Commander Adama had always been known for two things: his leadership and his patience.

He could handle the questioning of the former often, particularly since the Cylons wiped out the Twelve Colonies almost two yahrens ago. And frequently from an outspoken member of the Council in the early monaru after the beginning of their journey to Earth. But Adama had kept his patience.

Today, however, was the first time the old leader was ready to order someone hand him a laser pistol and shoot the speaker. A glance around the room indicated that several councillors were close to joining him.

Sire Anton, the senior representative of Scorpia who had finally been well enough to attend the meetings again, yawned, pausing the young man in his speech to draw his eir.

"Am I boring you, Sire Anton?" Sire Leptas asked.

"No, not at all, Sire Leptas," the old man replied, a pleasant smile on his clean-shaven face, even as a hand came to tweak an ear. "Please continue."

"Before you send the rest of us sleep," Siress Tinia, the senior representative of Taura, and a close ally to Adama, whispered to Sire Montrose, the senior representative of Virgon, beside her. "Sire Geller was never this tiring."

Sire Montrose, with his gray hair crested into two points above his ears, chuckled, but did not reply. Adama glanced to Anton and Sire Lobe, the senior representative of Piscera, and received a nod in return. It seems that the senior and junior representatives on the Council were tired of listening to the newest member of body.

"As I was saying, councillors," the young man glanced to Adama. "And Commander Adama," he added with contempt. "I believe the time has come for the Council to have more of a say in the direction this fleet is going, along with the running and oversight of each ship. We still have no idea when we'll reach Earth and while we haven't seen the Cylons again for several sectons, we cannot continue with this uncertain status quo that has taken over the fleet."

"Sire Leptas," Sire Lobe spoke. "Your proposal has merit indeed."

"However?" the newly elected junior representative of Virgon asked, raising an eyebrow.

"However," the older man smiled. "Similar proposals were brought forward by other members of this Council in the past. And each time has ended in disaster."

"Indeed," Sire Montrose spoke. "Sire Uri's proposal almost saw our fleet wiped out over Carillon. Sire Geller's misguided efforts almost led us into the unknown against the Eastern Alliance of Terra. And lest we forget when Sire Domra almost got several members of our Council killed or worse attempting to negotiate with the Terrans."

Tinia smiled and Adama noted that the councillors groaning in agreement to Montrose, who had been away along with Anton and Lobe on other business leaving their juniors in charge, and had foolishly put themselves into a position where they'd been held hostage by Baltar, three renegade Borellian Nomen and the so-called Eastern Alliance "representatives". Adama couldn't help but smile himself. Tinia had proven herself a good friend and ally that day when she proved willing to admit she was wrong. Since then, the Council had gone quiet.

At least until Leptas, a young man half the age of most of the others present, had managed to acquire the junior representative council position for the Sagittarians. How he'd done it when he was boring and went on tangents frequently had been anyone's guess. The people of Sagittara were noted for long speeches and tangents themselves but never to this extent. Even Geller, the senior representative who hadn't attended meetings for several monaru, was considered smart at times. And while the late Adar was known for being a long speech maker, he'd at least made it compelling.

"But we are not dealing with lying Terrans or robotic Cylons," Leptas spoke. "Or even honourable Borellian Nomen," he added, not failing to note the silent Nomen ambassador Hazar standing close to the viewing port and rarely attended Council meetings even when invited. "In fact, we haven't encountered any other threat in almost six monaru," the young nobleman turned to Adama. "Is that right, Commander?" he asked snidely.

Adama did everything not to groan. "Unless you count the unmanned probes of the mysterious Cyrannans and the ruins of the ancient Tambi," he replied with tactical efficient mind. "No it seems not."

Leptas smiled. "Then would the lifting of martial law agree with you, Commander?"

"No," the Commander spoke. "The martial law must stay in the case of whether the Cylons are remain a threat despite our distance from their homeworld or we encounter something far worse."

"That's speculation, Commander," the Sagittarian almost sneered. "But not reality."

"Who are you to assume what is reality, Sire Leptas?" Lobe asked.

Several councillors nodded, even Ambassador Hazar agreed with a gruff noise.

"You all live in the past, Councillors," he said. "We must work for the future, particularly when we reach Earth. Do we want the Thirteenth to see a fleet under military control, or one under civilian leadership?"

This set some of the councillors whispering. Adama looked at Montrose and whispered. "It would make some sense to more civilian leadership, sound and equal."

The older man nodded. "It would," he replied in the low tone. "But not if Leptas wants to see it phased out without a plan."

Adama paused for a moment. "You believe he doesn't have a plan?" he asked.

Montrose again nodded. "Young people, just like some old people, don't often plan ahead very well," he said. "He clearly doesn't see all dangers, visible and otherwise."

"So, my fellow Councillors," the young man smiled. "Would you agree with my proposal?"

Adama stood and raising his hands in a gesture for silence. The whispers stopped. "Do you call for a vote, Sire Leptas?" he asked.

"Yes, Commander," the young man's smile grew wider. "I do."

