Agent Fox Mulder (i_want_2) wrote in multi_fiction, @ 2008-10-04 06:32:00 |
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Entry tags: | au, galactica, rated: adult, slash |
Fic: Fallout 3/? BattleStar Galactica 2003
Back from Transexual, Transylvania. Went there in my lace-up boots and went motorcycling through some living rooms.
Actually, I've been distracted by writing these past two days and that is the only reason I have not posted. But I am all better now and regular daily posts will once more continue. Now, without further adieu, Fallout Part 3.
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.
______________________________________
By the time Felix and Gaius emerged from the laboratory, they were stretching and yawning, and half starved. One look about the deserted halls and they were grateful. After hours of constant work, they cared very little for human company. By mutual agreement, they headed to the messhall for something to eat. Then they would stop off in Gaius' bunk to rest since he had a spare bed.
Stretching his back, Felix felt several of his joints pop. "Oh, that felt good."
"I completely agree." After his own stretch, Gaius plodded down the deck, taking the lead. For the first time, he didn't feel out of place on the Galactica. It was actually kind of peaceful, for a change. May be it was the lack of military uniforms in sight.
After they round a corner, Felix felt his peaceful malaise evaporate with the arrival of other people. There were dozens of crewmen in the messhall, more than he thought there should have been at that time of day. It wasn't fair. Ignoring the stares he received, he walked up to the chow line and grabbed a tray.
The looks didn't go unnoticed by Gaius. He had received his share of them weeks ago, but now they either ignored him or welcomed him. This was different, most were down right hostile, but all were aimed at his companion. Sticking close to Felix, he decided not to leave the man alone. These were fighters, who knew what kind of shit they would try.
One scowl at the serving staff from Felix stopped any and all actions. They quickly served him just to get him away. Taking his meal, he walked over to a table that quickly emptied and sat down. He didn't want their company anyways. Noisy gnats, they needed to be swatted.
Gaius took his lead and ate in relative silence. There were a few times he started to say something, but Felix's look kept him quiet. It wasn't worth alienating his only friend on the ship just to relieve the tension among morons. They finished together and he dumped his tray in the trash before returning it to the dishes. When he saw the staff toss their trays in the trash instead of the washer, he almost said something, but was beaten to the punch.
In a fit of anger, Felix picked up a clean tray and threw it like a disk at the man who was responsible. It caught him in the head and the man sank like a dead weight. Spinning on the instantly silent messhall, Felix grabbed another tray. "Anyone else want to frak with me?"
One marine started to rise, but the tray clipped him between the eyes and he fell back in his seat.
Felix had another tray up ready to take out the next brave soul. He was disappointed when everyone remained in their seats. His anger not abated, he brought the metal tray down on the edge of the washer counter, snapping it in half. Several people behind him slid their chairs back and flinched when he glared at them. "It's no wonder they won, you're all a bunch of cowards!"
"Better than a traitor!" The messhall grew even more quiet.
A smirk grew on Felix's face. "Whatever helps you sleep when you're alone, pissing your bunk in fear." Tossing the ragged edges of his tray in the trash, Felix stalked out of the messhall like he was the reigning champion.
Sullenly, Gaius followed after. They were going start glaring at him again either way, he might as well do something to earn this time.
For a while after, the messhall remained silent.
~~~~ You Can't Go Home Again ~~~~
Rubbing his forehead, Commander Adama read over the sensor report. So far all scans had turned up negative for Starbuck's crashed fighter. Now, to top it off, Lee's husband was causing a rukus on his ship. Certainly, it wasn't without provocation, but he had gone too far. Whatever it was that bothered him, there was no excuse for his sudden bouts of emotional outbursts. He would have to consult Doc Cottle to get a better diagnosis before he did anything about it.
Lee would object to whatever he did, that much he knew. That was one of the reasons he was waiting. His decision would be taken better through Lee than from anyone else. Another added benefit would be that Lee might actually have to face his mistakes head-on for once and take responsibility for them alone. He needed to refocus his world on his own mistakes.
