Holiday Spirits by Seanchaidh January 4, 1998 COLONIAL YAHREN 7331 CAPRICA CITY Caprica City was in a deep freeze. Snow drifts nearly half a metron high covered the ground, and in some places, they did reach a metron where people had shoveled it out of high traffic areas. Loose snow blew across the group, swirling it around the brave souls who ventured outside to run errands, their exhaled breaths hovering above and behind them as they hurried on their way. It was also holiday time, with the Colonial New Yahren almost around the corner. Brightly colored decorations adorned public buildings and homes, and all about, there was light. It was a tradition stemming back millennia from Kobol, where the ancient peoples used fire to light the cold winter nights against the elements and from wandering spirits. Now, they were a cheerful reminder that the New Yahren was upon them, signifying that the Caprican winter was halfway over. The house was comfortably warm despite the cold outside, and the smell of baking goodies wafted through the house, bringing extra warmth with its sweet and spicy scent. Ila smiled as she worked in the quiet house, enjoying the solitude that came for only a centar during the afternoon, while the three youngest children took their naps. It was the best opportunity for her to get a good start on the holiday baking. She sighed as she surveyed the kitchen counters and the various objects scattered about it. Ingredients, utensils, and the various little treats that were under the watchful green-eyed gaze of her nine-yahren-old son. Had the weather been nicer, she would have sent Apollo outside to play with the neighborhood children, but now she decided to put him to work in the kitchen. Checking to see if the latest batch of bread was ready, Ila tousled her son's dark hair as she passed him. He looked up from the little candies that would decorate the cookies, grinning at her. One glance at him told her that if she'd turned her back for a micron, his little hand would be reaching for the nearest dish to quickly make a handful disappear into his mouth. "Don't touch them, Appy," she said, "or else there's not going to be any left for the cookies." "Can't I even have one?" he asked, returning his gaze to the bowls. "You've got enough here for the cookies and more." "We'll see when we're done," she told him. Apollo seemed to accept her words, and leaned on the counter with his elbows, waiting for his part in helping with the baking. "Why don't you cut out some of the cookies from the dough, and then you can decorate them with the candies before we put them in the oven?" "Okay." With intense excitement, because helping with the baking was a very important job that he wouldn't have been asked to do if he weren't such a big boy, Apollo took a flame-shaped cutter in his left hand and turned to the dough. Shaking her head in amusement, Ila checked the oven. When she saw that there was still a little way to go with the baking, she ran her fingers through her blond hair, then winced as she remembered that she had flour on her hands. Sighing in resignation, she turned to check the calendar placed at the entrance to the kitchen. The New Yahren was only four days away, and this yahren, she'd been later than usually in getting the traditional treats ready. Because of that, she was slightly worried that they wouldn't be ready by the time her husband, Adama, arrived home on furlon the following evening. She was very proud of her husband, as she knew the children were. Just over a yahren previous, Adama had been promoted from being a captain on the Galactica to being the colonel of the Rycon. It hadn't really changed his regular absences due to his career, but when he was home, Ila noticed that he was more stressed, and he seemed to cherish more than ever the time he spent with the children. Likewise, she appreciated having him home whenever the Rycon was in the sector. This New Yahren was going to be a very special celebration, and Adama had promised not to miss it for the universe. For the first time, they had invited their collective families and friends to attend the festivities, and it was also the first time they'd had company in their home since moving into the house a few sectars before Zac was born three yahrens before. Ila wanted it to be perfect, since she knew that the attendance was going to be at least around twenty. Glancing back at Apollo, Ila saw that he was still occupied with the cookies and the decorations. Thankfully, he'd be involved with that for a few centons, allowing her some time to finish planning things out. They were going to be expecting sixteen guests, and would be billeting most of them. Both of Adama's parents were coming, as was Ila's mother. Their combined four siblings with their five nieces and nephews. Adama's friend Tigh and Ila's friend Zakiya were both expected, though Zakiya would be staying at her own apartment, where Ila's brother Renauf and his daughter Odile were going to stay. Sighing, Ila stepped into the dinning room. The table was large enough to seat the thirteen adults, while the children would eat in the living room. Not for the first time, Ila felt nervous that either their preparations wouldn't be enough, or they would be too much and would spoil everything. She was shaken out of her thoughts by the sound of the comunit ringing. Going quickly to answer it, she saw a familiar face appear on the screen. The expression on Tigh's face was a combination of worry and amusement which struck Ila as odd as she greeted him. "Hello, Tigh." "Ila," he returned. "How are you and the kids keeping?" "Busy as ever! I keep on getting the feeling that I'm a day behind with what I have planned. If I want to do something, I end up getting the chance to do it the next day." "Like with the baking, I see?" he grinned, obviously seeing the flour that was dusted over her. "Just as long as you have your kakao cookies, I'll be happy. Forget about the rest of them." "Oh, we'll have those, and Apollo's working on the gingre ones now. We should have plenty," she laughed, then sobered as the worried expression on the black man's face became more intense. "Tigh, what's wrong? Has something happened to Adama?" "Uh... Ila, you're not going to believe this," he began. "Hades, I don't even quite believe it myself yet, but even so..." "Oh? What is it?" "Adama's been arrested." She blinked at him, not quite hearing him correctly. "My Adama? Arrested? How? When? Is he all right? Will he be released in time to come home for tomorrow?" Tigh smiled gently at her barrage of questions. "He's fine, so he says. He's on Pineus, with the majority of Diamond Squadron's pilots. They were arrested for rough-housing in one of the chanceries on the surface. The Pineans have zero tolerance when it comes to disturbing the peace, even though they allow any number of petty crimes -- and that's a very loose term -- to go on underneath