1. Chapter 1

**Sign of Cain**

**A Battlestar Galactica Fanfic**

**By Iolana Khenemet**

2006

Beta: unbetaed

A/N: it's been a while since I've written bsg and it feels both right and odd to do so

Summary: Alternate Universe. Lee served aboard the Pegasus before and after the Holocaust.

Feedback: critical comments highly welcome, mistakes, good lines, anything goes   
Disclaimer: "BATTLESTAR GALACTICA" and other related entities are owned, (TM) and © by R&D TV and Sky TV in association with USA Cable Entertainment LLC. All Rights Reserved. No copyright infringement intended. No profit is gained by this work.

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- When I return, it'll be with the shield or on it – Greek philosophy

**Festivals and Bargains**

The celebration of Colonial Day traditionally included a gala evening at Picon fleet headquarters. Upon entering, Cain immediately scanned the crowd for her target. There he was. Admiral Nagala shook hands, greeted, saluted and shook another pair of hands. A particularly daring young woman pecked a kiss on his cheek and from Nagala's flattered smile, Cain assumed she had whispered an invitation for a night into his ear.

"I can't understand how you can enjoy this." Warren Reck shook his head.

Helena Cain smiled amused. "Colonial Day has a lot in common with being in command of a Battlestar."

Warren pulled up an eyebrow. "Care to enlighten me?"

Cain pushed a glass of champagne into her XO's hand and steered him into the crowd. "You exchange a few words with someone of high or low importance and every now and then you meet an old friend –" She smiled and shook hands with Captain Connors.

"Or an enemy..." Warren tipped a mock salute into the direction of Commander Lemiaux, who would never see the difference to a proper salute.

"Anyway, have you arranged everything I asked for?"

"A secluded table, special food and I have also arranged things with the orchestra. You should have no problems with the Fleet Admiral."

Cain nodded. Carefully yet efficiently, as not to alert Nagala, she made her way through the crowd. He was talking to the former commander of the Pegasus, until she had taken over the legacy. Frank Fitzgerald was a decent man but Pegasus had excelled with her. Finally she was in hearing range and heard Nagala say, "But after so many years of service you know how to steer clear of any riffs."

Fitzgerald replied, "Speaking of riffs, I saw one on collision course just a few minutes ago, ready to ram you...Cain was shaking hands with the Commander of the Triton. I still wonder when she stopped using diapers."

If there had not been another large group pushing its way between Fitzgerald and Cain, she would have taught him manners right here and now. So Cain clenched her hands to fists while Nagala gave him a stern look. "She may be the youngest Commander in the written history of the Colonies but she's extraordinarily talented. Her abilities –"

"Fight on her battleground and you've already lost." Frank bitterly interrupted. "Like I lost the Pegasus to her."

"Frank..."

"Excuse me, Richard, but I don't want to meet her. We can talk later." Frank turned and disappeared into the crowd while Nagala shook his head.

Damn right you are, Cain thought. Soon the bargaining would begin and it would be o her battleground. She'd make damn sure he conceded her wishes.

When Helena caught his eye, Nagala smiled in acknowledgement but before she could reach him, he looked at her apologetically and went over to the microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen, I hope you're all enjoying the evening so far. I'd like to use the opportunity to open the dance."

While it was a clever strategy, his choice of women was not. Nagala went to the nearest woman he could spot and asked if she would like to open the dance. She stood with her back towards him but her curly brown hair cascaded down her back. Cain stifled a laugh when Nagala realised his mistake. Commander Abigail "Artemis" MacDunnal turned, smiled and took his arm. "The honour is mine, Admiral."

Bemused, Cain watched the two of them struggle. Artemis had a reputation of snatching the lead during a dance and this time was no exception. Nagala looked more than a bit relieved when the waltz ended.

It was time to strike. Cain snatched his hand the moment he let go of Artemis' hand. Taken aback, he had no other choice but to make the next dance with her. Cain smiled at him. The rest of the evening would follow her carefully orchestrate plan. By Midnight, probably even sooner, she would move in for the kill and get what she wanted: The first deep space mission since more than 80 years and all the personnel she wanted for it, hand-selected of course.


	2. Crossroads

**Crossroads**

One month after the funeral, Lee solemnly stared into his drink, watched the red liquid move while he was swirling the glass in his hand. A few drops had been spilled on the white table and he stared at what looked like drops of blood. It should bother him but after all the nightmares in which he had seen Zak's blood all over the hangar deck, or his brother's Viper canopy, his helmet, frak _everywhere_, it strangely does not. Lee had stopped trying to find out if he felt just nothing anymore - or too much. When he had vented his anger at his father, he had felt like a wire under too much tension, ready to snap. Now there was just a dull ache.

A shadow fell on him and Lee looked up. "Ares."

