Battlestar Galactica - Saving Grace 9/?
Title: Saving Grace - Chapter 8
Pairing: Roslin/Adama later on…
Rating: Teen
Summary: It’s the end of the worlds, and families are being torn apart. But in the midst of it all, one comes together. AU
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Chapter Nine: Dysfunctional
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Adama is a Cylon
The words rolled around in her mind, and she tried to push them away. Over and over again she heard his whisper against her ear. It was off putting, to say the least. It couldn’t be right. But why would Adama, Bill, tell her not to trust anything he said? Because Leoben is a known Cylon, that’s why… Laura shook her head. It was impossible to trust a Cylon and they were both well aware of that. But if Adama was a Cylon she couldn’t trust anything that he said either. So who did she believe? The Cylon, or the man who could be a Cylon. The man who had taken on the responsibility of commanding the Fleet… and the man who my daughter has chosen to replace her father. She frowned at that last thought. It was wrong. Lucas would never be replaced. Sophie was merely looking for a father figure, who happened to be the Commander.
The man who she wasn’t sure she trusted.
All of a sudden she realised he was looking up at her and all thought vanished. For a moment she felt as if her heart had actually stopped. Suck it up Laura. She raised her hand and smiled, hoping to the Gods that she didn’t look as scared as she felt. As he smiled back at her, she couldn’t help thinking that if he was a Cylon they had a huge problem. She watched as he made his way up to speak to her.
“Clear the deck,”
Laura pushed her worries to the back of her mind and turned to face the Commander as he approached her. The last thing she wanted was for him to know how scared she was at that moment, whether he was a Cylon or not.
“Madame President,” He addressed her, wondering why she seemed so tense. “We are the proud owners of the universe’s first bona fide Cylon Detector.”
“Well that is great news,” Laura responded quietly, smiling as she looked over the files he’d handed her. It was the best news she could get. Once Adama was tested everything would be fine. It would come back negative, and she could accept that the Cylon known as Leoben was just messing with her head.
“Yeah…”
The way he spoke made her frown slightly. If it ended up being positive… “So, when do we begin?”
“Doctor Baltar would like to start widespread testing as soon as possible, but there are some serious limitations. He can only do one person at a time and verification takes hours.”
With a slight nod of her head, Laura didn’t waste time hesitating on the topic that needed to be discussed. “So who’s going to go first?” The tone of her voice almost suggesting he should step up to the plate. His mind seemed to be elsewhere as she waited for an answer, not exactly helping to alleviate her fears.
“Oh, the tests, right…”
What the hell is going on?
“Um,” He looked up to her and continued in all seriousness. “Well, I think people in sensitive positions should go first.”
“I completely agree. How about you?” She asked without skipping a beat.
It took a moment for Bill to realise what she’d said, and digest the implications of her words. Did she think he was a Cylon, or was she just suggesting a good starting point? “Excuse me?”
“If you’re a Cylon,” She paused, a playful smile appearing on her lips. “I’d like to know…”
“If I’m a Cylon you’re really screwed,” Bill replied in an attempt to lighten the conversation.
Unable to help herself Laura let out a nervous giggle at his words. “Seriously,” She recovered, keeping in mind just how serious the conversation was. “I do think that you should go first. Show everyone in the fleet that they can trust the people at the top.”
“Well then maybe you should go first,” He shot back at her, watching as she opened her mouth to say something and then thought better of it. But just as he thought he’d won their little game, she pursed her lips together and grinned mischievously - making it obvious where Sophie got it from. In fact she was probably even using that knowledge against him. “All right. I’ll go first.” He agreed, remembering a time when that look was nothing but a cute reaction on her. But even as a teenager, he recalled, she knew how to get what she wanted - and there was no stopping her.
“I think that’s good,” She nodded slowly, almost sounding as if she was speaking to a child. “I do.” With that said she smiled that adorable smile, satisfied that she’d gotten exactly what she wanted. Sooner or later she’d know the truth and everything could be worked out from there.
