In the city based apartment belonging to the respresntative elect from Caprica, a woman sat on the flowing couch beside a young man in pilot tans.. The bandages that once covered the left side of his face and head now only covered a portion of his face. On his hands he wor dark brown gloves. A team of doctors on the STAR KOBOL had worked almost round the clock in a series of surgeries to repair the multitude of his injuries. So intense was the heat inside his Viper that it had partly fused his boots to his lower legs. That and the exposure of his face and hands had been the worst part. The couching had ceased after the third day of treatments and his lungs were almost fully healed. He’d need the medical respirator for a few more days, but all in all his prognosis was coming along just fine.
“You intend on returning to duty I suppose,” the woman said with apprehension.
“I have to, Mother.”
His voice was still a bit raspy, but the pain had ceased to bother him. As he spoke he held up his gloved hands.
“I’m not going to let these scars ruin my life. I can’t justify that. If the commander will okay my transfer, I’d like to join the STAR KOBOL.”
“What about the GALACTICA?”
“The GALACTICA’s not around, Mother. The KOBOL is. Father was the only one who listened to Apollo and because of that they were the only ones to survive the attack and escape this holocaust. I just hope they come back soon.”
“Well, knowing your father, he won’t be back until he finds a safe haven for all those people he took with him. In the meantime I want you to consider extending your stay with me. I haven’t seen you in two yahrens since the GALACTICA was last at Caprica and I’d like to spend some time with you again.”
She reached up to brush aside a lock of hair that had strayed into his face, but he saw the motion out of the corner of his eye and shied away before he could catch himself.
“I’m sorry. I… I guess I’m still just a bit skittish. I should know better than that. That’s why I want a transfer. I have to prove to myself that I can be every bit a Warrior as the next. Even better if I work hard enough.”
Ila gave him an understanding smile and rubbed his shoulder, one of the few places on him that wasn’t injured.
“I thought as much. You’re just as stubborn as your brother you know. Never say can’t. Never give up. You know you always have my support, sweetheart.”
He put an arm around her shoulders and drew her close for a hug.
“Thank you. I can’t tell you how much that means to me, especially now. I’m still having trouble imagining our home worlds gone. Destroyed by the Cylons.”
His mouth opened, but he couldn’t find the words he was looking for. He’d heard others talk about the devastations they had witnessed in the days since the Colonies had been destroyed, but having not witnessed even one of those events himself he couldn’t even imagine what it was like.
“I just can’t seem to wrap my head around it. It’s like reading a book without pictures. Some time you know the story will have to end and you can close the book and go back to your life. How do you go about your life when you suddenly realize that YOU are the main character in that book and that book is never going to end?”
The woman shook her head. “I wish I had those answers for you, Zac, but I don’t. Maybe we’re not meant to know. Maybe we just have to live that book like we live our real lives: One day at a time.”
She stood and smiled.
“Now you take off that jacket and stay a while. I’ll get some food on the table. It’ll only take a few centons.”
She disappeared through a doorway leaving the young man alone with his thoughts.
Zac slowly removed his battlejacket and gloves. Although he wor a new pair of uniform trousers, the tunic was the same one he’d had on when last he saw his brother’s Viper heading full turbo for their base ship. He’d refused to give up the jacket that by all rights he should have discarded because of the scorch marks. The KOBOL’s ‘freshers had done an admirable job of cleaning his uniform, but there was nothing it could do to actually repair the garment.
His expression grew somber remembering the night in Caprica when Selket had come to him in Life Center, took his bandaged hand in hers and pressed it to her cheek. He closed his eyes and sat back on the couch. The images came to him as if it were only yesterday and not sectons past.
There was no pain as she held his hand in hers, kissing each scar through the bandages as though the touch of her lips could miraculously heal his wounds.
“Zac, I have something to tell you,” she whispered.
Groggy, he turned his head to get a better look at her in the dimly lit room.
“I… I’ve decided to stay here on Caprica.”
“You can’t” he exclaimed weakly. “We’re evacuating soon. You can’t stay here. The Cylons will find you. Kill you.”
She smiled and shook her head.
“If the Peacekeepers can’t find us what makes you think the Cylons will? No, I’ve decided to stay and fight for my home.”
It’s too dangerous. I need you. Oh please, Selket. Please come with me.”
She silenced him with a finger laid gently against his lips.
“Ypu have your duty and I have mine. You have to be the best Warrior you can be for the sake of our people. Don’t worry. We’ll see each other again. I promise.”
Then she was gone.
“Selket! Don’t go! Please… don’t go…”
Ila knelt beside her son who by all appearances had fallen asleep. It was his voice calling out that had drawn her from the galley to the main living area. She shook him gently by the shoulder and spoke his name several times before he finally opened his eyes.
“You had a bad dream, sweetheart,” she told him. “Everything’s alright now. Food’s on the table. Go wash up and then come and eat.”
He sighed and then nodded. In his mind Selket was still near. If only he could have stopped her.
