Thirteen

Chapter Ninety-Nine

Passing The Torch

It was the first day of the Earth year 2300, and was the last day for Susan Ivanova to serve as Entil'Zha. She had decided to spend her sunset years with her partner Nelena Cain back on Earth and pass the torch of responsibility onto her protégé, Kara "Starbuck" Thrace-Anders. It wasn't as if Starbuck didn't have enough on her plate, as she had three kids to ride herd on with her husband Samuel. Karl, Zachary, and Sharon were six, four, and two respectively, and were a handful for all of those who helped Starbuck and her husband with watching over them.

But Starbuck took on the responsibilities of being the leader of the Rangers without a word of complaint, which gladdened Ivanova's heart. As she had said when Ivanova had informed her of the decision, "You, of all people, deserve to ride out into the sunset!"

As in the past, the dawn broke with the rising of the sun, and Starbuck ascended the ramp that led to the platform where the ceremony that would see her become Entil'zha would take place. Delenn, still the Interstellar Alliance president, would preside over the ceremony, as she had when Ivanova had become Entil'zha years before.

Sitting in the front row among the dignitaries were William and Laura Adama, who looked like an old but happy couple. William had retired from his military post and ventured between Kobol, Minbar, and Earth, where he and his wife were popular speakers at colleges and universities. His hair was completely gray these days, but he still held himself as he did back when he was commander of the Galactica, which had just undergone another renovation in time for this ceremony.

Garrison Hollifield was sitting with his sister-in-law, D'anna Biers, who represented Twanissa Hollifield, who had passed away a year earlier from a heart attack. Since then, Garrison had been a relative recluse, either staying secluded on his family's estate on Earth or in the Ranger compound on Minbar. This was his first public appearance since his wife's passing, and it was sure to make news across the galaxy.

Lee and Dee Adama were there as well, but their kids were with the babysitters that were taking care of Kara's children. She gave the two a quick smile as she made her way to where she was supposed to stand during the ceremony. The wind kicked up a bit as she looked over the massive crowd assembled to watch Starbuck's ascendancy to Entil'zha.

Serving as her second for the ceremony was David Sheridan, who had been Starbuck's second in command for going on fifteen years now. He still bore a very strong resemblance to his father, even more so now that he was nearing forty. He was married these days as well and had his own kids, which Delenn doted on every chance she could whenever her schedule permitted.

David Sheridan walked over to the table where the ancient text and the chalice of sha'neyat sat, picked up the text, and held it in front of his mother as she read in a dialect that was ancient for even the Minbari. Even though Starbuck was fluent in all three Minbari caste dialects, she barely could make out what Delenn was saying.

Once she was done, she slowly closed the book, raised it above her head to show the crowd, then handed it to her son, who returned it to the table. The most emotional part of the ceremony was about to take place, especially for those from the Colonies.

The son of Boomer and Helo walked towards the platform with a calm expression on his face, tight with concentration as he brought the robe that previous Entil'zhas, starting with Valen over a thousand years before, had worn. It was well over a thousand years old, but the fabric was still in such excellent condition that it felt like it had just been made the other day. He ascended the platform and placed the robe at the feet of Starbuck, then slowly made his way down off the platform backwards. His mother's features were evident in his face, while his height and voice reminded her of a young Helo. He was eighteen now and was already a Ranger, serving on a Whitestar as a tactical officer.

Once he had made it to the back of the throng of people, David brought up the chalice of sha'neyat, which was actually diluted because the real stuff was highly poisonous to humans. It was mostly grape juice with just a tad of the sha'neyat in it, because the caste elders had decided that it would be in bad form if human Entil'zhas were to drop dead because of poisoning shortly after taking the oath of office.

Starbuck took the chalice from David and raised it to show the crowd, then brought it to her lips. As she drank, Delenn spoke aloud, "Taste of it. Taste of the future. Of death, and of life. And of the great void that lies between. Through this act, may death be destroyed!" After sipping just a bit of it, she handed it back to David, surprised that it wasn't as bitter as Ivanova had told her it was. It still tasted terrible, though, and she was glad she only had to taste of it this one time.

Once David had placed the chalice on the table and spoke to the crowd, "As it was said long ago, so now we name her who will lead us. Among the Rangers let Kara Thrace be known as Entil'zha!"

