At The World's End Part 3
By Athena13
Copyright: 1998-2000
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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 13 - Rated PG-13
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"What were you and Starbuck doing?" Bojay demanded as soon as Athena entered their quarters.
"What?" Athena asked in confusion.
"I said," Bojay grabbed her arm, "what were you doing with Starbuck!"
"You're hurting me!" Athena pulled her arm away and cradled it with her other hand.
"I'm sorry," Bojay apologized. "I...I saw you two...he was touching your cheek and then he hugged you."
"We went flying, like I told you we were. He was just talking to me about Father and Apollo, trying to convince me to forgive them," Athena smiled and grasped Bojay's face in her palms before planting a kiss on his forehead. "You were jealous."
"No...well...yes. I hate it when any other man gets near you. I know how irresistible you are," he growled and slipped her jacket off her shoulders to drop carelessly on the floor. His eyes slid over her body in a heated caress and then his hands followed suit. "Never enough," he murmured before pressing his lips against her neck and nibbling.
Athena's head fell back with a pleasurable sigh. Her hands rested on his shoulders before slipping around his neck.
Bojay nibbled on her ear as his hands worked the fasteners of her tan warrior's garb. When it was opened he quickly doffed it leaving her bare to the waist and open to his skimming fingers, lips and teeth. For endless centons he licked and nibbled on her sensitive nipples goaded on by her mewls of pleasure.
Her hands were splayed against the back of his head. One of the arms had the telling imprint of a hand beginning to bruise.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You wanted to see me Father," Apollo said as he walked into Adama's office.
"Yes, have a seat," Adama moved out from behind his desk and put his hands behind his back and waited for a moment. "You know that I believe in you Apollo, but it's been a few sectons and there's been no more incidents. I'm not so sure that what happened to Athena had anything to do with Iblis. Perhaps the Lords of Kobol did heal Athena, I can't argue too heavily against the medical opinion of Doctor Wilker, but since then nothing."
"He's probably trying to lull us into complacency," Apollo jumped up and began to argue.
"Wait," Adama held up a hand to forestall him. "The only strange things that have gone on have been you and your sister's behavior. If Iblis is indeed trying to get vengeance I don't see how having us at odds with each other helps us. Lord knows I don't want to tell either of you how to live your lives, but I am very saddened by the way Sheba has been hurt and very surprised at your very public relationship with Doctor Porta. I know your intention, but I'm not so sure the ends justify the means."
Apollo's face hardened at his Father's berating.
"I at least would like to request that you attempt to make amends with Athena in time for her natal day next secton," Adama said. "Perhaps at the celebration this late cycle?"
"I take this to mean that Porta is still not welcome at our table," Apollo said angrily.
"Sheba is a member of our family," Adama said.
"Funny, you didn't feel that way when Starbuck brought Cassiopeia," Apollo shot back.
"Athena is being put back into active status," Adama said calmly, ignoring Apollo's remark.
"An order Commander?" Apollo asked in a cold tone.
"Yes, Major. Dismissed," Adama said, his mouth pursed.
"Yes, Sir," Apollo said before spinning on his heels and leaving.
Adama watched him leave before returning to his work.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"What was it you needed to talk about?" Cassi asked. "I'm supposed to meet Starbuck in ten centons for the celebration in the Officer's Club."
"I'm going too. That's a beautiful dress," Biehn ran a finger over the silky lavender material that comprised the wide straps that ran from her waist to cover her breasts before tying behind her neck. A slightly darker purple silky material made up her long skirt.
"You didn't insist I show up here to discuss fashion," Cassi scowled, but didn't move away from his proprietary touch.
"Not really, no," Biehn agreed, but didn't stop his finger from sliding under the material and running over her skin. "How does this undo anyway?"
"Biehn!" Cassi said warningly and moved back.
Biehn sighed, but didn't resume his caress.
"I was thinking about what that woman said, about someone you know. Do you know anyone who would know about the substances this Lily makes? Someone who would know where to go and what these substances could do and how to use them?" Biehn asked.
Cassi's eyes widened with realization. "Let's go back to the Targus," she said insistently.
