Bingo Fic: The Family Business
Title: The Family Business
Prompt: Lee's Viper
Summary: Bill Adama gets the word that he's getting three new officers, including one Felix Gaeta.
Characters: Bill Adama, Saul Tigh, Felix Gaeta, Sam Adama, Lee Adama
Pairings: none
Author's Note: Part of the Felix's Sekrit Daddy Universe (I so need a better overall title) Other bits are:
Common Ground | Familial Obligations | Forgotten Sons
It was a joke. It was someone's sick idea of a joke, because there was no coincidence in the world big enough to explain this. Bill stared at the letter, unable to believe what he was seeing.
"You all right?" Saul asked.
Bill jerked back to reality. "Fine."
"What is that?"
"Picon Military Academy orders."
"Great," Saul sighed. "How many are we getting saddled with this time?"
"Three."
Saul pulled the memo towards him. "One pilot, ensign Edmondson," he muttered. "A supply officer, and a… tactical? How'd we rate a tactical?"
It was that tactical officer that was giving Bill this headache. "Got me."
"Must be one of their fast tracks," Saul mused.
"Or a trouble maker," Bill said darkly.
Saul shook his head. "Fast tracker. They don't station troublemakers in tactical, even on a ship like Galactica. This one's got to be a bright kid that they want to get command experience."
"Glad you're so excited about it," Bill muttered. "You can train him."
Saul snorted, but didn't comment. Bill pushed the order away and turned to other business.
***
He could try to ignore it, but now that he knew Felix Gaeta was coming aboard his ship, it was hard not to think of what he'd avoided for the past twenty one years.
There were any number of things he could do, but to his surprise, what Bill found himself doing when Saul left was picking up the phone and getting in touch with the Solaria. It took a good fifteen minutes of holding and a scratchy connection, but eventually, Lee came to the line.
"What do you want, Dad?" he asked impatiently.
"I just wanted to see how you were doing. It's been a while."
"It's been six months," Lee said, and Bill wished he could believe he was imagining Lee sounding incredulous. "Is something wrong?"
"No." Bill looked at the picture on his desk. It was one of Zak and Lee from when they were much younger, when he'd lived there. "How's the Viper?"
"How's the Viper," Lee huffed, frustrated. "You call across space when we're both deployed to ask how's the Viper?"
"I meant how's the flying."
"Yeah," Lee sighed, "I know what you meant. It's going well."
"Tell me about it."
And Lee did. Bill didn't quite listen to the words, he just sat in his chair, letting his son's voice wash over him. Lee's voice warmed as he talked about Viper drills and patrols and peacekeeping missions. He told Bill about his arguments with one of the deck crew, and the rumors that he was being promoted to squadron leader. They talked about Zak and his assignment to the Ephiria base, and Lee told him Zak had a new girlfriend. Even though he wasn't, he imagined Lee standing beside his Viper as he talked, his hair sweaty from his helmet and his flight suit still smelling like tylium.
"Apollo!" he heard someone shout on the other end, scratchy with static. "It's almost seventeen hundred!"
"I've got to go, Dad."
"Yeah. It's been good talking to you."
"You, too." The line went dead.
Apollo. Bill smiled to himself, like he did whenever he heard Lee's call sign. It was a sign of respect, of a leader. Zak's wasn't as dignified- Dollface- but it was affectionate and teasing. Bill had never quite seen Zak as a squadron leader; more as a second.
He couldn't help but wonder if his third son had a call sign, too.
***
"What the frak is wrong with you today?" Saul demanded.
"Nothing," Bill said, glancing at the clock. The shuttle with the three new officers was due in fifteen minutes.
Saul just shook his head. "Picked up your post, by the way." He flopped it on the desk.
"That's Jaffee's job."
"Well, I saved him a few minutes." Saul said something more, but Bill didn't hear it. He had spotted the envelope.
Commander William Adama. The script was shaky with the tremors of Parkinsons, but legible and familiar. And as Bill picked it up, he felt the photograph inside.
If he wanted, he could find out what his son looked like now, instead of waiting until he'd docked.
"Bill. Bill!" Saul was in his face, enough that Bill could smell the faint waft of liquor. Great. A drunken Saul was not what he needed today. "What is with you?" Saul demanded.
"Letter from my uncle," Bill mumbled.
"Oh." Saul sat back. "Well, you don't know it's bad news until you open it."
