Lady Laura sat in the Commander's chair as he paced beside his desk. He had barely spoken to her since the discovery of the young diarist's body. He was also avoiding making any eye contact with her. When he did deem it necessary to glance in her direction, it was not in any manner she desired. There were hints of suspicion, tinges of regret, and glimpses of confusion.
"Commander—" she began, only to be interrupted by a tap on the door to his quarters.
"Come in!" he barked, ignoring her attempt to engage him in conversation.
The door opened to reveal the tall boy who was employed as the Viscount's manservant.
"Billy," she said, greeting him with a smile. "Come in. I am fervently hoping that you may be able to offer us some explanation to the recent unpleasant occurrence aboard Galactica." She was barely acquainted with this Billy, and yet she felt certain he had no part in the boy known as Boxy's death.
"I am afraid, m'lady, that I am puzzled how I could shed any light on this dark deed."
"Perhaps, lad, you are a witness without being aware of such a thing. Lady Laura and I merely want to ask you some questions. This will not be an uncomfortable interrogation."
She watched as Billy visibly relaxed as the Commander spoke in a soothing voice. The Commander's voice had the same power to soothe her nerves.
"Victoria tells us she happened upon you when she was searching for Bartholomew," she said.
"Yes, m'lady. I was preparing to make my way to one of the upper decks to try my luck at angling. The Viscount is not fond of the cured meat, and I hoped to please him by presenting him with fresh fish for tonight's dinner. Victoria approached me and enquired if I had seen Bartholomew."
"And had you?" the Commander asked.
"No, sir. Not this day."
"What time was this?"
"I am sorry, sir, I do not possess a timepiece. However, I do know it was past noon as the Viscount ventured out of his room to ensure I understood he was not to be disturbed after he retired until the evening hours."
Laura nodded. This timing corresponded with Victoria leaving her rooms.
"The Viscount saw Victoria as well?" She looked across at the Commander as he posed this question. His brow was furrowed and his tone was sharp. Did he suspect the Viscount?
"Yes, sir. They exchanged dialogue before she departed, in fact. They were apparently acquainted in the past."
"Where would one of your attendants become acquainted with a Viscount from the King's Court?" the Commander asked her.
"Victoria only came into my service the day I joined you on this ship. She was assigned to my party by the King," she explained.
The Commander frowned. "So," he addressed both her and Billy with his statement, "Victoria could have made it known to the Viscount whom she was seeking and why."
"It is a possibility, sir," Billy agreed. "They were engaged in conversation for quite some time."
"You did not gain an insight to the subject of their conversation?" she asked.
"No, m'lady. It is custom for a consummate manservant to ignore conversations between their masters and members of the fairer sex."
She snorted at Billy's noble attitude to his profession. "Were you still present when their conversation came to an end?"
"Yes, m'lady. My master retired to his quarters, as he had indicated previously, and Miss Victoria departed to, I presume, search for Boxy. I was almost prepared to leave myself when Callandra delayed my progress."
"Callandra?" Laura frowned. She had not realised Callandra had ever left her rooms.
"Yes, ma'am. She asked if I could point her in the direction Miss Victoria had taken, and I did so. She thanked me and followed her companion's path. I then made my way up to the deck. Once I had a suitable bounty for this night's dinner, I came below deck again. This is the time I came upon Mr Tigh, my master and Miss Victoria. All three appeared to be partaking in a heated debate. I was only witness to this for a brief moment before Mr Tigh summoned you from your rooms."
"Thank you, Billy. Your testimony may prove to be of a great help," the Commander said.
Billy nodded and turned to leave. He paused before exiting and turned back to Lady Laura. "Please know, m'lady, that despite who I am intended to serve on this voyage, I will be forever your humble and loyal servant. If you require any knowledge of my master or his activities, you need only to ask, and I shall find some excuse to justifiably go against my position to inform you of these things."
Lady Laura rose from the chair and approached Billy. "Thank you," she said with sincerity. "I should not ask you to do anything that is immoral."
"You should not, but if you do, m'lady, I will prove to be a sinful person," Billy declared before turning to leave.
