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tellitslantAccording to Necessity
by Kathryne, tellitslant@ livejournal.com
Fandom: BSG
Spoilers: 2x20
Disclaimer: RDM's, not mine.
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Laura/Maya
*
It is cold and damp and grey on the surface of New Caprica, and Laura draws her coat tightly around herself as she steps off the Raptor. She glances over the small, huddled cluster of tents and thinks of the soaring architecture and brilliant sunshine of Caprica City, and she shivers with a sudden chill.
Two months have passed since what is left of humanity voted for this miserable, scrounging existence, two months in which the civilians have fought hard for the privilege of sleeping crammed together in hastily erected tents as they work to lay the foundation for their survival. Two months, and Laura is simultaneously surprised and disgusted by how much they have to show for it.
This is her first visit to the surface. Until now, she has preferred to stay on Galactica, watching, waiting until the media furor over her reversal of fortune dies down. But the infrastructure of New Caprica is settling into place, and Laura intends to have her say in shaping it. After all, not even Baltar can reject her offer to create an educational system, not without looking utterly ridiculous.
No, Laura will get her school, she knows, and Baltar might even be swayed into thinking that she has become meek and accepting and willing to work with him. It will take a little time, but there are certainly worse ways to spend the dull months ahead than returning, finally, to teaching. She smiles a little just thinking about it.
"President Roslin! Oh, I mean, um – " Laura turns, amused despite herself, to see Maya with one hand clapped over her mouth in embarrassment. Her other arm cradles the Cylon child, who is staring with intense concentration at the bright pink bobbles on her toque.
"Maya, hello! How are you?" Laura is surprised at the rush of warmth she feels: she hadn't expected to encounter a friendly face on the planet. She puts an arm around the younger woman as they fall into pace together, leaning into her and looking curiously at the baby. "How are you both?"
"We're doing really well," Maya says earnestly. "I'm colder than I ever was on Caprica, but the air is so much fresher, and it's so much better than being stuck on the Demetrius all the time. I've even got my own little tent, down by the factory – I watch some of the workers' kids during the day. I wanted Isis to grow up around other children."
Her face softens as she glances down at her daughter, but when she looks back up at Laura, it is all concern. "How about you?" she asks. "You kind of disappeared from the news after the election. Are you living down here now, Madam – er, Ms Roslin?"
"Laura, please," Laura corrects. "No, I'm still staying on Galactica, at least for now. I'm just down for the day. I have a meeting with the president." She can't keep the contempt entirely out of her voice, and Maya sways into her sympathetically.
"I'm sorry to hear that?" she offers, trying to lighten the mood. It works; Laura actually giggles. "Look," Maya continues impulsively, "why don't you stop by after your meeting? My place is really easy to find – straight down towards the factory and it's third from the end. You can see for yourself what Isis and I are up to."
Laura is unexpectedly touched by the offer. "I'd like that," she says, smiling widely. "I don't know how long I'll be, but if you're sure I won't be disturbing you..."
"No, it'll be nice," Maya grins. "I'll see you soon!"
Laura waves as they part ways, struck by the normalcy of the encounter. She understands what so many people want to see in this broken civilization. As she waits to enter Colonial One, she just hopes that humanity hasn't doomed itself in its quest for a corner store.
**
When she leaves Baltar's ridiculously ornate office, the light is fading and her muscles have tensed into knots, but Laura is grinning fiercely and flushed with victory. Baltar is a worthy opponent only by virtue of his stubbornness, and it often takes all of Laura's self-control not to grind one of his cigars out in his insufferably smug face, but she has what she wanted: permission to start a school system. She even wrangled some funding out of him, although she had to settle for yet another tent instead of the building she wanted in order to secure it. She is very pleased with herself, and as she strolls towards Maya's tent, she can't keep the spring out of her step.
The third tent from the end of the row looks exactly like all of the others: dull green, tiny, hardly adequate to keep out the whistling wind. Inside, the bed, table, and cradle crowd the small space, but Maya has decorated with bright colours and a patterned quilt, and Laura thinks it is actually cheerful.
"So how did it go?" Maya asks. She takes Laura's coat, sets a pot of coffee on – it's very domestic, and actually very appealing.
"It went... as well as could be expected," Laura answers, rolling her shoulders to ease some of the tension. She smiles at Maya's surprised look and stretches in contentment. "For once, I got exactly what I wanted out of Baltar."
Laura jumps as the baby starts crying; without skipping a beat, Maya scoops the child up, hands her off to Laura, and grabs a couple of mugs for coffee. Isis stops crying at once and stares up at Laura in fascination. Laura stares back with equal intensity.
"I wish she quieted that easily for me," Maya says, glancing over her shoulder. "You're so good with her – did you ever have children?"
