REFLECTION OF THE GODS:
A BSG FIC.
Artemis takes her brother back in time, roughly three hours before the previous scene, to a park on the edge of Caprica City– when the sky at the eastern horizon was turning from a dusky blue to a bright orange in anticipation of the dawn. As the sun struggled to rise over the low hill, they could see about a dozen or so youths slumbering on and around two park benches by the small lake. They were obviously sleeping off whatever was in the bottles littering the ground (This looks familiar, thought Apollo, with a chuckle), and probably would until noon or until an irate gardener called the cops. They were clumped in groups of two and three for warmth (the heat wave from earlier had dissipated), looking at the moment like innocent children–dreadlocked, mohawked children, with nose rings and spiked jewelry...
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"Are you trying to say that life for Lee could have been worse? That he could have ended up a loser, drinking his sorrows away by the reservoir?"
"Shut up for a moment and I'll get to the point. Just check out the park bench on the right."
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The "point" seemed to be the sleeping girl on top of the said bench.
She was lying on her back next to a boy (who his arm draped over her, his hand on her left breast), with her head turned to the side, pink lips parted slightly to allow an unlady-like snore. Ripped jeans, faded brown leather jacket, black t-shirt emblazoned with a hand forming a rude gesture, blonde hair streaked with neon blue–the polar opposite of those clean-cut students in the classroom.
The first ray of sunlight finally hit her square in the face.
"Ugh, frak me! Turn off the light!" she croaked, shielding her eyes from the glare. At that moment, she also sees the offending hand. "Beak! Get your fraking hand off me!."
Her companion (who must have gotten his unfortunate nickname from his prominent nose), raises his spiky head. "Oh, sorry, heh," as he slid his arm away, "I must have passed out that like that."
"Yeah, right." She sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes. "Gods, what the frak happened? And where the hell am I.?"
"The "where" is Braxton Reservior. The 'what...'--well, you called me 'cause your old lady kicked you out of the house again and you seemed pretty crushed. I thought you might need some cheering up, and Dusty mentioned he was getting together here with the crew, so, we came."
"I feel sick."
"Yeah, you were pounding those Pacer Gold bottles like there was no tomorrow. Hey, Kara, I know it's none of my business, but what was it you and your mom were arguing about?"
Kara closed her eyes, holding her arms around her stomach, looking like she hadn't heard a word that Beak said. Suddenly, her eyes snapped open.
"Shit! The test!"
"Huh?"
"The test! The frakking CSAT!"
"That's today?"
"What time is it?" She looked at her wristwatch. "Frak! It's after six! The test starts at eight-thirty!"
"Where is it?"
"Parthenon Heights Acadamy."
"Dude, I don't think you can make it over there in time. I don't even think the buses run there on the weekends."
"I have to!"
"Why do you 'have to'?"
"I just gotta."
"Kara, why bother. You don't need to take a stinkin' CSAT to have a life. Dude, I've seen you play on the pyramid team, and you, my friend, have got some serious balls."
"So?"
"So, didn't your coach say that you had the talent to go pro?"
"Yeah, so?"
"Dude!" Beak jumps up and stands on the table, waving his arms. "That's the ticket out, man! Earn tons of money, party all time, get your picture taken, everybody wantin' your autograph and shit!"
"Yeah, but I'm not sure that's what I want."
"How can you not! We'll travel the worlds–"
"We?"
"Uh, only if you want. And, you can tell everybody, including your mom, to frak off!"
Kara looks up at her friend, "I don't know..."
"Whaaat! It would be the bomb!"
"I was thinking...nah."
"Go on. What's more important that having the world at your feet?"
"Well, don't tell anybody, but I was thinking of joining the Fleet–"
"Whaaat! Kara Thrace–rebel pyramid goddess--in the Colonial Fleet! Say it isn't so!"
"Yeah, well, if I want to get into the Fleet Acadamy, I need to take the CSAT."
"But why!"
"I want to fly."
"After playing a year or two, you could buy your own plane!"
"No, I want to fly a viper."
"Oooh, she wants to be Top Gun."
"Yeah." It was the first time she'd ever admitted it out loud.
Beak squatted down and pointed a finger towards the top of her chest, "You do not belong in some "Academy" with a bunch of tightwads with sticks up their asses." He poked her.
"You are not a thinker."
Kara's green eyes narrowed. "What did you just say?"
"I said you," poke, "are not", poke, "a thinker. You," poke, "are", poke, "a doer. A juggernaut!"
"So you're saying that I'm good for nothing but being a jock?"
"Heh! Well, you're a smart girl, Kara, but you're not really book smart."
"And so I should just, oh, don't even bother with the options? Not even think about doing something else other than ramming my head into other dumb jocks?"
"I'm just seeing," poke, "what everybody," poke, "else", poke, "sees."
A couple of seconds later, Beak was rolling on the table cradling his broken finger, while Kara stumbled over a couple of inert bodies, making her way towards her destiny.
6:10am She stopped to throw up in the bushes. Good...get this shit out of my system.
6:12am After taking a good whiff of herself, she deemed it wise to break into the nearest restroom and clean herself up a bit. She looked in the mirror. I think death warmed over is a little generous...
6:31am Found a bus stop. Prayed to the gods that the frakking bus would come.
