AN: Obviously, to call these "chapters" is absolutely absurd. And upon reflection, I must admit that they don't even merit the label "installments." Pulling teeth is easier. But I'm enjoying it.
The Book of Pythia
Chapter 3: Mea Culpa
Smoke stinging her eyes, Laura Roslin went to the hatch and opened it. Fortunately, the small fire hadn't set off any alarms.
Adama was turning the corner on his way to Roslin's quarters when he saw the smoke and started to run down the corridor. He arrived at the hatch to find Laura Roslin standing over a pile of ashes, obviously the remains of a book, its leather cover scorched but still intact.
"Laura! What the hell is going on?" he said, bewildered.
She looked up. No reply. Just a haunted look. Her eyes almost looked past him and her arms hung limping by her side. She looked defeated.
He had expected this, but the reality of it hit him square in the gut. He wanted to hold her in his arms, to stand between her and the nightmare that their reality had become. Not an urge he acted upon lightly—he knew her pride—nonetheless he moved toward her. As he lifted his arms to her shoulders, she pulled back, violently, as if his touch might burn her.
She couldn't bear his touch. She couldn't bear even the thought of his touch now. Jolted back into the present, she looked at him coldly, head held high. "There's something I have to do," she said.
Before the admiral could reply, movement at the doorway broke them off. Lee Adama stood there, an expectant look on his face. "We have to tell them something," he said, speaking to the room in general, looking back and forth between president and admiral. "And soon," he added. "News of this is spreading like wildfire through the fleet. We need to make a statement to the press. Let the people know…" he drifted off.
"Know what?" Roslin quipped with an eyebrow cocked. "Know that the dream of Earth is a nightmare, that the dying leader was just hallucinating after all."
The admiral looked sharply at her. "Now, Laura," he began.
She quickly cut him off and said icily, "No amount of spin is going to make anyone believe that this is not anything other than what it is—a complete and total disaster. It's the end of the world all over again."
She paused. "They'll never forgive us," she said, shaking her head slightly.
"That doesn't matter right now," Lee argued. "What does matter is that we keep a handle on the situation, keep the fleet from breaking out into open rebellion."
He had their full attention now. He continued, "The people have got to know that their leaders haven't abandoned them. Otherwise, there will be utter chaos."
Lee paused, catching his breath. "We have to take control of the situation before someone else does."
"Someone else?" remarked the admiral, knowing exactly where this was leading.
Lee Adama looked straight into his father's eyes and said, "Zarek." That was all that he needed to say. The admiral looked to the president expectantly.
Laura Roslin's gaze had lost focus again. "I can't," she said quietly but firmly. "They'll never forgive me."