AFTERMATH : THE JOURNEY BEGINS

          "About FUCKING time," he all but snarled at the two who entered his office just off the Ready Room of the Viper Pilots.  

          "Now, now, no need to be short," he said, grinning rather roguishly at him, which had his brow arching.

          "Do EITHER of you have any idea how worried Harry and Roark have been?  You sent no word.  Not even an 'I'm alive.'  They've been scared to death they'd lost you both."

          THAT sobered Sirius up at once.  "I'm sorry, Rodolphus.  After the attacks began, there was just no way.  Communications were down, our com-links wouldn't connect with the emergency number and every time we thought we'd found a way to send something..."

          A hand settled on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze.  "We DID try, Rodolphus, to get them word," Remus said as he sat in one of the chairs.  "It just proved to be harder than we thought it would be.  How are the boys?"

          "Harry is fine but has been sticking very close to Roark since the annihilation.  Severus and Sebastien have had to give him Alpha-blockers to keep his gifts dulled until he can repair his shields.  He's been spiraling since Baltar took his hand on the Atlantia.  He's doing much better, and they've downgraded to a beta blocker."

          They both frowned deeply.  "So what we've been hearing is true?"

          Rodolphus sat back in his chair, arms crossing over his chest.  "Depends on what you have heard."  

          "That he sold us out to the Cylons, bartering--though WHAT he would have to barter WITH--"

          Rodolphus nodded once.  "True, and we have no idea what he used, not that it mattered.  The Cylons, of course, didn't keep their word.  We still don't know what happened to him, though we are running with the assumption that he is still alive and assisting them in some capacity.  What that capacity may be, we have no idea, but I'm sure we'll find out eventually."

          They both nodded.  "So...oo Strike Commander now?" came with a grin.

          Rodolphus shrugged.  "Someone had to do it, and the few viper pilots that survived...Some of them needed to be reprimanded, and put on report.  Apollo was remarkably lax in that department."

          "Not surprising really.  He went to the Academy...was friends with many of them."

          "Adama should have known better than to give him that position.  As good a warrior...a viper pilot he is, there was no way he would remain objective as the job demands."

          "Exactly."

          "So why are we reporting to you instead of the Admiral?  Or Dacian and Gabriel?"

          "Deligation.  Jobs have changed, and been shifted around.  Hell, we lost just over one-fifty out of Counter-Intelligence alone.  The number of warriors and Viper pilots is staggering."  He looked between them.  "Did you find Evan Rosier?"

          "Yes, but he's a slippery bugger."

         "Hum...he had a niece...Tatiana.  Her parents were either killed during the evacuation, or they were left behind because of space issues."

          Sirius sat forward.  "You want to try to use her to draw him out?"

           A look of disbelief.  "Are you OUT OF YOUR MIND?!  Roark would have our HEADS for even THINKING of using her.  He's gotten very attached to her."

          "So we're going to use her?"

          "Of course.  But only her name.  Put out that his niece has been orphaned, and needs a guardian.  Admiral Roark is willing to grant him immunity, especially as we have no real idea what his role was for Riddle."

          "Assassin."

          That got him an arched brow.  "You two need to get cleaned up.  Harry and Roark are cooking dinner tonight.  Family...all of them, are to report to the large conference room in..." he glanced down.  "One centar.  I suggest you not be late."