in such a position, answering to the President instead of him. Not likely. Zarek obviously knew nothing about the Commander.
"So, they don't get along? Adama and Roslin?"
"They have their differences. But not when it comes to dealing with terrorists," Lee added with certainty. He had no doubt his father and President Roslin were going to be on the same page when dealing with this situation.
Zarek let out a small laugh and tilted his head to one side as he looked at Lee. "I thought you said your respected me. Read my book."
"That was before you resorted to violence and hostage-taking."
"Always better when the oppressed don't fight back, isn't it?" Zarek asked, demonstrating what he must have considered a sense of humor.
Frak, Lee swore to himself as he turned away from the man and pulled off his uniform blouse to check his injuries. Things did not look good for him right now. His life was indeed in others hands at that particular moment.
xxxxx
Athena landed on board Galactica and took of at a run toward CIC. She didn't have any additional information to provide, but she had no doubt the Commander would want to personally hear what had happened. She arrived on the bridge to find the Commander, Colonel Tigh, and Starbuck standing motionless at a console as they awaited her arrival.
"What the hell happened?" Colonel Tigh demanded, his tone accusatory and angry.
"Captain Adama's team had been gone for about twenty minutes when I observed a group of armed prisoners running toward my ship from behind," she informed them carefully. "I sealed the ship, but was receiving heavy fire and decided it would be best to get back to Galactica and spread the word that something unexpected was occurring on the Astral Queen."
"You frakking ran!" Colonel Tigh yelled, glaring at her harshly, his lips drawn.
"Colonel Tigh," the Commander said softly, shooting him a warning look before turning to watch her once more with unreadable eyes. "The Lieutenant did what she was trained to do. Rather than being taken by an unknown enemy, she retreated to spread the word to those who could help. She did what I would expect any of my pilots to do."
"Thank you, sir," Athena accepted gratefully, breathing deeply to maintain her calm that had been nearly lost under the heat of the Colonels hard words. Lords of Kobol, please don't let the Commander think I abandoned his son, she prayed silently. And please don't let Lee think I deserted him! "I saw no other choice at the time. I'm sorry, sir, but I have no idea where Captain Adama's team is on the Astral Queen. I was ordered to remain on my ship when they left and never saw beyond the landing bay."
"Understood."
"Well, what the frak are we gonna do?" Starbuck demanded in an agitated tone. "We're sure as hell not gonna leave them with fifteen hundred rioting prisoners!"
"No, we will-"
A fleet wide broadcast broke in and came over the communication line, cutting off the Commanders words. "This is the new Captain of the Astral Queen. The crew and your people are my prisoners. They will not be harmed. But I have two conditions before I release my captives. First, the government which controls our fate is illegal and illegitimate and it must submit to the will of the people. I demand the immediate resignation of Laura Roslin and her ministers. Second, I demand free and open elections to choose a new leadership. And a new government that represents all of the people. These demands are not made for me, or the former slaves held on this ship, but for you, the people. The survivors of the holocaust and the children of humanitys future. I am Tom Zarek and this is the first day of the new era."
Athena stood to one side and watched as Colonel Tigh and Starbuck worked on a plan to rescue Lee and the others from the Astral Queen. Or rather, Starbuck worked on a plan while Tigh watched and listened.
"We take three assault teams; Alpha, Bravo, Constellation. We jam their dradis, the Raptors cut through the hull here, here, and here without being seen," Starbuck planned aloud, her pen marking points on the Astral Queens schematics. "Once we're inside, Alpha takes"
"What's this we crap?" the Colonel asked, suddenly understanding what Starbuck had said.
"I'm going, sir," Starbuck said in a tone that told Athena she would never give in. Athena was getting her first exposure to the stubborn and rebellious Starbuck she had been told about but hadn't personally seen.
The Commander, who had been silently watching them work, stepped in. "We have a few Marines left on Galactica. Let them handle it, Starbuck."
"They don't have a sniper and, with all due respect, sir, I'm the best shot in or out of the cockpit," she stated adamantly, her eyes locked on the Commander.
"She's right, for once," Tigh reluctantly agreed.
