~ Bright, Shiny Futures - Chapter Fifty-Seven ~

"God? Which God?" Lee demanded.

"The God. The one true God. There are no others."

"You don't mean ... " Kara hesitated. " ... the one Baltar was on about, do you?" she finished, remembering some of the crazy doctor's odd theology. She hadn't really paid attention but somehow it had slipped into her mind and had never left. Perhaps the similarity with the belief system Michael had had and that her children had learned had kept those thoughts fresh in her mind, despite the years that had passed.

"I am that God. I tried to communicate with the other Cylons but their memories of us were wiped through their constant resurrecton so I appeared in visions to one of them. She was the one who taught the others about me. There was another who seemed to have some innate memories lingering but he tended to talk in metaphor which made things very unclear for the others. Most of them didn't believe him."

"Leoben," Kara whispered. Beside her she felt Lee frown.

"I had hoped teaching them about me and about their creation would unite us all - us, them and you humans." A shadow of sorrow crossed her face. "It's unfortunate that it didn't work out."

"Two out of three is better than nothing," Lee offered. "Hopefully our people and yours can manage to work on peace so we have a future to look forward to." Heads nodded all around at his words.

"Okay, that's enough with the sappy talk," the young man beside Zero said, rolling his eyes visibly.

"It's funny," Kara said curiously. "You remind me of someone and yet I can't quite think of whom."

"Do what you did for me," Sam prodded, nodding as his mouth quirked up in a semi-smile.

The man covered one eye and twisted his mouth down into a frown. "Now do you remember me?" he asked in a low, gravelly voice.

Kara stepped back a couple of paces, mouth hanging open. "No. It can't be."

"The hell it can't," the man said with an inflection in his tone that was so familiar it erased all of Kara's doubts.

"Lords of Kobol," she swore, shaking her head as she moved forwards to look at him more closely.

"Saul frakking Tigh," he said expansively, wide grin lighting his handsome face. "I'm called Paul now."

"Frak me," Lee said in wonderment.

"I'd prefer not to, thanks," Tigh said.

Sam broke out in laughter. Kara grinned. "You look so ... so ... "

"Young? Handsome? Debonair?" Tigh suggested.

She smirked. "I was going for 'different' but yeah, those would fit too."

"I was handsome once. Long before I had to throw in with you lot."

"Sure, blame us for your decline," Lee teased. "Now I'm sure it's you."

"You didn't happen to bring a flask with you, did you?" Tigh asked hopefully. "It's awfully dry in here."

"Ahem," Zero interrupted, but her smile suggested she wasn't upset at their digression. "We should talk about our plans for the future and how we're going to work together to achieve them."

"Well, we've been working on a route based on some of the visions we've experienced," Kara offered.

"We should definitely take a look at what you've got and see if our maps match yours."

"We'll take you to Galactica with us," Lee said. "My father will be anxious to see you."

"Undoubtedly." Zero smiled. "He would be more than welcome to meet me here, if he's willing."

"Thank you for the offer but I suspect he'll want to keep control of the situation from his home base. He's like that."

"I understand. Of course I will be happy to go with you," she said graciously. "One moment please."

Lee and Kara shared a look as she walked away and spoke quietly with a few of her people. Each saw the questions in the other's eyes but neither made the attempt to answer them, so they waited in silence.

"Lee." He turned his head towards Tigh. "Do you think I should tell him?" the other man asked. "How do you think he'll take the news?"

"That you're a Cylon?" Lee sighed. "I don't know. I'd like to think he'd be okay with it and be able to joke about your newfound youth but it's one thing to accept others as sleepers who've always been the enemy among us but it's another to find that a friend you've known for decades and trusted implicitly - someone you always thought you knew better than yourself - is one of 'them'. He might get used to it in time but I don't know if now is the best time to surprise him."

Tigh nodded. "You're probably right. You know him better than I do."

Lee smiled ruefully. "No, you probably still know him better than I do. Sometimes I hardly think I know him at all."

"I'm ready," Zero said with a pleasant smile as she drifted back towards them. "Shall we go?"

"Goodbye Kara," Sam said, stepping between her and the others as if to give them a moment of privacy. "It was good seeing you again."

Kara laughed lightly. "It's not the end Sam. We may well run into each other again If we manage to find a planet to settle on and live peacefully there."

"Perhaps. A planet is a large place though."

Kara saw regret in his eyes and for a moment she shared that emotion with him. Given different circumstances ...

