Chapter 9: The Last Truce We Ever Came To

[mutantwrites]

Chapter 9: The Last Truce We Ever Came To

The blue light glowed, and then went off. Racetrack sat up, looking around curiously at the assembled people. "Did we find it?" she asked eagerly. "We found a planet?"

Bill steeled himself. "No. But the project is over."

"Wait, what? You said that when this was done I would-"

"We had to end it for unforeseen reasons. Thanks to your service, you have an option. You may return to your cell on the Astral Queen, or you may accept a dishonorable discharge from service and join the civilian Fleet."

"What's the difference?" Racetrack muttered. "Either way you just sit around doing nothing." She looked up at Bill. "Skulls still in the Astral Queen?"

"He's headed back there now, along with Zarek."

"Back there? Was he an Active?"

Topher leaned in. "Remember, Admiral, as far as she's concerned, she was just made an Active. She has absolutely no recollection of the past month."

"I'm sure Skulls will have his own explanation," Bill told her.

Racetrack's shoulders slumped. "I'll go there, then," she said. She was so angry- he could see it in every line of her body "I wasn't supposed to wake up until we found someplace. That was the deal."

"The deal had to change."

Victor extended a hand and helped Racetrack out of the chair. "You don't remember me," he said, "but it was a pleasure working with you."

Racetrack stared at him like he was insane, shrugged, and headed for the door, where two marines were waiting. "Well, let's get this over with."

"We'll do Narcho next," Topher said. "Gaeta's going to be the tough one."

"Why?" Laura asked.

"Because no time has passed," Bill realized. "He's going to come out right where he left him." He turned to where Hoshi was lurking in the door, watching the entire process with wide, horrified eyes. "Get back to the ship."

Hoshi straightened. "Sir, I really think-"

"No. Do you want him thinking that you were in on any of this?" Hoshi shook his head. "Wait with the others." Hoshi obeyed and disappeared from the door.

"He could have stayed for Narcho," Laura said quietly.

It hurt to have to say it, but Bill knew it was true. "Narcho changed his mind at the last minute. This one isn't going to be easy, either."

"I see," Laura said coolly.

He ignored her gaze and stared forward. Sierra helped Narcho to the chair. There was a genuine affection in her touch, like an older sister for a younger brother, or more accurately a babysitter for a favorite charge. Bill held his breath, waiting for that moment when this stranger was gone and the pilot that had served under him sat up again.

"I thought it was dangerous to swap imprints this quickly," Laura said quietly to Topher.

"Dangerous," Topher agreed, "not undoable. It's the kind of thing where if you do it once, no harm's going to come of it, but if you keep doing it, it has a cumulative effect on the Active's brain."

Laura made a face, but she didn't press the issue.

The blue light glowed around Narcho's head, and Bill braced himself. As the light went off, Narcho began to twitch.

It was Sierra who lunged in, grabbing his wrists. "Don't fight it baby," she was murmuring. "It's all right. It's all right."

Bill remembered the firing squad and his ship stripped away from him, and set his jaw.

Narcho's eyes flared open, and he began to struggle in earnest. "It's all right," Sierra kept saying. "It's all right. It's over. It's all right."

He stopped fighting. "Now that you're here," he said, and then added, "what the frak? Who are you? I don't know you- get off me."

"It's all right," Sierra repeated, but Narcho didn't answer her. He just glared, and then softened a little as she retreated a little. Sierra smiled sadly, and then pulled all the way back.

"What happened?" Narcho began shaking. "The last thing I remember you were strapping me into a chair and I was telling you I'd changed my mind and then everything got all fuzzy and…" he shook his head. "You really did it, didn't you? You really took my mind and my memories and… how much time has gone by?"

"Narcho." It was Laura that spoke up. "Lieutenant Hoshi is here. Do you want him?"

"Louis?" Narcho blinked. "He-"

"He had nothing to do with this project, but he has been extremely concerned for your safety." Laura flicked a glance at Bill, warning him not to argue. "If you would like to speak with him, that can be arranged."

"I… Yeah." Narcho ran a shaking hand through his hair. "I think I… yeah." He looked relieved.