"No." He fingered the envelope. He hadn't seen Felix since the boy had turned thirteen and Sam had nearly physically dragged him to Tauron. But Sam had seen him several times: when his mother had been killed by one of the Arrows enforcers, when his father had died from cancer, when he had graduated as the valedictorian of his high school class, and a few times in between. Sam had even offered a little discreet financial aid when another family took Felix in. Bill had the suspicion there was a correspondence there as well, but he had never asked. "But I'll open it later. The shuttle should be here soon. Let's go meet our new meat."
If Saul thought it odd that they were going down to the hangar bay to greet three wet-behind-the-ears officers, he kept it to himself. But if he sat here in his study, Bill was going to open that envelope, and for some reason, that was the last thing he wanted to do.
***
The shuttle was two minutes late. He could see Saul warming up to that like an eager cat ready to pounce on its unfortunate prey. The thought made him smirk, but then the three new officers climbed off the Raptor.
There was one woman and two men. The two men were as different as could be- a short, muscular blond with long hair, and a dark, thin man with a military regulation haircut and perfectly shined shoes. Bill remembered the first time he'd met Felix and mistaken another boy for him. This time, it was impossible.
He didn't look that much like him. He had dark hair and an olive complexion, but that was common on Tauron. Linmei had been dark, and Bill thought her husband might have been, too. He tried to remember exactly what Linmei had looked like, but she had been a post-divorce, frak you Carolanne frak. He only had a vague memory of slim bones, dark hair, and dark eyes. But as he searched Felix's features, he decided that if there was a resemblance to anyone in the family, it was Sam. But he certainly didn't look anything like Lee or Zak.
Next to him, Saul cleared his throat. Bill snapped back to the present. "Welcome to Galactica," he told the new officers. He launched into his normal spiel, although he usually gave it in the comfort of his study, not in the hangar bay. He avoided looking at Felix, but when he was done, he noticed that Felix was staring straight ahead. He wasn't avoiding Bill's gaze; he was just standing like a textbook officer.
Involuntarily, he smiled, and Felix smiled back at him, just a little. Abruptly, he turned to Saul. "Have fun with them," he said, and turned on his heel.
He didn't realize his hands were shaking until he picked up the phone. He took a deep breath, and then dialed.
"Does he know?" he said, as soon as Sam answered the phone.
"Willy? Is that you?"
"You know it is." Bill didn't have time for this. "Does Gaeta know I'm his father?"
There was a long pause, and then finally, Sam said, "No."
"You don't sound so sure about that."
"Did you look at the picture?"
"No."
"Didn't think so. Open it." Even with the slight tremor, Sam's voice was commanding. Bill sighed, tucked the phone between shoulder and ear, and reached for the envelope. He tore the thin paper away and looked at the picture.
Sam had gotten old. Bill didn't want to admit it- it hurt to admit it- but he had. His hair was gray and his face was lined, and the Parkinson's had made him hunch over a bit. But he was smiling, and his hand was on Felix's shoulder. Felix stood straight and proud in his dress grays, a grin he couldn't contain on the corners of his mouth. "It's his graduation," Bill realized.
"Yes."
"You're close."
"He's a bright boy. He's figured out I'm family."
Bill's blood ran cold. "You told him."
"No. He just knows I'm his great uncle. I suspect his theory is that I'm related to his father." A pause. "He's not wrong."
"He is. Tom Gaeta was his father. I was simply a sperm donor." It was an old argument between them, tired and worn. Bill sighed. "So he doesn't know."
"He doesn't."
"Please keep it that way. He's serving under me now." Bill frowned. "You didn't have anything to do with that, did you?"
Sam laughed. "You overestimate the power of the Ha'la'tha if you think I'd have much to do with where a graduate is assigned in the Colonial Fleet. Call it a sign from the Gods."
"Or one hell of a coincidence."
"Whichever you like." The good humor was returning to Sam's voice; a sure sign that the discussion was closed. Bill sighed. "Did you see the new Keblon Pegasus yet? That is one beautiful car."
"I got the message the first time."
"What message?" Sam said innocently. "I was talking about a car."
"You sound like Larry," Bill muttered, but let himself be pulled off the topic. It was no good arguing with Sam anyway, and besides, Bill knew what he needed to know. Felix didn't realize that Bill was his father, and that was good enough for now.
***
He wasn't his father. Hell, he could barely father his own children. Bill reminded himself of that firmly and pulled the CIC door open.
