Chapter One

The crowd before her was blurry without her glasses on.

A quick pressure at the small of Laura's back reminded her of her task, and she continued to step forward, no longer wanting to properly be able to see the stunned faces of the people. She cleared her throat, and the first row heard her, falling silent. Their silence spread like a wave through the crowd, until it seemed as if she was facing an empty room. The Cylons behind her stepped up to be at her side. One remained close to her shoulder, keeping the gun pressed to her back.

"People of New Caprica," she began, and her voice faltered. Laura took a breath and started again. "Everyone," she continued. "Today, we have been presented with an opportunity."

Forced. Coerced.

'I will have no part in dealing with you.'

Frak you Tom, Laura thought suddenly. Frak you and your selfish ideals.

These people needed a leader, and she... She was what? A figurehead? A puppet? A convenient voice box?

"An opportunity, to start again. This planet"- this frakking planet -"was the beginning of a hope. Hope, to be free from the Cylons and able to raise our families in peace." Maybe this is it. Maybe the Cylons don't come back and... Her voice left. It didn't break, or fade, sound simply ceased to pass through her lips. Would they be able to see her tears from this distance?

At her prolonged silence, the barrel of the gun was shoved again into the small of her back, a quick bruise, a lingering reminder.

She cleared her throat and continued, hoping that in bringing up a hand to cover her cough, no one would notice her wiping her cheeks. "The Cylons have not come to instill fear, or do us harm. They have come... to help us." She took another breath, preparing herself for the next words to come. "We-" who was we? The survivors? The parents? The soldiers? The last remnants of what passed as humanity? "-must graciously accept such a freely given offer."

Silence greeted her. Had she spoken loud enough to be heard? A low murmur began before the mass of people was shouting. She wasn't sure if it was joy, fear or rage. Some appeared to be clapping awkwardly, while others seemed too stunned to move.

Laura closed her eyes as the crowd grew louder, snapping them open when a strange shriek reached her ears.

Some other noise broke out amidst the chaos, oddly familiar, but she couldn't quite place it. Distinguishing the sound didn't seem all that important. She was laying down after all, and if she was laying down...

Oh. When did she fall onto the stage? Had the Cylons been unhappy with her speech? They hadn't given her much time to prepare.

And, oh- oh. She was bleeding.

Laura recognized the sound of gunfire, even though the retort had long since been drowned out of her ears. The scream that had made her open her eyes had been that of "Traitor!"

A human had shot her.

Something was incredibly funny, as she started laughing.

98 days before the Occupation

Laura couldn't recall the Vice President ever entering her school house- well, tent. The fact that Zarek had decided to unobtrusively loiter in the back rather than usurp her students' focus and bask in some form of attention was also unusual. Once the kids were set to diligently scribbling on their paper scraps, she told Maya to keep an eye on things while she slipped outside to speak with the politician.

The wind made her narrow her eyes and jam her hands into the warmth of her armpits.

"What do you want, Tom?" she demanded, staring out across the street rather than at him.

He sighed, and she could see his tie fluttering off of his chest. "You to be VP."

Laura turned sharply to face him. "Don't be a prick," she said before she could stop herself. "If all you're going to do is waste my time-"

"Baltar's dead."

She froze, lips still parted as she contemplated finishing her rant. "What?" slipped out instead.

He looked amused at her response, taking his time in an attempt to smooth down his tie before replying. "Those pills he kept scattered around? He finally knocked back a couple you shouldn't mix."

"He OD'd?" Laura couldn't keep the incredulousness out of her voice.

"Yeah." Tom offered her a tiny smile.

She took a moment to process the probability of that happening. It was rather high. "Why are you telling me?"

"I figured I should have a strong candidate in place for VP before making any public announcement, our current next in line isn't very inspiring. Who knows how people are going to react? Some will mourn Baltar, others are going to be.. less than devastated. There could be celebrating."

She knew which group he fell into; he looked far too amused for a man announcing the death of a former running mate.

Despite agreeing with Tom's prediction of the settlement responding to Baltar's death with a public celebration, she didn't appreciate his callousness. His unfeeling response baited her dormant emotions, demanding that she react in some way to the loss of life. That she react in some way to the death of the man who had given, and taken, so much from her. She attacked him rather than face her confusion on the matter. "You honestly expect me to jump back into politics? Under you?" She immediately felt her cheeks begin to burn when she realized her poor choice of words.

A smirk stretched his face, but he wisely said nothing of her double entendre. "I'm giving you a chance to make a difference, Laura."

"I am making a difference. Right here."

The wind threatened to loosen the hastily tied knots that kept the school tent closed. She could hear Maya speaking to the class through the canvas walls.

"Yes, shaping the minds of the future generations." Tom's focus turned to the tent rather than her. "There aren't going to be future generations if things continue the way they have." His tone was sincere, not laced with the normal amusement he seemed to find in all things.

"If we stay on this godsdamned planet," she replied.

Tom pursed his lips. "I don't think even these past nine months could convince people to go back into space, Laura."

"So what? You expect me to step into office and act as the next figurehead of false hopes, while more people die on this planet?" She stomped her feet in an effort to bring warmth to her numb toes.

"This planet is habitable," he insisted. "Under the proper care, it could thrive."

"Proper care? Do you honestly believe that's all it will take?" Laura scoffed. "What makes you think I could do that? Is the top not what you thought it would be, Tom, now that you have forty thousand hungry, already free- people demanding something?" She was deliberately goading him, she knew. The petty part of her felt satisfied in pointing out his failings.

"I can help these people." His words were fast, clipped and frustrated. "But I know you can, and want to, as well. Will you?"

She hesitated, staring at him in his suit and windswept tie, mud caked on his once fancy shoes.

"Baltar's really dead?" Laura found herself asking. "You aren't just frakking with me?"

"Yes." Tom laughed. "He's really dead."