a well-padded change purse. Anyway, Adama was sent down to recall the squadron from their furlon. Things got rough, Adama tried to stop it unsuccessfully, and they were arrested." "That's horrible!" Ila exclaimed, though she had to admit that she was somewhat amused by the situation. "Tigh, you can get them out, right?" "Yes and no. I'm headed over for Pineus in a few centons, and I'll be there within a few centars. The problem is that we have to pay bail. It's a few hundred cubits. You can put a deposit on the fee," Tigh explained. "It'll probably be around five hundred. I'll --" "Five hundred?" she repeated, her blue eyes growing wide. "Tigh, that's outrageous! Adama hasn't even done anything! He was trying to stop it, for Kobol's sake!" "I know, I know, but the Pineans are of the opinion that you're guilty until proven innocent. The money will probably be returned to you." Tigh shook his head, still amused. "Anyway, I'm going to Pineus to make sure that everything ends up all right, and I've got permission for us to take a shuttle directly to Caprica. I'm planning on us arriving the day before the festival." "Ouch," she said, wincing. "Three days from now? That's right when our families are coming in. I was planning on having Adama's help with that stuff. His parents can be rather... imposing, sometimes, and this time probably won't be an exception." "Ah, just let the kids loose on them. Everyone melts when your kids are around," Tigh laughed. "In fact, I'm certain that even Commander Kronus lightens up when he's around them." "He's never met them." Ila couldn't help chuckling at the mention of Adama's commanding officer, a man she had only met under formal circumstances. The attempt of mentally turning the man's stern visage into a smile only resulted in a type of grimace appear on his face. "He'll probably talk all of them into being little warriors for the rest of the holidays, and confuse them completely!" "There, you laughed. It can't be that bad," Tigh grinned. "I'd better get going, and I'll call you as soon as I find out what's up. Don't forget about the deposit. Talk to you soon, Ila." "See you," she said, and the screen went dark. She leaned against the wall, then turned her head to look at Apollo. She was glad that he hadn't listening in on the conversation. Instead, he had half the cookies decorated, and had he overheard, she knew that he'd wave the concern off. He had the uppermost confidence in his father, but he had an unusual way of putting it that was too mature for his nine yahrens. It was situations like that where Ila was reminded of her father, Toussaint, who had died when Apollo was three. They both had the same way of dealing with things, and it was from his grandfather that Apollo had inherited his deep green eyes. At the thought of her father, Ila idly wondered what Toussaint would have thought of Adama's predicament. He had always found the warrior amusing, and she knew that this would have especially made him chuckle. That didn't help her, though. "Hey, anybody home?" a woman's voice called from the entrance. Ila smiled at the sound of Zakiya's voice. She was the only person outside of their family who had the entry code to the house. "I'm up here, Zak!" she called. Many people thought it was unusual that Ila had named her younger son for her best friend, but Ila found it to be useful, especially since Zac was the middle child of the family. It helped for him to have the extra attention from Zakiya, which was something she was more than willing to dole out. "I'm just on the comline." As she spoke, she contacted Caprica's comnet, and found the proper frequency for Pineus. She grimaced slightly as she realized that there would probably be a very large charge associated with the call, then proceeded to make it. "Am I interrupting anything?" Zakiya asked, coming in behind Ila to glance at the screen. One of her dark eyebrows raised over her black eyes as she took in the information on the screen. "Looks like I am. Got a new boyfriend on Pineus, my dear?" Ila shot her a dirty look. "No, I've just got my wayward husband who's accidentally locked up in their jail." A wry grin appeared on Zakiya's face. "Ah, I see. Care to tell me about it?" Quickly summarizing what she knew, Ila noticed that it was taking more than enough time for the connection to the administration to come through. Finally, something came up on the screen, which appeared to be a bureaucratic logo of some kind. Waiting impatiently, they came upon the establishment's message computer. "Welcome to Pineus administration. Our schedule of operation are between seven and fifteen hundred centars. The following options are available to you now. Press one for..." "What time is it there?" Ila wondered, glancing at the kitchen chronometer. It was just past midday, and the sun was bright outside in an ice blue sky. "I think there's a seven centar time difference," Zakiya mused. "Maybe more like seventeen. I'm not entirely sure." "...and to get in touch with the law, press nine now." Obediently, Ila pressed the desired button. The results took a few more microns to turn up. "You know, Zakiya, I think he's going to be late. No, scratch that. He will be late. Frak, we had this all planned out, and now some stupid mix-up on Pineus is going to wreck all of them. I bet you he won't even be here for the celebration at all." Zakiya clicked her tongue in disapproval. "I thought you were the optimist of the two of us." "It's centons like these where I'm not. It'll be just like Adama." Ila gave a bittersweet smile. "He means well, but he can never live up to anything because that career of his always takes him away at the least expected moment." "I think he's done a pretty good job so far, Ila. Look at you. Big house, four kids, and a pretty good looking husband who treats you like a treasure. I'll bet no one from the college has anything like this. I wish that I had it this good!" "But look at what we've had to sacrifice in order to get this. Adama's been gone for more time than we've been together. He doesn't know the kids very well, and sometimes we go sectars, even a yahren, without seeing him. You remember what happened with him and Apollo after Adama was gone for over two yahrens that one time. Apollo didn't even know him." "True, but at least he loves you. Adama doesn't seem to be the kind that would cheat on someone," Zakiya said, giving her friend a reassuring hug. "That speaks volumes." "I suppose." "Welcome to the Pineus legal administration," a new recorded voice droned from the comline. "If you wish to place a bail, press one." "Ah, see, there's a good sign. The option you want is first up," Zakiya commented as Ila pressed the desired button. The voice instructed them to continue with the operation by selecting the name of the desired detainee. Her eyes widened at the long list. "Holiday time always bring the loonies out of the woodwork, I