"Oh, no," Laura answers, laughing softly. "No, I got enough of children at my day job." The child is a warm, normal weight in her arms, but she's happy enough to hand her over to Maya in exchange for the coffee. They bump shoulders comfortably, sitting side by side on the bed.
Maya starts chattering about the kids she takes care of, and Laura slowly relaxes. Moving down here won't be as bad as she'd expected, maybe. Isis burbles quietly as she falls asleep, and Maya settles her in the cradle, covering her up with an orange and green blanket.
"Maya," Laura says impulsively, "I'm going to be running a school. Would you be interested in helping out?"
"Really?" Maya's eyes light up. "I'd love it! It's so hard to keep the kids busy all day, and they really do need some sort of structure, and – that's what you were seeing Baltar about? Really?" Maya throws her arms around Laura and hugs her excitedly.
"Yes, really!" Laura laughs, holding Maya close. "I think we'll work very well together." Maya giggles into Laura's neck; in the corner, Laura can see the cradle rock as Isis moves in her sleep. "After all, we need to take care of the children, now more than ever."
Laura knows she's made a good choice from the way that Maya starts bubbling over with lesson plans and age groups, and where can they get materials and maybe they can do field trips. For the first time since the election - the first time since the attack - she's finally going to get the chance to do what she wants.
It even feels almost normal, when Isis wakes up, for Laura to pick her up and soothe her while Maya searches for a bottle.
"Have you got a place down here yet?" Maya asks, one hand against Isis's cheek as she eats. It's dark outside, and Maya only has one small light burning. Laura is suddenly very aware that the last shuttle back to Galactica has been gone for hours.
"Not yet," she replies. "I have to sort that out, set up a schoolhouse, see if I can track down something to use for desks. There's so much to do before - oh." She yawns widely. It has been a long day.
Maya settles the baby back in her cradle before turning to Laura where she sits in the shadows. "Stay here tonight," she says, peeling her shirt off and putting her hands on Laura's shoulders. Simple, just like that, and Laura smiles and reaches up and runs her palms over warm, warm skin.
She tugs and Maya falls on top of her and they both sprawl against a soft blanket that Maya probably bought from one of the vendors in Caprica City market. It could be the last one in the universe.
Laura licks a warm stripe up the side of Maya's neck. Maya whimpers, and Laura slips a hand over her mouth quickly. They can't forget about the baby.
by Kathryne, tellitslant@ livejournal.com
Fandom: BSG
Spoilers: 2x20
Disclaimer: RDM's, not mine.
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Laura/Maya
*
It is cold and damp and grey on the surface of New Caprica, and Laura draws her coat tightly around herself as she steps off the Raptor. She glances over the small, huddled cluster of tents and thinks of the soaring architecture and brilliant sunshine of Caprica City, and she shivers with a sudden chill.
Two months have passed since what is left of humanity voted for this miserable, scrounging existence, two months in which the civilians have fought hard for the privilege of sleeping crammed together in hastily erected tents as they work to lay the foundation for their survival. Two months, and Laura is simultaneously surprised and disgusted by how much they have to show for it.
This is her first visit to the surface. Until now, she has preferred to stay on Galactica, watching, waiting until the media furor over her reversal of fortune dies down. But the infrastructure of New Caprica is settling into place, and Laura intends to have her say in shaping it. After all, not even Baltar can reject her offer to create an educational system, not without looking utterly ridiculous.
No, Laura will get her school, she knows, and Baltar might even be swayed into thinking that she has become meek and accepting and willing to work with him. It will take a little time, but there are certainly worse ways to spend the dull months ahead than returning, finally, to teaching. She smiles a little just thinking about it.
"President Roslin! Oh, I mean, um – " Laura turns, amused despite herself, to see Maya with one hand clapped over her mouth in embarrassment. Her other arm cradles the Cylon child, who is staring with intense concentration at the bright pink bobbles on her toque.
"Maya, hello! How are you?" Laura is surprised at the rush of warmth she feels: she hadn't expected to encounter a friendly face on the planet. She puts an arm around the younger woman as they fall into pace together, leaning into her and looking curiously at the baby. "How are you both?"
"We're doing really well," Maya says earnestly. "I'm colder than I ever was on Caprica, but the air is so much fresher, and it's so much better than being stuck on the Demetrius all the time. I've even got my own little tent, down by the factory – I watch some of the workers' kids during the day. I wanted Isis to grow up around other children."
Her face softens as she glances down at her daughter, but when she looks back up at Laura, it is all concern. "How about you?" she asks. "You kind of disappeared from the news after the election. Are you living down here now, Madam – er, Ms Roslin?"
