Chapter Two
Apollo was beginning to feel nervous as he sat picking at his breakfast in the mess hall. Two centars ago, Sergeant Brand had marched Starbuck out of his room and led him out of the Argus Building. At the time, his flight leader had thought it had more to do with Starbuck's smart-astrum remarks than his involvement with Imara. Apollo had expected to see his friend return within the centar, regaling him with exaggerated stories of bamboozling Brand and Co. with his superior skills in the art of chicanery. As yet, Starbuck had not rematerialized.
As each successive centon passed, he was beginning to fear that Colonel Diallo was going to make some kind of example out of Starbuck, but surely that wouldn't be acceptable in this day and age. Would it?
"Where the frack is he, Apollo?" Dorado asked as he sat down beside his flight leader, fresh java in hand. Murmurs from their other squadron members echoed his concern.
"I'm beginning to think I should go find out." Apollo replied to the table at large as he pushed his tray away. If Diallo had some kind of ulterior motive, he would find out about it.
"Hey, Imara just came in." Dorado motioned towards the door.
Every male head turned as the curvaceous, beautiful woman moved gracefully across the room.
Apollo got up and headed to intercept her. "Imara." He called.
Imara altered her course and joined him. "Hi Apollo. Are we still getting together to go over the itinerary for the survival training?" Her smile was radiant and her eyes sparkled just a little bit more than usual.
"Yeah, but that's not why I wanted to talk to you right now. Have you seen Starbuck?" he asked softly.
Imara's eyes flickered over the people standing around them. Her gaze then swept the room as if she were on reconnaissance. "No, why? Should I have?"
"Imara, someone reported seeing you two together last night. The barracks was searched and all AWOL cadets were reported." He watched as she bit her lower lip in concern. "Starbuck ended up spending the night in my room . . . " At this her smile returned and she grasped Apollo's hand and gently squeezed. "But . . . "
"But what?" she asked, brushing her thick, dark hair back and tucking it behind an ear.
Apollo paused, distracted by her actions. "Uh . . . Brand showed up at my door and hauled Starbuck away at 0600. Nobody's seen him since. I was just getting ready to go look for him."
"I'll come with you." Imara told him.
"Uh . . . maybe that wouldn't be a very good idea." Apollo opined. He could just imagine them finding Colonel Diallo raking Starbuck over the coals for dating his daughter, and Imara arriving just as Starbuck was denying everything . . . again. He checked his chronometer.
"Why not?" Imara asked. Her fine eyebrows arched above her eyes.
"Aren't you concerned you might get Starbuck in even more trouble if you show up looking for him?"
"Is that why you think Starbuck was hauled in? Because he and I . . . " she left the sentence unfinished and averted her gaze, her cheeks flushing suddenly.
Oh frack. Imara and Starbuck . . . Starbuck and Imara . . . oh frack . . . Apollo felt a flush climbing his own neck and face. He cleared his throat.
"We did NOT sleep together. Is that what he told you?" she hissed at him, her body suddenly tense.
"Uh . . . no, he didn't actually say anything about what you two did together." Apollo stuttered. That much was true. Actually, that was kind of unusual, now that he thought about it.
"Then you just assumed . . .!" Imara snapped, her anger getting the better of her.
"No . . . well, not until you . . . blushed." He finished lamely, wondering why it was so hot in the commissary at this centar.
They looked up self-consciously, as chuckles and laughter began to spread through the room. A few people were standing in front of the windows and more were joining them.
"Hey, Apollo, check out the scenery!" Dorado called out.
Apollo crossed the room with Imara directly behind him. They peered out the window of the mess hall, along with a multitude of others, to see Starbuck crossing the parade square towards the Argus Building . . . in nothing but his briefs.
Apollo stole a furtive glance at Imara, who was clearly enjoying the view. Once again he watched her bite her lower lip, but this time there wasn't the least bit of concern apparent as she watched Starbuck . . . strut . . . yep, that was definitely a strut . . . across the square. A smile of pure pleasure crept across her face.
She grabbed Apollo by the arm, "C'mon."
Apollo let himself be led by his classmate out into the cold morning air. He reflected that Starbuck was likely finding it a lot cooler than they were. Together they moved to intercept him as he headed for the Argus Building.
"Starbuck!" Imara called out to him.
Starbuck shook his head in bemusement as he turned to see them. So much for not making a spectacle of yourself, Bucko. He slowed his pace as he waited for them to catch up and tried to act nonchalantly . . . as he stood there in his underwear in the freezing cold with an ever-growing crowd of observers gathering to watch. Just great!
"Are you okay?" Imara asked him as she approached.
"What took so long?" Apollo asked at the same time, keeping pace.
"I'm fine. I just cooled my heels in the brig for a couple centars. Then they sprung me." Starbuck told them, crossing his arms over his chest against the cold.