--
Ricochet headed straight for the Colonel’s quarters, she’d been told Tigh needed to see her immediately. Although the last thing she wanted to do after a long shift was get an earful about one thing or another. There were a number of things she was sure to be told off for, the question being which would he pick? What had gotten her in trouble this time around? She turned the corner and came to a halt as she saw the man in question heading towards her.
“Lieutenant, wait for me in my quarters...”
“Sir?” She watched him pass her, puzzled.
“Ricochet I have to see the President,” Tigh growled at her. “Wait in my quarters.” He didn’t even spare her a second glance.
“Yes Sir,” She mock saluted as he continued down the corridor. “I’ll just help myself to your booze and your rack then, cos damned if I’m staying on my feet after playing games with that stupid Raider.” She jogged the last few feet to the Colonel’s quarters and pushed open the hatch, stopping dead as she came face to face with his wife.
“Oh my Gods Circe!” Ellen squealed in delight, and threw her arms around the shocked pilot. “You look so gorgeous, I’m so glad you’re alive honey!”
Ricochet’s body tensed as she found herself being hugged. “What are you doing here?” She asked, trying to untangle herself from the uncomfortable embrace. The strong stench of alcohol invaded her senses, and she pushed Ellen away. “Have you been drinking?”
“It’s a celebration,” Ellen laughed, reaching out to touch the strands of blonde hair that had escaped Ricochet’s ponytail. “I had a glass or two with your father, we’re celebrating being alive. Come on baby, have a drink with me.”
“Dad shouldn’t be drinking, he’s on duty...”
“How in Hades did I manage to raise a goodie two-shoes?” Ellen threw up her hands and moved to sit down on Saul’s desk.
“If I recall correctly, mother,” She spat the word out in disgust. “You didn’t have much to do with raising me, so don’t blame yourself that I didn’t turn out to be a low-down bottle sucking nymphomaniac like you.” No sooner had she said it, she felt the cold sting of her mother’s hand hitting her jaw. On instinct, Ricochet grabbed her by the arms and drove her into the locker.
After a moment Ellen began to laugh again. “You’re so much like your father,” She told her daughter, staring into those familiar brown eyes. “So nice to have this little family reunion...”
“We’re not a family,” Ricochet growled against Ellen’s ear. “Do me a favour, your one good act as a mother, and stay the frak away from me.” With no doubt that Ellen was the reason her father had wanted to see her, Ricochet decided there was no way in hell she was going to stick around and wait for him.
Ellen stopped laughing abruptly. There was something different in her daughter’s eyes, an anger she’d never seen before. She watched as Ricochet turned on her heel and left. There was no need to tell Saul what had happened, she wasn’t about to give her daughter the satisfaction of calling her on her attitude. Rifling through her bag she found a full bottle of ambrosia tucked away under a black slip. Just what she needed, and once Saul returned they could have themselves a private party. She giggled drunkenly.
--
As Kara jogged slowly through the halls, listening to the constant hum of the Galactica while she worked her knee, she found herself jogging towards the Commander’s quarters. She paused momentarily, annoyed with herself for getting so lost in her thoughts. Everyone knew the President was having dinner with Adama and the Tigh’s, and the last thing she wanted was to run into her. “Aunt Laura,” She muttered under her breath with obvious hatred. “All well until your best friend disappears... couldn’t be bothered to stick around... too frakkin’ busy to check on your own niece...”
Reaching the intersection that veered off to the Commander’s quarters, a familiar laugh floated down the corridor. Kara stopped quickly and moved towards the wall, sliding down to the floor so she could hide and pray they didn’t turn down her corridor. After years of serving on Galactica there was one thing a pilot learned to dodge easily, the sound of Ellen Tigh approaching. Kara waited for them to pass, eager to get out of there as soon as possible. Until she heard Ellen say something that intrigued her, and with her interest peaked she listened a little more closely.
