Commencement I
by Athena13

Rated: PG - for strong language
See Chapter 1 for disclaimers and copyright information
See End of Story for lyric and poetry credits

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That is solemn we have ended,--
Be it but a play,
Or a glee among the garrets,
Or a holiday,
Or a leaving home; or later,
Parting with a world
We have understood, for better
Still it be unfurled
(Emily Dickinson, Ending, Book IV)
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Chapter 4
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Academy - Day 1
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Athena got off the shuttle and adjusted the bag on her shoulder before looking around. While she had been here before, either visiting her brothers or attending yet another event at which her father was honored, Athena felt as if she had never been in this shuttle depot before. A smile touched her lips as she recognized both the silliness and the importance of her perceptions.

"Weird isn't it?" Zac leaned over her shoulder to whisper in her ear. "Last chance to change your mind," he stated as he came to stand next to her. As Zac finished his offer the doors to the shuttle entry closed and the departure was announced.

"Too late," Orion chuckled as he came to stand on her other side. "We're stuck with her I guess."

Athena ignored their teasing as she tried to figure out who in the crowds were the returning students and who were what the more advanced students considered "slues." After a few microns of study Athena discovered it was very obvious.The "slues" were, like her, looking around in with poorly suppressed awe and the "leves" were busy greeting the friends they hadn't seen in a few sectons and avoiding bumping into the overwhelmed slues.

"Your bunk is down that hall over there," Zac was pointing towards one of the corridors out of the main hall.

Athena nodded absently as she tried to spot someone else she knew. A few of her former classmates had also been on the shuttle from their region, but had quickly disappeared in the crowd and onto their new lives. "Well, I'm ready," Athena looked at her brother with a confident expression planted firmly in place.

"Well then," Zac let out a sigh. "Let's go."

"Uh uh," Athena put up her hand. "I can find my own way. I don't need my 'leve' brother to tuck me in."

"Fine, fine. Just trying to be nice to my slue sister," Zac smirked at her. "We'll see you at mess then?"

"Yeah, maybe you can see my room then?" she offered by way of apology. She knew he was actually trying to be nice and make her less nervous. Although he still had a way to go with his methods.

"Count on it. Mom will be bothering me to tell her how you are," he rolled his eyes. "Come on Rion, let's go argue about who gets what side of the room this yahren."

"Bye Athena, everything will be great," Orion said kindly before heading off with his bunkmate.

Athena smiled absently at the departing cadet before turning and heading in the opposite direction.

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Athena finally got the door to her quarters opened and dropped her bag in the doorway where she stood. Her mother wasn't around to yell at her.

As expected the room was the standard issue cadet double. There were two identical beds, two clothing cabinets, two bed stands and not much else.

"Oh, and what a lovely view," Athena commented facetiously as she confirmed there were no windows in the room either. "Very Caprican," she sighed as she switched on a bedside lamp, hoping in vain that it would supplement the dim light of the overheads.

"What's very Caprican?" an amused female voice questioned from the doorway.

"No windows, no sunlight, all safe and sound from Cylon attack and any hope of fresh air. So do you want the non-scenic view to the left of the door or to the right of the door?" Athena shrugged at the taller dark-skinned woman that stood in the doorway with a bag similar to Athena's slung over her shoulder. "You must be Dietra?"

"I am Dietra and you must be Athena," Dietra dropped her bag next to Athena's and shuffled into the "cozy" room. "They couldn't spare anymore room? Sheesh. Which bed do you think is more uncomfortable?"

"Hmm, I think they're equally torturous. Second order of business will be to try and sneak some new mattresses in here," Athena said with a similar frown on her face.

"Sneak mattresses in here? That I gotta see," Dietra slumped down onto the left bed. "I'll take this one. So what's the first order of business?"

"Cold cube," Athena sat down and curled her legs up on the other bed.

"Ah, and I was afraid the Commander's daughter would be stuffy," Dietra chuckled.

"Arrgh," Athena flopped down onto the thin mattress. "How did you find out that already?" She was hoping she could at least make a first impression before being branded as Commander Adama's daughter and Lieutenant-overachiever-Apollo's sister.

"I have my ways," Dietra winked. "Don't worry about it. As long as you don't have an attitude about it I don't care who your progenitors are."

"In a way I do, I don't want everyone to know," Athena sighed and got up to haul her bag into the room. "I hope this door opens again. It, uh, sticks."

