CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE:
Happy Hour

"My patient reported finding the leaves while scrounging through the wreckage of a Zentraedi battlecruiser. He said he was using the leaves to supplement his meager diet for at least the last six months. He still had a small supply of the leaves for me to examine. I have never seen leaves like this before and not being able to recognize what plant they were from concerned me about any potential toxicity and side-effects. I forwarded a sample to a botanist friend of mine. She also could not identify what plant these dried leaves came from..."

— Excerpt from medical report by Lt. Cmdr. Marcus Jacobs (Monument City, 2018)

oOoOo

Still dripping wet, Coleiro walked across his room with a towel wrapped around him. He stopped in front of the observation window and gazed out at the view. He stared at the blue and white world peeking from around the moon. The memory of his dad taking him to view Earth for the first time from one of the SDF-1's observation areas played in his head. Dreams of wonders and opportunities then filled his head, despite the Zentraedi trying to kill them all.

Staring at the planet, his memories drifted to another time... alert sirens and alarms echoed through the SDF-1. He'd only been eight-years old, but he understood the fear and worry as his mom said goodbye to his dad, for what seemed like the last time. Everyone took cover in the shelters while his mom reported to her job at the hospital, but he snuck away to one of the observation areas. What he saw stunned him... Zentraedi warships filled the space around the ship. His dad had said something about an alliance between Earth and some of the Zentraedi, but seeing it was something else.

What struck him the most was the Earth... the planet was hard to see through the swarms of alien warships surrounding it. He couldn't believe there were that many spaceships in existence, yet there they were. Any further thoughts ended as Dolza's armada opened fire on the planet. He watched a planet die that day...

A sigh escaped the Captain. He couldn't appreciate the view now, this wasn't his Earth, and it only reminded him of everything he'd lost and what he'd become. A twinge stabbed his shoulder, a reminder of his stupidity and lack of self-control as he rotated and stretched it. The shoulder wasn't the only thing hurting... his muscles and joints ached, a testament to the intensity of the match. The long hot shower helped ease some aches, but it wasn't those pains bothering him the most. He knew he shouldn't have won that fight, trying to recall how many fights and battles he had survived that he had no right to.

I should have died years ago... I should be dead already... Why am I still alive when so many others like Sonia are dead?

Yes, he won the match against Faith, but almost killed her. He realized he would have killed her because he lost control, letting his darker nature takeover. His encounter with The First Evil had torn open all the old wounds, remembering how he used to embrace the anger and hate. It was like a drug to see how far he could push his limits and take it to the edge.

He recalled how Max Sterling once sat him down to tell him he was a good pilot, but he was even a better killer. Coleiro had taken it as a compliment, all he wanted was to fly, fight and the other fun 'F'. There were no plans or dreams for tomorrow... there was only today and the moment he lived in. Max surprised him by telling him it wasn't a compliment, but a warning. If he didn't reign it in, he would get himself and probably others killed. He'd been too young and too much of an arrogant SOB to grasp and heed Max's warning. He thought he knew it all, besides what did it matter if he died. The only thing that mattered was to have as much fun as possible before that final punch-out.

Sonia's death changed everything. If he hadn't been on one of his glory seeking death-defying stunts, he would have been there when she needed him the most. It was his mistake... his fault her squadron got wiped out that day. Even though the mission succeeded and the board of inquiry cleared him, it didn't ease or wipe away any of his guilt.

The nightly nightmares of holding her broken body as she looked at him and tried to speak tormented him for years. His relationships with women didn't last long, but Sonia had been different. She understood him, put up with his crap and defended him for years. They went through a continual cycle of hooking up and then breaking up over something ... or someone ... he did. It was in those final moments as her life drained away he realized how much he loved her.

He fell apart after her death, blaming his stubborn narcissistic stupidity for not seeing how much she meant and losing out on a chance for happiness. When off duty, he spiraled out of control descending into heavy drinking and even more ... if possible ... debauchery. He volunteered for every hazardous mission there was, looking for some redemption by dying in the cockpit, but the fates denied him the Viking funeral he wanted.

He hit rock bottom during one long night of drinking where the barrel of his side-arm ended up in his mouth with his finger stroking the trigger. If it hadn't been for Chief Larson showing up at his door, and the resulting ass-kicking she gave him, he'd be dead.

It had taken time with Larson slapping sense back into him, but he pulled himself back together. He needed to make things right, but realized his death wouldn't make up for Sonia. It would take something else... going to Max and Admiral Hunter to ask for command of the Grim Reapers. They were both skeptical at first, but Max saw the different look in his eyes and convinced the Admiral. He hadn't disappointed them since then.

