Disclaimer: See Chapter One
A/N: Thanks for the reviews everyone, normally I'd respond personally but I recently was promoted and haven't checked my e-mail in forever. I also have two small children, so between work and home I have little time to devote to this fandom. I promise more chapters are in the works – thanks so much for any patience you all are willing to give me.
Spoiler warning for Mini Series
Alas Rotas
Chapter Three: El Ligero y la Obscuridad
Colonial Heavy 798 en route to Caprica
Laura opened the lavatory door to find Cassandra, hands resting on her hips.
"You gonna tell me what's going on?"
She probed firmly. Laura's mind raced, looking for a suitable lie.
"I've been queasy since we left Galactica – too much traveling – it's nothing."
Cassandra didn't believe her but graciously left it alone.
"Ok."
The captain speaking to the passengers in the cabin interrupted their conversation.
"Do you know what's going on?"
Laura asked.
"No"
Cassandra hadn't been paying attention. The two women stepped further into the cabin trying to listen, but only caught the end of the conversation. They took their seats and looked to Billy for an explanation. He shook his head.
"Some kind of emergency on Caprica – that's all he could tell us."
They fell silent but the uncertainty that comes with not knowing remained, heavy on their minds.
Cassandra slept in the seat beside her and Billy was talking but Laura has ceased listening and was instead staring out the porthole. Someone was listening to a news report on their wireless.
"Reports have been unclear, but indicate explosions of significant magnitude over many major cities on Caprica – no reports yet as to casualties or damage..."
The man on the wireless suddenly had Laura's full attention. Billy had stopped talking and was listening intently with the rest of the cabin.
"I'm going to go see what's going on – wake Cassandra up."
Laura rose and headed for the cabin. Billy's mind was reeling. He set his papers aside and gently shook Cassandra's arm, stirring her.
"What's going on?"
She asked groggily.
"Somethings happened on Caprica – something bad."
He replied. The concern on her face quickly matched his own.
"What cities?"
She asked tears forming in her eyes.
"It seems some of the major ones."
A lump formed in her throat. Her stepfather was attending a conference in Caprica City – he was really all the family she had left. Billy moved into the seat next to her an awkwardly put his arm around her.
"It's gonna be ok."
He said, feeling every word was a lie. He let the numbed silence settle not feeling a need to pursue further conversation.
Laura stepped out into the cabin – the weight of what she had to do seemed to pull her closer to the floor making each step difficult. She caught Billy's eye and motioned for him to stand with her. He pulled himself from Cassandra and stood beside her. The words came out of her mouth but she still didn't believe them. Their homes and families, gone. She struggled to push aside her own fear and grief – she had to be strong for the sake of these people. She looked to Cassandra as the passengers jumped out of their seats shouting questions, she was visibly shaking but stared numbly at the floor. She pulled her attention back to the cabin. She couldn't answer their questions only calm them down and put them to work.
"Wait a minute, who put you in charge?"
It was Aron Doral. What a great time to be an arrogant jerk. She thought, just barely resisting the urge to say it out loud.
"Well, that's a good question. The answer is no one."
She gripped the paper in her hand.
"But this is a government ship and I am the senior government official, so that puts me in charge – so why don't you help me out, and go down into the cargo area and see about setting it up as a living space?"
She didn't give the man a chance to respond
"Everyone else, please try and stay calm."
She pulled Billy aside and handed him another piece of paper.
"This is the passenger manifest."
He took it, his hand shaking.
"Are you alright?"
She asked, meeting his gaze. He straitened a little.
"Yeah – My Parents moved to Picon two moths ago to be closer to my sisters and their families..."
Laura sighed but refused to let the pain show on her face.
"Madame Secretary – we've got your comm link"
She nodded acknowledgment at Capitan Russo before turning back to Billy and placing a hand on his arm.
"Get Cassandra to help you with this."
He nodded and she hurried away to the cockpit. Billy found his way back to Cassandra who was nothing short of devastated.
"I could use your help."
He said, trying to keep his voice from shaking.
"Sure"
She replied her own effort failing. They barely began work when the Raider was spotted. Their escort zoomed off to meet their enemy. Little could be seen from the small portholes but the explosions were easily recognizable. The entire cabin seemed to gasp simultaneously and questions began to fly, was that their escort or the Raider? To everyones relief the soon discovered that their escort had, in fact survived. Cassandra felt a small amount of amusement at the comfort everyone felt with their Viper escort. His ship was forty years old, a Mark Two; the Mark Seven, now that was a ship worthy of comfort. Her compliments to the pilot though, it was more than luck that saved them from those Cylon missiles.
Lee found himself standing before a red-head, wrapped in a blanket. She was talking quietly with the captain of the transport. He'd half-expected her to be over-emotional and panicked and was almost pleased to see her command of the situation. Her two aides, a tall dark-haired man and a pretty blond woman, were taking instruction from her. He wouldn't have noticed if the blond wasn't standing next to him, but she was staring at him as if she knew him. He caught her eyes and she looked away quickly, leaning down to talk to the other aide seated beside her. He quickly dismissed the sense of familiarity that came from the woman and turned his attention back to Ms. Roslin, who was now giving him instructions.