see." "You're telling me! I recognize the names of half the squadron here," Ila said, shaking her head as she scrolled down the list. She eventually located Adama's name down near the bottom. "Haven't these people heard of alphabetical order?" "Order, schmorder. These are bureauticians you're talking about." Zakiya laughed suddenly. "Think of it this way, my friend. There's no situation that can't get worse. As long as it doesn't get worse, be glad." Ila gave a half smile as she typed in the amount she wanted to pay. It processed the request for a few centons, then requested her to enter the account she wanted to draw the funds from. Reluctantly, she typed in the proper code. She held her breath, then let it out in a disappointed hiss as a message flashed onto the screen. "You were saying?" she moaned. "They don't take Colonial cubits!" COLONIAL YAHREN 7310 CAPRICA CITY Midterms were over and the holiday season had begun for the students at the University of Caprica City. The campus emptied of most of its usual occupants, and those who were left spent their time partying and enjoying their brief respite from studying. Even though she'd written her last exam several days before, Ila still hung around the campus. She used a lot of her spare time getting things done that she'd otherwise have left uncompleted. She was also determined to begin several projects that were assigned for sometime before the end of the school yahren. To her satisfaction, she was succeeding in getting her goals completed, and it helped to take her mind off other things. The thought that bothered her most was that this was the first New Yahren celebration she was going to spend without her family. Her parents were off to visit her younger brother who was studying on Virgon, leaving her behind due to her exams. She wasn't spending the holiday alone, thanks to Zakiya, but she regretted it slightly because she never knew what her friend had planned. A few days before the celebration, Zakiya barged in like usual into Ila's small apartment. The flat wasn't much to look at, but Ila found it comfortable, especially during the cold of the Caprican winter. She wasn't looking forward to going outside, and by looking at the traces of snow on Zakiya's boots and feeling the cold on her coat, Ila was doubly sure she didn't want to go out. "What's up?" Zakiya asked, rubbing her hands together to warm them. "Just doing some stuff for school," she replied, hanging her friend's coat on a hanger. "Do you want some tea or something? I can put the kettle on if you'd like." "Tea would be great!" came the reply as Zakiya curled up on Ila's couch. "Who needs cooling units when you can just stick whatever on your balcony?" "True, but you'd need it for summer," Ila said wryly as she put the kettle on the stove. "Is it that cold outside?" "Coldest winter in the past decade, or at least that's what I've heard. I don't know how you can stand living up here. I like the warmth." Zakiya sighed as she recalled her home in Caprica's southern hemisphere. "If only they had a good music program like the one here back home. Kobol knows, we have enough population for it." "Politics, Zakiya. We northerners have to have something that's better than the south, you know," Ila laughed, sitting across from her friend. "I suppose. So," Zakiya clapped her hands, "what are you doing tonight?" "Tonight? Nothing, really. Why?" "Good. Let's check out your closet while the kettle's heating." Practically hopping off the couch, she grabbed Ila's hand to lead her to the bedroom. "You've got something good to wear, I assume?" "Uh, yeah...." Ila was curious at her friend's behavior, and it was humorous to see Zakiya going through the closet. Her black eyes were sparkling with excitement as she pulled out a green dress to hold against Ila's front. "Zakiya, what's up?" "Oh, just a plot of mine to get you out of the house," she laughed. "The green goes nicely with your eyes, but don't you have something a little more festive than that? Not too fancy, but casual and festive enough to wear to a party." "Not a party," Ila groaned. "Yes, a party. Come on, don't be a stick in the mud. Just because your usual plans for the New Yahren aren't the same as they usually are, it doesn't mean that you can't go out and have some fun." Zakiya grinned. "Besides, you might meet a guy." "Is that why you're trying to get me out? To set me up?" "Come on, it's been ages since you went out with a guy. Sure, the last one had about as much intelligence as your average rock, but that doesn't mean that all men are like that." She pursed her lips as she pulled out a second dress that was shorter than the first. "Ah, this is more like it. Okay, I assume you have matching shoes?" "Of course, but Zakiya, what if I don't want to go? Whose party is it, anyway?" "I'll pretend I didn't hear the first part, and to answer the second, it's a party being held by a friend of mine, Jamal. He's in the engineering program at the university. Anyway, there's supposed to be something like twenty or thirty people there, and you're coming with me." Zakiya's grin grew wider as she looked at the outfit she'd chosen. "You'll look perfect in that. I'll pick you up at seventeen, okay? Now, about that tea?" Still groaning, Ila left for the kitchen, but at the appointed centar, she was ready for her friend's arrival. Zakiya had chosen well with the short green dress. The color set off her blue eyes, and the short hem that went a few centimetrons higher than her knees showed off her slim legs. She had curled her blond hair and pulled it back, and as she gave herself one last look in the mirror before putting her coat on, she realized that she was nervous. Who was she going to talk to beside Zakiya? She knew no one else there. She mused about the problem on the way over to Jamal's place, halfway listening to Zakiya's chattering. Sometimes her friend reminded her of an avian who liked chattering outside windows in Caprica's temperate zone, which could grow to be annoying. Her anticipation for the party was building, while Ila's was falling at the same rate. As they climbed the front steps, Ila found herself following Zakiya's lead. The large front room was almost filled with people, and to Ila's horror, she soon was separated from Zakiya after she was introduced to Jamal. A tall blond, he smiled at Ila, kissed her hand, then led Zakiya away so they could meet up with some long lost friends. Southerners, she thought, disdainful but not quite meaning it. Shaking her head, she spotted the table of food that was at the side, and neatly sidestepped people to reach it. Grabbing some of the treats, including some kakao cookies that definitely would be outclassed by what her mother could make, and a small bottle of ambrosa, she made her way to an empty chair so she could observe the goings-on. Near her intended seat, someone rushing by bumped into her, propelling Ila into the