BSG fic: Unions of a Kneeling Chapter Five: Shot Full of Grace
Disclaimer: I don't own BSG. The title is by CS Lewis. This chapter's title is by Barbara Brown Taylor.
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five: Shot Full of Grace
“It’s good to see the old bird again.”
“Never said a truer word, Chief,” Tigh agreed as they stepped off the Raptor. “Wind in the face is nice, but when it’s mixed with grit in the eyes, the pleasure fades.”
“Something like that. I’ve got to look at these ships.”
“I’m reporting to the CIC. Chief.”
Tigh quickly walked the halls to the CIC.
***
Adama’s burden seemed to lighten when he saw his old friend enter the room.
They saluted.
“What’s the status, Admiral?”
“All of our people will be off the planet in another four hours. Then I’m going to meet with a Cylon party.”
“You can’t be serious. Once our people are on board, we need to jump.”
“The Cylons mean business and they will keep coming. I want to know everything I can.”
“Bill-“
“I know your worries, Saul. We all have them. But that’s the way it is.” Adama turned to address Helo. “I want a line to Colonial One. The President should be onboard Galactica.”
***
Kara felt the lines of her old flight suit. It felt pretty good to put it back on. Adama had sent word for her to report to CIC and so she started in that direction, having made sure that Sam was in the capable hands of the newly returned Doc Cottle.
She ran right into Lee.
“Hi,” she said, wondering if she was going to start babbling about how fat he was or hit him.
“Starbuck,” he acknowledged. “Good to see you.”
“You too. You, uh…”
“I’m fat,” he said sharply. “I believe you’re needed elsewhere, Lieutenant.”
“Yes, sir,” she answered, snapping a salute and trying not to grin. “I’ll be jogging right along. I suggest you do the same.”
***
Starbuck left before Lee could answer, but he stared after her for a few minutes. If they weren’t in an emergency he would head to the gym. As it was, he headed back to Pegasus.
***
“Where’s the baby?” Laura asked Tory urgently as they landed in the Galactica hangar bay.
Anyone who wasn’t assigned to a ship already was being Raptored to Galactica.
“She’s in the next Raptor. Maya has her.”
“Good.”
Laura sighed in relief. As much as she just wanted to send the child away and be rid of the worry, she had accepted that this baby was the future. She was actually kind of adorable as well. Sometimes it was nice to just be a teacher and not have to worry about politics. For now, she would keep the baby safe, keep Maya safe, and keep the secret safe. She wanted to see the Admiral, but it seemed almost foolish when she had no valid reason for being in the decision making process.
***
Adama entered the Agathon’s quarters with Kat, Hotdog, and several other officers. He found Sharon and Helo, ready and at attention.
“I wanted the people who have spent the last year with us present,” he explained to them. “This is an important occasion and it deserves the proper attention.”
“Yes, sir,” Sharon said, playing with the buttons of her uniform.
“Shall we get started?”
“The sooner the better,” Helo responded.
It was obvious that to him, this day should have happened long ago and he was simply proud it was happening now.
“Raise your right hand and repeat after me. I, Sharon Agathon …"
“I, Sharon Agathon …”
"Do now pledge my faith and my loyalty..."
“Do now pledge my faith and my loyalty...”
"To the protection of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol."
“To the protection of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol.”
"And will carry out the lawful orders of my superiors..."
“And will carry out the lawful orders of my superiors...”
"As an officer... "
“As an officer...”
"In the Colonial Fleet."
“In the Colonial Fleet.”
Sharon lowered her hand and tried to process the information as Adama pinned her wings to her chest. She was now in the Colonial fleet. After everything, all the pain and mistrust and suffering, she was where she longed to be. She was never going to let these out of her sight. She tried to keep a professional demeanor, but she looked at Helo and saw the joy in his eyes and knew hers must be expressing the same emotion.
“Congratulations, Lieutenant.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Adama looked at her and she could read the varying things he was feeling. He trusted her, but he wondered about the future and he worried. He was proud of her and yet afraid of her at the same time. She determined to never let him down again. He had done right by her.
“You will be our official liaison to the Cylons, Lieutenant Agathon. I intend to meet with them once all our people are safely evacuated. You and Captain Agathon will be part of that meeting. I want all the intel you can discern afterwards.”
“Understood.”
