Agent Fox Mulder (i_want_2) wrote in multi_fiction, @ 2008-09-30 14:23:00 |
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Entry tags: | au, galactica, rated: adult, slash |
Fic: Fallout 1/? BattleStar Galactica 2003
Title: Fallout
Author: Lopaka Tanu
Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership of Battlestar Galactica.
Characters: Gaeta, Lee, ensemble
Wordcount: 26063
Fandom: Battlestar Galactica
Pairing: Gaeta/Lee
Rating: Adult
Warnings: Language, Violence, Alternate Universe, Mpreg.
Summary: While fighting to survive, Felix must face his actions regarding the cylons and their consequences.
Timeline: Fifth. Sequel to Nessun Dorma, An Ocean Away, Apathy To Fire, and Silence.
Author's Note: Based upon the first twenty-five episodes.
______________________________________
"Prep the patient for emergency surgery. Don't worry about the clothes, he'll get more later!" Scowling, Cottle felt ready to cuff his nursing staff upside their collective ears. He took a final drag from his cigarette, stobbed it out in a pan, then pulled his mask on. Figures, at the end of the world, he would be stuck with the incompetent morons left over from the nursing school graduates.
~~~~~~~~ 33 ~~~
Exhausted from their continued jumps, Commander Adama, Colonel Tigh, Laura Roslin, Gaius Baltar, and Captain Apollo gathered around the wardroom table. On the table were files, hundreds of reports on genetic and cellular mutations. Inter sped among them were hand written copies of observations and calculations. Photos, large and small, digital and printed, were passed between them. Computer discs littered in a small stack at the edge of the table while Gaius went over them on a personal computer.
Just looking at it made Adama's skin crawl. To know that it existed on his ship made him furious beyond reason. It was a piece of banned technology for a reason. But, because of the graveness of their situation, he was left no other choice but to allow its continued existence. "Well, doctor?"
"Fascinating." Gaius' tone was breathless in wonder. In all his years, he had never seen such an advanced device, let alone run the programs it did. The vast storage of knowledge and amount of data stored in it made him hard. "I've never, in all my years, it's just... mind blowing!"
"Well, I'm glad one of us is happy about it." Frowning, Lee picked up another folder with information in it. Scanning the tag on it, he frowned. It was marked entry number two-eight-seven-dash-six. "This isn't Felix's hand writing, I wonder where he got all this from."
"Dr. Anton Atrius." Laura's words stilled Gaius' hands.
"What? That's impossible, Anton Atrius died during the cylon war!" Realizing his words, Gaius colored about his cheeks. "The first cylon war."
"No, he went underground." Turning a folder so Tigh and Adama could see it, Laura pointed to the pictures in it. On the right side of the file were comparisons between an old man and a young man. "Dr. Atrius changed his name and credentials to that of a colleague who did die. Says here it was too escape prosecution under the new science and technologies war crimes act."
"Why didn't he ever change back? The act was repealed two years after the war had ended." Feeling he should be the one to state the only question he could come up with, Tigh looked to Roslin expectantly. He wished he had a drink, the very research in the files creeped him out.
"His work still put him at risk. Besides, he had a comfy job and access to a personal lab. He had everything he wanted as Dr. Sarlos Sripos." Smiling at the name, she felt every minute of her exhaustion. "Gentlemen, I have no idea what all this means, and I think the only one who does lays dying in Galatica's infirmary."
"Actually, Madam President, I believe I can solve this." Pushing up his glasses, Gaius finished typing in the command string to reprogram the password on the computer and closed it. He would have need of it later and didn't want anyone else to have access to it. "Dr. Adama was continuing the research of Dr. Shenkar and Dr. Atrius. Not with the same purpose in mind, but one very specific goal."
"He knew they were coming." His words haunted her memory. Closing her eyes, Laura felt the table sway under her. "I'm exhausted, I am sure all of you are as well. Why don't we continue this later. We will discuss Mr. Gaeta's fate, if he should live, at another time."
"You won't." Staring at the President and his father in defiance, Lee stood up. "When he comes out of this, the only decision you are going to make is how best he can serve, just like the rest of us. Felix risked his life to expose the cylon technology, if he hadn't who knows what might have happened."
"Then why didn't the mutt warn us before we were attacked?" No one could answer Tigh's question. Pointing a finger at Lee, Tigh stared him down. "You can talk all you want, junior, but if he is a traitor, there is only one fate for him."
