IV

President Gaius Baltar was where he was almost all the time: sitting in the confines of Colonial One. The honest fact was that, unless he was surrounded by a phalanx of Centurions, he couldn't leave Colonial One. His own people, the ones he presided over, would tear him to shreds if they got the opportunity. They knew it. And since D'Anna, who was the actual ruler of New Caprica didn't always feel like surrounding Gaius with a phalanx of Centurions, he often just stewed in his office.

To be sure, he was thankful, in many ways, not to be able to go anywhere. It had saved his skin a year ago, when a citizen had strapped himself with explosives, and blown a roomful of humans to Kingdom Come, and a dozen Cylons to the nearest Resurrection ship. He had been planning to attend, but simply didn't feel like it that day. It had saved his ass.

He hated the job. Absolutely hated it. Why had he wanted to be President? The meetings with his Cylon overseers. Negotiations-held with Centurions all around-with Galen Tyrol's quarrelsome Union. An occasional protest delivered personally by Laura Roslin, or Saul Tigh, wondering why The Cylons had cut off the hot water, or why no food had been delivered.

He wasn't kidding himself. He knew why he wanted the job: because Laura Roslin had occupied this very chair, and she detested him; because it gave him hot young women from New Caprica, who would rather spend a night or two fraking the Colonial President, and staying in a warm, comfy bed, than hanging out in a cold, draft tent outside; because it gave him an unlimited supply of booze. All of this, just as long as he did The Cylons bidding.

Deep down, he was shamed at what he had become. He had felt that shame since the destruction of the Twelve Colonies, and his part in bringing it about. Unfortunately, up to this point, Gaius Baltar's shame wasn't as strong as his will to live, even if it meant living a subjugated life. He wasn't a courageous soul, and he knew it.

The only thing that gave him any comfort in his existence was Caprica. For some godsforsaken reason, she truly loved him. He had no idea why. Even though she could be resurrected-had been resurrected since the occupation, she was as courageous as anyone among The Cylons. She didn't like this occupation, and she made it known.

His large highball glass of ambrosia was only half gone, even though it had been in front of him since early in the morning. It was almost the end of what "the working day", as humans would call it. There was no clocking in or out for Gaius, however, but at 1700, his day was done. Only a few minutes to go.

His Chief-of-Staff, Felix Gaeta walked into his office. "Mr. President", he said stiffly, "I have a few papers that require your signature, then I can file them with the Quorum."

"Oh, for frak's sake, I hate this incessant paperwork." He removed his glasses, pinching his nose as he felt another headache coming on. Or maybe that last headache had never left, he wasn't sure. He rubbed his eyes, put the glasses back on, and took a large sip of his alcohol.

"What do you have for me to sign, Felix? It's almost quitting time, you know."

Felix gave him a sarcastic smile. "Ah, Gaius, the work of the government never ends."

"Who told you that slogan, Roslin? It would be so like her."

Felix put the papers in front of the President. One was for a work order to reinforce and clean the sewer system, and upgrade the fresh water system. He signed that, Gaius wanting clean water as much as the next person. The second one was a parole request for a citizen being held in prison by The Cylons for a theft that had occurred a month ago. He read it over carefully, and signed off on the parole. D'Anna had the final say, but, oddly enough, she rarely over-ruled him on human-only business.

The last one was nothing that needed to be signed officially, but D'Anna wanted him to sign off on certain decrees or notices that The Cylons would put up. This one was to advise the citizens of New Caprica that, one week from this day, the number of Centurions that would patrol the city would be doubled. No reason was given to the people. Gaius read the addendum that went with what he needed to sign. It had been rumored that the insurgency was going to strike at an unknown target, and this was for precautionary measures only.

He affixed his signature, turning to Gaeta. "Is that everything, Mr. Gaeta?"

Gaeta nodded. "It is, Mr. President. I'll file copies of this, then take the originals to D'Anna. Is there anything else I can do for you, sir?"