"What about the celebration?" he asked.
"Not now, as soon as possible," she said. "Starbuck has patrol in the early cycle with Athena."
"All right," he agreed. "Can't wait."
Cassi eyes him suspiciously before breezing out of the room.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Athena," Starbuck cleared his throat.
"Starbuck," Athena turned around to face her wingmate.
"Have you given any more thought to what I said earlier?" he asked.
Athena glanced around the crowded Officer's Club before responding. "I'm appreciate your taking the time to fly with me and all, but it's probably best if you don't get in the middle of Apollo and I," she said.
"You're back in the roster. We're scheduled for patrol again," Starbuck informed her.
"I hadn't heard," Athena smiled brightly.
"The Commander ordered it," Starbuck said.
"I don't know what changed my father's mind, but it's a good thing we got some practice in. I promise to try not to crash on you this time," Athena put her hand on Starbuck's arm as she teased.
"Har...what happened to your arm?" Starbuck tried to clasp her arm.
"Nothing," Athena shrugged and smoothed the filmy material of her half sleeve over her arm and the yellowing bruise he had spotted.
"You sure? Maybe you should go to the Life Center," he said worriedly.
"It's no big deal, just a bruise. It won't interfere with flying," she said.
"I'm not worried about your flying," he scowled.
"Then don't worry at all. Where's Cassi?" she asked and looked around the crowd.
"She's around her somewhere," Starbuck finally said, letting the subject drop.
"Better find her. I have to find Bojay," she said.
"He's over there watching us," Starbuck smiled and waved at the man. "He hasn't taken his eyes off of you." Starbuck looked as if he wasn't sure that was such a good thing.
"Bye," Athena waved and rushed off.
Starbuck watched his old friends intently for a moment before turning around and disappearing into the crowd.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Glad to see your arm is bare," Starbuck said pointedly when Apollo arrived alone, his dislike of Apollo's affair with the biologist was no secret.
"I didn't think Porta would enjoy this," Apollo said tightly.
"Or Sheba," Starbuck agreed. "I can't believe I'm moralizing."
"Me either," Apollo said.
"How about a drink instead?" Starbuck offered.
"She's over there," Starbuck said a few centons later as he handed Apollo a cup of grog and caught the man looking like he was looking for someone. "Why don't you just listen to the Commander and forget about Iblis and make things up with Sheba. I'm sure she'll eventually forgive you if you begin to grovel now."
Apollo was troubled as he took a sip of his grog.
"Where's Porta?" Cassi asked as she found the two warriors.
"He didn't bring her," Starbuck informed her as he placed his arm around her bare shoulders.
"You two are still?" she asked.
"Yes," Apollo sighed.
"I just wanted to talk to her," Cassi said as she shook her head almost imperceptibly at Biehn who was watching her from afar.
"See you later," Apollo thrust his cup at Starbuck and stomped away.
"You just got here!" Starbuck called after him.
"I didn't mean to upset him," Cassi said.
"You didn't. The Commander and I took care of that. That and seeing Sheba looking so happy," Starbuck said.
"She doesn't look happy now," Cassi observed Sheba watching Apollo's disappearing back. "Let's go to her."
"Sure, in a micron," Starbuck held up the two cups of grog he was stuck with and looked at them questioningly, then with a grin he tipped one of them and began to drink.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Athena, I need to speak with you," Biehn caught her unawares and away from Bojay at the back of the Club.
"Not now," Athena toyed with one of the clasps on her warrior jacket and looked around nervously.
"He's playing pyramid, he won't see us," Biehn sounded mildly disgusted.
"I don't care about that and there isn't anything to say," Athena denied angrily.
"Sorry, this is important," Biehn said.
"Fine," Athena agreed.
"I told you before that I was drugged and set up, what I didn't tell you is that it was Bojay who did the drugging. We suspect it was to get me out of the way and so he can get to you. We've also discovered that Porta, the woman that Apollo is seeing is involved. She's a biologist and the woman who I never met before that you caught me with identified her and Bojay," Biehn said to an increasingly angry Athena.
"I really misjudged you, you're a bigger liar than I thought. And who is 'we' anyway?" she taunted.
