Chapter 12
The corridors of the Prometheus were damp, dark and full of miscreants. Bill did his best to blend in, his current condition, as grave as it was, didn't lend itself to the part. Some time between his collapse and an ill-fated ration pack, he found a way to stand and moved gingerly down the corridors. The woman who so nicely took him in last night was indeed familiar. Lee, Lee had talked about her albeit under shocked circumstances. You could have told me about the woman. Bill watched the shock materialize on his sons face that night with amusement, but the comment had lead to a nice father/son conversation. He learned a lot about Lee that night and his 'girl' Shevon, he should have figured it out the moment she helped him into her quarters the pervious evening, but his was too drunk and beat up to care. Bill continued his struggle down the corridor. His wounds were opening again and he was beginning to bleed. This had to end. He was tired and he needed a place to be alone where no one would bother with him. He wanted to be left alone. He noticed the area he was in was mostly deserted. That in itself was a small miracle, given the lack of space available in the fleet. He found an empty storage locker as he limped down the corridor. He stopped at the hatch and checked to see if anyone was around, upon finding no one, he forced the door open with painstaking effort and staggered inside.
---
Lee ushered Laura back down the corridor toward his father's quarters. "You're sure about this?"
"Commander." Laura's voice was deadly, low and had a clear essence of finality in it. Lee wrapped his arm about her waist and led her inside their destination. Laura stopped in the middle of the room and stared into deep pools of blue. "What are we doing here?"
Lee went over to his father's locker. "I needed to get some things for you. The Prometheus is not necessary a friendly environment Madame President. I'm not going to loose you on my watch.
Laura walked over to the couch and sank down putting her head in her hands. She was the President of the Twelve Colonies, after insurmountable odds, they were fighting for their lives, she was in a way responsible for them all—she could handle that—but this, this was shaking her to her core. She couldn't live without Bill in her life. She needed him back in one piece, unharmed and in her life. She could hear Lee rummaging through the locker. When she looked up, he was gone he returned moments later, dressed in standard marine black with a bulletproof vest.
He sat down next to her, if you're going to come, I need you to put this on under the BDU's in the head." Lee handed her a bulletproof vest of her own. Laura shook her head and stood up. She disappeared into the head and spoke a moment later. "Why?"
"I need to keep you safe?"
"No, Lee that's not what I meant why
Prometheus?"
"Lee walked closer to the head and stood outside the hatch. "I honestly don't know?"
Laura walked out of the head, properly dressed. "Do you care to inspect me Commander?" Laura smiled. If only Bill were here, what fun they could have with that comment. It didn't sound like something she should say to her surrogate son. "That didn't quiet come out the way I wanted.
Lee took her hand. "Don't worry, I understand." Lee checks the vest and tightened the straps. "Okay, looks like we're all set. Lee picked up his sidearm and fastened it in his leg holster, before leading the President toward the flight deck.
---
Shevon knew what she had to do and she knew the risk, but she was also aware that Lee would do anything to protect her. The fleet needed the old man as much as they need President Roslin and this way the only way to get him home.
She ran back to her room and pulled some her old 'tricks' She looked at herself in the mirror moments later satisfied with her choices. She picked a few items up off the dresser and made her way toward the bar. Using her talents, she was able to get enough sketchy information to led her in a direction that she was confident would led her to Lee's father. Adama was a broken man. Shevon did the best she could last night make him better, but there is only so much you can do for an injured man without causing him farther pain or injury. She nursed his open wounds and held him while he cried himself to sleep.
It appeared her less than reputable sources were corrected. The amount of people in this part of the ship was certain less than she was used to and it was the perfect place to hide. Shevon caught sight of an individual walking down the corridor. He appeared to be gasping for breath, holding his side and limping. She followed this man discreetly, because in her gut, she knew it was him. She followed him to a deserted part of the Prometheus and watched as he struggle with the compartment door and staggered inside. She wanted to follow him, but knew she had to contact Lee. She needed to get to the hanger quickly and hope that William Adama wouldn't do anything stupid in the interim.
----
When Laura and Lee arrived on the hanger deck the marines were already boarding the raptor along with the medical team, Cottle included. "Madame President?"
"Don't look so surprised, Jack."
