Disclaimer: Battlestar Galactica belongs to Ronald D. Moore and the Sci-Fi channel.
Chapter 8: "Sins of the father"
In the morning Bill and Laura talked while they waited for Jaffries to bring their coffee. "If we go with your jealousy idea, was someone jealous of Callie then for having Baltar's child?"
"As disturbing as it sounds, it is a possibility," Bill stated. "Someone could've gotten a hold of information and used it to their advantage."
At the mentioning of 'information,' an idea occurred to Laura. "Bill, what if Callie found out something she wasn't supposed to?"
Bill picked up Laura's line of thought. "And someone wanted to shut her up?" Laura nodded. He frowned, continuing the thought. "But what information could she get that would be deadly?"
They stopped their conversation to get the coffee, resuming it when they had the steaming mugs in their hands. "What if it was more than just Tyrol being a Cylon? What if Callie found out about Saul, Anders, and Tory?" Laura supposed.
Taking a sip of his coffee, Bill spoke. "Then we have four suspects."
They headed to CIC, deciding that Bill would ask Saul first. While Laura looked over the data with Gaeta, Bill and Saul walked over to his office. "We have reason to suspect that Callie Tyrol was murdered," Bill began after seeing that that hatch was closed.
Saul looked as if Bill had just told him he had been drinking motor oil for the past week instead of liquor. "Murdered? Does Tyrol know?"
"I'm trying to find out anything I can. In order to commit suicide, she would've had to bypass the safety switch. Being a specialist, she might've known how to do it, but I have reason to suspect that someone helped her. Do you remember what went on that evening?" the admiral questioned.
Tigh sighed heavily as he sat down. "Tyrol, Anders, Tory, and I had a meeting. We were discussion what to do about Baltar. We suspected that he was the Fifth Cylon, so we were trying to figure out ways of smoking it out of him."
"Did anything unusual happen?" Adama continued.
The colonel snorted. "You mean other than a bunch of Cylons meeting?" Seeing the admiral's expression, Tigh became serious again. "We heard a noise that sounded like someone had followed us, so we ended the meeting early. I went back to my room for a drink. I assumed everyone else went back to their rooms too."
Adama folded his hands in front of him. "Let's say for this discussion that it was Callie. What would you do if she knew? If she threatened to tell someone?"
Tigh could sense where he was going. "I never would've hurt her. No matter what, she was the chief's wife, and if she had threatened to tell, I would've told you first. Hell, I would've airlocked myself before I would've killed her. No matter what she knew, she didn't deserve to die for it," he paused, glancing away for a moment. Ellen came to mind. "No woman should have to die for what they know."
"I believe you, I just had to ask," Bill remarked, sitting as well. "Did anyone else seem to have problems or issues that evening?"
"The president's ex-aide is an issue. We suggested that she talk to Baltar. She assumed we meant that she should sleep with him and got all bent out of shape. She's a real piece of work," Saul responded.
Bill nodded. "Tell me something I don't know."
"Your left boot's untied," Saul commented.
The other man frowned, glancing down at his boot. He snorted and shook his head when he realized that the colonel was correct. Somehow he had only laced one boot that morning. "I meant something pertinent to this discussion."
Tigh smirked. "I wish I could give you more to go on, but that's all I know."
"We don't even know where she is at the moment to question her," Bill reminded.
Both men stood, heading for the door. "Wherever she is, she's probably with Baltar," Saul added.
"We'll have to deal with this later. It's time we got back to monitoring the recon missions," Adama stated.
The reconnaissance missions were scheduled in shifts over the course of five days. When she was not with Bill checking on the recon missions, at a Quorum meeting, or at a strategic meeting, Laura pondered the dream and the Three Sisters prophecy. Something continued to interrupt the dream just before she had the chance to interact with the girl. One day it was the alarm clock. Another day it was the phone. And then it was Bill knocking over a chair in the dark on the way to his desk.
Those assigned to the recon missions returned to Galactica for meals and shift changes. Laura was attempting to pretend that stuffed algae cheese rolls were edible on the third day of the recon missions when she spotted Athena standing by the door with her tray. Taking her tray with her, she walked over to the pilot.
Athena faced her, startled. "Madame President, what are you doing here?"
"I need to ask you something important, but not here. It's about the Three Sisters Prophecy," Laura whispered.
The dark-haired woman studied the president for a moment, deciding that a simple discussion could not hurt, despite their past conflicts. "I'm going to see Hera in a minute. Why don't you come with me?"
"Alright," Laura responded.
When they entered Athena's quarters, Dee was there with Hera. Athena and Laura set their trays down on the table. Dee closed the book that she had been reading to Hera, looking back to Athena. "I fed her lunch. How long until you need me again?"
Athena glanced back at the president. "About an hour."
Dee ruffled Hera's hair, and then headed for the door. "Madame President," she stated with a nod.
"Dee," the president responded.
Athena hugged Hera. "I missed you, sweetie. Did you have fun today?"