"Wonders never cease," the Commander said with a slight smile at the incongruity of Starbuck and Tigh actually agreeing on anything. "All right, you're going in. You get a clear shot at Zarek, you take it. I want control of that ship immediately, and I want all the hostages alive," he added, his look telling them all that Lee was first and foremost on his mind.
"Yes, sir," Starbuck agreed, her eyes going from the schematic to Athena. For an instant a look of pity flashed in Starbucks eyes, as if she understood the depth of Athenas fear for Lee. "I'll need three Raptors. AJ, you're in Alpha with me. Go find Boomer and Flattop, brief them and meet us on the flight deck. We take off in fifteen minutes."
Athena nodded her understanding, saluted the Commander and Colonel, and rushed out of the CIC. She had been afraid the Commander or Starbuck would suggest she stay behind for some reason. She wanted nothing more than to return to the ship where she'd been forced to leave Lee and his team. Though she might not be able to physically board the Astral Queen, she'd be close by if Lee should need her.
They took off fifteen minute later on the dot, four marines on each Raptor, and Starbuck sitting next to Athena. They sat silently for a few minutes and then Starbuck looked over at Athena, her eyes filled with determination.
"He'll be fine," Starbuck said in a low voice that only Athena could hear. "Lee always comes through."
"I know," Athena agreed with a nod, not even caring that Kara was jumping to conclusions about her and Lees relationship. . . such as it was. However, she was curious. "Why is it you always act as though theres something between Lee and I? I've told you several times that we're just friends."
"Okay. Fine. You're just friends. But if you could have seen your face when Colonel Tigh was reaming you for leaving them behind... I can tell you care about him, and I actually think he cares about you. Call it what you like," Starbuck said with a shrug. Then she nodded sagely at Athena and moved to the back to get ready.
Within minutes Athena's Raptor, as well as the two others, were attached to the hull of the Astral Queen. "Soft seal complete. Pressurized," Athena informed them. She kept her eyes averted as one of the marines pulled out a torch and began cutting through the hull of the Astral Queen.
"Seal the hole once we're through," Starbuck ordered Athena as she prepared to climb through. "Stay attached until things are under control, and then land in the bay. We'll need all three ships to get our people out."
Athena nodded her understanding. "Good hunting."
Starbuck disappeared through the hole into the Astral Queen without a backward glance. And Athena began yet another wait.
xxxxx
Lee massaged his wrist after Zarek released him from the shackle, and watched Zarek, a glimmer of understanding suddenly stealing into his mind. He had just had the most inane conversation with Zarek about his call sign, Apollo. About how Apollo was god of the hunt and the god of healing, and how he was able to reconcile the two opposing forces. His ending words struck pay dirt in Lee's soul though, as Zarek said that mortals had to choose one side or the other, and had Lee chosen a side?
Considering the conversation with his father earlier in the day, Lee had to wonder whether it was, indeed, time to choose a side. Did he choose the President and the hope of democracy, or his father who held the military within his hands? Were the two so diametrically opposed that they couldn't work together? Was it naïve of him to think they could?
Lee wondered what side Zarek had chosen. And then it came to him.
"You want them to storm the ship, don't you?" he asked in amazement. The man before him was crazier than he'd ever thought possible. "You don't want elections, you don't even want your freedom. You want a bloodbath!"
"You don't understand," Zarek said with a shake of his head.
"Tom Zarek's been out of the headlines, out of the news. . . forgotten for twenty years as he rots in a cell," Lee said sarcastically, his tone biting as understanding washed through him. "Now he's got a chance to go out in a blaze of glory. . . and he's gonna take it."
"Once Roslin uses Adamas soldiers to massacre the people on this ship, prisoners and hostages alike, people in the fleet will never, never forgive them. The entire government will collapse," he added with obvious pleasure at the thought.
"You've been saying everything you're doing is for freedom. But the truth is its all about Tom Zarek and his personal death wish!" Lee added scathingly, suddenly seeing through the façade of the man before him. He was crazy and didn't care if he lived or died as long as he stirred the pot on his way out.
Before Zarek could respond, there was a loud screaming and a shot fired from down in the cell area. Lee ran without conscious thought down the steps toward the cell area, with Zarek right on his heels. He skidded to a stop at the source of the screaminga man with blood streaming down the side of his head in a cell with an injured Cally. Blood covered the girl's face and shirtfront, and she cradled her belly in obvious pain from where she'd been shot.
