A/N: Don't you all just love Easter break? While it does mean mountains of revision, it means I have a little more free time to work on this fanfiction. Don't tell anyone that it's what I do during my study breaks! This chapter starts/foreshadows the main plot line in regards to Pandora. Though, he doesn't love some cylon interaction. After being harassed by a friend to do so, I've made an 8tracks listing for this fanfiction. The link is in my profile, simply hit my username and it'll direct you there! Also, there's nothing better than reading your reviews after a stressful day of studying, and I hope you all know that I love and appreciate each and every one of them!]
The Eye of Jupiter
"Let her sleep Bill!" Laura hissed, crossing the room as Bill remained at his station, protectively watching over the sleeping child in his bunk, taking in each rise and fall of her small chest. "She looks peaceful" Bill concluded, finding the corners of his thin lips starting to turn up in a joyful smile. Pandora looked as though she hadn't a single care in the world - her innocence making her ignorant to the devils around her. "If you don't let her sleep, then you can deal with Miss Moody" Laura joked, sitting herself down on the man's chair as she flashed him a teasing smile. It was no secret that Pandora could be rather moody if awoken from her peaceful slumbers. "Fair point" He replied, nodding his head towards the woman as the phone beside them let out a shrilling ring, demanding the attention of the occupants of the room. Fearful that the noise might wake the sleeping child, Laura lifted the phone from its cradle after the first ring. "This is the President speaking..." She began, glancing over her glasses at Bill as he leaned against the wall in front of her, looking between both herself and the sleeping child.
"Do you really think you found the Temple of the Five?" Laura asked, her voice filled with wonder as she placed the phone on loud-speaker, hoping Pandora would be able to sleep through the noise. Bill crossed his arms, watching at the phone as Tyrol's voice sounded around the room. He listened as the younger man recalled his father's teaching, causing Laura to nod her head in silent acknowledgement. "Could this place be related to the Eye of Jupiter?" Laura thought aloud, looking up at Bill as she silently prayed at this was a much-needed marker on their path to Earth - or at least some sign that the prophecy was true. That the dying leader would guide the people to Earth. "The Eye of Jupiter, what exactly are we talking about?" Bill asked, his voice laced in curiosity as he stopped in front of his desk, looking down at Laura. "According to the scriptures, it's a marker that was left by the thirteenth tribe, it's supposed to point the way to Earth" Laura informed the Admiral, deciding that it might be best to teach him about the scrolls and scriptures someday.
The sirens boomed through the Admiral's quarters. The shrilling noise forced Pandora out of her peaceful slumber as Laura stood to her full height while Bill clasped the telephone in his hand. That noise only meant one thing. Cylons. "This is Adama" The man said, switching the phone network over to the CIC. Laura slipped around the desk and moved towards the bunk in the side of the room where Pandora was attempting to adjust her eyes to the dim light. "What's the matter?" Pandora asked, her tired voice concealed a yawn as she rubbed her eyes - struggling to keep them open - while sitting up straight in bed. "We need to go to the CIC" Laura stated, knowing it was best not to unnecessarily worry the small child. "Do we have to go...?" Pandora argued, a tired yawn breaking off the rest of her speech as Laura stepped forward to scoop the girl up in her arms; blanket, elephant and all.
Pandora clutched her fingers around the thin material of her mother's blazer, keeping her head against the woman's shoulder as they walked after Bill through Galactica's deserted hallways and towards the chaos of the CIC. "Zip rep!" Bill demanded as they stepped inside, the Admiral heading towards the middle station while Laura slipped into the empty work station at the back of the chaotic room. By now, Pandora had grown accustomed to the thin grey walls of the CIC. As Laura sat her down on the cold metal chair, Pandora swung her legs backwards and forwards, keeping her parents in her line of sight as Laura walked up behind Bill, coming to a stop at his hip. "Four?" Laura asked in disbelief as her eyes gazed up at the flashing blue and red lights on the monitors in front of them. Why were the cylons always right on their tails?
"If the Eye of Jupiter really is a marker on the way to Earth and it's in that tomb..." She began, her eyes trailing over to the man beside her, knowing that the cylon presence meant only one thing. They wanted the Eye of Jupiter "We can't let the cylons get it" Bill concluded, examining the four base ship on the monitor as he attempted to come up with a mental stagey. They had to many people on the surface, and the Eye of Jupiter was to valuable for them to simply jump away.
