Disclaimer: I own nothing of BSG except the character of Tari.
Summary: This is about Tari Adama, the child of Bill and Laura. I know that this was already created but think of it as a re-imagined series. The BSG characters I don't own. Tari I own and there area few characters that I don't own either. I merely borrowed them from people I know on a Forum site that I now play on for BSG.
Rating: T+ through M
PILOTS REC ROOM:
Tony sat with Tari, Destiny, Wizard, and Roadkill. Everyone had looked at her differently after the fight and they avoided Tari as much as they could. For her part the young Adama tried not to notice and continued on with her normal routine. Right now it was sitting with her friends and kicking back Ambrosia and talking about the old days. Every few minutes Tony would catch a glance from the other pilots. They were having some what of a good time despite the other pilots staring at them. Matt had been ordered by Lee to land on Pegasus and show the new batch of nuggets a few things with Starbuck in a demonstration. Tari had told Falcon that her father had come down hard on her for the little fun they had had earlier on. But she seemed to be laughing it off and getting over her father's reprimand. Tari turned to Falcon and smiled at him. When he had landed on Galactica she had come to greet him on the flight deck and joked with him calling him a tattle tail. The five of them sat talking and minding their own business when Hotdog decided to open his mouth.
"How does it feel to be the Admirals kid?" Hotdog slurred out.
"Ask Lee." Tari muttered but didn't rise to the jab.
"Apollo goes to the Beast and we get stuck with the dysfunctional Adama." he continued and got up from his and jabbed a finger in his shoulder. Tony just stared at Tari as she sat there. Hotdog was working on a nice bender and he was going to be sorry tomorrow. When he woke up in the morning he was going to be deep in the regret. Tari looked like she wanted to beat him down.
"You are a pale shadow to your brother." he seethed and Tari bolted up from her chair and faced him. She was ready to swing but Tony was on her and dragging her out of the rec room. Wizard and Roadkill each put one hand on Destiny and the three of them walked out following their friends.
Out in the corridor Tari broke free of Tony but didn't attempt to go back into the Rec Room. Not everyone on Galactica had a problem with Tari it just seemed to be the Pilots. She had gotten better about controlling her temper; the Adama temper. It was one of her more endearing qualities.
"What is going on with this ship? First Gaius Frakking Baltar running for President and now Pilots are turning on each other." Destiny muttered.
"Everything should work out." Wizard replied and he patted Tari on the back when she turned towards him.
"Yeah, hey you guys I'm going to head to the OPS deck." Tari commented and walked away. Tony was the only one to follow her.
OPS DECK:
Tari sat and waited for Tony to start talking. There was nothing to talk about really and he was content to watch her for a while. Everything that they had been through made Tony's friendship all the more valuable to Tari. She just had to figure out how Matt fit into her life. Tari wanted him to but she didn't know how to make it work.
"One of the few good memories I have of my father is when he bought me to the Galactica when I was six." Tari idly commented while staring out through the only window.
Caprica
City 20 years ago: A young Tari Adama stood with her
father; Bill Adama. He had told her mother that he would take her to
the Galactica and show her around. All Tari had interest in was a
Viper. When she had woken up that morning there her father sat in the
kitchen with her mom. He had smiled at her and things were wonderful
with the young girl. "Can we see the Vipers now?"
Tari wined and tugged on her dad's hand. "Soon."
Bill assured and moved through the hall. Tari didn't stop tugging so
Bill picked her up and carried her through Galactica. Instead of
throwing a fit Tari giggled and put her arms around his neck. "I
just have to pick something up and then I will show you my Viper.
Sound good." "Yes." She answered and looked
around at all the different officers. OFFICERS
QUARTERS: Bill Adama set his daughter on the top bunk and
opened the locker. Inside was duffel that he packed more of his
stuff. Laura had told him he could stay at her house with her and
Tari for as long as he needed. Carolann had kicked him out and he had
also lost his temper and struck a superior officer. Bill lucked out
and only been forced on leave. He had been granted permission to come
back and get a few things and that is what he was doing. It was also
the opportunity for Tari to see what he did. "Hey Bill I
heard you were back on ship." Saul Tigh walked through the hatch
and came up short when he saw the young red head sitting on the top
bunk. "Hey, hey Saul. Tari that's Saul. Saul this is my
daughter Tari." Bill said and didn't turn towards his friend. "So this is the third Adama child. Where's the hot red
head?" Saul came to stand in front of Tari who smiled at him.