"Drowning your sorrow won't help, buddy." Alec "Ares" Reskon took the seat across Lee's and also ordered a "Bloody Artemis."

"I know." Apollo shifted in his seat, slightly uncomfortable under the intent gaze of his wingman. Then he shrugged. Why should he care?

Pointing at the glass in Lee's hand, Ares asked, "How many did you already have?"

"First and only one."

Ares narrowed his eyes. "You're not intending to get a few more of those?"

Lee shook his head and grimaced in embarrassment. "Thanks," he cleared his throat, "for hauling me out of that bar."

"The Hades Gates isn't the most decent place to crash. Too many people were more than a little interested in getting a pretty Viper pilot into a backroom and I was afraid things would get out of hand."

Lee took a quick sip. He did not remember too much from that night but there had been a few offers and when Ares had shown up, someone had been coaxing and dragging him down a dimly illuminated corridor. Having been too drunk to walk on his own, Lee did not even remember if it had been a man or a woman.

The waitress brought his friend's drink and Ares took a deep sip before asking, "Are you still thinking about it?"

Lee nodded slowly. "I started to look around for something I could rent...however, nothing concrete yet."

"You haven't handed in your resignation papers, have you, Apollo?"

"No, I haven't. They're in my pocket though, filled out, ready to be signed."

Ares sighed. "I was thinking the same when Maresa died but...I'd miss flying."

Flying? Lee took a deep breath. Right now the last thing he wanted to do was to see a Viper from close up, much less sit in one. He was on private leave anyway, and the CAG had made dan sure to ground him when he had received the message of Zak's death. He swallowed.

"Look...I know how good a cook you are. That Lasagne and those other self-made noodles of yours are the best I've ever had. Not to mention the desserts. But Lee...Buddy, I know exactly how you feel right now. Trust me; it's not a good time to make decisions that'll affect the rest of your life."

Deep down, he knew that Alec was right, knew that he was circling the edge and that his decision-making was not the most rational right now. He was bordering on simply pushing all doubts aside and making a rushed decision. No Vipers anymore, no orders, no one to mistake him as a younger copy of his father. He would listen to the birds in the morning and have a nice blonde girl in his arms when he awoke. However compelling the thought was, Ares was right. He should not rush this, especially not now. The downside of settling down and leaving the military was, that wherever he went, the military would be too close, a constant reminder. The biggest problem was about purpose. Stay in the military and be a man. Stay at home and be what?

"So how about you give me those papers you have in your pocket and I keep them until you're feeling a bit better."

Lee nodded, pulled the papers out of his pocket and pushed them over the table. "Thanks," he said when they quickly disappeared in Ares' pocket.

"Anytime you need me."

They both sat in silence for a moment and Lee found he was glad for the support of his friend. Lee cleared his throat. "I was offered a transfer."

Ares blinked surprised.

"A two-year DSM, participation's therefore voluntary."

"Deep Space! There hasn't been one in what, 70 years? Ship?"

"Pegasus."

"Cain? And you're even considering to decline?" Ares stared at him as if he had turned into the three-headed Cerberus and had barked.

"I didn't feel like rushing it."

"Lee, DSM is a perfect opportunity to find out."

"Find out?"

"About whether you're cut out to wear the uniform or not.

"Sweet Tartarus...don't tell me I talked about that."

Ares grinned. "Actually, you said a lot more when you were crying your heart out on my shoulder. You really had me worried there; you're normally always so damn controlled, I'd never have believed you had any feelings of that kind at all."

Lee shook his head. "I was wondering whether my Dad arranged the transfer offer to advance my career -- or to get me as far away from him as possible."

Ares looked him straight in the eye. "Honestly, Lee...I don't think your father pulls strings to get you promoted or stationed on battlestars to his liking. But here's the opportunity to find out. Two years away from the memories and from your father. Cain is known as a tough commander who doesn't make personal favours to anyone just because she's friends with him." Ares stood up. "Think about it, Apollo. Such a chance does only come up once in your life - if ever."

Lee watched his wingman leave. The prospect of being completely away from the far reaching arm of his father was more than tempting. Mark was there to take care of Mom, and Kara...he clenched his fists. She had accepted a transfer to his father's ship and he could not understand her betrayal of Zak. Dad had frakked up Zak's life, not to mention his own. Two years without his father in earshot or eyesight... On impulse, Lee took out the papers necessary to complete the transfer and signed them.


	3. Behold the Child of the Gorgon

**Behold the Child of the Gorgon**

Lee took a deep breath when he spotted her the first time. The Pegasus was one of the Fleet's finest ships, Mercury class, with an in-build Viper production facility. The auto-landing sucked their transport in like taking one huge bite and Apollo could not help being impressed. Once their transport ship was on the Pegasus' hangar deck, the routine started: Report to the CAG, get new gear, let yourself be prodded by yet another chain-smoking doctor to get a physical etc.

