Title: Altered Perceptions
Author: The Twin Goddess
Rating: NC17

See summary and disclaimers in Chapter 1.

~~~~~~~~

CHAPTER 3

Without letting Athena go, Braedon shut the water of the turboshower 
off and carried her to the bedchamber.

Heedless of their wet bodies, he lay them down on the bed so that 
Athena was straddling him. Before he could say a word Athena took 
him inside her. Braedon caught his breath again as she began to 
clench him with her inner muscles. 

"My turn," she whispered, capturing his hands above his head as she 
made his body hers.

Brae didn't argue and placed his hands on her hips as she rode him. 
Her weight on top of him was more than just erotic, it was right. 
For yahrens he had involved himself with one woman after another, 
most of them groupies, but none had seemed as intelligent or 
beautiful as his friend Athena. Eventually, he had realized his 
heart was already taken. 

And now that woman, the keeper of his heart was moving above him, 
giving him the gift of her body. 

'I don't think I've ever seen or felt anything more beautiful,' he 
thought breathlessly as he moved a hand between their bodies and 
began to rub Athena's clitoris, spurring her movements even faster. 

Her blue eyes were open and looking into his, her wet hairs hung 
over their faces and sent rivulets of water down his face and chest. 
Her beautiful breasts were bobbing enticingly over his chest.

"Athena," he moaned as he felt her tight, hot sheath begin to 
convulse around him, bringing him closer to his own release faster 
than he could have imagined. Seeking it, he placed his hands on her 
hips and began to thrust into her.

Athena felt herself begin to clench uncontrollably around him as his 
hips moved beneath her and his penis touched her deeps inside. 

"I've wanted you for so long, so long," Brae kept repeating as she 
began her ascent to another climax.

"Braedon," she screamed over and over as she felt him pulse inside 
her.
 
When she regained her senses she found herself still straddling 
Braedon's hips, his arms around her. He had a huge smile on his 
face.

Athena just stared at him, speechless.

"That's what I imagined, well some of it," he began to caress her 
back.

Athena started laughing. "Am I a groupie now?" she asked him.

"Hardly," Braedon stroked her hair. "You are the woman I have been 
waiting to make _my_ move on."

"How long were you going to wait?" she asked.

"Until you were finally not in love with someone else, until I knew 
you were ready. Guess you're ready," he chuckled and kissed her 
cheek.

"So how long?" she wondered aloud.

"Since the first micron I saw you," he whispered. "But that was 
solely physical attraction. Once I got to know you well it 
became...," he trailed off.

"Lust?" Athena interrupted his explanation. "I had no idea," she 
whispered in wonder.

Braedon didn't respond, staring at the ceiling as he continued to 
hold and stroke her. She wasn't ready to know how deeply he really 
felt.

*******************

Apollo sighed for the twentieth time, causing Sheba to turn away 
from her pyramid hand with a glare. 

"Stop that, Athena is fine!" she said impatiently.

Apollo shook his head and tossed his cards away. "She's been 
depressed lately, you agreed with me on that. It couldn't have 
helped her to hear Zac's music tonight, I bet she just went back to 
the Galactica. I had hoped that we could cheer her up tonight," the 
disappointment and worry in his voice was obvious.

Sheba bit back a smile. She had managed to pull Dietra aside earlier 
and the other warrior had shared her knowledge of Athena's 
whereabouts. Sheba, despite feeling guilty for the deception, was 
not about to tell Athena's brother! He was this upset about her 
possibly being upset, no one would benefit from his rage once he 
found out where his "little sister" really was.

"Dietra is still here, if Athena had gone home upset Dietra would be 
the first person by her side, or to know about it. I'm sure she just 
got caught up doing something other than gambling," Sheba said 
evasively, trying her best to ease Apollo's worry.

"I hope you're right," Apollo grumbled. "I'm tired of this. Somehow 
it's not as much fun when I'm not losing a secton's pay on one of 
Starbuck's systems. Want to go see what else there is to do?"

Sheba began to collect her winnings from the table and put them in 
her pouch when a thought occurred to her. "You sure you aren't just 
going hunting for your sister?" she looked at Apollo suspiciously.

Apollo grinned and put his arm around Sheba's shoulders. "Would I be 
so sneaky?" he asked. "I have a beautiful woman by my side, surely 
I'm thinking about more than my sister?" Apollo winked and dropped 
his arm.

As Apollo walked ahead of her Sheba glared at his back. "You would 
think so," she said under her breath.

