Disclaimer: I do not own Zootopia or any of its characters, they all belong to Disney. I do not own Battlestar Galactica, The Re-imagining or any of its characters, they all belong to Ronald Moore and Universal Pictures.

A Different Daybreak

Chapter 2 – The Admiral and the Singer

"So you're finally going!" Saul said as the raptor left the Galactica's landing bay. "It sure took you long enough."

"You know we've been busy working on the Galactica's refit and the civilians settling on the planet."

"Odd how you just happened to finally find the time after that singer invited you."

"Gazelle," he said automatically and the other man laughed and patted his friend's arm.

Then Adama turned to the window, just looking down on the planet. It was beautiful – the land was green almost from pole to pole – and reminded him a bit of Caprica at least from space. Then he saw their two viper escorts, coming up beside them as they began their decent. He felt the raptor shutter slightly and heard a bit of static as the intercom came on.

"Sirs, we'll be entering the atmosphere very soon," the co-pilot said, his voice a bit tinny. "Please make sure you're strapped in."

Adama did as requested and then went back to looking at the planet.

Their flight through the atmosphere was uneventful until they overflew the great city of Zootopia. Adama noted that it seemed even larger than Caprica City had been before the Cylons had destroyed it. As they began a second pass, coming in lower, he noted how the city was divided into districts for the different types of animals. Of course he'd read about the planet and this city in particular over the last few weeks. Since the raptor could land without a runway they had been given permission set down in the city.

Adama felt them slow and then come to a stop, hovering near a railway station. He looked down a the plaza on a sea of furry faces, being kept well back from their landing area by what he assumed was the ZPD. Some of them jumped up and down and waved, others held signs, and a few in the minority had simply turned their backs and were walking away. The raptor soon touched the ground with just the slightest bump and the engines began to cycle down.

Then a Cylon heavy raider also set down a few moments later nearby. He, Saul, and the marines stood and the flight engineer came and opened the outer hatch. The four marines went first and took their positions at the bottom of the ramp. Saul went next and he followed a moment later. At the top of the stairs he waved for the crowd and was met with a roar of approval – in some cases literally.

Caprica Six with Baltar and four Centurions disembarked and walked the short distance to join them.

"Well, look whose here," Saul said when they were close enough to hear over the crowd.

"Saul," Baltar said and winked.

Saul frowned and was about to say something and then felt Adama's hand on his arm.

"Thank you for coming," Adama said and then noticed the delegation of Animals approaching. "Time to meet our hosts." They all turned to face them. "Mayor Wilde."

Caprica translated and he put out a hand. The tall vixen took it and smiled.

"So how's that son of mine doing?"

"He's quite good at his job as is his wife," Adama said.

"They're an interesting couple."

"Apparently Nick is quite popular with our women," Saul said and chuckled.

Adama looked at him sharply.

"And so I've heard," she said and winked at Saul. "I'll guarantee it's his tail." Everyone laughed, but the Centurions who simply stood motionless, scanning the area. "Apparently now Judy sticks to him like glue." Bill smiled, having noticed that himself on several occasions, and the vixen gave him a wink. "Well since it's about time for lunch we've arraigned something here in the train station. So how about we talk over lunch?"

The restaurant was completely empty when they arrived but for its staff, a few ZPD officers, and more of the Mayor's security. Adama still thought, seeing Animals standing upright and wearing clothes was odd and smiled. He was glad to now be seated and not having to walk beside her. He couldn't help it, but kept glancing back at the vixen's tail. His face grew warm at just the thought and then felt her arm go around his shoulders.

"Admiral Adama," she began.

"Please call me Bill," he said and noticed Caprica smile after she'd translated.

"Then you must call me Catherine."

"Certainly."

"Apparently you enjoyed our short walk over here," she said and he felt himself blush.

"Of course," he said and she leaned a bit closer.

Bill felt her whiskers tickle his ear.