"That's it?" Apollo asked in surprise. Well, so much for thwarting evil plots.
"You don't have to sound so disappointed, Apollo." Starbuck retorted with a wry smile. "Yeah, that and a speech about discipline."
"Then my father . . .?" Imara began tentatively.
Starbuck stopped and let her catch up. Her warm hands engulfed his cold ones as she looked up at him with concern and . . . something else in her eyes. "Uh . . . I didn't see your father at all, Imara." He watched the delicate smile that lit up her features when he said her name.
"Then it wasn't about us?" Imara asked.
"Uh . . . well, Brand did mention our date. Listen, I'm freezing my . . . uh . . .
well . . . " he smiled slightly as her eyes met his with a look of amusement.
"Well, we can't have that." Imara told him as her eyes swept over him, taking in the shivering that was beginning to affect his athletic frame.
"You wouldn't care to . . . warm me up, would you, Imara?" Starbuck asked huskily, stepping closer, arms held shoulder width apart. His discomfort momentarily forgotten.
"Hmm." She replied languidly as she stepped into his embrace and pressed her body close to him. Lords, he felt good. Oh, she knew he had a reputation and she could admit . . . that intrigued her. Especially, when the rest of the cadets at the Academy were too intimidated by her father to approach her romantically.
Apollo shuffled his feet uncomfortably. "Uh . . . I'll catch up with you later, Starbuck."
"Hmm?" Starbuck mumbled as he breathed in the fragrance of her hair. Yeah, he was certainly warming up.
"Later." Apollo repeated as he struck out for the Argus Building with a brief look back at the interlocked couple. "Lucky fracker." But then, Starbuck always had had a way with women . . .
FLASHBACK
About two sectons after Apollo had met Starbuck, he had heard Eryn, second-in-command of Phoenix and also a senior, refer to Starbuck as "well, you find the maximum amount of testosterone, put it in one of the most sophisticated packages known to man, and then launch it into space at light speed." Now, if Eryn had been a man, Apollo knew the reference to package would have been the fightercraft. However, since she was a woman, he wasn't so sure.
A smile crossed his features as he recalled the day he had finally got up the nerve to ask Eryn out . . . with the help of some sound advice from an unlikely source. He actually recalled reminiscing about the day with his former squadron leader, Zoltan, just before he and Eryn had graduated and headed for their postings on the Columbia and Pegasus respectively. It seemed ages ago now that . . .
A resounding SMACK echoed through the launch bay.
"Frack, a simple 'no' would have done, don't you think?" Starbuck's voice filtered in through the rest of the noise of fighters being prepared for launching and pilots doing preliminary checks.
Zoltan chuckled from where he stood going over their flight plan. "I think that's it. He's propositioned every woman in the squadron now. Not bad. Only took two sectons."
"Do you guys have some kind of award for that?" Eryn asked sardonically.
"Hey, that's not fair. Do you see anyone else hitting on every woman with a pulse?" Apollo protested. "I like to think the rest of us maintain a more professional relationship with our peers."
"Hmm. Maybe I should talk to him. He's not going to be very popular with almost one third of Phoenix if everyone has to slap him up the side of the head to make a point." Zoltan mused aloud.
"I wouldn't worry about it, Zoltan. Oddly enough, he seems to settle down as soon as we put him in his place. Almost as if he thinks he needs to get the whole sexual thing out of the way before he can focus on just being part of the squadron." Eryn told him.
Zoltan snorted and shook his head. "Maybe it was that secton he spent in the brig."
"I doubt it." Eryn returned. "From what I've heard from his classmates, he's 'hormones on legs'.
"That's what I love about you, Eryn, you tell it like it is." Apollo smiled and his eyes met hers for a long moment as she considered him in surprise.
"Hmm. Now that's a more subtle approach, Apollo. I have to say, I like it." Eryn told him, her blue eyes locked on his green ones. Her short chestnut hair framed her face and accented her high cheekbones.
"Uh oh. I think I'll leave you two alone." Zoltan teased them.
"Fine with me." Eryn replied to her wingmate. "Apollo and I can sort out the rest of the details. What do you say, Apollo?"
"Uh . . . sure." He cursed the slight flush he felt creeping up his neck.
"Besides, no doubt he'll be second in command or even leader of the squadron next yahren, so we really should involve him more in command decisions. You know, for practice." Eryn added to Zoltan with a far too obvious wink.
Zoltan laughed. "You don't need to convince me, Eryn. Okay, you two sort out the final details. I'll go take our boy in hand." He nodded towards Starbuck and walked away, pleased that Apollo had finally got up the nerve to make a move. As proficient as the young man was in every other regard of cadet life, he was a bit on the shy side when it came to women. "Hey Bucko!"
"Bucko?" Starbuck asked with a smile. His hand rested on the hot flesh of his face where he was certain Rhea had left an indelible mark.
