Small, Fuzzy Ratpig
Yaaak!
Kara Thrace, better known among her fellow cadets as Starbuck, flew out of the cockpit of her viper like a rocket. She spun in the air at the top of the ladder and hesitated just long enough to find out what it was that she had nearly sat on. It had moved beneath her. She wanted to know, in particular, because fellow cadet, Lee Adama, was standing on deck below her with an uncharacteristically wide grin on his face.
The back of something grey was wiggling and sticking out from beneath the seat. There wasn't enough room to get all the way underneath, and a ball of round fur stood exposed and shivering uncontrollably in the shadows.
"I don't believe it." She stood up, turned with fists on hips and glared at the grinning cadet at the bottom of the ladder. "Someone put you up to this. I've always known there was defiance beneath that dutiful, controlled exterior, but you would never put a rat in my cockpit on your own, Adama. Never in a thousand years."
His hands were on his hips, as well, only they weren't in fists as hers were. "You're right, Starbuck, I didn't put a rat in your cockpit. It's a guinea pig. And you nearly flattened the poor thing and probably frightened it half to death."
"Guinea pig?" Her lip was turned up as though she'd just tasted something horrible and sour. "What the hell is that? It looked like a rat to me, and I don't much care for pigs either, except for eating."
Lee Adama took the first step up the ladder. "I'll get it for you if you promise not to slug me."
"I'll promise no such thing. You put it in there."
He hesitated on the second step. "No kicks either. You said you never had a pet. We can't have dogs or cats in our rooms. You can keep this in a cage and take it out when you want. He's real soft, Kara, and nice to hold."
"I'm not gonna' hold a rat."
He took another step. "I told you, it's not a rat."
She moved to give him room as he joined her on the top step. "I don't care to hold a pig either."
"Geesh." He leaned over the edge of the cockpit. His words were muffled as he leaned further, reached around the floor. "You really did frighten the poor thing."
The first couple seconds she stretched her neck to follow his reach, then she relaxed; her eyes wandered to where his back was bent over the edge of the cockpit, and, his uniform pulled against his ass. One eyebrow went up; her chin went down and her arms crossed before her; she grinned. She murmured, "Hide little piggy."
As he was leaning against his stomach, she heard a strained, "What?"
"Nothing."
"Got 'im."
He rose, both arms curled against his chest. A grey and white ball of fur was encased beneath one hand. He gazed at it, fingers continually petting; two tiny ears rose up, perked forward, whiskers shivered, a nose quivered and tested the air.
Starbuck stared. "That's it?"
"Pet it. It's real soft."
"Pet a pig, huh. It looks like a furry rat." Her hand hovered above it by two inches.
"The ears and tail are smaller, and it's much cleaner. Nicer disposition, too."
He removed his hand, and Starbuck's cupped and slowly stroked the strange and mysterious creature. It was warm and hummed beneath her strokes, almost like a purring cat, only it seemed much more delicate and helpless.
"Here." Before she could stop him, Lee had put the thing in her arms. Its little toes prickled her, and its nose was cool. The whiskers tickled. She could feel its heart beating. It didn't even try to run away, but snuggled close to her. It was very soft. She felt something in her chest, something she hadn't felt for so long she couldn't remember what it was or when the last time had been. It was a little frightening because it had something to do with being vulnerable. She was torn. She wanted to get rid of this thing before it was too late, but it was already too late. She was already caught. Caught while Apollo was prattling on about food pellets and a cage and exercize toys.
He had no idea what he'd done to her with this little gift. She already had a name for him . . . Apocalypse. Apo for short.