Gaius shook his head, and smiled wanly at the other man. "No, thank you, Mr. Gaeta, you're dismissed. I'm closing shop for the night."

"Have a good night, Mr. President."

Gaeta left the office. Within an hour, the originals had been delivered to D'Anna, the copies filed in the outer office of Colonial One, and a second copy had been delivered to the old, empty tool container, near the dog Jake, his dog bowl now flipped over.

As promised, Kara made dinner a few nights later for Laura, Kacey giving her a messy hand. Mother and daughter laughed and giggled their way through their creation, which was some fish, potatoes and a salad to go with it. They had gone fishing that very afternoon to catch tonight's meal.

Laura arrived, knocking on the wood outside the flap.

"Come on in, Roslin!"

Laura quirked her eyes at the sound of laughter coming from within. She walked in, and saw the sight of Kara and Kacey, both covered in flour, the floor covered with more, and trying not to burn the fish.

Kara looked up, her laughter becoming louder. "Oh, my gods, Laura, we're never gonna be five-star chefs, are we, Kacey?"

Kacey just laughed. "Fish, fish, fish!"

Laura couldn't help bursting into laughter herself, the site just too precious. "I, uh...well, no, Kara, I don't believe any opulent establishment would hire you and Kacey at this point, although the fish smells wonderful."

"Fish!" Kacey danced toward "teacher Rosin", as she called her. "I love fish."

"So do I", Laura said, bending down to be more on level with the girl. "Did you cook it."

"I cook. Momma messy!"

Laura let out a very loud laugh now, straightening back up to her full height, looking over at Kara, who looked like she had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

"Oh, really young lady?" Kara tried to look severe, but couldn't keep the laughter out of her voice. "I think we were both messy."

Laura moved toward the kitchen area. "Need a hand?" She barely kept another snicker in. This time Starbuck gave her a glare.

"No, thank you, Madam President", she said with mock formality. "I think I can frak up this dinner just fine by myself."

This time, Laura and Kara started laughing so hard that they fell into each other, hugging, tears eventually coming down their cheeks. Kara turned and grabbed a small handful of flour, and flung it at Laura. Laura yipped in surprise.

"Oh, no", she giggled, "I am not starting a flour war, Kara Thrace."

They finally settled down enough for Kara to finish preparing dinner, Kacey setting the table as her mom had showed her how, and Starbuck serving the food. All three had cleaned up before sitting down.

"If you're this entertaining all the time, Kara, I'm coming over to eat more often."

Kara giggled and smiled. "Kacey and I usually just kind of wing it for our meals. Maybe I can get better at this cooking thing."

Laura took a bite of the salad. "Mmm", she said, looking up with wide eyes. "That's wonderful! I guess salad is kind of hard to mess up."

"Oh, zip it, Roslin", Kara said with another chuckle. "Kacey actually made the salads. She did a pretty good job."

Just to be sure, Laura took a bite of the fish. Again, she flashed Kara a smile. "That is really good, Thrace", she said approvingly, taking another bite.

Kara blushed a little. Laura had never really seen the cocky young woman blush before, and it warmed Laura's heart. It was adorable.

"Yeah, well, fish is pretty easy. And I have a lot more if you want it. We caught it this afternoon."

They ate a lot of fish, which was only lightly floured and seasoned, the three of them chatting and laughing, just as they had done a few days earlier. When they were finished, Laura even helped clear the table, despite Kara's objections.

They took a few steps into the main living area, Kacey flopping down on the floor. Kara then remembered something.

"Oh, frak", she said out loud, startling Laura. "I totally forgot, Kacey is spending the night with Marissa Franklin's family. They're best buddies at school."

"Ah, little girls and sleepover", Laura said fondly. "I did a few of those in my day."

Kara looked at her with some embarrassment, but then moved on for the moment. "Laura, do you mind if I get her ready to go? I'm such a bad host. When I'm done, and when Marilyn Franklin gets here, then we can relax."