"It nice to know that at my stage of life that I can still catch a male's interest," she said and he heard Caprica chuckle.

"Sorry I'm late!" came voice from the entrance.

He looked away from the vixen to see the singer. Her soft brown eyes met his and he stood to greet her. Then she smiled and hurried over.

"She certainly knows how to make an entrance," Catherine said quietly and a hint of a smile crossed his face.

"You must be the Admiral!"

"William Adama," he replied and was a bit surprised that they were at eyelevel.

"Maria Gazelle," she said and then to his surprise she hugged him. He felt everyone's eyes on them and heard Saul chuckle. Then she pulled back at bit, still having arms around him, and looked into his eyes. "I'm so glad you decided to visit our world. You know I always thought there were other people out there." He laughed and she leaned in and lightly touched her lips to his. Saul clapped his hands and roared with laughter. "So now I'm the first Animal to have kissed an alien!"

He wasn't quite so sure about that, remembering the last time he's seen Kara and Ben.

He found the food interesting, but the talks afterward turned out to be somewhat mundane and had been exactly what he'd expected. They were a civilization who was just getting into space and now they encountered one that had been there for millennia. The Colonials needed a place to settle and now they had one. It couldn't have worked out better for either of them. He didn't like coincidences and this seemed to be too much of one for his taste. He thanked the Gods that they were done and then leaned back and stretched.

"So that was interesting," Maria said and patted his hand.

"I thought so too," he lied and then winked. "So I guess it's off to our hotel."

"Hotel?" she said and smiled. "You, your people, and the Cylons are staying with me." She saw the surprised look on his face and took his arm. "Come."

"Your place!"

"It's better than any old hotel and there are more interesting things to do," she said as the left the restaurant. "And trust me the food's better too."

"We'll see you tomorrow," Catherine said and smiled.

"Here?"

"Of course not!" she said and frowned. Then stopped and pointed at the Gazelle. "Her place."

The vixen waved and walked the in other direction with her staff.

"How much does your Raptor weigh?" she asked in Colonial standard.

"You can speak..."

"Remember I'm a singer," she said and grinned, "and I deal with sounds all the time. Also, I have a knack for languages." She looked back at Caprica, still grinning. "Don't worry I have many questions to the Cylons too. How much does your ship weigh?"

Caprica answered immediately and looked at the Admiral.

"I'll have to ask the flight engineer," he said and called over the leader of security detail who relayed the question to the Raptor.

"The Cylon ship's too heavy," Maria said.

"For what?" Caprica asked.

"To land on the roof of my building."

"Your building," Saul said.

The security man received a response and told the Admiral.

"That would work, but I don't think it won't hold all of us," the Gazelle said, looking at the group, "but that's not a problem!" She made a call and a minute later smiled. "Please follow me." She led them down several levels to the subway station. Just as they stepped off the escalator a two car subway train pulled in and stopped. Then four Tigers stepped out.

"My security detail," she said and smiled.

The Tiger looked at him and he stared right back, not intimidated in the least. Maria looked back and forth them and rolled her eyes.

"Males!" she muttered, stepping between them, and then she turned to the Tiger. "Why?"

"I wondered if they were prey or pred," he said and stood.

"So what does it matter?!" she asked, poking him in the chest. "Do you think it matters that I'm prey!?"

"No."

Adama, not understanding the language and because they weren't speaking to him Caprica wasn't translating, could only watch. When the Tiger stood and she began poking him in the chest he actually took a step back. That surprised him and he smiled. But then he remembered what Baltar had said about there being little conflict between predator and prey, but of course that didn't mean there was actually none. He put on his best Admiral's face, stood, and stepped up beside the Gazelle.

"Sit down!" he said in his best command voice, drawing everyone's attention, and Caprica translated.

The Tiger sat and Maria looked at him with raised eyebrows. He returned to his seat and she sat beside him.

"Don't ever get angry with me," she said and put a hand on his.

