Chapter Seven - The way forward at once unthinkable, yet inevitable.

Both men warily started to make there way out of life stations neither happy in the other's company but both knowing they needed the other to make this fleet function.

It was an unlucky Cottle that stumbled across the two tense men as they were making their way out.

"Gentlemen," he said trying to quickly walk passed them and not draw attention to himself.

His plan failed dismally when the Admiral commanded, "Doctor can you accompany us and explain your latest findings."

"Well, I..."

"I won't keep you long, then you can get back to what you were doing," the Admiral stated leaving Jack with no option but to follow.

Once they reached Adama's quarters all three men sat down and the Admiral recited the sorry tale to an astonished Vice President. Tom for his part asked a few questions but was on the whole too shocked to add much. He had explained in a rather brief embarrassed statement that he had been away staying on another ship.

Adama on his side decided not to mention the fact that they had Zarek down as the chief suspect for the part of final cylon.

Adama turned his attention to the rather impatiently fidgeting doctor, "what else can you tell us Doctor? he enquired.

"As I tried to tell you before you hauled me down here, there isn't anything else to report." Cottle said gruffly, as got to his feet and casually pulled a cigarette out of a box in his pocket.

The Admiral quickly rose to his feet also and insisted, "you must have found out something it's been hours."

Cottle's voice rose, "Hours yes, but if there is nothing to find..."

"You're a doctor for frak sake, that's your job," Adama's voice rose as he move to stand in front of the doctor.

Cottle didn't back down as the Admiral stood toe to toe with him, and he spat back at him, "yes I'm a doctor... but not some kind of miracle worker, Admiral!"

Tom Zarek watched the confrontation from his chair until the pair started to shout at one another and then stood and moved over to the irate men. Standing to the side of the glaring pair he placed his hands on both men's arms trying to defuse the situation. It had some effect as Adama shrugged off the arm forcefully, turned away and walked angrily over to the other side of the room. Cottle looked down at the offending hand still resting on his arm and then back up straight into Tom's eyes until Tom let go quickly. Still trying to calm the overcharged atmosphere he asked the doctor reasonably, "Is there anything you can tell us doctor?"

Cottle sighed and let out a deep breath before saying more calmly, "look all I can tell you is as far as I can work out it seems to be... simply a case of misfiring neurons."

"Neurons?" Zarek asked.

"They are basically the cells within the body which make up the nervous system, specifically, those which information travels along, telling us what to do."

"So theirs are telling them to go into a coma?"

"Essentially, yes, they seem to be blocking or disrupting anything from getting through."

Adama asked quietly from the other side of the room, "why is Laura in pain then, why is it different for her?"

Jack sighed, knowing that single question had more to do with Adama's anger than anything else that had been said and he answered regretfully "I don't know Bill, I'm sorry I really am, but the brain is still a great mystery to the medical world."

The Admiral's temper seemed back under control as he nodded his head dejectedly. "Thank you Doctor, that will be all."

Cottle glad to be released made his way quickly over to the hatch, as Adama softly said, "Jack...I'm sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry for Bill, just blowing off steam," Cottle reasonably replied before exiting.

Zarek and Adama found themselves both standing, and wanting to get things back on track. Zarek sat back down and said calmly, not wanting to rile the Admiral's obviously brittle temper, "Well, Admiral, tell me, have you made any plans for us?"

Adama came round the table and sat rather heavily in his chair.

When no answer came back Tom continued, "I know we haven't exactly seen eye to eye in the past Admiral, but let me state now that I am one hundred percent behind you with this. I will support you and do all I can to help. Laura and all of those men and women down there have worked tirelessly to keep this fleet going, now it's our turn to keep them going."

Adama's eyes widened as Tom said his piece, was this day of surprises ever going to end he wondered. He didn't trust Zarek, he'd had too many run in's with him before but Laura was right, he couldn't work this all out on his own - he needed someone to rely on and with the lack of usual suspects, he was left with Tom Zarek as his only choice, he hoped Laura's faith in him was justified.

"What can I do?" Tom asked.

Adama was frankly amazed by the turn of events so far, none so much as this, a co-operative and helpful Tom Zarek was a new experience to him. He wondered if Tom was like this with Laura all the time, he refrained from smiling but she had a certain way of 'getting people to co-operate' and it wasn't all charm and charisma. He wasn't going to waste this opportunity though.

"I'm concerned that we still have no idea who the last cylon is," Bill said honestly.

Zarek laughed, "I'm surprised you didn't have me pegged as one."

"You turned up walking and talking that about rules you out," Adama said with a deadpan face.

The Vice President, not for the first time, with the Admiral was not sure whether he was joking or not and he had the distinct feeling the joke was definitely on him, so he moved on swiftly. "Do we have any proof that the last one is in the fleet?"

"The cylon prisoner that we know of as 'Six' claimed that they had no idea who the final five were and as four have turned up in the fleet..." He shrugged his shoulders

"It's likely they were all here," Tom finished nodding.

Bill sighed in concern, "of course, anybody in the fleet could be our last cylon, that's a lot of people and scores of them could go missing without anyone noticing."

Zarek thought for a moment and then disagreed, "if your theory is right -the four we now know about, all had a strategic place, either here or on Colonial One, it would make sense that it was true for the final one too."

Bill nodded; perhaps Zarek wasn't such a dead loss after all, "yes, your right, that seems sensible."

Bill took his glasses off and rubbed a hand across his face, which ended with him pinching the top of his nose before replacing them. "We need to get some visual checks sorted then, on both ships, find out if we are missing anyone."

Zarek looked at the man in front of him, he looked exhausted and he had every right to be.