"Go", Laura said with a smile. "Getting your daughter ready for a sleep-over doesn't make you a bad mom, Kara." Laura was beginning to see that Kara had grown up. She wanted to chalk it down all to having Kacey in her life, but knew whatever she went through in the Cylon prison, had made her grow up as well.

Maybe they'd talk about it someday.

Within a half hour, Kacey was cleaned up, and on her way to the Franklin's for the night, Kara looking like she had put up with a cyclone, Laura muffling a laugh as the younger woman sat down, looking flustered.

"Enjoying motherhood?", Laura said conspiratorially.

"Up yours, Roslin", Kara said with a stifled laugh. "Maybe now I understand why my mom drank and did drugs?" She was being sarcastic, but it made them both laugh, at least for a moment, Kara suddenly becoming introspective. "Yeah, I am enjoying it, Laura. It's a helluva lot of work, and there isn't a lot to keep Kacey entertained, but she and I have such a blast together. Hopefully, we'll become more respectable cooks in the near future."

Laura smiled sweetly. "It's definitely changed you, and motherhood is a good look on you, you know that?"

Kara widened her eyes. "Yeah, who would have thought that? I don't know, Laura, maybe being responsible for someone more than myself-and I never gave a frak about myself-has made me grow up. She's a handful some days, but it's the most rewarding thing I've ever done, which is high praise from a Viper jock."

"Kara", Laura said cautiously, not wanting to spook the blonde, "I hope you'll let me know if I'm getting too nosy, but have you ever had Cottle determine if Kacey is actually yours?"

Kara was silent for a moment. Had that been Lee, or Tigh, or virtually one else asking that question to the Kara of old, she'd have told them to shove it up their ass. But she had changed, and she was thinking differently.

"No", she said softly", I haven't done that. Maybe I'm too scared of the truth of it."

Roslin studied her, like the politician she was, who noticed things others often didn't. "Scared to find out that she's not yours-or that she is?"

The question startled Starbuck, but she recovered quickly. "Maybe a little of both, Laura. If she is mine, then how she was conceived..." Kara gave an involuntary shudder, thinking of The Farm back on Caprica. She had made it known that The Cylons had taken an ovary from her in that despicable place, but not much else about it.

"If she isn't mine, I'm so afraid someone on Galactica, or Pegasus, or in The Fleet will see her, and claim her as theirs. I don't know if I could survive that, Laura."

Roslin let the words float on the silence for a few long moments. "I can understand that. I would probably be scared of both in your shoes. The truth is", she said with a stark honesty, "that I never wanted children-maybe being a school teacher meant I was every kid's mom, who knows?" She shrugged. "But I never thought I would be up to the task."

"How do you think I felt, with a child suddenly thrust on me. I certainly wasn't ready for it, Laura. In fact, at the beginning..."

Kara clammed up for the moment. Laura saw something troubling, and quite ominous cloud Starbuck's hazel eyes for a moment.

"At the beginning, what, Kara?"

"It's nothing", Starbuck said with an unconvincing smile. "I'm enjoying every moment with her."

"I've told you, Kara, if you want to get it off your chest, I'll listen."

This time Kara did give her a warm smile. She knew that Laura might be the only person she could open up to about what Leoben had done to her, but...

"I'm not ready yet, Laura", Kara said, meaning it. "I think I will be soon enough, but right now, I just want to talk with you and get drunk."

The last line, swirled into such a serious conversation caught Laura off guard, and she gave a sudden laugh.

"I never get drunk, I'll have you know, Ms. Thrace." Laura couldn't hold the smile in.

"Really, Ms. Roslin? Then it should be easy drinking your ass under the table."

"Oh, you're on, blondie." Both women burst out in more laughter.

For the next few hours, they talked, laughed, and were glad no one else could see them get so shit-faced. Yet they had the time of their lives.

