Title: Rules of Engagement, Part 5
Author: Melissa
Rated: NC-17, Slash Content...You guys started it, I'm just carrying on. =)

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Previously... on Rules of Engagement...

"Where's Athena?" Starbuck asked, stalling as he felt around on the floor for his clothes.

Rigel crossed her arms and stared unmercifully at the discomposed warrior sprawled naked on the floor in front of her. "Oh wait," Rigel said evilly, a micron before she switched a light. "Now, you were saying?"

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"I was saying, or rather asking, where is Athena?" Starbuck repeated impatiently.

Rigel raised an eyebrow and disdainfully replied, "I thought she was with you."

Starbuck had already been aroused when he had felt the bare skin of who he thought was Athena, but he found himself being further aroused by the naked woman before him. While Rigel's long hair covered most of her breasts, Starbuck could see her hard nipples peeking through, and the sheet that fell just below her waist only teased him further as to what lie beneath it.

"What makes you think she was with me?" he asked as he finally found his pants.

"She told me she had a romantic evening planned and that she wouldn't be here tonight. I assumed the plans she had were with you," Rigel trailed off, clearly distracted now.

Suddenly Starbuck's arousal began to wane. If everything he had heard in the launch bay was true, then he should've definitely been in on these romantic evening plans. Had Athena found out about Apollo and Bojay and given up so quickly? That didn't sound like her at all. Not _his_ Athena.

"Did she say where she was going to be?" Starbuck asked as he quickly began to dress.

'I can't believe this! This can't be happening!' Rigel's mind screamed. 'I could share her with Starbuck, I've been used to that, but who else is there?!'

"Um, Rigel, hello?" Starbuck snapped his fingers to break her trance.

"Huh, what? I'm sorry, what did you say?" Rigel responded abruptly.

"I asked you if you knew where she was going to be tonight? Rigel, are you okay? And, uh, why are you sleeping in Athena's bed?"

Rigel was becoming more irritable and didn't have time for Starbuck's questions. If she had more competition for Athena's attentions, she was going to find out who it was!

"I really don't know where she is, Starbuck. She doesn't exactly check in with me," she snapped.

"And the bed?" Starbuck was becoming suspicious of Rigel's behavior.

"I felt like sleeping in a different bed, okay?!" Rigel hastily wrapped the sheet around her and jumped off the bed. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I'll get some work done. Having been rudely awakened, I doubt I'll be able to get back to sleep."

Starbuck fought back a smirk as he began to understand what was going on. He fastened the last buckle on his boot and rose. "Sorry about that, Rigel," he apologized with his best charming smile. "But you can't really blame me, seeing as you were in her bed and all."

"Yes, I know," Rigel reluctantly admitted. "And I would appreciate it if we could keep this our little
secret."

"But of course," Starbuck jovially replied as he approached the door. "I am the Master of Discretion. I'll see ya later."

Rigel closed her eyes and shook her head as the brash warrior left her quarters. "Master of Discretion? Lords of Kobol, what kind of a Pandora's Box has been opened here?" she sighed.

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Starbuck walked onto the turbolift and burst out laughing. "Oh man! No wonder I never see Rigel dating anyone! I wonder how long this has been going on?!"

In trying to answer his own question, Starbuck wondered if there really was anything going on or if this was a one-way infatuation on Rigel's part. He and Athena were very close and he knew beyond a doubt that she would've shared this tryst with him, if only to arouse him. And it didn't take much for Athena to arouse him.

Suddenly, he refocused on the mystery at hand. All of his close friends were up to something and, while he wasn't sure exactly what it was, he knew that he was ground zero. Apollo and Sheba's relationship was no secret and, even though they had tried their best to hide it, he had known about Apollo and Bojay for some time. It pained Starbuck to watch his best friend go through the confusion of balancing more than one person. He had tried it himself for most of his adult life. Dividing his time between both Athena and Cassi had always been difficult, but now, from what he had heard in the launch bay, they wanted him to spread himself further?!

Starbuck leaned up against the wall and sighed. "No can do, buddy," he resolved to tell Apollo. "I'm tired of bouncing back and forth. You might be ready to walk on the wild side, but, believe it or not, I'm ready to settle down with one person."

He smiled at the thought, but his expression quickly soured as he realized that he had to find where that person was.

As the turbolift door opened, Starbuck stepped out and tried to figure out where he should look first.

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Athena lit the last of the candles and opened up a bottle of ambrosa. Her guest would be arriving shortly and she wanted everything to be ready. She had planned and executed this seduction before, but not with such high stakes involved. One thing was for sure, tonight would tell her exactly where she stood in this game and what her real chances were of winning.

Cassi had tallied up around fifteen women of Starbuck's past and Athena knew of many more. Since the Destruction, there had been about a dozen, but he had always come back to his two staples. Both had qualities that attracted the blond lieutenant and whoever won this contest would undoubtedly have to incorporate some of the loser's positive traits to become the perfect all-around woman for Starbuck. Athena had observed Cassi and Starbuck together in public, but had never been privy to details of what kept him going back to the med-tech's bed. Tonight, she would find out.

'It makes perfect sense,' Athena smiled as she sipped from her glass. 'In order to size up my competition, I have to know everything about her. Everything.'

Suddenly, the door to the private room opened and there stood her rival in a light green, almost transparent dress.

"Good evening, Athena," Cassi purred as she entered the candlelit room. "I got your message."

"Excellent," Athena replied, handing a full glass of ambrosa to her worthy opponent. "Let's not waste any time."

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Apollo shifted uncomfortably as he thought of how he was going to explain his love for his wingmate to his girlfriend. 'This is not a good situation for a control freak,' he admitted.

To his delight, and Sheba's dismay, the comm-chime interrupted what was going to be an interesting conversation.

"Um, do you mind if I get that?" he asked Sheba.

Sheba threw up her hand in exasperation and replied, "If you must."

Apollo did all but run to the comm unit, hoping that he was needed somewhere. Anywhere.

"Hey, Apollo, you busy?" Bojay's excited face greeted him.

Apollo looked behind him at an impatient Sheba, then replied,"Yeah, sort of."

"Well get un-busy. We've got a perfect opportunity, but it won't last long," Bojay suggested.

"Opportunity? For what?"

"For Starbuck," Bojay lowered his voice. "Both Athena and Cassi are on the Rising Star and I just found out that Starbuck is on his way to the shuttle bay to go over there. If we get there now, we can stop him and have him to ourselves for the night."

Apollo's eyes quickly lit up as he thought of ending this charade once and for all. Granted, they would still have to hide behind their macho reputations, but they wouldn't have to hide from each other.

"You go right now, Bojay," Apollo directed. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Um, are you sure?" Bojay inquired upon seeing Sheba's naked form in the background.

"Believe me," Apollo replied sternly. "I'll be there."

"Not if I can help it," Sheba mumbled under her breath.

END Part 5/?
NEXT UP!! =)
To Part 6