Fic: Omerta: Chapter Three
Title: Omerta: Chapter Three
Rating: T
Word Count: ~4300
Disclaimer: don't own them.
Pairing: Bill/Laura/Saul (eventually)
Summary: Fastforward several years to Laura's and Bill's journey to Galactica for the Decommissioning Ceremony.
A/N: Thanks to lanalucy and laura_mayfair for the beta. Posted in honor of fragrantwoods' birthday. Happy Birthday!
A/N2: First chapter
Laura sat between Billy and Bill. Billy had filled her in on the details, impressing her already, and it was only his first day. She’d made another good personnel choice; her father would have been proud. She turned to Bill. “You excited to see the Old Girl? After all these years?”
Bill nodded. “I have a lot of fond memories of her.” His eyes twinkled as he spoke. “My first love.”
She patted his arm. “You ever regret it?” At his confused expression, she added, “Not re-entering?”
He was quiet a moment, but she knew he was carefully considering. “The whole time I was on that freighter, all I wanted was back in the fleet. Doing something that mattered.” He met her eyes. “But I met your father - and you - and realized I didn’t need the fleet for that.” He winked. “Besides, you know I don’t do regrets.”
She smacked his shoulder. “Yeah, yeah. I think you’re full of crap.”
They shared a laugh.
“Too bad Zak couldn’t join us.” Bill glanced at her pointedly. “His boss is a slavedriver.”
“Hey, I encouraged him to come with us. He wanted to man the fort.” She sighed. “Maybe he didn’t want to see Lee.”
Bill grunted. “I doubt we’ll have a happy reunion.”
She stroked his arm. “I’m sorry.”
He covered her hand with his. “Not your fault. He just...he doesn’t understand. And he’s like me at his age. Only without the benefit of your father’s guidance. Or yours.”
“He could have that. You. Me.”
He shook his head. “In his mind, that would have meant betraying his mother. And I understand. Even if he is wrong.”
She squeezed his hand.
“But Zak is coming along nicely. He’ll be a fine Caporegime,” said Bill.
She smiled. Zak had made his choice as soon as he’d come of age. He loved his father and what was more, he’d idolized him, had wanted to do everything Bill did. Bill had brought him into Laura’s office the day after his twelfth birthday.
Bill in miniature lowered his head. “Guatrau.”
She reached out her hand for him to kiss. He took it into his still-growing hand and kissed it gently. “What can I do for you, Zakary?” she asked.
He met her eyes and held. He’d obviously been well coached. “I’d like to work for you, ma’am.”
She smiled. “I think that can be arranged.”
“Yes, he will,” Laura said.
“What about you? How’d your appointment go?”
She sighed. “We’ll talk about that later, okay?”
He nodded. “I’m just glad I finally convinced you to go.”
She hmmed. “Me too.”
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////
They docked inside Galactica’s landing bay. The three of them exited the Colonial Heavy in time to be welcomed over the intercom. Commander Tigh stood at attention in front of the door. When Laura stepped down the last stair, he approached. “Madam Secretary.” He reached out his hand.
She shook his hand. Two pumps. “So nice to finally meet you, Commander.”
“Likewise, ma’am.”
She introduced him to Billy and Bill. Tigh’s eyes twinkled when he glanced at Bill. Bill smiled slightly. He didn’t want to give too much away in front of Billy and the others, and he was proud that Saul had caught on to Laura’s subtle cue. Tigh shook each of their hands. Saul’s hand had smoothed a bit. Command had been good to him, it seemed. Though a few calluses remained. Once a mechanic… He’d lost his hair, but otherwise he looked good. Strong. Sober.
Laura caught his eye with a wink when Tigh turned to guide them to their quarters. Bill smirked. He’d been caught and there was nothing he could do about it. He just hoped she showed some mercy.
Laura and Bill walked quickly to keep up. Billy’s footsteps became fainter and fainter until they were gone - if the boy got lost, Bill would retrieve him once she was settled. She and Tigh chatted about networking. They were cordial enough at first, but then Tigh dug in deep about how networking was a lot like how the Cylon War had started. Bill and Saul were two of the few people who truly knew what it was to fight machines that could outthink them. So he had to agree that networking was a bad idea. But still, Laura’s request seemed reasonable enough. And on a decommissioned ship, what was the harm?
Tigh said, “Listen, lady, I’ve seen a lot of good men and women get killed because hoity toity folks like you wanted to make things easier. Not here. Not now. Not ever. We do things the hard way on Galactica and we’re better for it.”
Laura’s shoulders rotated as she said, “Yes, sir.”
She was obviously preparing for the long haul, letting Tigh think he’d won.
They continued along the corridors in silence until Saul said, “You’ll be proud of your boy, Mr. Adama. Captain Adama will be flying my old Mark II during the airshow.”
“You still have the old bird?”
Saul snorted. “Nah. Thought she was destroyed and lying in a junk heap somewhere. And she was, until my deckhands found her and repaired her.” He chuckled. “Don’t worry, she’s been tested. We wouldn’t endanger our DCAG for a frakkin’ ceremony.”
Bill nodded. “I’m sure he’s honored, Commander.”
A pang of irrational jealousy ripped through his chest. If only he could reach his oldest son. He’d never had this much trouble with Zak. Sure, he’d had to give him a talking to occasionally, but then Zak had been made, and he’d blossomed, especially under Laura’s leadership and mentoring. Bill and Carolanne may have laid the groundwork for him, but it was really Laura who had raised Zak, made him the man he was. Lee, on the other hand, had rebuked Bill on every turn, and then he’d rebelled.