"Enough, both of you. When Mr. Gaeta... Felix wakes, he will be questioned. That's final." Rising from the table, Bill swayed a little and had to use the chair to hold himself steady. He needed to get some sleep and soon. "Madam President, if you wish to stay we have a VIP cabin, if you wish to leave, your ship is still docked in the port side landing bay."
"I'll take the cabin, thank you, Commander Adama." Rising from the table, she leaned on her own chair until the room stopped spinning. Feeling light headed, she snorted out a giggle. "Oh, I hope I don't fall flat on my face in front of your crew. That really isn't a good way to start off my presidency."
~~~~~~~~~~~
Slipping in to the quarters that had been Felix's a week ago, Lee glanced about the room. Upon the walls was everything that had been Felix's duffle not sealed in a box at the bottom of his bag. The contents of the box now rested in the Commander's hands, including the computer that Gaius hadn't wanted to let go of. Lee hadn't known Felix had it, or any of the contents of the box.
Sitting on the bunk, Lee admitted to himself there were many things he hadn't known about his husband, hadn't bothered to ask. One of those things he hadn't bothered to ask, where had Felix been during the times he was absent the first year of their relationship. Another thing he never asked, why had Felix stayed with him. His last words had been for him.
Letting the grief take hold, Lee looked up on the walls. He had had the chief put mounts on the walls for the pictures. An entire album spanning their two year marriage lined one wall. Another held pictures of Lee's family, his brother, his mother, even one with Admiral Montrose. Lee looked away quickly from the one of his mother kissing Montrose's cheek. They were gone, yet he couldn't bring himself to think about it.
The third wall was covered in one large tapestry. Lee didn't know how, or when, but his husband had taken it from the display case in their apartment back on Caprica. It had been wrapped in a leather case with a lock and a tag signed 'to Commander Adama'. He didn't know what Felix had in mind, but he wasn't giving it to his father. On the wall beside the bed, Lee had the mounted picture of Felix in his underwear and unbuttoned shirt with the pellet gun down his pants.
That had been his one contribution to the room's decor, it never left Lee's own duffle except when he was stationed away from home. Home was now an eight by ten room on the BattleStar Galactica. At least he and Felix would share it together. Unzipping his flight suit, he allowed himself to remember the precious few hours before the meeting. He had been so exhausted flying the Viper. Under normal circumstances he would never have been out there without sleep.
When Felix woke up, he would confess to being a murderer. What his husband decided of him he would except as what he was. Fifteen hundred people, if they had been real, had lost their lives at his hands. Fifteen hundred people on a transport with nukes heading towards his home, his family, his husband. Squeezing the trigger had been an easy choice.
Too easy.
Slipping out of his flight suit, he fell back against the bed. His bed, soon to be their bed. Felix would be well enough to come home soon and he planned on making one for them. They would have each other, there were people he knew on the ship, he would make it work. Slipping in to sleep, Lee didn't notice as his face became soaked in tears.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Standing on the outside of the infirmary, Gaius watched through the door as Felix was tended by a nurse. It wasn't normally a life threatening wound, but the delay in his treatment had been costly. They had waited until after the attack, then he had to wait until the injured pilots were taken care of, finally, the jumping began. All in all, Gaius estimated Felix had waited close to six hours before being treated.
It was disgusting.
Because of Commander Adama's anger, Felix Adama lay in a drug induced coma. Gaius shivered, it could just as easily be him if the commander knew how involved he had been. Already, the man looked at him as if he was the enemy just because of his field of study. The man needed him since an over zealous guard had nearly killed his other best hope. Gaius had heard what had happened, knew Felix was trying to save them.
Who knew, if they hadn't shot the good Major, three of the ships lost because of the bumbling tactical officer might still be with them. As it was, they had him calculating jumps while Tigh ran the damned dradis. Lieutenant Hanlon was cooling his heels in his quarters nursing a broken jaw. Adama Jr. was quite a mean insomniac.
Chuckling, Gaius felt weary of being stuck on the Galactica. No other ship would have him thanks to the Commander's edict. He had been drafted, for lack of a better word, in to the service of the colonies. Holding no official rank or title, he was simply Dr. Baltar, jack of all trades. Oh yes, there was no denying it, he was truly indispensable to these people. So, it served him if no one ever knew he and the beautiful, but deadly, Natasi had ever met.
