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Post by Amy81 on Jan 17, 2005 16:56:22 GMT -6
Damn Elmer!
Abby stood alone on the dock, watching the last of the loading being done. The shuttle would leave in a micron or so, she'd been told. She looked back the way Elmer had left, hoping she would see him returning, giving up his foolish vendetta against Charybdis.
Damn Elmer!!
"One micron, Miss" a bay worker said, approaching her. She nodded but said nothing, and the worker continued on past her. The shuttle engines began to rev up.
'Miss'... he'd called her that. And it was funny, cause she no longer felt like a 'Mrs.' anymore. As the engines revved higher, Abby turned and stepped off the loading platform. With a shrug, the remaining bay worker banged a hand hard on the side of the shuttle, and someone on the inside began shutting the door.
Abby continued to walk away, away from the shuttle, away from her life, and away from Elmer. It was a scary feeling, one she'd never known for so many yahrens. Things had always been the same: same agro ship, same fleet, same life with Elmer, and with Amy...
It was all gone now. Dust. In her heart she knew even if she went back to Elmer it wouldn't be the same. Couldn't be...
She walked out of the bay and into the corridor. After hesitating several times, she got up the nerve to stop a passing warrior.
"Excuse me" she asked haltingly, "would you know if a certain crewman is aboard?"
"It's a big ship m'am", the warrior replied. "What's the name?"
Abby hesitated, afraid that by saying the name the illusion would be shattered, that she'd be left with nothing at all. She took a breath.
"Urdea" she said softly. Then as if saying it once gave her strength, she spoke again louder. "His name is Urdea."
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Post by LucianG on Jan 18, 2005 12:12:18 GMT -6
"Urdea" she said softly. Then as if saying it once gave her strength, she spoke again louder. "His name is Urdea."
The Warrior looked at the woman, who seemed somewhat uneasy, and replied, “Yeah, you may be in luck, Ma’am. You ought to be able to find Urdea in the Fleet Security Office.”
“He’s a security officer?” she asked, almost trembling. “Tell me, does this Urdea walk with a limp?”
“Security, yes. Limp, no,” said the Warrior. “Now if you’ll excuse me, Ma’am, I’ve got to go.” As he said this, he saw her expression drop, he called over his shoulder, “He doesn’t usually limp, though, I have heard a rumor that he’s got a fake leg.”
* * *
In the Fleet Security Office, Captain Urdea sat with Lieutenant Proteus and Sergeant Whitcher, going over current assignments, trying to make sure that the Callisto was kept, internally at least, as safe as possible. With communications restored to most parts of the Fleet, new security-related information was pouring into the Callisto by the moment. To make matters worse, with the demands of the recent Tribunal, several of the teams were due time off or due for other assignments.
Sometime later, they finished the agenda, and Proteus and Whitcher, with assignments in hand, rose to get started distributing those assignments to the various security teams. After they exited, Urdea opened the file entitled “Hawke.” He read the most recent report from the Med Lab, then reread it again, his concentration drifting. As he closed the file again, he looked up at the shelf at the small faded portrait….
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Post by Amy81 on Jan 19, 2005 6:27:15 GMT -6
She stood in the doorway for what seemed like yahrens, feeling like it was portal to the past. There Urdea sat, his back slightly to her, but she knew it was him. Upon finding the fleet security office, she'd asked the officer she met there if she could have a few microns undisturbed, and she took full advantage, just staring...
What would his reaction be? She was afraid of how he might react, given the way he'd been so long ago, when the accident had happened. Did he still feel that way? Did he even think of her at all? Did he even know if she had survived the cylon ambush?
He'd been looking at a file, but now he'd stopped, instead gazing at something on a shelf... a portrait? A likeness of Abby...
She stepped into the room, eyes beginning to water. Her voice sounded strangely distant in her own ears. "I'm afraid I don't look much like that anymore" she said as he looked up and began to turn, "but there's not much one can do about the passing yahrens..."
She managed a small smile...