"I wasn't angry," he said, glancing at the Tiger. "I just wanted him to do what I told him to do."

"Did you think he would actually..."

"Remember I'm new here so I couldn't be too sure," he said and she giggled.

"Don't you worry I can handle myself!" the Gazelle said, poking him in the chest with each word. "These," she tapped her horns, "aren't just for show!"

This time it was his eyebrows that rose and in that moment he knew she was telling the truth.

They began to slow and he noticed a wall decend behind them, blocking the tunnel. The subway train stopped in a seemingly deserted station and then several Animals stepped out of a pair of elevators. He looked at Maria questioningly.

"We're sixty feet below street level under my building, but there are still a few more levels below this one," she said and winked.

"And they are?" he asked and she grinned.

"A game room, a shooting range, a shelter, and few other interesting things," she said and winked. "Let's go upstairs and talk. Maybe a bit later you and I can do something interesting."

Adama considered just what she meant and several things came to mind. Then she took his hand and led him to the elevators. He wondered if they would hold theirs and the centurions' weight, but the elevators only dropped an inch or so when they'd all stepped on. Of course they must have taking that into account by putting a pair of centurions in each one. Fortunately the elevators were large enough to hold everyone and soon enough they began to rise. He looked at the readout above the doors and recognized the Animal's numbering system which is one thing he'd learned over the last few months. On the readout as they began to rise the numbers did also. The numbers almost blurred for about twenty seconds and he felt the pressure on his knees. Then they began to slow.

When they stopped and if he were reading it correctly they were on the 300th floor. The doors opened and the Maria's security was first off, followed by the marines, their group, and finally the centurions. Maria stepped forward and turned to the group.

"Welcome to my home," she said, holding her arms wide. "First, we must get your luggage. Your raptor should already be on the roof and my people will have it down shortly. Admiral, will your pilots be staying?"

"Yes."

Then she looked to Caprica.

"Our ship's being flown back to our Baseship."

"Good," she said and nodded. "Well then let me show you to your rooms."

Adama had just finished changing when he heard the knock on the door. He went to answer it and as he suspected Maria was standing there, smiling.

"Good, you've changed," she said and took his hand. "Let's do something interesting." He raised an eyebrow. "You won't have to be 'The Admiral' for a while."

He chuckled.

"Lead the way."

Along the way they picked up the marines and she took them to a different elevator.

"This one is private," she said and punched in a code on a keypad. The doors opened immediately and two marines entered first, they followed, and then the last two entered. "This elevator stops only on the floors below the lowest garage level." They descended quickly and a couple of minutes later the doors opened on the first of the lower levels. "This level has the shooting range, a gym, spa, and pool. Which do want try out first?"

Adama looked at the marines and smiled.

"The range."

"We can try out some of the newest weapons that my company makes."

"I thought..."

"I own a number of different companies," she said and smiled. Then she leaned close and whispered to him. "Not to brag or anything, but I'm the wealthiest Animal in this planet." He looked at her and she shrugged. "Come on!" The shooting range was like any other he'd seen and/or practiced on. Maria unlocked and opened the armory. "Gentlemen choose your weapons."

The marines looked at Adama and he smiled.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" he said and smiled. "Didn't you hear the lady?"

They hurried, but tried not to look like they were hurrying. He chuckled.

"I've got something special for you," he said and squeezed past the marines. She returned with metal case, laid it on a table, and opened it. "This is a phased plasma rifle and it operates in the forty watt range. In a week they're going into production. I'm selling these to our military and I thought you might want to have a look too."

He lifted the rifle and was surprised how light it was. She handed him a magazine.

"You can fire a hundred times with this," she said and he took it.

He examined it for moment and then pushed it in until it clicked. They walked over to the first shooter's stand and she lifted a foot square steel plate.

