232 - Is there a situation where it's appropriate to be unkind?

[number_eight]

She was going to take my daughter away. I know it. I felt it.

The only regret I have in shooting her is that Admiral Adama… that he… he was disappointed in me. Angry with me.

"You murdered an unarmed woman, and by doing so you put the lives of every single person in this fleet at risk; and quite possibly cost the lives of the president and your husband. You disobeyed the direct orders of your superior officers, but more importantly, you betrayed a promise to me. I trusted you."

[Locked]

I find it interesting that he thinks what I did was murder, when just a few years ago, Cally was sent to the brig for discharging her firearm for, what? Thirty days and then she was released? Has he changed that much? Does he see Cylons as humans now – not just me? I don't understand.

I suppose it doesn't matter.

[/Locked]

I fired my sidearm twice, and the next thing I knew, I was in his quarters, shackled. I know I did the right thing to protect my daughter, but the Old Man, he… I don't know.

I haven't felt such anger from him in a long, long time. Since before New Caprica.

Next thing I knew, he'd called the guards and they sent me off to the brig, and he wouldn't let me see Hera. Helo was gone with that Cylon baseship that had jumped away, so I was the only one who could look out for her, and he wouldn't let me see her. Hold her. Touch her.

It sounds silly now, but in that cell, I pretended I was holding her and singing her favorite lullaby. It's not real, of course, but it passed the time.

It's not as if I'm not used to being locked up like this, after all.

Something changed, though, because they let me hold Hera, finally, and she was all right. God, I wanted to cry, knowing that she was okay and that Admiral Adama had allowed me to hold her, until I heard something about Colonel Tigh being our new CO, yet it was Adama's orders.

I still don't understand.

I'm a member of the Colonial Fleet. Lieutenant Junior Grade Sharon Agathon. We are in the middle of a war with the Cylons, so yes. There are plenty of times when we have to be unkind. It's part of our job.

I'm also a mother, and it's part of my job to protect my child, no matter what, so I'm not going to lie and say that I'll never shoot another person who might endanger my daughter.

I think, though, that it's what the Old Man said and did that really has gotten to me. Was it "appropriate" for him to throw me in the brig without my child – at least, at first? I don't know. I've never been in charge of a battleship or tried to work out a treaty, so I can't say what was on his mind at the time.

I'd like to think, though, that something got to him. Somehow. Because eventually, he did change his mind. Was it because of something our new President did or said? Did he remember all the times he thought he might have lost his son? Was he thinking back to the time when he delivered the news to me and to Helo about how Hera had been kidnapped?

I don't think he was fair in his judgment of me to begin with. In the end, though, it all worked out… somewhat.

At least I've got Hera to hold now.



Muse: Sharon "Athena" Agathon
Fandom: Misc. TV/"Battlestar Galactica"
Word Count: 546 (not including direct quote)

Comments

[cpo-galen-tyrol.livejournal.com]

"He'll be back."

Of course he'd be back. If he wasn't, they were all even more frakked than they already were.

"I don't the Admiral'll stand for any other outcome. He knows how crazy things have gotten in just the handful of hours since Roslin got on that frakking baseship. Couldn't pay me enough to get on one of those things." He paused for a moment, shrugging. "I think I understand him a little better now."

He looked back at the guards, not particularly concerned but realizing that Sharon had a point. He looked at her and Hera. "You guys'll be out of here before you know it."

[number-eight.livejournal.com]

"I hope you're right," she answered as she held Hera again, who finally looked over at Galen and Nicky and said, "Bye-bye." She freaked out a little at the same words Hera had said before, then shook her head at herself.

He was right. Things would be okay.

"I'll see you around, Galen."