I know it's about time for some good Rodama moments, yes? I hope you're not disappointed. I love Roslin making controversial decisions…poor Adama…
Also, being a trekkie I kept calling Tory, Troy (as in Deanna Troi). I tried to catch all the typos on that one so if there are still some please ignore. Thanks for reading and the reviews!
Disclaimer: I own nothing, all belongs to Ron Moore and Sci-fi ect. But if I did own, this drought of Adama and Roslin scenes in Season 3 would be over!
With a stifled grumble of relief Adama heard Kara's answer from the other side of the collapsed tunnel. All of his strength went into holding the debris up long enough for the Viper pilot to squeeze through. When he felt his arms weakening with the strain Roslin reached out with her uninjured hand to help support the weight. In fact, at this very moment, he had Laura Roslin to thank for the life of his best Viper pilot. In a way it was fitting Apollo and Starbuck, his children, both owed their lives to the woman he lo—
"No, no, no, no, no!" he thought to himself, you have got to put a stop to this. He pushed the pipe away and glanced up to see a puzzled look on Roslin's face.
"No need to punish yourself Bill," she said, "If this is anyone's fault it's mine. I don't suppose my saying you were right about the press conference would make much difference now."
For a moment Adama was lost in the conversation until he realized he must have spoken his thoughts out loud unintentionally. He smiled a little at his own foolishness.
"You smoothed things over with the engineers," he replied gently, quickly burying his real problem in the guise of a different subject.
"At what cost?" she mused gazing blankly over his shoulder, "The engineers, the reporters…Tory." Roslin choked out the last word and stopped before she continued. She swallowed hard. "They are probably all dead now."
"You don't know that," Adama simply replied.
It was the truth. If he knew anything about Tory, she was too much a pain in Roslin's ass to go down that easily. Adama suspected Roslin liked Tory a great deal more than she let on. Tory was not Billy but Adama suspected the intelligent, brisk assistant probably helped ease some of Roslin's pain over the boy's loss. Besides, Adama liked Tory, as surprising as that was. Of course, his emotions had a way of surprising him lately…or perhaps; betraying was a more fitting word.
"What are you thinking?" Rosin asked softly. Adama lifted his head to see she had been studying him.
"I like Tory," he answered. When Roslin said nothing he continued. "I think she's good for you."
"I wish I could say the feeling's mutual. She doesn't like me very much, but her career choices are…a bit limited, shall we say? She really has no alternative to working for me," Roslin reasoned.
"You're wrong," Adama said sternly. "You opinion and approval mean everything to her."
Roslin tilted her head to one side and narrowed her eyes as Adama watched her ponder his words. He had decided that Roslin looked her most beautiful when she was angry which he had come to conclude two weeks ago when she yelled at him aboard Colonial One. Now, however, he decided to rescind that verdict. Laura Roslin definitely looked most beautiful when she was thinking. Adama had never been one to fall for smart women, especially women as smart as or smarter than he was, but Laura had a way of breaking his preconceptions.
A violent inhale from Roslin snapped Adama out of his thoughts. The heat had been steadily increasing and Roslin was closer to the heart of the fire than he was. Quickly he moved to the side of the vent allowing Roslin to edge away from the heat. Once settled, he found himself lying next to her, so close that there noses were nearly touching. Adama could feel the heat sinking through his boots and biting at his feet. Or, perhaps, the rise in temperature he was feeling was something else…
No, no, no, no, no! Kara you better hurry, Adama thought as he watched Roslin fight the weariness overtaking her. He trusted Kara with his life which to him was no great achievement, but trusting Kara with the life of Laura Roslin… Somehow, he wished Kara could know the true depth of his trust. He hoped it hadn't been misplaced.
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The panel Kara kicked in tumbled to the bottom of the corridor clanging loudly all the way down. Not bothering with the steps on the ladder, Kara placed her hands and feet on the outside poles and slid to the bottom with impressive grace and speed. Small fires where burning inside the corridor but Kara ignored them. She ran to the hatch at the end of the corridor and twisted the handle open with aggressive force. Time seemed to tick by as if it was a tangible object Kara could feel slipping through her fingers.
