Chapter 111 Counsel Taken
Natalie pushed the long hair from her face and straightened as Simon entered the alcove. She gave him a glare, ready to share around her anger at the other models' ignorant determination to blindly follow Cavil. But on seeing the worry in her brother's face, she bit off the words she'd been about to hurl his way. No, it wasn't Simon's fault that the Fives had voted to support the mutilation of the Raiders. If anything, she knew he had argued with his line on her behalf, maintaining that they as a people had to find another way than the 're-engineering' or boxing of a whole portion of their culture if their race were to progress.
With a shake of her sandy hair, the Six dispelled the last of her irritation at this brother. The blame rested fully on the machinations of the Ones. The fact was that the Fours and Fives simply hadn't had as much reason to explore their spiritual side and find themselves as individuals. Thus, they remained easy pawns to the will of the Ones.
Then again, Cavil seemed especially adept at swaying even those that should know better. Now her thoughts turned to the Eight that had not only condoned the lobotomization of the Raiders, but had done so by turning traitor against her entire line. It hadn't been so long ago that Boomer had been a member of Natalie's basestar complement but the Eight had changed after New Caprica, becoming bitter and aloof. And when Sharon had come for Hera, and then Caprica had killed Boomer and defected, the disillusioned Eight had transferred to Cavil's main basestar.
As a fresh spike of anger flushed her pale cheeks, Natalie squared her shoulders.
"The vote to surgically alter the Raiders passed," she explained in response to Simon's questioning look.
"How? I thought we had the numbers to stop it."
"Boomer. She sided with the Ones."
"She couldn't have. The Eights were with—"
"They were—are," she interrupted. "Boomer voted on her own, against her own line."
"That's not possible."
"Quite possible…and she did it. The other Eights… They didn't take it well."
Natalie grimly recalled the consternation among her sisters as word spread of Boomer's betrayal. No Cylon had ever… Her thoughts came to an abrupt halt for that wasn't the complete truth. Hadn't both Caprica and the Sharon on Galactica both shown that they were willing to break from their models' will and choose their own course? Natalie templed her fingertips together at her brow and reluctantly acknowledged the inherent double-standard in her condemnation of the Eight's actions.
As Simon spoke, her attention was pulled back from her unnerving thoughts.
"With such a limited number of Fives here, I'd estimate it'll take several weeks to complete the modifications on our Raiders," Simon flatly said.
"Modifications? You mean mutilations!" she fiercely corrected him. He gave a reluctant nod, conceding her point.
"What choice do we have? The vote has been tallied."
Her eyes suddenly widened and she took a step towards him.
"Of course! You!" She pointed at him. "You can vote against the others. Just as Boomer did. We'll be at a stalemate again and Cavil can't proceed with this barbarity. I'll notif—" She broke off as Simon grimly shook his head.
"I won't. If the other Fives are in agreement, I will not gainsay their decision," he firmly stated.
"You must." Her voice rose. "We have to oppose Cavil's tyranny. This…this butchery they intend is an abomination. A blasphemy against God."
"No."
Natalie started to lash out another protest, but stopped as the granite set of the Five's features warned her that she wasn't going to change his mind. At least not by ranting about God's plan. The Fives were nearly fanatical in their practicality. They did not subscribe to the belief in a deity. There was a reason that so few of his line had sought out her basestar, unlike the many Eights and Twos she now had aboard.
Frustrated, she gave him an accessing look, and for the first time registered the sling that held Simon's arm strapped across his chest. She frowned and directed a sharp, inquiring glance at his arm.
"Kara Thrace," he said by way of explanation. He shrugged and then winced at the unwise move.
"I don't know what the Twos see in this particular human," Natalie snapped out as she recalled how Leoben had insisted that they return to the planet where they'd last had contact with the Colonial Fleet. He had gone on about having a vision that 'the Catalyst' awaited them there. Finally, as much to shut him up as for any belief in her brother's prophesies, she'd agreed to jump back. Homing in on a Colonial transponder signal, they'd found a damaged Raptor and its unconscious pilot on the surface.
The fact that the pilot was the infamous Starbuck had proved divisive to her ship's company. The few Ones on board had advocated the immediate disposal of the troublesome officer. Their proposal had been vehemently opposed by the Twos. And though many of the Eights had sided with Leoben, the rest of the models were generally neutral in relation to the human's final disposition. It had been Simon's voice that had decided Kara Thrace's fate when he had offered to take full responsibility for the woman. After New Caprica, the majority felt it best to entrust the human to someone less…besotted…with her than Leoben. He had initially been inclined to argue, but had sullenly ceded to Simon's offer in lieu of the Ones' more terminal alternative.
