p4

Laura thought over her life and her choices. She had never been one for dating. She was more the quiet type. She thought about her last relationship, her relationship with President Adar. She had been enamored by him, his charm, his charisma, even by his political power. She never dreamed that he would be such a total waste of time and energy. He was an absolute jerk, there was nothing else to it.

Her mother had given her a list of 'don't's'. 1) Don't mess with someone else's spouse. 2) Don't betray your friends, no matter what. And 3)Don't quit your job with out a REALLY good reason, they're hard enough to come by.

Her mother had been such a wonderful person. She was so strong. She knew what it was to live, and to provide for a family. She knew what she wanted, she knew what she needed, and she had moral values like no one else. She had raised Laura almost completely alone. Laura's father had died when Laura was only 11 years old.

He had died trying to save some lawyer. He was walking home one night after a hard day at work, and in an ally between the courthouse and a bar a lawyer was being beaten up by the brother of a man that the lawyer had just gotten convicted, not three hours before. Her father intervened, and lost. Her father died on the scene, but the Lawyer died at a hospital two days later. Right before he died, he seemed like he was doing better. Laura even got to meet him. His son, who was just a little older than Laura, saw him as well. Laura remembered it pretty well.

Her mom had taken her to the hospital to meet the man Daddy had died for, Laura only realized later that her mom had gone in for testing, Laura sat outside the lawyer's room watching through the window. It was very sweet. He was bruised pretty bad but it was like his son didn't even notice. He sat in the chair next to him, listening intently. The lawyer pulled out something from a jacket lying on the bed stand, it was small and metallic, and gave it to the teenage boy. She never found out what it was. When the boy's visit was almost over she went in to greet him. She couldn't remember their names, but he always stuck in her mind. His condition degraded that night, and he died just six hours after their visit. Maybe his name was Joseph, but Laura just couldn't remember. As the boy started to leave, his father called out, "Billy," the boy turned around, there were tears in his eyes, "Tell your mother I love her." the boy nodded and left the room.

She would never forget that, never. Her mom was diagnosed with cancer a few weeks later, she fought it for 8years, in and out of remission. Then when Laura started to make something of herself, it was like her mom just gave up. Tears came to Laura's eyes over the memory. She remembered watching her mother fight cancer to her very last breath, and she was miserable through it all, but she had to live for Laura, because no one else could. Laura curled up on her heartless bed and fell asleep.

"We're done here." Adama angrily muttered, standing up and leaving the cell. He made for his office, he had some thinking to do. He wanted to say that this was a cylon trick, they were just trying to manipulate him. He was angry at Sharon for trying it, he was angry at her for lying; he was just plain angry. He knew the cylons too well to fall for this kind of trick.

By the time he got to his office, the only thing running through his mind was: it's a cylon trick, she's just trying to manipulate me. Then after a few seconds he got the feeling like maybe it wasn't all a cylon ploy. Laura was dead, she had died in his arms, she had said goodbye, there was no way she could be alive, and yet. . . He couldn't shake the feeling that maybe she was alive somewhere again. He continued to think on the subject for several hours, he would go back and forth arguing it in his mind, justifying Sharon, then hating the cylons. Finally he decided that he needed more information. Even if Laura was dead, this ship did need to be taken care of. If Sharon hadn't lied about the ship, then chances were she hadn't lied about Roslin either. He needed to do a reconaissance and find out if her intel on the ship was acurate. He called Sharon's guard and asked her make a chart of where the ship was in the fleet and it's appearance.

Even in grief Kara was the best pilot he had and the only one capable of pulling this off, once again, so he called her to his quarters.

She came in shortly, and stood to attention.

"At ease Starbuck." He said pacing. " I have a mission for you."

"Yes, sir."

"Keep this on the down low. I need you to confirm the presence of a ship in the cylon fleet." He went to his desk and picked up the particulars that he had gotten from Boomer.

Kara took the papers and looked through them. She nodded when she was done. "I can do this. Just give me a viper and some explosives." She said confidently.

"No Starbuck, don't destroy it. Just confirm it's existence." He said nervously.

"Sir?" She glanced at him confused.

"Kara, if Sharon is right about this ship then destoying it would be a terrible loss for the rest of humanity. If Sharan is lying and just playing a cylon game, then I need to know it."

"Sounds serious sir. What's so important about this ship?"

Adama shook his head. "After." Kara nodded, "Dismissed, Captain."

-x-

Gaius prepared for the awards ceremony in his quarters when his imaginary friend 6 graced him with her presence.

"Gaius." She said deadly, "Boomer told Adama about Roslin. He's going to look for her."

"Roslin's dead. Or haven't you heard?" He said giddily.

Six rolled her eyes, "Not anymore. Number 3 decided to resurrect her." She said with disaproval.

"What? Is that even possible, Roslin isn't a cylon is she?"

"Don't be absurd Gaius. The Cylons have been tracking her brain and memories ever since Leoben was found and spaced." 6 walked back and forth in discontent. "All the resources they wasted, just to resurrect her. Gaius you have to stop Adama. If they find her. . ."

"I will, I'll speak to him imediately." He said interupting her. He picked up the phone.

-x-

The phone rang in Adama's quarters, Adama stirred a little from his couch and ansered it.

"Adama."

"Nice to hear your voice Admiral."

"Likewise Doctor Baltar. I was meaning on talking with you before the ceremony, but got sidetrack. Do you think we could still meet?"

"You read my mind Admiral, why don't you come down to my lab in ten minutes."

"I'll be there, and thank you for taking to the time to speak with me.

"In ten Admiral." Gaius hung up the phone.

Adama retrieved Laura's real will and read through it. He reread the section on Baltar. What concerned the Admiral was the replacement, if Baltar stepped down then who would take control of the civilian government, who would seize that void. The only name that came to mind was Zarek, and that would be worse than Baltar. 'Maybe Grey. . .." He wondered to himself.