"An electronic door that sticks? I hope you know a good engineer," Dietra hauled her own bag onto her bed. "So when do our other bags get delivered?"

"Since the leves are in charge, I don't expect them for a few more days," Athena informed her horrified bunkmate. "Don't worry, I crammed extra bedding in here for just such a situation."

"I am going to murder my cousin," Dietra mumbled as she took the proffered pile. "Thanks."

"So that's how you know," Athena smiled.

"Degan, he's a neighbor of your brother," Dietra admitted. "So how do you plan to get a cold cube and mattresses in here?"

"Boy, Degan didn't tell you much," Athena chuckled. "My brother Zac is the master of duplicity when he wants to be. All for good causes of course."

"And if we get caught?" Dietra began to stow her clothes into the cabinet.

"When it happens we'll see," Athena admitted. "He hasn't yet so I don't see why we should. I'm sure our family will be appropriately disappointed, as will the administration. From what I heard, though, my Dad and the legendary Cain weren't exactly model cadets themselves. Listen, you won't mention about my father will you?"

"Nah, it's no one's business. I was just curious because we're 'mates," Dietra promised.

"So how come you decided to come to Caprican?" Athena sat down on her bed and inquired as she watched Dietra finish her unpacking.

"What is this I know a secret about you so you need one about me?" Dietra tossed over her shoulder.

"Yeah," Athena nodded and grinned.

"How about we finish our bonding after tonight's festivities over some grog?" Dietra proposed.

"Geez, our first night and you're already suggesting we break the rules?" Athena said in mock horror. "You do know the campus pub doesn't open for a few sectons?"

"Yeah, but Degan has his good points too," Dietra said slyly. "He's the main reason I'm here. And the reason he's here is because our grandfather came here. He was Aquarian."

"I thought maybe you just didn't like the weather at the Leon Academy," Athena teased.

"Well..." Dietra drawled. "Caprica does have its advantages in the weather department too."

"Knock, knock," Zac's voice suddenly came from the other side of the door.

"Come in, or try to," Athena dropped the bedding onto her unmade bed. She knew he wouldn't stay away for too long. He must have missed her during his first yahren here alone.

After a few microns Zac and his escorts ventured into the small room. "I forgot how small these rooms are. They really want to discourage you from staying here."

"Well, it only gets worse on a battlestar," Athena reminded him.

"So you want to be on a battlestar, I'm not surprised," Dietra commented.

"Like I should want to be a shuttle pilot? You don't have to go military for that," Athena grimaced her eyes, trying to imagine how anyone would want to waste four or five yahrens at Academy to do that boring stuff. It would even be better to be assigned to planetary defenses!

"You better get that door fixed or you two aren't going to make it to class," Degan stood up from where he was studying the door motor.

"You're a big help," Dietra shared a grin with her new mate.

"Dietra, this is Zac and his roommate Orion," Athena gave out latent introductions.

"And this is Degan my ever-so-helpful cousin and his mate Trilon," Dietra introduced. "This is Athena, Zac's sister."

Greetings were passed around.

"Nice sheets," Orion grimaced as he picked at the pink sheets Athena had left lying on her bed.

"Thanks," Athena smiled sweetly, as if she didn't notice his distaste. "If you like these I brought some extra flower posters you can borrow."

Orion narrowed his eyes and glared at her.

"Let's get to mess," Degan interrupted the casual exchange. "You two have to attend the slues' welcome speeches."

"Don't all of you have to attend?" Dietra asked.

"We're supposed to, but you do want a cold cube and new mattresses in here by tonight don't you?" Orion said, certain of the answer.

"Fine, fine. I won't question your methods as long as you don't get us in trouble," Dietra nodded.

"Let's get out of this sweat box," Orion punched the control panel for the door and it opened right up. "I didn't study engineering for nothing," he joked as he walked out.

Athena and Dietra shared smiles. It was definitely going to be an interesting few yahrens.

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"Nope," Athena stretched her legs out in front of her and struggled to keep her eyes open.

"Didn't think so," Dietra yawned as they officially declared that there had never been more long-winded speeches delivered ever before in the history of the Colonies.

"Have you ever attended graduation here?" another slue leaned forward and asked them in a loud whisper.

"I have," Athena looked at the congenial young man who stuck his head between them. "This is worse."

