Sorry about the delays, had probs here and only just got back into writing.

4.

Galactica: Starboard Hanger Bay: Maintenance Room Four

Dragon took another careful slip from his cup. Near as he could tell it was some kind of moonshine.

'Guessing they don't have any good stuff left' he thought to himself. He stared across at Tigh, the Galactica's XO seemed to be enjoying his drink a little too much but, given everything that was happening, Dragon wasn't too surprised or concerned.

There was a rap at the door, -Dragon, you in there?-

Dragon handed his cup back to Tigh, who quickly placed them beside the still, and opened the door. He found Shockwave shifting uneasy from one foot to the next as he waited.

-You, ok?- asked Dragon as Tigh closed the door behind him, -You look like someone just stood on your grave.-

Shockwave gave him a very nervous smile, -You might say that, Walters have found something.-

Without waiting for a reply, Shockwave turned and walked over to where Walters had set up a make-shift research station.

Dragon turned and shrugged at Tigh before indicating he thought it would be a good idea for the colonel to have a look-see as well.

Galactica: Conference Room

"You're telling me that you met Starbuck there nearly three years ago?"

Orion tried to hide a smile at the disbelieving looks he was getting from the Colonials. He remembered getting the same looks from everyone at the Phobos Research Centre when he'd told them. Well almost everyone, Admiral Jackson had believed him almost immediately, much to his surprise.

"Lieutenant?" Orion snapped out of the memory as Adama spoke, "Are you ok?"

"Yes," he replied quickly, "Just remembering how my people reacted when I told them."

"Ok, we'll stop whenever you want too." Stated Roslin, knowing that if they pushed they risked angering their only means of communication with the Terrans. "Can you tell us exactly how many days it's been since you saw Lieutenant Thrace over the Red Planet."

"One thousand, one hundred and fifty, I think." Orion watched as every Colonial did the maths in their heads and all seemed to be very disturbed by the number of days.

"Admiral, how many days?" asked Zarek, seemingly scared to hear the answer.

Adama sighed and gently rubbed the bridge of his nose before he answered, "The three year anniversary of the destruction of the colonies will be four days."

"So you're saying," started Apollo, "that Starbuck was seen by Orion on Earth."

"Mars actually," interrupted Orion. "The training range is on the planet Mars near Mount Olympus."

"The home of the Lords?" asked a now thoroughly shell-shocked Roslin, "You're telling me that Starbuck appeared to you, at the home of the Lords of Kobol, on the exact day that the Cylons returned to attack the twelve Colonies?"

Orion gave her a sheepish shrug, "If you say so."

Everyone sat in silence as they tried to digest the significance of these two events happening simultaneously while being thousands of light years apart.

The comm-unit bleeped and Helo, almost sleep-walking, stood and answered it. "Conference room," he paused as messages were delivered before turning back to Adama and Roslin. "That was CIC, they said that the Terran female is now awake," he barely finished relaying the first message before Orion was heading towards the door, "And Cottle and the Earth doctor have found a cure."

Adama stood, trying his best not to be any further stunned than he was already and turned to face Orion, "I'm sending Apollo and Starbuck with you to the infirmary."

Orion stood and gave Adama a quick salute, though he didn't wait to be dismissed, before turning and bolted out of the conference room. Apollo and Starbuck waited momentarily, until Adam gave them a nod to go, before taking off after him.

"What about the cure?" asked Roslin.

Adama looked down at her, "We'll handle that in my quarters. Helo, head up to CIC and take control."

Helo saluted and left, followed quickly by Zarek who had worked out he wasn't welcome, as Roslin stood and rubbed her temples, "Well, this has certainly been a long day."

"It's about to get longer," replied Adama ominously.

Galactica: Starboard Hanger Bay

Tigh followed the Terran pilots across the hanger bay. Dragon seemed to be getting increasingly more concerned with every word that the other pilot said.

He glanced over at the number of the crew who were now either on one of the make-shift beds or sitting nearby and watched as the medics pulled a sheet over another pilot who had just lost his fight with the disease.

"Colonel," started Showboat as he walked up to the gathered group of Colonials and Terrans. "It looks like their doctor has found a cure."

