Chapter 7

"They can't do this."

Tom paced the room. He wanted to run, throw something, do anything to alleviate the tension in his body. Sarah leaned against the wall, seemingly calm.

"Calm down Tom," she said smoothly. "Of course they can do this. And they will. They want me dead, and you have to accept that fact."

Tom groaned in frustration. "I thought you knew me better than that," he said. "I don't give up on things easily."

Sarah sighed and walked forward, putting her hand on his shoulder. Without knowing why, Tom felt himself flinch.

Tom," she said. "This is one lost cause you have to give up. There's nothing you can do. Besides, there's always the smallest chance I might survive Tigh's little test."

Tom laughed bitterly. "He's sending you to Colonial One to assassinate Baltar. Sounds like a death sentence to me. Even if you do manage to kill him, you'll never get out alive. The place is crawling with skin jobs…"

Sarah's face hardened. "I don't like that term," she said.

Tom inclined his head apologetically. "Sorry."

Sarah turned and walked away. "It's all right," she said. "But you might do well to remind yourself that I'm a skin job too." She turned to face him. "Speaking of which, why are you so intent on keeping me alive? Wouldn't it be more convenient for you if I were to die? You would be free of me, the stigma of being associated with a Cylon…"

"Don't even think that, Sarah," Tom said.

She opened her mouth to respond, but closed it when she saw Tigh standing in the doorway.

"Sorry to interrupt this heartfelt moment," he growled, "But we need to go."

Sarah nodded and reached for her coat. Tom began to reach for his as well.

"Where do you think you're going?" Tigh asked.

Tom straightened up and looked the Colonel in the eye. "I'm coming with you."

Tigh rolled his eyes. "Oh gods, I can't deal with this right now. You're a fugitive, for frak's sake! Do you think it's a good idea to wander around the streets of New Caprica?"

"I'm not going without Tom," Sarah said.

Tigh turned to look at her. "What did you say?" he asked.

Sarah smirked. "You heard me. I'm not leaving without Tom."

Tigh swore and turned purple in the face, but Tom knew he would relent. The Colonel couldn't afford to antagonize Sarah. She knew too much about them, about the Resistance.

"Fine," Tigh muttered. "Put on a coat, and make sure it covers your face. Let's move!"

*******

It was a cold, rainy day. The rain dribbled on the pavement in a soft noise that in a different time, Tom might have found pleasant. While on the prison ship, he had missed rain. It had reminded him of home.

Now however, the rain was making it quite difficult to move around and watch Sarah covertly. When they had left the shelter, the three of them had met up with a few other members of the Resistance. Tigh revealed the plan to them in a harsh whisper: Sarah would walk ahead of them, while the others would shadow her. They were watching for anyone, human or Cylon, who might deter her from her mission.

Tom cursed as he tried to spot Sarah on the other side of the road. He could just make out her figure. She looked confident, every bit the dominating, fanatical Number Six that he had once been so in awe of.

"Lovely day for a walk, isn't it?"

Tom started. He turned to the sound of the voice, and nearly jumped when he saw Laura Roslin walking alongside him. Her face was hidden underneath a hood; the only clue to her identity was her auburn hair, which was slightly visible.

"Gods Laura, you scared me," he said. "What are you doing out?"

"I needed a little fresh air," she said. "But I know how worried it would make the dear Colonel if he knew I was out, so I felt obliged to deceive him."

Tom laughed, despite the weather and the unpleasant situation.

"Besides," she continued, "I wasn't about to miss the action. How is our little pet Cylon? She seems to be doing quite well."

Tom glanced over at Sarah. "You know how I feel about this, Laura," he said quietly.

"Oh yes I do, Tom," she said merrily. "But don't ruin my good mood. This is the first time I've been outside in weeks."

"She's going to die," Tom said. "She saved your life, Laura. Don't forget that."

Laura shrugged noncommittally. "And I saved her. I'm really not in the mood for this, Tom. You need to get over your affection for her. Honestly, I never thought you would go for the blondes. Especially one so young and non-human."

Tom stopped in his tracks when he realized what she was implying. "Laura, you don't think that…Sarah and I…"

"Oh, I'm not blind Tom. Everyone sees the way you follow her around like a lost puppy. It's rather disgusting, to say the least."

There was a rather awkward silence. Then, without warning, Tom burst into loud, raucous laughter. Laura looked at him with a mixture of pity and concern.

"Gods, Laura…" he said, wiping a tear from his eye. "Did you honestly think that? She's like a daughter to me. Oh, it all makes sense now. The way you and Tigh have been looking…"

Laura looked annoyed. "Well, excuse me for assuming that you had anything but completely innocent paternal affection for her. How terribly silly of me."

Tom smiled at her, and then looked over at Sarah. The smile fell from his face.

"Why are you doing this" he asked.

Laura sighed. "I don't think you understand our perspective. If she dies, it solves all our problems, and we might even be able to take out Baltar with her. If she lives, it'll prove her trustworthiness, and we'll be free to use her again. It's a win-win situation."

Tom shook his head. "But you're forgetting resurrection. If she dies, she'll download and tell Cavil everything."

Laura looked at him with a trace of sadness. "No she won't, Tom. Do you honestly think they would let her download? They'll box her, if not immediately, then later. And we can trust her not to tell them anything if they capture her."

Tom crossed his arms. "How do you know?"

Laura gave a sad smile. "She's an outcast, Tom. An individual that has broken away from the collective. She's not a Cylon anymore."