The Admiral and President exchanged a puzzled glance as the cylons attempted contact with the Galactica ship. Lifting the wireless beside him, Bill pressed down the communication button before speaking "This is Admiral Adama" He announced, curious of just who was on the other end. "Admiral, I can't tell you what a genuine pleasure it is to hear your voice" The familiar voice filled the CIC, sending the occupants into a sudden silence. Bill watched as the colour drained from Laura's face as their fears were confirmed. "This is Gaius Baltar" The man revealed, his voice sending confusion through the Galactica crew.
The look on her mother's face puzzled Pandora. She had never seen a look of such terror in her mother's eyes, masking her features as she took a deep shaky breath. As though the memories of New Caprica were vividly flashing back to her. It made Pandora afraid. The girl had been of the belief that nothing in the world could scare her mother, but in that moment, Laura's blood boiled with fear, anger and vengeance. All she wanted was Baltar's head on a silver plate.
As her mother turned on her heel and exited the room, her powerful strides caused her heels to echo through the deserted hallways like a woman on a mission. Bill was quick to follow the President, mindful that she wouldn't think twice about using the services of the nearest airlock. Pandora pushed herself off the chair, her arms filled with her cotton blanket and precious elephant, as she rushed after Laura and Bill. Eventually, the child managed to catch up with them both, slipping through the small gap of the heavy wooden door before it shut behind her.
Laura was Pandora's 'comforter in chief' but in that moment, it seemed her mother was the one in need of comfort. "I can't believe we're letting Cylons on this ship" Laura muttered, shaking her head in defeat. Stepping up behind the woman, Pandora reached up to touch her mother's porcelain hand. "Mama..." She said, her voice filled with concern for her mother. The title had caught both Laura and Bill off guard, with the latter forcing himself not to smirk like an idiot and spin the child around in joy. Though given the current circumstances, Bill doubted that was appropriate. Laura found herself smiling freely, even with the unexpected unfolding of events.
"Everything's okay" She promised the child, before a realisation hit her. The last thing Laura wanted - or needed - was for Pandora to be in the same room as Baltar, let alone with known cylon models. "Can you take Pandora..." Laura began to speak to the armed guard nearest them when the doors opened and an escort of heavily armed guards marched into the room, accompanying the two cylons and the traitor of the human race.
"Laura" Baltar's voice was soft as though he was in a state of disbelief as he stepped into the meeting room, his eyes landing on the red-haired President, speaking to her as though she was a long-lost friend and not a bitter enemy. Unable to look the traitor in the eyes, Laura found her hands reaching behind her to gently push Pandora back, the woman herself following as Bill took three strides to stand between the President and her predecessor. "It's good to see you" Baltar said, attempting to coax the woman in front of him. It was then that he spotted the small child hiding behind Laura's legs, looking up at him with curious widen bambi eyes as she rested her head against Laura's thigh. The President still could not bring herself to look at the man, deciding to look at the Galactica symbol at the other end of the tense boardroom. She would not give the traitor the satisfaction of looking her in the eyes.
"It seems you and the Admiral have certainly been busy" Baltar attempted to break the awkward, tense silence as he looked from the President to her Admiral. His attempt at a friendly conversation was taken as a hostile threat. Laura moved to step in front of her daughter like a lioness protecting her cub. While the wrinkles on Bill's forehead became more clear as he forced himself not to knock the light straight out of Baltar. "I guess it was only a matter of time before we had an Adama-Roslin on board" He joked, taking all of his courage to smile at the man and woman- attempting to be civil with them. It took every ounce of Laura's self-control to stop her personally throwing Baltar out of the nearest airlock. Oh, the satisfaction that would have given her. Speaking to her as though the events of New Caprica were only a simple nightmare may have been one thing, but he had went a step too far by mentioning Pandora. Though, it seemed Bill was annoyed enough for both of them as he took a stride forward and towered over the shorter, younger man. "I would watch your tongue if I was you, Baltar" Bill threatened, narrowing his eyes as he glared down the end of his nose at the younger man.
Out of the corner of her eye, Laura could see the blonde cylon watching Pandora with intense curiosity, as though puzzled by the seemingly familiar girl. The cylon's behavior was enough to make Laura's blood boil and for an ever-present shiver of fear to run down her spine. "Weapons are hardly necessary - especially with the child in the room" D'Anna spoke, forcing a fake smile as she looked from the President to the child she was guarding. There was something strangely familiar about Pandora, as though she had seen the child before, but D'Anna simply couldn't place her finger on why. "Yes, exactly" The male cylon spoke, nodding his head as he followed his companion's line of sight to the young child who clutched fearfully to her mother's legs, cautiously of the strangers watching her. "We come in peace" He claimed, though the sarcasm in his voice was evident to everyone in the room.