"Maybe," the young man shrugged. "My name is Mexan. I'm from Aquaria."

"Athena and this is my mate Dietra," Athena took the proffered hand awkwardly.

"We're having a party in our quarters after this," Mexan informed them. "We're in B Dorm."

"So are we, Room B33," Dietra told him.

"Oh, neighbors. We're in B36 across the corridor," Mexan said happily. "Best get our sleep in now."

"Not a problem," Dietra yawned again and leaned her head back.

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"Wow," Dietra stopped in the doorway, oblivious to her mate who plowed into her back at the unexpected stop. "They even made the beds up for us. Maybe they're hiding the fact they failed."

Athena sidled around her shocked friend and threw herself onto her bed. "Nope! New mattress! No sags!"

"Wow!" Dietra repeated as she let herself fall back onto her own bed. "Your brother totally rules."

"Don't say that too loud, he won't fit into the room if his head gets any bigger," Athena shushed her friend.

"There has to be a price, so what is it?" Dietra looked over at her luxuriating mate.

"Let's just say, certain other cadets may make some interesting requests from time to time that we shouldn't say no to," Athena chuckled. "Nothing major, but Orion may end up spending a few late cycles in here if my brother gets lucky or something. That doesn't bother you does it?" Athena belatedly asked.

"For this mattress? No way," Dietra sighed in contentment. "Where's the cold cube?"

"Looks like it's under your bed," Athena sat up.

"Holy Lords of Kobol!" Dietra exclaimed as she eyed the grog ready and waiting for them. "As far as I'm concerned, if we can get some decent food in there Orion can move in."

"His girlfriend would _love_ that," Athena snickered as she pictured Zara's reaction to that occurrence.

"He has a girlfriend?" Dietra looked at Athena in surprise. "I thought you two..."

"Me and Orion?" Athena eyes widened in surprise.

"The way he was looking at you at Mess...you two just have this chemistry," Dietra shrugged.

"Nah, Orion is probably looking at me strangely because he still thinks of me as a kid. I have a boyfriend, Cole. He's gone to engineering school on Aries," Athena said sadly as the waves of missing him passed through her.

"I can't imagine you with a civilian," Dietra said thoughtfully. "Considering your family background and your goals."

"Cole and I grew up together. He's my best friend, my soul mate," Athena said wistfully. "When you meet him you'll understand."

"Is he better looking than Orion?" Dietra asked dubiously.

"Way more," Athena grinned. "Here, let me show you." Athena popped out of bed and dug out a holopic. "That's us last secton."

"He is cute," Dietra admitted.

"Well, to me he's cuter than Orion. Orion is like another pain in the astrum older brother," Athena studied the pic of Cole for another centon. "Let's check out Mexan's party and see if its any fun. I'm sure that if it is Orion will show up and you can drool over him. Maybe he'll dump that wench he's dating from back home. Boy, she's worth a few good stories over grog. She wants to be a journalist, I suspect a gossip spreader is more her style."

"Sounds like a real winner. Maybe I can get Orion to see the light," Dietra winked.

"I'd pay to watch that," Athena said eagerly.

"It'll just cost you a few grogs," Dietra promised ominously. "Do you really think they'd show up at a Slues party?"

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"Okay, so they showed up," Dietra leaned against the corridor wall where the party had necessarily spilled into.

"They'll have to kick all of us out if they decide to crack down this cycle," another new cadet they had just met, and who turned out to be another neighbor, observed.

Athena nodded her agreement with the Brie's observation.

"It's been done, at least temporarily," Rigel, Brie's roommate pointed out.

"I know," Athena grimaced, the group that had been temporarily kicked out had been Commander Cain's, which was why the legendary warrior was actually lower in rank than her father in rank despite the fact they had graduated together and had achieved command at virtually the same time. It was something that still stuck in Cain's craw from what Athena remembered of the intimidating man she had seen a few times growing up.

"At least we'd be in good company," Dietra gave her mate a meaningful look.

"Hello," Zac stopped in front of Brie, obviously enamored of her long blond hair and lithe body.

Athena rolled her eyes and reluctantly made the introductions. She knew exactly what would happen the micron Zac got a taste of Brie's bubbly personality. First, he'd flirt outrageously. Second, he would ask her out on a date which she would likely accept. Third, he'd date her for a while. Fourth, he'd suddenly decide she was too boring for him and move on. Athena hoped she didn't lose any new or potential friends to her brother's flaky ways in romance. Brie, though, seemed more than able to handle her brother.