This change hadn't come without a cost. It forced him to stuff his feelings and emotions behind a wall. He realized it wasn't a healthy thing to do, but with the war against the Invid intensifying he needed to do it for him to remain an effective killer. Those walls let him continue flying and he became a good combat leader and an effective squadron commander... just like Sonia had told him many times he could be. He got along with the men and women of his squadron, but there were no more close friendships ... other than Chief Larson ... and no relationships. There was the loneliness, but it was better than going through that pain again.

Coleiro moved over to his desk and pulled a bottle of scotch and a glass from a drawer. He may have cleaned up his act, but old habits die hard as he watched the liquor pour into the glass. The temptation to get drunk pulled on him, but he had to report for duty soon.

He stared at the liquor in the glass then held the glass out to the Earth as a salute to Sonia and the others before throwing back the drink. The memories washed over him as the warmth of the whiskey spread through his throat and stomach. He thought of the first time he met Sonia, a tired smile flashed as he recalled Faith's defiant expression, refusing to back down to him. The thought surprised him as he compared the two women and how different they were.

Staring at the now empty glass, Coleiro debated whether to pour himself another drink when his door chimed, deciding for him. A grimace replaced the smile as duty and responsibility came rushing back as he put the cap back on the bottle.

"Enter," he said, turning to face the window.

As the door opened, he figured it was Lieutenant Hanson with another status update or damage control report. A female voice clearing her throat caught him off-guard.

"Uhhh... Hi."

oOoOo

Faith was dealing with her own flood of emotions along with bruises and sore muscles after losing the match...

After the Captain abruptly left the gym, Cassie came over to check on her as she picked herself off the mat. She noted the worry and concern on Cassie's face, but rather than say anything she joked about the whole incident. Cassie looked at her skeptically, noting the bruises on her neck, but Faith played down the fight, saying there had been no real danger. Cassie still didn't seem convinced, but didn't push the matter.

Faith didn't know what was worse... losing the match or returning all her winnings, but she wouldn't go back on her word. She'd slinked back to her quarters, taking a long shower to ease her achy muscles and embarrassment from having gotten her ass handed to her. As she took advantage of the plentiful supply of hot water, her thoughts drifted back to the match and what had happened. She replayed the fight in her head while an inner voice mocked her for under-estimating the Captain.

His attack when she held the advantage bothered her. She'd hesitated at that crucial moment which wasn't like her, recalling his eyes. They were so dark and void of life for a moment she thought The First Evil or some other demon had possessed him. Despite the hot water, she shuddered recalling the Captain's eyes and his expression, recognizing the blood lust and rage that filled him.

Something set the Captain off... one moment she was trash talking him and the next he came at her like a berserker. She wondered what she had done or said to set him off.

All I said was something about sending him home crying...

Her thoughts returned to why she hesitated. She had no explanation for why she did it. The last time she hesitated in a fight was when going up against Angelus, but that was part of the plan to save Angel. This was different as she recalled the Captain's eyes and the pained looked on his face when he realized what he was doing. She shivered again, recalling the intensity of his eyes even then.

Her thoughts drifted back to Sunnydale and how he'd saved her life and the ride to the airport, especially how she'd held him on the ride. A moment of realization struck her as she replayed their confrontation in the gym before the match. She grudgingly admitted that maybe she should have handled it better.

Faith went over everything she knew about the Captain. Buffy and Xander had almost gushed about their meeting with him. Xander seemed to have developed a man crush for the Captain, making him out to seem like a Captain Kirk-type character. Cassie had mentioned he was a highly decorated soldier, but he didn't seem to fit any of her preconceived molds she had for men. The Captain reminded her of Riley, but something darker and more dangerous lurked there. She compared him to Robin, but again the comparisons seemed to fall short. She considered maybe he was a mix of Riley and Robin with a dash of Giles thrown in, but even then it didn't seem right.

As she rehashed the confrontation that led up to the match, she recalled how excited she'd been when he challenged her. It was like a part of her wanted the fight to occur to see what kind of man Captain Coleiro was.

Well, you got your answer along with getting your ass handed to you, an inner voice mocked.

She had to admit there an aura of sex appeal surrounded the Captain... he could fight, ride a motorcycle, fly a jet and commanded a spaceship. Another shiver caught her by surprise, but it had nothing to do with being cold. She recalled how turned on and excited she'd been during the wild dash to the airport.