Lee would never forgive her if anything happened to his dad. Knowing anal retentive goody-two-shoes Lee, he probably would never forgive her if anything happened to the President either. Although, Kara couldn't help but notice Roslin and Apollo had not been on the best of terms lately. Problems in Adama family paradise. She snickered with the thought.
Kara flung the thick metal hatch open with ease and was blasted in the face by a visible wave of heat. Inside the corridor orange and yellow flames burned with angry momentum along the outer most walls. There was a narrow tunnel in the middle of the corridor not engulfed in fire. Without hesitation Kara sprinted into the mist of flame.
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"She'll find a way to get us out of here," Roslin assured Adama.
Even though she looked like crap, with her hair tangled and her pants suit stained, Roslin still managed to say the words with heartfelt conviction Adama found comforting. Apparently she had the same faith in Kara he did. The fact made him fill with pride. He couldn't remember how many times he had been told Kara was a menace to the fleet, she should be permanently locked in the brig or sent to a rehabilitation camp for troubled officers. Adama was looking forward to telling Saul how Kara had saved them all yet again.
"How's the hand?" Adama asked.
Blood had completely saturated the makeshift bandage Kara had wrapped around Roslin's injury. Adama thought he briefly saw a grimace pass over Roslin's face.
"Just fine," she said, though the answer this time was not heartfelt.
Adama tore at the sleeve of his uniform and gestured for Roslin to surrender the hand to him. Hesitantly she offered it. Adama carefully clutched her by the wrist with one hand and with the other carefully removed the old bandage.
Once removed, Adama inspected the exposed injury and frowned.
"You need to get to a doctor," he stated as he began wrapping her hand with the new bandage.
"No hurry," Roslin said, with a faint smile, "I've seen enough of Dr. Cottle to last me quite a long time."
Adama smiled in return although the subject was a painful one. He had never quiet come to grips with Roslin's cancer. He felt uncomfortable every time she joked about it. Now that she was cured he refused to remember how much the thought of losing her had affected him.
"I think many of my officers feel the same way, Kara among them," he joked back as he absently brushed his thumb over the soft skin of her wrist. Roslin let out a short chuckle and ducted her head. Maybe he had been wrong again; maybe when she was most beautiful when she was laughing.
Stop. This. Now.
He abruptly let go of her hand once he finished tying off the bandage.
The heat was beginning to get to Adama, and involuntarily he undid the buttons on his uniform. When Roslin lifted her head he could see she was becoming just as uncomfortable. Sweat began to form just above one of the scratches on her forehead.
He watched as she struggled to get her own suit jacket loose. With the use of only one hand it was a struggle in vain.
"Here," Adama offered, as he reached out with both hands. He undid the three buttons of the jacket and without thinking reached up to help push it off her shoulders. Adama stopped dead in his actions when he looked up and came face to face with Roslin. His hands where wrapped around the jacket which in turn was wrapped around Roslin's shoulders. Which meant, his hands were wrapped around her shoulders.
To his surprise Roslin shuttered the slightest bit even though the vent was filled with nearly unbearable heat.
"Maybe I should leave it on," she said quickly as her face flushed with color.
Adama drew his hands back so fast that Roslin nearly lost her balance. In reaction she thrust her good hand out which landed on his chest and kept her from crashing into him. She made eye contact and neither of them broke the gaze. Roslin did not bother to remove her hand, much to Adama's irritation. It was hard enough to fight his feelings without having her be so close to him. And why was it so hot?!
He reached up and brushed a wild strand of hair away from her cheek. Adama could feel himself losing ground in the fight against his heart. His thumb traced its way down to Roslin's chin and along her soft neck until his hand rested on her shoulder.
"It's against my better judgment to bring this up but I…," she suddenly blurted out. Adama did not move, afraid the moment would be lost forever. Roslin drew in a deep breath before continuing. Adama watched her intently.
"I need…I want you to know…Before the attack on Caprica I was about to end the…affair…with Adar. I knew it was wrong from the beginning. I'm not sorry you found out about it, but I am sorry for what you must think of me," Roslin explained.
Under any other conditions such a confession from Laura Roslin may have surprised, even stunned him, but not now, not this moment. If anything he was disappointed the affair is what she wanted to confess…he had hoped for something…a little closer to home.
