Bill Adama carefully patted his uniform. His dress grays had been getting a work out the last few days. He walked briskly through the hallway, relishing the chance to be alone. The Enterprise was sending a diplomat to tour and he wanted to scout out where the trouble spots were. He suspected that an ambassador would be much less interested in the ship's crew and more interested in the civilians living in the starboard flight pod. He had broached both Riker and Worf about the Betazed Amabassador, who they had both met, but neither had been particularly forthcoming. A wonderful woman, they both insisted, but their expressions suggested otherwise. Fun but difficult, Riker had added, and a small warning that Ambassador Troi liked to be outrageous.
She was apparently a telepath as well. All Betazeds were, and Cmdr. Troi was her half human daughter. It amused Bill that the morning civilian newscast on the wireless hadn't picked up on that, even though there was still a lot of public debate on human hybrids. He was sending Lt. Agathon and her child to the Enterprise later that day to satisfy the Federation's curiosity without getting anyone killed. Sharon had proven herself loyal, and he was certain that the Starfleet doctors wouldn't do anything invasive, particularly since he had insisted on the point. It was a matter of time before they insisted on examining the Six in the brig and he wanted Sharon to give them a better idea of the dangers involved before he allowed it. They weren't as soft as he had thought, but the last thing he needed was for one of them to get killed in the brig. Or worse, to fall in love with Six. That was the very last thing they needed.
He stopped suddenly. I must be getting old, he thought with a smile. He had walked all the way down into the engineering deck, too lost in thought to realize where he was going, and he was in the engine computer core. He was certain that the ambassador was not going to want to see rows of computer banks that all connected into different functions of the ship. He had no intention of hauling a diplomat down there, even the crew didn't spend time in the core. At the same time, he knew what had led him down there. If the CIC was the brain of the Galactica, then he was standing in the heart, the core of the ship itself. He put his hands on the nearest console and felt the ship hum under his fingertips. A good ship, he thought suddenly. The fleet might have built bigger ships, better ships, but none of them had survived. Only the Galactica had lasted long enough to bring them to safety, and if he was worried about the FTL drive, it wasn't a crisis worry. The people were safe, and the old ship that he had started his life in the fleet with was the reason they were alive.
"Thank you," he said softly as he pressed his hands onto the metal console. " Thank you for keeping us safe. You brought us to safety. I know those new ships are fancier, and have all sorts of bells and whistles, but you're a good ship. You've done the job for longer and with less help. You're the best ship here and I will never forget how you kept us safe."
It was true, which made it easier to say. " You did good." Everyone deserved to hear that occasionally, and the Galactica deserved it more than most.
/&&&/
It was exciting and for a change Laura Roslin let herself simply be excited. The worst was past. She wasn't completely without worry, but she didn't let her concerns ruin the mood. They had found Earth, and the Federation seemed more than able to protect them. She was certain that the people were going to vote yes on joining and then it was just a matter of choosing a new planet and that debate was already raging.
If she had never once considering that going into politics would lead her to a historic first diplomatic meeting with an alien ambassador, well she had never really planned to be president of the colonies either. Everything happens for a reason, both Elosha and Billy had liked to say that. She was certain that none of the adult colonials would ever lose that feeling that something bad was lurking around the corner, but she was beginning to think she could at least ignore it at times.
It helped that the amassed crowd on the Galactica's deck seemed to be trying to do the same thing. There was a sort of jubilant hush over the people. The quiet didn't surprise her, nor did the smiling but tired and wan faces. She had been lucky. Jack Cottle had dispensed some sort of hangover medicine to the command staff, and it had relieved the ambrosia induced headache she had awakened with. Clearly either there hadn't been much of the medicine to go around, or else Cottle hadn't broadcasted the remedy. The crew looked happy and excited and very hung over. The party had started as soon as the Cylon basestars had been destroyed and she was certain that it was still going on in various places around the ship. She had at one point been tossing back drinks with Tom Zarek, and Jack Cottle and she was pretty certain that the only reason she hadn't embarrassed herself was because Bill had gently pulled her aside to sleep it off. She was fairly certain that most of the crew hadn't been so lucky. Even the Starfleet exchange officers looked a little ragged around the edges. But then, that didn't surprise her. Most of them weren't used to drinking real alcohol, according to Cmdr. Riker.
