Starbuck hit the door sensor with the tip of his unlit fumerillo, "I don't know, Boomer, I'm just saying that things are never going to be the same again." He followed Boomer into the officers club, signaling to the barman to catch his attention as he walked over towards the bar.
"Hell, Starbuck, things haven't been the same since the Destruction, " Boomer called out over his shoulder as he continued over to the center table where they usually sat and flopped down heavily. " And don't forget you owe me an Caprican brandy!"
Starbuck, who had just picked up two grogs, set one down and reordered the second drink. "Caprican brandy," then checking to see if Boomer was looking, he leaned closer to the barman. "Uh, make that a small." More loudly he continued addressing Boomer, "You know what I mean, Boomer. Sure, we don't have all that much that's stable in our flash-pan existence, but what I do have left I'd like to keep." Intent on his discussion with Boomer, Starbuck grabbed the second drink and quickly stepped away from the bar, whereas he immediately collided with a tall, and now wet, warrior.
"Frak!" Starbuck mumbled and looked mournfully at his expensive purchase for Boomer as it ran in caramel colored drips down the brown face before him. Then Starbuck smiled, bringing his infamous charisma to full force as he tried to charm his way into the good graces and out of possible danger with the warrior before him. "Well, hello, Alikatz, can I buy you a drink?"
"No thanks, apparently, I've just had one!" Alikatz's light Scorpion accent was filled with amused sarcasm.
"Uh, sorry about that. Look, I'm sure there's a way I can make it up to you." Starbuck's charm-filled voice left the possibilities wide open. She gave him a seductive look up and down, considering.
But, deep inside, Starbuck knew he wasn't giving it his all. Normally, he'd set his charms on stun when the opposite sex looked at him that way; and Alikatz was not a bad looker at that, with her long dark brown hair, golden honey skin and alluring dark eyes; and yet, his heart wasn't in it. Oh, his hormones were most definitely interested, but something seemed wrong about actually doing anything about it.
"Humm, could be interesting." She flashed him a smile that was openly inviting, and Starbuck couldn't help but cringe at the predatory sparkle in her eyes. When it was apparent Starbuck wasn't going to offer more nor accept an offer at this time, she walked past him, brushing her right hand across his chest as she gently pushed him out of her way. "I'll be seeing you around then, Lieutenant."
Starbuck's unsettled gaze followed her. Why did he suddenly feel like he'd done something wrong? As soon as he asked himself the question, an image appeared in his mind. Wavy blond curls that frame a delicate heart-shape face. Twin pools of lighted laughter sparkled at him, fill with an emotion that he had evaded noticing. Now, as the image flash before him, he knew why his usually flirtatious manner had seemed wrong.
He really didn't want Alikatz or anyone else for that matter. He just wanted to lose himself in Cassie's eyes. When had that look come into her eyes? He knew that look. Had even had it aimed at him before, but this time it was different. This time he felt the difference.
This thought alone so surprised the playboy in him that he nearly dropped his remaining drink. He knew he cared for Cassie, but did he love her? 'Me - Starbuck - the fleets playboy, actually in love? With one woman?'
But even as he discounted the thought, he could feel the warmth the thought had left deep inside him. He was going to have to think long and hard about this revelation and what it meant.
"Excuse me Lieutenant."
Startled out of his reverie Starbuck jumped and nearly spilled his remaining drink.
"All right, Lieutenant, I think one drink is quite enough to waste," said the amused voice of yet another female warrior. Starbuck flushed with irritation and embarrassment. "I think maybe you'd better sit down and have the barman bring you the drinks, since I certainly don't want to have to change my uniform, too."
Starbuck just gave his usual roguish smile and allowed her to steer him in the direction of the table where Boomer, and now Jolly, were seated, shaking their heads in unison at him.
"Come and sit down, Starbuck, before you run the whole OC over!" Jolly called to him. Laughter broke out all around him as Starbuck gave in and with exaggerated care walked over and sat next to Boomer.
"Now, I know you always say you like to sweep the ladies off their feet, Starbuck, but I never realized you were being literal," Boomer joked.
Starbuck ignored the laughter as he watched yet another offer, smiled sweetly over a shoulder, walk away unanswered by him.
"Starbuck, one at a time," Boomer leaned over and admonished.
Starbuck hastily set aside his thoughts for later when he could give them his full attention and focused on Boomer "Why?" he automatically answered.
Boomer shook his head sadly. "I forgot who I was speaking to."
The barman arrived then with their drinks, breaking the moment. Starbuck picked up his glass and returned back to what they were originally discussing. "Boomer, I just feel like things are changing so fast. I don't know, it just feels so out of control."
"Don't you think Apollo's plan will work?" Boomer asked, concerned.
"It's not that. I'm just..."Starbuck waved his hand in a frustrated gesture, unsure of his own thoughts and feelings right now.
"Feeling left out?" Boomer asked as he thoughtfully watched Starbuck.
"I don't know, yah, maybe. Maybe that's it, I just feel like I've lost something."
Boomer nodded. "We've all lost great deal in such a short time."
"I know, Boomer, but this feels different. This time I'm afraid Apollo and I have lost something of our friendship too."
"Don't worry, Starbuck," Jolly spoke up, "You two have gone through tougher spots. You'll get through this intact too.