"What do you want?" Laura finally spoke, her tone sharp as she looked directly at the two cylons. "We want the Eye of Jupiter" The three confessed, as though she was simply talking about the weather as she placed her hand against the crisp white material of her dress. "We know you have people on the ground, and we know you found the original settlement of the thirteenth tribe" She revealed, casually shrugging her shoulders as though the humans were an unworthy enemy to the 'almighty' cylon race. "And it doesn't take much to know that the only reason you haven't cut your losses and jumped away by now is that you found the artifact but haven't been able to retrieve it yet. Is that about right, Madame President?" Cavil spoke, his accusing tone turning to sarcasm once more as he mocked the woman's title. "We have our people on the surface, we're not leaving them behind" Laura argued with determination, they had learned from their mistake on New Caprica; now, no one got left behind. "That's a touching but not very convincing idea" Cavil confessed, his eyes glancing at the armed guards who seemed to take a small step closer at his hostile words.
Baltar attempted to speak once more, but in Laura's mind the sound of his voice was like sharp nails being dragged down a black board. Unnecessary, painful and provoking. She shut her eyes and attempted to block the noise - and the man - out of her head. She would not take advice from a traitor. "The less this man says, the better this will go" Laura informed, continuing to ignore the man's presence, looking directly at the blonde haired woman who had yet to take her eyes off both herself and Pandora.
"If it wasn't for me, the cylons would have blown you out of the skies two seconds after you arrived...!" He began to argue, holding his hands out in front of him as a sign of his desperation to be understood by the President and her Admiral. Seeing as the man's lacking negotiation skills were getting them no where, the three attempted to intervene. As the female cylon moved to advance towards them, Laura turned around and in one swift motion lifted her daughter and placed the child on her hip furthest from their visitors, shielding her from the curious gazes of the one and three. "Do you think you can handle this without me - if you can stomach it?" Laura asked, her voice laced with sarcasm as she clutched her daughter to her side before turning on her heel "So I've saved your life - again. How many times is that now, because I'm beginning to lose count!" The man shouted as Laura headed out of the room, allowing the door to slam shut behind her as she left, leaving the cylon ally standing gobsmacked.
Laura had no intention of staying in that room for a minute longer. Not in the presence of a cylon whom seemed a little too interested in Pandora, or the traitor who had walked so many of their kind to their untimely brutal deaths. Bill could deal with it.
"There's really not much more on the eye in these scriptures" Laura spoke as she felt the man's presence as he entered his quarters some time later, her eyes remaining fixed on the paperback book in her hands. "There's several interesting stories about the temple, listen to this 'five pillars of the temple were fashioned after the five whose names could not be named'..." She said, reading the black text that rest on the crisp white page with intense interest; perhaps it held a clue about the thirteenth tribe or their path on the way to Earth?
"Laura" Bill interrupted her as he rested his hands down on the desk between them. Laura knew that voice all too well. Something had happened. "What?" She asked, finally pulling her eyes away from the scriptures, shutting the book as she looked up at the Admiral with growing concern, her breath catching in her throat.
"The cylon we know as Boomer, arrived with the others, she told our Sharon that her child was alive, and that she was on board one of the cylon base ships," Bill revealed, his voice dangerously low as he spoke in a sense of disbelief, praying to the Lords of Kobol that what Boomer had said was not true. Laura felt a sense of relief wash over her like a wave. "And that she had been seen on New Caprica in your school" Bill's voice became accusing, his eyebrow raising as he leaned down against his hands, attempting to stay calm. Surely Laura had a reasonable explanation for this all? Laura looked down at the desk, feeling the corners of her lips flinch up in an unreserved smile, taking off her dark rimmed glasses, Laura pushed a strand of thick fire kissed hair behind her ear as she pursed her lips "The child is alive" She breathed, unable to believe her own words. There was no denying that she had become rather attached with Hera, after all, she had seen the child almost every day on New Caprica, even coming to see her as a 'niece' figure in her life. She couldn't deny her relief that the child was alive. Bill's eyes widened in shock, dreading what the woman may say next.
"Yes" Laura said, nodding her head as she put her glasses back on. "Yes, the child was at the school. Yes, I kept her there, we suspected that the cylons captured her during the exodus from New Caprica. Yes it's true" Laura confessed her secret, her eyes silently pleading with the man in front of her to understand, to see her point of view, to not hate her for her past choices.