"Open the door!" Lee cried out to Zarek, who had stopped beside him, his eyes wide as he observed the horror before them. "She's been shot. You said they weren't animals. What do you call this? Hes gonna kill her! Do something!" Lee yelled at Zarek, not knowing what else to do to save the girl whod done nothing to deserve what was happening to her.
"You did this," Zarek hissed at Lee, his eyes still on the man who was wildly waving a gun inside the cell where he was locked with Cally. "You put him in a cage. You made him a monster!"
The man swore at Cally, ranting that it was her fault and they all needed to die. And that she'd die first.
"He's gonna do it!" Lee shouted at Zarek, never feeling as helpless in his entire life as he felt in that single moment. Cally and the others were his responsibility and he had no idea what to do to save them.
"You reap what you sow," Zarek replied in a voice that was now so calm it sounded almost devoid of emotion
The accusatory words enflamed Lee and he leapt at one of the other armed prisoners standing near by, grabbing the weapon from his hands. Without thought, he turned and fired through the bars of the cell, shooting the crazed man only an instant before the prisoners gun went off, barely missing Cally. Lee held the gun in his trembling hand up to Zarek's head. His entire body shook with adrenaline and fear, but he kept his eyes focused on the man before him.
"How about it, Tom?" Lee rasped out angrily, his rage beginning to bubble over at how close his young crewmember had come to death. And at how they were still vastly outnumbered by the prisoners on the ship and weren't out of danger yet. "You still have a death wish? You ready to leave this world, right here, right now?" Lee was ready to do it. Hell, he wanted nothing more than to blow Zareks brains out and end it all in a single instant! If they were gonna die he be damned if Zarek would get away.
"Yes," Zarek whispered, closing his eyes at the feel of the cold metal against his skull.
"Too bad," Lee growled, finally allowing common sense to overcome the rush of recklessness that had threatened to overwhelm him and get them all killed for a certainty. "'Cause this is what you're gonna do. You're gonna tell you men to help us get water off that moon. They're gonna work for their points. And they're gonna earn their freedom. And then. . . then. . . you're gonna get your election," Lee added, knowing in his heart what needed to be done. Knowing what the right thing was. He was going to be nobodys hero for what he was about to do, but Lee knew beyond a shadow of a doubt what had to be done to end this standoff.
"What?" Zarek asked, looking up in shocked disbelief.
"Because you're right, Tom. You are right about democracy and consent of the people. I believe in those things, and we're gonna have them. And you can have them, too. Or you can have this bullet. Your call," Lee offered, hoping that Zarek would finally do the right thing.
"How do I know your father and the President will honor your word?"
"You don't. You let the rest of the hostages go," Lee informed him tiredly, the gun still held to the older mans head. "We'll leave this ship in your hands. They try and come after you; you can still have your last stand. It's your choice. You reap what you sow," he added in a tone so low that only Zarek could hear the words.
Zarek sighed heavily and nodded his head. "All right. All right. Lower your weapons," he called out loudly to the prisoners that surrounded them. They obeyed without question, though Lee could see them shooting each other questioning looks.
"Back off!" Lee shouted, as he stepped back and shot the lock off the door to the cell where Cally lay bleeding. He rushed inside to kneel at her side. "Okay, Cally. You're gonna be okay. You just hang in there, you hear?"
Tom Zarek had followed Lee into the cell and was standing over the man who had attacked Cally, looking down at him sadly. Perhaps realizing that he had led the man to his death. Lee looked up at Zarek and instinctively threw his body at the older man, knocking him out of the way of the sniper shot that would have blown his head off. Lee had seen the red dot from the laser sight of the sniper rifle, and knew that Zareks death would ruin all Lee had accomplished in the past few minutes.
"Cease fire!" Lee yelled, looking up at the decks above and seeing Marines holding rifles on the prisoners below. "Cease fire!"
"Thanks," Zarek whispered, looking up at Lee who stood over him.
Lee ignored him and looked at the Marines once more. Zarek was an idiot if he thought Lee had saved his life because he cared. Lee just hadn't wanted all his plans undone with a single, well-deserved bullet. "I need a medic here!" he called, frantic to get help for Cally.
