Tideline

Chapter Four of “The Tides of Olympus”

A Battlestar Galactica (2005) Fan-fiction Story

Author: Jason Thompson

Pilamsega@...

November 16, 2008

 

Disclaimer:        Once upon a time there was a guy he wrote a story with characters and settings he didn't own, but he put a disclaimer on his story and that made it a little less illegal.  Galactica is owned by Universal, Sci-fi Channel, Glen A Larson, David Eick and Ronald D Moore.

 

Category:         AU; L. Adama/Kara

 

Spoilers:           Up to Maelstrom, then everything changes.

 

Warnings:         Read “Washed Away,” “Cast Adrift” and “Surfacing” First.

 

Summery:         Chapter Three, Kara’s spiritual journey continues as the Trial of Gaius Baltar threatens to tear apart the Fleet.

 

Rating:             

 

Distribution:      Ask First.

 

Notes:              Previous parts can be found here: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3861995/1/Tides_of_Olympus

 

 

Dedication:       Dedicated to the usual suspects; Genova aka Schweet, Bri, Mary, Duchess, Dale, Blaire, Red, Stone Cold, Ice Wing, Silent Bob, Arashi, Aslan, Vega, Tony D, Jen Zimmer, Louise, Sairs, and Queen Angel who have allowed me to bounce my ideas off them, and Krac, cause she has the evil bunny slippers.

 

Tideline

 

Lee had already powered down his viper and was in the process of removing his gloves as he was towed onto the deck.  He could tell by the gathering crowd that his return from the storm had left chaos in its wake, even if he'd only been gone a few hours.

 

After forming up with Kara, Lee surged into battle with a whoop and cut down three raiders before Kara completely regained her bearings and engaged herself.  After that, the pair moved through the fight with a grace that few had ever seen before or would again.  It reminded Lee of the first days after the Attacks, when he and Starbuck flew as though they were of one mind.

 

Then as suddenly and as brutally as combat began; the Cylon fleet bugged out and jumped away.  Leaving the Fleet to try and figure out what had just happened.  Moments later, Hot Dog and Red Wing were ordered to escort Lee back to Galactica, weapons hot.    Kara flew at his wing the whole way; Lee couldn't help his smirk at the anger in her features before she flew ahead to land before him.

 

When his plane lurched to a stop, he popped his canopy, then his restraints and pulled off his helmet before finally hopping out of the cockpit.  He descended the ladder slowly, his eyes seeking out and finding a perplexed looking Chief ahead of a crowd of distrustful faces.  He couldn't help the grin that came to his face at the thought of how his father would react to Lee's triumphant news.

 

"Chief, where's my post-flight?"

 

Tyrol gave him a strange, almost searching look before he shook his head.  He might have spoken had Kara not shot past him to wrap herself firmly around Lee.  Lee immediately met her embrace with one of his own.  He buried his face in her hair and did nothing to stop the small sigh of contentment that left his lips as he sank fully into this moment of reunion.  He squeezed her more tightly to himself when he heard Kara murmuring into his throat, "I lost you."

 

He spoke gently, in almost a whisper, "It's okay, Kara.  I'm sorry, I'm so sorry I did that to you."

 

He felt her hand become a fist and she clubbed him twice on the back in a weak admonishment of his audacity to die on her.  He then heard a laugh that was a mix of relief, angst and joy bubble out of her.  They held each other a moment longer before he said, "I can't wait to show it to you; shining blue oceans, green grass, every manner of animal.  You're gonna love it."

 

Kara stepped out of his arms but held onto his hands tightly, she gave him a watery smile and said, "Well then, I can't wait."

 

Lee smiled widely but his reply was interrupted by his father's voice, "Apollo!"

 

As he turned to greet his father he was met with the butt of an assault rifle, the black followed hot on its heels.

 

#&#

 

He sputtered back into the conscious world as ice water had been thrown on him.  He coughed and gagged for a moment before he looked around wildly; he was in the brig, but not just any brig.  He was in the cell they'd built for Boomer all those years ago with a squad of marines around him, weapons cocked.  Sgt. Hadrian stepped forward with a scowl, "Strip!"

 

He looked up at the harsh-faced woman before he said, "What?"

 

Hadrian nodded and a marine Lee didn't recognize surged forward and hauled him to his feet violently, "Get out of the frakking flight suit, now!"

 

Lee felt his own features harden considerably, "I'd watch your tone, I'm a superior offi-" a knee to the gut silenced Lee as he doubled over in pain.

