Title: At The World's End Part 3
Author: Athena13
Copyright: 1998-99
Disclaimer: This is a fiction story based on the series Battlestar Galactica and its characters created and owned by Glen A. Larson. This story is not being sold for profit and no infringement of any copyright rights are intended. All unrecognized characters and plot lines are mine and any resemblance to any person living or dead is purely coincidental.
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Chapter 12 - Rated PG
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Off Status until further notice
Medical Clearance not to be granted
Orders of Commander Adama
The Words were as clear as day on the screen in front of her, still Athena couldn't believe what she was seeing. The implications sent a shaft of pain through Athena's heart. Her hands trembled as she pressed a button to download a copy of the record into her handheld. Any guilt she had felt at hacking into the Life Center records no longer existed.
"I'm sorry Athena," Bojay said quietly from where he was standing behind her.
"I just can't believe he would do this to me," Athena shook her head, fighting back tears at the evidence of her father's betrayal.
"I'm sure it wasn't entirely his idea," Bojay defended his commander.
"Apollo," Athena said flatly. The perfidy of her family was no longer so unbelievable. Not with these words staring her in the face.
"What are you going to do?" Bojay knelt down next to her chair.
"What can I do?" Athena asked hopelessly. "They're my superiors. Who can I appeal to?"
"Confront them," Bojay urged.
"And then what? Resign my commission and leave the Galactica?" she wondered aloud.
"No, don't let them win! Demand to be reinstated to your position. They have no right to do this to you. And if you need a place to stay I'm sure we can work something out," Bojay clasped Athena's hand in his own. "I was looking for a way to ask you to live with me. I know you don't think we've been together long enough to be sealed, but maybe you'd consider living with me?"
"Oh Bo, what would I do without you?" Athena pressed her lips to his forehead.
"You don't have to find out. You know I'll always support you, even if I'd feel better if you were safe on the bridge. I wouldn't stand in your way," Bojay smiled up at her. "I know you can get your father to reverse his orders. In fact, I expect to see your name on the next flight roster, even if Apollo's the one who draws it up!"
"You're right! I won't let them push me around anymore. If they want me to remain a member of their family they're going to have to treat me like an equal! Apollo has crashed plenty of times and no one ever considered for a micron removing him from his position! He even got promoted after he gallivanting off with some widow and her son and considered not coming back!" Athena felt the fire returning to her blood.
"That's the woman I know," Bojay stood up and pulled Athena to her feet. "Go now while you're still fired up."
"I will! Thank you for motivating me to look into this. I know you have patrol with Sheba now. Send her my love," Athena slipped her arms around Bojay's waist.
"Can I keep some for myself?" Bojay asked teasingly.
Even knowing he was teasing didn't prevent a blush from spreading across Athena's features. "Yeah," she said shyly.
"I love you too," Bojay whispered and pulled Athena into his embrace.
"You might just be the only person who loves me unconditionally," Athena whispered.
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"So where have you been wingmate? I haven't seen you since our last patrol?" Bojay asked Sheba as soon as they were clear of the fleet.
"Around," Sheba gave him another one word answer, as she had been doing since they had met in the launch bay.
"I wish you'd talk to me about Apollo. Or at least let me beat him to a pulp," Bojay sighed at his wingmate's uncommunicative behavior.
"Don't mention that name to me!" Sheba's voice held more than a hint of menace.
"You're not the first person to say that to me this cycle," Bojay remarked dryly. "Athena isn't too pleased with her brother right now."
"She isn't fighting with him because of me is she?" Sheba asked, despite her resolve not to talk about that man.
"Initially, she was just angry at him for that, now she's livid on her own account," Bojay assured her. "Adama ordered Doctor Salik to hold up Athena's medical clearance, you can guess who was behind that."
Sheba was silent for a few centons as she tried to get her mind around this new Apollo she was seeing. Had she been blind to who he really was all this time? Her lack of confidence in her own judgment was turning her back into the person she had been when she had first come on the board the Galactica. Back then Apollo and his family had drawn her out of her shell, as had her dear wingmate and even Cassiopeia, her former nemesis. Now she didn't know who to turn to other than Bojay, and he seemed to have enough anger on his plate.
"So what say you that after we get back I take my two favorite ladies to the Rising Star for some fun? I know Athena will need our support, she's confronting her father right now," Bojay suggested.
"Maybe that's good idea," Sheba said hesitantly.
"Sheba, it's nothing new. He was always like this, you refused to see it," Bojay told her.
"You did try to warn me. I didn't know why you thought that about him, but I guess you knew
him a lot better than I realized," Sheba sighed.
"It's a deal then. Athena and I might just be on the look out for quarters together today, we could use your help," Bojay said casually.
"Bo!" Sheba exclaimed. "You daggit! You never said a word to me!"
"I'd been wanting to ask for a while now, it's come up but Athena was hesitant to make waves with her family. Now it's an ideal time. Supposedly there's no room in the women's barracks, but I bet that's Apollo's doing so Athena will have to stay with her father," Bojay explained.
"That doesn't sound very romantic," Sheba chided.
"I don't mean it to sound that way. I wanted this all along, it's just that now Athena needs my support," Bojay said.
"You're a good man Bojay. Athena is lucky to have you," Sheba smiled for the first time in days.
"That's what I keep telling her," Bojay grinned.
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"Athena, how did your exam go?" Adama stood up as his daughter unceremoniously entered his office.
Athena's jaw tightened at her father's blatant fakery. "How about we cut the games. I didn't bother going to today's appointment because, as you know very well, I wasn't going to get clearance."
Adama's face fell at his daughter's words. He had hated being deceitful with her, even if it was for her own good.
"Don't," Athena put up a hand to stop Adama from speaking. "How many times have I had to listen to you or my brother tell me you're doing something to me for my own good? Are you going to still be saying that to me when I'm in my eighties? When does it stop? When do I get to make my own choices and decisions about what is for my own good? I'm tired of being treated this way."
"Athena, there are things you don't know or understand," Adama started to explain, as much as he felt he could.
"Why, because I'm stupid? Too young? I don't care to hear the explanations. There is no good reason for you to have gone behind my back and ordered me out of the ranks. You were never planning to let me fly, that's why there is not place for me in the barracks. Are you going back on your word?" Athena fought hard to stop the tears that filled her eyes from spilling over, but she wasn't entirely successful.
"That was never my intention Athena," Adama said tiredly.
"Are you going to put me back into the cockpit or do I resign my commission and leave this ship? Either way, being out from the watchful eyes of my protectors is probably my best option," Athena lifted her chin and stared her father in the eyes.
"I'll rescind my order. I hope that someday you'll understand," Adama said quietly.
"How do you expect me to understand my father and brother constantly lying to me and trying to run my life?" Athena shook her head. "It doesn't matter, I don't intend to let it go on for another moment. I'm not staying her another micron. Bojay and I are moving in together and I've already secured empty quarters for us, far from both you and Apollo."
"If that's what you wish," Adama said.
"As if that ever mattered," Athena said bitterly before walking out.
Once in the hallway, Athena's head drooped and sob escaped her lips. Her hand reached blindly for the wall to support herself. An overwhelming need for Bojay to be that wall of support swept over her. He was the only one who hadn't betrayed her.
End Chapter 12