7:05am One did–finally! She plopped down onto a seat in the back. When a perv seated nearby started to ogle her, she flashed him her t-shirt.
7:35am Score! The bus let her off at the Riverwalk, where the Farmer's Market was in full swing. Casually perusing the stands, swiping free samples along the way. An piece of nectarine here, a slice of homemade potato bread there...a shot of wheatgrass juice–which she promptly spat out...
7:55am Sufficiently fed, Kara felt human again. She made her way to a nearby Spee-Dee Quik Mart and bought a large cup of coffee and a bottle of water (she also swiped a packet of aspirin when the clerk's back was turned).
8:21am Frak! Frak! Frak! After riding the next bus and walking six blocks, she discovered she was lost. Was the school on Parthenon Heights and Gaia Way or Parthenon Heights and Regina Street?
8:25am A nice little old lady (who was probably too blind to see how scary she looked) gave her directions–three blocks down, turn right onto Schoolhouse Road. Parthenon Heights Academy is nowhere near Parthenon Heights!
8:29am The bitch at the door looked her up and down and almost didn't let her in. Kara bit her tongue and made a lame excuse about the water heater at her house being out (which was usually the truth, anyways) and being unable to take a shower or wash her clothes.
8:46am She sat in back of the classroom, tapping her fingers in a nervous tattoo, when she noticed that everybody had two #2 pencils in front of them. Crap! I knew I forgot something! She decidedto take a chance and tapped the shoulder of the guy in front of her. As he turned around, she realized that he looked awful familiar.
"Hey, Kara! I didn't see you walk in."
Frak, what's his name?
"I like to go stealth, you know. Hey, you wouldn't happen to have an extra pencil now, would you?"
Sandy brown hair, sleepy brown eyes, nice smile...
"Well, it just so happens I do."
"You're a lifesaver, uh..."
"Karl."
"Sorry. Thanks, Karl."
"You're welcome."
"I think the last time I saw you was at Nick's birthday party." She might have even made out with him that time–her memory was a little fuzzy. What she did remember, though, was that he was just a nice, laid-back guy who was easy to talk to.
"And speaking of parties, looks like you had a late one."
"Not one of my smarter moves. I tried to clean up, I swear! Am I that bad?"
"Let's just say we're lucky the temperature's gone down, or else they'd be calling the paramedics halfway through the test."
She was about to defend her hygiene, when a series of sharp taps from the blackboard signaled for them to turn their attention to the front of the room.
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"Just look at her, Apollo. She's a dirty kid from the wrong side of town, whose mother hates her and a father who abandoned her. The alcohol, the pointless partying, the useless friends–and still, all she wants is something better. You and that boy are a lot alike. You both gripe about what you don't have, when you should thank the Fates for what you do.
"Yeah, it sucked not having Dad around much when we were growing up, but we had the coolest Mom, who loved us and raised us both. And even though he wasn't there day in and day out, Dad always looked out for us, protected us from the Wicked Stepmom, and gave us a home."
"He did that because he had to."
"No, he didn't! As for him railroading you into a career as a god–don't you tell me that you don't enjoy it! For example, I saw your face last month, when the All-Aquarian Children's Choir sang that hymn they wrote themselves. You positively glowed!"
"I didn't glow!"
"Did too!"
"They were extraordinarily talented. The harmony of their voices–"
"Was all for you. See, you got to inspire the rug-rats and get love in return. By the way, didn't they win that competition?"
"By a landslide."
"With a little help."
"No...well, maybe a little."
"See, you love it! Now, see how your pet's going to do."
He closed his eyes and concentrated. Unlike the unbidden prophecy from two weeks ago, this vision came upon him smoothly, like a daydream.
"He'll be a pilot, just like his father–actually, better than his father. First the Fleet Academy, then War College, and then a Battlestar."
"And he'll be loving every minute of it."
"Well, not every minute of it, but..." He peered into the vision even closer. It has nothing to do with his father–flying is in his blood. He'll love the freedom, the power, pushing his abilities to the limit with Starbuck at his side...hey, wait a minute...Apollo slipped back to reality, a smile playing on the edges of his mouth. It figures. My interests and Artemis' always seem to intermesh. He peered into the water at his sister's dirty-faced angel, a burst of laughter threatening to come forth–he had an idea...
"You see, Apollo," Artemis continued, oblivious toher brother's excitement," Kara's just as talented as Lee. She's strong, quick, she thinks on her feet–a real fighter–but at the same time, she's so fragile. From the moment she was born, her mother pounded into her that she's no good for anything, so she's always half-believing that she doesn't deserve the best out of life. I know she's going to fail this test, and she knows it too, but she's here, fighting for her own self-worth. She deserves at least a chance."
Apollo smiles, "Okay."
"Okay, what?"
"I mean 'okay'." He's grinning like a madman, a sparkle returning to his eye.
"You say okay, but what...waait a minute. You don't mean–"
"Uh huh."
"Really? You're serious?"
"Yep."
"Cripes! The Fates are going to have a fit!"
"Let them. Besides, I'm a god!" He puffed out his chest, as if to emphasize the point.
Artemis squealed and clapped her hands like a child who finds out that Saturnalia's come early. Apollo rolled up his sleeves and rubbed his hands together."
"So, where do we start?"
TBC