As Starbuck expected, under the tutorage of Athena, Luana and Lia quickly caught up to the rest of his class. To give his other cadets due credit, they were all supportive and helpful towards their Empyrean classmates. He noticed the two women were especially helpful. An unofficial sisterhood seemed to be forming throughout the Galactica, which encouraged any and all repressed females in the fleet to begin anew. Capricans had not seen for a movement like this over a centi-yahren. He knew he shouldn't have been surprised when Siress Tinia showed up one day while he was running his cadets through their first simulation.
"All right, let's remember this is simply the basic handling of your Viper. We'll be practicing formation flying; keeping her straight and level; turning; ascending and descending flight; and when I'm confident you have all mastered those skills we'll move onto landings and launches." His class groaned in disappointment. "That's right boys and girls, no Cylons today." He grinned at them as the Siress made her way through the hatch. "Uh . . . can I help you Siress Tinia?"
"Just observing, Lieutenant." She replied pleasantly. "Please, just carry on as though I'm not here."
Starbuck looked at her inquisitively. She smiled at him and sat down in a corner. He sighed. "Okay, who's first?" All of his eager cadets jockeyed for position around the viper. He laughed. "Quick, who can tell me the function of the pressure suit without mentioning G-Forces?"
"It's a pressure pad designed to help the body withstand the forces of acceleration and deceleration," Sandor snapped back at him as though he had the textbook in front of his nose.
"Step right up, Sandor." He indicated the cockpit and stood back and watched the young man reverently approach the simulator. So far the kid was top of the class. However, Starbuck knew a lot of cadets at the Academy who had excelled in the classroom and had sadly lacked the ability to perform in the cockpit. The difference here was most of these cadets were training specifically to become pilots in an accelerated program that Colonel Tigh and Captain Apollo had designed. This was no four yahren Academy program where one could end up specializing in any number of occupations.
Sure enough within centons Starbuck was advising him to reduce power, steady up, reduce power, keep an eye on his gauges, and reduce power as the youngster finally experienced some of the sheer exhilaration his instructor had been describing. "Remember, you're just trying to get the feel of her. She's very sensitive. Easy, now." He encouraged the cadet as he tried to remember the Siress was watching his every move. "That's it, Sandor. Now keep her steady. You're drifting to port. You're overcompensating. Open your eyes, Sandor. Believe me, it really helps."
Each cadet took a turn at the simulator with varying results. Starbuck suspected Varick had some previous experience he wasn't admitting to. He was a bit older than the others and seemed more confident in the cockpit. Lia had been terrified. She kept asking him if she could use autopilot and he reassured her it wasn't necessary in simulations. Drina, Haya, Elek and Boaz all performed averagely. It was Luana that surprised them all. She just seemed to have a feel for this advanced piece of machinery that she had never laid eyes on until so recently. She had a light touch on the controls and the Viper simulation followed her lead like a hesitant dance partner. "Great job, Lu." He congratulated her as she left the simulator. The other cadets also gathered around her offering their encouragement. It was a great group of kids. "All right. Let's take a break. I'll see you back here in thirty centons and we'll do it all again."
He watched the cadets file past him and then approached the Siress who was entering data furiously into a compupad. "Care to tell me what this is all about?" he asked her.
"Perhaps it would be better coming from the Captain," she nodded her head in the direction of the hatch.
Starbuck turned to see Apollo entering the room; he looked furious. "What's going on?" he asked the Captain.
Apollo shook his head angrily. "All instructors are being evaluated on their performance by order of the Council of Twelve."
"What? What the frack does the Council have to do with military training?" He had stopped caring there was a Siress present. She always seemed to be the bearer of bad news anyhow.
"Technically, Lieutenant, these young women are considered civilians until they graduate. As such, we feel it is our responsibility to see that they are being treated respectfully while under your supervision." Tinia informed him.
"Just the young women?" he asked her sarcastically.
"Well, no, of course not, all of your recruits. I mean, all of the recruits." She corrected herself hastily hoping he wouldn't notice.
He noticed. "I see, so you're evaluating all of the instructors or just me?"
"Well, all of them . . . in time. We are starting with you, Lieutenant. I'll be shadowing your classes for the next two sectons. I promise not to get in the way. I will give you a fair and impartial evaluation. If you conduct all of your classes the way you did today, I foresee no difficulty in recommending that you continue. Your students seem to like and respect you and, more importantly, they learn from you."
That surprised him. "If you think so highly of me, what is this all about?"