"True enough. Thank you for everything, in case I don't see you again" she said solemnly, reaching for his hand and squeezing it briefly before pulling away. "Goodbye."

As Zero led them away she felt Sam's eyes boring into her back. Lee's anxiety was just as palpable so she reached for his hand and clasped it, twining their fingers together to make sure each of them got the message loud and clear.

* * * * * * * * * *

Tyrol returned to his quarters after his shift to find his son already there and crying.

"Hey," he said softly, hurrying over to join Nicky on the bed. The boy had his arms clasped around his knees and his face was streaked with tears. "What's the matter bud? And what are you doing here instead of being at school?"

"I can't go back there," Nicky sobbed. "I'm never leaving this room again."

"What happened?"

The question just made Nicky cry harder so Tyrol put his arm around his son's shoulders and pulled him closer, ready to wait it out.

"They know," he said eventually. the words were difficult to understand, garbled as they were by tears, but they gutted Tyrol just the same. "They all know about us. About me. They know what I am."

Tyrol pondered those words for a minute before answering. "You know what you are? You're the same person you were yesterday. And last week. And last year. You're still Nicholas Tyrol. Don't let anyone tell you different."

Nicky wiped his eyes and nose with the back of his hand. "That's easy for you to say. They're not picking on you."

"No, their parents are," Tyrol said with a wry smile. Nicky turned to look at him for the first time since the conversation had started. "You think it's easy for me? They don't say the same things as kids do but the way they act hurts just as much. They won't speak to me unless they have to and they look at me with hatred in their eyes like I'm personally responsible for everything the Cylons have done to them in the last twelve years."

"Really?" A small glimmer began to shine in Nicky's eyes. "So what do you do when people act like that?"

"I just do my job and don't let anything they say or do get to me. I know who I am and I can't let anyone change that. I'm Galen Tyrol, valued member of this crew, and I'll do what I've always done to keep us all as safe as I can. Nothing and no one can change that." He ruffled his son's hair lovingly. "That's what you have to do. Be strong. Don't let their words get to you."

"It's not that easy," Nicky said tearfully.

"I know it isn't. Just take it one day at a time. That's all you can do."

"It's hard when everyone hates you."

"Not everyone. I love you. Always remember that. You're my son and I'll always love you and be there for you."

"I wish mom ... " Nicky couldn't say the words but they hung there nonetheless, like a sorrowful ghost.

Tyrol hugged his son close. "I know. Me too."

* * * * * * * * * *

Hera was jolted back to reality by an arm frantically pulled at her. "Hera! Hera! Wake up!"

She blinked several times and the room came into focus, Zach's worried face in the foreground. "I'm okay," she said, a little bit of annoyance creeping into her voice as he continued to pull at her. "Let go."

He leaned close. "Were you having a vision?"

She looked around furtively and nodded.

"I don't think they noticed," Zach said, looking pointedly over at the women playing with a group of children at the other end of the room.

"Good."

"What was it about?" he asked, curiosity lighting his face. Sara leaned in too and Hera could almost see her ears prick up.

"I'm not sure I can explain it," Hera said quietly. "It was about a woman ... "

"An old woman," Sara broke in.

"How did you know that?"

"I saw her too."

"When?"

"In my dreams."

"I'm not sure how she fits in or who she is ... "

"So what was she doing?" Zach persisted.

"Talking to someone."

"Who?" Kiera asked.

"I couldn't see his face. A man."

"Was it someone you know?"

"I think so. He seemed familiar."

"What were they talking about?"

"I'm not sure. I couldn't hear them, they were too far away."

Kiera sighed. "Well that isn't very helpful."

"No one ever said my visions had to be helpful," Hera retorted.

"Hey you guys." None of them had noticed one of the women had come across the room to where they were. All four of them jumped as she spoke directly over their heads. "Why don't you come join us? We're playing dominoes."

"That game is for babies." Hera was still cranky at her sister and the words slipped out by accident. She covered her mouth. "I'm sorry."

The woman's lips pursed. "Perhaps you have homework you'd rather be doing then," she said, a trifle shortly.

Hera nodded, now contrite. "I'll help Kiera with her work till our mom and dad get back."

"It might be a while."

"That's okay."

The woman touched Zach's shoulder. "Why don't you and Sara come join us? I'm sure we can find something you'd like to do until your mom comes back to pick you up."

They followed her across the room obediently. "I can't wait to see her," Sara said to herself with a smile, but even if anyone had heard her words they couldn't have known she wasn't referring to her mother.

