nexus_crossings | A reminder to not count your Earths before they've hatched.

A reminder to not count your Earths before they've hatched.

It is not unusual to find Adia in the Plaza. She is there frequently enough, sitting in front of a Nexus terminal or fixing herself a cup of coffee. It is not even unusual to find her accompanied by pokémon. This time it's only one, a large bird that stands nearly as tall as she does. It stays close to her seat, keeping a watchful eye for suspicious characters.

What is unusual is the expression on her face.

Adia has come to the Nexus upset before, but this is different. All her nervous energy is gone, replaced with a washed-out, nearly lethargic appearance. She's holding a children's drawing in her hands, staring at it for long seconds before folding it along well-worn creases. She picks at a corner, staring into the distance, then unfolds it and starts the process all over again.

This goes on for several minutes until Bucky, wise bird that he is, gently nudges her with his beak. Coming back to herself, she blinks and looks around, remembering where she is.

"Something... something bad happened back home. A lot of people are... really upset. And losing hope. How do you come back from that?" She looks down at the picture and whispers, "How do you learn to hope again?"

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If the reminder of his people's population stings at all, she does not show it. Indeed, this is the one instance where her Fleet's smaller numbers are a benefit. "We would have the same problems as you, but on a much smaller scale. And no scouts, so far as I know."

No, what hurts is the fact that his people all seem to be on the same page. "I don't know how the Fleet would respond to relocating to another universe," she admits. "Especially now, with the rebel Cylons joining us."

"It is a drastic decision," he agrees. "One that requires much thought and debate."

Her mention of her new... allies... does prompt a question of his own, now that it feels appropriate to do so. "These rebel Cylons... what is the cause of their war? Do you trust them?"

"I wish it didn't rest on my shoulders," she admits. "Telling someone about the Nexus, I mean." If anything went wrong, she'd blame herself, despite how many variables would be out of her control.

It takes her a moment to reply, but not out of a reluctance to talk about the Cylons. Rather, she's trying to remember what she's already told him on the subject. "The Cylons come in two types: an older, mechanical model called Centurions, and a newer, biological version. Originally, both the humans and the Cylons assumed that there were only seven biological models, but it turns out that there are five more... the Final Five, the Cylons called them. One of the models -- a One -- tampered with the memories of the other Cylons so they wouldn't remember the Final Five or wonder about how they came to be. He also tried to take away the free will of the Centurions who weren't cooperating with him. This led to the Cylon rebellion. The Twos, Sixes, and Eights fled in a basestar with a small contingency of Centurions and came across our scouting ship that was looking for Earth."

There's a pause as she glances over at her messenger bag, something like disappointment or regret on her face, before continuing to explain. "In exchange for help finding the Final Five, the rebel Cylons destroyed their resurrection hub. This made the Cylons -- all Cylons -- as mortal as us. That's a pretty huge sacrifice, so..." She sighs. "Yeah, I trust them."

He doesn't understand a few of the words she uses, but the context helps. A basestar must be some sort of ship, and while he doesn't know what 'resurrection' means, if this hub's destruction created a state of mortality for the Cylons, that's enough for him to get the gist. "It is an act of proof that does not make sense if it were meant to trick you into lowering your claws. One that also weakens those who remain your enemy."

She'd elaborate, if she knew. As it is, she's glad that she doesn't need to explain the concept of a sentient robot. The Cylons naturally obfuscate things by referring to themselves by their model number. "Yeah, exactly. But it's still not enough for some people. The Ones and the... the Fives were the most brutal, when we were under Occupation, but the Twos, Sixes, and Eights all have blood on their hands. I think for the people who suffered most, it's not whether the Cylons can be trusted, but if they deserve it."

"That is quite understandable," Faris agrees, though he doesn't know where exactly he would fall on the spectrum of forgiveness here, were he in her place. "Willingness to start again is the right thing to do, but your people have been in battle for some time. These rebels' decision to turn against their own people does not undo what they have done in the past."

"They were willing to exterminate us," she says, although there is no heat in her words. Cylons attacking humans was merely another turn in the vicious cycle of violence that seems to plague her people. "But some of that might have been motivated by the Ones and their memory tampering. Otherwise, they wouldn't have tried to kill the Final Five."

