Authors note: If you read it please review it..cause what's the point really?
Chapter 10: Without a Glance
"Quiet before the storm Admiral?" Kat asked, Adama grunted in response, looking at the readings of the Galactica for the hundredth time. It had taken just over 3 hours to get all 3 ships out of Lynx's orbit. They were now currently hovering just above the planet.
"Helo," Adama walked over to the main table, "signal the ships for jump prep."
"Aye sir," Helo went over to Mr. Hoshi and began relaying orders.
"You sure about this?" Kat whispered, as she took her position at Adama's side. Adama turned to her eyed her and turned back to the screens, "Right, stupid question; Helo does your wife have the new ship keys?"
"Yes she does Commander; she is being flanked by 5 RSA's, to make sure nothing compromises her mission."
"Good."
"Forgot to check on something?" Adama asked not taking his eyes away from the screens.
"Maybe," Kat answered staring at the screens, "it's been five days without sleep, we're bound to frak up sometime."
It had taken them just over two hours to muster out a plan, to take out Colonial One, and therefore effectively taking out the President in the process. Tory had left before three P.M to talk to the parents about shutting down the school for the week. Surprisingly none of the parents thought it was a bad idea, considering what had happened in the marketplace yesterday. While she left to do that, Saul, Anders and Laura drew out the plans. Laura no longer cared that she was willing to destroy her old home, as long as it took out Baltar and a couple of cylons, she would be satisfied.
"Chief is trying to recruit some bombers to bomb the graduation ceremony of those fraking toaster loving police officers in a couple of days," Saul said, flipping through a stack of paper in front of him, trying to find the invitation to the ceremony.
"Good," Laura stated, as she was writing down some notes.
"You do realize Laura who ever carry's out the bombings of both Colonial One and the ceremony, will not be coming back-"
"I don't care Saul," there was that coldness in Laura's voice again, "just get it done."
"I'll contact our informant about getting some blue prints of Colonial One," Anders rose from his chair, "and I'll go find Chief, tell him we're going to need more crazy sons of bitches for the job."
Laura closed her journal, and took off her glasses rubbing her eyes. Once Ander's left, Saul and Laura were alone.
"Laura...are you-"
"I'll be fine Saul," she set her gaze on the closed journal, "I think I'm going to go home and get some sleep"
"You sure it's only five o'clock, you can stay for supper if you would like?"
"No that's alright Saul, I need the rest...I need time..." with that Laura got up from her seat grabbed her journal, turned and left without saying another word.
All Saul could do was watch her leave once again.
Laura lay curled on her side in the small cot, she kept Bill's sweater tightly around her keeping the cold brisk air away, which her tent let in. Laura had one hand tightly wrapped around her stomach; the other grasped the picture of Bill and her.
'He's gone,' it was a mantra in her head that never seemed to stop, 'he's gone, he's not coming back, he's dead, he's gone...' Laura closed her eyes tightly wishing the pain in her heart to go away, it never did the more she looked at the picture of them holding each other, the more tears fell.
'I'll come back,' he said, 'Well build that cabin,' he cooed, 'I'll marry you one day,' he whispered holding her closure nibbling at her jaw line and back up her ear, 'What makes you think I'll let you?' she had said teasingly; Laura shook her head trying desperately to get away from those memories of that morning... of that night. Laura dropped the picture and sobbed turning over, knowing it was too late the images and memories came back like a pent up storm on a hot Leoian night.
~Flashback~
Bill Adama did something unusual that morning, or rather something unusual for an Admiral; he piloted his own Raptor and brought it down to New Caprica, where an anxious Laura Roslin waited; Saul Tigh his friend of thirty odd years sitting in the co-pilot's seat.
"Why does Baltar want to see us?" asked Tigh.
"Who the frak knows," Adama stated while pushing hard on the throttle so the nose of the raptor went bee line down to the planet, "maybe to hold his hand getting off of Colonial One?" they looked at each other and laughed.
"Don't you think you're going a little fast?"
"Nope," Adama pressed a few buttons and pushed the stick further forward; with the sudden lurch of the Raptor they were both pushed far into their seats, hurtling faster towards the planet.
It was only eight A.M, Laura sat by her small mirror trying to figure out what to wear, she had at least forty five minutes with the Admiral before she had to teach at 9. She secretly thanked the Gods for having the authority to make today a half day and tomorrow no school. 'The more time I can spend with Bill the better,' Laura thought, she smiled to herself today was surely going to be an interesting day, today would be the ground breaking ceremony put on by Gaius fraking Baltar. Granted she never liked the planet to begin with, and thought it was a horrible idea to stay, she did however love the fact that she now got to teach and more importantly got to live, without a care of what the repercussions were, 'I have a life,' she smiled even more and picked her new red dress from the large chest, she threw it on and quickly checked herself in the mirror for the hundredth time and went out of the tent.
"We're coming in too hot" Saul exclaimed, looking at the old man, "we're going to burn up!"
"No we're not," Adama calmly said.
The Raptor moaned at the speed it was going as they hit the atmosphere with such force, Saul was sure they were going to die, but the Admiral still pressed the stick forward.