As he knelt by Callys side he head Zarek tearfully whisper, "God!" to himself.
xxxxx
Athena sealed the hull of the Astral Queen and waited to receive Starbucks broadcast that they were in the clear and needed transportation. Closing the soft seal hatch to her Raptor, Athena disconnected from the Astral Queen and sped around the side to the landing bay entrance. Boomer and Flattop followed closely behind and they opened their ships to evacuate the hostages and the Marines that had forcibly entered the Astral Queen.
The three pilots stood quietly and watched as their people came down the stairs into the landing bay. Cally was strapped to a stretcher and was rushed onto Flattops ship, along with Billy, D, and three of the Marines. Six more Marines stood by Boomers bird, arms at ready and Starbuck and three of the Marines moved to stand by Athenas ship. Athena saw Lee speaking quietly to the Captain of the Astral Queen, who nodded and stepped over to a communication unit.
"This is Pilot Captain Wilkins. We are leaving the Astral Queen. All crew who desire to leave should report to the shuttle bay immediately. Two shuttles will be leaving in fifteen minutes. If you're not on board, you're staying behind," he added succinctly.
Lee had his uniform blouse thrown over his shoulder as he walked toward where Athena stood by the door of her bird, and she noticed that he moved gingerly and held his abdomen with one arm. "Lieutenant," he greeted softly. "I'm really pleased to see you," he added in an undertone that no one else could hear.
"Are you hurt, Captain?" she asked, frowning as she observed the deep cut above his right eye that still dripped blood and the nasty scrape on his left cheek.
"I'll live," he told her dryly, his eyes never leaving her face as he spoke. "I wondered there for awhile," he admitted with a solemn smile.
Athena entered the Raptor, pulled out the first aid kit, tended his bleeding facial wounds and carefully helped him back into his uniform blouse while they waited for the crew of the Astral Queen to load into their own shuttles. It looked like most of the crew had chosen to leave, and Athena knew that space would have to be found for them somewhere on other ships, though that was nothing she needed to concern herself with. When the Astral Queen shuttle doors closed, Starbuck ordered the rest of the Marines to load for departure. Athena sat in the pilots seat and powered up the Raptor, noting silently that Lee again had commandeered the co-pilot seat for himself, leaving Starbuck in the back with the Marines.
"I need to go to Colonial One," he told her quietly as she took off and left the Astral Queen. He sighed heavily as if he were not looking forward to what he had ahead of him. "I need to report to the President. Would you please radio Galactica and request that the Commander meet us there?"
Athena nodded and did what he'd asked of her, watching him out of the corner of her eye. He looked exhausted and beat up, but he wouldn't be able to rest until he had been debriefed. . . in his case by both the President and his Commander Adama. She landed in Colonial One and Lee rose to leave.
"Drop Starbuck and the Marines off on Galactica and then come back for me," he ordered her tiredly.
"Yes, sir," she agreed, and once he had stepped silently off her ship and was in the clear she followed his orders.
xxxxx
"I don't believe this!" President Roslin exclaimed, her voice as loud and strident as Lee had ever heard. She was definitely angry with him.
"Its unacceptable," the Commander agreed, his tone cold and hard. If possible, he was even angrier than the President. And Lee was the focus of all their anger, but he couldn't bring himself to care. He'd done what was right, whether they liked it or not.
"Its done," Lee said firmly. "The prisoners have control of the Astral Queen. We evacd all the guards and support personnel who wanted off. Its their ship," he added unnecessarily, not even caring that they were pissed off at him. Neither of them had been there when decisions had needed to be made, and they would just have to deal with what had been decided.
"They're a threat to the entire fleet!" his father growled, his expression of anger and frustration locked upon his face. The old man wasn't used to having to stand by helplessly and have no say in the decision-making.
"They've been disarmed. The ship itself has no weapons," Lee added, attempting to keep his voice calm and diffuse their shock and anger.
"The ship itself is a weapon!" the Commander yelled. Something Lee had not seen him do for many years. Usually the old man was icy calm in his anger. That, in itself, told Lee how truly angry and frustrated his father was with the situation. With him.
