Consequence
Of Alliance
-Chapter 3-
"Baltar!"
The traitor smiled, his round face radiating smugness. "I see you haven't forgotten me after all, Adama. That was the impression I was getting. I thought I'd be speaking with you long before this."
"I-"
"That was, of course, if you ever intended to free me in the first place," Baltar cut the commander off sharply, hatred smouldering in his dark eyes.
"Of course I did!" Adama replied angrily. He always kept his word! How dare the traitor accuse him of that!
"But you haven't," he stated, feigning hurt before he smiled. "So I've had to take matters into my own hands."
"Where's Sheba?" Apollo demanded angrily, suddenly stepping forward in front of his father, into view of the traitor. If that bastard had hurt her. . .
Ignoring him, Baltar turned his head slightly to the side to look at Adama again. "Did you *really* think I wouldn't figure out what you were up to? What you and the Council had been plotting against me? What you intended to do to me?"
"Baltar, I don't know what you're talking about! I sent two warriors to collect you. They were to bring you aboard the *Galactica*-" Adama began, his voice raised slightly, showing he was upset.
"For my execution!" the traitor shouted, shocking the commander into silence.
For a centon, nobody spoke, unsure of how Adama was going to react. Finally, Apollo could take it no longer. "I said, 'where's Sheba?'" he demanded again, shouting this time.
Starbuck put a cautionary hand on his friend's shoulder, holding him back. He hadn't seen Apollo this angry since Count Iblis had been on board, and even then, he'd managed to control it a lot better. Athena suddenly caught his eye. She looked shocked and frightened, but it was more for her brother than anyone else. She motioned for him to keep a tight hold on Apollo, unsure of what he might do.
Baltar finally looked to Adama's son, an amused expression on his full features. "Temper, temper, Apollo. You'll hurt yourself," he mocked. Was it possible that his hated rival's normally stoic son was rather fond of his hostage?
Starbuck hauled his friend back before he struck the screen. "Apollo! Calm down!" he whispered frantically, not wanting Baltar to hear. "Calm down! It won't do her any good." Starbuck was angry too, but he wouldn't show it; he couldn't give the traitor the satisfaction.
"Look, Baltar, what exactly is it you want?" Adama said coldly, stepping in front of his son and blocking him from view. His guess about Apollo's feelings towards Sheba had been absolutely correct, and with his son almost beside himself with rage he had to change the subject, before Apollo got any angrier, difficult as that may seem.
The traitor smiled again. "Simple, Adama. I want you."
The white-haired commander was at a loss for words. He knew Baltar hated him with a vengeance, knew how he enjoyed taunting him, but never in a thousand yahren had he thought that the two enemies' inevitable final confrontation would be something like this.
Seeing his shock, Baltar continued amiably: "I'm willing to make a deal." He paused. "You, in exchange for Lieutenant. . ." he looked briefly at Apollo, who was in view again, ". . .Sheba. You have one centar to give me an answer. After that. . ." He moved to the side displaying the unconscious Sheba on the shuttle's floor, ". . .she dies." With that, the screen went dead.
Starbuck looked towards Apollo, who was standing shaking with rage, staring at the spot on the screen where, only moments before, he'd seen the woman he obviously loved unconscious at the mercy of the greatest traitor humanity had ever known. Without warning, he turned and stormed off the bridge, barely able to control his anger. Starbuck went to follow him but Athena held him back.
"Let me go," she said softly and went off after her brother.
*~*
The first thing Sheba was aware of was a sharp, throbbing pain in her left temple as she struggled to open her eyes. Dimly, she could make out voices, familiar voices, talking in the background, but the sudden taste of blood in her mouth diverted her attention. She tried to wipe it away but found she hadn't the strength to raise her hand. Abandoning movement, she concentrated on the voices. At first, she couldn't make out what they were saying, but, as she listened, she recognised first Adama, then Baltar.
Hearing Baltar, the realisation that something had happened to her struck Sheba with a cold rush of fear. She had been waiting in the shuttle, that much she remembered clearly. Baltar had appeared and tried to fire at her but she had sent the shot wide somehow. She had went for her own weapon. . . and then what? Whatever had happened she had been knocked unconscious, that much was obvious, but she was at a total loss as to why Baltar had attacked her. Her head ached as she tried to work it out. He was to be freed, wasn't he? He knew that, didn't he? The answer to both was yes; it just didn't make sense.
Suddenly, Sheba recognised Apollo's voice. She still couldn't quite make out the words, but she could tell instantly that he was angry. Very angry. She tried to call his name, to let him know she was there but, if she managed, no one heard her.
After the murmur of others, Apollo's voice, shouting this time, again reached her ears, loud enough now to let her make out every word as clearly as if he had been standing right next to her:
"I said, 'where's Sheba?'"
She couldn't hear the reply, if there was one. The only thing she was able to focus on was the anger in Apollo's voice. She realised then she'd been wrong. How could she have ever thought he didn't care? It was there in his voice for all to hear, and yet, somehow, she had not. Instead of listening and waiting patiently, she had stormed off angrily in a shuttle and left him behind, regardless of whether she had a mission or not. Now she was paying the price for it. If she'd only made the most of her R & R like the rest of the pilots, she wouldn't be in this mess.