chair. She landed awkwardly, and ended up dumping the cookies on the floor. Giving a loud groan, she bent down to reach them, and found someone doing the same. "It can get pretty hectic at these things," a deep male voice said, and she looked up into a pair of dark brown eyes that were threatened to be overwhelmed by a thick wave of nearly black hair. "I swear that's the third or fourth time I've seen that happen tonight, and the party's just started." "Yeah," she murmured, reaching for the nearest cookie while the man did the same. "I'm not too fond of these, myself." "Me, neither," he agreed, picking up the remaining cookies. He handed them to her so she could place them on her napkin. "Here, you might want these, though I don't know what you're going to do with them." "Certainly not eat them," she said, wrapping them with the napkin and placed them on a nearby table. She sighed as she opened the ambrosa, leaning back in her chair as she did. She spotted Zakiya at the other side of the room, chatting animatedly with two other girls. "I, uh, take it you've been dumped?" the man ventured, and Ila turned her attention back to him. He appeared earnest enough, appearing to be around the same age as her. There was something about his bearing that suggested that he wasn't a typical college student, which she assumed most people at the party were. And, she realized with a secret smile, he wasn't half that bad looking. "Sort of. My best friend dragged me here, and then left me to fend for myself." She laughed slightly. "Survival of the socially fittest, I suppose." "True," he grinned. "Very true." "What about you?" "Almost the same situation as you, only my friend, Daracy, is the cousin of the host. He's determined to get me to as many outings as he can, because he's of the point of view that once I ship out, I'll never see this part of civilization again." She looked at him curiously. "Ship out? Oh, you're a warrior?" He nodded. "Yeah. I just graduated a few sectons ago. Just got my first assignment the other day, on some kind of base in the outer sector of the star system. It's almost a probationary assignment." "To see whether or not you guys are good at your jobs?" she asked, mildly interested. She didn't know very many warriors, and they were mostly of the type that fought paper, not Cylons. "More or less. Personally, I don't see how we're supposed to get much experience, especially as Viper pilots." He shook his head. "Ouch, that's pretty pitiful, talking only about myself when I don't even know your name. I'm Adama." He offered his hand, and Ila took it. "I'm Ila." "Pleased to meet you, Ila." Adama didn't kiss her hand like Jamal had, but he shook her hand in a way that seemed very dignified. "Now that you know about me, what about you? What do you do?" "I'm a college student," she began, feeling her face blush slightly at his attention. He seemed to be hanging onto every word, something she found immensely interesting. "I'm nearly finished my undergrad degree, then I'm going to pursue a doctorate. I'm a music major, though I personally prefer focusing on the history of it." "Ah, one of my favorite things," he grinned. "I'm a big fan of operas, especially the grand ones that were written about two hundred yahrens ago." "The Abetzi type?" she asked. "Starting in 7074 on Taura?" "That would be it," Adama said, his grin still wide. "You know your music." "It's my job," she said, blushing under his praise. "And thanks." "I was the odd one out during Academy outings," Adama continued. "When the others wanted to listen to the Triad games on the CapricaOne network, I'd rather listen to the latest recordings being aired on CapricaTwo." Ila nodded as she listened to him, then realized that the topic of music was being a little one-sided. She didn't really like talking about herself to complete strangers, so she decided to turn the table on the young warrior. "What about you?" she asked. "What made you get into the military?" "Tradition," he said. "My mother's a warrior, like her father was, you can get the picture. You know, it's odd. I've never once in my life considered being anything else." "What do you think you would have been if there weren't a war? Would you still be a warrior?" Lifting an eyebrow slightly at the question, Adama paused to consider it. "Good question. I think I'd want to do something like what you're doing. Something dealing with academics. I've had an interest lately in the ancient texts going back to Kobol, and it would be so interesting to just take a few courses in that. I mean, getting to learn the old language and script, and just sitting in some university library and pouring over the manuscript." "You could always take a few sectars off duty to take a sabbatical or something, couldn't you?" Ila suggested. She'd never been too interested in religious texts of any kind, but she would never condemn someone else's interest. "It's a possibility, but I'd have to check into it." She nodded as she looked back at the party. The music wasn't that bad, and the dance floor wasn't as crowded as it was a few centons beforehand. Beside her, she heard Adama clear his throat slightly. "Would you mind dancing for a few microns?" he asked. "Daracy is going to kill me if he learns that I've just been sitting on the side like this the whole time." "I don't see why not," she smiled, taking his outstretched hand in hers. "I take it you're not much of a party goer?" "Oh, I can be if I want, but in my opinion, it's more fun when you know more than two people." "Same here," she agreed as Adama put his hand lightly on her side as they started dancing. She was amused to see that there was more than a few centimetrons between them, as though a teacher had stuck a ruler between them at a secondary school dance. Even so, Adama was a graceful dancer, and she found it easy to follow his lead. By the time they'd finished dancing, they hadn't learned much more about each other, though Ila knew that she was blushing whenever Adama gave her a smile. She hadn't had this much fun in the company of a man in a long while, and she was almost wishing that it wouldn't end. They sat back down with some fresh cookies, which Ila managed not to dump this time. Talking about an assortment of topics, Ila was pleased to learn that they held some common political beliefs along with interests in popular entertainment and the like. But the evening was not meant to last as there was a shout from across the room. "Ila!" Zakiya said, drawing her attention from the handsome ensign. "There you are! I've been looking all over for you!" "Meaning she hasn't really tried looking," Ila murmured, exchanging a smile with Adama. She blushed furiously when he gave her a wink. "What's up, Zak?" "I've got a few people who are just dying to meet you," the dark woman enthused, obviously on the better side of a few ambrosas. Ila sighed as she realized that she'd be the one driving