"They can use the conference room across from this one," Laura told a waiting marine in the tone of an order. The marine nodded and extended his hand to Narcho. Narcho ignored it and got to his feet himself. He passed Bill, not looking at him, his shoulders hunched and his fists clenched. Bill couldn't look at him.

"That's it. Just Gaeta left, then," Topher said.

"What about Victor and Sierra?" Laura said, steel in her tone.

"No," Sierra said.

Laura raised an eyebrow. "I'm not sure it's up to you to decide. You aren't actually-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Topher said, holding up his hands. "Ixnay on the abbinblay, okay?"

"What?" Laura asked flatly.

"We have a procedure for dealing with situations like this," Adelle said firmly. "We will discuss it later." Laura fixed her with a glare of death, but Adelle just met it evenly.

Laura sighed. "Fine. We'll discuss it later. Let's get Gaeta back in his body." She turned to a Marine. "Go get him."

The minutes ticked by, and Bill's mouth went dry. He didn't look at Laura, even though the back of her hand was comfortingly against his. He couldn't even say that this experiment was a failure, because it wasn't. Too many lives have been spared, too much work had been done… and he'd gotten to see Zak. One more time, in a strange sort of way, but he'd gotten to say goodbye to his son.

"I thought you needed Helo here," Lee said when the Marine returned with Gaeta, helping him into the chair. Gaeta looked tired, and like he was still woozy from the blow to his head.

Topher overheard Lee's comment. "Not really," he said with a shrug. "We won't be able to fully erase the Active-handler bond, but it won't really matter. The handler is there to keep the Active safe, and the Active is programmed to trust them and to respond to the stuff about treatments, but…" he shrugged.

"But if Gaeta's not an Active," Lee began.

Adelle broke in. "Gaeta's still an Active," she said. "They all are. They all will be, for the rest of their lives. There is no way to undo the Active architecture within the brain. Which is why, I presume, President Roslin wants the equipment dismantled and a few key parts stored out of reach, am I correct?"

"You are correct," Laura said coldly. Bill focused his gaze on Gaeta, because as hard as that was, it was easier than to think of Laura in that chair, and the price she had nearly paid for a cure. The marine helped Gaeta sit, and the chair reclined.

"Will he be all right?" Adelle asked Topher quietly.

"I'll run a quick diagnostic first," Topher muttered back, "but I think so." The chair hummed, and Bill looked at the man lying there. He saw all the people he'd been, flashing through his mind so quickly he barely had time to process them. All of those people - real, agglomerations of real people, dead people - all of them had one more chance to live, to make a mark on lives, and all of them were gone forever now. The blue light faded, and Gaeta jerked awake, screaming. The scream was raw and terrified, and Bill found himself moving in, pinning Gaeta's wrists down.

"It's all right," he said. "It's all right, Lieutenant. Calm down. Calm down." And for a moment, Gaeta was his kid again, and one of his kids needed help.

The screaming began to fade, and Gaeta looked up at him, terrified. "What are you doing to me?" he asked, his voice a hoarse whisper. "I thought you were going to kill me. I mutinied. You won. That's what…" he looked around, seeing the assembled people, and blinked. "Where's Tom?"

"Zarek is headed to the Astral Queen," Bill answered. Remember what he did, he reminded himself as his hands softened on Gaeta's wrists. Remember who you're dealing with. He's not the officer you knew. "And so are you. This experiment has ended."

"Experiment?" Gaeta asked. "You were strapping me down and there were needles and…" he shook his head angrily. "You experimented on me?" he demanded. "What the hell just happened?"

The momentary trust that had been on Gaeta's face fled, replaced by the hate and disappointment that Bill had seen in the CIC. He drew back, all of his own affection draining as well. "You're lucky you didn't end up in front of the firing squad," he said coldly. "You deserved it."

"I was ready for that," Gaeta said. "I was willing to risk it." He looked around at the people in the room again, his eyes lingering on a marine. "Is that where we're going now?"

"It should be." But that was why they had done this in the first place. Gaeta deserved execution, and part of Bill wanted to give it to him. But when all was said and done, Gaeta was one of his kids. He could have done it then, but now the anger had faded just enough that he couldn't. "But it's not. There's a difference between revenge and justice. If I'd shot you then, it would have been justice. But now, after what we've all done…. You're going over to the Astral Queen until we find a habitable planet. Then you're on your own."

