When Laura awoke that morning she found herself not on the beach but in her cabin on Colonial One. She realized that her beach dream had merely been another Chamalla induced hallucination and frowned at the thought. Unlike her dream with Leoben she had actually liked the location of this dream. It was warm and sunny and for the first time in five months she could feel the breeze winding through her hair, tangling its tresses with each minute that passed.
But the sunset on the beach was not her world. She still had business to tend to on Galactica and on Colonial One before she could even think of enjoying a sunset. She dressed and started going through some of the typical mundane paperwork that came across her desk when Billy came in.
"Madame President."
Roslin looked up at the young man's face and realized that she would probably miss him most of all at the end of however many weeks she had left. He had become not just her aide but her friend.
"Yes Billy," Laura said. "What can I do for you?"
"Commander Adama's on the line," Billy informed.
"Thank you Billy," Laura said as she picked up the wireless. "Commander Adama?"
"Laura, I wanted to confirm that you would be present for the christening of the new blackbird. It would mean a lot to Tyrol and his people if you were there," Adama asked.
"I'll be there."
Having never been much of an actress Laura couldn't mask the sound of sadness in her voice. She drew in a deep breath and exhaled, trying to calm herself down to the point where she could think rationally.
"Laura?" Bill's husky voice questioned. "Are you okay?"
"No…no…Bill…um…Is this a secure line?"
"Yes," Bill said. "Is there something that you want to discuss with me?"
"I probably shouldn't do this over the wireless," Laura said.
"Laura if something is wrong please tell me. I want to help you."
"You might not like what I have to say…"
"I don't care Laura, tell me."
Tears began brimming over Laura's eyes and she sucked in a breath trying to stifle the tears from falling as she listened for Bill's response. "Commander?"
"Laura… if you don't tell me right now I'm taking a shuttle over to Colonial One to get an answer from you in person."
"No! Please don't. I'll see you tomorrow. We can talk then."
"I want to see you privately the minute you get off the shuttle. I need to see you."
"Okay…I promise."
"I'll see you tomorrow?" Bill asked.
Laura detected the hint of worry in his voice and decided to address it, "Commander don't sound so worried." She could hear him smirk on the other end and smiled herself. "That's better…Now I will see you tomorrow."
"Gods be with you Laura," Adama said. It wasn't Adama's usual send off at the end of a wireless conversation and it took both Bill and Laura by surprise.
Laura sat in silence, not sure of what to say. Finally muttering into the phone, "Thank you Commander. May the gods be with you also."
When the wireless call was disconnected Laura went back to sorting through her papers. She hadn't fully accepted that she was going to die until her last appointment with Dr. Cottle. As strange as it sounded, Laura could still feel her hands shaking as she looked over the report that Dr. Cottle had given her. She was getting worse. She had felt it but now that it was on paper it was real. Yet a part of her still didn't want to believe it.
Now she was thinking about everything she would be leaving behind. She had often wondered if the sensations of life flashing before your eyes only occurred in the final moments of death. She felt that she was beginning to re-experience moments that she'd felt when she was younger. When she had lived with her parents, the time she had spent with her grandparents, meeting Adar. She was starting to look back on each memory with a certain fondness.
TBC
Comments and criticism always appreciated. Thanks.