the hovermobile home later. "Come, dear." "In a centon." The answer seemed to satisfy Zakiya, who disappeared back into the party. Giving a slight sigh, Ila turned to Adama. "She's hard to resist when she's like that, so I've better pay attention to her. It was great talking to you, Adama." "I'm not shipping out for another day," he said, reaching inside his jacket pocket for some scraps of paper. "I'd like to see more of you. There's a lot more I'm sure we have in common and that we could talk about." "Um, sure," she said, smiling shyly all of a sudden. "Why don't you give me a number where you can be reached?" "Here." He scrawled out a number on the paper, then handed it to her. "If I'm not there, just leave a message. It'll be sure to get to me. It's my parents' place on the other side of town." "Okay." She rose from the chair. "I'll see you later, then." "I'm looking forward to it," he smiled. Ila remained with Zakiya for the next centar, and when she went looking for the warrior again, he had already left. Trying not to be disappointed, since she knew that she was attracted to him, she drove her friend back to her apartment where she crashed on the sofa. Placing her bag and her clothes on her bedroom floor, Ila quickly pulled on her pajamas, then looked at the number Adama had given her. His handwriting wasn't very sloppy, with very dignified loops. Smiling to herself, she placed the paper on the bedside table, then went to bed. For the life of her, she couldn't find it in the morning. She couldn't believe her bad fortune as she scoured the bedroom, looking for that frakking piece of paper. It had completely disappeared. Once she told Zakiya what had happened, her friend joined in whole-heartedly, despite the hangover she was feeling. By midday, they had come up with nothing, and Ila slumped dejectedly on her bed. "It sounds like an old clich‚ out of those romance stories you like, Zak." Zakiya shrugged, pushing her hair out of her eyes. "I don't know. Maybe it wasn't meant to be." Sighing unhappily, Ila could only shake her head. COLONIAL YAHREN 7331 PINEUS Adama groaned silently as he tried to make himself comfortable in the cramped cell that he was sharing with four other men. He wondered why he hadn't been placed with some of the squadron, but on retrospect, he realized that it might have been a good idea on behalf of the Pineus authorities. He was more than willing to cheerfully choke whichever warrior had begun the squabble that had led to the entire group being arrested. He briefly wondered how long they'd been inside the jail. Not more than a day. That meant that there was less than three before the New Yahren, and that in the meantime, Ila was left alone to plan the whole celebration out. He winced as he pictured her dealing with his parents, both of whom he knew could drive anyone crazy after a few centars. He sometimes wondered why they'd never affected each other that way during their entire marriage. Of course, he knew why. Like him, Louve, his mother, had been a Colonial Warrior, having retired only a few yahrens earlier. She had held many important posts during her career, including the post of battlestar commander. It was quite impressive considering the fact that she'd also taken out enough time to give birth to four children and had enough time to at least partially raise them. Then again, at the time she'd been posted near their home on Caprica, unlike him. Even in her advanced age, she was still an imposing presence, and Apollo occasionally called her the Commander, both to her face and behind her back. He hoped that Ila would be able to handle them. He felt horrible at the prospect of not making the ceremony. He wanted so much to be there, and it was something that he'd been looking forward to for several sectars. But he felt even more horrible at the thought of what reaction Commander Kronus would have at the incident. The man didn't tolerate any failures, and this would fall under the category of a failure. It was fortunate for Adama that the commander was away at a conference on Orion, which was over in the next solar system, otherwise he'd be in very deep and very hot water. Sighing, Adama rested his back against the cell as he pulled out a small picture from his uniform pocket. It was the most recent picture of the children that Ila had sent him, and as he looked at their small faces, he realized that if he didn't get out of here soon, he was bound to completely ruin their holidays by not being there on-time. He examined the picture closely, looking from Athena's baby-face, to the round toddlers' cheeks that both Zac and Artemis possessed, and then to Apollo's shyly smiling face. He missed all of them, and he couldn't wait until he got out of this horrible place to see them again. He heard footsteps from across the cell, and he saw a man who appeared to be a few yahrens older than he, get up to face him. He panicked for a micron, thinking that this was going to be some kind of confrontation for status, but one look at the man's kind face eliminated all thoughts along that line. "We don't get many warriors around here," he greeted. "Mind if I join you?" "Uh..." Adama began, but the man sat before he could fully get an answer out. He blinked at the man's smiling visage. "I guess not." He had blond hair that was cut short, and Adama thought he could see a few patches of grey or white in it. His blue eyes glanced over at the picture Adama was holding before the warrior could put it away. He smiled gently at the sight of the children. "Are they yours?" he asked. "Yes..." "They're all very lovely," he continued. He pointed over at Apollo's image. "How old is he, your oldest?" "Nine yahrens." There were times when Adama had to shake his head in amazement, since he sometimes had the impression that he had held Apollo as a baby only a few sectons beforehand. "You're very fortunate. If my son were still alive, he'd be about that age, maybe a yahren older." "I'm sorry," Adama said genuinely. He couldn't imagine the pain the loss of a child would cause a parent, and he was thankful that nothing had happened to his family. "The Cylons?" "Yeah. In a place whose name everyone probably forgot sectars after the attack. It's not important, anyway." He didn't seem to want to discuss it any further, and Adama left it that way. The last thing he wanted to do was pry. There was silence for a few microns, then the man spoke again. This time, his voice was wry. "It's not often that you see warriors in here. Or, at least not this many warriors." "We had a little... mishap," Adama said, grimacing. "I'm hoping that this will be rectified shortly." "It depends," he began. "It all depends, my friend. What you did, where you're from, whether you have a criminal record, your designation, the time of yahren, you name it. Me, I'm a Caprican, like you. Doesn't bode too well. Capricans, they believe, have lots of money. I'm a