Cassandra followed the Viper pilot as he entered the cabin, forgetting that she was staring.
"Who is that?"
She asked Billy in a whisper.
"Captain Lee Adama – our escort."
He answered, only half paying attention to her. Cassandra's eyes went back to the pilot. My brother. She thought, the words washing over her like a tidal wave. She hadn't known of her two half-brothers until two years ago when she went to Caprica looking for her father and found him in the middle of a tragedy. She saw some of herself in the pilot, in fact a lot of herself. He glanced at her and she instantly withdrew, wanting more than anything to disappear into the bulkhead.
Laura nearly laughed. What a sight it must have been, her and Cassandra crammed into the tiny lavatory.
"There."
Cassandra said. Laura looked in the mirror, she was right, a little make-up went a long way to brighten up a tired face. It felt shallow, putting on make-up as the world was ending, but Cassandra had insisted and Laura had agreed for her sake.
"Thanks."
"No problem."
The two women made their way out to the cabin and there was soon a circle of reporters and passengers surrounding Laura. Cassandra found herself standing behind Laura with Billy on one side and Lee on the other. She tried to ignore the urge to disappear that was surfacing due to her brother's proximity, but it quickly became overwhelming. She reached out for Billy's hand and clasped it hard, looking for something to anchor her and redirect her attention back to her friend who was becoming President of the Twelve Colonies.
Cassandra drowned herself in running errands for the new President. Anything to clear her mind. It was just too much at once and keeping busy seemed the only way to keep from breaking down. She poured over passenger manifests and supply lists. Now that they'd encountered the Geminon Liner there were more people and supplies to account for and ration appropriately. She sat hunched over the piles of printouts her mind slipping in and out of actually paying attention to what she was doing.
"You ok?"
Laura's voice startled her out of her latest daydream (although nightmare would have been more appropriate.)
"Yeah – I uh, just need to keep busy."
"Ok – I really appreciate what you're doing."
Laura gave her a smile before returning to the cockpit. Cassandra once again leaned over the papers. Minutes later her dazed state was interrupted by Lee running aft. Panic soon swept through the passengers as they spotted the Raiders approaching them. Moments later Cassandra saw and felt the blinding blast that propelled her head into the table before her, and then nothing.
Laura's relief faded into concern when she stepped back into the cabin and found Billy and several passengers standing around Cassandra. Billy was in the seat next to her gently shaking her arm. Cassandra was sprawled over the table and Laura could see a small cut on her forehead where her head had obviously collided with something solid.
"Wait, don't move her."
Lee said pushing past Laura who had begun to rush to Cassandra's side. Capitan Russo cleared the passengers. Laura watched as Lee checked her pulse and began talking to her softly.
"What's her name?"
He asked.
"Cassandra."
Laura answered. She saw her eyes flutter open as Lee continued to talk to her and relief washed over her. They slowly sat her up and she put a shaking hand to her forehead. Lee surrendered his seat to Laura.
"I only have field medical training – but I think she might have a concussion – we should try to find a doctor."
He said stopping her before she sat down.
"Thank you Captain."
She sat down and tried to catch Cassandra's eyes. She couldn't focus and kept looking around.
"Find someone to sit with her Billy – as soon as the Geminon Liner is evacuated we'll try to find someone with medical training."
She hated to leave her, but she had work to do and so did Billy.
Cassandra eventually began to come around – it amazed Laura that, even with a head injury, Cassandra could run circles around most of them; advantage of being a genius. She worked quietly, Laura's appointed guardian (a nursing student), keeping watch. Weariness was beginning to creep over them as they worked to meet the needs of the growing fleet.
Billy and Cassandra were still there, everyone else had stormed away in frustration or anger at her order to Jump. She seemed to be in a fog, she never thought she'd give an order like that – although, she never thought she'd be President either. There must be something wrong though, because they were still there.
"I have cancer."
She blurted out. She didn't know what possessed her.
"I know."
Billy said after a pause. She looked to Cassandra who looked like she just been struck. They both seemed so full of pain and sorrow – burdens people their age shouldn't have to carry.
"Little things you said or did."
He added. Laura looked away from them.
"My prognosis is doubtful – I wish I could say it was the least of my worries. But the world is coming to an end and all I can think about is that I have cancer and I'm probably going to die – How selfish is that?"
They barely seemed to breath and Cassandra was nearly in tears.
"It's not selfish – it's human."
He paused before putting his arm around Cassandra's shoulders and walking away.
Her mind didn't want to focus and right now she was glad as she listened to the frantic voices of the people they were leaving behind. Laura seemed far away, but Cassandra didn't think she wanted company. She watched her friend from across the cabin and tears welled up in her eyes. She let them spill for the first time since the news of the attacks – it was just too much at once.