"Yeah, Bucko." Zoltan confirmed as he patted the cadet's cheek. "So, is it out of your system now?"
"Definitely." Starbuck replied with a grin.
"You crashed and burned, Kid." Zoltan pointed out.
"I'm still standing." Starbuck returned with a roguish smile. "Besides, I'm saving my best lines for Imara." His eyes twinkled with mischief.
"You might want to work on those lines before you try them out on Imara." Zoltan told him. "Maybe even try a few on Colonel Diallo first." He added pointedly.
"Yeah, well, I'm just fine-tuning my repertoire. It's an on-going process, you know."
"Apparently."
"Hey, you're not giving me enough credit." Starbuck protested. "Looks like Apollo did okay." He nodded to where Apollo and Eryn were leaned close together going over navigation charts.
Zoltan cocked his head to the side. "Are you trying to tell me you had something to do with Apollo making a move?"
"Hey, it was obvious she's been interested in him for a while. He was probably the only one who didn't know it." Starbuck told him.
"Point conceded. You told him that?" Zoltan looked at him in surprise. Frankly, he didn't think Starbuck was interested in anyone's love life except his own.
"Sure." Starbuck leaned in conspiratorially. "Did he use the 'love' line?"
Zoltan looked at him skeptically. "The 'love' line?"
"Yeah. 'What I really love about you is' . . . fill in the blank. Works like a charm sixty percent of the time."
"Really?" Zoltan drawled. "Sixty percent of the time?"
"Yep." Starbuck nodded enthusiastically.
"With odds like that, I'm surprised you don't use it all the time."
"Well, I don't want every woman at the Academy realizing I'm using the same line on them. C'mon Zoltan, think about it." Starbuck shook his head.
"Starbuck, you're one of a kind." Zoltan told him as he walked away.
"I know." Starbuck winked at him.
Zoltan grinned to himself. Lords, was he ever that young? He chuckled as he realized the wild, young man was already fitting in nicely with his squadron. Hades, even the women he had hit on seemed to like him after the smoke had cleared. Zoltan wasn't sure how the younger man had managed that. He again looked over at Apollo and Eryn. Apollo would be an excellent choice for Squadron Leader the following yahren. As long as things didn't get too complicated between him and Eryn and he could remain focused . . . C'mon Zoltan, you can't take on all the personal problems of your squadron as well as be in command. He checked his chronometer, aware that it was time to get them organized for launching. He was just about to rally his squad when he heard Dorado say . . .
"What I really love about you Rhea is the way your teeth shine in the sunlight."
Zoltan winced. Well, that was obviously an example of what happened the other forty percent of the time. Perhaps Starbuck or Apollo needed to do a bit more coaching with Dorado. He'd be sure to mention it to them.
RETURN TO PRESENTIt was good practice lurking about the Academy at night, trying to avoid Security, Flight Instructors and Officers. Really, he should be getting extra marks for this, Starbuck reflected. He'd have to take it up with Commander Orrick.
It had been a relief when Imara had told him that she had slipped back into her barracks the night before without a hitch. Unlike the men's barracks, the women's hadn't been spot-checked. She had theorized that her father probably was more reluctant to expose his daughter's conspicuous absence. Especially since she was the flight leader for Roc Squadron. Obviously, Diallo had less compunction about exposing Starbuck . . . period.
As for Ortega, well, Starbuck had already put his plan in motion which would see them avenged. An evil grin spread across his face as he pictured Ortega boarding Stamphalian Squadron's shuttle for the survival training the next morning with . . . Oh, it would be beautiful!
Starbuck felt the warmth of Imara's hand in his own as they slunk alongside the hangar. Luckily, there were a multitude of places where a young man and woman could go to be alone on the Academy grounds. They just needed to be willing to exert a little effort.
He paused next to the door and was surprised to find it locked. "Fra . . . cas. "
He stuttered, covering his slip of the tongue.
She chuckled. "Fracas? Who's that? The God of frack?"
He chuckled, surprised at her comeback. "A lesser known God, apparently," he responded blithely.
"Starbuck, my father is a Colonel. After Mama and Dada, frack was the first word out of our mouths."
"Well, I guess I just haven't dated a Colonel's daughter before."
"Well, I hope you find it a pleasant experience. Now, about the door, is it locked?"
He nodded and looked for another way in. Three yahrens at the Academy and this was the first time he had found the hangar secured against entry. Humph.
"Let me." Imara whispered and released his hand to position herself in front of the entry panel. She quickly keyed in a code and the small light on the pad turned green. She tried the handle and the door opened.
"Handy." He remarked.
"There has to be some advantages to having your father as executive officer." Imara grinned. "Admit it, you're impressed."
"Well, now, I don't know if I'd go as far as to say . . . "
"Shh!" She cautioned and covered his lips with her own.
