TM 177 - Who has made you smile recently?
May. 8th, 2007 01:40 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
arrow_of_apollo177 - Who has made you smile recently?
Believe it or not, the answer to that particular question is none other than the infamous former President of the Colonies, Gaius Baltar.
Or, as he's come to be referred to in Galactica circles, Gaius Frakking Baltar.
Now, I don't like Baltar, and that's never been a secret. And honestly, does anyone actually like the guy? Oh, sure, I've heard that there are some clearly misguided and very possibly unhinged individuals in the fleet that are looking at Baltar as some kind of religious figure or something. Hell, one of the Marine guards in the brig told me that some woman actually asked him to bless her child. And then there are whatever impressionable and gullible minds who actually believed the crap he wrote in his "book".
But seriously, anyone?
In any case, it's not a joke. He really did make me smile.
Anyone who witnessed or heard about the complete chaos that erupted in that courtroom after Baltar's verdict was delivered can't possibly imagine the man's reaction to the whole event. There were people screaming for blood and a press of bodies against the Marines on bailiff duty that it was what it must have been like on the Colonies during the Holocaust, with hundreds and thousands of citizens clamoring to get on whatever ships that would carry them off-planet. If the personnel of the Galactica hadn't been damn good at their jobs, we would have seen a lynch mob airlocking, if we were lucky.
In sharp contrast to that furor was the scene in Baltar's cell afterward. You would have thought the man had just been named Man of the Year by the talk wireless, he was so amused, so insufferably pleased with himself. He stood there, smoking and chuckling quietly over the victory he called his own, despite having done virtually nothing to help himself. Worse yet (although not surprisingly), he was as bad a winner as possible, more interested in wanting to stick it to the prosecution instead of being damn grateful that he wasn't random bits of Baltar, floating around in space while the fleet left him behind.
That wasn't the funny part.
"Romo, um, perhaps we could have a chat. I thought about maybe doing a book tour around the fleet. And there's the publishing rights, there are issues about my security, where I'm going to live, what I'm going to do. Since we've forged this great relationship during the trial I thought, you know, who better to uh..."
That was the funny part. Admittedly, Lampkin never showed the specific and outright contempt for Baltar that I demonstrated, it wasn't as if the lawyer had ever demonstrated any actual fondness at all for his client. Neither of us, during the trial, had been doing anything helpful or productive, and now, Baltar was assuming that his lead counsel would like nothing better than to play agent and assistant to the bright new star of Baltar's celebrity.
Lampkin, of course, turned him down flat. Better things to do, much more important places to ply his trade and I was under no illusion that he would have preferred airlocking himself to being Baltar's keeper for any longer than he had to.
Now what really made me smile came as we were walking out of the cell. Baltar, so smug and arrogant in his victory just a moment before was pleading like a lost child, wondering what to do next and who would possibly take care of him now. I couldn't help but smile to myself as I left, amused by the idea that Gaius Frakking Baltar would now have to figure out how the hell to survive all on his lonesome.
It wasn't a bad moment at all.
(625)
Believe it or not, the answer to that particular question is none other than the infamous former President of the Colonies, Gaius Baltar.
Or, as he's come to be referred to in Galactica circles, Gaius Frakking Baltar.
Now, I don't like Baltar, and that's never been a secret. And honestly, does anyone actually like the guy? Oh, sure, I've heard that there are some clearly misguided and very possibly unhinged individuals in the fleet that are looking at Baltar as some kind of religious figure or something. Hell, one of the Marine guards in the brig told me that some woman actually asked him to bless her child. And then there are whatever impressionable and gullible minds who actually believed the crap he wrote in his "book".
But seriously, anyone?
In any case, it's not a joke. He really did make me smile.
Anyone who witnessed or heard about the complete chaos that erupted in that courtroom after Baltar's verdict was delivered can't possibly imagine the man's reaction to the whole event. There were people screaming for blood and a press of bodies against the Marines on bailiff duty that it was what it must have been like on the Colonies during the Holocaust, with hundreds and thousands of citizens clamoring to get on whatever ships that would carry them off-planet. If the personnel of the Galactica hadn't been damn good at their jobs, we would have seen a lynch mob airlocking, if we were lucky.