Her thoughts were interrupted suddenly by the sensation of two cold fingers at her throat, probing for a pulse. Sheba realised then that she could no longer hear the voices and once again struggled to open her eyes.
"Welcome back, Lieutenant."
The sight of Baltar standing over her made her wish she hadn't bothered.
*~*
Apollo walked from the bridge as if in a daze, hardly believing what he had just witnessed. The image of Sheba, blood streaming from a cut in her head, unconscious at the mercy of Baltar, stabbed painfully at his heart. He rested his head on the cool metal of the corridor wall, and steadied himself with his left hand. His right fist hit the wall as his anger exploded. It wasn't fair! Once again he was faced with losing a woman he loved, and, again, he was powerless to stop it.
He squeezed his eyes shut to block it out, but the image still haunted him, dancing in the shadows of his mind, as others did...
He frowned. What was it Sheba had said? '"Did you ever think about the fact that maybe two people who snap at each other for no reason, are doing it to avoid their real feelings?"' She had told him she'd thought about it "quite a bit", and the truth he would have to tell her, if he ever got the chance, was that, even though he had tried not to, so had he. At least since their confrontation in that Raider.
If he closed his eyes, he could still feel the gentle touch of her lips on his; her plead with him to be careful. Thinking about it, it was probably that moment, after Sheba left, that he had realised just how much he cared about her, and yet, he had done his best not to think about her, not even acknowledged her, in the time since he had returned. Until now, when it seemed likely that he might never see her again. Alive, anyway. It was so unfair. What had he done to deserve losing another woman who was special to him? And Sheba. What had she done?
"Apollo!"
He looked up to see Athena jogging towards him. He turned away from his sister and continued walking. He didn't want to talk to her; didn't want to talk to anyone. All he wanted was to be left alone.
"Apollo, wait!" Why wouldn't he stop? Athena increased her gait to a run and grabbed his arm, pulling him to face her with a strength that surprised even herself. "Wait!"
Apollo's expression was dark; his face clouded with worry and fear. He avoided her eyes. "What is it you want, Athena?"
"Where are you going?" she asked, even though she was certain she already knew.
Apollo didn't reply. He hadn't been sure himself until she'd asked, but now he knew he had no choice, knew what he had to do. He owed it to her. He began to turn away again but his sister held him back.
"Apollo," she began, sensing what his line of thinking was. "It's not your fault."
"Isn't it?" he snapped angrily, meeting her gaze for the first time. She didn't know what she was talking about. She couldn't know. If he'd only-
"How could you possibly be to blame?" his sister said incredulously, beginning to get angry. "How?"
"Because if I hadn't spent the last few days ignoring her, she wouldn't have gone!" Apollo shouted.
"But-" Athena didn't understand.
Apollo sighed and looked to the floor again, unable to meet her eyes. "Before I left to infiltrate that base star, Sheba. . . confronted me and she said that. . . she. . . well, she. . ."
Seeing how difficult this was for him to tell, even his sister, Athena gently laid her hand on her brother's arm. "It's all right, Apollo, I understand. You care about her, and she cares about you. It's nothing to be ashamed of." She paused, watching his reaction.
"You're not going to hurt anyone by admitting it," she added softly, when he didn't answer.
"Athena," he said quietly, "if you truly understand, then you already know where I'm going, and you're not going to try and stop me."
She shook her head. "No," she said softly. "I'm not." Athena turned and started to make her way back to the bridge, but, as she neared the corner, she turned back. "Good luck, Apollo, and be careful."
Something in Apollo's eyes seemed to spark at those words. He smiled his thanks and continued resolutely on towards the launch bay.
*~*
Adama stepped back from the console and sat down heavily in his chair, his hand covering his eyes as he shook his head in disbelief. This could not be happening.
The silence on the bridge seemed to last an eternity. No one spoke, no one moved, all numb with shock at what they had just seen. Finally, Starbuck could take no more. He couldn't stand by and do nothing; it just wasn't his style, not when one of his friends was in trouble. He cleared his throat, ready to speak, ready to ask just what the Commander intended to do.
"I don't know, Starbuck," Adama said softly, anticipating his question. "I don't know."
"Well, we can't just sit here and do nothing," Starbuck said angrily. He couldn't remember the last time he'd heard the Commander sound so defeated. He was about to add something else when he saw Athena approaching from the side.
He started towards her with Adama following, anxious to know about his friend.
"Apollo?" her father asked, fearing the worse.
She looked uncomfortable. "He, uh. . . he just. . . wants to be left alone for a little while.
One look at Athena's eyes told Starbuck exactly where Apollo was going. He had to help him. "Uh, Commander? I think I might go and, uh. . . see if he's alright. Better not to leave him alone at a time like this." It was a lame excuse, an obvious fake. He had no doubt Adama would see right through it. The question was, would he let him go?