Battlestar Galactica in orbit around Ragnar Anchorage
Laura stepped off Colonial One onto Galactica's hangar deck followed by Billy and Cassandra. As she stepped off the stairs she heard a commotion and turned to see Cassandra falling into Billy's arms. He scooped her up and finished descending the stairs.
"We need some help!"
Laura called to the deckhands. Billy had knelt on the deck, supporting Cassandra against his knee. Laura brushed the hair back from her forehead to get a look at her cut and found a large purple bruise surrounding the cut just at her hairline. Several deckhands were soon at her side.
"She hit her head – she needs medical attention."
Laura said, trying not to sound panicked.
"Yes, sir."
A male deckhand took her gently from Billy and the party began to move once more.
"Excuse me, sir."
Another deckhand asked, addressing Laura.
"Should I tell Colonel Tigh that you'll be delayed?"
He continued having gained her attention. Laura was jerked back into the reality of her duty, and noted painfully that she had a job to do.
"No, it's urgent that we meet now."
She replied, giving Billy a sidelong glance.
"Very well, sir – if you'll follow me, you can wait in the Ward Room."
Laura and Billy separated from Cassandra and followed the deckhand to Galactica's Ward Room.
Major Cottle groaned as a deckhand stepped through Sickbay's hatch carrying a blond woman.
"What's the matter with her?"
He asked gruffly as they searched for somewhere to lay her down.
"She was on the transport that just docked, sir – she hit her head yesterday, passed out just now on the Hangar Deck."
"Thank you Specialist, that'll be all."
"Yes, sir."
Cottle began taking the woman's vitals. He motioned for a tech and they pulled her jacket and shoes off. She was a pretty, professional-looking woman so Cottle was surprised to find a nautical star tattooed on each hip. He pulled the lids of her eyes up to check her pupils and found contacts that had begun to irritate her eyes, probably because she'd been wearing them too long.
"Get her into a gown, and take her contacts out – we need to do a brain scan on her."
He instructed the female tech.
Laura pulled herself away from duty long enough to check on Cassandra. She brushed a stray hair away from her face.
"Can I help you?"
A gruff voice said from behind. She turned to face the source and found an older man in a lab coat holding a clipboard.
"Yes, she – Cassandra – she's my aide, I wanted to see how she was doing."
Cottle paused sizing up the woman before him. So this is the new President. He thought.
"Yes, a young man came by earlier and gave me her information. She suffered a concussion – I've got her sedated right now – she needs rest to give her brain a chance to heal but she should be alright.
"I'm glad to hear that, um, Doctor -"
"Cottle. I'm Galactica's Chief Medical Officer."
"Laura Roslin, President of the Colonies."
She replied extending a hand which he took and shook firmly.
"So I heard – you should have you aide back in a few days Madame President – if you'll excuse me."
He nodded and backed out of the cubicle. Laura was surprised by his respect, gruff as it was. The man had an almost rude nature to him, but he was the first member of Galactica's crew to address her as 'Madame President' rather than 'Ms. Roslin', and right now she'd take respect in any form. She turned her attention back to Cassandra. The harsh lights washed her skin out and made her seem so pale. The large bruise on her head seemed to stand out, ugly and dark.
"I'll be back."
She said softly, not really expecting Cassandra to hear her. She buried her feelings and straitened up before leaving the cubicle and joining her armed escort assigned to take her back to Colonial One. She had mixed feelings about leaving her behind on Galactica while they made their escape. It clouded her thoughts as they ascended through the storm in tow behind Galactica, and as they jumped away to safety she wondered if she would ever see her again.
Relief. Not only at the sight of the ship carrying a friend but the knowledge that there was still some one there to keep them safe.
Commander Adama had to admire the strength of Laura Roslin. It'd been a rough couple of days – for everyone – and she was taking it like a pro. Whatever grief or fear she was experiencing she hid well, and he could understand and respect that, especially in a leader. They had an understanding now it seemed, she'd keep his secret (their secret now), she'd lead the civilians and he'd lead the military – they each seemed to have satisfied the others temporary demands. She paused at his hatch.
"Was there something else?"
He asked. She turned. He didn't mean to notice, but underneath her leader's mask was a soft pretty face and just now vulnerability was showing in the dim light of his quarters and he felt something that caused him to quickly jerk his eyes away from her.
"Yes – I'd like to check on my aide, she's in your Sickbay."
"Your escort will show you the way."
Was she asking his permission? He couldn't tell but appreciated the gesture.
"Thank you Commander."
"Madame President."
He felt guilty as he stole another glance at her as she stepped out the hatch. He sank onto his couch with a sigh. He must have hit me harder than I thought. He mused, almost scolding himself for checking out the President. He was going to have to work closely with her for a long time – they were responsible for the survival of humanity now.