Kestra hid under the covers. She shook as her eyes scanned the shadows that crept across the fabric. A quick movement outside her safe haven caused her to tuck her head under her hands. Now she could only hear the intruder as it approached, the shuffling of its feet getting louder as it drew closer. A rush of cold air caused Kestra's arm and legs to contract under her body, and she was lifted high in the air. She shrieked as her eyes flew open and adjusted to the bright light that now surrounded her.
"Daddy stop," she cried as her eyes finally focused on Will's face. Will threw her back down on the bed and began tickling her.
"You want me to stop?" he asked teasingly.
"Yes! Yes!" she shrieked in laughter. Will stopped tickling her and instead wrapped her up in a bear hug.
"You're mine now. There is no escape," he growled. Kestra wriggled as much as she could, but the six year old was completely helpless against her father's strong arms.
"Mama, help," Kestra yelled.
"Oh no," Will said as he picked her up into his lap, "you're not getting out of this that easily." Deanna came in with her hands on her hips.
"What in the world is going on in here?" she asked. Will grinned devilishly as she shook her head.
"My prisoner is trying to escape," Will said as Kestra continued to struggle. Thad poked his head around the corner behind his mother.
"We've got to help her Mom," he said as he rushed into the room, "Crush the oppressors!" Thad jumped into the fray and pulled one of Will's arms off of Kestra. "For freedom!" Thad yelled.
"Freedom!" Kestra echoed. Will tried to wrap his arms around his children, but they were starting to escape.
"They're getting away from me," Will yelled as he shot a look at Deanna, "Imzadi, help me." Deanna chuckled and shook her head.
"I'm sorry dear, but I have to make a stand for freedom," she said as she jumped behind him and held his arms behind his back.
"Hooray!" Kestra and Thad cheered as they turned and tackled their father to the ground.
"No fair! I'm outnumbered," Will argued from the floor. The other three only laughed as Kestra and Thad both piled on top of him. "I surrender! I surrender!" Will called out.
"Victory!" Thad shouted. He collapsed on the ground next to his father, and Kestra collapsed on the other side. Deanna laughed and laid down on the other side of Kestra. The four of them looked up at the ceiling breathlessly and broke out in fits of giggles.
Kestra opened her eyes to stare at the ceiling. Her heart ached for the smooth wood floor and bright colors that had graced her vision moments ago. She tried to hold on to the dream, but the longer she stared at the dull grey canvas, the more it slipped away. The faces of her parents and brother faded from her mind as she became aware of the voices outside the tent and the clanking of metal in the distance. She slowly sat up in bed. Everything seemed to happen in a haze any more. She went through the same motions every day, but it was different now. Everything was tainted with fear and hopelessness. The people of New Caprica lived in constant fear of raids and the seemingly random imprisonment of their fellow colonists. The cylons ruled through force and intimidation. It was hard to carry on with life as normal when everything was so uncertain. Kestra didn't fear for herself. The cylons would be as clueless about her true identity as the humans. Kestra's fear every day was that they would take Laura. Being the former president, Laura was a prominent leader in the community. Since the invasion people had looked to Laura as a source of hope. Perhaps it was her perceived connection with the gods or simply the fact that she was a symbol of opposition to Baltar's government that had so easily cooperated with the cylon invaders. Whatever the case, Kestra worried that the cylons would imprison Laura to quell their rebellious hopes. Even worse, Kestra knew that Laura sympathized with the insurgent group that had begun to emerge among the people. If she participated in their actions, it was only a matter of time until the cylons did away with her. They'd killed for less. It was this fear that got Kestra out of bed. Laura was not in the tent, and Kestra decided to go looking for her. She pulled on a cardigan and shuffled out into the dull morning light. Kestra wandered the sparsely populated streets and found herself at the temple of Athena. Sure enough, Laura was inside praying. Kestra waited patiently outside until Laura emerged from the tent.
