Kara wasn't sure what exactly it was that she was supposed to be doing in here. When the Old Man had asked her to come in and sit with the President until they could get a priest of some kind in she had agreed only because she didn't think saying no was likely to put him in a mood more likely to approve the latest version of her rescue plan for the people left behind on Caprica. Dee had offered to come in with her and Kara had gratefully accepted.

"The Old Man said you had some things you wanted to talk about."

The President raised an eyebrow in a way that Kara took to say 'and this is who he sent me?'

Still, she asked. "What do you think comes after this life?"

"Sir?" Kara tilted her head. Given the circumstances, she really shouldn't have been, but Kara found herself caught off guard by the question.

"What do you think Hades is like? Do you think it's the same generic hell for everyone or do you think people get their own hell personally tailored to them?"

Kara shook her head. "I don't know, sir, but I don't believe …"

Kara found it hard to believe that the gods own instrument would be consigned to hell when she died and she started to say as much. But then she thought of the things that the President had had her do to Leoben. And the lie the President had told him. If - as Leoben believed - he truly did have a soul, where did that leave the President's?

She thought of the gun footage of the destruction of the Olympic Carrier and the flicker of shadow that still haunted Lee.

She didn't know the President all that well Kara realized so she didn't bother to try to dispute her. "I don't know what hell is going to be like, but when you get there ask for a woman named Socrata. I'm sure she could help you get the lay of the land."

The President gave a pained chuckle. "I'm sure I'll know enough of the crowd there as it is."

Dee gave Kara a disapproving look.

"What?" Kara asked. "I bet she knows which direction she will be heading better than you do!"

Taking the President's hand, Dee tried to turn the conversation in a different direction. "After this comes Earth and it's going to be wonderful."

Dee smiled. "It's going to be everything we've been dreaming of. Earth will have more oceans and clearer lakes and streams than Aquaria. The lowliest mountain on Earth will be higher than the tallest peak on Sagittaron. Earth is going to have more rolling fields than all of Aerilon. There will be fresh fruit and grain enough for everyone."

Listening to Dee list all that was best about each of the Twelve Colonies and describe how better Earth would be, Kara finally got into the spirit and joined in. "The beer there will be better than anything brewed on Virgon."

At Dee's eye roll, Kara realized that the President probably wasn't much of a beer drinker. "Or any of the wine made on Leonis."

Dee squeezed the President's hand. "There will be more fauna than Scorpia. Everywhere will be teaming with life."

"You remember how lush and green it was on Kobol?" Kara tried again. "There will be more vegetation than Kobol because you just know that the thirteenth tribe wouldn't have settled just anywhere."

"Mmm." The President made a humming noise. "I wish I could see it." She said it so quietly. "Even for a day."

"That's not the way the scriptures say it happens." Kara reminded her.

Seeing Dee's look of exasperation, Kara offered. "But maybe we could bury you on Earth instead of putting you out the airlock."

The conversation briefly ground to a halt as the other two women just stared at Kara.

Finally, Dee tried for a recovery. "There will be so much open space! People will be able to spread out like they've only dreamed of while aboard the ships we call home right now.

"And the lost tribe will be so happy to see us." Now Dee had tears in her eyes. "They'll welcome us with open arms."

"If they don't shoot first and ask questions later." Kara sniped, but the others seemed to have given up on listening to her.

"Earth is going to be so wonderful." Dee repeated wistfully. Squeezing the President's hand, she added. "And you'll be the one to have brought us all there."

"Still, you have to admit it would have been nice to have had a chance to actually see it myself."

"You did get to see Earth." Kara pointed out. "When we were on Kobol."

"For all of five minutes." The President countered.

"Yeah, but you saw it." Kara continued to argue.

"There wasn't much to see – it was a little dark. All I got to see was some over grown grass."

As Kara again opened her mouth, the President relented. "But I suppose, yes, I did get to see Earth." The President sighed. "You do make Earth sound wonderful and that's all well and fine for the rest of you, but it still doesn't exactly cover the question of what comes next for me."

"No, I guess not." Kara admitted before going on to say - entirely sincere, "But thanks for biting it so the rest of us could get to the good stuff."

Dee put her head down.

Putting a hand to her temple, the President closed her eyes.

###

Billy was still off trying to find a priest when Kara came back through the curtain.

"She's asleep again. Or at least pretending to be. One of the two."

Following Kara out, Dee cuffed the other woman on the back of the head. "Couth, Kara! Find some!"

"Me?! You were the one that brought up Earth in the first place!"

Not bothering to ask, Bill moved past them to take his turn sitting by Laura's side. He was pleased to see that this time as she slept there was a hint of a smile on her face.

Finis