Starbuck tensed, part of him listening for what she was warning him about and the rest of him responding to her kiss. Her arms crept around his neck and she pressed herself against him.
"Imara . . . " he muttered as his arms found their way around her of their own accord, and they briefly came up for air.
"Hmm?" she asked, smiling up at him.
"Did you hear something?"
"No."
"No?" he asked, his delight at her answer apparent. "That was worthy of me."
"You liked that?" She grinned.
"Oh, yeah. Very creative. Anything else you'd like to teach me?"
Imara nodded briefly. "Inside, Cadet. That's an order." She nodded towards the door.
"Yes, Maam." He replied, again taking her hand and cautiously entering the hangar. He led her carefully through a multitude of obstacles, finding his way by memory and touch. Suddenly, she laughed and dropped his hand.
He turned in time to see a soft glow light up the immediate area in front of her. "An illuminator. Good idea. I bet you were an Explorer as a girl." He teased her, referring to the well-known youth's club that developed character through outdoor activities.
"As a matter of fact, I was," she agreed, her eyes sparkling. "Ready and willing." She saluted him smartly.
"I like the sound of that." Starbuck grinned at her, taking her hand and pulling her to him.
"Starbuck, that was our motto." She laughed in reply, arms encircling his waist.
"I've never heard a better one." He told her as he fingered a lock of her long, dark hair. "Is it too late to join?"
"I think the chronological order is Explorer to Cadet." She told him in amusement, her lips milli-metrons from his.
"A shame," he murmured as he kissed her softly and then trailed the back of his fingers lightly down her cheek. "You are so beautiful . . ." He murmured, a little amazed that after watching her from afar for so very long, that he was finally holding her, kissing her . . . She was from an entirely different league than his usual conquests. What in Hades was she doing here with him? Still . . .
She smiled in return and leaned in for another searching kiss.
He realized this was an incredibly stupid time to be mulling over how they came to be together. Full ahead, Bucko.
His fingers crept through her hair reveling in the silken texture. One hand gently rested at the back of her head and the other tipped up her chin as their kiss intensified. He felt her fingers tug at his waistband and one hand made its way inside his tunic, exploring his bare flesh. Lords, talk about a clear message!
Imara let the illuminator slip to the ground. She brought her hand up and ran it through his hair, messing it up completely. She had been dying to do that since the first time she had laid eyes on Starbuck. Something about that hair and the way it was constantly in his eyes . . . She felt him stiffen.
He pulled back from her, certain he had heard . . . something.
"That wasn't the illuminator, was it?" She murmured breathlessly.
"Shh!" His body tense, he listened carefully.
Voices drifted towards them and they heard a door open at the opposite side of the hangar. A few mounted lights above them turned on, covering the area with a dim light. Starbuck and Imara immediately crouched down.
Frack, frack, frack. Starbuck looked around for a place to hide. "C'mon," he whispered so softly he wasn't sure she'd heard him. However, his urgency at the horror of being discovered conveyed his thoughts and she followed quickly behind.
He headed for a Class D Starfighter. The two-seater training fighter and its single-man counterpart had been on the cutting edge of technology fifteen yahrens ago when it had been engineered. However, as usual, there had been changes and advances in aerospace technology and the bird had subsequently undergone several modifications. Starbuck had heard the rumours that the Aerospace Engineering Department was already working on a prototype to replace the Starfighter.
He boosted Imara up into the cockpit and scrambled up behind her, taking a quick look towards the voices before he jumped in. They crouched low and were practically lying down as they endeavoured to stay out of sight.
The sound of Colonial boots drew nearer and it became easier to make out the voices.
" . . . everything on schedule?" The familiar crisp voice was loud and clear.
"Yes, Sir.
"We rendezvous at 0800 centars at Position G as planned. Any questions?"
"No, sir."
"I want a guard posted until we're cleared to launch. Got it?"
"Yes, Sir." The men passed by beneath the fighter and kept going.
Imara grabbed Starbuck's arm and mouthed, my father.
He nodded. He had been in front of Colonel Diallo enough that he had figured that out for himself. Starbuck pushed himself upwards slowly and peeked over the edge of the cockpit. He could feel Imara trying to pull him back down and, despite her efforts, was rewarded by the retreating backs of Colonel Diallo and Sergeant Brand, accompanied by two other enlisted men that he didn't recognize.
"If this works out as planned, gentlemen, we will have a new contract and will be assured a comfortable retirement." Diallo's voice receded as they moved out of Starbuck's line of vision. "Now let me take one more look at the package before we secure it . . ." was the last thing he heard before a hatch opened and the voices were reduced to mere murmurs.
Starbuck looked down into the wide, troubled eyes of Imara. "Stay put. I want to see if I can find out what the frack's going on." He was up and out of the cockpit before she had a chance to argue with him. She sat paralyzed with worry as she wondered what in Hades her father was involved in.