"Well it's about time." remarked Tigh as he looked at the concerned or nervous faces of the assembled, "What's with the long faces? Shouldn't we be happy that we found a cure?"

"It's where the cure comes from that's the problem."

"You're damm right we have a problem!" stated Cottle walk over from the Terran computer shaking his head. "It's were the cure comes from."

Tight waited for an answered as Cottle huffed, "Well…"

"It's from the Cylons!" stated Cottle with just enough volume for Tigh to hear but still full of anger and frustration.

"How the hell did they get hold of Cylon blood?" asked Tigh, though he was already sure of the answer.

"From a Cylon, how else!" Cottle was really starting to get angry. "It seems that Ensign Anders is a Cylon!"

"No frakking way!" shrieked Showboat. "You're telling us that Starbuck's husband is a Cylon?!"

Cottle nodded, "Yep. If this wasn't serious I'd probably find it funny. Hell, give me a week and I just might." He went to reach into his pocket only to hit against the hazmat suit. "Dammit! I could really do with a smoke right now!"

"Have you spoken to Anders yet?" asked Tigh, running through half-a-dozen scenarios in his mind.

Cottle shook his head, "Not yet. It seems that the plague is affecting him just like the rest of us but it seems to be working slower. That's what made us run an analysis of his blood." He lashed out and kicked a nearby bucket, "He's been here for two years and been spying on us for all that time and no-one even suspected."

"I don't think so," started Showboat. "I've spent time talking to Athena and according to her the Final Five had some kind of 'difference of opinion' with their brothers and sisters regarding how to deal with us. She seems to think that the Five actually want to help us."

"So why didn't he come forward earlier then?"

"And get air-locked? Would you if that was the most likely outcome?"

Cottle cooled of slightly as he contemplated the idea, "No, I guess I wouldn't have come forwards either. So Colonel what do we do about our new Cylon guest?"

Tigh hid his worries as he started to walk over to the Terran contingent, "First you explain this miracle cure to me then I'll let the admiral know."

Galactica: Medical Bay

Artemis struggled against her restraints. She had no idea where she actually was but she wasn't on the Atlantis. She watched as three new people entered to the medical bay. Two stopped to talk with the woman in white who had been watching her for the last ten minutes or so, while the third, who for some reason was in some kind of flight-suit, headed towards the door for her isolated room.

She struggled as she watched this figure enter the quarantine airlock and disappear from view. Her eyes started to shoot back and forth between the door and the three people who were standing outside watching her. She tried to work out what they were saying but their voices weren't carrying into her room and the writing she could see on the airlock door was total gibberish.

The door hissed as the air inside the airlock was changed from that outside to hers. She struggled anew, terrified of who was about to come through the door. She watched in terror as the door opened slowly and a hand crept out to push it open further.

-I can't leave you alone for a minute now can I?- Artemis stared at Orion in total shock, much to his amusement. –Now this brings back memories.- he said as his eyes travelled up her body.

-What the hell is going on?- she screamed, trying not to blush at the memory in question. –Where in hell are we?-

Orion crossed the short distance to her bed and pulled up a chair as he casually sat down beside her, -Currently we're in the medical bay of the Battlestar Galactica, though you're tied to a bed.- he reached down to undo her restraints even as the name clicked in her head.

-The alien starship?- he nodded as she looked at the three people who were watching them, -They really are human?-

-You doubted me?- he asked as he untied the last restraint.

She rubbed her wrists to get the blood flowing again, -Well there was that one time in Paris….-

-Not my fault!- he said quickly, -the transport really did break down.-

She smiled, which made him feel better, both professionally and personally, -I know but I'm gonna keep teasing you about it for the rest of your live.-

He smiled back at her, -nice to know you still think of me.-

She laughed for a second, until the pain in her chest told her not to. As soon as she grimaced he was reaching for her but she abruptly pushed away his hands. –What about the Atlantis?- she asked hopefully.

His glace away told her all she needed to know. –How many?-

He turned back to face her as he answered, -One shuttle and about one squadron.- He knew what the next question was going to be even as he hoped she wouldn't ask.

-The admiral?-

He started to reach for her even as he answered, -I'm sorry.-

She stared straight ahead, not even acknowledging him, as she tried to come to terms with the fact that her father was dead. Orion sat beside her, waiting on her response as he pondered how to broach the next point that he needed to tell her.

