Chapter 14

Battlestar Galactica – Adama's Quarters - Colonial Fleet

Adama led Jackson and Stenger past the Marine stationed outside the hatch leading into his quarters. He guided them to the small conference table that was placed upon a Tauron hand-woven wool carpet he'd inherited from his parents. His mother had purchased the carpet for his father's law office as a subtle homage to his father's Tauron roots.

Adama sat in the chair on the side of the table nearest to the Cylon Centurion sword he'd recovered during his last mission of the first war that he'd proudly displayed on his desktop. Meanwhile, the officers from the Thirteenth Tribe seated themselves opposite him.

"Let's hear it," the Admiral simply said.

"Sir," Jackson said, "it's my understanding you've had five Cylon infiltrators in your custody over the past year; however, you're down to only one."

Adama shot a bemused look at the man. So… he's allowing his inner spook to come out and play, he mused. "Would you care to enlighten me as to the particular infiltrators to whom you're referring?"

"Of course. I believe there was one who you abandoned at the Ragnar Anchorage, isn't that right?"

"Yes," the Admiral confirmed. "It had come aboard the ship with the then Secretary of Education's party when the Galactica was being decommissioned to become a museum. It called itself by the name of Doral. The Eight we currently have in custody has identified that model as a Number Five."

"That's very interesting, Admiral. By the way, do you have any images of these models on hand that Lena and I may examine?"

Adama said nothing. He simply rose from his chair and stepped behind his desk. He opened the desk's center drawer and removed a manila folder. Then he walked back to the table and placed the folder in front of the two Fleet officers.

Jackson flipped the folder open to reveal four photographs and a newspaper clipping. The first image showed a Caucasian man who looked fairly non-descript but had a pleasant face.

"That," the Admiral indicated with a nod, "is the Doral model."

Jackson said nothing as he passed Doral's photograph to Lena and uncovered a photograph of a stunning platinum blonde haired woman. She appeared to possess both intelligent eyes and a strong chin.

"That's the Number Six model. The one I've met personally is the one in that image. However, the one that had engaged in sabotage and had been imprisoned on the Pegasus was a dirty blonde. Apparently, they're skilled at changing their appearance slightly to blend in amongst our people."

"Admiral," Stenger said, "we've had someone tell us the Six on the Pegasus somehow managed to get out of that ship's brig, murder the ship's commander and escaped from the ship. Now she's nowhere to be found within your fleet?"

"Yes, that's correct," he grudgingly admitted. It was clear to him that the people in his command had aired their dirty linen to the Fleet officers, making them look more and more like utter frak-ups to Jackson and Commander Stenger. If Jackson and Stenger continued to hear about their failures, the Thirteenth Tribe might decide his people weren't worth the frakking effort and tell the fleet to go on its merry way. "I know it looks bad."

"Admiral," Jackson murmured as he passed Six's photograph to Stenger, "we're not here to judge you or your people. We're just trying to get a handle on this situation so we can develop an effective strategy to capture and interrogate Cylon infiltrators. We don't want to lead any of these Cylons to our colony worlds because they'd be tough to catch. Although we're really not that concerned about them from a military standpoint, frankly we don't need the headache at the moment considering the Sakqua situation we're facing."

"I understand your alliance's position, Captain."

"Thank you, sir," Jackson said. Then the man glanced down at the image in his hand and noted, "This is the Leoben model, the one that's in your morgue."

The Admiral's muscles involuntarily tightened at the sight of Leoben's image. Even now, he still could feel its iron grip around his throat. Then shaking the memory of his near death at the hands of that thing from his mind, Adama said, "Right. According to the Eight, it's known as the Number Two model. They're very dangerous. They don't just lie to you; they tell you half-truths to obscure their lies. They also profess to be very devout to their 'One True God," Adama scoffed.

The Fleet captain nodded and passed the photo to his partner, uncovering the photo of a pretty, exotic-looking woman with almond-shaped eyes and sleek brown hair. "This is the female that's in your morgue."

"Yes," Adama admitted. "It's the Number Eight model. We knew the first one that had infiltrated us as Lt. Sharon Valeri. Its callsign was 'Boomer.' The model you saw in the morgue almost succeeded in killing me. Instead, she was shot down by a member of my crew. That crewmember was punished for firing on Boomer while she was in custody. The other Eight we currently have in custody seduced one of my officers on our colony world Caprica after the attack as part of a Cylon experiment on breeding with humans and was impregnated by him. At one point, the President ordered the termination of the pregnancy; however, the baby was spared when our Vice President found the baby's blood had curative properties. Although the baby was allowed to come to term, the child died shortly after birth due to a lung infection."