“...she’s got the same eyes and that hair colour, which I’m guessing is definitely bottle by now,” Ellen was practically hanging from her husband’s arm as they stumbled down the hallway. “Bet ya any money you like Bill’s noticed it...”
“What the frak are you on about woman?” Saul couldn’t help but laugh as he tried to pull her upright.
“Madame Roslin...” She burst out laughing at the way that sounded. “She looks like Bill’s little crush from way back... I don’t even know, how old were we?”
“Oh the Carnival Girl...”
Kara held her breath. She remembered stories of the old summer Carnivals, her parent’s started dating at the Carnival and she knew Laura had gone every year before her last year of school. But a Carnival Girl? She vaguely remembered her mother yelling that Laura was a ‘no good Carnie’ and she’d always wondered why. But she couldn’t be the Carnival Girl that Ellen was talking about. That was just too weird.
“Yes, yes, yes...” Ellen squealed, moving away from her husband she twirled around in the corridor and almost tripped. “She looks exactly like her... what was her name? Older though, obviously older... not that she’d still be a cute little sixteen year old... what was her frakkin’ name?”
“Of course she’d be older... it’s been a good thirty-something years...” Saul muttered, actually smiling as he followed his after his wife. “What are the odds it would be her anyway? You’d think one of them would have brought it up.”
“Maybe they already have...” Ellen hissed wickedly, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Maybe when Lee leaves they’re going to be all over each other...”
“Doubt it...”
Ellen burst out laughing again, crashing into Saul’s shoulder. “When did Bill become such a stick in the mud? The man’s a carving...”
Their conversation continued as they disappeared down the hallway and Kara was left sitting in the shadows, listening to Galactica’s hum as she tried to process what she’d just heard. The Commander had a crush on a girl at a Carnival when he was young. Over thirty years ago. What were the odds that it was just a coincidence? That his crush took place at a Carnival, just like Laura’s first love had... and there was enough of a resemblance for Ellen Tigh to call it? Kara shook her head. It was ridiculous. After all, if it was true...
“Oh my Gods, Rebekah...”
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Chapter 10
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Pairing: Roslin/Adama later on…
Rating: Teen
Summary: It’s the end of the worlds, and families are being torn apart. But in the midst of it all, one comes together. AU
--
Chapter Nine: Dysfunctional
--
Adama is a Cylon
The words rolled around in her mind, and she tried to push them away. Over and over again she heard his whisper against her ear. It was off putting, to say the least. It couldn’t be right. But why would Adama, Bill, tell her not to trust anything he said? Because Leoben is a known Cylon, that’s why… Laura shook her head. It was impossible to trust a Cylon and they were both well aware of that. But if Adama was a Cylon she couldn’t trust anything that he said either. So who did she believe? The Cylon, or the man who could be a Cylon. The man who had taken on the responsibility of commanding the Fleet… and the man who my daughter has chosen to replace her father. She frowned at that last thought. It was wrong. Lucas would never be replaced. Sophie was merely looking for a father figure, who happened to be the Commander.
The man who she wasn’t sure she trusted.
All of a sudden she realised he was looking up at her and all thought vanished. For a moment she felt as if her heart had actually stopped. Suck it up Laura. She raised her hand and smiled, hoping to the Gods that she didn’t look as scared as she felt. As he smiled back at her, she couldn’t help thinking that if he was a Cylon they had a huge problem. She watched as he made his way up to speak to her.
“Clear the deck,”
Laura pushed her worries to the back of her mind and turned to face the Commander as he approached her. The last thing she wanted was for him to know how scared she was at that moment, whether he was a Cylon or not.
“Madame President,” He addressed her, wondering why she seemed so tense. “We are the proud owners of the universe’s first bona fide Cylon Detector.”
“Well that is great news,” Laura responded quietly, smiling as she looked over the files he’d handed her. It was the best news she could get. Once Adama was tested everything would be fine. It would come back negative, and she could accept that the Cylon known as Leoben was just messing with her head.