Lee turned away from his father and focused entirely upon the President. "They're totally dependent on us for food, fuel, and they've agreed to organize the workforce for the water detail on the moon." For the gods sake! You'd think she'd be happier. She'd sent him to get a work party and she'd gotten it in spades!
"You've committed me to holding elections within a year," President Roslin stated, her tone telling Lee that she was very displeased with both him and the idea. Hell, she had more in common with his father than she realized. Neither one of them liked giving up a fraction of control for even a moment.
"Madam President, with respect," Lee began carefully, knowing that he couldn't stop until her had his say in this matter. "You're serving out the remainder of President Adarrs term. When that term is up in seven months, the law says theres an election. I only committed you to obeying the law."
"You were not authorized to make a deal!" she argued, not hearing his words.
"You sound like a lawyer!" his father hissed at the same time.
"I swore an oath to defend the articles," Lee said calmly, his eyes moving from the President to his father and then back again. "The articles say theres an election in seven months. Now, if you're telling me we're throwing out the law then I'm not a Captain. You're not a Commander," he stated as he looked straight into his fathers shocked eyes. "And you are not the President," he added, catching her gaze and holding it. "And I don't owe either of you a damned explanation for anything!"
President Roslin looked at him for a long moment and then smiled sardonically. She looked at the Commander and tilted her head. "He's your son."
The Commander looked back at her stonily and said, "He's your advisor."
The President sighed heavily and sat down on the sofa. "An election."
Commander Adama looked at Lee for a long moment and then shook his head slightly. "I guess you finally picked your side. Madame President," he said with a nod and strode out of the room.
xxxxx
Athena snapped to attention as the Commander entered her Raptor and climbed into the co-pilots seat. "Take me back to Galactica, please."
"Yes, sir," she whispered, starting the engines of her bird and radioing to request clearance to leave. When she was cleared, she pulled the Raptor out and began the short jaunt to Galactica. The Commander sat in rigid silence, apparently lost in his own thoughts, and Athena left him to them. From his expression and demeanor, she could only guess that he was not pleased with whatever arrangements Lee had made with the Astral Queen.
Athena landed on the Galactica and opened the door for the Commander to exit. He stopped and looked at her intently, and she nervously looked up to meet his gaze.
"Go back and get Captain Adama from Colonial One," he ordered brusquely, "and make sure he's okay. I think he may be in a lot more pain than hes admitted."
"Yes, sir," she whispered, her relief causing her to let out the breath she'd been holding since he'd risen from his seat. "You can count on me, sir."
He nodded at her, smiled lightly, and left the Raptor without another word. Once he was clear, Athena shut down her bird and ran to the officers quarters. She had a few things to do before she went to get Lee from Colonial One.
xxxxx
Lee finalized the arrangements for the captain and crew of the Astral Queen, and then went back to see the President once more before catching his ride back to Galactica. He knocked on the closed hatch and entered after he heard her respond. He stepped through the hatch to find her already in her robe, prepared for bed.
"I'm sorry. I can come back tomorrow," he apologized, sorry to have disturbed her after she was finished for the night.
"No, its all right. Come on in."
"I just wanted to say goodbye before I head back to Galactica. And to tell you. . . " he stammered slightly, not sure what he had meant to say to her. "I hope you understand. I wasn't being disloyal, Madame President," he added sincerely. He had done what he thought was right. What he knew was right.
"I understand. You're upholding the law. I admire it." She smiled at him and her eyes softened. She obviously recognized that he had done exactly what she'd asked. But there had been repercussions she hadn't expected.
"I believe in you," Lee blurted suddenly, wanting her to know that she had his admiration and respect. That he'd done what he thought was for the best for the fleet as a whole. "In what you're doing. And for what its worth, seven months from now, you'll have my vote."
She looked at him with a strange expression, and he began to back toward the hatch, ready to take his leave. "Could you sit?" she asked suddenly, motioning to a chair across from the couch she used as her bed. "The truth is I might not be here in seven months."
Lee looked at her, not understanding. "Are you planning a vacation?" he asked in jest, trying to lighten things a bit.
"I wish! I told your father that I. . ." she paused for a moment and cleared her throat, as though it were hard for her to get the words out. ". . . had allergies. But I have cancer. I found out the morning of the attack."
