BIRTHDAY FIC: The First Day of the Rest of My Life ~ D'anna Biers
Title: The First Day of the Rest of My Life ~ D'anna Biers
Author: bugs
Rating: T+
Genre: Ficlet, Genfic, Drama
Word Count: 1,800
Summary: News at eleven.
A/N: For mamabelladonna , who does so much for this community. You are truly appreciated. And on a personal level, I love the passion you always express in your comments.
This wraps up June, and my month of incredibly depressing ficlets. It seemed like a good idea at the time...
~*~
D'anna stared at the doorway of the Athena's coffee shop, waiting for Brenda Lam to come out, hopefully giving them a full-length view of her baby bump.
"Ready, Bell?" she asked out of the corner of her mouth.
"Yeah, yeah," her photographer grumbled, fiddling with his camera. Then he caught sight of something in the side mirror of their large sports utility vehicle. He craned his head out the window to look. "What the hell?" he said.
"Dammit, Bell," D'anna grumbled, but he clutched her arm.
"Look," he said urgently.
She turned in her seat and looked out the rear view window. A mushroom cloud rose on the horizon.
"Probably just a refinery explosion at Sophates Flats," she drawled, turning forward again. "Let the news bureau cover it."
"Shit, D'anna," Bell said, starting the engine, "it's a frakkin' nuke!"
He yanked the wheel, jumping out into traffic. People were beginning to stream out of businesses to look up in the sky. A white trail of smoke crossed the sky before them, hitting the ground on the outskirts of Caprica City. There was a bright flash, followed by a rolling sensation that forced Bell off the street. He hit parked car after parked car, cursing and sobbing.
D'anna yawned. She really should have taken a nap this afternoon. She hadn't slept well all week, anticipating this glorious day. Even a Cylon got tired, even on the day they were to wipe out humanity. She chuckled.
Bell, having regained control of the vehicle, looked over at her, incredulous. "Where do we go?"
"We need to cover this story," she told him urgently. "Go toward the explosion site."
"Are you frakkin' crazy? Those are frakkin' nukes!" He stared at her for so long the he struck a smaller car that had crossed his path, sending it spinning away. He didn't even slow down.
"It must be some accident," D'anna suggested. "Who in the universe would want to attack the Colonies?" She grabbed the wheel, trying to turn it. "It's our duty to report on this story!"
Bell yanked the wheel back. "Nukes, D'anna! Nukes!"
He fumbled frantically with the radio.
The emergency broadcast was playing. Report immediately to the closest transport station. Evacuate Caprica by all means possible.
"Evacuate?" the photographer gasped. "Caprica?"
"I'm telling you, Bell, this will get us a Kramer Award! We've got to go to the impact site!" D'anna wanted desperately to see the invasion take place; not have this Three die in a crowd like a trampled ant.
"Frak you, D," he screamed, turning violently down a street, going toward the Seventh Street transport station. "I want to live, not get some damn award!"
"I suppose the evaluation will be a story too," she mused, leaning back in the leather seat. Perhaps it would be best to do what should could from within the evaluation. She'd already played a large role by discovering Gauis Baltar's weakness for women and his narcissism that made using him as their tool so easy. She'd only had to frak him once; well, not even that. He'd been too drunk to get it up for more than a few, fumbling minutes.
At the transport station, the crowds poured out of every entrance, trying get on one of the vessels rising from the launch pads.
"See, Bell," pointed out D'anna. "There's no hope."
He sat at the wheel, staring at the massive numbers streaming toward the transport station. Cars behind him honked but he ignored them. Then he suddenly slammed the vehicle in reverse and after hitting several other cars to turn around, sped off.
D'anna waited a while. They were traveling against the stream, dodging vehicles and running people, all headed away from the impact sites.
"Where are we going?" she finally asked mildly.
"You want a story. We'll go find a story," Bell said grimly.
Signs of humanity trickled away until they were driving through smoke-filled, empty streets. D'anna remained quiet, interested to see where they were going. He pulled in front of the Quorum Hall, now a smoldering hulk.
"There's no story here," D'anna said dryly.
Bell jumped out and started shooting footage.
She yelled through the window, "And there's no audience!"
Suddenly, a man peered out over the rubble. He was covered in dirt, dried blood, and soot.
D'anna's reporting instincts took over. "Hello?" she called.
"Are you human?" the man called back, sounding frightened and in shock.
Bell and D'anna looked at each other, puzzled.
"Yes," said Bell. "Where is everyone?"
The man came around toward them. "Dead...Or taken away." He looked over his shoulder.
"Who are you?" asked D'anna, wishing she had her microphone.
"I'm Wallace Gray."
The name was vaguely familiar to her--senior advisor in finance in the Adar administration.