"What trickery did you utilise to bewitch that young lad to such an extent that he would lie and espy upon his master in such a manner?" the Commander asked as soon as Billy had gone out the door.
Her back stiffened at the Commander's terse words of accusation. "I did not bewitch Billy in any manner. I have only spoken to the boy on a handful of occasions. I am as baffled as you as to why I incur such loyalty from him."
The Commander merely grunted and sat down at his desk. She watched, silently fuming at his unspoken indictments, as he picked up his quill and dipped it in ink before writing across a blank page of his log.
"Billy, the Viscount, Victoria," he cited the names as he wrote.
"Your suspects?" she asked.
"Yes. The people who had knowledge of our wish to speak to Boxy. Callandra, Kara," he added their names to the list.
"Kara was in the room with me the entire time."
He raised one eyebrow at her. "You were aware Callandra left the room as you slumbered?" he asked pointedly.
She sighed, acknowledging that indeed she had not realised Callandra had been absent. "Kara has been in my service for many years. There is no way she could have carried out such a cold-blooded murder on an innocent," she insisted.
"Indeed I find it unpleasant to believe any lady could have slit the Snotty's throat. However, the doctor has informed me that the wound was not particularly deep, leading him to believe that the murderer did not need to be male, or particularly strong for that matter. It is his belief that the young boy felt he had nothing to fear from whoever approached him. To be skilful with a dagger was also not a prerequisite in this case."
Lady Laura bit down on her lip. This was probably not the best time to inform the Commander that both Kara and Callandra were adept with daggers – Kara particularly so.
The Commander dipped the quill in the well again and wrote another name. This time he did not recite it, so she moved closer to read. She gasped when she saw it was her own name he had added to the list.
"This is merely a list of the people who knew about the diary," he told her in a calm voice.
"Really? Mere moments ago you told me it was a list of suspects. You cannot believe I had anything to do with this vile act?"
His eyes remained focussed on the paper in front of him and he remained silent.
"I see you do," she accused. He still refused to speak or meet her eyes. "Your vow that we would be partners in this journey is broken after the very first obstacle?" Still no answer was forthcoming from her companion. She reached out and prised the quill from his grasp. With a flourish she scratched the name 'Adama' upon the paper. "I think I shall dine in my own quarters tonight," she said as she threw the quill back down before him. "I am suddenly feeling an odd malady coming upon me," she tossed at him before literally stomping from the room.
That evening when she heard a knock upon her door, Lady Laura moved to answer it with much more haste than any of her
attendants. Billy stood the other side of the threshold.
"I am sorry, m'lady. Is this an inconvenient time?" Billy asked, making her realise her face must be reflecting her disappointment that her caller's identity was not the one she yearned.
"No, no, of course not, Billy. You are always welcome."
The boy grinned shyly and nodded toward the tray he balanced in his arms. "I have a gift. From myself and Mr Jaffee."
"Food?" Kara, who had shadowed her to the door, a dagger at the ready, asked.
"It is the fish I caught before the troubles of the afternoon. Mr Jaffee was kind enough to cook it for you."
"Billy, that is very thoughtful of you. I hope the Viscount will not be angered if you are donating all your catch to us," she said as Billy lowered the tray to their table that served as their room's dining area.
"No, no, there was ample to share. I had sufficient to also offer a serving to the Priestess Elosha."
"You have been spending quite some time with the Priestess, Billy," Kara mused, as she picked up a fork and helped herself to some of the pleasant smelling seafood. "Do you believe in the scriptures? Or are you merely ingratiating yourself to her in an attempt to woo her pretty attendant."
Lady Laura clearly saw Billy's face take on a ruddy hue at Kara's teasing.
She gave Kara a stern look before gesturing for everyone to be seated and fill their bowls full of the flaky white flesh. After they started appeasing their hunger, she finally asked Billy the same question as Kara only in a different, more polite, manner. "Do you believe in the scriptures, Billy?"
"No, ma'am," he admitted.
"See!" Kara said with glee. "His only interest is with Anastasia."