"This is an inch thick," she said and handed to him. He attached it to the target line which sagged under its weight and then sent it downrange. "Good. Now like any other military rifle this one has a safety and several rates of fire," She took the rifle and showed him the selector switch. "Also, it tells you how many shots you have left." She pointed the readout on the top of rifle which currently read one hundred in Colonial standard. Really subtle, he thought. "OK, you're ready. Oh, by the way it doesn't have much recoil and it's not as loud as an ordinary rifle, but here's some ear protectors anyway."

By this time the marines had drifted back and were looking over Maria's shoulder. Adama stepped up to the shooter's stand, put on the ear protectors, and flipped off the safety to single shot. He squeezed the trigger and a moment later a hole appeared the steel plate. Then he squeezed the trigger five more times in quick succession and bottom half of the plate struck the floor with a clank and a few sparks. He could see that edges on both pieces were now a cherry red and looked at the readout which now read ninety-four.

"Damn Admiral!" the ranking marine said. "I wish we had those when we were fighting the Cylons."

"Me too," he said and looked at the rifle.

He safed it and then he handed to the marine.

"We're also working on scaling these up," Maria said and her eyes twinkled. "I wonder how they'd work on a Battlestar."

After an hour the marines had tried out all the weapons and were in the process of cleaning them.

"When you're finished let's go for a little workout in the gym," she said and saw them look up and smile.

Twenty minutes later she pushed open the door and all eyes came to rest on her. When the Animals saw the humans they strolled over and gathered around.

"I brought some friends who need a little workout," she said in Zootopian and smiled. "Just don't hurt them ... much." She smiled and the animals laughed. Then she turned to the marines. "Choose a partner and if you need anything just come to me." She looked at the Admiral. "You're with me. What would like to try?"

"Boxing," he said and she grinned.

"I can do that," she said. Then she pulled off her blouse and he raised an eyebrow. "Don't worry I'm not boxing in the nude."

"That would make it a little hard to concentrate," he said and she giggled.

"No doubt," she said and removed the rest of her outer clothing.

Her leotard was skin tight and she smirked. He looked at her up and down.

"It still might be a little hard to concentrate," he said and chuckled.

She rolled her eyes and pushed him toward the ring. She looked at the gloves and handed him a pair that she thought might fit. He slipped them on, but they were just a bit tight. Then she found another pair that fit perfectly. She laced them up and he pounded them together. Another animal helped her on with her gloves and they both climbed into the ring and went to opposite corners.

"Ready," she said and both marched to the center of the ring.

They touched gloves and took a step back, and then each assumed a fighting stance. She attacked first and he was a bit surprised by her speed. As first she pushed him back and he covered up, deflecting most of her punches with his arms. Then he moved forward and began to push her back, but she danced –literally, he thought – to the right and then attacked. Again her speed caught him off guard for a few seconds, but he still got in a few good punches. He felt the ropes on his back and then leaned into them and let them push him forward, using his greater weight to shove he back. He used that moment to throw a few punches of his own, but with her speed she deflected them with her arms. Then they both back away from each other.

"Bill that was excellent!" she said and smiled.

"So how ya feelin'?" she asked as the hot water bubbled and flowed around them.

"Pretty good for an old man."

"Oh you're not that old!"

"Well I was sixty-one a few months ago."

"That's not old."

"Trust me some days over the last five years I felt like I was a thousand and then some," he said and sighed. "At least now I don't have to worry about the Cylons attacking us or our people starving anymore."

"So how are things going on the other planet?" she asked, making conversation even though she already knew.

"A lot of people are still living on the ships, but at least they can now get out and walk around," he said and leaned back and close his eyes. "Along with animals the ones that can are helping build the town and some farms."

"What do your people think of us?"

"Honestly most of them like you, but others say you're just soulless animals."

"I'm not too surprised since we do call ourselves Animals."

"And your people do resemble a lot of the animals we had back in the colonies," he said and her eyes met his. "Our children love the Rabbits since they are about the same size and cute." Maria laughed. "You should've seen Judy when a boy hugged her and said she was cute."

