Chapter 11

"Good... Bad... I'm the guy with the gun." - Ash

The Present - The Galactica

"Commander," Omega said suddenly, "there's been a weapon fired in the Life Station."

Adama and Omega both looked over to the console where Athena normally sat. It was occupied by someone else.

"Dear Lords, no…," Adama breathed and ran from the command room. Silently, Tigh watched him go and assumed control of the bridge.

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As the door to the Life Station slid open, Adama heard a woman's hysterical sobbing, the sound sending cold terror through him. He followed the sobbing and found Cassiopeia kneeling over Athena who was crouched on the floor, her hair falling over her face, her hands covered with blood, her uniform disheveled.

"Athena, are you hurt?" Adama asked kneeling, trying to ignore the red stains that marked the floor.

"– it's my fault –" Athena whimpered. "– if I hadn't – hadn't –"

"You fired? Why?"

"No – no –" Her sobbing redoubled, shaking her whole body.

"She didn't fire, sir," Cassie said quietly. Adama looked to her for an explanation, Athena being too distraught to make any sense. However, even the explanation could wait.

"Is there anything you can do for her?" Adama asked Cassie who nodded and left.

"Athena, are you hurt?" Adama asked softly, taking her hands in his. Her face was wet with tears and streaked with blood.

"No," she choked, shaking her head, seeming to quiet a bit.

"You didn't shoot?"

"Apollo –" she started and then broke down again. Adama reached out and held her as she wept feeling as helpless to comfort her as on the day of the Destruction of the Colonies.

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Starbuck felt odd watching the video of the muted surveillance recording. While Salik and Wilker had forbidden guards, Warriors and Council Security both, on the grounds it would be disruptive to other patients and Baltar wasn't going anywhere anyway, they had allowed the surveillance pickups.

Now, in Adama's quarters, watching it, Starbuck was surprised by just how captivating Athena's smile was. He also suspected Adama had muted the audio, after hearing whatever it was that Athena and Baltar had discussed, reluctant to make that information known to others. However, it was quite clear by their actions that they were making up for lost time. Starbuck felt almost like a voyeur until Athena and Baltar were interrupted by Apollo.

On the console screen, Starbuck again watched as Athena threw herself between Apollo and Baltar, and then Baltar, without hesitation and using Athena's momentum, turned her away, shielding her from Apollo. It was as smooth as any turn Starbuck had seen them execute on the dance floor on Caprica. In doing so, Baltar had allowed himself to take the full force of Apollo's shot knowing that, barring a miracle, it was certain to be fatal.

Starbuck again saw the horrified and panicked look on Athena's face as she realized what had happened. As Baltar fell to his knees, taking Athena with him, a dark stain appeared on the gown he wore, near his right shoulder and spreading down his back.

Feeling a twinge of envy, Starbuck realized Baltar had sacrificed himself to keep Athena from doing the same for him. It didn't seem to be a consistent action for a man thought to have committed treason for his own gain.

"No, it doesn't," Adama said, sitting behind the desk and bringing Starbuck out of his reverie. He hadn't realized he had spoken his thoughts aloud.

"Starbuck, you saw what he was doing to Athena," Apollo said, standing next to him.

"Apollo, the man barely had strength to do more than stand." Starbuck turned to Apollo. "If Athena had wanted, she could have easily disabled him."

"Are you saying she welcomed his…his…attentions?"

"Er…I think it was pretty clear that she encouraged him," Starbuck said, nodding towards the console screen.

"How can you say that?"

"Look, Apollo, you called his bluff and he showed you his hand. You may not like it, but you have to at least accept it."

"This isn't a game of cards," Apollo said, annoyed by Starbuck's flippancy.

"No, it isn't, but he sacrificed himself to protect her. You might be able to ignore that, but I can't." Starbuck was growing irritated by Apollo's refusal to recognize evidence that clearly indicated otherwise and getting stuck in one of his righteous ruts.

"I can't believe you're defending him."

"Neither can I, to tell the truth," Starbuck said and shook his head in disbelief. "But I'm willing to reconsider a few things."

"This is what he wants," Apollo said, fervently seeking to justify his argument.

"Oh, come on, Apollo…," Starbuck retorted. "He didn't have time to think, or plot, or anything else other than to act on what was most important to him at that moment which, like it or not, was to protect Athena. I don't need to add that you provided the threat."

"I didn't think she was going to –"

"No, you didn't think," Adama cut him off. "Your sister is devastated."

"Father, if you had seen –" Apollo protested.

"I have seen it," Adama snapped, waving to the screen. "Several times in fact."

"Did you know she had been that involved with him?" The look of disgust on Apollo's face was unmistakable.

"Not until a few days ago."

"Why didn't she say anything before?"

"She was afraid of how I would take it. They were going to make it public the day after the Armistice," Adama said.

"Did mother know?"

"Yes, I believe Ila knew," Adama sighed, looking tired. "Your sister has had to be sedated. What you did was inexcusable."

"Father, I'm sorry, but –" Apollo began.

"I don't want to hear it," Adama barked, cutting him off, the fury that every pilot dreaded being the target of evident in his voice. Starbuck suddenly wished he could be somewhere else but had to settle for remaining as still as possible in an effort to not draw attention to himself. "You could have killed Athena," Adama continued. "She's been through Hades this last yahren, even without your thoughtless action."

