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.
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Chapter 14 - Rated PG-13
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Sheba tried to find Cassi as soon as the shuttle landed, but her friend wasn't anywhere she had looked. Her only choice now, she felt, was to find Apollo herself and tell him what a complete fool he'd been. All in all not a very difficult chore.
"Not now Sheba," Apollo turned away and tried to escape when Sheba had found him.
"It's important Apollo, it's about Athena," Sheba said in an even tone.
Against his better judgment Apollo found himself turning back around to hear what she had to say. He wasn't even aware of the hunger that emanated from his eyes as he looked at her. "Lords I've missed her," he admitted to himself for the first time since embarking on his self-sacrifice.
"It's a long story, but the bottom line is that your friend Porta is up to something and Athena might be in danger," Sheba began.
"If you're going to insult her I don't want to hear it," Apollo interrupted.
"Porta is responsible for drugging Biehn and setting him up with that woman Athena caught him with. Athena and I spoke with her ourselves earlier. Cassi and Biehn believe that Bojay is somehow behind it with her, but of course I don't believe that. Unless Porta is manipulating him like she is you," Sheba said.
"What?" Apollo's brow was furrowed in confusion.
"Why Porta would want to hurt Athena I don't understand either, unless she thought she was doing her friend Cassi a favor. Or to get at you, make you vulnerable worrying about your sister? I don't understand why, but I believed the woman we spoke with. She's clearly frightened of Porta and refused to speak with Council Security and give a statement," Sheba tried to explain.
"Speak with Cassi, she can explain it better than I can," Sheba pleaded when Apollo still looked doubtful. "For Athena's sake."
"Fine, where's Cassi?" Apollo asked.
"I'm not sure, but let's go find her," Sheba said.
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[Deserted Corridor on the Galactica]
"She said she would talk with her?" Biehn asked Cassi for the third time.
"Yes, Biehn. Are you sure you aren't trying to get her back?" Cassi was exasperated.
"Cassiopeia," Biehn gently placed his hand on her soft cheek. "I told you that I don't have eyes for anyone but you." He leaned down and placed a whisper of a kiss on her other cheek. "Only you," he repeated over and over again, each declaration following another gentle kiss over her face.
Cassi's blue eyes were wet and wide as she melted into his ministrations.
Finally his lips brushed against her lips.
Cassi's eyes closed and her mouth opened.
Biehn suckled her lips before slipping his tongue across hers while his fingers massaged the back of her head. Cassi slid her arms around his neck and her body melted into his strong, firm form.
Biehn pulled back and looked down at her for an endless moment before capturing her lips for another searing kiss. When she broke it off to catch her breath he slid his arms around her body and held her close.
"I know you want to deny this, but there's something between us that won't let you. You're a brave, sensitive woman Cassiopeia and you're meant for more than being the decoration on the arm of an arrogant warrior," he told her.
She fought her way out his embrace.
"Starbuck cares for me," Cassiopeia told him, her chin tilting.
"I find it very easy to believe that, but is he in love with you? Are you in love with him? That I don't believe, not after how you just kissed me," Biehn challenged.
"Just a kiss," Cassi looked away.
"You of all people know there's no such thing as just a kiss that feels that way. My mother was a socialator, she taught me about different types of kisses. That was not the kiss of someone who is in love with someone else," he countered.
"Your mother?" Cassi was genuinely surprised.
"She committed the ultimate error, she fell in love with one of her clients. A warrior, my father. He loved her too, when he was planetside long enough before he was killed. She carried on with her profession until the day she died, but she always loved him," he said.
"She wasn't ashamed of who she was Cassi, you shouldn't be either," he continued.
"I'm not!" Cassi denied.
"I know you're a wonderful med tech, but you're settling for less than you want," he said.
"I don't want to be a socialator anymore," she said.
"You want to be a doctor, not someone's assistant. It's important, but I know that you have more in you," he said.
"I do, and I will, when I have time," she said.
"You mean when you get tired of waiting for Starbuck to commit?" he asked.
"That has nothing to do with it," she crossed her arms.
"If I were your boyfriend, or husband, I'd support you in whatever you wanted to do. And I'd know that there was something more you needed," he promised.
"You don't know what you're talking about. I have to go," Cassi turned to leave.
"I wouldn't take a chance that you might get away, you're too special Cass," he said softly.
Cassi didn't dare wipe the tears off her cheek until she heard the door snick shut behind her.
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"Did you and Sheba have a good time shopping?" Bojay asked Athena as soon as she entered their quarters.
"We didn't find anything. We did run into one of Cassi's friends, actually I think you know her," Athena said casually as he wrapped his arms around her.
"Who," Bojay asked absently as he lifted up her hair and began to kiss her neck.
"Doctor Porta, she's a scientist of some kind," Athena said as her eyes slid closed.
"Don't think I know her," Bojay said.
"She's the woman Apollo is seeing, actually," Athena's eyes opened and her mouth curled in distaste.
"Oh, her, I've seen her around," Bojay dismissed.
"Probably with Apollo. Listen, Bo, we need to talk," Athena said.
