"Hey boss," Harper called out as she strode past him on her way to command, "what are you wearing? Not exactly your usual dress code, is it?" Beka blushed. She couldn't tell him the real reason why she was wearing the sweater, not that he wouldn't know anyway!

"I…I just felt a bit cold," she said and smiled at him. Harper frowned.

"Um, I think it's the same temperature as always," he said, sounding concerned, "maybe you're sick or something?" Beka shook her head.

"Oh no, I'm definitely not sick," she said, then turned her back to him and kept walking. "I was sick before," she mumbled, "when I thought…" She didn't want to complete the sentence. She walked onto the command deck, and although her unusual attire gave her a lot of glances, no one said anything. She slumped down into the slipstream chair, ignoring the stabbing pains in her stomach, along with the urge to be sick. After five days of almost total starvation, she'd got used to the pains, and they were dulling more and more.

The shifts on command had started to seem longer and longer, and Beka felt she had no energy left at all when it finally ended. For once, she actually chose to go to her Andromeda crew quarters rather than the Maru, mostly because it was closer. She went into the bathroom, avoiding the mirror and instead stepped up to the scales. She took a deep breath.

"Should I really do this?" she asked herself. She wanted to know if her efforts had paid off, but she was also scared of what the scales might tell her. She took a deep breath and stepped up on them.

She gasped. She'd lost five pounds already. She'd never really been into the whole losing weight thing, but even she knew five pounds in five days was a lot. A smile crept it's way on her face, before she dashed to the mirror, and the smile disappeared again.

"Where's it gone?" she mumbled disappointed. Sure, she'd lost five pounds, but there was no difference. She didn't look different at all. By now she'd completely forgotten the idea of losing weight had been to be lighter, so she could do missions better, not to look good. She shook her head.

"It's not enough anyway. I've got to lose more." She slumped down on the bed, but quickly got up again. "I forgot," she thought and grimaced, "if I really want to lose weight, I have to exercise." She decided to take off to the gym to have a go on the treadmill. At least then she wouldn't bump into Dylan.

She could hardly move. She'd collapsed next to the treadmill, gasping for her breath back. Her throat was dry, and she wished she could have some water, but there was no way she was going to get it. She knew she'd overdone it, but somehow she hadn't cared until she couldn't physically do it anymore. This thing was seriously affecting her mind, but she wasn't about to admit it.

"I have to keep going," she thought furiously and managed to get herself up, but her chest hurt so much, she finally decided to call it a day. Suddenly, Tyr entered the gym. Beka swore under her breath. She'd been trying to avoid him, as he was the most likely to notice she wasn't eating. He glanced over at her with a superior look.

"A serious athlete knows when to stop," he said shortly, studying her gasping and sweating. Beka gritted her teeth.

"Maybe, but I'm no serious athlete, am I?" Tyr raised his eyebrows.

"You might find your exercise will go better if you actually have some energy intake before." Beka blushed.

"Yeah, I was just about to…go eat something. Anyway, what business is it of yours what I do?" Tyr shrugged.

"Nothing." Beka breathed out. It didn't seem likely he'd pursue the matter. After all, he didn't care about anyone but himself, did he? She tried to tell herself it was because of the way she looked, but she couldn't even believe that when it came to him. Tyr wouldn't care if she weighed fifty stone or five. She shook her head and left the gym, deciding to have an early night. After all, sleeping was the best way not to feel the pains. She decided to go back to the Maru this time, crash onto a bunk and be fine in the morning.

Yep. She'd be fine in the morning. Or at least that's what she thought.