Bill would have laughed if it wasn’t so painful. His son had rebelled exactly the way he had - by joining the fleet. Perhaps there was still hope for them. Regardless, he would be proud of Lee’s success. Serving the Fleet, living by its Oath, that was honorable. Every bit as much as Bill and Laura’s Code.
Tigh showed them their quarters. He and Billy would share, and Laura was right next door. “I’ll leave you to it, then,” Tigh said. He glanced at Laura. “No hard feelings, Madam Secretary.”
She smiled. “None at all, Commander. I appreciate your honesty. So rare in my line of work.”
Tigh snorted. “Mine too. Not here, but when I gotta deal with the bureaucratic bullshit.” His eyes widened, as he realized what he’d said. “Present company excluded, of course.”
“Of course.”
Tigh glanced around. “Wonder where the kid got to.”
Laura laughed. “I’m sure Billy will turn up.”
“Battlestar ain’t that big,” Tigh said.
“We’ll see you at the ceremony,” Laura said, as she entered her quarters.
Tigh glanced at Bill. “Good to see you again.”
Bill nodded. “You too, Saul.”
Bill stepped inside his quarters. Even though he would be sharing, the room was still much larger than what he’d had as a Viper Jock. After nearly forty years, he’d finally made it back. Just in time to see the Old Girl off.
He unpacked the bag someone on the crew had placed on his rack. He hung up his suits, taking exactly one half of the closet. The picture was protected in bubble wrap in the front pocket - he and the boys on the front steps of the Roslin house. He unwrapped the frame and ran his finger along the photo. Laura had taken the picture. It had been during his weekend with the boys, and Laura had given him the day off, suggesting they go to the water park since it had been the hottest few days on record, on Caprica at least. When they’d returned, Bill had brought the boys to the Roslins to thank them, especially Laura. She’d suggested the photograph, and then she’d taken it herself. It was one of the last times he’d ever seen Lee smile, at least in his presence. It was a good day. Good memory.
A knock on the hatch.
“Come in.”
“I’m seeing a new side of you, Adama,” Laura said. She kicked off her shoes as she walked, stepping up to his rack. “What’s that?”
He showed her the photo. “Remember this?”
“How could I forget?” She grinned. “Three handsome Adamas. Seriously good genes in your family.”
He snorted. “I remember how upset you were when you realized what it meant for Sam to be married to Larry.”
She tilted her head. “For a moment. Then I saw how deeply they loved each other.” She gazed into the distance. “If only everyone could have what they had, what my parents had.”
He sighed. “So what brings you here?”
“Tigh. I knew you had history. But gods, I never knew that.”
“What?”
She quirked her brow. “You’re gonna deny it?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“The sparks between you could light this room.”
He snorted. “I saw different sparks.”
She grinned. “What can I say, he has charisma.”
Aside from his awareness of her girlhood crush on Sam, he’d never heard her admit to being attracted to anyone before. She’d dated off and on since she’d been made. She’d always been careful of potential power plays from other families disguised through suitors and of breaking Omerta by revealing too much to an ‘outsider.’ So it had become easier to simply not date, or so she’d said, with a casual shrug, any time the topic had come up. But in the space of two minutes, she’d revealed more of herself than she had her whole life.
The Guatrau was right, as always. They were seeing new sides of each other.
“What shall I wear, Bill?”
“I don’t remember what you packed.”
She ticked through the outfits in the shorthand they’d developed over the years.
“The green-cream suit, I guess.”
She laughed. “Doesn’t sound very enthused.”
“You’ll look fine. I just…”
“What?”
“I miss your old outfits. And your hair.”
The short dark locks weren’t her. He’d never run his fingers through her long flowing auburn ones, and that was a lost opportunity he mourned.
“It’ll grow back.”
“What about Adar’s PR guy?”
“President. Adar. Has other things to worry about now.”
“The teachers’ union.”
She nodded. “And the implications of negotiating.”
He grinned. “Well played, Madam Secretary.”
“Thank you, Mr. Adama.”
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////
There was another knock on his hatch. He called for his latest guest to enter. The hatch opened to reveal Billy.
Bill grinned. “You made it.”
The boy blushed. “Sorry, sir. Madam Secretary isn’t...she’s not mad, is she?”
Bill shook his head. “Not at all. She’s getting ready now. I suggest you do the same.” He clapped Billy’s shoulder. “I got lost my first day here too.”
Billy’s eyes widened. “Really?”
“Yeah. Come on, I’ll tell you all about it.”
He told Billy about his earliest experiences. How arrogant he’d been before he’d learned what was what. Galactica had made him a man, had shown him the best and worst of humanity, and had made him strive to be better.
“The crew seems nice,” Billy said. He blushed again. “I sort of ended up in their washroom.”
Bill winked at him. “Yeah, I remember that too.” He chuckled. “It doesn’t take long to forget, though. And there’s a pretty strict etiquette.”
“I probably broke it.”
Bill laughed again. “They can take it, I’m sure. Someone helped you.”
“Yeah. She thinks I’m an idiot.”
“Happens to the best of us.”
Billy nodded. He glanced past Bill to his bag lying on the rack. “That’s mine, I guess?”
Bill showed him to the closet, and Billy hung his suits in the free half. Then he pulled one out. “Think this is okay?”
Bill nodded. “Yeah, you’ll look great. Sharp.”
Billy sighed in relief and went into the head to change. Bill shook his head. The kid would need to loosen up a bit; he was too nervous for his own good. Laura would figure it out, though. Help him along. It was what she did best.
