As soon as he was in the CIC, he sent an IS1 to get the crutch from sickbay and bring it to the President. Then he summoned the aide who bought the clothes and sent him back out for shoes in the President's size. Adama gave him a gold fountain pen to use as barter. As the petty officer was leaving, Adama had a second thought and called him back. "Muldon, no stilettos, understood? She's the President not a girl from one of the clubs you used to frequent."

Muldon nodded. "Aye, Sir. No stilettos. You want some kind of a heel though, don't you? She's got such killer legs."

"Muldon! Just get the shoes!"

"Aye, Sir," he said as he scrambled out of the line of fire.

The commander couldn't blame the kid too much. He was right about her legs...

Colonel Tigh broke his reverie. "Morning, Sir. I'll have the report on Colonial One to you after the CIC update."

"Thanks."

Tigh looked at him strangely and moved closer. "Excuse me, Sir, but you've got an egregious stringer on your shoulder." He plucked it from the commander's uniform and held it up to inspect it. "That's not a uniform thread…it's a lock of raven hair. Too long to be yours. Looks…Presidential," he accused with relish. "Since you always wear a fresh uniform and it's not even 0645 in the morning, may I assume somebody got…"

"No, you may not. What's the maintenance situation?"

Unlike his wife, Tigh knew when to shut up. He gave the commander the report but felt certain he was missing out on a good romp story from his friend. Adama never used to be shy about his exploits. Tigh wondered what was different now.

Later that day, in an almost unprecedented move, the commander took a lunch break. He wanted to tell the President about the report on her ship in person. He also wanted to bring her the new shoes Muldon got. On his way back to his Q he was ambushed by Ellen Tigh.

"Why, Bill, fancy meeting you here," she said, sounding surprised to see him en route to his own Q. He didn't know why, but Adama felt she had actually been staking him out.

"So nice to see you," she said with a false sweetness that turned his stomach as she hugged him. He didn't make a move to return it. She only withdrew partially. With a pout she whined, "What's wrong, Bill? You're the only man on Galactica who doesn't like to get a hug from me."

Adama wrapped his free hand around her wrist, pulled it down from his neck and stepped around her. "I'm busy, Ellen," he said as he continued toward his Q.

Miffed at his lack of interest in her, she fell in behind him, unwilling to give up. "Oh come on now," she needled, "what's in the box? What are you doing that's so important?"

They reached his hatch and he opened it without looking at her. From the hatch they could see the President, wearing the emerald blouse which was literally stunning on her,

seated at his table. She looked up from the stacks of reports and documents to sign laid out in specific order of precedence. Though she was dismayed to see Ellen, her face did not give away her feelings.

"Or should I ask whom?" Ellen asked smugly while smiling at the President. She just stumbled on a possible weakness she could exploit.

"Welcome home, Commander. If I'd known you were coming home for lunch, we would have spread out somewhere else." On her left, Billy was looking at the woman who'd caused so much trouble recently. She was pretty but he didn't like her. She made him uncomfortable when she sized him up as if he was quarry.

Adama was silent for a second, still amazed at how beautiful the President looked in that color. Laura didn't pick up on it but Billy did, having had the same reaction earlier. Ellen noticed his distraction too, adding it to the evidence she had for her new strategy. He shook it off and said, "Don't worry about it. I'm not here to eat. I just wanted to give you the report on Colonial One." He seized this as an opportunity to get rid of Ellen. "I'm sorry. You'll have to excuse us, Ellen," he said as he turned to block her entrance.

Satisfied for now with her new bit of intelligence, she acquiesced. "Oh fine. I'll be running along." She stood on tip toe to peer over his shoulder at the President. "See you later, Madam President. Have fun playing house with Bill here."

As she sauntered off, Adama wondered if her husband was so near destruction that she was already setting her sights on destroying his friends when she was finished with him.

"Sorry about that," he said as he entered his quarters and shut the hatch. After setting the box on top of the nearest stack of papers he told her, "I've got good news and bad news. The good news is, we'll be able to fully repair your ship."

