CHAPTER FOUR
Ulterior Motives

Fate's Embrace civilian vessel
In orbit around Jupiter

Tom Zarek was a patient man. He learned long ago that if he remained calm, rational, and calculating, he could maneuver his way through any situation. Patience was how he endured twenty years of prison. Patience was how he became famous and powerful while sitting in a jail cell. Patience was how he became vice-president of the Twelve Colonies – what remained of them, anyway. And patience was how he was going to secure the most coveted prize of all: Earth.

Patience, and knowing which cards to play at which time. Now was one of those times where he needed to lay down a hand.

Zarek looked at his watch. Ten minutes until he needed to catch his shuttle over to Colonial One, where the Quorum was going to once again engage in the constant squabble they liked to refer to as "discussion" regarding their next move with Earth. Laura Roslin had briefed him shortly after the crew returned from their reconnaissance mission the previous day. She didn't have much solid information, since the data analysts still needed to break down and assess the findings so they'd be ready to present to the Quorum, but she said the team was very optimistic. If fate willed, they could start bringing the fleet into Earth as early as a week from now. If fate willed, that would be all the time he needed.

"Channel open," an automated voice informed, causing Zarek to look up from his watch. "Commence transmission."

Now came the part where he had to pray that this worked. "Render and Requiem, this is the Fate's Embrace," he spoke into an old, rusty microphone. "Requiem, do you copy?"

Nothing but silence. Zarek resisted the urge to swear, remembering the virtue of patience, and tried again. "Fate's Embrace to Render and Requiem. Respond. Over."

He waited, silently counting to twelve in his head, before trying a third time. "Fate's Embrace, calling the Render and Requiem. Requiem, respond."

Three was the charm: a voice was coming through, but it was so faint he could barely distinguish it from the static. "... race... Req... arely... sting transmish... ver."

Zarek couldn't afford to divert any of his ship's power sources to communication, so he hoped it would be enough if the Requiem did it on her end. He expected the combination of distance and scrambling to make this conversation difficult, but not to this degree. "Fate's Embrace to the Render and Requiem. Recommend you take noncritical systems offline to strengthen signal. Will terminate transmission in fifteen seconds if you cannot respond."

A few moments later, the voice was back. It was smooth and feminine, and bore a slight satirical undertone. The signal was still weak, but could at least be understood. "This isn't as easy as it looks on paper, Embrace."

"I know, Requiem, but we don't have a lot of time. What's the status of your mission?"

"We've reached the planet, but someone cleaned house before they took off. The facility is completely abandoned: no computers, no written records, not even any bodies. We could certainly use the information on Galactica to further the search, since we don't even know what we're looking for."

"I can't trust Adama," said Zarek. "Not until I have something to use as leverage." The last thing he needed was to give William Adama any reason to flush him out of an airlock.

"Understood," the voice on the other end acknowledged. "We'll keep our eyes and ears open. What about your end? Have you reached Earth?"

"The coordinates Kara Thrace gave are accurate. The fleet is orbiting the fifth planet in the solar system. Adama arranged for a reconnaissance mission yesterday, and their findings are going to be discussed at a Quorum meeting shortly. We may be moving in toward Earth within the week, which is why it's important for you to hurry."

"Speaking of the Quorum, has Laura Roslin outlived her usefulness yet?"

"Not quite. She's held up her end of the bargain surprisingly well. I think she likes keeping me close."

"You're only on that woman's side when it's beneficial to you. Why are you singing a different tune, Zarek? Crossed over to their side?"

"I don't take 'sides,' D'Anna, and plans change," he returned. His allegiance stood where it always had: beside what was right. If there was one thing Tom Zarek was very good at, it was finding a black and white in the gray. "We may still need her."

"'We'?" the other repeated. "Or you?"

He chose to evade the question, partly for the reasons he was about to give, and partly so he could ponder his true motives once he had a chance. "There are still too many variables to consider. This needs to be handled delicately, and we need another card to play before we can make Adama budge. I'll see that you're informed of anything that pertains to you. If you'll excuse me now, I have a shuttle to catch."