Hera nodded, pointing to papers that had been colored on. "Pictures."
At the mentioning of pictures, Athena inhaled sharply. The last time Hera had been drawing pictures, the blonde Cylon had been the target. As Athena made her way over to the pictures, Hera suddenly noticed Laura. "Lala! Lala!" the little girl exclaimed, running over to hug Laura's legs.
Laura took a deep breath, picking the girl up, walking over to Athena. "I suppose she remembers you," Athena retorted.
"Lieutenant Agathon, I did not come here to rehash the pain of that situation," she stated.
Athena snatched Hera back. "Then why are you here?"
Hera squirmed in her mother's arms enough to reach for one of the pictures. On it was a girl with red hair. She held it out to Laura. "For Lala."
Laura took it. "Thank you." Then she looked back to Athena. "In a way, this is why I'm here. I need to know about the Three Sisters Prophecy."
Athena set Hera down on the carpet, heading back to the table. She and Laura resumed their lunches. "It's just a legend."
The president took a bite of her food and grimaced briefly. "Humor me."
The dark-haired woman took a bite and shared the reaction. "The first three children born to three Cylons will be girls. Because of their origins they are called 'Sisters.' More than just representing the unification of Cylons and humans, they link the Thirteenth Colony to it all. The mother of the last child is the one to maintain peace between the regular Cylons, the Final Five, the Twelve Colonies, and the Thirteenth Tribe."
Laura took a deep breath, folding her hands in her lap. "That's a big responsibility for someone."
Athena nodded, then touched Laura's forearm. "I hope you find her before anyone else does. The last Cylon is a woman and she could be in big trouble if the wrong people find out."
As Laura looked down at the picture, Athena's words sank in and her head shot up. "Wait, you said 'mother.' Are you absolutely certain that the last child is the daughter of the Final Cylon? What if she is the final Cylon?"
The other woman put her hands up. "Hey, I'm just telling you what the Three Sisters Prophecy refers to. If you're asking about the dream, I don't have a clue what's going on with that anymore. Maybe the red-haired girl in the dream is the last Sister, but then who's her mother if that's the case?"
Laura took a gulp from her glass of water and closed her eyes for a moment. "Impossible," she whispered.
"Madame President, are you alright?" Athena asked.
No, I am most certainly not alright. I have no idea what's going on anymore. "Yes, I think I'll be going now. Thank you for answering my questions," Laura responded, standing quickly.
Laura dashed out of the door and began walking down the hall. Her marines moved from behind her to all around her. That in itself did not seem odd, merely protective. But then she noticed the lower half of the face under one of the helmets. "Excuse me, who are you? Where are my usual marines?" Laura probed.
"Detained," the man said before the whole group stopped abruptly. Suddenly a white cloth was thrust in Laura's face. She was barely aware that they were dragging her away somewhere when the world around her went black.
Athena had been back inside her quarters less than five minutes when she no longer heard the marines' boots. Normally a group like that would echo down the hallway for a while. She stuck her head out to see that they had vanished. Hoping that she was wrong, Athena called CIC.
Bill picked up the phone. "Adama."
"Admiral, this is Athena. I think the president's been kidnapped. I can't see or hear her guards anywhere," Athena told him.
Fear gripped his stomach as he replied, "Thank you." Then he hung up and faced Saul. "Athena thinks that L- the president has been kidnapped. I want you to take two security teams and cut off the hallways around the Agathons' quarters.
Tigh was about to respond with "Yes, sir," but the phone rang again. The admiral reached for it again as Tigh put his headset on. "Adama."
"Hello Admiral," the familiar voice of an ex-president began.
Adama rolled his eyes. "Hello Dr. Baltar. Is there a reason you called? You see, I actually spend my days working."
"I'm sure you do, Admiral, and I'm sure that work goes much easier with a certain president by your side," Baltar commented.
The admiral clenched his fist. "What do you want, Dr. Baltar?"
"I'd like to negotiate the release of Vice President Zarek," the other man stated.
Adama snorted. "Why the hell would we want to do that?"
"Because you see, you have something we want, and we have something that you want. We have Laura Roslin. If you want her back alive, you'll give us Tom Zarek. Think of it as an exchange of hostages," Baltar explained.
Adama's clenched fist connected with the console, but his voice was collected. "Why do you want him? Don't you two stand on opposing sides these days?"
He then heard Tory's voice. "Admiral, you have seven hours to comply or we will shoot her. Either way a new government will be made. We will call every hour to see if you are willing to negotiate. On the last hour we will call every fifteen minutes."
"Are the Cylons behind this?" Adama growled.
"No. And if you bring them into it, we'll blame her death on them," Tory told him before her end of the phone hung up.
"What's the plan, Bill?" Saul asked, setting his headset down. Bill walked to his office, motioning for Saul to follow.
(My thanks to McGonagallFan, kywildcat, carolann, and Mamabella for reviewing :D)