Chapter 2

Cally wasn't sure when she fell asleep. But awoke much later than expected. She groaned, tired and sore. Her medic/midwives had mentioned soreness, but this. She sat up and looked at Nicholas, he was looking up at her with the dark blue eyes most babies are born with. He was crying at her, obviously hungry

"I wonder what colour your eyes will be Nicholas." She cooed to him gently as she adjusted her clothing and guided Nicholas to her breast. He latched on without any trouble, she pulled a blanket over them with her other arm, no sense freezing inside.

She looked around for the Chief who was not in their tent. Probably gone off to orchestrate some attack on the toasters.

She adjusted the blanket again so she could watch Nicholas, who looked up at her as if to say 'Hi mom, you bet I was hungry.' Someone, Galen most likely, had dressed him while she was asleep. She wondered how she could work with Nicholas, she'd seen a few women with small babies in slings, but she didn't have one. He was bundled up, she looked at the bed, and there was a hat, some cloth diapers, and a few warm clothes but no sling.

The door moved, "Cally?" an unfamiliar voice called, "It's Areina, I found a few more things for the baby, Chief Tyrol asked me to come."

She walked in, wearing a rather ugly brown coat. "I dropped that off earlier this morning, took me longer to find material for this though. She handed Cally a blanket-like object. "It's a baby sling, I'll show you how to tie it when you're done nursing, so no problems?"

"I feel lousy." Cally answered.

'Normal, you'll feel better later, much later."

"Are you sure…?"

"Positive, I have an eight and a six year old, been through it twice, and I'm putting myself through it again." Areina paused letting on hand drop to her stomach, which barely showed a bulge through the thick, ugly coat, "After all, we needed to get the birth rate up."

"Somehow that doesn't make me feel any better."

"Just feed him and be sure to sleep when he does, you're better off than some like..." Areina cut herself off.

"Better off than who?" Cally answered. "I think I'm suffering just as much as any other mom on New Caprice, we're all miserable."

"Not more than Pasht Inari, her husband was a scientist on the Space Park, he went back just three days ago, said he'd be gone a week, now she's alone with Olivia."

"Olivia?"

"Her daughter."

"Anyways, she's been staying with her sister and her young family, she's one of the lucky ones who had some family with her…" Areina began babbling on obviously embarrassed she had mentioned this in the first place.

"Oh…" Cally replied

" All of us have something to lose, us moms just have more."

"Anyways, since you don't have problems nursing, just give me a shout if something comes up, trust me it will, oh and Cally, speaking of babies, it's best to give yourself at least a year and a half before considering another one."

"What?" Cally asked confused.

"Another baby, to bring up our birthrate."

"Oh okay." Cally paused, "Hadn't even come to mind." She needed a nap as badly as her son did.

"Oh, and remember nursing is important, it's the only kind of calcium they'll get for a while, so don't be embarrassed to ask another one of us 'veteran' moms for help with anything."

Cally was convinced Areina was crazy, they were invaded by cylons and she's telling her not to go get knocked up again?

As she watched Areina leave, Cally saw that her son was drifting off to sleep; she smiled and gently placed him back in his 'crib.' She lay down on the blankets, and fell asleep. Cally woke several times throughout the day to feed him, going out only when she had to. As night fell on New Caprica she worried, she let herself worry even more when she heard a loud noise outside, where was Galen? She shuddered and crawled into bed letting herself sleep.

Hours later, she awoke to the noise of boots hitting the ground, and a cold form sliding in bed next to her.

"Chief?"

"Yes?"

"Where were you today?"

"Cally…" he paused not quite meeting her eyes," It's better that you don't know."

She met his eyes slowly, knowing exactly what it meant. He pulled Cally closer under their blankets, kissing her gently and hugging her close. Making her shudder.

"Cold…" She hissed. He smiled and moved one of his cold hands down to the sensitive skin on her lower back. It made her squeal, laugh, and the baby, consequently cry. And for one moment, it felt ordinary, and then they both seemed to remember.

Galen got up and picked up the baby attempting to sooth him as he cried, knowing he wasn't wet, began to pace shushing the baby as his cries became louder. He handed the baby to Cally, who adjusted her clothing to nurse him. Suddenly the Chief felt inadequate.

"Oh, I almost forgot." The Chief held up a mobile, made with colourful little fish. "I found it at the market."

He tied it and decided he might as well tell his wife exactly what was going on. "Cally, some people we know are disappearing, the cylons seem to be building something, and I think it's a jail."

"Oh."

"They seem to want to finish it quickly, the union is expected to provide labour."

"So what do we do?"

"Don't worry, just take good care of Nick and yourself, I'll handle it."

In two different ways, they both felt useless.