"Commander on deck," Saul snapped, and the CIC stopped for a second. Bill nodded, and the rhythm resumed. He noticed that Saul was standing down with Felix at the command table, discussing some diagram. As Bill approached, Saul rolled his eyes at him and stepped away.
"Commander."
"Everything all right, Colonel?"
"Fine," Saul muttered. The silent message was coming through loud and clear. This kid's a pain in the ass. But Felix was standing stiff at attention, eagerness written all over his face. As Bill stepped closer, Saul moved away, almost like he was ready to run. It would be funny if it wasn't Felix.
"What's going on?" Bill asked.
"Just going over the orders for the sweep," Saul said.
Bill's brow furrowed. This was a routine sweep of the stretch between Caprica and Gemenon; there was nothing remarkable about it. He wondered what could possibly have his XO so twitchy over a mission they'd done so many times it was second nature.
It wasn't the mission, he sound found out. It was Felix. The kid insisted on double- and triple-checking every last thing, and clarified every minor detail. It was exhausting. And yet, Bill couldn't fault him- his professionalism was earnest and sincere. He wasn't trying to drive Saul insane; he was just a kid scared that he'd frak up his first assignment.
No, he was a lieutenant, and an extremely young one, who was scared he'd frak up his first assignment.
Oddly enough, Bill began to relax. Because working here side by side with the kid, he began to see Lieutenant Gaeta, who was eager to learn everything and climb the rank ladder, and forget that there was a Felix, who was technically his son. And by the end of the shift he was able to smile at the boy, confident that he knew exactly how to proceed: professionally.
"What do you think of the new kid?" Saul asked him later that night, in a tone of voice that gave his opinion.
"He's sharp."
"Extremely. But he's going to be a pain in the ass about doing everything by the book." Bill shrugged, and Saul studied him. "You okay?"
"I'm fine."
"Everything all right with your uncle?"
Bill remembered that the picture was still in his desk drawer, shoved all the way into the back. "Yeah," he said, feeling more at peace than he had since he'd gotten the order. "Everything's going to be fine."
He wouldn't be a father to Felix, he knew that. But he would be a commander to a new lieutenant, and somehow, Bill had the suspicion he'd be better at that, anyway.
Prompt: Lee's Viper
Summary: Bill Adama gets the word that he's getting three new officers, including one Felix Gaeta.
Characters: Bill Adama, Saul Tigh, Felix Gaeta, Sam Adama, Lee Adama
Pairings: none
Author's Note: Part of the Felix's Sekrit Daddy Universe (I so need a better overall title) Other bits are:
Common Ground | Familial Obligations | Forgotten Sons
It was a joke. It was someone's sick idea of a joke, because there was no coincidence in the world big enough to explain this. Bill stared at the letter, unable to believe what he was seeing.
"You all right?" Saul asked.
Bill jerked back to reality. "Fine."
"What is that?"
"Picon Military Academy orders."
"Great," Saul sighed. "How many are we getting saddled with this time?"
"Three."
Saul pulled the memo towards him. "One pilot, ensign Edmondson," he muttered. "A supply officer, and a… tactical? How'd we rate a tactical?"
It was that tactical officer that was giving Bill this headache. "Got me."
"Must be one of their fast tracks," Saul mused.
"Or a trouble maker," Bill said darkly.
Saul shook his head. "Fast tracker. They don't station troublemakers in tactical, even on a ship like Galactica. This one's got to be a bright kid that they want to get command experience."
"Glad you're so excited about it," Bill muttered. "You can train him."
Saul snorted, but didn't comment. Bill pushed the order away and turned to other business.
***
He could try to ignore it, but now that he knew Felix Gaeta was coming aboard his ship, it was hard not to think of what he'd avoided for the past twenty one years.
There were any number of things he could do, but to his surprise, what Bill found himself doing when Saul left was picking up the phone and getting in touch with the Solaria. It took a good fifteen minutes of holding and a scratchy connection, but eventually, Lee came to the line.
"What do you want, Dad?" he asked impatiently.
"I just wanted to see how you were doing. It's been a while."
"It's been six months," Lee said, and Bill wished he could believe he was imagining Lee sounding incredulous. "Is something wrong?"
"No." Bill looked at the picture on his desk. It was one of Zak and Lee from when they were much younger, when he'd lived there. "How's the Viper?"