Gaeta just nodded. He was overwhelmed, Bill realized, still trying to sort out what had happened. But his next question was a surprise.

"Where's Helo?"

Adelle stepped in. "Admiral, if you would allow me, I think that I should take it from here. There are procedures that are best followed in helping Actives acclimate to life after their contracts are up."

Laura put a hand on Bill's arm and gave a subtle nod, and Bill stepped back. "All right." He turned to Saul. "Stay here and make sure they don't tamper with him any more."

"All right."

Bill left the imprint room, Laura following him. When they entered the conference room across the hall, he drew her into his arms, relief flooding him. "When you didn't show up on the Inchon Velle…."

"I know," was all Laura said. He held her close, her head on his shoulder, her arms around her neck, and he was grateful that she was alive and intact. They stood together for a long moment.

"You're really granting immunity to Adelle and Topher?" Bill asked, pulling away.

"I knew you wouldn’t be able to let that go," Laura said with a tight smile. "Yes. I am."

"But they-"

"Bill, my cancer is going into remission. This isn't forgiveness," Laura said, with an arched eyebrow, "but it is practicality."

"I see. And Playa?"

"Playa is too public of a figure," Laura sighed. "She can't disappear, and we can't lock her up without saying why. And I don't want anyone knowing about the fact that I have the Active architecture."

"There isn’t any other way around this, is there?" Bill sighed. "How are you going to keep her quiet?"

"Release the name of the fifth Cylon and give her an exclusive."

That would probably do it. "This is going to be a mess, isn't it?" Bill said, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"We always knew that," Laura said. "Come on," she said, lacing her arm through his. "Let's go sort this out."

***

Helo's hand was warm in hers. Sharon touched the skin gently, rubbing it between her fingers. He opened his eyes, slowly, the lashes fluttering.

"Hey, sleepy head," Sharon said, squeezing his hand. "Welcome back."

"How much trouble are we in?" Helo groaned, putting his free hand to his forehead. He glanced down at his shoulder and winced in pain.

"Not as much as you'd think," Sharon said. She sighed. "I'm not sure the Admiral has the patience to sort everything out."

"I'm not sure he can afford to sort everything out," Helo muttered. "Losing you, me, Starbuck, and Hoshi? When we're so short handed already?" He groaned again. "What about Gaeta? And Narcho and Racetrack?"

"They're back in their bodies, and all of them are over on the Astral Queen, along with Zarek." She frowned. "Gaeta wants to see you. I've heard he's not too happy."

Helo winced. "Can't blame him. What about Zarek?"

"He's alive," Sharon said. "But I think only because Adama can't shoot him and not shoot Gaeta." She frowned. "Speaking of shooting…"

"Let's not, okay?" Helo said. "I get it, Sharon. So do you."

"All right," she said, although it didn't erase any of the guilt. But she swallowed it down and firmed her grip on Helo's hand. "It's over."

"Yeah," Helo closed his eyes. "I guess it is."

He didn't open his eyes again, and Sharon wasn't surprised. Cottle had warned her that the pain killers would make him drowsy. His breathing evened out and the lines on his face smoothed away as he fell deeper into sleep. Sharon leaned over and kissed him gently, and then got up to leave. She was flying extra CAP shifts from here until they found a new planet.

***

Bill looked over Cottle's report. Helo would be out of the infirmary in three days, but would require a lot more time before he could pilot. That was an inconvenience Bill didn’t appreciate. The news about Laura was better; her cancer was continuing to improve. Cottle noted that the only time he'd seen cancer retreat faster was when they'd given Laura the infusion with Hera's blood. The Actives- Racetrack, Narcho, and Gaeta, Bill corrected himself firmly- were no worse for the wear, although Cottle had included an extremely stern note about Gaeta needing time off the leg. Well, he'd have all the time off it he wanted sitting in a cell on the Astral Queen. Bill still wondered if he'd done the right thing on that one.

There was a knock at the door. "Come in," Bill said, not looking up. He read the last few paragraphs and then initialed it, and then looked up to see the intruder. Lieutenant Hoshi stood in front of his desk, stiff and silent.