Lee exhaled the breath he'd been holding and sat heavily back in the chair where he'd been perched. "I'm so sorry, Madame President. I don't know what to say." That was the truth. Her news, so abruptly delivered, had not only taken his breath away, but also his ability to think. Dying? Laura Roslin? He could hardly believe what he'd just heard.
"I understand. I'm going to fight this, but there is a great need for secrecy," she added intently, her eyes never leaving his. "Only a select few people know about this."
"Of course," he agreed faintly. What could he say? What did you say to people in times like this? He had no idea.
"Whether or not I survive this illness, it is of great importance to me that theres a future for the people. And I fear that knowledge of my illness will erode hope. So this has to stay between you and me," she warned him.
"You can count on me," he agreed with a nod.
"Yes. I know I can," she accepted with a small smile. "You're Captain Apollo."
xxxxx
Athena stood outside her bird, waiting for Lee to appear on the landing bay of Colonial One. When she saw him she was astonished at how broken and sad he looked. He smiled softly at her as he neared, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.
"Strap in," she told him as he sat down beside her. "I'll have you home in no time."
"Thanks."
He sat silent and almost unaware during the short hop back to Galactica, and she knew he needed his space right then. When they landed she took one of his hands in hers and gave it a gentle squeeze. He smiled and looked at her gratefully.
"You look like you could use a friend tonight. Go to your office and I'll meet you there," she ordered him quietly, releasing his hand before they exited the ship and came into the view of everyone on the deck. "I want to check your injuries."
He nodded and followed her across the deck. "She's all yours, Chief," Athena called as Galen Tyrol approached, his eyes looking from her to Lee in obvious concern.
"Yes, sir," the Chief replied, his eyes moving to rest upon Lee and holding out his right hand. "Sir. Cally told us what you did, and we're all grateful. She wouldn't be here if it weren't for your quick thinking. Thank you."
Lee nodded and accepted the proffered hand. "How is she doing?"
"She'll be all right in a few weeks," the Chief informed them, saluted sharply, and then went back to work.
"Come on, Lee," Athena urged, knowing that he was just about at the end of his tether. "Let's get you to bed."
"Now thats the best thing I've heard all evening," he said under his breath with his first real smile since she'd picked him up from the Astral Queen. They walked in silence to his office, where Athena opened the hatch and led the way inside. He stopped just inside the hatch and looked around with an expression of amazement before turning to shut and secure the hatch behind them. "When did you have time for this?" he asked, waving a hand at the food and drink set up on his desk and the pillows and blankets made into a bed upon the floor.
"When I dropped your father off earlier he said he thought you might be hurting more than youd admitted. So I pulled a few things together for when you were finished for the night," she admitted with a shrug, not letting on how she had run like a crazy person from the galley for food, to their quarters for the pillows and blankets, and now owed the Chief a heavy debt for the ambrosia. However, to be fair, once he'd discovered the drink was for Lee, he was only too happy to share a portion of his stash.
Athena backed him up against the chair and began unbuckling his pants. "Whoa!" he laughed as she unzipped his zipper and slid his uniform pants down to his knees. "Slow down, lieutenant! I'm not that easy!"
"This is first aide, Captain," she teased, pushing him gently down onto the chair and kneeling in front of him. Her hands began to undo the laces of his boots and she looked up at him intently. "I want to see why you're cradling your ribs."
He sighed heavily and tipped his head back as she pulled off his boots and socks, and then began sliding his pants off his legs. "I suppose it was just too good to be true," he grumbled, still unable to contain his teasing grin.
"Who knows, one day you might actually get lucky," she teased, her fingers making quick work of the rest of his clothes, until he sat before her clad only in his boxer shorts. She sat back on her heels in front of him and clenched her teeth at the sight of the bruising that covered most of his torso. His flesh had already turned a mottled purple and red, and in some areas the skin had been scraped away. There were actually two partial boot prints on his stomach. "Oh, Lee!"
"I'm okay, AJ. Really," he reassured her, his fingers reaching out to wipe away a tear that had begun to slide down her pale cheek. "I'm alive and all of this will heal."