Putting aside the report, he picked up Felix's personnel folder. He had updated it with information he had secretly obtained from the president's personal files. Whoever had assembled it was good enough to point in the general direction of where the bodies were buried. They had also ammended them to account for Felix's cylon involvement, and built upon that.
He would have to send the president a bottle of ambrosia for them.
There were hinted at personal motives that might or might not have led to blackmail on the part of the cylons. Obviously he was important to them, possibly enough to spare when the rest of humanity was wiped out. How and why weren't exactly clear. A single line gave him clue that the cylons needed him to work on their genetics. But for a synthetic being to exist in such a perfect replication of humanity negated anything he could think of. Not even what he had seen of the research could come close to their level of sophistication.
Then again, may be what they lacked was on a fundamental level. May be they were too advanced in their own design to realize where they went wrong. So, why were they trying to reproduce with the human models? He would think the human models would be the last ones they would try creating more of, since they obviously hated the originals so much. It was very confusing and unfortunately, given the circumstances, there was only one way to find out.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Gripping the metal pen between his fingers to keep from yelling, Felix refused to look at the commander. They were in his quarters and the commander was trying to interrogate him. "One question, and then I'll leave."
"One question, depending upon your answer, I will consider dismissing you." Watching the man over his desk, he reworded the question he had been formulating for the past half hour. It was a good distraction to keep his mind off the search, one that was too good. More than once he had completely forgotten about Kara. "You said the cylons were interested in reproduction. To what purpose?"
Sighing, Felix physically felt his relief. "They learned almost everything they are from us, right down to the basic principles of life. Self propagation is one of those. They can make more cylons, but everyone is just another clone of the original. To truly become a living being, their replication must produce a wholly unique offspring." Unthinking, his hand went to his gut.
Adama noticed the gesture, but thought nothing of it. "So what you are saying is that they suffer from a neurotic maternal instinct?" He couldn't keep the smile off his face.
"Partially, yes. As for why they did what they did, sir, I can only guess. My understanding is that it was combination of events leading to the belief that we're too great a threat to keep alive. This mating instinct was just a symptom of their ever evolving sense of awareness. Preservation of the self becomes preservation of the species." Felix could tell from the annoyed look on the Commander's face what exactly he thought about a process Baltar had found fascinating.
"How far did they get in their...efforts?" He wasn't going to come right out and ask if he should be looking for baby cylons.
"I happen to know they got pretty far." Realizing he was stroking the front of his uniform, Felix tried to make it look like he was scratching his stomach then dropped the hand to his side. It was becoming a dangerous habit. If he kept up, they would soon become suspicious.
Fine, so he would ask. "Should I alert my XO to keep an eye out for red eyed babies?"
"Don't discount the theory as a joke, Commander. They may be closer than you think. Am I free to go?" Felix had to get out of there before he completely lost it.
Sitting back, Adama considered him for a moment before nodding. The young man was obviously hiding something. At least he hadn't exploded, then again, the bent metal pen in Felix's hand probably had a lot to do with that. Smiling as the younger man left, he felt a little better.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hands shaking, Felix ran them through his freed hair. Heart racing, he tried to slow it down by taking deep breaths. All his actions were symptoms of an oncoming panic attack and he was desperately trying to avert it. His emotions were so clearly off the mark that he was actually started to get scared. Forcing his body to slow down, Felix admitted to himself he would need help. He couldn't take nine months of this.
Easing himself from against the bulkhead, Felix put back on his baret. After a second thought, he took it off then stuffed it in the pocket of his uniform. He didn't need any more distractions and a tight hat would prove just that. Ignoring the few looks he got as he walked, he moved determinedly towards the infirmary. Only one person he knew of could help get him through this.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Fan-fraking-tastic." Dead pan monotone, that was his least favorite voice. In his initial shock, Cottle had dropped his cigar and the imaging wand. Having recovered the wand, he was sadly disappointed that the cigar was stomped on in his bumbling and thus irretrievable. Stilling himself, he glanced from the screen to Felix. "There is no doubt, young man, you are indeed pregnant. I certainly hope your husband is the father."
Feeling light headed, Felix began to giggle. It was frakking real. While he was unable to see the screen, he could tell from Cottle's reaction. Hands shaking, he reached out to knock the wand away from his gel covered stomach. It was still his body for a little while longer and he wanted some dignity. Sitting up, he pulled closed his shirt.
