NOTE: Sorry about the unexpected delay. I had a minor family emergency that took me out of town for a few days. I'm back now, but trying to catch up on a number of things… your patience is appreciated!

Chapter Twelve

Sharon stood at the war strategy table... frowning as she examined the Basestars on the chart.

She turned to look at Helo. "You're saying they didn't fire at all?"

"Not once," Helo said.

Sharon turned back to the table and stared at it for a few more seconds.

"I can't help you."

Helo moved next to her. "Sharon, Apollo and the Admiral have really been trying lately. You have your freedom---"

She interrupted in a flash of anger, "I would hardly call being under house arrest in our quarters 'freedom.'" She pointed to the guard standing in the doorway. "I wouldn't call being under constant watch by guards, 'freedom.'"

Helo placed his hand on hers to calm her down. "It's better than being held in a cage." He took his hand in hers. "We're married, right? That's some sign that the Admiral at least accepts that we are together. You have to admit that's a big step." She didn't look at him. He continued. "For the past year, we haven't seen any Cylons... which means there hasn't been a single situation where you could prove that you were no longer working with them. Now's your chance." He whispered, "Please reconsider."

Sharon sighed. "You don't understand. It's not that I won't help. I can't. I honestly don't know what their plan is."

"You have to have some idea."

Sharon turned to him. "Look, from the moment I was created, to the last time I connected with the Cylons... the group mission was the same. Eliminate humanity. Every move was based on accomplishing that goal. The only exceptions were women of child-bearing age who could be sent to farms on the colonies." She turned back to the table. "I guess it's possible that they decided to move their farm operations to New Caprica City, but that doesn't explain why they didn't attack Galactica and Pegasus. Getting rid of the remaining battlestars was a top priority."

She sighed and shook her head slowly. "I think their plans have changed. And I have no idea what they're up to."

They both turned at the sound of a door opening behind them. Lee and the Admiral were standing in the doorway.

Lee wasn't sure what to think of Sharon. The only thing he was certain of--- she was a Cylon. He had watched helplessly as another Sharon model pumped two bullets into his father's chest in a failed attempt to kill him.

This Sharon model had helped them in many situations before. But Lee seriously doubted that he would ever get to the point where he could completely trust her. Every time he saw her face, he couldn't help but flash back to that terrifying moment when he held his father just seconds after the shooting, not knowing if he was dead or alive.

Lee and his father moved into the room. Almost unconsciously, they stayed a safe distance away from Sharon.

The Admiral spoke first. "So?"

"We're working on it, Admiral," Helo said calmly. "But we've hit a snag."

Sharon gave him a sharp look. "What he's trying to say is that I can't help you."

Lee also shot a look at Helo. Helo shrugged.

"Sharon believes the Cylons' mission has changed," he said. "She isn't sure what they're planning now."

Lee and the Admiral looked at each other. They still didn't trust Sharon, but so far--- she had confirmed what they already suspected.

The Admiral turned back to Sharon and said with a steady voice, "I'd like you to take your best guess."

Sharon stared helplessly at the table for about thirty seconds before pointing to one corner. She turned to Helo as she pointed. "You say the Basestars appeared in this area over here. Before we jumped away, did you happen to notice whether they launched any Raiders?"

Helo looked back at the sheet he was holding. "We don't have an exact number, but yes--- they did launch some Raiders."

"Where were the Raiders headed? Toward the Fleet or the planet?"

"The planet."

"Did they appear to be heading directly for New Caprica City... or somewhere else on the planet?"

Helo flipped a page on the chart. "The last known coordinates show them directly over the city."

She crossed her arms and continued to look down at the map. Helo walked up beside her. "What are you thinking?" he asked.

"This is a long shot, but here's what I think might be happening." She turned to look at Lee and Adama. "There were two factions of Elders."

Lee, the Admiral, and Helo all gave her the same questioning look. She slowed down a bit. "Elders--- the first generation of Cylons. The centurions involved in the first war with humanity."

She turned away. "Anyway, there were two factions. There were those who felt humanity was inferior and flawed beyond redemption, and simply needed to be eliminated..." She paused. "And those who also felt that humans were inferior and flawed... but should be made to pay for their behavior."

Lee felt himself tense up. This didn't sound good. "As if genocide wasn't payment enough," he said with some force behind his voice.

"Not in the Cylons' eyes, Apollo. The elimination option was seen as a positive solution for everyone. Humans would be put out of their misery--- because God destined them for eternal damnation anyway. And God would be pleased because the race that threw everything out of balance would no longer exist. There would finally be harmony in the Universe."

"Harmony?" Lee said incredulously. "That's the most frakked---!" The Admiral put his hand on Lee's arm, stopping him. Lee clenched his teeth and walked away.

The Admiral looked back at Sharon. "Continue," he said.

She seemed to hesitate before continuing. "It was decided that elimination was the best solution. But there was always a silent, very small minority who believed that elimination was too merciful... they thought---"

She stopped and looked at Helo for reassurance. He gave her a small smile.

"It's ok," he said softly.

"They thought humans should be treated the same way the Elders were treated," she said slowly. "They thought humans should be made to serve Cylons."

Silence filled the room for a few moments. The Admiral spoke first.

"You mean slaves."

She looked at him for several seconds before answering. "Essentially."

Lee came up behind his father. "So you think they came back so they could rule over humanity?"

She looked at him. "It's certainly possible. I can't think of why else they would ignore the fleet and go directly to the city. Even if they were simply moving their farm operations from the Colonies to the new planet, they would've destroyed Galactica, Pegasus and the rest of the fleet... and then landed somewhere AWAY from the city where they could easily set up farm facilities without too much resistance. They knew the colonists would have nowhere to run."

Helo, the Admiral, and Lee stood quietly... absorbing what she'd just said.

Lee couldn't stop thinking of Kara. He knew that she wouldn't agree to serve Cylons willingly. He shuddered at the thought of what might happen to her if she resisted.

The Admiral continued to look at Sharon as he spoke. "Helo, you and your wife may go back to your quarters now."

Helo looked from Lee to Sharon to the Admiral and back to Sharon. "C'mon, let's go," he said. He took Sharon's arm and led her to the door. She stopped once she got there and turned around.

"I can get you down to the planet without being discovered."

Lee hesitated. Part of him wanted to say to his father, there is no way we can trust her. But a larger part of him desperately wanted to believe that there was a way to get back to Kara. He kept his mouth shut.

The Admiral didn't turn to look at Sharon as he said quietly, "We'll keep that in mind."

Sharon, Helo, and the guard left the room. The door closed behind them.

The Admiral turned to Lee. "You believe her?"

Lee shrugged. "I don't know. But I don't think we have much of a choice at this point."

"Agreed."