Part 2 Battlestar Galactica Finding Humanity: Saving Grace

Chapter 2

II

Galen Tyrol, Charlie Connor, and a few others were waiting by a small creek in Breeders Canyon. They were to meet Lieutenant Sharon "Athena" Agathon, who had jumped in on a Raptor. His job was to get Athena close enough to the Cylon prison, so that she could search for the launch keys of the civilian ships currently on the surface.

They hadn't been waiting long-although it felt like an eternity.

From a short distance, a familiar voice rang out.

"Go Panthers!"

Galen answered with the password. "C-Bucks rule!"

From the tree he saw Athena Agathon step out from the thickets, a smile on his face. It was always awkward for the Chief to see a Sharon, especially one smiling at him. He had gone through a torrid affair with Sharon "Boomer" Valarii years ago. Boomer had shot and almost killed Bill Adama after her Cylon programming kicked in. He had seen Boomer more than once here on New Caprica. His anger was still mixed with a begrudging love for the woman, even if she was a Cylon.

The Chief walked toward Athena, who gripped him in a hug. "Hey, Chief, it's been a while."

Galen wanted to smile, but he couldn't. "Funny, I feel like I see you every day."

Sharon looked down a little. Galen knew he shouldn't take it out on her.

"Come on", he said to her, relaxing a little. "We don't want to hang around here."

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Admiral William Adama, commander of the Battlestar Galactica, was escorting his son, Commander Lee Adama, commander of the Battlestar Pegasus, into the hangar aboard the former's ship. Lee was preparing to lead his ship, and the civilian fleet that had made it off of New Caprica, out into deep space, as Galactica would jump in for the attack on The Cylons at New Caprica, and to attempt a rescue of their people.

The elder Adama noticed his son kept looking at his watch.

"That's the third time you've taken a look at your watch. Got dinner plans?"

Lee chuckled loudly. "No I was just thinking...just thinking that Sharon is probably on the ground by now." Sharon had led a team in a Raptor to New Caprica to grab the launch keys for the ships that were on the surface.

"I know", his father said. "These are your orders. You'll find the rendezvous point there. Take the civilian fleet, and wait for me for eighteen hours. If I'm not back in eighteen hours, find Earth."

Lee was close to breaking down, but he held it together. "Yeah, right."

"I'll see you in eighteen hours."

Lee stabbed the orders toward his father's chest. "Eighteen hours", he said firmly. "Try not to be late?"

"I'm getting old", his dad quipped. "I'm a little slow, but I'll be there."

"Gods, I wish I could talk you out of this", Lee said with a measure of desperation.

"You can't", Bill Adama reminded him. "You tried."

Lee was almost losing it again. "You know, dad..."

Bill Adama looked down and away from his son, the emotion getting to him as well. "Don't", he said softly. "Don't make me cry in my own hanger deck."

Lee's face broke at that moment, unable to look at his father. He didn't let the tears fall, but his emotions were getting the better of him. He settled for a brief shake of the hand, and a short, emotional hug. Right now, it wasn't Admiral and Commander in a military chain. It was father and son, the latter wondering if he was seeing his dad for the last time.