 

Hadrian then hissed out, "Lee Adama is dead, and you're just some Cylon trick.  You aren't an officer, you're a toaster.  Now strip!"

 

He cut the dark haired marine a venomous look before he took off his flight suit slowly.  Next they ordered him to remove his watch, his wedding band and finally his tags.  Moments later, he was down to his tanks and boxers.  A red prisoner's jumpsuit was dumped unceremoniously at his feet, but as Lee bent over to pick it up, a marine's rifle came down hard on the back of his head and he was gone again.

 

#&#

 

Kara stood in the corner of the Admiral's cabin, silently fuming. 

 

The second Lee had been dropped by the marine, that same marine was pistol whipped by her.  She trained her gun instantly on Hadrian with a scowl, "What the frak is going on?"

 

Hadrian didn't answer her, the Old Man did.  "We're going to throw that frakking thing in the brig and find out why the Cylons sent him!"  He stepped out of the crowd, his eyes hard and his hands white-knuckled fist clenched at his sides.  "Then, I'll take great pleasure in slaughtering the thing that's defiling my son's memory with every false breath it takes."  He turned to Hadrian, "Get it out of my sight.  Now!"

 

That was a little over an hour ago and she'd been in a meeting with the Admiral, Karl, Tigh, Sharon as well as the President and her two closest aides; Tory and Dee.

 

As Kara looked around the room, she could see quite clearly the mood of the people around her; Dee, Roslin and Adama all seemed ready to go down and shoot Lee between the eyes.  Karl had been silent yet clearly angry, he may not want to kill Lee, but it was clear that he might want a few minutes alone with him. 

 

Sharon, Tigh and Tory all seemed shaken though, Kara saw a haunted look in Sharon's eyes that made the viper pilot worried, while Tory and Tigh passed quick looks to each other during Roslin's rant; "…I just can't believe they'd try something like this after all these years, surely they didn't think we'd fall for that thing's act!"

 

Dee spoke up, "I think it may be an attempt to throw distrust upon the Admiral."  Kara didn't even try to disguise her eye roll, "They send an imposter of-" Her voice hitched suddenly, "Major Adama to make people think that perhaps he's not a Cylon but a hybrid."  She then turned to the Old Man directly, "The implication would be clear sir; either you or your late wife was a Cylon plant in the Colonies for years.  Especially considering your father's friendship with the Greystones and that their company was instrumental in the creation of the first Cylons."

 

Roslin nodded then said, "That is possible."

 

At that moment, a marine entered the cabin and placed a box on the Admiral's desk.  Kara crossed the room and looked into the box.  She found Lee's flight suit and personal items within.  She plucked his watch and tags out and inspected them. 

 

The tags were not pristine, like she expected, there were some nicks and a little bit of wearing at the hole from the chain rubbing against them.  They were precisely what she'd expect from tags that were worn by a career officer like Lee. 

 

She then turned to the watch; it was the exact type of watch Lee had worn.  She knew this watch well; she'd helped pick it out.  She flipped the watch over and found worn engraving, "To LeLAND, From Zak."  She smiled at the memory of Zak taunting his brother about his name that first night she met him.

 

Her fingers closed around the watch in her right hand and the tags in her left.  She hadn't needed any confirmation, the way Lee sank into her embrace was all the proof she'd needed.  Never the less, she had it.

 

Lee had come back to her.

 

She felt a smile twitch her lips for just a moment before she turned her head slightly to find Sharon's eyes on her.  The pair locked eyes and she finally noticed the fear in the Cylon.  In Sharon, she saw the same fear she'd seen in her own eyes in the first days after Lee's death.

 

Kara pocketed the watch and tags and tuned back into the conversation at the clipped and forceful tone of Laura Roslin.  "Admiral, I am officially ordering that thing's interrogation.  Use whatever means necessary to discern its orders and then throw it out the airlock."

 

Kara felt her heart stop at the Old Man's dark chuckle, "With respect, that was my plan all along."

 

The viper pilot felt a flash of protective anger burn through her veins, "I don't suppose anyone else has considered the other possibility."

 

Adama scowled while Roslin turned to her with a questioning look, "What possibility is that?"

 

Under the normally wilting stare of her CO Kara felt her resolve turn to iron, her chin tilted back in defiance of him as she spoke.  "That the person the Admiral chucked into the brig is not a Cylon, or a hybrid or clone but that we were witness to a miracle.  That Lee Adama was taken bodily onto Olympus two months ago and returned to us today.  That he's not an infiltrator but a herald of the Gods to deliver us to Earth."