Sadly, that meant Felix was safer for him dead. Despite the influence of his own personal Natasi demon, he wouldn't bring himself to kill the man. Felix had spared his life when he could have turned him in as a traitor, he would spare his in return. As fingers creeped up his neck to caress his cheek on one side, Six's face pressed against his other.
"Stewing again, my love? If you hadn't told me you didn't brood, I would think you were doing it now." Wrapping her arms around his waist, she squeezed him tight enough to make him gasp. "Since you've been so kind, God has told me to give you a gift. Aaron Doral is a cylon."
"What?" In alarm, Gaius turned to look at her but the apparition was gone. Swallowing, he cast a final glance to Felix, then went off to his lab. There were samples he was running for analysis based upon Felix's findings, Aaron Doral was one of them.
~~~~~~~~~~
Hitting the switch that sent Aaron Doral in to space was almost like ecstasy for him. A quick glance over his shoulder told Lee that he wasn't the only one who enjoyed watching the bastard get sucked out. When they had confronted him earlier that morning with Gaius' findings, the cylon hadn't even pretended. Instead, he tried to get them to shoot him. It wouldn't have been nearly as satisfying, but would have saved them hours of frustratingly futile interrogation.
"Well, I could certainly do that again." Rubbing her hands together, Kara grinned at Gaius. "Got any more?"
In disgust, Gaius turned away. He wanted nothing to do with these people, their blood lust was beyond repulsive. Shoving passed the guards, he fled in to the corridor and back to his lab. At least this way he could find some room to breathe. The fact they had just spaced someone who had been a personal threat to him had nothing to do with. If the cylon had named him... Gaius shook it off.
Back in the docking port, Bill saw the President in a new light. He had thought she would fight for the rights of the cylon, a bleeding heart that sympathized with life. When she had unequivocally stated to space him, even he had been surprised. There was a calculating coldness to her that he hadn't believed existed. Grudgingly, he had to admit he liked it.
Letting his hand fall from the airlock controls, Lee stepped back. Ignoring the others, he slipped out of the docking port and turned towards the infirmary. Since he had no job today, it being Kara's shift on CAP, he resigned himself to spending it in the infirmary. Even after twelve hours of sleep, he still felt exhausted.
Kara watched Lee leave in silence. She sympathized with him, but Felix's actions had gotten him shot, no one else's. Saluting the Commander, she headed back to the pilot's barracks to get ready for her duty shift.
The last one left in the room, Laura continued to watch the airlock. Her first official execution. She still felt the cold and bitter hatred that had coursed through her the moment she learned Aaron was a cylon. If he had been near her, she would have tried to kill him herself. As it was, she felt unresolved, bereft of closure. Deep inside, she wanted them to hurt, all of them. The cylons had done this to her and her people, they deserved whatever she could deal them.
~~~~~~~~ Water ~~~~
Coming awake, a deep seeded ache spread through out his chest and Felix knew pain. Flexing the damaged muscles, he grit his teeth. It would hurt anyways, this way the ache would be from healing instead of atrophy. Not knowing how long he had been out, he reached up to rub at his chin. There was stubble, but also cuts, whoever had shaved him wasn't used to his face.
He tried to sit up, but the stitching across his shoulder forced him to remain flat until the twinging passed. When they had, he gently pulled himself up in to a sitting position on the gurney. After that was accomplished, he let his body rest once more and looked around. Through the clear curtains that cordoned off his bed from the rest of the infirmary, he saw a few people milling about as a nurse looked over them.
There were surprisingly few people in the infirmary from what he remembered. They had been engaged in a battle at that point, which they obviously had survived. Since there wasn't a guard about, either they hadn't expected him to live or he wasn't under arrest. But they would have many questions.
Bracing himself, Felix decided to put his mind in order. He knew the time would come very soon when he had to answer them. It wouldn't do to get things wrong and they be able to call him on it. Thankfully, he had two years to prepare for this day. All he needed to do was update his prepared responses.
The one question he knew they would ask he didn't feel comfortable answer was probably the worst. Why hadn't he told anyone? His answer to that one might not go over too well. People tended to only hear the worst part of an explanation and judge you upon that. So, in it's stead, he came up with the half answer. "Because I had no proof. When I tried telling the nursing staff they sedated me and put me in restraints claiming I was delusional. Which precludes my main reason, because I didn't think they deserved to know."