He laughed.

"She always hated being called cute!"

"You know her?"

"She was my roommate in college."

"I thought she going to explode," he said and they both laughed again, "at least until Nick looked at her and smiled."

"Those two are good for each other."

"Predators and prey don't usually get married, do they?"

"They were the first ever and did it cause a stink!"

"Really."

"Most Animals were for it or didn't really care, but there were a few."

"We have some of those too."

"The ones they think we Animals are just animals."

"Yep," he said and sat up. "You know there are several agro ships in the fleet with animals and plants from the colonies."

"What kind of animals?" she asked, leaning closer.

"Well, to be honest with you they're mostly food animals," he said and watched her face. "You know we found some animals on that planet that we're using for food."

"I've heard from Judy that our Predators had killed some and eaten them before you'd arrived."

"Does that bother you?"

"In a way it does, but preds have to eat too."

"When we had lunch at the restaurant I was served meat and I know when we ate with the Animals on the planet we had meat besides the local animals. It tasted like chicken."

"It was chicken," she said and smiled. "The Preds have always had fish, chicken, turkey, and insect and plant proteins, but now they'll have red meat too."

"You don't sound happy about it."

"Bill, what you're thinking has happened here," she said and saw his eyebrows rise. "Not here in Zootopia, but other places." She saw a concerned look on his face. "It happened where I grew up."

"Did they catch them?"

"Yes and there was more than one."

"What happened?"

"They exiled to them to a rocky island which was far from anything else without any food or water."

"Sounds like the punishment fit the crime."

"It did."

They returned just as everyone was sitting down for dinner. He sat next to Saul and Maria sat on his other side.

"So where have you two been all afternoon?" Saul asked and smiled.

"Miss Gazelle has been showing the lower levels of this building and we've had a long talk."

"About?"

"Mostly what's in this case and other things," he said as the waiter set his plate before him. "Baltar may have been wrong at least in some aspects about how far we're ahead of them." He turned to Maria. "No offence."

"None taken," she said and winked.

"So what's in the case?" he asked and tapped it with his foot.

"I'll show you after dinner."

As always Adama woke early, showered, dressed, and headed for breakfast. Along the way he was joined by Saul and then Maria.

"Sleep good?" she asked.

"Better than I have in a while," Adama said and she took his arm.

"So what are we having for breakfast?" Saul asked.

"Oh just the normal things," she said and smiled, "fruits, vegetables, and pancakes." She looked at the expressions on their faces and smiled. "Also, I've had some of the meats brought in from the new world which arrived early this morning."

"We've had some and they're all quite good," Saul said, remembering. "After five years of eating algae it was wonderful!"

"I agree," Adama said and looked into her eyes.

As they approached the dining room the smells of the different meats grew stronger and the humans picked up their pace a bit. The food was laid out in buffet style and the marines and pilots were already in line. They joined them.

"Admiral would you like to go ahead?" the pilot ahead of him asked.

"No, of course not," he said and padded the man's shoulder. "We can wait, but just leave some for us."

The man chuckled as did several others.

"Yes sir."

He and Saul took a little of everything, but a bit more meat than anything else. Adama glanced at the other men and they'd done much the same. Then he looked at Marie.

"Does this bother you?" he asked, touching a piece of red meat with his fork.

"No," she said and went back to her meal.

From the way she said it he felt there was more than she told him the previous night and didn't push it. He went back to his food and they were silent for a time.

"Will Catherine be here for lunch?" he asked.

Caprica joined them.

"Yes," she said and looked at him. "Since we have some time before the meeting there is something I'd like to show the both of you."

After breakfast they took the elevator down to the lowest level. Since she took along her security and the centurions it took three trips to bring everyone down. Soon they stood before, what looked to him, like the door to a bank vault. Maria touched her finger to a slot on the door, then looked into a retinal scanner, and lastly punched in a string of numbers into a keypad. A minute later the door began to swing open and they were met by heavily armed and armored guards who were on duty inside. They escorted them to another door on the far side of the room. She went through the same procedure and the second door opened. Adama knew a spaceship when he saw one.

