When Laura Roslin met Madeline
Laura knows that the number three model found skulking about the bowels of the Astral Queen is going to be a problem. Rumors of a Cylon hiding out on a ship that holds no tactical advantage are already seeping out into fleet, spurring rampant speculation on why the model would infiltrate their fleet but remain on a ship with limited access to the rest of the fleet.
She is not worried about the speculation or the rumors. The rest of the fleet can and have been lied to before and this time will be no different, but she, herself, does not like the mystery the situation presents. She has only recently regained her position and a Cylon infiltrator could do a lot to unsettle the fleet’s confidence in her. Not the fleet's opinion would matter much since Baltar’s reign has shown her that she has to maintain her grip on the presidency no matter what, but still having an answer would make things simpler.
In light of this, Laura has decided that she is going to have to use her, and Bill will just have to live with her decision. Letting Madeline know that they need her is never a good policy since Madeline, unlike Tom Zarek, is an actual threat to their leadership; but the idea of letting the Cylon’s activities within the fleet since they have left New Caprica go unchecked is an even greater threat to their leadership and the security of the fleet.
As soon as she signals to Tory to get Madeline, Laura regrets it. Her own interactions with the enigmatic woman have been limited, but she has known of Madeline since her time with the Adar administration. Richard once pointed Madeline out to her and mentioned that she was a part of a shadowy government agency. At the time, he was worried that she knew about their affair and would use that as leverage; but after the world ended, Laura found out that Madeline would have never wasted her time with their petty affair. Madeline would have found or created something far worse for them if she was interested in leverage.
She doesn’t turn around to greet Madeline until she has heard the click of the woman’s heels come to a rest. She is another Cain, Laura thinks to herself before she begins speaking, “A Cylon has been found in the Astral Queen and there is no evidence to suggest that the Cylon has left the ship. I need to know why the Cylon decided to leave New Caprica with us and what it has been doing since New Caprica. Can you break it?”
“Of course,” Madeline answers with a face that betrays nothing and a tone that only reveals the slightest hint of indignation.
The woman reminds Laura of a Cylon, efficient, logical, and deadly. Only, Laura knows that Madeline has no interest in becoming a human. “How can you be so sure that you will succeed?”
“It’s been programmed for a purpose. A purpose is something like a desire. And desire is always weakness.”*
Laura wonders if Madeline has ever desired anything other than control. She knows about the incident with Madeline’s sister and how that must have been a grave lesson in control for a young Madeline. She almost wants to ask, almost wants to seek some form of ally in Madeline; but in the end, she refrains because while Madeline is a valuable asset, Laura knows that one day she will have to have her killed and she knows that Madeline is thinking the same thing about her.
She is not worried about the speculation or the rumors. The rest of the fleet can and have been lied to before and this time will be no different, but she, herself, does not like the mystery the situation presents. She has only recently regained her position and a Cylon infiltrator could do a lot to unsettle the fleet’s confidence in her. Not the fleet's opinion would matter much since Baltar’s reign has shown her that she has to maintain her grip on the presidency no matter what, but still having an answer would make things simpler.
In light of this, Laura has decided that she is going to have to use her, and Bill will just have to live with her decision. Letting Madeline know that they need her is never a good policy since Madeline, unlike Tom Zarek, is an actual threat to their leadership; but the idea of letting the Cylon’s activities within the fleet since they have left New Caprica go unchecked is an even greater threat to their leadership and the security of the fleet.
As soon as she signals to Tory to get Madeline, Laura regrets it. Her own interactions with the enigmatic woman have been limited, but she has known of Madeline since her time with the Adar administration. Richard once pointed Madeline out to her and mentioned that she was a part of a shadowy government agency. At the time, he was worried that she knew about their affair and would use that as leverage; but after the world ended, Laura found out that Madeline would have never wasted her time with their petty affair. Madeline would have found or created something far worse for them if she was interested in leverage.
She doesn’t turn around to greet Madeline until she has heard the click of the woman’s heels come to a rest. She is another Cain, Laura thinks to herself before she begins speaking, “A Cylon has been found in the Astral Queen and there is no evidence to suggest that the Cylon has left the ship. I need to know why the Cylon decided to leave New Caprica with us and what it has been doing since New Caprica. Can you break it?”
“Of course,” Madeline answers with a face that betrays nothing and a tone that only reveals the slightest hint of indignation.
The woman reminds Laura of a Cylon, efficient, logical, and deadly. Only, Laura knows that Madeline has no interest in becoming a human. “How can you be so sure that you will succeed?”
“It’s been programmed for a purpose. A purpose is something like a desire. And desire is always weakness.”*
Laura wonders if Madeline has ever desired anything other than control. She knows about the incident with Madeline’s sister and how that must have been a grave lesson in control for a young Madeline. She almost wants to ask, almost wants to seek some form of ally in Madeline; but in the end, she refrains because while Madeline is a valuable asset, Laura knows that one day she will have to have her killed and she knows that Madeline is thinking the same thing about her.