Although she no longer seems quite so despondent, her shoulders are still slumped in an obvious display of defeat. "There's a saying in our Sacred Scrolls. 'All this has happened before and will happen again.' It's supposed to be uplifting, of how life moves in cycles, but lately I keep applying it to our situation and wondering if we're doomed to keep making the same mistakes. Earth was supposed to be a utopia of science and technology, and they did the same damn thing we did." She frowns. "Maybe it even happened on Kobol, and that's why the thirteen tribes fled. And now the Cylons are at war with one another... it makes peace seem that much more unattainable."

Faris tilts his head to the side as he considers what she's said. "Yet some of these Cylons have joined you. Surely that is a cause for hope? Defeating an enemy in battle is not the only way to reach peace."

"It is," she agrees reluctantly. "But not to everyone. And if we can't learn how to integrate the Cylons into the Fleet, then we won't be strong enough to fight off the enemy Cylons." She frowns worriedly. "Something tells me that the Ones are the vengeful type."

Faris knows that he doesn't know enough about the details of her situation to be entirely critical, but there is one thing he does know. "That is no reason not to try. You do not need to walk the same paths as before if you learn from what came before. If you allow despair to make your path, you have already surrendered."

She stares at him a moment, taking in his advice. It was such a heartbreak to know that Earth was a destroyed planet, its people long dead, but almost worse was the knowledge that they died the same way, in a war with sentient robots.

But... already things were different for her people. They had allied with Cylons. And maybe it wasn't perfect, but it put them one step ahead of any of the previous Cylon Wars.

"You're right. Even if we can't avoid some of the same mistakes, we can at least not walk the same path."

It may be a hard thing for her to accept. Faris has seen many instances where a Shontin or K'da became consumed by doubt and fear, to the point where they gave up all hope of ever finding a peaceful place to live. Not all of those stories ended happily.

But it is right to offer a tail when someone is drowning. It is up to them to grasp it, if they wish to save themselves.

He dips his head a little, when she acknowledges that. He wishes he had more answers for her, but if all he can do is encourage her own flame to light, then that is what he will do. "It can be difficult not to follow those that came before, especially if it is all you have known. But as all living things must grow from cub to adult, or from seed to tree, so does a people as a whole. Even when that growth causes pain, on the other side is the fullness of life."

It is difficult to ignore the doubt that comes with forging a new path. The thirteenth tribe was supposed to be enlightened, and yet they could not escape their annihilation. If she has to hope for something, it's that her people can rise above their differences with one another and the rebel Cylons.

"You've given me a lot to think about, Faris. Thank you." Despite coming to the Nexus for advice, she doesn't expect anyone else to fight her battles. What encouragement he has given her is more than enough. "It's too bad we aren't from the same universe. My people would greatly benefit from the wisdom of yours."

He drops his lower jaw in a K'da smile, the closest he can approximate to the human version. "You are most welcome." And then, to her second statement, "Perhaps if our peoples do use this place to find a new home, we may find a greater understanding together. I am sure that my peoples would benefit from knowing yours as well."

Her bird companion tilts his head a little in confusion over that strange smile, but Adia has seen it before, and recognizes it for what it is. She smiles back -- small, but genuine. She knows that Faris is not actually a dragon, but it's hard to resist the impression that she's receiving wisdom from one.

Hoisting the strap of her messenger bag over her shoulder, she prepares to leave. Her time in the Nexus is always too short. "It'd be another thing we'd have in common," she agrees, although she doubts that her people have much knowledge to offer his. Perhaps they'd make a good example of what not to do when your artificial creations gain sentience.

No matter how small her smile, Faris takes heart that he has been able to help her somewhat, even if only in words. A tiny seed of hope may one day grow into a towering tree, if it is nurtured. "Indeed," he agrees.

He can tell from her body language that she has places to be, and as it happens, so does he, so he won't keep her. He bows his head towards her. "Warrior's luck to you, Adia Costas."

She is no warrior, but perhaps that is the kind of luck she needs, anyway. "You, too," she replies. His situation is more similar to hers than anyone else she's met in the Nexus, but she hopes those similarities don't include what has happened to her most recently.

Bucky balks a little when she stands up, but she reassures him with a gentle scratching of his feathers. "Just going back to my ship," she tells him. "I'll see you later."

She uses her PINpoint to teleport away. Bucky lets out a worried warble, then looks over at the dragon-like alien. He bobs his head once before spreading his wings and flying away. He has a high bar for who in the Nexus he trusts to be around Adia, but Faris has managed to pass it.

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A reminder to not count your Earths before they've hatched.

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