Over the next two months, Kara and Laura took turns once a week making a dinner for the other, Kacey being present with the two women. Kara had yet to open up to Laura, but the young pilot knew she was becoming comfortable enough around Laura that, eventually, she would tell Laura about the Doll House. She knew she needed to. She knew the only person she trusted enough to do that with was Laura Roslin.

Two Months Later

Saul Tigh may have lost his eye, but he hadn't lost his hatred for the fraking Cylons. He never would. The Human-looking Toasters had beaten the hell out of him in his prison cell, far beyond them pulling his eye out of his socket. He had to walk sometimes with a cane, simply to keep his right leg from screaming back at him too much.

But he was alive, and godsdammit, he was going to make The Cylons hurt.

He held the meetings for the resistance every night, in an underground bunker which lay beneath the tent he and Ellen shared. Someone was in the bunker twenty-nine hours each day, either planning out attacks, or trying to raise The Old Man on a wireless that had been brought when New Earth was settled. In the eighteen months since the two Battlestars had fled, there had only been static answering back to those listening.

"Chief", Tigh began the daily go-around, "still no word on who has been feeding us the information on what The Cylons are up to everyday?" The latest about the increase in Centurion patrols had caught everyone's attention.

Galen Tyrol tightly shook his head. "Not a thing, Colonel. They system works well enough, and I don't know if I want to rock the boat in finding out. I'd rather have them step forward on their own."

"Yeah, I agree with that", the crusty old Commander huffed, "but I'd still like to frakin' know who is feeding us this stuff. So far, we haven't gotten much we can use-not since the police force thing, but it's been enough for us to give them some headaches."

"Colonel, I checked on the ammo dump over by the water tower, and we're pretty well-stocked right now on explosives for when we need them." Kara had helped make some of the stuff herself, in her spare time. Most of her time was spent with Kacey.

"How about the cache of guns?"

Kara gave a tight smile. "It grows by one or two every few days, no more. We want them to think their count might be off, not that we're pilfering anything."

"Keep 'em well-hidden, Starbuck", he said evenly. He and Kara would never be pals, but they had come to a hard, mutual respect for each other during the occupation. He didn't know everything Kara had been through, but he knew enough not to ask, and that it had been as much her own version of Hades as what he had gone through.

"Will, do, sir."

Laura spoke next. She had felt like hell that morning, as Kacey had spent the night again at a friend's tent, Kara and Laura getting drunk again and having a blast. Laura obviously couldn't put 'em away like she used to, and it amazed her it would take her a whole day to feel better.

"I'm going to have to meet with Baltar", she said, spitting his name out. "I've heard some complaints one of the Doral's bothering some of our teenagers who were playing Pyramid over the last week or so."

"If there's one model that creeps me out", Diana Seelix added, "it's Doral. Even for a skin job, he's fraking weird."

"I don't know", Kara said with some feeling, "the Simon's are pretty creepy themselves."

Again, Laura noticed a brief storm in Kara's eyes when she had said that. Everyone knew that most of the "medical" personnel among The Cylons were Simon's. Laura filed that away for the next time she and Kara had a chance to talk privately.

"They're all creepy", Tom Zarek said with a grim laugh, speaking for the first time. "Every one of them gives me the willies."

"If they give you the willies, Tom", Laura said, tongue planted firmly in her cheek, not able to resist tweaking her ally/enemy, "then they can't be all bad."

Zarek took it in the spirit it was offered, and he laughed loudly with everyone else. "Touche, madam President." He became serious for a minute. "Colonel", he said, turning to Tigh, "I'll get some of my guys out and about once the Centurion patrols increase, to see if there's any pattern to their activity."

"That might help", Tigh mused. "Maybe even with increased patrols, we can find a way to futz things up for them."

When the meeting finished, Laura approached Starbuck. The two ladies walked outside the tent together.

"How come you look like you've never had a drink in your life, and I still feel like death warmed over?"

"It's because I'm young, Roslin", Kara said with a wink.

"Did you just call me old, Starbuck?" Laura was taken aback.