"So…you're saying these Cylons can mate with us?" Stenger asked.

"Yes," Adama said.

"Why do they want to, considering they tried to annihilate your people?"

"Apparently, they're unable to conceive when they have sexual relations with one another. They believe that their God has commanded that they be fruitful and multiply in a biological manner. It seems cloning themselves over and over isn't as rewarding as having children."

Stenger regarded the Admiral with her eyes wide open. "I'm certain Dr. Dalle will most certainly be interested to hear that," she noted. "So…after the safety of the Eight's baby was threatened, the infiltrator was still willing to cooperate with you?"

"I believe it only cooperates because it keeps her alive. If it were terminated, it would download back to their collective and face punishment for stealing the child away from the Cylons."

"I see," Jackson muttered. Then he passed the photograph to Stenger and studied the newspaper clip.

"The man you see in that article," Adama said, "is another Cylon model. The Eight we have in custody told us it's a Number Four model. We had one in the fleet but it apparently airlocked itself after its human wife separated it from both her and her daughter. The Fours tend to be involved in medical or scientific work. One of my pilots, the one who's leading the SAR mission, ran into this model during a scouting mission back to Caprica. She was wounded and captured by the Cylons and was taken to a facility where they tried to impregnate her with one of their embryos. Fortunately, she managed to escape before implantation could occur and killed the Four who tried to violate her."

When Adama noted the appalled looks on both of the Fleet officers' faces at that piece of information, he was secretly pleased at their reactions.

Jackson sighed heavily. "Admiral, although I must congratulate you on how your people have managed to survive the Cylon attack on your colonies and their pursuit, I must say I'm concerned about the security problems you've had with your Cylon prisoners."

"Oh?" Adama asked warily. "What do you think we should have done differently, Captain?"

"I would have tried to engage with the Eight who apparently defected to your side and encouraged her to provide both hard and soft intelligence. What you can learn about their culture and how it works may be more important than where their fleet assets are located because it may provide a way to fracture their society or destroy their will to fight. However, it's difficult to use interrogation to gain that kind of information if you haven't given her a reason to see you as the good guys."

Adama glared at the man for a few seconds but found that Jackson didn't flinch at all. Adama got so steamed he almost challenged the man to step into the ring and go a few rounds. Fortunately, something in the back of his mind told him to stop being such an ego driven, frakking idiot because this younger, stronger guy would probably kick his frakking ass and replay what the man had just said inside his own head. Heeding the call of his better nature, he reconsidered Jackson's words again. Now it hit him like a right cross to the jaw. Jackson's comment about 'hard and soft intelligence' and 'interrogation' had definitely confirmed the Fleet captain was a spook! And even an old line officer like him realized that spooks were a necessary evil, one he had the misfortune of not having available to him after they'd fled from the Colonies.

Seconds later, his temper under control, the Admiral smiled slyly at Jackson. "Well, I suppose not having a Colonial Secret Service agent or Fleet Intelligence officer find their way onto my ship after our Colonies fell to the Cylons may have been the crux of some of our problems."

"I suppose that's true," Jackson said amiably. "Admiral, what else can you tell us about these infiltrator models?"

"Well, shortly after we'd fled the Colonies, someone made his way into my quarters and left me a note."

"This…intruder, he or she was able to get past your guard without being seen?"

"At that time, I didn't have a guard posted outside my door. I started posting one after I received the note."

"I see. What did this note say?"

"It said there were twelve Cylon models. If that's true, we've only uncovered five of the models to date."

The Fleet captain silently regarded him for several moments before the man said, "Then it's imperative we scan everyone before we move your fleet to Xanadu. I'd suggest we start with the people aboard your two battlestars. It should be easier to have your crew and the rest of the people aboard military vessels comply with an order requiring them to be screened."

Adama nodded in agreement. "I'll post an order that everyone aboard the battlestars must come to a designated area for screening when they're called or they shall be escorted there by armed Marines."

"That's a great idea, Admiral," Stenger said. "Also, if either you or Captain Jackson wouldn't mind, I'd like to work with the team of Marines you assign to this task, sort of like a consultant. I have some…experience working in situations like this; I can provide your team with a level of supervision that should increase its effectiveness."