“Yeah…”
The way he spoke made her frown slightly. If it ended up being positive… “So, when do we begin?”
“Doctor Baltar would like to start widespread testing as soon as possible, but there are some serious limitations. He can only do one person at a time and verification takes hours.”
With a slight nod of her head, Laura didn’t waste time hesitating on the topic that needed to be discussed. “So who’s going to go first?” The tone of her voice almost suggesting he should step up to the plate. His mind seemed to be elsewhere as she waited for an answer, not exactly helping to alleviate her fears.
“Oh, the tests, right…”
What the hell is going on?
“Um,” He looked up to her and continued in all seriousness. “Well, I think people in sensitive positions should go first.”
“I completely agree. How about you?” She asked without skipping a beat.
It took a moment for Bill to realise what she’d said, and digest the implications of her words. Did she think he was a Cylon, or was she just suggesting a good starting point? “Excuse me?”
“If you’re a Cylon,” She paused, a playful smile appearing on her lips. “I’d like to know…”
“If I’m a Cylon you’re really screwed,” Bill replied in an attempt to lighten the conversation.
Unable to help herself Laura let out a nervous giggle at his words. “Seriously,” She recovered, keeping in mind just how serious the conversation was. “I do think that you should go first. Show everyone in the fleet that they can trust the people at the top.”
“Well then maybe you should go first,” He shot back at her, watching as she opened her mouth to say something and then thought better of it. But just as he thought he’d won their little game, she pursed her lips together and grinned mischievously - making it obvious where Sophie got it from. In fact she was probably even using that knowledge against him. “All right. I’ll go first.” He agreed, remembering a time when that look was nothing but a cute reaction on her. But even as a teenager, he recalled, she knew how to get what she wanted - and there was no stopping her.
“I think that’s good,” She nodded slowly, almost sounding as if she was speaking to a child. “I do.” With that said she smiled that adorable smile, satisfied that she’d gotten exactly what she wanted. Sooner or later she’d know the truth and everything could be worked out from there.
--
Ricochet headed straight for the Colonel’s quarters, she’d been told Tigh needed to see her immediately. Although the last thing she wanted to do after a long shift was get an earful about one thing or another. There were a number of things she was sure to be told off for, the question being which would he pick? What had gotten her in trouble this time around? She turned the corner and came to a halt as she saw the man in question heading towards her.
“Lieutenant, wait for me in my quarters...”
“Sir?” She watched him pass her, puzzled.
“Ricochet I have to see the President,” Tigh growled at her. “Wait in my quarters.” He didn’t even spare her a second glance.
“Yes Sir,” She mock saluted as he continued down the corridor. “I’ll just help myself to your booze and your rack then, cos damned if I’m staying on my feet after playing games with that stupid Raider.” She jogged the last few feet to the Colonel’s quarters and pushed open the hatch, stopping dead as she came face to face with his wife.
“Oh my Gods Circe!” Ellen squealed in delight, and threw her arms around the shocked pilot. “You look so gorgeous, I’m so glad you’re alive honey!”
Ricochet’s body tensed as she found herself being hugged. “What are you doing here?” She asked, trying to untangle herself from the uncomfortable embrace. The strong stench of alcohol invaded her senses, and she pushed Ellen away. “Have you been drinking?”
“It’s a celebration,” Ellen laughed, reaching out to touch the strands of blonde hair that had escaped Ricochet’s ponytail. “I had a glass or two with your father, we’re celebrating being alive. Come on baby, have a drink with me.”
“Dad shouldn’t be drinking, he’s on duty...”
“How in Hades did I manage to raise a goodie two-shoes?” Ellen threw up her hands and moved to sit down on Saul’s desk.
“If I recall correctly, mother,” She spat the word out in disgust. “You didn’t have much to do with raising me, so don’t blame yourself that I didn’t turn out to be a low-down bottle sucking nymphomaniac like you.” No sooner had she said it, she felt the cold sting of her mother’s hand hitting her jaw. On instinct, Ricochet grabbed her by the arms and drove her into the locker.