“Bill, is Billy back?” Laura called from the other side of the hatch, as though he’d summoned her. Not a bad gift to have at all.
He opened the hatch. “Yes. And no worse for the wear.”
She nodded. “Do I look okay?”
Of all the outfits he’d seen her wear, it wasn’t his favorite, and he knew she didn’t much care for it either. But it would do. “Beautiful.”
She smiled shyly. Her cheeks flushed a faint pinkish hue before returning to normal. “Thank you.”
Before he could respond - or say anything else, there was yet another knock at the hatch. “I forgot there was no privacy on a battlestar,” he muttered. Laura giggled at that. “Yes!” he said to the hatch.
“Can I come in?” Tigh asked.
He and Laura exchanged glances, and then he said, “Sure.”
The hatch swung open. Saul took one look around and said, “It’s crowded in here, ain’t it?”
“And there’s one more in the head,” Laura said.
Saul snorted. “Maybe I should have given you the bigger quarters, Bill.”
Laura mock glared at him before laughing.
“Anyway, Bill, since your boy is DCAG and one of our top pilots--”
“One of them?” Bill raised a brow.
Saul shrugged. “In our last war games, another pilot beat him out.” He shook his head. “She’s a pain in the ass and insubordinate. Spends more time in the brig than out of it, but she’s a damn good pilot.”
Bill chuckled. “Sounds familiar.”
Saul clapped Bill’s back. “Until you shaped me up. Anyway, I figure you and Lee could get a photo op for the press. Father and son both served on the same battlestar. Makes a good story, you know.”
Bill nodded. “Yeah, that sounds good.” He caught Laura’s eye, and she smiled. “Where do you want me?” he asked Saul.
“Mind if I take him away, Madam Secretary?” Saul asked, a gleam in his eye.
She smirked. “Just so long as you bring him back. And in one piece preferably.”
Saul snorted before chuckling. He led Bill out of the quarters. When Bill started out through the hatch, Laura squeezed his arm. He nodded, then followed Saul. The way became gradually more familiar as the years seemed to fall away until he was that young rook reporting to his CO the first time.
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Saul led him to a room he didn’t remember from his youth. Lee was inside, in his dress blues, surrounded by the PR folks, including that annoying Doral in the really awful blue suit. He met Lee’s eyes as he stepped farther into the room. His son looked good, strong, and every bit the viper jock Fleet poster child. Bill felt Lee’s anger, as though it could reach out from Lee’s eyes and punch him.
Doral, however, was oblivious to their exchange, or perhaps he wasn’t. “Can we get a few photos of you together?”
Doral used every bit of knowledge he possessed in public relations, whatever they taught in university for that, to arrange Bill and Lee in front of the ship’s seal. “Could you stand a little closer, maybe?” he asked.
They complied. Bill fought the urge to wrap his arm around his son, and Lee obviously forced himself to remain in the position, to not run away. If Doral was satisfied, Bill didn’t know, but the man snapped a few photos without issuing any further directions. Then he and his crew left the room, and for the first time in two years, Bill was alone with his oldest son. “How are you, Lee? You look good.”
Lee nodded. “Yeah, thanks. Commander Tigh keeps me in shape. He runs a tight ship.” He glanced at the hatch. “And I should get back to work.”
“Why don’t you talk to me?”
Lee shook his head. “The Commander only ordered me here for a photo shoot. Not a heart-to-heart with my old man.” He met Bill’s eyes. “And I have nothing left to say to you.”
“How’s your mother?”
“Getting remarried.” He sneered. “Like you care.”
“That’s not true.” Bill shook his head. “Your mother and me, we just didn’t--”
“--Did you ever even try?! For a second? No, you weren’t there. Ever. And then just when she was getting over you, you took Zak, and made him like YOU. And that woman.”
“That’s not fair, son.”
Lee’s body shook. “No, it isn’t. It’s never been fair.”
He stormed past Bill and out through the hatch. Bill sighed. Then he followed his son out of the room. Like so many times before, he needed counsel.
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Laura sat down after her speech. It seemed to have gone over okay. There had been the requisite polite applause as she concluded. She glanced at Bill. “Okay?”
He nodded. “Perfect.”
No, it hadn’t been, but it had hit the notes Richard had wanted, and for now, she was his representative. Education, honor, glory, war history. All in a polite package, perfect for a man in the middle of a campaign. Instead of doing his job, he was too busy trying to keep it, when he hadn’t truly earned it in the first place. Still, she smiled. Her role was nearly at an end.
Bill tapped her shoulder. “Okay?”
“Never better.”
He didn’t drop his hand. Instead, he snaked his arm around her shoulders. She leaned into his touch and listened to the other speeches.
Commander Tigh gave the closing speech. It was everything hers hadn’t been - from a man who didn’t need to kiss any more ass. He spoke of sacrifice in war, the costs that were too high but necessary evils. Of his hopes for Galactica’s future. And that this generation - and the next - would never have to witness the horrors he had, because he didn’t think they’d be strong enough to handle it, especially not with the budget cuts to the military and the pervasive automation. It was gutsy, and right on so many levels.
As Tigh stepped away from the podium, there were confused stares. Laura, however, wasn’t confused. She was moved for the first time since entering politics. She clapped and put as much feeling as possible into each movement. Bill and Billy followed suit, and then everyone else joined in. Tigh sat down and winked in their general direction.
Doral thanked everyone for coming and the crew for all the work they’d done - both for the Fleet and the Colonies and for the ceremony. Then he dismissed everyone into the Mess for dinner.
When they arrived at the Mess, Laura walked by the buffet tables and sat down. Bill and Billy followed her. “Laura?” Bill asked, as he sat beside her.