"Deserved to know what?" Marking down information on his chart, Cottle sighed with disgust at the appearance of his patient. "You are not supposed to be sitting up."
"So have me thrown in the brig." Waving it off, Felix yawned. "Give it to me straight, doc, am I going to ever get my game back?"
"You're lucky to still have that arm. If it weren't for a healthier than average immune system, you should be dead." After setting the chart down on the beside table, Cottle took Felix's injured shoulder in hand and raised the arm. He ignored Felix's wince as he moved it about. "Astounding the way the human body works. If I didn't know better, I would say three weeks ago you had been shot."
"You mean I dreamed that?" Felix chuckled. It was a bad situation, but he had survived worse. "What's the status of the ship?"
"Too damned many whiny babies. If I have to treat another person for stressed induced insomnia I'm going to start prescribing knocks to the head." Releasing Felix, Cottle struck a match and lit his cigarette. Blowing smoke away from his patient, he ignored the scowl Felix shot him. "I've ordered a new set of screens on your blood, there seems to be a few anomalies that I can't account for at this time and no time to figure out why. Perhaps Baltar can have better luck, with all that crap you've been working on, he seems to think he has the answer to everything."
"Believe me, I'd rather not have it." Felix had known distantly that they would find the research, but that Baltar was working with it shocked him. "What of it all? Am I to be arrested?"
"Better hope not, seems the going rate for being an enemy of the state these days is spacing." Cottle patted his leg in a humoring gesture. "The stitches come out tomorrow, hope you like pain." Walking away, he spewed smoke like a demon trying to scare his nurses.
"What kind of world have I woken to?" There was no response. Yawning again, Felix settled back down in his blankets. He could deal with them later. Rolling over on to his good side, he tugged the blankets over his bad shoulder and went to sleep.
~~~~~~~~~~
The second time he awoke it was to find the stool next to his gurney occupied. It wasn't the person he had hoped to see. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he gently moved so he could see her better. "What can I do for you, Madam President?"
"That's the first time you've called me that, now I know it's official." Smiling, she tried to feel levity, but ended up sighing. This was harder than she thought. "Were you ever going to tell us?"
"I told you." It was the truth, he could have tried harder, but he had told her. Suddenly looking away, he had to fight off a wave of dizziness. His stomach was upset, making him feel nauseous. "Humanity en mass is a vile creature, betwixt with corruption and disease at the core..."
"Don't quote philosophy at me! As far as many are concerned, you are just as guilty as the cylons." Laura had to rein in her temper, assaulting a bid ridden person was never a good thing. "But, I think, you are worse. You knew what was coming, and you chose to let it happen. You betrayed your own species."
"They aren't my species." Felix whispered the words mostly to himself, but he realized the president had heard him. Taking a deep breath, he faced her again, expression blank. "I'm not a cylon, but I'm not human either. I ceased being human a long time ago."
She sat, quiet. Honesty aside, she had no idea what to make of him. Upon realizing he wasn't going to speak, she decided to prod him. "What are you then?"
"A hand." Sitting up, he put the pain from his mind and reached out to grab her hand. "Turn it over, tell me what you see." Releasing her hand, he sat back in his bed.
On a whim, she complied. "I see my palm, four fingers and an opposable thumb."
"You aren't using your imagination." Flattening his hand and palm, he cut through the air first up, then down. Curling his fingers, Felix waved his hand to fan himself. "I am a hand."
"What does this have to do with your actions involving the cylons?" She wouldn't be distracted by his displays. He was trying to hide something and it wasn't going to stay that way.
"They deserved to die. Humanity's time has passed. God has decreed the Cylons will take their place. Is that what you want to hear?" Despite his words, his tone was plaintive. He hoped he was wrong, but he believed she had already made up her mind about him. This was just for her own curiosity's sake. "The line between cylon and human is thin. Your two cultures are radically different, but in the end, you're both just living organisms bent on self domination."
It took monumental effort not to scream at him. "Why did you do it?"
"My work was with reproductive technologies, it made me valuable to them. The principle of a perfect being being sterile hits a little too close to home for them. I gave them technology to help with their reproductive states in exchange for my life when they came to wipe out humanity. Enlightened self interest I believe it is called. They were going to win either way, you didn't stand a chance." When she rose from the stool, he almost felt a twinge of sympathy, but it quickly went away.
"Despite your efforts, I won't have you put to death. Instead, you are confined to my service. You will do what I tell you, Mr. Adama, when I tell you." Stalking away, she hoped it wasn't a mistake. There wasn't a good answer to his actions, but what he had told her contained a grain of truth.