"We've all made mistakes," Adama replied, giving her shoulder a soft squeeze.
"This could be another one," Roslin said looking directly at Adama.
Her face was stone but he saw a warmth behind her eyes that drew him in. Her other worldly quality was literally like a magnet pulling him closer to her. He removed his gaze from her eyes and focused on her lips.
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"Mother of a toaster," Kara muttered under her breath as she looked up through the heat to the panel on the ceiling. No wonder she hadn't been able to kick it open, the flames in the room had welded part of it to the ceiling.
Kara scanned the burning corridor for something she could use to pry open the panel. She stumbled and coughed as she looked for a piece of lose metal or knife or anything she could possibly make use of. Smoke caught in her lungs and she doubled over coughing it out. Then, she saw it. Another bomb hidden near the floor behind an electrical box. For some reason it hadn't gone off…yet. It was then Kara had one of those brilliant moments in life that one can't help but credit to divine inspiration. Perhaps the Gods were looking out for Laura Roslin after all.
Kara quickly grabbed the explosive, which was standard military grade, probably stolen from one of the lockers in the officers supply room. Part of training for all military personal involved learning the tricks of disabling an explosive. Upon further inspection Kara found the bomb had a blown fuse, probably damaged from the first explosion. If she could rewire it with just enough force to blow the welded panel out of place then the old man might just have a chance. All of that would take time. She hoped, not too much time.
"Okay, Lords of Kobol, I could use your help on this one," she said out loud and cocked her head to one side as she began rewiring the bomb.
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No, no, no…
"It is a mistake," Adama agreed as he moved closer, "But I can't seem to stop myself."
He watched as Roslin parted her lips with the faintest smile lingering on them.
"I can't seem to stop you either," she replied in a voice barely above a whisper.
He saw her close her eyes in preparation for what was about to happen. Adama leaned forward and paused for just a moment to enjoy the thrill that ran through him. This was the moment before he was about to kiss the woman he loved.
Yes, he loved her. There, it was out. Frak all reason, common sense and better judgment. He loved Laura Roslin! And on top of that, he liked the feeling. Why shouldn't he? They were the leaders of humanity and if anyone deserved a little happiness why shouldn't it be them?
He inched closer and the space between them disappeared. Her shallow breath tickled the skin beneath his nose. His hand tightened on her shoulder. The hand on his chest offered no resistance. He felt his lips brush hers. There was a loud explosion. For a moment he thought the emotion between them had ignited the heat saturated air… He soon realized it was something else.
"Are you coming or is roasting up there fun," Kara's voice blasted through the vent.
If this moment had been a sparkling crystal glass, then Kara's voice was like a black sledge hammer shattering it into too many pieces to ever be put back together again. Adama reasoned this would probably go down in history as the moment he almost…well, it really didn't matter now.
Roslin had already started crawling backwards in the direction they had come and Adama followed. He found it interesting that she refused to look at him before she began the journey backwards. With a sigh he followed her down the tunnel. The vent had heated to a nearly unbearable level and the metal was hot on the bare skin of his hands. Ignoring the pain was easy, however, because the aching of his heart took over all other coherent thought.
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Kara was not quite sure how she managed to rig the bomb to only partially explode but now was not the time to question such things. She watched as Roslin stumbled down the explosion deformed ladder with her injured hand. Nearing the bottom rung she slipped and caught herself before she landed face first on the floor. Fire was raging all around them. Kara wiped the sweat from her forehead before reaching out to help the president regain her balance. Adama was close behind her, so close that only a split second after Roslin let go of the ladder Adama was on the ground beside her.
Before Kara could speak a loud buzzing alarm began ringing over the crackling of the fire.
"It's the depressurization warning," Adama shouted at Kara grabbing her by the arm.
He gently pushed her out of the way and fought his way through the flames to the electrical box readout. Kara was about to join him but she felt a tug on her arm. When she looked up she saw the president having a difficult time standing. Roslin had reached out to Kara and was leaning on her for support. The Viper pilot could only squint through the flames and watch Adama study the readout.
"Get out of here," Adama ordered when he returned.
"What about you?" Kara questioned unsure what to make of the situation.