"Was President Adar in the Hall?" she asked.
"Yes, yes...They all were..." Gray passed a shaking hand across his eyes.
"Are they in there now?" Bell zoomed into the rumble.
"No..." Gray shook his head. "These things...Took them away."
"Things?" said D'anna, looking around.
"Like those Cylon Centurions--but it can't be!" he burst out.
"Why not?" challenged D'anna.
"It can't be," Gray whispered. "It can't."
"So there's nothing left?" Bell asked, lowering his camera, truly looking at the scene for the first time, his face bleak.
"We've got to get out of here," Gray said, suddenly energized.
"The transport station is overrun," D'anna said, affecting despair.
"There's a way," said Gray, marching away and not looking back to see if they were following.
Bell ran after him, but D'anna remained.
The photographer looked back at her. "Come on!" he yelled.
Shrugging to herself, she finally followed.
Behind what remained of the Hall, Gray led them down a set of stairs, picking their way through the twisted girders and hunks of concrete. At a door at the bottom, he tapped a keypad on the cracked wall. "Sure hope there's power--"
The door clicked open. "Thank the Gods for backup generators," he said, leading them inside.
"What is this?" asked Bell.
Gray smiled for the first time since they'd met him. "You know those crazy rumors about secret underground escape pods for the government officials in case of nuclear attacks?"
He opened a heavy hatch and ushered them inside a small room.
"Yeah," said D'anna slowly, watching consoles light up all around them.
"Well, it's not a rumor." Gray punched several buttons. "Sit down."
Looking around, they found fold-down seats and took them.
"But where the hell will we go?" Bell said.
Gray collapsed into a seat and leaned on the bulkhead. Staring up at the ceiling, he said, "I dunno. But we're not going to die down here like rats."
"You'll leave your family--they could be--" asked D'anna, trying to stop him before she could be taken away.
"Already checked," he said shortly. "Nothing there. Ballards is gone, the whole town."
Bell leaned forward, putting his head in his hands. "I have to think Janey is gone too. She was out with Brett Harvard, covering the Vice-President...If they came for the President..."
"What about you?" Gray asked D'anna.
The capsule shuddered and they felt pressure as it rose from the surface of the planet.
D'anna bit her lip, vexed. She appeared suitably upset. "My family is alive. All of them."
The two men looked at each other, sympathetic for her denial.
They tore through the atmosphere, unable to speak.
When they finally felt the pressure relieved, Gray reached for the console and flipped a switch. "Emergency transmitter," he told them.
"There'll be no one there," D'anna said confidently.
Bell shot her a dirty look. "Come on, D. That's not like you. You're usually so positive."
"This is unusual situation." She leaned back and crossed her arms.
Hours passed.
"Nearly out of fuel," D'anna said after glancing at one of the readout panels.
"How do you know that?" Bell griped, irritated with her manner.
Before she could fire back, the comm crackled. "Colonial E-12, this is Colonial One. Respond please."
Gray scrambled for the wireless. "Colonial One? Maybe Richard somehow got away--"
He flipped the mic open. "This is Wallace Gray on Colonial E-12. Respond."
The pilot gave Grey quick instructs for turning the little pod's controls over to him.
"Almost there," he said, grinning at the two journalists.
D'anna thought furiously. It was true, she hadn't wanted to lose this number's life just dying from lack of oxygen. Once aboard Colonial One, she would have to find a way to sabotage the humans.
With a thump, their capsule landed on the deck. Gray pushed another button, and the hatch slowly opened. A tall, thin young man waited for them.
"Wallace Gray," he said, extending his hand. "I'm Billy Keikeya."
"Great to see you," Gray said. "The President?"
"President Laura Roslin would like to see you immediately," Billy said.
"Laura!?" Gray exclaimed, astonished. Then slower, "Laura." He nodded. "Last one, eh?"
"Yes, sir." Billy's gaze turned to Gray's companions.
D'anna stepped forward, blood pounding in her ears. "D'anna Biers, Caprica Now Network, requesting an interview with the new president--"
Billy gave her a vague smile. "I'm sorry, but the President is not taking interviews at this time. I'll take your request into consideration."
"You can't do this! Civilization as we know it has been destroyed. The people must know--"
Billy nodded toward two large men waiting nearby. "You will be transported to a civilian vessel and accommodation found for you--"
"Just wait until my producer hears about this!" D'anna yelled as the two men closed in on her and her photographer.
Wallace Gray gave them a little wave and then joined Billy, their two heads together as they left the deck.
"Give it up, D," said Bell. "Frank's long dead, I'm sure."
"Don't worry, Bell," D'anna said, turning on her heel. "I'll get this story yet."
"Good to see you back in the hunt," Bell said approvingly.
