Epilogue

Lords, the bed felt good. Maybe a bit too good, Starbuck mused, his body sinking into the mattress wearily, as he looked around the luxurious suite that his father had somehow managed to finagle for him and Luana on the Rising Star. It was a suite like he had only dreamed of before—vague memories of two beautiful female cadets beating him at pyramid in the chancery and conning him into buying them dinner and a bottle of vintage ambrosa in a private room, all the time intending to seduce him —or was that only a dream from his overactive imagination? He smiled self-indulgently as he looked around his opulent surroundings. Overstuffed furniture, a tray of appetizers, the finest bottle of Proteus vintage ambrosa that he could afford—and which Ziebert had managed to wrangle all but his last couple cubits for. The massive bed was the focal point, with rich, burgundy and golden coloured covers, far too many pillows, and . . . a vibrating mattress. He chuckled as he popped a cubit in the coin operated control mechanism and the vibrations gently massaged his body. He'd always wanted to try one of these.

The engagement party had been a huge success, for an event that had essentially been thrown together on the spur of the moment by Apollo, Boomer and Lia. Every friend, acquaintance, and even the odd curious onlooker had joined in the gaiety. The mood had been exuberant with all that they had just survived.

He sighed, shaking it off. He really didn't want to run through the events in his mind anymore. Time to leave it all behind and begin anew. With Lu.

His eyes fell on the door to the turbo wash, where Luana had disappeared a few centons before. So many other women had disappeared behind such a door in a similar situation. Lords, too many to count. But this was different. Luana was the woman he intended to get sealed to.

Sealed? He was still shaking his head at how that had come about. It had been more a bureaucratic maneuver by Ama, rather than anything really personal between him and Lu. Yet, here they were. They somehow knew in their hearts that it was right. Even if it had happened so
. . . unconventionally. Typically Empyrean, Bucko. Better get used to it.

He closed his eyes, realizing it had only taken the engagement party before innumerable people had started asking about how many children they intended to have. Sagan, they'd barely made any plans for their sealing, and people were already asking about a family.

Not that he was opposed to having children. Just not yet. Maybe when they had safely found Earth. He didn't want his kids being raised by someone else should something happen to him on the job. He intended to be fully involved in their lives when the time came for him to be a father.

Easy, Bucko. You're not even close to the sealing date yet. Here you've already got yourself settled down in Las Vegas with a brood of kids. Las Vegas? What the heck. It sounded like a nice town.

"Hey there, flyboy, don't go to sleep on me quite yet." Luana's voice purred in his ear, her fingers lightly caressing his face and then running through his hair as she leaned over him. Her eyes ran hungrily down the length of his body. His fully clothed body. She grinned. She'd have to do something about that.

Starbuck captured her wandering hand, kissing her fingers as his eyes ran over her possessively. Her nightgown was a simple design, but it hugged her curves suggestively. Understated, very much like Lu, herself. But beneath the soft and comfortable material was the real prize. The woman he loved. "You look beautiful."

"It was the best I could do on short notice," she murmured, knowing that the ex-socialator probably had a vast array of elegant lingerie that was designed to tantalize the average male. Well, the way he was looking at her now, she realized she probably didn't need it. She leaned down and kissed him, breathing in his familiar scent. Fumarello, ambrosa, and that cologne that he always wore. On any other man it might seem overbearing. But on Starbuck, it was a teaser to her senses.

He pulled back, smiling as she quietly murmured her disappointment. "Wait a centon," he told her pulling her gently off the bed and to her feet.

Luana smiled, looking around again in bemusement at the luxury suite. "It's a far cry from the Fitness Center's equipment room, isn't it?"

"Doesn't have the view of the Celestial Dome though," Starbuck replied, running his fingertips through her long hair and touching his forehead to hers. They'd have far more encounters ahead of them in equipment rooms and Celestial Domes with both of them in the billets before they could apply for 'couples' quarters upon their sealing, unless he could figure out a way around the regs. "I love you, Luana."

She smiled up at him. "I love you too, Starbuck."

Gently, he gathered her hands in his, his thumb lightly caressing her fingers as he took a step back and lowered himself onto one knee. She could see his eyes misting up, and immediately felt a similar moisture gather in her own eyes. She drew in a rasping breath, as she awaited his words expectantly.

"Will you be my wife, Luana? Seal with me?" He blinked back tears, surprised how his emotions had overcome him so suddenly.

"You know I will. I already said, 'yes'. Didn't we just . . . have a celebration?" She replied, her voice also choked with emotion. It was like a beautiful dream come true. She pulled him to his feet and kissed him, feeling him tremble slightly as he then pulled her to him.

"To Ama, the Empyrean Quorum, and the Fleet, you said 'yes'." Starbuck replied, nuzzling her hair. "I needed you to say 'yes' to me, Lu."

"I was only waiting for you to ask me, Innamorato." She whispered to him. "I love you, Starbuck. I'd be honoured to be your wife."

Then he kissed her again, slowly guiding her, backing them towards the bed, before she began to laugh at his obvious ploy. They paused together, holding tight to one another and simply enjoying the moment.

"I guess we'd better set a date then," he chuckled.

"Set a date?" She laughed lightly, reminding herself it was almost a yahren away. "Oh, Starbuck. Surely Ama's told you. She's set the date, started the guest list, posted an announcement in the IFB's Society Feature, and has even commissioned a dressmaker for the occasion."

"What?" his eyes went wide as he felt the control over his life slipping away through his fingertips like the sands of time. His mouth suddenly felt dry. He licked his lips. "Ama?"

"Of course, Ama. Who else?" Luana laughed. "And you know she wants to perform the ceremony in the Empyrean tradition?"

"Oh, Lords," he groaned. Just what exactly would that entail? Crossing the Fires of Truth again? Sacrificing some more of his blood? Candle lit ceremonies? Empyrean Balls? He swallowed the sudden lump in his throat with great difficulty as he studied her amused features. It was as if she was reading his mind. He felt slightly abashed. "Save me from the Empyreans," he breathed with a wry smile.

She grinned devilishly and, hooking a foot behind his ankle, gave him a light push, tripping him onto the bed. "Oh, it's a little bit late for that, Starbuck."

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Fleeing from the Cylon Tyranny, the last Battlestar, Galactica, leads a ragtag fugitive fleet on a lonely quest . . . a shining planet known as Earth.

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Appreciation and thanks to Senmut for the loan of his original characters: Sire Memnon, Med Techs Tone and Waheeb, and Technician Hummer. Also for his eternal patience with edits, and his inspiring adds.