~~~~~~~~~~~~~Chapter 7~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~Starbuck's POV~
"If you don't want to go on this mission I'll understand," Captain Apollo said to me after the briefing. "There are others who are qualified to go, even though you're up on the schedule."
"I'm sure there are, but there's no reason for me not to go. It's not like little Starbuck is due in the next few days," I said.
"I just thought you might like to be nearby in case she comes to term early," he said.
"It's not like she's ever around anyway." I couldn't help the bitterness in my tone.
"The project is important."
Both of us were referring to the bridge display technology upgrade that Athena was heading up on the Science Ship and that took her away from the Galactica for days at a time over the past few sectars.
"I know, I know. Technicians will be better able to pinpoint locations and interpret scans if they have more accurate representations of data. Digital technology on the bridge is vital to our security. I've heard it all from your sister. I was hoping we'd be sealed before the baby was born, but with Athena away most of the time we haven't even had a chance to discuss it, never mind do it." I was too disquieted by the topic to stand still and started fidgeting.
I sensed, rather than saw, Apollo's grin as he watched me jiggle around. It was no secret that he enjoyed seeing me on the receiving end of what I usually dished out.
"She's not going to deny you access to the baby even if you do split up," he reminded me.
"That's not why I want to be sealed!"
"What is it then?" Apollo asked.
"I...I don't know!"
"Dammit, Starbuck," Apollo exclaimed.
I looked at him in surprise. What was he so pissed off about?
"You expect my sister to sit obediently and wait for you to be off duty and have no life of her own. And you ask her to get sealed so you can be an involved father to your child and expect her to accept? You're lucky she's agreed to live with you and let you be involved with that attitude!" Apollo leaned forward and was in my face as he delivered the first angry words I'd heard from him since he found out I had gotten his sister pregnant. And he had punched me.
"You don't know what goes on between your sister and I," I said angrily.
"Maybe not, but I know what I do see," Apollo responded with as much heat.
"Well, maybe I'll have time to think about it on this mission," I snapped.
Apollo just shook his head and walked out of the barracks.
"You haven't exactly proposed to Sheba you know!" I called out.
"Looked like Apollo was upset with you in that briefing," Sheba noted as we headed for their shuttle that would take them to the planet where they were to trade for goods and information.
"Yeah/" I shrugged, not wanting to delve too deeply into the subject, again.
"What did you do now?" Sheba wasn't deterred by my monosyllabic response.
"Don't we have a mission to prepare for?" I scowled at her.
"It's about Athena, isn't it?" she said.
"Did he tell you that?" I asked.
"It's not hard to figure out," Sheba shrugged. "That's what it's usually about these days."
"He's angry at me because he thinks I'm treating Athena badly." I sh1ook my head in honest disbelief at the thought.
"I don't think he thinks that. I think he wants more for her than you've offered to stardate," Sheba said.
"I'm living with her. I've asked her to seal to me, a number of times. She's turned me down, as she always has. I plan to be an involved father, what more is there?" I threw a sharp glance her way.
"That's true. You have," she agreed.
"Then how can I be treating her badly?" I shook my head.
"You're not very supportive of her work, for one thing," she said.
"What are you talking about? I haven't asked her to stop working, even in her condition," I said.
"Come on, Starbuck. I spend centars at a time alone in space with you. Do you think I haven't noticed how annoyed you are that Athena's been spending so much time on the Science ship? With all of those young, male geniuses?" Sheba asked.
"Are you suggesting I'm jealous?" I scoffed.
"Aren't you?" she asked.
"I don't think Athena is cheating on me." I dismissed the idea out of hand.
"Why aren't you jealous?" Sheba asked.
"Athena's honest, and she's pregnant!" I looked at my wingmate like she was crazy.
"Do you think she's unattractive in her condition?" she asked.
"Not at all," I said, thinking about just how attractive she looked and felt when I had said goodbye to her half a centar ago. If anything, Athena's beauty was blooming along with her condition. Her golden skin glowed, her blue eyes sparkled, her hair was shinier, and her skin was softer. Not to mention her fuller breasts that overflowed my palms when I soothed her aching.
"Why shouldn't other men be attracted to her also?" Sheba asked.
"Are you trying to tell me something?" I asked sharply, my hands bunched into fists. "Is there someone else?"
"There's no one else, but there might be someday. There might be someone who loves Athena and doesn't want her around just because she's had his child," Sheba said.
"That's not how it is," I protested. "Stop confusing me."