Faith pushed those thoughts aside as she dried herself and got dress. Despite the shower, she was still antsy and now craving a smoke. A frustrated sigh escaped because of the restriction against smoking on the ship. Sitting in her room didn't help her agitated state. She decided on a walk to explore the ship more. She gave no thought or consideration to asking for an escort, she needed some alone time.

It didn't take much to get past security as she wandered the ship's corridors, checking out each deck. She passed the occasional crewman, but only drew curious glances as she continued her exploring. Yet, even this walk didn't help as her thoughts kept drifting back to the Captain.

On an impulse, without considering what she was doing, she stopped a crewman in the corridor and asked for directions on how to find the Captain. The crewman gave her a strange look before making a sarcastic comment about the match. Faith bit back her reply because she didn't want to cause any problems. It became important for her to find the Captain, so she ignored the crewman's comments and the looks he gave her.

The crewman used a communications panel in the corridor to contact the bridge and informed her the Captain was in his quarters. Faith surprised the crewman by asking for directions, taking pleasure from the flabbergasted expression on his face.

Now, she stood in front of the Captain's cabin finding herself in a strange situation. It had been easier to ask for directions and get here than it was for her to press the door chime. An uncharacteristic hesitation filled her as she stood awkwardly staring at his cabin door. She took a deep breath and shook her head, trying to shake off this hesitation. As she pressed the door chime, her mind played out different scenarios of what she would say and do and explain why she was at his door.

It seemed like an eternity before she heard the Captain's voice and the door opened. She brushed away any lingering hesitation as she entered his cabin. Of all the scenarios she'd played out in her mind, what she hadn't expected to see was the Captain standing only wearing a towel. The scene gave her more insight into him as she absorbed all the details... like the glass in his hand and whiskey bottle next to him. It was clear he'd just gotten out of the shower, but the way he stood in front of the observation window, looking out into space, awakened something in her. Yet, even with this new insight, she felt strangely off-balance and surprised at seeing this side of his character.

She admired the unexpected scene, her eyes locking on the droplets of water beading on his body. Her blood stirred, catching her by surprise as a growing wanting itch flared inside her.

She would have made a biting remark laced with sexual innuendo, but this time she didn't want to put her foot in her mouth. She took a different approach...

oOoOo

Coleiro whipped around, forgetting he was only wearing a towel, to face a smirking Faith. There was a momentary sense of confusion and self-consciousness for his position, but he recovered as he saw her studying him. He never backed down from a challenge or fight, so held his position, meeting his unexpected guest's gaze, not moving to go change or apologizing for his current attire.

"What can I do for you?" he asked.

Faith bit her tongue to keep herself from blurting the instinctual comment in her head. From the Captain's body language, she knew he wouldn't curl up or run off and hide, just because she had caught him at a slight disadvantage. She could tell he wouldn't run off or give up unless he wanted to, or it suited his needs.

He would probably still look all "Captain-like" even if his towel fell off, she thought.

Her eyes ran up and down his body. She knew he had a well-toned body, but she was now getting an even better view. Small scars crisscrossed his arms and chest, but what caught her eyes was a large scar on his lower torso, just peaking above the top of his towel. It looked like an old burn scar, and she wondered how far down it went.

As her eyes drifted down his towel, her thoughts drifted into more erotic territory. She quickly shook off the thoughts, her eyes snapping back up, as she remembered the Captain had asked her a question.

"I wanted to talk to you about the fight," she said, trying to keep her eyes and thoughts focused. The change in his face made her regret asking the question.

"Yeah... I'm sorry about what happened. How's the throat?" he replied, his face taking on a somber expression.

His face reminded her of the pained look on his face when he realized what he was doing. It bothered her to see him in pain and she wanted to change the mood, "What do ya have to be sorry about? See... bruises are already going away. It's one benefit of being a Slayer. Besides, you beat me fair and square. It's been a while since anyone took me like that," she said, giving him a smile.

The anger with himself flared, mixing with embarrassment over his loss of self-control along with something else he couldn't put into words. He saw her smile and could tell she was trying to let him off the hook, but he wasn't ready to forgive himself that easy.

"I-I could have... I shouldn't have fought you. It's been years since I've done anything like that. I could've handled it better. It wasn't my place or role to jump in like that."

Faith couldn't believe the Captain was apologizing to her. Out of reflex, she analyzed his words for any other agenda, but her surprise grew seeing that his apology was genuine. Again, she held back her standard sarcastic response. This wasn't the time or place for one of her quips. She wanted to say something to snap him out of his mood, so she tried changing the subject.

