Part XIV Reunion
It was a hard climb. Sharon had pointed them northwest after a detour south, past the trails, through a rocky ravine and up a steep wooded ridge. Hell, that's all the terrain is, woods and rocks. Doesn't this planet have a nice flat plain?
And it was raining, always raining.
The Chief wasn't tired, certainly not nearly as sore as the others in the group. Already he'd carried Roslin up a steep length of the ridge once. Now, he was atop another steep incline, still below the peak, holding a rope that stretched down the slope. The Chief was systematically pulling on the rope, bringing another Colonial to his position, then lowering the rope so another could latch on.
Sharon and Helo were above him, leading the group. The Cylon, whose restraints had now been removed, was nearly tireless, the climb not affecting her at all. Helo, given strength by the desire to protect the woman he loved, was somehow keeping up. Slowly but surely the Chief lifted the others up the ridge, first Starbuck, then Meier, then Zarek, now Roslin.
The President seemed weak when he pulled her up. She held onto her book of scripture like a lifeline. Her astonishment at his strength showed on her face. Had he not had his helmet on he would have smiled to reassure her. He give her a small pat on the shoulder, then cocked his head up the hill. "Keep going," he told her, "we're close to the top. Then it's a nice stroll down hill."
Roslin smiled weakly and resumed a wobbly hike up the ridge. Apollo was next. The Captain refused the Chief's helping hand, pushing it away. He continued climbing without looking at the SPARTAN.
Finally John pulled up the last of Zarek's men, a bald burly tough named Neil. The Chief turned and saw Roslin, kneeling in the mud and clearly exhausted. Apollo came up behind her, placed an arm along her back, and helped her up the ridge.
"Are you okay?" Adama shouted over the rain to Roslin.
"Yes," the President said, breathing hard, "I…uh…"
"We gotta get out of this ravine," the captain continued, "I don't want us to get caught in a flash flood."
The Chief came up behind them. "Here," he said to Laura, "let me carry you up again."
Apollo glared at the Chief, not wanting the SPARTAN to help. Even after what they'd been through on the planet it was clear the pilot still did not trust him. Roslin, bone weary, nodded at Adama, gesturing him to release her. The Chief knelt, and Roslin clambered up his back. The green giant resumed his climb, his cargo riding piggyback.
The three quickly caught up to Zarek and the others above.
"I'm going to contact the Astral Queen, see if they can pick us up until the weather clears," Zarek said.
"You're not in charge here Tom," Apollo cut in, his voice ringing with rebuke, "all com-traffic goes through me. Try to remember that."
Apollo hiked past, missing the glare on Zarek's face. The Chief noticed though.
"Looks like Zarek wants to be in charge," Cortana chimed.
"Yeah. Keep an eye on him and Meier with the sensors would you?" the Chief whispered in reply.
They reached the top perhaps 45 minutes later. The rain had finally ceased. Below them lay another heavily wooded valley, and across the valley lay another rocky ridgeline, this one taller than the first. This is getting irritating. Sharon and Helo were waiting for the rest of them, the Cylon still showing no signs of breaking a sweat.
"I think the Tomb is on that ridge in the distance," Sharon said pointing across the wooded valley.
The Chief placed a hand on the side of his helmet and activated his helmet zoom. Apollo brought a pair of binoculars to his eyes. Both looked across the valley, through the mist, towards the rocky hills in the distance.
"11 o'clock, 20 degrees elevation," Sharon continued, "there's a formation of twin rocks up ahead."
"Yeah, I got it," the Chief and Apollo said in unison. John could hear Helo stifling a chuckle.
"I think those are the gates of Hera," Sharon concluded.
"You think?" Starbuck asked.
"I'm putting together a lot of pieces from a lot of sources beyond your Scriptures. If I'm right, that's the spot where your gods stood and watched Athena throw herself down onto the rocks below, out of despair over the exodus of the 13 tribes."
"Messy way to go," the Chief said.
"Supposedly?" Zarek cut in.
"Yeah, don't get her started," Starbuck replied. "They believe in one true god, or something like that." Thrace had a mocking half smile on her face.
"We don't worship false idols," Sharon said.
Apollo turned, raising his eyebrows. "You were quick enough to come on this mission, lead is all to some tomb only mentioned in our…false… scriptures."
"We know more about your religion than you do," the Cylon replied, somewhat testy.
"You sure as hell don't know anything about mine," the Chief spoke up. He saw Roslin hide a smile.
Sharon ignored the quip. "Athena's tomb, whoever, whatever she really was, is probably up there. That part is true," she looked at Thrace as she finished.
Starbuck turned her head to look at Roslin. "Madam President, we won't make it up there before nightfall."
"Let's go, see how far we get," the President replied. She turned, taking the lead down a small incline leaking away from the cliff they were standing upon.
"Gonna be a wet camp," the Chief groused.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
The camp was indeed wet, the rain still unceasing. They were out of the ravine, so there was no chance of being flooded out, but they still had at least another half day of travel to reach the Tomb, down one ridge and up another. Neil was walking the perimeter, having volunteered for first watch. The rest of the party had bedded down in pairs, Helo and Sharon, Apollo and Starbuck, Meier and Zarek.