"Now," Bojay stopped kissing her and looked at her, his face tight.
"Please?" Athena asked.
"Sure," Bojay shoulders stiffened and he crossed his arms expectantly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Starbuck," Cassi was startled to find the warrior in her quarters.
"I've been waiting for you," he said.
"How come?" Cassi tried to tell if he was angry, but his manner only seemed nervous.
"I wanted to talk you about something. Why don't you sit down," Starbuck tried to sound calm, but failed miserably. Once she was sitting he continued. "I know that you've been distracted and I know why."
"Let me explain," Cassi's heart was pounding as she tried to figure out how to explain her preoccupation with Biehn. Confronted like this, she suddenly couldn't make herself explain it was all in the cause of investigation. Nervously, she licked her lips and decided to say the first thing that came to her mind.
"No, I'm the one who should explain. Well, not explain, but fix things. I know that I've said I didn't want to get sealed until we found Earth and I realize how unfair that is to you and well, if you want to take the seal, well, I want to," Starbuck said hurriedly.
Cassi's mouth closed with a snap and her eyes widened in shock.
"That didn't come out right," Starbuck ran a hand over his moist forehead. Then he took a deep breath and got down on one knee in front of her. Taking her cold hand into his he looked up at her.
"Will you seal with me?" he asked in a roughened voice.
"I...no," Cassi said.
"What?" Starbuck said.
"I mean, I...uh...," Cassi gasped as she played her response over in her head.
"I really mean this Cass," Starbuck said.
"Yes, yes, I will," Cassi said, breathing rapidly.
"You won't be sorry," Starbuck promised and stood up.
"No, I won't," Cassi said hollowly.
For at least a centon the pair were frozen in position looking at each other. It was all too surreal.
"Um, could you help me out here?" Starbuck pleaded.
"Sure," Cassi threw her head back and laughed as she stood up and threw her arms around him. "I was wondering if I was imagining this. I'd like nothing more than to be your wife."
"Good," Starbuck said huskily before capturing her lips.
Cassi returned his kiss with an almost desperate fervor as she tried really hard not to picture Biehn as the prospective groom wrapping his body around hers just then.
Starbuck, for his part, ran his hands over Cassi's enticing curves and lost himself in the sensation of seducing his lover and future-wife.
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"Sheba and I didn't go shopping," Athena admitted.
"Where did you two go? You were with Sheba weren't you?" Bojay asked.
"Yes, yes, we went to visit this woman name Lily on the Targus. Cassi thinks she's responsible for setting up Biehn and that Porta put her up to it. We didn't want to, but we believed her," Athena began.
"What does Biehn or Apollo's lover have to do with you?" Bojay asked in a clipped voice.
"Biehn thinks that you had something to do with setting him up so you could get to me," Athena said.
"And you listened to him? I thought this Porta woman put her up to it?" Bojay said.
"I don't believe you had anything to do with it Bo, I'm just telling you what some people believe. What that woman said. I don't know this Porta woman very well, but I know that she's made Apollo behave in ways that aren't normal. I don't know what she's trying to achieve, but..."
"But you need to talk with Biehn and Cassi's lover Starbuck. Any other former lovers of yours we should call in?" Bojay snided.
"Bojay, I'm worried about Apollo. And you. If this woman has it in for you for some reason who knows what she'll do," Athena said.
"Your concern is touching," Bojay approached with a smile on his face.
"I care about you Bo," Athena whispered, her eyes wide.
"Don't worry about me. This Porta is no threat to me," he cupped her cheek.
"But she is to Apollo, I need to go try and talk to him," Athena told him.
Bojay had been leaning over to kiss her, but when he heard Apollo's name he flinched and pulled away.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"We were hoping you were here," Apollo said.
"Did we interrupted something?" Sheba looked from Cassi to Starbuck suspiciously.
"We're wonderful," Starbuck said, putting his arm around Cassi's shoulder, uncaring that their partial state of dress gave away just what had been interrupted.
"Starbuck doesn't know yet," Cassi straightened her tunic.
"Know what?" Starbuck asked.
"You know the most Cass, why don't you explain it to both of them," Sheba suggested.
"Some time ago Athena caught Captain Biehn with another woman, immediately after that incident Biehn showed up at the Life Center presenting signs of disorientation and dizziness. I tested his blood chemical levels and made some strange findings, like he was drugged," Cassi said.
"By whom? For what reason?" Starbuck interrupted. He remembered the incident well. He had held Apollo back from attacking the other Squadron leader, even though he had wanted to do it himself.
"He claims it was to be Bojay so he could get to Athena," Sheba said dryly.
Apollo and Starbuck looked at each other with comprehension dawning in their eyes.
"He didn't know that at the time, all he knew is that he had been drugged and he had never seen that woman Athena found him with before," Cassi said. "It was a little while later that he came to believe it was Bojay who was responsible. He said he was worried for Athena and asked me to help him prove it."
"Why didn't he ask me?" Apollo asked.