Adama stepped aside and let Kat and the rest congratulate Sharon.
“We need a call sign for you,” Helo said loudly enough that everyone heard.
A flood of ridiculous and Cylon related names followed. It was a strain to separate the names but in the din they heard Hotdog’s quiet suggestion.
“How about Athena?” Sharon and Helo looked at each other. “You know, the goddess of wisdom and war? Usually accompanied by the goddess of victory?”
Several people nodded in approval and Sharon smiled as she thought about it.
“Athena it is,” Helo said, kissing her hands.
Sharon saw Adama keep to the background, but he was probably relieved to have a name to separate her from the other Sharon, just for his own peace of mind.
Everyone left after giving their congratulations and Sharon looked at her husband.
“Never thought I’d see the day,” he said quietly, taking her by the hands.
“You and me both,” she said trying to keep from smiling. “I just want you to know,” she said quietly. “I could never have done this without you. That’s aside from the whole them killing me immediately thing.”
He chuckled and kissed her.
“I’m proud of you. You deserve this.”
“Thank you.”
He held her against his chest for a few minutes.
“Do you think the Cylons want peace?”
“I won’t know for sure until I see them. If I could access someone’s memories that would help. But, I do believe it’s possible. And I want it.”
“I hate to break it to you, Sharon, but you’re probably the only one who does.”
“I know. We’ll see. No matter what, I meant the vow I just took. I won’t betray it.”
“I know you won’t.”
He kissed her again and then they prepared for the upcoming events.
***
Sharon watched the last ship rise from the surface. She stood by the controls and waited. Would they jump or talk? Caprica came in and waited with her.
“Attention, Cylon Raider. This is the Battlestar Galactica. Do you read?”
Sharon bit her lip. This was really it. Yes, the initial first step had been taken, but this was the moment she and Caprica had been waiting for.
“Galactica, this is the Raider, go ahead.”
“Boomer, I want a meeting.”
“We would like that as well, Admiral.”
“Immunity for you and a delegation of Cylons to come aboard Galactica in one hour. The rest of your fleet needs to stay at its current location. We will hear you out.”
“Understood and terms accepted. Thank you, sir. We will see you then.” Sharon took Caprica’s hand and they stared at each other. “So, you wanna represent the Sixes?”
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five: Shot Full of Grace
“It’s good to see the old bird again.”
“Never said a truer word, Chief,” Tigh agreed as they stepped off the Raptor. “Wind in the face is nice, but when it’s mixed with grit in the eyes, the pleasure fades.”
“Something like that. I’ve got to look at these ships.”
“I’m reporting to the CIC. Chief.”
Tigh quickly walked the halls to the CIC.
***
Adama’s burden seemed to lighten when he saw his old friend enter the room.
They saluted.
“What’s the status, Admiral?”
“All of our people will be off the planet in another four hours. Then I’m going to meet with a Cylon party.”
“You can’t be serious. Once our people are on board, we need to jump.”
“The Cylons mean business and they will keep coming. I want to know everything I can.”
“Bill-“
“I know your worries, Saul. We all have them. But that’s the way it is.” Adama turned to address Helo. “I want a line to Colonial One. The President should be onboard Galactica.”
***
Kara felt the lines of her old flight suit. It felt pretty good to put it back on. Adama had sent word for her to report to CIC and so she started in that direction, having made sure that Sam was in the capable hands of the newly returned Doc Cottle.
She ran right into Lee.
“Hi,” she said, wondering if she was going to start babbling about how fat he was or hit him.
“Starbuck,” he acknowledged. “Good to see you.”
“You too. You, uh…”
“I’m fat,” he said sharply. “I believe you’re needed elsewhere, Lieutenant.”
“Yes, sir,” she answered, snapping a salute and trying not to grin. “I’ll be jogging right along. I suggest you do the same.”
***
Starbuck left before Lee could answer, but he stared after her for a few minutes. If they weren’t in an emergency he would head to the gym. As it was, he headed back to Pegasus.
***
“Where’s the baby?” Laura asked Tory urgently as they landed in the Galactica hangar bay.
Anyone who wasn’t assigned to a ship already was being Raptored to Galactica.
“She’s in the next Raptor. Maya has her.”
“Good.”
