Author's note: Thanks for the feedback so far. Sorry that this is quite a short update but I have been struggling with this chapter all week and so decided to divide it up and post the front part while I continue to wrestle with the rest of it!

Chapter 9

Gaius Baltar was bored. He had been staring at the back of marine Trigs' head for what seemed like forever as they trudged through the forest. He had been pretty bored when they'd been sat in the transport truck for almost two days on the journey to reach the western mountain range, but at least the boredom had been regularly broken by the need to hang on as the truck bounced over the rough terrain. Once they had gotten to the point where the truck could no longer cope with the slope and the rocks at the foothills of the mountain range they had to leave it behind to start the climb up into the mountains. All he had to do since then was stare at the back of the marine's head for what seemed like miles. He had attempted conversation once or twice before discovering that the ability to engage in intelligent repartee was not high on a marine's list of essential qualifications. The engineers also seemed too in awe of him to be much use in passing the time. Even Six had abandoned him. She had wrapped herself around him on his comfortable bunk back at the base and calmly told him that he needed to get away from the camp and head for somewhere high up. That's why he'd come up with idea of this expedition, but no sooner had they set off than she'd completely disappeared from his head.

They stopped in a clearing to set up camp for the night. As the others worked to get their shelters up, Baltar wandered off into the trees where Six at last appeared to him. She was dressed in a long black leather coat and tight red pants.

"It's about bloody time. Nice of you to turn up at last. I've been going out of my frakking mind with boredom with only these asinine halfwits to talk to."

"Poor Gaius, it must have been quite horrid for you!"

"Yes, and all this hiking up mountains isn't really my scene either. Why am I doing this by the way?"

"All will be revealed in time Gaius; everything is going according to God's plan."

"I'm frakking sick of all this mystic 'all will be revealed' crap. I want to know what the plan is."

"You shall, Gaius and soon."

She put her arms around his neck and started sucking at his earlobe, but Baltar was disturbed by marine Simons approaching, fiddling with his fly and obviously about to relieve himself. He hastily stopped when he saw the doctor.

"Sorry doc, didn't see you there and your….um… friend." He brought his weapon up immediately. "Who is that woman doc?"

"You can see her?" Gaius asked, astounded, looking back and forward between the gently smiling Six and the confused marine.

"Of course I can see her. Woman like that would be difficult to miss, sir." Six' smile became more evil as she strolled over to the marine and trailed a hand over his arm and chest casually. Although he hoisted his weapon higher the marine seemed transfixed by her.

"When was the last time you saw a woman like me soldier?"

"Um…..er….."

There was the sound of rustling leaves behind them and then gun fire coming from the clearing. Simons turned quickly only to be met by the thrust of a centurion's arm slashing across his throat. He fell to the ground with a strangled cry, blood bubbling out of the wound.

Six moved back towards Baltar, a satisfied smirk on her face.

"It's time for you to come with me, Gaius. You won't be needing these other people any more." She took his arm and walked away from the clearing with him. Behind them there was the sound of more gun fire.

"Why could he see you? No one has ever seen you before," he asked, puzzled. "Are you my Six?"

"If by 'my Six' you mean do I have her consciousness and memories, then yes I am your Six."

He smiled at her then and let her lead him by the hand away from the scene of death behind them.

−

Lee and Kara came across the abandoned vehicle at the end of their second day. Like Baltar's party before them, they had reached the point where their vehicle was no longer of any use. They made a sling for Alex out of a back pack. With him on Kara's back and Lee carrying their supplies, they loaded as many weapons as they could carry onto their belts, pockets, anywhere that would take a grenade or an explosive round. They left their own truck and followed the trail made by the other party into the forest of trees at the bottom of the foothills.

They had been climbing steadily for several hours when they came to the clearing. Lee checked before moving into the open space; he didn't like the idea of them being so exposed and something just didn't feel right. Pulling the binoculars from his pack he scoured the clearing. He spotted the body of marine Trig and also one of the engineers.

"The Cylons have found them." He lowered his head in defeat and handed the glasses to Kara for her to confirm what he had seen. They carefully moved into the clearing, weapons at the ready. Kara soon found the other engineer and it wasn't long before Lee found marine Simons' body in the woods. Doctor Baltar, however, was no where to be found.

"What does this mean?" Kara asked.

"It could mean one of several things. Either the Cylons have taken Baltar hostage, thinking that holding the human's vice president would be a useful weapon, or he has now gone completely off his rocker and wandered off somewhere by himself. Then there is the most likely explanation."

"Which is what exactly?"

"Our dear friend Gaius may not be as mad as he seems but is in fact a Cylon agent, and has been all along."

Kara shivered, suddenly chilled.

"Come on, let's get the frak out of here. I feel like we're being watched."

−