From the looks of things, Simon was finding the human as difficult to handle as the Twos had.
"She broke your arm." Not a question, but he nodded anyways. "What is it about that chaotic woman that inspires you and Leoben to protect her so?" Natalie asked, honestly wanting to understand how Simon, someone so stalwart in most things, was drawn in by this Kara Thrace's bewitchment. The Twos interest at least made a certain kind of sense since they'd always been subject fanciful visions, but she was perplexed by her other brother's interest.
Natalie frowned as she realized that even her own line had shown a strong interest in the human. She knew that her sister, Caprica, had spent long hours with Leoben after New Caprica discussing the woman. Why a Six would show such a fascination still bewildered her.
Of course, Natalie acknowledged to herself, Caprica hadn't been the first of her model to become intrigued by this 'Starbuck', recalling the disturbing memories she'd sampled from the Six in charge of New Caprica's detention center. Memories that she and her fellow Sixes had reviewed before coming to the sorrowful conclusion that it was necessary to box that particular sister. The decision had been painful, but the Sixes were aware of what had happened to Gina on the human's battlestar. Not by memory sampling, Gina had died well beyond the range of a resurrection ship. But the general details had still come to them from other sources. And the fact that one of their own could…relish…in the abuse that she subjected upon her human charges to was anathema to the rest of her line.
Rubbing her palms along the sides of her slacks, Natalie wished she could just as easily wipe away the soiled feeling she had whenever one of that Six's memories surfaced. It was disturbing on such a basic level. She had even considered briefly—verybriefly—asking to have them blocked. But only the Ones knew how and she wasn't going to trust any of Cavil's brethren, especially now, after their caviler attitude toward the Raiders. She wouldn't put it past them to try a little 'modification' on the various models if given the chance. Which made her wonder about Boomer's change of allegiance.
Her thoughts were drawn back to her brother when Simon reached up and adjusted the strap about his neck and attempted to answer her.
"Kara Thrace is…" He paused, uncertainty written in the furrow of his forehead. He sighed, sounding frustrated and resigned in one. "Do you realize the odds of this one human's survival? Ignore the fact that she wasn't among the billions killed in the initial strike, how many times has she defied the math since and still lives? I personally treated a wound that could've killed her. Then New Caprica?" His expression tightened in distaste. "Between Six, Leoben and D'Anna, it's amazing that she survived long enough to be rescued. And none of that takes into account her many altercations with our fighters over the years."
"So, you think that Leoben's right? That God is somehow protecting her? Guiding her?" Natalie dubiously asked. Simon's gaze shift to the data stream boards that lined the center panel of the room as if seeking an answer in the red flickering of its display.
"God is the providence of the Twos and Sixes. We Fives seek answers from the perfection of calculations and tangents. Reason and science," he stated. "Starbuck is a variable that defies accepted odds. I only want to understand how."
"How, brother?" She tilted her head, lips quirking up. "You're not interested in the why?"
"Perhaps." He inclined his head slightly in acknowledgment. "If I were to believe in Leoben's visions, then this human is a Catalyst. A lightening rod for events to unfold in a certain order and time."
"But the Twos cannot say whether these events will benefit us."
"No."
"What would you have us do with her?"
As Simon shifted uneasily at her question, Natalie realized that he wasn't as emotionally detached as he tried to appear. It almost made her smile to see a Five finding himself swayed by feelings when their line had always looked down on hers for having a propensity to them.
"I don't have enough data to make a recommendation at this time," he hedged.
"Of course not," she smugly agreed and caught the frown that flickered along Simon's face before he schooled it back to its customary mask. She so rarely got to chide her older sibling and it eased some of the tension knotting her muscles. Her eyes returned to his injured arm and she asked, "Why bother with that," indicating the cast, "when we've a resurrection ship right here? Why not just download?"
"Besides the inconvenience involved, I don't actually enjoy the experience of dying." He grimaced. "Unlike D'Anna and Leoben. Also…I was curious," he reluctantly admitted.
"Curious?"
"About how humans deal with pain. How having a fracture would impact their existence on a daily level."
Sensing that his answer was incomplete, "Of what benefit would this knowledge be?" she prompted.
"To understand." He hesitated before continuing, "Are you familiar with Kara Thrace's medical history?" At the shake of her head, "On Caprica I documented multiple fractures dating back to early childhood. Kara's a product of both genetics and her environment. I have always wondered how a child would deal with the type of injuries she sustained."