"What do you need, Lieutenant?" he asked.

Hoshi's face was unreadable. "You asked me once, if I had known what Felix was doing, would I have mutinied."

"I did?" Bill asked.

Hoshi shrugged dispassionately. "Someone did, anyway. But anyway, the answer is no. I wouldn't have."

"All right." Bill blinked in confusion. "So what-"

"It would have broken my heart, but I would have blown the whistle. I understand why he did it, believe me. I've lost too much to the Cylons to be comfortable with this alliance."

Bill sat back. "You've never voiced an objection."

"Because you're right. As much as I hate it, as much as I do not want to so much as see anyone who murdered my husband and child, you're right. We need this alliance. I understand that. Felix- and Noel- did what they thought they had to do, but it was wrong. But so was what you did, sir."

"I'm not listening to ethics lectures from a lieutenant, especially one that served under Admiral Cain," Bill growled.

Hoshi didn't even flinch. Instead, he reached up and unpinned the insignias from his collar. "I'm not lecturing, sir. But I can't serve under you any more. That's all." He extended his hand, but when Adama didn't take the pins, he put them down on the desk. "Consider this my resignation."

He could argue. He could insist that this was desertion, and that it was punishable by imprisonment. But Bill just picked up one of the pins. They were junior lieutenant pins, he realized, even though Hoshi must be near forty and was an extremely competent officer. "Where are you going?"

A slight smile touched Hoshi's lips for a moment. "I hear the Hitei Kan is down a line worker. I'm going there." He hesitated. "Sir, I can't serve. But if you do need me… if there's a mission or you find Thornton can't handle the navigation or you can't get Felix to do it… that's where I am. If it comes to that, I will serve humanity. But I can't serve you."

Bill stood, and Hoshi held his ground. It was the look that must have been on his face when he insisted Saul let him go after Gaeta in that Raptor- the calm, quiet strength that they'd relied on in the CIC. He extended his hand.

"Good luck, Louis."

"Thank you. Good luck to you, as well, Admiral." With a nod, Hoshi turned and left the room.

Bill sat down heavily and picked up the insignias again. It was insubordination, it was desertion… it was a betrayal of its own. And yet… The quiet dignity and respect of the gesture was confirmation that he'd done the right thing in not executing Gaeta.

Bill smiled grimly and bent his head down to get back to work.

***

Shuttle duty was not Kara's idea of a good time, but she knew damn well that she was lucky that she'd just been drawing a hell of a lot of extra shifts, rather than cooling her heels in the brig or being demoted. She was readying her Raptor for the next round when she saw Hoshi approaching. He was wearing jeans and a sweater under a worn leather jacket, and he had a bag slung over one shoulder.

"What's all this?" Kara asked, hopping down from the wing.

Hoshi extended his hand. "Never thought I'd say this to you, but I thought I should say goodbye. I'm done."

Kara didn't even have to ask why. "The Old Man know?"

"I handed in my resignation in person." He looked around the hangar bay. "Feels a little strange not to be military, but I'll get used to it."

"Where are you going?" Kara asked.

"Hitei Kan."

"That's on my run. Get on in."

Oddly enough, she was glad when there were no other passengers, just a load of rudimentary medical supplies that Cottle was sending over. "You want to fly?" she asked Hoshi.

"If you'll help me land."

Kara undid her restraints and scooted over. "Come on, then."

Hoshi grinned at her and squirmed into the pilots' seat. "That's one thing I'll always regret not doing," he said. "Getting my wings. Felix and Noel will never stop lording it over me."

"I don't know. A 'remember that time I saved your guys asses?' should shut them up pretty well," Kara pointed out. She looked out at the Fleet and snorted. "They'd better appreciate what you did for them."

"Mmm."

Kara couldn't tell if he was focusing on flying or ignoring the statement. "You don't think they will?"

"I think they will. I just… it's going to be tough for a while."

"Do you still love him?" Kara heard herself asking. "Even if he's become something you didn't think he was? Something you always thought you'd hate?"

Hoshi glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, but Kara just stared straight ahead. "I don't know," he finally admitted. "But I did love them both. And that matters enough that I owe it to them both to find out if I still do or not."