In Dr. Cottle's office, Laura met with Commander Adama. His expression made her want something hard to drink. "He didn't betray us. He won't give a straight answer as to why, but I think he partially believes what he is telling me." Glancing out the door towards Felix's bed, she felt a chill sweep her. "You said we never asked why we deserved to live in your speech. I think he did."
"And?" Bill sincerely disliked being lead around by words and the people who wielded them.
"He didn't help either side. I'll leave you to draw your own conclusions." A final look to Felix, then she walked away.
~~~~~~~~Bastille Day~~~~
Tentatively, Lee walked in the infirmary. For the past three days since Felix had awakened, he had avoided going to visit him. It had hurt to stay away, but he had to be sure he wouldn't rebuke his husband for his actions. He wasn't going to blame Felix for the death of his mother and his friends. They were going to get through it together, even if they had to drag each other along by the hair.
All good sense fled at the sight of his husband. He had been expecting Felix to look at him with some emotion, any emotion. The blank face set something off in him like an explosion and sudden rage filled him. Lee had to hold himself back to keep from harming Felix. "You're alive."
"Who hit you?" Rising from his gurney, Felix eased himself to the deck. When Lee tried to withdraw from him, Felix's hands shot up to cup his bruised cheek. Gently, he probed at the tender flesh, letting his thumb caress the cheek.
"Why?" Sullen, he avoided looking at Felix's eyes.
"I'm going kill them." The line was delivered in such a sincere tone, Felix knew he meant it. His insides were knotted with the need to throw up and his sudden anger at seeing his husband harmed. Someone had hurt his husband and he intended to make an end of them. "Who hit you?"
"It's been taken care of." Lee winced when Felix embraced him. His sides were still sore from the fight aboard the Astral queen. "Why did you do it, Felix? You should have warned us, we deserved the right to fight!"
"You are alive when everyone else is dead. Do not ask any more." There was tense silence between them. Giving in to the need, Felix lowered his head to Lee's shoulder. It was the safest place in the universe to him, in Lee's arms all else ceased to be.
Slowly at first, Lee reluctantly raised his arms to wrap around his husband's body. When he was close, he finally noticed the tremors running through Felix. A sniff alerted him to the fact he was crying. "They're all gone."
Nodding, Felix struggled to compose himself, but being with Lee again released the last of his will power. He was lost to his emotions. Thankfully, Lee was there to hold him steady. "I love you."
Considering his emotions, Lee tried to summon up something through the anger and resentment. All he could achieve was cold numbness. Grabbing Felix by the arms, he forced him to take a step back. "I want to, but I don't think I can return it any more."
All feeling left him. Staring at his husband, Felix's world was immensely calm. Composing himself, he nodded. "Very well, Captain. I believe that since our relationship is now concluded, there is no point in delaying the inevitable." He backed completely out of Lee's arms. "You are dismissed back to your duties."
Nodding, Lee felt himself breathe easier. It shouldn't have been so, they were married. If the furies took him harder in hand, then not even that would remain. He was through the hatch in to the corridor before he even realized he had been walking. His duties could wait, he was too conflicted for the moment.
When someone put a hand on his shoulder, Felix shrugged it off. Rubbing at his still raw shoulder, he slid off the patient gown. Looking to a nurse, he signaled for her to come over. "Get me my clothes, please."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Four miners do not just die in an accident, I want to know how exactly the equipment failed so it doesn't happen again. Tell the forewoman that she is to halt all drilling with that standard until we find out the source." Entering her makeshift office on Colonial One, Laura handed a note to Billy. "Ensure this is sent to the Admiral, it is my authorization for the cessation of use of that standard."
"Yes, ma'am. Anything else?" Billy glanced up to see where he was going and promptly dropped his clip board.
Seeing the freaked expression on her aide, Laura turned to find out what had caused him to... "Good morning, Felix."
"Madam President." Rising from his chair in front the desk, Felix extended his good hand.
After a moment of hesitation, Laura accepted it. They shook twice before she withdrew. "What brings you to my ship?"
"Duty. You reserved my services, I hear and obey." He cast a quick glance to Billy, then dismissed him from thought. The boy was little more than an infant, Felix had no use for him. Switching his view back to Laura, he inclined his head. A few curls slipped out of his baret, but he left them. He would have to see what passed for a barber on the Galactica soon. "What shall I do for you today?"
