The Lady and the Commander - Chapter One
A/U set, well, you'll see when you read it.
Pairing: A/R
Rating: PG at this stage
Not my characters/not making money.
Commander William Adama stood proudly observing his crew making preparations for the next morning's launch. He let himself enjoy the general activity of the decks below him as everyone diligently carried out their designated duties. He was relieved today was their final day in dry dock. He was eager to depart.
His life here in Caprica City had become an empty one. Here he had one son dead and buried in the ground whilst his other laid the blame upon his feet and, as such, had become so filled with bitterness towards him that he found he had no choice but to seek distance from the boy. His wife was one in name only. He still provided her with a wealth of cubits every shore leave, which she promptly squandered on her weakness for ambrosia and her other medications she insisted were necessary.
He now considered Galactica to truly be his home. She was not the flashiest ship in the fleet. There were even rumours that the admiralty was contemplating decommissioning her. He acknowledged that, given his age, this would be his last command. He had found, however, that this suited him just fine.
"Admiral on board," he heard a shout from below.
He looked down to see his old friend Admiral Nagala coming up the ramp towards him.
After their salutations, Nagala came straight to the point: "Your new orders are to ensure the safe passage of a group of civilians to Kobol."
"Kobol? I always believed that Kobol's location was unknown," he said.
"One of the passengers is a doctor of science. He has calculated the location and should be able to guide you there. Once you arrive at Kobol, one of the other passengers will then inform you of your next destination. She will give you the orders and you will obey. Is this clear, Commander?"
"A woman?" he asked in shock. "You wish me to obey orders from a woman?"
"That is correct. Lady Laura will not know the new destination until she has studied a map on Kobol."
"Lady Laura?"
"Yes. Lady Laura is the Queen's cousin. She has the full details of your mission. She has ensured me that she will defer to you on all military decisions but ultimately you need to respect her position within the royal family. You should consider her as a direct representative of King Richard and follow her commands accordingly. Her party will board tonight. Ensure they have guest quarters available. I cannot impress upon you how important this assignment is. I would suggest the need for secrecy is paramount. Trust no one."
"Yes, Admiral," he said uneasily.
"Oh, and Commander, I will deny all knowledge of this assignment to my superiors under interrogation."
With this final chilling reveal, the Admiral turned on his heel and departed.
0.0.0
"Are you sure the Admiral was not talking in jest?"
"No, Mr Tigh, I am quite certain he was serious," he said as his first officer looked upon him in scepticism.
"We are to receive orders from a woman?" the man asked as he took a large swig of dark rum. "Do not get me wrong, I love women, I just cannot imagine one having the sense to make any reasonable judgements."
"Maybe you have not been consorting with the correct women. I am sure there must be members of the fairer sex that have qualities equalling that of males. In fact, I would quite adamantly say there must be some women alive that are superior in intellect to a great many men I am acquainted with."
"Well not the ones we chose to wed."
"No," he chuckled, "unfortunately, Mr Tigh, of that you are without doubt correct."
0.0.0
He was completing his daily logs when a knock on his cabin door interrupted him.
"Come!" he barked as the door opened to reveal his first officer.
"Commander, the group we are transporting has arrived. Lady Laura Roslin wishes to speak to you."
"Tonight?" he asked, checking his timepiece.
"Yes, Commander, if you do not mind," came a low feminine voice from his doorway.
The woman then stepped over the threshold to enter his room. She was attired in travelling clothes, her features hidden beneath a cape.
"Thank you, Mr Tigh. Can you please ensure the remainder of Lady Laura's party are shown to their quarters?" he said, effectively dismissing the man.
"Would you like some refreshment after your journey?" he asked, gesturing towards the drinks cart in the corner of his room.
"I have only come a few miles, Commander, I think I shall be able to able to survive until the morning," she said in a manner that led him to believe she was not one to partake in idle chatter.
"Well, ma'am, what business did you wish to raise with me that could also not wait until morning?" he asked.
As he spoke she removed the dark cape from her body and folded it over her arm. He stood transfixed as a wave of auburn tresses cascaded from beneath the hood, scattering around her face in a decidedly haphazard fashion. He was so unaccustomed to observing a lady's hair flowing freely in such an untamed manner that he forced himself to school his features and hide his fascination.
He distracted himself by studying her face, only to find it contained several features that also appealed to his senses. There was a set of clear grey eyes which sparkled with intelligence even in this light, a strong determined chin that was currently raised in the air, cheekbones that were high and sculptured, and a lush set of lips that he all too easily could imagine himself plummeting.