wagerer, a shady occupation in the eyes of the law, and they'll probably take a long look at my background because of it. I don't have an official criminal record, but I've had other... incidents like this before." "And the time of yahren?" Adama almost didn't want to know. "I'm guessing that they've got a staff of three right now compared to the usual complement of twelve or fifteen. It's a holiday, what do you expect?" This time, Adama allowed himself to groan out loud, and the man smiled wryly. "That's the usual reaction. You'll be lucky if you're out of here within the next two days." "That's impossible." "But it'll happen," the man verified. "Just be glad you're not on a world like Borellus or one similar to it." "Oh? Why's that?" "They tend to over-exaggerate their capital offense for the smaller crimes," he explained. "That, or life imprisonment." "That isn't making me feel much better." "Cheer up, then. At least you have someplace to go when you get out," the man said sincerely. "My wife died the same night as our son, and I haven't had a serious relationship since then." Nodding meekly, Adama thought about his wife again. Yes, he couldn't wait to go back, but his mind then wandered to a time when he was younger. A time when coming home meant that there were certain situations to avoid, and he thanked Kobol that he didn't have anymore like that to deal with. COLONIAL YAHREN 7314 A SHUTTLE SOMEWHERE ABOVE CAPRICA CITY Whenever Lieutenant Adama wasn't at the controls of a shuttle, he felt anxious about what the pilots were doing. He had the urge to go up and critique their performance, mostly by telling them to ease off on the thrusters, or to straighten up the shuttle's nose. If they continued to perform poorly, he'd threaten them with pulling rank and seizing control of the shuttle himself. But he never could do that. He could be strict with his own squadron on the Cerberus, but never in million yahrens would he actually do something like that to another warrior. Still, he entertained the thought, but for an entirely different reason this time. He didn't want to go home to Caprica City. It wasn't that he missed his home town, or his parents who lived in one of the classier parts of town. He just didn't want to confront someone else who happened to call the planet's capitol home. Someone who he really wanted to avoid at all costs. Someone named Belloby, who was convinced that the next time they met, the two of them would formally become engaged. It was a thought that made Adama sincerely shudder. They'd met three yahrens before, on the Caprican space station, when they'd been on the same shuttle. It was the first time Adama had taken the civilian transportation service rather than the military version, and he found it to be slow and irritating. The only highlight of the voyage -- oh, wasn't hindsight perfect -- was the beautiful auburn woman with the large brown eyes sitting next to him. Before Adama knew what was what, they'd started dating, and Adama would spend every furlon he could on Caprica to be with her. It didn't last long, maybe only for a few sectars' worth of visits, because soon after, Adama began to realize that there was a part of Belloby's personality he hadn't seen yet. Something possessive and conniving, and he didn't want anything to do with it. But try telling Belloby that! She was blind to everything but what she was focused upon, and she never caught the subtle hints that Adama so desperately wanted her to catch. Not when he made sometimes awkward excuses that he was going to this chancery with Cain. If he did, she would put up a front and make him feel guilty. Not this time, he vowed to himself silently. He hadn't informed her that he was back on furlon, and she wasn't going to find out. If everything went well, he'd have a restful furlon. "Hey, dreamy head," Cain said from beside him, snapping his fingers in Adama's face. "Wake up. We're just about at Caprica." "Oh," he mumbled, pushing the blond lieutenant out of his space. "Something wrong?" "No," he began, then shook his head. "Scratch that. Yes. Do you have any suggestions on how to avoid someone?" "Belloby?" Cain grinned. "Ah, can't handle our women, can we? But seriously, avoid her like the plague." "That won't be hard. So, my friend, what will you be doing during this holiday season?" "The usual," he said, his wide grin still on his face. "Partying, chanceries, lots of fresh ambrosa, women.... and maybe, just maybe, a visit home. The old man's only a few more yahrens left at the best, and I suppose I'd better see him at least once." Adama nodded at his friend's words. He knew that Cain was estranged from his father, a hard man who had pushed his only son to a level of perfection in both his studies and extracurricular activities that few could actually achieve. Cain had succeeded that, and had continued in the Academy, even though he'd really joined the Colonial Warriors to get away from his father. Adama pitied him, even though he knew that the situation with his own father wasn't much better. Joaquin had raised the four children with little help from his wife, and though Adama respected and loved his father, they still didn't get along as well as they might. "You'll survive it," Adama predicted. "About as well as you will in an encounter with Belloby." The rest of the voyage was spent with idle chatter, then the two friends went their separate paths when the shuttle finally landed. Not wanting to arrive home empty-handed, Adama decided to stop off at some shops on the way to his parents' house to get some flowers and food. His father had a soft spot for cheese, and his favorite this time of yahren was a type that had been soaked in Sagitarian brandy. Louve would more than likely prefer a potted plant to decorate the table, and he knew that she would also prefer having a box of kakao candy. The woman did have her soft spots, despite her irascible exterior. It was in the store that he heard someone calling his name. Thankfully, it wasn't a woman's voice, so he turned to see an old friend coming up to meet him. He hadn't seen Daracy in well over a yahren, and then only for a few centars at a dinner. They'd met in secondary school, and had remained good friends afterward, when Daracy had become a protector and Adama a warrior. The two had gone to more than a few parties together, though with Adama it wasn't always entirely willing. "It's been eons since we've last seen each other!" Daracy exclaimed after the two had briefly embraced and clapped each other on the back. "How have you been?" "Not bad. You?" "Ah, the greatest thing has happened to me, Adama. I'm engaged to be sealed!" he grinned, his blue eyes sparkling with excitement. "You've never met her, but she's a beauty! Her name's Raina. You're just going to have to meet her!" "Congratulations!" Adama said sincerely. It sort of felt odd to hear the news. Daracy was the first in the