"Me?" Starbuck looked offended. "I wouldn't do that. But I am a few years younger than you are."

"Uh-huh", Roslin said, not convinced, but smirking at the younger woman. "Nice recovery, Thrace."

Kara laughed. "You are definitely not old, Laura. Most people can't keep up with you, you know that? And you're just about the hottest lady in The Fleet as it is."

Laura tried not to look surprised. Was Kara flirting with her? Not that she hadn't had a few...wild fantasies about Starbuck.

"Please", Roslin said, rolling her eyes. "Maybe everyone needs glasses?"

"Will you stop that, Roslin?" Kara had turned serious for a moment. "You've got more balls than most of the guys here. You're as intelligent and as well-spoken as anyone, and yes, you're still drop-dead beautiful. Don't sell yourself short."

"Do people really thing that about me?" Laura was dumbstruck.

"I'm a jock, and jock's talk, Laura. Just about every guy, and about every gal, has talked about how sexy you are, and what they wouldn't mind doing. We can't all be wrong, can we?"

Laura thought about that for a moment. "I don't know if I'm offended that my former troops were having wet dreams about me, or if it turns me on?"

Roslin had said it so matter-of-factly that it had caught Kara off guard. She stopped walking, her eyes going wide at what Laura had said.

"Did you say wet dreams, Roslin?" Kara busted out laughing, almost doubling over. "If your troops had heard their Commander-in-Chief talk like that, we'd have ended up with strokes in Cottle's medical bay."

Laura laughed as well, again, like the night before in the kitchen, falling into Kara as they almost had tears in their eyes. There were a few people out, but most just smiled and laughed with them. It was good to see the two women actually laughing, and the citizens of New Caprica thought it was great.

"Well", Laura said, now turning slightly red, "I have never had one myself, mind you." She couldn't keep the laughter in.

"Yeah, and I'm a virgin", Starbuck said seriously.

They both looked at each other and burst out laughing again. A Six was passing by at the moment, and they saw that even she looked amused at their merriment. They didn't pay the Six much notice, as they couldn't stop laughing.

They arrived at Kara's tent, both still laughing. Kara was certain Kacey was probably asleep for the babysitter, so she calmed, and shushed Roslin.

"I better get in and let the sitter go home, Laura. That's as most fun walking home as I've had in...hell, I can't ever remember. You know what I'm gonna be thinking about tonight?" Kara gave the former President a wicked smile.

"Don't...even go there, Thrace", Laura said hurriedly. "Not another word, or I might have to go see Cottle because of a stroke."

They quietly giggled this time, knowing they didn't want to wake Kacey, if she was asleep.

"OK, not another word", Kara said, crossing her heart. "Thanks for walking me home, Madam President."

Something in Kara's voice went through Laura like an electrical shock. Starbuck had said those words with almost a purr, and it was one of the sexiest voices Laura had ever heard. She tried to hide how it had flustered her.

"Next time, you can walk me home, although if people keep seeing us act like two drunk ladies, they'll start talking."

"We were two drunk ladies last night, remember?"

Laura gave an embarrassed laugh. "Oh, yes, that's right, isn't it."

"Kacey is sleeping over at her friend's again next weekend. Wanna do a late dinner together?"

Damn, I think Starbuck is flirting with me!

"I'd like that, Kara. I'm enjoying our get-together's. Maybe you and Kacey can stop by after school next Friday, so I can see her before the sleep over?"

"Kacey would like that. She really likes you, Roslin, although for the life of me, I don't know why."

Laura harrumphed, "OK, that's quite enough, young lady." Kara again burst out in a soft laugh. "You just wait. I'll get you back, Starbuck."

"Promises, promises, Roslin." Kara calmed down. "I'll see you soon."

"Good night, Kara, sweet dreams."

"Oh", Kara said again, arching her eyebrows, "I sure will."

Laura turned red again, turning and walking away, not wanting to see how undone she had become, Starbuck laughing as she left.