"That's wonderful, Commander." She and Billy exchanged smiles. "I really appreciate the hard work of your crew. And the bad news?"

"It's going to take six to eight weeks. You won't be able to work aboard her while they are doing repairs. It won't be safe…and it won't be conducive to work with all the noise and activity."

"But I'll be able to return to my chambers at night."

"No. Not until the structural integrity is 100. I'll set up some temporary work spaces for you here on Galactica."

"OK. Thank you. Where will Billy and I be sleeping?"

"Um, I have a place to sleep," Billy said somewhat sheepishly but rather quickly.

The President wasn't surprised and didn't want him to think she disapproved. "Well, congratulations, Billy." Billy blushed but considered that carte blanche to sleep where he wanted as long as he made it to work on time.

"I'll find a place for you, Ma'am," Adama assured her. "Right after I get the work space squared away."

"OK, but don't sign me up to sleep with anyone without checking with me first," she directed, with Ellen Tigh in mind. "Are you sure you won't stay for lunch, Commander? Billy was going to get some sandwiches from the mess and bring them back here. Would you like one?"

"Actually, that sounds good. Billy, ask them for my usual. They're used to sending it up to the CIC for me."

"Will do, Commander," he said as he left them alone.

Adama eyed the crutch propped up against the wall behind her chair. "How's the crutch?"

"It's good to have it but it was built for someone taller. Hopefully I won't have to use it for too long or my underarm will hurt more than my foot," she said jovially.

"Well, I have shoes for you," he said as he reached for the box and brought them over for her to inspect.

"Now this is the way to a woman's heart," she joked, as he opened the box.

There were three pairs inside, a pair of navy pumps with an ankle strap, a pair of black heels with small, gold trim plates on the heels and toes, and a pair of scarlet satin high heels with ribbon ties at the ankles. Adama didn't know much about women's shoes but he thought Muldon did OK except for the red ones. They seemed too seductive for the President's taste.

She picked one shoe of each pair up in turn to look at them. "I think these will work," she said after examining the navy pair. "These are nice," she remarked on the black pair. As she picked up was the red satin she mused, "I love these," to his surprise. "Too bad they don't go with anything I own except the red dress I can't wear in public."

"I'll take them back and trade them for something more sensible," he said as he took the shoe from her.

"No," she protested as she pushed on the back of her chair to stand and take it back from him. "When I love something, I always find a way to make it work."

Adama released the shoe to her but grasped her waist to support her. It was unnecessary, but a good excuse. His touch affected her as much as her proximity affected him. 'Friend' she said silently to herself to convince herself to back away.

"I'd like to try on the black ones," she said as she lowered herself back into her chair.

Adama let his hand slide from her side. He took the black shoe for her good foot from the box and knelt down in front of her on one knee. Her skirt was shorter then she would have selected for herself, so her legs were bare to mid-thigh when she sat. Adama placed his hand under her bare heel and ran it up the back of her calf to the back of her knee. He pulled up and used his free hand to slide the shoe on her foot. Then he slid one hand under her ankle and moved the one behind her knee up under her thigh to extend her leg out straight. "How does that feel?" he rumbled.

"Good," she answered truthfully. If they were just friends back on Caprica, she would have thrown caution to the wind and raked her fingers through his hair, pulled him up into a kiss and wrapped her legs around him. As it was, all she could do was say, "Thank you."

He set her foot back down and stood up. "You're welcome," he said as he took the chair next to her. "There's something else I have to talk to you about." He looked her in the eye and was obviously drawing the gumption to say what he had to say. "I still think Ellen is either a Cylon or working with the Cylons."

He'd caught her off guard. "Why?"

"She's always been loose but now she's after more than just a good time. She fishing for information she wouldn't have given a damn about before," he explained with concern in his voice.

"But she passed the test."

"I know. The worst part is, if I'm right, our detector doesn't work or Baltar is a fraud or both."

The President was quiet for a few moments. She didn't want to believe Baltar was a fraud because they pinned so many of their hopes on him. Unfortunately, she had a nagging sense from the very beginning that he was not trustworthy in the least, possibly even a criminal. As for Ellen, she'd have to rely on the commander's knowledge of her. "We can't just act on feelings," she finally said. "We need evidence."