* * * * * * * * * *

"Are you okay?" Hotdog touched Sharon's shoulder.

She nodded, opening her eyes and blinking several times. "It's just all so overwhelming."

"I hear you," Tory said. "How do you do it? All those voices in your mind." She shook her head as if to rid herself of them. "It's driving me crazy!"

Sharon flashed her a sympathetic smile. "You learn how to block it out."

"How? Is there a switch you can flick to turn it off?"

Sharon chuckled. "I wish. It's a discipline, like any other, that needs to be practiced in order to be mastered. Once you learn it's easy enough to keep yourself separate from all the voices. You can learn to link with them only when you choose to." She smiled ruefully. "I'm out of practice so the sheer volume of minds here is making it hard for me to remove myself."

"I'm sorry I suggested it. I never knew it would be so hard ... " Hotdog said, looking concerned.

"No, it's okay," Sharon interrupted. "I'm not sorry. It was the only way to bring us all together and I'm going to need to re-master the skill anyway now that we'll all be together."

"Hotdog, I need you up front," Jumper called over his shoulder, interrupting their conversation. "We're just entering radio transmission range and I need a second pair of hands."

Hotdog gave Sharon a sympathetic smile and climbed into the cockpit area, leaving her with Tory and Zero in the back.

* * * * * * * * * *

Laura groaned as she sat up. Her chest ached like it never had before. Funny how a part of her body that no longer existed could hurt so much. Phantom pain, she recalled its name. I thought it was supposed to feel better after the sick part was removed. As if in answer to her thoughts, Eve stepped into her cubicle and hurried to help her up.

"I'm sure you're still very sore and the place where your breast was is going to ache for a long time."

"It's really not fair."

"No, it isn't." Eve tucked the blankets around her and made sure the water was close enough for her to reach. "But you're a survivor Laura. You'll make it." She smiled. "Is there anything you need?"

"A body that doesn't hurt?"

"Working on it."

Laura smiled. "Maybe a little something to eat."

"I'll have the galley send over some soup. That should be easiest to digest and will probably stay down."

"Probably?" Laura's eyebrow raised as the smile dropped from her face. "What do you mean probably?"

"Well ... the pills you'll be taking are going to be pretty rough on your system. They'll make you tired and nauseous."

"I don't want to take them," she said stubbornly.

"I know. But you have to. We need to make sure the cancer hasn't spread and until I can do more tests to find out, I want you to take these. I don't have proper facilities for radiation treatments but these pills are the closest I can come. You'll need to take them for a good long while until I can be certain you're cancer-free."

Laura sighed. "Isn't there any other way?"

Eve shook her head. "Nope. You're stuck with it."

* * * * * * * * * *

Adama traversed the corridors of his ship effortlessly, mind otherwise occupied as he made his way to the hangar deck. His heart was light; lighter than it had been in a long time. His people were safe, his ships intact, and it appeared the remaining Cylons - whoever or whatever they were - were ready to talk peace. His only worry now was making sure everyone made it back safely. He'd have preferred to have Lee and Kara on the Raptor with Hotdog, but they'd decided it was safer to bring home the rogue ships themselves and had each commandeered one. It made sense - Hotdog would be in the lead and Lee, Kara and Sam would each fly the other ships back. Still, he'd be happy when they were all on board. Stable as the situation seemed, it could turn sour at any time.

He'd timed his walk just right and arrived at the bay just as the Raptor was putting down. A brisk nod was all he managed to give the deck crew before the Raptor's door hissed open and drew his full attention. Hotdog stepped out first.

Adama's face split into a wide grin. "It's good to see you safe Costanza."

His smile matched the Admiral's. "It's good to be home."

Tory stepped off next. They nodded at one another, exchanging an understanding glance.

Then came Sam. Adama barely had a chance to meet his eyes before a woman stepped out onto the wing beside him. She was tiny anyway but was completely dwarfed by the big man next to her. Despite her size, she had a presence that outshone them all and made Adama feel as if they were the only two people in the room.

Memories swirled vaguely around in his mind. She seemed so familiar. Where did he know her from?

Her face lit up in a beautiful smile. "Hello Billy. It's good to see you again. I've missed you so." Her voice was as warm as the twinkle in her eyes but there was a haunting quality underneath that he didn't fail to notice. "You were just a little boy the last time I saw you."

Recognition suddenly dawned. "Mom?"

~ TBC ~