"But do you think you do?" Kara pressed.

"Yeah," Hoshi finally said. "I probably do. Okay. We're coming into the Hitei Kan now. Unless you want me to tear the bottom off this Raptor, I could use some help."

"Okay." Kara moved over so she could take the yoke with him. "Let's avoid the metal flying this time, okay, Sparky?"

Hoshi grinned at the callsign, and Kara couldn't help smiling herself. Together, they guided the Raptor into the landing bay, and although the landing was bumpy, it was worlds better than the first time. They unloaded the medical supplies together, and Kara recognized Zarek's crew waiting for Hoshi. She nodded to them, and Marissa raised a solemn hand back in acknowledgement.

Hoshi picked up his bag. "Well," he said, extending his hand, "thanks. For everything you did."

"I didn't do it for you or Gaeta," Kara said, "or even Narcho or Racetrack."

"Yeah, I know," Hoshi said. "You did it because it was right. And that's why I'm saying thanks." She took his extended hand, just briefly. It was enough.

"Oh. Before I forget." Kara dug in her pocket and pulled out two wrinkled pictures and put them into Hoshi's hand. "This one's yours. Could you give the other one back to Racetrack when you're over on the Astral Queen? I'm sure she'll be happy to get it."

"I can do that." He slipped them into his pocket and then picked up his bag.

"See you around, Sparky," Kara called as he headed towards Zarek's crew.

Hoshi looked back over his shoulder and grinned. "Yeah. See you around, Starbuck."

Kara watched as Marissa extended a hand to Hoshi, and Asok took the bag he'd been carrying. For a moment, she envied him, but then she reminded herself there was no reason to envy anyone in this frakking Fleet. With a deep breath and squared shoulders, she stepped back into her Raptor.

***

Laura stood in the imprint room, arms crossed, watching as the chair and the computers were carefully dismantled. Adelle stood beside her as Victor and Sierra followed Topher's instructions.

"You know," Adelle said dryly, "it never fails to surprise me that someone as brilliant as Topher can be so inarticulate when it comes to telling people what box to put things in."

Laura snorted slightly, and the marine nearest to her raised an eyebrow. There was certainly truth in what Adelle said, as Topher kept getting frustrated and repacking the boxes himself, but Laura didn't want to be amused. Not after what they had done.

"I wish I could trust you that the wedges with Victor and Sierra's original personalities were lost on Caprica," she said.

Adelle shrugged. "They don't want to go back to their original selves. They've already coped with the Cylon annihilation once; neither of them are eager to do it again."

"Besides, you don't want Sierra remembering exactly what you did to her."

"Not particularly, no," Adelle said in a clipped tone. "It's a much more complicated story than what you're envisioning."

"I'm sure." She was, but she found it difficult to believe that she would support it. Especially back on Caprica, when humanity had options.

Sierra leaned over and helped Victor with a box. As she did, he looked up, his face lighting up at the sight of her, and Sierra kissed him playfully on the nose. Adelle's face softened a bit as she watched them. "Besides, they're afraid they might lose each other. Would you take the last connection that someone has left these days?"

"I'm sure that if you asked Louis Hoshi, he'd have a very definitive answer for you," Laura said. She sighed. "Is that why you put Zak Adama in Gaeta's body?"

"If it was, it was successful," Adelle said, looking straight ahead. Laura knew that was all the answer she was going to get.

They watched the progress in silence. Laura's shoulders were tense, and she would be glad when this particular chore was finished. She stood stiffly until the last box was taped.

"I know you probably don't want to hear this," Adelle said, watching as the marines began taking the boxes out, "but it has been a pleasure working with you, Madame President. And I do think the program was a success."

"It was," Laura had to admit. "The program did improve the state of the Fleet, and it did save my life. But don't push your luck any more."

When Laura left the Persephone, she was quite sure she'd never return.

***

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Sharon asked as she docked the Raptor in the hangar bay on the Astral Queen.

"Positive," Helo said. "Although you'd better stay here. They're not very friendly to Cylons, or to the uniform."

"And what are you going to do?" Sharon grumbled, looking pointedly at Helo's sling. "We should have listened to Cottle and waited-"

"This couldn't wait," Helo said firmly. "It's waited long enough."