"We've all been…," Apollo's words trailed off under his father's icy glare.

"I'm aware of that and aware that your sister has done all she could to help her family cope with their personal loses at the expense of her own. Where were we when she needed our understanding?"

"We didn't know. There where other things that had to be dealt with."

"We should have made time for her. We could have at least asked," Adama said, exhaustion evident in his voice and expression.

"It was Baltar," Apollo persisted.

"This is not about him," Adama snapped. "This is about Athena. I've already lost too much of my family; I don't want to lose her also."

"She wouldn't – not because of him –" Apollo stammered.

"No, because of her own family's narrow-mindedness. Ila was right as she so often was." Adama appeared defeated as he lowered his gaze to his desktop.

Starbuck risked a sideways glance at Apollo who appeared locked in an internal struggle with himself. Cassiopeia had been right. Without Ila, Adama had relied on Athena's unquestioning support and she had subordinated her own feelings and needs to her father's. It had allowed Adama to focus on keeping the fleet together and making the needed decisions to keep the fleet from descending into bickering factions. Starbuck found himself feeling as bad as Adama looked. Athena had made efforts to turn to him after the Destruction, as confused and as in need of friendship as anyone else, and he had made excuses to avoid her, thinking it had been something else. While he had had Cassie and even Apollo to confide in, Athena must have felt so alone under the strain to remain silent.

"Father, you can't blame yourself," Apollo said, almost timidly.

"What's past is past," Adama said, looking up with the resolve of someone who had made a decision and who intended to carry it out. "I can't change that. However, I can make allowances now, hopefully, before it's too late."

"What are you going to do?"

"Ask Athena what she wants and then accept it." Adama stood and walked out of his quarters.

Apollo started after him but Starbuck seized his arm, preventing him.

"Starbuck, he can't." Apollo looked desperate. "If he does something like pardon Baltar, it would destroy the fleet."

"Apparently the Commander has decided he needs Athena. Without her, I think the fleet would be in trouble anyway."

"This would give the Council the opportunity they've been waiting for. They'll use it against him."

"Well, I guess you should have had a better aim then; it would have solved a lot of problems if you had succeeded in killing Baltar."

"We can still hope for that," Apollo said bitterly.

"Yeah…I suppose if you wanted him to stay dead, you should have shot him where he couldn't receive immediate medical care." Starbuck gave him an ironic smirk.

"That's not funny."

"Doctor Salik isn't amused either from what Cassie told me. Apparently he likes his patients to be healed before having to patch them together again."

"It was Baltar."

"Yeah, we know, but Doctor Salik still takes pride in his work. You wouldn't like Salik giving up if it had been you. He's not looking forward to Siress Tinia returning to his Life Station and having to explain to her that he saved Baltar's life again."

"That man has been granted more lives than a felis," Apollo muttered.

"Well, if you hadn't shot him, Salik wouldn't be having to –" Starbuck stopped as an idea came to him. Something else Cassie had mentioned.

"Starbuck?" Apollo asked, confused.

"Um…I've got to talk to Cassie," Starbuck said, trotting towards the door. He paused and looked back at Apollo. "Look, I'd invite you to come along, but I don't think Salik would be happy to see you at the moment." Starbuck dashed out the door. If he hurried, he might be able to catch up with Commander Adama.

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A short time later in Doctor Salik's office in the Life Station, Starbuck, along with Cassiopeia, Adama, and Salik, held his breath as Siress Tinia received the news.

"Baltar is dead?" Tinia asked, looking to Adama.

"Doctor Salik has shown me the medical records," Adama answered.

"Doctor, you can confirm this?" As her next subject of inquiry, Tinia turned to Salik.

"Yes, I can. His bio-signs ceased yesterday evening." Salik handed her hard copies of the medical equipment's recordings. They were clearly marked with the date and time. Tinia glanced at them, giving particular attention to the graphical tracings.

"I note the recordings end quite soon after the bio-signs fell to the zero-point…," She said watching him closely.

"As you informed me earlier, there was no reason to expend further time and resources on the man," Salik said.

"Yes, I did." Tinia surveyed the two others in the room, Starbuck and Cassiopeia.

"We…uh…witnessed the event. It's hard to survive being shot with a laser pistol at close range," Starbuck said at his most ingenuous, bringing every skill he had honed at the Pyramid table to his effort.

"I suppose I could ask to see the body," Tinia said slowly, giving them all careful scrutiny. "However, as I have numerous witnesses and no evidence to the contrary, it seems quite unnecessary."

"If you feel so," Adama said.

"Then I shall report as such to the Council," Tinia said and gave Adama a warm smile. "I'm sure I will be able to convince them that further inquiries in this area will not be necessary."

"I'm sure you will," Adama replied graciously. "I thank you for your understanding in this matter."

"As a fellow member of the Council, I believe it beneficial to be able to discuss such matters. I would be more than happy to convey to you the Council's reaction to this turn of events if you would like to meet later…in private."

"I would appreciate that, Siress," Adama said, with a slight inclination of his head.

"Until then," Tinia said, and left the Life Station.

"Did she just…?" Starbuck whispered to Cassie.

"Lieutenant, that is private Council business," Adama said, hearing him.

"Yes, sir," Starbuck answered. However, he noted a certain glimmer in Adama's eyes that suggested a shade more than simple relief.