She was definitely and Adama; she had the eyes. "Laura
is back on Caprica, working, and I brought Tari with me. I had to get
a few things and Tari wanted to see my Viper." Bill replied and
turned towards his child and best friend. "Well I think
we should show her that Viper of yours." Saul laughed and watched
as Tari reached her arms out to her father. Bill dropped the duffel
and moved closer to get Tari off the top bunk. Saul picked up Bills
duffel and headed with him down to the flight deck. FLIGHT
DECK: Bill Adama joked with the Deck Chief and garnered a
few minutes with his Viper to show his daughter. He sat on the ladder
and watched as she sat in the cockpit twisting the knobs and moving
the stick. The Chief assured him the fuel line had been pulled and
there was no power to his Viper so if Tari figured out how to turn it
on she wouldn't be able to. Bill caught a glance from the Chief
telling him that time was up. "All right Tari, time to
go." "Can't I stay a little while longer?" She
wined and gave him sad eyes to try and convince him to let her stay. "No, not today. But I promise to bring you back another
time." Bill promised the small girl and lifted her out of the
Viper. She seemed to know where everything was and some day she would
make one hell of a pilot. He set Tari down and took the duffel from
Saul's hands and tossed it into the waiting Raptor....
"The first time you were on Galactica was when you were six years old?" Tony looked at Tari in disbelief. He couldn't believe her.
"Yup... sat in my dad's viper and everything. At that moment I knew I wanted to be a pilot more than anything."
"Those are the only good memories you have?"
"For a while. He stayed with my mother and me for about a year and a half." Tari smiled and finally turned to Tony. He had a cat that ate the canary smile. It was the most normal she had been ever.
"That sounded like a nice memory, got anymore?" Tony asked.
"Maybe later." Tari replied and turned back to the window. Memory lane would have to be closed for a while.
PILOTS REC ROOM:
Matt watched Tari laughing and joking with Tony and Destiny. Capt. Fan's two bed partners were both on the CAP so the pilot was flying solo as it were. In the last few days everyone had calmed down to the point that Tari wasn't the center of the collective animosity. It was election time and the focus was President Roslin running against Vice President Baltar. So far President Roslin was a head in the poles but Baltar had made the habitable planet part of his campaign and he was catching up to Roslin in the poles. Matt himself was contemplating voting for Baltar. He was tired of running and fighting the Cylons at least the planet offered some safety... for a while. Tari was very vocal about voting for Roslin and that if they settled on the planet it would be a bad idea. And surprise, surprise Tony sided with Tari. They had been spending a lot of time together lately and Matt was feeling jealousy creeping into his mind. Matt hadn't had the chance to spend time with Tari as much as he had wished because training new pilots took most of his time, but he was glad to come home to Galactica and curl up with a fascinating woman. Even though Tari went to bed with him he sensed that her mind was with Falcon. Those two had a history that Matt couldn't even begin to understand.
"Matt?" Tari asked making Matt turn to her. She was smiling at him with her usual crooked grin. He knew where she got that smile. When Matt had had dinner with her family he had seen the smile in the Presidents face when she talked to the Admiral. Tari had that same smile right now.
"Sorry I was thinking." He replied and took her hand.
"How was the flight training going on the BEAST?" Tari asked. Matt couldn't tell whether she was sincere in her inquiry but none the less she had asked.
"The pilots are shaky, but they are getting better. With a little more time they should be able to get into a Viper or Raptor without incident."
"That's good, I know all of us could use some long over due R&R." Falcon chimed in watching Matt. The gaze he gave Tari was that of a protective friend who used to be a lover. She needed some sort of stability and the small group of friends she had made life on Galactica easier for Tari. Tari was no Apollo but soon the pilots would accept her.
"I hear that!" Destiny slammed her palm down on the table and raised her glass.
OUTSIDE THE REC ROOM:
Admiral Adama watched the pilots in the rec room interacting. He had heard of the trouble that had occurred between Hotdog and Ares. Bill was proud that Tari had walked away when she had, but he knew that it was hard on her. She was from the Pegasus; people from Galactica still had resentment towards all the crew who served on her. The election was on everyone's mind so they had put that resentment on hold to consume themselves with the debates. Laura was confident that the people would do the right thing and not want to settle on the planet. Right now each ship was voting on who should be President and Laura was cooling her heels in the Admirals quarters. She had asked him to leave for a while so she could get rid of her nervous energy. Bill had offered her a possible outlet but she smiled at him and pointed towards the door. So here the Admiral stood watching his pilots and his daughter while his mind took him back to a warm summer night on Caprica.