"She is Sagittaron," Victoria scoffed.
"Sagittarons and Capricans have been at peace now for some years, Victoria," Callandra pointed out with a sarcastic drawl.
"The Caprican Fleet, before it became the Colonial Fleet, was a superior force and the Sagittarons had no choice but to make peace. That does not infer they are prepared to assimilate into genteel society."
"I am not positive I expect them to, Victoria," Lady Laura said. "They have the right to keep their own belief system, even if it directly opposes our own."
"You think Sagittarons should be allowed to continue to amass rebel forces?" Victoria asked.
"There is still no proof that this is occurring. These are rumours that are coming out of certain factions of the Quorum. It could all be a matter of political gamesmanship."
"These rumours were gaining quite a momentum when we left Caprica. I am a firm believer that all rumours start with an element of truth."
"I am a firm believer that seditious behaviour will get us nowhere. Sagittarons were guilty of heinous crimes against the Caprican people over fifty years ago. Those responsible were imprisoned. There is now a completely new generation running their colony. We need to trust in them and their new Quorum representative to never return to these methods for gaining independence. However, if we ban their religion, their customs and so forth, they will feel as repressed as the Cylons did."
"You could give the Viscount some diplomacy lessons, Lady Laura," a deep voice came from her doorway. She swung around, eager to look upon the owner's masculine features.
"Commander…" she whispered.
"I was hoping, Lady Laura, that you may be able to join me in my quarters for a conference." The Commander took in their bowls of food. "My officers and I have already dined; so if you wish to finish off your meal, please do. I shall call on you at a later time." He turned to leave and another's voice stopped him.
"No!" Kara cried. "Please, if you will, Commander, we would be honoured if you were to sit with us as we enjoyed our feast."
Lady Laura held her breath as the Commander studied the girl who would have been his daughter-in-law if fate had not intervened.
"We have some ambrosia. Would you like me to pour you a glass?" Kara added eagerly.
The Commander's gaze left Kara to rest upon Laura. She felt herself flush under his blue-eyed appraisal. She wondered how much of their conversation he had overheard.
"If I am not interrupting," he finally said.
"Not at all. I am eager to hear your views on Colonial current affairs," Kara said.
"I am merely a sailor. I am not sure my opinions matter when it comes to politics or religion."
"I am merely an attendant. Yet my mistress has made me understand that my opinion is as important as one of a lady of the realm. She tells me that many voices can be more influential than one."
"Your mistress is a wise woman. One would think you should always heed her words."
"I do. It is rare for anyone to disagree with her logical arguments."
Lady Laura snorted. "I believe the Commander has disagreed with me on a great many occasions during our short acquaintance."
"Yes, true. Imagine how dull life would be if we did not quarrel," he murmured.
"I imagine it would be intolerably dull. And reconciling afterwards can be just as satisfying as claiming to be a victor in such disputes." She smiled at the Commander, suddenly in a world only with him as company. They conveniently forgot that their words of banter would still be heard by the other parties in the room.
"I think satisfying is an outstanding turn of phrase."
"As do I." She lowered her fork to the table. "I must say I am most satisfied after this delightful seafood feast and as such, I am now in a position to accompany you back to your quarters for the conference you spoke of, Commander." They both stood and she automatically took his arm he politely held out. "How long do you think these discussions will take?"
"There is much to discuss," he said in a husky voice that sent a shiver up her spine. "I think your attendants should not be alarmed if you have not returned for a number of hours."
"Hours?" she asked throatily.
"At least."
"I am not certain I should allow you to wander around the ship alone when there is a murderer in our midst," Kara interrupted.
Lady Laura blinked, suddenly remembering there were other occupants in the room. "I shall be safe when the Commander is accompanying me. Let us say midnight, Kara. If I have not returned by midnight, you are to sound the alarm. Do you think this shall be adequate time, Commander?"
"No," he murmured. "But it shall have to suffice this evening. Perhaps we should make our leave so that we do not waste a precious moment."
She nodded mutely and let him guide her from her room toward the serenity of his.