"Laura, please," Laura corrects. "No, I'm still staying on Galactica, at least for now. I'm just down for the day. I have a meeting with the president." She can't keep the contempt entirely out of her voice, and Maya sways into her sympathetically.
"I'm sorry to hear that?" she offers, trying to lighten the mood. It works; Laura actually giggles. "Look," Maya continues impulsively, "why don't you stop by after your meeting? My place is really easy to find – straight down towards the factory and it's third from the end. You can see for yourself what Isis and I are up to."
Laura is unexpectedly touched by the offer. "I'd like that," she says, smiling widely. "I don't know how long I'll be, but if you're sure I won't be disturbing you..."
"No, it'll be nice," Maya grins. "I'll see you soon!"
Laura waves as they part ways, struck by the normalcy of the encounter. She understands what so many people want to see in this broken civilization. As she waits to enter Colonial One, she just hopes that humanity hasn't doomed itself in its quest for a corner store.
**
When she leaves Baltar's ridiculously ornate office, the light is fading and her muscles have tensed into knots, but Laura is grinning fiercely and flushed with victory. Baltar is a worthy opponent only by virtue of his stubbornness, and it often takes all of Laura's self-control not to grind one of his cigars out in his insufferably smug face, but she has what she wanted: permission to start a school system. She even wrangled some funding out of him, although she had to settle for yet another tent instead of the building she wanted in order to secure it. She is very pleased with herself, and as she strolls towards Maya's tent, she can't keep the spring out of her step.
The third tent from the end of the row looks exactly like all of the others: dull green, tiny, hardly adequate to keep out the whistling wind. Inside, the bed, table, and cradle crowd the small space, but Maya has decorated with bright colours and a patterned quilt, and Laura thinks it is actually cheerful.
"So how did it go?" Maya asks. She takes Laura's coat, sets a pot of coffee on – it's very domestic, and actually very appealing.
"It went... as well as could be expected," Laura answers, rolling her shoulders to ease some of the tension. She smiles at Maya's surprised look and stretches in contentment. "For once, I got exactly what I wanted out of Baltar."
Laura jumps as the baby starts crying; without skipping a beat, Maya scoops the child up, hands her off to Laura, and grabs a couple of mugs for coffee. Isis stops crying at once and stares up at Laura in fascination. Laura stares back with equal intensity.
"I wish she quieted that easily for me," Maya says, glancing over her shoulder. "You're so good with her – did you ever have children?"
"Oh, no," Laura answers, laughing softly. "No, I got enough of children at my day job." The child is a warm, normal weight in her arms, but she's happy enough to hand her over to Maya in exchange for the coffee. They bump shoulders comfortably, sitting side by side on the bed.
Maya starts chattering about the kids she takes care of, and Laura slowly relaxes. Moving down here won't be as bad as she'd expected, maybe. Isis burbles quietly as she falls asleep, and Maya settles her in the cradle, covering her up with an orange and green blanket.
"Maya," Laura says impulsively, "I'm going to be running a school. Would you be interested in helping out?"
"Really?" Maya's eyes light up. "I'd love it! It's so hard to keep the kids busy all day, and they really do need some sort of structure, and – that's what you were seeing Baltar about? Really?" Maya throws her arms around Laura and hugs her excitedly.
"Yes, really!" Laura laughs, holding Maya close. "I think we'll work very well together." Maya giggles into Laura's neck; in the corner, Laura can see the cradle rock as Isis moves in her sleep. "After all, we need to take care of the children, now more than ever."
Laura knows she's made a good choice from the way that Maya starts bubbling over with lesson plans and age groups, and where can they get materials and maybe they can do field trips. For the first time since the election - the first time since the attack - she's finally going to get the chance to do what she wants.
It even feels almost normal, when Isis wakes up, for Laura to pick her up and soothe her while Maya searches for a bottle.
"Have you got a place down here yet?" Maya asks, one hand against Isis's cheek as she eats. It's dark outside, and Maya only has one small light burning. Laura is suddenly very aware that the last shuttle back to Galactica has been gone for hours.
"Not yet," she replies. "I have to sort that out, set up a schoolhouse, see if I can track down something to use for desks. There's so much to do before - oh." She yawns widely. It has been a long day.
Maya settles the baby back in her cradle before turning to Laura where she sits in the shadows. "Stay here tonight," she says, peeling her shirt off and putting her hands on Laura's shoulders. Simple, just like that, and Laura smiles and reaches up and runs her palms over warm, warm skin.
She tugs and Maya falls on top of her and they both sprawl against a soft blanket that Maya probably bought from one of the vendors in Caprica City market. It could be the last one in the universe.
Laura licks a warm stripe up the side of Maya's neck. Maya whimpers, and Laura slips a hand over her mouth quickly. They can't forget about the baby.