circle of friends that Adama kept to actually consider being sealed. His friend, Adar, from the Academy, was too busy with political pursuits to consider something as serious as sealing, and Cain was an eternal playboy, not likely to settle down for another few yahrens, at least. As for Adama, he knew that he hadn't met the right woman yet. "It would be an honor to meet her." "How about tomorrow evening?" Daracy suggested. "Do you have a date you might want to bring along?" "Sorry. I'm, uh, single." Adama grimaced as he said that, but it did feel good to be able to say that he was unattached. He just hoped that Daracy didn't catch the expression and misinterpret it somehow. "That's too bad. Hey, I've got an idea!" Daracy grinned. "Raina's got a friend that's she been trying to set up with a guy for a while. She's a doctor of some kind, but I don't know much other than that. Would you be interested?" "Sure, why not?" Adama shrugged. "Good. I'll call you at your parents' to give you the where and when." Daracy slapped Adama's shoulder. "Give them my best wishes, will you? Talk to you later." He watched his friend's red head walk off, then he hurried to get home to his parents', only to be greeted by an empty house. Checking the messages on the comline, he found a quick greeting from his father. They were across Caprica in Zen, where Adama's middle sister, Renata, had gone into labor with her first child -- and his parents' first grandchild -- about twelve centars beforehand. They were staying with her husband, Moayid, and would call once the baby was born. Taking the time to enjoy the rare solitude, Adama spent the rest of the evening doing things he'd otherwise never have the chance to do. He caught up on some old broadcasts of programs on the CBN, and spend the rest of it sleeping. He even slept through Daracy's message that they were meeting at the Kushi restaurant at nineteen. Nonetheless, he arrived at the restaurant in time and well rested. Daracy greeted him as he approached the table, and promptly introduced him to the two women who were with him. "This is my fiancee, Raina," he said, motioning to the woman whose hair was nearly the same shade of red as Daracy's, but her skin was an unusual light brown which completed her hair. "Pleased to meet you," Adama said, smiling, then turned his attention to the other woman. To his surprise, she was familiar to him, though he couldn't name where he'd met her before. "And this is Ila," Daracy continued, and the second woman smiled shyly at Adama. Her blond hair was short, framing a triangular face and bright blue eyes. The name was also slightly familiar, but Adama still couldn't place it anywhere. "Actually," she said, "I think we've already met." "Oh?" both Daracy and Raina said, looking from one to the other. "We met at a party a few yahrens back," Ila explained. "You must have a good memory," Raina said as Adama sat next to Ila. "How do you think I survived getting my doctorate?" came the retort. "I think I remember you," Adama said, frowning slightly. "You were in... music?" "That would be me," she acknowledged, her smile beginning to lose its shyness. They didn't discuss that anymore, though Adama found himself looking at her every few centons. He didn't quite remember their first meeting, but that didn't bother him as the dinner progressed. All he knew was that he wanted to talk to her more privately, and that she was a refreshing change from Belloby. He finally had a chance to ask her when both Daracy and Raina needed to use the rest rooms. Very nervously, in a way he hadn't experienced since he was a teenager, he said, "Ila, I was wondering if you'd like to do something in the next few days. I'm on furlon, and I'd love the company." She examined him for a few microns, and Adama felt his pulse increase in anticipation. He wasn't sure if she'd say yes or no, and he hoped to Kobol it wasn't the second option. "I don't see why not," she finally said, and Adama found himself grinning in relief. "I've got to do some holiday shopping, for my family and friends. If you don't mind coming with me, we could go around town, and then in the afternoon, there's a concert in the Presidium Square." "Concert?" he frowned. "It's something new they're trying to get established," Ila told him. "Lots of seasonal carols, with a small orchestra and choir. The best part about it is that we, as the audience, get to join in. It's lots of fun!" With a raised eyebrow, he nodded. "It sounds like it. When and where should I pick you up?" "I'd better give my address to you, rather than the alternative," she grinned, taking a pen out of her bag to write on a napkin. "I lost yours last time, after all." "Oh." He took the paper she offered and put it securely into his jacket. "I'm looking forward to it. What time?" "Nine should do it," she replied. "We'll get there before most of the other shoppers." He grinned at her, then found himself waiting with intense excitement for the next day. Using his parents' hovermobile again, he picked Ila up and headed for Caprica City's shopping district. She wasn't an overtly picky shopper, finding most of what she needed in the first two centars. They spent the rest of the time between then and the concert window shopping and having lunch in a little deli they came across. Finally, the time came for the concert. The Presidium Square was nearly full, and the couple found a good spot somewhere in the middle. Adama had never enjoyed singing so much before in his life. The enthusiasm of the crowd swept him up as they sang with the choir. The experience was heightened by the presence of the lovely woman who was spending the afternoon with him. Midway through the concert, Ila slipped her hand in his, giving him a sly sidelong glance. "How did you like it?" she asked when it was over. The last song they'd done was one about New Yahren traditions and the blessings of the Lords of Kobol on them and the upcoming yahren, and it was the perfect finale. Adama was humming it as she spoke. "It was certainly different, but I liked it," he told her. "Better than other things I could be doing, like --" "Adama?" he heard a woman's voice call, and he turned to see the indignant face of Belloby facing him. He gulped as his ex-girlfriend -- or girlfriend, as far as she was concerned -- started towards him. "I thought that was you! But all during the concert, I kept on thinking that it couldn't be you, because you're supposed to be on the Cerberus." She said the last part as an accusation, with her arms crossed and her brown eyes flashing in anger. Adama groaned, wondering which of the fates had it in for him, as he tried to scrounge up the courage to deal with Belloby. "Hello, Belloby," he began. "Happy New Yahren to you." "Don't give me that," she snapped, waving the greeting away. She fixed Ila with a harsh glare, then turned her attention to Adama. "And who is this.... woman?" There were