Athena turned away and noticed Dietra looking at her curiously. Athena sidled up to her mate and gave her the short version of the coming events.

"What if you asked him to lay off your friends and neighbors?" Dietra suggested.

"He'd respect that," Athena admitted. "But he really doesn't see that pattern in himself and he would be hurt."

"You care about your brother a lot don't you?" Dietra said seriously. "You two are friends. That's really nice."

"Yeah," Athena smiled at her brother even as she watched him put the moves on their new friend. "But I will punch him if he gets out of line."

"I'd pay to watch that," Dietra laughed.

"Watch what?" Orion slipped in between the two women and leaned back against the wall. "Sounds like you two conspiring over here."

"Just observing the Zac Attack," Athena nodded her head towards Zac and Brie. "That's Brie. She's in our class and lives next door to us."

"Ah," Orion nodded in understanding. "I have to admit, she is attractive."

"I thought you had a girl back home?" Dietra said chidingly, and flirtatiously.

"For now," Orion shrugged and winked at her. "Who knows what will happen in the near future."

Dietra looked curiously at the attractive cadet but held her tongue.

Athena's face lit up with a hopeful smile.

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"That Brie seems like a lovely young woman," Zac commented to his sister and her mate as he lounged on her bed.

"You always say that and you always end up bored within a couple of sectars. When are you going to start picking women for more than looks?" Athena asked wearily as she sat down on the opposite end of the bed.

"It's not the women I choose," Zac repeated his usual rejection of his sister's advice on his love life. "I'm not like you, I have no desire to settle down. Look at Starbuck, he has plenty of fun and he hasn't committed himself yet and I doubt he ever will."

"When are you going to give up your idolization of that man?" Athena kicked her brother's foot off her bed. "Apollo seems to have a good enough time and he's been a some serious relationships."

"And then they end and he ends up moody and impossible to be around," Zac reminded his sister. "Not for me thanks."

"You talk like you even know what you're talking about," Athena rolled her eyes again. It was useless to even discuss this with Zac. Someday, she was sure, he was going to fall head over heels for some woman and wonder what he had been missing all these yahrens.

"Love is fun," Dietra chimed in.

"Sometimes it looks it, then you end up like my sister here desperately missing that person or like Orion, miserable but too lazy to do anything about it. Starbuck has the right philosophy, have fun and move on," Zac said in a superior tone of voice.

Athena seriously hoped that Starbuck would fall in love soon before her brother became too impossible to deal with. Or her brother would find someone else to admire.

"We have to get up early for classes, go to bed," Athena stood up and began to tug her brother up from her bed.

"One last cycle of fun and she has to cut it short," Zac said mockingly, even as he lay a kiss on the top of his sister's head. "Night Dietra. See you two in a few."

"He's so funny," Athena chuckled as her brother left through the door that had worked since Orion had "fixed" to it earlier. Both mates hoped it held.

"He is," Dietra smiled.

"We'd better get some sleep or we'll be really sorry when the bell rings," Athena stretched.

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Day 2
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"What do you want to learn, how to best avoid the law?" Colin teased Zac who was sitting next to him waiting for their law instructor to arrive. "Or, perhaps it was the fact that civilian students were cross registered for this class, whoa," Colin's teasing tone turned into a pleased whisper.

"What?" Zac was about to ask his friend what he was talking about when he caught sight of what, or who, was holding his friend's undivided attention.

'She's striking,' was Zac's only thought as he stared the blond woman who was looking for a seat.

"She's definitely _not_ a cadet," Colin whistled under his breath. "I would have remembered seeing her. Have you ever seen her? Maybe at the university next door?"

Zac was oblivious to his friend's question as he continued to stare at the vision before his eyes.

"Excuse me," the vision looked directly at Zac.

"Yes?" Zac tried to hide the erratic beating of his pulse. That had never happened before.

"Would you mind not staring at me so boldly and would you please move your legs out of the aisle so I can sit down?" the woman said with traces of both amusement and annoyance in her tone.

"Sure," Zac mumbled and drew his legs in to allow her to pass. The embarrassment was almost worth it as her fresh, clean scent wafted towards him.