Except Roslin. She was alone under a small tent, seemingly intent on studying scripture. But the Chief knew the look upon the President's face. She was reading without really reading, the words meeting a wall and bouncing off a vivid image, still in the woman's mind, of Elosha's dead body.
She needed to talk. Or be talked to. The Chief crouched near her shelter half.
"Want some company?" he spoke.
Roslin started, having been so lost in thought she didn't even notice him approach. "I… suppose."
John sat down heavily. "When's the last time you ate?"
"I'm…not hungry. I need to study these passages…"
"You haven't eaten all day have you?"
Roslin looked up from the book, a flash of anger passing over her eyes, but remained silent.
"No wonder you were so weak. Here," John pulled a ration from the satchel at his hip and handed it to the woman. "It's meatloaf and mac and cheese."
"What?" asked Roslin, gingerly fingering an edge of the ration pack.
"Macaroni and cheese. Small bent noodles in cheddar cheese."
"Cheddar cheese?"
"That's what they tell us. Rumor has it though that it's really some kind of experimental glue gone bad."
There was a small smile on the woman's face but the eyes were still filled with sorrow. Roslin was still hesitant, looking back and forth between the ration and her book.
"Let me guess, you don't like eating alone? Fine, I'll join you." He took off his helmet and removed another ration from the satchel, quickly tearing it open. Roslin, after a moment, did the same.
They ate in silence at first, Roslin tentatively nibbling on the meatloaf. The Chief was busy chowing down on his own meal. Roslin had taken perhaps a few bites when the Chief had finished half his meal.
"Hate to see good food go to waste," the SPARTAN said.
"I told you, I'm not hungry," the President replied.
There was a long pause as neither spoke. "President Roslin," the Chief said, pausing once more before continuing, "what did you say when Elosha was killed? Something about a price of blood?"
He saw the tears well up in the woman's eyes, and instantly regretted asking the question.
"It's…from the Scriptures. When we left Kobol, Zeus told us that…any…return to Kobol would…exact a price in blood." Roslin fought to keep her voice level.
The Chief didn't reply for a good minute, thinking. "You didn't realize you could lose anyone close to you," he spoke at last.
"Of course I knew it could happen…" Roslin started angrily.
"Passing thoughts and mentally preparing yourself are 2 separate things."
Tears fell down the woman's face and she looked away.
"You weren't the elected President were you? Someone in the administration?"
"Ye…Yes. I was the Secretary of Education. 43rd in line of succession."
Damn. She's come this far in a few months, tough lady. But…this is probably the first time one of her decisions has resulted in the death of someone she knew well.
"You think this is the first time I've given an order causing the death of people under my care?" the woman continued, strength returning to her voice as she looked back at the Chief. "It's not. When we first fled the Colonies, I ordered Starbuck and Apollo to destroy a civilian transport. The Cylons were using it to track our fleet across space. There were 1500 souls aboard."
"Sounds like you've accepted that you did what you had to do."
"As much as anyone can. But…Elosha…" the President's voice broke slightly as she said her dead friend's name and she gazed at the ground.
"But today was the first day you lost someone close to you under your command." The Chief sat back against the log and sighed, staring at the ground but really seeing memories in his mind's eye. "Aw hell, no one's prepared for it the first time." Roslin glanced at him sidelong as he continued. "Our first mission against the Covenant, we lost one man, Samuel-034. He was my best friend."
Now Roslin looked directly at him, the tears absent from her eyes. John went on. "We had boarded an enemy ship when Sam was hit by a plasma blast. It punched a hole in his armor. We planted some explosives to blow the craft, but our only way out was to jettison back into space. Sam couldn't escape that way, so I ordered him to stay behind and protect the explosives until they blew."
Roslin gasped slightly at the matter-of-fact recitation, then said "But you could have seized an enemy shuttle…"
"We knew nothing about Covenant technology then, Madame President. There was no way we could have piloted a ship. And Sam would have died from explosive decompression when we left. Better for him to go down fighting." He paused, neither saying anything for a few minutes. "For a time, I kept thinking there was something else I should have done. Gone down another corridor. Shot the creature that attacked Sam. Something. Anything."
"What happened?"
"I realized Sam was the first friend I was going to lose, not the last."
Roslin's eyes narrowed slightly and her mouth opened in shock as the Chief continued. "When you fight a war, you lose people. Friends. Sometimes guys you met 10 minutes ago. Sometimes guys whose names you never know. Thing is, what happened to Sam wasn't my fault, wasn't his fault either. It's war. People die. The only choice you have really is either curl up in a ball and give in, or keep going, make their deaths meaningful and make the right calls for the people you have left."
Roslin's head was bowed again. "I don't know if I can…after today…if I make the wrong choice, get Lee, or Lt. Thrace, someone else killed. How many? How many more…"
"You've gotten your people to the start of the road home…"
"I split the fleet. I took us away from the one ship that could keep us safe."
