Chapter 9
It was foggy. Laura wasn't exactly sure why, but this place reminded her of the dreams she before they'd found Leoban on the Rising Star. She squinted as she trudged further into the fog, her feet crunching over broken glass. There were people here? She thought to herself as she continued to forge her path.
She detected the distinct sound of canvas flapping in the wind. She took a step forward and allowed herself to step insider the tent. The end of her stiletto heel getting on a rock as she did. Looking inside Laura saw a half-eaten meal on the table a few cots that had been slept in. She stepped further into the tent and over to a makeshift dresser as she began to examine the personal effects.
Sorting through the debris she managed to find a picture. The edges were curled and the image was folded, but Laura could see the faces in the picture so clearly. It was Starbuck. The woman's hair was longer and she was with a gentleman that Laura had never seen before but the woman in the photo was Kara Thrace. A smiling Kara Thrace.
What was it that Kara had told her back on Kobol? There was a resistance movement. She'd wanted to go back and save them. For a moment Laura wondered if it was a sign from the gods, telling her that she should let Kara lead a mission to rescue the resistance. Laura shook it off, unsure of what to make of the environment around her.
Laura had to wonder what planet she had woken up on. This wasn't Caprica, or any other colony, it wasn't Kobol, and Laura didn't see any other human so it couldn't possibly be Earth. She wondered how they'd ended up settling on this smog written planet. Was this what she was supposed to lead them too? Was she supposed to lead them to this cold and desolate wasteland?
She replaced the picture on the nightstand before attempting to protect herself from the warmth Laura pulled her arms around herself, hoping that she could stop her chattering teeth. She glanced around again unable to fathom the life that the 13th Colony had lived if this was were they had settled. She couldn't believe that this was where they supposed to live for the rest of their lives.
Quickly, Laura exited the tent and continued walking down the street when she began to hear the all too familiar buzzing that she had come to dread. In her peripheral vision she could see a red light illuminating the dirt road she was walking on as it scanned from side to side. She felt fear begin to creep up her spine as she quickened her pace, only for the Centurion to match hers.
Her breathing became heavy as her nerves began to act up. Cold sweat began to drip from her forehead as she started to run. The Centurion picked up on her action and started running after her. She heard the clang of its metal feet connect with the pavement and she hoped that she had the energy to keep the space between them.
All was easier said than done as Laura felt one her heels break and she fell onto the ground. Struggling to get back to her feet she hastily discarded her shoes as she continued to make a run for it. Her bare feet picking up shards of broken glass.
Sarah Porter sat in Galactica's brig counting the ceiling tiles as she anxiously awaited the arrival of her interrogators. She cringed as the hatch to the brig opened and Starbuck and Apollo came into the room. Apollo gestured to the Corporal as they entered and the obedient inferior opened the door to Sarah's cell, letting the two officers in.
"Well Sarah? Are you feeling more cooperative now?" Lee asked.
"What do you think?" Sarah asked rhetorically.
"Oh…good to see you haven't lost your sense of attitude," Starbuck commented.
"You know what we want," Lee said. "How long have you been working with the Geminese zealots?"
"I haven't been working with them," Sarah insisted.
"Sure," Kara said. "I suspect you are going to tell us that attempting to kill the President with an overdose of chamalla was just your way of providing mercy."
"She's a servant of the gods, she deserves a peaceful end," Sarah said. "She was injured while in the public eye, the Gods will take her to the Elysian Fields and she will be safe for all eternity."
"The Commander isn't interested in letting her go to her Elysian glory, he's concerned with how the President of the colonies is fairing. Particularly after people attempted to kill her twice in one day," Lee yelled.
"Your father is letting his feelings for the President cloud his judgement," Sarah said.
"Excuse me?" Lee asked.
"I don't know why the Quorum didn't react after they'd danced at Colonial Day. It was obvious that they were fraternizing with one another and Gods only knows where that could lead."
"The military and civilian government are closer than ever because of the kinship that they have together. If you can't see that then you must be frakking blind," Starbuck defended.
Sarah eyed the pair as she continued to maker her point. "It's not just that. Some of the President's judgement's had a profound effect on the Commander. When she jumped to Kobol for example and the Commander went after her. The President is a danger to this fleet. Do you think that she would get away with this if she wasn't the dying leader? No…of course not."
Lee could feel a fire of emotion flow through his veins as he lunched at the Quorum leader and grasped her by the neck, grasping her by the throat. Sarah gagged she was slammed into the wall and Lee's hand tightened around her neck.