"I have to manually open the valve in this section. The explosion damaged the wiring. If it doesn't open we will lose Galactica," Adama explained as if it were a routine operation.
"If you stay we'll lose you," Kara argued. Adama grounded himself and stretched to his full height.
"Get the president clear of the section, wait for me for ten minutes and if I'm not back seal the airlock," Adama said. Kara hesitated. She wasn't about to leave him.
"You take the president, I'll stay and open the valve," Kara suggested.
"What do you know about opening jammed valves on battleship class vessels?" Adama questioned her sternly. Kara opened her mouth but no answer came out.
"That's what I thought. Go," Adama yelled. Kara still held out for a brief second, hoping for the second time that fate would somehow intervene.
"That is a direct order, Captain," Adama said. The tone in his voice was one Kara had learned a long time ago never to question. She lifted her hand and saluted her Admiral.
"We will wait for you, sir," she said with as much conviction as she had ever felt.
Kara began to head through the flames toward the door but Roslin's hand on her arm held her in place. Kara turned to see the Admiral and the President share a peculiar look before Roslin began moving away.
Kara, with a supporting hand on Roslin's elbow, stepped through the hatch and Adama fell out of sight. Although Kara could feel Roslin's strength fading, she still sprinted through each corridor. As they traveled the flames grew more intense and then died down with the faint rumbling falling further and further away. The more ground they covered the harder it became to keep up their current speed; the harder Kara found it to hold out hope that the old man would make it.
Up head Kara finally spotted the hatch singling the separation of the section of engine corridor. Once she and Roslin had stepped through it safely, Roslin let go of Kara's arm and leaned against the wall panting for air. Kara might have been worried Roslin would black out had her mind not be occupied with concern for the old man.
"He'll make it, Captain," Roslin said between gasps for air.
"He's got eight minutes," Kara said, more to herself than to Roslin as she looked down at her watch. The buzzing of the alarms continued. Beneath the flashing light Kara spotted a phone dangling in air from its black cord. She stumbled over to it and put it to her ear hoping that maybe she could get in touch with Tigh and tell him to wait for a few more minutes before depressurizing. The line was dead.
"Frak," Kara said and slammed the phone back on the hook.
With nothing else to do, Kara began to nervously pace back at forth in the corridor, glancing through the hatch every so often to see if Adama was coming.
"Come on old man," Kara kept repeating under her breath. She looked at her watch again.
"Six minutes," she said, twitching her fingers in the air.
"Captain, your worrying is not doing any good, and it's making me dizzy," Roslin began, "Listen to me. Take a deep breath…"
Kara looked over at Roslin with a lifted eyebrow. Who did this woman think she was? Kara's mother? Yeah, right.
"It will make you feel better," Roslin continued lifting her chin in encouragement. With a roll of her eyes Kara took in a long deep breath and exhaled it.
"Now," Roslin again spoke. With some difficulty Kara saw her stand up a little straighter. "Tell me something about yourself."
"What?" Kara snapped her voice less than friendly.
"I don't know that much about you. Considering you just saved my life and how you're…special…to the Admiral, I would like to find out more," Roslin replied calmly. Kara knew exactly what she was trying to do. She was trying to get Kara to think about something else. Kara glanced down at her watch again. Three minutes.
"You want to know something about me," Kara began mockingly, "I hate politics and I hate politicians and if I did save your life its not because I like you, it's because it's my job as an officer to follow orders from my superiors."
Kara watched Roslin's face grow colder and she suddenly felt bad for jumping down her throat.
"I'm sorry," she immediately apologized, "I'm just…"
"…worried," Roslin finished with knowing superiority. Kara nodded reluctantly.
"And, actually, I do like you, Madame President," she told the woman and then she shrugged, "I don't know if that really means anything but—"
"It does." Roslin answered so quickly that by the time Kara looked up Roslin had already finished saying it.
"And, away from situations that demand otherwise…call me Laura," Roslin added.
Okay, Kara thought with amusement, maybe she wouldn't airlock you. Kara eyed Roslin for a moment but couldn't really tell what the woman was thinking. She looked down at her watch.
"Times up," she said with gritted teeth.