Athena rose to a kneeling position and moved so that she was between his knees, her hands resting lightly upon his thighs. "I'm so sorry I had to leave you there!" she whispered shakily, her eyes still taking in his battered and bruised appearance.
"Hey! No. This all happened well before you left," he stated firmly, reaching out and holding her face in both of his hands. "There was nothing you could do. Nothing. You did the right thing by escaping and going for help."
"I know, I know. But it still hurts to see you like this," she admitted, moving her hands up to make sure his ribs were still intact. He sucked in a sharp breath of pain as she pushed and prodded around his rib cage, but Athena found nothing broken. "Maybe a cracked rib or two, but for sure a bunch of bruised ribs. Theres no way to tell positively without having the doctor do a scan on you. Do you want me to wrap your ribs?"
"No. I don't think it'll help," he admitted, his eyes closed tightly beneath her questing fingers. He was torn between the pleasure of having her touch him, and the pain her fingers caused as she tried to determine the extent of his injuries.
"Are you hungry?" she asked, letting her hands move up to continue their exploration at his face, making sure he didn't need stitches.
"Not for food," he stated baldly, his eyes delving into hers and his mouth twisting into an honest grin. His hands reached out to caress her face in much the same manner she had done on his. There was no way she could fail to understand his meaning.
"Lee, I. . . "
"I know. I'm sorry. I spoke without thinking," he apologized with a contrite look he didn't really feel. "We don't have that kind of. . . friendship."
Athena sighed heavily, never finding it so difficult to hold her tongue as it was at that particular moment. She wanted so badly to confess to him that she was Athena and to make love with him once more. She found that she wanted him with every fiber of her being, regardless of what she'd been telling herself for the past few weeks. He was so much that she admired and respected in a man, and even his faults only made him seem more human and desirable in her eyes. Her body ached with a need that she had never before experienced, but she was afraid to do something that would destroy their fledgling friendship. "Oh, gods, I wish. . . I just don't think I'm ready to take that particular step. Not yet."
"Not yet?" he inquired with uplifted eyebrows, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Thats a good word. . . yet."
"Only the gods know what will happen in the future," she added sagely, smiling at him as she moved over to pull the covers back on the makeshift bed she had put together for them. "And, in the meantime, you need to get some rest. I'm sure its been a hell of a day for you."
"Gladly," he agreed with a moan of pain as he stiffly crawled from the chair to the bedding on the floor. "Will you stay with me?" he asked almost hesitantly, his eyes looking at hers with uncertainty. "Just to sleep?"
"If you want me here, I'll stay," she promised in a whisper as she helped him lay back. His eyes darkened with the pain in his ribs as he lay back, holding onto one of her hands as if he were afraid she would run away. "Just to sleep."
xxxxx
Lee lay contentedly with AJ in his arms. His ribs were on fire, his head ached, his father was furious with himand he was feeling happier than he could remember being in years. That AJ had gone to all the trouble to get them a meal and a bed meant a lot. But what had broken down all his emotional barriers was how she had looked at his injuries, a shared pain showing plainly in her eyes, and how she'd so tenderly ministered to him. At that moment, even with the words not crossing their lips, he knew that their friendship had passed a barrier into something much deeper.
Their friendship in itself was a blessing Lee had never expected to experience. He'd always had a hard time connecting with women on an emotional level. He had been attracted to a number of women through the years, and they certainly seemed to like him. . . but nothing had ever happened that made him feel comfortable and relaxed with them. Perhaps he'd been afraid to trust that it was him they cared about, and not the great Commander Adamas son. Or, even if they didn't know who his father was, many women were drawn to the uniform, especially a pilots, regardless of the quality of man who wore it. So his relationships had been superficial, at best.
Whatever the reason, he felt differently with AJ. She was smart, logical, loaded with common sense, and beautiful on top of it all. Add to that the fact that when she looked at him her eyes. . . Her eyes shone with real affection and sincerity. It was almost as if he could see her very soul through her dark eyes.
"What are you thinking?" the woman in his thoughts asked sleepily, her body moving away from his as she arched into a full body stretch.
"You. Our friendship. How to get out of the doghouse with my father," he added, realizing what had been preying at the edge of his mind.
"What, in particular, is he angry about?" she asked as she rose and moved to the desk that held the food she'd gathered. When he didn't answer but only watched her, she stopped and stared at him with mock severity. "Talk!"