"That was smooth," Colin rolled his eyes.

"Don't torture the poor boy," the woman interrupted their exchange.

Colin and Zac turned around and discovered that she had chosen the empty seat behind Zac.

Zac felt a flush creep us his face as he stared into her sparkling brown eyes. He hadn't been this awkward around a woman since he was a kid. "I'm Zac and this is Colin, and you are," he gave himself a mental shake and forged on.

"Rhys, nice to meet you Zac," the blond informed them as she powered her hand-held in preparation for class.

"You from the university?" Colin asked.

"Yes," Rhys nodded, still not directly greeting the other boys.

"So you're interested in military justice?" Zac tried to make his voice sound casual, for some reason just being near this woman was sending his senses spiraling.

"I'm interested in all systems of justice. I hope to someday create a uniform justice system for the colonies," Rhys admitted her goal.

"Ambitious," Zac observed, his attraction suddenly waning a bit, but before anyone could say another word the instructor called for order.

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"I don't know what I was thinking," Dietra groaned as she dropped her hand-held onto her bed before flopping down next to it.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Athena chuckled at her bunkmate's prone form.

"I'm never going to make through one quarter, never mind four yahrens of this! I like math, but our instructor is going to send me to an early grave. Finish the first five chapters by the next class! As if we don't have other work to do," Dietra covered her eyes with her arm.

"They're just testing us, training us really," Athena shrugged and sat down calmly onto her own bed. "You just have to do all you can and stay calm."

"I guess it will keep us out of trouble. We won't have time to have any fun," Dietra let out a deep breath and peeked at her friend. "I don't know how you can remain so calm."

"A lot bigger boobs have made it through this, I don't think we have anything to worry about," Athena picked up her hand-held and began reviewing their assignments. "We just have to be more resourceful."

"That's true," Dietra sat up as she remembered some the more famous persons who were former academy graduates and well-renowned fools. "So, want to divide up outlining the classes? You can take math. I'll take physics. You want history?" Dietra said hopefully.

"No problem. You want mental science?" Athena asked.

"How about we find someone else to join us and take that one?" Dietra suggested with a disgusted look on her face.

"Sounds good to me. Maybe Brie and Meli would join forces with us?" Athena stood up and prepared to go next door.

"Why don't you just ask them at mid-meal and take a rest!" Dietra suggested.

"Because if I sit down I won't get back up," Athena groaned tiredly even as she sat back down.

"Ah, so you're not all that calm," Dietra teased.

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Day 4
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"Rhys," Zac looked up from his hand-held as the woman he couldn't get off his mind since their first class a couple of days ago.

"Yes, Zac," her blond hair seemed to float around her as she turned around and smiled at him.

"Have you taken any classes here before?" he asked, when she shook her head in the negative he continued. "Would you like to join us for mid-meal and then we can show you around the quads?"

"You are so smooth, I guess I can't say no," Rhys drawled with a knowing grin on her face.

"Good," Zac placed his hand on her lower back and politely began to lead her towards the Mess Hall. His friends, once again assured of his way with women, whispered amongst themselves and fell into step behind him. Once they reached the Mess, however, Colin and Faden elbowed Zac out of the way and began to make their own attempts to charm the beautiful civilian student to sit next to them.

"Zac's dining habits are atrocious. Believe me you don't want to sit next to him," Faden warned her.

"Now, if you sit between us we can protect you from this horrible sight," Colin finished.

"I'm afraid her seating arrangements are already taken care off, but thank you for escorting my meal date," a senior Academy student said as he took Rhys's hand in his own and pulled her out from between the fawning, younger cadets.

"Tyler, this is Colin, Faden and Zac. They're in my law class. This is Tyler. They're going to sit with us," she informed the elder student.

"Yes, dear," Tyler rolled his eyes at her obvious bullying. "Nice to meet you, you're all second yahrens I take it," he reached his hand out and shook hands with the other males. "Let's go get our wonderful fare."

"Oh, so now you admit the food here is far inferior to what we have at the U. You are all going to have to come over to my side for some good food sometime," Rhys smiled up at her date even as she included her new friends in the invitation.

As everyone moved forward to get in line, Zac sighed and lagged behind. This was not quite what he had imagined. Colin and Faden were expected annoyances, but this Tyler....Zac's eyes traced the figure of the blond woman who was laughing at something his friends were saying even as she moved closer to the other cadet. 'Well, it's not like she's my type anyway,' Zac reminded himself.