"Cassi is helping me because she found the drug in my system. Porta is her friend and she believes me. If you'll just go with her to talk to this woman, her name is Lily. Or go on your own. Just be careful of Bojay," Biehn warned.
Athena opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. With a slight nod she turned and walked away.
Biehn ran a weary hand over his forehead and watched her go.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Athena paced around her and Bojay's quarters mumbling to herself.
It was as if she woke up and couldn't remember where she was nor how she had gotten there. One micron she was on the bridge and the Pegasus appears and the next she was here living with Bojay and isolated from her family. She had seen with her own eyes the reason why she shouldn't trust Biehn, but she couldn't dismiss what he had said out of hand. She wasn't sure why. Perhaps, she thought, it's because this isn't the first bruise you've had to hide since you began living with Bojay.
As much as she tried to pretend otherwise, her brushes with his temper were becoming more and more frequent. And more and more frightening. She could hardly go to her brother or father at this point, nor could she bring herself to admit she might have acted hastily in getting romantically involved with him and moving in with him so quickly. When she had tried to broach the subject of Bojay's temper with the person who knew him best, Sheba, her friend had told her she knew Bojay had a temper and sometimes he had brawled with other warriors on the Pegasus. There had been nothing telling in Sheba's manner to indicate that he might be anything other than temperamental.
"Maybe it is me?" Athena wondered aloud. Bojay had apologized for his outbursts, always claiming it was because he cared about her so much. That seeing her talking with other men or spending too much time with anyone else, even her nephew, made him jealous. "No one has ever cared about me that much."
Still, she knew that Biehn and now Cassi wouldn't leave her alone until she could definitively show them they were wrong about Bojay. If Cassi was involved, then Starbuck probably knew about it and he didn't seem to be getting along with Bojay these days either.
"Maybe Biehn is manipulating Cassi?" Athena suddenly thought. "I should do this, for Cassi's sake. Maybe Sheba will come with me, she'll want to protect Bojay too."
With that in mind, Athena began to prepare for bed. Bojay liked it when she was waiting for him that way. She didn't glance at the looking glass while she undressed. If she had she might have seen the other bruises in various states of healing that stood out glaringly on her pale skin.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Thanks for coming along Sheba," Athena said as she and Sheba settled in on the shuttle that was taking them to Targus. The ship where the woman Lily was supposed to live.
"Nothing would please me more than to prove Biehn and Cassi wrong. I can't believe she's falling for his lies about Bojay. Now, about Porta I could believe," Sheba said bitterly.
"Me too," Athena agreed. Maybe she should be worried about Apollo?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A little over a centar later the two women were of markedly different miens when they entered the shuttle waiting room on the Targus.
"Maybe Porta is manipulating Bojay?" Sheba suggested.
Athena didn't answer.
"I believed her," Sheba closed her eyes tiredly.
"Me too," Athena whispered.
"Then we have our work cut out for us Athena. We have to try and protect Apollo and Bojay from this woman. We should tell Adama what we found out," Sheba straightened her back.
"You really think Bojay is innocent?" Athena asked.
"He's my wingmate Athena. I thought you loved him?" Sheba asked.
"I...I do. I...he...we really rushed into everything because I was angry at Apollo and my father. I guess I'm just having second thoughts," Athena forced a smile.
"You don't still have feelings for Biehn do you?" Sheba asked.
"No, definitely not," Athena assured her.
"Bojay really adores you Athena. I've never seen him this passionate about a woman before," Sheba said.
"Passionate, good word," Athena thought to herself.
"I should warn Apollo," Athena said out loud. "Or maybe Starbuck should? He's probably willing, he made some unflattering comments about that woman on patrol earlier."
"I knew that scoundrel had sense," Sheba muttered as she rubbed her arms as if she had been struck with a chill.
Athena grinned suddenly. Starbuck with sense? Nah. Then she sobered up.
"I have to meet Bojay when we get back, can you go talk to Cassi?" Athena asked.
"Are you going to say anything to him?" Sheba asked.
"I might try and see if he knows Porta," Athena said. "I don't want to upset him."
End Chapter 13.