He became aware he had lost against the tears when Cottle handed him a cloth. Wiping off his face, then his stomach, he looked down. "What am I going to do? I'm not even sure this thing is human."
"A quick genetic panel should prove if the fetus is yours biologically. There are several options open to you at this point in development. The further along this thing grows, the higher your risk." For the most part, Cottle was going to treat this as if he was talking to one of his female patients. The alternative was just too damned mind boggling to contemplate at the moment. "You are under no obligation to carry it to full term."
"You can take it out of me?" Head shooting up in hope, Felix watched Cottle nod and felt himself relax. Opening his shirt again, he bared the slight swelling of flesh. "Get it out of me, now!"
"No way in hell. For starters, you're mentally unstable and likely facing a dangerous chemical imbalance. We have to diagnose such conditions and treat them before we can even begin considering you for surgery." Lighting up his spare, Cottle sucked on the cigar to get the sour taste of bile out of his throat. "You have enough medical training to know this. Get your head straight, then we'll discuss taking that bun out of your oven." Another thing he wasn't going to tell him was that he wasn't quite sure they could even do it safely considering the designers.
Felix took a moment to compose himself best he could. After, he rolled up his sleeve. "I suppose you might want to take another sample. After Baltar let slip what the contaminants in my blood were, I stole the sample he took and disposed of it."
"That might be a problem." As he inserted the needle and filled a vial with blood, Cottle shook his head. Things just weren't what they used to be. "Until we are sure you are settled, you are off active duty. If the rumors of your activities are true, you aren't taking this very well and I don't trust you with anything vital. If you want, I can give you a mild sedative to help keep you calm."
"I believe it is necessary. My emotions have become unstable and I..." Raising his head, he was determined not to let his emotions best him again. "I have become a threat to the crew and fleet. I will abide by your decision and agree with it. If you feel it is necessary, you have my permission to inform the Commander and the President, but not Lee. I mean, Captain Apollo."
"Sounds reasonable." Wiping off Felix's arm, Cottle pocketed the vial just in case Felix decided to dispose of the evidence again. "I'll take a look at this personally, there are too many gossips on this ship for security in this matter. When I get back, I will draw a blood sample from the fetus, that way we can confirm it's paternity. In the mean while, I'll have a nurse bring the sedative, you will let her inject it without hassle. So just lay back and get comfortable."
Quietly, Felix did as he was told. For safety reasons, he fought to feel nothing. There was no point in being angry, he had wanted this and needed it. By the time the nurse came around, he was ready to bite his own arm off.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Taking a step back from Kara to give her Nuggets a chance to talk with her, Lee looked around the infirmary for the first time since coming in. He noticed there was only one other occupied divider, and there was a lot of equipment around it. Curious, he walked slowly towards it as not to attract attention to himself. Ten feet away he recognized two of the voices, one belonged to Cottle, the other.
"The results are conclusive, the fetus is completely human." Closing the chart, Cottle felt like lighting up again, but the calm demeanor in his patient didn't unsettle him enough to require it. Besides, if Felix decided to keep it, then the baby would be harmed by it. "The only question now is, do you wish to keep it or shall I remove it? There are complications involved either way, but you are sufficiently strong enough that keeping the fetus won't kill you. That handy organ they gave you also helps."
Felix was silent a long time. Staring down at his still flat stomach, he could barely make out where the growth was occurring. It would only grow larger as the weeks passed. He had something inside of him, something alien and unknown. "What kind of changes can I expect to my body?"
"I'm not exactly sure. Given the hormonal imbalance, you might soften in certain areas. Your facial hair might stop production or increase. Your hips will certainly widen, there is no getting passed that." He had to bite his lips over the last one. "There is a good chance you might develop breasts if you elect not to take the hormone supplements."
Eyes narrowed, Felix kept his back straight. "I will take them daily." There was no way in hell he was allowing his body to transform so drastically. It was already bad enough he was keeping the brat. Felix stopped dead in his mental tracks. Sure enough, he realized the moment he heard it was human he was keeping it. "Is it a boy or girl?"
