Hiding in plain view. ((open to anyone!))

[chiron_survivor]

She didn't flee to the Nexus immediately. At first, she was just in shock. The cylons were back, except this time, they were running the government. A "coalition" government, but everyone knew what that really meant.

It didn't make sense to her. They hated humans. Why not just destroy them and be done with it?

Her boyfriend assumed it was some sort of elaborate revenge plot, or a way to salvage the aspects of humanity the cylons considered worth keeping. He wanted her to agree with him, to be red-hot about it, too, but Adia was too distracted. She kept seeing Caspar's face -- the one she thought she knew -- and comparing it with the ones she kept seeing, wherever she went.

She could tell it was bothering him, that her attention was elsewhere.

Later, in the middle of the night when she knew she wouldn't be missed by any humans, and prayed she wouldn't be missed by any cylons, she PINpointed to the Nexus.

She sat at a Nexus terminal and typed out a message for anyone to read.

The cylons are on New Caprica.

Only then did she cry.

Comments

[slayers-desire.livejournal.com]

April was closing her store when her PINpoint beeped. Glancing at the message from Adia, she didn't quite understand. But she did get a wave of emotion from the text, and knew her friend was upset.

Using the message, she PINpointed to where Adia sat. Seeing her in tears, April quickly came up and pulled her into a hug.

[chiron-survivor.livejournal.com]

Adia is surprised to see April. Maybe she erroneously assumed that it was the middle of the night everywhere, or that she wasn't worth anyone's immediate worry.

She doesn't return the hug so much as sag into it. It's obvious that she is still upset, and scared, but she's also relieved that it's April who found her first. "It's... they showed up a few days ago," she whispers tearfully. "I just couldn't stay any longer. I couldn't take it."

[slayers-desire.livejournal.com]

The middle of the night doesn't bother April. Vampires prefer the night after all.

"It's okay. You are safe here." April reassures her friend.

[chiron-survivor.livejournal.com]

"I know," she whispers, but it's good to hear. She still has her PINpoint clutched in her fist. "They aren't attacking, but they are so many of them. They're everywhere. It's like a nightmare."

[slayers-desire.livejournal.com]

"I don't know much about them. What can they do?"

[chiron-survivor.livejournal.com]

Slowly, she pulls her thoughts together. "The ones that look like humans... I don't know. They aren't really different from us, physically. But they have an army of Centurions. They have guns. And the human-looking ones control them."

[slayers-desire.livejournal.com]

The situation sounds a little familiar to April with what she and Clark are facing with the Kandorians. But she takes Adia's hand, and comforts her again.

"Are you scared of going home? Because we always have a place for a friend to stay."

[nevertrustcrows.livejournal.com]

Lichtenstein was walking back from a house call when his PINpoint started making noise. He slowed to check it, coming to a stop to read easier. A surge of panic -or was it anger?- prompted him to sprint the rest of the way home. As soon as he was in the door, his medical bag dropped to the floor and he cursed at his PINpoint while he tried to sift out the coordinates.

A minute later and he'd PINpointed to Adia. A quick glance around to ensure no evil robots were around and he crouches by Adia to better catch her eye. "Are you hurt?"

[chiron-survivor.livejournal.com]

Adia is by herself -- as by yourself as you can be in the Nexus, anyway. She's stopped crying, but her eyes are red-rimmed and bleary. It's a delayed surprise when Lichtenstein arrives and she wipes at her face with the back of her hand, embarrassed.

"No, I'm not hurt." She looks down at him, baffled. When it comes to cylons, Adia thinks, you're either dead or not dead. There isn't really a "hurt" middle ground. "They... they aren't killing anyone. I don't think."

[nevertrustcrows.livejournal.com]

He gives her a quick glance over. No bruises, scratches, not even dilated pupils. Nothing at all to suggest she was hurt beyond sadness and shock. He sighs with relief, a tiny hint of a smile for her then. "Good."

A quick pause while he pulls over a chair, then he frowns at her. "What happened?

[chiron-survivor.livejournal.com]

She tries to pull herself together while he grabs a chair, still embarrassed, but touched by his concern. "They found us," she answers. "I don't know how, they weren't supposed to..."

She trails off, biting back a sudden surge of bitterness. The whole point of giving up on finding Earth and settling on New Caprica was to stay hidden from the cylons! It wasn't fair.

"A-anyway, they landed and... oh gods, Martel, there are so many of them. They want-- they say they want to set up a provisional government with us. They're everywhere now."

[nevertrustcrows.livejournal.com]

His frown deepens. Why would they do that? They could have a whole civilisation of their own, away from humanity. It certainly doesn't sound safe. If they have a capacity for revenge, perhaps they plan on enslavement. He very nearly insists then and there that she stay in the Nexus.

"Have they forgiven you? What are they doing? Are they watching you?"