“I’m not very hungry.” She smiled. “You know me and speeches. I’ll be fine.”
“Go on up, son,” Bill said to Billy. “And bring back an extra sandwich.” He snorted. “The boss doesn’t refuse food when it’s in her face.”
Billy nodded and entered the chow line. Tigh saw him and granted him “VIP access” to the front. Bill and Laura watched him maneuver through the buffet. “He’s a good kid,” Bill said.
Laura nodded.
“Now, are you gonna tell me what’s really bothering you?”
She shook her head. “Later. I promise.”
He patted her arm. “I’ll hold you to it.”
“You always do.”
Billy returned with two plates. He placed a full one in front of Bill. “Here, sir. Wasn’t sure what you liked, so I got everything.” Bill nodded. And Billy handed the sandwich plate to Laura. “Is turkey okay?”
“It’s fine, Billy. Thank you.”
He nodded, his relief palpable. The poor kid had probably heard “nightmare” stories about her, none of which were true, of course, but her more veteran staffers liked to frighten the freshly hired ones. And it was amusing enough that she didn’t put a stop to it.
“I wasn’t sure if you preferred mayo or mustard, but my mom always said, ‘mayo with turkey, mustard with ham.’”
She smiled. “My mother said something similar.” She picked up the sandwich. No sense in letting a fresh kaiser go to waste. She took a bite and inwardly laughed as her boys watched her. She swallowed. “Now, go get your plate,” she said.
And Billy was off again.
“When are you going to tell him you aren’t a monster?” Bill asked.
She smirked. “I’ll let him find that out on his own.”
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////
She was once again between Billy and Bill. Billy was fighting sleep. She patted his shoulder. “You can sleep if you want,” she said. “I’ll wake you if you’re needed.”
He nodded and closed his eyes.
Bill chuckled. “Reminds me of when Zak first started.”
She smiled. Zak truly had been Bill in miniature. And when he’d first been made, he’d approached her with cautious wonder. It was so much like Bill had been when he’d first sworn allegiance to her father. Bill who had joined the Fleet during the war to repudiate his father and the Ha’la’tha, to find his own sense of honor, his own code. But the Fleet had chewed him up and spit him out. It had used him, trained him, shaped him into one of the best pilots in the history of the Colonies, but after the war, it’d had no further use for him. His family had needed him, though. Her family had needed him. And she couldn’t imagine life without him.
Bill had taken to Edward like a fish to water, and he’d never looked back. It had been much the same between she and Zak. Before she’d left for Galactica, she’d told him, “The gods didn’t see fit to make me a mother. But if I could have chosen a child, I’d have chosen you.”
Zak raised his head ever so cautiously, but he couldn’t stop the wide smile from spreading across his face. “Guatrau,” he said, and he reached for her hand and kissed it.
“You’ve watched me and your father for years now. I want you to continue to do so, but when we come back, I’m going to want you by my side constantly.”
He nodded. “Of course.”
“Learn well, Zakary, for all of this will be yours.”
He kissed her hand again and squeezed it. “I won’t disappoint you.”
She squeezed his shoulder. “You never have.”
Billy had that same wide-eyed wonderment. The drive to please, and to learn his job, to do it well. She squeezed Bill’s hand. “He really does, doesn’t he?”
Before he could respond, a wave of nausea overcame her. She jumped up and went to the head.
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
When the hatch clicked shut, she took a deep breath and popped the top of her jacket just enough so she could peer into her blouse. She’d been looking there so much of late. More than ever. For all her power, even she couldn’t will it away, so she gazed with the faint hope it would leave of its own accord, much like it had appeared.
The nausea subsided. The doctor had said to expect panic attacks periodically. But he hadn’t specified just how bad they would be.
She went to the sink and splashed some cold water on her face. She glanced in the mirror and cringed at what the stylist had done to her hair. She longed to run her fingers through her red locks again at least one more time before…
A knock on the hatch. “Laura?”
Bill. A bathroom in an airplane was not the place for this conversation. She didn’t know exactly where the best place for that would be, but it certainly wasn’t there. “I’m fine. Be right out.”
Silence. But it was false; he wouldn’t leave so soon. “I’m coming in.”
She had just enough time to fix her jacket before he entered.
She forced a smile. “See, I’m fine. Now let’s go before Billy wonders where we are.”
He folded his arms across his chest. “Tell me.”
She shook her head. “Not here. Not now.”
“Where? When?”
“I don’t know.”
He met her eyes. “It’s...it’s what we feared, isn’t it?”
She nodded.
“And…”
“And there’s nothing to be done. I waited too long.”
A tear slid down her cheek, followed by another, and another. Then Bill was holding her and she let go, unworried about getting his suit wet.
When her breathing returned to normal, Bill wiped her eyes with his hands. “Better?”
She nodded.
He kissed her forehead. “Let’s get you home, then. You were saying something about Billy, I believe.”
She slapped his arm. “It’s too late to worry about that.”
And she didn’t really care.
As they returned to their row, he held her arm, giving just the right pressure. But as they moved farther along, there were hushed tones and whispers, then she heard the pilot speaking. She could just make out his last sentence when they reached their seats, and then he stopped and returned to the cockpit. Billy was awake, by then, and as she climbed in between them, she asked what was going on.
The pilot had been polite, calm, and very vague, so Billy didn’t know much. She exchanged looks with Bill, who had been glancing out the window. He frowned. “My son is following very closely on our wing. That’s not normal for a ceremonial escort.”
She nodded and stood up. She patted Billy’s shoulder. “I’ll see what I can find out.”