"Oh, I forgot something," Rhys interrupted his reverie and slipped in front of him to grab a plate of mushies.

Zac pulled back as if he had been shocked by an electrical charge as her hand brushed his. He swallowed heavily as she slipped away just as quickly and retook her spot a few people in front of him. His heart pounded as he stared unseeingly at the plates set out in front of him. Ambition, it seemed, wasn't a big a turn off as he had always believed.

"You all right?" Xera, a fellow cadet, leaned forward and whispered in his ear.

"Huh? Yeah," Zac looked back at the brunette women who was looking curiously at him.

"Then maybe you could move forward?" she smiled at him sympathetically.

"Sorry," Zac mumbled as he realized he was holding up the line. 'What's wrong with me?' he wondered as he passed his meal card to the waiting checker. Shaking off his distraction he slipped into the only empty seat at the table his friends had chosen. His face settled into an scowl as he realized she was sitting directly across from him at the round table.

"Nice of you to join us," Colin commented under his breath. "What happened? You find another candidate so quickly on line?"

"Candidate? What are you talking about?" Zac asked his friend.

"Since Rhys is taken I figured you'd moved on," Colin shrugged away his friend's glare.

"She's not my type, I was just being friendly," Zac said with forced disinterest.

"Yeah right, you can't take your eyes off her," Colin didn't buy it for a micron.

Zac realized that his friend was right and reluctantly dragged his gaze away. It was going to be a long quarter if he didn't get a handle on himself. It wasn't as if he wasn't used to competition. 'Whoa, now you sound like you're going to chase the senior cadet's woman!' he put the mental breaks on his thoughts.

"You're looking annoyed, Zac is it, your course getting to you already?" Tyler asked.

"I was just thinking too hard about something," Zac took a deep breath and released the tension from his face and flashed his usual, congenial smile.

"Can't have that during the first secton, it only gets worse," Tyler warned and leaned back and put his arm around Rhys's chair.

"Yeah," Zac's face tightened at the comfortable gesture and looked away, right at Rhys. She was, he discovered, looking at him with a sympathetic expression on his face. "You know, I can't bear to eat this slop right now. I'll see you guys in class," he made a hasty retreat.

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"I really appreciate this Orion," Athena clutched the disk to her chest and said for the third time in the past two centons.

"It's not like I need them," Orion put his hands on her shoulders to hold her still and get her to listen.

"You don't understand. It's only the third day of classes and I'm already behind!" Athena wailed. She never felt like this in school before.

"You haven't even started training yet," Orion smiled nostalgically.

"Rion!" Athena sounded panicked.

"Oops, sorry. I didn't meant that like it sounded. I have no doubt you'll get a handle on this in no time. You need to calm down. Why don't you come with me and have some java. Take a break," Orion stuck his hands into his pockets.

"A break? Are you insane?" Athena's eyes widened and she looked at him like he was insane.

"A break. You need a break. Your mind is racing so fast you'll never retain anything. I've been there. You need a break. A half a centar of not thinking about school," Orion told her confidently.

"I still have about a zillion chapters to read and an essay to do. I'm not even going to get to sleep!" Athena shook her head.

"Then you'll need the java," Orion smiled and tugged on her arm. "I promise. You'll work a lot more efficiently if you take a break now. And if you come I'll explain why you should never skip sleep."

"We can't all be geniuses like you," Athena looked at him doubtfully.

"Me, a genius! I don't think I've heard that before. Look at it this way, Starbuck and Zac made it through here and we both know their missed cycles of sleep were not spent doing homework," Orion waggled his eyebrows.

"That is true..." Athena was still tense. "Cole is supposed to call me though."

"He's never going to get through, all of you slues are hogging the vids," Orion pointed out.

Athena bit her lip and ducked her head. She missed Cole so much and now she wouldn't get to even see his image and hear his voice.

"Hey, I'm not being very comforting am I. Come spend some time with an old friend. I know how you feel. I haven't spoken with Zara since we left either," Orion lifted her chin.

"And you're sorry about that?" Athena's eyes widened and she covered her mouth. She couldn't believe she had said that out loud. "I'm sorry!"

