Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters so please don't sue me as I am poor but if you have a penchant for tins of creamed corn, please feel free to sue but must provide your own can opener.
A piercing scream rang out through the Colonial One and Tory Foster shot awake, her eyes wildly scanning the room, trying to find the source of the penetrating sound. The President's quarters. She leapt up, still dressed in her clothes from the day before, not having much other thought for herself other than the latest revelations. Tory ripped open the curtains separating her sleeping area with the President and found Laura Roslin sitting up in bed, her forehead running with sweat.
"Madam President are you in any pain?" Tory knelt by the sofa acting as Roslin's bed, grabbing up the phone to call Doctor Cottle.
"No…" Roslin's voice rasped. She took a meagre sip of water and her hands shook as she placed the glass back down. "There's no need for that. It was just a bad dream." Swinging her legs out from under the cover, she tried to stand and stumbled, grabbing on to Tory's shoulder for support.
"Maybe its best it if we give him a ring and get you checked-" Her words were silenced by Roslin raising a hand and sighing.
"There really is no need Tory, I'm feeling fine," she gave a wan smile and made her way through to her desk, collecting her jacket off of the back of her chair. "Although there is one thing you can do for me, get in contact with the Galactica, and let them know I wish to board immediately. Thank you."
Tory picked up the phone, giving the President a wary look as she called the Galactica, wondering what on earth was going on this evening.
…
Colonel Tigh paced CIC, gazing wearily over the dradis consoles. He rubbed his beard absently and shut his eyes, feeling a headache pounding at his temples. He moved his shaky fingers from his beard to his head and soothed it gently, feeling sweat under his palm. They even sweat. He remembered reading it in one of Kara's interrogation reports of Leoben. The frakking cylons even sweat. "Gods damn it."
"Sir?" Dualla's soft voice came from behind him. He turned and opened his eyes wide, looking questioningly at her. "I have a message from the Colonial One. The President wishes to board immediately."
"Why?" He grunted at her, joining Dualla over by her station. "Has the Admiral been informed of this?"
"No sir, he's in his rack. He should be out soon. What should I tell them?"
"Tell them…" Tigh watched as Adama walked into the room, fresh faced. "Tell them they can come aboard. But I'm not giving up any of my time to talk to her; I have better things to worry about."
Adama wandered over to Tigh, "Colonel, I suggest you get some rack time, while everything's calm." He placed a hand on his friend's shoulder and smiled. "You look as if you need it."
Emitting a low grumble, Tigh took Adama's hand of his shoulder, feeling a pang of guilt for hiding his secret from his closest friend, "Yeah, I guess I had better. Oh, the Colonial One will be boarding, they didn't say why though."
"Right, I better go roll out the welcoming committee then." With that Adama straightened up his jacket and left CIC, leaving Colonel Tigh to shuffle quietly to his quarters where he could muse over his latest troubles.
…
The brig was darker than she remembered it, and the bed was a lot harder. Way to torture the frakking cylons, I'm sure with conditions like this; they'll cave to interrogation in minutes. Kara smiled at her thought and glanced over at Caprica who occupied the next cell, hoping to Gods that the cylon wasn't psychic. "So…" she dragged out the word playfully, "What they got you in for? Drunk and disorderly behaviour?"
Another voice entered Kara's thoughts, adding, "Hitting a superior asshole?" She turned slightly to find Leoben sitting on her bed beside her, his hands rubbing together. "Has it always been this cold?"
"Try asking them to turn the heating on, see how far that gets you." Kara smirked at the remark, not realising Caprica's eyes resting heavily on her.
"Excuse me?" Caprica stood up and came towards the bars, watching Kara start to giggle slowly. "Are you Kara Thrace?"
"Ha!" Kara's outburst surprised Caprica and she took a step back, "How is it you frakking things always know my name?" Leoben stood up and moved towards the bars where Caprica stood, studying the captive prisoner.
