Deliverance (14/?)
Title: Deliverance
Author: coexist_love
Rating: MA
Fandom: Battlestar Galactica 2003
Character: General with Roslin/Adama emphasis
Summary: A normal day on among the fleet is disturbed when an unidentified assailant attempts to assassinate President Roslin.
Disclaimer: Not written for money and if I owned Galactica this would have already happened.
Spoilers: Flight of the Pheonix through Epiphanies
Author’s Note: I thought about this while watching Colonial Day and though my setting is very different to begin with it was given further substance by whyoffry and maj_zoidberg444 at LiveJournal and a special thanks to my lovely betas (I had so many ) but in particular whyoffry campmotha and tina_cat
Author's Note Redux: And now I make you feel sorry for the suprise visitor.
PREVIOUS CHAPTERS
Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Chapter 13
“Commander having read your logs, it appears you’ve been through quite an ordeal,” Cain states from her position at the table. The surroundings of Cain’s quarters where darker than Adama’s. For a moment he wondered if he should request some more lights but decided against it.
“We had our moments,” Adama began.
“Well you did yourselves proud,” Cain commented.
“Thank you Admiral.”
“As I told you we were tracking a Cylon fleet when we found Galactica and now that I’ve had a chance to compare their route to your ships logs, its quite clear that they’ve been following you.” She moved from her place at the end of the table to stand next to Adama. She placed a few photos in front of them as she began to narrate. “Our recon so far tells us that the fleet is composed of two base ships, about a dozen or so support ships, and one large vessel that we are still unable to identify. It’s this large ship here that I’m interested in,” she gestured to a blurry spot along the photo. “What’s its function? Is it a command control ship?”
“A raider factory?” Adama offered.
“Possibly, whatever it is, the Cylons are protecting it.
“This is what I call, a tempting target.”
“Hmmm,” Cain hummed relieved that she and Adama were on the same terms when it came to Cylons. “And here I was getting ready to do a whole song and dance about combining resources for a joint strike mission.”
“Any chance of hitting the Cylons where it hurts? My pleasure. I’ll have Apollo coordinate with your CAG.”
“Which leads me to the next subject commander,” Cain began. “I am going to integrate the crews, and I am starting by assigning Captain Adama to the Pegasus Airway.”
“I have a team that works very well together,” Adama insisted.
“Lets just cut through it shall we?” Cain’s tone suddenly took on an oppressive quality. “After reviewing your logs, it has become my judgment that having your son as Galactica CAG has been a grave mistake. He’s been subordinate…even mutinous, and these are direct quotes from your logs by the way…” she took out a file and began referencing it. For a moment she reminded him of his father back when he was a lawyer and would practice his closing arguments in his office before court. “And I dare say he’s not he only one with disciplinary problems, there’s a Kara Thrace that habitually strikes fellow officers and disobeys orders. This Lieutenant Agathon has fraternized and evidently impregnated an enemy agent.” Adama couldn’t look at her cold stare, it felt like knives where jabbing through his skin. “Must we even discuss your XO? So…,” she handed him a sheet of paper. “There is a complete list of all the transfers.”
“I thought you said you had no desire to interfere with my command?” Adama quoted as he cited the conversation they’d had when she’s first came on board.
“I’m not finished yet,” Cain began. “I know about the President. Taken ill?”
“I wasn’t sure when to bring that up.”
“Well, I found out yesterday when I was in your sickbay. She has cancer? She’s was already dying at the time she was shot and you are keeping her alive via life support?”
“What would you have had us do?” Adama asked. “Let her bleed out on the flight deck?”
“Yes. You’re out here with limited supplies and resources, some of the medicine you’re using on the President would be put to better use if saved for another crewmember or civilian that had a better chance of surviving the journey.”
“I couldn’t just let her die.”
“Commander it has come to my attention that you are too close with both your officers and the President. It’s making you blind to their weaknesses and what’s best for the fleet. Not mention cohesion and to morale.”
“I don’t agree,” Adama stated.
