Dark Days
Chapter Five
Laura Roslin paced up and down the aisle of the empty 'school'. She had not expected many of the children to attend on this day, and she had been correct. Most parents, still in shock from the events of yesterday, had wanted to keep their children close to them. Laura had ended up turning away the handful of children that had made an appearance, sending them home with their mothers. Though still early in the morning, it was a wasted day, education-wise...she could not focus on the lessons. She simply could not bring herself to face discussing the history of the 12 Colonies on a day when it seemed any hope for a future had been extinguished.
Laura had left the small tent she shared with Maya and Isis early that morning, unable to find words to comfort the look of fear in Maya's eyes. In the months following the election, Maya and Laura had grown close. Laura had felt completely displaced after the election, quickly realizing that much of the support that had surrounded her had been based on her role as President, and it had evaporated once she no longer held that position. While she had maintained friendships with Bill Adama, Tory and Dr. Cottle, she had seen less and less of them as the year had drawn on.
She had moved off of Colonial One, the place where she had found comfort and refuge during the long run from the Cylons, and had grudgingly moved to the planet that had cost her the election. Maya had quickly offered to take her in, saying it was the least she could do to repay her for bringing Hera/Isis into her life. Maya's husband had been killed months earlier in an explosion on their ship, and she was happy to have the company. Since then, Laura had come to think of Maya like a daughter, feeling genuine affection for the young woman. And she had been relieved to find a situation that allowed her access to Isis, being one of the only people who knew the child's true heritage.
A soft voice broke the silence in the tent, "Oh, did Maya and Isis not come in today?" Laura turned to see Cally entering the small school. As her pregnancy had progressed, Cally had started spending more and more time with Maya and the baby, learning what she could about caring for an infant in this environment, trying to prepare herself for the arrival of her own child. "I'm sorry if I interrupted your thoughts, I'll leave you to them...unnnhh..." Cally groaned and clutched the fabric of the door for support.
Laura rushed over, "Cally, what's wrong? Is the baby coming?"
"No, um, I don't...no I don't think so...my water hasn't broken or anything, I've been getting these twinges on and off all night. I don't think they are real contractions..." she said, through clenched teeth.
Laura reached out to brush Cally's hair off of her face. "My Gods, Cally, you are burning up...how long have you had a fever?"
"I don't know, I feel so light headed...aaahhh..." Cally grabbed her sides, "No, this can't happen today, it is too early..."
Laura's eyes showed her concern, though the soft smile on her face never faltered. "Here, come sit down and try to take deep breaths, I'm going to step outside for just a moment, I have to find someone to send for Dr. Cottle. I'm not going to leave you, Ok?"
Cally nodded, her eyes welling up. It was too soon..., "I need the Chief, can you find him too?"
"Of course, just keep breathing."
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"She has an infection," Dr. Cottle sighed, a defeated expression lodged on his face, his voice strained by frustration. Tyrol's eyes widened with concern. "It is caused by a bacteria she probably picked up in her food...it isn't the first time I've seen this with pregnancies on this Gods forsaken planet."
Tyrol had dropped everything when he received Laura's message, and had raced to the school. He had literally carried his pregnant wife back to their tent so the Doctor could examine her. Tyrol had waited in silence, teeth grinding. "Is it serious?" Tyrol asked, his voice shaking, "I mean, will the baby be ok? Will Cally...?"
The doctor took a long and deep breath, glancing at Laura Roslin, who was standing off to the side, trying to keep out of the way. He looked back at Cally and Tyrol, "I'm not going to sugar coat this. The infection would be treatable, if we had any antibiotics, which we don't. The infection poses a high risk of premature birth, which is likely what Cally is experiencing right now. She is in the beginning stages of labor. The baby will be born infected, and without treatment both the baby and Cally will most likely not survive. In her condition, it is doubtful Cally's immune system can fight off the infection on its own. I'm so very sorry."
Cally choked out a small sob, and held her large belly protectively. Tyrol's face paled, his eyes slowly making their way from Dr. Cottle to Cally. He knelt down beside the bed, the back of his hand caressing the side of her face, and opened his mouth to speak...but no words came. Instead, he leaned in and kissed her gently on the forehead, tears beginning to stream down his cheeks.
Laura finally stepped forward, gently touching the doctor's shoulder to get his attention. When he turned, she nodded towards the door of the tent, beckoning him to follow her out. He did so. In a strained hushed tone she addressed him, "Doctor, admittedly I know next to nothing about medicine or science, but I seem to remember you delivering me a similarly grim diagnosis once..." she trailed off, searching for the right words.
"That was a completely different set of circumstances. You know that." Dr Cottle was gruff. Then suddenly, with a flash of understanding he hissed, "It simply is not an option! Not this time! Even if I could explain where I obtained it, there's no way to know if it would even work, or what it would do to that baby!"
"Am I correct in my understanding of what you told Cally and Tyrol? If we do nothing, that baby will die?" Laura held Cottle's eyes with her, her expression unreadable. She needed no response from him, she had understood him perfectly well. "I don't see that we have a choice in this. We have to try."
Cottle swore under his breath.
Laura smoothed the front of her sweater with her hands, and pulled her shoulders back slightly, strengthening her stance. She tilted her head slightly, as her mind raced. She could do nothing about the Cylon occupation, she could not ease the fear in Maya's eyes, she could not undo the damage that Baltar had done with the decision to colonize, and the decision to surrender. But on this day, she had the power to save Cally and save that baby, she had the means. Despite Cottle's warning, an overwhelming feeling of certainty came over her, and she knew instinctively that it would, indeed work. It was all becoming clear in her mind.
Her voice conveyed her faith in this decision, she spoke slowly but firmly, "We won't tell them what it is. You will tell them you found a small dose of antibiotics, but that you aren't sure if it will be enough. If...when they recover they will have no reason to suspect otherwise."
"And if the baby reacts badly, what then?"
"Then you tell them it wasn't enough, it was a stale batch. We are giving that baby a chance to live, there will be no further debate on this, Doctor."
Cottle gave her a wry smile, "Is that an order 'Madame President'?" he asked sarcastically... but in truth, he was feeling a stirring of hope as well. It might work...
Laura nodded, not reacting to the sarcasm in his voice. "Yes, Doctor, it is. Maya should still be in our tent, she wanted to stay close to home today."
As the Doctor headed away, walking with purpose, Laura's attention was suddenly drawn to the promenade. Though not nearly as crowded as it would have been on a regular day, a good number of people were milling about, taking in the changes that were happening around them. Laura's attention focused in on one familiar face that was fast approaching her. She caught her breath, her mind racing to understand what his presence could mean.
The man was smiling, happy to have found her. When he reached her, there was a brief, awkward moment as their eyes met, then he grabbed her in a firm, relieved hug.
Laura broke away first, studying his face, "Lee, my Gods, what are you doing here? They told us the fleet had jumped away, I just assumed you had been with them."
Lee smiled back, "It's a long story, Madame President," using the honorary title that was her right. "But right now I think you have a longer one that I'm just dying to hear."