Any Crash You Can Walk Away From
By Adalanta
Disclaimer: see Part One for all disclaimers.
Author's Note: Thank you very much to everyone who reviewed! I hope you like this part as well as the first. Please, let me know what you think. Thanks!
Part Two
Ten minutes had passed and Kara Thrace was already regretting her decision to take Lee Adama to Life Station.
Battlestar class ships were built to be self-sustaining cities in space and were, by necessity, huge. The Galactica was no exception. Because of its tremendous size, it was extremely easy for one to become lost in its endless twisting and turning corridors. Each corridor was nearly identical to the next…unless you knew the ship intimately.
Which Kara did.
Having spent the last two years on board, she knew the little intricate details that separated one corridor from the next. After becoming lost on her first day aboard, and finding herself in the awkward position of having to ask a passing crewman for help, she'd made a point to know exactly where she was at all times. She'd spent most of her free time that first month exploring the ship, and her morning jogs had helped in that regard as well as allow her the exercise she craved. She hadn't gotten lost since.
What surprised her was that Captain Lee "Apollo" Adama already seemed to know how to get to Life Station – and he'd been on board for less than twenty-four hours.
How does he know where he's going? she wondered, a puzzled frown flickering across her face. It must be an Adama trait, she finally decided. I'll have to ask the Commander about it sometime. She glanced at the man by her side, feeling his step falter, and tightened her grip a bit more when he stumbled, nearly going into a wall.
The easiest route from the landing bay in the outermost part of the Galactica to Life Station tucked safely in the center of the ship involved a series of lifts and the navigation of numerous corridors. It usually took about fifteen minutes to get from one point to the other.
Usually. That is, when the ship hasn't just survived a massive Cylon assault. Now, many of the corridors were blocked with debris – mostly wires and metal fragments – and with repair crews working quickly to get the damage cleared away. So far Kara had found only one functioning lift. Walking up to another one, she punched the button, only to have it spark, giving her a shocking jolt. She cursed loud and long at the offensive machine, rearing back to give it a good kick.
"Kara, don't." Lee's tired words stopped her quicker than any harsh reprimand ever did. "Kicking it won't make it work, you know."
"No, but it would make me feel better," she growled rebelliously as they turned back around and headed down a different hallway. "Those things always break down at the worst time, have you noticed that?"
His reply was quiet and subdued. "Yeah. I've noticed."
A few minutes later, they'd managed to make their way to the nearest stairwell only to find it completely blocked by several metal deck plates. "Oh, come on!" she griped loudly, giving it a vicious kick and then swearing as pain surged up her leg. Despite the sharp pain, she didn't miss Lee's wince at her raised voice nor the fact that he had propped himself up against the corridor wall when she'd released his arm. Rolling her eyes in frustration, she and Lee once again continued their trek towards Life Station.
Lee had seemed alright when they had left the landing bay. A little unsteady to be sure, but that was to be expected after their violent crash landing. But as the minutes ticked by, she noticed that his face was losing more of its color and that his steps were slowing and no longer straight. Twice they'd been forced to stop to let him rest against the nearest wall. She was certain now that he was suffering from a concussion but she wasn't sure of its severity.
Her friend's abrupt stop jerked her out of her thoughts. Glancing to the side, she saw him blanch, his eyes clenching tight as he visibly wavered on his feet. Kara grabbed both of his arms and leaned him against the nearest bulkhead. Her previous concern morphed to fear when he slid down the wall and huddled on the metal floor, knees pressed to his chest, holding his head tightly in shaking hands.
"Lee?" she asked anxiously, kneeling down before him on the cold floor. "What's wrong?"
A pain-filled moan was the only response she received, ratcheting her fear up another notch. Despite his thick flight suit, she could feel his trim body trembling, though from cold or pain, she couldn't tell. "Lee, answer me. Where does it hurt?" she insisted, moving her right hand to his cheek.
"N- nowhere. I just got d-dizzy for a second."
Though the words were meant to be reassuring, they failed miserably because of how weakly they were spoken. A few moments passed in tense silence, during which she searched the empty corridor for a crewman to help. "Look, you just rest here a minute. I'm going to see if I can find someone –"
"Just give me a bit, Kara. It's already getting better." As if to prove his point, Apollo raised his head and opened his eyes part way. He took a couple of slow, deep breaths and then made to stand up.
"I don't think that's such a good idea," she cautioned. Nevertheless, she steadied him as he climbed to his feet and then put her arm around his waist for support.