"I've been trying to figure out what exactly she's after and I think we'll have to set her up for her to get at it."

"How would we set her up?"

"Her M.O. is to use sex to get what she wants. If she has the opportunity to go after whomever she wants, that will tell us who has the information she wants."

"If it's a man," the President added.

"Right. Then we have to give him some sort of exit once he finds out what she's really after."

"Or you lose Col Tigh and whomever her victim is," she concluded. "Seems dangerous. What did you have in mind?"

"Since she arrived on Galactica she's been pestering three people in particular: Lee, Billy and I. I thought we could use a game of pyramids as an excuse to get her in the room with us and see whom she targets. Once she asks enough questions to tip her hand, we'll send in a girlfriend to break things up."

"I know who Billy's girlfriend is but who is Lee seeing?" she asked with interest that was more familial than work-related.

"I don't think he's seeing anyone but I know I could get Kara to play the part. She loves a 'sting'."

"Which brings us to you…" she led cautiously.

"I don't think she'll come directly at me. She must know by now that I wouldn't sleep with her. She'd try something else if she was trying to get information out of me."

"Something violent?" she asked with concern.

"I don't know. She gets pretty ticked when someone turns her down but she's never used any weapons against me."

Billy returned with the sandwiches and they enlisted his help for the plan. His job was to get his girlfriend to cooperate. When Adama left, he rounded up Lee and Kara and read them in. Lee had the additional duty of getting a crypto key and burying at the bottom of a shred bin. Once it was discovered missing at the end of the shift, the XO wouldn't be able to leave until it was recovered. That way, Ellen would be free to operate without supervision.

That evening they were all gathered in the commander's quarters for a game of pyramids. Ellen showed up on time, which was unusual for her. Adama figured she was eager to take advantage of Saul's absence.

"Hello, everyone," she said with a bright and fake smile. "I hope you haven't started without me. I feel lucky tonight."

Lee was unhappy to see her. He felt certain he would be her mark after she accosted him at the dinner party last week. Kara better come to his rescue on the double once they knew what she wanted.

Billy and Lee sat on the floor by his coffee table. Kara and Billy's girlfriend sat in the chairs at either end of the table and the President was on the couch with her legs stretched out to elevate her wounded foot.

Adama shut the door behind Ellen and said, "We were just about to deal. Have a seat." He didn't have to ask if she wanted a drink. He just poured her one and brought it to her on his way over to the couch. He noted she chose to sit in between Billy and Lee. He'd have to wait to see which one she leaned on.

The commander settled in next to the President as Starbuck dealt a round.

"Not playing, Madam President?" Ellen asked when she noticed Starbuck didn't deal her a hand.

"I'm just watching to learn," she replied from beside Husher's shoulder.

"Well, you've picked a good teacher. Bill knows lots of good tricks," she said mischievously.

Adama smiled through gritted teeth. He hoped the President knew this woman had no knowledge of his 'tricks'.

"Bid's to you," Starbuck said to Apollo as Ellen draped an arm over his shoulder. Adama and the President noted it and began to consider the secrets she might be trying to extract from him.

After she saw Apollo's bid, Ellen said to the President, "You look beautiful in that blouse, Madam President. Is it new?"

"Thank you. Yes. This is the first time I've worn it."

"Where did you get it?"

Laura was a bit uncomfortable, but she admitted, "Commander Adama had someone get it for me from the Cloud 9."

"Isn't that sweet? Good job, Commander. She looks very sexy in it, doesn't she, Bill?"

"I didn't know the President was your type, Ellen," he said as an evasive maneuver.

"I could say the same to you," she struck back with a gleam in her eye. "It seems you've become rather…close. In fact, I bet there are no secrets you don't share now."

"What have you got?" Apollo asked with some annoyance after laying his own hand down. He didn't like the turn of the conversation or the closeness of the company.

"Not much…yet," she replied as she laid down her hand. "Just a pair, but I'll get better as the night goes on."

