Two consecutive nights. Well, it wasn't the Rising Star and it didn't have a view, but at least they could be together. Luana snuggled up to Starbuck. He reflexively pulled her closer, though he was in a deep sleep. Who would have thought that a small pile of mats and a scrounged blanket in the equipment room could feel like the Presidential Suite?
They had had a lot of catching up to do with the cascading series of events that had occurred since parting at the Life Station the night before. First she had told him that from the official point of view, they were still engaged. He was calmly accepting of the fact, almost as if he had expected it. She hadn't been prepared for that.
Of course, she had also added that the Empyrean engagement period was a yahren long, in order to adequately prepare for the monumental event. He had laughed, relief clearly evident.
"So we have a yahren to figure it all out?" He had reiterated. "Sagan, a lot can happen in a yahren, Lu."
"I know." She had stroked his jaw line, rough with a day's growth of beard, and gazed into those blue eyes that she adored. "One day at a time?"
He paused to consider her, loosening her hair from the tether that tied it back. "What planet are you from again, sweetheart?"
No, Starbuck hadn't seen that coming. The truth was that Luana had everything she wanted for now. Him. The newly formed Empyrean Quorum had even conceded to her demand that they stop referring to her as Princess Luana, and accept her for the Colonial Warrior she had become. In the interest of moving forward and not dwelling on the past, there would be no more formal discussion of the Princess and the Savior.
After all, it had not been that long ago that she thought she would live out her life as one of a community of Empyrean women on a planet with no men. She had no illusions of that changing until the day she and Lia had discovered a group of strangers had landed on their planet on a botany expedition. Tracking the small party, they had soon happened upon Starbuck skinny-dipping in a pond, washing off the muck and mire from a fall down a hillside in the sodden terrain.
Lia had been the first to recognize him as being their potential Savior. Luana had been too busy admiring hisattributes, to connect him in any way with the chosen one of the Great Kaula's Prophecy. Hades, Kaula himself could have been standing there shouting, "he's the savior!" in her ear, and it wouldn't have penetrated her intense study of the first male she had seen in yahrens.
She had never been one for adhering to tradition, simply because it was expected, and she realized now that that included the one called marriage. The more she thought about it, the more she realized, if Starbuck had this inexplicable fear of making that final commitment, well, then why push it? Perhaps that was why his other relationships had failed. At the end of the incredible journey of discovery called love, was this black hole of the unknown trying to lure him into its murky depths. Hades, no wonder he put up blockades and built fences until the women in his life came to the realization that he just wasn't going to take that extra step.
He stirred in his sleep, letting out a deep sigh. Luana smiled. She loved to watch him sleep. Loved to have the opportunity to memorize his features without him being aware of it. All the fine lines of concentration that had been there while he was talking about the mysterious Oriana and her connection with Borka and Kaden had disappeared, making him appear so much younger and carefree.
He hadn't had the time he had hoped for to get to the bottom of what Oriana was really up to. Other more pressing things had come up. Like their engagement, not to mention the Malocchio Conflict, as the bureauticians were referring to it now. Perhaps it sounded more historically significant. If the people of the fleet only knew it was simply a clever ruse by Ama to implement the Defense of the Empire Act, and topple the impotent Quorum as it stood, with a vote of three opposing three. Of course, Ama wouldn't admit to that, but those who knew her recognized her careful contrivance of the events.
Starbuck had suspected Ama also knew who Oriana was, and what she was up to. Despite the numerous reasons to distrust the sanitation worker, he had felt that Oriana was telling him the truth, when she had promised she was on his side. However, Oriana certainly hadn't been willing to reveal anything. Upon reflection though, it had sounded like he had been too restrained with her, probably because she was a woman. There were some missing pieces to that particular puzzle, and he hadn't had the time to go looking for them. He had suggested, rather strenuously, that the first stop in finding the answers would lie with Ama.
Well, Luana knew he was probably right. The old crone could plot and scheme with the best of them. She had an advantage with her necromancy skills, after all. Some people talked of having a sixth sense, but Ama had that and something more. Her powers of percipience, observation, and deductive reasoning, put her ahead of the pack. For all her appearance to the contrary, with her wild hair, casual dress, and crass demeanor, she was very intelligent. In fact, it was simply part of her façade to make her opponents think she was less of a threat. By the time they figured it out, she had already eaten them alive.
However, knowing Ama all her life, and admittedly cutting the supposedly retired necromancer little slack, Luana also knew she wouldn't purposely hurt anyone she cared about. She had informally adopted Starbuck. Lu and Lia recognized all the signs. Not only did the old crone just genuinely enjoy his company, but she respected him and was grateful to him for his support and assistance in helping them adapt to life in the Fleet. Despite the many terrible events that had befallen him since becoming acquainted with the Empyreans, he kept coming back for more, almost as if Starbuck was daring the fates to try again.
As crazy as the past day had been for him, Ama still had his interests at heart. Luana just had a difficult time figuring out how at this point. So far the woman was appearing to be totally bureaucratically minded. Even selfish. However, that just wasn't her way. Oh, she might like you to think it was, but it couldn't be further from the truth.
Tomorrow Starbuck had another early patrol. Strike that, Lu. In a centar he has patrol. She, on the other hand, had a day off. Well, she might not be Ama, but she was going to do her darnedest to find the missing link. After all, she had learned a few things along the way, most of them from her father and Ama, and a few of them from Starbuck.
Later that night was the big triad match with Bojay and Barton. She knew Starbuck was feeling nervous about it. Despite his consistency in practices, during his matches he was repeatedly caving to the pressure. Maybe it was too much pent up energy and frustration. Hmm.
She propped herself up on an elbow, cradling her head in her hand and watching him for a few more microns. Innamorata. It didn't matter in which context he had meant it, or that he had been under a trance. It had filled her with such intense feelings that she had thought she would burst into tears. It was the first time she had realized that happiness and dismay could effect one so similarly. Her chest had ached with emotion as she watched him braving the Fires of Truth.
She leaned over, lightly kissing him from his jaw downward to his chin, nipping at it, as she ran her hands down his chest. His lips quirked in a smile, but his eyes remained closed, as if he was merely experiencing a pleasant dream. Her lips continued their journey, slowly and erotically exploring his body, as he had done with her only centars before. A feral grin spread across her face, as she heard his low moan and felt his body stir beneath her, awakening with desire. Desire for her.
"Come here . . ." his voice was but a sigh, as he reached for her, anxious to feel her body pressed against his.
"What's your hurry, flyboy?" She breathed, rejoicing in the sense of power as his body moved beneath her, responding to her.
"Well, then by all means, take your time." Starbuck encouraged her with a chuckle.
"Hmm." She again pressed her lips to his flesh. She would take all the time in the universe. Hopefully, her lifetime.