Cottle finished his cigarette while watching Laura approach the Raptor. He shook his head at Lee. "I'm not surprised at you, young lady, just that junior over here," Jack pointed to Lee, " is allowing it."
Lee shot the doctor a look. "You try and talk some sense into her."
Cottle put up his cigarette and throw it in the trash bin. "With due respect Commander. I have and there's not a chance." They helped Laura onto the wing of the raptor and into her seat.
Lee walked up to the cockpit and sat next to Racetrack. "Preflight is complete. We're ready to roll sir. The second unit of marines will meet us on board."
"Scoop and run is ready?"
"Yes, Sir." Racetrack said as they were lifted onto the flight deck and cleared for takeoff.
----
The storage locker was perfect; Bill slid to the floor and opened his pack. The pain had given away to numbness and all he wanted to do was sleep, but he still had work to do, this had to stop. He emptied the bag. Rations, utility knife, rope, liquor, and medical supplies. He opened a gaze pack and blood stopper to apply to his side. The blood stopper lived up to its design but it was an experience to say the least. He never knew treating a wound could be that painfully. He took a needle of morpha out of the box and pulled off the cap. This would be so easy…. There was enough here to make the pain all go away…for good.
He wouldn't have to live with the fact that his best friend was a fraking toaster. He laid his head against the bulkhead and closed his eyes. Tigh was so close to him they had been through so much.
---
"I want to try something new this time." They didn't have much time before the next set of jumps. Bill took the opportunity to clean up, shave, and eat something quickly. Tigh joined him for the meal. "Divide the fleet into six groups. And then jump." Bill brought the razor back to his face and cut himself. "And then jump two more times, and on the fourth jump, we rendezvous at a common set of coordinates."
"Twenty-four jumps to plot. We're breaking our humps calculating one jump every thirty-three minutes." Tigh spoke as he ate his noodles.
"Get off my jacket."
Tigh moved so Bill could reach his jacket He continued to eat "Are you eating this?"
"Not anymore."
Adama was brought back to reality by a new wave of pain. This man claimed to be his friend. He fought beside against the cylons and yet he was no better then a skin job himself. Bill just wanted to scream.
The flashbacks kept coming and with each one the pain and anger increased. How could he let someone like this so close? He risked his life for a cylon a no good cylon.
" Twelve more cases of nervous exhaustion, that makes sixty-one. Have the doc start pumping them up with stimulants and getting them back on the line. Pilots too. One out of every three, every other cycle."
"That's going to come back and bite us in the ass."
: "Yeah, well, we have too much work and not enough people to do it."
"Fuel report."
"I already signed one of these."
"Yes, sir. Sorry, sir. Com traffic to you from the President"
" Is this my ten minutes, or this yours?"
"Yours. I took ten last time".
"Then I'll see you guys in combat."
"I believe it was your ten minutes."
"The old man's so tired that he can't remember, then it's his turn"
Adama struggled to sit up, this was Saul Tigh's job, he had been programmed to befriend Bill to get close the fleet and help tear it apart from this inside. It all made sense now, it all made sense. All they have been running from, Cylons that look human, suicide bombers, New Carprica it all made sense. Adama felt like he was about to be sick. He closed his eyes and willed the pain to go away to no avail. He saw Tigh face all the time memories of he and Tigh walking down causeway C and finding Doral walking the corridor.
" Security, X O Send an armed detail to meet me in the midpoint promenade deck causeway, "C" level. Approach from aft, repeat, approach from aft."
"Doral!"
Without a word, Doral turns and opens his jacket. Bill and Tigh see the bomb attached to his chest. Doral has a detonator in his hand. Adama moves to jump the man, but Tigh jumps over Adama first, barely getting him away from the blast as Doral immediately detonates himself and explodes in the passage way.
Adama entered sickbay this Tigh at his side and saw devastation all around him " What's the count?" Cottle flew by him to the next injured solider reporting to his commander at the same time
" Three dead, 13 injured."
Tigh stood next to Adama. "You get a good look at the bomber?" He asked.
"Yes."
" It was him, right?"
"Yes. I want to see the Master-at-Arms in my office, in 10 minutes."
----
This was all just too much to swallow it consumed him. He was alone and in a few minutes all the pain would go away.