 

The looks of the others was telling.  She was alone.  She was unused to the feeling, never before had she found herself standing against both Roslin and the Admiral.  Adama sighed and looked away with annoyance almost radiating off of him.

 

Roslin removed her glasses and cut Kara a look that she'd seen countless times growing up, that of a teacher feeling profound disappointment with her.  "Captain Thrace, I know that you cared a great deal for Major Adama and-"

 

Kara scowled darkly, "Don't."

 

She continued undeterred, "People don't come back from the dead after two months Captain.  Cylons do.  The flight transcript states that that thing mentioned the Gods, Lee Adama had been an atheist, both his father and widow told me this.  I know that you took his death very hard. 

 

"I was devastated as well and I wish, I truly wish that I could take what happened today at face value, but I can't.   You can't allow that seductive thought to take hold, Kara.  The path to Earth is the same path we've been on, we'll continue forward until we find another clue left behind by the Thirteenth Tribe.  I don't know when that will come but I do know this; that Cylon in the brig is not the answer.  It's damnation."  She turned away from Kara and her eyes settled on Karl, "Captain Agathon.  I want you to handle his interrogation.  That is all."

 

Kara stormed out of the cabin but she'd only made it about twenty yards before a hand on her shoulder stopped her.  She spun and found herself facing Sharon's wide eyes.  She no longer felt the anger just profound sorrow, "What?"

 

Sharon was clearly spooked; Kara could never remember seeing her look like this before.  "Do… Do you really think- that Lee's come back?"

 

She looked into the Raptor pilot's eyes for a long time, and finally noticed something behind the worry. 

 

Hope. 

 

Sharon wanted to know that Kara believed.  Kara started to nod before she spoke firmly, "I do.  I know he's come back.  Something's happening Sharon, Lee's return is a sign and we can't let him be executed.  We can't."

 

After a long and tense minute, the Cylon finally started to nod.  "I've been having dreams… I think it's him too."

 

#&#

 

Gaius Baltar watched as Sharon and Kara walked down the corridor, curiosity filling his eyes.  A part of him longed for a return of his days in the inner circle of the Fleet.  He cast those thoughts aside, Roslin and Adama's slow but inexorable push towards absolute power over the last remnants of humanity no longer intrigued him.  However, that brief snippet of conversation did.

 

A phantom caress from his shoulder up along the column of his throat ended with the sensation of fingers stoking the downy hair at the nape of his neck.  "They witnessed a miracle, Gaius."

 

Long experience with the presence of Six allowed him not to outwardly react to her caress or her words.  He took in the sight of her from the corner of his eye, her platinum hair was in stark contrast to red dress that seemed to fit her like a second skin, despite its rather conservative cut (conservative, by her standards.)  She smiled knowingly at him and wrapped her arms lovingly around him as she turned her gaze back towards the retreating pilots.  When she spoke it was almost wistfully, "It must have been beautiful."

 

He watched Kara and Sharon disappear around the corner before he asked, "What was this miracle?"

 

Out of the corner of his eye he watched her smile stretch and become far more playful, "Apollo has risen from the dead."

 

Despite himself, Gaius whipped his head towards her, "Apol- Ma-major Adama?"  His mind raced, the very first thing he assumed was that Lee had been one of the Final Five.  It was dismissed almost as quickly as he thought it.  His very next thought was dismissed as quickly, that the elder Adama or perhaps his wife were one which would make Lee like Hera.  The thought was even more ludicrous as it didn't provide Lee with a means of resurrection.

 

He turned towards the direction Starbuck and Athena had disappeared.  It all clicked into place as he did, "He was… he is a sign.  He's-he's… He's proof!" 

 

He felt a giddy, almost drunken smile twitched into place as Six stepped in front of him with a smile as well, hers was a pleased expression.  She was happy that he'd made the connection.  "He died two months ago, and was returned by God to the Fleet as proof of his power and to help forward his plan."

 

Gaius nodded, he believed.  He finally believed.

 

&#&

 

Several hours after she and Kara had left the Admiral's cabin and she'd had a chance to find her bearings, Sharon set out to find her husband.  She found him in the observation room outside Lee's cell.

 

She could see on the monitors that Lee was kneeling in front of the bulkhead in his cell.  His eyes were closed and his hands were clutched to his chest as his head was bowed.  He was clearly praying, she could see two markings on the wall in front of him though she couldn't make them out.