The Rangers in the crowd cried out in unison, "Entil'zha! We live for the One! We die for the One!"

Delenn continued, "Entil'zha! She is the light in darkness. She is the bridge between worlds." The crowd exploded with applause and shouts of approval as Starbuck turned around and headed down the platform, followed by Delenn and David Sheridan.

Waiting for them at the base of the platform were Susan Ivanova and Nelena Cain, who looked underdressed being in just civilian clothes. "That sha'neyat stuff tastes like crap!" Starbuck said, making a face as she remembered the bitterness of the drink.

"Don't say I didn't warn you!" Ivanova joked. "I would have loved to have spat that stuff out of my mouth during my ceremony!"

"I'm glad you didn't, because the scandal would have been massive!" Delenn said with delicious horror in her eyes. All four of them knew that it wasn't a stretch at all, because the caste elders and members of the Gray Council would have been deeply offended should Ivanova have done something so rash.

The reception that night was truly special, as it was a reunion for all those who Starbuck had been close to during the Second Cylon War. Galen the technomage and his wife Dureena were here, as well as the other technomage Andromeda, who still looked much like she had when Starbuck first met her almost twenty years before. Alwyn, sadly, had passed away from natural causes some four years before, and G'Leel represented him in spirit, standing next to her friend Na'Toth, who had retired from the Rangers to study Colonial religion to assist them in their efforts to preserve their culture.

Also there were Matthew and Elizabeth Gideon, as well as Lise and Mary Garibaldi, who were there to represent Michael Garibaldi, who had passed away six years before due to a stroke. Dr. Stephen Franklin was there, though, along with his wife, Dr. Sarah Chambers, who was on Excalibur during the Drakh plague.

The next day, Ivanova asked Starbuck to walk with her to an isolated building near the edge of the Rangers complex. It was heavily guarded, and a place that Starbuck had never been to before. "I have a favor to ask of you." Ivanova asked as they entered the small building, which housed a tube of some sort as well as a machine that looked like it maintained whatever was inside.

Ivanova set her hand upon the tube and said to Starbuck, "In this tube is someone very special to me."

"Marcus Cole?" Starbuck asked.

Ivanova nodded and went on, "I want you to make sure that he is kept in stasis until there is a way to revive him. If it can't be done before you die, then make sure that whoever comes after you keep this pledge. It means a lot to me, and I'll kick your ass even if I'm dead if you should fail me in this."

"I'll make sure it's well maintained, and I'll keep your pledge, Susan. You're like a mother to me, after all, more so than the woman that gave birth to me."

Ivanova was touched by what Starbuck said and touched her on the cheek, saying, "If that's the case, then you've made me proud to be your mother figure. If I were your real mother, I would be extremely proud to have a daughter like you!"

They hugged and cried for a few moments, enjoying the presence of each other. "You'll be a great Entil'zha, Kara! Just know that I'm proud of you and I have faith in you!" Ivanova said.

"I know, Susan! I'll make you proud!" Starbuck replied.

They left the building and headed over to the spaceport, where Nelena Cain waited for them. Cain hugged Starbuck and said, "You've come a long way, Kara. You'll be an excellent leader for the Rangers!"

"Thanks, Nelena. You've come a long way yourself!" Starbuck replied.

"Yeah, I know I have. Back when we first met, I was a very different person. Broken, lost, full of darkness and hate." Cain looked over at Ivanova, smiled, and said, "Then I met Susan, and light came back into my life. Thanks to her, I've become a much better person!"

"I'm glad of it. I hope that you and Susan have many joyful years together!" Starbuck said, hugging Cain again before she and Susan boarded the shuttle that would take them to the liner bound for Earth.

Starbuck and her husband had to ready the home where the Entil'zha lived for their three rowdy kids. Originally designed and built for Valen, it had been the home to Ivanova and Cain ever since they became romantically involved. It took them a few days to move all their stuff from their former residence to the new home, and their kids were excited to have a new place to run amuck in.

On the night when they finally completed moving in, and once the kids were asleep, Starbuck and her husband finally got a chance to celebrate her ascension to her new position in the way they wished. Once they were done, Starbuck lay down beside her husband and snuggled up to him, smiling in the afterglow as well as the feeling of happiness that seemed to be ever present these days. She realized that it wouldn't last, and that feeling made her hold onto Samuel a little tighter as they fell asleep.