Ficlet: Eyeliner
Title: Eyeliner
Author: lls_mutant
Spoilers: Through Islanded in a Stream of Stars, I guess
Rating: PG
Summary: Tigh can't quite believe Felix Gaeta is wearing eyeliner in the CIC.
Notes: Some of you have seen this, because it's a comment fic from one of the posts here. But I'm cleaning up my fic post and wanted to add it in. Crack... well, Lissa-style crack, anyway ;)
The CIC is droning with activity when Tigh enters, but it's the sight of the Senior Officer of the Watch that brings him up short. Or, more accurately, it's Gaeta's eyes.
"What is the meaning of this?" he demands, startling a private.
"Nothing, sir?" the private says, scampering further back.
"Wasn't talking to you." He turns and faces Gaeta, who's leaning against the war table. "I was talking to you."
Gaeta stares at him evenly. "Three hostile Cylon raiders have been spotted, sir. CAP's after them, but we're worried they'll transmit coordinates before we can shoot them down."
"Well, launch a few more Vipers then." He turns to where Hoshi is sitting. "Send out another squadron."
"Yes, sir," Hoshi says evenly. Tigh glances from Gaeta to Hoshi, relieved that at least Hoshi isn't sporting the dark eyeliner that Gaeta is wearing. At least one of the two of them has some sense, although Tigh had always assumed that that was Gaeta.
"You want to explain this to me?" he tries again.
Helo, who happens to be in the CIC doing frak knows what Bill's got for him today, snickers. Tigh glares at him, although he really can't blame him. Gaeta is standing in a uniform, studying the models before him, and wearing eyeliner, for frak's sake, like it's completely normal in the CIC.
"I'm sure you don't need me to explain it to you, sir," Gaeta says, his voice short enough from insubordination that Tigh can't call him on it, but he knows the kid is being sarcastic. Gaeta leans forward and moves one of the models into a new position. Tigh picks it up, looks at it for a moment, and then puts it back down.
"Get me the Admiral," he orders Hoshi. Hoshi nods and pulls on his headset, and Gaeta studies where Tigh's put the model.
"You want to capture, sir?"
"It makes sense, doesn't it? Get some information, some coordinates… beats jumping blind."
"If they can be trusted to give us the right coordinates. They'd be loyal to Cavil."
"I'm not interested in what's in the Cylons. I'm interested in what's in the raider. Worst case, we'd be no better off than we are now."
"It's a sound plan-" Gaeta begins, but then looks up and hauls himself to attention. Tigh turns to see Bill coming in. "Commander on deck!" someone shouts, and everyone jerks to attention, although a little slower than they used to.
"Sound plan, eh?" Tigh says to Gaeta. "Never thought I'd hear that coming from you again."
Bill joins them at the war table and does a double take. For a moment, Tigh can't blame him, because that damn eyeliner really is that ludicrous. Bill studies him, and then the models, and demands "What have you got?"
As he's explaining, Hoshi joins them at the table, standing next to Gaeta. Their hands are almost touching, and Tigh scowls, especially as Hoshi looks at Gaeta with an expression that's obviously meant for behind closed doors. "Keep it professional, Mr. Hoshi," he growls.
"Yes, sir," Hoshi says, casting his eyes back down at the models. But he's blinking quickly, and Tigh sighs heavily. He doesn't even want to know what's going on with those two these days.
"Sir," Helo says from the console, "I've got Hot Dog telling me they've captured one of the raiders."
Bill blinks down at the models, and then at Tigh. "Good work," he finally says, nodding at Helo. "Tell him to bring it in." He looks down at the models again. "Your idea?" he asks Tigh finally.
"Gaeta's."
Bill and Hoshi stare at him, and Gaeta grins at him, mockingly, over Hoshi's shoulder. "Saul," Bill begins, and Tigh shakes his head.
"Sorry. Been on shift too long, force of habit." Bill nods acceptance, but Hoshi's jaw is still clenched, and Tigh knows he's not seeing the models any more.
When he looks again, the eyeliner is gone, and Gaeta is watching Hoshi with a deep sadness etched into his expression. He reaches up and touches Hoshi's cheek, but of course Hoshi doesn't react, because he can't see him. No one's been able to see Gaeta for the past three weeks; no one except Saul Tigh. And when he looks again, Gaeta is gone.