She walked to the ship a laid a hand on it.

"I found this near my home when I was in a teenager," she said, looking at the Raptor pilots, and smiled. Then she touched the hatch and it swung up, "Have a look." She stepped aside and they entered. "I'll power it up for you." She left for a moment and then they heard a low rumble from inside. She returned and continued. "It was actually entombed in sandstone and just slightly exposed by weathering. I exposed more of it and then I showed my father. He reburied it without saying a word. Then a couple of years ago we dug it out and brought it here for study. Amazingly everything still worked when we restarted the reactor. Of course we checked every electrical connection before we did that. Soon afterwards we found how to fuel it. Our guess it's a Lander much like one of your raptors."

"What's the fuel?" Saul asked.

"Water, Colonel," she said and giggled at his surprise. "Just plain ordinary water. The purer the better."

"Water!" Saul exclaimed.

"Apparently, it splits the water into oxygen and hydrogen and then simply burns the hydrogen," she said, remembering what she and the other engineers discovered. "We estimate that it would need to be refueled after each trip into space and after each reentry. Of course water is quite abundant in space and on the surface of most habitable planets. We'll need to duplicate this device."

"And you haven't yet?" Adama said.

"After your arrival some things were sort of put on hold."

"And you want us to work with you," Caprica stated.

"Yes," she said and touched Adama's arm, "and the Colonials too of course."

"Baltar," Saul muttered.

"Most lightly," Caprica said and smiled.

"So you've already learned some things from it," Adama stated.

"New computers, weapons, aircraft, and obviously spaceship designs."

"Anything else?" Adama asked.

"Learning about it wasn't a hard as you might think since we found its computer has a self aware artificial intelligence," she said and watched Caprica's face light up. "It's currently occupying our worldwide computer network, but he's keeping a low profile." Adama and Saul frowned. "I think you'll find him interesting." A hologram appeared in a humanoid form. "This is Peter."

"Admiral Adama, Colonel Tigh, Caprica Six, I'm pleased to meet you," he said and then looked at the mechanical Cylons. "We have a great deal to talk about."

"Notice how he spoke directly to the Centurions when he said that," Saul said as they walked to the meeting.

"Yes, I did," he said and then was quiet, taking time to collect his thoughts.

"Bill?"

"I don't want anyone to read too much into that."

"That AI is hooked into everything!"

"I know."

Then they heard footsteps behind them and turned to see Caprica.

"Adama, Peter met with the Cylons."

"So what did he say?"

"He only met with the Centurions!"

"SHIT! SHIT! SHIT!" Saul muttered.

Adama grimaced.

What do you think?" the Admiral asked, wishing that Saul would shut up.

"They wouldn't talk to me," she said and swallowed. "Then an hour ago heavy raider launched from the Baseship and landed nearby."

"SHIT! SHIT! SHIT!" Saul continued as if it were a mantra.

"Let's just get to that meeting," Adama said.

When he entered the dining room Adama noticed that Catherine and her staff were waiting for them. Then he noticed the four Centurions were already there too.

"Admiral," the vixen said and strolled over to greet him. "So I've heard there've been some developments."

"From Maria," he said.

"Of course," she said and smiled, "with Peter's help she's plugged into everything."

"I had a feeling you knew about the AI."

"From the day they discovered him," she said and took his arm. "We talked about it and it was one of the reasons we invited you here."

"Did you know Peter met with only the Centurions?"

"Yes," she said just as Maria entered the room with a Centurion following behind her. They both stopped before the Admiral and Vixen. "Maria." She looked at the Centurion. "I see you made a new friend."

"This is Peter," Maria said.

Adama first looked at the Gazelle and then the Cylon. This Centurion had some differences – some only slight, but others more profound.

