236 - What does respect mean to you?

[number_eight]

Athena's answer

I think it's something that I get from only a few people, but it's important. To me, at least, it's highly important because of who and what I am. I'm a Cylon. I know Cally never respected me, and I am not going to speak ill of the dead. I know President Roslin (or is that ex-President Roslin?) obviously didn't respect me when it came to Hera. She was probably frakking pissed off when she found out she was sharing a vision with two Cylons over the Cylon-human hybrid that she had told me was dead.

Mr. Adama didn't, I think. I should count myself lucky that he actually called me "Athena" during our missions together. It took a long time for Admiral Adama to get there – a year, basically, while most of the human race was struggling to survive on New Caprica and I was stuck in hack.

Karl's the only one that I know I can count on, no matter what. Even though he shot me (I forgive you, baby), once he knew that I was pregnant, he stayed by my side, defending me to Kara and most everyone else. I don't know how I can thank him for that, really.

[Locked]

I'm worried that I lost The Old Man's trust and respect after I shot that Six. I wouldn't take it back for the world, but I still wonder at times.

[/Locked]

I don't know. What does respect mean to me? I guess it means start treating me like a human being. If we can treat these other last Cylons as humans, then I deserve that, too.

Boomer's answer

He called me his pet. His frakking pet Cylon. For all I know, the other Eights are all dead and I'm the last of them, but then again, once D'Anna twisted Cavil's neck, I didn't exactly feel sorry for him. I felt… relief.

I thought that if I would side with him that I would be making a difference since I frakked up everything on New Caprica with Caprica-Six. Our plan didn't work and I still wanted to just be "Sharon". To be me, not to be some caretaker of that half-human thing simply because we were the same model. I wanted so much, and instead all I got was another download and then Cavil coming to my rescue, saying he thought I was important.

He respected me, I thought.

I thought wrong.

A "pet"? No. No one calls me a frakking pet, but at the same time, what could I do? Where could I go? I had betrayed everyone -- again, just like I had on Galactica -- so I ran after he was "killed". I ran out of The Hub and…

I'm not a pet. I'm Boomer. And sure, maybe I've frakked up a lot, but that doesn't mean that I should be treated without the same respect the other models are given. It just… it doesn't. It doesn't.

Number Eight's answer

While We respect the decision that Natalie, our Cylon Rebellion Leader made in order to unify all of the Cylon models, We cannot stand by her any longer. She shouldn't be boxed the way that the Three models were, but at the same time, she cannot be respected by Us any longer and a mutiny must occur in order for peace to exist.

A new leader is required, one who is not afraid to say 'no' to what the other Cylons believe, yet one who can be trusted, unlike Boomer.

What is respect?

It is knowing when a model is deficient, accepting it, and moving on. We will follow you, Athena.

By Your Command.



Muse: Sharon "Athena" Agathon, Sharon "Boomer" Valerii, and Number Eight
Fandom: Misc. TV/"Battlestar Galactica"
Word Count: 611