Tom had never been a big fan of Adama's but the man had steered them this far. It was Tom's opportunity to prove to this stoic Admiral that he was worth more than the schemes and plots that Adama associated with him, and he found himself desperate to justify his role as Vice President.

As Tom looked at the tired man in front of him he realised that this one man, Admiral William Adama, had been carrying the weight of the fleet entirely on his shoulders since this all started and now it showed. He knew though that any suggestions of sleeping from him would probably have the opposite effect, so Tom kept his mouth shut.

The only one with any chance of getting though to Adama mid fight had always been Laura Roslin. Zarek had no allusions about the type of relationship they shared these days, the pair were joined at the hip, and whether they were shouting and screaming at each other or standing side by side against the rest of the fleet, it was done with an intensity that could only be associated with a very intimate partnership.

Gods he envied Adama! Laura Roslin was a glorious woman, looks were only part of her beauty. It was plain to see that Adama knew that, you could see it in his eyes when he looked at her.

Adama for his part was a rock, Laura must have the feeling, Tom thought that her knight in shining armour would never let her down. Oh he had, there were many disagreements, huge differences in opinion, and Adama never seemed afraid of hurting the President, but the lover in him would never leave her to suffer. Tom imagined it was a tightrope type of way of handling an affair but with the positions they held, it was a way that seemed to work for them.

"You must have someone in your crew that can get that rolling," Tom said trying to take off some of the pressure, "how about Gaeta he's good with facts and figures, more than capable of sorting that out isn't he?"

"Yes Gaeta's a good choice," Adama agreed.

The phone rang before more could be said and the Admiral picked it up quickly, "Adama, go."

"Yes, thank you, when he's finished doing that, can you ask himto report to my quarters," Bill replaced the phone with concentration before looking back up at Zarek. "Agathon is back."

"What happened?"

"I don't know, but he is taking his unconscious wife back to Cottle as we speak." The Admiral looked down at his desk lost in thought.

"Do you have any reports about the conditions on Earth?" The Vice President asked.

Adama's eyes didn't rise for the desk top as he said quietly, "Perfect," he laughed at the irony, "The frakking place is perfect. Any number of areas that are abundant with materials for building and food sources are readily available."

"So this truly was the place then?" Tom said more to himself than Adama.

Bill nodded sadly, "It is."

"What are we going to do with the fleet now?"

William Adama looked up quickly, "They're going to Earth," he said with certainty.

"What about Laura, you can't leave her like that," Tom snapped.

"What I can't allow," Adama said tensely, "is the thousands of people in the rest of this fleet to miss out on their chance to get a normal life."

"But..."

"Mr Vice President," The Admiral stated as he stood, "It's time for you to lead the people to Earth, the outcome of a few... cylons, can not out weigh the need of the human race."

"Admiral wait, you can't just..." Tom's wide eyed sentence was cut short by a knock at the hatch.

It was several seconds before Bill tore his hardened eyes away from Zarek's pleading one and shouted in the right direction, "Come."

A plainly distressed Helo walked in and saluted before his Admiral and Vice President.

"Sit down, Karl," Adama said indicating to a chair. Heading over to the drinks cabinet, he poured the young man a drink and handed it to him before reseating himself.

Helo accepted the glass gratefully and took a large swallow of the liquid before looking back to the now seated Admiral, "It was as you said, Sir, we jumped out of this Solar System and she…" His voice cracked slightly and he took another gulp for his glass. "She woke up, she was fine, it was as if none of this had happened," Helo shook his head in disbelief.

"Your Wife had no idea of what was happening to her?" Zarek enquired of Helo.

The Officer turned to the Vice President, "No sir, she couldn't explain it."

"Thank you, I appreciate what you have done, Helo it couldn't have been easy," Adama's voice rumbled. "Why don't you take some time for yourself?"

"Thank you Sir, I would like to go and sit with my wife."

Bill Adama nodded his head in understanding, as Helo stood and saluted to his commanding officer. The Admiral saluted back and turned to Zarek as Agathon turned to leave. "I think we should go and tell the Doctor about these finding, if you would like to accompany me," Suddenly remembering Adama called out to Helo, "Karl," he waited for the retreating officer to turn back in his direction. "Did you see any other Cylons when you jumped from this space?"

"No Sir, it's all quiet out there."

As Adama nodded the young man turned and left. He was closely followed by The Admiral and Vice President all heading in the same direction, all of them concerned for the future.

As they neared life stations, Tom thought of something Adam had said earlier and questioned, "So you intend to take the rest of the fleet to Earth?"

Adama turned his head in Zarek's direction, "No, I'm not."

Zarek went to question this answer, "but you said…."

The Admiral interrupted as they both stepped into life stations, "I am not going to lead them to Earth, You are."

Zarek starred at Adama in disbelief but before he could string an answer together the Admiral had stepped away in pursuit of Doctor Cottle.

When they caught up with Cottle the men relayed Helo's information, Jack informed them that Sharon was once again settled in her bed and seemed none the worse for her trip away.

Adama listened a little distractedly and when they had finished he asked the Vice President if he could speak to Gaeta about the head count. Tom asked Bill what he was going to do, and watched as the Admiral's eyes tracked across towards Laura's curtained off area.

"I'm going to see if I can speak to the President," He said looking back at Zarek.

"Right," Zarek smirked slightly, "Give Laura my love then Admiral," he said as they reverted back to their usual relationship.

William Adama turned towards Zarek, the old spark of animosity in his eyes. "I'll send your regards Mr Vice President."

Zarek Smiled , "Thank you. Oh and Admiral, when you have finished perhaps you will come and discuss this wild plan you have in mind?"

Adama nodded curtly at the Vice President and walked away - smiling to himself, that's the Zarek he needed, one that could - look and sound like a President.