"Because I had gotten the proof that he had been drugged and he didn't want it to get around until he knew more," Cassi's cheeks pinkened.
"And? Did you link Bojay to this?" Starbuck asked.
Cassi and Sheba exchanged looks.
"Possibly," Cassi said diplomatically. "We found the woman that Biehn had been with and we talked with her. She identified Bojay as one of the people that...urged her to help them set up Biehn. The other person she identified was Porta."
"She was quite frightened of Porta, so frightened that I think Porta forced her to implicate Bo," Sheba said.
"Porta?" Apollo asked doubtfully.
"She's a friend of mine Apollo, I don't want to believe it either. You and Athena talked with her Sheba, she seemed credible," Cassi said.
"She did," Sheba reluctantly agreed.
"So what's the connection between Bojay and Porta?" Starbuck asked.
"They come from the same town on Caprica," Apollo suddenly realized.
"So Bojay used Porta who's knowledgeable in the human body to drug Biehn so he could get to Athena," Starbuck filled in the blanks.
"Maybe it was the other way around. The woman was scared of Porta, she seemed in charge she told us," Sheba interjected.
"Has anyone mentioned this to Bojay?" Apollo asked, clearly not fully believing this incomplete story.
"Athena was going to ask him about it when we got back," Sheba said.
"Let's go find them," Cassi said uneasily, Biehn's warnings clear in her mind.
"And Biehn. I'd like to clear all of this up," Apollo said stiffly.
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"I knew he was wrong, you couldn't be trusted," Bojay's fingers tightened around Athena's cheeks. She tried to pull out of his grip.
"Orion told me what an honorable, kind girl you are, but he was just another fool wasn't he? You're just a whore like the rest of them. Apollo's whore," Bojay's brown eyes were black and flashing.
"Bo," Athena gasped.
"I thought she was pure too," Bojay released Athena's face and, ignoring the purplish bruises that were already appearing, backhanded.
She fell to the floor. Shocked and in pain, Athena stared up at him.
"You believe them. They always lie, Caylin. You know that!" Bojay kicked her prone form.
Never could she have imagined that the sweet man she had adored could be this violent animal. Over the past sectars she had seen his temper, but she believed him when he said he had never meant to hurt her. And she had always bruised easily. This, this was not that same man. She couldn't even understand what he was saying. She had never even heard of anyone named Caylin.
Athena scrambled back, Bojay still looming over her.
"I don't believe them," she gasped through her tears.
"Apollo, Apollo, Apollo, always Apollo," Bojay jerked her from the floor by the arm until he could reach her neck with his hand.
"Bo, Bo," Athena tried to reach through his haze. Desperately, she tried to fend him off.
"Nooooo!" Bojay raged and threw her against a table.
Ignoring the searing pain in her hip, Athena ran trying to reach the door.
"You're not leaving me!" he grabbed her by the hair and yanked her back. His fist wrapped around her neck. "I'll never let him have you."
Spots were beginning to flash in front of her eyes.
"Never," he swore.
Suddenly he let released her and she fell to her knees drinking in air.
Away. She had to get away.
Keeping her head down she half crawled, half sprinted for the door. She screamed from her raw throat when his hand wrapped around her ankle bringing her sprawling face down on the floor.
"Get your hands off her!" Apollo's voice whipped out.
Athena wasn't sure if she was dreaming or if her brother was really there.
"Caylin, your lover is here!" Bojay laughed wickedly and dropped her ankle.
"Put the laser down," Apollo warned.
Athena felt Apollo's footfall by her ear. He was here! Frantic with relief she crawled behind him and towards the door. A warm safe hand grasped hers and she looked up, wild eyed, to see Starbuck's cloudy eyes offering her a haven.
Silently, he crouched down and cradled her and then brought her out of the room.
Safe, Athena closed her eyes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Put the laser down!" Apollo ordered again, his own laser aimed with a steady hand that belied the pounding in his chest that had begun the moment he had heard his sister's scream and had opened the door to find Bojay pointing the laser at her back.
And then her bloodied face.
It took all of his self control not to fire regardless of what Bojay did.
Behind him he heard Starbuck take Athena out of the room.
"You want to kill me," Bojay prodded. "And I want to kill you!"
"Bojay!" Sheba's voice snapped.
Bojay looked towards his wingmate.
"Don't stop me Sheba. He hurt you. You never should have loved him. I warned you. He takes all of the women who love me and then he hurts them. He should die," Bojay reasoned with her.
"Bo, I can help you. Please give me the laser," Sheba walked towards him.
"Sheba, stay back," Apollo warned.
"Bo, I love you. Give me your laser," Sheba ignored him.
"No, he must die, you see that. Porta was going to take care of him for me, hurt him so he couldn't hurt anyone. But that slut, his sister, had to ruin it," Bojay yelled.
"No, Bo!" Sheba raised her own weapon.
The room flashed for a few microns.
The laser dropped out of Sheba's limp hand. Her face contorted in pain.
Apollo's arm dropped to his side, weapon held firm.
Bojay's weapon fell to the floor, to land beside his body.
End Chapter 14