"I hope so," Starbuck replied as he looked gloomily into the dark amber liquid before him.
"Hell, Starbuck, things haven't been the same since the Destruction, " Boomer called out over his shoulder as he continued over to the center table where they usually sat and flopped down heavily. " And don't forget you owe me an Caprican brandy!"
Starbuck, who had just picked up two grogs, set one down and reordered the second drink. "Caprican brandy," then checking to see if Boomer was looking, he leaned closer to the barman. "Uh, make that a small." More loudly he continued addressing Boomer, "You know what I mean, Boomer. Sure, we don't have all that much that's stable in our flash-pan existence, but what I do have left I'd like to keep." Intent on his discussion with Boomer, Starbuck grabbed the second drink and quickly stepped away from the bar, whereas he immediately collided with a tall, and now wet, warrior.
"Frak!" Starbuck mumbled and looked mournfully at his expensive purchase for Boomer as it ran in caramel colored drips down the brown face before him. Then Starbuck smiled, bringing his infamous charisma to full force as he tried to charm his way into the good graces and out of possible danger with the warrior before him. "Well, hello, Alikatz, can I buy you a drink?"
"No thanks, apparently, I've just had one!" Alikatz's light Scorpion accent was filled with amused sarcasm.
"Uh, sorry about that. Look, I'm sure there's a way I can make it up to you." Starbuck's charm-filled voice left the possibilities wide open. She gave him a seductive look up and down, considering.
But, deep inside, Starbuck knew he wasn't giving it his all. Normally, he'd set his charms on stun when the opposite sex looked at him that way; and Alikatz was not a bad looker at that, with her long dark brown hair, golden honey skin and alluring dark eyes; and yet, his heart wasn't in it. Oh, his hormones were most definitely interested, but something seemed wrong about actually doing anything about it.
"Humm, could be interesting." She flashed him a smile that was openly inviting, and Starbuck couldn't help but cringe at the predatory sparkle in her eyes. When it was apparent Starbuck wasn't going to offer more nor accept an offer at this time, she walked past him, brushing her right hand across his chest as she gently pushed him out of her way. "I'll be seeing you around then, Lieutenant."
Starbuck's unsettled gaze followed her. Why did he suddenly feel like he'd done something wrong? As soon as he asked himself the question, an image appeared in his mind. Wavy blond curls that frame a delicate heart-shape face. Twin pools of lighted laughter sparkled at him, fill with an emotion that he had evaded noticing. Now, as the image flash before him, he knew why his usually flirtatious manner had seemed wrong.
He really didn't want Alikatz or anyone else for that matter. He just wanted to lose himself in Cassie's eyes. When had that look come into her eyes? He knew that look. Had even had it aimed at him before, but this time it was different. This time he felt the difference.
This thought alone so surprised the playboy in him that he nearly dropped his remaining drink. He knew he cared for Cassie, but did he love her? 'Me - Starbuck - the fleets playboy, actually in love? With one woman?'
But even as he discounted the thought, he could feel the warmth the thought had left deep inside him. He was going to have to think long and hard about this revelation and what it meant.
"Excuse me Lieutenant."
Startled out of his reverie Starbuck jumped and nearly spilled his remaining drink.
"All right, Lieutenant, I think one drink is quite enough to waste," said the amused voice of yet another female warrior. Starbuck flushed with irritation and embarrassment. "I think maybe you'd better sit down and have the barman bring you the drinks, since I certainly don't want to have to change my uniform, too."
Starbuck just gave his usual roguish smile and allowed her to steer him in the direction of the table where Boomer, and now Jolly, were seated, shaking their heads in unison at him.
"Come and sit down, Starbuck, before you run the whole OC over!" Jolly called to him. Laughter broke out all around him as Starbuck gave in and with exaggerated care walked over and sat next to Boomer.
"Now, I know you always say you like to sweep the ladies off their feet, Starbuck, but I never realized you were being literal," Boomer joked.
Starbuck ignored the laughter as he watched yet another offer, smiled sweetly over a shoulder, walk away unanswered by him.
"Starbuck, one at a time," Boomer leaned over and admonished.
Starbuck hastily set aside his thoughts for later when he could give them his full attention and focused on Boomer "Why?" he automatically answered.
Boomer shook his head sadly. "I forgot who I was speaking to."
The barman arrived then with their drinks, breaking the moment. Starbuck picked up his glass and returned back to what they were originally discussing. "Boomer, I just feel like things are changing so fast. I don't know, it just feels so out of control."
"Don't you think Apollo's plan will work?" Boomer asked, concerned.
"It's not that. I'm just..."Starbuck waved his hand in a frustrated gesture, unsure of his own thoughts and feelings right now.
"Feeling left out?" Boomer asked as he thoughtfully watched Starbuck.
"I don't know, yah, maybe. Maybe that's it, I just feel like I've lost something."
Boomer nodded. "We've all lost great deal in such a short time."
"I know, Boomer, but this feels different. This time I'm afraid Apollo and I have lost something of our friendship too."
"Don't worry, Starbuck," Jolly spoke up, "You two have gone through tougher spots. You'll get through this intact too.
"I hope so," Starbuck replied as he looked gloomily into the dark amber liquid before him.