"How's the Viper," Lee huffed, frustrated. "You call across space when we're both deployed to ask how's the Viper?"
"I meant how's the flying."
"Yeah," Lee sighed, "I know what you meant. It's going well."
"Tell me about it."
And Lee did. Bill didn't quite listen to the words, he just sat in his chair, letting his son's voice wash over him. Lee's voice warmed as he talked about Viper drills and patrols and peacekeeping missions. He told Bill about his arguments with one of the deck crew, and the rumors that he was being promoted to squadron leader. They talked about Zak and his assignment to the Ephiria base, and Lee told him Zak had a new girlfriend. Even though he wasn't, he imagined Lee standing beside his Viper as he talked, his hair sweaty from his helmet and his flight suit still smelling like tylium.
"Apollo!" he heard someone shout on the other end, scratchy with static. "It's almost seventeen hundred!"
"I've got to go, Dad."
"Yeah. It's been good talking to you."
"You, too." The line went dead.
Apollo. Bill smiled to himself, like he did whenever he heard Lee's call sign. It was a sign of respect, of a leader. Zak's wasn't as dignified- Dollface- but it was affectionate and teasing. Bill had never quite seen Zak as a squadron leader; more as a second.
He couldn't help but wonder if his third son had a call sign, too.
***
"What the frak is wrong with you today?" Saul demanded.
"Nothing," Bill said, glancing at the clock. The shuttle with the three new officers was due in fifteen minutes.
Saul just shook his head. "Picked up your post, by the way." He flopped it on the desk.
"That's Jaffee's job."
"Well, I saved him a few minutes." Saul said something more, but Bill didn't hear it. He had spotted the envelope.
Commander William Adama. The script was shaky with the tremors of Parkinsons, but legible and familiar. And as Bill picked it up, he felt the photograph inside.
If he wanted, he could find out what his son looked like now, instead of waiting until he'd docked.
"Bill. Bill!" Saul was in his face, enough that Bill could smell the faint waft of liquor. Great. A drunken Saul was not what he needed today. "What is with you?" Saul demanded.
"Letter from my uncle," Bill mumbled.
"Oh." Saul sat back. "Well, you don't know it's bad news until you open it."
"No." He fingered the envelope. He hadn't seen Felix since the boy had turned thirteen and Sam had nearly physically dragged him to Tauron. But Sam had seen him several times: when his mother had been killed by one of the Arrows enforcers, when his father had died from cancer, when he had graduated as the valedictorian of his high school class, and a few times in between. Sam had even offered a little discreet financial aid when another family took Felix in. Bill had the suspicion there was a correspondence there as well, but he had never asked. "But I'll open it later. The shuttle should be here soon. Let's go meet our new meat."
If Saul thought it odd that they were going down to the hangar bay to greet three wet-behind-the-ears officers, he kept it to himself. But if he sat here in his study, Bill was going to open that envelope, and for some reason, that was the last thing he wanted to do.
***
The shuttle was two minutes late. He could see Saul warming up to that like an eager cat ready to pounce on its unfortunate prey. The thought made him smirk, but then the three new officers climbed off the Raptor.
There was one woman and two men. The two men were as different as could be- a short, muscular blond with long hair, and a dark, thin man with a military regulation haircut and perfectly shined shoes. Bill remembered the first time he'd met Felix and mistaken another boy for him. This time, it was impossible.
He didn't look that much like him. He had dark hair and an olive complexion, but that was common on Tauron. Linmei had been dark, and Bill thought her husband might have been, too. He tried to remember exactly what Linmei had looked like, but she had been a post-divorce, frak you Carolanne frak. He only had a vague memory of slim bones, dark hair, and dark eyes. But as he searched Felix's features, he decided that if there was a resemblance to anyone in the family, it was Sam. But he certainly didn't look anything like Lee or Zak.
Next to him, Saul cleared his throat. Bill snapped back to the present. "Welcome to Galactica," he told the new officers. He launched into his normal spiel, although he usually gave it in the comfort of his study, not in the hangar bay. He avoided looking at Felix, but when he was done, he noticed that Felix was staring straight ahead. He wasn't avoiding Bill's gaze; he was just standing like a textbook officer.
Involuntarily, he smiled, and Felix smiled back at him, just a little. Abruptly, he turned to Saul. "Have fun with them," he said, and turned on his heel.
He didn't realize his hands were shaking until he picked up the phone. He took a deep breath, and then dialed.