"Albus and Regus." Apollo replied. "They're influencing certain Council members. Seems the Empyrean women are rebelling in droves. Apparently, they're blaming you, buddy." Apollo had just left the Commander's quarters where he had been informed of the Empyrean Noblemen's accusations of 'conduct unbecoming an officer' towards Starbuck. Apparently, the rumours on the Galactica had made their way to the Malocchio Freighter only now they also included his sister.
"Siress Rea has even taken to wearing pants," Tinia shared.
Starbuck chuckled at the visual of Sire Regus emphatically telling his wife to remove the offending pants. He again looked at Tinia. She was trying very hard to keep her composure. Evidently, even she had a sense of humour, despite how carefully she kept it hidden. No matter. He could live with this. After all, when he was finished here he had an appointment with Dr. Salik. Once he was cleared for active duty again everything else in life would be more tolerable.
----------
Apollo had been searching all the usual haunts for his unusually elusive friend. He knew Starbuck had another appointment with Dr. Salik after his classes had finished for the day and had fully expected to be cleared again for active duty. However, he had just received the notification that Starbuck had once again been denied due to medical grounds. Salik had made a note that 'despite the lieutenant's excellent conditioning the left intermediate lateral and the medial great quadriceps muscles continue to spasm when he is seated in a restrictive position for greater than one centar'. Translation: he still couldn't sit in a Viper long enough for even short patrols. Salik had gone on to recommend Hatha Therapy whereby the lieutenant would be focusing more on stretching his muscles while strengthening them. Apollo was unfamiliar with the practice, but was certain Starbuck would be able to fill him in. To that end, he finally decided to look for his friend in the Fitness Center.
He entered the exercise room to find Kale, the resident physical fitness trainer, finishing up a conversation with a willowy woman. Apollo was struck by the contrast between the couple. Kale, his head shaved bare, stood almost sixty centimetrons above the woman and his body seemed to be carved from solid rock. His muscles were well defined from years of strengthening exercises. He was wearing his usual uniform of shorts and t-shirt. It was difficult to guess the man's age, but Apollo knew he had been a professional trainer for twenty yahrens. Conversely, the woman was petite in all regards. Her dark hair was short and softly framed her face. She wore a body suit that reminded Apollo of a pressure suit. Kale nodded at the Captain and pointed to the back of the room. Apollo smiled his thanks.
Sure enough, there was Starbuck running in place on one of the new treadmills. He was wearing his shorts, but his shirt had been sacrificed as a towel and was wrapped around his neck. Over his eyes a set of holographic optical modifiers were in place. Apollo had not found the opportunity to try the new technology, but he knew they superimposed various images to make the wearer believe he was running through the countryside, along a sandy beach, or even up a mountainside for those who wanted the additional training benefit. The treadmill was programmed to adjust its angle as the terrain changed. Starbuck had obviously chosen the mountainside as the angle was adjusted to a steep incline. His body was slick with perspiration. Apollo could clearly see on the panel readout that his friend's workout was just about finished. The treadmill began to slowly level out as he entered a cool down phase. Apollo became aware of the lieutenant muttering to himself between breaths as he approached him.
"Fracking Doctor and his . . . fracking recommendations." Starbuck pulled off his holographic modifiers. "Lie on some fracking mat like some . . . fracking sap . . ." He grabbed his saturated shirt and started mopping off his face. "You'll be back in the cockpit in no time, Starbuck. Just stick with the fracking, gall monging, mind-numbing, good-for-nothing therapy. " He tossed the shirt behind him and turned to find it now draped across the head of his Captain. "Nice look on you. Breaks up the monotony of your face."
"I was going to buy you a drink." Apollo offered removing the foul smelling piece of clothing and tossing it back to Starbuck.
"I guess you didn't notice, I'm not in a good mood." He caught the shirt and threw it over his shoulder.
"Oh, I noticed. Do you want to talk about it?"
"No." He headed towards the turbo wash. "Thanks for asking," he added before he slipped through the hatch.
"Starbuck . . ." Apollo called after him.
"Let him cool off, Apollo," Kale walked up to him and collected the discarded holographic modifiers from where Starbuck had dropped them.
"How long has he been at it?" Apollo asked.
Kale snorted in reply, "Ever since Dextra tried to show him his new stretching exercises. He wasn't impressed." Kale started chuckling. "You should have seen his face when she tried to teach him a cross-legged position and then proceeded to rest her feet on top of her thighs." The big man started to double over in mirth at the memory and Apollo found his laughter contagious. "He just stared at her . . .and said, "You're kidding, right?"
Apollo shook his head. This was Hatha Therapy? What the frack was Dr. Salik thinking?
"Then she told him he would have to learn to stretch his mind in harmony with his muscles . . ." Kale again erupted in laughter. "Imagine Starbuck meditating!"
