Living Legends made of Flesh and Blood
by
Iolana Khenemet
A story based on the re-imagined BSG
June
2006
Beta:
Many, many hugs to starbuck042786 and Alesia027.
Timeframe: after 33
Summary: Introspects after the Destruction;
focus is on Adama, Lee (and Roslin)
A/N:
Found this while looking at some of my older stuff.
Feedback:
critical comments highly welcome, mistakes, good lines, anything goes
Disclaimer: "BATTLESTAR GALACTICA" and other related
entities are owned, (TM) and © by R&D TV and Sky TV in
association with USA Cable Entertainment LLC. All Rights Reserved. No
copyright infringement intended. No profit is gained by this work.
Chapter 1/4 Living legends
Commander Adama raised his glass in a silent toast. Across the room, President Roslin blushed but held his gaze and returned the gesture. She had courage, William had to admit, and he had been right in second-guessing her when she had pinned the medals on. Though the awards were well earned, the ceremony had also served another purpose.
While he had given the survivors hope to face the future by sending them on a quasi-religious quest for Earth, the mythical lost colony, Laura Roslin had done something similar today. She had provided them with heroes: heroes that the people could see, admire and touch, not in the future, but right now.
They were the new living legends.
As if. He never saw himself as a superhero - he was only human and felt slightly old today. The 40-year old scars on his leg from the crash on Caprica during the First Cylon War still hurt occasionally. He repressed the urge to shake his head but instead released a small sigh. On the day Cain had taken command of the newly commissioned Battlestar Pegasus as the youngest Commander of the Fleet, she had told him, "Husker, one day you'll be considered a living legend, too, and can take a place next to me." She had meant it as a jibe of course. Well, he could tell her about his success in the Afterlife – if Hades really existed.
William glanced down at the star-shaped award. While he did not feel comfortable accepting the medal, he felt he could wear it as a sign of hope for the people in the Fleet and in memory to all the heroes who had fought until the very end, both during the Destruction and after.
He looked up and a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth when Saul Tigh moved towards a corner where Lt. Gaeta stood, only to retreat faster than a Viper to avoid Kara. For a rare moment, things looked so ordinary, as if nothing ill had ever befallen them all.
Bill glanced around and his smile faded. Where was Lee? He did not know all of his son's habits but he was sure leaving early was not among them. Casually, he left the crowded part of the large room and headed for the more secluded areas. This part of Colonial One had several partially screened areas that offered a bit of semi-privacy and could be used for meditation. He did not need to go far.
Lee stood at the window of the third alcove and stared out into space, his fingers touching the glass. His expression was unreadable and stoic, but for William the tension in his son's body was all too obvious.
When Lee's fingers caressed the glass ever so slightly, Bill frowned. His son had shown an outstanding ability to handle stress during the Destruction of the Colonies and the horrendous days that followed when they had to go without sleep for 5 days. Nevertheless, William had known a number of soldiers who were capable of handling combat during the First Cylon War but were unable to cope afterwards. Even now, a number of the people under his command underwent treatment for shell shock or stress disorders. Bill was sure that Lee would not suffer either but deep down he felt the worries that every parent felt for a child stir.
He stepped forward, paused and retreated again without being noticed. Years ago, William would not have hesitated to approach his son; now he did not dare. The brief hug in his quarter right after the Attacks had put an end to the open hostility he had received from his son since Zak's death and that Lee had accepted the gesture said more than words could, especially between the two of them. Still, the wounds were too raw and William did not feel ready to have a real heart-to-heart with Lee.
The sound of approaching steps startled him. Not wanting to be seen, William moved behind a decorative room structure. Unobserved, he could still watch Lee from here. Bill' s eyes narrowed when he recognized the person coming this way.
Unlike himself, Roslin hesitated only seconds before she approached his son.