As Billy, Adama and Starbuck showed their hands, Ellen's eyes lighted on the open book on Adama's end table. "Bill, don't tell me you got your Earth location from that mythology!"

"Actually, I'm the one reading it," Laura said.

Ellen looked at her and back to Adama. "Oh. I see." She proceeded to play her next hand so recklessly that she was totally out of the game. "I'll just go over here and make small talk with the President while you all finish each other off," she said after she folded. To everyone's surprise, she left Lee for Laura, sitting on the floor in front of her, drink firmly in hand.

Only Adama knew what she was up to. She couldn't get what she wanted from him so she was going to try to get it back door from the President. While pretending to be engrossed in the game, he kept one ear on their conversation.

"So, how do you like the book?"

"I like it very much. Have you read it?"

"No, but I will now. If you and Bill like it, it must be great."

President Roslin didn't know if she was more unsettled because Ellen seemed to be targeting her instead of one of the men or because she so casually referred to herself and the Chief of the Military as if they were a couple.

"Does the book have Earth anywhere close to where Bill is taking us?" Ellen asked.

That was the third time Ellen asked where Earth was since she turned up. Adama felt sure that was what she was after. Now he wanted to know why she needed the information.

"I don't know. He hasn't told me where he's taking us," she replied truthfully.

"You've got to be kidding me! You should talk more in bed. That's how I get all the best information from Saul."

'And everyone else,' Adama thought.

Laura looked down at her hands but neither confirmed nor denied Ellen's suspicion that she was sleeping with Husher. She was wanted to leave plenty of rope for Ellen to hang herself and this belief that the President and the commander were sexually involved might work to their advantage.

"I'm not sure having the information would do me any good," she said. "After all, if the Cylons get hold of me, they might torture me for the location, and if they knew where Earth was, well who knows what they would do?" The President was of the same mind as the commander. She was trying to get Ellen to spill why she wanted to know where Earth was.

In the meantime, Billy and his girlfriend had fallen out of the game. Adama nodded to Billy that he was clear to go, so he stood up and said they were going to turn in. The other three continued to play.

"I guess you're right. But don't kid yourself. If the Cylons get to you, they'll kill you whether you know anything or not," Ellen said.

"How do you know?" challenged Starbuck on the President's behalf.

"Well, I just assume, based on their recent annihilation of everything human," she replied condescendingly.

"Ellen, would you like another glass?" Adama asked as he reached to take her cup from her. He already knew the answer. If they plied her with alcohol they might get to the bottom of this quicker.

"Yes, Bill. Thank you."

While he was off in the galley, Ellen got up from the President and sat down next to Lee again. The President was relieved and Lee was horrified. Ellen rubbed his back and asked, "So, Lee, has 'Daddy' shared his big secret with his handsome boy?"

Lee cleared his throat. "No. I don't have a need to know," he blurted out.

She didn't seem to believe him and started stroking his thigh. "Oh right. Like he wouldn't tell somebody in case he gets killed before we get there. If you don't want to tell me now that's OK," she said with mock sweetness. Then she leaned on him and whispered in his ear, "You can tell me when we're alone."

Lee decided to play the girlfriend card. He fairly leapt up, crossed to Kara's chair and slid down the arm of it until they were smushed together on the seat. "Actually, I have plans for later," he said as he put his arm around her.

Starbuck smiled at Ellen and kissed Lee on the cheek. When she saw Ellen's eyes narrow, she couldn't resist kissing him hard on the mouth. They were still putting on a show when Adama returned with Ellen's drink.

"Here you go," he said as he handed it to her. His voice broke the other two apart. Adama looked at the President who seemed amused. She'd swung her legs over the side of the couch and was leaning forward with a smile. Laura liked Starbuck for giving Ellen a taste of her own public display of affection medicine. It made it that much sweeter that Starbuck was focusing the affection on someone Ellen wanted to exploit but couldn't have.

President Roslin searched Commander Adama's face to see how he felt about the sight of Starbuck and his son necking in his living room. It didn't seem to bother him at all. She wondered if that was because he knew it was acting, or because fathers applauded their sons' exploits or because he liked the match.