Rating: T
Word Count: ~4300
Disclaimer: don't own them.
Pairing: Bill/Laura/Saul (eventually)
Summary: Fastforward several years to Laura's and Bill's journey to Galactica for the Decommissioning Ceremony.
A/N: Thanks to lanalucy and laura_mayfair for the beta. Posted in honor of fragrantwoods' birthday. Happy Birthday!
A/N2: First chapter
Laura sat between Billy and Bill. Billy had filled her in on the details, impressing her already, and it was only his first day. She’d made another good personnel choice; her father would have been proud. She turned to Bill. “You excited to see the Old Girl? After all these years?”
Bill nodded. “I have a lot of fond memories of her.” His eyes twinkled as he spoke. “My first love.”
She patted his arm. “You ever regret it?” At his confused expression, she added, “Not re-entering?”
He was quiet a moment, but she knew he was carefully considering. “The whole time I was on that freighter, all I wanted was back in the fleet. Doing something that mattered.” He met her eyes. “But I met your father - and you - and realized I didn’t need the fleet for that.” He winked. “Besides, you know I don’t do regrets.”
She smacked his shoulder. “Yeah, yeah. I think you’re full of crap.”
They shared a laugh.
“Too bad Zak couldn’t join us.” Bill glanced at her pointedly. “His boss is a slavedriver.”
“Hey, I encouraged him to come with us. He wanted to man the fort.” She sighed. “Maybe he didn’t want to see Lee.”
Bill grunted. “I doubt we’ll have a happy reunion.”
She stroked his arm. “I’m sorry.”
He covered her hand with his. “Not your fault. He just...he doesn’t understand. And he’s like me at his age. Only without the benefit of your father’s guidance. Or yours.”
“He could have that. You. Me.”
He shook his head. “In his mind, that would have meant betraying his mother. And I understand. Even if he is wrong.”
She squeezed his hand.
“But Zak is coming along nicely. He’ll be a fine Caporegime,” said Bill.
She smiled. Zak had made his choice as soon as he’d come of age. He loved his father and what was more, he’d idolized him, had wanted to do everything Bill did. Bill had brought him into Laura’s office the day after his twelfth birthday.
Bill in miniature lowered his head. “Guatrau.”
She reached out her hand for him to kiss. He took it into his still-growing hand and kissed it gently. “What can I do for you, Zakary?” she asked.
He met her eyes and held. He’d obviously been well coached. “I’d like to work for you, ma’am.”
She smiled. “I think that can be arranged.”
“Yes, he will,” Laura said.
“What about you? How’d your appointment go?”
She sighed. “We’ll talk about that later, okay?”
He nodded. “I’m just glad I finally convinced you to go.”
She hmmed. “Me too.”
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////
They docked inside Galactica’s landing bay. The three of them exited the Colonial Heavy in time to be welcomed over the intercom. Commander Tigh stood at attention in front of the door. When Laura stepped down the last stair, he approached. “Madam Secretary.” He reached out his hand.
She shook his hand. Two pumps. “So nice to finally meet you, Commander.”
“Likewise, ma’am.”
She introduced him to Billy and Bill. Tigh’s eyes twinkled when he glanced at Bill. Bill smiled slightly. He didn’t want to give too much away in front of Billy and the others, and he was proud that Saul had caught on to Laura’s subtle cue. Tigh shook each of their hands. Saul’s hand had smoothed a bit. Command had been good to him, it seemed. Though a few calluses remained. Once a mechanic… He’d lost his hair, but otherwise he looked good. Strong. Sober.
Laura caught his eye with a wink when Tigh turned to guide them to their quarters. Bill smirked. He’d been caught and there was nothing he could do about it. He just hoped she showed some mercy.
Laura and Bill walked quickly to keep up. Billy’s footsteps became fainter and fainter until they were gone - if the boy got lost, Bill would retrieve him once she was settled. She and Tigh chatted about networking. They were cordial enough at first, but then Tigh dug in deep about how networking was a lot like how the Cylon War had started. Bill and Saul were two of the few people who truly knew what it was to fight machines that could outthink them. So he had to agree that networking was a bad idea. But still, Laura’s request seemed reasonable enough. And on a decommissioned ship, what was the harm?
Tigh said, “Listen, lady, I’ve seen a lot of good men and women get killed because hoity toity folks like you wanted to make things easier. Not here. Not now. Not ever. We do things the hard way on Galactica and we’re better for it.”
Laura’s shoulders rotated as she said, “Yes, sir.”
She was obviously preparing for the long haul, letting Tigh think he’d won.
They continued along the corridors in silence until Saul said, “You’ll be proud of your boy, Mr. Adama. Captain Adama will be flying my old Mark II during the airshow.”
“You still have the old bird?”
Saul snorted. “Nah. Thought she was destroyed and lying in a junk heap somewhere. And she was, until my deckhands found her and repaired her.” He chuckled. “Don’t worry, she’s been tested. We wouldn’t endanger our DCAG for a frakkin’ ceremony.”
Bill nodded. “I’m sure he’s honored, Commander.”
A pang of irrational jealousy ripped through his chest. If only he could reach his oldest son. He’d never had this much trouble with Zak. Sure, he’d had to give him a talking to occasionally, but then Zak had been made, and he’d blossomed, especially under Laura’s leadership and mentoring. Bill and Carolanne may have laid the groundwork for him, but it was really Laura who had raised Zak, made him the man he was. Lee, on the other hand, had rebuked Bill on every turn, and then he’d rebelled.