"Three days," Sharon muttered, but more for the form of the argument.

Helo leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. "I'll be back in an hour."

As he walked through the halls of the Astral Queen towards the cell block, he couldn't tell if he imagined some internal tug, or if it was real. For the last three days, it felt like a part of his soul was missing, severed off, but it might just be the feeling of unfinished business.

Krells greeted him. "I'm taking you down to the cells," he said neutrally. "That doctor from Galactica wants Gaeta off his feet as much as possible."

"All right," Helo agreed, deciding that pointing out he was walking around with a bullet hole in his shoulder wasn't going to win any sympathy votes.

He was right. As they walked down through the cell block, Helo noticed a lot of open cell doors, or places where inmates were clearly visiting each other. Seelix, Skulls, and Racetrack were playing triad in one cell, and Twofer and Snake Eyes were playing some version of pyramid with a crumpled up piece of paper in the walkway between cells. He did notice that Narcho was alone in a cell, lying on the bed and staring at picture he was holding. Helo hurried on.

Gaeta's cell was far down; nearest to the head and the dining hall, Helo realized. His suspicions that this was an honor were confirmed when he spotted the worn comforter Gaeta had on his bed, and three books on the bedside table, plus the one he was lying on his bed reading. Helo leaned against the bars.

"Hey, Gaeta," he said softly.

Gaeta didn't look up.

"Gaeta," Helo said again. "Felix. How are you doing?"

No answer.

Helo sighed. "Look, I imagine you're probably pretty pissed at me right now-"

"You think?" Gaeta asked sarcastically. "After what you helped them do to me?"

"They told me that if they didn't do this, it was the firing squad!" Helo protested. "And it's not like you did anything bad. Do you know how many lives I saw you save this past month?"

"So you're saying I should be grateful that they took my mind and my free will away?" Gaeta asked incredulously. "Because I saved lives?" He snorted. "That's like telling a rape victim it wasn't rape because he had an erection."

Helo frowned. "Maybe it wasn't right," he said, "but it saved your life."

"Like there was anything left in mine to be saved."

"Fine. I'll go tell Hoshi that."

That got a reaction, albeit a small one. Felix winced, and his hand trembled a bit. "Don't tell Louis I said that," he said softly.

"I won't," Helo said. He leaned more heavily against the bars. "Damn it, Felix, I didn't come here to fight with you."

Gaeta finally put the book down. "Then what did you come here for?" he asked. "What can you possibly say that makes taking away my free will justifiable?"

"I was protecting you."

"I didn't need your protection then," Gaeta growled. "Where was your protection when I did need it, when I asked you to save my leg?"

"You know why I couldn't-"

"Yeah, I know why. But don't give me this bullshit-"

"Bullshit? I've got a frakking hole in my shoulder from when I pushed you out of the way of my own wife's gun!"

Gaeta went pale. "You're lying."

"You really think so?" Helo asked. "You really think this thing is for show? Or didn't anyone tell you about that part? Yeah, Felix, maybe I frakked up. Maybe I was in on this, because that's what I was ordered to do. And maybe I shouldn't have just blindly followed orders. But after what you did to me and my family, after what you did to Galactica… yeah. I wanted a little revenge, damn it. Just like you did. But believe me, I didn't get it."

"And I'm supposed to feel bad about that?" Gaeta asked incredulously, sitting up. "Sorry I didn't die while you were protecting me," he said sarcastically.

"How can someone as smart as you are be so frakking stupid?" Helo asked in frustration. "We've been friends for a long time, Felix. Do you think I liked seeing you that way for long? Do you think I liked watching other people living in your body? That's why I joined up with Zarek in the end. I wouldn't have stopped Adama from killing you, but I should have stopped him from doing this. That's what Sharon did, and that's what I should have done, too. You want to know what I came over here for, Felix? I came over to say I'm sorry."

Gaeta closed his eyes. "I don't know what you want me to say to that right now."

"I don't know, either," Helo said. "I guess you don't have to say anything. But I had to."

Gaeta nodded, and a long silence stretched out between them. Finally, he asked, "Is there any luck on finding a new planet?"

"Not yet."

