Kestra and Laura walked through the streets of New Caprica. Laura was furious.
"Suicide bombing," she muttered angrily, "Tigh has taken this way too far." Kestra kept silent as she was having a hard time grasping all that had happened that morning. The insurgents had sent a suicide bomber into the New Caprica Police graduation which she found abhorrent and in direct conflict with their fight for the survival of the human race. This clearly separated the missions Laura and Tigh were on. Kestra found their arguments both tiresome and only sided with Laura, because she hated that Duck had been convinced that he needed to sacrifice himself for the rebel's cause. However, she even had trouble mourning Duck's death, because they'd also been informed that Galactica had made contact. Not only that, but they had promised a rescue. Lee was coming back. It gave Kestra hope like she hadn't had in a long time. She knew Laura felt that hope too, and that's why she was so against the bombing. Why would Tigh risk the lives of innocent civilians when they knew Galactica was coming back? They turned the corner toward their tent, and as they approached Kestra slowed and grabbed Laura's wrist.
"Laura," she said nervously. Laura looked up to see two centurions approaching their tent. Behind them was a five. Laura glanced nervously at Kestra and took a step in front of her.
"Laura Roslin," the five said when he saw her approaching, "we'd like you to come with us." The centurions aimed their weapons at Laura. "Please."
"No," Kestra whispered from behind her, still grasping her wrist.
"It's alright, Kestra. Stay here," Laura said as she turned to face her. Laura nodded as she pried Kestra's hand off her arm. Kestra shook her head, but it was no use. Laura had already turned and the centurions were leading her back toward the detention center. Kestra watched her go helplessly.
Laura returned to the tent after an indeterminate time in the detention center. Kestra was gone, but she had a good idea about where she would be. She had reason to be there too. She found Saul Tigh's tent and sure enough, Anders, Kestra, and Tigh were there. Kestra flew at Laura the moment she came into view.
"Laura, you're okay," she cried with relief. Laura couldn't help but smile at the girl's enthusiasm. It had been a long time since anyone had been that happy to see her.
"Yes, I'm fine," Laura assured her as she gently patted her back. Laura was looking over Kestra's shoulder at Tigh. "Colonel, I need to speak with you."
Kestra released Laura and looked behind her at the Colonel. He was unphased by Laura's shift in demeanor. Kestra took a step back and sat by Sam. If Laura was going to start a fight with Tigh, she didn't want to be in the middle of it. While he had accepted Sam's assurances that she was helpful while Tigh was detained, Kestra knew Tigh still didn't like her… or trust her. Laura scolded Tigh for the suicide bombing as Kestra suspected she would. She was even unphased when Laura slapped him for insinuating she was working with the cylons. Kestra knew how seriously Laura felt about the cylons and what an insult it was to even think she could ever work with them. However, she got nowhere with Tigh. He felt no remorse for the bombing, and in fact, seemed more emboldened by its success than worried about its consequences. When Tigh walked out, Laura dropped her head. Kestra finally got up and walked over to her.
"Are you okay?" she asked with concern. Laura nodded.
"None of us will be if Tigh keeps up like this," she said as she led Kestra out of the tent. They walked in silence back to their tent. Kestra wanted to ask Laura about what had happened in detention, but she figured she should wait until Laura wanted to open up about it.
"Gaius came to me in detention," Laura finally said, "he wanted me to publicly condemn the insurgents and the suicide bombings with him." Kestra was listening intently as soon as Laura spoke.
"What did you tell him?"
"That desperate people will take desperate measures," she replied. After a moment of silence she continued. "He knows I don't approve of it. I think it's despicable… but there's nothing I can do to stop it. Tigh is… he's out of control. He cares more about his war than the people he's fighting for." Kestra nodded.
"He wants revenge," she said, "he feels he's lost everything, so now all he wants to do is make them suffer." Laura looked at Kestra curiously and then her eyes lit up.
"How do you know that?" she asked almost eagerly.
"I just… I've seen what despair can do to people. I recognize the look," Kestra said nervously.
"Right, right," Laura said thoughtfully, "Kestra, do you remember when Billy died?" Kestra nodded. "You helped me. You… made me happy." Kestra shook her head.
"No, I only distracted you with my own happiness. Those weren't your feelings," Kestra explained, "it's like… well it's empathy. I didn't make your feelings change. You were just influenced by mine." Laura nodded.
"But just like happiness is contagious, fear is contagious. And doubt could be too," she said more to herself than Kestra.
