Laura stormed into Kestra's room. Kestra jumped up and could immediately see the fury on the president's face.

"What happened?" she asked quickly. Laura ran a hand through her hair as she paced up and down the room. Kestra waited patiently until Laura sighed in frustration and dropped her hands. "Can you talk about it?" Kestra asked gently. Laura looked at her.

"I don't know what to do," she said helplessly. Kestra gestured for Laura to sit on the edge of her bed.

"Well, if you came here, I assume you can't talk about it to anyone else," Kestra said. Laura shook her head.

"I can't tell anyone else without proof," she said desperately.

"Then tell me," Kestra said as she sat beside her. Laura sighed and ran her hands through her hair.

"Baltar is working with the cylons," Laura said tensely. Kestra's interest peaked. She didn't know much about the war, but she knew the cylons had attacked the colonies and left behind a nuclear wasteland. She knew even less about Baltar except that Laura didn't trust him. As far as she could tell, nobody trusted him. It made her very interested to meet him. "I saw him with the blonde cylon on the day Caprica was attacked. He helped them. I know it," Laura said.

"You can't tell anybody else about this?" Kestra asked. Laura shook her head.

"I only remembered it while I was dying. No one would believe in the memory of a dead woman," Laura said, "I need proof."

"You aren't dying now. What brought this up?"

"I talked with Baltar. He refuses to drop the issue of the new planet. I know that it's a bad idea. If we settle there, it will be our ruin," Laura said desperately, "he knows it too, but he's so desperate to win that he's willing to endanger the entire fleet." Kestra furrowed her brow.

"Why is settling the planet a bad idea?" Kestra asked.

"The cylons are still chasing us," Laura argued, "if we settle there, we'll be sitting ducks. They'll come back and we'll be spread out, and they'll pick us off one by one." Kestra nodded.

"Then why would anybody agree to Baltar's settlement?"

"He's convinced them the cylons won't be able to find us through the nebula surrounding the planet. The people have been stuck on these ships so long they'll jump at the opportunity of settlement without thinking about the consequences," Laura complained. Kestra smirked.

"Nobody ever won a political campaign by making the most rational argument," Kestra said. Laura grimaced.

"No, but I won't set aside my rational argument just to win the popular vote," Laura said.

"I'd think less of you if you did," Kestra commented. Laura looked at her. "I have a lot of respect for you Laura, and that comes from your dedication to do what you think is best for the people of this fleet despite the personal consequences it may have. The only problem here is that doing what's right for the fleet might also be detrimental to the fleet." Laura hung her head.

"What am I supposed to do?" she asked.

"You can't control what others do, Laura. You only have control over your own actions. You can't hold yourself responsible for the fate of humanity. You have to do what you believe is right, and if they don't accept your help that is not your fault. Don't change yourself for the people. You're the one that's going to have to live with yourself, not them," Kestra said.

"I've spent nearly a year of my life trying to protect this fleet," Laura said weakly.

"And you've brought them this far. You've done the best you could and got them away from a dying planet. Eventually, the human race is going to have to take responsibility for itself," Kestra said. Laura sighed.

"If we all die, the last year of my life will have meant nothing," she said, defeated.

"No," Kestra insisted, looking into her eyes, "you will have given hundreds of people a whole year they wouldn't have had otherwise. You got to live even when doctors said you should have died. You changed lives Laura. Whatever happens now, nothing can change the good you've done." Laura's eyes filled with tears. She opened her mouth to speak, but all that came out was a strangled sob. Kestra wrapped her arms around Laura. The older woman relaxed into her embrace. "You haven't failed, Laura," Kestra said softly. Laura pulled away and looked her in the eyes.

"Maybe not, but I have lost," she said. Kestra shrugged.

"That's why you have me," Kestra said, trying to sound cheerful, "because the entire fleet can turn on you and vote you out of office, but I will still be here. I believe in Laura Roslin more than I ever believed in the President of the Colonies." Laura smiled.

"It's been a long time since I've been able to see any difference," she said.

"Then look on the bright side," Kestra said, "now you have a chance to be just Laura."

"Maybe," Laura replied. Kestra wrapped an arm around Laura and leaned into her. The two women sat in each other's company as the world fell apart outside the door.