In sharp contrast to that furor was the scene in Baltar's cell afterward. You would have thought the man had just been named Man of the Year by the talk wireless, he was so amused, so insufferably pleased with himself. He stood there, smoking and chuckling quietly over the victory he called his own, despite having done virtually nothing to help himself. Worse yet (although not surprisingly), he was as bad a winner as possible, more interested in wanting to stick it to the prosecution instead of being damn grateful that he wasn't random bits of Baltar, floating around in space while the fleet left him behind.
That wasn't the funny part.
"Romo, um, perhaps we could have a chat. I thought about maybe doing a book tour around the fleet. And there's the publishing rights, there are issues about my security, where I'm going to live, what I'm going to do. Since we've forged this great relationship during the trial I thought, you know, who better to uh..."
That was the funny part. Admittedly, Lampkin never showed the specific and outright contempt for Baltar that I demonstrated, it wasn't as if the lawyer had ever demonstrated any actual fondness at all for his client. Neither of us, during the trial, had been doing anything helpful or productive, and now, Baltar was assuming that his lead counsel would like nothing better than to play agent and assistant to the bright new star of Baltar's celebrity.
Lampkin, of course, turned him down flat. Better things to do, much more important places to ply his trade and I was under no illusion that he would have preferred airlocking himself to being Baltar's keeper for any longer than he had to.
Now what really made me smile came as we were walking out of the cell. Baltar, so smug and arrogant in his victory just a moment before was pleading like a lost child, wondering what to do next and who would possibly take care of him now. I couldn't help but smile to myself as I left, amused by the idea that Gaius Frakking Baltar would now have to figure out how the hell to survive all on his lonesome.
It wasn't a bad moment at all.
(625)
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no subject
Date: 2007-05-08 09:54 pm (UTC)You didn't happen to have a camera onhand to capture the look on Dr. Frakweasel's face, did you, Major- er, what should we call you, anyway?
In case the apology hasn't gotten around to you or Lieutenant Dualla yet, I'm sorry I didn't shoot Baltar when I found him in the temple. I take sole responsibility for what happened due to that lapse in judgment.
Respectfully,
Chief Tyrol
no subject
Date: 2007-05-10 06:15 am (UTC)*self-satisfied smile* Of course, someone with your integrity would never shoot an unarmed man.
no subject
Date: 2007-05-10 10:41 am (UTC)It's called restraint, Doctor. Something you obviously know nothing about.
You've got quite the embarrassment of riches when it comes to nicknames. The aforementioned Dr. Frakweasel (my personal favorite), Gaius Frakking Baltar, Cylon collaborator, the list goes on and on.
But, the thing is, we don't really talk much about you in the hangar deck. We've all got things far more worthy of our attention than some traitor.
no subject
Date: 2007-05-10 06:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-10 10:43 am (UTC)Oh, I know that, Major.
Doesn't make watching what came afterwards any easier knowing it was my fault. The lawyer Kelly managed to blow up? Could've been avoided if I'd just pulled the trigger.
no subject
Date: 2007-05-10 04:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-10 09:36 pm (UTC)It was more of a kneejerk reaction, sir. Personally, I've got quite a bit on my conscience already. I move we move anything connected to Dr. Batshit into the "all Dr. Batshit's fault" territory, no questions asked. We've all got far too many other things to think about.
[aside]If you happen to see the President, give her our best.[/aside]
no subject
Date: 2007-05-11 03:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-10 06:13 am (UTC)And it wasn't so much pleading as it was a momentary loss of direction. I'm well on my way now
I'm sure.no subject
Date: 2007-05-10 06:47 am (UTC)And so long as the direction you've found keeps you well clear of the Galactica, I have a feeling we'll all be much more comfortable.
no subject
Date: 2007-05-10 07:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-10 04:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-10 07:16 am (UTC)Wait, seriously?
no subject
Date: 2007-05-12 07:47 am (UTC)