He looked just a little tired as he took up a position beside her. " Everyone looks surprisingly refreshed considering the party last night. Or has the party just gotten moved to where we can't see it?"
" I doubt it will stop for a while," Laura said. " Knowing that… that the Federation has the weaponry to defend us, that was probably the last real fear people were hanging on to." She still had some worries, the greatest being that the Federation wouldn't take the threat of infiltration all that seriously, but knowing that the Cylons couldn't just fly in and destroy the new world… It was a relief.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Bill and Tigh making their way to the front of the crowd. No doubt the ambassador was on her way. " So what can you tell me about Ambassador Troi?"
Riker grinned. " How shall I put this? You should be glad that you're not a man. I am very curious to see who the Ambassador decides to set her sights on." He chuckled at her expression. " The Ambassador is known for being very…. Flamboyant. I wouldn't be surprised if she decides to teach everyone how to dance the traditional Betazed mating dance. Or she might ask to hear your traditional music. She can be very… abrasive with her telepathic abilities. I'm sure that she'll make comments that you may find rude. Just remember… She is just testing you."
"You speak from experience," Laura noted.
" I've met the Ambassador several times." Riker's eyes lit up with amusement. " Each time is different." He nodded to the admiral as Bill came up beside her. " Admiral Adama, I was just letting President Roslin know how Ambassador Troi can be a little difficult at first."
Much to her surprise, Bill shrugged nonchalantly. " She asked to see the ship. I assume you or Captain Picard have informed the Ambassador what conditions are like here, so she must know what she's getting into. Besides, this won't be the only delegation from the Federation. Everyone will get used to it." He managed to make it sound simple. Simple and routine, like Bill Adama had been hosting alien ambassadors on the Galactica for years. She struggled not to smile.
The various members of the command staff quickly took their places as the runabout from the Tom Dooley slowly came to rest on the deck. Laura resisted the urge to brush herself off. She almost wished for a uniform. Adama, Tigh, Thrace, and the rest looked worn but still sharp, while she, with her three outfits she had brought with her, was starting to look more shabby than presidential. She had no intention of complaining, because there were people in the fleet with nothing but the rags they were standing in. The Enterprise was providing so much already, and doing it with a method that they considered old fashioned. Captain Picard had suggested that they not use the matter transporters until the general population had seen it demonstrated. She had agreed, because she could see the potential for panic and there were already enough problems in that regard. She wasn't so sure it was a good idea to have Capt. Sophia Gaeta touring the ship, not with the religious questions her ancestry raised, but it was difficult to say no when Bill was still pushing to get Felix Gaeta back on board to fix what he had done. Since she was positive Gaeta had to be the one to fix the engine, they had to show that a member of his family could be on the Galactica and not be killed.
She glanced at Kara Thrace. The young woman looked angry. Hopefully people would get past the anger. Most of them already had already moved past it but she knew Kara hadn't, and neither had some of the more religious types. The Scroll of Apollo had some nasty suggestions in it, about testing those who claimed to be Apollo's chosen and Laura had no intention of letting anyone try something. But, it was a problem for later.
The runabout door opened and immediately, brightly dressed young people leapt out and began dancing about, shaking bells, throwing flowers and dancing with ribbons. After a moment of frenetic dancing, as if signaled, the dancers lined up by the runabout and made a sort of playful archway, of ribbons and thrown flower petals. An older woman emerged, attractive and exotically dressed in robes of deep blue and red. She was festooned with jewelry and scarves made from some sort of filmy, sparkling material. She stepped forward, her bearing regal and raised her hands. " I am Ambassador Lwaxana Troi, Daughter of the Fifth House of Betazed, Holder of the Sacred Chalice of Rixx, and Heir to the Holy Rings of Betazed." The woman made a flourish and bowed. Flower petals rained down upon her from the troop of dancers.
Too hard to top, especially in a shabby pants suit, Laura decided. Besides it was Bill's ship, and his duty to welcome the guest and make introductions. He stepped forward, looking very stern, with his back as straight as a ramrod. " Welcome to the Battlestar Galactica. I am Admiral William Adama. We are honored to have you visit. May I introduce the President of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol, Laura Roslin?" He gestured and Laura stepped forward.