The woman conceded and signed off. Zarek echoed the protocol, switched off the transmitter, and set off at a brisk pace toward the Embrace's landing bay. The conversation with his collaborator left him ill at ease. He had reservations about her mission from the first day it was brought to his attention. They had a lot to gain if she was right, but just as much to lose if any false steps were taken. He'd finally agreed to it because it meant she would be out of the way during the final movements of orchestrating the fleet's arrival on Earth. It was a gamble, and he knew he'd lost some ground with the fleet's other two prominent leaders in the process, but at least he was regaining it with Laura Roslin. She was almost right where he wanted her.

He gave his shuttle's pilot and ECO a polite but brief greeting as he boarded the small craft. A folder had been left for him on his seat; Zarek picked it up and began leafing through its contents once he was strapped in, but his mind wasn't on the charts and data tables. D'Anna had a point; several, in fact. He and Roslin had been dancing in and out of step with each other since this war started, and circumstances finally forced her to truly consider his voice instead of merely keeping him as vice-president to legitimize her leadership. They'd found themselves needing each other – politically, of course – more than either expected or desired in the last few weeks. They'd both learned from this, too: Roslin that his ideas were closer to hers than it seemed, and Zarek that there was good in people after all.

Working so intimately with Laura Roslin had its consequences, though. The unlikely student-mentor relationship he'd taken up with Lee Adama only made matters worse. Lee was a very intelligent man, and was the first to notice Zarek was openly agreeing with Roslin more than he ever had before. Zarek dismissed it as merely he and Roslin finally starting to see eye-to-eye, which was true – to a point. He didn't trust Lee enough yet to let him in on what he was up to with D'Anna, though he could certainly use his help. For now, it was better to let Lee think what he wanted... and Zarek had a sneaking suspicion as to what that could be.

It wasn't hard; after all, they were only human, and it was natural that Lee would want to safeguard his father's happiness. Zarek knew how Bill Adama and Laura Roslin felt about each other. Everyone did. It was the worst-kept secret in the fleet. Lee, like they all were, was likely getting tired of the admiral and president's self-delusion regarding their desires because "they had duties." At this point, their blatant attraction was interfering more with their duties than any acknowledged relationship would. Was there another reason why they hadn't gotten around to logging some quality rack time already? The most obvious candidate for a romantic rivalry was the charismatic vice-president, who suddenly and largely inexplicably became the loudest voice of support for their leading lady. Did Lee think Zarek was finally viewing Roslin not as the president, but as a woman? If something was coming between them besides their own heads, it could be a certain man...

I am NOT that man, Zarek thought.

"Sorry?" said the ECO.

It took Zarek a moment to realize that he'd actually vocalized his sentiments instead of just keeping them in his head. "Nothing," the vice-president said dismissively. "Just rehearsing a speech. I never really got the hang of making something up as I go along, and I don't want to make a fool of myself in front of the Quorum."

The pilot chuckled. "So say we all, sir."


Colonial One
One hour later

"... which brings us to our final order of business: the Galactica's findings on Earth." Laura Roslin glanced at each of the twelve anxious faces at the table before her, then turned to the woman on her left. "Olivia, could you bring in Admiral Adama and Major Agathon?"

"Right away, Madam President."

Roslin watched Olivia as she rose and ducked into the next room, a small smile of approval on her face. As far as aides went, she was more than satisfactory. She didn't have the charming innocence that Billy Keikeya did, or Tory Foster's talent for efficiency, but she was enthusiastic, did good work, and she wasn't a Cylon. Olivia returned a moment later with Bill Adama and Karl Agathon in tow, the latter clutching an armful of folders. The admiral was as composed as ever, but the younger military man seemed to have trouble concealing his excitement. He rocked back and forth on his heels, and a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. Olivia resumed her seat next to the president, while Adama and Agathon stood at the other end of the table, drawing the eyes of the Quorum. No civilian, not even the president, knew what was going to unfold, and they waited with baited breath for Adama to speak.