Bill would have laughed if it wasn’t so painful. His son had rebelled exactly the way he had - by joining the fleet. Perhaps there was still hope for them. Regardless, he would be proud of Lee’s success. Serving the Fleet, living by its Oath, that was honorable. Every bit as much as Bill and Laura’s Code.
Tigh showed them their quarters. He and Billy would share, and Laura was right next door. “I’ll leave you to it, then,” Tigh said. He glanced at Laura. “No hard feelings, Madam Secretary.”
She smiled. “None at all, Commander. I appreciate your honesty. So rare in my line of work.”
Tigh snorted. “Mine too. Not here, but when I gotta deal with the bureaucratic bullshit.” His eyes widened, as he realized what he’d said. “Present company excluded, of course.”
“Of course.”
Tigh glanced around. “Wonder where the kid got to.”
Laura laughed. “I’m sure Billy will turn up.”
“Battlestar ain’t that big,” Tigh said.
“We’ll see you at the ceremony,” Laura said, as she entered her quarters.
Tigh glanced at Bill. “Good to see you again.”
Bill nodded. “You too, Saul.”
Bill stepped inside his quarters. Even though he would be sharing, the room was still much larger than what he’d had as a Viper Jock. After nearly forty years, he’d finally made it back. Just in time to see the Old Girl off.
He unpacked the bag someone on the crew had placed on his rack. He hung up his suits, taking exactly one half of the closet. The picture was protected in bubble wrap in the front pocket - he and the boys on the front steps of the Roslin house. He unwrapped the frame and ran his finger along the photo. Laura had taken the picture. It had been during his weekend with the boys, and Laura had given him the day off, suggesting they go to the water park since it had been the hottest few days on record, on Caprica at least. When they’d returned, Bill had brought the boys to the Roslins to thank them, especially Laura. She’d suggested the photograph, and then she’d taken it herself. It was one of the last times he’d ever seen Lee smile, at least in his presence. It was a good day. Good memory.
A knock on the hatch.
“Come in.”
“I’m seeing a new side of you, Adama,” Laura said. She kicked off her shoes as she walked, stepping up to his rack. “What’s that?”
He showed her the photo. “Remember this?”
“How could I forget?” She grinned. “Three handsome Adamas. Seriously good genes in your family.”
He snorted. “I remember how upset you were when you realized what it meant for Sam to be married to Larry.”
She tilted her head. “For a moment. Then I saw how deeply they loved each other.” She gazed into the distance. “If only everyone could have what they had, what my parents had.”
He sighed. “So what brings you here?”
“Tigh. I knew you had history. But gods, I never knew that.”
“What?”
She quirked her brow. “You’re gonna deny it?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“The sparks between you could light this room.”
He snorted. “I saw different sparks.”
She grinned. “What can I say, he has charisma.”
Aside from his awareness of her girlhood crush on Sam, he’d never heard her admit to being attracted to anyone before. She’d dated off and on since she’d been made. She’d always been careful of potential power plays from other families disguised through suitors and of breaking Omerta by revealing too much to an ‘outsider.’ So it had become easier to simply not date, or so she’d said, with a casual shrug, any time the topic had come up. But in the space of two minutes, she’d revealed more of herself than she had her whole life.
The Guatrau was right, as always. They were seeing new sides of each other.
“What shall I wear, Bill?”
“I don’t remember what you packed.”
She ticked through the outfits in the shorthand they’d developed over the years.
“The green-cream suit, I guess.”
She laughed. “Doesn’t sound very enthused.”
“You’ll look fine. I just…”
“What?”
“I miss your old outfits. And your hair.”
The short dark locks weren’t her. He’d never run his fingers through her long flowing auburn ones, and that was a lost opportunity he mourned.
“It’ll grow back.”
“What about Adar’s PR guy?”
“President. Adar. Has other things to worry about now.”
“The teachers’ union.”
She nodded. “And the implications of negotiating.”
He grinned. “Well played, Madam Secretary.”
“Thank you, Mr. Adama.”
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////
There was another knock on his hatch. He called for his latest guest to enter. The hatch opened to reveal Billy.
Bill grinned. “You made it.”
The boy blushed. “Sorry, sir. Madam Secretary isn’t...she’s not mad, is she?”
Bill shook his head. “Not at all. She’s getting ready now. I suggest you do the same.” He clapped Billy’s shoulder. “I got lost my first day here too.”
Billy’s eyes widened. “Really?”
“Yeah. Come on, I’ll tell you all about it.”
He told Billy about his earliest experiences. How arrogant he’d been before he’d learned what was what. Galactica had made him a man, had shown him the best and worst of humanity, and had made him strive to be better.
“The crew seems nice,” Billy said. He blushed again. “I sort of ended up in their washroom.”
Bill winked at him. “Yeah, I remember that too.” He chuckled. “It doesn’t take long to forget, though. And there’s a pretty strict etiquette.”
“I probably broke it.”
Bill laughed again. “They can take it, I’m sure. Someone helped you.”
“Yeah. She thinks I’m an idiot.”
“Happens to the best of us.”
Billy nodded. He glanced past Bill to his bag lying on the rack. “That’s mine, I guess?”
Bill showed him to the closet, and Billy hung his suits in the free half. Then he pulled one out. “Think this is okay?”
Bill nodded. “Yeah, you’ll look great. Sharp.”
Billy sighed in relief and went into the head to change. Bill shook his head. The kid would need to loosen up a bit; he was too nervous for his own good. Laura would figure it out, though. Help him along. It was what she did best.
“Bill, is Billy back?” Laura called from the other side of the hatch, as though he’d summoned her. Not a bad gift to have at all.