[chiron-survivor.livejournal.com]

"They said their God wants them to forgive us." She says it in disbelief -- cylons believing in a god. Just one. She leans in, her fear returning. "They're setting up some terms with President Baltar. And yes, they are watching us. They already put two of the human-looking models in my lab -- one to work with us, and one to supervise."

That reminds her of something, and she adds, somewhat darkly, "I think I know now why your attempt to contact Caspar didn't work."

[victormakesart.livejournal.com]

Victor's out for a midnight stroll in the Nexus, or what counts as a midnight stroll. She's wearing rollerskates and pushing herself around with an old, cracked oar made of wood so old that it's grey.

Then she sees her buddy crying and she knows her universe is hard so something must have gone down. "Adia? Adia, what can I do?"

She doesn't know the extent of the damage, and that's causing a hot knot of fear in her stomach. It's like when she's on patrol and she walks into an ambush; it's like that moment right before a mousetrap snaps shut. Anything could be going wrong right now.

[chiron-survivor.livejournal.com]

The sight of Victor paddling herself along on rollerskates is so bizarre (and yet so Victor) that all Adia can do at first is stare.

Then she laughs, because it is a silly sight, but it's short-lived, dissolving into a watery whimper. "The cylons found us. They're on New Caprica right now."

[victormakesart.livejournal.com]

"Aww, geeze," she says, with a big frown on her face, and she almost slides backwards but then she rows herself to a chair. "Is there anything I can... I mean, what're they even doing there?"

[chiron-survivor.livejournal.com]

"Right after we found New Caprica, one of ships exploded. The cylons were able to trace it back to us." She shuts her eyes and pinches the bridge of her nose, tired but angry. "The whole reason we settled on New Caprica was because it was invisible to the cylons' DRADIS system. We were supposed to be safe there."

[victormakesart.livejournal.com]

She loosens the bright purple laces on her skates, slips socked feet out of them (one sky blue, one with orange and pink stripes). "What are your options now? How does DRADIS work again?"

[chiron-survivor.livejournal.com]

She opens her eyes again. "It's how we detect other objects in space non-visually," she explains. "It's tied into our navigation system so we can jump through space without crashing into anything. I'm guessing the cylon version works the same way." Her voice becomes steadier -- technical talk helps. "But the DRADIS can be fooled by certain phenomena. New Caprica is in a nebula, which the DRADIS can't see through."

Options. Adia hadn't thought that far. "They're offering a truce in exchange for setting up a provisional government with us. We don't have a choice."

sneaking in a bit late <_<

[sole-captain.livejournal.com]

The response from Oceanglide is short and to the point.

Are you in danger?

[chiron-survivor.livejournal.com]

It's a comforting feeling, to see Oceanglide's name pop up on her PINpoint, regardless of how long or short the message is.

No. I'm in the Nexus.

((It's never too late! I'm happy you tagged. <3 The only thing is that RL is kind of crazy right now, so I hope you don't mind if my tags are sporadic and slow.))

[sole-captain.livejournal.com]

Were it another Decepticon, he'd have requested - ordered - a situation report, but Adia is not Cybertronian. And something about her news throws him a little. The simplicity of the announcement, perhaps, devoid of demand or warning. A message without attached expectations is unusual of late.

Would you be averse to a visit?

((:D I don't mind that at all! RL's having a similar effect for me. Hope you're keeping OK!))

[chiron-survivor.livejournal.com]

She starts to type a response, then pauses. Is she? Does she want Oceanglide to see her like this? He's her friend -- that she does not doubt -- but there is an understanding, too, of what falls under that domain, and she isn't sure being a soppy mess is included.

It's the way he phrased his question, the gentleness of it, that finally gets her typing again. You can visit me. I'm staying in the Nexus for a little while longer.

((Trying my best, hope you're keeping OK too!))

[sole-captain.livejournal.com]

I will be there shortly.

One might question what that means, with the Nexus definition of time. But it's only a few minutes before Oceanglide arrives in the area and seeks her out, his steps slowing as he approaches her.

His armour's less polished than usual, a few dents and scrapes visible. But it's been well scrubbed, and the smell of chemical astringent lingers with him. His manner is a little different, too - there's a sort of diffident caution to him, as if he's expecting to deal with trouble. He looks about with unconscious coolness, stops a few feet away.

"Adia?" His voice is quiet, cautious. He wants to take stock of her reaction. Robots are perhaps not the easiest sight for her right now.

((Not bad, thank you!))

[chiron-survivor.livejournal.com]

It's enough time for her to wipe at her face and try to look presentable, although she can't hide her fatigue or her red-rimmed eyes.

She looks up when she hears her name. It is fortunate that he bears little resemblance to a Centurion; she concentrates on the differences. "Hi," she says softly. Fishing around for something to say that won't end in a sob, she adds, "Thanks for coming."

It sounds weak, to her, though she means it. She's glad she's here, even if it only shows in the way she slightly relaxes the grip on her PINpoint and doesn't turn away from him.