He let his eyes wander down to her body where he observed full bosoms that were straining to escape the constraints of their bodice. The lower part of her body lay hidden beneath the swirls of material falling from her waist. He imagined himself lifting the skirts to discover what delights lay hidden beneath. He shook his head to clear his wandering thoughts. She was not after all the type of woman he usually befriended for sexual release. She was a lady and if he had not been informed she was the Queen's cousin, he still would have known from her elegant stance that she was of an aristocratic bloodline.
"I just wished to ensure that you were fully aware of the obligations that you are required to fulfil in the name of King Richard."
"Which obligations do you refer to madam?" he asked.
"That my instructions will be carried out without hesitation or question," she said impudently.
"No," he simply said.
"Excuse me?" she said in a sharp tone.
"No. I am responsible for over one hundred and fifty souls aboard this ship. If I believe your instructions will endanger the lives of those sailors, then I will question them," he informed her. "Without hesitation," he added.
"I see," she said, peering into his eyes. He returned her gaze with an equal unwavering intensity. "You have issues with my female form, Commander? You would have less trouble accepting my commands if I were a man?"
"On the contrary, ma'am. I have not the care one way or the other for your sex. If King Richard himself gave me an order that placed my ship and crew in jeopardy I would most likely be facing treason charges."
"You are not a patriot?" she asked with an arched eyebrow.
"Of course I am. I am also not a fool and will not be treated as such. If your decisions are plainly entrenched in stupidity, I will not blindly comply with them." He clasped his hands together and took a settling breath. She held his gaze, determination clearly evident in those grey eyes. He decided on a compromise for now: "I will offer you the following proposition. We shall be equals in this adventure. We shall advise and counsel each other. Every decision will be a joint one made by the two of us. My mind gifted with logic and strategic manoeuvres relevant within the military and your mind, passionately and loyally aware of the stakes of your cause."
"How do you know that I am passionate or loyal, Commander? And how do I know I can trust you?"
"I do not, but I can assume, and you do not, but you have to assume. Will we agree to shake hands on the arrangement?" he asked, holding his hand out to seal their deal.
After a moment's hesitation, she offered her small pale hand which disappeared within his larger dark weathered one.
Chapter Two
Pairing: A/R
Rating: PG at this stage
Not my characters/not making money.
Commander William Adama stood proudly observing his crew making preparations for the next morning's launch. He let himself enjoy the general activity of the decks below him as everyone diligently carried out their designated duties. He was relieved today was their final day in dry dock. He was eager to depart.
His life here in Caprica City had become an empty one. Here he had one son dead and buried in the ground whilst his other laid the blame upon his feet and, as such, had become so filled with bitterness towards him that he found he had no choice but to seek distance from the boy. His wife was one in name only. He still provided her with a wealth of cubits every shore leave, which she promptly squandered on her weakness for ambrosia and her other medications she insisted were necessary.
He now considered Galactica to truly be his home. She was not the flashiest ship in the fleet. There were even rumours that the admiralty was contemplating decommissioning her. He acknowledged that, given his age, this would be his last command. He had found, however, that this suited him just fine.
"Admiral on board," he heard a shout from below.
He looked down to see his old friend Admiral Nagala coming up the ramp towards him.
After their salutations, Nagala came straight to the point: "Your new orders are to ensure the safe passage of a group of civilians to Kobol."
"Kobol? I always believed that Kobol's location was unknown," he said.
"One of the passengers is a doctor of science. He has calculated the location and should be able to guide you there. Once you arrive at Kobol, one of the other passengers will then inform you of your next destination. She will give you the orders and you will obey. Is this clear, Commander?"
"A woman?" he asked in shock. "You wish me to obey orders from a woman?"
"That is correct. Lady Laura will not know the new destination until she has studied a map on Kobol."
"Lady Laura?"
"Yes. Lady Laura is the Queen's cousin. She has the full details of your mission. She has ensured me that she will defer to you on all military decisions but ultimately you need to respect her position within the royal family. You should consider her as a direct representative of King Richard and follow her commands accordingly. Her party will board tonight. Ensure they have guest quarters available. I cannot impress upon you how important this assignment is. I would suggest the need for secrecy is paramount. Trust no one."
"Yes, Admiral," he said uneasily.
"Oh, and Commander, I will deny all knowledge of this assignment to my superiors under interrogation."
With this final chilling reveal, the Admiral turned on his heel and departed.