CAPRICA CITY: Bill
Adama stood outside Laura Roslin's house. It was late evening and the
stars had just started to litter the sky. He had found out from a
friend where the mother of his daughter lived, but he wasn't sure
what kind of a reception he would get. Ascending the steps one by one
Adama knocked on the door. Waiting for a few minutes he was soon
greeted but a vision of beauty; Laura Roslin. She looked shocked but
recovered enough to step out on the porch. "Bill, what
are you doing here?" She asked looking him up and down. He still
looked the same as when she had met him six years ago. "I'm
not really sure. Carolann kicked me out and Saul didn't have any room
for me. So I guess I'm asking if I can stay with you." Bill
looked around. "Sure." Bill looked at Laura
then. She had a small smile on her face and Bill felt a little at
ease about having to intrude. He had been forced to take leave after
hitting a superior officer. Over the last few years Bill had built of
some sizable leave time and now was the time to take some. Laura
led the way into her living room and eyed Bill as he dropped his
duffel. She offered him a seat with a wave of her hand. Bill sat and
looked around. The home was quiet and nicely furnished. She had a few
photos hanging on the wall. One photo that caught his attention was
that of her, another red headed man, and Tyler Standish. "You
know Standish?" Bill asked while still looking at the picture. Laura looked at the center photo, "Yeah I know Tyler; he
served with my brother." "Your brother?" "Tyler brought his body home to us. Landon died in a
fire aboard the Atlantia." Laura looked away from the photo and
back to Bill. "I'm sorry." "Well it's
late and we should turn in because Tari will be up at dawn, she seems
to be more of a morning person than I am." Laura joked and
walked off towards her room. Bill sat on the couch and watched Laura
walk away then turn back to him. "You can sleep on the couch if
you would like but I wouldn't recommend it because it is so
uncomfortable." "Are you offering me part of your
bed?" Bill raised one eyebrow and smile at her. "Yes,
I think I am." She returned his smile offering her hand to
him....
20 YEARS AGO
Bill was brought back to the present when he saw Tari link her gaze with his. Apparently he had been staring holes into her. She excused herself and walked over to him. Without saying anything father and daughter fell into step beside each other heading for the Admiral's quarters.
ADMIRAL'S QUARTERS:
Laura Roslin turned when she heard the hatch open. Bill and Tari walked in holding a conversation about the first time when she was in a Viper at six years old. She remembered when her young daughter had come home that day all excited and she told her mother everything about going to Galactica and sitting in a Viper. It was all the child could talk about for days after. Laura had been worried at first and then relaxed when Bill explained later. He had told her that the Viper had needed major over haul so even if Tari found a way to turn it on, she wouldn't have started it. Laura sat on the couch and just listened to them stroll down memory lane. This is the most fathers and daughter had talked since she had come here months ago. Laura let her mind wonder while they talked.
Laura hadn't been pleased to
find out her daughter had spent most of her day on Galactica. What
angered her more was that Bill had put Tari in a Viper; she was too
young and it was dangerous. She had waited until Tari had gone to
sleep before she let Bill have it about his trip to the Battlestar.
He had explained the need to retrieve the rest of his stuff but Laura
hadn't thought Bill would take their six year old child with him. "Laura relax, she was not out of my sight or out of
Thigh's." "That is not what I am concerned about.
You put her in a Viper." "A Viper that was
completely powered down for an over haul." "She
could have..." Laura was quickly deflating. Bill was allaying
her fears and she kept picking at it. "Laura she was
fine and I was with her the entire time. I made sure she kept her
finger off the trigger." Bill laughed when Laura turned to him.
But she was too tired to argue right now. Her day in politics had
tired her out and Adar had tried to pick up where they left off two
days before she had slept with Bill Adama. She had told him to take a
cold shower and decided to call it a day. When Laura had come home it
was a welcome sight to see Bill with Tari as she ran around the
house. "Bill I am tired and..." "You
just had a bad day?" He questioned. There had always been
something about her that made Bill want to hold her. Coming to her he
enfolded her into his arms letting her relax. "You've
been here for a day and already I have grown accustomed to coming
home to seeing you here." Laura whispered. It was something
about him that had never made sense. In six years she every time she
looked into her child's eyes Laura couldn't help but think of Bill.
He picked her up and set her on the bed. Sliding in next to her Bill
pulled Laura back to him and tried to settle into sleep.
"Mom?" Tari poked her mom in the side making her mom jump.
"Yeah."
"You looked far away, Laura." Bill said.