Adama, too, had seen what was in his daughter's eyes, and, indeed, what was in his son's eyes when he had left earlier; he knew what Apollo, and now Starbuck, was going to do. He smiled knowingly. Had he really expected anything less? Nodding, he gripped Starbuck's arm as he had before the base star mission. "See you soon, Starbuck."
The lieutenant grinned and made his way off the bridge, slightly uneasy at the symbolism of Adama's gesture.
*~*
It had only been half a centar since Starbuck had left the Life Station and already Cassiopeia missed him. He was supposed to have taken a furlon along with everyone else, but with Apollo volunteering to stay on duty, Starbuck had too, spoiling their chance of spending some more time together. His loyalty and concern for his friends was one thing that Cassi had, in many a conversation, admitted to admiring about the brash lieutenant, but she secretly wished that Apollo- and yes, Sheba too- would sort themselves out, so she and Starbuck could have some well-deserved time to themselves.
Her shift had been over for at least ten centons, but after a battle she could never seem to tear herself away from her patients, especially if they were people she knew, and liked. She yawned, realising as she caught a glimpse of the chronometer on the wall, that as the light cycle had begun, and with her work done, she was well within her rights to go back to her quarters and have a good, long sleep. Even so. . .
Dr. Salik caught her look and smiled as he looked up from the pad he was holding. "You know, you are allowed some time off, Cassiopeia. You've been on duty for 15 centars, it's about time you took a break."
She smiled back. "Are you sure?"
"I don't want to see you back here for at least five cycles," he stated bluntly. "Everyone else is enjoying a furlon, so why can't you?"
"Not everyone," Cassiopeia frowned, thinking of both Starbuck and Apollo. Not to mention Sheba.
Salik nodded, agreeing, as his expression turned grim. "No, not everyone, I suppose," he admitted. Salik did like the Commander's son, admired his bravery and skill as a Warrior, but since that fateful night when he had been unable to save his wife Serina, he had formed a sympathy for Apollo. A sympathy that had deepened with observing his tentative interest in the recovery of Lt. Sheba, after the disappearance of the Pegasus and further still during the Cylon suicide runs on the *Galactica*, an episode which almost cost Apollo his entire family.
From what he'd accidentally overheard of Starbuck and Cassiopeia's earlier conversation, his original hunch had been correct, and now, for some reason Salik couldn't be sure of, Apollo had denied a furlon, and done his best to avoid Sheba at all costs. Even at the awards ceremony the other night, where, when he'd looked to congratulate the Captain after the presentation of the Gold Cluster, he was nowhere to be found. That would certainly explain the miserable expression that had lined Sheba's face throughout the ceremony.
"I'm sure Starbuck will be able to persuade Captain Apollo to join in the festivities," Salik said, trying to cheer her.
Cassi looked surprised that the Doctor had known whom she was referring to, and gave him a questioning look.
"Come now, Cassiopeia," Salik said, smiling again. "Even working in the Life Station most of the time, there are very few things that don't catch my eye. Now, go. I'm keeping you from your furlon."
"Only if you promise to take some time off yourself," she replied.
His eyes twinkled as he watched her move towards the door. "I'll make sure to."
Smiling at him one last time, Cassiopeia walked out of the Life Station and straight into Starbuck.
"Starbuck!" she gasped. "What-?"
"Sorry, Cass," he exclaimed as he spun her round, out of his way. "Can't stop!"
"Starbuck, wait!" she shouted, pulling him back. "What's going on? What's happened?"
"I don't have time-" He had to get to Apollo before it was too late.
"Please!" she begged. The desperate tone in his voice set off alarms in her mind. Something was very wrong.
Starbuck looked torn. He was breathing heavily from his hurry, anxious to be off again, but wanting to tell her everything. He looked at her, then in the direction he was heading and then back to her again.
"Sheba," he said breathlessly. "She's in trouble. Baltar's escaped. Apollo's gone and I have to help him."
He was barely making sense but the urgency in his voice and in his stance, almost as if he was ready to take off again, compelled her to keep holding him back. She knew what she had to do.
"Wait for me, I'll be back in a micron!" Cassi dashed back into the Life Station and emerged moments later with a medkit. "You can tell me on the way," she declared to the surprised Starbuck as she quickly checked the medkit's contents.
Starbuck didn't have time to argue. Instead, he sped off again, this time with Cassiopeia in tow.
*~*
To Apollo's relief, the launch bay was completely deserted when he arrived. Thanking the Lords, he made his way towards the lone shuttle at the bay's end, his feet making no sound as he jogged across the tarmac. He paused at its door and looked back as he heard the sound of the ascensior descending behind him. Before he could make a move, a determined Starbuck trailed by an anxious Cassiopeia jumped off and cornered him.
Apollo's expression was tight-lipped. "What are you two doing here?"
"We're coming with you," Starbuck said bluntly.
Apollo started to protest but Cassiopeia cut him off sharply. "Your father gave us clearance, Apollo. We're coming and that's that. Besides," she paused, not really wanting to hit him with this. "You might need a medtech."
As much as they hurt him, Apollo could see the wisdom in her words and it wasn't like he had time to debate the issue. "All right," he said reluctantly. "Let's go."