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branchandroot
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Date: 2014-11-24 05:19 am (UTC)In the city based apartment belonging to the respresntative elect from Caprica, a woman sat on the flowing couch beside a young man in pilot tans.. The bandages that once covered the left side of his face and head now only covered a portion of his face. On his hands he wor dark brown gloves. A team of doctors on the STAR KOBOL had worked almost round the clock in a series of surgeries to repair the multitude of his injuries. So intense was the heat inside his Viper that it had partly fused his boots to his lower legs. That and the exposure of his face and hands had been the worst part. The couching had ceased after the third day of treatments and his lungs were almost fully healed. He’d need the medical respirator for a few more days, but all in all his prognosis was coming along just fine.
“You intend on returning to duty I suppose,” the woman said with apprehension.
“I have to, Mother.”
His voice was still a bit raspy, but the pain had ceased to bother him. As he spoke he held up his gloved hands.
“I’m not going to let these scars ruin my life. I can’t justify that. If the commander will okay my transfer, I’d like to join the STAR KOBOL.”
“What about the GALACTICA?”
“The GALACTICA’s not around, Mother. The KOBOL is. Father was the only one who listened to Apollo and because of that they were the only ones to survive the attack and escape this holocaust. I just hope they come back soon.”
“Well, knowing your father, he won’t be back until he finds a safe haven for all those people he took with him. In the meantime I want you to consider extending your stay with me. I haven’t seen you in two yahrens since the GALACTICA was last at Caprica and I’d like to spend some time with you again.”
She reached up to brush aside a lock of hair that had strayed into his face, but he saw the motion out of the corner of his eye and shied away before he could catch himself.
“I’m sorry. I… I guess I’m still just a bit skittish. I should know better than that. That’s why I want a transfer. I have to prove to myself that I can be every bit a Warrior as the next. Even better if I work hard enough.”
Ila gave him an understanding smile and rubbed his shoulder, one of the few places on him that wasn’t injured.
“I thought as much. You’re just as stubborn as your brother you know. Never say can’t. Never give up. You know you always have my support, sweetheart.”
He put an arm around her shoulders and drew her close for a hug.
“Thank you. I can’t tell you how much that means to me, especially now. I’m still having trouble imagining our home worlds gone. Destroyed by the Cylons.”
His mouth opened, but he couldn’t find the words he was looking for. He’d heard others talk about the devastations they had witnessed in the days since the Colonies had been destroyed, but having not witnessed even one of those events himself he couldn’t even imagine what it was like.
“I just can’t seem to wrap my head around it. It’s like reading a book without pictures. Some time you know the story will have to end and you can close the book and go back to your life. How do you go about your life when you suddenly realize that YOU are the main character in that book and that book is never going to end?”
The woman shook her head. “I wish I had those answers for you, Zac, but I don’t. Maybe we’re not meant to know. Maybe we just have to live that book like we live our real lives: One day at a time.”
She stood and smiled.
“Now you take off that jacket and stay a while. I’ll get some food on the table. It’ll only take a few centons.”
She disappeared through a doorway leaving the young man alone with his thoughts.
Zac slowly removed his battlejacket and gloves. Although he wor a new pair of uniform trousers, the tunic was the same one he’d had on when last he saw his brother’s Viper heading full turbo for their base ship. He’d refused to give up the jacket that by all rights he should have discarded because of the scorch marks. The KOBOL’s ‘freshers had done an admirable job of cleaning his uniform, but there was nothing it could do to actually repair the garment.
His expression grew somber remembering the night in Caprica when Selket had come to him in Life Center, took his bandaged hand in hers and pressed it to her cheek. He closed his eyes and sat back on the couch. The images came to him as if it were only yesterday and not sectons past.
There was no pain as she held his hand in hers, kissing each scar through the bandages as though the touch of her lips could miraculously heal his wounds.
“Zac, I have something to tell you,” she whispered.
Groggy, he turned his head to get a better look at her in the dimly lit room.
“I… I’ve decided to stay here on Caprica.”
“You can’t” he exclaimed weakly. “We’re evacuating soon. You can’t stay here. The Cylons will find you. Kill you.”
She smiled and shook her head.
“If the Peacekeepers can’t find us what makes you think the Cylons will? No, I’ve decided to stay and fight for my home.”
It’s too dangerous. I need you. Oh please, Selket. Please come with me.”
She silenced him with a finger laid gently against his lips.
“Ypu have your duty and I have mine. You have to be the best Warrior you can be for the sake of our people. Don’t worry. We’ll see each other again. I promise.”
Then she was gone.
“Selket! Don’t go! Please… don’t go…”
Ila knelt beside her son who by all appearances had fallen asleep. It was his voice calling out that had drawn her from the galley to the main living area. She shook him gently by the shoulder and spoke his name several times before he finally opened his eyes.
“You had a bad dream, sweetheart,” she told him. “Everything’s alright now. Food’s on the table. Go wash up and then come and eat.”
He sighed and then nodded. In his mind Selket was still near. If only he could have stopped her.
If only…
☆★☆★☆