"Boy. If you want to know who the parents are, you will have to do that yourself. Genetics isn't my field of expertise." He smiled to Felix, hoping it was reassuring. Being kind wasn't normal, he was a doctor, he fixed people up, not hold their hands. "If you feel different at all, you be sure to tell me. The supplements I gave you should counter act anything. Be sure to take the Dramamine, it will cut the effects of nausea. Oh, and eat regularly, it will keep the emotional flare ups to a minimal."
"I'll do that." Still not looking up, Felix only saw Cottle's shadow disappear to know that he was gone. Sliding his hand over the harden flesh of his stomach, Felix tried to imagine what his son would look like. It wasn't hard to summon up the face of a boy with Lee's eyes. "What if you are his son? Will you leave me too?" Rolling on to his side, Felix curled around his pillow.
Outside the curtained area, Cottle caught sight of Lee. Glaring at him until he walked away, the older man bit down on his cigar. So much for keeping the Captain in the dark. Now that he knew, Cottle had to tell the Commander and President right away or risk problems. "Damned nosey little boys."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Entering the lab, Laura was glad to see that Gaius wasn't in at the moment. She came around the lab top and leaned against it next to the working Felix. Crossing her arms, she waited until he looked up from the microscope before speaking. "I hear you've been busy. I thought you were going to stay out of the infirmary, not move to the Galactica to be closer."
Bone tired, Felix nodded as he rubbed his eyes. He had hoped that Cottle would handle it, apparently he was going to have to deal with himself. Blinking, he stared up at her. "There have been a few changes."
"I thought that was implicit in the message." Despite her pleasant demeanor, she was angry. She had kept him on her staff for a reason. "Will this interfere with your duty?"
"As Inspector General, no. I am still going over the applications for the police. When I get settled in here, I will invite the prospective candidates here for training. I am sure you can agree, Galactica has the resources and equipment to train them best." He waited for her to nod before he continued. "As far as my other roles in your staff, I am afraid my use will be limited because of my condition."
"Well, if you tell me, I am sure we can figure out a way to keep you in some capacity." She watched him glance back to his lab equipment as it beeped. "Does it have anything to do with the tests you are running here?"
"Yes. Madam President, will you witness and notarize this for me?" Reaching under a clipboard next to him, he pulled out a white trifolded bundle of papers. Pulling it open, he handed it to her.
A quick scan of the top sheet let Laura know what was going on with them. She cast a serious expression to him. "Are you certain?"
"It's what he wants and I could never tell him no." Taking the papers back with a shaking hand, he put them on the lab top and signed them. Handing them to her, he let her sign them and initial her notarized print. After he folded them back up and placed them under the clip board once more, he walked over to the machine that had beeped. Taking the laminate print out, he smiled. "Here goes nothing." With a tense smile, he held up the DNA profile to the light so he could examine it.
~~~~~~ Litmus ~~~~~~
Feeling slightly distanced from his body, Felix watched people run down the corridors to find something. They were searching corridors and hatches, quickly discarding it all. Nothing seemed to catch their eye and he didn't care enough to ask what it was. Continuing down the corridor, he came around to stand in a junction. In an almost dreamlike state, he turned to glance up the corridor and was nearly run down by a staggering Tigh.
"Watch where you're going!" Walking up the corridor, Tigh continued on undeterred by another person. It took him a moment, but he thought he recognized the person. "Hey, don't I know you?"
Coming up to stand beside Felix, Commander Adama was intending to speak with the younger man, but Tigh's actions caught his attention.
"He's a cylon." Facing away from the person Tigh had nearly run down, Felix pierced Adama with his stare. Calmer than he knew he should be, he spoke in an even tone that belied the urgency of the situation. "He's come to destroy the Galactica."
As the words came from Felix's mouth, the cylon slowly turned to display his jacket of bombs. "Very good, Gaeta." Raising the detonator, he smiled wickedly. "Good bye."
Grabbing Felix by the shoulders, Adama threw them in to a side hatch. Half a second later the corridor erupted in flames.