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Post by LucianG on Jan 20, 2005 14:28:53 GMT -6
On hearing the voice, THAT voice, Urdea stiffened in surprise--and--fear. He had not planned to face the person behind that voice again. He had forced her out of his life once, against her will, and he did not want to interfere in her life now. On hearing the voice, HER voice, yahrens of self hatred for what he had done to her and to them came crashing down upon him.
"Abighiá," he said with his back to her, giving him time to fight the tear that was threatening to spill onto his cheek, "you may not look exactly the same, but from what I saw of you outside the Tribunal, you are still as beautiful as ever. Time has done absolutely nothing to diminish you in my eyes." He turned, despite himself, and he only hoped she could not see the water welled in his eyes.
"Abighiá," she repeated. "My toes still curl at the way you pronounce that. You usually called me Abby, though. Why not now?"
"I think you know," replied Urdea slowly. He said nothing else, but thought to himself that 'Abby' was the woman with whom he had wished to take the seal before...circumstances and his own..self pity...drove her away to another life. Suddenly, the reason for her visit struck him: Captain Amy. The thought of her helped clear his head as he said, "It is wonderful to see you, but I'm very remiss in not offering my condolences on your daughter. She was, despite what was presented in the Tribunal, a very good Warrior, and a wonderful young lady, very reminiscent of her mother, in a way." He thought to himself, I tried to keep an eye on her for you, Abighiá, from her arrival on the Callisto, without interferring or even letting her, or you, know. I think I even succeeded occasionally, but there was nothing I could do when it really mattered....
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Post by Amy81 on Jan 21, 2005 7:01:13 GMT -6
“Thank you” Abby said. “I knew what my daughter was, in spite of all that happened in the tribunal. It’s going to take a long time to get used to the fact that she’s gone. If it wasn’t for my stubborn mulon of a husband… well, thanks to him I lost her a long time before this. I should never have let him control me so…”
Then it dawned on Abby exactly what Urdea had said. She took several steps further into the room. “You knew my daughter? Who she was? Oh Urdea, did you know all this time that I lived on the Agro ship? Why didn’t you let me know? I tried all these yahrens to put you out of my mind, but thinking you’d perished in the ambush made me miss you even more.”
“Abig...” Urdea started to say.
“Please” she interrupted, “It’s Abby to you. It always was.” She let out an ironic laugh. “Of course, if you knew I was alive, you’d have known I’d settled down, taken the seal. But I’d have given anything to have known you were safe.”
She was close enough to touch him now. “You don’t mind what the yahrens have done to me, and I never, never minded what the fates did to you. I tried to make you understand that.” Her voice began to shake. “And there’s still time, Urdea. My seal to Elmer hasn’t been holding up too well for a few yahrens now… The fact is, I left him tonight…”
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Post by LucianG on Jan 22, 2005 8:37:02 GMT -6
“… If it wasn’t for my stubborn mulon of a husband… well, thanks to him I lost her a long time before this. I should never have let him control me so…”
An “Elmer,” if Urdea remembered correctly, farmer, with no criminal record….
Suddenly, Abby took several steps toward Urdea and said, “You knew my daughter? Who she was? Oh Urdea, did you know all this time that I lived on the Agro ship? Why didn’t you let me know? I tried all these yahrens to put you out of my mind, but thinking you’d perished in the ambush made me miss you even more.”
How can I explain? thought Urdea. On joining the Fleet as it left the Colonies, Lieutenant Urdea, retired, had “accepted” Colonel Tigh’s “generous” offer of reinstatement into the Colonial military. Unfortunately, as a result of his accident, his extensive reconstruction, and his missing left leg, he’d been grounded, but Tigh had found a welcome place for him in Fleet Security. Urdea had almost gotten his wings back when first Boomer and Jolly, followed by many of the other Warriors, had developed a serious illness as they neared the planet Kobol, but it took him time to retrain, and by then, the crisis was over. The security work, helping those who were lost and confused, had helped him, too, and the time in the SIMs, with some helpful equipment modifications, had helped restore his self-worth and his wings, at least as a backup pilot. He’d developed a new sense of purpose, and with the exorcism of the Joster dream, he’d decided to go on with his life. He had begun searching for relatives and past friends, but found none except Abby….
