Contact

Chapter 5

When Tory changed her habits and stayed around after sex, Giaus knew she wanted to talk. Sometimes she shared what Roslin was planning, other times she'd ask Baltar about his new god. He wondered which it would be today.

"We've been contacted by Earth." she finally told him.

"What?" He wasn't certain he'd heard correctly.

"They've been with us since New Caprica."

"All this time and we never knew?" He propped himself up on his elbow, his movement causing the sheet to slip downward. "When is Roslin going to announce their presence to the fleet?"

"She isn't." Tory got up and started putting on her clothes.

Giaus sat up. "Laura can't keep their presence secret. It's too important."

"She intends to."

"I won't allow it."

The woman smiled. "I was counting on that."

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Did the pilot's face seem a little green, Daniel asked himself as he took a chair in the mess hall. Vala sat next to and reached for his hand. He'd tried earlier to suggest she stay in their quarters but she'd refused. He really shouldn't have been surprised. His wife had never been good at following orders.

"He doesn't look good," she said.

"No, he doesn't," the archeologist agreed, placing his hand over his wife's.

"Precede, Lieutenant," Caldwell ordered. The bald man sat forward, lightly resting his hands on the table.

The young pilot gulped. "My flyover where we knew the colony to be located had been attacked. The tents were shredded or burnt." He dropped his voice. "There were bodies everywhere."

"Any ships?"

"No, sir. I'd surmise that some of them escaped."

"What about our team?"

"No idea, sir."

"Well, done. Take the next twelve hours for R&R."

"But, sir," the pilot objected.

"That's an order."

"Yes, sir." He rose to leave. "Oh, sir, the Stargate was still intact."

"Thank you. Dismissed." Caldwell didn't speak again until the Lieutenant. had left. He activated his head mic. "Hermiod, please scan for implants and beam the bodies to the empty port cargo bay. And give me a count on how many you find." The Asgard must have replied because the Colonel responded, "I'm aware of that, thank you."

"Colonel, didn't the last report we got say something about the colony being occupied?" Daniel was having a hard time with the fact that anyone would just leave their dead and not bury them.

Vala spoke up, "General Landry said he thought that was what Jessica reported. It was too brief to know for sure."

"My guess," Caldwell speculated, "was that it had to be brief. She wouldn't have wanted the power spike to be noticed so their invaders would come and investigate."

"Jack was right." Daniel drew symbols on the table with his finger. "We should have sent at least one of the military SG teams with them."

The Colonel shook his head. "Wasn't O'Neill's or Landry's call."

"Are we beginning to notice a trend here," Vala commented. "Every time the IOA gets involved, it cost lives."

"If his cousin's body is here," Daniel took a deep breath. "I don't want to be the one who tells the Senator."

"That will be my responsibility," Caldwell assured him. He tapped his mic and listened. "Hermiod says all the team is accounted for except three."

"Jessica?"

"We won't know until Doc does the autopsies and DNA cross matches. The bodies are very badly decomposed."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000

Loud knocking on the door roused Roslin from her nap. She stretched and heard angry voices. One was Adama's, the other Baltar's. "Oh, no." Laura tossed on her robe and hurried out of into the small ante room. There were a couple of chairs and a couch where Bill had been sleeping. "What's going on here?"

"I can forgive you for not telling the people about the Cylon in the brig, but to keep such a momentous event from them," the scientist shook his head. "They have a right to know about our Earth brothers!"

Her breath caught. Her worst nightmare had just been realized and she needed to defuse it before it became a bomb that would destroy the shaky stability of the fleet. "How did you find out? " she hissed.

"I have my sources." He straightened up self importantly.

"Sit down," Roslin ordered as she took one of the chairs. Adama sat on the couch pushing aside the blanket he'd been using.

"If you wish." Baltar sat but close to the edge as if he was perched to run at the first sign of danger.

"We've been contacted by Earth, yes," she confirmed. "They were with us at New Caprica."

His lean face drained of color. "Oh, my God."

Adama leaned slightly forward. "There leader is young and I suspect inexperienced."

"And she's done a very good job at insulting our beliefs," Roslin added.

Baltar cleared his throat. "Aren't most young people inexperienced and think they know everything until life teaches them otherwise? " He offered them a smile. "At least this means we having something in common that can be built upon."

"And what will she say about you, Baltar?" Laura gave him a knowing smile. "And your leadership during the Cylon occupation?"

The scientist glanced down. "I know what she'll say." He lifted his head. "I want to talk to her."

"I don't think that's a good idea." Laura was beginning to feel drained and wanted to go back to bed. "I don't even know if I want to talk to her again."

She got up and wobbled slightly. Adama rose and moved to help her. She shook her head. "You can go, Baltar."

Giaus got up. "Thank you, for your time." He left.

"He's going to cause even more trouble," Roslin murmured.

"I'll make sure he gets on his shuttle after I help you back to bed."

She smiled at him. "I appreciate your support, you know that."

"I know."

00000000000000000000000000000000000

"She's close, Giaus," the invisible blonde told him as he stood outside Roslin's quarters.

"Where is she?" he inquired. As he glanced up he saw Tory. She'd stuck her head out of what he assumed were her quarters. "Where's the Earth woman?"

She pointed with her chin at the door close to the President's quarters. "Thank you." She ducked back inside and closed her door.

He took a very deep breath preparing himself for what would surely be the most important moment of his life. His whole future depended on what the Earther would say. Baltar knocked on the door. "Hello?" After a few minutes he tried again. "Hello?" he called.

"That's strange," Six commented. "Maybe you should see if she's alright."

"You're probably right, if she's as horrible as Laura said, maybe someone on the Quorum tried to," he didn't finish the thought. He knew the control mechanisms and opened the door. Inside he saw the bed was mussed, but had no occupant. He knocked on the lavatory door opening it when he got no reply. It was empty.

"You were supposed to leave her alone!" Commander Adama stormed in, grabbing Baltar by his collar.

"She's gone."

"What?" He released the scientist.

"I've checked the room. She isn't here."

"That's not possible."

The officer searched the small space just as Baltar had.

"Told you."

"I'll tell Laura." Adama hurried away.

"Wonder where she could be," Six mused as she sexily sprawled on the bed, her tight red dress riding up her trim legs.

Giaus could think of a number of nasty scenarios, and hoped no one had done anything stupid to jeopardize the Colonials' future. They needed to find Earth for all their sakes. He rejoined Adama and Roslin, offering ideas on where the woman could have gone.

When morning came, he decided to head back to Galactica. Giaus stood outside the door of the Earther's quarters and jumped when the door opened. A very pretty young woman walked out.

"Hello, you must be Baltar." She extended her hand. "I'm Jessica Collins."

He stared at her hand. "But you weren't there last night. I searched your room. You were no where to be found."

She laughed. "Don't be silly. I was there all night."