"I was never out of it," said D'anna, stepping into the shuttle they had been herded to. "I'm just beginning."
The end~
Author: bugs
Rating: T+
Genre: Ficlet, Genfic, Drama
Word Count: 1,800
Summary: News at eleven.
A/N: For mamabelladonna , who does so much for this community. You are truly appreciated. And on a personal level, I love the passion you always express in your comments.
This wraps up June, and my month of incredibly depressing ficlets. It seemed like a good idea at the time...
~*~
D'anna stared at the doorway of the Athena's coffee shop, waiting for Brenda Lam to come out, hopefully giving them a full-length view of her baby bump.
"Ready, Bell?" she asked out of the corner of her mouth.
"Yeah, yeah," her photographer grumbled, fiddling with his camera. Then he caught sight of something in the side mirror of their large sports utility vehicle. He craned his head out the window to look. "What the hell?" he said.
"Dammit, Bell," D'anna grumbled, but he clutched her arm.
"Look," he said urgently.
She turned in her seat and looked out the rear view window. A mushroom cloud rose on the horizon.
"Probably just a refinery explosion at Sophates Flats," she drawled, turning forward again. "Let the news bureau cover it."
"Shit, D'anna," Bell said, starting the engine, "it's a frakkin' nuke!"
He yanked the wheel, jumping out into traffic. People were beginning to stream out of businesses to look up in the sky. A white trail of smoke crossed the sky before them, hitting the ground on the outskirts of Caprica City. There was a bright flash, followed by a rolling sensation that forced Bell off the street. He hit parked car after parked car, cursing and sobbing.
D'anna yawned. She really should have taken a nap this afternoon. She hadn't slept well all week, anticipating this glorious day. Even a Cylon got tired, even on the day they were to wipe out humanity. She chuckled.
Bell, having regained control of the vehicle, looked over at her, incredulous. "Where do we go?"
"We need to cover this story," she told him urgently. "Go toward the explosion site."
"Are you frakkin' crazy? Those are frakkin' nukes!" He stared at her for so long the he struck a smaller car that had crossed his path, sending it spinning away. He didn't even slow down.
"It must be some accident," D'anna suggested. "Who in the universe would want to attack the Colonies?" She grabbed the wheel, trying to turn it. "It's our duty to report on this story!"
Bell yanked the wheel back. "Nukes, D'anna! Nukes!"
He fumbled frantically with the radio.
The emergency broadcast was playing. Report immediately to the closest transport station. Evacuate Caprica by all means possible.
"Evacuate?" the photographer gasped. "Caprica?"
"I'm telling you, Bell, this will get us a Kramer Award! We've got to go to the impact site!" D'anna wanted desperately to see the invasion take place; not have this Three die in a crowd like a trampled ant.
"Frak you, D," he screamed, turning violently down a street, going toward the Seventh Street transport station. "I want to live, not get some damn award!"
"I suppose the evaluation will be a story too," she mused, leaning back in the leather seat. Perhaps it would be best to do what should could from within the evaluation. She'd already played a large role by discovering Gauis Baltar's weakness for women and his narcissism that made using him as their tool so easy. She'd only had to frak him once; well, not even that. He'd been too drunk to get it up for more than a few, fumbling minutes.
At the transport station, the crowds poured out of every entrance, trying get on one of the vessels rising from the launch pads.
"See, Bell," pointed out D'anna. "There's no hope."
He sat at the wheel, staring at the massive numbers streaming toward the transport station. Cars behind him honked but he ignored them. Then he suddenly slammed the vehicle in reverse and after hitting several other cars to turn around, sped off.
D'anna waited a while. They were traveling against the stream, dodging vehicles and running people, all headed away from the impact sites.
"Where are we going?" she finally asked mildly.
"You want a story. We'll go find a story," Bell said grimly.
Signs of humanity trickled away until they were driving through smoke-filled, empty streets. D'anna remained quiet, interested to see where they were going. He pulled in front of the Quorum Hall, now a smoldering hulk.
"There's no story here," D'anna said dryly.
Bell jumped out and started shooting footage.
She yelled through the window, "And there's no audience!"
Suddenly, a man peered out over the rubble. He was covered in dirt, dried blood, and soot.
D'anna's reporting instincts took over. "Hello?" she called.
"Are you human?" the man called back, sounding frightened and in shock.
Bell and D'anna looked at each other, puzzled.
"Yes," said Bell. "Where is everyone?"
The man came around toward them. "Dead...Or taken away." He looked over his shoulder.
"Who are you?" asked D'anna, wishing she had her microphone.
"I'm Wallace Gray."
The name was vaguely familiar to her--senior advisor in finance in the Adar administration.
"Was President Adar in the Hall?" she asked.
"Yes, yes...They all were..." Gray passed a shaking hand across his eyes.