Apollo started right away by going to Captain Jonathan Conner, the CAG, idly wondering what kind of reaction he would get. It was the same every time he set foot onto a new ship. His family background was tagged on him in the form of his name and inevitably, the gossip started. His commanding officers usually either assumed that he had inherited his father's skills and was naturally born to lead or that he had grown up with the silver spoon in his mouth and was nothing but a spoiled brat.

He found Captain Conner sitting behind his desk in the CAG's office, reading.

"Sir, Lt. Adama reporting aboard."

Conner gave him an once-over and raised an eyebrow. "At ease, Lieutenant. Welcome aboard." He returned to study the paperwork in front of him.

It was not the friendliest acknowledgement but also not the worst Lee had ever received. But when the CAG continued to flip through his papers, with the silence in the room turning to uncomfortable, Apollo felt himself tense as if he was about to get into a fight.

The CAG chose this moment to break the silence and make eye-contact. "Didn't I hear the name Adama mentioned in the news recently?"

The question sounded innocent but something warned Lee that the man knew exactly what he was inquiring about. Keeping his features as neutral as possible, Apollo replied, "Yes, Sir. My brother died a few weeks ago."

"I'm sorry. How did it happen?"

"A Viper accident, Sir."

"Viper accident." The CAG nodded slowly. "I'm sorry for asking this but could you please tell me exactly what happened?"

Lee narrowed his eyes. "Captain..."

"Yes, Lieutenant.?"

"I'm sure it's in your files."

"Yes, it is." Conner paused and when Lee did not continue, he added, "I'm waiting, Lieutenant."

Lee bit back the words he would have loved to force down the CAG's throat. He took a deep breath. _Don't think, don't visualise the accident. _ Plainly stating the facts, Lee said, "He had just earned his Wings when he attempted to perform a hands-on landing on the Olympus. The Viper came in too low and at a wrong angle. One of the wings hit the deck, the Viper flipped over, crashed and caught fire. He was dead almost instantly. They could not find any problems with the equipment, so it might have been pilot's error."

Conner looked intently at Apollo. "Sorry for your loss."

Glaring back, Lee forced out, "Thank you, Sir." Despite all the condolence wishes during the past few weeks which had either been well-meant or plainly intended to hurt, the reply did not come easily off his lips this time.

"Your call sign is Apollo?"

The question came so out of the blue that Lee was caught completely by surprise. Since he was unable to see any connection with the previous topic, it really put him on edge. With narrowed eyes, he carefully replied. "Yes, it is, Sir,"

"A god."

Lee tensed. "A nickname. Got it from my wing mates." Belatedly, he added, "Sir."

Conner either had a good perception or Lee's anger was too visible because the CAG suddenly asked, "Yes, Lieutenant?"

"May I be open, Sir?"

"Go ahead, Lieutenant."

"Is there a problem, Sir?"

The CAG got up and faced him. "Let's be frank. I heard you were about to move out of the military and someone said we'd lose damn fine command material. I'll wait and see whether that's true. Now, your record is quite impressive and obviously, either the XO or Cain wants to see if it holds what it promises or you would not be here. I, however -" he circled Lee slowly, "am not sure if it's wise to assign someone who suffered a recent loss on a 2-year DSM, with no chance for planetside R and R, whose brother died in a Viper, the very same plane he'll fly here on a daily basis, and whose nom de guerre comes from the God of the Hunt."

Before Lee could comment on this, Conner continued, "Overestimation has no place in my squad nor an over-sized ego. I'll make damn sure you won't think you're a god on Mount Olympus and crash into my hangar-deck."

_You son of a temple whore..._Lee clenched his fists and only his rigid self-control kept him from punching the CAG square into his face for this insult of himself and of Zak."With all due respect, _Sir,_ I think you're out-of-line."

Conner shrugged. "I'm giving you the option to opt out of this mission. You know, it's an honour to be allowed to set foot on this ship. Serving here's hard work and there'll be no one to pamper the Commander's son."

"I don't want extra treatment!"

"Good, 'cause there won't be any extras. When we're done with you, you'll either be a soldier or go crying your heart out on Daddy's shoulder. "

The cold fury that Lee felt threatened to erupt. Although he knew better than to let the other man get to him, he took half a step forward. Fists clenched, Apollo glared straight at the Captain, who stared back.

"Step back, Lieutenant," the CAG hissed.

Lee took a deep breath to calm down and obeyed.

"There'll be a debriefing at 0800 in the ready room. Report to Dr. Singh before that. Dismissed, Lieutenant!"

Lee angrily saluted and strode out of Conner's office. Right here and right now, he really understood Kara's urge to hit superior assholes. He half-way regretted not to have acted on that instinct.


End file.