They walked in silence for a while. Tom listened to the patter of the rain. Then, he turned to Laura.

"If she's not a Cylon, then what is she?"

Laura looked away, and waited a moment before responding.

"I don't know, Tom," she said softly. "I just don't know anymore."

********

Sarah was tired. The walk had taken more effort than she cared to admit. Each step she took sent a stab of pain through her chest. She hadn't been quite ready to leave the shelter yet. When Cottle had leaned that Tigh was expecting her to leave in the morning, he had cursed quite impressively and told her that she would collapse halfway through. Sarah hadn't collapsed yet, but she was feeling that she might if she took another step.

However, adrenaline pumped through her veins as well. It was strangely exhilarating to be outside again. It frightened her a bit how easily she had stepped back into the role of Number Six. As she walked, she scanned the fearful faces of the humans. She wasn't one of them, she realized, and she never would be.

They were afraid of her, afraid of what she could do. It reminded her of how the humans had looked at Caprica Six as she walked through the marketplace. They were frightened of the tall, beautiful young woman for reasons they couldn't understand. And then she had killed that baby, confirming their worst fears.

No, Sarah reminded herself. She didn't kill that baby. Caprica Six did.

In the distance, she could see Colonial One. It was a rather dismal seat of power; the whole place carried an air of neglect. Sarah watched as a young man with curly hair looked around nervously, and then headed for the entrance.

Sarah was puzzled as to how she was expected to get inside. She looked around for Tigh, but he was nowhere to be seen. She sighed, and decided that she would have to take matters into her own hands.

"Excuse me! Sir, could you please help me?"

The young man jumped when he realized that her question was directed at him. He walked toward her, his face a careful mask of politeness under which bubbled immense terror. Sarah knew he was afraid. She could feel it.

"How may I help you…Miss?" He didn't look her in the eyes.

"Yes," she responded. "I need to see the President."

The young man frowned. "I'm afraid he's very busy. Might I ask your name? I happen to be his chief aid, so I might be able to fit you in later…"

"No." Sarah cut him off. "I need to see him now."

Baltar's chief aid flinched, but he held his ground. "I'm afraid that the President is far too busy too meet with you now. There are many matters of state which need his attention…"

Sarah decided to try a different tack. She smiled at him brightly, and watched as his muscles relaxed. He was letting his guard down.

"What's your name?" she asked sweetly.

He smiled back at her. He's naïve, thought Sarah. Overly trusting.

"Gaeta. Felix Gaeta."

Sarah widened her smile. "I think I've heard that name before. Mr. Gaeta, it is imperative that I see President Baltar. Cavil sent me. I would hate to think what would happen if he heard that I was barred from entry."

Gaeta's face turned white at the mention of Cavil. Sarah laughed inwardly. Humans were so easy to deceive. It was the machines that were more difficult.

"All right," he said. "I think that the President could spare a few moments to meet with you." He turned and walked towards the ship. Sarah followed.

"I have to warn you, "he said as they climbed the steps, "The President has been slightly indisposed lately. All the pressures of leadership, you know."

Sarah gave a sympathetic murmur, only half-listening. The gun tucked in the waistband of her pants was burning a hole into her stomach. For the first time, she contemplated what she was going to have to do.

"Yes, so many pressures." Gaeta was still rambling on. "Of course, he is a brilliant leader. A brilliant man, as well. Perhaps the most brilliant man I have ever met…"

Sarah closed her eyes as the world began to spin. She couldn't do it, she realized. She couldn't walk into that room, pull out a gun, and put a bullet in the brain of the man she loved.

Yes, she could, she reminded herself. Caprica loved him, but Sarah didn't. She hated him. But no...she loved him. She had tried to tell herself that they were different, her and Caprica, but they weren't. She had Caprica's memories, she was Caprica…

Gaeta caught her as she stumbled, just outside of the door.

"Are you all right?"

She smiled at the poor boy. "Yes, I'm fine."

Gaeta looked doubtful, but he opened the door. "The President's room is just down the hall. I would come in and announce you, but I believe the President is sleeping, and the last time I disturbed his sleep, the President assaulted me with a shoe."

He gave her one last timid smile, and then quickly retreated down the steps. Sarah watched him go, then turned and stepped onto the ship.

The ship was opulently decorated, but looked the worse for wear. There was trash littering the hallway, and the whole place smelled of cigarette smoke. Sarah thought that if it were not for the large portrait of the President hanging on the wall, the ship would look rather like a tastelessly decorated mid-priced hotel.

Sarah could hear the sounds of excessively loud snoring from down the hall. For a moment, she thought of running away. But to where? She had nowhere to go.

She started down the hall. Her feet felt like they were carrying large weights, and her chest hurt. For the first time in a while, she was truly afraid.

Sarah rounded the corner and stepped into the President's office. The President was slumped over the desk, his hair covering his face. An assortment of pills were scattered across the surface, and he was snoring loudly. For a moment, Sarah thought he looked peaceful. And so very small in his chair.

She stood watching him, playing with her gun. Then, she cleared her throat.

President Baltar sat up with a yelp. He squinted at her, swearing and muttering, and immediately reached for his pills. Sarah remembered Gaeta's words. He's indisposed.

He swallowed at least ten pills, and then leaned back in his chair, muttering that he wanted water. Sarah watched the way his hands shook, his lip trembled. Gaius could not handle the job, she realized. She knew him well enough to know that.

Finally, he deigned to notice her. He reached for his glasses, and smiled feebly before speaking.

"Hello, dear. I've been waiting for you."