"You have no right to criticize the President," Lee said. "She's doing the best she can to fulfill your prophecy and this is the thanks she is getting. If I were her I would have left you to the Cylons a long time ago." He waited a few seconds before letting her go and then letting her collapse on the floor. "You know what we want. When you're ready to give it up let us know."
Staring at the water in front of him Gaius choked down a nervous hiccup. He had just received word from Doctor Cottle about the President's overdose and the press was beginning to demand another press conference. Gaius' brow was sweating as he peered out of makeshift partition that separated President's office from the rest of Colonial One. The members of the press were sitting in their seats waiting anxiously for the him to come out and give his report on the President's condition.
"They're waiting for you," a familiar voice said.
"I can't do this," Gaius muttered when the distinct touch of Six's hand appeared on his shoulder.
"What you mean you can't do this?" Six asked.
"I was never meant to be the Vice President. If it wasn't for you and the frakking Quorum I wouldn't even be in this position"
"Well you are...and that's how God wants it. You love the spotlight. Now get out there and get in it."
Baltar made a distinct squeal of protest as Six shoved him through the curtain and in front of the press. There was a collective noise as the journalists leaned in to listen to him. His eyes darted from side to side as he cleared his throat. The press leaned in further only to hear him clear his throat again.
"You idiot," he heard Six say. "They're waiting…get with it."
Baltar coughed once again as Six's stiletto heel connected with his ass. He stifled another cough as he began to speak. "Um…Good evening. As I am sure you're all aware, President Roslin was shot this afternoon while attending a military ceremony on Galactica. She was rushed to Life Station, where Cottle operated on her for several hours before extracting the three bullets from the President's system and repairing the damage to her organs. However, I am sorry to report that while President Roslin did come through the surgery…she is currently in a coma."
There was a moment of frenzy as the press began to hastily ask their questions. "Please…" he begged. "Please quiet down." The scientist had suddenly found a new appreciation for the President's way of handling a crowd. He wondered how she managed to quiet them with a simple raise of her hand and had suddenly wished that he had taken time to learn more from the woman.
"Yes," he gestured to one reporter.
"Mr. Vice President," she addressed. "What changes can the civilian fleet expect while the President is comatose?"
"We're following the Articles of Colonization. The civilian government plans to maintain the regular chain of command, which means that I will serve in her place until she is able to do so again. Next question."
"Mr. Vice President! Mr. Vice President!" the reporters bellowed. Baltar hastily pointed to one of the reporters for the next question.
"Mr. Vice President, can you comment about the letter that was sent earlier today in regards to the assassination, and what's your take on it?"
"I have no opinion on the subject, but I can tell you that the letter is being dealt with a calm and timely manner. I can't release anything conclusive at this point but I assure you that the military is leading the investigation and I have confidence that they will apprehend whoever is responsible for this."
When the reporter sat down another riot broke out. Once again Baltar selected another random journalist. "Mr. Vice President, while we on the subject of the zealots, is it true that one of them injected the President with an overdose of chamalla?"
"I can't say that it is true, because we don't know the culprits affiliation with the said zealots. But sadly it is true that that the President was injected with an overdose of chamalla, but she has now stabilized and the Commander Adama has taken steps to make sure that it will not happen again."
"On that note," the journalist continued. "How does the government see President Roslin's cancer affecting her recovery?"
Baltar suddenly lost all his words as he contemplated Laura's living will. Should he tell them? Would that give the zealots more ammunition towards her demise? Could they justify that she wanted to die herself?
"Tell them Gaius," Six said as if she were reading his mind. "They should know."
"What legal action she's taken is her business," Gaius spoke out loud, immediately realizing that he shouldn't have said anything while he was in front of the press.
"Excuse me?" the reporter said. "Are you saying that President Roslin has a living will?"
"Yes," Baltar confessed. "It appears she drafted it just before we found Kobol. It has very specific circumstances that would justify pulling her off life support but until it gets to that point, the Commander isn't entertaining the subject."
"So she's given the Commander legal power of attorney?"
"Yes," Baltar answered. "Yes, she has."
"What is the President's prognosis at this point?"
"I am not aware of that," Baltar lied. "You'll have to ask Dr. Cottle." Quickly blowing off the press he raised his hand in the air and waved. "Thank you everyone. Have a good evening."
TBC