He had to tell her, “Abig—”
“Please” she interrupted, “It’s Abby to you. It always was. Of course, if you knew I was alive, you’d have known I’d settled down, taken the seal. But I’d have given anything to have known you were safe.”
He’d been ecstatic that she was safe, and with his newfound sense of purpose, he had been about to contact her…when he discovered that she had taken the seal with said “Elmer” just a short time before. He’d debated that very issue for first cycles then sectons then sentars on end, wondering if he should let her know. In the end, since he had already left her life nearly three yahrens before, he had decided not to contact her. Her “Elmer” seemed safe, having passed Urdea’s own private background check, taking away the only remaining valid reason Urdea felt he could contact her. What was done was done, and he had only done it to himself. He requested Colonel Tigh to have his name kept on the military roll only so SHE would have less chance of accidentally stumbling across him. To let her live her life in peace, without interfering, was the last remaining protection he could offer her. The arrival on the Callisto of Ensign Amy had changed that—
He felt her near him, so close now. Her breath, her warmth, they thrilled him unlike anything he’d felt in nearly 29 yahrens. She spoke softly then, “You don’t mind what the yahrens have done to me, and I never, never minded what the fates did to you. I tried to make you understand that. And there’s still time, Urdea. My seal to Elmer hasn’t been holding up too well for a few yahrens now… The fact is, I left him tonight…”
Four words suddenly shouted out at him, echoing in his ears, I LEFT HIM TONIGHT, I LEFT HIM TONIGHT, I LEFT HIM TONIGHT. The confidence and poise that Urdea had developed over yahrens of experience with life and command suddenly seemed to desert him. The love of his life, that he had pushed away so long ago, stood in front of him once more, and he was now uncertain about what to do. All he could say was, “Abby, I’m sorry. For everything.” He encircled her in his arms, trying to comfort her, hoping that his strength would tell her what he could not place into words.
<corrected spelling, 2/2/05>
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Post by Amy81 on Jan 24, 2005 16:28:32 GMT -6
"Me too, Urdea" Abby said softly, "me too". She closed her eyes and became lost in his embrace. It was almost too much for her, for it had been so long since she felt loved and cared for. It had been yahrens since Elmer had last shown her any sort of affection. She'd been little more than a companion since that time, a partner for the fields rather than for anything else. She'd become resigned to it... but now things were different. So radically, unalterably different...
Amy was gone. And whatever had been slowly changing in Elmer had taken him over, and after yahrens of sacrifice Abby had had enough. It was her time again, before it was too late. Before the yahrens took away everything, or before the cylons did...
She hugged Urdea back as if her life depended on it, as if she were afraid that if she let go, he might disappear again. Tears flowed freely, for herself and her long lost dream of happiness, and for her daughter, whose death it took to bring Urdea back into Abby's life.
Strangely, she noticed that she held no sorrow for Elmer...
"Whatever the reasons why or how" she whispered, "You are back into my life, Urdea, and I am not letting go. Not this time... no matter what."
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Post by LucianG on Jan 30, 2005 11:24:34 GMT -6
For a seemingly unending moment, Urdea was lost in her embrace. The mistake he had made so long ago was, miraculously, he felt, being corrected. Following his accident, he had seriously believed that he would never again have a “normal” life, so he’d pushed Abby away for her own good. It had taken a long time for him to physically recover from the accident, and only the events immediately following the Cylon attack on the homeworlds had finally led to his mental recovery. By then, it was too late to “recover” Abby, and he’d moved on with his life.
Or had he? He’d thrown himself into his job, and had never been seriously interested in anyone else, despite having had a number of female suitors over the yahrens. Now, perhaps, he seriously had an opportunity to actually be happy! He smiled at the thought of making Abby his own…but then the “other” man began to gnaw at his thoughts. Abby said she had left him, but what if Elmer would not let her go?
Abby felt him stiffen, and felt his breathing change. Snug against him, she looked in his eyes and asked, “Urdea, what’s wrong?”
He slid his hands down her back, gently, and grasped her elbows in his hands as he backed off slightly. She dropped her hands onto his forearms and looked at him face to face, again asking, more urgently this time, “Tell me, what’s wrong?”