"What an intimidating figure you are in that uniform." Her tone light, she enjoyed the smile he gave her teasing. There was too much seriousness in the recent times. "I assume Dr. Cottle gave you leave to go back to work."
"Dr. Cottle's opinion in that matter is that I am better without taking up a gurney in his infirmary. I am well enough to carry out my duties, you need not fear my competence." Four miners on the service of the ice planet below the fleet were proof of that. Not that anyone knew that, it was just something for himself, and Lee.
"Ah, well, there is nothing at the moment. I am currently addressing the lack of supplies in the fleet, which seems to be the only thing we have in abundance." She cast a look over her shoulder to Billy. "Well, get to it."
"Right! Right!" Bending over, he picked up his fallen clipboard and backed out of the cabin towards the front of Colonial One.
"Cute kid, but he needs to grow in to his body." Sitting down again, Felix unbuttoned the top of his uniform and the bottom three. His shoulder was protesting the movements, but he didn't care. "What did you learn at the doctors on Caprica?"
"You were right." Coming around her desk, she was about to take her seat, but noticed a jar in the chair. Frowning, she picked it up and examined it. Laura gasped. "Where did you find this?"
"There is an Oracle among the fleet. She carries more than enough to spare." Felix frowned. He didn't like to think about Chamalla, he knew there was still enough in his system to pose a risk if he imbibed any intoxicant. "Doctor Cottle mentioned to a nurse that someone requested Chamalla. There is only really one reason for it and the secrecy he put behind the request."
"I see." Once again, she was reminded of why she missed him as her aide. She had someone to fill that role now, he wasn't as good as Felix, but there were other issues to consider. Putting the jar on her desk, she sat down in the chair and leaned over it. "I have no official duties for you right now. The Galactica is handling security, but I am sure they could use your skills. The sooner we can establish something akin to normalcy among the fleet, the better our people will feel."
"I understand. My recommendation is to secure outside security personnel for them. A Civilian Authority would not go remiss. While the military is there to protect them, they will only grow to fear and resent your administration if you continue to use them as a police force." He started to lean back in his chair, but winced and switched sides.
"How will we pay them? Currency at the moment is basically worthless. Most people are bartering away what they carry faster than we can inventory it. Those with the most to hand out are hording." Placing her head in her hands, she rubbed at her forehead. Her eyes closed, just wanting it all to go away for a few days. "Most of the ships have little to no room to spare, what people are on them are packed in like sardines. They never intended to support so many people in such a little space. I can't imagine how far we must go before we will have room to stretch our legs. This all just seems so hopeless right now."
"The right path always feels that way, it's why so many people fail. Their own anxiety and fears weigh heavier than the actual task and crushes their spirit." Taking a moment to breathe through his gritted teeth, Felix rubbed at his shoulder. The last spasm had been particularly painful.
Raising her head at the sound, she stared at him confusion. Watching his movements made her realize just how serious his condition had been. "Take the time off and recover while you can. Go back to Galactica and your husband."
"I no longer have a husband." Felix waved off her expression with an unconcerned gesture. "He blamed me for Caroline's death. I told him I loved him, he said he can't return it. We both agreed it's over."
That gave her pause and took her mind away from her duties. Her own resentment towards him flared, but she forced her way through it. There was no point to it. "What exactly was the extent of your involvement?"
"I gave them access to forbidden research." Again, he seemed aloof from his response. The only tell that he felt something was the way he finished speaking by closing his mouth and exhaling through his nose. Shrugging, he looked out through the port holes.
"So they would spare your life?" Her tone was sardonic. She knew when he was lying to her, he tried too hard to make it believable.
"Basically, yes." That was all she was going to get out of him on the subject. Picking at his uniform, he let the muscles in his shoulder relax. "You should consider my idea about a Civilian Authority. It gives legitimacy to your government, and if it is comprised of civilians, grounds it in reality to them that they still have a say."
"I'll give it some thought." He had lied to her about his reason, that Laura knew. They held something over him, or more likely, offered him something he desperately wanted. What would they have had that he wanted? The thought was as troubling as it was puzzling. If they did it once, they could do it again. "I'll have Billy set aside a bed for you here onboard Colonial One. I want you to get some rest and ready to talk tomorrow."
"You should try that yourself." Rising from his chair, Felix left her to attend her works.