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

Dietra lay her bet down on the table, her eyes squinted in 
concentration. She was on a winning streak and she didn't plan on it 
ending on this bet. Not taking her eyes off the spinning wheel, she 
felt a thrill of excitement travel up her spine as it slowed down. 
On her number! She blew a quick breath out of her lips as she 
collected more cubits to add to her pile. 

Perhaps she should stop now, she wondered. She had already tripled 
her money and the evening wasn't getting any younger. Apollo and 
Sheba had just left the casino, Cassi and Starbuck had disappeared 
centars ago, Boomer had run into some other warriors and disappeared 
and Athena had never returned from the bowels of the Rising Star 
backstage. 

'Meanwhile, I'm stuck her all on my own,' she thought, engaging in a 
rare moment of self-pity. She definitely had to get away from the 
gaming tables and find some excitement. She motioned for a casino 
guard who came over and helped her cash out her winnings and stored 
them in the safe. No way she wanted to walk around with all those 
cubits tonight. She intended to travel light and free. She was a 
woman with a mission. Go out and find a good time!

Now, Dietra was standing outside the casino doorway trying to decide 
where she wanted to go first. There was the liquistation where she 
was guaranteed to find some fellow warriors and other acquaintances. 
Then there were the various eating establishments, another gaming 
room for the more serious gamblers and the entertainment clubs. None 
of the options, however, sounded inviting. 

"Excuse me," a male voice interrupted her reverie.

Dietra turned and was immediately drawn in to the most beautiful 
brown eyes she had ever seen. And the package they came with was 
pretty amazing as well.

"Yes?" she responded to the light chocola skinned god that stood 
before her.

"I just wanted to compliment you on your performance this evening," 
he said in a low, silky voice.

Dietra's hopes were dashed, as it appeared this man was clearly more 
captivated by the cubits she'd won rather than the dress she was 
wearing.

"Thanks," she replied flatly. "I'll probably give all my winnings to 
charity though."

"I didn't mean at the tables," he chuckled. "I meant on the stage... 
with Braedon. You have a wonderful voice."

Dietra's breath caught in her throat, realizing she had almost been 
rude to... to...

"I'm sorry, I didn't get your name," she smiled coyly, extending her 
hand.

Her pulse raced and she choked back a moan as he took her hand and 
brought it to his lips. "Devin," he replied, gazing at her intently 
and kissing the back of her hand. "My name is Devin."

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

"So why tonight? Why now," Braedon asked as he slipped a mushie into 
Athena's waiting mouth. The pair was lying naked under the covers of 
the bed in Braedon's dressing chambers on the Rising Star. They had 
yet to make it to his overnight accommodations on the upper levels 
of the ship, a fact that hadn't escaped the notice of the club 
managers who had come to see if everything was all right with their 
star. At a very inopportune moment.

Athena finished chewing as she contemplated how to answer. Lying 
here in bed after making love a few times it wouldn't do to say that 
he was handy when she had decided to change her life. It would be 
hurtful, and not entirely honest.  Looking back from this vantage 
point, Athena could see that she had always been attracted to 
Braedon, but she had been so busy trying to distinguish herself from 
his fans and be the good  commander's daughter she wouldn't admit it 
to herself. 

"Hearing you sing Zac's words, it was like a message from him," she 
turned over to look at her new lover. "I haven't been living Brae, 
not for a long time. Tonight I decided I needed to listen to my 
brother," Athena looked down at their naked bodies, a shy grin on 
her face. "I came to you for some advice, actually." Athena looked 
back into his serious eyes. "Then you took me in your arms and I 
realized something I would never admit before," Athena shrugged, 
running her hand over Brae's naked hip and thigh. 

Brae trapped Athena's hand against his thigh and slid it to the 
evidence of his arousal. "Timing," he whispered raggedly as Athena 
began to stroke him through the cover. After moving the plate of 
mushies off the bed, Brae leaned his hips into her touch and closed 
his eyes. 

"Timing," Athena echoed, pushing the covers off their naked bodies 
and moving to straddle Brae's body. "We have timing," she leaned 
down and grabbed his lips as she eased him inside her.

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

Sheba leaned back against the liquistation bar and crossed her arms. 
Apollo's back was to her as he talked with yet another fellow 
warrior. 

'Why have I been wasting all this time on this man?' she wondered 
for the thousandth time. 'He asks me out on dates, but doesn't kiss 
me. He makes sure that we pair off together during group events, but 
he doesn't kiss me. And every time he ignores me as the evening 
ends. Why do I waste my time?!' 