Cain’s gaze held his for a while before she spoke again. “Well that is certainly within your right. I didn’t want it to come to this. I know the President has a living will, I’m afraid to say I’m going to have to override your power of attorney and pull the plug on her life support.”
“You can’t do that!” Adama’s voice began to rise. “She’s a civilian! The military can’t interfere with a civilian’s decision.”
“She’s also the President of the Colonies. Believe me, I don’t want to lose anyone else either but you need to see that there is no point in keeping Laura alive when she’ll die in a few weeks.”
“Admiral, you can’t be doing this? This doesn’t involve you?”
“If it involves the future of the fleet, it involves me.”
“But you can’t terminate her life like this. You said you had no desire to interfere with my command. The President is on my ship…”
“The President’s a public figure,” Cain stated. “And I am not interfering with your command, I’m saving it.” She pushed another paper towards him. “You have your orders.”
Wearily Adama took the pieces of paper and stared at them blankly. The words blurred together. Part of him wanted to tear the one that concerned Laura up and throw it in her face. He wanted to tell her to go frak herself because there was no way that he was going to allow Laura to die any other way, than by her cancer. He shot her a dirty look as he took the orders and headed for the door.
***
Adama’s eyes kept going between the orders and the two pilots standing before him. He silently handed each of their orders for transfer and waited as they read the document.
Lee was the first to speak. “Transfer to Pegasus?”
“Why the frak should we do that?” Starbuck asked.
“Because those are your orders,” Adama answered plainly only to be met with a mix of two voices insulting Pegasus. While Adama couldn’t say that he didn’t blame them he couldn’t stand hearing about CAGs and Cylon operations when all he wanted to do was get down to sickbay to meet with Cain and Dr. Cottle. “That’s enough!” he shouted. “You’re officers, act like it. She’s given you an order you will carry it out.”
“Permission to speak freely?” Starbuck requested.
“You may not!” Adama answered. “We’ve all gotten used to bending the rules, having our way, letting things slide. Well that’s over. You wear the uniform you will accept the rules that go with it. You’ve been transferred. Pack your gear and report to the Pegasus CAG, dismissed.”
***
“Taking the President off the respirator does not necessarily mean ending her life,” Cottle said. “There were cases in the Colonies where a person survived for years without life support. But I don’t this is the case with the President.”
“Major, how much of your oxygen supply do you think the President has used already?” Cain asked, trying to make a point to the Commander standing next to her.
“Hard to say,” Cottle said.
“An estimate,” Cain began.
Had this woman ever met Laura? Bill started thinking about the time they’d vented all their water into space and Laura has asked Gaeta to guess. He remembered how he’d told her that he told his men not to guess. That he preferred to rely on fact. Sitting here listening to Cain reminded him so much of his meeting with Laura at the beginning of her presidency, before he knew about the cancer.
“About a sixteenth,” Cottle guessed.
“And how much do you believe she would use if she remained in a coma for another three weeks?”
“An eighth,” Cottle said. “And we’d still have plenty for the rest of the journey if used when needed.”
“Commander?” Cain inquired, her voice sounding kind of sing-songy as she addressed him.
Taking a deep breath Bill began to speak. “I don’t agree with the decision. Laura has a very specific living will where the conditions have yet to be met.”
“Bill, trust me, you’re relieving her from the pain of the physical world.”
“I never pegged you as the religious type,” Bill considered that statement for a moment, wondering if he ever would have seen the religious side of Laura if she hadn’t been dying. Would he believe that the Gods would take her into their arms and allow her to rest with them? Would he ever meet her after he passed on?
Cain ignored the statement and continued to press onwards. “Let her go to the Elysian Fields,” Cain insisted. “Let her be at peace. This is just as much for her as it is for the fleet.”
Bill nodded as he pictured Laura covered with tubes and wires, sustained by the ventilator breathing for her. He couldn’t imagine watching her die like that; it would be one thing if she woke up. Another if she just existed.
“Alright,” Adama began. “Do it.”
TBC
As always comments and critique are appreciated. What do you like? What don't you like? Is there any point where you want to kill me?