Author: lls_mutant
Spoilers: Through Islanded in a Stream of Stars, I guess
Rating: PG
Summary: Tigh can't quite believe Felix Gaeta is wearing eyeliner in the CIC.
Notes: Some of you have seen this, because it's a comment fic from one of the posts here. But I'm cleaning up my fic post and wanted to add it in. Crack... well, Lissa-style crack, anyway ;)
The CIC is droning with activity when Tigh enters, but it's the sight of the Senior Officer of the Watch that brings him up short. Or, more accurately, it's Gaeta's eyes.
"What is the meaning of this?" he demands, startling a private.
"Nothing, sir?" the private says, scampering further back.
"Wasn't talking to you." He turns and faces Gaeta, who's leaning against the war table. "I was talking to you."
Gaeta stares at him evenly. "Three hostile Cylon raiders have been spotted, sir. CAP's after them, but we're worried they'll transmit coordinates before we can shoot them down."
"Well, launch a few more Vipers then." He turns to where Hoshi is sitting. "Send out another squadron."
"Yes, sir," Hoshi says evenly. Tigh glances from Gaeta to Hoshi, relieved that at least Hoshi isn't sporting the dark eyeliner that Gaeta is wearing. At least one of the two of them has some sense, although Tigh had always assumed that that was Gaeta.
"You want to explain this to me?" he tries again.
Helo, who happens to be in the CIC doing frak knows what Bill's got for him today, snickers. Tigh glares at him, although he really can't blame him. Gaeta is standing in a uniform, studying the models before him, and wearing eyeliner, for frak's sake, like it's completely normal in the CIC.
"I'm sure you don't need me to explain it to you, sir," Gaeta says, his voice short enough from insubordination that Tigh can't call him on it, but he knows the kid is being sarcastic. Gaeta leans forward and moves one of the models into a new position. Tigh picks it up, looks at it for a moment, and then puts it back down.
"Get me the Admiral," he orders Hoshi. Hoshi nods and pulls on his headset, and Gaeta studies where Tigh's put the model.
"You want to capture, sir?"
"It makes sense, doesn't it? Get some information, some coordinates… beats jumping blind."
"If they can be trusted to give us the right coordinates. They'd be loyal to Cavil."
"I'm not interested in what's in the Cylons. I'm interested in what's in the raider. Worst case, we'd be no better off than we are now."
"It's a sound plan-" Gaeta begins, but then looks up and hauls himself to attention. Tigh turns to see Bill coming in. "Commander on deck!" someone shouts, and everyone jerks to attention, although a little slower than they used to.
"Sound plan, eh?" Tigh says to Gaeta. "Never thought I'd hear that coming from you again."
Bill joins them at the war table and does a double take. For a moment, Tigh can't blame him, because that damn eyeliner really is that ludicrous. Bill studies him, and then the models, and demands "What have you got?"
As he's explaining, Hoshi joins them at the table, standing next to Gaeta. Their hands are almost touching, and Tigh scowls, especially as Hoshi looks at Gaeta with an expression that's obviously meant for behind closed doors. "Keep it professional, Mr. Hoshi," he growls.
"Yes, sir," Hoshi says, casting his eyes back down at the models. But he's blinking quickly, and Tigh sighs heavily. He doesn't even want to know what's going on with those two these days.
"Sir," Helo says from the console, "I've got Hot Dog telling me they've captured one of the raiders."
Bill blinks down at the models, and then at Tigh. "Good work," he finally says, nodding at Helo. "Tell him to bring it in." He looks down at the models again. "Your idea?" he asks Tigh finally.
"Gaeta's."
Bill and Hoshi stare at him, and Gaeta grins at him, mockingly, over Hoshi's shoulder. "Saul," Bill begins, and Tigh shakes his head.
"Sorry. Been on shift too long, force of habit." Bill nods acceptance, but Hoshi's jaw is still clenched, and Tigh knows he's not seeing the models any more.
When he looks again, the eyeliner is gone, and Gaeta is watching Hoshi with a deep sadness etched into his expression. He reaches up and touches Hoshi's cheek, but of course Hoshi doesn't react, because he can't see him. No one's been able to see Gaeta for the past three weeks; no one except Saul Tigh. And when he looks again, Gaeta is gone.