He opened the hatch. “Yes. And no worse for the wear.”
She nodded. “Do I look okay?”
Of all the outfits he’d seen her wear, it wasn’t his favorite, and he knew she didn’t much care for it either. But it would do. “Beautiful.”
She smiled shyly. Her cheeks flushed a faint pinkish hue before returning to normal. “Thank you.”
Before he could respond - or say anything else, there was yet another knock at the hatch. “I forgot there was no privacy on a battlestar,” he muttered. Laura giggled at that. “Yes!” he said to the hatch.
“Can I come in?” Tigh asked.
He and Laura exchanged glances, and then he said, “Sure.”
The hatch swung open. Saul took one look around and said, “It’s crowded in here, ain’t it?”
“And there’s one more in the head,” Laura said.
Saul snorted. “Maybe I should have given you the bigger quarters, Bill.”
Laura mock glared at him before laughing.
“Anyway, Bill, since your boy is DCAG and one of our top pilots--”
“One of them?” Bill raised a brow.
Saul shrugged. “In our last war games, another pilot beat him out.” He shook his head. “She’s a pain in the ass and insubordinate. Spends more time in the brig than out of it, but she’s a damn good pilot.”
Bill chuckled. “Sounds familiar.”
Saul clapped Bill’s back. “Until you shaped me up. Anyway, I figure you and Lee could get a photo op for the press. Father and son both served on the same battlestar. Makes a good story, you know.”
Bill nodded. “Yeah, that sounds good.” He caught Laura’s eye, and she smiled. “Where do you want me?” he asked Saul.
“Mind if I take him away, Madam Secretary?” Saul asked, a gleam in his eye.
She smirked. “Just so long as you bring him back. And in one piece preferably.”
Saul snorted before chuckling. He led Bill out of the quarters. When Bill started out through the hatch, Laura squeezed his arm. He nodded, then followed Saul. The way became gradually more familiar as the years seemed to fall away until he was that young rook reporting to his CO the first time.
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Saul led him to a room he didn’t remember from his youth. Lee was inside, in his dress blues, surrounded by the PR folks, including that annoying Doral in the really awful blue suit. He met Lee’s eyes as he stepped farther into the room. His son looked good, strong, and every bit the viper jock Fleet poster child. Bill felt Lee’s anger, as though it could reach out from Lee’s eyes and punch him.
Doral, however, was oblivious to their exchange, or perhaps he wasn’t. “Can we get a few photos of you together?”
Doral used every bit of knowledge he possessed in public relations, whatever they taught in university for that, to arrange Bill and Lee in front of the ship’s seal. “Could you stand a little closer, maybe?” he asked.
They complied. Bill fought the urge to wrap his arm around his son, and Lee obviously forced himself to remain in the position, to not run away. If Doral was satisfied, Bill didn’t know, but the man snapped a few photos without issuing any further directions. Then he and his crew left the room, and for the first time in two years, Bill was alone with his oldest son. “How are you, Lee? You look good.”
Lee nodded. “Yeah, thanks. Commander Tigh keeps me in shape. He runs a tight ship.” He glanced at the hatch. “And I should get back to work.”
“Why don’t you talk to me?”
Lee shook his head. “The Commander only ordered me here for a photo shoot. Not a heart-to-heart with my old man.” He met Bill’s eyes. “And I have nothing left to say to you.”
“How’s your mother?”
“Getting remarried.” He sneered. “Like you care.”
“That’s not true.” Bill shook his head. “Your mother and me, we just didn’t--”
“--Did you ever even try?! For a second? No, you weren’t there. Ever. And then just when she was getting over you, you took Zak, and made him like YOU. And that woman.”
“That’s not fair, son.”
Lee’s body shook. “No, it isn’t. It’s never been fair.”
He stormed past Bill and out through the hatch. Bill sighed. Then he followed his son out of the room. Like so many times before, he needed counsel.
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Laura sat down after her speech. It seemed to have gone over okay. There had been the requisite polite applause as she concluded. She glanced at Bill. “Okay?”
He nodded. “Perfect.”
No, it hadn’t been, but it had hit the notes Richard had wanted, and for now, she was his representative. Education, honor, glory, war history. All in a polite package, perfect for a man in the middle of a campaign. Instead of doing his job, he was too busy trying to keep it, when he hadn’t truly earned it in the first place. Still, she smiled. Her role was nearly at an end.
Bill tapped her shoulder. “Okay?”
“Never better.”
He didn’t drop his hand. Instead, he snaked his arm around her shoulders. She leaned into his touch and listened to the other speeches.
Commander Tigh gave the closing speech. It was everything hers hadn’t been - from a man who didn’t need to kiss any more ass. He spoke of sacrifice in war, the costs that were too high but necessary evils. Of his hopes for Galactica’s future. And that this generation - and the next - would never have to witness the horrors he had, because he didn’t think they’d be strong enough to handle it, especially not with the budget cuts to the military and the pervasive automation. It was gutsy, and right on so many levels.
As Tigh stepped away from the podium, there were confused stares. Laura, however, wasn’t confused. She was moved for the first time since entering politics. She clapped and put as much feeling as possible into each movement. Bill and Billy followed suit, and then everyone else joined in. Tigh sat down and winked in their general direction.
Doral thanked everyone for coming and the crew for all the work they’d done - both for the Fleet and the Colonies and for the ceremony. Then he dismissed everyone into the Mess for dinner.
When they arrived at the Mess, Laura walked by the buffet tables and sat down. Bill and Billy followed her. “Laura?” Bill asked, as he sat beside her.