She was tired of waiting patiently by Apollo's side while he figured 
out what to do with her. If he couldn't accept her as a woman, well, 
she'd either prove to him that she was or find someone else. She was 
tired of "playing nice!"

Without bothering to tell Apollo she was leaving, she walked through 
his line of site and joined Bojay and some other warriors whom were 
enjoying themselves at a table nearby. 

"We thought you were going to follow Apollo around all night," Bojay 
held his glass up to his wingmate as she sat down.

Sheba didn't answer. She could hardly be mad at him, everyone could 
see how she followed Apollo around like a lost daggit. She finished 
off her ambrosa and slammed the glass down on the table, startling 
the other warriors. "Forget that, I'm tired of it," she declared.

"About time Sheba," Lieutenant Ezra waved the server over and 
ordered her another drink. "I think Cain would have locked you in 
your room or sent you on long range patrol a long time ago for that 
kind of behavior."

Sheba's lips twisted into some semblance of a grin at her friend's 
observation. "That is  true. He would also have whooped Apollo's 
astrum good," she chuckled bitterly. All of a sudden she couldn't 
for the life of her fathom why she had been waiting patiently for 
that stubborn man all this time.

And he probably didn't even notice she was gone.

"So, what's the plan Sheba?" Lieutenant Archilla inquired in a 
conspiratorial tone.

"What do you mean?" Sheba sipped her fresh drink.

"You've been chasing the man for over a yahren, surely you're not 
just going to walk away and give up. Do you want a little help 
making him jealous?" he asked in a whisper.
Sheba shook her head before he was done making his offer. "That 
would never work, and I don't play games," she insisted.

"I think you're wrong," Bojay interjected. "A little challenge might 
be just what the Major needs. He's had you at his beck and call 
forever, and anyone can see he's interested, he just doesn't know 
what to do. It's been too easy for a man like him. He needs to feel 
like he's doing something."

"Kobol, where did you study complex emotional functions?" Sheba 
looked at her wingmate as if he had grown into a Cylon.

"Sheba, Sheba, don't tell me you've been fooled by my macho 
exterior, why at heart I'm just a soft and sensitive person," he 
blew a kiss at his shocked wingmate.

Sheba threw her head back and cracked up. That was the wingmate she 
was used to.

"Lords," Ezra mumbled into his drink.

Archilla just smirked and leaned back in his seat. From the corner 
of his eye he could see Major Apollo looking curiously at his AWOL 
companion. In fact, he was pretty certain that Apollo wouldn't be 
taking his eyes off of her anytime soon. "So Sheba, shall we create 
a challenge for the Major," he leaned his face over her bare 
shoulder and whispered. 

Sheba stopped laughing, startled by his sudden nearness. She looked 
into his eyes, her brow furrowed in thought. "I said I don't like to 
play games, it feels so false."

"False? How is it false if I want to try and woo your feelings away 
from the hapless warrior?" he smiled at her, his brown eyes 
twinkling.

"Arch," Sheba raised an eyebrow. 

"Okay, so I'm not in love with you, but I would love to see Apollo 
turned on his ear. I've been waiting for you to get sick of his 
obtuseness for ages. I'm not passing up this opportunity," he placed 
his hand on the back of her neck, well aware that the man in 
question was watching. "You're not playing games, we're just having 
fun. Remember fun?"

Sheba was still uncomfortable with the idea of manipulating Apollo, 
whatever she might think when she was angry. Still, another part of 
her was at the end of its tether. Other than her words before his 
mission on the basestar, they hadn't discussed her feelings for him. 
By the same token, since his return from that mission and his 
promise to try, Apollo hadn't said anything about his emotions for 
her either. Instead, they had remained friends platonic friends who 
spent a lot of time together ever since. She still loved the man, 
however, and she couldn't just walk away without trying something 
more. Something other than waiting. 

Tossing her hair back she looked at her friends, a wicked grin on 
her face. She was Cain's daughter. This wasn't manipulation, after 
all, it was strategy. Something Apollo could certainly understand. 

"Why I think that strategy would be acceptable," she agreed.

"About time," Ezra cast a glance at the poor fool who had the gall 
to cross Sheba for far too long. The poor fool who was too obviously 
unable to keep his eyes off of the very same woman. This was going 
to be real fun to watch. Ezra looked over at Bojay who looked just 
as pleased as he felt.