"You're nuts, Bill for the love of any Gods you believe in please-"Saul stopped short when he saw a massive rock dead in front of them "BILL!" Adama dropped one wing of the raptor and made a sharp left away from the path of the mountain.
"You shitting your pants yet Tigh?" a hint of laughter came from Adama. Saul on the other hand was not impressed but before he could say anything to his superior and friend Adama was dodging mountain after mountain at an incredible speed.
"Ellen, it's good to see you!" Laura exclaimed.
Ellen Tigh was not her favourite person in the entire galaxy, but having no friends of her own and really no one to talk too besides Tory, Ellen was turning out to be the next best thing; she get all the latest gossip's and who's who from her; it made Laura feel like a person again.
It was through Ellen she started meeting other people around New Caprica. For awhile no one would talk to Laura until she found out through Ellen that a lot of people were scared of her, 'something to do with still having the authority of throwing people out of air locks,' Laura thought grinning. When people realized she was the new teacher, they were timid at first for bring their children to the former President, but the children would come running home to their tents with smiles on their faces, exclaiming that, 'Miss. Roslin was the best teacher ever'. That was more than enough for any parent; to see their children's smiling faces for the first time in years having fun in school, how could any parent deny that.
"Morning Laura, come to see Bill?" Ellen asked.
Laura stalled for a second, unsure really what to say.
"Oh Laura, it's not like it's new news, lots of people know you like him, heck Saul and I have known for awhile ever since the last time you saw him, you were both devastated to leave each other, to go your separate ways, you would be asking me if I heard from Saul and if Bill was doing ok almost every day for months!"
Laura's face grew bright red, as red as her dress, she tried to hide it but Ellen grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her towards her, "Honey, there's really nothing to hide, just try and enjoy yourself you need a man in your life, it's either that or I start putting men at your tent door again."
Laura laughed and nodded, "Thank you Ellen."
"Now where are those men- AH!" Both ladies screamed and crouched to the ground, from the sound of the Raptor that had gone supersonic and thus creating a massive boom that was heard throughout tent city. The Raptor went over their heads at an incredible speed as it barrel rolled through the sky and then turned sharply back to the landing area where Ellen, Laura and various marines waited.
"Gods damn it Bill Adama, scaring the shit out of me!" Ellen cried clearly not amused.
Laura looked at Ellen standing back wrapping her red shall around her, "how did you know its Adama flying?"
"Cause there's only one man I know that can fly as fast and as crazy as that and that's William 'Husker' Adama."
Laura was going to ask about the name 'Husker' but thought it better to wait and just ask the man himself.
"You ok?"
"Does it look like I'm ok?"
"It looks like you just shitted yourself."
Both men looked at each other and laughed. Adama flew over Tent City with such grace and speed, anyone outside would have stopped and stared at the Raptor flying over head. Adama spotted the landing zone and quickly pressed some buttons and slowed the Raptor down. Adama had only been to the city once to drop off Tory and Laura on New Caprica, he never once stayed longer than a few hours, let alone a day; a day he would very much enjoy.
"Well look at that," Adama said cheerfully landing the Raptor, "you lived!"
Saul had that look on his face, the look of 'I'm going to punch you in the face, but I can't because you're the Admiral so I'm going to look pissed' look. Adama once again laughed unbuckled himself from the pilot seat and headed to the Raptor door.
The Raptor door opened slowly, Bill spotted Ellen and Laura they both stood waiting just outside the landing area, Bill wanted nothing more than to run to her in that moment, instead he turned around quickly and looked at his friend who slowly got out of the co-pilot seat, by the time he turned around he was instead greeted by Gaeta.
"Mr. Gaeta," The Admiral said, Adama was trying desperately to get the annoyance out of his voice, after all the young man was blocking his view of Laura.
"Admiral, it's good to see you."
"I take it you're not here to say the meeting has been cancelled?" Saul asked stepping out of the Raptor.
"I'm afraid not Colonel Tigh, the president wishes to speak to you as soon as you landed."
Saul mumbled under his breath and turned to Bill who just stepped out of the Raptor.
"Mr. Gaeta surely we can have a moment to reunite with our friends and family that have waited for us this morning?"
"I'm sorry Admiral, it's out of the question, these security officers will escort you to the president," Gaeta paused and under a whisper added, "I wish I could Admiral, I even pleaded with him but he was adamant about seeing you."
Adama sighed, looked to Tigh telling him they had no choice with a single glance, and then back to Gaeta, "lead the way."
Gaeta signalled the security officers and began to escort the Admiral and XO away from the Raptor.
Adama didn't once look at Roslin.
"What's going on?"Ellen asked Laura, she herself had no idea, but out of nowhere were a squad of Baltars detail escorting Adama and Tigh.
Roslin watched Bill's happy demeanour change to concrete Admiral in a matter of seconds, whatever Gaeta had said, he was not happy about, nor was Saul, even from where she was standing she knew something was wrong. She watched them both leave, Laura tried desperately to get Adama to glance at her even for a second, just to see if he acknowledged she was even there... he never did. Instead he and Saul just walked past them without a glance.