 

The two marines posted to watch the monitors were barely paying attention.  She stepped up to Karl and could see his perplexed frown.  She could tell he needed to talk so she quietly ordered the two marines down to the mess hall.  After the hatch closed behind them, Karl sank heavily into one of the vacated chairs with a sigh.  She sat down across from him and smiled sadly. 

 

The two sat in silence for a long moment before she reached out and grasped his hands with hers, "Talk to me?"

 

With another sigh, his clenched his eyes shut, "It'd be easier if he didn't look so frakking peaceful."  He turned to the one-way mirror and stared at the cell, "If he was prowling the cell, full of that righteous fury I've come to expect from Lee I could just go in there and do the job… but he's not and for some reason it's more convincing."  He turned back to her, "It shouldn't be, y'know?"

 

She smiled, "I know, Karl.  It's the opposite of what you’d expect isn't it?  You expect him to be the same old Lee, but he can't be.  Not because a Cylon…"  She trailed off intentionally, hoping he'd follow her train of thought.

 

He didn't disappoint, "But because he's not.  He's gone through something so profound it stripped him of something… It left him- I don't know… Purified.  Is that it?"  Sharon nodded and he seemed to gain confidence in his thoughts, "If it happened just the way he said it did, then that means… That means, he really has been touched by the Gods.  Doesn't it?  He's been returned to serve a purpose and Kara-"

 

Sharon finished his thought this time, "Kara is part of it.  She loves him, Karl."

 

The ECO laughed loudly, "No shit, Sharon!  I'd have to be blind and deaf not to know that after the way she took his death."

 

Sharon squeezed his hands and he fell silent then turned serious.  She then said, "Karl, you know as well as I do how much she loves him, she believes in him and-"

 

He gently pulled a hand free of hers and tucked a lock of her hair away affectionately.  "You do too.  Don't you?"

 

She nodded and the pair fell silent again.  She turned back to the monitor then said, "What's that on the wall in front of him?"

 

Karl shrugged, "He asked for idols to pray with but Hadrian flatly refused.  However, the Six must have left a pen in the cell because he found it and broke open the ink and drew that on the wall.  Sergeant Venner said they're old symbols for Aurora and Athena.  He's been praying since I left his cell.  Hadrian will probably have them washed off the wall as soon as she sees them."  He scowled at the mere thought of it.

 

Sharon looked between her husband and the monitors before she said, "Karl-"

 

She trailed off when the hatch inside the brig swung open and both of them were absolutely still as Kara first entered the brig and then ordered the guard to open the cell.  She stepped into the cell and Lee slowly stood and turned to her.  Kara's eyes drank him in unabashedly before she spoke, "Hi, Lee."

 

&#&

 

When Gaius returned the quarters that he'd been taken too in the chaos after his trial he asked for two things.  He asked for Tracey Anne and Paulla to gather all the members as quickly as possible, and access to the transmitter they used to contact others throughout the Fleet.

 

The others gathered around them, each of them curious about the sudden giddy energy Baltar seemed to be full of as he seemed so despondent after he left Derrick's side.

 

After everyone was gathered and the wireless was set up for, Gaius gave them all a smile before he picked up the microphone and flipped on the transmitter.  "My friends, I am Gaius Baltar…  I've been welcomed into your fellowship recently and I am grateful both for you and the hope you have provided me that I am not alone.

 

"We are not alone.  Not in our faith, or our love, or our joy.  Nor were we alone when we were lost, or sad, or afraid.  We might have felt alone, I know I felt quite alone for most of my life… I felt alone because I found nothing I could believe in.  My father was a farmer, he like so many on Aerilon was a man of the land who was only truly happy when he was in the garden. 

 

"I didn't inherit my father's love of farming and perhaps that's where I began to feel alone.  I drifted through life, my ability with computers and science came easily which only seemed to further isolate me.  I tried to find something, but I always seemed to find the wrong things."  He chuckled and looked over the group, seeing them engrossed in his wards while Six watched on from the corner, clearly impressed by his confession. 

 

"I began to embrace my solitude… until recently.  My friends, I have seen something beautiful that has opened my eyes to the most basic Truth of our existence.  Each of you has come to this Truth as well."  He stood up and turned slowly to see everyone in the room, "There is no truth in the Lords of Kobol, these selfish beings who used their power to subjugate and oppress our ancestors on Kobol and enslave us to their dogma even today.