Troi looked at him. " Between you and I," she said loudly, " I think that hour that you spent practicing that in the mirror was well spent. And you," she looked at Laura. Her expression filled with amusement. She gently pushed them together. " You two should really stop the denial. Trust me, everyone," and she gestured to include the assembled crew, " already thinks that you two are an item. Now… I can tell just by all the happy thoughts that there's a party going on. So who is going to escort me to the party? Not you," she said to Bill, " You're already spoken for. And not you, Cmdr. Riker, even though you want to."
Laura noted with some amusement that Cmdr. Riker looked as embarrassed as Bill Adama did. Troi ignored them both though as she moved down the receiving line and stopped at Saul Tigh. It was like watching a butcher size up a side of beef. Ambassador Troi grabbed the man by the arm. " It will be you, I think, to escort me. Now, let's go to this… Joe's Bar."
" But…" Laura bit her tongue to stop from laughing as Tigh sputtered in protest. " I have duty… Madam Ambassador."
" But we don't want to be discourteous," Laura said suddenly. " I'm sure Admiral Adama doesn't mind, right Admiral?" It would do Tigh some good and if the woman wanted to hang around in the bar, it certainly made things easier.
" There, that's settled," Troi said easily, " Now why don't you take me to this party, and tell me how such a rakishly handsome man came to be escorting the Ambassador?" She pulled Tigh along and the small army of dancers followed, clutching a variety of packages. If she had the Ambassador's measure, the party was about to get even bigger.
"Well," Bill said after a moment, " Why do I feel like I just dodged a bullet?" He looked at Riker.
" More than a bullet," Riker said knowingly. " Trust me on that. I'm not surprised at her choice though." He grinned and touched his head. " She has a fondness for Captain Picard as well."
It took everyone a moment to recover. Laura found her voice first. " So… I suppose we should check on her later."
"I sense that she'll let us know if she needs anything," Bill said. Laura bit her tongue again. It was obvious that Bill Adama found the whole business hilarious. He smiled slightly at Riker. " I assume the Vulcan ambassador won't be so easy to please? I only have so many senior officers to hand out."
Riker grinned and then gestured back to the runabout where more Starfleet officers were getting out. Laura did let herself smile as the tall, quite lovely Starfleet captain joined them. There was no need to guess who Captain Sophia Gaeta was, because the woman was a taller, more pretty version of Felix Gaeta. Poor kid, she thought suddenly, Gaeta was hardly a short man but his sister was as tall as Karl Agathon. There was no mistaking parentage either. Sophia looked a little bit older but otherwise the two of them could have been twins.
" I'm sorry," she said pleasantly, " I left my dancing troop and flower bearers behind. I didn't want to turn it into a competition. I brought some of my medical officers instead." She held out her hand to Bill. " You must be Admiral Adama. Felix has said so many good things about you. On behalf of my family, I thank you for bringing him home to us. I look forward to seeing your ship and meeting your crew." She gestured to her assembled crew, about twelve total, who all held bundles of supplies. " Madame President, my ship, the Tom Dooley, is ready and willing to assist. We're more equipped to deal with refugee issues than the Enterprise and I imagine there's any number of things we can help you with. We've got industrial replicators ready."
" Thank you," Laura said after a moment. She even had the same mannerisms as her brother, stern and stiff on the surface, but genuine warmth and humor underneath. Possibly more personable than Felix, Laura thought as she watched the woman work the receiving line, making pleasant comments and seeming very much like the other Starfleet officers they had met, and not at all like a child of the gods. That would help, Laura thought. That Felix Gaeta had always seemed 'normal' could be explained by the idea that he was concealing himself, but with his sister there, seeming equally normal… it might calm down the more religious sorts.
Still, it made her nervous to see Kara Thrace shake the woman's hand. Not so much that Kara looked remarkably hostile, although anyone who knew the Viper pilot could see that she was glaring daggers at Captain Gaeta. What made Roslin nervous was that Sophia Gaeta was glaring right back.
That could be a problem.