“I’m not very hungry.” She smiled. “You know me and speeches. I’ll be fine.”
“Go on up, son,” Bill said to Billy. “And bring back an extra sandwich.” He snorted. “The boss doesn’t refuse food when it’s in her face.”
Billy nodded and entered the chow line. Tigh saw him and granted him “VIP access” to the front. Bill and Laura watched him maneuver through the buffet. “He’s a good kid,” Bill said.
Laura nodded.
“Now, are you gonna tell me what’s really bothering you?”
She shook her head. “Later. I promise.”
He patted her arm. “I’ll hold you to it.”
“You always do.”
Billy returned with two plates. He placed a full one in front of Bill. “Here, sir. Wasn’t sure what you liked, so I got everything.” Bill nodded. And Billy handed the sandwich plate to Laura. “Is turkey okay?”
“It’s fine, Billy. Thank you.”
He nodded, his relief palpable. The poor kid had probably heard “nightmare” stories about her, none of which were true, of course, but her more veteran staffers liked to frighten the freshly hired ones. And it was amusing enough that she didn’t put a stop to it.
“I wasn’t sure if you preferred mayo or mustard, but my mom always said, ‘mayo with turkey, mustard with ham.’”
She smiled. “My mother said something similar.” She picked up the sandwich. No sense in letting a fresh kaiser go to waste. She took a bite and inwardly laughed as her boys watched her. She swallowed. “Now, go get your plate,” she said.
And Billy was off again.
“When are you going to tell him you aren’t a monster?” Bill asked.
She smirked. “I’ll let him find that out on his own.”
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////
She was once again between Billy and Bill. Billy was fighting sleep. She patted his shoulder. “You can sleep if you want,” she said. “I’ll wake you if you’re needed.”
He nodded and closed his eyes.
Bill chuckled. “Reminds me of when Zak first started.”
She smiled. Zak truly had been Bill in miniature. And when he’d first been made, he’d approached her with cautious wonder. It was so much like Bill had been when he’d first sworn allegiance to her father. Bill who had joined the Fleet during the war to repudiate his father and the Ha’la’tha, to find his own sense of honor, his own code. But the Fleet had chewed him up and spit him out. It had used him, trained him, shaped him into one of the best pilots in the history of the Colonies, but after the war, it’d had no further use for him. His family had needed him, though. Her family had needed him. And she couldn’t imagine life without him.
Bill had taken to Edward like a fish to water, and he’d never looked back. It had been much the same between she and Zak. Before she’d left for Galactica, she’d told him, “The gods didn’t see fit to make me a mother. But if I could have chosen a child, I’d have chosen you.”
Zak raised his head ever so cautiously, but he couldn’t stop the wide smile from spreading across his face. “Guatrau,” he said, and he reached for her hand and kissed it.
“You’ve watched me and your father for years now. I want you to continue to do so, but when we come back, I’m going to want you by my side constantly.”
He nodded. “Of course.”
“Learn well, Zakary, for all of this will be yours.”
He kissed her hand again and squeezed it. “I won’t disappoint you.”
She squeezed his shoulder. “You never have.”
Billy had that same wide-eyed wonderment. The drive to please, and to learn his job, to do it well. She squeezed Bill’s hand. “He really does, doesn’t he?”
Before he could respond, a wave of nausea overcame her. She jumped up and went to the head.
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
When the hatch clicked shut, she took a deep breath and popped the top of her jacket just enough so she could peer into her blouse. She’d been looking there so much of late. More than ever. For all her power, even she couldn’t will it away, so she gazed with the faint hope it would leave of its own accord, much like it had appeared.
The nausea subsided. The doctor had said to expect panic attacks periodically. But he hadn’t specified just how bad they would be.
She went to the sink and splashed some cold water on her face. She glanced in the mirror and cringed at what the stylist had done to her hair. She longed to run her fingers through her red locks again at least one more time before…
A knock on the hatch. “Laura?”
Bill. A bathroom in an airplane was not the place for this conversation. She didn’t know exactly where the best place for that would be, but it certainly wasn’t there. “I’m fine. Be right out.”
Silence. But it was false; he wouldn’t leave so soon. “I’m coming in.”
She had just enough time to fix her jacket before he entered.
She forced a smile. “See, I’m fine. Now let’s go before Billy wonders where we are.”
He folded his arms across his chest. “Tell me.”
She shook her head. “Not here. Not now.”
“Where? When?”
“I don’t know.”
He met her eyes. “It’s...it’s what we feared, isn’t it?”
She nodded.
“And…”
“And there’s nothing to be done. I waited too long.”
A tear slid down her cheek, followed by another, and another. Then Bill was holding her and she let go, unworried about getting his suit wet.
When her breathing returned to normal, Bill wiped her eyes with his hands. “Better?”
She nodded.
He kissed her forehead. “Let’s get you home, then. You were saying something about Billy, I believe.”
She slapped his arm. “It’s too late to worry about that.”
And she didn’t really care.
As they returned to their row, he held her arm, giving just the right pressure. But as they moved farther along, there were hushed tones and whispers, then she heard the pilot speaking. She could just make out his last sentence when they reached their seats, and then he stopped and returned to the cockpit. Billy was awake, by then, and as she climbed in between them, she asked what was going on.
The pilot had been polite, calm, and very vague, so Billy didn’t know much. She exchanged looks with Bill, who had been glancing out the window. He frowned. “My son is following very closely on our wing. That’s not normal for a ceremonial escort.”
She nodded and stood up. She patted Billy’s shoulder. “I’ll see what I can find out.”