"Tell Adama… tell him that if he wants to bring over some star charts, I'll see what I can do in locating a few more systems to check out."

"I'll tell him." Helo sighed. "Everything's going to be all right, Felix."

Gaeta's head snapped up. "What did you say?" he asked in a strangled voice.

"It's going to be all right."

"Now that you're here," Gaeta responded. "Oh, gods, Helo… what…?"

But the script was still active in some way in Helo, too. Maybe it was the routine, maybe he just needed to know, but the words came out of his mouth. "Do you trust me?"

"With my life," Gaeta responded. "I mean, I don't- Karl! What the hell is going on?"

Helo reached through the bars. "It's going to be all right."

Gaeta sat up, leaning forward, extending his hand. "Now that you're here."

"Do you trust me?"

"With my life."

Their fingers touched.

"It's going to be all right," Helo whispered. Not as part of the script, but genuine reassurance. He leaned forward just a little more, his good shoulder pressed hard against the bars, and laced his fingers lightly through Gaeta's. "It's going to be all right." He felt tears coursing down his own cheeks, and Gaeta was crying, too.

"It's going to be all right."

Gaeta's fingers tightened on his. "Now that you're here. Don't say it again. Please. Every time you do, it's like…"

"Yeah," Helo agreed. He squeezed one more time, and then withdrew his hand. They stared at each other for a long moment. "Should I go?" Helo finally asked. Gaeta nodded. "All right. But listen. If you need anything, or if you just want to talk about it… call over the Galactica, all right? I'm working comm, so you don't even have to go through anyone. We both frakked up, Felix. And I'm sorry."

He waited for Gaeta to call after him, to apologize, to forgive him, but he didn't. But when Helo made his way to the second floor and looked down through the grating, he saw Gaeta lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling, his eyes wet in the harsh light.

***

"It took you long enough to get down here and gloat." Tom was slumped at the table in the small conference room with his arms crossed and flanked by two armed guards when Laura walked in. He had managed to shave, but his weight loss was still obvious under the clothing he wore. He didn't look good, and she couldn't help but feel a little smug.

"I've been busy," Laura said. "I'm sure you've read the papers."

He cocked an eyebrow. "Yes. Playa must have been over the moon to get an exclusive with Ellen Tigh. Is that how you've kept her silent?"

"It is."

"Nicely played." Tom seemed genuine. But then, he always did. It was his specialty. Laura sighed and sat down. "I have to admit," Tom continued, "I'm a little surprised we're not having this discussion in an airlock."

"Don't tempt me."

He leaned forward. "Why not, Laura? Why are you letting me live? We both know you could kill me, and by all the rules, you should kill me. What's stopping you? It's not sentiment. You're not the sentimental type."

Laura smirked. "You know me, I'll give you that. And I know you. You went onto the Persephone to rescue Gaeta, knowing perfectly well that you were likely to die. You even went so far as to have Kara Thrace promise to shoot you if it looked like you'd be captured."

Tom's face was dark. "I won't live like that."

She couldn't say she blamed him. But Laura wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of saying that. "You're a martyr, Tom. You would give your life for some vision that you have in your head, for what you consider the oppressed and the powerless."

"I want my death to have meaning," he conceded.

"And someday, it will," Laura promised. "There are a lot of reasons I could give you that I'm not forcing you out an airlock right this minute, but the truth is, someday you might be useful. We're still at war, and there's going to come a time that we have to send someone on an assignment that we don't want to send them on. Someday, I'm going to need a martyr, and on that day, I'll need you."

Tom leaned in. "I'll tell you what, Laura. You come to me with a way to take the Cylons down, and even if it costs me my life, I'll do it."

Laura smiled. "I'll hold you to that, Tom." She stood up. "Enjoy the Astral Queen. You're here until we find a new planet or you die, whichever comes first."

"It will haunt you, Laura," Tom called as she left. "What you've done. To Racetrack and Narcho and Gaeta. What you tried to do to me."

"Of course it will, Tom," Laura said, "and I'll live with it. Just like I've lived with everything else I've done. It might not have been right, but it was best." She smiled. "Like you said, you and I are a lot alike. I'll see you later."

Her heels clicked as she left him in the room.

On to the Epilogue