Adama smiled and glanced at the eleven others. "The vote has been called. All in favour of Sire Leptas' proposal?"

The young man raised his hand, his face remaining gleeful. But when he looked around, the look fell away as none of the remaining eleven had joined his vote. He looked at Adama and the sneer passed his face. The older commander, however, was not to be baited.

"All those opposed?" Adama asked.

Anton, Lobe, Tinia and Montrose's hands rose, along with the other seven councillors. Sire Antipas, the junior representative of Caprica and another ally of Adama's almost equal in age to Sire Leptas, was almost gleeful. Sire Domra, the senior representative of Virgon, remained stonefaced but the rise of his hand indicated he wasn't about to make the same mistake twice. The remaining three remaining Sires and two Siresses representing Aquarus, Aeries, Gemon, Leona and Libris were just as tight-lipped in the matter.

"The Council is unanimous," Tinia smiled. "Vote does not carry."

Leptas sat down and groaned. "I withdraw my proposal until further date."

"Do that, Sire Leptas," Sire Antipas chuckled. "I'm also willing to assist you in making it more," he paused for a moment as if to think. "appealing to my colleagues for another session of the Council."

"Is there any other business?" Adama asked.

Each member of the Council shook their head, and a soft grunt from Ambassador Hazar indicated that the Nomen had no business to bring forward for the time being.

"Very well," he said. "We ajourn to the next secton."

As each Council member stood and departed, only Leptas remained. When it was just him and Adama, he turned to glare at the man. "You think you won, old man," he growled. "Your tyrannical reign won't be forever."

Adama remained neutral. "You say you live for the future, Sire Leptas," he said. "But perhaps you should look to our past. It might provide a lesson."

"I'm not the fat frak Uri, that buffon Geller or that idiot Domra, Adama," Leptas replied. "And I will not rest until you are gone."

"Careful, Leptas," the old man spoke. "That sounds like a threat that would land you on the prison barge."

"Ha!" the man chuckled. "I have no interest in committing or ordering murder, Commander," he said. "Not when the power lies in politics."

"Politics led us down the road to our ruin," Adama warned. "I am merely holding us from the precipice."

Leptas stood and moved to the exit. "But what happens when we have stepped away from the fall and are no longer at that end, Adama?" he asked. "When will you let us go to make our choices?"

The old commander paused to think. "Sire Leptas, if the universe were kinder to us then I would let us loose now," he answered honestly. "But then who is not to say that the likes of Sire Uri or even Count Iblis will not return to lead us down the path that led billions of our people dead or missing?"

"So," the young man said. "Never. This isn't over."

Without a word, Leptas was gone, leaving Adama to sigh.

"I hope Antipas talks sense into him," he said. "Because pride always comes before the slide into death."

But Leptas was for another time. The old commander moved to leave the chambers, glad to have left in a huff like often, and proceeded to the labs, hoping that Doctor Wilker and his team were able to discern the Cyrannan probes and determine if they were a potential ally and friend, or the next worst thing after the Cylons and Count Iblis himself.

Adama was hoping for the former, because he indeed was tired of the latter.

"I'm getting too old for this," he said quietly to himself as he entered the lift. "And I don't know if I can handle losing anyone else."

Notes:

Old-School BSG is quite fun when you think about it. And who says politics is boring? Eh, I leave that to anyone still reading BSG stories.

Anyway, the idea of senior/junior council representatives is a way of explaining why certain faces changed between episodes. The Council of Twelves only really featured in five episodes - Saga of a Star World Part II and III, War of the Gods Part II, Greetings from Earth Part I and Batlar's Escape. Continuity is in the eye of the beholder really. Look at new BSG in Season 4 concerning the Quorum. At least they tried in Season 1 and 2 to keep the same extras for the most part.

As to councillors:

Anton (Saga of a Star World) - the novelisation establishes he's from Scorpia.

Lobe (Saga of a Star World) - name comes from the novel (along with his home colony of Piscera). He was portrayed by Norman Stuart and credited as Nobleman.

Montrose (War of the Gods) - name comes from the novel. He was portrayed by John Williams. Note his odd hair style. Home colony was never established but I saw a fanfic some years ago that put his a Cancerian from Canceria/Cancera.

Geller (Greetings from Earth) - portrayed by Murray Mattheson who also portrayed Spectre in The Young Lords. I made him a Sagittaran but I've seen a reference to Gemon once in the past.

Domra (Baltar's Escape) - made him from Virgon.

Tinia (Baltar's Escape) - I made her a Taurus but I've seen a reference to Libra/Libris once.

I can't recall where I got Sire Antipas from though so he may be OC like Sire Leptas.

Note on the Borellian Nomen having a non-voting representative is the idea that they aren't really Twelve Colonies humans but close enough that the Cylons likely conquered their homeworld and now they're stuck with the Colonials finding Earth. The Nomen are likely making up recently for the debacle from "The Man With Nine Lives" and "Baltar's Escape", thus his presence.

Anyway, I'm kind rambling. Leave a review if you like :) And tell me your thoughts on colonies of origin from each character who never got one as such. I'll share more of mine too :)