----
"You want to tell the public that the cylons look human? There's a can of worms."
"Keeping silent hasn't helped us very much. Maybe shining a light on the situation will make things pop up."
"All right."
"Hey... I owe you one."
Owed him one. Not anymore at this point that toaster was lucky to be alive, that thanks enough. "ARRRRRRRRH," Adama let out a blood curdling, scream of pain and anger, before tearing through the bag to find the supplies he needed to make this all just come to any end. He had no gun but the knife would do. He as already injured a few statically placed cuts and it would be over before long. Should he leave a message? Would anyone truly miss him? He though for a moment about how he felt when Kara 'died' and quickly wrote a short not on the remains of the blood-stopper pack, it read simply, L&L I'm sorry I couldn't be the man you needed me to be. Bill.
----
They arrived on the Prometheus and met quickly with the ships Captain, after briefing the marines and setting up a search strategy the teams moved quickly. Laura, Lee, Cottle and his medical team were about to set off with their marines when Lee heard and all too familiar voice.
"Lee!" Shevon was running across the deck toward him the marines moving to block her path.
Shevon stopped frightened by the marines. "I know where he is."
"No, let her through." Lee moved closer. "I know where he is!"
Lee took a hold of her shoulders. "We have to hurry Lee we don't have much time. I'm afraid his is…" Shevon stopped in mid-sentence. She spotted Laura standing next to Lee.
Lee was able to regain her attention. "Shevon, can you take us to him?"
"Yes, hurry, it's this way. Hurry!!!"
" Marines, follow the lady." Lee ordered and they were off double quick with Lee and Laura following as well.
"Do you trust her Lee?"
"Yes, I do. I saw the fear in her eyes. Fear is very powerful Madame President, as you well know, she has no really reason lure us here other than to help us. "
---
Bill studied the knife for a short time before placing the shiny, jagged blade against his skin. He let the cold blade lay there for a moment. In an instant he was no long sitting on the floor in the storage compartment. He was standing in CIC looking in to Saul Tigh eyes. The knife was securely held in is hand and Saul was egging him on.
: "Do it. What are you waiting for?"
---
Lee, Laura, and the Marines moved as quickly as they could through the damp, dark, and crowded corridors of the ship. Shevon leading them in the direction of the Old Man. They finally reached a point where the people no longer milled in the passageways and the ship grew eerily quiet.
"Shevon" Lee ran up ahead to join her. "How much farther is it?"
"Not, far. I do have a question for you thought. Why did you bring her here? This isn't the safest place in the fleet and it we don't have your father. We need her."
Lee stopped her allowing the group to catch up but also so they could talk. "I know it's not the safest place, but I also know that they have a connection. It's a connection we may need to use in order to get him back. I wasn't about to argue with the president either."
"I just hope it's not too later Lee. I really think he's planning something stupid." The realization finally hit Lee. Shevon had been trying to tell him this since they had arrived. She didn't want to worry the President but she was afraid his father would commit suicide."
A cold numbing chill ran through his body. He grabbed her hand and took off at a run the Marines had barely caught up and they were off running again. "Come on."
---
The blade was still against his skin, although it was now warm. He studied it for a moment and then made his finally decision. Tigh was still in his head taunting him.
" Do it. What are you waiting for?"
" Do it. What are you waiting for?"
" Do it. What are you waiting for?"
" Do it. What are you waiting for?"
He ran the blade over his wrist allowing it to sink slightly into his wrist the silver sheen of the blade now show evidence of crimson and drops of blood were trickling to the deck like a leaky faucet.
" Do it. What are you waiting for?"
" Do it. What are you waiting for?"
"If they're coming for you, they're gonna be very disappointed."
" Do it. What are you waiting for?"
"Do it. What are you waiting for?"
He could hear echoes of people coming down the corridor. He was running out of time. He quickly moved the blade the other wrist and ran the already crimson stained blade into his wrist. He could feel the life drain out of him as he dropped the knife the deck. He could hear people in the distance coming closer. Bill's only wish this that it would be fast and they would let him go. He passed out and crumbled to the deck in a sea of his own blood
"If they're coming for you, they're gonna be very disappointed."