"Don't be. I should have broken up with her before we left. I'm not sure if I'm just lazy as Zac accuses or I'm afraid of her," Orion chuckled. "But believe it or not, we used to be really in love and I used to really miss her. I still miss her."

"I shouldn't have said what I did. She is your girlfriend and I should keep my feelings about her to myself," Athena said meekly.

"Then I guess you have to make it up to me and come take a break with me. I could use one too ya know. Third year isn't all the easy either," Orion informed her, this time brooking no argument.

"I guess I do," Athena grinned up at him.

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"Where's my sister?" Zac asked as he entered the room at Dietra's license.

"I dunno. She went to get some notes from Orion about a centar ago and she disappeared," Dietra didn't look up from her work.

"Hmmm," Zac flopped down onto Athena's bed and put his arms behind his head.

"Don't you have work to do?" Dietra finally looked up a few centons later.

"Did it," Zac shrugged.

"So you decided to bother your sister? She's freaking out you know. Boy she almost had me fooled with her calmness the other day," Dietra snorted.

"Athena is hardly ever calm, but if you let her get her freak out over she'll be fine. Orion is probably taking pity on the girl and dragging her off to have a drink or something. I had something I wanted to talk about with her and I figured she would be needing a break about now," Zac told her.

"Well, you can talk to me. I could use a break and some fresh air. How about it?" Deitra offered. "I'm a good listener," she told him when she saw his hesitation. "Girl trouble?"

Zac grinned at her on target supposition. "Yeah, you could say that. I think my sister cursed me. Want to go for a walk?" Zac stood up and held out a polite hand to help Dietra stand.

"Oh yeah," Deitra took his hand and fairly popped out of her seat.

<><><><><><><><>

"We should do this often," Zac said a half a centon later as he and Dietra continued to walk under the stars.

"Do what?" Dietra looked over at her companion and tried to see his expression in the darkness.

"I'm not being a smartass. I meant take a break and walk under the stars, we should remember to do this from time to time. You really are a good listener and I appreciate it. And I'm glad you're my sister's mate," Zac said sincerely.

"You're not so bad yourself," Dietra looked away and smiled.

"So why don't we talk about you now?" Zac suggested.

"What do you want to know?" she shrugged.

"What you're ambitions are, see I can say that word, why you came to the Caprican Academy. Any boyfriend or girlfriend back home?" Zac rattled off his questions.

"My grandfather came here and as Athena pointed out, the weather is much better. No romantic interests at home, and that would be a boyfriend. Not much exciting has happened to me yet, that's why I'm here. As for ambitions, I want to be a viper pilot on a battlestar," Dietra answered his questions, although not in the order they were asked.

"So you're an ambitious woman too. You must really think I'm shallow for thinking this way," Zac had the grace to look embarrassed.

"Depends on why you feel that way. Why are you afraid of ambitious women," Dietra asked.

"I'm not afraid of them, they want more than I want to give. They just want and expect so much. I don't want to be sealed or settle down. I just don't want to have to deal with those expectations," Zac struggled to explain.

"I think I understand, but have you considered that ambitious women wouldn't be in such a rush to settle down since they have so much to accomplish for themselves first? Athena loves Cole but she's not rushing to be sealed, she's here and plans to try for a battlestar," Dietra pointed out. "Seems to me it's the women who don't have other plans who would want to settle down."

"Maybe, but really smart women still expect more from me, commitment for instance," Zac replied.

"Why are you so against commitment anyway?" Dietra tilted her head in curiosity.

"I want to be free," he said weakly.

"I heard that you just want to be like Starbuck," Dietra shot back.

"My sister," Zac's eyes narrowed.

"Yeah, who else. Listen, I'm not going to tell you you're wrong. You can think and do what you want, but obviously you're conflicted about it since you met this Rhys woman. Since she's ambitious and smart and taken you probably should just put it out of your mind. But you can't. So you need to figure out if you really want this bachelor-stud life or if you might be choosing your own path now," Dietra told him.

"She's taken so it doesn't matter. But you're not," Zac put his arm around her and said suggestively.

"Get a grip Flyboy. I like my men ambitious," Dietra punched him in the arm.

"I just haven't worked my magic on you yet," Zac shook his head and predicted.

"If you're a weak copy of this Starbuck character I can't wait to see how much hot air he has in his head," Dietra snorted.

"Weak copy my astrum," Zac pouted.

End Chapter 4
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