Laura Roslin had trouble falling asleep that night, as she had been taken aback by Kara's flirting. She didn't know if the younger woman had done it on purpose, or was just having some fun, but whatever the reason, Laura went to bed that night as turned on as she had been in a long time. She had always thought Kara Thrace was a gorgeous, as sexy a woman as she had ever seen, but had never thought of it as more than just window shopping. Now, Laura wondered.

As she thought about their conversation, Laura's right hand, almost without conscious thought, found it's way under her panties, and she began to massage her genitals, thinking about what it would be like to have Kara do that to her.

"Oh, gods, yes", Laura moaned as her ministrations became more insistent. She moved two fingers down, and found she was drenched from the vision in her mind. She slammed the two fingers inside, and began frantically pumping them in and out of her. She knew she wouldn't last long. She didn't want to last long.

As she felt the tension build up in her lower abdomen, she thumbed her clit, circling it wildly. As he world shattered around her, she cried out. "Oh, gods, Kara!" Her back arched off the bed as the orgasm tore through her, Laura not stopping her fingers. As the first wave died down, a second wave hit her with equal force. She cried out Kara's name again as this second orgasm outdid the first, her back arched in an almost impossible angle.

Roslin held that position for what seemed like forever, but was only about thirty seconds. She pushed her fingers in one final time, then collapsed back on the bed, her eyes seeing spots, and her breathing erratic. She had to pull her fingers away from her genitals, as the slightest touch was almost agonizing now. She began to calm.

After another five minutes of heavy breathing, that slowly subsided, Laura's body began to truly relax. She had a feral smile on her face, feeling an ecstasy that she could never remember having. And all this over a fantasy?

"What's gotten into you, Roslin", she said to herself out loud. Was this just her blowing off some steam, as human beings needed to do every now and then, or was there something else going on here?

Whatever it was, her self-stimulation had relaxed her enough, that she soon was in a deep sleep.

Kara had put Kacey to bed with no problems that evening, which was a bit unusual, as she was at that age where kids usually fought going to bed. Kara blessed the gods for small victories.

She poured herself a glass of wine after Kacey had gone to sleep, and just relaxed for a while. Her mind had turned to the conversation with the former Colonial President.

What were you doing, flirting like that, Thrace? Openly teasing Roslin? She had meant what she told Laura, that Roslin was drop-dead gorgeous. Kara had always thought so, and she had her own fantasies once in a blue moon about Laura, even though Kara had never had sex with a woman. But to openly flirt like that?

Kara took a sip of her wine, slouched back in the couch, still wondering about the encounter. What had she been thinking?

But she had to admit, seeing Roslin get flustered like that was something, she imagined, that few people had ever witnessed. Kara involuntarily giggled as she remembered the look on Laura's face. It was priceless.

Starbuck suddenly realized that her one hand had drifted down under her pants, and that she was soaking wet, just thinking about that moment. It had been a while since she had masturbated, being so busy with Kacey that she hadn't had the time. She immediately spread her lips, rubbing two fingers through the liquid, then shoving the fingers inside her vagina. She gave a quiet gasp as they entered, Kara putting the glass of wine down to concentrate.

She didn't have to concentrate long. She removed her fingers, and began to furiously rub the coated digits around her suddenly-aching clit. With in moments, Kara was taken by a powerful orgasm, but she remained remarkably quiet, so not to wake her daughter. Her back arched off the couch, as the orgasm continued, suddenly shoving her fingers back inside her, pumping hard, a second orgasm following the first.

Knowing that if she kept this up, she would probably scream out loud, she forced herself to remove her fingers, simply letting them cup her genitals as she came down from the high. Her breathing began to steady out of the next few minutes.

Finally, she opened her eyes, with a smile on her face. She removed her hand from under her panties, and brought her fingers to her mouth, tasting herself on the two digits, moaning in delight.

She wondered what Laura tasted like? After cleaning herself up, she had sat back down on the couch to finish the wine. Instead, she fell sound asleep.