"How exactly would you go about doing that, Commander?" Adama asked.

"First, we'll need to scan the Marines in the team to assure that our efforts won't be compromised. Then I would coach and train them to handle every contingency to protect the team members or bystanders from being killed by an uncovered infiltrator. I'll show the team members how to remove the subject from a populated area, escort the subject to a secure location, cover the subject during the scan, and, if necessary, how to take the subject down and restrain the subject quickly and efficiently. The item we use for that purpose is simple and effective. It's a reinforced ferroplastic restraint we call zip-ties. They're virtually unbreakable and can be rapidly tightened around both the subject's wrist and ankles to restrain the individual. Then we can take the subject to the brig and interrogate the individual."

Adama studied the woman with an amused look on his face. "I see you've thought this through."

"Well, sir, it is standard procedure for this kind of operation," she drawled.

"Perhaps so, but I'm still impressed, Commander," the Admiral said.

"Thank you, sir."

"So, Captain," Adama said as he turned to Jackson, "do I need to go through official channels to obtain Commander Stenger's assistance?"

"No, Admiral. The way I see it, it would benefit both of our respective governments to have Lena working with your people. However, one condition I'd like to add is if we uncover an infiltrator, there will be no more termination of prisoners until the appropriate authorities in both the military and civilian branches of our respective governments agree to execute a particular prisoner."

"Why should I agree to that?"

"For several reasons. First, I don't want to throw away a valuable intelligence asset prematurely. Finally, based on what I've learned about the Cylon resurrection process, I don't want to have a terminated prisoner lead a Cylon attack fleet to a locale that isn't one of my own choosing," Jackson noted with a predatory gleam in his eye. "That way, I can prepare a warm welcome for them when they arrive."

Adama returned Jackson's look with a slayer's smile of his own. "Now that you mention it, I wouldn't be opposed to giving them the Old Girl's regards, too, if they come to your party." Then he glanced at both officers and asked, "Have we covered everything you wanted to discuss with me?"

"Yes, Admiral. Thank you for hearing us out," Stenger said.

"It was my pleasure," Adama said with a pleasant smile toward the attractive woman. "Now we have your doctor's scanning device to detect the Cylons in the fleet, please excuse me; I need to see a man about getting one of my nukes back."

It was long past time for him to remove the weapon from the hands of the brilliant yet erratic scientist. As much time as the man spent lurking through the corridors of the ship talking to himself, the members of his entire crew had witnessed firsthand how unstable the man could be at times.

#

Battlestar Galactica – Baltar's Laboratory - Colonial Fleet

"I believe the meeting with Sarah and Marshall went quite well, Tom."

A mellow Gaius Baltar sat in his work chair, smoking a cigar while Zarek was several feet away, leaning against the wall. The former terrorist smirked and said, "I agree, Gaius. But I still think we need to come up with a way to leak to the fleet anything we learn during the next meeting with Jackson and Stenger that could hurt Roslin's standing with the people."

Just as Baltar was going to respond to Tom's point, the hatch into the laboratory swung open and in marched Admiral Adama followed by Felix Gaeta and six ebony clad Marines.

"Admiral, Lt. Gaeta," the scientist said pleasantly, "although this is quite a surprise, I must say it's somewhat rude of you to barge into my laboratory in this fashion."

A demur Gaeta said, "Doctor, the Galactica is a military vessel. Per regulations, the Admiral has every right to go wherever he may desire to go without anyone's consent or permission."

"Lieutenant, we don't need to explain ourselves to him," Adama grumbled. "Doctor, I don't have time to dance with you. I've come for the nuclear warhead I gave you for your Cylon detector project."

"Wait a minute," Zarek said as the blood drained from Baltar's face. "You gave Gaius a nuclear warhead?" the ex-con asked while Baltar saw that his personal Six had appeared and was standing at Adama's right elbow.

"Oh, Gaius," she chastised, the look on her face full of reproach. "If only you'd listened to me when I told you not to pursue Gina."

"Doctor!" Adama shouted. Gaius had forced himself to look away from his lover/tormentor when he noted the annoyance in the Admiral's voice. "I asked you a question! Where is my nuke?"

"I-it…it's secured in the safe!"

"Then open it," the Admiral demanded.

"B-but…I'm…I haven't finished my work on the detector yet!"