He fumbled the pamphlet that he'd managed to slip into his flight-suit at the end of his meeting with Adama and Roslin. While the attackers now had a name and a reason for their attack forty years ago, that wasn't what bothered him.

-What is it?-

He looked up from the pamphlet to stare at her, -Nothing, just thinking about what we do now.-

She stared at him for a second before looking down at the pamphlet, -What is it?- she asked again.

He sighed, she always had known when he was lying and it seemed time hadn't made him any better at lying to her. He slowly agonizingly passed the pamphlet to her, -I'll start at the beginning.-

---

Outside the isolation chamber, Apollo and Starbuck watched the interaction between Orion and Artemis.

"She seems really upset over something," remarked Starbuck. "I didn't expect her to take the loss of her ship so badly."

"It hurts to lose the ship you've called home without being there to help."

Starbuck turned to face him, "Sorry, didn't mean it like that."

He sighed softly, thinking of the two Battlestars he'd lived on which both had been destroyed by the Cylons. At least the Pegasus had gone down fighting. "It's not that that has her upset," he said as he turned to face Starbuck. "Her father was their Admiral."

"Gods! I don't what I'd do if we lost the old man." She turned back at stared at the two Terran pilots. "He seems to be a little too concerned about her, any idea why?"

Apollo shook his head slightly, "I'm guessing their just close friends."

"He loves her." Both Apollo and Starbuck turned to face the nurse who was on duty; someone they'd both forgotten was standing nearby.

"What makes you say that?"

The nurse pointed to the Terrans, "Look at how he's resting his hand. It's not how you consol a friend. It's how you support a lover."

The pilots stared back at their counterparts and began to notice the clear signs of former lovers supporting each other.

"A pilot in love with their CAG, how strange is that?" remarked the nurse, trying not to look at her superiors.

Apollo and Starbuck just stared ahead, both trying not to look at each other as the nurse walked away fighting the urge to giggle.

Galactica: Adama's Quarters

Adama waited as the call was routed through.

"Admiral?" asked a nervous sounding Tigh.

"You've found a cure?" Roslin raised an eyebrow at the directness of his question, which drew a sharp, but short, smile from Adama.

"Yes sir." Tigh paused, Adama could make out the sounds of Tigh talking to someone else but couldn't quite pick up. "Though there are some complications."

"Such as?" Adama raised an eyebrow as he looked over at Roslin. He knew Tigh was holding something back but he wasn't sure what.

"The cure has been found in Anders' blood-work."

"Anders?"

"Yes sir," Tigh paused, trying to draw up the strength for what he was about to reveal. "Anders is a Cylon."

"A Cylon?" Adama heard Roslin gasp as he felt his own head spinning with the idea that Starbuck's husband was a Cylon.

"Yes Sir. Cottle's going to run some tests of his own but I know it's the truth."

"And how do you know that?" Adama felt like he was walking into a trap but knew he had to ask.

"I know because I'm also a Cylon." Tigh waited for a response but Adama was quiet. "Bill? I said I'm a Cylon."

"This is not the time for jokes Saul."

"I'm not joking Bill! I'm a frakking Cylon!!!" Adama dropped the receiver and collapsed back into his seat.

Roslin stared over at him and watched the life drain from his face. "Admiral? Admiral? Bill?" he barely lifted his head when she said his name but it was something. "Bill, what did he say?"

"He said that he's a Cylon."

"He said….." Roslin trailed off as the idea ran through her head. Saul Tigh a Cylon? She couldn't wrap her mind around the idea. Tigh had led the resistance with her and Tyrol on New Caprica. If he was a Cylon then why hadn't he turned on them before now?

While she personally didn't particularly like the Colonel, she knew that he would never betray Adama. Then again, they'd all thought the same of Boomer up until she had nearly killed the then Commander.

She looked at Adama, his eyes seemed almost lifeless. If she hadn't been there Gods only knows what he might have done.

She reached across the desk and picked up the receiver, "Colonel, are you sure that you are Cylon?"

"Yes ma'am."

"One of Final Five?"

"Yes."