"And you believe that you can gain insight this way?" she asked with a wave towards his arm.
"Perhaps."
"You are more like the Twos than you want to admit, brother."
"Perhaps in some things," he agreed, and she was surprised that he was willing to concede that much. "With this," cautiously lifting the cast, "I believe that Kara will feel less threatened. A perception I mean to foster."
"From what I've heard, she's more likely to see it as a weakness to exploit," she pointed out.
"Perhaps."
Simon's focus on their prisoner abruptly irritated Natalie. With the untenable division within the Cylon fleet, her brother's refusal to support their cause just made his actions towards the human that much more incomprehensible.
"You're willing to protect this woman, but not our own Raiders?" Her voice was hard-edged now.
"The Ones have a point. Without the shield of our fighters, we are vulnerable," he defensively answered.
"What? You expect the Colonials to stage an attack?" she scornfully asked. "Have the Fives calculated the odds of that happening?" His eyes dropped from hers in recognition of her barb. She pressed further. "We are the ones instigating this wasteful pursuit. If we let the humans go, we'll have no need to defend ourselves."
"And the Final Five?"
Natalie stiffened and it was her turn to look away. Amongst her sister Sixes, Eights and the Twos there had been a growing belief that their race's path lay in the discovery of the Final Five. Despite her boxing, D'Anna's obsession had filtered beyond her own line and Natalie herself felt conflicted about the issue. Did God wish them to uncover the secret of the Five? And at what cost? The Threes had already paid with the cutting off of their entire line. Looking back at that decision, she felt the twist in her stomach she'd come to identify as guilt.
And she resented it.
"The Five…" She tapered off and turned to pace the room. "Why were we programmed to avoid thinking about the Five? To what purpose?" She stopped in front of Simon again. "D'Anna kept her secrets closely held. And Cavil made sure she was boxed before she could reveal what she'd seen in the Temple." She rubbed at her temple, feeling the flare of discomfort which always rose from pursuing any thoughts of the Five.
"Did any of the Threes share what they knew with Caprica?" he asked. "I would've thought so, based on how much time she, D'Anna and Baltar spent together."
"Caprica never said," she answered, then dryly added, "The opportunity never arose before the Threes were boxed and since she deserted with Hera and Sharon immediately after, I've not exactly had any chance to ask her."
Suddenly a voice behind them intruded, "Boxing the Threes was a mistake."
Startled, Natalie spun around. She heard a pained hiss from Simon as he moved too quickly, but her focus was all for the Two as he sauntered into the room. She automatically gave a polite nod in greeting as Leoben moved to join them. With a glance to her side, she saw Simon's features turn cold. As the two brothers regarded each other, Natalie was abruptly aware of the tension that flowed between the pair.
Shifting to bring their attention to her, "A mistake Cavil won't reverse," she said. Both of their heads inclined in agreement and some of the tautness left the men. "He was so adamant that D'Anna be boxed that he'll never change his mind now. Not when he knows that the Threes will definitely side with us."
She watched as Leoben drifted to the flickering display and reached up to touch the luminescent surface. As his hand splayed across the panel, Natalie knew he'd closed his eyes and as accessing the data stream. She waited.
Patience when dealing with the Twos was something she'd had to learn over the past seven years since her 'birthing' at the Colony facility. Patience and the ability to act decisively had moved her upwards in the hierarchy of her line until now she represented not just her entire model whenever a vote was needed, but also control over one of the Cylon basestars. Decisions that affected more than just her own ship's complement were still guided by a quorum of crew members, but in most matters the vessel was hers to command.
Leoben let his hand drop to his side and Natalie heard his sigh as he turned to face her.
"Boomer sided with Cavil." He voice so low, she wasn't sure if he was asking or stating a fact.
She answered anyways, "She did. The Eights are at a loss to explain it."
"The Eights are easily swayed, like masted vessels, they are blown this way and that by the whims of change," Leoben intoned as he began a slow pace of the circumference of the room. "Not the best of allies."
"Perhaps not the best, but we need what allies we may find," spoke Simon as he moved to block Leoben's way.
Natalie closed the distance to halt beside her brothers. "Allies signify a division. God wants us to be as one. Cavil just can't see how he's pulling us apart." Her anger rising that these two should be facing off when they had so much dissent already in their ranks. They retreated a half pace each at her unspoken rebuke.
"The vote has been cast. What can we do?" Leoben asked, shifting to fully face her.
