Flesh and Bone

"What's this?" Max asked Logan as he walked up next to him. Logan put a hand through his dirty-blonde hair and shrugged.

"Not sure. All these people are in the way." The two edged themselves into the crowd, with Max using his height advantage to read the poster that had been attached to the wall.

"Cloud...Nine? Any ideas?"

Logan again shrugged. Marcus was off delivering some supplies to sick bay on Galactica giving the rest of the crew some free time. After a minor struggle, the two got to the front.

"Cloud Nine," Logan read aloud, "luxury liner due to undergo major renovation for Colonial Day celebrations. Workers wanted. Limited places available." The two men looked at each other.

"What have we got to lose" Max stated, signing his name on the sign-up sheet pinned next to the poster. Logan followed suit and the two made their way back down the corridor.

"How do you reckon they'll choose the workers?" Logan asked.

"They probably have files on all of us. They'll tell from that."

"Yeah, but maybe the info was destroyed in the attacks" Logan suggested.

Both men made their way back to the ship, where they were almost immediately greeted by Violet.

"Whoa," said Max, "you scared me."

"Sorry about that. Logan, there's a message that's come through for you."

Logan seemed surprised. "Really...sure you haven't got it mixed up."

Violet shook her head and handed Logan a piece of paper. "Look...says your name right there. Logan McDalton." Violet pointed to the top and it did indeed say his name. Logan was even more confused. Why would someone like him get a message?

"What does it say?" he asked her. Violet feigned insult.

"You think I would read it?! Logan...I'm disappointed." She playfully nudged him.

"Y'know..." Max interjected, "...I probably would have. Consider yourself lucky."

Violet turned to Max. "That's because you're tactless."

"Heeeey!"

Violet giggled. "You seem in a playful mood" Logan pointed out. "Care to tell us why?"

Violet shook her head. "And don't start acting shocked, okay? Since when have I told you everything." Violet strolled off back to the cockpit where she was keeping watch for Marcus. Max tried to peek at the message over Logan's shoulder but Logan quickly stuck it in his pocket.

"Aw. Come on!"

Logan shook his head as he walked into his room where he took the message back out and read.

Mr. McDalton,

We are happy to inform you that, in the process of registering the members of the fleet, we have found a family member.

Logan felt his heart race. He hadn't thought for a second that any of his family could have survived. However, he wasn't sure if he was overly happy about the prospect of seeing one of them again.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Mason handed Cottle his forms in sick bay. They were looked over quickly.

"Good to see in general there weren't many problems."

Cottle quickly dropped the forms onto a table and went back to his business. Marcus had just left after making the delivery to sick bay and Cottle needed to check through it to make sure everything was there while he had a spare moment. He never knew when he may be needed urgently. Mason turned to leave but Cottle called him back.

"Landon, hold up." Cottle handed him a small box.

"Can you tell Captain Talon to take this to Colonial One when you go back to your ship."

"Will do doctor." Mason walked out to the main body of Galactica. When he was a good distance from the sick bay, Mason, making sure nobody was paying attention, took a peek inside the box.

"What the frak?!" He hoped he was mistaken but it looked like chamalla in there. Smelt like it too, he reasoned as he gave the box a little sniff. Mason closed the box again quickly when he heard a group of pilots walk past. He walked briskly back to the Caerus, scratching his goatee as he thought. Why would Colonial One need chamalla? Especially medicinal?

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Marcus had hardly been back five minutes when Logan revealed his news to him.

"Oh wow, that's excellent. Which family member is it?"

"Oh...just my Aunt Greta. Apparently, she's been staying on the Aurora...whatever ship that is."

Marcus noticed Logan didn't seem too enthusiastic. "You feeling okay with this?"

Logan nodded but they both could tell it wasn't the total truth.

Logan had joined the Caerus crew at quite a young age, leaving behind the farmer's life he would have had if he had stayed on Aerolon. Although he had missed his close family greatly, he had not seen any of them in over three years and naturally, he felt nervous.

Breaking the tension, Mason entered the ship. "Hey, Marcus. I have a package for Colonial One." Mason passed over the box of chamalla, trying to act casual about the whole thing, no matter how much he wanted to say something about it.

"Thanks, Mason. I'll give it to them after we stop off at the Aurora."

"Cool", replied Mason. "I've got some people I need to see so...I'll see you later."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Logan stepped out onto the Aurora and felt butterflies in his stomach. As he walked through the ship which so many people now called home he felt his hands begin to shake and his skin becoming cold. As he knocked on the door and waited for a reply he could hear and feel his heart racing inside of him. He watched as the door opened and was greeted by a somewhat-familiar face.

"Oh...oh my...."

For what seemed like an eternity they both stood there in silence, unsure of what to say to each other. Logan felt his heart beat even faster and froze, unsure of what to say. Suddenly, his aunt pulled him into a hug, her arms almost crushing him.

"Logan...I can't believe it's you!"

Logan slowly places his arms around Aunt Greta, returning the hug. "Neither can I, Auntie. Neither can I."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"So...what exactly are you saying?"

"I'm saying that we'll need to a radiological search on your ship, sir."

Marcus was on the line with the communications officer on Galactica. Marcus felt a little angry. He didn't want random military officers coming aboard his ship. She was private, although that had probably been sacrificed when the Caerus became part of the fleet.

"And...what intel..." Marcus made air quotes much to the amusement of Violet, "...makes this okay."

"I can't talk about that sir. And I remind you we'll need to space out the ships."

"Yeah...." Marcus abruptly ended the communication and swivelled his chair round to face Violet.