He immediately pulled away from her. "Kara, stop it," he snapped, blue eyes flashing dangerously. "I'm fine. I don't need your help!"
Hurt, she stepped back a couple of feet, trying to keep her flaring temper under control. Anger flowed through her veins, forcing her to literally bite her tongue to keep from snapping back at her new CAG. "I was just trying to help," she said calmly though with an edge.
"Yeah, well, leave me alone. I can make it just fine on my own."
She watched Lee as he continued on down the hallway for a few feet and then followed after him quietly, keeping far enough behind not to bother him. Something's wrong, she decided. Lee feels, oh, I don't know, 'off' somehow.
When Adama took his first wrong turn, she opened her mouth to correct him then hesitated. He knows where he's going, she told herself firmly, continuing to shadow him through the ship.
After the second missed turn, her stomach started to knot nervously, a red flag sent up by her instincts that were rarely wrong. Lee's steps grew slower, heavier, and he started to weave down the hall like a drunken sailor on a week's leave. She edged closer, and after a few seconds of internal debate, sidled up along his left side.
He didn't even notice her.
Okay, now I know something's wrong. Lee's one of the most observant people I've ever met. He always knows what's going on around him – doesn't matter if he's flying a Viper or walking through War College's hallways. Leaning forward, she finally got a good look at his face…
Wide, dazed eyes stared blankly out of a gray face, the ashen skin covered with a thin sheen of sweat that glistened sickly in the corridor's lights. He looked neither left nor right, just staggered on, looking like a walking corpse. She swallowed and quickly shoved the thought out of her mind.
"Lee?" she called his name as he stumbled down the scarred hallway. She had to repeat it three more times before he acknowledged her.
"Hmm?"
Not the exact response I was looking for, but it's better than nothing. "Umm, where are you going?"
He mumbled something – she couldn't understand what – and kept moving. The cold fingers of fear trailed down her spine as she moved in front of him and forcibly stopped him. "Where do you think you are going?" she asked again, slower this time.
Blue eyes stared sightlessly at her, utterly expressionless. "Life Station," he mumbled after a pause that was entirely too long.
Easy, Kara. He's concussed. Just take it slow. Use short words so he can understand. And don't upset him. Her mental voice snickered despite the serious situation. Yeah, right. "Life Station is the other way, Lee. You need to go back that way," she added gesturing back the way they had just come.
"No."
Uh oh. "No?"
"It's down there. Always was…Didn't move." He blinked sluggishly, slowly looking around the corridor before finally focusing on the woman blocking his way. "Kara?" he whispered, clearly confused.
Thank the Lords, she sighed, relieved that he'd at least recognized her. She opened her mouth to reply but his next words cut her off.
"What are you doing here?" The young man rubbed the right side of his head absently, rumpling his short dark hair.
"I'm taking you to Life Station, remember?"
He frowned, growing slightly agitated. "No. Why are you here?"
What? What is he talking about? "Here?" she asked, trying to clarify the question and still keep him calm.
"Yes, here on this ship," he replied, looking at her strangely.
"Lee, I've been stationed here for over two years. Where else would I be?" Shaking her head, she ran her hands through her blond hair, pushing it out of her eyes, feeling lost in the conversation.
"But…I thought you were on Galactica." He rubbed his head again, frown deepening. "When did you transfer over? How did I miss that?" he added softly to himself.
"Transfer –!" Frak! What the heck is going on? Does he even know where he is right now? Her terror level skyrocketed even before she asked, "Lee, where are you?"
"On Atlantia. I…I –" Without warning, his eyes rolled up into his head, and he collapsed to the deck, Kara controlling his decent just enough to keep his head from taking another blow. Clutching his head, agony etched into his bloodless features, he screamed once, a loud cry filled with unspeakable pain, and began writhing on the floor.
Kara instantly cradled him in her arms to control his mindless thrashing and began screaming for help, praying that someone nearby would hear her pleas. It was only then that she noticed the blood on the floor and the red smeared onto the front of her flight suit. Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of crimson on one of Lee's flailing hands. In a flash, she remembered how he'd been rubbing the side of his head earlier, something she'd barely noticed at the time and had thought nothing about. Moving quickly, she immobilized his head to check…and immediately saw the blood flowing out of his right ear.
Lords of Kobol, hear my prayer…She began numbly even as she screamed louder for help. Help him, Lords. Please, help him…
TBC…