Author: coexist_love
Rating: MA
Fandom: Battlestar Galactica 2003
Character: General with Roslin/Adama emphasis
Summary: A normal day on among the fleet is disturbed when an unidentified assailant attempts to assassinate President Roslin.
Disclaimer: Not written for money and if I owned Galactica this would have already happened.
Spoilers: Flight of the Pheonix through Epiphanies
Author’s Note: I thought about this while watching Colonial Day and though my setting is very different to begin with it was given further substance by whyoffry and maj_zoidberg444 at LiveJournal and a special thanks to my lovely betas (I had so many ) but in particular whyoffry campmotha and tina_cat
Author's Note Redux: And now I make you feel sorry for the suprise visitor.
PREVIOUS CHAPTERS
Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Chapter 13
“Commander having read your logs, it appears you’ve been through quite an ordeal,” Cain states from her position at the table. The surroundings of Cain’s quarters where darker than Adama’s. For a moment he wondered if he should request some more lights but decided against it.
“We had our moments,” Adama began.
“Well you did yourselves proud,” Cain commented.
“Thank you Admiral.”
“As I told you we were tracking a Cylon fleet when we found Galactica and now that I’ve had a chance to compare their route to your ships logs, its quite clear that they’ve been following you.” She moved from her place at the end of the table to stand next to Adama. She placed a few photos in front of them as she began to narrate. “Our recon so far tells us that the fleet is composed of two base ships, about a dozen or so support ships, and one large vessel that we are still unable to identify. It’s this large ship here that I’m interested in,” she gestured to a blurry spot along the photo. “What’s its function? Is it a command control ship?”
“A raider factory?” Adama offered.
“Possibly, whatever it is, the Cylons are protecting it.
“This is what I call, a tempting target.”
“Hmmm,” Cain hummed relieved that she and Adama were on the same terms when it came to Cylons. “And here I was getting ready to do a whole song and dance about combining resources for a joint strike mission.”
“Any chance of hitting the Cylons where it hurts? My pleasure. I’ll have Apollo coordinate with your CAG.”
“Which leads me to the next subject commander,” Cain began. “I am going to integrate the crews, and I am starting by assigning Captain Adama to the Pegasus Airway.”
“I have a team that works very well together,” Adama insisted.
“Lets just cut through it shall we?” Cain’s tone suddenly took on an oppressive quality. “After reviewing your logs, it has become my judgment that having your son as Galactica CAG has been a grave mistake. He’s been subordinate…even mutinous, and these are direct quotes from your logs by the way…” she took out a file and began referencing it. For a moment she reminded him of his father back when he was a lawyer and would practice his closing arguments in his office before court. “And I dare say he’s not he only one with disciplinary problems, there’s a Kara Thrace that habitually strikes fellow officers and disobeys orders. This Lieutenant Agathon has fraternized and evidently impregnated an enemy agent.” Adama couldn’t look at her cold stare, it felt like knives where jabbing through his skin. “Must we even discuss your XO? So…,” she handed him a sheet of paper. “There is a complete list of all the transfers.”
“I thought you said you had no desire to interfere with my command?” Adama quoted as he cited the conversation they’d had when she’s first came on board.
“I’m not finished yet,” Cain began. “I know about the President. Taken ill?”
“I wasn’t sure when to bring that up.”
“Well, I found out yesterday when I was in your sickbay. She has cancer? She’s was already dying at the time she was shot and you are keeping her alive via life support?”
“What would you have had us do?” Adama asked. “Let her bleed out on the flight deck?”
“Yes. You’re out here with limited supplies and resources, some of the medicine you’re using on the President would be put to better use if saved for another crewmember or civilian that had a better chance of surviving the journey.”
“I couldn’t just let her die.”
“Commander it has come to my attention that you are too close with both your officers and the President. It’s making you blind to their weaknesses and what’s best for the fleet. Not mention cohesion and to morale.”
“I don’t agree,” Adama stated.