"You thought you were making the right call. You believe that the only way your people will ever be safe is if you find Earth. And you're right. You are right. This is the one way to guarantee that your people will finally, at some point, stop running."
"But…Elosha…"
"Laura," the Chief said, gripped the President's wrist, "what happened to her was not your fault. Hell, if anybody should be blaming themselves, it's me and Apollo. We made the decision to move along the trail because you and Elosha were having a tough time hiking."
The President looked up at him. He could see the eyes clearing, her expression hardening as she began to steel herself, to lock away the grief until a time where she could mourn safely. I was right, she's one tough woman.
"It's…not your fault, or Apollo's either."
"It's no one's. That's just the way it is. And there's no making sense of it."
They both paused again. Roslin shoved a forkful of macaroni into her mouth. "This…cheddar cheese…is worse than glue." She smiled slightly.
"Don't say I didn't warn you," John returned, smiling slightly as well. He sat back against a nearby log and closed his eyes. "Well Madame President, it's my watch in a couple of hours, so I'd like to get some sleep. Wake me if you need me."
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
He awoke to the sound of birds fluttering. A flock, moving rapidly.
Startled.
Quickly he sat up, grabbing the helmet laying by his side. The rest of the camp also came awake, alerted to the nearby movement.
"Hope you had a nice nap," Cortana chimed sarcastically, "3 contacts east, approaching rapidly."
Apollo hissed at Starbuck, waking the other pilot. The Chief held up his hand, signaling to the Captain that he had 3 blips and the direction they were coming. John readied his MA5C and quickly moved to stand in front of the President, who had been speaking with Apollo in a nearby shelter before the SPARTAN awoke.
Both Starbuck and Helo took flanking positions on either side, preparing to fire when Apollo made a move around the tarp wall. The Chief gestured again that the targets were 10 meters away. The pilot took a breath, then spun around the tarp flap. The other Colonials followed suit.
What they saw made them all pause, wide-eyed in shock. "Estimate 84 percent probability the contacts are not Cylons," Cortana spoke, even as the Chief thought likewise.
"Put down your weapon, Captain," a voice beyond the tarp said. It was male, gruff and deep.
Lee slowly complied. The Chief heard the rustle of leaves as the male figure approached, then saw a burly man, easily in his late 50's, cross the front of the tarp and hug the Captain. The man closed his eyes in joy, and Apollo returned the hug.
"Let me guess," the Chief said to Roslin, noticing the resemblance between the two men, "that's Commander Adama."
The woman said nothing but nodded her head, moving to stand within view of the Commander. She seemed pleased, but also hesitant. The Chief walked backward, coming to stand beside Kara, giving the new arrivals time to say hi, but also unsure how this reunion would go.
"Commander," the woman spoke, nodding her head. It was a formal, respectful, and wary greeting.
Adama smiled slightly and with genuine feeling said "It's good to see you." Roslin smiled in return.
"Madame President?" another male voice, this one very young, spoke. The words came from a tall, thin young man with curly brown hair.
"Billy?" Roslin said softly, half in disbelief, half in wonder. "Billy, you have no idea what it means to me to have you here." The woman was clearly overjoyed.
"It's good to see you too."
Adama turned from embracing his son and saw Thrace first. He approached her, placing a hand behind her head and giving a heartwarming smile. The Chief couldn't see Starbuck's reaction.
Adama noticed him next. As did Billy, as did the third man in the Commander's party. All of their eyes widened in shock.
"Master Chief Petty Officer John-117, United Nations Space Command," the Chief said, extending his hand toward the Commander. "A friend. Your pilots will vouch for me."
Thrace nodded her head at Adama, smiling. Hesitantly, the man took the proffered hand and shook it once. "United Nations Space Command?" he asked.
"Long story," the Chief replied, "but I'll be glad to tell it to you."
Then the unidentified member of Adama's party brought his weapon up. At first, the Chief thought he was going to point the rifle at the SPARTAN, instead, the weapon was aimed above John's head, at something behind him. "Commander!" the man yelled. He held his fire but was clearly alarmed.
Adama looked to his right, over the Chief's massive shoulder. The sight filled the man with rage, which seemed to be building in a slow boil until it would overflow. The Chief turned, and saw Sharon, standing in plain sight.
Adama took a step toward the Cylon. "She's with us, Commander," Helo said. Another step. Another. Sharon did not back up as he advanced, but the spark of fear in her eyes betrayed her anxiety at this meeting.
Adama cocked his head to the side, looking over the image of the woman who barely a week ago had nearly killed him. Then, faster then the Chief could believe, the Commander grabbed Sharon by the throat and hurled her to the ground. Roslin shouted "no!" repeatedly, and Lee forced Zarek off at gunpoint when Tom tried to pry the Commander's death grip from Sharon's throat.
Adama leaned in, face to face with the Cylon. "I want you to die." The man growled.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
A note to the readers: my apologies to all of you for getting this section up later than usual. I usually do most of my writing on the weekends, and last weekend I was away visiting family. Look for more next weekend. And just as a little teaser, the next chapter's title is Cortana Revealed.