"You're both my friends and I've tried to stay out of this, but you two have a baby on the way in a couple of sectons. A child that will need stability, not two people playing house until someone better comes along," Sheba said. "Imagine how confused that child is going to be if you two don't get your act together?"
"That's why I've asked her to get sealed to me." I sighed in frustration. "Why don't you tell her to accept for the child's sake?"
"And what has Athena said when she's refused?" Sheba asked.
"That she doesn't take sealing lightly. That it's a spiritual lifelong commitment. She wants to be sure that it's right for us. I'm not sure what she means."
"I can't believe I have to explain this to you. What she's saying is that she's not going to get sealed to someone who proposes for convenience's sake rather than love."
I stopped walking. Hadn't I, in all these sectars together, told her that I loved her? Did I in fact love her, in the way Sheba suggested Athena needed to hear in order to seal with me? "Does she love me like that?" It was suddenly vitally important for me to know.
"Starbuck, I can't answer that." Sheba shook her head and put her hand on my arm.
"Please, Sheba. If this is what she's waiting for, I need to know," I pleaded.
"I've never asked her that." I knew she was hedging, but I got it. She already felt like she had said to much. I looked down, frowning at the blank ground. Why would she seal to me if we weren't in love? My stomach clenched. Why did I want to seal to her so badly if I didn't love her? Was I, as Apollo intimated, merely taking up a challenge? Or trying to create an automatic family believing it'll all just work out?
Before I could think on it more, the rest of our mission mates showed up.
"I'd be more comfortable if we went down in our vipers." Boomer said what all of us were thinking and remembering.
"As long as Starbuck doesn't end up as sheriff we should be all right," my loyal wingmate intoned.
"Though, with him around we're bound to find a bevy of beauties," Jolly said.
"A bevy? You been watching those melodramas on the IFB again, Jolly?" Boomer snorted.
I just glared at them, even though the banter had lifted my spirits.
In the end, I didn't get appointed sheriff, but there was a bevy of beauties. A not‑so‑friendly bevy of beauties. A bevy of non‑human beauties who didn't like humans very much, well, actually just human males. Accordingly, they imprisoned us ‑ in some rather embarrassing circumstances none of us like to discuss ‑ and allied themselves with Sheba, "our imprisoner." It took Sheba over a secton to get us released into her custody and get the supplies she needed to continue transporting us to the human prison planet in the next sector.
I have a feeling the razzing on this one won't die down soon. At least Sheba isn't making us kneel before her anymore.
"I'm glad you're back, buddy." Apollo clapped me on the back once I walked out of decontamination.
"I wasn't sure you'd feel that way," I said.
"Starbuck." He was obviously stricken by my comment.
"I didn't mean to be flip. I can see now why you were so annoyed with me," I admitted.
"You did have time to think on the mission after all." Apollo grinned at me and the tension passed. "I shouldn't have stuck my nose in your business with my sister. She gave me an earful about it if it makes you feel better."
"Confessed when you thought we weren't coming back? Sorry I missed it." I laughed.
"That sister of mine." Apollo shook his head and whistled.
"She's a lot like you," I pointed out.
"She's a lot grown up and I shouldn't butt into your affair," Apollo said, surprising me.
"She must have really given it to you!" My grin widened. "Is she on board?" Athena hadn't appeared at the landing bay. I had assumed she was off-ship, but Apollo's expression alerted me that something else was up. "Is she all right? The baby?" I gripped Apollo's tunic.
"She's fine, considering," Apollo said.
"Considering what?" I practically yelled.
"Whoa, calm down. Considering she was very pregnant and worried about you," Apollo said.
"Was? Was pregnant! So help me Apollo, if you don't..."
"She's in labor, right now in fact..."
I broke into a run as best I could on my injured ankle towards the Life Center.
"Where is she? Where's Athena?" I yelled as soon as I burst into the Life Center.
"Starbuck." Cassi came rushing towards me.
"Where is she, Cass?" I demanded.
"Calm down, Starbuck. You need to clean up and we need to take a look at you before..."
"No, I need to see her!"
"You need to clean up first. Do you want her to see you looking like that?" Cassi spoke calmly and rationally, as she always did.
"How is she?" I asked, letting her lead me to where I could clean up and change.
"She's fine, especially now that she knows you're all right," Cassi said.
"Cass!" I clasped her arm as she turned to leave. "Is she early? Is it because of me?"
"She's just fine, I promise," Cassi said, tilting her head to study me a moment.
"Thanks." I let out a breath I hadn't known I was holding as she left the room and then I got ready as fast as I did when it was a red alert.
End of Chapter 7