Lee told her, in detail, what had occurred on the Astral Queen, ending with the promise he'd made Tom Zarek as well as his fathers and the Presidents reactions to it. "Apparently," he added with more than a little sarcasm, "I've chosen sides. . . and it wasn't my father's."
"I see," she mused thoughtfully, biting the inside of her mouth as she uncovered the food and made sandwiches. "Thinking back on ways that my parents reacted to some of my decisions, I realize now that it must be hard to see your child grow up. To see your child make decisions, good or bad, in which they have no input."
Lee pulled the extra chair up to the desk opposite her and sat down. She placed a sandwich and a glass of water in front of him. "That could be part of it. I also think that my father is so used to people agreeing with him and doing what he wants without question, that he gets angry and frustrated when I stand up to him and express differing opinions."
"Yes. I can see that," she agreed, nodding as she bit into her sandwich. They sat in silence for a few minutes, AJs brow pursed in thought as she hungrily polished off her food. "You aren't afraid or in awe of him like so many of the crew appear to be. Your father is a proud man, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, and hes been an officer, therefore in charge, for a long time. Plus, I can see that you share his stubbornness, which adds even more tension into the mix. However, all that being said, he loves you. Today, despite his obvious anger, he was worried about you."
Lee nodded, knowing in his heart that the old man did love him. It was just that neither one of them were very good at showing it. "The funny thing is, the President's anger was harder for me to deal with than my own fathers. Her words made me realize that she thought I'd let her down, perhaps even betrayed her."
"She's dealing with a lot right now," AJ replied sadly. "Much more than just this incident."
"What do you mean?" Lee asked curiously. Was it possible that AJ knew about the Presidents illness? They did appear to know each other on a personal basis, so it wasn't beyond the realm of possibility that the President had told AJ, as well.
"She's. . . I won't break a confidence, but she needs our support. Now and. . . in the future."
Lee frowned, wondering how to proceed. "Okay. I think we're both privy to this same secret, but how do we find out without saying more to each other than we should?"
AJ frowned and sat quietly. Lee swore he could almost feel the wheels turning in her head. "I have known Laura Roslin for almost ten years. On the morning before the initial Cylon attack she received some very bad news."
"Yes," he agreed, nodding at her words.
"On the way to Galactica for the ceremony, I discovered her throwing up in the head on Colonial One. I think the fact that she knew my deepest secret, made her feel comfortable sharing hers with me," she informed him thoughtfully. "And the fact that we were family friends."
Lees mind jumped to the fact that AJ had a deepest secret, until he forced those thoughts aside and got back to the conversation at hand. "She told me she was ill."
"Yes."
What the hell, Lee thought with a shake of his head. Enough dancing around! He trusted AJ more than anyone else in the fleet, and he was almost certain that President Roslin had already told her about her illness. "She believes she is dying."
"Yes. Her cancer is apparently quite advanced," AJ added with a sigh of relief that they both knew what was happening with the President.
"When she told me, I felt like the rug had been pulled out from under me," he admitted sadly, remembering how bereft he had felt at hearing her words. "Is there anyone else you can even picture as the President? I know of no one I would even consider for the job. No one at all."
AJ cleaned up the remains of their meal and walked over behind him. She placed her hands on his bare shoulders and began gently massaging his tension away. "She has nobody except us, and perhaps Billy. All we can do is be there for her when she needs us."
AJs hands worked magic upon his body and he began to grow sleepy. His ribs still hurt, but the ache in his head was subsiding and his mind was more at peace. It was wonderful to have someone you could share the tough things with. The process of sharing something made the burden that much less to bear.
She leaned down and kissed the top of his head. "Lets get some sleep," she suggested, taking his hand and leading him back to the pallet of blankets and pillows. "Who knows what tomorrow has in store for us."
Lee silently agreed, lying down gingerly upon the padded floor. Gods knew he needed a good nights sleep. He was bone tired. AJ snuggled against him and lay so that her body only lightly pressed against his battered and bruised one.
"I could get used to this," she murmured into his neck, her breath warm on his skin.
Lee smiled and gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead, appreciating her presence during a time like this. "Me, too. Me, too."