"I've had worse, plus I think I had something to do with how things played out too," she said, shrugging. It pleased her to see to see the surprised expression on his face.

She added, "You know for an old man, you fight pretty good. It didn't look like years out there. You used to fight lots?"

Coleiro saw the olive branch she was trying to extend. He still didn't feel he deserved it, but he took it, "Back when I was in the academy and the first couple of years with the expeditionary force. I was undefeated for five years before I hung it up," he said, nodding and giving Faith a small grin which changed the manner of his face.

She didn't know what surprised her the most... that the Captain was that good of a fighter or the way his face lit up when he smiled. His face looked younger and even better looking with the grin compared to the serious image he always seemed to be projecting. The hard edge he projected softened, and she found that she much preferred this side of him.

Coleiro studied the young woman in front of him for a long moment. Again, he compared her to Sonia, noting the similarities and differences. There was something in her that grabbed at him. The way she held herself, and her eyes... he saw the predator lurking just below the surface, ready to strike out.

He became self-conscious of only wearing a towel as his thoughts drifted. In his younger days, he would have already made a move on Faith with an almost guaranteed certainty her clothes and his towel would be on the floor. His eyes strayed over to his bed, and a rush of blood, moving to other parts of his body, forced him to focus and concentrate on other things.

His ship... His crew...

The weight of command and his responsibilities came rushing back as he gazed at Faith. He'd never been ambitious about his career other than flying Veritechs. Even though there was talk about moving him up the chain of command, he was more than happy to stay a squadron commander. A part of him wanted to keep flying until he got his Viking funeral.

But now, what he wanted took a back seat to the expectations placed on him. He was treading in deep water, trying to keep a handle on this crazy situation. He tried thinking what Max, Admiral Hunter and Sonia would do in this situation to help guide him. His biggest fear was letting down those relying on him... he'd been down that road before.

A moment of awkward silence descended on the room as they stood there looking at each other. Coleiro ended the stand-off, "You wanted something?"

Faith's pulse quickened as her eyes wandered over the Captain again. She tried not to laugh at his phrasing as she called up one of her reasons for being here.

"I was wondering if you would show me some of those moves you used on me?" she asked, meeting his eyes. Her heart beat faster as the growing itch continued nagging at her.

Her request caught him by surprise, "You... you want me to instruct you in fighting?" he said.

"Whoa, I wouldn't go that far. I've been fighting almost my whole life and being a Slayer means I've picked up a few things here and there," Faith said, laughing.

"And, yet I did put you on your ass," he replied, grinning. Her attitude, brashness and rough edges reminded him of his early days at the academy.

That I didn't get kicked out for all the shit I pulled, was nothing less than a miracle...

She liked how the Captain could dish it back without missing a beat. Faith grinned, "Yeah, there's that."

Coleiro's first inclination was to say no. He was too busy for games, but her face and eyes made him rethink his decision. A sigh escaped as he hoped he wouldn't regret this decision, "As you know we're a little short-handed on the ship. We're all busy trying to get her back into operation..."

A sense of disappointment filled Faith as she listened to the Captain.

"But maybe we can squeeze in a few sessions in the gym, depending on our operational status."

A part of her wanted to shout out in excitement which surprised her, but she repressed it as a huge smile grew on her face. She tried to sound calm and blase, "So when do we start?" she asked.

Coleiro shook his head, "I've got to go on duty. I'm down in the main hanger bay working with Chief Larson."

Faith tried not to let her disappointment show through. Before she realized it the words were escaping her mouth, "Whatcha doing there?" she asked. It surprised her to realize that she was interested and curious in what he was doing.

The question surprised him as he realized they weren't just engaging in polite conversation, "Well, I'm helping the Chief get our drone fighters repaired. Other than Lieutenant Evans and myself, we have no fighter pilots and until we can get crew trained, we're a little defenseless."

"Drone fighters?" Faith asked, looking a little confused. She suddenly became self-conscious about her lack of knowledge, wishing she'd paid more attention to Willow when she'd droned on about the ship and its technology.

Coleiro didn't notice or let on about her self-consciousness as he explained, "Computer-controlled aircraft... the latest and greatest. Takes eighteen years to get a Veritech pilot and the Invid have us outnumbered, so our engineers developed the Shadow drone fighter. We can mass produce them and they fight well enough to counteract our enemy's numbers. We had drones assigned to the Arcadia to support our fighter squadrons. Those that survived the battle transitioned here with us, but they're damaged and they need to get repaired."

"Sounds boring," Faith replied, shrugging.

"Yeah, it's not glamorous work, but we need the fighters so it needs to get done," replied the Captain.