"Laura, what's going on?" Kestra asked. Laura stopped walking and pulled Kestra off into a small gap between some of the tents.
"Kestra, you think the suicide bombing was wrong, right?"
"Yes."
"Then, could you project your doubts about the bombing to Colonel Tigh. Maybe your feelings could influence him like they influenced me," Laura said. Kestra's eyes went wide.
"Laura," she said, taken aback, "I can't do that."
"You could try," Laura insisted. Kestra threw Laura's hands off her.
"I won't," Kestra said firmly. Laura's face grew more serious.
"Kestra, if Tigh continues with these bombings, innocent people will get hurt. He's not thinking straight. He doesn't care who dies in his attempts to get back at the cylons."
"I don't care. The only reason I did that with you was because you gave me permission. I will not violate Colonel Tigh's mind no matter how wrong I think he is."
"You did it to me on Galactica," Laura argued, "when Admiral Adama threatened you." Kestra took a step back, hurt by Laura's accusation. There were many things they'd both done to hurt each other back then, but they had put those things behind them. Or so she thought.
"I did that to protect myself," Kestra said measuredly, "you knew it was me. I wasn't passing off my feelings as your own." Kestra grew angrier as she spoke, and Laura realized she had crossed a line. Her eyes dropped to the ground, and when she looked back up she was apologetic.
"I'm sorry… I don't know why I said that. I was," Laura stuttered, "I just want it to stop." Kestra sighed and took a few steps back toward Laura.
"I know. It's hard for all of us, but I'm not your enemy here. And though it may be hard to remember, neither is Colonel Tigh," Kestra said. Laura sighed sharply and looked up at the sky.
"I know that," she said shakily, "I know." Kestra took the final step between them and embraced Laura.
"It won't be long now," she said to comfort her, "Adama is coming back for us. We can't give up now when we're so close."
"Dad," Lee said as he stepped in front of his father. Bill was forced to stop and finally look his son in the eye.
"I know what you're saying, but we have a responsibility to the people that we left behind," Bill said. Lee closed his eyes and turned his head away from his father.
"You don't think I know that," he spat angrily, "don't you think I want to go back. I feel guilty about it every frakking day. But we also have a responsibility to the people of this fleet. Remember what Roslin said, 'our first responsibility is to the survival of humanity.' We can't lose sight of that." Bill looked down at the ground. "Over the last year we've lost sight of almost everything. We got… soft," Lee continued. Bill looked back up at his son. "But if we go back now and we lose, it's over. The people we're trying to save, they'd still be there. And we'd be dead. If I thought there was any way in hell we could save them, don't you think I would have tried it by now? You know what I've got to lose, so you know that I'm telling the truth." Bill shook his head sadly.
"I know you believe that, son," he said, "but I also know that we've been through hell and back and we're still here. After Caprica, and Kobol, and every other battle we've seen, and there are no odds to account for that. So it comes down to hope." Lee fumed at his father's naivete.
"You're willing to risk the survival of humanity on a vain hope. This isn't just about you or your conscience Admiral. If we lose out there, humanity just stops. Those Admiral stars don't give you the right to make that gamble," he said angrily. Bill sighed.
"You're right son. You should make plans to resume the search for earth with the Pegasus and the civilian fleet," he said.
"The Pegasus? What about Galactica?" Lee asked.
"I know why we left the people behind, and I know it was their choice in the first place to be down there," Bill said.
"Dad, it's not about their choice. It's not about punishing them for staying down on the planet when they should have been up here with us," Lee shouted, "she should have been up here with me." Lee's anger deflated as he ran a hand through his hair. "She was supposed to be on the raptor. Why would she stay?"
"She didn't know what was going to happen, Lee," Bill said, "None of us did. Not her, and not you." Lee looked up at his father and shook his head.
"Not even you," he said weakly, "and we'll all pay the price for letting our guard down, but humanity has to go on. We can't let ourselves take stupid risks regretting what we let happen."
"I understand that, son. Humanity will go on. But this time, I can't live with that decision. I can't face it. I'm going back," Bill said firmly.
"Dad, you won't have a chance," Lee interrupted.
"I'm going back, son," Bill said quickly. Lee's protest was caught in his mouth. He knew his father's decision would not be swayed. Instead he simply hugged his father. Bill returned the hug with the same force. When they broke apart, Bill nodded.
"Commander," he said as he walked away. Lee stood frozen in the hallway for a moment.
"Admiral," he called out. Bill turned and saw the pleading look in his son's eyes. He smiled softly.
"I'll bring her back to you son," he said.