Actually, looking at them just made him want Laura more. They were peripheral. She was the center of his attention.

"Um, we're going to call it a night," Lee said when he could find his voice.

"I'll see you later, Lee," Ellen called as they left.

"I hope not," he whispered to Starbuck.

Ellen got up and occupied the chair they just left. Adama had returned to the President's side, so there was no point in sitting on the couch. She reached out and put her hand on his knee, "So, Bill. How long do you think it will take us to get to Earth?"

"I don't know," he said. He cringed at her touch but refrained from swatting her hand away. He was working counterintelligence and if he had to let her fawn over him to do it, he would. "Our charts don't go out that far. Plus, there's no telling how many times we'll be delayed looking for fuel and supplies and doing repairs."

The President was watching intently for her cue to jump in and rescue him. They hadn't rehearsed anything like the other couples had because they thought Ellen wouldn't try anything sexual with Adama. Laura would have to figure it out on her own and rush in when she felt he needed her.

Ellen moved her hand up to his thigh and leaned toward him to reveal as much cleavage as possible. "Well, if you don't have charts for it, how are you going to get us there?" she asked in as sultry a voice as she could manage.

For him to play along this far, the President figured the commander was still fishing for information so they could get evidence on her. To speed the process, Laura decided to make herself scarce. "If you two will excuse me, I'm going to the little President's room." As she stood up, so did Adama. He got her crutch for her and as he gave it to her she leaned forward and whispered in his ear, "Call out for me by my first name if you need the cavalry." He smiled, wishing she'd been there all the other times Ellen hit on him.

Before he could sit back down, Ellen got up and took the President's place on the couch. Annoyed, but still determined to get as much information on her motives as possible, he sat back down as Laura Roslin disappeared into the bathroom. She'd picked up her box on the way in so he knew she'd be getting ready for bed. He'd be alone with Ellen for a while.

Wasting no time, she leaned on him and draped an arm across his shoulders. "You haven't answered my question," she chided.

"Hmmm?" he replied, still looking at the door between him and the President.

"Lords, Bill! Is she that good? I'm better you know," she bragged as she put a hand under his chin to turn his face to hers. "How are you going to get us to Earth without charts?"

"There are signs that will point the way as we come across them. Certain constellations and celestial bodies."

"Did you make all of this up? Are you just yanking everyone's chains to keep us pacified?"

"No. I know where Earth is," he said with convincing confidence. His attention returned to the door as the shower began to run.

Ellen nuzzled her face into his neck. "Do you know how often Saul will be working late like this? A girl gets lonely, you know," she said as she stroked his chest.

Adama thought about it and was somewhat alarmed to realize they probably had enough time to find the crypto and Col Tigh could be walking in at any minute. The shower had stopped so he called out to her, "Laura! Are you OK?"

"I'm fine," she called back. "I'll be right there." A few seconds later she opened the door and stood in the frame, holding onto one side for support. She was wearing her nightgown and robe signaling Ellen that she wasn't going anywhere. "Husher, I dropped my crutch where I can't reach it. Could you lend me a hand?"

"Of course," he said as he quickly left Ellen on the couch.

When he got to Laura, she wrapped her arms around his neck and he picked her up. Over her shoulder he noticed the crutch propped up within easy reach of her. They were a surprisingly good team in this ruse.

Adama carried her over to the chair Ellen abandoned and sat down, keeping the President curled in his lap. Ellen's expression turned cold, much to Laura's delight. To add insult to injury, Laura looked up at the commander adoringly and said, "Thank you," before kissing him with the passion she'd had to reign in until now.

He wasn't expecting it and quickly got lost in the kiss. Oblivious to Ellen, he responded with all the force of his need. Adama's door light went off but he didn't notice that either. In a huff, Ellen got up and opened the door for her husband.

"Hi, Dear. Sorry I'm so…" his apology trailed off as he caught sight of Commander Adama holding the President and kissing her as if she were the last woman in the universe.