0.0.0
"Are you sure the Admiral was not talking in jest?"
"No, Mr Tigh, I am quite certain he was serious," he said as his first officer looked upon him in scepticism.
"We are to receive orders from a woman?" the man asked as he took a large swig of dark rum. "Do not get me wrong, I love women, I just cannot imagine one having the sense to make any reasonable judgements."
"Maybe you have not been consorting with the correct women. I am sure there must be members of the fairer sex that have qualities equalling that of males. In fact, I would quite adamantly say there must be some women alive that are superior in intellect to a great many men I am acquainted with."
"Well not the ones we chose to wed."
"No," he chuckled, "unfortunately, Mr Tigh, of that you are without doubt correct."
0.0.0
He was completing his daily logs when a knock on his cabin door interrupted him.
"Come!" he barked as the door opened to reveal his first officer.
"Commander, the group we are transporting has arrived. Lady Laura Roslin wishes to speak to you."
"Tonight?" he asked, checking his timepiece.
"Yes, Commander, if you do not mind," came a low feminine voice from his doorway.
The woman then stepped over the threshold to enter his room. She was attired in travelling clothes, her features hidden beneath a cape.
"Thank you, Mr Tigh. Can you please ensure the remainder of Lady Laura's party are shown to their quarters?" he said, effectively dismissing the man.
"Would you like some refreshment after your journey?" he asked, gesturing towards the drinks cart in the corner of his room.
"I have only come a few miles, Commander, I think I shall be able to able to survive until the morning," she said in a manner that led him to believe she was not one to partake in idle chatter.
"Well, ma'am, what business did you wish to raise with me that could also not wait until morning?" he asked.
As he spoke she removed the dark cape from her body and folded it over her arm. He stood transfixed as a wave of auburn tresses cascaded from beneath the hood, scattering around her face in a decidedly haphazard fashion. He was so unaccustomed to observing a lady's hair flowing freely in such an untamed manner that he forced himself to school his features and hide his fascination.
He distracted himself by studying her face, only to find it contained several features that also appealed to his senses. There was a set of clear grey eyes which sparkled with intelligence even in this light, a strong determined chin that was currently raised in the air, cheekbones that were high and sculptured, and a lush set of lips that he all too easily could imagine himself plummeting.
He let his eyes wander down to her body where he observed full bosoms that were straining to escape the constraints of their bodice. The lower part of her body lay hidden beneath the swirls of material falling from her waist. He imagined himself lifting the skirts to discover what delights lay hidden beneath. He shook his head to clear his wandering thoughts. She was not after all the type of woman he usually befriended for sexual release. She was a lady and if he had not been informed she was the Queen's cousin, he still would have known from her elegant stance that she was of an aristocratic bloodline.
"I just wished to ensure that you were fully aware of the obligations that you are required to fulfil in the name of King Richard."
"Which obligations do you refer to madam?" he asked.
"That my instructions will be carried out without hesitation or question," she said impudently.
"No," he simply said.
"Excuse me?" she said in a sharp tone.
"No. I am responsible for over one hundred and fifty souls aboard this ship. If I believe your instructions will endanger the lives of those sailors, then I will question them," he informed her. "Without hesitation," he added.
"I see," she said, peering into his eyes. He returned her gaze with an equal unwavering intensity. "You have issues with my female form, Commander? You would have less trouble accepting my commands if I were a man?"
"On the contrary, ma'am. I have not the care one way or the other for your sex. If King Richard himself gave me an order that placed my ship and crew in jeopardy I would most likely be facing treason charges."
"You are not a patriot?" she asked with an arched eyebrow.
"Of course I am. I am also not a fool and will not be treated as such. If your decisions are plainly entrenched in stupidity, I will not blindly comply with them." He clasped his hands together and took a settling breath. She held his gaze, determination clearly evident in those grey eyes. He decided on a compromise for now: "I will offer you the following proposition. We shall be equals in this adventure. We shall advise and counsel each other. Every decision will be a joint one made by the two of us. My mind gifted with logic and strategic manoeuvres relevant within the military and your mind, passionately and loyally aware of the stakes of your cause."
"How do you know that I am passionate or loyal, Commander? And how do I know I can trust you?"
"I do not, but I can assume, and you do not, but you have to assume. Will we agree to shake hands on the arrangement?" he asked, holding his hand out to seal their deal.
After a moment's hesitation, she offered her small pale hand which disappeared within his larger dark weathered one.
Chapter Two