After a moment Ellen began to laugh again. “You’re so much like your father,” She told her daughter, staring into those familiar brown eyes. “So nice to have this little family reunion...”
“We’re not a family,” Ricochet growled against Ellen’s ear. “Do me a favour, your one good act as a mother, and stay the frak away from me.” With no doubt that Ellen was the reason her father had wanted to see her, Ricochet decided there was no way in hell she was going to stick around and wait for him.
Ellen stopped laughing abruptly. There was something different in her daughter’s eyes, an anger she’d never seen before. She watched as Ricochet turned on her heel and left. There was no need to tell Saul what had happened, she wasn’t about to give her daughter the satisfaction of calling her on her attitude. Rifling through her bag she found a full bottle of ambrosia tucked away under a black slip. Just what she needed, and once Saul returned they could have themselves a private party. She giggled drunkenly.
--
As Kara jogged slowly through the halls, listening to the constant hum of the Galactica while she worked her knee, she found herself jogging towards the Commander’s quarters. She paused momentarily, annoyed with herself for getting so lost in her thoughts. Everyone knew the President was having dinner with Adama and the Tigh’s, and the last thing she wanted was to run into her. “Aunt Laura,” She muttered under her breath with obvious hatred. “All well until your best friend disappears... couldn’t be bothered to stick around... too frakkin’ busy to check on your own niece...”
Reaching the intersection that veered off to the Commander’s quarters, a familiar laugh floated down the corridor. Kara stopped quickly and moved towards the wall, sliding down to the floor so she could hide and pray they didn’t turn down her corridor. After years of serving on Galactica there was one thing a pilot learned to dodge easily, the sound of Ellen Tigh approaching. Kara waited for them to pass, eager to get out of there as soon as possible. Until she heard Ellen say something that intrigued her, and with her interest peaked she listened a little more closely.
“...she’s got the same eyes and that hair colour, which I’m guessing is definitely bottle by now,” Ellen was practically hanging from her husband’s arm as they stumbled down the hallway. “Bet ya any money you like Bill’s noticed it...”
“What the frak are you on about woman?” Saul couldn’t help but laugh as he tried to pull her upright.
“Madame Roslin...” She burst out laughing at the way that sounded. “She looks like Bill’s little crush from way back... I don’t even know, how old were we?”
“Oh the Carnival Girl...”
Kara held her breath. She remembered stories of the old summer Carnivals, her parent’s started dating at the Carnival and she knew Laura had gone every year before her last year of school. But a Carnival Girl? She vaguely remembered her mother yelling that Laura was a ‘no good Carnie’ and she’d always wondered why. But she couldn’t be the Carnival Girl that Ellen was talking about. That was just too weird.
“Yes, yes, yes...” Ellen squealed, moving away from her husband she twirled around in the corridor and almost tripped. “She looks exactly like her... what was her name? Older though, obviously older... not that she’d still be a cute little sixteen year old... what was her frakkin’ name?”
“Of course she’d be older... it’s been a good thirty-something years...” Saul muttered, actually smiling as he followed his after his wife. “What are the odds it would be her anyway? You’d think one of them would have brought it up.”
“Maybe they already have...” Ellen hissed wickedly, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Maybe when Lee leaves they’re going to be all over each other...”
“Doubt it...”
Ellen burst out laughing again, crashing into Saul’s shoulder. “When did Bill become such a stick in the mud? The man’s a carving...”
Their conversation continued as they disappeared down the hallway and Kara was left sitting in the shadows, listening to Galactica’s hum as she tried to process what she’d just heard. The Commander had a crush on a girl at a Carnival when he was young. Over thirty years ago. What were the odds that it was just a coincidence? That his crush took place at a Carnival, just like Laura’s first love had... and there was enough of a resemblance for Ellen Tigh to call it? Kara shook her head. It was ridiculous. After all, if it was true...
“Oh my Gods, Rebekah...”
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Chapter 10
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