Laura sighed in relief. As much as she just wanted to send the child away and be rid of the worry, she had accepted that this baby was the future. She was actually kind of adorable as well. Sometimes it was nice to just be a teacher and not have to worry about politics. For now, she would keep the baby safe, keep Maya safe, and keep the secret safe. She wanted to see the Admiral, but it seemed almost foolish when she had no valid reason for being in the decision making process.
***
Adama entered the Agathon’s quarters with Kat, Hotdog, and several other officers. He found Sharon and Helo, ready and at attention.
“I wanted the people who have spent the last year with us present,” he explained to them. “This is an important occasion and it deserves the proper attention.”
“Yes, sir,” Sharon said, playing with the buttons of her uniform.
“Shall we get started?”
“The sooner the better,” Helo responded.
It was obvious that to him, this day should have happened long ago and he was simply proud it was happening now.
“Raise your right hand and repeat after me. I, Sharon Agathon …"
“I, Sharon Agathon …”
"Do now pledge my faith and my loyalty..."
“Do now pledge my faith and my loyalty...”
"To the protection of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol."
“To the protection of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol.”
"And will carry out the lawful orders of my superiors..."
“And will carry out the lawful orders of my superiors...”
"As an officer... "
“As an officer...”
"In the Colonial Fleet."
“In the Colonial Fleet.”
Sharon lowered her hand and tried to process the information as Adama pinned her wings to her chest. She was now in the Colonial fleet. After everything, all the pain and mistrust and suffering, she was where she longed to be. She was never going to let these out of her sight. She tried to keep a professional demeanor, but she looked at Helo and saw the joy in his eyes and knew hers must be expressing the same emotion.
“Congratulations, Lieutenant.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Adama looked at her and she could read the varying things he was feeling. He trusted her, but he wondered about the future and he worried. He was proud of her and yet afraid of her at the same time. She determined to never let him down again. He had done right by her.
“You will be our official liaison to the Cylons, Lieutenant Agathon. I intend to meet with them once all our people are safely evacuated. You and Captain Agathon will be part of that meeting. I want all the intel you can discern afterwards.”
“Understood.”
Adama stepped aside and let Kat and the rest congratulate Sharon.
“We need a call sign for you,” Helo said loudly enough that everyone heard.
A flood of ridiculous and Cylon related names followed. It was a strain to separate the names but in the din they heard Hotdog’s quiet suggestion.
“How about Athena?” Sharon and Helo looked at each other. “You know, the goddess of wisdom and war? Usually accompanied by the goddess of victory?”
Several people nodded in approval and Sharon smiled as she thought about it.
“Athena it is,” Helo said, kissing her hands.
Sharon saw Adama keep to the background, but he was probably relieved to have a name to separate her from the other Sharon, just for his own peace of mind.
Everyone left after giving their congratulations and Sharon looked at her husband.
“Never thought I’d see the day,” he said quietly, taking her by the hands.
“You and me both,” she said trying to keep from smiling. “I just want you to know,” she said quietly. “I could never have done this without you. That’s aside from the whole them killing me immediately thing.”
He chuckled and kissed her.
“I’m proud of you. You deserve this.”
“Thank you.”
He held her against his chest for a few minutes.
“Do you think the Cylons want peace?”
“I won’t know for sure until I see them. If I could access someone’s memories that would help. But, I do believe it’s possible. And I want it.”
“I hate to break it to you, Sharon, but you’re probably the only one who does.”
“I know. We’ll see. No matter what, I meant the vow I just took. I won’t betray it.”
“I know you won’t.”
He kissed her again and then they prepared for the upcoming events.
***
Sharon watched the last ship rise from the surface. She stood by the controls and waited. Would they jump or talk? Caprica came in and waited with her.
“Attention, Cylon Raider. This is the Battlestar Galactica. Do you read?”
Sharon bit her lip. This was really it. Yes, the initial first step had been taken, but this was the moment she and Caprica had been waiting for.
“Galactica, this is the Raider, go ahead.”
“Boomer, I want a meeting.”
“We would like that as well, Admiral.”
“Immunity for you and a delegation of Cylons to come aboard Galactica in one hour. The rest of your fleet needs to stay at its current location. We will hear you out.”
“Understood and terms accepted. Thank you, sir. We will see you then.” Sharon took Caprica’s hand and they stared at each other. “So, you wanna represent the Sixes?”