“Abby, it's very hard for me to say this. I have always, from just after we first met, loved you with all my heart and soul. I pushed you away because I thought you deserved someone better, someone…whole.” He paused, collecting his thoughts, recharging his courage, then continued, “I thought I was doing what was right for you, but I didn’t let you make your own choice. Then, after I found out you were safe following the Cylon attack, I stayed out of your life because I didn’t want to interfere. At the time, I thought I was doing the right thing, the honorable thing, but now, I don’t know; I never let you choose, and that was very wrong of me. I'm so sorry. Now, if there's still a chance for us, I hope we can do it together this ti—”
The comm buzzer went “BEEP! BEEP!” causing Urdea to jump in surprise. “Whitcher, what is it?” he groused.
“Captain, sorry to bother you, but a CYLON CRUISER piloted by Captain Lazant and another Colonial Warrior just landed in Beta Bay just a few centons ago. The Commander’s not on the Bridge, so they forgot to let us kno—”
“Whitcher! Lazant and another? Who? Captain Amy? Was the other pilot Captain Amy? Is she still alive?” Urdea and Abby gripped each other tightly at the possibility.
“Uh, no Sir. Captain Amy wasn’t actually flying it...but they said she WAS aboard. They took her to the Med Lab as soon as they could get her off the Cruiser!”
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Post by Amy81 on Jan 31, 2005 16:32:27 GMT -6
Abby's knees began to weaken and Urdea quickly sat her in the chair at his desk. Her face had gone completely white, and her expression was confused. "How?" she managed to ask. "It... it isn't a mistake, is it...?"
Urdea spoke into the comm. "Whitcher, is that report verified?"
"Yes sir" came the reply. "I have it right here. Cylon cruiser... Captain Lazant, Captain Amy and a third warrior..."
"Anything more at all on Captain Amy?" Urdea asked, his eyes on Abby. She seemed almost in shock.
"No... nothing more. Just taken to Medlab."
"Thank you" Urdea said, closing the comm. He took Abby by her hands, his concern for her showing in his face. She sat there, slowly shaking her head.
"She's alive?" Abby questioned, still unsure just what to believe. "But they said she was dead..." Then something seemed to register. She looked at Urdea. "A Cylon cruiser? By the lords, what's happened to my Amy? Urdea, could you take me there? To Medlab?" She struggled to her feet with Urdea's help, a sense of urgency overcoming her state of shock. "I need to see her. Now."
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Post by LucianG on Feb 1, 2005 7:13:23 GMT -6
“Let’s get to the MedLab,” agreed Urdea. He led her to the door, feeling her pulse racing as he held her arm. As the door opened, he saw Lieutenant Winnie reaching out a hand to ring the chime to his office.
“Captain, I saw you were in Hawke’s file a little while ago, and wanted to discuss the case with you,” said Winnie. Her trained eyes quickly looked over the woman on Urdea’s arm, and then back to Urdea, with a surprised, but understanding smile. This had to be the girl in the faded photo! She was older, of course, but still quite beautiful. She tried to recall Urdea’s response to her question on joining the Callisto’s Fleet Security force as a new officer almost six yahrens before: “a friend from another life” or something similar. Very interesting! thought Winnie.
Urdea’s voice pulled her back to reality, as he walked to the outer door of the Fleet Security office with the woman. “No time now, Winnie. We have a different emergency in the MedLab, but have you checked Hawke’s status there?”
“He’s still in an induced coma, Sir. They’re supposed to contact me if he awakens.” Seeing Urdea’s slightly raised eyebrow, the questioning look, she added, “I think I’ll check on him personally. Never know what one might learn from direct observation.” Turning, she called, “Whitcher, I’m off to the MedLab to look in on my former partner.” She was out the door and down the corridor at a fast clip.
“Abby,” said Urdea gently, gripping her arm more firmly, “I’m sorry this may be tough on you, but we really should let Elmer know about Amy. Do you know where he is so we can let him know? I’ll have Sergeant Whitcher put out a ship-wide apprehension bulletin or even an FAB [fleet-wide apprehension bulletin] on him if we need it. Just say the word….”
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