Adama was not one to stand on ceremony, so he jumped right into the report. "Madam President, members of the Quorum," he began, "I am pleased to report that Galactica's Earth recon mission was a great success. The planet is teeming with life, and supports a human civilization that reports indicate is very near to our own in terms of advancement. Major Agathon."

Agathon started walking around the table, handing a folder to each Quorum delegate. "Complete details can be found in here," he informed them. "All the information we have regarding climate, population distribution, weather, and more is included, as well as several photographs. Nothing is very extensive, I'm afraid, but the primary purpose of this mission was to find a suitable place to make contact with the Earth humans. We believe we've found it."

"You've identified their capital?" inquired Garth Pollard, the delegate from Canceron.

"We've identified the largest city," Agathon clarified. "It may be their capital, it may not be. We can't be sure. We can, however, logically conclude that if we wanted to get the attention of the world leaders, a densely-populated area would be the place to do it. Our objective is to make contact at that city within the next seventy-two hours."

"The next step," Adama continued, "is to decide how we want to make contact."

"I don't suppose this is as simple as jumping the fleet into orbit and then drop in, telling them we intend to set up house," speculated Jacob Cantrell of Sagittaron.

"No, it isn't," said Lee Adama of Caprica, "and we'll need to present ourselves in such a way that it's clear that we will be settling on Earth, but not make it look like it's an invasion."

"Lee's right," Zarek agreed. "If there's opposition to our presence, it could lead to conflict."

"We could always blow up their capital if they don't want us there, right, Zarek?" sneered Nathan Muldoon of Virgon.

Not surprisingly, Muldoon's comment got a reaction. Tom Zarek sighed and began rubbing his temple as the room erupted in accusations being thrown back and forth. To his slight surprise, it was Adama who put a silence to the Quorum with a resounding "Enough!" before continuing. "What we do if they don't accept us on Earth isn't the first thing we're facing."

"We don't want to alarm them, which is what I fear may happen if we bring a larger representation than absolutely necessary," said Roslin. "I suggest one ship and a minimal delegation."

"Do you have a delegation in mind, Madam President?" asked Adama.

"As a matter of fact, I do," she answered. "I was thinking you, Mr. Zarek, Mr. Adama, and myself."

"Me?" Zarek and Lee said in unison.

"It makes sense," chimed in Aquaria's Terry Uddin, who had seen the logic in the president's selection. "The president, the vice-president, the leader of the military, and a representative of the Quorum who is known and trusted by the other involved parties."

"In that case, why don't we send the entire Quorum?" asked Nadia Ware of Scorpia. "That way each colony is represented in the first contact with Earth."

"And if something happens to them, the entire fleet is without a governing body," Lee realistically indicated.

"I want to add a detachment of Marines to that list," said Adama.

"If there's such a risk, why send the president and the vice-president?" asked Leta Savage, the delegate from Leonis. "Shouldn't one stay with the fleet in case something happens to the other?"

Zarek and Roslin exchanged a sideways glance. The corners of his mouth twitched upward in amusement as he answered for both of them. "Frankly, Leta, as you saw just a moment ago, my old reputation still taints the thoughts of many people in the fleet. It might cause some unrest among the voters if the Tom Zarek were left to his devices while the admiral and president were away, or was Earth society's lone first taste of the Colonial civilian government."

As the Quorum continued to discuss possible options, Roslin tilted her torso to the right and whispered into Zarek's ear, "Good answer."

"Don't worry, Laura," he whispered in return. "I've got your back."

They leaned away from each other, and he smiled at her. Roslin smiled back, but it was largely feigned. She couldn't yet discern the times Tom Zarek was genuine from those when he harbored ulterior motives. She wondered if she ever would.

"Then it's settled," said Adama. "Both the president and vice-president will go to Earth, along with myself. Mr. Adama, do you have any objections to being part of this delegation?"