"Kestra," Laura said softly, "I'm sorry. Have I kept you waiting?"
"No," Kestra said with a soft smile, "I was just… I thought I'd find you here. I didn't want to interrupt." Laura nodded.
"Thank you," she said. They began to walk away from the temple together. Kestra glanced at Laura periodically as they walked. "What's bothering you?" Laura asked, noticing her fidgeting. Kestra sighed, trying to come up with the words she wanted to say.
"Why do you pray to the gods?" she asked. Laura smiled.
"I pray for guidance and protection for my people," she asked.
"How can you trust in them? If your gods exist then they let you all fall into the cylons hands," Kestra reasons. Laura shook her head adamantly.
"This was not the will of the gods," she said, "the cylons finding us only strengthens my faith in the gods. The gods were leading us to Earth. Gaius Baltar led us here. Our settlement here was doomed before we even set foot on it's soil."
"You said that during the election," Kestra mused. Laura nodded.
"The scriptures were leading us to earth. I knew this was not where we were supposed to be," she said somberly.
"Then why didn't you steal the election?" Kestra asked, "I know you tried." Laura breathed out a sigh.
"Because I also believe in democracy and the free will of the people. Bill was right. I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if I tried to undermine the government I pledged to serve." Kestra's brow furrowed as they continued to walk. Laura looked at her with concern. "Why does this bother you?"
"Because I can't believe in your gods, but I can't believe in your government either," Kestra said, "whatever their plans were, your gods have damned us all to live here on this planet. And your democracy clearly isn't working, because look at where we are. Baltar was elected by the people, and he's led them to their ruin. Where's the justice in that?" Laura smiled softly as she wrapped an arm around Kestra's shoulder.
"There isn't any," she said, "but we can't give up on the things we believe in just because they fail us sometimes."
"Then what's the point of believing?" Kestra said. Laura shrugged.
"I guess you have to decide what matters to you. I believe that people should have the right to choose their own leaders, even if their choices are misguided or wrong. The alternative is what the cylons are doing to us now. If I'd stolen the election we might be better off, but I would be forcing my will on the people like the cylons are forcing themselves upon us."
"You didn't kill anybody," Kestra said.
"I convinced Bill Adama to leave dozens of ships behind when the cylons first attacked," Laura replied, "I knew they would die. My decisions have led to hundreds of deaths. How could I continue to make those decisions knowing that the people I am making them for didn't even trust me to make them." Kestra hung her head.
"I hate this," she said softly. Laura pulled her closer.
"I know," she said, "there are things that we have no control over, and the best we can do is stay true to ourselves. If we lose ourselves to the cylons then they truly have won." Kestra laughed.
"It confuses me, Laura," she said humorlessly, "you have such an odd balance of survivalism and morals. You believe that people deserve free will yet you were willing to do anything for the survival of your people. So your morals only apply to your people? What about the cylons? Do they deserve free will?" Laura's brow furrowed. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to be cruel. I just think if you're going to have strong morals they can't only apply when it's convenient. That's as selective as you stealing the election." Laura slowed to a stop.
"I can only try, Kestra. I know I'm not perfect. I only try to do right by the gods and the people of the colonies," she said looking sadly at Kestra.
"If you had to choose to do what's right or save humanity… which would you choose?" Kestra asked. Laura looked her dead in the eyes.
"I would choose humanity," Laura said. Kestra nodded.
"Then why didn't you steal the election?" she asked. Tears brimmed in Laura's eyes.
"I didn't know that this," she said, gesturing to the world around them, "I thought maybe… maybe he was right. And now look at us." Kestra squeezed her hand.
"I'm sorry Laura," she said. Laura smiled weakly and patted the back of Kestra's hand.
"Nothing we can do about it now. Now all we can do is fight it," she said. Kestra looked behind them at Colonial One in the distance. She found she couldn't share Laura's absolute defense of the human race, and even more disturbing, she found herself exceedingly curious about the cylon race.