Adama smiled cruelly at the scientist. "Well, since you're so busy trying to run against President Roslin, it's a good thing we don't need that frakking machine of yours anymore. It seems the members of the Thirteenth Tribe were able to take a device off the frakking shelf and within minutes gave us a device that actually does what yours failed to do. Both Cottle and I have seen the results. Their scanner works. I'm satisfied it'll do the job. So, although I thank you for your endeavors, I want my warhead back—and I want it now."

Baltar began to tremble under the admonishing gaze of both Adama and the Six only he could see and hear. "A-admiral, I'm sorry but…for the life of me…I-I can't seem to recall the combination at the moment."

"Not a problem, Doctor. I know the combination. I'll just open the safe for you," Felix offered helpfully.

When the young lieutenant started toward the safe, the scientist panicked, shrieked, "No!" and sprang toward Gaeta, grabbing the young man by both arms and forcefully shoving him back toward Adama.

"Doctor!" Adama snapped, his eyes flashing as he caught Gaeta, steadied the young man and launched himself into Baltar's personal space. "You'd better have a gods damned good reason for attacking Mr. Gaeta as you did just now. I want you to be clear about this, either open the safe or step aside!"

"P-please," Baltar stammered, his eyes wide open in fright. "D-don't do this!"

Suddenly, Adama's eyes narrowed like a bird of prey's unmerciful gaze at a hapless mouse. "Baltar…the nuke isn't in the safe, is it?"

Gaius managed to catch the smug look on Six's face even as he stood there cowering under Adama's furious glare. "It's Judgment Day, Gaius!" she proclaimed. "And you've been found wanting."

Now he blurted, "No! It wasn't my fault! Someone stole it!"

"Stole it?!" Adama snapped harshly. "When?"

"I-it's been gone for a…a month! Yes, about a month or so!"

The Admiral rushed at Baltar like one of Zeus' avenging lightning bolts. He wrapped both hands around the scientist's patrician neck and dragged him so close Gaius could note every nook and crag of the elder man's face in excruciating detail. "You didn't report that someone had stolen the components of a nuclear warhead for a WHOLE FRAKKING MONTH?!"

Meanwhile, over the enraged Adama's shoulder, Six regarded him with a look of pity. "You only have yourself to blame, Gaius. I've always told you your weakness of the flesh in pursuing Gina would lead to ruin."

He blinked several times to clear her admonishment from his vision and focused on Adama in an attempt to save himself. "Admiral, I-I admit I was somewhat remiss…" he managed to squeak out before Adama abruptly cut him off.

"Marines! Drag this...man," Adama ordered, the contempt for him dripping from every single word, "to the brig right frakking now!"

As four of the armed men moved to take him into custody, all he saw was the look of recrimination on Six's face before he began to plead for someone to get him a lawyer.

#

While the Marines dragged Baltar away, Adama turned to glare at Zarek who'd apparently tried to blend in with the furniture so as to not draw any attention toward himself.

"Admiral," the former terrorist said, "I had nothing to do with this. For gods' sakes, I didn't even know the man was in possession of a nuclear warhead." Then he took a step toward Adama holding out his right hand in a placating gesture. "Look, if it helps, I'm happy to allow you to search my quarters. Hell, you can even search the Astral Queen if you want! You'll have my full cooperation."

"Then I'd be pleased to take you up on your 'generous' offer, Mr. Zarek," Adama said coldly. Then he turned away from the man almost as if he were dismissing the ex-convict and rushed over to the phone on the wall. He snatched it from its cradle and snapped into the handset, "Adama to CIC. Saul? This is Adama. Don't say a word; just listen. I want you to hand pick the members of a team to search every frakking inch of this ship for the warhead I gave to Gaius-Frakking-Baltar. It's gone missing. Call Lee on the secure channel and tell him to do the same. While you both are conducting your searches, I'm going to see if a few…consultants would be willing to assist us. Maybe they can help to pull our asses out of this fire. Saul…we can't frak this up. Too many lives are at stake. Now, get it done."

After he hung up the phone, he turned to one of the remaining Marines. "Escort Mr. Zarek to the Chief's office in the hangar bay and keep him there until I give you further instructions."

"Yes, sir," the Marine snapped and moved smartly toward Zarek while Adama stormed out of the laboratory with both Gaeta and the remaining Marine following closely behind.

#