"No objections, Admiral," was Lee's unsurprising answer.

"I think we should also extend an invitation to Lieutenant Agathon," Adama continued. "Besides the fact that she knows how to get to where we're going, it's a sign of good faith toward the Cylons. If we allow her to come, it shows that we're not shutting them out."

The Quorum muttered a general consensus, some of it reluctantly, and Adama turned to Agathon for confirmation that he would pass the word on to Sharon. Picon's Kristen Ross was the next to get the discussion back on course, no longer skating around the big question that was on all their minds. "How are we going to communicate with them?"

Adama and Roslin locked gazes from across the table, and each had a feeling the other was thinking the same thing that was in their own respective thoughts. There was no way to communicate with the Earth humans other than to simply dive in and start feeling around in the dark. Given that their cities and apparent technology had evolved in a way comparable to that of the Colonies, it was entirely likely that their spoken language was similar as well, if not to a current language in use on the planet, then to an archaic one. They didn't have time for an alternative.

"We are going to communicate," Roslin began, "by praying that our intentions will be interpreted as diplomatic by the people we encounter. Mr. Zarek and I will prepare a statement, and work with Admiral Adama for a military perspective on how to present ourselves without appearing hostile."

"Is there any telling how long it will be before the people can settle on Earth?" asked Cantrell.

Again, silence befell the leaders, and again, it was Roslin who broke it. "The only answer I can give is when the gods will it," she said. "We will be exploring every option, but in the meantime, all the people can do is be patient and pray that we can be understood. Assure them that this is the end, and we will be settling on Earth, but we need time to make the transition go as smoothly and peacefully as possible."

She gazed into each set of eyes in the room as she made her promise. Not all of them looked as though they expressed complete faith in the decided course of action, but there could be no mistaking that they all had hope. They had seen Earth with their own eyes, proving that it was real and finally within reach. Furthermore, no longer was this solely about finding an arbitrary place to live, a place where the Cylons would not be a threat. It was about reuniting all of humanity. After so many centuries, the Thirteen Colonies would be together again.

"If there are no more questions," the president continued, "and we have reached a consensus, I declare this meeting adjourned. Admiral Adama, Major Agathon, Mr. Zarek, and Mr. Adama, I ask that the five of us meet on Galactica in one hour for detailed planning.There's a lot of work that needs to be done in a short time if we expect to pull this off."

In the hustle and bustle accompanying the Quorum members as they gathered their things in preparation for departure, Adama crossed the room over to Roslin and discreetly pulled her aside. "I need to speak with you," he whispered, "alone."

There was no mistaking the flutter of her heart that came from having him so close, and it was certainly not alleviated any by the number of different possibilities his words could implicate. Knowing it was probably strictly business, as Adama was all about these days, helped her suppress any visible reaction. "All right." She turned to find her assistant. "Olivia, can you please bring those papers to the landing bay? I need a word with Admiral Adama."

As Olivia undertook the task delegated to her, Roslin and Adama stepped into the unoccupied next room over. Adama glanced around to make sure they were alone, then made his intentions known. "I don't think it would be wise to take Colonial One to Earth," he advised. "If the fleet sees it leaving, they might think they're being abandoned."

That was hardly something to be discussed in private. Roslin wondered what the admiral was up to. "We never said we were taking Colonial One to Earth," she countered, although that was indeed her intention.

"You implied it," he said. "When you said one ship and just a handful of people, I took it to mean this ship."

She couldn't help smiling at how well he knew her. "Did you have something in mind, Bill?"

"I did, actually, but you won't like it." After being met with only silence and that coy smile, Adama delivered the punch line. "The Fate's Embrace."

Her smile instantly vanished. "Absolutely not."

"I warned you."

"No, you said I wouldn't like it. You didn't say I'd hate it." She gave an involuntary shudder. "I can't go on that ship. There's something about it that just... it gets in your head. People aren't the same. It's too unpredictable. Even Zarek says it has a mind of its own half the time."

