Cellmate 7

"Ok, we'll try this one last time." Xander picked up a fresh sheet of paper and a pen, "Baseball is a game played between two teams of nine players each. It is a bat-and-ball game in which a pitcher throws a hard, fist-sized, leather-covered ball toward a batter on the opposing team. The batter attempts to hit the baseball with a round bat made of wood. A team scores runs only when batting, by advancing its players - primarily, but not exclusively, via hits - counter clockwise past a series of four markers called bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot square, or 'diamond.' No time restriction, but it's structured around nine segments called innings. Both teams are given the opportunity to bat in each inning, and a team's half-inning ends when three of its players are out."

"And people play and watch that for fun" Sharon shook her head, "Earth sounds dumb."

"Hey, I had to sit through a goddamn Pyramid game over on the Cloud Nine the other night." Xander shook his head, "Why the President wanted me there is beyond me."

"She's probably worried that you're not getting a balanced view of Colonial society and culture." The Cylon shrugged, "Helo said that there is a lot of talk among the crew about the fact that you still insist on staying here with me."

"Well, you can tell him to tell the others that the truth is that I feel a little uncomfortable out there." Xander waved in the general direction of the cell door, "If Roslin wants to play the religious card, that's her choice. Me, I get a little uncomfortable when total strangers are asking me to heal their sickness by just laying my hands upon them."

"You're the prophesied one-eyed-warrior spoken about by the sacred scrolls; it's understandable that they're more than a little eager to meet you." Sharon lay back on her bunk, "And you do seem to be spending a lot of time on the Cloud Nine."

"I have little else to do with my time." Xander climbed back up onto his bunk and lay down, "And I do feel kind of responsible for the situation over there."

"You mean the fact that that bitch Cain is its new Captain?" Sharon punched the underside of the mattress above her, almost knocking Xander out of bed, "I can't believe you didn't shoot her when you had the chance."

"I'm not a murderer, and that's what killing her then and there would have made me, no matter what anyone says." Her friend popped his head over the side, "She's also the only person other than you and Helo that doesn't treat me with either distrust or religious awe. At least Admiral Adama is starting to treat you like a person; me he sees as a headache."

"In what way?" The Cylon asked.

"That reporter, the one who did the documentary Starbuck made me watch." Xander snapped his fingers a couple of times, trying to remember, "D'Anna Biers! She keeps hounding him for access to me for an interview."

"I don't trust her." Sharon looked puzzled for a second, "Don't know why; it's just this feeling I have..."

"Maybe she's a Cylon?" Xander laughed as he lay back down, "Anyway, she wants to interview me for the Fleet News Service."

"You should do it." His friend suggested, "It might keep people off your back if they knew just how useless you are in real life."

"Hey, I've told you more about my past than anyone else in this fleet, so you of all people should know that I'm far from useless." Xander jumped back down, the sound of his boots hitting the deck echoing around the room, "And if you think an interview would help my case so much, why don't you do one?"

"Have you been at the Chief's hooch?" Sharon laughed, "Can you imagine the reaction among the civilian population if it got out that I'm carrying a half-human/half-Cylon baby?"

"I'm guessing something along the lines of pitchforks and burning torches?" Xander shivered, "Ok, maybe not such a good idea." He looked round as the outer door opened and Lieutenant Gaeta stepped in, holding a large, leather bound book. He raised an eyebrow inquisitively, "Little early for Readers Digest book of the month, isn't it?"

The Colonial officer looked at him for a second, then opened the cell door from the outside, "President Roslin's complements; the complete and unabridged book of the Prophetess Cordelia."

"Excellent!" Xander grabbed the heavy tome and watched as Gaeta left before turning to Sharon with a sly grin, "I can never remember; are we supposed to tip them?"

"You humans never cease to astound me." The Cylon shook her head, "What do you want with that anyway?"

"Starbuck was going on about it on the way back from the Cloud Nine." Xander dropped the book on the desk that had been set against one wall at his request and started to flick through it, "She said something about there being some glyphs that no one's ever been able to translate. I thought that there might be a message for me hidden in the text." He lifted the book and span it round; "This was never translated?"

"What wasn't?" Sharon got up off her bunk and walked across the room, "its gibberish."

"Gibberish?" Xander looked at the page, "It look's like English to me..." He flicked through the pages, "It's the only part I can read that's not in italic, so I'm assuming the rest is in Caprican."

"What's it say?" Sharon asked, looking over his shoulder, "Anything interesting?"

"Dear Zeppo...it's from Cordelia all right." Xander sighed, "If you're reading this, then you have worked out that there's a hidden message for you in this book. If you're not Alexander LaVelle Harris, then stop reading now. Well Xander, by now you've no doubt worked out that you're where you are for a reason. I'm afraid that you've been stuck with the same old gig: look out for the girl...Sharon is more important that you might realize...I can't say more without risking everything, but you need to stick close to her, no matter what happens. The Cylons know you're from Earth and they'll be after you. You can't let yourself be captured, no matter what. I might be able to get word to you again some time, but I can't promise anything. Make us all proud, Cordelia."

To Be Continued...