"Yeah, you looked like dad did earlier. He looked like he was staring into space."
"I was just thinking about something."
"Well that would by my queue to leave. Mom, dad, enjoy the rest of your election day." Tari chimed and strode out of the Admiral's quarters. Laura and Bill watched their daughter leave and shook their heads. She was like them in some ways and different in others. But that was what made Tari Adama who she was.
ADAMA'S QUARTERS
Bill watched Laura doze in his rack. Laura was tired of waiting for the votes to be counted so she chose to sleep all the anticipation away. He was surprised that she had not paced a hole in the deck plating. Laura bore her nervousness well but it had finally overtaken her pulling her weary, healing, body into sleep. Bill continued to watch her slumber in peace. It was the only time he saw Laura Roslin content. A knocking at the hatch pulled Bill from Laura's side and took his mind back to a cool calm Caprican night when he had lived with her and their child.
"Come in." Bill ordered and looked at his XO; Saul Tigh.
"Evening Bill." Saul took a seat on the couch and waited for Bill to pour two drinks.
CAPRICA CITY: *KNOCK
KNOCK* Bill woke up out of a sound sleep to someone
knocking at Laura's front door. She was still asleep next to him
curled on her side with her head resting on his arm. Her red hair
cascaded over his shoulder so he could inhale her scent. At first
Bill thought he was dreaming when the knocking occurred, but he heard
it again. Gently trying to remove his arm Bill woke Laura. Her green
eyes were heavy with sleep but cleared when she heard the knocking. "Who do you think that is?" Laura whispered. "I
don't know but I will go and check it out. You should stay here and
try and go back to sleep" Bill answered leaning over the side to
retrieve his black under shirt. He rose from the bed and quietly made
his way to the front. Bill looked out the window and saw a
figure cloaked in darkness with a hint gold at the neck and over the
heart; a colonial uniform. Opening the door revealed Tyler Standish
out on Laura's front porch. Tyler turned when he heard the
door open and was surprised when he saw Bill Adama stood there
instead of Laura. He now knew for certain that Tari belonged to Bill.
All anyone had to do to confirm the parentage was look in the little
girl's eyes and see the exact same eyes looking back at him. "What are you doing here, Tyler?" Laura asked
appearing behind Bill. Both men looked at the sleepy red head. Bill
smiled and Tyler coughed. Laura had on the grey muscle shirt and
shorts. "Tina asked that I check on you. We haven't
heard from you in a while." Tyler commented. Laura
smiled and placed a hand on Bill's shoulder, "Come on in Tyler." The three of them sat in the small living room. Laura and
Bill sat on the couch together and Standish perched on the edge of
the chair. Tyler took a moment to observe both of them. Laura looked
happy ad so did Bill. Which begged the question as to why he was here
when he was married to his wife's best friend? "What
do you think Carolann will do if she finds out you are here?"
Tyler asked. "Well, since she kicked me out I'm not
worried about it." Bill replied. "How do you two
know each other?" Laura asked. In all the time Bill had been
with her, not once had he said he knew Tyler Standish. "Our
wives know each other." Both of them answered at once. "Sorry
to hear that. I'm surprised Tina hadn't told me that." Tyler
bowed his head in sympathy getting back to Bill previous comment
before Laura had asked her question. Bill and Carolann seemed to have
a strong marriage. Appearances obviously were deceiving. "Do
you make a habit of checking up on Laura in the middle of the night?"
Bill queried. It seemed odd that Tyler should come here so late in
the night. "Not usually. Tina just seemed overly
concerned about Laura and her kid." Tyler responded staring at
Bill. "Tyler you do know Tari is Bill's child."
Laura informed looking at Tyler. She offered him a small smile. "That's obvious; all you have to do is look in the
child's eyes." Tyler replied and smiled at Laura....
20 YEARS AGO
"Bill, you listening to me?" Saul asked getting his friends attention. Looking at Bill it looked like the Admiral had let his mind wander. It wasn't hard to guess why because he had the President sleeping in his rack. Saul always said Bill should have married the red head years ago.
"Sorry, what did you say?" Bill asked bringing his attention back to Saul.
"Gaius Baltar won, Bill. That fruity frak bastard actually won over the fleet." Saul said and rose from the couch to pace.
"Laura is sleeping. I'll tell her later. She needs a little peace before the storm." Bill whispered looking to Saul and then over to Laura's sleeping form.
"Well, make sure you have enough booze to dull her pain."
"She'll just yell and throw things." Bill said in a serious voice. Tigh chuckled slightly but Bill just looked at him.