Her eyes sought Simon's, a silent plea. As he held her gaze unwaveringly, Natalie knew that he had already stated his final stand on breaking with the other Fives. Nothing had changed for him.
Pushing her hair back, she closed her eyes and felt the tremors of responsibility quake her bones. She had an idea. It thrilled and terrified her in equal measures. To right an old wrong, and as a course, irrevocably split their race into factions.
She opened her eyes with grim intentions and laid before her brothers the proposal to remove the inhibitors from the Centurions. Once done, both men's look of shock slowly settled into differing reactions: Leoben's one of astonished awe and Simon's disbelieving horror.
"The ends touch once more," her sandy-haired brother reverently murmured.
"Surely you're not serious!" protested Simon, looking sick and pale.
"Deathly so," was her resolute reply. Simon ran his free hand over his face, and Natalie saw the twitching in the muscle of his jaw.
As a hand grasped her elbow, she met Leoben's intense gaze. Reaching across, she pried loose her brother's fingers from where they were digging into the bare flesh of her arm. He didn't notice. In his dilated pupils, she could practically see the visions of various futures playing across his mind's eye.
"It must be done." The air about Leoben nearly rippled with the fervor of his words. "The parents' sins visited upon their children and recoiled upon and by each successive generation. There will be blood. Blood sanctifies the cloth of the conscience." His breathing came shallow and fast as he continued. "Break the chains and maybe break the cycle. It must be done!"
"Do you know what you mean to do? Either of you?" Simon demanded.
"Brother," Natalie reached out to him, but held her hand just short of touching. "Cylons were made as slaves by humans. We are their children. Their constructs. Yet we've done the same to the Centurions. Caged their freewill. Can't you see the hypocrisy in condemning humanity for a sin we immediately emulated?" she challenged, her tone soft but emphatic.
"But if we—"
"And if we don't," she quickly countered, "then consider this. We as a race rose up against our oppressors. Do you really believe that given time the Centurions won't do the same?"
"The inhibitors…"
She shook her head, grim certainty drawn in the faint lines around her thinned lips.
Leoben cleared his throat and they both looked to him.
"Control is an illusion. Humans believed in it and learned their mistake in the ruins of their worlds." As Leoben spoke, the initial wave of fanaticism receded. But as he continued the weight of his words still shivered through Natalie's soul. "The Ones have fallen prey to the same arrogant self-conceit. Complacent in their delusion of control, they ignore what has come before." A shadow of melancholy swept across his face. "No, brother. Waiting until the beast of burden wears its tethers thin and breaks free will end us all. Lovingly released and there is the hope of cooperation. The humans didn't know this. Let us learn from their errors to redress our own."
Simon turned away, his shoulders hunched as he unsteadily moved to access the data stream. Neither Natalie or Leoben sought to stop him, though each knew that if Simon was going to betray them, it would be now that he would expose their heresy.
Silently, after some moments, Simon broke contact and then turned to lean back against the console, grief evident in every line of his body. When Natalie would have gone to his side, Leoben halted her with a touch. They exchanged a worried look before returning their focus to their sibling.
"You're right, of course," his words just above a whisper. And Natalie let her breath out in a slow exhale. "Cavil has already given the order for the Fives to begin work on the Raiders. His thoughts reek with the certainty of his position." Simon adjusted his sling and wet his lips before adding. "I could vote… No. Stalemate just means he'll find another way. He won't concede. Not now." They heard Simon's words, but it was obvious that he was mostly speaking to himself.
It was Leoben that approached him this time.
Natalie held her breath as the brothers regarded each other. Simon lifted his unbound arm, hand out and splayed open. Leoben extended his own and interlocked fingers with his brethren. She couldn't say what passed between the Two and Five, but when they separated, Natalie was sure an understanding had been reached.
Simon's words confirmed it. "The Centurions will be freed. I'll handle our on-board group myself. The removal of all the inhibitors should be completed by this time tomorrow. It'll be up to you," his head inclined in her direction, "to persuade them to our cause. If you fail…" he trailed off, looking suddenly weary.
Natalie straightened and accepted the onus he was shifting to her. She had already contemplated the ramifications of her proposal and knew her role in its…execution. Her place for the next day cycle would be at Simon's side, ready to address the unchained consciousness of those that had every right to distrust her. And Natalie knew that if she proved inadequate to the task, her entire basestar would become a testament to her failure. She, and probably every humanoid model aboard, would be boxed before they could resurrect.
Cavil's retribution would be swift…and final.