 

"There's no Truth to them, because they are divisive.  Deep down, each of you has discovered that the way to salvation and enlightenment… The only way is through a single path because there is a power beyond Zeus' lightning or Ares' sword.  It's love.  The love the One True God has for all things."  Everyone in the room nodded in agreement, he even noticed tears among some.  "God loves you!"  He pointed to Jeanne, "He loves you!"  He pointed Lilly, "He loves you!"  Lilly burst into tears as he pointed to another member, "And you!  He loves each of you that can hear me, he loves your friends, and he loves those who still cling to the Lords… He even loves me in spite of my many sins, perhaps even because of them.

 

"Some of our friends here on Galactica may ask what it is I have seen that has me so full of joy when things seem almost hopeless.  I have seen a miracle.  It occurred in the Ionian Nebula yesterday.  God sent us a messenger.  He has sent us proof of His power in the form of a man.  Two months ago; one of Galactica's pilots, Major Lee Adama was killed on patrol.  He was returned to us yesterday." 

 

All around him hushed whispers of disbelief but he pressed on, silencing them in the process.  "Lee Adama, son of Admiral Adama, who sacrificed the Pegasus over New Caprica to save his father and the Galactica.  God chose perhaps the one person in this Fleet who could not be a Cylon or a Human-Cylon hybrid or clone and blessed him again with life.  That is proof of His power!"

 

An excited murmur went through his followers at that statement, and he could see the same joy he felt when Six told him of the miracle, he pressed further, "My friends, in the face of this miracle Laura Roslin and Admiral Adama are unconvinced.  Even now they are conspiring to first interrogate and then murder this messenger of God to secure their own power.  I ask something of each of you now, spread this Good News to everyone you know, tell them of the Miracle of Apollo and then we shall in one loud voice demand his freedom!  Thank you and God bless you."

 

He turned off the transmitter and as one the group surged upon him full of questions.

 

&#&

 

Lee smiled at Kara and that was all it took.  She flew across the room and wrapped him up tight as a vice.  He returned the embrace with as much enthusiasm.  "I missed you too, Kara."

 

She squeezed him once before she spoke into his throat, "What happened?"

 

He stroked her back gently in an effort to soothe, "In the storm?  Her nod caused her nose to tickle him slightly, "After the turkey clipped me, I hit my head.  I remember floating in the Qualai River, then… I spoke with someone, I promised them something… It's hazy but the next thing I knew I was talking to you then… Earth.  That's all I remember."

 

She stepped out of his arm but maintained a death grip on his hands.  He smiled, "I remember talking about you though.  I remember for a moment the flames on the nose of my viper before I was in orbit over Earth.  I could feel the pressure squeezing the ship."  He trailed off as Kara felt a dark shudder run through her before he spoke again, "I think… maybe I met one of the Gods, maybe Athena or Aurora because I know their prayers."

 

Kara looked him over and she could see him struggling with it, as though he was trying to remember a dream.  "Lee, you were an atheist?"

 

He smiled, "I know, but I'd imagine even the most devout atheist could meet the Gods and not have a little faith afterwards."  She smirked at his weak joke.  He shrugged then said, "I don't know how to explain it Kara, all I know is I feel different, stronger in my heart, like something took the fear away.  I'm as sure in my faith in Athena and Aurora as I am in you.  I know that you'll be able get the Fleet to Earth.  I've been there, but you'll take us there."

 

She felt a blush scorch her cheek as she saw the conviction in Lee's word.  She could see how much he believed in her and for the first time in perhaps her whole life, Kara Thrace started to believe in herself as well. 

 

She smiled then released his hand to reach into her pocket, "If that's the case, then I have something for you."  She pulled out the idols and presented them to him, "Athena and Aurora."

 

He smiled and reverently plucked the figurines from her hands and looked at her with unrestrained gratitude.  Which gave her the courage to make her own pledge, "Lee, first I'm gonna get you out of this brig.  Then, if I have to beg borrow or steal, we'll get a ship and we'll find Earth and take the Fleet there.  I don't care who I have to go through."

 

He smiled and clutched the two statues in his hand, "Thank you."

 

She smiled and felt her eyes mist over before her smile became a much more Starbuck-like smirk.  "Don't thank me yet.  I still have to bust you out of jail."

 

He laughed then she pulled him back to her.  As he wrapped her up and she sank into his arms she wondered if perhaps she'd been fooled and the tasks Brenn set out for her all those weeks ago had only just started.