There were other ships in the fleet that sent shivers down her spine, but none as much as the Embrace. Being on it felt like a combination of being on Zarek's old ship, the Astral Queen, a Cylon basestar, and a heavy dose of chamalla. The voices of the dead seemed to whisper in the shadows in every corner, and there was always a strange echo of footsteps, as though one was being followed, but there was never anyone there. She wasn't the only one who had these feelings evoked aboard the Embrace, but they appeared more strongly in her than any other. Zarek himself was reluctant to take the ship after the destruction of the Astral Queen. He'd warmed up to it over the last few weeks, saying they just needed a chance to get used to it, but that was one chance Laura Roslin did not wish to give.

"That's exactly why I don't want to leave it with the fleet without Zarek."

He had a point there; a good one. Of course, Adama wouldn't place such faith in Zarek without compelling reasons. That still didn't mean she had to like his plan, or agree to it. "It's too large," she said, finding a valid, rational counterargument. "We're going to draw enough attention as it is, bringing a strange vessel into a city without clearance. The Embrace is the fourth-largest ship in the fleet."

"Third, actually," Adama weakly clarified, knowing he was losing this battle.

"Aha!" Roslin exclaimed, holding up a finger triumphantly. "Thank you for sharpening my point."

He stared at her, arched an eyebrow, and interrogatively repeated, "'Sharpening my point'?"

Her demeanor flip-flopped again, and she let escape a series of giggles, which soon escalated into full-blown laughter. When she regained her composure, she said, "I'm sorry... I don't know where that came from... I think we've been in space too long."

He grinned and gave her shoulder an affectionate squeeze. "I hope I can hear you laugh like that every day on Earth."

"I hope you can, too."

It was in that moment they realized what an intimate turn their conversation had taken, and they were quick to put some distance between themselves.

"A smaller ship can dock with the Embrace, and that can be the one we'll take to the planet," Adama said, getting back to the point at hand. "The Rising Star, the Estes, the Blue Caravan – we don't have to decide now, but there are at least ten that would suit our needs. Furthermore, the Embrace can do something most other ships can't: launch a Viper."

Once again, his thoughts had taken a turn Roslin didn't like. "Bill-"

"Hear me out, Laura," he interrupted. He knew it would take some persuasion to get her to side with him on this, so he'd come with his arguments prepared. "You've asked for military input, and that's what I'm giving. An escort for a government vessel is entirely reasonable, and it will give you an added measure of security. If your ship back to Caprica hadn't had an escort during the attack on the colonies..."
"I don't think we have to worry about Cylons anymore, and I thought we had the Marines to act as bodyguards." She understood his concern, but she worried about how Earth would perceive the presence of fighters. It would certainly appear hostile to her.

"I feel it's necessary to not overlook any option," said Adama. "We have no idea what we're getting in to, and it's the fleet's highest leaders leading the charge. We can't risk anything happening to y- to them."

"Very well," she sighed. "Two Vipers. You pick the pilots. Is there anything else you have to talk me in to right now, while we're at it?"

"Just one. This is all your idea."

Up until that point, though Roslin didn't necessarily agree on principle with what he'd said, it at least made sense. Not this. "And why is it my idea?"

"Zarek," Adama said simply.

And there it was. His ulterior motives for getting her alone had been revealed. "You really don't trust him, do you?" Personal trust was another thing, but as far as political went, Tom Zarek had earned hers.

"I trust him as far as I can throw him, and the feeling is mutual," the admiral replied. "Frankly, I don't think he trusts you, either, but he does respect you. Your voice will carry a lot more weight with him than mine. If it comes from you, I think he'll go along with it."

Roslin nodded. "Very well, Bill; you're probably right, as usual. I'll go along with it..." She paused to smile at him, then continued, "but you owe me."

He returned the smile and offered his arm as they walked out. "I still owe you for Ragnar. What do you intend to do with all the interest that's built up since then?"

"How are you at cabin-building?"