"Are they in there now?" Bell zoomed into the rumble.
"No..." Gray shook his head. "These things...Took them away."
"Things?" said D'anna, looking around.
"Like those Cylon Centurions--but it can't be!" he burst out.
"Why not?" challenged D'anna.
"It can't be," Gray whispered. "It can't."
"So there's nothing left?" Bell asked, lowering his camera, truly looking at the scene for the first time, his face bleak.
"We've got to get out of here," Gray said, suddenly energized.
"The transport station is overrun," D'anna said, affecting despair.
"There's a way," said Gray, marching away and not looking back to see if they were following.
Bell ran after him, but D'anna remained.
The photographer looked back at her. "Come on!" he yelled.
Shrugging to herself, she finally followed.
Behind what remained of the Hall, Gray led them down a set of stairs, picking their way through the twisted girders and hunks of concrete. At a door at the bottom, he tapped a keypad on the cracked wall. "Sure hope there's power--"
The door clicked open. "Thank the Gods for backup generators," he said, leading them inside.
"What is this?" asked Bell.
Gray smiled for the first time since they'd met him. "You know those crazy rumors about secret underground escape pods for the government officials in case of nuclear attacks?"
He opened a heavy hatch and ushered them inside a small room.
"Yeah," said D'anna slowly, watching consoles light up all around them.
"Well, it's not a rumor." Gray punched several buttons. "Sit down."
Looking around, they found fold-down seats and took them.
"But where the hell will we go?" Bell said.
Gray collapsed into a seat and leaned on the bulkhead. Staring up at the ceiling, he said, "I dunno. But we're not going to die down here like rats."
"You'll leave your family--they could be--" asked D'anna, trying to stop him before she could be taken away.
"Already checked," he said shortly. "Nothing there. Ballards is gone, the whole town."
Bell leaned forward, putting his head in his hands. "I have to think Janey is gone too. She was out with Brett Harvard, covering the Vice-President...If they came for the President..."
"What about you?" Gray asked D'anna.
The capsule shuddered and they felt pressure as it rose from the surface of the planet.
D'anna bit her lip, vexed. She appeared suitably upset. "My family is alive. All of them."
The two men looked at each other, sympathetic for her denial.
They tore through the atmosphere, unable to speak.
When they finally felt the pressure relieved, Gray reached for the console and flipped a switch. "Emergency transmitter," he told them.
"There'll be no one there," D'anna said confidently.
Bell shot her a dirty look. "Come on, D. That's not like you. You're usually so positive."
"This is unusual situation." She leaned back and crossed her arms.
Hours passed.
"Nearly out of fuel," D'anna said after glancing at one of the readout panels.
"How do you know that?" Bell griped, irritated with her manner.
Before she could fire back, the comm crackled. "Colonial E-12, this is Colonial One. Respond please."
Gray scrambled for the wireless. "Colonial One? Maybe Richard somehow got away--"
He flipped the mic open. "This is Wallace Gray on Colonial E-12. Respond."
The pilot gave Grey quick instructs for turning the little pod's controls over to him.
"Almost there," he said, grinning at the two journalists.
D'anna thought furiously. It was true, she hadn't wanted to lose this number's life just dying from lack of oxygen. Once aboard Colonial One, she would have to find a way to sabotage the humans.
With a thump, their capsule landed on the deck. Gray pushed another button, and the hatch slowly opened. A tall, thin young man waited for them.
"Wallace Gray," he said, extending his hand. "I'm Billy Keikeya."
"Great to see you," Gray said. "The President?"
"President Laura Roslin would like to see you immediately," Billy said.
"Laura!?" Gray exclaimed, astonished. Then slower, "Laura." He nodded. "Last one, eh?"
"Yes, sir." Billy's gaze turned to Gray's companions.
D'anna stepped forward, blood pounding in her ears. "D'anna Biers, Caprica Now Network, requesting an interview with the new president--"
Billy gave her a vague smile. "I'm sorry, but the President is not taking interviews at this time. I'll take your request into consideration."
"You can't do this! Civilization as we know it has been destroyed. The people must know--"
Billy nodded toward two large men waiting nearby. "You will be transported to a civilian vessel and accommodation found for you--"
"Just wait until my producer hears about this!" D'anna yelled as the two men closed in on her and her photographer.
Wallace Gray gave them a little wave and then joined Billy, their two heads together as they left the deck.
"Give it up, D," said Bell. "Frank's long dead, I'm sure."
"Don't worry, Bell," D'anna said, turning on her heel. "I'll get this story yet."
"Good to see you back in the hunt," Bell said approvingly.
"I was never out of it," said D'anna, stepping into the shuttle they had been herded to. "I'm just beginning."
The end~