"Admiral Adama, Catherine, Caprica Six, Colonel Tigh, good to see you all again," he vocalized, surprising them.

"I never knew Centurions could speak," the Admiral said, extending a hand, and Peter took it. "I see you made other changes."

He turned Peter's hand to look more closely at the human-like fingers.

"Very soon the Centurions will undergo a great many changes."

The two raptors lifted off simultaneously and ten minutes later they achieved orbit. Adama looked down on the blue and green planet and smiled. He felt Maria fur tickle his cheek as she joined him.

"Beautiful isn't it," she said and hugged him.

"Yes."

"So how are you enjoying your first space flight?"

"I'm just glad we're not weightless," she said and he chuckled.

"That does make things just a bit more interesting," he said and this time she chuckled.

"When are we rendezvousing with the Baseship?" she asked and he looked at his watch.

"About thirty minutes."

"I can't wait to see the engines!" she exclaimed and hugged him again. "I read all material the Cylons gave me. I have a lot of questions for their engineers."

"And I'm sure they'll have all the answers," he said, turning to her, and she smiled. "I'm just glad we found Tyllium here in your solar system and that your government is letting us settle here."

"Remember it's your solar system now too."

"It is, isn't it," he said and then glanced at his XO's worried face.

"Saul?"

"Bill, you still think this is a good idea?"

"Remember we had a long talk with Peter and the Centurions."

"But..."

"He explained and I think we can trust him," he said, but he had alerted Galactica's marines to be on standby. "Relax."

The rest of the flight was uneventful.

For a moment the Admiral stopped and turned back to look at the four Raptors. That was actually a sight he'd never thought he'd see – Colonial raptors sitting on the flight deck of a Cylon Baseship.

"Bill?" Laura said, touching his arm.

"Oh just thinking," he said and smiled. "How are you feeling?"

"Not too bad," she said as they watched Maria examining a Heavy Raider. "I think she's quite taken with you."

"Have the Animal doctors been able to do anything for you?" he asked, quickly changing the subject.

She smiled.

"They think they might," she said and laid her hand on his arm. "I think their medicine is more advanced than ours since their doctors have to treat so many different species."

"I'm glad to hear it," he said and turned just in time to see Maria heading their way.

"Admiral, I'm so glad you brought me!" she said and hugged him.

"As I remember Peter insisted."

"But still," she said and then kissed him. "And it's really nice to meet you too, Laura."

Then Maria hugged the human woman and heard her exhale sharply.

"I didn't realize Gazelles we so strong."

"Did I hurt you?" she asked, concerned.

"No, you just surprised me, that's all," she said, taking a sidewise glace at Bill. "I'm guessing the Admiral must to be use to your hugs by now."

Maria looked at him and subsequently blushed and then a moment later he did also. Laura laughed.

"We'd better hurry or we'll be late," he said and picked up his pace.

A pair of Centurions waited at the airlock and guided them to a large conference room where Peter and the Cylons – mechanical and organic – waited. Catherine, her staff, the Colonial Quorum, their staffs, the Admiral, the Colonial Military contingent, Maria, Laura, and Lee seated themselves. Then Peter rose and walked to the front of the room.

"With a new world I think we and I mean all of us – Cylons, Humans, Animals, and myself – should have a new start," Peters said, looking at the group. "I know that nobody can or will forget the things that happened in the past, but we all need to work together for a better future."

"He sounds like a politician," Adama whispered to Maria and the Gazelle smiled.

"He does, doesn't he?"

At that same moment a bit over two light years from the Sol system the starship rotated and pointed its fusion drives toward the distant yellow star. Fifty-two seconds later it fired, beginning the process of gradually slowing the spacecraft from its current relativistic speed. The XO looked at the Captain and smiled.

"I can't wait to meet that singer!" she said and looked back to the large monitor, currently displaying their destination which at this distance was currently only a small bright pinpoint of light.

"Me either."