She walked to the hatch and peered down the dark grey corridor. No sign of Adama. The alarm was still buzzing. If Kara didn't shut the hatch, then Galactica would be severely damaged perhaps even destroyed. With a sigh she reached out and began to pull the heavy door closed.
"Captain," Roslin's voice demanded attention. Kara turned around to find Roslin standing at her full height, her eyes sharp and her presence intimidating.
"Do not close that hatch," Roslin said, her voice unwavering.
"Believe me Madame President," Kara replied, hesitating to call her Laura, "I don't want to, but it was a direct order, and we would be risking…" Kara had to pause to reign in her emotions.
"We would be risking Galactica."
"And I am giving you a direct order, a Presidential order, leave the hatch open," Roslin demanded.
Kara glanced down the hallway, and then back to Roslin. She truly did not know what to do. The last time she had obeyed Roslin's order in direct opposition to Adama's a military coup had erupted and nearly divided the fleet. Kara clasped her hands together in a fist and placed them under her nose as she fought to make the right decision.
"You are absolutely right. Losing Galactica would be detrimental to the fleet but," Roslin's voice wavered just the slightest bit, which didn't go unnoticed by Kara, "losing Admiral Adama would be just as detrimental to Galactica."
Roslin paused and Kara let the words sink in.
"The hatch stays open," Roslin finished.
The alarm continued to fill the air with ringing. Every moment Kara let the hatch remain open she felt as if she were betraying the old man in some way. Roslin was a refuge of strength and tranquility as they both waited for destruction of the ship or Adama's return.
As Kara stood next to Roslin peering down the corridor she knew in her heart of hearts, had Roslin not been there, there was no chance she would have closed the hatch until the last possible second, and maybe not even then. She would never give up on William Adama. Never. Having Roslin's orders just made the decision more justifiable.
Then, from far off, Kara could hear the beat of boots on the corridor floor. The footstep grew louder, and stronger, and closer. As if in a dream Kara looked down the hallway, and saw Admiral Adama sprinting toward her.
"You've got guts, lady, I'll give you that," Kara remarked as she reached out to pull the hatch shut as soon as Adama was through. He approached the hatch and jumped over the door frame into the next section. Kara could feel the rumble of the decompression sequence as she pulled the hatch shut. She spun the handle around and heard the airlock snap seconds before she felt the lunge of the decompression shake the entire deck.
Kara turned around with a smile of relief on her face. It was not a smile that Adama shared.
"I gave you a direct order. The entire ship was at risk," he yelled.
Kara was amazed that the man didn't even seem to be out of breath. He was beat up though. He had a cut above his left eye that hadn't been their earlier and his clothes were burnt and torn.
"That was my call," Roslin interjected. "I ordered her to leave the hatch open. I am fully responsible."
Adama turned his heated stare to Roslin. Kara could not help but feel the tingling of relief that she was off the hook; however, she did pity Roslin.
"Is it the continued goal of your presidency to undermine my authority on my own ship," Adama questioned his voice losing none of its force.
"Only when you're wrong," Roslin replied simply.
Kara was surprised Roslin dared speak to the old man in such a way. The president's voice was filled with the utmost respect, she didn't seem to be mocking him, but she wasn't backing down by any means.
"If you lost Galactica tell me what would happen to the fleet?" Adama demanded.
"Tell me what would happen to the fleet if we lost you," Roslin retorted.
Kara watched as the two most influential and powerful individual's left in the universe battled it out with a single look. They stared each other down in a way Kara had never seen. Perhaps, their argument was important, but it would have to wait for another day.
"I hate to break this up," Kara interrupted, "But I think we should get back above deck and get the President to the hospital."
"Yes, of course," Adama agreed with a growl, "Madame President, we will discuss this later."
He gestured for Roslin to lead the way. As Kara followed them through the corridors to the upper levels of Galactica she couldn't help but smile. She had earned some valuable information along with all the aches and bruises. She kept it stored in the back of her mind and she knew already that upon further investigation it would prove useful. It wasn't that Kara wanted revenge on Lee, but he had been acting like a jerk lately, and teasing him about his father's relationship with the President was just too good an opportunity to miss. Her call sign after all was Starbuck, and bucking the system was what she did best.