"So, how about after you're done we... ah... do some grappling?" Faith asked, getting a twinkle in her eye, running her eyes up and down him again.

The Captain thought he picked up something different in her tone. Again, thoughts of what the younger him would do flashed through his head. Once again he found he needed to focus to keep his equilibrium from growing and showing through his towel.

I'm too old for this...

There was a time when he would have bed a woman like her and walked away without a second thought. The last thing he needed now was some young woman to come crashing into his life... no matter how beautiful. These feelings caught him by surprise because it had been years. He didn't need this problem... he'd compartmentalized his life and emotions to focus was on what he needed to do.

Soulless bastard one woman had called me...

He'd matured enough to realize Faith deserved better than that. He sighed, looking into her eyes, knowing she would not take no for an answer, "I won't make a promise I can't keep. We might squeeze time in later and I can show you a few moves."

Faith was struggling with some mixed emotions the more she talked with the Captain. She was excited he would make time for her and had no agenda to get into her pants. He hadn't been condescending or made fun of her when she showed her ignorance about the drone fighters, he treated like a person rather than an object. The only other man that treated her this way, and she believed to keep his word was Angel. Yet, a small growing voice told her to rip off his towel and ride him until one of them screamed uncle, but she kept the voice and urges in check.

Lost in her thoughts, she got caught off-guard as the Captain moved closer to her. The small voice and her urges screamed as he leaned closer and she became even more aware of how under-dressed he was. Time froze as her heart pounded and her mouth and lips became suddenly dry. She lightly licked her lips as her senses heightened, sensing the heat coming off his body along with the fresh clean shower scent coming off him. A part of her wanted him to take her right here and now. Her urges and caused her to miss what he was saying.

"H-Huh?" she sputtered out, trying to keep her equilibrium.

The Captain flashed her a small knowing smile, seeing her off-balance, "I said, excuse me. I need to get my uniform from the closet behind you. I can't go to the hanger deck dressed like this."

Faith recovered a sense of equilibrium to realize what was happening, "Huh... Yeah... right..." she mumbled, moving to the side. She took a deep breath to calm herself as the Captain pulled a clean uniform from the closet. As he retreated to the bathroom to change, she licked her lips still flustered as his strong presence lingered. It took another couple of deep breaths to regain a sense of normal. Her eyes drifted to the bottle and glass on the frame of the observation window.

Faith knew she could use a strong one, "Do ya mind if I have a drink?" she asked.

"Help yourself. There's a clean glass in the top left-hand drawer of the desk," Coleiro shouted back from the bathroom.

Faith didn't hesitate, opening the desk drawer to grab a glass. As she grabbed the glass, she saw a picture frame turned upside down. Her curiosity got the best of her as she picked up the frame and turned it over. The picture was of two young people in uniform hugging each other, mugging for the camera. Her eyes widened in surprise, recognizing Captain Coleiro as the younger man as the Captain. She studied his smiling face in the picture. What caught her was his eyes. She immediately recognized the eyes of a predator... a killer in that picture. An involuntary shudder escaped as the intensity of his eyes gripped her from the picture.

She shifted her attention to the young woman in the picture who couldn't have been much older than twenty-two and attractive, wearing a similar styled uniform. The woman had her blonde hair cut short which seemed to highlight her face and features even more. She was leaning in close, so their heads were touching, with her arms wrapped around the Captain's neck. A big smile filled the blonde's face, and it struck Faith like a slap, recognizing the expression... it was one of happiness and love.

A wave of self-doubt and insecurity hit Faith as she stared at the picture. She heard a noise from the bathroom and shoved the picture back in the drawer. She grabbed the bottle of whiskey, trying to push away the image of the happy couple now burned into her mind. A myriad of thoughts and emotions flowed through her head as she poured herself a drink.

Of course a guy like him would have someone... He's good looking... a fighter pilot. He's probably married to the blonde...

Disappointment now mixed with her self-doubts as all her faults and shortcomings came racing back. She felt completely out of her element and league as she downed her drink. As the warmth of the whiskey hit her, she glanced around the cabin. She got a funny vibe as she looked around and it took a moment to notice what was causing it.

If he's married or hooked up with the blonde, how come there're no other pictures of her? That's funny... there're no personal pictures other than that picture stuffed in his desk...

She got a sense there was something more going on, noting the cabin's spartan décor and lack of personal pictures. Faith poured herself another drink as her gaze drifted back towards the bathroom where the Captain was.

You're a mystery Captain Coleiro... Who are you? she thought.