TM 163 - Hindsight is always 20/20

[arrow_of_apollo]

163 - Hindsight is always 20/20

((contains spoilers for episode 3.13, "Taking a Break From All Your Worries"))

Lee pauses a moment just as he steps through the hatch into the briefing room, and lets the chatter wash over him. It's the usual undifferentiated noise, but somehow he catches words here and there that make him want to turn tail and run.


"Apollo", "the Major", "drunk off his frakking ass", "made Tigh look sober", he hears, and it takes everything in him to clear his throat and take the next few steps.

"Attention on deck," he announces, with something less than his usual confidence. It's enough, though, to silence the talk, but even if he doesn't turn his head, he can feel every single pair of eyes locked onto his back like the Galactica's cannons. He steps up to the podium, eyes still down on his clipboard, and it takes a long breath before he can look up.

Finally, he does, and meets the two dozen or so stares, and as much as he wants to quake in his boots, he stands his ground. He knows the damage that's been done, and he's got to repair it. "At ease," commands Lee, and the pilots take their seats in silence.

One more deep breath and he tries to remember the words he and Dee had finished writing just minutes ago.

"Before we begin the day's briefing, there is some important business I need to take care of, and I'll keep it as brief as I can, because we've got a lot of work to do.

By now, the scuttlebutt's gotten around. The Major was down in Joe's a couple nights ago, knocking back enough booze to fuel a Viper. The Major was seen on C Deck, falling down drunk. Did I get most of it?" There wasn't much more than some uncomfortable shifting as a response.

"I understand that typically, such behavior by an officer, even off-duty, isn't something addressed except by that officer's superiors. But I can't expect you all to follow my Viper into an engagement if you're worried I'll be drunk behind the stick."

This was the plan: defuse the situation by acknowledging just enough of it to make the pilots feel better. The news would snake out of the briefing room and by last watch, every hand on board would hear it. That was the plan.

"Things are tough all over, so that's no excuse for such behavior. And I'm not going to blame it on Joe's, either. I was just as glad as everyone else to hear that there'd be something new to drink on board beside's the Chief's homemade rotgut." A short, nervous, but genuine couple of chuckles. A good sign, Lee told himself.

"An error was made, an error that won't be repeated. I assure you all that. And I also assure you that the next time you see me at Joe's, I'll be sharing exactly one drink with my wife, and we'll be laughing at all of you getting frakked up, hopefully more responsibly than your CAG." There were a few more laughs this time, a few more smiles and a couple of knowing glances. It was important to mention Dee and in the right context, and it seemed to be working.

Lee let out one more breath. "Now that's finished? Good. Okay, on to CAP assignments..."


(548)

((OOC Note: This is an original ficlet, based upon source material, but not representing any canon occurrence.))

Comments

[number-eight.livejournal.com]

Sharon walked up to him afterwards and waited for most of the room to clear before speaking. "Nice job deflecting," she whispered before adding, "Marriage can be a real pain, but it's worth it in the end."

[arrow-of-apollo.livejournal.com]

Lee was startled for a moment. It was a pretty forward thing for a junior officer to say, but he'd already bent protocol in the first place just by talking about what had happened. Besides, Lee reminded himself, there weren't many married couples aboard the ship, and if anyone's was as complicated as his, if not more, it'd be the Agathons. "Thanks," he said, finally. "I guess I never realized just how much work it'd be."

[number-eight.livejournal.com]

"It's a lot of work," she continued, surprised that he was willing to speak to her about it. She stood at attention even though the meeting was over, even though she was speaking to him as if he was a friend. They weren't friends and Sharon knew that, but... but she wasn't sure what else to say except, "How's Dee?"

[arrow-of-apollo.livejournal.com]

This was interesting. They were... just talking. The only person Lee ever got to talk to was Dee, and sometimes his father. He just wasn't the friend-making type. Sharon wasn't a friend, but she did seem to want to hear what he had to say, and that was something.

"She's good. Very good." He took a breath. "In a strange way, I think we're better for it all."

[number-eight.livejournal.com]

It was slightly awkward -- all right, maybe a lot awkward -- but Sharon still hoped that somehow she could be at least civil to her CAG. All things considered, she thought she was doing a damn fine job so far. "Good," she nodded back at him, then laughed a little. "Yeah. Sometimes it takes the worst to bring out the best."

But she didn't mention Kara. Despite it all, she was still her best friend and Sharon just wanted her to be happy.

[arrow-of-apollo.livejournal.com]

"That's the truth," he answered. It wasn't a bad thing to be able to talk, but some things were private, and any more conversation was likely to get more into that area. He shifted a bit, deciding his next words. "I'm, um, I'm glad to hear you got your daughter back."

[number-eight.livejournal.com]

"Oh." Sharon nodded a few times, then tried to make a joke of it. "Yeah, it wasn't so bad. Dying." She coughed and realized it was in vain, and that for whatever reason, her attempt to be nice to her superior had pretty much failed. "Tell, uh... tell Dee I said hi." Not that she talked to his wife much, but it was a good parting to the conversation.

She left the briefing room and decided she needed to see Hera right away before the next mission.