Part 1 Battlestar Galactica: Back To The Colonies: Of Droughts And Grudges

Chapter 13

XIII

7:00 AM. Port Salerno, Florida

Saul Tigh was approaching eighty Earth years and still enjoying a retirement that he felt had been well earned. Well, he was eighty in his "Colonial" age, as he put it. He was quite a bit oldern than that, in fict.

For the most part, he had stayed away from the events of the last fifteen years since coming through the Earth-Cylon War. He kept up with events but he simply wanted to stay away from the limelight and the politics of UED. He had watched on TV as Lee and Kara had taken their two new gargantuan Battlestars aloft in Australia.

He was sitting on the patio in the back of his home in on the Western outskirts of Port Salerno, Florida. Helen had tried to convince him into buying a beach house, but Saul didn't want all the frackin' noise that would come with life near the beach in Southeast Florida. They were almost due West of the town, in a far less crowded area, in a large home that UED had bought for him after he retired.

He liked the area because it wasn't from West Palm Beach; it wasn't far from the beaches when he wanted to go it was surrounded by trees, and you had a comfortable distance between you and your neighbors. He and Ellen had a wonderful group of friends.

Despite his self-induced detachment from those events, he felt a great pride in watching two of his former underlings now becoming leaders of humanity. Those two gave me enough frackin' grief over the years, God know, he thought to himself. They were kids then, though, about time they grew up.

He and Ellen were each having a mid-evening glass of wine, enjoying the beautiful evening that was lit by large kerosene torches that were laced with citronella to keep any bugs away.

"I tell you, Ellen,", he said after a hefty sip of the Burgundy, "I'm glad I'm not going to be in New Caprica tomorrow." He had visited several times to pay his respects to both Laura Roslin and Brendan Costanza. "With these frackin' Cain Mutiny thugs around, I'm a little concerned for Hot Dog, Caprica and President Bond."

"They'll be under heavy protection, Saul", she countered. "I wouldn't worry too much about them. They all know how to take care of themselves", she said with no hesitation.

Saul still thought of Caprica quite often. He was proud of what she had become in UED. Any lingering love for her may have lingered, but it was in the recesses of his mind and didn't want to bring up those emotions again if he could help it.

"I would like to visit Hoshi in San Diego one of these days", he said, reminiscing a bit about the old days before arriving at Earth. "I think he's done a helluva job getting this fleet going."

"You'll never get those ships out of your mind, will you, Saul?" She had always had a streak of being jealous about Bill Adama and the Battlestars Saul had journeyed on. She always wanted to be the only thing he cared about, but after years she had finally learned to live with the fact that she and Battlestar's were co-equals. "Can you excuse me for a few minutes, Saul? I need to head up to the restroom. I'll be back in just a few."

"Take your time, honey, I'm just enjoying the sunrise", he said pleasantly. He had become an early riser in his later years, especially this time of year when the mornings were crisp and cool. Come May, he wouldn't enjoy it as much as the Summer heat, even early in the day, would engulf most of Florida...

Ellen got up, smiled and walked into the house. Saul turned back around and took another healthy sip of his wine. He didn't seem to have a care in the world.

There was no noise of any kind when suddenly Saul was lifted straight back off his chair, hit the patio table, and fell to one side. He never would hear any noise again.

"Saul, the Romano's say they want to get together this weekend for a cookout and..." She had just come through the door to the patio and looked down to see Saul laid out by the table, a pool of blood running from a huge wound in his skull.

"SAUL!" She wailed and ran the few steps toward him. Moments later she fell straight down like a sack of concrete, a bullet through her forehead as well.

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8:40 AM, Presidential Mansion, Sioux City.

President Brendan Costanza and Admiral Caprica Baltar stood on the front Portico of the Presidential Mansion in Sioux City. When New Caprica had been established in 2024, Sioux City was the logical choice for the National Capitol. To keep from crowding the downtown area, even more, the buildings that made up the National Government were built North and East of Downtown, just a little Northwest of Bacon Creek Park and on either side of the New Caprican National Freeway, which had once been U.S. Route 75.

A shiny black limousine had just pulled up on the ellipse and the doors to the vehicle were opening, a U.S. Marine holding the door open, at rigid attention and snapping off a smart salute. Justin Bond, the 46th President Of The United State emerged with a spring in his step and nearly bounded up the steps, extending his hand to the New Caprican Chief-Of-State. "President Costanza, it's a pleasure to see you again", he said with sincere affection in his voice. "I can't remember the last time I was in your home. Had to be about 3 or 4 years ago."

"You honor us with your presence here today, President Bond", he said with a broad smile on his face. "And I think your right, I think it was in October of '39 when you were last inside the Mansion."

With the protocol of acknowledging the New Caprican President out of the way, Justin Bond turned to Admiral Baltar, who saluted neatly.

"Caprica, you think I'm gonna fall for that military formality", he said with a twinkle in his eye.

Admiral Baltar laughed. "I should know better around you, sir. But protocol is protocol."

"Well, to hell with the protocol, Admiral", and he leaned forward to embrace Caprica and give her a kiss on the cheek. "Judy sends her regards, my dear", he said with generosity, "and she wanted me to tell you how proud she is on your elevation to Admiral."

Caprica slightly blushed. "I've got to get together with Judy one of these days, I really do.", she said fondly of the woman who had been one of her first friends on Earth. "I really miss her."

The three of them were escorted into the residence by the New Caprican Home Guard. They would have a breakfast and then relax before the motorcade left at 10:00 am for the fifteen-minute ride to the arena.

As they were being seated, the New Caprican President looked over at Justin Bond. "I'm going to have to reciprocate this and visit you in Richmond when this is done, Mr. President,", he said wistfully, thinking of something enjoyable. "I haven't played a round of  golf with you in like eighteen months.

"Sounds good to me, Brendan", Justin Bond said approvingly. "By the way, do you know why they call it golf, Mr. President?"

Justin Bond was a historian in many things and Hotdog was expecting another tidbit if history. "I have no idea, sir", he said, taking a sip of his Orange Juice.

"Because 'shit' was already taken", the former American President said matter-of-factly.

President Costanza turned and spat his juice out of his mouth.