"So how about a dance?" Archilla stood up and offered a hand to his 
accomplice.

"I think that would be lovely," she finished her drink before taking 
his hand and rising from the table. 

With a hand placed strategically on her lower back, Archilla guided 
Sheba to the dance floor. He could feel the major's eyes boring into 
his back.  

From the table Bojay and Ezra watched Apollo turn away rudely from 
his conversation to watch Sheba's progress. 

"This is going to be too quick," Bojay groused. "He already looks 
ready to deck someone."

"Yeah, maybe," Ezra agreed. "But it's still going to be fun."

"True. But it has taken this long and he might just walk out," Bojay 
said hopefully.

"We'll see, we'll see," Ezra moved his chair so that he could watch 
both sides of the battle play out.

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

Starbuck was bored. It had been sectons since he had played an 
exciting game of pyramid. He had really been looking forward to a 
few games tonight. He had been sure that Cassi would disappear with 
her friends and leave him to his own devices for part of the 
evening. Instead, she had "forbade" him to gamble, forced him to 
follow her around and then seduced him to a private chamber on the 
Rising Star.

Not that he was complaining about that last part, he thought as he 
pulled the covers over his naked lap and sucked harder on a 
fumarello. 'At least she lets me still smoke,' he thought to himself 
with a slight grimace. The concept of being told what to do by 
anyone but a commanding officer was galling. Even commanding 
officers could only expect iffy results.

Starbuck wasn't sure what was going on. When he and Cassi had first 
gotten together she had been understanding and open. Possessiveness 
was a foreign word for her, except in her pitched battles with 
Athena for his affection. Once Athena had been out of the picture, 
though, even that disappeared. 

For the past few sectars, however, she had been more possessive and 
controlling than any woman he had ever been with. If they hadn't 
already been together for so long, and if he hadn't already fallen 
in love with her, he would have been out of there at the first sign 
she wanted to control him. Now, he didn't know what to do. 

He had been hoping it was just a phase, but sectars had passed and 
it was getting worse. Now she was trying to control what he could 
and couldn't do! Even using seduction and sex to distract him was 
starting to wear thin. It was embarrassing that all his friends 
could see what was going on, and that his best friend even felt it 
necessary to question his piloting skills.

Starbuck was at a loss to understand what had changed her and what 
to do about it. He suspected that maybe she was jealous that Athena 
was his wingmate, and she confirmed that suspicion pretty quickly 
and openly. And while he couldn't understand it, he had chosen Cassi 
over Athena a long time ago and had been certain it would pass. But 
instead of passing it was getting worse and starting to taint her 
normally mature and sophisticated personality. Even Sheba was 
beginning to look at her strangely at times.

"Thinking about me?" Cassi emerged from the turboshower, her wet 
body wrapped in a sheer pink robe. 

"Hmmmm," he eyed her appreciatively. His mind and emotions might be 
conflicted, but his body wasn't, he realized as his formerly flaccid 
penis began to spring to life at the enticing sight before him.

"I thought you were going to join me," she pouted as she walked 
slowly and sensuously towards the bed, giving Starbuck a slow view 
of her body through the sheer material that skimmed her body.

"Sorry, I wanted to finish this first. I needed to catch my breath," 
he said in a gravelly voice as his eyes focused on her hardening 
nipples. "I thought you would wait for me," he reached a finger out 
and began to circle a nipple as she sat down on the bed. 

While his body was thrumming in anticipation, the back of his mind 
was still scrambling around for cover, worried that now she was 
going to forbid him to smoke fumarellos if they kept him from her.

Cassi moaned and closed her eyes as Starbuck pinched her throbbing 
nipple. She had planned to wait for him, but had been unable to 
control her need. Her breathing started to become quick and shallow 
as she anticipated his lips closing around the nipple he was 
teasing. She opened her eyes and saw him sucking on his fumarello 
instead, his eyes dilated and glazed at he studied her body.

A part of her had been angry that he preferred to smoke than join 
her in the shower, but she had to admit she had probably tired him 
out. Besides, seeing what he could do to that stogie always made her 
imagine what his lips and tongue could do elsewhere. 

It was good training.

Cassi closed her eyes again and began to ease her robe open. Letting 
it drop to the bed she got on her knees and slipped the cover off of 
Starbuck's lap. His erection sprung forth, much to her satisfaction, 
and she reached and hand around it and began to pump it. 