"Uh . . . what about you, Kale? Do you have any more . . . appropriate recommendations for Starbuck?" Apollo asked him, trying to keep a straight face.
"Honestly, he just has to stick with what he's doing. Lords, he's in great physical shape. He's been in here every day since the doc cleared him. He does stretch after his workouts . . . well, normally anyhow. I don't understand why his leg cramps up on him. Frankly, it doesn't make much sense to me. The doc gave him some muscle relaxants to try, but you know Starbuck. He hates taking any medication."
"Dr. Salik didn't mention that." Apollo commented.
"He probably knows he won't take them." Kale told him. "After all, he can't fly if he's on relaxants, right?" Apollo nodded in confirmation. "I guess time is the answer. There's no reason he can't go back to flying."
"Thanks, Kale." Apollo knew his friend was frustrated. He hadn't been in a Viper for a couple sectars. While Starbuck enjoyed teaching, he lived for flying. He had once told Apollo that there was no better feeling than hurling out of a launch tube and realizing he was in total control of the immense power that was the most sophisticated fighter known to man. He headed into the turbo wash not believing for a centon that his friend really wanted to be left alone.
Starbuck quickly turbo washed with the intent of leaving through the back hatch before Apollo followed in pursuit. As the hot water hit his body his anger began to wash away with the sweat. He switched off the water and suddenly felt drained. Couldn't have anything to do with running up a fracking mountain, could it, Bucko? He wrapped his towel around his waist and sat down heavily on the bench. Sixty-three days. Grounded for sixty-three long, repetitious, disheartening days. He rested his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. His hands curled into fists while combing back through his hair. He thought about earlier in the day when Siress Tinia had informed him of the Council's decision to evaluate his performance. Frack, he hated the political felgercarb. Probably why he loved flying. No bureauticians, ridiculous policies, red tape or even complicated relationships. It was freedom in its purest form. He opened his eyes to see a pair of boots standing in front of him. Frack. Captain's boots. Not that they were any different from anyone else's boots. Well, maybe a little cleaner than his own. Definitely shinier. It was probably just the stance, now that he thought about it. Legs slightly apart with that no nonsense, I'm not going away attitude. He sighed. Apollo always thought it was better to talk about your feelings. No doubt Adama and Ila had raised him that way. Even when Starbuck shot off his mouth his buddy would still be there for him. Starbuck really didn't deserve him.
"What did I ever do to deserve you?" he asked his friend's boots. He wasn't quite ready to ask his friend.
"I'm not sure how you mean that?" Apollo replied as he sat down beside him.
"Let me know when you figure it out." The boots were gone, but there was a particularly interesting puddle on the floor that was taking the shape of a purple panthelon. Quite remarkable.
"You're being an astrum."
"Yep."
"Do you really want me to go away?" Apollo asked.
"Yep."
"I heard about your Hatha Therapy. Sounded . . . interesting." He looked at the lieutenant who hadn't changed position. He seldom saw a dispirited Starbuck. It didn't seem right somehow. Starbuck was always forthcoming with a joke or at the very least a sarcastic retort. He watched as his buddy finally lifted his head, resting his chin on his intertwined fingers. If Apollo didn't know better, he'd almost think he was praying.
"I hate this." Starbuck told him. "I feel like I've been cursed again. Everybody tells me that my leg is completely healed, yet every time I run a sim to get cleared for duty, the muscles cramp up again. It's been three consecutive sectons. I can just about predict it by my chronometer. One centar exactly." He climbed to his feet and opened his locker.
"Kale said Dr. Salik gave you some muscle relaxants. Did you try them?" Apollo asked.
"I only cramp when I'm in the cockpit. Seems a bit pointless to use them if I can't fly when I'm on them." He pulled the medication bottle out and held it up distastefully. "Besides, I had to use them once before for a triad injury and I know that they make me tired. I can't very well teach if I'm falling asleep between simulations. 'Straighten it out, Sandor. That's it. Zzzzzzz.' Yeah, that would go over really well with my new warden." He pulled off his towel and started dressing.
"Kale says it will just take time. He's certain you'll requalify." Apollo tried to reassure him.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Starbuck sat down beside him and started pulling on his boots. "Look, buddy, I know you just want to help, but I need to be alone right now."
"To feel sorry for yourself?" Apollo asked gently.
"Sure, whatever. How many times do I have to hit you in the head with my dirty laundry before you hear me?"
"Apparently, more than once." Apollo got up. He grasped his friend's shoulder. "I'll be in my quarters if you change you mind." He headed towards the hatch. "Oh, and Starbuck . . .?"
"Yeah?"
"Don't think I won't get you back for your smart astrum remarks," he remarked as he disappeared through the hatch.
