Boomer paced back and forth across the laboratory of Dr. Gaius Baltar as she unconsciously rung her hands together. "I don't understand. You said it just didn't work?"
"I'm sorry, Lieutenant. That's what I was told. Our repopulation match just didn't work."
"I don't understand. I mean, you would think they would give some explanation as to why it didn't work? Was it me? Was it you?"
Six slinked up behind Gaius and laughed lightly in his ear. "Just tell her that machines can't copulate. "
"I can't do that," Gaius whispered.
"What?" Boomer said, turning to look at him.
"I was simply saying that I couldn't ask Doctor Cottle that. I mean, isn't it better not to know which one of us was at fault?"
Boomer shot him a look before starting the pacing again. Gaius watched helplessly as Six walked from his side and began to pace along with her. "This isn't about pride, Doctor. This is about knowing whether or not we have the ability to naturally have babies one day."
"Don't take that as an invitation," Six warned him teasingly. "She means with that young man who keeps the junk you call Vipers in the air."
"I know she's talking about the Chief."
Boomer turned to look at him in horror. "Could you not just blurt that out? The fraternization policies are still in place."
"Officially," Gaius corrected. "It's only a matter of time before they're dropped. Everyone seems to be taking these genetic matches a little seriously. It's as if the gods graced the choices themselves."
"Or god," Six corrected with a wicked smile.
"You're behind this?" Gaius said, looking at where she stood over Boomer's shoulder.
"Huh?"
"Um… you are behind me on this one, are you not, Lieutenant Valerii? We should not inquire anymore into how our match failed."
"Well, you think it's a bad idea, and you probably know better than I do." Boomer turned and rubbed her head, a grimace plastered on her face.
Gaius shot a look in Six's direction before walking to stand beside Boomer. "Are you all right?"
"I'm fine. It's just a headache. I've been getting them for a while."
"Her programming is taking over," Six said with a nonchalant shrug. "It happens time to time when we need her."
"I think you should get some rest," Gaius said, placing his hand on Boomer's shoulder and guiding her to the hatchway. "Take a few well-deserved hours in your bunk."
Boomer nodded quickly before pausing to look at him intently. "If the failure of the match was my fault, then I'm sorry, Doc."
"It's all right. I never really wanted children anyway," he said.
She gave him a small smile before walking out into the traffic of the corridor.
"That was awful compassionate of you, Gaius. A very human emotion."
"She doesn't know she's a Cylon. That means she's not aware this is the life she was picked for." Gaius turned to look at the doorway. "Something tells me that she's going to have some awfully bad times ahead of her. A little compassion now is not that ridiculous a thing to give."
Six walked over to stand in front of him and shook her head. "Very human, indeed."