She watched as Starbuck bit down on his fumarello and gasped at her 
touch.

Licking her lips Cassi pressed her hips forward so that his erection 
was resting against her wet curls. "Tell me what you want," she 
asked him as she felt him twitch against her.

Starbuck's eyes opened and he put his fumarello into the receptacle 
on the bedside table. He didn't bother responding to the question 
and leaned forward and took one of Cassi's nipple in his mouth.

Cassi moaned and threw her head back as he grazed it with his teeth 
and then laved it with his tongue over and over again. Cassi had had 
many men in her life, but none could arouse her so furiously with so 
simple an action. Certainly not after already having made love a 
couple of times that evening. He wasn't even inside her yet and she 
could feel her muscles beginning to tense in anticipation.

She was so distracted that she was taken by surprise when Starbuck 
pushed her onto her back. Her eyes flew open and looked into a pair 
of angry blue eyes above her.  Her heart began to pound at the rage 
she saw smoldering in his eyes, yet another part of her became even 
more aroused and her hips arched towards him. Her body didn't care 
why he was angry, only that he appeased its hunger.

Starbuck wasn't in a talking mood either, obviously, and he forcibly 
spread her legs and poised himself at her entrance.

Cassi could feel bruises forming on her thighs, even as her body 
began to tremble as it begged for his entry.

"You like that? You like to be moved around at my will?" Starbuck 
hissed.

Cassi nodded, mesmerized by the gleam in Starbuck's eye. She felt 
the moisture pooling between her legs begin to drip towards the bed. 
She thrust her hips at him again, trying to force him to enter her. 
With a malicious laugh, Starbuck let his tip touch her and then he 
pulled away.
Before Cassi could get angry his mouth was back at her breast. 
Moaning she pressed her breast into his lips.

"You like this?" Starbuck mumbled and then bit down on her already 
sore nipple.

Cassi whimpered as he began to suckle and soothe her throbbing 
breast. Then his mouth moved to her other nipple.

"Do you like this?" he hissed, his mouth centimeters from her.

"Yes," she admitted hoarsely.

"Me too," Starbuck growled and bit down on her again.

Cassi's body bucked off the bed at the pain and again as he began to 
soothe the pain he caused. Lords, she needed him inside her, she 
felt like she was burning up. Starbuck had always been an 
imaginative lover, but he had never really brought his dark side to 
bed with them before. 

"Oh!" she exclaimed as Starbuck thrust two fingers inside her and 
began to finger-fuck towards an almost immediate orgasm.

"Aaaah," she screamed as her body began to convulse around 
Starbuck's fingers, bucking off the bed, trying to bring him deeper 
inside her.

"I'm not done with you yet," Starbuck promised her.

Oh no, she wasn't going to stop him from smoking those fumarellos. 
And she was going to find out what precipitated this modd and make 
sure it happened again.

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

Sheba's heart was pounding as Archilla made it look like they were 
melded together as they danced. If Apollo didn't react or notice, 
she was going to just die. From the murmurs Arch was filling her 
head with, Apollo was noticing and looking very unhappy. 

Of course, Sheba realized, that didn't guarantee he would do 
anything about it. He wasn't exactly a man of action when it came to 
her. Especially not in public.

On the heels of her last thought Sheba found the flaw in the plan. 

Apollo, like his sister, was an intensely private person. Even _if_ 
he became jealous, he wouldn't dare do anything in this crowded 
venue. "It's not going to work Arch! He won't do anything in front 
of other people," Sheba whispered to her dance partner.

"Sheba, have you given him opportunities alone?" Arch looked at her 
questioningly.

"Yes," Sheba blushed and mumbled.

"Then what's the harm in trying. You'll at least wake him up," Arch 
reminded her. "Besides, he hasn't taken his eyes off of us yet, and 
by the glower on his...oh wait, here he comes," he said gleefully.

Sheba didn't feel so gleeful. Her heart was pounding and her ability 
to hold a conversation was quickly slipping away. She was, in fact, 
terrified. Apollo might be approaching to ask her to dance. He might 
also be approaching to tell her he was disgusted with the way she 
walked away from him so rudely. Or he might hit her dance partner. 
He was just that unpredictable. And volatile. 

'Except with me,' she thought ruefully. 'All that seething passion 
has never been turned my way!'

'Until now,' she thought as she felt a hand on her bare arm and 
turned to look into a pair of seething green eyes.

END Chapter 3
http://www.ixpres.com/mitiori/splash.html