Bill lowered himself down into the chair beside him, unable to believe his ears. Could his Laura commit such a selfish act? Could she have knowingly deprived a set of parents from raising their first-born child? "Listen, the thing you might want to know is that when..." Laura began, reaching out to take the man's hand in a bid to get him to understand. The decision hadn't been easy, but it had to be made, for the sake of the fleet. She had no other choice. Unable to listen to the woman's web of lies, Bill stood from his seat to leave the room, stopping in his tracks when he noticed the silent Pandora sitting on the plush chair at the corner of the room, happily flicking through one of his worn out hardbacks. Turning on his heel, he faced Laura once more; his face masked with disbelief, anger and
'What if it had of been our Pandora?" Bill demanded in a harsh tone, his fist clenching as he tried to control his anger, mindful of Pandora's presence in the room. "Our Pandora isn't a cylon" Laura began to argued, rising from Bill's chair as she pushed the palm of her ivory hands against the walnut desk, sensing an oncoming storm brewing. "They thought their daughter was dead!' Bill exclaimed, unable to believe that Laura had committed such a crime against Helo and Athena. He knew all too well the unbearable pain of losing a child. He wouldn't wish that on his worse enemy. "You're missing the point Laura! What if someone had taken Pandora from us? Frak, what if someone faked her death?" He protested, annoyance lacing his tone as he attempted to make the President see his point of view. He watched as the woman's face became masked with pain, agony and fear - clearly he had hit a nerve with her. The child in question looked up worriedly at her parents from her safe spot in the corner of the room.
"Bill..." Laura began, her voice dropping as she sighed to herself. Perhaps that was what Laura feared most? The nightmare of someone taking Pandora from them both - snatching her away, leaving both herself and Bill helpless to protect the child. Just like she had done to Athena and Helo. "You're a mother, Laura. Put yourself in Athena's shoes" Bill glared at the woman before him, without even glancing at the fearful Pandora, the man turned on his heel and left, slamming the door shut behind him with a sharp bang. Laura jumped out of her skin at the noise, shutting her eyes as she brought her ivory hand up to cover her fast beating heart. She hadn't expected such a reaction from Bill, in fact, she couldn't deny the crystal droplets tears that were beginning to form in the corner of her eyes.
The patter of small footsteps sounded around the room as Pandora stopped in front of the tearful President. "Mama, why is Papa angry?" Pandora asked, her voice full of innocence and ignorance. Laura felt a sob catch in her throat, forcing her to shut her eyes. Being called 'Mama' brought it all back to her, the realisation of what she had done. Bill was right, what if someone had taken Pandora from them? Laura doubted that she would have been able to go on, not without the dotting, charismatic child in her life. She was a mother now. Though she had been the puppet master of every mother's worst nightmare. She had willingly taken Hera from her parents, without a second thought. She had taken Hera from the only people in the universe who loved her unconditionally.
"Mama?" Pandora asked once more, her voice growing fearful as she tugged gently on the end of her mother's blazer, standing up on her tip toes to do so. Laura blinked away her tears as she bent down to her daughter's height, taking the girl's small hands in her own. "Everything's okay" She promised again, telling yet another lie to her precious ward. The girl raised her eyebrow in a way that reminded Laura of Bill, that simple fact was enough to force her tears away.
Laura took her time walking through the hallways of Galactica, Pandora walking in step with her, clutching onto her hand as they walked. The child could always sense when something was wrong - and although she couldn't understand it, she knew something horrible had happened. By the time the pair had arrived in the CIC, the atmosphere in the cold, chilly room was tense and fearful. As the echoing of her heels came to a stop, Bill turned around to look at her. His expression softened as he saw the slight redness around the woman's tired eyes. He could never stay angry at Laura for long - regardless of what she had done.
Walking through the tense silence of the CIC, Laura came to a stop beside Bill, her eyes glued to the monitors that flashed crimson red. She had always been able to read Bill like an open book. The scene displayed on the monitors and the dreading, fearful look on the Admiral's face told her everything she needed to know. Reaching out, she slipped her slender ivory fingers through his burly arm, letting them rest against the soft material of his uniform, as her other hand rested on Pandora's small shoulder. With a simple nod of her head, she gave the Admiral all the confirmation he needed.
"Release of the nuclear weapons is now autorised" Bill announced, his tone monotonous as he kept his eyes fixed on Laura as Tigh lifted the lever as the countdown began. Laura squeezed the man's arm softly, giving him the reassurance that what he was doing was the right thing - regardless of the consequences. In that moment, he realised that the impossible situation he had found himself in, was no different from what Laura had been faced with when Hera was born. He brought his free hand up to brush the tips of his fingers against Laura's porcelain knuckles. Whatever happened next, he knew one thing for sure. Laura would be right by his side - every step of the way. For better or worse.