"It's amazing what some cylons will resort to, to avoid the airlock treatment. Become dehumanised within themselves. She had such great plans and now here she is." Leoben reached out and touched Caprica's face. She didn't seem to acknowledge the gesture and continued to stare at Kara warily, measuring her movements.
"There's a 'K' mark on the wall. And an 'L' one. I guess that you're not Lee Adama so I'll hedge my bets on Kara Thrace." Gripping hold of the bars, Caprica's face softened and she whispered low so only the two of them could hear, "Leoben had such great plans for you. You have a destiny."
Kara snorted trying to suppress her giggles, and Leoben glared at her, "I did have plans for you. I still do. Our destinies are entwined." Kara fell off the cot gripping her aching stomach from the laughing.
"Seriously, you things are so frakked up! I do not have a divine destiny…"
"But you do know where Earth is." Leoben knelt beside her, "And a dying leader will take them there."
"And if you hadn't noticed I'm not dying." Kara sat back on the bed, wiping tears from her laughing fit.
"I didn't say you were." Moving away from the bars, Caprica settled back onto her bed, gazing at the ceiling vacantly.
"Then how am I meant to lead them to Earth?"
"What?" Caprica sat up abruptly and fixed Kara with a stare. "You know where earth is?"
"Yep but I'm not you're dying leader so-"
Leoben interrupted her, "Haven't you heard? Roslin is." With that Kara straightened up and watched his smile growing. "You've missed so much."
…
"Madam President. It's good to have you on board, but may I ask why?" Side by side they walked through the hallways of Galactica. Tory remained close by, her handbag with the President's medication safely over her shoulder.
"Thank you and you may, but it doesn't mean I have to explain myself." She gave a rueful smile and picked up the pace. Adama caught up and held her arm gently, stopping her. "It's important I see your prisoner."
"Which one? The cylon or Kara?" Roslin lowered her eyes and pulled Adama to one side, away from Tory.
"Caprica. I can't explain it now but trust me, when I can I will." The admiral nodded and wiped his glasses on his jacket. Roslin held out a hand to stop him. "Trust me Bill, I'll explain everything."
"Very well. Marines?" He addressed the armed men escorting them, "Take the President to the Brig. No time limit and complete privacy. Also take Tory to the CIC." With a nod, the men indicated the President should take the lead. The group moved off down the corridor leaving Adama to watch after them, shaking his head with confusion before he headed off to his quarters.
…
The brig door swung open and Roslin stepped into the room, nodding to the men inside that she should be left alone. Noticing a chair in the corner, she dragged it over to sit in front of the occupied cells. The room felt cold and Roslin pulled her coat around her tighter, shivering. "Is it always this cold in here?"
This time Kara didn't smile at the remark, her face remained stony as she appraised the President who looked paler and weaker. That's a lot of change for 6 hours. "Yeah it is. I uh…" Kara looked down at her clasped hands before meeting the President's eyes. "I'm sorry to hear about the cancer."
Roslin nodded her head absently and smiled, "Thank you, it's good to see you back on the Galactica, even under the circumstances. I'm here on business so to speak, I need to talk to Caprica." At the mention of her name, Caprica sat up in her bed and stared expectantly at Roslin.
"Why me?" She asked slowly, part of her fearing that her time had come and she was to be escorted to the airlock.
"The dreams." Roslin said shortly, focusing all her attention now on the cylon. "There was someone else there last time." She glanced cautiously at Kara who was listening with rapt attention.
"Oh please don't stop on my behalf. I already know who you're talking about, and believe me, there are plenty more where that came from." Kara strode over to the bars and smiled wearily.
"You don't want to do this Kara, it will ruin everything we've worked for," stroking her face Leoben glared deeply into her eyes. She swiped his hand away and gripped hold of the bars fiercely.
"And what would you know about this?" Roslin crossed her knees and smiled politely at Kara, a hint of annoyance playing on her lips.
"Because him and the others are all on Earth."