"Does he know?" he said, as soon as Sam answered the phone.
"Willy? Is that you?"
"You know it is." Bill didn't have time for this. "Does Gaeta know I'm his father?"
There was a long pause, and then finally, Sam said, "No."
"You don't sound so sure about that."
"Did you look at the picture?"
"No."
"Didn't think so. Open it." Even with the slight tremor, Sam's voice was commanding. Bill sighed, tucked the phone between shoulder and ear, and reached for the envelope. He tore the thin paper away and looked at the picture.
Sam had gotten old. Bill didn't want to admit it- it hurt to admit it- but he had. His hair was gray and his face was lined, and the Parkinson's had made him hunch over a bit. But he was smiling, and his hand was on Felix's shoulder. Felix stood straight and proud in his dress grays, a grin he couldn't contain on the corners of his mouth. "It's his graduation," Bill realized.
"Yes."
"You're close."
"He's a bright boy. He's figured out I'm family."
Bill's blood ran cold. "You told him."
"No. He just knows I'm his great uncle. I suspect his theory is that I'm related to his father." A pause. "He's not wrong."
"He is. Tom Gaeta was his father. I was simply a sperm donor." It was an old argument between them, tired and worn. Bill sighed. "So he doesn't know."
"He doesn't."
"Please keep it that way. He's serving under me now." Bill frowned. "You didn't have anything to do with that, did you?"
Sam laughed. "You overestimate the power of the Ha'la'tha if you think I'd have much to do with where a graduate is assigned in the Colonial Fleet. Call it a sign from the Gods."
"Or one hell of a coincidence."
"Whichever you like." The good humor was returning to Sam's voice; a sure sign that the discussion was closed. Bill sighed. "Did you see the new Keblon Pegasus yet? That is one beautiful car."
"I got the message the first time."
"What message?" Sam said innocently. "I was talking about a car."
"You sound like Larry," Bill muttered, but let himself be pulled off the topic. It was no good arguing with Sam anyway, and besides, Bill knew what he needed to know. Felix didn't realize that Bill was his father, and that was good enough for now.
***
He wasn't his father. Hell, he could barely father his own children. Bill reminded himself of that firmly and pulled the CIC door open.
"Commander on deck," Saul snapped, and the CIC stopped for a second. Bill nodded, and the rhythm resumed. He noticed that Saul was standing down with Felix at the command table, discussing some diagram. As Bill approached, Saul rolled his eyes at him and stepped away.
"Commander."
"Everything all right, Colonel?"
"Fine," Saul muttered. The silent message was coming through loud and clear. This kid's a pain in the ass. But Felix was standing stiff at attention, eagerness written all over his face. As Bill stepped closer, Saul moved away, almost like he was ready to run. It would be funny if it wasn't Felix.
"What's going on?" Bill asked.
"Just going over the orders for the sweep," Saul said.
Bill's brow furrowed. This was a routine sweep of the stretch between Caprica and Gemenon; there was nothing remarkable about it. He wondered what could possibly have his XO so twitchy over a mission they'd done so many times it was second nature.
It wasn't the mission, he sound found out. It was Felix. The kid insisted on double- and triple-checking every last thing, and clarified every minor detail. It was exhausting. And yet, Bill couldn't fault him- his professionalism was earnest and sincere. He wasn't trying to drive Saul insane; he was just a kid scared that he'd frak up his first assignment.
No, he was a lieutenant, and an extremely young one, who was scared he'd frak up his first assignment.
Oddly enough, Bill began to relax. Because working here side by side with the kid, he began to see Lieutenant Gaeta, who was eager to learn everything and climb the rank ladder, and forget that there was a Felix, who was technically his son. And by the end of the shift he was able to smile at the boy, confident that he knew exactly how to proceed: professionally.
"What do you think of the new kid?" Saul asked him later that night, in a tone of voice that gave his opinion.
"He's sharp."
"Extremely. But he's going to be a pain in the ass about doing everything by the book." Bill shrugged, and Saul studied him. "You okay?"
"I'm fine."
"Everything all right with your uncle?"
Bill remembered that the picture was still in his desk drawer, shoved all the way into the back. "Yeah," he said, feeling more at peace than he had since he'd gotten the order. "Everything's going to be fine."
He wouldn't be a father to Felix, he knew that. But he would be a commander to a new lieutenant, and somehow, Bill had the suspicion he'd be better at that, anyway.