Roslin looked over at Adama as she chose her words extremely carefully, "Colonel, When did you learn that you were a Cylon?"

"At the Ionian Nebula. Just before then I'd been hearing some strange sounds. I thought it was a Cylon trap in the ship but it seems to have been an activation command."

"Who are the others?"

"Besides Anders I will not reveal their names at the present time."

"Oh," even though he was not there she still took off her glasses and gave the wall her school-teacher stare. "And why not?"

"I'd rather wait until this crisis is over then I will tell you in person. All I ask is that whatever punishment you decide upon that the others will not be thrown out of an airlock."

"And why should I give you that promise?"

"Because I trust Bill and he trusts you."

"A strange choice of words Colonel, but I will at least consider not spacing them. That's the best you're going to get at this particular time."

"Then it'll have to do." There was a pause as Tigh talked again to someone in the hanger bay. "As much as I'm enjoying this conversation Madam President, it seems that something else has come up."

Before Roslin could reply the line went dead. She started to shout down the line but quickly realised that it would do her no good and might even hurt Bill further.

She placed down the receiver and turned to look at him. He sat morbidly in his chair staring straight ahead, not acknowledging her or anything else in the world.

"Bill? Bill?" she waved her hand in front of his face but still he didn't move. She sighed as she stared down at him.

Suddenly an idea came to her. She grabbed the receiver. "CIC."

"Yes?" came the voice of Dualla.

"The admiral would like to talk to Lieutenant Agathon right away. Have her sent here as soon as possible."

"Yes ma'am." The linked closed and very soon the message was relayed over the ship's intercom.

Galactica: Starboard Hanger Bay

Dragon closed his eyes as he tried to calm himself.

-Don't you dare give me that expression soldier.- said a voice that was the source of his irritation. -I am your superior officer and I will be treated as such.-

Dragon opened his eyes and stared at the annoying bureaucrat in front of him.

Ambassador Santigao Gomes had been forced onto the Atlantis by members of the government who felt that the military should not be allowed to be in-charge of any possible first contact situations.

While Orion and a couple of other pilots had been trained on how to handle the initial first contacts, these politicians had felt that a seasoned diplomat should be sent with the crew just in case.

To further the current problem, it had been decided that Gomes should be given the rank of Lieutenant Commander, meaning that he outranked all of the survivors with the exception of Artemis and, unfortunately, she wasn't here meaning the Gomes was trying to boss his way around.

-Lieutenant, I demand that you explain to these people that I am to be allowed out to speak to their leadership!-

-Sir,- started an increasingly agitated Shockwave, who was trying to help Dragon deal with Gomes, -as we have already told you, this hanger bay is under quarantine.-

-But none of us are currently sick so why are we being held here?-

-Because almost all of their crew here is currently infected with some kind of virus.-

-Well I don't care anything about that. You will inform them that I am to be allowed out to speak to their leaders.-

-Don't you get it?- started Dragon, his volume and anger rising with each word. –We gave them this plague! They've already had several crew members die because of it and until a cure is found, no-one is allowed out of this bay.-

-Except Lieutenant MacLeod,- stated Gomes, realising he found a hole in Dragon's argument and decided to push. –I heard some of the other pilots talking about him and your CAG, Artemis I believe, being on another part of the ship.-

-That's because….-

-I don't care about your excuses!- Gomes said, cutting of Dragon in mid-defence. –All I want is to get off this hanger deck and talk to their leaders.-

Dragon started to reply before an idea came into his mind. He tried not to smile as he started to speak again, -As you wish Commander. One of their senior officers is actually in this bay. I'm sure if you ask him nicely he'll be able to grant your request.-

Gomes smiled, thinking he'd been able to dominate the young pilot. –Excellent, I knew you'd see things clearly with a little persuasion.- He straightened his suit as he started to walk towards the Colonials, -Now who is this person?-

Dragon followed just behind Gomes to prevent the man from seeing the smile that was starting to creep over his lips. –His name is Tigh; I think he is one of their senior officers.-

-Excellent. Is there anything you could tell me that would be useful in persuading him to see things my way?-

-Oh yes sir. I've found that if you insult his wife he'll give you exactly what you need.-

-His wife you say? I must remember that.-