Landing on his back jolted Felix from his stupor. Crying out in pain, he clutched at the nearest object to stabilize himself.
Said object being Adama, he winced in pain from the fall and Felix's grip on his arm. He tried not to let it show, but the grunt revealed his pain. "Are you all right?"
"No." Groaning, Felix laid his head back on he deck. All around him the world swirled until he felt sick. "I think I bruised something in the fall." When the world went black, his breathing evened out.
"Major?" Frowning, Adama tried to pat Felix's cheek. When he didn't get a response, he climbed to his feet. He had to get a damage report and make sure Felix was taken to the infirmary.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Head in a bandage, Felix took a deep breath, hoping his pain killers would kick in soon. "As the only member of the Inspector General's office, it should be me who interrogates the witnesses. Sargent Hadrian is not fit or of sufficient rank to conduct the interviews. Nor does she have any law back ground."
"She is the Master-At-Arms for the Galactica, her posts ensures she is qualified. That will have to be enough." Turning away from the protesting man, Adama rubbed at his own scratched up cheek. In the ensuing fire, several beams had become over heated and buckled. He had been clipped by one falling and was lucky to have kept his head.
"Fine, but I reserve the right to sit in on all of her interrogations." Felix raised his head, trying to display a defiance to the Commander, but ended up falling back against his desk, dizzy. There were days he hated being pregnant more than others, today was one of them. "As the last of the Civilian Authority, it is my duty, Commander, to ensure that all goes smoothly in military and civilian relations."
Having observed the major's reactions, Bill knew that he wasn't going to be able to completely fulfill that obligation. He decided to let him try any ways. "All right. You may sit in, but do not interfere unless the Tribunal specifically instructs you to."
"Aye, sir." Rubbing at his forehead and back separately, Felix groaned. His body's center of gravity was slowly changing to adapt, and he was fighting to keep up. "This baby is going to be the death of me." It took him several moments to realize what he said. Opening one eye, he stared up at the Commander in apprehension.
"So, am I to be a grand father?" He knew from the relief on the other man's face it was the right thing to ask.
"Um, I suppose it couldn't hurt. The results came back this morning before the incident. It's why I was wondering dazed." Felix scratched his back. "I don't know how they did it, but yes, the next generation of Adamas is on the way. Before you say anything, no, Lee does not know, and I plan on keeping it that way."
Jaw clenching, Adama closed his eyes. "You are going to need help..."
"I have it. Dr. Cottle is providing me with the best of care considering the circumstances. As for raising my son, Lee isn't exactly qualified in these matters. Besides," he stood up, "Lee has his own hands full. I hear he and Kara are almost inseparable these days."
And Adama couldn't tell him how much that upset him. They were his children, it felt wrong that they should be so close. "You are still married."
"Yeah. About that, let me end the suspense before it kills someone. Lee issued the proceedings for divorce to me and Priestess Elosha three days ago. Seems he couldn't wait until after Starbuck was found to settle things." Sighing, he headed for the hatch on the Commander's quarters. "I signed them this morning before I got the results. As far as the spirit of the law, I did not know this was his child, therefore he has no legal claim of guardianship. Good day, Commander."
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Felix was shaken awake by a warm hand on his shoulder. Blinking bleerily in confusion at the person, he tried to remember where he was. It took a moment, but when he recalled, he frowned. "Are they done?"
"It is done." Having spent the past five minutes watching the sleeping man, Commander Adama finally came to a decision. "I should have tried harder to keep you out of this. You are not physically fit yet for strenuous activity."
"I was fine until the Sargent started to prance and parade about like she was a peacock, which made me want fried peahen. When I get hungry, my blood pressure drops and I pass out." Wiping at the dried drool on his chin, Felix stretched. His shoulder barely hurt thanks to the medicine he was on. "What all did I miss?"
"Crewman Socinus is confined to the brig for the next two months, and so is Sargent Hadrian." He almost didn't tell Felix that part. He instantly regretted it the moment he saw triumph in Felix's eyes. Before he could say something, Felix slumped back down to the table. "Lieutenant, make sure the Major gets to the mess and eats something before he withers away on my deck."
The marine saluted him before walking around the table to help Felix to his feet.