plenty of adjectives Belloby could have used. Hussy, wench, socialator -- Adama found it amusing that she was trying to be at least slightly polite. "Belloby, I'd like you to meet Doctor Ila." He didn't know why he dropped in her title like that, but it sounded impressive. Maybe Belloby would take a hint, for once in her life. "Ila, this is.... an old friend of mine, Belloby." "Charmed," Belloby drawled, then moved in between them to snag Adama's arm. "Now, shall we go?" "I didn't think you were invited," Ila quipped, doing the same thing as Belloby had done. Both women were about the same height, though Belloby had the slight. "Adama, did you give her an invitation that I didn't know about?" Moving his mouth once or twice, not sure what to say, Adama looked from one determined face to the other. Both were watching him expectantly. He wasn't surprised to see that neither one liked the other, and they both wanted Adama to do something about it. "I, uh, I...." "Oh, far be it for me to interrupt something with your doctor friend, Adama," Belloby said icily. "Then don't do so," Ila shot back. He had to say something. They were practically snarling at each other like two wild daggits, and they were beginning to draw stares from the other people leaving Colonial Square. He didn't know about them, but he was beginning to be embarrassed. No, scratch that. He was embarrassed. "Belloby, Ila," he tried to get out, only to be interrupted by another exchange of heated comments. Kobol knew he didn't want to hurt any feelings, which was one reason why he hadn't been blunt with Belloby beforehand, but this was getting ridiculous! "Ladies...." Both looked at him intently. "Yes?" "Belloby... I, uh, rather we, have had some good times together," he said awkwardly, "but, um, I think that we're not meant for... each other. I hope you understand." She stared at him blankly for a micron, then opened her mouth to say something before closing it tightly. Waiting a micron, she looked at the two people who stood in front of her, then shook her head before replying in a cold tone, "Perfectly. Perhaps I'll see you around, Adama." "Perhaps," he agreed, and to his immense relief, she walked off. He felt a sensation similar to that of having a weight taken off his shoulders, and he relaxed to take a deep breath to steady himself. "Like an insect in ointment she grasps a concept," Ila muttered, shaking her head as she watched the other woman leave. "I'm sorry that I got carried away, Adama. I saw how much her presence bothered you, I guess I overreacted." A small smile played on his lips. "You gave me the courage to do something that I'd probably have left hanging for another few sectars. Thank you, Ila." A slightly surprised expression appeared on Ila's face. "You're welcome. Most men I know wouldn't have appreciated having two women fighting over him." "I'll try not to cause any other situations that will cause that scenario to pop up," he promised. "Now, we have the rest of the afternoon to spend, or are you tired?" Her reaction of putting her arms about him and pulling him down slightly to kiss him was the only answer Adama needed. COLONIAL YAHREN 7331 CAPRICA CITY So far, it wasn't turning out as badly as Ila had feared. Zakiya and Apollo had helped all they could, and once the guests had discovered what had happened with Adama, they were respectful of the effort that Ila went through to get all the final preparations done. But it was still hectic. Ila was finding that it was difficult to work with more than a dozen people underfoot, even though she had her mother Joia, her mother-in-law, and all of Adama's sisters helping out with the food and the preparations. Athena had come down with the beginnings of a cold during the night, and so Ila had Zakiya keep an eye on the irritable toddler. The rest of the children were outside playing in the snow, enjoying a welcomed respite from the bitter cold, or watching repeats of "Battleship Galaxy" on the BNC. The other adults were in the living area visiting. Sighing as she moved containers of food to the side, where Isolde, Adama's eldest sister, was supposed to take them into the dinning room, Ila glanced up at the wall chronometer. Nearly nineteen, and there was still no sign of Tigh with Adama in tow. She'd last talked to him the previous evening, when he'd confirmed that there'd been a breakthrough with the authorities. Ila's bid for bail -- an adventure in itself that she'd completed the next day when the Caprican bank had reopened with its frakking inconvenient holiday centars -- had been accepted, and the Pineans were letting all the warriors out with only a warning. Tigh was supposed to be taking a shuttle with Adama straight for Caprica. But there was nothing yet, and Ila was beginning to feel dejected. She went about the duties, giving commands, and trying to put with Louve and Joia's annoying natterings. The two women didn't get along spectacularly well, and tended to nit-pick each other's performance. Biased as Ila might be, she had to admit that Joia often had the upper hand in those matters. Taking a deep breath, she surveyed the scene one last time. There wasn't much left to do, and she reluctantly stopped keeping an eye on the door, knowing that if Adama didn't come in soon, he'd never make it in time. She heard a dull thud outside the house, and shook her head, knowing that it was the older children playing with snowballs. She smiled slightly as she heard her brother go to the door, yelling at both his daughter and Apollo to stop it. The cold air went past Renauf into the house, and just as Ila was going to tell him to shut the door, she heard shouts from the outside. Wiping her hands on a dishtowel, she went to investigate. Renauf was grinning at her as he pointed to the street. A taxi had pulled up to the curb, and to her astonishment, Adama stepped out to be mobbed by Apollo, Zac and Artemis. He was laughing as they hugged him tightly and asked him a dozen questions at once. A smiling lighting her face, Ila pulled on a jacket to run out to meet the group. Squeezing in between her children, she gave her husband a fierce hug, then kissed his cheek. "I was afraid you weren't going to make it!" "So did I," Adama replied, "but I guess that it's a surprise for both of us." "I told you I'd get him out of there in time for the holiday," Tigh said matter-of-factly as he grabbed his and Adama's duffel bags out of the taxi's trunk. He had a look about him that meant that he was very pleased with himself. "I see you did," Ila replied as Adama scooped Zac into his arms so he could follow Artemis and Apollo into the house where Zakiya, Athena, and the rest of their family was waiting. They left her and Tigh behind, and she smiled at her husband's friend. Quickly, she gave him a hug. "Thank you, Tigh. You've made this a very special New Yahren for me, and I won't be forgetting this anytime too soon!" The End