"You didn't put up much of a fight" Violet stated.

Marcus sighed and raised his arms. "Gods! What else was I supposed to say...or do?! I need to stay on the Galactica's good side."

Violet raised an eyebrow. "Thats not like the Marcus I know. Staying on the side of authority."

"Yeah....well I could say that grin you've had on your face all day isn't like the Violet I know...but I don't!"

Violet folded his arms.

"Do you think there's a bomb in the fleet?" Violet asked.

Marcus shrugged. "They obviously think so."

"You think it's the Cylons?"

"It's likely...I mean, if they look like humans, anyone could have set it up."

Violet had a brainwave. "Maybe a Cylon told them."

Marcus thought about this for a moment. How would the Cylon be treated? It couldn't feel anything so would they just leave it. He was going to ask Violet as Dean walked in.

"Wow..." Violet said, "...you're back. How long does it take to deliver one small box?"

"Oh, I just..." Dean's face went red and he ran his hand through his shagy hair, "...I just got into a conversation with one of the President's aids and...I lost track of time."

"Oooh..." commented Marcus, "...a possible lady friend." He laughed and began to move the Caerus away from Colonial One.

"Actually, it was a guy..."

Before Dean could explain further Max made a comment as he walked past. "Didn't realise you stood that side of the Pyramid court." Violet had her eyebrow raised.

"No, it was nothing like that. I'm just, quite interested in politics and I was curious to see what was going on, on the President's ship."

"Why don't you go get a job there?" Violet asked.

"What...you trying to get rid of me now?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Aunt Greta handed Logan the cup of tea and sat opposite him. "I wish I had more pictures but...they was all back on Canceron."

"Wait...Canceron? You lived in Canceron." Logan was surprised. Greta always seemed to like the country life.

She nodded. "I moved there about 18 months ago. Let's just say...I needed a change."

Logan nodded. He felt bad for not paying more interest. There was an awkward silence as they both sipped their tea.

"Y'know, Logan. It broke your mother's heart when you moved away. Your father's too. The least you could have done is write, let alone visit."

"I know Aunt Greta, I know." Logan looked away. He thought about how it was too late to change anything. His parents had died in the attacks without knowing who he really was. Knowing what man he had become. Sensing there was some tension, Greta moved to sit next to Logan, placing her arm round him.

"It's OK, Logan. You can't wallow in the past. The best you can do is remember them now. They wouldn't want you to get hung up on them."

Logan nodded. "I know, it's just..." He felt tears forming and quickly wiped them away. "Doesn't mean I shouldn't regret it."

Greta reached behind her and rifled through her bag. Meanwhile, an older man walked in. "Oh, this is Wallace, my room-mate."

Logan stifled a laugh. "You have a room-mate?"

"I'll come back later." Wallace said, going into his room.

"We were forced together. Me and Wallace. There's not enough rooms for everyone so we have to share. Oh...here it is."

She gave Logan an old photograph of his parents. They looked very young, probably before he had been born.

"Take it."

"Aunt Greta...I can't."

Greta forced the photo into his hands. "I want you to have it." She smiled at him and it made Logan feel better.

"Thank you." They hugged and Logan chose to stop wiping the tears away.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Max opened his drawers frantically. Natasha followed him in. She felt concerned.

"What's wrong?"

Max ignored her, checking under his mattress and crawling on the floor searching.

"Honey, what are you looking for?"

Max stopped for a moment and looked up at her. "Did you just call me honey?"

"What, do you not like that?"

Max shook his head as he placed his head against the floor again. "You talk like you've never had a boyfriend before."

Natasha felt a bit awkward. However, she didn't want to argue. "You still haven't told me what you're looking for."

Max got up. "Have you seen my lighter?"

Natasha shook her head. "I didn't realised you smoked."

"I don't!" Max continued to search, almost ignoring the woman in the same room.

"Then...why do you need a lighter?"

Max turned to look at Natasha. "It was my father's. He gave it to me before he died." Max began to look again. "How could I have lost it?"

"Maybe the radiological searchers misplaced it when they were in here earlier."

Max stopped, thinking about what Natasha had just said.

"Yeah...you're probably right. Those bastards probably took it..."

Natasha placed her hands up, walking towards Max. "Wait...I didn't say that."

However, it was too late. Max wasn't listening. "There's probably some Cylon involved, stealing our stuff..."

"Don't be ridiculous! Why would a Cylon want your lighter? So they can have a smoke outside where they make the motherboards?"

Max gave Natasha a look. She shrugged and he began to laugh, giving her a hug. "You seem better. It was only yesterday you was too sick to get out of bed."

"Maybe it wasn't as bad as I thought."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Logan stepped back onto the Caerus. He was planning to come back sooner but, due to the possible bomb threat, he wasn't able to. However, he was secretly glad that had been the case. He was unsure how the meeting with his aunt would go and he actually, in the end, enjoyed speaking with her. It made him realise his mistake in rejecting his family to join the Caerus crew.

"Hey..." said Krista as he walked in to the living area. "How'd it go?"

Logan smiled and nodded. "Good."

"Good? That it?" Krista felt he wasn't showing that much emotion. If she saw a family member, she'd probably in tears.

Logan shrugged. "It was nice." He poured himself some water and walked back to his room where he took out the picture his aunt had given him. He placed on his bedside cabinet and stared at it. He couldn't deny he felt emotional. He thought he was about to cry when Violet knocked on his door.

"Wanna help make dinner?"

Logan quickly wiped his eyes. "I'll be out in a sec."