Cain’s gaze held his for a while before she spoke again. “Well that is certainly within your right. I didn’t want it to come to this. I know the President has a living will, I’m afraid to say I’m going to have to override your power of attorney and pull the plug on her life support.”
“You can’t do that!” Adama’s voice began to rise. “She’s a civilian! The military can’t interfere with a civilian’s decision.”
“She’s also the President of the Colonies. Believe me, I don’t want to lose anyone else either but you need to see that there is no point in keeping Laura alive when she’ll die in a few weeks.”
“Admiral, you can’t be doing this? This doesn’t involve you?”
“If it involves the future of the fleet, it involves me.”
“But you can’t terminate her life like this. You said you had no desire to interfere with my command. The President is on my ship…”
“The President’s a public figure,” Cain stated. “And I am not interfering with your command, I’m saving it.” She pushed another paper towards him. “You have your orders.”
Wearily Adama took the pieces of paper and stared at them blankly. The words blurred together. Part of him wanted to tear the one that concerned Laura up and throw it in her face. He wanted to tell her to go frak herself because there was no way that he was going to allow Laura to die any other way, than by her cancer. He shot her a dirty look as he took the orders and headed for the door.
***
Adama’s eyes kept going between the orders and the two pilots standing before him. He silently handed each of their orders for transfer and waited as they read the document.
Lee was the first to speak. “Transfer to Pegasus?”
“Why the frak should we do that?” Starbuck asked.
“Because those are your orders,” Adama answered plainly only to be met with a mix of two voices insulting Pegasus. While Adama couldn’t say that he didn’t blame them he couldn’t stand hearing about CAGs and Cylon operations when all he wanted to do was get down to sickbay to meet with Cain and Dr. Cottle. “That’s enough!” he shouted. “You’re officers, act like it. She’s given you an order you will carry it out.”
“Permission to speak freely?” Starbuck requested.
“You may not!” Adama answered. “We’ve all gotten used to bending the rules, having our way, letting things slide. Well that’s over. You wear the uniform you will accept the rules that go with it. You’ve been transferred. Pack your gear and report to the Pegasus CAG, dismissed.”
***
“Taking the President off the respirator does not necessarily mean ending her life,” Cottle said. “There were cases in the Colonies where a person survived for years without life support. But I don’t this is the case with the President.”
“Major, how much of your oxygen supply do you think the President has used already?” Cain asked, trying to make a point to the Commander standing next to her.
“Hard to say,” Cottle said.
“An estimate,” Cain began.
Had this woman ever met Laura? Bill started thinking about the time they’d vented all their water into space and Laura has asked Gaeta to guess. He remembered how he’d told her that he told his men not to guess. That he preferred to rely on fact. Sitting here listening to Cain reminded him so much of his meeting with Laura at the beginning of her presidency, before he knew about the cancer.
“About a sixteenth,” Cottle guessed.
“And how much do you believe she would use if she remained in a coma for another three weeks?”
“An eighth,” Cottle said. “And we’d still have plenty for the rest of the journey if used when needed.”
“Commander?” Cain inquired, her voice sounding kind of sing-songy as she addressed him.
Taking a deep breath Bill began to speak. “I don’t agree with the decision. Laura has a very specific living will where the conditions have yet to be met.”
“Bill, trust me, you’re relieving her from the pain of the physical world.”
“I never pegged you as the religious type,” Bill considered that statement for a moment, wondering if he ever would have seen the religious side of Laura if she hadn’t been dying. Would he believe that the Gods would take her into their arms and allow her to rest with them? Would he ever meet her after he passed on?
Cain ignored the statement and continued to press onwards. “Let her go to the Elysian Fields,” Cain insisted. “Let her be at peace. This is just as much for her as it is for the fleet.”
Bill nodded as he pictured Laura covered with tubes and wires, sustained by the ventilator breathing for her. He couldn’t imagine watching her die like that; it would be one thing if she woke up. Another if she just existed.
“Alright,” Adama began. “Do it.”
TBC
As always comments and critique are appreciated. What do you like? What don't you like? Is there any point where you want to kill me?